of Sainct Iustice. I aske mercye sayth he of God and hys Iustice but the Uirgine blessed S. Mary I neuer offended nor did that thinge for the whiche I should aske her mercy From thence he passed forward to the Churche of S. Legia preaching still as he went Then spake one of the souldiours to the driuer or carter Iohn 8. Filioli custodite vos a simulachris 1. Iohn 5. willyng him to driue a pase for here is preaching sayd he enough To whō sayd Aymond He that is of God heareth the wordes of God c. In passing by a certain Image of our Lady great offence was taken agaynst him because he alwayes called vpon Christ Iesus onely and made no mention of her Whereupon hee lifted his voyce to God praying that he woulde neuer suffer him to inuocate any other sauing him alone Comming to the place where he should suffer he was tumbled out of the cart vpon y e groūd testifying to the Magistrates to the people standing by y t he dyed for the Gospell of Iesus Christ for his word More he would haue spoken but he coulde not be suffered by y e tumultuous vexing of the officers crying dispatch dispatche him let him not speake Thē he speaking a few wordes softly in y e eare of the litle Carmelite whō he had conuerted was bid to stepp vp to y e stage Where the people beginning to geue a litle audiēce thus he said O Lord make hast to helpe me tary not do not despise the woorke of thy handes The wordes of Aymond to the studentes And you my brethren y e be students scholers I exhort you to study and learne the Gospell for the word of God abideth for euer labour to knowe the will of God and feare not them that kill the body but haue no power vpon your soules And after that my fleshe sayde hee repugneth merueilously against the spirit but shortly I shall cast it away My good maysters I beseech you pray for me O Lord my God into thy hands I commend my soule The death and martyrdome of Aymondus As he was oft repeting the same the hangman tooke and haled him vpon the steppes in such sort that he strangled hym And thus y e blessed Sainct gaue vp his life Whose body afterwarde was with fire consumed  Fraunces Bribard An. 1144. Fraunces Bribard was sayde to be the secretarye of the Cardinal of Bellay Fraunces Bribard Who being also for the Gospel condemned after hys tongue was cutte off did with like constācie susteyne the sharpenes of burning Ibidem The high Court of Roan A widowe keeping a vitailing house in the suburbes of Roan William Husson an Apothecary At Roan An. 1544. William Hussan Apothecary William Husson Martyr comming frō Bloys to Roan was lodged with a certaine widow in the suburbs of the Cittye Who asking of her at what tyme the Counsayle or Parliament did ryse she sayd at x. of y e clock About whiche tyme houre hee went to the Pallace and there scattered certayne bookes concernyng Christian doctrine and the abuse of mens traditions Whereat the counsayle was so mooued that they commaunded all the gates of the Cittye to be locked and dilligent search to be made in all Innes and hostles to finde out the authour Then the widow told of the partye which was there and asked of the rising of the Counsayle shortly vpon the same took hys horse and rode away Thē were postes set out thorough all quarters so that the sayd William was taken by the waye riding to Diepe and brought agayne to Roan Who there being examined declared hys fayth boldly and howe became of purpose to disperse those bookes in Roan and went to do the like at Diepe The boldnes of a constant Martyr The weeke ensuing hee was condemned to be burned aliue After the sentence geuen he was brought in a cart accompanyed with a Doctor a Carmelite Frier before the great churche who puttynge a torche in hys hand required hym to doe homage to the Image of our Lady Custodite vos a simulachris Iohn 5. which because he refused to do his tongue was cut out The Fryer then making a Sermon when he spake any thing of the mercies of God the sayd William harkened to hym but when he spake of the merites of Sayntes and other dreames he turned awaye his head The Fryer looking vppon the countenaunce of Husson lifte vpp his hand to heauen saying with great exclamation that he way damned and was possessed with a deuil When the Fryer had ceased hys Sermon this godly Husson had his handes and feete bound behynde his backe with a pully was lifted vp into the ayre and when the fire was kindled Crueltie of the aduersaries he was let down into the flame where the blessed Martyr with a smyling and cheerefull countenaunce looked vp to heauen neuer mouing nor styrryng till he let down his head and gaue vp hys spirite All the people there present were not a little astonyed thereat and were in diuers opinions some saying that he had a deuill other mayntayned the contrary saying if hee had a deuill he should haue fallen into dispayre This Carmelite Fryer abouesayde Frier Delāda conuerted was called Delanda which after was conuerted and preached the Gospell Ex. Gallie hist. Ioan. Crisp. Lib. 2. Three popish priests The Duke of Loraine· Iames Cobard a Scholemaster and many other taken the same time An. 1545. This Iames scholemaister in the Citty of Sainct Michael in the Dukedom of Barens in Loraine Iames Cobard Martyr disputed with three priests that the sacrament of Baptisme and of the Supper dyd not auayle vnlesse they were receaued with fayth which was as muche to saye as that the Masse dyd profite neither y e quick nor the dead For the which and also for hys confession which he being in prison sent of hys owne accorde by hys mother vnto the Iudge hee was burned and most quietly suffered Ex. Ioan. Crisp. The Franciscan Friers The Doctours of Sorbone and others Peter Clerke brother to Iohn Clerke burnt before Stephanus Manginus Iames Bouchbeck Iohn Brisebar Henr. Hutinote Tho. Honorate Iohn Baudouinus Iohn Flesch Iohn Picquere Peter Piquere Io. Matheston Philippe Little Michaell Caillow Fraunces Clerke Couberon a Weauer At Meaux An. 1546. These xiiij dwelt at Melda Xiiij. Martyrs a Cittye in France x. myles from Paris Where William Briconetus beyng there Bysh. did muche good Pet. Clerke Ioh. Clerke brethrē and Martyrs brought to them the light of the Gospell and reformed the Church Who straightly beyng examined for the same relented but yet these with many other remained constāt Who after the burning of Iames Pauane before mentioned and seeing superstition to grow more and more Xiiij. blessed martyrs at Meaux began to congregate in Mangins house to set vp a churche to themselues after the example of the French Churche in Strausburgh A
of the other Lordes what he had promised You shall commend me sayd he to the Kyng and tell hym By that he hath so well tryed and throughly prooued you as I haue done hee shall finde you as false a man as euer came about hym Syr Rafe Sadler the L. CroÌ„wels trusty frend Besides this he wrote also a letter from the Tower to the kyng whereof when none durst take the cariage vpon him sir Rafe Sadler whom he also had preferred to the kyng before beyng euer trusty faythfull vnto hym went to the king to vnderstand his pleasure whether he would permit him to bring the letter or not Which when y e kyng had graunted the sayd M. Sadler as he was required presented the letter vnto the king which he commaunded thrise to be red vnto him in so much the kyng seemed to be mooued therewith Notwithstanding by reason of the Acte of parliament afore passed the worthy and noble Lorde Cromwell oppressed by his enemies and condemned in the Tower and not comming to his answer the 28. day of Iuly an 1541. was brought to the scaffold on Tower hill where he sayd these words followyng I am come hither to die and not to purge my selfe The L. Cromwel brought 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 as some thinke peraduenture that I will For if I should so do I were a very wretch and a miser I am by the law coÌ„demned to die and thanke my lord God that hath appointed me this death for myne offence For sithens the tyme y t I haue had yeares of discretion I haue lyued a sinner and offended my Lord God for the which I aske him hartelie forgiuenes And it is not vnknowne to many of you that I haue bene a great traueller in this world being but of a base degree was called to high estate and sithens the tyme I came thereunto I haue offended my Prince for the which I aske him hartily forgiuenes and beseech you all to pray to God with me that he will forgiue me And now I pray you that be here to beare me record I dye in the catholike fayth not doubting in any Article of my faith no nor doubting in any sacrament of the church Manye haue slaundered me and reported that I haue bene a bearer of such as haue mainteined euill opinions which is vntrue But I confesse that like as God by his holy spirit doth instruct vs in the truth so the deuill is ready to seduce vs I haue bene seduced A true Christian confession 〈◊〉 the L. Cromâ—wel at his death but beare me witnes that I die in the catholike faith of the holy church And I hartily desire you to pray for the kings grace that he may long lyue with you in health and prosperitie and that after him his sonne prince Edward that goodly impe may long raigne ouer you And once again I desire you to pray for me that so long as life remaineth in this flesh I wauer nothing in my faith And so making his prayer kneling on his knees he spake these words the effect whereof here followeth A prayer that the Lord Cromwell sayd at the houre of his death O Lord Iesu which art the onely health of all men liuing The prayer of the L. Cromwel at his death and the euerlasting life of them which die in thee I wretched sinner do submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will and being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed vnto thy mercy willingly now I leaue this fraile and wicked fleshe in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise restore it to me agayne at the last day in the resurrection of the iust I beseech thee moste merciful lord Iesus Christ that thou wilt by thy grace make stroÌ„g my soule against all temptations and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all the assaults of the deuill I see and knowledge that there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my coÌ„fidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnesse I haue no merites nor good works which I may alledge before thee Of sinnes and euill workes alas I see a great heape but yet thorough thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whome thou wilt not impute their sinnes but wilt take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting lyfe Thou mercifull lord wast borne for my sake thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake thou didst teach pray and fast for my sake all thy holy actions and workes thou wroughtest for my sake thou suffredst most grieuous paines and tormentes for my sake finally thou gauest thy most precious body and thy bloud to be shed on the crosse for my sake Nowe most mercifull Sauior let al these things profit me that thou frely hast done for me which hast geuen thy selfe al so for me Let thy bloud cleanse and wash away the spots and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merites of thy passion and bloudsheding be satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lord thy grace that the faith of my saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer be firme and constant That the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that loue waxe not cold in me Finally that the weaknes of my fleshe be not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me mercifull Sauiour that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my body yet the eyes of my soule may still behold and looke vpon thee and when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue yet my heart may cry and say vnto thee Lord into thy hands I commend my soule Lord Iesu receaue my spirit Amen And thus his prayer made after he had godly louingly exhorted them that were about him on the scaffold The death of the â— Cromwel he quietly committed his soule into the hands of God and so paciently suffred the stroke of the axe by a ragged and butcherly miser which very vngodly performed the office ¶ Of the Bible in English printed in the large volume and of Edmund Boner preferred to the Bishoprike of London by the meanes of the Lord Cromwell ABout the time and yere when Edmund Boner bishop of Hereford ambassadour resident in Fraunce begaÌ„ first to be nominate preferred by the meanes of the lord Cromwel to the bishoprike of London The Bibles of the 〈…〉 Paris which was anno 1540. it happened that the said Thomas Lord Cromwell and Erle of Essex procured of y e king of england his gracious letters to the French king to permitte and licence a subiect of his to imprint the Bible in English within the vniuersitie of Paris because paper was there more meete and apt to be had for the doing therof then in the realme of England also that there were more store of good workmen for the readie dispatch of
Christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples The confesioÌ„ of Anne â—â—kew in Newgate saying Take eate this is my body which shall be broken for you meaning in substaÌ„ce his owne very body the bread being thereof an only signe or Sacrament For after lyke maner of speaking he sayde he would breake down the temple and in three days build it vp agayne signifieng his owne body by the temple as S. Iohn declareth it Iohn 2. and not the stony temple it selfe So that the bread is but a remembrance of his death or a Sacrament of thanks geuing for it Aâ— Chriâ—tes body 〈…〉 the temple in the â—cripture so is the bread called Christes body whereby we are 〈◊〉 vnto him by a communioÌ„ of christian loue Although there be many that cannot perceiue the true meaning therof for the veile that Moises put ouer his face before y e children of Israel that they should not see the clearenes thereof Exod. 24. and 2. Cor. 3. I perceyue the same veyle remayneth to this day But when God shall take it away then shall these blynd men see For it is plainly expressed in the history of Bell in the Bible that God dwelleth in no thyng materiall Heâ—od 24. â— Cor. 3. O kyng sayth Daniel be not deceiued for God will be in nothing that is made with hands of men Daniel 14. Oh what stifnecked people are these that will alwayes resist the holy Ghost Dan. 14. Actes 7. But as their fathers haue done so do they because they haue stony hartes Written by me Anne Askew that neyther wisheth death nor yet feareth his might and as mery as one that is bound towards heauen Truth is layd in prison Luke 21. The law is turned to wormewood Amos. 6. And there can no right iudgement go forth â—â—ke 21. Amos. 6. Esay 59. Esay 59. Oh forgeue vs all our sinnes and receiue vs graciously As for the workes of our hands we will no more call vppon them For it is thou Lord that art our God Thou shewest euer mercye vnto the fatherlesse Oh if they would do this sayth the Lord I shoulde heale their sores yea with all my hart would I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do with Idols any more who so is wyse shall vnderstand this And he that is rightly instructed will regard it for the wayes of the Lord are righteous Such as are godly Osâ— 14. will walke in them and as for the wicked they will stumble at them Ose. 14. Salomon sayth S. Steuen builded an house for the God of Iacob Howbeit the highest of all dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Esay 66. as sayth the Prophet Heauen is my seat the earth is my footstoole What house will ye build for me saith the Lord or what place is it that I shall rest in Hath not my handes made all things Act. 7. Act. 7. Woman beleeue me sayth Christ to the Samaritane the tyme is at hand that ye shall neyther in this mountayne nor yet at Ierusalem worship the father Ye worshippe ye wotte not what but we knowe what we worshippe For saluation commeth of the Iewes But the houre commeth and is nowe when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and veritie Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Labour not sayth Christ for the meate that perisheth but for that that endureth into the lyfe euerlastyng which the sonne of man shall geue you For hym GOD the Father hath sealed Iohn 6. Iohn 6. The summe of the condemnation of me Anne Askew at the Guild hall An other 〈…〉 Anne Askew at the Guild Hill THey sayd to me there that I was an heretike and condemned by the law If I would stand in mine opinioÌ„ I answered that I was no heretike neither yet deserued I any death by the law of God But as concerning y e faith which I vttered and wrote to the counsell I would not I sayd deny it because I knew it true Then would they needes know The substance of the Sacrament denyed to be God if I would deny the Sacrament to be Christes body and bloud I said yea For the same sonne of God that was borne of the virgine Mary is now glorious in heauen and will come againe from thence at the latter day like as he went vp Act. 1. And as for that ye call your god it is a peece of bread For a more proofe thereof marke it when ye list let it lye in the boxe but iij. monethes and it will be mouldy so turne to nothing that is good Wherupon I am perswaded that it cannot be God After that they willed me to haue a Priest Anne Askew wiâ—h her felows condemned by a Quest. and then I smiled Then they asked me if it were not good I sayd I would confesse my faults vnto God For I was sure that he would heare me with fauour And so we were condemned with a Quest My beliefe which I wrote to the Counsaile was this The beliefe of Anne Askew concerning the Sacramentes written to the Councell Iohn 4. that the sacramental bread was left vs to be receiued with thankes geuyng in remembraunce of Christes death the onely remedy of our soules recouery and that thereby we also receiue the whole benefits and fruits of his most glorious Passion Then would they needes know whether the bread in the boxe were God or no I sayd God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Iohn 4. TheÌ„ they demanded will you plainly deny Christ to be in the Sacrament I answered that I beleeue faithfully the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnesse whereof I recited agayne the history of Bell Dan. 19. Actes 7.17 Math. 24. and the 19. chap. of Daniell the 7. and 17. of the Acts and the 24. of Mathew coÌ„cluding thus I neither wish death nor yet fear his might God haue the prayse thereof with thanks My letter sent to the L. Chauncellor THe Lord God by whom all creatures haue their being The letter of Anne Askew to the Lord ChauÌ„cellour blesse you with the light of his knowledge Amen My duety to your Lordship remembred c. It might please you to accept this my bold sute as the sute of one which vppon due considerations is moued to the same and hopeth to obtaine My request to your Lordship is onely that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kings maiesty that his grace may be certified of these few lynes which I haue written concerning my beliefe Which when it shall be truely conferred with the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thinke his grace shal wel perceiue me to be wayed in an vneuen paire of balance But I remit my matter and cause to almighty God which rightly iudgeth all secrets And thus I commend your Lordship to the gouernaunce of him and fellowship of all saints Amen By your handmayd
therfore it must be receyued with the instrument of the soule which is fayth For as ye receiue sustenance for your body by your bodily mouth so the foode of your soule must be receiued by fayth which is the mouth of the soule And for that S. Augustine sharpely rebuketh them that thinke to eat Christ with their mouthe saying Quid paras dentem ventrem crede manducasti i. Why makest thou redy thy tooth thy belly August 〈◊〉 Ioan. 〈◊〉 25. beleue thou hast eateÌ„ Christ. Likewise speaking of eatyng the selfe same body he sayth to the Capernaites which tooke hym grosly as men do now a dayes The words that I speake are spirit and lyfe It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothyng Iohn 6. And S. Augustine vpon these words of Christ sayth * That is to 〈◊〉 You shall 〈◊〉 eate the boâ—â— which you 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 bloâ—d whicâ— they shall 〈◊〉 that shall 〈…〉 me I 〈◊〉 commended you a 〈◊〉 vnderstood 〈◊〉 spiritually 〈◊〉 it shall 〈◊〉 you lyfe 〈◊〉 flesh 〈◊〉 nothing NoÌ„ hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis neque bibituri sanguinem quem effusuri sunt qui me crucifigent Sacramentum aliquod vobis trado Id spiritualiter acceptum viuificat caro auteÌ„ non prodest quicquam August Quinquagena 2. Psal 98. Custome What meane you by this spirite and by spirituall eatyng I pray you vtter your mynde more playnely For I know well that Christ hath a bodye and therefore must be eaten as I thinke with the mouth of the bodye For the spirit and the soule as it hath no body and flesh so it hath no mouth Veritie You must vnderstand that a man is shaped of two partes of the body and of the soule And eche of them hath his life and his death his monthe his teethe his foode and abstinence For like as the body is nourished and fostered with bodily meats or els can not endure so must the soule haue his cherishing otherwise it will decay pine away And therefore we do may iustly say that the Turkes Iewes and Heathen be dead because they lacke y t liuely foode of the soule But how then or by what meane wil you fede the soule Doubtles not by the instrument of the body but of the soule For that which is receiued into the bodye hath no passage from thence into the soul. For Christ sayth That what â—o entreth into the belly is conueied into the draught And where as you say that the spirite hathe no mouth like as it hath no bodye or bones you are deceiued For the spirite hath a mouthe in his kinde or else howe coulde a man eate and drinke Iustice for vndoubtedly his bodily mouthe is no fit instrument for it Yet Christ sayeth that he is blessed that hungreth and thirsteth for Iustice. If hee hunger and thirst for Iustice 〈◊〉 5. belike he both eateth and drinketh it or otherwise he neither abateth his hunger nor quencheth hys thirst 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Nowe if a man eate and drinke righteousnesse wyth hys spirite no doubt his spirite hath a mouth Whereof I will reason thus Da Of what soeuer sorte the mouth is suche is hys foode ti But the mouth of the spirite is spirituall not bodily si Therefore it receiueth Christes body spiritually not bodily And in like manner Christe speaking of the eatyng of hys bodye nameth him selfe the breade not for the bodye but of life for the soule 〈◊〉 6. and sayth He that commeth to me shal not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Wherfore who so will be relieued by the body of Christ must receiue him as hee will be receiued with the instrumente of faith appoynted thereunto not with his teethe or mouthe And where as I say that Christes body must be receiued taken with faith I meane not that you shall plucke downe Christ from heauen and put him in your faith as in a visible place but that you must with your faith rise and spring vp to him and leauing this world dwell aboue in heauen putting all your trust coÌ„fort and consolation in him which suffered grieuous bondage to set you at libertye to make you free creeping into his wounds which were so cruelly pearced and doâ—ted for your sake So shall you feede the body of Christ so shall you sucke the bloud that was poured out and shed for you This is the spiritual y e very true the onely eating of Christes body â—regory And therfore S. Gregorie calleth it Cibum mentis non ventris i. The foode of the minde and not of the bellie â—â—yprian And S. Cyprian sayth likewise Non accuimus dentem nec ventrem paramus i. We sharpen not oure tooth nor prepare our bellie Now to returne to our former purpose seeing it is plain that Christes body is meat for our spirit and hath nothing to do with our body I wil gather thereof this reason The sacrament is bodily foode and increaseth the body Ergo the sacrament is not the very body of Christ. That it norisheth the body it is euident for Christe calleth it the fruite of the vine whose duetie is to nourish And for a proofe if you consecrate a whole loafe it will feede you so well as your table bread And if a little Mouse get an host he will craue no more meate to hys dinner But you will saye these are worldly reasons What then if the old Fathers recorde the same Irenaeus sayth Quando mixtus calix fractus panis percipit verbum Dei sit Eucharistia corporis sanguinis Domini ex quibus augetur consistit carnis nostrae substantia Beda witnesseth the same by these woordes Quia panis carnem confirmat Christes â—â—dy is spiâ—â—â—uall â—eate vinum sanguinem operatur in carne hic ac corpus Christi mysticè illud ad sanguinem refertur Wherefore as I sayde before seeing that Christes body is spirituall meat and the bread of the sacrament bodily I may conclude that the sacrament is not Christes body Beside this where it was forbidden in the old law that any man should eat or drinke bloud the Apostles notwithstanding tooke the cup at Christes handes and dranke of it neuer staggered or shranke at the matter 〈…〉 bloud 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 whereby it may be gathered that they tooke it for a mysterie for a token and a remembraunce farre otherwise then it hath of late bene taken Againe when the sacrament was dealte none of theÌ„ all crouched downe and tooke it for his God forgettinge hym that sate there present before their eies â—neeling to 〈◊〉 Sacraâ—ent forâ—idden in 〈◊〉 CouÌ„â—â—ls â—he Sacraâ—â—nt carryâ—â— home in 〈◊〉 but tooke it and eate it knowing that it was a sacrament and a remembraÌ„ce of Christes body Yea the old Councels commanded that no man should kneele downe at the time of the Communion fearing
the which Martin Luther first to stand against the Pope was a great miracle to preuaile against the Pope a greater so to die vntouched may seme greatest of all especially hauing so many enemies as he had Againe neither is it any thing lesse miraculous to consider what manifold dangers he escaped besides as when a certeine Iewe was appointed to come to destroy him by poison yet was it so the will of God that Luther had warning thereof before and the face of the Iewe sent to him by picture whereby he knew him and auoided the perill Another time as he was sitting in a certaine place vpon his stoole M. Luther miraculously preserued a great stone there was in the vault ouer hys head where he did sit which being stayd miraculously so long as he was sitting as soone as he was vp immediatly fell vpon the place where he sate able to haue crushed him all in peeces if it had light vpon him And what should I speake of his praiers which were so ardent vnto Christ that as Melancthon writeth they which stoode vnder his windowe where he stood prayeng might see his teares falling and dropping downe Againe with such power he prayed that he as himselfe confesseth had obteined of the Lord that so long as he liued the Pope should not preuaile in his countrey after his death sayd he let them pray who could M. Luther vehemeÌ„t mighty in prayer And as touching the maruelous workes of the Lorde wrought heere by men if it be true which is credibly reported by the learned what miracle can be more miraculous then that whiche is declared of a yong man aboute Wittenberge who being kept bare and needy by his father was tempted by way of sorcery to bargaine with the Diuell or a familiare as they call him to yeeld hymselfe body and soule into the Diuels power A miraculous worke of the Lorde in deliuering a young man out of the deuils daunger by Christian prayer vpon condition to haue his wish satisfied with money So that vpon the same an obligation was made by the yong man written with his owne bloud and geuen to the Diuell This case you see how horrible it was and how damnable now heare what followed Upon the sodeine wealth and alteration of this yong man the matter first being noted began afterward more more to be suspected and at length after long and great admiration was brought vnto Martin Luther to be examined The yong man whether for shame or feare long denied to confesse and woulde bee knowne of nothing Yet God so wrought being stronger then the Diuell that he vttered vnto Luther the whole substance of the case as well touching the money as the obligation Luther vnderstanding the matter and pitiing the lamentable state of the man willed the whole congregation to pray and he himselfe ceased not with hys praiers to labour so that the Diuell was compelled at the last to throw in his obligation at the window and bade him take it againe vnto him Which narration if it be so true as certeinely it is of him reported I see not the contrary but that this may well seeme comparable wyth the greatest miracle in Christes Church that was since the Apostles time Furthermore as he was mighty in his prayers so in his Sermons God gaue him such a grace that when hee preached they which heard him thought euery one hys owne temptations seuerally to be noted and touched Whereof when signification was geuen vnto him by hys frends and he demaunded how that could be mine owne manifold temptations said he and experiences are the cause thereof Ex Phill Melanct in orat funebri Ex Hierony Wellero For this thou must vnderstand good reader that Luther from his tender yeares was much beaten and exercised with spirituall conflicts as Melancthon in describing of his life doth testifie Also Hieronymus Wellerus scholer and disciple of the sayd Martin Luther recordeth that he oftentimes heard Luther his maister thus reporte of himselfe that he had bene assaulted and vexed with all kindes of temptations sauing onely one Luther â—â—â—uer in all his life tempted with coueteousneâ—s M. Luther how long he liued â— taught which was with couetousnes With this vice he was neuer said he in all his life troubled nor once tempted And hetherto concerning the life of Martin Luther who liued to the yeare of his age 63. He continued writing and preachyng about 29. yeares As touching the order of his death the words of Melancthon be these In the yeare of our Lord 1546. and the 17. of February Doctour Martin Luther sickened a little before supper of his accustomed maladie to wyt of the oppression of humours in the orifice or opening of his stomacke whereof I remember I haue seene him oft diseasid in this place The sickneâ— of Luther This sickenes tooke him after supper with the which he vehemently contending required secesse into a bye chamber and there he rested on his bed two houres all whych time his paynes encreased And as Doctor Ionas was lieng in his chamber Luther awaked and praied him to rise and to call vp Ambrose his childrens scholemaister to make fire in another chamber Into the which when he was newly entred Albert Earle of Mansfield The quiet death of Luther with hys wife and diuers other whose names in these letters for haste were not expressed at that instant came into hys chamber Finally feeling his fatall houre to approche before nine of the clocke in y e morning the xviij of February he coÌ„mended himselfe to God with this deuour praier ¶ The Prayer of Luther at his death MY heauenly father eternall and mercifull God thou hast manifested vnto me thy deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ. The prayer of Luther 〈◊〉 his death I haue taught him I haue knowne him I loue him as my life my health and my redemption whome the wicked haue persecuted maligned and with iniurie afflicted Draw my soule to thee After this he sayd as ensueth thryse I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God of truth GOD so loued the world that he gaue his only sonne that all those that beleeue in him shoulde haue life euerlasting Iohn iij Hauing repeated oftentimes his prayers he was called to God vnto whome so faithfully he commended his spirit to enioy no doubt the blessed societie of the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles in the kingdome of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Let vs now loue the memory of this man and the doctrine that he hath taught Let vs learne to be modest and meeke Let vs consider the wretched calamities and marueilous chaunges that shall follow this mishap and dolefull chance I beseech thee O sonne of God crucified for vs and resuscitated Emanuell gouerne coÌ„serue and defend thy Church Haec Melancthon Fridericus Prince Electour died long before Luther in the yeare of our Lord 1525. leauing no issue
Munchen in Bauaria THe viij day of February in the yeare of our saluation .1527 there happened a rare and maruellous example spectacle in the town of Munchen in Barauia which was this George Carpenter Martyr A certayne man named George Carpenter of Emeryng was there burnt When he was fette out of the pryson called Falken Tower and led before the Councell diuers Friers and Monkes followed him to instructe and teach him Whom he willed to tary at home not to folow him When he came before the Councel his offences were read conteyned in foure Articles First that he did not beleue that a Priest could forgeue a mans sinnes Articles layde against George Carpenter Secondly that he did not beleue that a man could call God out of heauen Thyrdly that he did not beleue that God was in the bread which the Priest hangeth ouer the aultar but that it was the bread of the Lord. Fourthly that he did not beleue that the very element of the water it selfe in Baptisme doth geue grace Which foure Articles he vtterly refused to recant Thē came vnto him a certayne Scholemaister of S. Peters in y e towne of Munchen George persuaded to recant saying my frend George doest thou not feare the death and punishmēt which thou must suffer If thou were let go wouldest thou return to thy wife and children Wherunto he aunswered If I were set at liberty whither should I rather go then to my Wyfe and well beloued children Then sayde the Schoolemayster reuoke your former sentence and opinion The loue of God prefered before wyfe chyldren and libertie and you shal be set at liberty Wherunto George answered my wife and my children are so dearely beloued vnto me that they can not bee bought from me for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bauaria but for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them When he was led vnto the place of execution the scholemayster spake vnto him agayne in the middest of the market place saying good George beleue in the Sacrament of the aultar The Sacrament a signe of the Lords bodie do not affirme it to be onely a signe Wherunto he aunswered I beleue this Sacrament to be a signe of the body of Iesus Christ offered vpon the Crosse for vs. Then sayde the Schoolemayster moreouer what doest thou meane Baptisme that thou doest so litle esteme Baptisme knowing that Christ suffered himselfe to be Baptised in Iordane Wherunto he answered and shewed what was the true vse of Baptisme and what was the end why Christ was Baptised in Iordane howe necessary it was that Christ should dye and suffer vpon the Crosse wherin onely standeth our saluation The same Christ sayde he will I confesse this daye before the whole world for he is my Sauiour and in him do I beleue After this came vnto him one Mayster Conrade Scheitter the Uicare of the cathedrall Church of our Lady in Munchen a preacher saying George if thou wilt not beleue the Sacrament yet put al thy trust in God and say I trust my cause to be good and true * Mark here these subtile Serpentes which whō they can not remoue thys good man from hys fayth they goe about to bryng hym in doubt thereof The aunsweres of George Carpenter to euerie particle of the Lordes prayer but if I should erre truely I woulde be sory and repent Whereunto George Carpenter aunswered God suffer me not to erre I besech hym Then sayd the Scholemayster vnto him doe not put the matter in that hasarde but chuse vnto you some good Christian brother Mayster Conrade or some other vnto whom thou mayst reuele thy hart not to confesse thy selfe but to take some godly counsell of him Wherunto he aunswered Nay not so for it would be to long Then maister Conrade began the Lordes Prayer Our Father which art in heauen Whereunto Carpenter aunswered truely thou art our Father and no other this day I trust to be with thee Then Mayster Conrade went forwarde with the prayer saying Halowed be thy name Carpenter aunswered O my God how little is thy name halowed in this world Then sayde Mayster Conrade Thy Kingdome come Carpenter aunswered let thy kingdome come this day vnto mee that I also may come vnto thy kingdome Then sayd Cōrade Thy will be done in earth as it is heauen Carpenter aunswered For this cause O Father am I now here that thy will might be fulfilled and not mine Then sayd Mayster Conrade Geue vs this day our dayly bread Carpenter aunsweared the onely liuing breade Iesu Christ shall be my food Then sayd Conrade And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs. Carpenter aunswered with a willing mind do I forgeue all men both my frends and aduersaryes Then sayd Mayster Conrade And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from all euill Wherunto Carpenter aunswered O my Lord without doubt thou shalt deliuer me for vppon thee onely haue I layde all my hope Then he began to rehearse the beliefe saying I beleue in God the Father almightye Carpenter aunswered O my God in thee alone doe I trust in thee onely is all my confidence and vpon no other creature albeit they haue gone about to force me otherwise In this maner he aunswered to euery word which his aunsweres if they shoulde be described at length would be to long This prayer ended the Scholemayster sayd vnto him doest thou beleue so truely and cōstantly in thy Lord and God with thy hart as thou doest chearefullye seeme to confesse him with thy mouth Hereunto he aunswered The hartie confession of George Carpenter Luke 12. Whatsoeuer a man loueth aboue God that he maketh his Idoll George Carpenter Carpenter refuseth to be prayed for after his death It were a very hard matter for me if that I which am here ready to suffer death shoulde not beleue that with my hart whiche I openlye professe with my mouth For I knewe before that I muste suffer persecutiō if I would cleaue vnto Christ who saith where as thy hart is there also is thy treasure and whatsoeuer thing a man doth fixe in his hart to loue aboue God that he maketh his Idoll Thē sayd mayster Conrade vnto him George doest thou thinke it necessary after thy death that any man should pray for thee or say Masse for thee He aunswered so lōg as the soule is ioyned to the body pray God for me that he wil geue me grace and pacience with al humility to suffer the paynes of death with a true Christian fayth but when the soule is separate from the body then haue I no more need of your prayers When as the hangman should bind him to the ladder he preached much vnto the people Then he was desired by certaine Christian brethren that as soone as he was cast into the fire he should geue some signe or token what his faith or beliefe was To whom
Frier What thinkest thou thy selfe better learned then S. Thomas The Martyr I do arrogate no such learning vnto my self But this I say this parable is not so to be expoūded but is set forth for example of the Lord to cōmend to vs charity toward our neighbour how one should help an other The Frier Thou sayst in thy cōfessiō y t we are iustified onely by faith I wil proue y t we are iustified by works By our workes we do merite Iustification Ergo by workes we are iustified The Martyr I deny the antecedent The Frier S. Paule Heb. the last sayth Forget not to doe good and to distribute vnto others Talibus enim victimis promeretur Deus 1. For by such oblatiōs God is merited We merite God by our workes Ergo we are iustified by our workes The Martyr The wordes of S. Paule in that place be otherwise and are thus to be translated Talibus enim victimis delectatur Deus c. 1. With such sacrifices God is delighted or is well pleased The Iudge Vilard Vilard the Iudge turned the booke and found the place euen to be so as the prisoner sayd Here the friers were maruellously appalled troubled in theyr mindes of whom one asked then what he thought of confession The Martyr To whom the martyr answered that confession onely is to be made to God that those places whiche they alledge for auricular confession Confession out of S. Iames and other are to be expounded of brotherlye reconciliation betwene one another and not of confession in the Priestes eare And here agayne the friers stood hauing nothing to say agaynst it A blacke Frier Doest thou not beleue y e body of Christ to be locally and corporally in the sacrament I will prooue the same Iesus Christ taking bread sayd Transubstitiation this is my body Ergo it is truely his body The Martyr The verbe est is not to be takē here substantiuely in his owne proper signification as shewing the nature of a thing in substance as in Philosophy it is wont to be takē but as noting y e property of a thing signifiyng after the maner phrase of the Scripture Where one thing is wont to be called by the name of an other so as the signe is called by the name of the thing signified c. So is Circumcision called by the name of the Couenaunt and yet is not the Couenaunt So the Lambe hath the name of the Passeouer yet is not the same In which 2. Sacraments of the olde law ye see the verbe est to be taken not as shewing the substaunce of being but the property of being in the thing that is spoken of And so likewise in the Sacrament of the new law The Frier The Sacraments of the old law of the new do differ greatly for these geue grace so did not y e other The Martyr Neither the sacramentes of the olde Sacraments geue no grace nor of y e new law do geue grace but sheweth him vnto vs which geueth grace in deed The minister geueth the sacramēts but Iesus Christ geueth grace by the operation of the holy Ghost of whom it is sayd This is hee which baptiseth with the holy Ghost c. The Frier The fathers of the old Testament Iohn 2. were they not partakers of the same grace and promises with vs The Martyr Yes for S. Paule sayth that the fathers of y e old Testament did eat the same spirituall meat and dyd drinke of the same spirituall drinke with vs. The Frier Iesus Christ sayth Iohn 6. Your Fathers did eate Manna in the desert and are dead Ergo they were not partakers of the same grace with vs in the new Testament The Martyr Christ here speaketh of them which did not eate that Manna with fayth which was a type and figure of that bread of life The true eating of Māna that came from heauen and not of them which did eate the same with fayth as Moses and Aaron Iosua Caleb and suche other who vnder the shadowes of the olde Testament did look for Christ to come For so it is written of Abraham that hee sawe the day of Christ and reioysed not seeing it with his bodely eyes but with the eyes of his fayth Here the doltish Doctor was at a stay hauing no thing to say but heare frend be not so hoat nor so hasty tary a while tary a while At length after his tarying this came out The Frier I will proue that they of the olde Testamēt were not partakers of the same grace with vs. The fathers of the olde Testament howe they were vnder the law and howe they were vnder grace The lawe sayth S. Paule worketh anger And they that are vnder the law are vnder malediction Ergo they of the olde law and Testament were not partakers of the same grace with vs. The Martyr S. Paule here proueth that no man by the lawe can be iustified but that all men are vnder the anger and curse of God therby for so much as no man performeth that which in the law is comprehended and therfore we haue need euery man to runne to Christ to be saued by faith seing no man can be saued by the law For who so euer trusteth to the lawe hoping to finde iustification therby and not by Christ onely the same remayneth still vnder malediction not because the law is cursed or the times therof vnder curse but because of the weakenes of our nature which are not able to performe the law The Frier S. Paule Rom. 7. declareth in the olde Testamēt to be nothing but anger and threatnings and in the new Testament to be grace and mercy in these wordes where he sayth Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death The grace of god by Iesus Christ. The Martyr S. Paule in this place neither meaneth nor speaketh of the difference of times betwene the olde and the new Testament but of the conflicte betweene the flesh and the spirite so that whereas the flesh is euer rebelling agaynst the spirit yet the spirituall manne notwithstanding through the faith of Christ hath the victory Furthermore the true translation of y e place hath not Gratia Dei but Gratias ago Deo per Iesū Christum c. Primacius the Officiall The Officiall seeing the Frier almoste here at a poynt The Sacrament set in sayd Thou lewd hereticke doest thou deny the blessed Sacrament The Martyr No Syr but I embrace and reuerēce the Sacrament so as it was instituted of the Lord and left by his Apostles The Officiall Thou denyest the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament and thou callest the Sacrament bread The Martyr The Scripture teacheth vs to seeke the bodye of Christ in heauen and not in earth where we reade Colos. 3. If ye be risen with Christ seeke not for the thinges which are vpon the earth but for the thinges which are
Lorde 1515. of all such penaunce as was enioyned him and his wife at their abiuration except these three Articles following and were discharged of their badges or signes of their fagots c. Only this penaunce folowing the Byshop continued Sub poena relapsus First that neyther of them during their life should dwell out of the parish of Amersham It was happy that they were not put to taste bread and water Item that eyther of them during their life shoulde fast bread and ale euery Corpus Christi euen Item that eyther of them should during theyr liues vppon Corpus Christi day euery yeare go in pilgrimage to Asherige and there make theyr offerings as other people did but not to do open penaunce Also they were licenced by the sayd Byshop to do theyr pilgrimage at Asherige vpon Corpus Christi euen or Corpus Christi day or some other vpon any cause reasonable This penance being to them enioyned ann 1515. they obserued to the yeare 1522. saue only in the last yere the foresayd Alice his wife omitted her pilgrimage going to Asherige vpon Corpus Christi daye Also the sayd Tho. Harding being put to his othe to detect other because he contrary to his othe dissembled and did not disclose them was therefore enioyned in penaunce for his periury to beare vpō his right sleue both before and behinde a badge or patch of greene cloth or silke embrodered like a fagot during his whole life vnlesse he shoulde otherwise be dispensed withall And thus continued he from the yeare 1522. till the yeare 1532. At last the said Harding in the yeare abouesayd 1532. about Easter holydayes when the other people wēt to the church to commit their wonted idolatry toke his way into the woods there solitarily to worship the true liuing God in spirit and truth Where as he was occupied in a booke of English prayers The taking of Thomas Harding leaning or sitting vppon a style by the woods side it chanced that one did espie hym where he was and came in great haste to the officers of the towne declaryng that he had sene Harding in the woodes lookyng on a booke Wherupō immediatly a rude rable of them like mad mē ranne desperatly to his house to search for bookes in searching went so nigh that vnder the bordes of his flore they foūd certain English bookes of holy Scripture Whereupō this godly father with his bookes was brought before Iohn Longlād Bish. of Lincolne thē lying at Wooburne Who with his Chapleins calling father Harding to examination begā to reason with him proceedyng rather with checkes rebukes then with any sound arguments Thom. Hardyng seyng their folly and rude behauiour gaue thē but few wordes but fixing his trust and care in the Lord did let them say what they would Thus at last they sent him to the Bysh. prison called litle ease Tho. Harding put in little ease the Bishops prison where he did lye with hūger payne enough for a certaine space till at lēgth the Bish. sitting in his tribunall seat like a potestate cōdēned him for relapse to be burned to ashes cōmittyng the charge ouersight of his Martyrdome to Roulād Messenger vicare of great Wickhā Tho. Harding condemned Which Roulād the day appointed with a rable of other like to himselfe brought father Hardyng to Chesham agayne Where the next day after his returne the sayd Roulād made a Sermō in Cheshā Church causing Tho. Hardyng to stād before him all the preachyng tyme which Sermō was nothing els but the mainteinyng of y e iurisdiction of the Bysh. of Rome the state of his Apostolicall sea w t the idolatry fantasies traditions belōgyng to the same Whē the Sermō was ended Roulād tooke him vp to the high aulter asked whether he beleued that in y e bread after the consecratiō there remained any other substaūce then the substaunce of Christes naturall body borne of the virgin Mary To this Tho. Harding aūswered The faith and confession of Tho. Harding the Articles of our belief do teach vs that our Sauiour Christ was borne of the virgin Mary that he suffred death vnder Pilate and rose frō death the thyrd day that he then ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God in the glory of his father Then was he brought into a mans house in the towne where he remained all night in prayer and godly meditations So the next mornyng came the foresayd Roulād agayne about x. of the clocke with a company of bils and staues to lead this godly father to his burnyng Whom a great number both of men and womē did folow Of whom many bewayled his death cōtrary the wicked reioyced thereat He was brought forth hauyng thrust in his handes a little crosse of wood but no idoll vpon it Then he was cheyned to the stake The pacient death and martirdome of Tho. Harding desiring the people to pray for him and forgiuyng all his enemyes and persecuters he commended his spirite to God and tooke his death most paciently quietly liftyng vp his hands to heauen saying Iesus receaue my spirite Whē they had set fire on him there was one that threw a byllet at him dashed out his braynes Of what purpose he so did it is not knowen but as it was supposed that he might haue xl dayes of pardō as the proclamatiō was made at y e burnyng of Williā Tilseworth aboue mentioned pag. 774. whereas proclamation was made the same tyme 40. dayes of pardon for bringing fagots to burne good men that whosoeuer did bring a fagot or a stake to the burnyng of an hereticke should haue xl dayes of pardon Whereby many ignoraūt people caused their children to beare byllets and fagottes to their burnyng In fine when the sacrifice and burnt offeryng of this godly Martyr was finished and he brent to ashes in the Dell goyng to Botley at the North end of the Towne of Chesham Rouland their Ruler of the rost commaundyng silence and thinking to send the people away with an Ite missa est with aloude voyce sayd to the people these wordes not aduising belyke what his tongue dyd speake Good people whē ye come home do not say that you haue bene at the burnyng of an hereticke but of a good true Christian man and so they departed to dyner Rouland with y e rable of other Priestes much reioysing at the burnyng of this good man After dyner they went to Church to Euensong because it was Corpus Christi euen where they fell to singyng chauntyng with ryngyng and pypyng of the Organes Well was he that could reache the hyest note So much dyd they reioyce at this good mans burnyng He should haue bene burned on the Ascention euen but the matter was referred vnto the euen of Corpus Christi because they would honour their bready Messias with a bloudy sacrifice Thus Thomas Harding was consumed to ashes he being
I doth consist and is made onlye of two partes that is to say of the body and the soule wherof the one is purged here in this world by the crosse of Christ which he layeth vpō euery childe that he receiueth as affliction worldly oppression persecution imprisonment c. and last of all the rewarde of sinne which is death is layde vpon vs but the soule is purged with the worde of God which we receiue through faith to the saluation both of bodie and soule Now if ye can shewe me a third part of men beside the bodie the soule I will also graūt vnto you the 3. place which you do call Purgatorie But ye cā not doe this I must also of necessitie denie vnto you the Bishop of Romes Purgatorie Neuerthelesse I count neither part a necessarie article of our faith to be beleued vnder paine of damnation whether there be such a Purgarie or no. Secondly they examined me touching the sacrament of the aultar whether it was the very bodie of Christ or no. I answered that I thought it was both Christs body also our bodie The Sacrament of Christes bodye as Saint Paule teacheth vs in the first Epistle to the Corinthians and tenth Chapter For in that it is made one bread of many cornes it is called our bodie which being diuers and manye members are associate and gathered together into one felowship or bodie Likewise of the wine which is gathered of many clusters of grapes is made into one licour But the same bread again in that it is broken is the bodye of Christ declaringe hys bodye to bee broken and deliuered vnto death to redeeme vs from our iniquities Furthermore in that the Sacrament is distributed it is Christes bodye signifying that as verilie as the Sacrament is distributed vnto vs so verily as Christes body the fruit of his passiō dystributed vnto all faythful people In that it is receiued it is Christes bodie signyfying that as verily as the outward man receiueth the sacrament with his teeth mouth so verilye dooth the inwarde man through fayth receiue Christes body and fruit of his passion and is as sure of it as of the bread which he eateth Well said they doest thou not thinke that his very naturall bode fleshe bloud and bone Transubstātiation is really conteyned vnder the Sacramente and there present without all figure or similitude No said I I do not so think Notwithstanding I would not that any should count that I make my saying which is the negatiue anye article of fayth For euen as I say that you ought not to make any necessarie article of the faith of your part which is the affirmatiue so I say againe that we make no necessary article of the fayth of oure part but leaue it indifferent for all men to iudge therein as God shall open his hart and no side to condemne or despise the other but to nourish in all thinges brotherly loue and one to beare an others infirmitie After this they alleged the place of Saint Augustine Ferebatur manibus proprijs where he sayth Ferebatur In manibus proprijs That is to say hee was caryed in his owne handes Whereunto I aunsweared that Saynt Augustine was a playne Interpreter of hym selfe for he hath in an other place The place of S. Augustine expoūded Ferebatur tanquam in manibus suis That is to say he was caried as it were in his owne handes which is a phrase of speache not of one that doth simply affirme but onely of one expressing a thing by a similitude And albeit that Saint Augustine had not thus expounded him selfe yet he writing vnto Boniface Augustinus ad bonifaciū doth playnely admonish all men that the Sacraments do represent and signifie those things whereof they are Sacramentes and many times euen of the similitudes of the thinges them selues they do take their names and therefore according to this rule it may be sayd he was borne in his owne handes when as he bare in his handes the Sacrament of his body bloud Then they alleaged a place of Chrysostome whiche at the first blush maye seeme to make muche for them The place of Chrisostom answered who in a certaine Homilie vppon the Supper wryteth thus Doest thou see bread and wine Do they depart from thee into the draught as other meats doe No God forbyd For as in waxe when it commeth to the fire nothing of the substaunce remayneth nor abydeth so lykewise thinke that the misteries are consumed by the substaunce of the body c. These wordes I expounded by the wordes of the same Doctor which in an other Homilie saith on this manner The inwardeies saith he as sone as they see the bread they flee ouer al creatures and doe not thinke of the bread that is baken of the baker but of the bread of euerlasting lyfe whiche is signifyed by the mysticall bread Nowe conferre these places together you shall perceiue that the last expoundeth the first plainely For hee sayeth Doest thou see the bread and wine I aunswere by the second nay For the inwarde eyes as soone as they see the bread do passe ouer all creatures and doe not anye longer thinke vpon the breead but vppon hym whiche is signified by the bread And after thys manner he seeth it Chrisostom expoundeth himselfe and agayn he seeth it not for as he seeth it with his outwarde and carnall eyes so wyth his inwarde eye he seeth it not that is to saye regardeth not the bread or thinketh not vppon it but is otherwyse occupyed Euen as when we play or doe anye thing els negligently we commonly are wont to say we see not what we do not that in deede we doe not see that whiche we go about but because our minde is fixed on some other thynge and doth not attend vnto that whiche the eyes do see In lyke manner may it be aunswered vnto that whiche followeth Doe they auoyde from thee sayth hee into the draught as other meates doe I will not so say For other meates passing through the bowels after they haue of them selues geuen nourishment vnto the bodye be voyded into the draught but this is a spirituall meate which is receiued by fayth and nourisheth both body and soule vnto euerlasting lyfe neyther is it at anye tyme auoyded as other meates are Argumentum ex Chrisost. The bellye of man cannot abyde any part of Christs body The bellye of man auoydeth some part of euery thing that the mouth receaueth Ergo the mouth of man receaued not the bodye of Christ. And as before I sayde that the externall eyes do behold the bread which the inward eyes beyng otherwise occupyed do not behold or thinke vppon euen so our outward man doth digest the bread and voyde into the draught but the inwarde man doth neyther regard nor thinke vppon it but thinketh vppon the thinge it selfe that is signified by that bread And
great bishop properly called Summus pontifex the highest Bishop Heb. 5. the Bishop of bishops For thys is he onely that is Summus maximus vniuersalis pontifex The bishop of Rome therefore ought herein to be abashed ashamed and to abhorre his owne pride For in this he outragiously doth offend God and blasphemeth him The pride of the Pope The Pope blasphemeth God in that he presumeth to take this high name from our byshop Christ In that he taketh away as much as lyeth in him the glory of God the maiesty appertayning vnto Christ In that he taketh vpon him these names onely appropriate vnto Christ Summus pontifex maximus pontifex vniuersalis pontifex the highest Byshoppe the greatest Byshop the vniuersall Byshop the Byshop of all the world I much maruell how he dare be so bolde to vsurpe and take these great names vpon him No greater blasphemie then in the Pope Greater blasphemy cannot be then to take froÌ„ God that that naturally belongeth vnto him then to take from God his glory and honor then to vendicate and take vpon him such high names as beseemeth no Christen man to vsurpe God sayd by his Prophet Non dabo gloriam meam alteri I will not geue my glory awai to any other to any creature He doth reserue the glory that laud honor that belongeth onely vnto him vnto himselfe Ezech. 42. no maÌ„ to atteÌ„pt so far no man to take so much vpoÌ„ him Peter Peter thou wast once Byshop of Rome and the first bishop of Rome Diddest thou euer take this name vpon thee SuÌ„mus Peter neuer tooke vpon him at Rome as the Pope doth Maximus Vniuersalis No no no. And why For the holy ghost was in thee Thou wouldest take no more vppon thee then God gaue thee Thou wast not desirous of worldly fame and glory All that thou soughtest for was for the glory of God as all that will read thy Sermons thy Epistles and thy life shall soone perceiue Looke a great number of Byshops that next folowed Peter in the same See what were they holy Martyrs holye Liuers which neuer attempted thus farre Let the Byshop of Rome therefore knowledge his great fault his high foly his vnlawfull vsurpation his vnpriestly presumption and humble himselfe to Christ and God his great Byshop Would God he would reforme himselfe Would God he would keepe himselfe within that compasse of his authority and no more to encroch vpon other mens iurisdictions but diligently keepe and ouerloke his owne dioces and be content with that would God he would looke vpon hys predecessor S. Gregory in his Register which was a Byshoppe of Rome a holy man Let him learne there how he did rebuke Iohn that time the Bishop of Constantinople for taking on him so highly Gregorius in Registro lib. 4. indictione 30. Epist. 38. in such names vniuersall Bishop highest Byshop greatest Byshop and how he proued it to be agaynst the lawe of God Hee sayth there in one place to this proud Bishop Iohn what answere shalt thou make in that strait examination at that last iudgement to Châ—ist the head of the vniuersal holy Chur that goest about to haue subiecte vnto thee all the members of Christ by taking on thee the name of vniuersall Bishop In an other place agayne in the same booke he sayth vnto him Idem who art thou that doest presume to vsurpe a new name vpon thee of vniuersall Byshop contrary to the statutes of the gospell and decrees God forbid that euer this blasphemy should come in the hartes of Christen people in the which the honor of all priesthoode is taken away when a man shall rashly and arrogantly take that name vpon him Let this Bishop of Rome therefore humble himselfe vnto our great vniuersall Byshop Christ humble himselfe vnder the mighty hand of God and know what the Apostle doth write of the honour and power of this Christ our great high Byshop He is he sayth Pontifex misericors fidelis potens magnus humilis Heb. 2.3.4.5.7.8.9 penetrans coelum compatiens infirmitatibus nostris offerens dona sacrificia pro peccatis nostris condolens ijs qui ignorant errant Qui potest saluum facere a morte offerens preces supplicationes cum clamore valido lachrymis exauditus est pro reuerentia sua Pontifex appellatus a deo Pontifex sanctus innocens impollutus segregatus a peccatoribus excelsior coelis Non habens necessitatem quemadmodum alij prius pro suis delectis hostias offerre The titles and properties attributed to Christ in the Scripture deinde pro populo PoÌ„tifex sedens in dextris dei interpellans pro nobis emuÌ„dans coÌ„scientias nostras ab operibus mortuis intrans sancta sanctorum per proprium sanguinem Hic est pontifex confessionis nostrae Let all earthly Byshops learne of this heauenly bishop Christ. Some of these properties are appropriate and belongeth onelye to God and not to man Misericors In some we ought to follow him In some we can not ne ought to do This our high and great Bishop is Misericors sayth the Apostle mercifull A mercifull Bishop readye to forgeue ready to remitte those that haue offended him He ie not cruell not vengeable but full of pity full of mercy And in this we ought to folow him Potens He is Pontifex potens a mighty Bishop mighty and full of power We be but weake and feeble bishops not able to doe any thing but by his permission and helpe He is able to make sick to make whole to make rich to make poore to set vp to put down Potens a mighty byshop mighty and able to remit sinne to forgeue to saue both body soule from damnation Potens a mighty bishop and full of power No power in this world but of him Omnis potestas a domino deo est All power is of him And as he himselfe witnesseth Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra All power is geuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Potens saluare a morte He can saue the body and saue the soule Rom. 14. He can deliuer the one and deliuer the other from euerlasting death Who can forgeue sinne but he Quis potest dimittere peccatum nisi solus deus Est potens He is a mighty Byshop Of him by him Emperours Kinges Magistrates and Potestates Byshops Math. 18. Priestes with al other that haue power haue theyr power and authority Who is able to turne the winde to make the winde blow or cease but he Who is able to say and proue I will now haue it vayne now cleare the sunne to shine the water to flow to ebbe Marc. 2. with such other but onely he This is our mighty bish Pontifex potens mighty yea OmnipoteÌ„s almighty He can do all Omnipotâ— Psal. 32. Nothing is to him impossible Ipse dixit facta
God Anne Askew Martyr Mistres Anne Askew Anno. 1546. Anno 1546. I Do perceiue deare friend in the Lord that thou art not yet perswaded throughly in the truth A declaration of Anne Askew of these wordes of our Sauiour this is my body concernyng the Lords supper because Christ said vnto his Apostles Take eate this is my body which is geuen for you In geuing forth the bread as an outward signe or token to be receiued with the mouth he mynded them in perfect beliefe to receiue that body of his which should dye for the people and to thinke the death therof to be the only health and saluatioÌ„ of their soules The bread and the wine were left vs for a sacramentall communion or a mutuall participation of the inestimable benefites of his most precious death and bloudsheading and that we should in the ende therof be thankfull together for that most necessarie grace of our redemption For in y e closing vp therof he said thus This doye in remembrance of me Yea so oft as ye shall eat it or drinke it Luke xi and i. Cor. xi Els should we haue bene forgetfull of that we ought to haue in daily remembraunce Luke 11. 1. Cor. 11. also bene altogether vnthankful for it therfore it is meeâ—â— that in our prayers we call vnto God to graft in our foreheds the true meaning of the holy Ghost concerning this Communion For S. Paul sayth The letter slayeth the spirit is it onely that geueth lyfe ij Cor. iij. Marke well the sixt chap. of Iohn where all is applied vnto fayth note also y e 4. chap. of S. Paules first Epistle to the Corin. 2. Cor. 3. and in the end therof ye shall find that the things which are seene are temporall but they that are not seene are euerlastyng Yea looke in the 3. chap. to the Hebrues 1. Cor. 4. and ye shall finde that Christ as a sonne and no seruant ruleth ouer hys house whose house are we and not the dead temple If we holde fast the confidence and reioysing of that hope to the end Heb. 3. Wherfore as sayd the holy Ghost To day if ye shall heare his voice harden not your harts c. Psalm 99. The summe of my examination Psal. â—5 before the Kings Councell at Greenewich YOur request as concerning my prison fellowes I am not able to satisfie because I heard not their examinations but the effect of myne was this Concerniâ—â— that which they here demaundeâ— as touching M. Kyme read in the censure of Iohn Bale wryting 〈◊〉 this place I beyng before the Councell was asked of M. Kyme I aunswered that my Lord Chauncellor knew already my mynd in that matter They with that aunswer were not contented but sayde it was the kings pleasure that I should open the matter to them I answered them plainly I would not so doe But if it were the Kinges pleasure to heare me I would shew hym the truth Then they sayde it was not meete for the Kyng to be troubled with me I answered that Salomon was reckoned the wysest kyng that euer lyued yet misliked he not to heare two poore common womeÌ„ much more hys grace a simple woman and hys faythfull subiect So in Conclusion I made them none other aunswer in that matter Then my Lord Chancellour asked me of my opinion in the sacrament My aunswer was this I beleue that so oft as I in a christian congregation This Lord Chancellâ—â—â— was 〈◊〉 do receiue the breade in remembrance of Christes death and with thankes geuyng according to his holy institution I receiue therwith the fruits also of his most glorious passion The bishop of Winchester bad me make a direct answer I said I would not sing a new song of the Lord in a strange lande Then the B. said I spake in parables I aunswered Parables best for Winchesteâ— it was best for him for if I shew the open truth quoth I ye will not accept it Then he sayde I was a Parret I told hym agayne I was readie to suffer all thyngs at hys handes not onely his rebukes but all that should follow besides Wynchestâ—â— beginneâ—â— to scolde yea and all that gladly Then had I diuers rebukes of the counsayle because I woulde not expresse my mynde in all thynges as they would haue me But they were not in the meane time vnanswered for all that which now to reherse were to much for I was with them there about fiue houres Then the Clearke of the Counsaile conueyed me from thence to my Lady Garnish The next day I was brought againe before the Councell Then would they needes know of me what I sayd to the sacrament I answered Anne Askew 〈◊〉 agayne beâ—fore the Councell that I already had said that I could say Then after diuers words they bad me goe by Then came my L. Lisle my L. of Essex and the B. of Winchester requiring me earnestly that I should confesse the sacrament to be flesh bloud and bone Then sayd I to my L. Parre and my L. Lisle that it was great shame for theÌ„ to counsayle contrary to their knowledge Whereunto in few words they did say that they would gladly all things were well Then the B. sayd he would speake with me familiarlye I sayde so did Iudas when he vnfriendlye betrayed Christ. Then desired the Bishop to speake with me alone Wyncheâ—â—â—â— aunswerâ—â— home But that I refused He asked me why I sayde that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euerye matter shoulde stand after Christes and Paules doctrine Mathew xviij ii Cor. xiij Math 1â— 2 Cor. 1â— Then my L. Chancellour began to examine me again of the sacrament Then I asked hym how long he woulde halt on both sides Then would he needes knowe where I found that I sayd in the scripture iij. Reg. xviij Then he went his way â— Reg. 18. 〈…〉 Then the B. sayd I should be burnt I answered that I had searched all the scriptures yet coulde I neuer finde that either Christ or his Apostles put any creature to death Well well sayd I God will laugh your threatnings to scorne Psalm iâ— Then was I commanded to stand aside Psal. 2. D. Coxe D. RobinsoÌ„ Then came to me D. Coxe and D. Robinson In conclusion we could not agree Then they made me a bill of the Sacrament willyng me to set my hand thereunto Anne Askew desired to speake with M. Latimer but I would not Then on the sonday I was sore sicke thinking no lesse then to dye Therfore I desired to speake with Maister Latimer but it would not be Then was I sent to Newgate in my extremitie of sickenes for in all my life afore was I neuer in such payne Thus the Lord strengthen vs in the truth Pray pray pray The confession of me Anne Askew for the tyme I was in Newgate concerning my beliefe I Finde in the Scriptures sayd she that
brought openly to the Cathedrall Church and so to the place of punishment where malefactours are executed and there should make open confession of their wickednes But euen at the same tyme chaunced a persecution against the Lutheranes which was the cause that this sentence albeit it was too gentle for so great offence was not put in execution For because the name of the Lutheranes was most odious they feared least the punishment of these men should not haue bene so much thought to be due for their offence The Fryers â—â—caped and 〈◊〉 Lutheâ—â—â—es puniâ—â—â—d as done in reproch of the order and many thought that whatsoeuer should be done to them it would be to the Lutheranes a pleasant spectacle and cause them much to reioice This order of the Franciscanes was esteemed of the common people very holy so that what tyme they were carried out of Paris certayne women mooued wyth pitie followed them vnto the gate of the Uniuersitie wyth many teares and sighes After they came to Orleance and were bestowed in seuerall prisons they began to boast agayne of their liberties and priuiledges and at length after long imprisonment they were discharged and set at libertie without anye further punishmente Had not these persecutions before mentioned letted the matter the King had determined as it was certaynely reported to plucke downe their house and make it euen with the ground Ex Io. Sleid. lib. 9. But to leaue the memorye of thys Idolatrous generation not worthy any further to be named let vs occupy the tyme with some better matter 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 M. 〈◊〉 tyme. in remembring the story of a good and constant Martir of the Lorde before ouerpast whiche suffered in Kent for the worde of God before Luthers time about the second yeare of this kings raigne as heere in story followeth Iohn Browne a blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus burned at Ashford by Archbishop Warrham and Doct. Fisher Bish. of Rochester about the 2. yeare of king Henry the 8. An. 1511. Persecuters Martir The cause W. Warrh Archb. of Cant. Fisher byshop of Rochester A chauÌ„try priest Walter More Gentleman William More hys brother Children of Wye Baily arraÌ„t Beare of Wilborough Two seruauntes of Wil. Warham I. Browne of Ashford At Asheford Ann. 1511. The first occasion of the trouble of this I. Brown the blessed seruaunt of God The story of Iohn Browne Martyr was by a certayne Prieste who passing downe to Graues end in the coÌ„mon Barge where the sayd Ioh. Brown was amongest diuers other passingers moe and disdayning y t hee so saucely shoulde sit so neare vnto him in the Barge who belyke seemed not muche to passe vppon the Priest began to swell in stomacke agaynst him At length bursting forth in his priestly voyce and disdaynefull countenaunce hee asked hym in this maner Doest y u know sayd he who I am thou sittest to neare me and fittest on my clothes No sir sayde the other I know not what you are I tell thee quoth hee I am a priest What sir are you a parson or vicar Talke betweeâ— Iohn Browne a proud Priest 〈◊〉 in Graues end 〈◊〉 Barge or some ladies chapleine No quoth he agayne I am a soule Priest I sing for a soule Doe you so sir quoth the other that is well done I pray you sir sayd he where find you the soule when you go to Masse I cannot tel thee sayd the Priest I pray you where doe you leaue it sir when the Masse is done I cannot tell thee sayde the priest Neither can you tell where to find it when you goe to Masse nor where you leaue it when the Masse is done howe can you then saue the soule sayd he Go thy wayes said the priest I perceiue thou art an hereticke and I will be euen with thee So at the landing Walter More William More Chilten and Beare persecuters the priest taking with him Walter More and W. More two Gentlemen and brethren rode straightwayes to the archbishop who theÌ„ was Wil. Warham Wherupon the sayd Iohn Browne within 3. dayes after was seÌ„t for by the archbishop His bringers vp were Chilten of Wye baily arraunt and one Beare of Wilseborough with two of the bishops seruantes Who with certayn other being appoynted for the same came sodenly into his house vppon him Iohn Browne sodeinly taken and caryed away the same day when his wife was churched as hee was bringing in a messe of pottage to the bourd seruing his gestes and so laying hands vpon hym set him vpon his owne horse and binding his feete vnder the horses belly caryed him away to Canterbury neither he nor his wife nor any of his friendes knowing whether he went nor whether he should and there continuing the space of 40. dayes froÌ„ LowsoÌ„day till Friday before Whitsonday through the cruell handling of the sayd Archb. and y e B. of Rochest D. Fisher hee was so piteously intreated His bare 〈◊〉 set vpon the hote coales to make him deny the truth that his bare feete were set vpon the hote burning coales to make him deny his fayth whiche notwithstanding hee would not doe but paciently abiding y e payne continued in the Lordes quarrell vnremoueable At length after al this crueltie susteined his wife yet not knowing where he was become on Friday before Whitsonday he was sent to Ashford where he dwelt the next day there to be burned In the meane time Brown brought to Ashford to be burned as he was brought to the town ouer night there to be set in the stockes it happened as God would that a young mayde of his house comming by and seeing her mayster ran home and told her mistres Then she comming to him and finding him in y e stocks appoynted to be burned the next morow Browne set in the stockes at Ashford sat by him all the night long To whome then he declared the whole story or rather tragedy how he was haÌ„dled and how his feet were burned to the bones that he could not set them vppon the ground by the two Bishops aforesayde he thanked God therfore and all to make me sayd hee to deny my Lorde which I will neuer doe for if I should deny him sayde he in this world he would deny me hereafter And therfore I pray thee sayd he good Elizabeth continue as y u hast begon bring vp thy childreÌ„ vertuously in the feare of God And so the next day which was on Whitson euen thys godly martyr was burned where he standing at the stake sayd this prayer holding vp his handes as followeth The prayer of Browne at his death O Lord I yeeld me to thy grace Graunt me mercy for my trespace Let neuer the fiend my soule chace The prayer of Iohn Browne at his death Lord I will bow and thou shalt beate Let neuer my soule come in hell heate Into thy handes I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord of truth And so
so away for feare from the way of truth writeth her minde vnto him in a sharp and vehement letter which as it appeareth to proceede of an earnest and zealous hart so woulde God it might take such effect with him as to reduce him to repentaunce and to take better holde againe for the health and wealth of his owne soule The copie of the letter is thys as followeth ¶ Another letter of the Lady Iane to M. Harding late Chaplayne to the Duke of Suffolke her father and then fallen from the truth of Gods most holy worde SO oft as I call to mynde the dreadfull and fearefull saying of God That he which layeth holde vpon the plough and looketh backe Luke 9. A sharpe letter or exhortation of the â—ady Iane to M. Harding is not meete for the kingdome of heauen and on the other side the comfortable words of our Sauiour Christ to all those that forsaking themselues do folow him I can not but maruell at thee and lament thy case which seemedst somtime to be the liuely member of Christ but now the deformed impe of the deuil sometime the beutifull temple of God but now the stinking and filthy kenel of Sathan sometime the vnspotted spouse of Christ but now the vnshamefast paramour of Antichrist sometyme my faythfull brother but now a straunger and Apostata sometime a stoute Christen souldiour but now a cowardly runneaway Yea when I consider these things I can not but speake to thee and cry out vpon thee thou seede of Sathan and not of Iuda whome the deuill hath deceyued the world hath begiled and the desire of life subuerted and made thee of a Christian an Infidell wherefore hast thou taken the Testament of the Lord in thy mouth * This man a little before K. Edward dyed was heard openly in his 〈◊〉 in London to exhort the people with great vehemency after thys soâ—te that if trouble came they shoulde neuer shrinke from the true doctrine of the Gospell whiche they had receiued but should take it rather for a tryall sent of God to proue them whether they would abide by it or no All which to be true they can testify that heard him and be yet aliue who also foreseeing the plague to come were then muche confirmed by hys wordes Wherfore hast thou preached the law and the wil of God to others Wherefore hast thou instructed other to be strong in Christ when y u thy selfe doest now so shamefully shrinke and so horrible abuse the Testament and lawe of the Lord When thou thy selfe preachest not to steale yet most abhominably stealest not from men but from God and committing most haynous sacriledge robbest Christ thy Lorde of his right members thy bodye and soule and chosest rather to liue miserably with shame to the worlde then to dye and gloriously with honor to reigne with christ in whome euen in death is life Why doest thou now shew thy selfe most weake when in deede thou oughtest to bee most strong The strength of a forâ— is vnknowne before the assault but thou yeldest thy hold before anye battrie be made Oh wretched and vnhappy man what art thou but dust and ashes and wilt thou resist thy maker that fashioned thee and framed thee Wilt thou nowe forsake hym y t called thee from the custome gathering amoÌ„g y e Romish Antichristians to be an Ambassadour messenger of hys eternall worde Hee that first framed thee and since thy first creation and byrth preserued thee nourished and kept thee yea and inspired thee with the spirit of knowledge I cannot say of grace shall he not now possesse thee Darest thou deliuer vp thy selfe to an other Anno. 1554. being not thine owne but his How caÌ„st thou hauing knowledge or how darest thou neglect the law of the Lord and follow the vayn traditions of men Februarye and whereas thou hast bene a publicke professor of his name become now a defacer of his glorye Wilt thou refuse the true God and worship the inuention of man the golden calfe the whore of Babilon y e Romish Religion the abhominable Idoll the most wicked masse Wilt thou torment agayne rent and teare the most precious body of our Sauior Christ with thy bodily and fleshly teeth Wilt thou take vpon thee to offer vp anye sacrifice vnto God for our sinnes considering that Christ offered vp himselfe as Paule sayth vppon the crosse a liuely sacrifice once for all Can neither the punishment of the Israelites which for their Idolatry they so oft receaued nor the terrible threatninges of the Prophetes nor the curses of Gods owne mouth feare thee to honour anye other God then him Doest thou so regard him that spared not hys deare and onely sonne for thee so diminishing yea vtterly extinguishing his glory that thou wilt attribute the prayse and honour due vnto him to the Idols which haue mouthes and speak not eyes and see not eares and heare not which shall perish with them that made them What sayth the Prophet Baruc Baruch 6. where hee recited the Epistle of Ieremy written to the captiue Iewes Did hee not forwarne them that in Babilon they should see Gods of gold siluer wood stone borne vpon mens shoulders to cast a feare before the Heathen But be not ye afrayd of them sayth Ieremy nor doe as other doe But when you see other worship theÌ„ say you in your hartes it is thou O Lord that oughtest onely to be worshipped for as for those Gods the Carpenter framed them and polished them yea gilded be they and layde ouer with siluer and vayne thinges and cannot speake He sheweth moreouer the abuse of theyr deckings howe the Priestes tooke off their ornamentes and aparelled their women withall how one holdeth a scepter an other a sworde in his hand and yet can they iudge in no matter nor defend themselues much lesse anye other from either battell or murther nor yet from gnawing of wormes nor any other euill thing These such like wordes speaketh Ieremy vnto them whereby he proueth them to be but vayne thinges and no Gods And at last he concludeth thus Confounded be they that worship them They were warned by Ieremy and thou as Ieremye hast warned other and art warned thy selfe by many Scriptures in many places God sayth he is a ielous God which will haue all honour glory and worship geuen to him onely And Christ saith in the 4. of Luke to Sathan which tempted him euen to the same Sathan the same Belzebub the same deuill whiche hath preuayled agaynst thee Math. â— It is written saith he thou shalt honor the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue These and such like doe prohibite thee and all Christians to worship anye other God then whiche was before all worldes and layd the foundations both of heauen and earth and wilt thou honour a detestable Idol inuented by Romish Popes and the abhominable Colledge of craftye Cardinals Christ offered himselfe vp once for
iustice nor vnwoonted to thy mercy It is well knowen vnto vs how maruelously thou diddest worke in Sara of the age of xc yeares and in Elizabeth the barren and also far striken in age for thy counsel is not in the power of men Thou Lord that art y e searcher of harts thoughts thou knowest that thy seruaÌ„t neuer lusted after man neuer gaue her selfe to wanton coÌ„pany nor made her selfe pertaker w t them that walk in lightnes but she consented to take an husband with thy feare not with her lust Thou knowest that thy seruaunt tooke an husband not for carnal pleasure but only for the desire loue of posteritie wherein thy name might be blessed for euer and euer Geue therfore vnto thy seruaunts Phillip our king and Mary our Queene a male issue which may sit in the seat of thy kingdome Geue vnto our Queene thy seruant a little infant in fashion and body comely beautifull in pregnant wit notable and excellent Graunt the same to be in obedience like * It is not best such one to be graunted vnto you 〈◊〉 being lyke Abrahamâ— Ioseph Moses and Salomon hâ— may chauÌ„â—â— to smel oâ— your corrupt doctrine and detest yoâ— bloudy tyranny c. Abraham in hospitalitie like Loth in chastitie and brotherly loue lyke Ioseph in meekenes myldnes like Moses in strength valiantnes like Sampson Let him be found faythful as Dauid after thy hart Let him be wise among kings as the most wise Salomon Let him be like Iob a simple and an vpright man fearing God eschewyng euill Let hym finally be garnished with the comelynes of all vertuous coÌ„ditions and in the same let him waxe old and lyue that he may see his childrens children to the third fourth generation And geue vnto our soueraigne Lord and Lady K. Phillip and Queene Mary thy blessing and long life vpoÌ„ earth And graunt that of theÌ„ may come kings Queenes which may stedfastly continue in faith loue and holynesse And blessed be their seed of our God that all nations may know thou art only God in all the earth which art blessed for euer and euer Amen ¶ Another prayer for Queene Mary and her conceiued chyld O Almighty father which diddest sanctifie the blessed Virgine and mother of Mary in her conception and in the byrth of Christ our sauiour thy onely sonne also by thy omnipotent power didst safely deliuer the prophet Ionas out of the Whales belly Defend O Lord we beseech thee An other prayer for the same thy seruaunt Mary our Queene with child conceyued and so visite her in and with thy godly gift of health that not onely the child thy creature within her conteined may ioyfully come from her into this worlde and receyue the blessed Sacraments of Baptisme and Confirmation enioying therwith dayly encrease of all princely and gracious gifts both of body soule but that also she the mother thorowe thy speciall grace and mercy may in tyme of her trauaile auoyde all excessiue dolour and payne and abide perfect and sure from all perill and danger of death with long and prosperous life thorough Christ our Lord Amen It followeth now further in processe of the story that vpon the Tuesday being the x. of Ianuary xix of the lower house of the Parliament with the Speaker Ianuary 1â— came to the White Hall to the kyng and there offred him the gouernment of the realme and of the Issue if the Queene should faile which was confirmed by act of Parliament within ten dayes after Upon Wednesday folowing Ianuary â—â— beyng the xxvi of Ianuary the Parliament was cleane dissolued In this Parliament among other things the bishop of Rome was established and all such lawes as were made against hym since the xx yeare of K. Henry the 8. were repealed also cardinall Poole bish Pates The Pope supremacy establisheâ— by Parlament Matters coÌ„â—cluded in the Parlaâ—ment Lilly other were restored to their bloud Also there was an acte made for speakyng of words that whosoeuer should speake any thyng agaynst the king or Queene or that might mooue any sedition or rebellion at the first tyme to haue one of his eares cut of or to forfeit an C. markes and at the second tyme to haue both his eares cut off or els to forfeit an C. pounds who so euer should write cipher or print any of the premisses to haue their right hand cut off Three statutes agaynst heretickes reâ—uiued Also in this Parliament three statutes were reuiued for triall of heresie one made in the fift yere of Richard the 2. an other in the 2. yeare of Henry the 4. and the third in the 2. yeare of Henry the 5. Also the doyng of M. Rose and the other that were with him was communed of in this Parliament and vpon that occasion an acte was made that certaine euill prayers should be treason agaynst the Queenes highnes The prayers of these men were thus God turne the hart of Queene Mary from Idolatrie or els shorten her dayes Wherof read the statute Ann. 1. 2. Reg. Phil. Mariae Cap. 9. As touching the taking of M. Rose his felows word was brought therof to M. Hooper being theÌ„ in the Fleete Whereupon the said M. Hooper sendeth aunswer againe with a letter also of consolation sent to the sayd prisoners the copie wherof I thought here not to ouerpasse ¶ The aunswer of M. Hooper to a letter sent vnto him concerning certaine prisoners taken in Bowe churchyard 〈◊〉 aunâ—â—re to a 〈…〉 sent 〈◊〉 him THe grace of God be with you Amen I perceiue by your letter how that vpon Newyeres day at night there were taken a godly company of Christians whilest they were praying I doe reioyce in that men can be so well occupied in this perilous time and flee vnto God for remedy by prayer as well for theyr owne lackes and necessities as also charitably to pray for them that persecute them So doth the worde of God commaund all men to pray charitably for them that hate them and not to reuile any Magistrate with wordes or to meane him euill by force or violence They also may reioyce that in well doyng they were taken to the prison Wherfore I haue thought it good to send them this little writing of consolation praying God to send them pacience charitie constancie in the truth of his most holy word Thus fare you well and pray God to send his true word into this Realme againe amongest vs which the vngodly Bishops haue now banished Ianua 4. ann 1555. ¶ A letter of consolation sent from M. Hooper to the godly brethren taken in Bow churchyard in prayer and layd in the Counter in Breadstreat THe grace fauor consolation and ayd of the holy ghost be with you now and euer So be it Dearely beloued in the Lord euer sithens your imprisonment A letter of 〈◊〉 Hooper 〈◊〉 of most â—eauenly â—onsolatioÌ„ I haue
if hereby we doe enioy all good thinges it followeth that we must needes possesse haue and enioy you most reuerend Fathers who be no small part of our ioy and good thinges geuen vs of God We heretofore haue had the fruition of you by bodily presence to our inexplicable benefite praysed be that oure gracious God therfore And nowe in spirite we haue the experience of vnspeakeable cōfort by your reuerēt fatherhoodes for y t in this so glorious sort Math. 5. ye become a towne set vpon a hill a candle vpon a candlestick a specktacle vnto y e world both to the Angels vnto men So y t as we to our great cōfort do feele 1. Cor. 4. Phil. 1. you also may assuredly say with saint Paule y t the things which happē vnto vs do chance vnto y e great furtherance of the Gospell so y t our bonds in christ are manifest not onely throughout all the iudgement hall but in all wholl Europa in so much that many of the brethren in the Lord being incouraged through our bondes dare more boldly speake the word without feare And here in as you haue with s. Paule greatly to reioyce so we doe reioyce with you and we do in deed with you geue thāks for this worthy excellēt fauour of our God towards you that christ is thus magnified in you yea and hereafter shal be magnified in your bodies Phil. 1. Phil. 1. whether it be through life or death Of which thing truely wee are assured in our prayers for you and ministring of the spirite And although for your owne partes Christ is vnto you life and death aduantage and that your desire is as in deede it were better for you to be loosed and to be w t Christ yet for the Church of Christ were it much more necessary that ye shuld abide in the fleshe Yea that mercifull God euen for his Christes sake graunt that ye may abide and continue for the furtheraunce of the Churche and reioysing of fayth that the reioysing therof may be the more aboundant through Iesus Christ by your restoring Amen Amen But if it seeme better otherwise vnto the diuine wisedome y t by speedy death he hath appoynted you to glorifie him y e Lords wil be done Yea euen as we do reioyce both on your behalfes also on our own that God is magnified by life and shuld be more aboundantly glad for the continuance thereof so we shall no lesse reioyce to haue y e same wrought by death We shall geue thankes for this honour geuen vnto you reioysing that ye are accounted worthye to suffer for the name of Christ and that it is geuen to you of God not onely that ye shoulde beleue in him but also that ye should suffer for his sake And herein we shal haue to reioyce in the behalfe of the Churche of Christ whose faith may be the faster fixed vpon Gods veritie being confirmed with three such worthy witnesses Oh thankes be to God for this his vnspeakeable gift And now most reuerend Fathers that you may vnderstand the trueth of vs and our estate howe we stand in the lord I do assure your reuerences partly by y t I perceaue by such of our brethren as be here in bondes w t me partly by that I heare of them which be in other places partly by that inward experiēce which I most vnworthy wretch haue of Gods good comfort more aboundance whereof I knowe there is in others you may be assured I say by Gods grace that you shall not be frustrate of your hope of our constaunt continuance in the cheerefull confession of Gods euerlasting veritie For euen as we haue receyued the word of truth euen the Gospell of our saluation wherin we beleeuing are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce the which spirite certifieth our spirit The constant minde of a christian souldiour Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. that we are the children of God and therefore God hath sente the spirite of his Sonne into our harts crying Abba Father so after such portion as God measureth vnto vs we with the whole Church of Christ and with you reuerend fathers receiuing the same spirite of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore I haue spoken 2. Cor. 4. Psal. 116. We also beleeue and therefore speake For the which we in this dangerous bondage and other afflictions hauing euen such a fight as we haue seene in you and haue heard of you Phil. 1. are in no wise afraid of our aduersaries And forasmuch as we haue such an office euen as God hath had mercy on vs 1. Cor. 4. we go not out of kind but euē with you after our little power we labour to maintain the faith of the Gospell knowing most certainely that though we haue this treasure in earthen vessels 2. Cor 4. that the excellency of thys power might be Gods and not ours yet shall we not be dashed in pieces For the Lord will put his hand vnder vs. When we are troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift when we are in pouerty we are not vtterly without some thing when we suffer persecution we are not forsaken therein when we are cast downe yet we shall not perish but to communicate with our sweete Sauiour Christ in bearing the crosse it is appointed vnto vs that euen with him also we shall be glorified For it is a true saying If we be dead with him 2. Tim. 2. we shall also liue with him If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall also deny vs. Wherefore be we of good cheere 3. Cor. 4. alwayes bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might appeare also in our body For we know that he which raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall ioyne vs to himselfe together with you Wherefore we are not weeried but though our outward man perish yet the inwarde man is renued day by day For our tribulation which is momentane and light prepareth an exceeding and eternall weight of glory vnto vs while we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Esay 12. We testifie vnto you Reuerend fathers that we drawe these waters with ioy out of the Wels of the sauiour And I trust we shall cōtinually with you blesse the Lord Psal. 48. giue thanks to the Lord out of the wels of Israell we trust to bee merry together at that greate Supper of the Lambe whose spouse we are by faith and there to sing that song of euerlasting Haleluyah Amen Yea come Lorde Iesu. The grace of our Lord Iesu Christ be with you Amen Another letter written
that saueth the Christian man in Christe and doubtlesse the scarcitie of Faith is nowe more and will I feare encrease then it was in the time of the greatest tyrannes that euer were and no marueil why Faith more scarser now then in the old time vnder Tyrauntes Read ye the 6. chap. of s. Iohns Reuelation and ye shall perceiue amongest other thinges y t at the opening of the fourth Seale came out a pale horse and hee that sate vpon him was called death and hell followed hym This horse is the time wherin hipocrites and dissemblers entred into the Churche vnder the pretence of true Religion The pale horse in the Apocalips chap. 6. what it meaneth Mo soules slaine by Monkes and Fryers c. then bodyes by Tytantes as Monkes Friers Nounes Massing Priestes wyth suche other that haue killed moe soules with heresie and superstition then all the tyrannes that euer were killed bodies w t fire sword or banishment as it appeareth by hys name that sitteth vpon y e horse who is called death for all soules that leaue Christe and trust to these hypocrites liue to the deuill in euerlasting paine as is declared by him that foloweth the pale horse which is hell These pretensed and pale hypocrites haue stirred the earthquakes The 6. chapt of the Apocalips opened that is to witte the Princes of the worlde against Christes church haue also darkened the Sunne and made the Moone bloudy and haue caused the Starres to fal from heauen that is to say haue darkned with mists and daily doe darken as ye heare by theyr Sermons the cleare sunne of Gods most pure worde the Moone which be Gods true Preachers whych fetche onely lighte at the Sunne of Gods word are turned into bloud prisons and chaines that theyr light can not shine vnto the worlde as they woulde whereuppon it commeth to passe that the Starres that is to say Christian people fall from heauen that is to wit from Gods most true woorde to hypocrisie most deuilish superstition and Idolatrie Let some learned man shew you al the articles of your beliefe monuments of Christian faith from the time of Christ hitherto and yee shall perceiue that there was neuer mention of suche articles as these hypocrites teach God blesse you and pray for me as I do for you Out of the Fleete by your brother in Christ Iohn Hooper To maister Ferrar Bishop of S. Dauies D. Tailor M. Bradford and M. Philpot prisonners in the kings benche in Southwarke THe grace of God be with you Amen I am aduertised by diuers An other letter of M. Hooper as well such as loue the truthe as also by suche as yet be not come vnto it that ye and I shal be caried shortly to Cābridge there to dispute in the faith and for the religion of Christ which is most true that we haue and doe professe I am as I doubt not ye be in Christ readie not only to goe to Cambridge but also to suffer by Gods helpe Commission geuen out for M. Hooper and other to dispute at Cambridge death it selfe in the maintenaunce thereof Weston and his complices haue obtained foorth the commission already and spedily most like he wil put it in execution Wherfore deare brethren I doe aduertise you of the thing before for diuers causes The one to comfort you in the Lorde that the tyme draweth nigh and is at hand that we shall testifie before Gods enemies Gods truth The next that ye shoulde prepare your selues the better for it The third to shew you what wayes I think were best to vse our selues in this matter and also to hear of euery one of you your better aduise if mine be not good Ye knowe such as shall be Censors and Iudges ouer vs breath and thirst our bloud and whether we by Gods help ouercome after the word of God or by force and subtiltie of our aduersaries be ouercome this will be the conclusion our aduersaries wil say they ouercome and ye perceiue howe they reporte of those great learned men and godly personages at Oxforde Wherefore I minde neuer to aunsweare them except I haue bookes present The counsell of M. Hooper how and vpon what cautions to dispute with the aduersaries because they vse not onely false allegation of the Doctors but also a peece of the Doctors against the whole course of the Doctors minde The next that we may haue sworne Notaries to take things spoken indifferently which will be very harde to haue for the aduersaries will haue the ouersight of all thinges and then make theirs better then it was our worse then it was Then if we see that two or three or more will speake together or with scoffes and tauntes illude and mocke vs I suppose it were best to appeale to be hearde before the Queene and the whole Counsaile and that would much set foorth the glory of God For many of them knowe already the truthe many of them erre rather of zeale then malice and the others that be indurate shoulde be aunsweared fully to their shame I doubte not althoughe to oure smart and bloudshedding For of this I am assured that the Commissioners appoynted to heare vs and iudge vs meane nothynge lesse then to heare the cause indifferently for they be ennemies vnto vs vnto our cause and be at a poynt already to geue sentēce against vs so that if it were possible with S. Stephen to speak so that they could not resist vs or to vse suche silence pacience as Christ did they will proceede to reuenging Wherefore my deare brethren in the mercy of Iesus Christe I would be glad to knowe your aduise this day or to morowe for shortly we shall be gone and I verily suppose that we shall not cōpanie together but be kept one abroade from an other They will denie our appeale yet let vs chalenge the appeale and take witnesse thereof of suche as be present and require for indifferencie of hearing and iudgement to be heard either before the Queene and the Counsaile or els before all the Parliament as they were vsed in king Edwardes dayes Further for my part I will require both bookes and time to answere Wee haue bene prisoners now three quarters of a yeare and haue lacked oure bookes and oure memorie by close keeping and ingratitude of their partes be not as present and quicke as theirs be I trust God will be with vs yea I doubt not but he will and teache vs to doe all thinges in hys cause godly and cōstantly If our aduersaries that shal be our iudges may haue their purpose we shall dispute one day be condemned the next day and suffer the third day Note how◠the Papist◠proceed agaynst all order and law And yet is there no law to condemne vs as farre as I knowe and so one of the Conuocation house sayde this weeke to Doct. Weston To whome Weston made this answere It forceth not quoth
escape those troubles that were to come and be able to stande before the sonne of man When ye finde your selfe too much oppressed as euery man shal be sometime wyth the feare of Gods iudgement vse the 77. Psalme that beginneth I will crie vnto God with my voyce Psal. 27. Read also M. Hoopers exposition vpon thys Psalme most comfortable for all broken and afflicted hartes and he shall hearken vnto me In which Psalme is both godly doctrine and great consolation vnto the man or woman that is in anguish of minde Use also in suche trouble the 88. Psalme wherein is conteined the praier of a man that was brought into extreme anguish misery and being vexed with aduersaries persecutions saw nothing but death hel And although hee fealt in hym selfe that hee had not onely man but also God angry towards him yet he by praier humbly resorted vnto God as the only port of consolation and in the midst of his desperate state of trouble put the hope of his saluation in him whome he fealt his enemie Howbeit no man of him selfe can doe this Rom. 8. but the spirite of God that stryketh the mans heart with feare prayeth for the man striken and feared with vnspeakeable gronings And when you feele your selfe or know any other oppressed after suche sorte be glad for after that God hath made you to know what you be of your selfe he wil doubtles shew you comfort and declare vnto you what you be in Christ his onely sonne What Psalmes are to be vsed in distresse and tribulation and vse praier often for that is the meanes whereby God will be soughte vnto for hys giftes These Psalmes be for the purpose when the minde can take no vnderstandinge nor the hart any ioy of gods promises and therfore were these Psalmes also made .6.22.30.31.38.69 from the whiche you shall learne buthe pacience and consolation Remember that although your life as all Christian mens be be hid and appeareth not what it is yet it is safe as S. Paule sayth with God in Christ Read also the fourth chapter of Eccle. Coloss. 3. and when Christ shall appeare then shall our liues be made open with him in glorie But in the meane time wyth seeking and setting our affections vpon the things that be aboue we must paciently suffer whatsoeuer God shal send vnto vs in this mortal life Notwithstanding it might fortune some woulde say Who is so perfect that can lette all things passe as they come haue no care of thē suffer all things and feele nothing be attempted of the Deuill the worlde and the flesh and be not troubled Uerely no man liuing But this I say that in the strength of Iesus Christ things that come Note this well to thy comfort that art afflicted maye passe with care for we be worldly and yet are we not caried with them from Christ for we be in him godly We may suffer things and fele them as mortall men yet beare them and ouercome them as Christian men We may be attempted of the deuill the flesh and the worlde but yet although those things pinche they doe not pierce and although they worke sinne in vs yet in Christe no damnation to those that be grafted in him Rom. 8. Hereof may the christian man learne both consolation patience Consolation in that he is compelled both in his body goodes to feele paine and losse and in the soule heauinesse and anguish of minde howebeit none of them both shall separate him from the loue that God beareth him in Christ. Consolation He may learne patience for as much as his enemies both of the body and soule and the paines also they vexe vs wythall for the time Patience if they tarie with vs as long as we liue yet when death commeth they shall auoide and geue place to suche ioyes as be prepared for vs in Christ for no paines of the world be perpetuall and whether they shall afflicte vs for all the time of our mortal life we know not for they be the seruauntes of God to goe and to come as he commandeth them Afflictions be the messengers and seruauntes of God But we must take heede we meddle not forceablye nor seditiously to put away the persecution appoynted vnto vs by God but remember Christes saying Possesse you your liues by your patience And in thys commādement God requireth in euery man and woman this pacient obediēce Luke 2. Hee sayeth not it is sufficient that other holy Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Euangelists and Martyrs continued their liues in pacience and pacient suffering the troubles of this world but Christ saith to euery one of his people By your owne pacience ye shall continue your life not that man hath pacience of him selfe Pacience the gift onely of God but that he must haue it for him selfe of God the onely geuer of it if he purpose to be a godly man Nowe therefore as our profession and religion requireth pacience outwardly wythout resistaunce and force so requireth it pacience of the mind and not to be angry with God althoughe he vse vs that be as hys owne creatures as him listeth We may not also murmure against God but say alwaies his iudgements be right iust and reioyce that it pleaseth him by troubles to vse vs as he vsed heeretofore such as he most loued in this worlde and haue a singular care to this commandemēt Gaudete exultate Be glad reioyce for he sheweth great cause why Your rewarde sayth he is great in heauen Math. 3. These promises of him that is y e truth it selfe shal by Gods grace worke both cōsolation and pacience in the afflicted christian person And when our sauior Christ hath willed menne in trouble to be content and pacient because God in the ende of trouble in Christ hath ordained eternall consolation he vseth also to take from vs all shame and rebuke as though it were not an honor to suffer for christ because y e wicked world doth cursse abhorre such poore troubled Christians To suffer for Christ is honorable Math. 24. Heb. 11. Wherfore Christe placeth all his honourably and sayeth Euen so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you Wee may also see with whome the afflicted for Christes sake be esteemed by S. Paul to the Hebrews where as the number of the blessed and glorious company of Saintes appeare nowe to our faith in heauen in ioy yet in the letter for the time of this life in such paines and contempt as was neuer more Let vs therefore consider both them and all other thinges of the worlde sithens the fall of man and we shall perceiue nothing to come to perfection but wyth such confusion and disorder to the eye of y e world as though things wer rather lost for euer then like to come to any perfection at all For of godly men who euer came to heauen no not Christ
and where I heard the bishop condemne him and fiue other more And then the Bishop calling William asked him if hee would not recant and so red to hym his examination and confession as is aboue rehearsed and then rehearsed howe that William confessed that he did beleeue that he receaued Christes body spiritually when he did receiue the communion Doest thou meane quoth the Byshop that the bread is Christes body spiritually William answered I meane not so but rather when I receiue the holy Communion rightly and woorthely I do feede vppon Christ spiritually throughe â—aith in my soule and made partaker of all the benefites which Christ hathe brought vnto all faithfull beleeuers through hys precious death passion and resurrection The bread is Christes body neyther spiritually nor bodely but in receiuing the Communion we feede on Christ spiritually in our soule The question is not what God can doe but what he would haue vs to beleue in his holy Supper A Sentence pronounced agaynst W. Hunter and not that the breade is his body either spiritually or corporally Then said the Bish. to William doest thou not thinke holding vp his cap that for example heere of my cap thou mayest see the squarenes and colour of it and yet not to be the substance which thou iudgest by the accidences William aunswered if you can separate the accidences from the substaunce and shewe me the substaunce wythout the accidences I could beleue Then said the Bishop thou wilt not beleue that God can do any thing aboue mannes capacitie Yes said William I must needes beleue that for daily experience teacheth all men that thing plainely but our question is not what God can doe but what hee will haue vs to learne in his holy Supper Then the Bishop saide I alwaies haue founde thee at this poynt I see no hope in thee to reclaim thee vnto the Catholicke faith but thou wilt coÌ„tinue a corrupt member then pronounced sentence vpon him how that he should goe from that place to newgate for a time so from thence to Burntwood where sayd he thou shalt be burned Then the Byshop called for an other and so when hee had condemned them al he called for William Hunter and perswaded with him The large 〈◊〉 of B. Boner to W. Hunter saying if thou wilt yet recant I wil make thee a free man in the Citie geue thee 40. pound in good money to sette vp thine occupation withall or I will make thee Steward of my house and set thee in office for I like thee well Anno 1555. February thou hast witte inough and I will preferre thee if thou recant But William aunswered I thanke you for your great offers notwithstanding my Lorde sayd he if you can not perswade my conscience with Scriptures I can not finde in my hart to turne from God for the loue of the worlde W. Hunter 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 world for I count all things worldly but losse and donge in respect of the loue of Christ. Then sayd the Byshop if thou diest in this minde thou art condemned for euer William aunsweared God iudgeth righteously and iustifieth them whom man condemneth vniustly Thus William and the Byshoppe departed William and the rest to Newgate where they remained aboute a moneth William Hunter sent â—owne to â—urntwood 〈…〉 which afterwarde were sent downe William to Burntwoode and the others into diuers places of y e countrey Now when WilliaÌ„ was come downe to Burntwood which was the Saterdaye before the Annunciation of the virgin Mary that folowed on the Monday after William remained till the Tuesday after because they woulde not put him to death then for the holinesse of the day In the meane time Williams father and mother came to him His father and mother come to coÌ„fort him and desired hartly of God that he might continue to the ende in that good way which God had begon and hys mother sayd to him that she was glad that euer she was so happy to beare such a childe which could finde in his heart to â—ooâ—e his life for Christes names sake Then William sayde to his mother for my little paine whych I shall suffer whych is but a shorte brayde Christe hath promised me His father mother exhort him to be constant mother sayd he a crown of ioy may you not be glad of that mother With that hys mother kneeled downe on her knees saying I pray God strengthen thee my sonne to the ende Yea I thinke thee as wel bestowed as any childe that euer I bare At the which woordes maister Higbed tooke her in hys armes saying I reioyce and so sayd the others to see you in thys minde and you haue a good cause to reioyce And his father and mother both said that they were neuer of other minde but praied for him that as he had begon to confesse Christ before men he likewise might so continue to the ende Williams father saide I was afraide of nothing but that my sonne should haue ben killed in the prison for hunger and cold the Bishop was so hard to him But William confessed Marke here whethâ—r Boner did nothing but by the law after a moneth that his father was charged wyth his boorde that he lacked nothing but had meat clothing inough yea eueÌ„ out of y e court both money meat cloathes woode and coales and all things necessary Thus they continued in their Inne beinge the Swan in Burntwoode in a Parlor whether resorted many people of the countrey to see those good men which were there and many of Williams acquaintaunce came to hym and reasoned with hym and hee with them exhorting them to come away from the abhomination of Popish superstition and idolatrie Thus passing away saterday Sonday and Monday on monday at night it hapned that William had a dreame about 2. of the clocke in the morning A notable thing concerning W. Hunters dreame which was this how y t he was at the place where the stake was pight where he shuld be burned which as he thought in his dreame was at the townes ende where the buts stoode which was so in deede And also he dreamed that he met with his father as he went to the stake and also that there was a priest at the stake which went about to haue him recant To whom he sayd as he thought in his dreame howe that he bad him away false prophet and how that he exhorted the people to beware of him and such as he was which things came to passe in deede It happened that William made a noise to hym selfe in his dreame which caused M. Higbed and the others to awake hym out of his sleepe to knowe what he lacked When he awaked he told them his dreame in order as is sayd Nowe when it was day the shiriffe M. Brocket called on to set forward to the burning of William HuÌ„ter Then came the Sheriffes sonne to William Hunter W.
xxiij of May did aunswere to the same confessing and graunting the articles and the contentes thereof to bee true accordyng as they were obiected in euery part subscribing also the same with hys hand Such strength and fortitude gods holy spirit wrought in hym to stand stoutly and confidently to the defence of the sincere doctrine of hys sonne Whereupon the B. exhorting him with many wordes to leaue his heresies as he called them and to returne to the bosom of his mother the holy church commanded him to appeare agayne the next day being the xxiiij of the same moneth Who so doyng and aunswering as he did before was willed to come thither agayne at after noone so hee dyd The 〈◊〉 Session agaynst 〈◊〉 Warne where and at what tyme he was earnestly exhorted by the sayd Bish. to recant his opinions To whom he aunswered that he would not depart from his receyued profession vnlesse he were therunto throughly perswaded by the holy scriptures Upon which aunswer he was willed to come agayne the next day beyng the 25. day of the same moneth The thirâ— session May. 25. at one of the clocke in the after noone At which day and houre the B. examined him agayne vpon all his former articles before obiected to the which he most constantly did sticke with his further aunswer thereunto added I am persuaded quoth he to be in the right opinion and that I see no cause to repent for all filthines Idolatry is in the church of Rome The B. then seyng that notwithstandyng all his faire promises terrible threatnyngs whereof he vsed store he could not any thing preuaile Iohn Warne â—â—nstant agaynst the Bishops persuasioâ— Sentence geuen agaynst Iohn Warne May. 30. Cardmakâ—â— and Iohn Warne brought 〈◊〉 execution Iohn Warne tyed to thâ— stake finished this examination with the definitiue sentence of condemnation pronounced against the said Iohn Warne and so charged the Shiriffs of London with him vnder whose custody he remained in the prison of Newgate vntil the 30. day of the same month of May. Upon the which 30. of May being the day appoynted for their execution Iohn Cardmaker with the sayd Iohn Warne were brought by the shiriffes to the place where they should suffer Who beyng come to the stake first the Shiriffes called Cardmaker aside and talked with hym secretly so long that in the meane tyme Warne had made hys prayers was chayned to the stake and had wood and reede set about hym so that nothyng wanted but the firyng but styll aboade Cardmaker talkyng with the shiriffes The people whiche before had heard that Cardmaker would recant and beholding this maner of doing The peopâ—â— afrayd at Cardmakâ—â— recanting were in a meruailous dumpe and sadnes thinkyng in deede that Cardmaker should now recant at the burning of Warne At length Cardmaker departed from the Shiriffes and came towards the stake and in his garments as he was kneeled downe made a long prayer in silence to himself yet the people coÌ„firmed themselues in their fantasie of his recanting seyng him in his garments praying secretly no semblance of any burning ⧠The Martyrdome of Iohn Cardmaker and Iohn Warne Vpholster An. 1555. May. 30. ¶ The confession of the fayth of Iohn Warne Citizen of London which he wrote the day before he was burned the 30. day of May. 1555. I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth A Father because hee is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 who is the euerlasting word whome before all worldes he hath begotten of himselfe which worde was made flesh and therein also manifested to be his sonne in whom he hath adopted vs to be his children the inheriters of his kyngdom and therfore he is our father An almighty God because he hath of nothing created all things visible and inuisible both in heauen and in earth euen all creatures conteyned therin and gouerneth them And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The eternall word perfect God with his father of equal power in all things of the same substance of like glory by whom all things were made and haue life without whom nothing liueth he was made also perfect maÌ„ and so being very God and very man in one person is the onely Sauiour Redeemer and Ransomer of them which were lost in Adam our forefather He is the onely meane of our deliuerance the hope of our health the suretie of our saluation Which was conceyued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary According to the Fathers most mercifull promise this eternal sonne of God forsaking the heauenly glory humbled himselfe to take flesh of a virgin according to y e scriptures vniting the substance of the Godhed to the substaÌ„ce of the manhoode which he tooke of the substaunce of that blessed virgin Mary in one person to become therein the very Massiah the annointed king and priest for euer appointed to pacifie the fathers wrath which was iustlye gone out agaynst vs all for our sinne Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell He was arraigned before Pontius Pilate the ruler of Iewrie and so vniustly accused of many crimes that the Ruler iudged him innocent and sought meanes to deliuer him but contrary to knowen iustice he did let go Barrabas which had deserued death and deliuered Christ to bee crucified who deserued no death which doth declare vnto vs manifestly that he suffred for our sinnes was buffeted for our offences as the prophets do witnes thereby to haue it manifested to all men that he is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Therefore sufferyng for our sinnes he receiued and did beare our deserued condemnation the paines of death the tast of abiection the very terror of hell yelding his spirit to his father his body to be buried in earth The third day he rose againe from death to lyfe To make full and perfect the whole worke of our redemption and iustification the same crucified body which was layd in the graue was raised vp againe the third day from death by the power of hys Father and glory of hys Godhead he became the first fruits of the resurrection got the victory of death that all by him might be raised vp from death Thorough whome all true penitent sinners may now boldly come vnto the father and haue remission of their sinnes He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty After that in his death and resurrectioÌ„ he had conquered sinne death and the deuil and had bene conuersant 40. days in the earth being seene of the Apostles more then v. hundred brethren at once in the same body in which he wrought the worke of our saluation he ascended into heauen with eternal triumph for the victory ouer death sinne and hel leauing the passage open by which all true beleeuers may and shal enter
colligationes impietatis nostrae tolle fasciculos peccatorum nostrorum Miserere mei Domina sana infirmitatem meam tolle dolorem angustiam cordis mei Ne tradas me manibus inimicorum meorum in die mortis meae comforta animam meam Deduc me ad portum salutis spiritum meum redde factori meo Why are they so many O Lady that trouble mee In thy surye thou shalt persecute and destroy them Loose the bondes of our impietie Blasphemous Idolatrye and take away the burden of our sinnes Haue mercy vpon me O lady and heale my infirmitie Take away my sorow and the anguish of my heart Deliuer me not into the handes of mine enemies in the day of my death comfort my soule Bring me vnto the hauen of saluation and restore my spirit vnto my maker and creator Glory be to the. c. 4 Cum inuocaâ—em exaudisti me Domina è sublimi solio tuo mei dignata es recordari A rugientibus praeparatis ad escam de manibus quaerentium me liberabit gratia tua Quoniam benigna est misericordia pietas tua in omnes qui inuocant nomen sanctum tuum Benedicta sis Domina in aeternum maiestas tua in seculum Glorificate eum omnes gentes c. When I called to thee thou heardest me O my Lady and out of thy high throne thou didst vouchsafe to thinke vppon me False fayth From the roaring of them that prepare themselues to deuoure me out of the handes of such as seeke after my life thy grace shall deliuer me Because thy mercy and thy pitie are great towardes all them that call vppon thy holy name Blessed be thou O Lady for euer and thy maiestie for euer and euer Glorifie her all nations of the earth c. 5 Verba mea auribus percipe Domina c. Conuerte luctum nostrum in gaudium tribulationem nostram in iubilationem Corruant ante pedes nostros inimici nostri virtute tua eorum capita conterantur c. Heare my wordes O Lady c. Turne our mourning into gladnesse and our trouble into reioysing Let our enemies fall before our feete wich thy power dash theyr heaâ—s in peeces Derogation of the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 6 Domina ne in furore dei sinas corripi me neque in ira eius iudicari c. De porta infeâ—i de ventre abyssi tuis sanctis precibus libera nos Aperiantur nobis ianuae sempiternae vt enarremus in aeternum mirabilia tua Quia non mortui neque qui in inferno sunt laudabunt te domina sed qui tua gratia vitam aeternam obtinebunt O lady suffer me not to be rebuked in gods anger nor to be chastened in his heauie displeasure c. From y e gate and deepe pit of hel with thy holy prayers deliuer vs. Let the euerlasting gates be opened that we may shew foorth thy marueilous woorkes for euer Because the deade nor they that be in hell shall not praise thee O Ladie but they shall obtaine by thy grace life euerlasting 7 Domina mea in te speraui de inimicis meis libera me Domina Conclude ora Leonis labia persequentium constringe Non moreris propter nomen tuum facere nobis misericordiam tuam Splendor vultus tui fulgeat super nos vt seruetur conscientia nostra apud altissimum Si persequitur inimicus animam meam Domina Vayne trust adiutorio tuo comforter ne vibret gladiuÌ„ suum contra me O my Ladye in thee doe I put my trust deliuer mee from mine enemies o Lady Stoppe the mouth of the Lion and binde the lippes of the persecutors make no tarying for thy names sake to shew thy mercy vppon me Let the brightnes of thy countenance shine vpon vs Manifest â—â—dolatrye that our conscience may be saued before the most highest If the ennemy doe persecute my soule O Lady helpe me that he destroy me not 9 Confitebor tibi Domina in toto corde meo narrabo in populis laudem gloriam tuam c Inueniant gratiam per te inuentricem gratiae salutis Respirant ad indulgeÌ„tiam humiles poenitentes sana contritiones cordis eorum c. I wil geue thankes to thee O Lady with my * Thou 〈◊〉 loue the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 hart 〈◊〉 all thy strength power 〈◊〉 Deut. 6. whole heart and wil shewe forth amongst the nations thy praise and glory c. They shall finde grace through thee the sinder out of grace and saluation the humble and penytent grone for pardon and forgeuenesse heale thou the sores of their heart c. 11 In Domina confido c. Exquirite illam a inuentute vestra glorificabit vos c. Misericordia illius nostrorum auferat multitudinem peccatorum foecuÌ„ditatem nobis conferat meritorum c. In thee O lady do I put my trust c. Seeke her euen from your youth and shee shall glorify you c. Derogatiâ—â— of Christ passion Her mercy take from vs the multitude of our sinnes and geue vnto vs plenteousnesse of merites c. 12 Saluum me fac mater pulchrae dilectionis sons clemenciae c. Gyrum terrae sola circuis vt subuenias inuocantibus te c. Saue me O mother of Loue fountaine of mercy c. Thou thy selfe alone haste gone about the compasse of the earth to helpe them that call vpon thee c. 13 Vsquequo domina obliuisceris me non liberas me in dâ—e tribulationis vsquequo exaltabitur inimicus meus super me potentia virtutis tuae contere ipsum c. Magnificamus te gratiae inuentricem per quam saecula reparantur c. How long doest thou forget me O Lady and dost not deliuer me in the day of my trouble Howe long shal mine enemy triumph ouer me With thy mighty power destroy him c. We magnifie thee the finder the author of grace by whom the world is repaired c. 16 Conserua me domina quoniam speraui in te c. Benedicta sint vbera tua quibus * Milke 〈◊〉 king God lacte deifico saluatorem enutristi c. Preserue me O Lady for in thee haue I put my trust c. Blessed be thy breastes Yea rathâ—â— blessed bâ— they whoâ— heare thâ— woord oâ— God and keepe it which with thy deifying milke diddest nourish the Sauiour c. 18 Diligam te domina coeli terrae in gentibus nomen tuum inuocabo Confitemini illi tribulati corde roborabit vos contra inimicos vestros c. Religiosi omnes honorate illam quia ipsa est adiutrix vestra specialis aduocata Esto refrigerium nostrum gloriosa mater Christi quia tu es totius religionis mirabile firmamentum I will loue thee O Lady of heauen and earth I will call vppon thy name among the nations Confesse
Catholicke Church Bradford No though you haue excommunicate me out of your Church yet am I in the Catholicke Churche of christ and am and by Gods grace shal be a childe an obedient childe of it for euer I hope Christ will haue no lesse care for me Transubstantiation to beleeue or not to beleue many hundreth yeares after Christ. then he had for the blinde man excommunicated of the Synagoge and further I am sure that the necessary Articles of the fayth I meane the twelue Articles of the Creede I confesse and beleue with that which you call the holy church so that euen your church hath taken somthing to much vpon her to excommunicate me for that which by the testimonye of my Lorde of Duresme in the booke of the sacrament lately put forth was free many an hundred yeare after Christ to beleue or not beleue Harps What is that Brad. Transubstantiation Harps Why ye are not condemned therfore onely Brad. For that and because I deny that wicked men do receiue Christes body Harpsfield You agree not with vs in the presence nor in any thing els Bradford How you beleue you know for my part I coÌ„fesse a presence of whole Christ God and man to the fayth of the receauer Harpsfield Nay you must beleue a reall presence in the sacrament Brad. In the Sacrament Nay I will not shut him in nor tyâ— him to it otherwise then faith seeth and perceiueth Christ not included really in the Sacrament If I should include Christ really present in the sacrament or tye hym to it otherwise then to the faith of the receiuer then the wicked men should receiue him which I doe not nor will by Gods grace beleue Harpsfield More pitty But a man may easely perceaue you make no presence at all and therefore you agree not therein with vs. Brad. I confesse a presence and a true presence but to the fayth of the receauer Christes body present to the fayth of the receauer What quoth one that stoode by of Christes very bodye which dyed for vs. Brad. Yea euen of whole Christ God man to feed the fayth of hym that receiueth it Harps Why this is nothing els but to exclude y e omnipotency of God and all kinde of miracle in the sacrament Brad. I do not exclude his omnipotencie but you doe it rather for I beleue that Christ can accoÌ„plish hys promise None denyeth omipotencye more then the Papistes which say that Christes body cannot be in the sacrament vnlesse the substance of bread be away the substaunce of bread and wyne being there as well as the accidents which you beleue not When we come to the Sacrament we come not to feede our bodies and therfore we haue but a little peece of bread but we come to feed our soules with Christ by fayth whiche the wicked doe want and therefore they receiue nothing but Panem domini as Iudas did not Panem Dominum as y e other Apostles did Harps The wicked do receaue the very body of Christ but not the grace of his body Brad. They receiue not the body For Christes bodye is no dead carcase he that receaueth it receaueth the spirite which is not without grace I trow Argument who so receaue the body of Christ do receiue the fruite and grace of lyfe no wicked do receiue fruite and grace of lyfe Ergo no wicked men receiue the bâ—dy of Christ. Masse in S. Ambrose tyme. That is false for Scolasticus was not before S. Ambrose tyme. The chiefe parts of the Popish Masse Harps Well you haue many erroures You count the Masse for abhomination and yet S. Ambrose sayd Masse and so he read out of a book written a sentence of S. Ambrose to proue it Brad. Why sir the masse as it is nowe was nothing so in S. Ambrose time Was not y e most part of the Canon made sithen by Gregory and Scolasticus Harps In deede a great peece of it was made as ye say by Gregory but Scolasticus was before Saint Ambrose tyme. Brad. I weene not howbeit I will not contend S. Gregory sayth that the Apostles sayd Masse without the Canon onely with the Lordes prayer Harps You say true for the Canon is not the greatest part of the Masse the greatest part is the sacrifice eleuation transubstantiation and adoration Brad. I can away with none of those Harps No I thinke the same but yet Hoc facite telleth plainely the sacrifice of the Church Brad. You confound Sacrifices not discerning betwixt the sacrifice of the Church Sacrifice of the Church Sacrifice for the Church and for the Church The sacrifice of the Church is no propiciatory sacrifice but a gratulatory sacrifice And as for Hoc facite is not referred to any sacrifising but to the whole action of takyng eatyng c. Harps You speake not learnedly now for Christ made his supper onely to the twelue Apostles Note this doctrine good reader not admittyng his mother or any of the seuenty Disciples to it Nowe the Apostles do signifie the Priestes Brad. I thinke that you speake as you would men should vnderstand it for els you would not keepe the cup away from the Laitie Wee haue great cause to thanke you that you will geue vs of your bread For I perceiue you order the matter so as though Christ had not commanded it to his whole Church Harps Then Harpsfield would haue proued Eleuation by a place of Basilius Brad. Eleuation was not brought in indeede before the time of pope Honorius 3. I haue read y e place which seemeth to make nothing for eleuation but be it as it is this is no tyme for me to scan the doubtfull places of the doctors with you I haue bene in prison long without bookes and al necessaries for study and now death draweth nye and I by your leaue must now leaue of to prepare for him Harps If I could do you good I would be right glad eyther in soule or body For you are in a perillous case both wayes Brad. Syr I thanke you for your good will My case is as it is I thanke God it was neuer so well w t me for deathe to me shal be life Creswel It were best for you to desire maister Archedeacon that he woulde make sute for you that you might haue a time to conferre Harps I will do the best I can for I pittie his case Bradford Sir I will not desire anye body to sue for tyme for me I am not wauering neither woulde I that anye body should thinke I were so But if you haue the charity and loue you pretend towardes me and thereto do thinke that I am in an errour I thinke the same shuld moue you to do as ye would be done to As ye thinke of me so doe I of you that you are farre out of the way and I do not only thinke it but also am thereof most assured And in thys and such like gentle
by meanes which meanes is faith in Christ Iesus crucified For so much as by hys faith in Christe a man is iustified and thereby made the childe of saluation reason must needes lead the same to be then the childe of election chosen of God vnto euerlasting life For howe can a man be iustified but he must needes be saued and howe can a man be saued but by consequence it foloweth that he must also be elected And therefore of Election it is truely sayd De electione iudicandum est à posteriore that is to say Fayth is the meanes wherby we be certified of our Election wee must iudge of election by that which commeth after that is by oure faith and beliefe in Christ which faith although in time it followeth after election yet is it the proper and immediat cause assigned by the scripture which not onely iustifieth vs but also certifieth vs of thys election of God Whereunto likewise well agreeth thys present letter of M. Bradford wherein he sayeth Election allbeit in God it be the first yet to vs it is the last opened And therefore beginning first sayth he wyth creation De electione iudicandum est a posterâ—ore Election fiâ—st knowen to God and last opened to man I come froÌ„ thence to the redemption and iustification by faith and so to election Not that faith is the cause efficient of election being rather the effect thereof but is to vs the cause certificatory or the cause of our certification wherby we are brought to the feeling and knowledge of our election in Christe For all be it that election first be certaine in the knowledge of God yet in our knowledge Faith onely that wee haue in Christe is the thynge that geueth to vs our certificate and comfort of thys election Wherefore who soeuer desireth to be assured that he is one of the electe number of God lette hym not clyme vp to heauen to knowe but let hym descende into hym selfe and there searche hys Faith in Christe the sonne of God whyche if hee finde in hym not fained by the working of Gods holy spirite accordingly thereuppon let hym staye Euery man to stay himsâ—lfe vpon Gods generall promise and so wrappe hym selfe wholely both body and soule vnder Gods generall promise and cumber hys heade wyth no further speculations knowing thys that who so euer beleueth in him shall not perish Ihon. 3. shall not be confounded Ro. 9. shal not see death Ih. 8. shal not enter into iudgemeÌ„t Ih. 5. shall haue euerlasting life Iâ— 3.7 shall be saued Mat. 28. Act. 16. shal haue remission of al his sinnes Act. 10. shal be iustified Rom. 3. Ga. 2. shal haue flouds flowing oute of him of water of life Iohn 7. shall neuer die Iohn 11. shal be raised in the last day Iohn 6 shal finde rest to hys soule and shal be refreshed Math. 11. Now then for so much as we see faith to be the ground wherupon depeÌ„deth the whole coÌ„dition of our iustifying let vs discusse in like maner what is this faith whereof the scripture so much speaketh What fayth is Diuers kindes of fayth for the more plaine vnderstanding of the simple For many kindes there be of faith as a man maye beleeue euery thing that is true yet not euery truth doeth saue neither doth the beleeuing of euery truth iustifie a man Euery truth hath his fayth but euery truth iustifieth not no more doth euery fayth He y t beeleueth that God created all things of nought beleueth truely He that beleueth that God is a iust God that he is omnipoteÌ„t that he is mercifull that he is true of promise beleeueth well and holdeth the truthe So hee that beleeueth that God hath his election from the beginning and that he also is one of the same electe predestinate hath a good beliefe and thinketh wel but yet this beliefe alone except it be seasoned with an other thing wil not serue to saluation as it auailed not the olde Iewes which so thought of them selues and yet thinke to this day to be only Gods elect people Fayth the action Christ the obiect of fayth Fayth Christ correlatiues Onely the faithe whiche auaileth to saluation is that whose obiect is the body and passion of Iesus Christe crucified So that in the act of iustifying these two fayth and Christ haue a mutual relation and must alwaies concurre together faith as the action which apprehendeth Christe as the obiect which is apprehended For neither doeth the passion of Christe saue wythout faith Christ without faith saueth not Fayth without Christ helpeth not neither doeth faith helpe except it be in Christ As we see the body of man sustained by bread drinke not except the same be receiued and conueied into the stomacke and yet neither doeth y e receiuing of euery thing sustaine mans body except it be meate and drinke whych haue power to geue nourishment In like sort it is with faith for neither doth the beleuing of euery thing saue but onely faith in the bloud of Christ neither again doth y e same bloud of Christ profite vs except by faith it be receiued And as the sunne being the cause of all lighte shineth not but to them onely which haue eyes to see nor yet to them neither vnlesse they will open their eyes to receiue the light so the Passion of Christ is the efficient cause of saluation but faith is the coÌ„dition wherby the sayd passion is to vs effectuall Grace Election Vocation Christes death causes externe of our saluatioÌ„ Fayth the onely interne cause of mans saluation Fayth is an action in man but not of man Vertues and workes of charitye though they be good giftes of God in man yet they serue not to iustification Fayth taketh his dignitye of his obiect Looking vp to the brasen Serpent and beleeuing vpon the body of Christ compared The error of the Papistes peruerting the mind of Gods testament how and wherin And that is the cause why we say with the Scripture that faith only iustifieth vs not excluding thereby al other externe causes that goe before faith as grace mercy election vocation the death of Christe c. all whiche be externe causes working our saluation through faith But when we say that faith only iustifieth vs the meaning thereof is thys that of all internall actions motions or operations in man geuen to him of God there is none other that contenteth pleaseth God or standeth before hys iudgement or can helpe any thing to the iustifying of man before him but only this one action of faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God For although the action of praying fasting almes pacience charity repentance the feare and loue of God be hie giftes in man and not of man geuen of God to man yet be none of al these actions in man imputed of God to saluation but only this one action of faith in maÌ„ vpon Christ Iesus the sonne
as before ye heard Nicholas Sheterden and Umfrey Middleton answered to the first and second articles affirmatiuely To the third concerning the Catholicke Churche after a sorte they graunted To the fourth and fift and sixt touching the reall presence and the sacrameÌ„t to be ministred in the Latin tongue and in one kind they refused vtterly to sweare Sheterden sayd he would not aunswere thereto before the cause were determined why he was imprisoned and so stil remayned prisoners before the lawes of Parliament receiued c. Middleton added moreouer and confessed that he beleued in hys owne God saying my liuyng God no dead God c. Thacker onely relented and was content to take penaunce Thus the foresayd foure vpon these aunsweres were condemned by the Byshop of Douer the 25. day of Iune an 1555. The burning of foure Martyrs And so being geuen to the seculer power they were burned at Cant. the 12. of Iuly at two seuerall stakes 〈◊〉 Châ—iâ—tian â—â—ayer of â—icholas â—heterden â—â—fore his â—eath but all in one fire together where they in the sight of God and of his Aungels and before men like true souldiours of Iesus Christ gaue a constant testimony to the truth of his holy Gospell The prayer of Nicholas Sheterden before his death O Lord my God and Sauiour whiche art Lord in heauen and earth maker of all things visible and inuisible I am the creature and worke of thy handes Lord God looke vppon me and other thy people which at this time are oppressed of the worldly minded for thy lawes sake Yea lord thy law it self is now trodeÌ„ vnder foote and mens inuentions exalted aboue it and for that cause do I and many thy creatures refuse the glory prayse and commoditie of this life and do chuse to suffer aduersitie and to be banished yea to be burnt with the bookes of thy worde for the hopes sake that it is layd vp in store For Lorde thou knowest if we would but seeme to please men in thinges contrary to thy word we might by thy permission enioy these commodities that other do as wife children goodes and frendes which al I knowledge to be thy giftes geuen to the end I should serue thee And now Lord that the worlde will not suffer me to enioye them except I offend thy lawes behold I geue vnto thee my whole spirite soule and body and loe I leaue here all the pleasures of this life and doe nowe leaue the vse of them for the hope sake of eternall life purchased in Christes bloud Sacrifice of obedience to God and promised to all them that fight on his side and are content to suffer with hym for his truth when soeuer the world and the deuill shall persecute the same O father I doe not presume vnto thee Sacrifice of thankes for redemption in mine owne righteousnes no but onely in the merites of thy deare sonne my sauiour For the whiche excellent gifte of saluation I cannot worthily prayse thee neither is any sacrifice worthy or to be accepted with thee in comparison of oure bodyes mortified and obedient vnto thy will and now Lorde Sacrifice of the body what soeuer rebellion hathe bene or is found in my members agaynst thy will yet do I here geue vnto thee my body to the death rather then I will vse anye straunge worshipping whiche I beseech the accept at my hande for a pure sacrifice let this torment be to me the last enemye destroyed euen death the ende of misery and the beginning of all ioy peace and solace and when the tyme of resurrection commeth then let me enioy agayne these members then glorified which now be spoyled and consumed by the fire O Lord Iesu receaue my spirite into thy handes Amen Letters of Nicholas Shetterden and first a letter to his mother AFter my humble and bounden duety remembred welbeloued Mother A letter of Nicholas Sheterden to his mother this shal be to wishe you increase of grace and and godly wisedome that yee may see and perceiue the craftye bewitching of Sathan our mortal enemy which as I haue diuers times declared vnto you doth not openly shewe himselfe in hys owne likenes but vnder colour of deuotion deceiueth them that keep not a dilligent eye vpon him Sathan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light but hauing confidence in mans traditions and customes of the worlde leauing the commaundementes of God and Testament of his Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord doe grow more into superstition hipocrisie then into wisedome and true holynesse For this is most true that Sathan the enemy of soules dothe by his ministers make many beleue that those thinges whiche they compell vs vnto for theyr bellye 's sake haue many godly significations although they be most contrary to Gods will as doubtlesse they be euen as did the serpent in Paradise to our first mother Eue. What sayd he hath God commaunded yee shall not eate of all the trees in the Garden The woman sayd of the fruites of the trees in the Garden we may eate but of the tree in the middest of the Garden sayd God see ye eate not least ye dye As the Serpent seduced Eue by an Aple so Priestes seduce the people by Images EueÌ„ so our Ministers now a dayes say hath God commaunded ye shall not make you anye Image or likenes of any thing Yea forsoothe Tush say they what harme can they doe May we not remember God the better wheÌ„ we see his Image or Picture For they are good bookes for the lay men but in deed they be better for the priestes because they receiue the offeringes And looke howe truely the promise of the serpent was kepte with Eue so is the perswasion of our Priests found true to vs. Images more profitable bookes for Priests then for lay men For as Adam and Eue did become like God in knowing good and euill so are we in remembring God by hys Image For Adams eyes were so open that he lost both innocencye and righteousnes and was become most miserable of all creatures and euen so we remember Christ so well by Images that we forget his commaundements and count his Testament confirmed in his bloud for starke madnesse or heresie so miserably haue wee remembred him that of all people we are most blinde Sheterden prophesieth of Gods plagues and this doth followe vpon our presumption when wee remember God by breking of hys law and therefore surely except we repent shortly God wil remember vs in his wrath reward vs with his plagues as sure as there is a God it will come to passe But I know the craftines of them herein I thanke God whiche wil say Where went he to schoole Learning against or without Gods word is vayne and to no purpose Antichrist hath turned the Church cleare vpside downe Is he wiser then our great Doctours that studyed all their life And loe they saye that it is good hay although we smell
the same constancie as dyd the other and therfore were both deliuered vnto the sheriffes who were there present but afterwards were conueyed to the places aboue named there moste ioyfully gaue their houses to bee burned in the fire and their soules into the handes of Almighty God by Iesus Christ who hath assured them to a better hope of life This Diricke was a man whome the Lorde had blessed as well with temporall riches as with hys spirituall treasures which riches yet were no clogge or let vnto hys true professing of Christe the Lord by his grace so woorking in him of the which there was such hauocke made by the greedye raueners of that time that hys poore wyfe and children had little or none thereof During his imprisonment although he was well stricken in yeares and as it were past the time of learning yet he so spente his time that being at hys firste apprehension vtterly ignoraunt of any letter of the booke he coulde before his death read perfectly any Printed English Whos 's diligence and zeale is worthy no small commendation and therefore I thought it good not to lette it passe ouer in silence for the good encouragement and example of others Moreouer at his comming into the towne of Lewes to be burned the people called vpon him beseeching God to strengthen him in the faith of Iesus Christe Hee thanked them and prayed vnto God that of hys mercye hee woulde strengthen them in the lyke Faith And when hee came to the signe of the Starre the people drew neare vnto hym where the Sheriffe sayde that he had founde him a faithfull man in all hys aunsweres And as he came to the stake hee kneeled downe and made hys prayers and the Sheriffe made haste Then hys Booke was throwne into the barrell and when he had stript him selfe as a ioyfull member of God he went into the barrell him selfe And as soone as euer hee came in he tooke vp the booke and threw it among the people and then the Sheriffe commaunded in the Kynge and Queenes name in paine of death to throw in the booke againe And immediately that faithful member spake with a ioyfull voyce saying Deare brethren and sisterne witnes to you all that I am come to seale with my bloude Christes Gospell for because I know that it is true it is not vnknowen vnto all you but that it hath bene truely preached heere in Lewes and in all places of Englande and nowe it is not And for because that I wil not deny heere Gods Gospel and be obedient to mans lawes I am condemned to die Dear brethren and sisterne as many of you as doe beleeue vpon the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste vnto euerlasting life see you do the woorkes appertaining to the same And as many of you as doe beleeue vppon the Pope of Rome or any of his lawes which he sets foorth in these daies you do beleeue to your vtter condēnation and except the great mercy of God you shall burne in hell perpetually The Martyrdome of Diricke Caruer And then spake hee againe to all the people there present with a loude voyce saying deare brethren Horrible prouoking of Gods iudgement and all you whom I haue offended in woordes or in deede I aske you for the Lordes sake to forgeue mee and I heartely forgeue all you which haue offended me in thought word or dede And he sayd further in his praier Oh Lord my God thou hast wrytten Hee that wil not forsake wife children house Dirickes prayer at his death and all that euer he hath and take vp thy crosse and folow thee is not woorthy of thee But thou Lorde knowest that I haue forsaken all to come vnto thee Lord haue mercy vppon me for vnto thee I commend my spirit and my soule doth reioyce in thee These were the last wordes of that Faythfull member of Christe before the fire was put to hym And afterward that the fire came to him he cried Oh Lorde haue mercy vpon me and spronge vp in the fire calling vppon the name of Iesus and so ended Thomas Iueson Martyr AT Chichester Tho. Iueson of Euerson apprehended with Diricke and other suffered at Chichester about the same moneth was burned one Thomas Iueson of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey Carpenter whose apprehension examination and condemnation for as much as it was at one time and in one forme with Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder I doe here omit referring the reader to their hystorie processe before mentioned sauing onely this his seuerall confession and priuate answers made before B. Boner at hys last examination in the Consistorie I thought not to pretermit who being examined vppon the foresayd Articles answered as followeth The aunsweres of Thomas Iueson to the obiections of Boner bishop of London in a chamber at his house in the moneth of Iuly 1. FIrst that he beleued that there is but one Catholike Aunsweres of Thomas Iueson vniuersall and whole Church of Christ thorough the whole worlde which hathe and holdeth the true faith and all the necessarye Articles of Christen beliefe all the Sacraments of Christe with the true vse and administration of the same 2. Item that he is necessarily bounden to beleeue geue credite in all the sayd faith Articles of the beliefe religion and the Sacraments of Christe and the administration of the same 3. Item that that faithe religion and administration of Sacraments which now is beleeued vsed taught and set forth in this our church of England is not agreeing wyth the truth and faith of Christ nor with the faith of the sayde Catholicke and vniuersall Church of Christ. 4. Item concerning the Sacrament of the aultar he beleueth that it is a very Idol and detestable before God as it is now ministred 5. Item that the Masse is nought and not of the institution of Christ but y t it is of mans inuention and demaunded whether any thing vsed in the Masse be good he sayde that he would answere no further 6. Item that hee had not receiued the Sacrament of the aultar since it hath ben ministred as now it is in England neither was confessed at any time within this seuen yeres nor he hath not heard Masse by the same space 7. Item that auricular confession is not necessarye to be made to a priest for that he cānot forgeue nor absolue him from sinnes 8. Item concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme that it is a signe and token of Christe as circumcision was and none otherwise and he beleeueth that his sinnes are * He meaneth not by the mere vertue of the element Two Sacramentes not washed away thereby but his body onely washed for his sinnes be washed away onely by Christes bloud 9. Item that there be in the Catholike Church of Christ onely two Sacraments that is to saye the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord and no
in the Sacrament as hee is where two or three are gathered together in his name THe difference of doctrine betweene the Faithfull the Papistes concerning the Sacramente is that the Papistes say that Christ is corporally vnder or in the formes of bread and wine but the faithfull say that Christe is not there neither corporally nor spiritually but in them that worthely eate and drinke the breade and wine he is spiritually but not corporally For figuratiuely he is in the breade and wine and spiritually hee is in them that woorthely eate and drynke the breade and wine but really carnally and corporally he is onely in heauen from whence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead ¶ My beliefe in the Sacrament of the blessed body and bloud of my Sauiour Iesus Christ. AS concernyng the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ my beliefe is this that the bread and wyne is appointed vnto a Sacrament and that after thanks be geuen to God the father then it doth represent vnto me the very body and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ not that the bread is the body or the wyne the bloud but that I in faith do see that blessed body of our sauiour broken on the crosse his precious bloud plenteously shed for the redemption of my sinnes Also in faith I heare hym call vs vnto him saying Come vnto me all you that labour and are laden and I wil refresh you Esay 55. a. b. Mat. 11. c. In faith I come vnto him I am refreshed so that I beleue that all that do come vnto the table of the Lord in this frith feare and loue beyng sory for their offences intending earnestly to lead a godly conuersatioÌ„ in this vale of misery do receiue the fruit of the death of Christ which fruit is our saluation I do vnderstand spiritually that as the outward maÌ„ doth eate the material bread which comforteth the body so doth the inward man thorough fayth eate the bodye of Christ beleeuyng that as the breade is broken so was Christes body broken on the Crosse for our sinnes which comforteth our soules vnto lyfe euerlastyng and signifieng thereby that euen as that bread was deuided among them so should his body and fruit of hys passion be distributed vnto as many as beleeued hys wordes But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper monisheth putteth vs in remembraunce of hys death and so exciteth vs to thankesgeuyng to laud and prayse God for the benefits of our redemption And thus we there haue Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our faith we eate his body and drinke his bloud that is we beleeue surely that his body was crucified for our sinnes and his bloud shed for our saluation Christes body and bloud is not conteyned in the Sacramentall bread and wyne as the papists haue sayd 〈◊〉 grosse 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Papistes the reall 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Sacraâ—ent as some yet doe say as ye read in these scriptures folowing first read in S. Math. 9. Luk. 5. Math. 24. and 26. Marke 16. Luk. 24. Iohn 13. Luke 23. in the ende Iohn 14.15.16.17 Acts 1.3.7.9 Rom. 8. Psalm 8. 1. Cor. 10.11 Exod. 12. Col. 1.3 Ephe. 1.4 Phil. 2. 1. Thes. 1.4 Heb. 1.5.8.9.10.12 1. Pet. 3. Psal. 11.47.103.10 Christes materiall body is not in all places as these Scriptures do testifie hereafter â—hristes â—ody not in â—ll places 〈◊〉 â—nce First reade Saint Mathew the last Marke the last Luke the last Iohn 11.20.21 These places of the Scripture do plainly declare that his body that was borne of the Uirgin Mary cannot be in mo places then one that is in heauen on the right hand of God and not in the Sacrament nor in all places as the Papists haue affirmed and yet do affirme â—dolatry to 〈◊〉 creaâ—â—re of â—read and â—ine Therefore who so euer they bee that doe worship the creatures of bread and wyne doe commit Idolatrye and make abominable Idols of them and take the glory from God and geue it to his cretures which is contrary to the mynd of God as these scriptures hereafter do testify first in Exodus 20.22.23.24 Leuit. 19. Deut. 4.6.32 Psal. 80. Esay 45. Mal. 2. Mathew 4. Luke 4. Actes 14. Reuel 14. Psalm 98. 1. Corrinth 8. Ephes. 4. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Ioh. 5. Reuel 19.22 Iohn Denley M. Denley â—nd his felâ—ow prisoâ—ers sent to â— Boner Now to returne to the Commissioners againe they receiuyng these prisoners afore mentioned after they saw they could little preuaile by their owne perswasions sent them vnto B. Boner to be handled after his fatherly and charitable discretion Which how discrete fauourably it was as well the history of others as also the sequele of this doth manifestly declare M. Denley Newman â— Packingâ—am had in â—xamâ—natioÌ„â—efore the â—â—shop of â—ondon For the 28. day of Iune then next folowyng he caused the sayd Denly NewmaÌ„ with one Patrike Packingham to bee brought into his chaÌ„ber within his house or pallace there examinyng them vpon their confessions which Tyrrell had founde about them obiecting also vnto them certayne other Articles of hys owne The which they all aunswered in effect one thing although Denly answered more largely then the others therfore I thought it enough only to manifest his as sufficient in no part differyng from the others except that Pachingham had one Article of no great force obiected to hym which the rest had not This done the B. vsed with them his accustomed perswasions to the which M. Denly said God saue me from your counsaile keepe me in the mynde that I am in for that you count heresy I take to be the truth The wordes of M. Denly to Bishop Boner thereupon they were commanded to appeare in the bishops Consistory the 5. of Iuly then next commyng in the after noone where these Articles were obiected against them ¶ The Articles obiected by Edmond Boner Bishop of London against Iohn Denley Iohn Newman and Patrike Pachingham ioyntly and seuerally the xxviij of Iune 1555. FIrst that the said N. now is of the dioces of London of the iurisdiction of the B. of London Articles obiected Slaunder of vntruth Catholicke Church Secondly that the sayd N. hath not beleeued nor doth beleeue that there is any Catholike Church of Christ here in earth Thirdly that the said N. had not beleued nor doth beleue that this church of England is any part or member of the said catholike church· Fourthly the sayd N. hath beleued Masse and doth so beleue that the Masse now vsed in this Realme of England is naught and full of Idolatry and euill and playne against Gods word and therfore he the sayd N. hath not heard it nor will not heare it Fiftly that the sayd N. hath beleued doth so beleue Auricular confession that auricular confession vsed now in
people in diuers places haue not cesed hitherto to preach and yet daily do that all they which hold or affirme the sayd glorious virgine to haue bene conceiued without originall sinne be heretiques and they which celebrate the seruice of the sayde her conception or do heare the sermons of them which do so affirme doe sinne grieuously also not contented herewith doe wryte and set foorth bookes moreouer mainteining their assertions to the great offence and ruine of godly mindes We therfore to preuent and wythstand such presumptuous and peruers assertions which haue risen and more heereafter may arise by suche opinions and preachings aforesaid in the mindes of the faithfull by the authority Apostolical do condemne and reproue the same and by the motion knowledge and authority aforesayd decree and ordeyne that the preachers of Gods word and all other persones of what state degree order or condition soeuer they be which shall presume to dare affirme or preach to the people these foresayde opinions and assertions to be true or shall reade holde or maintaine any suche bookes for true hauing before intelligence hereof shal incurre thereby the sentence of excommunication from whyche they shall not be absolued otherwise then by the bishop of Rome except onely in the time of death Thys Bull being dated the yere of our Lord. 1483. gaue no litle heart and encouragement to the gray Friers Franciscanes which defended the pure conception of the holy virgin against the blacke Dominicke friers with theyr confederates holding the contrary side By the vigour of which Bull the Gray order had got such a conquest of the Blacke garde of the Dominikes that the sayd Dominikes were compelled at length for a perpetuall memoriall of the triumph both to geue to the glorious virgine euery night an Antheme in praise of her Conception and also to subscribe vnto their doctrine In which doctrine these wyth diuers other poyntes bee conteined 1 That blessed Mary the virgine suffered the griefes and aduersities of this life Ex lod Clitoueo de puricate coÌ„ceptionis Lib. 2. not for any necessity inflicted for punishment of Originall sinne but onely because she would conforme her selfe to the imitation of Christ. 2 That the sayde virgin as she was not obliged to anye punishmente due for sinne Filthy absurdities in the Popes doctrine as neither was Christe her sonne so she had no neede of remission of sinnes but in steed thereof had the diuine preseruation of Gods helpe keeping her from all sinne which grace only she needed and also had it 3 Item that where the body of the virgin Mary was subiect to death and died this is to be vnderstand to come not for any penaltie due for sinne but either for imitation and coÌ„formitie vnto Christ How the virgin Mary was subiect to death after the friers opinions or els for the natural constitution of her body being elemental as were y e bodies of our first parents who if they had not tasted of the forbidden fruit should haue bene preserued from death not by nature but by grace strength of other fruits and meates in Paradise Which meates because Mary had not but did eate our coÌ„mon meates therfore she died and not for any necessitie of Originall sinne Clitouaeus lib. â— cap. 2. 4 The vniuersall proposition of S. Paule which sayth that the Scripture hath concluded all men vnder sinne is to be vnderstand thus as speaking of all them which be not exempted by the speciall priuiledge of God as is the blessed virgin Mary 5 If iustification be taken for reconciliation of him that was vnrighteous before and now is made righteous theÌ„ the blessed virgin is to be taken not for iustified by Christ but iust from her beginning by preseruation 6 If a sauiour be taken for him which saueth men fallen into perdition condemnation so is not Christ sauior of Mary but is her saueour only in this respect for susteining her from not falling into condemnation c. 7 Neither did the virgine Mary geue thankes to God nor ought so to doe for expiation of her sinnes but for her conseruation from case of sinning Good stuffe 8 Neither did she pray to God at any time for remission of her sinnes but onely for remission of other mens sinnes she praied many times and counted their sinnes for hers 9 If the blessed virgine had deceassed before the Passion of her sonne God would haue reposed her soule not in the place among the Patriarkes or among the iust but in the same most pleasaunt place of Paradise where Adam and Eue was before they transgressed These were the doting dreames and phantasies of the Franciscans of other papists commonly then holden in the schooles wrytten in their bookes preached in theyr sermons taught in churches * The gray friers had made a picture of Ioachim Anna kissing by the which kisse Anna waâ— conceiued with Mary Ex Rob. Lycid Minorita and set foorth in pictures So that the people was taught nothing els almost in the pulpits all this while but how the virgine Mary was coÌ„câ—iued immaculate and holy wythout Originall sinne and how they ought to call to her for helpe whome they wyth special termes do cal the way of mercy the mother of grace the louer of pietie the comforter of mankind the continuall intercessour for the saluation of the faithfull and an aduocate to the king her sonne which neuer ceasseth c. Verba Papae Sixti in Decret And althoughe the greatest number of the scholedoctours were of the contrary faction as Peter Lombardus Thom. Aquine Bernandus Bonauentura and other yet these new papists shifted of their obiections with friuolous distinctioÌ„s and blinde euasions as thus Petrus Lombardus Idolatry to the blessed virgin they sayd is not receiued nor holdeÌ„ in the schooles as touching thys article but is reiected Clitoueus lib. 2. cap. 15. Bernardus in Epist ad Lugdunens although hee seemeth to deny the conception of the blessed virgin to be voyd of Originall sinne Obiections popishly soluted saying that she could not be holy when shee was not and liued not to this they answere that all be it she was yet in essence not yet shee was holy in her conception and before her conception in the diuine presence of God which had chosen preelected her before the worlds to be the mother of the Lord. Againe where Bernard doeth argue that she was not without original sinne conceiued because she was not coÌ„ceiued by the holy Ghost to this they aunswere That the holy Ghost may worke two wayes in conception eyther without company of man and so was Christ only conceiued or els with company and help of man and thus was the blessed virgin conceiued Clit. lib. 2. cap. 14. Bonauentura say they was an holy father but hee spake then after the custome and maner of his time when as the solemnitie and puritie of this conception was not yet decreed nor receiued by
whole bodies and that all the Priestes in the Church were blind and had led the people the wrong way Likewise it was alledged agaynst him that he had denied Purgatory and had sayd that while he were alyue he would do as much for him selfe as he could for after his death he thought that prayer almes deedes could little helpe him These and such like matters were they wherewith these poore and simple men and women were chiefly charged and as heynous heretickes excommunicated emprisoned and at last compelled to recant and some of them in vtter shame and reproch besides the ordinary bearyng of fagots before the Crosse in processiō The maner of popish penaunce or els at a Sermon were enioyned for penaunce as they termed it as well to appeare once euery yeare before their ordinary as also to weare the signe of a fagot painted vpon their sleeues or other part of their outward garment and that during their liues or so often and long as it pleased their ordinary to appoint By which long rigorous and open punishing of them they ment as it should seeme vtterly to terrifie and keepe backe all others from the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and his Gospell But the Lord be euermore praysed what effect their wicked purposes therein haue takē The troubles of Helene Heyer and Robert Barkeway these our most lightsome dayes of Gods glorious Gospel do most ioyfully declare THere were also troubled beside these certaine others more simple and ignoraunt who hauyng but a very smal smake or tast of the truth did yet at the first as it may seeme gladly consent vnto the same but beyng apprehended they quickly agayne yelded and therfore had onely assigned them for their penaunce the bearyng of a litle cādle before the Crosse without any further opē abiuryng or recantyng Amongest which I finde two especially the one a woman called Elene Heyer to whom it was obiected that she had neither confessed her selfe vnto the Priest nor yet receiued the Sacrament of the altar by the space of 4. yeares and notwithstandyng had yearely eaten fleshe at Easter and after as well as others that had receiued the same contrary to the vsuall maner and conuersation of all other Christian people The other was a mā named Robert Berkeway who besides most wicked blasphemies agaynst God whiche he vtterly denyed was charged to haue spoken heynous wordes against the Popes holy and blessed Martyr Thomas Becket callyng him micher and theefe for that hee wrought by craftes and imaginations Thus haue I as briefly as I could summarely collected the principall Articles obiected agaynst these weake infirme and earthy vessels Not minding hereby to excuse or condēne them in these their fearefull falles and daungerous defectiōs but leauyng them vnto the vnmeasurable rich mercies of the Lord I thought onely to make manifest the vnsaciable bloudy crueltie of y e Popes kingdome agaynst the Gospell and true Church of Christ nothyng mitigatyng their enuious rage no not agaynst the very simple idiotes and that sometyme in most friuolous and irreligious cases But now leauyng to say any further herein I will by Gods grace go forthward with other somewhat serious matters ¶ The death and Martyrdome of William Swetyng and Iohn Brewster IN searchyng and perusing of the Register Wil. Sweting Iohn Brewster Martirs for the collection of the names Articles before recited I finde that within the compasse of the same yeares there were also some others who after they had once shewed themselues as frayle vnconstaūt as the rest beyng either therewith pricked in conscience or otherwise zelously ouercome with the manifest truth of Gods most sacred word became yet agayn as earnest professours of Christ as euer they were before and for the same profession were the secōd tyme apprehēded examined condemned and in the end were most cruelly burned Of the which number were Williā Swetyng and Iohn Brewster who were both burned together in Smithfield the xviij day of October in the yeare of our Lord. 1511. the chiefest case of religion alledged agaynst them in their Articles was their fayth cōcernyng the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud Which because it differed from the absurde grosse and Caparniticall opiniō of the new Scholemē was coūted as most heynous heresie Against trāsubstantiatiō corporall presēce in the Sacrament There were other thyngs besides obiected agaynst them as the reading of certaine forbidden bookes and accompanying with such persons as were suspected of heresie But one great and heynous offence counted amongest the rest was their putting leauing of the paintyng fagots which they were at their first abiuryng enioyned to weare as badges during theyr lyues or so long as it should please their Ordinary to appoynt and not to leaue them off vpō paine of relaps vntill they were dispensed withall for the same The cruell rigor of the Catholike clergy against the professours of the Gospell The breach of this iniunction was esteemed to be of no small weight and yet the matter well throughly considered it seemeth by their cōfessions they were both therunto by necessitie enforced For the one named Sweting being for feare of the Bishops cruelty cōstrained to wander the countreys to get his poore liuing came at length vnto Colchester where by the parson of the parish of Mary Magdalen he was prouoked to be y e holy water clarke and in that consideration had that infamous badge first taken away from him The other which was Brewster leaft off his at the commandement of the Controller of the Earle of Oxfordes house who hiring the poore man to labour in the Earles houshold busines woulde not suffer him working there to weare that counterfait cognisaunce any longer so that as I said necessity of liuing seemeth to compell both of them at the first to breake that iniunction and therfore if charitie had borne as great sway in y e harts of the Popes Clergy as did crueltie this trifle would not haue bene so heinously taken as to be brought against thē for an article and cause of condemnation to death But where tirannie once taketh place as well all godly loue as also all humane reason duties are quite forgotten Well to be short what for y e causes before recited as also for that they had once already abiured and yet as they terme it fel againe into relaps they were both as you haue hearde in the ende burned together in Smithfielde althoughe the same parties as the Register recordeth did againe before their death fearefully forsake their former reuiued cōstancie and submitting themselues vnto the discipline of the Romish Church craued absolution from their excommunication Howbeit because many of the Registers notes records in such cases may rightly be doubted of Submission would not be taken of the charitable catholikes and so called into questiō I refer the certaine knowledge hereof vnto the Lord who is the trier of all truthes and the external
facerent de misericordia omnipotentis Dei confisi polliciti sumus quod ipsos de erroribus reatibus suis huiusmodi poenitentes cum gratia benignitate misericordia fauore ad animarum suarum solatiuÌ„ salutem reciperimus quodque honestatem eorum pro posse seruaremus in hac parte Alioquin si sic sponte venire non curarent sed iuris ordinarium processum expectarent scirent nos hoc admissum aduersus eos seuerius executuros in quantuÌ„ iura permitterent Adueniente itaque iam die isto ad premissa infra scripta facienda sic vt prefertur per nos prefixo nos Richardus episcopus antedictus in negotio inquisitionis haereticae prauitatis predictae legitimè procedentes volentesque huiusmodi negotiuÌ„ sine debito terminare solenne consiliuÌ„ tam in sacra theologica facultate quam iure canonico ciuili doctorum hunc venerabilem coetum cleri populi coram nobis fecimus congregari visis auditis intellectis rimatis ac diligeÌ„tèr matura deliberatione discussis meritis circumstantijs negotij memorati actisque actitatis in eodem productis deductis praedictoruÌ„ digesto maturo coÌ„silio cum nullus appareat contradictor seu defensor qui dicti Richardi opiniones articulos memoriam defendere velit soluÌ„ DeuÌ„ oculis nostris proponentes ad sententiam nostram contra eum eius opiniones libros receptatoresque fautores defensores credeÌ„tes se nobis iuxta tenorem formam monitionis denuntiationis nostraruÌ„ praedictaruÌ„ minime submittentes nec ad gremium sanctae matris ecclesiae redire curantes licet quidam saluationis pij filij citra monitionem denuntiationem nostras predictas ad nos venerunt se submiserunt quos cum gratia fauore recepimus in hac parte ferendam sic duximus procedenduÌ„ procedimus in huÌ„c qui sequitur modum Quia per acta actitata inquisita deducta confesâ—ata probata necnon per vehementes vrgentes praesumptiones iudicia perspicua conperimus luculenter inuenimus dictuÌ„ Richardum Hune crimine haereticae prauitatis multipliciter irretitum atque haereticum fuisse esse nonnullasque opiniones assertiones detestabiles haereses damnatas dum in humanis agebat vitales caperet auras affirmasse proposuisse recitasse librisque suspectis de iure damnatis nonnullas haereses pestiferas in se continentibus vsum fuisse receptisque admissis examinatis testibus per commissarios ad hoc deputatos de super impoenitentia finali partinacia obitu dicti Richardi Hune Idcirco nos Richardus Episcopus antedictus seruatis seruandis prout in tali negotio postulat ordo iuris dicti Richardi Hune impoenitentia ac finali * What final obstinacy was in him when you say before by his owne hand writing that he submitted himselfe to the Bishops fauorable correction obstinatia pertinacia per euidentia signa testibus legitimis vehemeÌ„tissimis violentis praesumptionibus coÌ„probatis prout iam coraÌ„ nobis legitime extitit facta fides edicto apud crucem diui Pauli die dominico vltimo praeterito ad audienduÌ„ per nos ferenduÌ„ senteÌ„tiam ad hunc diem per nos publice facto proposito paopterea de huius venerabilis coetus videlicet reuerendorum patruÌ„ dominoruÌ„ Thomae Dunelmensis Willihelmi Lincolniensis ac Iohannis Calipolensis EpiscoporuÌ„ necnon in sacra theologia decretoruÌ„ legum doctoruÌ„ cleri atque proborum venerabilium viroruÌ„ dodomini Maioris AldermanoruÌ„ Vicecomitum ciuitatis London populi hic congregatoâ—um nobis in hac parte assidentium assistentium consensu assensu consilio eundem Richardum Hunne diuersarum haeresium libris dum vixit vsum fuisse ac notorium pertinacem impoenitentem haereticum fuisse ac in haeresi decessisse atque consciencia criminis metu futurae seÌ„tentiae animo pertinaci impoenitenti corde indurato obijsse decessisse praemissorumque praetextu de iure excommunicatum fuisse esse atque in excommunicatione huiusmodi decessisse ipsiusque recâ—ptatores fautores defensores credentes etiam in genere de iure excommunicatos atque sententia maioris excommunicationis innodatos inuolutos fuisse esse pronuntiamus decernimus declaramus ipsum Richardum Hunne libros suos haereticos de iure damnatos suamque ac librorum ipsorum memoriaÌ„ in detestationem damnationem sceleris criminis huiusmodi condemnamus dictumque Richardum Hunne ob premissa ecclesiastica carere debere sepultura sententiamus etiam pronunciamus decernimus declaramus in foro ecclesiastico tanquam membrum putridum proijcimus corpusque suum ossa brachio potestati seculari relinquimus committimus iuxta secundum canonicas legitimas sanctiones consuetudinesque laudabiles in regno Angliae ab antiquo vsitatas obseruatas in opprobrium sempiternum detestationem criminis nephandissimi predicti ad eternamque huius rei memoriam caeterorumque Christi fidelium metum atque terrorem per hanc nostram sententiam siue finale decretum quam siue quod ferimus promulgamus in his scriptis Notwithstanding after all this tragical cruell handling of the dead body with their â—aire and colourable shew of iustice yet the inquest no whit stayed theyr diligent searching out of the true cause and meanes of his death In so much that when they had bene diuers times called both before the kinges priuy counsell his maiesty himselfe being sometime present also before the chiefe Iudges and Iustices of this realm that the matter being by theÌ„ throughly examined perceiued to much bolstered borne withall by the clergy was again wholy remitted vnto theyr determination and ending they founde by good proofe and sufficient euidence D. Horsey ChauÌ„celor Charles Ioseph and Spalding murderers of Richard Hunne that Doctour Horsey the Chauncellour Charles Ioseph the Sumner and Iohn Spalding the Belringer had priuily maliciously committed this murther and therefore indicted them all three as wilfull murtherers Howbeit through the earnest sute of the Byshop of London vnto Cardinall Woolsey as appeareth by hys letters hereafter mentioned meanes was founde that at the next Sessions of Gayle deliuery the kinges Attorney pronounced the indicement agaynst D. Horsey to be false vntrue and him not to be guilty of the murther Who being then thereby deliuered in body hauing yet in himselfe a guilty conscience gat him vnto Exeter and durst neuer after for shame come agayne vnto London But now that 〈◊〉 trueth of all this matter may seeme more manifest and playn vnto all mens eyes here shall folow word by word the whole inquiry and verdict of the inquest exhibited by them vnto the Crowner of LondoÌ„ so geuen vp and signed with his owne hand ¶ The Verdict of the inquest The verdict of
free will and minde without any question or Inquyry to him made by the sayd Alen Moreouer the sayde Alen sayth that all that euening Graundger was in great feare ¶ The Deposition of Richard Horsnayle Bayliffe of the Sanctuary Towne called Goodesture in Essex THe sayd Richard sayeth that friday before Christmas day last past that one Charles Ioseph Somner to my Lord of London became a Sanctuary man and the aforesayd Friday he registred his name the sayde Charles saying it was for the sauegard of his body for there be certein men in London so extreame agaynste him for the death of Richard Hunne that he dare not abide in London Howbeit the sayd Charles sayth he knowledgeth himselfe guiltlesse of Hunnes death for he deliuered the keyes to the Chauncellour by Hunnes life also the sayd Bayliffe sayth that Charles payd the duty of the sayd Regestring both to him and syr Iohn Studley Uicar ¶ The Copy of Richard Fitziames Letter then Bishop of London sent to Cardinall Woolsey I Beseeche your good Lordshippe to stand so good Lord vnto my poore Chauncellour nowe in Warde and indighted by an vntrue quest for the death of Richard Hunne The letter of the B. of London to Cardinall Woolsey vpon the onely accusation of Charles Ioseph made by payne and duraunce that by your intercession it may please the kinges grace to haue the matter duely and sufficiently examined by indifferent persons of hys discreete counsell in the presence of the parties ere there be any more done in the cause and that vpon the innocency of my sayde Chauncellour declared it may further please the kinges grace to award a Plackard vnto his Attorney to confesse the sayde Enditement to be vntrue when the time shall require it for assured am I if my Chauncellour be tryed by any twelue men in London they be so maliciously set In fauorem hereticae prauitatis that they will cast and condemne any Clerke though he were as innocent as Abel Quare si potes beate pater adiuua infirmitates nostras tibi imperpetuum deuincti erimus Ouer this in most humble wise I beseech you that I may haue the kinges gracious fauour whom I neuer offended willingly and that by your good meanes I might speake with his grace and you and I with all mine shall pray for your prosperous estate long to continue Your most humble Oratour R.L. Lastly nowe remayneth to inferre the sentence of the questmen which foloweth in like sort to be seene and expēded after I haue first declared the wordes of the Byshop spoken in the Parliament house ¶ The wordes that the B. of London spake before the Lordes in the Parliament house MEmorandum that the bishop of London said in the parliament house that there was a bil brought to the parliament to make the Iury that was charged vpon y e death of Hunne true men and sayde and tooke vpon his conscience that they were false periured Caytiffes and sayd furthermore to all the Lordes there then being For the loue of God look vpon this matter for if you do not I dare not keepe mine owne house for heretiques And sayde that the sayd Richard Hunne hanged himselfe and that it was his owne deed and no mans els And furthermore sayde that there came a man to his house whose wife was appeached of heresy to speake with him he sayd that he had no mind to speake with the same man which man spake and reported to the seruauntes of the same Bishoppe that if his wife would not hold still here opinion he would cut her throat with his owne handes with other wordes ¶ The sentence of the Inquest subscribed by the Crowner THe inquisition intended and taken at the city of Londō in the Parish of S. Gregory in the ward of Baynard Castle in London the sixt day of December in the 6. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry the 8. before Thomas Barnewel Crowner of our souereigne Lord the king within the city of London aforesayd Also before Iames Yarford and Iohn Mundey Sheriffes of the sayde City The sentēce of the Inquest vpon the sight of the body of Richard Hunne late of London Taylour which was found hanged in the Lollardes tower and by the oth and proofe of lawfull men of the same warde and of other three wardes next adioyning as it ought to be after the custome of the city aforesayd to inquire how in what maner wise the sayd Richard Hunne came vnto his death and vpon the oth of Iohn Bernard Thomas Stert William Warren Henry Abraham Iohn Aborow Ioh. Turner Robert Alen William Marler Ioh. Burton Iames Page Thomas Pickehill William Burton Robert Brigewater Thomas Busted Gylbert Howel Richard Gibson Christopher Crafton Iohn Eod Richard Holt Iohn Pasmere Edmunde Hudson Iohn Arunsel Richard Couper Iohn Tyme the which saide vpon theyr othes that where the sayd Richard Hunne by the commaūdement of Richard Bishop of London was emprisoned and brought to holde in a prison of the sayd Bishops called Lollardes Tower lying in the Cathedrall Church of S Paule in London in the parish of S. Gregory in the ward of Baynard Castle aforesayd William Horsey of London Clerke Richarde Hūne cleared by the Inquest not to haue hāged himself otherwise called William Heresye Chauncellou◠to Richard Bishop of London and one Charles Ioseph late of London Sumner and Iohn Spalding of London otherwise called Iohn Belringer feloniously as felons to our Lord the king with force and armes agaynst the peace of our soueraigne Lord the king dignity of his crowne the fourth day of December the sixt yeare of the raygne of our soueraigne Lord aforesayd of theyr great malice at the parish of S. Gregory aforesayde vpon the sayde Richarde Hunne made a fray and the same Richard Hunne felonously strangled and smodered and also the necke they did breake of the sayde Richard Hunne and there feloniouslye slue him and murdered him and also the body of the sayde Richard Hunne afterward the same fourth day yere place parish and ward aforesayd with the proper gyrdle of the same Richard Hunne of silke blacke of coulor of the value of 12. d. after his death vpon a hooke driuen into a piece of timber in the wall of the prison aforesayd made fast and so hanged him agaynst the peace of our Soueraigne Lord the king and the dignity of his crowne and so the sayd Iurye hath sworne vpon the holy Euangelistes that the sayd W. Horsey Clerke Charles Ioseph and Iohn Spalding of theyr set malice then and there felonously killed and murdered the sayd Richard Hunne in maner and forme aboue sayd agaynst the peace of our soueraign Lord the king his crowne and dignity Subscribed in this maner Thomas Barnewel Crowner of the City of London After that the 24. had geuen vp theyr verdict sealed and signed with the Crowners seale The Parlament iudging with Richarde Hunne y e cause was thē brought into the Parliament house where the
in his handes with wyne water the patine the host all which thinges the sayd bysh which disgraded him tooke froÌ„ him saying we take away froÌ„ thee or coÌ„maund to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ thee all power to offer sacrifice vnto God to say Masse aswell for y e quicke as the dead Moreouer Priests annoynted fingers y e Bysh. scraped y e nayles of both his hands with a peece of glasse saying By this scrapyng we take away froÌ„ thee all power to sacrifice to coÌ„secrate to blesse which thou hast receiued by the annoyntyng of thy haÌ„ds Then he tooke from him the Chesille saying by good right we do dispoyle thee of this priestly ornameÌ„t The Chesile which signifieth charitie for certainly y u hast forsakeÌ„ the same all innocencie Then taking away the stole he sayd The Stole Thou hast vilanously reiected despised the signe of our Lord which is represented by this stole wherefore we take it away froÌ„ thee and make thee vnable to exercise and vse the office of Priesthood all other things apperteinyng to Priesthood The degradation of y e order of Priesthood beyng thus ended they proceeded to the order of Deacon The Gospell booke TheÌ„ the ministers gaue him the booke of the Gospels which the Bysh. tooke away saying we take away from thee all power to read y e Gospels in the Church of God for it apperteineth onely to such as are worthy After this he spoyled him of the Dalmatike which is the vesture that the DeacoÌ„s vse The Dalmatike saying we depriue thee of this Leuiticall order for somuch as thou hast not fulfilled thy ministerie office The Stole behinde his backe After this the bysh tooke away the stole froÌ„ behind his backe saying we iustly take away from thee the white stole which thou haddest receiued vndefiledly The Epistle booke which also thou oughtest to haue borne in the presence of our Lord and to the end that the people dedicate vnto the name of Christ may take by thee example we prohibite thee any more to exercise or vse the office of Deaconshyp Bennet and Collet Then they proceeded to the disgradyng of Subdeaconshyp taking away from him the booke of the Epistles his Subdeacons vesture deposed him from reading of the Epistles in the Church of God Exorcist Lectorship so orderly proceedyng vnto all the other orders disgraded him from the order of Benet and Collet from the order of Exorcist from the Lectorshyp and last of all froÌ„ the office of Doorekeeper taking froÌ„ him the keyes Dorekeper coÌ„maundyng him hereafter not to opeÌ„ or shut the Reuestry nor to ring any more belles in the Church That done The Church-dore keyes the bysh went forward to disgrade him from his first shauing takyng away his Surplice sayd vnto him by y e authoritie of God almighty the father the sonne the holy ghost by our authoritie we take from thee all Clerkely habite Ringing of Belles The Surplice and dispoyle thee of all ornament of religion Also we depose and disgrade thee of all order benefite priuilege of the Clergy as one vnworthy of that profession we commit thee to the seruitude ignominie of the secular estate The Popes Clergy accompteth the secular state ignominious seruile The royall signe of priesthoode TheÌ„ the Byshop tooke the sheeres and began to clyp his head saying in this maner we cast thee out as an vnthaÌ„kfull child of the Lordes heritage whereunto thou wast called and take away from thy head the crowne which is the royall signe of Priesthood through thine owne wickednesse and malice The Bishop also added these wordes that whiche thou hast song with thy mouth thou hast not beleeued with thy hart nor accomplished in worke wherefore we take from thee the office of singing in the Churche of God The disgrading thus ended the procurator fiscall of the Court and citie of Metz Singing in the Church required of the Notary an instrument or copie of the disgrading Then the ministers of the Bishop turned him out of his clerkely habite and put vpon him the apparell of a seculer man That done for so much as he which is disgraded Pope Inâ—ocent author of disgraâ—â—ng according to the institution of Pope Innocent the third ought to be deliuered vnto the seculer court the Bishop that disgraded him proceeded no further but said in this manner we pronounce that the seculer court shall receiue thee into their charge being thus disgraded of all clerkly honour and priuilege This done the Bishop after a certaine maner intreated the seculer Iudge for him Note here these persecutors how they will seeme outwardly to be lambes but inwardly are rauening Wolues sayeng My Lord Iudge we pray you as hartily as we can for the loue of God and the contemplatioÌ„ of tender pitie mercie and for y e respect of our praiers that you will not in any point do any thing that shal be hurtful vnto this miserable man or tending to his death or maiming of his body These thinges thus done the seculer Iudge of the towne of Uike confirming the foresaid sentence coÌ„demned the said maister Iohn Castellane to be burned quicke which death he suffred the xij day of Ianuary 1525. with such a constancie that not onely a great company of ignorant people were thereby drawne to the knowledge of the veritie but also a great number which had already some taste thereof were greatly confirmed by that his constant and valiant death * The burning of Iohn Castellane It would fill another volume to comprehend the actes stories of all them which in other countreys at the rising of the Gospell suffered for the same But praised be y e Lord euery Region almost hath his owne history writer which sufficiently hath discharged that part of duty as euery one in matters of his owne countrey is best acquainted wherfore I shall the lesse neede to ouerstraine my trauaile or to ouercharge this volume therwith Only it shall suffice me to collect iij. or iiij histories recorded by Oecolampadius and the rest to bring into a briefe table so returning to occupy my self w t our own domestical matters here done at home ¶ The history of a good pastour murthered for the preaching of the Gospell written by I. Oecolampadius IN the yeare of our Lord 1525. there was a certaine good and godly minister A good Priest for euill will who had coÌ„mitted something in the Commotion there rased by the rusticall clownes of the countrey which they said that knew him was but of small importance He because he had offended his prince before not with any fact or crime but with some word something sharply spoken was therefore condemned to be hanged After sentence was geuen there was a Gentleman of a cruell hart sent with a certaine troupe of men to apprehend the said priest and to hang him Who
afterwarde was byd hym selfe to kneele down to haue his head cut off no cause nor coÌ„demnation further beyng layd agaynst him but onely of meere hatred agaynst the Gospell Ex Ioan. Gastia The name of the Persecutor appeareth not in the story George Scherrer At Rastat by Saltzeburge An. 1528. Ater that this George had instructed the people in knowledge of the Gospell in Rastat .x. miles distant froÌ„ Saltzeburge George Scherâ—er Martyr he was accused of his aduersaries and put in prison where he wrote a confession of his faith whiche Mathias Illiricus hath set out wyth his whole storye Ex Mat Flat Illyrica Hee was condemned to be burned a liue but meanes was made that first his head shoulde be cut of and his body afterward be cast into the fire Going toward his death he sayd crying aloude That you may knowe sayde he that I die a true Christian A straunge myracle of God in manifesting hys Gospel I will geue you a manifest signe and so he did by the power of the Lord For when his head was taken of froÌ„ his shoulders the body falling vpon his belly so coÌ„tinued the space while one might well eat an egge After that softly it turned it selfe vpon the backe and crossed the righte foote ouer the lefte and the right hand ouer the left At the sight wherof they which sawe it were in a great maruell The Magistrates which before had appoynted to haue burned the body after his beheading seeing this myracle would not burne it but buryed it with other Christian mens bodyes and many by the same examplr were moued to beleue the Gospell Thus God is able to manifest the truth of his Gospell in the midst of persecution who is to be blessed for euer Amen Balthasar Officiall Henry Flemmyng At Dornick 1225. This Henry a Fryer sometyme of Flaunders forsooke hys habite maryed a wyfe Who beyng offered lyfe of Balthasar if he woulde confesse hys wyfe to be an harlot denyed so to do and so was burnt at Dornic A Popishe priest and a wicked murderer A good priest dwelling not farre from Basill 1539. A good Priest martyred in hys own house There was a certaine wicked Priest a notorious adulterer a dycer and a vile dronkard geuen to all wickednes and vngratiousnesse without all feare regarding nothing what mischiefe he did moreouer a maÌ„ fit and readye to serue the affection of the papistes at all turnes It chaunced y t this Priest was receiued and lodged in the house of an other Priest dwellyng not farre from Basill whiche was a good man and a sincere fauourer of the Gospell This dronken priest sitting at supper was so dronke that he coulde not tell what he did or els feyned himselfe so dronke of purpose the better to accomplishe hys intended mischiefe So it followed that this wretch after hys first sleep rose out of his bed and brake all the glasse windowes in his chamber threwe downe the stone and rent all his hostes bookes that he founde The host awaking wyth y e noyse therof came to hym asking howe he dyd whether there were any theeues or enemies that he was in feare of desiring him to shew what he ayled But assoon as the good host had opened his chamber doore the wicked cutthroate ranne at him with his sworde and slew hym The host after the wounde receaued fell downe and dyed Upon this a clamour was made through all the street and the neighbours came in the murderer was taken and bound and yet all the frendes and kinsfolkes that the good priest had could not make that miserable caitiffe that was the murderer to be executed the superiour power did so take hys part saying that he shoulde be sent to hys byshop The townes men did grieuously cry out and complayne at the boulstering out of so manifest vilany So did also the noble man that was the Lord of the Page saying that so many good men and maried priests were drowned and beheaded for such small trifles without any regard had to the Byshop but a murtherer might escape vnpunished It was aunswered to them agayne that what the superiour powers wold do thei had nothing to do withal The tyme was otherwise now then it was in the commotion of the rusticall people The superiour power had authoritie to gouerne as they would sayd they it was their parts onely to obey Ex Ioan Gastij And so was he sent bound to the byshop and shortly after dismissed hauing also a greater benefice geuen him for hys worthy acre for he so auaunted him selfe that he had slain a Lutheran Priest Ex tom 2. Conuiualium Sermonum Ioan. Gastij ex Pantal. Charles the Emperours Procurator Doctour Anchusanus Inquisitour Latomus At Louane An. 1543. XXviij ChristeÌ„ men and weomen of Louane Paule a preist Two aged women Antonia Two men At Louane 1543. When certayne of the Cittie of Louane were suspected of Lutheranisme the Emperors Procurator came from Bruselles thether to make Inquisition After which Inquisition made certaine bandes of armed men came beset their houses in the nighte where many were taken in theyr beddes pluckt froÌ„ their wiues and children and deuided into dyuers prysons Through the terrour wherof many citizens reuolted from y e doctrine of the gospel and returned agayne to Idolatrye But 28. there were whiche remayned constant in y e persecutioÌ„ Unto whoÌ„ the Doctors of Louan Anchusanus especially the Inquisitour Latomus sometymes w t other came and disputed thinking no lesse but either to confound them or to conuert theÌ„ But so strongly y e spirite of y e Lord wrought with hys Saints that the other went rather confounded awaye theÌ„ selues When no disputation coulde serue that whiche lacked in cunning they supplyed w t tormentes by enforcing and afflicting theÌ„ seuerally euery one by him selfe Among the rest there was one Paulus a Priest vpon the age of 60. yeres whom the Rectors of the Uniuersitie wyth theyr Collegues accompanyed with a great number of billes and gleues brought out of prison to y e Austen Friers where after many foule wordes of the Rector he was degraded But at length for feare of death he began to stagger in some poynts of his confession and so was had out of Louane and condemned to perpetuall prison whiche was a darke and stincking dongeon where he was suffered neither to read nor write Paulus a priest condemned to perpetuall prison or anye man to come at him commaunded onely to be fed with bread and water After that other two there were whiche because they had reuoked before were put to the fire and burnt 2. Martyrs burnt at Louane constantly taking their martyrdome Then was there an old man and 2. aged women brought forth An aged man Martyr of whom the one was called Antonia borne of an auncient stocke in that Citie These also were condeÌ„ned the man to be headed the 2. women to be buryed quicke Antonia
Nicholas Frenchman Nicholas Frenchman MarioÌ„ wyfe of Augustinus Martyrs Marion wife of Augustinus An. 1549. M. Nicholas and Barbara hys Wyfe also Augustinus a Barber and Marion hys Wyfe borne about Hennegow after they had bene at Geneua a space came into Germanye thinkyng that way to passe ouer into England By the way comming to HeÌ„negow Augustine desired M Nicholas because he was learned to come to Bergis to visite and comfort certeyne brethren there which he willingly did From thence passing by Dornic or Tornay they held on theyr iourney toward England But in the way Austen and his wife being knowen were detected to the Lieuetenaunt of Dornic who in all speedy hast folowing after them ouertooke them 4. myles beyond Donic Augustine how I can not tell escaped that time out of theyr handes and could not be found The souldiours then laying handes vpon Nicholas and the 2. women brought them backe agayne to Dornic In returninge by the waye when M. Nicholas at the table gaue thankes as the maner is of the faythfull the wicked Ruler scorning them and swearing like a tyraunt sayd Now let vs see thou lewd heretick whether thy God can deliuer thee out of my hand To whome Nicholas aunswering againe modestly asked what had Christ euer offended him that he with his blasphemous swearing did so teare him in pieces desiring him Blasphemy of a Papist that if he had any thing against Christ rather he would wreke his anger vpon his poore body and let the Lord alone Thus they being bound hands feet were brought to Bergis and there laid in the doungeon TheÌ„ duke Ariscote accompanyed with a great number of priestes and Franciscan Friers and with a Doctor whiche was theyr warden came to talke with them Nicholas sâ—anding in the middest of them being asked what he was and whither he would aunswered theÌ„ perfectly to all theyr questions and moreouer so confounded the Friers that they went away ashamed saying that be had a deuil and crying The Fryers confounded to the fire with him Lutherane As they continued looking still for the day of their execution it came to the Riuers myndes to aske of Nicolas in what house he was lodged wheÌ„ he came to Bergis Nicolas sayd he had neuer bene there before and therefore being a straunger he could not tell the name of the house When Nicolas would confesse nothing Duke Ariscotus came to Barbara Nicholas hys Wyfe to know where they were lodged at Bergis promising many fayre woordes of deliuery if she would tell Barbarn reuolted She being a weake and a timorous woman vttered all By the occasion whereof great persecution folowed and many were apprehended Where this is to be noted that shortlye Gods punishment vpon persecutours euen vpon the same the sonne of the sayd Duke Ariscotus was slayne and buryed the same day when Augustinus was burned To be short Nicolas shortly after was brought before the Iudges and there condemned to be burned to ashes At which sentence geuing Nicholas condemned Nicolas blessed the Lord which had counted him worthy to be a witnesse in the cause of hys deare and welbeloued sonne Going to the place of execution he was commaunded to speake nothing to the people or els he should haue a balle of wood thrust in his mouth Being at the stake and seeyng a great multitude aboute him forgetting his silence promised he cryed with a loud voyce O Charles Charles how long shall thy hart be hardened And with y t one of y e souldiours gaue him a blow Then saide Nicholas again Ah miserable people thou art not woorthy to whom the word of God should be preached And thus hee spake as they were binding him to the stake The â—riers came out with theyr olde song crying that he had a deuill To whom Nicholas spake the Uerse of the Psalme Depart from me all ye wicked for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weepyng And thus this holye Martyr paciently taking his death commended vp his spirit vnto God in the middest of the fire Ex Lud. Rab. Pantal. et alijs  Marion Wife of Austen aboue mentioned At Bergis in Hennegow An. 1549. After the Martyrdome of this M. Nicolas MarioÌ„ the wife of Austen was called for The martyrdom of Marion With whome they had much talke about the maner and state of Geneua asking her how the Sacraments wer administred ther and whether shee had celebrated there the Lordes Supper To whom she aunswered that the Sacramentes there were celebrated after the Lordes institution of the which she was no Celebrator but a Partaker The sentence of her condemnation was this that she should be interred quicke When she was let downe to the graue Marion buryed quicke kneeling vpon her knees she desired the Lord to help her and before she should be throwne downe she desired her face might be couered with a napkin or some linnen cloth who being so couered and the earth thrown vpon her face and her body the hangman stamped vpon her with hys feet till her breath was past Ibidem The watchmeÌ„ or souldiours of Bellimont Augustine the husband of Marion At Bellimont in Hennegow An. 1549. Ye heard before how Austen escaped before at the taking of Nicholas and the 2. women After this he gaue himselfe to sell spices other pedlary ware from place to place Who at length coÌ„ming to the Towne of Bellimont in Hennegow there was knowne detected to the Magistrate Whereof he hauing some intelligence before left his ware ran away And seeing moreouer the house beset about with harnised men where he was hosted he began to be more afeard and hid himself in a bush for he was very timorous and a weake spirited man But the houre beyng come which the Lord hath appoynted for him it happened that certayne standing vpon the towne walle which might well see him go into the thicket or bushe gaue knowledge therof to the souldiours Augustine againe taken which folowed hym to the bushe and tooke him Beyng taken he was had to Bergis the head towne of Hennegow where being examined valiauntly standyng to the defence of his doctrine aunswered his aduersaryes with great boldnes Wherein here is to be noted and maruelled to see the worke of the Lord Example of Gods goodnes in strengthening the weake harted how this man being before of nature so timorous now was so strengthened wyth Gods grace that he nothing feared the force of al his enemies Among other came to him the Warden of the Gray Friers with a long Oration perswadyng him to relent or els he shoulde be damned in hell fyre perpetually To whom Austen aunsweryng agayn sayd proue that which you say by the authority of Gods woord that a man may beleue you you saye much but you proue nothing rather lyke a Doctor of lyes then of truth c. At last he being there condemned to be burnt at Bellimont was brought to the Inne
Apostles and other holy Martirs did Fridericke asked them if they required anye miracle No sayd they and so stoode mute saue onelye that Democares prayed them to consider wel what they had sayd vnto them Doct. Maillard gageth hys soule Maillard also added that he woulde gage his soule to be damned but it was true Fridericke aunswered that he knewe it was contrary At last being brought to the place of execution a Crosse agayne was offered them which they refused Then a Priest standing by bad them beleeue in the virgine Mary Let God sayd they reigne alone The people standing by ah mischieuous Lutherane sayd they Nay a true Christian I am said he When they were tyed to theyr stakes after theyr prayers made when they were bid to be dispatched one of them comforting the other sayde be strong my brother be strong Satan away from vs. As they were thus exhorting one standing by sayd These Lutheranes do call vpon Satan Iohn Morel was afterward burned One Iohn Morell whiche afterward dyed a martyr then standing by at liberty aunswered I pray you let vs heare sayd hee what they say and we shall heare them inuocate the name of God Whereupon the people listened better vnto them to harkeÌ„ as wel as they could what they said they crying stil as much as much as their mouthes being stopped could vtter The death and martyrdome of Ribezies and Danuile Assiste vs O Lorde and so they rendring vp their spirites to the handes of the Lord did consummate their valiant Martyrdome Ex Crisp. Lib. 6. ¶ After the martyrdome of these two abouesayd the intention of the Iudges was to dispatch y e rest one after an other in like sorte and had procured already proces agaynst xij or xiij ready to be iudged But a certayne gentlewoman then prisoner amoÌ„gst them had presented causes of exceptions or refusals agaynst them wherby the cruel rage of the enemies was stayed to the month of Iuly following In the which meane time as this persecution was spread into other countryes The Suitzers make supplication to the French king for the martyrs first the faythfull Cantons of Suitziers perceiuing these good men to be afflicted for the same doctrine which they preached in theyr Churches sent their Ambassadours to the kinge to make supplication for them The same time also came letters from the county Palatine Elector tendyng to the same end to sollicite the king for them Countie Palatine maketh intercession to the French kyng for the Châ—istian prisoners the king standing the same tyme in great neede of the Germaynes for his warres was contented at least that they should proceed more gently with them and so the fire for the same tyme ceased Most of them were sent to Abbayes where they were kept at the charge of the Priours to bee constrayned to bee present at the seruice of Idolatry especially the young schollers of whome some shronke backe other being more loosly kept escaped away The most part were brought before the Officiall to make their confession and to receiue absolution ordinary Diuers made their confession ambiguous and doubtful c. Ex. Ioan. Crisp. lib. 6. Ex PaÌ„tal lib. xi  René Seau Iohn Almaricke At Paris An. 1552. These two young men were also of the company aboue specified René Seaâ— Iohn Almaricke dyed in prison and were in prison where they sustayned such cruelty beyng almost racked to death that Almericke coulde not go when hee was called to the courte to be iudged and beyng vpon the racke he rebuked their crueltye and spake so freely as though he had felt no grief and as they sayd whiche came to visite hym he testified vnto them that hee felte no dolour so long as hee was vppon it Both these dyed in prison continuing still firme and constant in y e pure confession of Christes church Ibidem VillegagnoÌ„ a Frenche captayne Iohn Bordel Math· Vermeil Peter Bourdon Andrew de Fou. At the countrey of Bresill Ann. 1558. Mention is made in the French storye of one Uillegaignon Iohn Bordell Math. Vermeil Pet. BurdoÌ„ martyrs Lieuetenaunt for the Frenche kinge who made a vyage into the land of Bresill wyth certaine French ships and tooke an Ilande nere to the same adioyning and made therin a fortresse After they had bene there a while Uillegaignon for lack of victuals as he pretended sent certayn of them away in a shippe to y e riuer of Plate toward the Pole Antarticke Hee sent them farre enough because they should neuer returne pretending that he lacked victuall but the cause was religion a thousand miles of in the whiche shipp were these foure here mentioned Who forsaking their shyp by occasion of tempest were caryed backe agayne and so came to the laÌ„de of Bresill and afterward to theyr owne countreyman Uillegaignon being much agreeued thereat first charged them with departing without his leaue Moreouer being terrified in hys minde with false suspicion and vayne dreames fearing and dreaming least they had bene sent as priuye spyes by the Bresilians because they came from them and had bene friendly intertained of them he began to deuise howe he might put them to death vndersome colour of treason but the cause was religion For albeit some tyme he had ben a professour of the Gospell yet afterward growing in some dignitie he fell to be an Apostata and cruell persecutor of hys fellowes But when no proofe or coniecture probable could be found to serue his cruell purpose he knowing them to be earnest protestantes drew out certayn articles of religion for theÌ„ to aunswere and so intrapping them vppon theyr confession he layd them in irons and in prison and secretly with one executor and his page he took one after an other beginning with Iohn Bordell first brought hym to the topp of a rocke and there being halfe strangled without any iudgement threw hym into the sea and after the like maner ordered also the rest Of whoÌ„ 3. were thus cruelly murdered drowned to wit Iohn Bordel Mat. Uermeil and Peter Burdon The 4. which was Andrew de Fou he caused by manifold allurementes somewhat to inclyne to hys sayinges and so he escaped the daunger not without great offence taken of a great part of the Frenchmen in that country Ex Crisp. lib. 6. Ex CoÌ„ment Gallic de statu Religionis Reipub. The kynges Lieuetenaunt Geffrey Varagle Geffrey Varagle martyr At Thurin in Piedmont Ann. 1558. In the same yeare 1558. suffered also Gefreye Uaragle preacher in the Ualley of Angroigne at y e town of Thurin in Piedmont who first was a monkâ— and sayd masse the space of xxvii yeares Afterward returning from Busque toward Angroigne to preach as he had vsed before to doe sent by the ministers of Geneneua and other faythfull brethren was apprehended in the town of Barges brought before the kings Lieutenant Where he was questioned with touching diuers Articles of religion as of iustification
Gospell not w tout great fruit and effect in places as he went As he was thus labouring it so fell out that he was apprehended againe Faninus againe imprisoned an 1547. in a place called Bagnacauallo where also he was condemned to be burned but he said his houre was not yet come and the same to be but the beginning of his doctrine and so it was for shortly after he was remoued vnto Ferraria where he was deteined ij yeares At last y e Inquisitours of the popes heresies condemned hym to death an 1549. and yet his tyme beyng not come he remayned after that to the moneth of September an 1550. In the meane time many faythfull and good men came to visite him for the which the pope commanded him to be inclosed in straiter custody wherin he suffered great tormentes y e space of 18. monthes and yet had suffered greater if the Dominick Friers might haue got him into their house as they went about Thus Faninus remoued from prison to prisoÌ„ many times chaunged his place but neuer altered hys constancy At length he was brought into a prison where were diuers great Lordes Captaynes and noble personages there committed for stirring vp commotions and factions as the country of Italy is ful of such who at first hearing him speake beganne to set him at light and to deride him supposing that it was but a melancholy humor that trobled his brain wherupon such as seemed more sage amongst them began to exhort him to leaue hys opinion to lyue with men as other men do and not to vexe his mind but to suspend hys iudgement till the matter were decided in a generall Councell To whome Faninus agayne first geuing them thankes for their friendly good willes wherwith they seemed to respecte hys well doyng modestly and quietly declared vnto theÌ„ how the doctrine which he professed was no humore nor opinion of mans brayne but the pure veritie of God founded in hys worde and reuealed to men in the Gospell of Iesus Christ and especially nowe in these dayes restored whiche veritie he had fully determined in his minde neuer to renye to beleeue the lying phantasies of men And as in his soule The modest answere of Faninus to his felow prisoners whiche was redeemed by the bloud of the sonne of God hee was free from all bondage so likewise as touchyng Counsels he looked for no other sentence nor authority he sayd but that onely whiche hee knewe to be declared to vs by Christ Iesus in hys Gospel whiche both he preached wyth hys word and confirmed with hys bloud c. With these and such other words he so moued theyr myndes that they were cleane altered vnto a new kynde of lyfe hauing hym nowe in admiration whom they had before in derision and recounted hym for an holye person To whome hee proceeded still to preach the word of grace declaring and confessing hymselfe to be a miserable sinner but by the fayth of the Lorde Iesus through the grace onely of hym he was fully perswaded and well assured hys sinnes to be forgeuen like as al theyr sinnes also shal be remitted to theÌ„ through their fayth onely in Christ beleuing hys Gospell There were other also besides these who hauing vsed before a more delicate kinde of lyfe coulde not well away w t the sharpenes and hardnes of y e prison These also receaued such comfort by the sayde Faninus that not onely they were quietly contented Prisoners conuerted by Faninus but also reioysed in this theyr captiuitie by the occasion wherof they had receaued and learned a better libertie then euer they knew before When the prisonment of thys Faninus was knowne to hys parentes and kinsfolke hys wyfe sister came to hym with weeping perswasions to moue hym to consider and care for hys poore family To whom he aunswered agayn that hys Lord and mayster had coÌ„manded him not to deny hym for lookyng to his family and that it was enough for them that he had once for theyr sakes fallen into y e cowardlines whiche they knew Wherefore he desired them to depart in peace and sollicite hym no more therein for hys end he sayd he knew to drawe neare and so he commended them vnto the Lord. About the same tyme dyed Pope Paulus the 3. and after hym succeeded Iulius the 3. whiche then sent letters and commaundement Pope Iulius the thiâ—d that Faninus shuld be executed Wherof wheÌ„ one of y e magistrates officers brought hym word the next day he reioysed therat and gaue the messenger thankes and began to preache a long sermon to them that were aboute hym of the felicitie and beatitude of the life to come Then the messeÌ„ger exhorted hym y t in case he would change hys opinion he should saue both thys lyfe enioy that to come An other asked hym in what case he should leaue his little children and hys wyfe or what stay should they be at he so leauing theÌ„ wherfore he desired hym to haue respect both to hymselfe and to them Faninus aunswered y t he had left them with an ouerseer which woulde see vnto them sufficiently And being asked who he was the Lorde Iesus Christ sayd he a faythfull keeper and a conseruer of all y t is committed to hym Christ preferred before wife and children After that the messenger was thus departed from Faninus all full of teares and sorrow the next daye following he was remoued into the common prison and deliuered to the secular magistrate Who in all his wayes hys wordes hys gestures and countenaunce declared such constancy of faith such modesty of manners and tranquillitie of mynde that they which before were extreme agaynst hym thinking hym rather to haue a deuill began nowe fauourably to harken to hym and to commend hym With such grace and sweetenes he calâ—ed euer speaking of the worde of God that diuers of the Magistrates wyues in hearyng him could not abstayne from weeping The executioner also wept himself One of the publicke Scribes then came to hym and sayd that if he woulde relent from his opinion the Popes pleasure was that he should be saued but that he refused This was marueilous Life refused that he hauing but small skill in the Latine yet recited so many and sondry places of the Scripture without booke and that so truely and promptly as though he had studyed nothing els One seyng him so iocound and mery goyng to hys death asked why he was so mery at his death seing Christ himselfe sweat bloud and water before his passion Christ sayd he sustayned in hys body How Christ feared death himselfe yet hath he taken away the feare of death from others all y e sorowes and conflictes with hell and death due vnto vs by whose suffering we are deliuered from sorrowe and feare of them all Finally early in the morning hee was brought forth where he should suffer Who after his prayers moste earnestlye made vnto the
iustifying these are to be remooued and separated a sonder the lawe from the Gospel and faith from workes Otherwise in the person that is iustified and also in order of doctrine they ought coÌ„monly to goe necessarily together Therfore where soeuer any question or doubt riseth of saluation or our iustifying before God there the law al good works must be vtterly excluded and stand apart Grace free Promise simple Faith alone that grace may appeare free the promise simple and that faith may staÌ„d alone Which faith alone without law or workes worketh to euery man particularly his saluation through mere promise and the free grace of God This worde particularly I adde Particularly for the particulare certifying of euery mans hart priuately and peculiarly that beleueth in Christ. For as the body of Christ is the cause efficient of the redemption of the whole world in generall so is faith the instrumentall cause The body of Christ is the efficient cause of our redemption in generall Faith is the instrumental cause of euery mans particular saluation by which euery man applieth the sayde body of Christ particularly to his owne saluation So that in the action and office of iustification both law workes here be vtterly secluded and exempted as things hauing nothing to doe in this behalfe The reason is this for seing that all our redemption vniuersally springeth only froÌ„ the body of the sonne of God crucified then is there nothing that can stande vs in steade but that onely wherewith thys bodye of Christ is apprehended Now for somuch as neither the law nor works but faith onely is the thing which apprehendeth the body and death of Christ Note the obiecte of faith Faith with her obiecte onely saueth A similitude beâ—tweene the brasen Serpente and Christes bodye therfore faith onely is that matter which iustifieth euery soule before God thorough the strength of that obiect which it doth apprehend For the obiect onely of our faith is the body of Christ like as the brasen Serpent was the obiecte onely of the Israelites looking and not of their handes working by the strength of which obiect through the promise of God immediatly proceeded health to the beholders So the body of Christ being the obiecte of our faithe striketh righteousnesse to our soules not through working but beleuing onely Thus you see howe faith being the onely eye of our soule Faith is only the eye of the soule which â—â—â—keth to Christ. standeth alone with her obiecte in case of iustifying but yet neuerthelesse in the body she standeth not alone for besides the eye there be also handes to worke feete to walke eares to heare and other members moe euery one conuenient for the seruyce of the body and yet there is none of them all that can see but onely the eye So in a christian mans life and in order of doctrine ther is the law there is repentance there is hope charitie and dedes of charitie all which in life and in doctrine are ioyned necessarily do concurre together and yet in the action of iustifying there is nothing els in man that hath any parte or place but onely Fayth apprehending the obiect which is the body of Christ Iesus for vs crucified in whom consisteth all the worthines and fulnes of our saluation by faith that is by our apprehending and receauyng of him according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Whosoeuer receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen all such as beleued in his name c. Also Esay 53. And this iust seruaunt of mine in the knowledge of him shall iustifie many c. Argument Da. Apprehending and receauing of Christ onely maketh vs iustified before God As many as receaued him to them he gaue power c. â—ohn 1. And â—e by the knâ—wâ—â—dge of him shall iustifie many c. Esay 53. Iohn 1. ti Christ onely is apprehended and receaued by Faith si Ergo faith onely maketh vs iustified before God Argument Ba Iustification commeth onely by apprehending and receiuing of Christ. Esay 53. ro The lawe and workes do nothing pertaine to the apprehending of Christ. co Ergo the law and workes pertaine nothing to Iustification Argument Ce Nothing which is vniust of it selfe can iustifie vs before God or helpe any thing to our iustifying All our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes Esay 64. sa Euery worke we do is vniust before God Esay 54. re Ergo no worke that we do can iustifie vs before God nor helpe any thing to our iustifying Argument Ca If workes could any thing further our iustification theÌ„ should our works some thing profit vs before God When â—e haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruantes Luke 17. Without me can ye do nothing Iohn 15. me No workes doe the best we can doe profite vs before God Luke 17. stres Ergo no workes that we doe can any thynge further our iustification Argument Ba All that we can do w t God is only by Christ. Ihon. 15. ro Our workes and merites be not Christe neyther anye part of him co Ergo our workes merits can do nothing with God Argument Da That which is the cause of condemnation cannot be the cause of iustification The lawe worketh anger Rom. 4. ri The law is the cause of condemnation Rom. 4. j. Ergo it is not the cause of iustification A consequent We are quit and deliuered from the law Rom. 7. Now are we quitte and deliuered from the law being dead to that wherein we were once holden Rom. 7. Ergo we are not quâ—t and deliuered by the law Forsomuch therfore as the truth of the Scripture in expresse words hath thus included our saluation in faith onely we are enforced necessarily to exclude all other causes and meanes in our Iustification and to make this difference betwene the lawe the Gospel betwene faith and works affirming with the Scripture word of God that the lawe condemneth vs our works do not auaile vs and that faith in Christ onely iustifieth vs. And thys difference and distinction ought diligently to be learned and retained of all christians especially in conflict of conscience betweene the law and the gospel faith and works grace and merites promise condition Gods free election and mans freewil So that the lyght of the free grace of God in our saluation may appeare to all consciences to the immortal glory of Gods holy name Amen The order and differences of places The Gospel Antitheta The law Faith Works Grace Merites Promise coÌ„ditioÌ„ Gods fre election maÌ„s fre wil. The difference and repugnance of these foresayde places being wel noted and exâ—ended it shall geue no smal light to euerye faithfull christian both to vnderstande the Scripture to iudge in cases of conscience and to reconcile such places in the olde and newe Testament as els may seeme to repugne according to the rule
of Augustine saying Distingue tempora conciliabis scripturas c. Make distinction of times and thou shalt reconcile the Scriptures The law to be discerned from the Gospell c. Contrariwise where men be not perfectly in these places instructed to discerne betwene the lawe and the Gospell betweene faith and woorkes c. so long they can neuer ryghtly estable their minds in the free promises of Gods grace but walke confusedly without order in al matters of religion ExaÌ„ple wherof we haue to much in the Romish church The ignorance and blindnes of the Popes Church in confounding these places who confouÌ„ding these places together without distinction following no methode haue peruerted the true order of christian doctrine and haue obscured the swete comfort benefit of the Gospel of Christ not knowing what the true vse of the law nor of the Gospel meaneth In the doctrine of the law iij. things to be noted The first poynte to be noted in the doctrine of the lawe In the law therfore 3 things are to be considered First what is the true rigour and strength of the lawe which is to require full and perfect obedience of the whole man not only to restraine his outward actions but also his inward motions and inclinatioÌ„s of wil and affection from the appetite of sinne And therfore saith S. Paul The law is spiritual but I am carnal c. Rom. 7 Whereupon riseth this proposition That it is not in our nature and power to fulfil the law Item The law commandeth that which is to vs vnpossible c. 2 The second thing to be noted in the doctrin of the law is to consider the time and place of the lawe what they be The streÌ„gth of the lawe The second thing to be noted in the lawe how far they extend For as the surging seas haue their banks and barres to kepe them in so the law hath his times limites which it ought not to passe If Christ had not come suffred the time dominion of the law had ben euerlasting But nowe seeing Christ hath come and hath died in his righteous flesh The due time place of the lawe The death of Chriâ—t iâ— the death the lawe that is of the condemnation of the lawe The time of the lawe how long it lasteth the power of the law against our sinfull flesh doth cease For the ende of the lawe is Christ. Rom. 10. that is the death of Christes body is the death of the law to al that beleue in him so that who so euer repeÌ„teth their sinnes flie to the death and passion of Christ the condemnation time of the lawe to them is expired Wherefore this is to be vnderstand as a perpetual rule in the scripture that the law withal his sentences and iudgements whersoeuer they are writteÌ„ either in the old Testament or in the new do euer include a priuy exception of repentaunce and beliefe in Christ to the which alwayes it geueth place hauing there his end and can proceede no further according as S. Paul doth say The lawe is our Scholemaister vntil Christ that we might be iustified by faith Gal. 3. Moreouer as the law hath his time how long to reigne so also it hath his proper place where to raigne By the raigne of the law here is ment the coÌ„demnation of the law for as the time of the law ceaseth when the faith of Christ in a true repenting heart beginneth so hath the law no place in such as be good and faithful that is in sinners repenting and amending Gal. 3. Iustis noÌ„ est lex posita sed iniustis et in obsequentibus 1. Tim. 1. In remission of sinnes 3. things to be noted 1. the disease 2. The knowing of the disease 3. The Phisition but only in them which be euill and wicked Euil men heere I call all such which walking in sinful flesh are not yet driueÌ„ by earnest repentaÌ„ce to flie to Christ for succour And therefore sayth S. Paule To the iust man there is no law set but to the vniust and disobedient c. 1. Tim. 1. By the iust man here is ment nor he which neuer had disease but he who knowing his disease seeketh out the Physition and being cured kepeth himselfe in health as much as he may from any mo surfets notwithstanding he shall neuer so kepe him self but that his health that is his new obedience shal alwaies remaine fraile vnperfect and shall continually nede the Physition Where by the way these iij. things are to be noted 1. the sicknes it self 2 the knowing of the sicknes 3. the Physitian The sicknes is sinne The knowing of the sicknes is repentance which the lawe worketh The Physitian is Christ. And therfore although in remission of our sinnes repeÌ„taunce is ioyned with faith yet it is not the dignity or worthines of repentaÌ„ce that causeth remission of sinnes but only the worthines of Christ whom faith onely appreheÌ„deth Repentance is ioyned with faith yet is it no cause of saluation The third point to be noted in the doctrine of the lawe no more then the feeling of the disease is the cause of health but only the Phisition For els when man is cast and condemned by the lawe it is not repentance that can serue or deserue life but iâ— his pardoÌ„ come then is it the grace of the prince and not his repentance that saueth The third poynt to be considered in the doctrine of the lawe is this That we marke well the ende and purpose why the lawe is geuen which is not to bring vs to saluation not to worke Gods fauoure nor to make vs good but rather to declare and conuicte our wickednesse and to make vs feele the daunger therof to thys ende and purpose that we seeing our condemnation and beynge in our selues confounded may be driuen thereby to haue our refuge in Christ the sonne of God and to submit our selues to him in whom only is to he found our remedy and in none other And this ende of the lawe discretely ought to be pondered of all Christians Otherwise they that consider not this â—nd and purpose of the law fall into manifold errours and inconueniences Inconuenienses that rise in not knowing the true 〈◊〉 of the lawe First they peruert all order of doctrine 2. They seeke that in the lawe which the law cannot geue 3. They are not able to comfort themselues nor other 4. They keepe mens soules in an vncertayne doubt and dubitation of their saluation 5. They obscure the light of Gods grace 6. They are vnkind to Gods benefites 7 They are iniurious to Christes passion and enemies to his crosse 8. They stop christian liberty 9 They beriue the church the spouse of Christe of her due comfort as taking away the sonne out of the world 10 In all their doings they shoote to a wrong marke For where Christ only is set vp to be appreheÌ„ded
heard tell of Doct. Shaxton Christes mother sayd he that was his othe I feare I haue burnt Abell let Cain go c. As who would say I had thought before that I had punished Cain and let Abell goe but now I feare I haue burnt Abell and let Cain escape Wherby it is playn to vnderstand what was the Byshops iudgement of Bilney before his burning that is that he was a Cain and the other an Abell But after the burning of Bilney the Bishop hearing nowe of Shaxton turneth hys iudgement and correcteth himselfe swearing nowe the contrary that is least hee had burned Abell and let Cayn go Furthermore where the Bishop feared in burning Bilney that he had burned Abell what doth this feare of the Byshop import but a doubting of hys minde vncertayne For who feareth that wherof he is sure Wherefore y t case is playn y t Bilney at hys burning did not recant as More reporteth For then y t Bish. knowing Bilney to dye a Catholick conuert a true member of the church would not haue feared nor doubted but would haue coÌ„stantly affirmed Bilney to haue dyed a true Abell in deede 〈◊〉 burâ—â—th Abell And to conclude this matter if Bilney dyed an Abell then the Bishop by his owne confession must needes proue himself to be a Cain which slue him What more clearer probation could we bring if there were a thousande Or what neede we any other hauing this alone Now for testimonie and witnesse of this matter Testimonies prouing that M. Bilney dyd not recant at his death to be produced for somuch as M. More alledgeth none to proue that Bilney at hys death did recant I will assay what testimony I haue on the contrary side to auouch and proue that Bilney dyd not recant And for somuch as Bilney was a Cambrige man and the first framer of that Uniuersitie in the knowledge of Christ and was burned at Norwich Witnes for Bilney being not verie farre distant from Cambrige there is no doubt but among to many friendes as hee had in that Uniuersitie some went thether to heare and see him Of whom one was Thomas Alen felow theÌ„ of Penbroke Hall Doct. Turner Dean of Welles who returning the same tyme from Bilneyes burning declared to Doct. Turner Deane of Welles being yet aliue a man whose authoritie neither is to be neglected nor credite to be distrusted that the sayde Bilney tooke his death most paciently and suffered most constantly without any recantation for the doctrine which he before had professed In the Citie of Norwiche Necton An other witnes for Bilney and many other be now departed which were then present at the burning of Bilney neuerthelesse some be yet aliue whose witnesses if neede were I could fetch with a little labour and will God willing as time shall require In the meane tyme at the writing hereof here was one Tho. Russell a ryght honest occupyer and a Citizen of Norwich who lykewâ—â—e beyng there present on horsebacke at the execution of thys godly man beholdyng all things that were done did neither heare hym recant any worde nor yet heard of hys recantation I could also adde hereuâ—to the testimonie of an other beyng brother to the Archbyshop of Caunterbury An other witnes for Bilney named M. Baker a man yet alyue who beyng the same time present at the examinatioÌ„ of Bilney both heard him and saw him when as a certain Fryer called him hereticke Whereunto Bilney replying agayne made aunswere if I â—e an hereticke sayd hee then are you an Antichrist who of late haue buried a certain Gentlewoman w t you in S. Fraunces coule assuryng her to haue saluation thereby Whiche fact although the Frier the same tyme did deny yet this caÌ„not be denyed but Bilney spake these wordes whereby he may easely be iudged to be farre from the mind of any recaÌ„tation according as by the sayd Gentleman it is also testified that after that he neuer heard of any recantation that Bilney eyther ment or made If I should recite all which here might be brought I myght sooner lacke rowme in my booke to conteine them then names enough to fill vp a grand iurye One martyr witnes for an other martyr But what neede I to spend tyme about witnes when one M. Latymer may stand for a thousand one martyr to beare witnes to an other And though my frend Cope pressing me with the authoritie of M. More saieth that he will beleeue hym before me yet I trust he will not refuse to credite thys so auncient a Senior father Latimer being both in Bilneys time and also by Bilney conuerted and familiarly w t hym acquaynted who being the same time at Cambridge I suppose would inquire as much and could know more of this matter then maister More Touchyng the testimoniall of whiche Latimer The testimonie of M. Latimer concerning M. Bilney I haue noted before how he in ij sundrye places in his sermons hath testified of good Bilney of that blessed Bilney of Saint Bilney how he dyed paciently agaynst the tyrannicall Sea of Rome c. And in an other Sermon also how the sayd Bilney suffered hys body to be burned for the gospell sake c. Item in an other place howe the sayde Bilney suffered death for Gods wordes sake vid. pag. 1008. Vid. supra pag. 1008. I may be thought perhaps of some to haue stayed to long about the discourse of thys matter But the cause that moued and halfe constrained me thereunto was syr Tho. More sometimes Lord Chauncellour of England now a great Archpiller of all our Englishe Papistes a man otherwise of a pregnaunt witte full of pleasaunt conceites also for hys learning aboue the common sort of his estate esteemed industruous no lesse in hys studyes then wel exercised in hys penne Who if hee had kept hymselfe in hys owne shoppe and applyed the facultie being a laye man whereunto he was called and had not ouer reached hymselfe to proue maystryes in such matters wherein hee had little skill lesse experience and which pertayned not to his profession he had deserued not onely much more commendation but also longer lyfe But for so muche as he not contented with hys own vocation hath with Oza reached out hys vnmeete hand to meddle with Gods Arkematters wherein he had little cunning and while he thinketh to helpe religion destroieth religion and is an vtter enemy to Christ and to his spirituall doctrine and his poore afflicted Church to the intent therefore that he being taken for a speciall ringleader and a chiefe stay in the Popes Church might the better be knowen what he is and that the ignorant and simple may see what little credite is to be geuen vnto him as well in his other false facing out of matters as namely in this present history of Bilneys recantation I haue dilligently searched out and procured the true certificate of M. Bilneys burning with all the circumstaunces
Phil. 3. for great is your reward in heauen For we suffer with him that wee may also be glorified with him who shall chaunge our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working wherby he is able euen to subiect al things vnto him Dearely beloued be of good courage and comfort your soule with the hope of this hye reward and beare the image of Christ in your mortall body Boldnes of spirite that it may at his comming be made like to his immortall and followe the example of all youre other deare breethren which choose to suffer in hope of a better resurrection Keepe your conscience pure and vndefiled and say against that nothing Sticke at necessary things and remember the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ Woâ—nde not Conscience Standing â—pon things necessarye saieng they finde none but that wil abiure rather then suffer the extremitie Moreouer the death of them that come againe after they haue once denied though it bee accepted wyth God and all that beleeue yet is it not glorious for the hypocrites say he must needes dye denyeng helpeth not But might it haue holpen they would haue denied fiue hundreth times Death after denying euil spoken of by the aduersaryes but seeing it would not helpe them therefore of pure pride and meere malice together they spake with their mouthes that their conscience knoweth false If you geue your selfe cast your selfe yeeld your selfe commit your selfe wholy and onely to your louing father then shall his power be in you and make you stroÌ„g and that so strong that you shall feele no payne which should be to another present death and his spirite shall speake in you and teach you what to aunswere Obedience to God according to his promise He shall set out his truth by you wonderfully and worke for you aboue all that your hart can imagine Yea and you are not yet dead though the hypocrites all To looke for no mans helpe bringeth Gods helpe Conâ—tancye in standing Patience in suffering with all they can make haue sworne your death Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem To looke for no mans helpe bringeth the helpe of God to them that seeme to be ouercome in the eyes of the hypocrites Yea it shall make God to carry you through thicke and thinne for his truthes sake in spite of all the enemies of hys truth There falleth not an heare till his houre be come and when his houre is come necessitie carieth vs hence though we be not willing But if we be willing then haue we a reward and thanke Feare not threatening therefore neyther be ouercome of sweet words Bilney with which twayne the hypocrites shall assayle you Neyther let the persuasions of worldly wisedome beare rule in your hart PerseueraÌ„ce to the ende no though they be your friends that counsayle you Let Bilney be a warning to you Let not their visure beguile your eyes Let not your body faynt He that endureth to the end shall be saued If the payne be aboue your strength Math. 22. remember Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will geue it you And pray to youre father in that name and he shall cease your payne or shorten it The Lord of peace of hope and of fayth be with you Amen William Tyndall TWo haue suffred in Antwerpe In die sanctae Crucis vnto the great glory of the Gospell Two Martirs at Antwerpe Foure Martyrs in FlauÌ„ders one at S. Luke Persecution at Roane Fiue Doctors at Paris taken for the Gospel four at Rysels in Flanders and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered and all the same day At Roane in Fraunce they persecute And at Paris are fiue Doctors taken for the Gospell See you are not alone Be cheerefull and remember that among the hard harted in England there is a number reserued by grace for whose sakes if neede be you must be ready to suffer Sir if you may write how short soeuer it be forget it not that we may knowe howe it goeth with you for oure harts ease The Lord be yet againe with you with all his plenteousnes and fill you that you flowe ouer Amen If when you haue read this you may send it to Adrian do I pray you that he may knowe howe that our harte is with you George Ioy at Candlemas being at Barrow printed ij leaues of Genes in a great forme and sent one copy to the King and another to the new Quene with a letter to N. for to deliuer them and to purchase licence that he might so go through all the Bible Out of this is sprong the noise of the new Bible and out of that is the great seeking for English bookes at all printers and bookebinders in Antwerpe and for an English Priest that should print This chaunced the 9. day of May. Sir your wyfe is well content with the will of God and would not for her sake haue the glory of God hindred William Tyndall Another notable and woorthy letter of Maister William Tyndall sent to the sayd Iohn Frith vnder the name of Iacob ¶ The grace of our Sauiour Iesus his pacience meekenesse humblenesse circumspection and wisedome be with your hart Amen DErely beloued brother Iacob mine harts desire in our Sauiour Iesus is An other letter of W. Tindal that you arme your selfe with pacience and bee cold sober wyse and circumspect and that you keepe you alowe by the ground auoiding hie questions that passe the common capacitie But expound the law truly and open the vayle of Moses to condemne all flesh High questions to be auoyded proue all men sinners all deedes vnder the law before mercy haue taken away the coÌ„demnatioÌ„ therof to be sinne and damnable and then as a faythfull minister set abroche the mercy of our Lord Iesus All deedes before they be iustified by faith are sinne Preaching the lawe of God mercy of Christ. Sacraments without significations to be refused and let the wounded coÌ„sciences drinke of the water of him And then shall your preaching be with power not as the doctrine of the hypocrites and the spirite of God shall worke with you and all coÌ„scieÌ„ces shall beare record vnto you and feele that it is so And all doctrine that casteth a miste on those two to shadow and hide them I meane the law of God and mercy of Christ that resist you withall your power Sacramentes without signification refuse If they put significations to them receiue them if you see it may helpe though it be not necessary Of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament meddle as little as you can M. Tindall here beareth with tyme. that there appeare no diuision among vs. Barnes will be whote agaynst you The Saxons be sore on the affirmatiue whether constant or obstinate I omitte it to God Phillip Melancthon is sayd to be with the
non dubites tanquam Deum in eodem templo Dei esse tanquam inhabitantem Deum in loco aliquo coeli propter veri corporis modum Thou shalt not doubt Christ our Lorde the onely sonne of God equall with his father and the same being the sonne of man whereby the father is greater is presente euery where as God and is in one and the â—ame Temple of God as God and also in some place of heauen as concerning the true shape of hys body Thus finde we clearely that for the measure of his very bodye he must be in one place and that in heauen as concerning hys manhode and yet euery where present in that he is the eternall sonne of God equall to his father Like testimonie doeth he geue in the 30. Treatise that he maketh vpon the Euangelie of Iohn These be his woordes there written Donec saeculum finiatur sursum est Dominus sed etiam hic est veritas Domini c. Vntill the worlde be at an ende the Lord is aboue but heere is the truth of the Lorde also for the body of our Lorde in which hee rose must be in one place August in Ioan. tract 30. but hys trueth is abroad in euery place The first parcell that is vntill the worldes ende is so put that it may ioyne to the sentence going before or else to these woordes following The Lorde is aboue c. And so shoulde it well accorde to my sentence before shewed whyche is the Lorde is so bodely ascended that in hys naturall body he cannot againe retourne from heauen vntill the generall dome But howsoeuer the sayde clause or parcel be applied it shall not greatly skill for my sentence notwythstaÌ„ding remaineth full stedfast In somuch as the scripture doth meÌ„tion but of two Aduents or commings of Christe of which the first is performed in his blessed incarnation The reall presence against the article of our Creede and the second is y e comming at the general dome And furthermore in this Article of our Creede From thence shall hee come to iudge the quicke and the dead is not onely shewed wherfore hee shall come againe but also when he shall come agayne so that in the meane while as y e other Article of our Crede witnesseth He sitteth at the right hande of God his father that is not els to say theÌ„ he remaineth in glory with the father Furthermore euen as I haue before rehearsed the foresaid authority of Augustine so haue I read it in his Quinquagenes vpon a Psalme of whiche I can not now precisely note or name the number And the same words doth he also write in the Epistle to S. Hierome So y t we may know he had good liking in it that he so commonly doth vse it as his vsuall prouerbe or by word The body of Christ caÌ„ be but in one place at once In the same is also testified that his blessed body can be but in one place so that it being now according to the scripture and article of our beliefe or Creede in heauen it caÌ„ not be in earth and much les can it be in so vnnumerable places of the earth as we may perceiue that the Sacrament is Thus although the body of our Sauior must be in one place as he writeth agreably to y e saying of Peter Whome the heauens muste receiue vntill the time of the restitution of all thing Yet as the wordes following make mention Veritas autem eius vbique diffusa est But his veritie is scattered euerie where This verity of Christ or of his body The veritie of Christ. The vertu of the sacrament I do take to be that he in other places doth call Virtus Sacramenti The vertue of the Sacrament As in the 25. treatise vpon Iohn we finde thus written Aliud est Sacramentum aliud virtus Sacramenti The Sacrament is one thing the vertue of the Sacrament is an other thing And againe Si quis manducauerit ex ipso non moritur sed qui pertinet ad virtuteÌ„ sacrameÌ„ti noÌ„ qui pertinet ad visibile sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ c. If any maÌ„ eat of him he dieth not but he meaneth of him which doth apertain to the vertue of the sacrameÌ„t not of him which perteineth to the visible sacrameÌ„t And to declare what is the vertue of the sacrameÌ„t y t I couÌ„t to be y e truth of the lord or of his body he saith Qui maÌ„ducat intê° noÌ„ foris qui manducat in corde non qui premit dente He which eateth inwardly in spirit not outwardly he that eateth in hart and not he which chaweth with teeth So that finally this truth of the Lord or his body which is dispersed euery where abroade The veritye of the Lord or of his body expounded is the spirituall profite fruite and comforte that is opened to bee receiued euery where of all men by faith in the veritie of the Lord that is to witte in the very and true promise or Testament made to vs in the Lordes body that was crucified and suffered death for vs and arose againe ascending immortall into heauen where he sitteth that is abideth on the right hand of his father from thence not to returne vntill the generall dome or iudgement This bodily absence of our Sauiour is likewise clearely shewed in the 50. treatise that hee maketh vpon Iohn where he doth expound this text Ye haue the poore alwayes with you August in Ioâ— tract 50. but you shall not alwayes haue mee with you to my purpose that thereby I count and holde mine opinion to be rather Catholicke then theirs that hold the contrary Finally the same doth he confirme in his Sermons of the seconde and thirde Feries of Gaster and in so many places besides forth as here can not be recited the number of them is so passing great With him consenteth full plainely Fulgentius in hys second booke Fulgentius ad TrasimuÌ„dum· lib. 2. to Trasimundus writing in this wise Vnus idemque homo localis ex homine qui est Deus immensus ex patre Vnus idemque secundum humanam substantiam absens coelo cum esset in terra c. One and the same man being locall in that he is man which is God almighty of the Father One and the same according to humane substance being absent from heauen when he was in the earth and leauing the earth when he ascended vp into heauen But according to his diuine and almighty substance neyther departing from heauen when hee descended from heauen neyther leauing the earth when hee ascended into heauen The which may well be knowne by the vndoubtfull sayeng of our Lord hymselfe which that he might the better shewe his humanitie occupyeng a place sayd vnto hys Disciples I ascend vp vnto my father and your father vnto my God and your God Also when he had sayde of Lazarus Lazarus is dead he adioyned sayeng And I am glad
man head not in many places at once and after was borne into this world and put in a maunger and so he growyng in age did abide in diuerse places but in one after an other sometime in Galile sometime in Samaria sometime in Iury sometyme beyond sometyme on this side of Iordan consequently he was crucified at Hierusalem there beyng enclosed buried in a graue frō whēce he did arise so that the aungels testified of him He is risen and is not here Mathew 28. and as at the tyme appointed Math. 28. after his resurrectiō he was assumpt or lifted vp into heauen from the top of the Moūt of Oliuet in the sight of his Disciples a cloude compassing him about Euen so shall he come from the same celestiall place corporally as they did see him to depart out of the one place corporally accordyng to the testimony of the aūgels Actes 1. Actes 1. So that in this we may vndoubtedly finde that Christ as touchyng his manhead can not be corporally in many diuers places at once and so to be corporally in his naturall body in heauen and also in the earth and that it is moreouer in so many partes of the world as men haue affirmed Neither doth the Scripture require that we should spoyle Christ of the propertie of mans nature The property of mans nature not to be sequestred frō Christ. which is to be in one place whō the same Scripture doth perpetually witnesse and teach to be man so to counfound the condition of his bodily nature with the nature Diuine Paul doth teach that Christ in māhead was made in all pointes lyke vnto his brethren sinne excepted how then can his body be in more places at once vnlike vnto the naturall propertie of the bodies of vs his brethren But heere doo some wittie Philosophers yea rather Sophisters then Diuines bring in to the anulling of Christes humanitie a similitude of mans soule whiche beeing one is yet so all whole in all our whole body that it is said to be all whole in euery part of the body But such should remēber that it is no conuenient similitude which is made of things different and diuerse in nature such as be the soule and body of man to proue them to haue like properties This is as if they woulde proue Christes body to be of one nature and propertie with his soule that things naturally corporal were not most diuers from creatures naturally spirituall Furthermore if so it might be that the body or fleshe of Christ Thinges corporall and thinges spirituall not to be compared were meerely spirituall and full like vnto the substance of Angels yet could it not in this wise follow that his body could be euery where or in diuers places at once Wherefore such subtilties are to be omitted and the trade of Scripture should well like vs by whiche the olde Doctors do define that the body of Iesu exalted or assumpt into heauen must be locall circumscript and in one place notwithstanding that the veritie spirituall grace fruite that commeth of it is diffused and spread abroade in all places or euery where How coulde Christ corporally depart out of this world The body of Christ is locall and in one place Iohn 13. and leaue the earth if he in y e kinds of bread and wine be not onely corporally conteined and receiued but also there reserued kept and enclosed What other thing else do these words testifie Iohn xiij But Iesus knowing that his houre was come that he should passe out of this world to his father Luke 24. c. And in like forme Luke 24. And it came to passe that as he blessed them he departed from them and was caried vp into heauen What doe they signifie if Christ went not verely out of this worlde his naturall body being surely assumpt into heauen They do therefore vndoubtedly declare that Christ being very God and very man did verely depart out of this world in his naturall body his humanitie being assumpt into heauen where it remaineth sitting in glory wyth the father Where as yet his Deitie did not leaue the world ne depart out from the earth Paule doth say Philippians 2. that of ij things he wist not which he might rather choose Phil. 2. that is to witte to abide in the flesh for preaching the Gospell or els to be dissolued from the flesh seing that to abide with Christ is much and farre better By the which Paule doth manifestly proue that they bee not presentlye with Christ which yet do abide mortall in the flesh Yet they bee with Christ in suche wise as the Scripture doth saye that the beleeuing be the Temple of Christ. And as Paule doth say 2. Cor. 13. Do you not know your selues that Iesus Christ is in you 2. Cor. 13. In which sense he also promised to be with vs vnto the end of the world Christ therefore must be otherwise in that place in which the Apostle desired to be with him being dissolued and departed from his body then he doth abide either in the supper or else in any other places of the Churches He therefore doth vndoubtedly meane heauen which is the paradise of perfect blisse and glory Where as Christ being a victour triumpher and conquerour ouer death sinne and hell and ouer all creatures doth reigne remaine corporally Thus do I trust that your grace doth see my sentence this farforth to be right Catholicke Christen and faithfull according to holy scripture to holy Fathers and to the Articles of our Christen beliefe Whiche sentence is thus Christes naturall body is so assumpt into heauen where it sitteth or remaineth in glory of the father that it can no more come from thence that is to wit from heauen returne vntill the end of the world and therefore can not the same naturall body naturally be heere in the world or in the Sacrament For then should it be departed or gone out of the world The naturall body of Christ cannot be both in heauen and in earth locally and yet be still remaining in the world It should then be both to come and alreadye come which is a contradiction and variaunt from the nature of his manhead The second part of this matter Now my sentence in the second part of thys matter is this if so be your grace shall please to knowe it The secōd part how the naturall body of Christ is in the Sacrament as I your poore and vnworthy but full true subiect woulde with all submission and instance beseech you to know it I graunt the holy sacrament to be the very and naturall body of our Sauiour and his very naturall bloud and that the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour is in the Sacrament after a certaine wise as after shall appeare For so doe the words of the supper testifie Take eate this is my body which is geuen for you And againe Drinke
his owne proper person is yet sayde to be offered vp not only euery yeare at Easter but also euery day in the celebration of the Sacrament because his oblation once for euer made is thereby represented Euen so saith Augustine is the Sacramēt of Christes body the body of Christ and the sacrament of Christes bloud the bloud of Christ in a certayne wise or fashion The celebration of the sacrament representeth the oblation of Christes body The sacramēt of Chrrists body is not his body in deede but in memoriall or representation Not that the Sacrament is his naturall body or bloud in deede but that it is a memoriall or representation thereof as the dayes before shewed be of his verye and naturall body crucified for vs and of his precious bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes And thus be the holy signes or Sacramentes truely called by the names of the very thinges in them signified But why so For they saith Augustine haue a certaine similitude of those things wherof they be signes or Sacraments for else they should be no Sacraments at all And therefore do they commonly and for the most part receiue the denomination of the things whereof they be Sacraments So that we may manifestly perceiue that he calleth not the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud the very body and bloud of Christ but as he sayd before But yet he sayth in a certaine maner or wise Not that the Sacramente absolutely and plainely is his naturall body or bloud For this is a false argument of Sophistrie which they call Secundum quid ad simpliciter that is to say A Falla◠in Logike a secundum quid ad simpliciter The Popes argument The Sacrament of Christes body is Christs body Ergo the sacrament is Christes body really ◠substātially that the Sacramēt of Christes body is in a certaine wise the body of Christe Ergo it is also playnely and expressely the naturall body of Christ. For such an other reason might this be also Christ is after a certayne maner a Lion a Lambe and a doore Ergo Christe is a naturall Lion and Lambe or materiall doore But the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud is therefore called his body and bloud because it is thereof a memoriall signe sacrament token representation spent once for our redemption Which thing is further expounded by an other speach that he doth heere consequently allege of baptisme Sicut de ipso baptismo apostolus dicit c. The Apostle quoth Augustine sayeth not we haue signified buryeng but he sayeth vtterly we be buried with Christ For else should all false Christians be buried wyth Christ from sinne which yet do liue in all sinne And therfore saith Augustine immediately therupon he called therfore the sacrament of so great a thing by none other name then of the thing it selfe Thus O moste gracious and godly prince do I confesse and knowledge that the bread of y e sacrament is truely Christes body and the wyne to be truely his bloud according to the wordes of the institution of the same Sacrament but in a certaine wise that is to wit figuratiuely sacramētally or significatiuely according to the exposition of the Doctours before recited heereafter folowing And to this exposition of the old Doctours am I enforced both by the articles of my Creede and also by the circumstances of the sayde Scripture as after shall more largely appeare But by the same can I not finde the natural body of our Sauiour to be there naturally but rather absent both from the sacrament from all the world collocate and remaining in heauen where he by promise must abide corporally vnto the end of the world The same holy Doctor writing agaynst one Faultus sayth in like manner Aug. contra Faustum Si Machabaeos cum ingenti admiratione praeferimus quia escas quibus nunc Christiani licitè vtuntur attingere noluerunt quia pro tempore tunc Prophetico non licebat quanto nunc magis pro Baptismo Christi pro Eucharistia Christi pro signo Christi c. If we doo preferre wyth greate admiration the Machabees because they would not once touche the meates which Christian men now lawfully vse to eate of for that it was not lawfull for that tyme then beyng propheticall that is in the tyme of the olde Testament how muche rather now ought a Christian to be more ready to suffer all things for the Baptisme of Christ and for the Sacrament of thankesgiuing and for the signe of Christe seeyng that those of the old Testamente were the promises of the things to be complete and fulfilled and these Sacramentes in the newe Testamente are the tokens of things complete and finished In this do I note that according to the expositions before shewed he calleth the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Sacrament of Christes body bloud otherwise properly named Eucharistia signum Christi and that in the singular number The signe of Christ. for as much as they both do signifie welnigh one thing In both them is testified the death of our Saueour And moreouer he calleth them Indicia rerum completarum that is to wyt The tokens or benefits that we shall receiue by the beliefe of Christe for vs crucified And them doth he call vsually both the sacraments signum Christi in the singular number And as the same Saint Augustine in his fiftie treatise vpon the Gospel of Saint Iohn teacheth where he sayeth thus Si bonus es si ad corpus Christi pertines quod significat Petrus habes Christum in praesenti in futuro In praesenti per fidem c. If thou be good August in Ioan tract 50. if thou pertayne to the body of Christ which this word Petrus doth signifie then hast thou Christ both heere presente and in time to come Heere presente through fayth heere presente by the signe and figure of Christe heere presente by the Sacrament of Baptisme heere presente by the meate and drinke of the altar c. More there was that Iohn Lambert wrote to the king but thus much onely came to our hands The death of Robert Packington AMong other actes and matters passed and done thys present yeare Robert Packington which is of the Lorde 1538. heere is not to be silenced the vnworthy and lamentable death of Robert Packington Mercer of London Anno 1538. wrought and caused by the enemies of Gods worde and of all good proceedings The story is this The said Robert Packington being a man of substance and dwelling in Chepeside vsed euery day at fiue of the clocke Winter and Sommer to goe to prayer at a Churche then called S. Thomas of Acres but now named Mercers Chappell And one morning amongst all other being a great mistie morning such as hath seldōe bin seene euen as he was crossing y e streate from his house to the Churche he was sodenly murthered with a gunne which of y e neighbours was plainly
drynke his bloude when we receiue with true beliefe that holye housell That time they kept with them at Easter 7. daies with great worship when they were deliuered from Pharao and went from that land So also Christen men keepe Christes resurrection at the time of Easter these 7. dayes because throughe his suffering and rising we be deliuered and be made cleane by going to this holy housel as Christ sayeth in hys Gospell Verely verely I say vnto you ye haue no life in you excepte yee eate my flesh and drinke my bloud He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloude â—ohn 6. abideth in mee and I in him and hath that euerlasting life and I shall raise him vp in the last day I am the liuely bread that came downe from heauen not so as your forefathers did eate that heauenly breade in the wildernesse and afterwarde died Hee that eateth this breade liueth for euer Hee blessed breade before his suffering and deuided it to hys Disciples thus sayinge Eate of thys breade it is my body and doe this in my remembraunce Also hee blessed wyne in one cuppe â—ath 26. 〈◊〉 22. â—arkke 14. Cor. 11. and sayd Drinke ye all of this This is my bloude that is shedde for manye in forgeuenesse of sinnes The Apostles did as Christ commanded that is they blessed breade and wine to housel againe afterward in his remembrance Euen so also their successours and all priestes by Christes commaundement do blesse bread and wine to housel in his name wyth the Apostolicke blessing Nowe menne haue often searched and doe yet often * * Note how Christes words were taken by signification before BereÌ„garius time search how bread that is gathered of corne and through fires heate baked may be turned to Christes body or howe wine that is pressed out of many grapes is turned through one blessing to y e Lords bloud Now say we to such men that some thinges be spoken of Christ by * * A necessary distinction signification and some be thinges certayne True this is and certayne that Christ was borne of a mayd and suffered death of his owne accord and was buryed and on this day rose from death He is sayde to be bread by signification and a Lambe a Lyon a mountayne He is called bread because he is our life and angels lyfe He is sayd to be a Lambe for his innocencie a Lyon for strength wherewith he ouercame the strong deuil But Christ is not so notwithstanding after true nature neither bread nor a lambe nor a lyon Why is then the holy house called Christes body or his bloud if it be not truely that it is called Why is the housell called christs body when it is not so truely Truely the bread and the wine which in the supper by the priest is hallowed shewe one thing without to humaine vnderstanding and an other thing within to beleuing mindes Without they be seene bread and wine both in figure in taste they be truely after theyr hallowing Christes body and his bloud through ghostly mistery An heathen childe is christened yet hee altereth not his shape without though he be chaunged within He is brought to y e fontstone sinfull through Adams disobedience howbeit he is washed froÌ„ all sinne within though he hath not chaÌ„ged his shape without * * The water in baptisme and bread wine in the Lordes supper compared Euen so the holy font water that is called the welspring of life is like in shape to other waters and is subiect to corruption but y e holy ghostes might commeth to the corruptible water through the priests blessing and it may after wash the body and soule from al sin through ghostly might Behold now we see two things in this one creature after true nature y t water is corruptible moysture and after ghostly mistery hath wholsom vertue So also iâ— we behold the holy housell after bodily vnderstanding then we see that it is a creature corruptible and mutable If we knowledge therein ghostly might theÌ„ vnderstand we that life is therein and that it geueth immortalitie to theÌ„ that eate it with beliefe Muche is betwixt the inuisible might of the holy housel and the visible shape of proper nature It is * * No transubstantiation naturally corruptible bread and corruptible wine is by might of Gods word truely christes body and bloud not so notwithstaÌ„ding bodily but ghostly Much is betwixt the * * Difference betwixt Christs naturall body and the Sacrament thereof body of Christ which he suffered in and the body that is hallowed to housel The body truly that Christ suffered in was borne of the flesh of Marie w t bloude and with bone with skin and with sinewes in humaine lims with a reasonable soule liuing and his ghostly body which we call the housel * * 1. Difference is gathered of many cornes without bloud and bone without limme w tout soule * * Not the body that suffered is in the housell and therefore nothing is to be vnderstand therein bodely but all is ghostly to be vnderstande Whatsoeuer is in that housel which geueth substaunce of life that is of the ghostly might and inuisible doing Therefore is that holy housell called a mysterie because there is one thing in it seene and an other thing vnderstanded That which is there * * 2. Difference seene hath bodely shape and that we do there vnderstande hath ghostly might Certainely Christes body whyche suffered death and rose from death neuer * * 3. Difference dieth hencefoorth but is eternal and vnpassible That housel is temporal not eternal Math. 15. * * 4. Difference corruptible and dealed into sundrye partes chewed betweene teeth and sent into the belly howbeit neuerthelesse after ghostly myght it is all in euery parte Many receiue that holy body and yet notwithstandinge it is so all in euery part after ghostly mysterie Though some chewe the lesse yet is there no more might notwithstaÌ„ding in the more parte then in the lesse because it is whole in all men after the inuisible might This mysterie is a * * 5. Difference pledge and a figure Christes body is truth it selfe Thys pledge we doe kepe mystically vntill that we be come to the truth it selfe and then is this pledge ended Truely it is so as we before haue sayde Christes body and his bloude not bodily but ghostly But now here the Apostles words about this misterie Paul the Apostle speaketh of the old Israelites thus writing in his epistle to faithful men Al our forefathers were baptised in the cloud and in the sea 1. Cor. 10. and all they did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke They drank truly of the stone that followed them and that stone was Christ Neither was that * * Note this exposition which is now a dayes thought newe Iohn 4.
cause Fishers wife of Harnesey D. Cockes Bishop Stokesley Holland his Sumner M. Garter king of Armes Thomas Frebarne and his Wife A story of one Frebarnes wyfe longing for a peece of meate in Lent IN the yeare of our Lord. 1538. Syr William FormaÌ„ being Maior of the citye of London three weekes before Easter the wyfe of one Tho. Frebarn dwelling in Pater noster row being w t childe loÌ„ged after a morsell of a pigge and told her minde vnto a Mayde dwelling in Abchurch lane desiring her if it were possible to helpe her vnto a piece The mayd perceiuing her earnest desire shewed vnto her husbaÌ„d what his wife had sayd vnto her telling him that it might chaunce to cost her her life and the childe 's too whiche she went withall if she had it not Uppon this Thomas Frebarne her husbande spake to a butter wife which he knew y t dwelled at Harnsey named goodwife Fisher to helpe him vnto a pigge for his wife for she was with childe longed sore to eate of a pigge Unto whome the sayde goodwife Fisher promised that she would bring him one the Friday folowing and so she did being ready dressed and scalded before But when she had deliuered him the pigge A crafty part of a â—alse 〈◊〉 she craftily conueyed one of the piggeâ— feete caried it vnto Doctor Cockes at that time being Deane of Caunterbury dwelling in Iâ—y lane who at that time of his dinner before certain gestes which he had bidden shewed his pigs foot declaring who had the body therof and after that they had talked theyr pleasure dinner was done one of his gestes being landlord vnto Frebarne aforesayd called M. Garter by his office king of Armes sent his man vnto the sayd Frebarne demaunding if there were no body sicke in his house Unto whom he aunswered that they were all in good health he gaue God thankes Then sayde he agayne it was tolde hys Mayster that some body was sicke or els they would not eate flesh in Lent Unto whom Frebarne made aunswere that his wife was with childe and longed for a piece of a pigge and if he could get some for her he would Then departed his Landlordes man home agayne And shortly after his Landlord sent for him But before that he sent for him he had sent for the bishop of Londons Sumner whose name was HolloÌ„d wheÌ„ this Frebarne was come he demaunded of him if he had not a pig in his house which he denyed not Then commaunded Mayster Garter the sayde Sumner called Hollond to take him and goe home to hys house and to take the Pygge and carry both him and the Pigge vnto Doctour Stokesley his Mayster being then Bishop of London so he did Then the Bishop being in his chamber with diuers other of the Clergy called this Frebarne before him and had him in examination for his pigge laying also vnto his charge that he had eaten in his house that lent poudred beefe and Calues heades Unto whom Frebarne answered My Lord if the heades were eaten in my house in whose houses were the bodyes eaten Also if there be eyther man or woman that can proue that either I or any in my house hath done as your Lordship sayth let me suffer death therfore You speake sayd he agaynst pilgrimages and will not take holy bread holy water nor yet goe on Procession on Palme Sonday Thou art no Christian man My Lord sayd Frebarne I trust I am a true Christen man haue done nothing neither agaynst Gods law nor my princes In the time of this his examination which was during the space of two hours diuers came vnto the bishop some to haue theyr childreÌ„ confirmed some for other causes Unto whom as they came hauing the pig before hym couered he would lift vp the cloth and shew it them saying How thinke you of such a felow as this is is not this good meate I pray you to be eaten in this blessed time of Lent yea and also poudred Beefe and Calues heades too beside this After this the Bishoppe called his Sumner vnto him and commaunded him to go and carry this Thomas Frebarne and the pig openly thorow the streâ—tes into the olde Bayly vnto Syr Roger Chomley for the Bishop sayd he had nothing to do to punish him for that belonged vnto y e ciuill magistrates and so was Frebarne caryed w t the pyg before him to sir Roger Chomleis house in the old Baily he being not at home at that time Frebarne was broght likewise back agayne vnto the bishops place with the pig and there lay in the porters lodge till it was 9. a clocke at night Then the bishop sent him vnto the Counter in the Poultry by the Sumner and other of his seruauntes The next day being Saterday he was brought before the Maior of London his brethren vnto Guild hall but before his comming they had the pig deliuered vnto them by the Bishops officer Then the Maior and the Benche layd vnto his charge as they were informed from the Bishop that he had eaten poudred beefe and Calues heades in his house the same Lent but no man was able to come in that would iustify it neither could any thing be found saue onely the Pig which as is before sayd was for the preseruation of his wiues life and that she went withall Notwithstanding the Maior of London sayde that the Monday next folowing he should stand on the Pillary in Cheapeside with the one halfe of the pig on the one shoulder and the other halfe on the other Then spake the Wyfe of the sayd Frebarne vnto the Maior and the Benche desiring that she myght stand there and not he for it was long of her and not of him After this they tooke a satten list tide it fast about the pigs neck and made Frebarne to cary it hanging on his shoulder vntill he came vnto the Counter of the Poultry from whence he came After this was done the Wyfe of this Prisoner tooke with her an honest woman the Wyfe of one Michaell Lobley whiche was well acquaynted with diuers in the Lord Cromwelles house vnto whom the sayde woman resorted for some helpe for this prisoner desiring them to speake vnto theyr Lord and Mayster for his deliueraunce out of trouble It happened that the same time came in Doctour Barnes and Mayster Barlowe 〈◊〉 Barlow sue 〈…〉 Cromwell 〈◊〉 Thomas 〈◊〉 Lord 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 who vnderstandyng the matter by Lobleys wife went vp to the Lord Cromwell and certified him thereof who vpon their request sent for the Maior of the City of London but what was sayd vnto the Lord Maior is vnknowne sauing that in the after noone of the same day â—he wife of the person aforesayd resorted agayne vnto the Lord Maior suyng to get her husband deliuered out of prison declaring how that she had 2. small children and had nothing to helpe
no part nor cause of their casting into the tower and geueth this reason for him Steph Gardiner had no accesâ—â— to the kinges councell a yeare and more before the L. Cromwels fall for that he had then no accesse ne had not after so long as Cromwels time lasted to the Kings secret Counsayle yet notwithstanding the sayd Gardiner can not persuade vs to the contrary but that his priuie complaing to the King and his secrete whisperings in his frends eares and his other workings by his factours about the King was a great sparcle to set theyr fagots a fire Thus then Barnes Hierome and Garret being committed to the Tower after Easter there remayned till the xxx day of Iuly which was two dayes after the deathe of the Lord Cromwell Then ensued processe againste them by the Kings Counsell in the Parliament Processe agaynst Barnes Hierome Garret to the whyche processe Gardiner confesseth himselfe that he was priuie amongst the rest Whereupon all these three good saints of God the xxx day of Iuly not comming to any aunswere nor yet knowing any cause of their coÌ„demnation without any publike hearing were brought together from the Tower to Smithfield where they preparing themselues to the fire had there at the stake diuers and sundry exhortations amongest whome D. Barnes first began wyth thys protestation following I am come hether to be burned as an hereticke and you shal heare my beliefe The protestation of Doct. Barnes at the stake whereby you shall perceiue what erroneous opinions I hold God I take to record I neuer to my knowledge taught any erroneous doctrine but only those things which scripture leade me vnto and that in my Sermons I neuer mainteined any errour neyther moued nor gaue occasion of any insurrection Although I haue bene sclaundered to preach that our Lady was but a saffron bag which I vtterly protest before God that I neuer meant it nor preached it but all my study and diligeÌ„ce hath bene vtterly to confound and confute all men of that doctrine D. Barnes falsly slaundered as are the Anabaptists which deny that our Sauiour Christ did take any flesh of the blessed virgin Mary which sectes I detest and abhorre And in this place there hath bene burned some of them whome I neuer fauoured nor mainteyned but with all diligence euermore did I study to set forth the glory of God the obedience to our soueraigne Lord the King and the true and sincere religion of Christ. And now harken to my fayth I beleue in the holy and blessed Trinitie three persons and one God D. Barnes confession that created and made al the world and that this blessed Trinitie sent downe the seconde person Iesu Christ into the wombe of the most blessed purest virgin Mary And heere beare me record that I do vtterly condemne that abhominable and detestable opinion of the Anabaptistes which say that Christ tooke no flesh of the virgine For I beleue that without mans will or power hee was conceiued by the holy Ghost and tooke flesh of her that he suffered hunger thirst cold other passions of our body sinne except according to the sayeng of S. Peter He was made in all things like to his brethren except sinne And I beleeue that this his death and passion was the sufficiente raunsome for the sinne of all the world And I beleeue that through his death he ouercame sinne death and hell and that there is none other satisfaction vnto the Father but this his death and passion only and that no worke of man did deserue any thing of God but only his passion as touching our iustification For I know the best worke that euer I did is vnpure and vnperfit And with this he cast abroade his handes and desired God to forgiue hym hys trespasses All mens workes vnperfite For although perchaunce sayd he you knowe nothing by me yet do I confesse that my thoughts and cogitations be innumerable Wherefore I beseeche thee O Lorde not to enter into iudgement with me according to the sayeng of the Prophete Dauid Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo domine .i. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lord. Psal. 143. And in an other place Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine quis sustinebit Lorde if thou straitely marke our iniquities Psal. 130. who is able to abyde thy iudgement Wherefore I trust in no good worke that euer I did but onely in the death of Christ. I do not doubt but through him to inherite the kingdome of heauen Take me not heere that I speake against good woorkes Good workeâ— are to be done for they are to be done and verely they that do them not shall neuer come in the kingdome of God We must do them because they are coÌ„manded vs of God to shew and set foorth our profession not to deserue or merite for that is onely the death of Christ. I beleue that there is a holy Churche a company of all them that professe Christ and that all that haue suffered confessed his name be Saintes that all they do prayse laude God in heauen more then I or any mans tongue caÌ„ expresse that alwayes I haue spoken reuerently and praysed them as much as Scripture willed me to do And that our Lady I say was a Uirgin immaculate and vndefiled that she is the most purest virgine that euer God created a vessell elect of God of whom Christ should be borne Then sayd M. Shiriffe D. Barnes obedient to Magistrates you haue sayd well of her before And beyng afrayde that Maister Shiriffe had bene or should be agreeued with any thyng that he should say he sayd Maister Shiriffe if I speake any thyng that you will me not do no more but becken me with your hand I will straight way hold my peace for I will not be disobedient in any thyng but will obey TheÌ„ there was one that asked him his opinioÌ„ of praying to Saintes Then sayd he Pray noÌ„ to Saintes Now of Saintes you shall here my opinion I haue sayd before somewhat I thinke of them how that I beleue they are in heauen with God and that they are worthy of all the honour that Scripture willeth theÌ„ to haue But I say throughout all Scripture we are not commauÌ„ded to pray to any Saintes Therfore I can not nor will not preach to you that Saintes ought to be prayed vnto for then should I preache vnto you a doctrine of myne owne head Notwithstandyng whether they pray for vs or no that I referre to GOD. And if Saintes do pray for vs then I trust to pray for you within this halfe houre Maister Shiriffe and for euery Christian man liuyng in the fayth of Christ dying in the same as a Saint Wherfore if the dead may pray for the quicke I will surely pray for you Wel haue you any thing more to say TheÌ„ spake he
and speedy furtheraÌ„ce of the aduancement of their accusations against Brooke The first of these three was a young Gentleman lately brought vp vnder the said Brooke in the office of custome â—â—yron the 〈◊〉 accuser whose name was Edmund Payton The other was one Robert Poole a man as it was commonly reported both base borne and also such a one Poole 〈◊〉 secoâ—d 〈◊〉 as in his youth for murthering a man with a clubbe in Bow lane in London was faine by obtaining the Kings pardon to saue his necke The third was one Tho. Boyse who shewyng more honesty then the rest affirmed not that he himselfe heard y e sayd Broke speake any thing of that whiche was obiected against him but iustified that either of the other two had stedfastly affirmed to him that Broke had spoken vnto them those things heere vnder obiected against him The yong man first obiected againste the sayde Broke that he should say that the thing which the Priest vseth to hold vp ouer his head at Masse is not the natural body of Iesu Christ for if that were so who so would might haue their belly ful of Gods their guts ful of Gods and he that had lately receiued the Sacrament before he wente to the Sea might happely vomit God vp againe on shypboord And thus much he brought ouer in writing wyth hym from Calice and added thereto as it should seeme to exasperate the Commissioners and the rest of the Cleargy against him certaine other heynous words spoken against Byshops and Priestes Whiche wordes the sayd Broke there denied confessing neuerthelesse that certaine priuate talke he had with him touching the Sacrament wherein he shewed to the yong man the right vse of the same concluding that albeit with our mouthes we receyued very materiall bread and wine yet by faith all Christian meÌ„ do receiue eate and drinke to their great comfort and benefite the very natural body and bloud of Christ which was both borne of the virgine Mary and suffered death on the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes which most holye Sacrament who so came vnworthely vnto the same was so farre from the eating of Christes body and bloude that all such without hartie repentaunce do eate their owne damnation And to conclude with him in that priuate talk he told him that if the grosse vnlearned errour of transubstantiation were in deede matter of truth and sincere doctrine then not only this should follow of it that euery maÌ„ who would might haue euerlasting life for they might when they woulde receiue the outward Sacrament seene with our eyes whiche the Priestes call Christes naturall body and who so eateth Christes body and drinketh hys bloud hath euerlasting lyfe sayeth Christ but also there should great absurdities follow therby as wheÌ„ a maÌ„ hapneth to go to the sea hauing lately receiued the sacrament he should put it ouer boorde or do it on the hatches therfore exhorted the said Payton to leaue that grosse errour The second accuser was Poole who obiected agaynste him that about two yeares past he himselfe dining wyth the sayd Brooke with xv or xvj other honest men heard him thus say at the table that the thing which the Priestes vse to hold vp ouer their heads was not the very bodye and bloud of Christ but a sacrament to put vs in remembrance thereof Unto whose obiections the said Broke answered that a man in mirth might well enough with charitie beshrewe suche a guest as when he had dined wyth a man could so loÌ„g after remember to say him such a grace and required of Poole of whence the rest of the guestes were He aunswered they were of the towne all Then inferred he that he was sure Poole could as well remember some of their names which then were present as freshly to keepe in mind for so by oth vpon a booke he had afâ—irmed euery word of the whole matter which he obiected but for that the matter was vtterly vntrue Whereupon the sayd Brooke desired their honours to consider the slendernes of his tale To be shorte he with the rest of hys felowes to witte Rafe Hare Coppen and Iames the Barber were for that time dismissed During the tyme while these four were thus in examination at London The trouble examinatioÌ„ of Sir W. Smith and Iohn Butler CoÌ„missarye the other two to witte Syr William Smith preacher and Iohn Butler by commaundement were apprehended in Calyce and bounde by suretie not to passe the gates of the towne of Calyce In the whiche towne the sayd Iohn Butler Commissary was accused by Rich. Thorpe and Ioh. Ford souldiours of Calice saiing that he shoulde say The accusers of Butler 〈◊〉 vitae 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of the Sacrament that if the Sacrament of the aultar be fleshe bloud and bone then there is good aqua vitae at Iohn Spisers Upon which accusation the sayde Thorpe and Forde brought for recordes before the Counsayle of Calyce Marraunt Haynes Iohn Luckes Harry Husson and Harry Troste all of the parish of Oye beside Calyce Whereupon shortly after the sayde Iohn Butler and Sir William Smith were sent for and by one Swallow a purseuant which set vp the other aforesaide brought into England vnto the house of the sayd Swallow dwellyng by S. Iames where the Kings maiestie lay at that tyme and the next day being Thurseday after dinner Butler Smith were brought to the starre chamber before the priuie Counsayle where both sedition and heresie was obiected against them and after much talke was sayde vnto them by the Lord Cromwell that they should make theyr purgation by the lawe And from thence by the foresayde Swallow they were sent to the Fleete The next day being Friday after dinner Butler and Smyth were sent for to come to Bathe place where they were brought into the Chappell there sitting D. Clarke Byshop of Bathe Doctour Sampson then Byshop of Chichester Doctour Repse the Byshop of Norwich who was a Monke being fast a sleepe Then was obiected vnto Butler with great reuerence the opprobrious wordes spoken against the blessed Sacramente rehearsing as is aforesayd the articles The examination of Ioh. Butler Butler required to haue them in writing and so woulde make aunswere in writing The whiche they woulde not graunt him and vpon that aunswere he stoode Then choler gathered in the Byshop of Chichester The story were too long to write yet part yee shall vnderstand Chichester found great fault that Butler made not lowe cursie beeing stubborne and arrogant as he said and in fine found fault with his shirt Then turning him about he called to his brother Bannester being present that time dwelling in Pater noster Row to make aunswere for the shirt He said I can make answere for the shirt No good aunswere saide Chichester Forsooth saide hee the shirt is mine I lent it him because he brought none with him for he was not permitted to haue any seruaunt A
Damlip brought to Calice to suffer setting out of London conueyed the sayde Adam Damlyp vnto Calice vpon the Ascension euen and there committed him to the Maiors prison Upon whiche daye Iohn Butler the Commissary aforesayd and Syr Daniell his Curate of S. Peters were also committed to the same prison and commandement geuen no man to speake with Butler Upon Saterday next was the day of execution for Damlyp The cause whiche firste they layd to his charge was for heresie But because by an acte of Parliamente all suche offences done before a certayne daye were pardoned through which Acte he could not be burdened with anye thing that he had preached or taught before yet for the receiuing of the foresayd French crowne of Cardinall Pole as you heard before he was condemned of treason and in Calice cruelly put to death being drawne hanged and quartered The death and Martyrdome of Damlyp The daye before his execution came vnto hym one M. Mote The constant courage of Adam Damlip not caring for his death then person of our Lady Church of Calice saying your foure quarters shall be hanged at four partes of the towne And where shall my head be sayd Damlip Upon the Lanterne gate said Mote Then Damlip answeared Then shall I not neede to prouide for my buriall At hys death Sir Rafe Ellerker Knight then knight Marshall there would not suffer the innocent godly maÌ„ to declare either his faith or the cause he died for but sayd to the executioner dispatch the knaue haue done For sir Wil. Mote appointed there to preache declared to the people how he had bene a sower of seditious doctrine and albeit he was for y e pardoned by the generall pardon yet he was coÌ„demned for being a traytor against the king To the which wheÌ„ Adam Damlip would haue replied purged himselfe the foresaid Sir Rafe Ellerker would not suffer him to speake a word but commanded him to be had away And so most meckely Damlip falsly accused of treason innocently put to death patiently and ioyfully the blessed and innocent Martyr tooke his death sir Rafe Elerker saying that he would not away before he saw the traytors hart out But shortly after the sayd Sir Rafe Ellerker in a skirmishe or roade betweene the Frenchmen and vs at Bullayne was among other slayne An example of Gods iust reuengment Whose onely death sufficed not his enemies but after they had stripped him starke naked they cut off his priuie members and cut the hart out of his bodye and so leaft him a terrible example to all bloudy and mercilesse men For no cause was knowne why they shewed such indignation against the saide sir Rafe Ellerker more then against the rest but that it is written Faciens iustitias Dominus iudicia omnibus iniuria pressis As touching Ioh. Butler and sir Daniel his Curate imprisoned as ye heard the same day with Damlip vpon Sonday next following An other trouble of Iohn Buâ—leâ— and Syr Daniell his Curate they were coÌ„mitted to Io. Massy aforesayd keeper of the Marshalsey and his company and brought to the Marshalsey where he continued and his Curate nine moneths and more At last being sore laid vnto by Sir George Gage Sir Iohn Baker and Sir Thomas Arundell knightes but especially by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for y e reteining of Adam Damlip yet by friendes soliciting the Kings highnes for him namely sir Leonard Musgraue and his brother Baunster Ex scripto testimoniâ— Caletienâ—â—â—â— who were bounde for his appearance in a thousande pound he at length by great labour and long time was discharged and at last by licence permitted to returne to Calice againe Ex scripto testimonio Caletiensium Furthermore as touching William Steuens aboue mentioned who remained all this while prisoner in the Tower W. Steuens an earnest Protest are falsly condemned for Poperye the same was also condemned with Adam Damlip of treason which was for note and crime of Popery in lodging Adam Damlip which came from Cardinal Poole the traytor in his house at the Lord Deputies commaundement Notwithstanding the King afterwarde vnderstanding more of the said William Steuens how innocent he was from that crime W. Steuens with the rest pardoned by the king being knowne to all men to be an earnest and zelous Protestant gaue him his pardon and sent him home againe to Calice and so likewise all the other thirteene aboue mentioned The story of a poore labouring man in Calyce BY the credible information writing of the said Calyce men which were then in trouble A poore 〈◊〉 burned at Calice for the right faith of the Sacrament it is reported of a certaine poore laboring maÌ„ of Calice who after the preaching of Adam Damlyp being in certaine company said that he would neuer beleeue that a priest coulde make the Lordes body at his pleasure Wherupon he was then accused and also condemned by one Haruey Commissary there Which Haruey in time of his iudgement inueying against hym with opprobrious words sayd that he was an heretike should die a vile death The poore man whose name yet I haue not certainly learned answering for himselfe againe saide that hee was no hereticke but was in the fayth of Christ. A notable example of Gods iudgâ—â—ment vpon bloudy perâ—secuter And where as thou sayest said he that I shall dye a vile death thou thy selfe shalt dye a viler death and that shortly and so it came to passe for within halfe a yeare after the said Haruey was hanged drawne and quartered for treason in the sayd towne of Calice An other history of one Dodde a Scottish man burned in Calice AFter the burning of this poore man there was also an other certaine scholer counted to be a Scottish man One Dodâ—â— burned in Calice named Dodde who coÌ„ming out of Germany was there taken with certaine Germane bookes about him and being examined thereupon and standing constantly to the truth that hee had learned was therefore condemned to death and there burned in the sayd towne of Calice within the space of a yeare or thereabout after the other godly Martyr aboue mentioned And for so much as I am presently in hand wyth matters of Calice The story 〈◊〉 W. Crosbowmaker bearing a billet in Calice I can not passe from thence without memorie of an other certayne honest man of the same township named William Button aliâs Crosbowmaker although the time of this story is a litle more ancieÌ„t in yeares which story is this William Crosbowmaker a souldier of Calice and the kings seruant being a man as some natures be W. Crosbowmaker questions somwhat pleasantly disposed vsed when he met with Priests to demaund of them certayne merry questions of pastyme as these Whether if a man were sodenly taken and wanted an other thing he might not without offence occupy one of the Popes pardons in steede of a broken paper Another question was whether
of y e canon law as well Prouinciall as Synodall so according to their discretions to set establish an order of ecclesiasticall lawes suche as should be thought by the king and them cōuenient to be receiued and vsed within this realm Which statute as it is most needfull for the gouernement of the Church of England so would God it had bene brought to perfection In this yere touching matters of histories we read no great thing worthy of memory Anno. 1545. but onely of two persons Ioh Athee I. Haywood Of which two we find first I. Athee to be indicted by the kings writ Iohn A the recanted for certayne words agaynst y e sacramēt which words in the indictmēt are specified to be these that he would not beleue in y e thing whiche y e knaue priest made neither in that which Longs wife selleth but onely in God y t is in heauen And when it was told him that God through his word could make it flesh bloud he answered so he might do if he would turne it into a chickins leg meaning the sacrament of the aulter The same yere also folowed y e recantation of Io. Heywood The recantation of Iohn Heywood who although he was tached for treasō for denying the kings supremacy yet vsing y e clemency of y e king vpon his better reformatiō amēdment made an open solēne recantation in y e face of all the people abandoning renoūcing the Popes vsurped supremacy cōfessing of the king to be chiefe supreme head gouernor of this church of England al forein authority iurisdictiō being excluded The tenor effect of whose recantation here foloweth * The recantation of Iohn Haywood I Am come hyther at this time good people willing and of mine own disirous sute Anno. 1544. to shew and declare vnto you briefely First of all the great and inestimable clemency and mercifulnesse of our moste soueraigne and redoubted Prince the kinges Maiesty the which his highnesse hath most graciously vsed towardes me a wretch moste iustlye and worthely condempned to dye for my manifolde and outragious offences haynously and trayterously committed agaynst his maiestye and his lawes For wheras your maiestyes supremacy hath so often bene opened vnto me both by writing and speaking if I had grace either to open mine eies to see it or mine eares to heare it to be surely and certaynely grounded and established vpon the very true worde of God Yet for lacke of grace I haue moste wilfully and obstinately suffered my selfe to fall to suche blindnes y t I haue not onely thought y t the bysh of Rome hath bene and ought to be taken the chiefe and supreame head of the vniuersall Church of Christ heare in earth but also like no true subiect conceiled and fauored such as I haue knowne or thought to be of the opinion For the which moste detestable treasons and vntruthes I heare most humbly and with all my hart first of all aske the kinges maiesty forgeuenesse and secondarily of the world beseeching all these that either now doe or hereafter shall heare of these my great transgressions to take this mine example for an instruction for them to call for grace that they therby be stayd from falling at any time in such miserable blindnesse and folly Moreouer here afore God and you good Christian people I do vtterly withall my hart recāt reuoke all mine aforesayd erronious and trayterous opinions And as my conscience now doth force I protest that euē wyth my hart I firmely thinke and vndoubtedly beleue that the Byshop of Rome neyther now hath nor at any time hath had or can haue by any law of God or man any more authoritye without the precincte of his owne countrye about him then any other Bishop hath within his owne dioces Wherby I assuredly take the abolishing of the pretensed and vsurped power or authority of the Byshop of Rome out of this Realme to be done iustly and truely by the law of God And also I take our soueraigne Lord the kinges highnesse to be supreme head immediatly next vnder Christ of the Church of England and Ireland and all other his graces dominions both of the spiritualty temporalty And I confesse not onely that his maiesty so is by the law of God but also his progenitours kinges of thys Realme so hath bene and his highnesse heyres and sucessors kinges of this Realme so shall be Thus haue I shewed you my minde as well as I can but neither so well as I would nor so full as I should namely cōcerning the multitude of mercy which my most gracious prince hath shewed toward me not onely for sauing my body after worthy cōdēnatiō to death as is aforesayd but also for sauing my soule frō perishing if my body had perished before the receiuing of such wholesome councell as I had at his highnes most charitable assignement And of this confession declared vnto you I say as farre forth as I can I hartely pray you all to beare me record and most entyrely to pray almighty God for the long and most prosperous estate of our soueraigne Lord the kinges Maiesty in all his affayres and procedings By me Iohn Heywood Memorandū quod supra scripta assertio siue recātatio fuit facta publice emissa per prenominatum Iohannem Heiwood die dominica Sexto viz. die Iulij An. Millessimo Quingentessimo Quadragesimo quarto apud crucem paulinam tempore Concionis ibidem In this yeare of our Lord. 1545. as there was no other thing done in England worthy to be noted so now the order of story here requireth by the course of yeares next to infer the discourse of the troubles and persecutions which happened in Scotland agaynst M. George Wysard and diuers other good men of the same country about the same yeare of our Lord. 1545. and somewhat before But because now we are come to the latter ende almost of K. Henryes raygne we will make an ende the Lord willing with a few other English storyes perteyning to that time that finished so to set vpon those matters of Scotland ioyning them whole together The tractation whereof thou shalt see good reader in the latter end and closing vppe of this kinges raigne * Kerby and Roger Clarke of Suffolke Martyrs COmming now to the yeare of our Lord. Ann. 1546. 1546. first passing ouer the Priest whose name was Saxye which was hanged in the Porters lodge of Stephen Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchester and that as it is supposed not without the consent of the sayd Bishop and the secret conspiracy of that bloudy generation to passe ouer also one Henry with his seruaunt burned at Colchester I will now proceede to the story of Kerby and Roger Clarke of Mendessham who were apprehended at Ipswiche ann 1546. the saterday before Gang monday and brought before the Lord Wentworth with other Commissioners appointed there to sit vpon theyr examinations
Crome driueÌ„ to recant But notwithstaÌ„ding the charitable Prelates for all the kinges late exhortation vnto charity were so charitable to him that on Easter next they broght him Coram nobis Anno 1545. where they so handled him y t they made him to recant And if he had not they would haue dissolued him his argument in burning fire so burning hote was theyr charity according as they burned Anne Askew and her fellowes in the moneth of Iulye the yeare folowing The charity of the Bishops Whose tragicall story and cruell handling now consequeÌ„tly the Lord willing you shall heare ¶ The first examination of Mistres Anne Askew before the inquisitours 1545. TO satisfy your expectation The first examination of Anne Askew good people sayth she this was my first examination in the yeare of our Lorde 1545. and in the in the month of March. First Christoph. Dare examined me at Sadlers Hall Christopher Dare Inquisitor being one of the Quest and asked if I did not beleeue that the sacrament hanging ouer the altar was the very bodye of Christ really Then I demaunded this question of hym The first article agaynst Anne Askew wherfore S. Stephen was stoned to death and he sayd he could not tell Then I answered that no more woulde I assoyle his vayne question Secondly he sayd that there was a woman The second article· which did testifie that I shoulde read howe God was not in Temples made with handes Then I shewed him the 7. and 17 chap. of the actes of the Apostles what Stephen and paule had said therein Wherupon he asked me how I took those sentences I answered I would not throw pearles amoÌ„g swine for Acornes were good enough The 3. article Thirstly he asked me wherefore I sayde that I had rather to read fiue lines in the Bible then to heare 5. Masses in the temple I confessed that I sayd no lesse not for the disprayse of either y e epistle or the Gospel but because y e one did greatly edify me and the other nothing at all As S. Paul doth witnes in the 14. chap. of his first epistle to the Cor. where as he sayth 1 Cor. 14. Iâ— the trumpet geueth an vncertayne sound who will prepare himselfe to the battell Fourthly he sayd vnto my charge that I should say if an ill priest ministred The 4. article it was the deuill and not God My answere was that I neuer spake any such thyng But this was my saying Ill conditions of the ministers hurt not the faith of the receauers The 5. article The 6. article that whosoeuer he were that ministred vnto me his il coÌ„ditioÌ„s could not hurt my faith but in spirit I receiued neuertheles y e body bloud of Christ. He asked me what I said concerning confession I answered him my meaning which was as S. Iames sayth that euâ—ry man ought to knowledge his faultes to other and the one to pray for the other Sixtly he asked me what I sayd to the kinges booke And I aunswered him that I coulde say nothing to it because I neuer saw it SeueÌ„thly he asked me if I had the spirit of God in me I answered The 7. article if I had not I was but a reprobate or cast away Then he sayd he had sent for a priest to examine me which was here at hand The priest asked me what I sayd to the Sacrament of the aulter A priest brought to examine Anne Askew required much to know therein my meaning But I desired him againe to hold me excused concerning that matter None other answere would I make him because I perceiued him to be a papist The 8. article Priuate Masses Idolatry Eightly he asked me if I did not thinke that priuate masses did helpe soules departed I sayd it was great idolatry to beleue more in theÌ„ then in the death which Christ dyed for vs. Anne Askew brought to the Lord Mayor Then they had me thence vnto my L. Maior and he examined me as they had before and I answered him directly in all thinges as I aunswered the Quest before Besides this my L. Maior layd one thing to my charge whiche was neuer spokeÌ„ of me but of them that was whether a mouse eating the host receiued God or no This question did I neuer ask but in deede they asked it of me whereunto I made them no aunswere but smiled Then the Bishops Chauncellor rebuked me and sayd y t I was much to blame for vttring the scriptures For S. Paul he sayd forâ—ode women to speake Women forbidden to speake in the congregatioÌ„ and how or to talke of the word of God I answered him that I knew Paules meaning as well as he which is in the 1. Corin. 14. that a woman ought not to speak in the congregation by the way of teaching And theÌ„ I asked him how many women he had seene go into the Pulpit and preach He sayd he neuer saw none Then I sayd he ought to finde no fault in poore women except they had offended the law Then the L. Maior commaunded me to warde I asked him if sureties woulde not serue me and he made me short answere Anne Askew commaunded to the Counter by the Lord Mayor that he would take none Then was I had to the Counter and there remayned xi dayes no frend admitted to speak with me But in the mean time there was a priest sent to me which sayd that he was commaunded of the Bishop to examine me and to geue me good counsell which he did not Talke betweene Anne Askew a Priest sent to her in prison But first he asked me for what cause I was put in the Counter and I told him I could not tell Then he sayd it was great pity that I should be there w tout cause and concluded that he was very sory for me Secondly he sayd it was told him that I should deny the Sacrament of the aulter And I aunswered agayne that that I haue sayd I haue sayd Thirdly he asked me if I were shriuen I tolde him so that I might haue one of these three that is to say Doctor Crome Syr Gillam or Huntington I was contented be cause I knew them to be men of wisedome as for you or any other I will not disprayse because I knowe you not Then he sayd I would not haue you thinke but that I or an other y t shall be brought you shall be as honest as they for if we were not you may be sure the king would not suffer vs to preach Then I aunswered by the saying of Salomon By communing with the wise I may learne wisdome Prou. 1. But by talking with a foole I shall take scathe pro. Fourthly he asked if the host should fall and a Beaste did eate it whether the beast did receiue God or no I answered Whether a mouse may eate Christes body in the Sacrament
then to come He tooke bread he blessed and brake it and gaue it to hys Disciples and sayde Take yee eate yee Math. 26. thys is my bodye whyche shall bee broken and geuen for you And lykewise the cuppe blessed and badde them drinke all thereof for that was the cup of the new testament which should be shed for the forgeuing of many How oft ye do this do it in my remembraunce Then saide the B. of S. Andrewes The Archb. of S. Andrewes speaketh The Earle of Hūtly speaketh and the Officiall of Lowthaine with the Deane of Glasgue and many other Prelates we know this well enough The earle of Hūtly said thou aunswerest not to that which is laide to thee say either nay or yea thereto He aunswered if ye will admitte God his word spoken by the mouth of his blessed sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour ye will admit that I haue sayd for I haue sayd or taught nothing but that the word which is the triall and touchstone sayth whych ought to be Iudge to me and to all the world Why quoth the Earle of Huntley hast thou not a Iudge good inough and trowest thou that we know not God and his word Aunswere to that is spoken to thee and then they made the accuser speake the same thing ouer againe Thou saydest quoth the accuser and hast taught that the bread and wine in the Sacrament of the aultar after the words of the consecration are not the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. He aunswered I sayd neuer more then the write sayth nor yet more then I haue sayd before 1. Cor. 11. For I know wel by S. Paule when he sayeth Whosoeuer eateth this bread and drinketh of thys cup vnwoorthely receaueth to hymselfe damnation And therefore when I taught which was but seldome and to them only which required and desired me I sayd that if the Sacrament of the aultar were truly ministred and vsed as the sonne of the liuing God did institute it where that was done there was God himselfe by hys diuine power by the which he is ouer all The Bishop of Orkney asked him Beleeuest thou not sayd he that the bread and wine in the sacrament of the aultar after the wordes of the consecration is the very body of God flesh bloud and bone He answered I wot not what that word consecration meaneth I haue not much latine Adam Wallace aunswereth by his Creede but I beleeue that the sonne of God was conceaued of the holy Ghost and borne of the Uirgin Mary hath a naturall body with handes feete and other members and in the same body hee walked vp downe in the world preached and taught he suffered death vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed and that by his godly power hee raysed that same body agayne the thyrd day and the same body ascended in to heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the father Christs naturall body cannot be in two places at once whiche shall come agayne to iudge both the quicke and y e dead And that this body is a naturall body with handes feete and cannot be in two places at once he sheweth well hym selfe For the whiche euerlasting thankes be to hym that maketh this matter cleare Math. 26. When the woman brake the oyntment on hym aunswering to some of hys Disciples which grudged thereat he sayd The poore shall you haue alwayes with you but me shall you not haue alwayes meaning of his naturall body And likewise at his Ascention sayd he to the same Disciples that were fleshly and would euer haue had him remayning with them corporally Iohn 16. It is needfull for you that I passe away for if I passe not away the comforter the holy Ghost shall not come to you meaning that his naturall body behoued to be taken away frō thē But be stoute and be of good cheare Math. 28. Iohn 16. for am with you vnto the worldes end And that the eating of his very flesh profiteth not The eating of the very flesh of Christ profiteth nothing may well be knowne by his wordes which he spake in the 6. of Iohn where after that he had sayd Except ye eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud ye shall not haue life in you they murmuring therat he reproued them for their grosse fleshly taking of his wordes and sayd What will ye thinke when ye se the sonne of man ascend to the place that he came frō It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing to be eaten as they tooke it and euen so take ye it Iohn 6. The B. of Orknay speaketh It is an horrible heresie sayde the Bishop of Orknay When he began to speake again and bad the Lord Gouernour iudge if hee had righte by the write the accuser cryed Ad secundam Nunc ad secundam aunswered the Archbishop of S. Andrewes The 2. article agaynst Adam Wallace Then was he bidden to heare the accuser who propounded the second Article and sayd Thou saydest lykewyse and openly diddest teach that the Masse is very Idolatry and abhominable in the sight of God Aunswere He aunswered and sayde I haue read the Bible and word of God in three tounges and haue vnderstand them so farre as God gaue me grace and yet read I neuer that word Masse in it all The Masse not found in Scripture but I found sayd he that the thyng that was highest and most in estimation amongst men and not in the word of God was Idolatry and abhominable in the sight of God And I say the Masse is holden greatly in estimation Argument and high amongest men and is not founded in the word therefore I said it was Idolatry and abhominable in the sight of God But if any man will find it in the Scripture and proue it by Gods word I will graunt mine errour and that I haue fayled otherwise not and in that case I will submit me to all lawfull correction and punishment Ad tertiam sayd the Archbyshop Then sayde the accuser Thou hast sayde and openly taught that the God which we woorship is but bread sowen of corne The 3. Article Aunswere growing of the earth baked of mēs hands and nothing else He aunswered I worship the father the sonne and the holy Ghost three persons in one Godhead which made fashioned the heauen and earth and all that is therein of naught but I know not which God you worship and if you will shew me whome you worship The popes God I shall shew you what he is as I can by my iudgement Beleeuest thou not sayd the accuser that the sacrament of the alter after the words of the consecration betwixt the Priests hands is the very body and bloud of the sonne of God and God himselfe What the body of God is sayde he and what kind of body he hath I haue shewed you so farre as I
shew you your selues to be so sad heauy in mynde as appeareth to me by your outward gestures and countenaunces I would wish you and I require you to be as mery as I am laying therewith hys hand vpon hys brest for afore God I am not sad nor heauy but mery and of good comfort and am right glad ioyfull of this my trouble which is for gods cause and it greueth me nothyng at all But the great matter that grieueth me pierceth my hart is for that this Hooper and such other vile heretikes and beastes be suffered and licenced to preache at Paules crosse in other places within my Diocesse Cure most detestably preaching and railing at the blessed Sacrament of the aultar denying the veritie and presence of Christs true body and bloud to be there so infecteth and betrayeth my flocke But I say it is there in very deede in that opinion I will lyue and dye and am ready to suffer death for the same Wherfore ye being christen men I do require you and also charge and commaunde you in the name of God and on his behalfe as ye wyll aunswere hym for the contrary that ye goe to the Mayor of London and to hys brethren the Aldermen praying and also requiryng them earnestly in Gods name and myne and for myne owne discharge on that behalfe that from hencefoorth Here Boners 〈…〉 when any such detestable and abhominable preachers and especially those which hold opinion against the blessed Sacrament of the aultar do come to preach vnto them they forth with depart out of their presence and doe not heare them least that they taryeng with such Preachers should not onely hurt themselues in receiuyng theyr poysoned doctrine but also geue a visage to the incouragemeÌ„t of others which thereby mought take an occasion to thinke and beleeue that theyr erroneous and damnable doctrine is true and good and this eftsoones I require and commaunde you to doe And then turnyng hymselfe about and beholdyng two of the Archbishops Gentlemen which in the same place kept the Chamber dore where the Commissioners were in consultation and perceiuing that they had heard all his talke he spake vnto them also and sayd And Syrs Boners 〈…〉 to two of the Archbâ—â—shops geâ—â—tlemen ye be my Lorde of Caunterburies Gentlemen I knowe ye very well and therefore I also require and charge you in Gods behalfe and in hys name that ye doe the lyke for your partes in places where ye shall chaunce to see and heare such corrupt and erroneous Preachers and also aduertise my Lord your maister of the same and of these my sayinges that I haue nowe spoken here before you as ye are Christian men and shall aunswere before God for the contrary With this the Commissioners called for the Bishop agayne Who did read vnto them an instrument conteining a prouocation to the king which he made in manner and forme here followyng The first appellation intimated by Edmund Boner Bishop of London IN the name of God Amen It shall appeare to all men by this publike instrument that the yeare of our Lord Boner appealeth to the king because he could not to the popâ—â— 1549. the xx day of September the third yeare of the raigne of our most high and renowmed Prince Edward the sixt by the grace of GOD King of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth and in earth the supreme head of the Church of England and Ireland in a chamber within the Pallace of the sayde Bishop situated in London and in the presence of me the Notary publicke and of the witnesses hereafter named the foresayd Bishop did personally appeare and there did shew forth in writing a certaine Protestation and Appellation the tenor wherof ensueth In the name of God Amen I Edmund Byshop of London say alleadge and propound before you beyng a publike Notary and these credible witnesses here present that although I the foresayd Edmund haue attayned the Bishoprike aforesayd by the beneuolence of the famous Prince of memory King Henry the eight and was lawfully elected and translated to the same wyth his rites and appurtenaunces haue of long time possessed peaceably and quietly the same and presently doe possesse beyng taken as Bishop and lawfull possessour of the sayd bishopricke and am lawfully called taken and reputed notoriously and publikely and moreouer doe keepe residence and hospitalitie on the same accordyng to the order state person and dignitie and as the reuenewes of the same would permit and haue exercised and done all thynges appertainyng to my pastorall office as the lawes doe require as hereafter I trust by Gods grace to doe and obserue a man of good name and fame neyther suspended excommunicate nor interdicted neyther conuict of any notable crime or fact alwayes obeying readily the commaundement of the Church and other my superiours in all lawfull causes neuerthelesse fearing vpon certayne probable causes lykely coniectures threatnyngs and assertions of certayne iniurious men my enemies or at the least such as little fauour me that great dammage may come to me hereafter about the premisses or part of them and least any man by any authoritie commaundement denunciation inquisition office or at the request of any person or persons may attempt preiudice or hurt to me or my said dignitie either by my excommunication interdiction sequestration spoyling vexing and perturbyng by any maner of meanes doe appeale to the most hygh and mighty Prince our soueraigne Lord Edw. the 6. by the grace of God king of England France c. in these my writings do prouoke appeale to his regal maiesty I do also require the Apostles so much as in this case they are to be required the first secoÌ„d third tyme earnestly more earnestly and most earnestly of all that there may be geuen to me the protection tuition and defence of my foresayd most dreade soueraigne Lord for the safegard of me my dignitie title Apostles a terme oâ— Canon 〈◊〉 signifie as much 〈◊〉 letters reuerential◠〈◊〉 and possession in the premisses and to all that will cleaue to me in this behalfe I doe also protest that I will be contented to correct reforme and amend this my present protestation and to the same to adde to take away and to bryng the same into the best forme and state that may be deuised by the counsaile of learned men or as the case shall require and the same to intimate accordyng to tyme and place and the order of the law Anno 1559. and still shall require Vpon all the which premisses the foresayd Edmund B. of London did require the Notary publike here vnder written to make vnto hym and the witnesses hereafter named one two or more copies of this protestation These thynges were done the yeare day and tyme aboue-written there beyng present Gilbert Bourne Bacheler of Diuinitie Iohn Harpesfield and Robert Colen Maisters of Arte Iohn Wakelyng and Richard Rogers learned
good eftsoones to desire you that my sayde Chaplayne may haue his libertye wherein I assure you yee shall much gratifie me beeing not a little troubled that he is so long in prison without iust cause seeyng the matter of hys imprisonmente is discharged by the promise made to the Emperours Maiestie as in my late letter I declared vnto you Wherefore my Lordes I pray you let me haue knowledge by this bearer how ye will vse me in this matter wherein if ye do pleasure me accordingly then shall it well appeare that ye regard the foresayd promise and I wil not forget your gentlenes therein God willing but requite it to my power And thus with my harty commendations to you all I bid you farewell From Beaulien the 21. of Iune Your assured friend to my power Mary ¶ The Counsaile to the Lady Mary the 24. of Iune 1551. AFter our humble coÌ„mendatioÌ„s to your grace we haue receiued your graces letter of the 21. heereof wherin is receaued the same request that in your former letters hath bene made for the release of Doctor Mallet and therein also your grace seemeth to haue looked for the same answer of your former letter y t which indeed partly was omitted as your grace coÌ„iectureth by the reason of y e Kings Maiesties affaires wherwith we â—e throughly occupied partly for that we had no other thing to answere then you had heeretofore heard in the same matter And therefore where your grace desireth a resolute answere we assure the same we be right sory for y â— matter that it should be your graces chaunce to moue it as we cannot with our duties to y e Kings Maiestie accomplishe your desire So necessary a thing it is to see the lawes of the Realme executed indifferently in all manner of persons and in these cases of contempt of the Ecclesiasticall orders of this Church of England the same may not without y e great displeasure of God the slaunder of y e state be neglected and therfore your grace may please to vnderstand we haue not only punished your Chaplein but all such others whom we find in like case to haue disobeyed the lawes of the Kings maiestie And touching the excuse your grace oftentimes vseth of a promise made we assure your grace none of vs al nor any other of the Counsell as your grace hath bene certified hath euer bene priuie to any such promise otherwise then hath bene written And in that matter your grace had plaine answer both by vs of the kings maiesties Counsell at your being last in his Maiesties presence and therein also your grace might perceiue his Maiesties determination whereunto we beseech your grace not only to incline your selfe but also to iudge well of vs that do addict our selues to doe our dueties And so also shall we be ready to do with all oure harts our due reuerence towarde your grace whose preseruation we commend to almighty God with our praier The Copie of the Lady Maryes letter to the Kings Maiestie MY duetie most humbly remembred vnto your Maiesty it may please the same to be aduertised that I haue receyued by my seruauntes your most honourable letters the conteâ—â—es whereof do not a little trouble me and so muche the more for that any of my sayd seruants should moue or attempt me in matters touching my soule which I thinke the meanest subiect within your highnes Realme could euill 〈◊〉 at their seruauntes handes hauing for my part vtterly refused heeretofore to talke with them in such matters and of all other persons 〈…〉 them therein to whome I haue declared what I think◠〈◊〉 â—hee which trusted that your Maiestie woulde haue suffered 〈◊〉 your poore sister and beadewomaÌ„ to haue vsed the accustomed masse which the King your father mine with all his predecâ—ssours did euermore vse wherein also I haue ben brought vp froÌ„ my 〈◊〉 And therevnto my conscience doth not only bind me which by no meanes will suffer me to thinke one thing and do another 〈◊〉 also the promise made to the Emperour by your Maiesties counsaile was an assurance to me that in so doing I should not offâ—nd the â—wes although they seeme nowe to qualifie and 〈…〉 thing And at my last wayting vpon your Maiesty I was 〈◊〉 to declare my mind and conscience to the same and desired your highnes rather then you should constraine me to leaue 〈…〉 my life wherunto your maiesty made me a very geÌ„tle answer And now I most humbly beseech your highnes to geueÌ„ me leaue to write what I thinke touching your Maiesties letters In deede they be signed with your owne hand and neuertheles in mine opinioÌ„ not your maiesties in effect because it is wel knoweÌ„ as heretofore I haue declared in the preseÌ„ce of your highnesse that although our Lorde be praysed your Maiestie hath farre more knowledge and greater giftes then others of your yeres yet it is not possible that your highnes can at these yeares be a iudge in matters of religion and therefore I take it that the matter in your letters proceedeth from such as doe wish those thinges to take place which be most agreeable to themselues by whose doinges your maiesty not offended I entend not to rule my conscience And thus without molesting your Highnes any further I humbly beseech the same eueÌ„ for Gods sake to beare with me as you haue done and not to thinke that by my doinges or example anye inconuenience might growe to your maiestie or your Realme for I vse it not after such sorte putting no doubt but in time to come whether I liue or dye your maiestie shall perceaue that mine intent is grounded vpon a true loue towardes you whose royall estate I beseeche almighty God long to continue which is and shall be my dayly praier according to my duety And after pardon craued of your maiesty for these rude and bold letters if neyther at my humble suite nor for the regard of the promise made to the Emperour your Highnesse will suffer and beare with mee as you haue done till your Maiestye may be a iudge herein your selfe and rightly vnderstand theyr proceedinges of whiche your goodnesse yet I despayre not otherwise rather then to offend God and my conscience I offer my body at your wil and death shall be more welcome then life with a troubled conscience most humbly beseeching your Maiestye to pardon my slownes in aunswering your letters For mine olde disease woulde not suffer me to write any sooner And thus I praye almighty God to keep your Maiesty in all vertue and honor with good health and long life to his pleasure From my poore house at Copped hall the xix of Aug. Your Maiesties most humble sister Mary ¶ A Copy of the kinges maiesties letters to the sayde Lady Mary RIght deare and right intirely beloued sister we greete you well and let you knowe that it greeueth vs muche to perceiue no amendment in you of that which we for Gods
time of king Henry the thirde the same time the Barons as our Lordes do now demaunded aide of the Maior and citie of London and that in a rightfull cause for the common weale which was for y e execution of diuers good lawes against y e king which would not suffer those lawes to be put in execution and the citie did aide them it came to an open battel and the Lordes preuailed against y e king and tooke the king and sonne prisoners and vpon certaine conditions the Lordes restored the kinge and his sonne againe to their liberties among all other conditions thys was one that the king should not only graunt his pardon to the lordes but also to the citizens of London the which was graunted yea and the same was ratified by act of parlament But what folowed of it Was it forgotteÌ„ No surely nor forgeuen neither during the kings life The liberties of the citie were taken away straungers appoynted to be our heads and gouernours the Citizens geuen awaye body and goods and from one persecution to an other wer most miserably afflicted Such is it to enter into the wrath of a Prince as Salomon sayeth The wrath and indignation of a Prince is death Wherfore for as much as this aide is required of the kinges Maiestie 〈◊〉 wrath 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 whose voyce wee ought to hearken vnto for he is our high Shepehearde rather then vnto the Lordes and yet I woulde not wishe the Lordes to be clearely shaken off my counsell is that they wyth vs and we with them maye ioyne in sute and make our moste humble petition to the kings maiestie that it would please his highnes to heare such complaint against the gouernement of the Lorde Protectoure as maye be iustly alleaged and prooued and I doubte not but thys matter will be so pacified that neither shal the king nor yet the Lordes haue cause to seeke for further aide neither we to offende any of them both After this tale the Commons stayed and the Lorde Maior and his brethren for that time brake vppe till they had further communed wyth the Lordes To make short I lette passe what order by the Citie was taken 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 noted 〈◊〉 the City leuied 〈◊〉 men but they were not 〈◊〉 But the conclusion was that the Lordes vppon what occasion I knowe not sate the next daye in Counsaile in the Starre chamber from thence sente sir Philip Hobby wyth theyr letter of credence to the kings maiestie beseeching his maiestie to geue credit to that which the sayd sir Philip should declare vnto his maiestye in their names and y e king gaue him liberty to speake and most gently heard all that he had to say Who so haÌ„dled the matter declaring his message in the name of the Lords that in the end the Lord Protector was commaunded from the kings presence The Lord Protector committed to prison in Winsore castle The Lord Protector committed to the towâ—â— Articles obiected against the â—ord Protectour shortly was committed to warde in a tower within the castle of Windsore called Bewchamp Tower and soone after were stayed sir Tho. Smith maister Whalley master Fisher many other gentlemen that attended vpon the Lorde Protectour The same day the Lordes of the Counsaile resorted to the Kinge and the next day they brought from thence the Lorde Protector and the other that were there stayed and conueyed them through the Citie of London vnto the Tower and there left them Shortlye after the Lordes resorted vnto the Tower and there charged the Lorde Protectour with sundry articles as follow Articles obiected against the Lord Protectour 1 IN primis you tooke vppon you the office of Protectour and Gouernour vpon condition expressely and specially that you woulde doe nothinge in the kinges affaires publikely or priuately but by the assent of the late kinges executors 2 Also you contrary to the sayde condition of your owne authority did stay and let iustice and subuerted the lawes as wel by your letters as by your commaundements 3 Also you caused diuers persones being arested and imprisoned for treason murder manslaughter and felonie to be discharged and set at large against the kings lawes and statutes of this realme 4 Also you haue made and ordained Lieutenants for the kings armies other weighty affaires vnder your owne wryting and seale 5 Also you haue communed with the Ambassadours of other Realmes discoursing alone with them the waighty causes of this Realme 6 Also you haue sometime rebuked checked and taunted as well priuately as openly diuers of the kings moste honourable Counsailours for shewing declaring theyr aduises and opinions against your purposes in the kings waightye affaires sayinge sometimes to them that you neede not to open matters vnto them and would therfore be otherwise aduised and that you would if they were not agreeable to your opinyon put them oute and take other at your pleasure 7 Also you had and helde against the lawe in your owne house a Courte of Requestes and thereby did enforce diuers the kinges subiectes to answeare for their free holdes and goodes and determined the same to the subuersion of the same lawes 8 Also you being no Officer without the aduise of the Counsaile or the more part of them did dispose of the Offices of the kings gift for money and graunted leases and Wardes of the kings and gaue presentations to the kings benefices bishoprikes hauing no authority so to do And farther you did meddle with the selling of y e kings landes 9 Also you commaunded Multiplication and Alcumistry to be practised to abuse the kings coyne 10 Also you caused a proclamation to be made concerning enclosures wherby the common people haue made diuers insurrections leuied open warre and distreâ—ed spoyled diuers of the kings subiects which proclamation went foorth against the wil of the whole counsaile 11 Also you haue caused a commission with certaine articles thereunto annexed to be made our concerning enclosures of commons high wayes decaying of cottages and diuers other things geuing the Commissioners authority to heare and determine the same causes to the subuersion of the lawes and statutes of this realme whereby much sedition insurrection and rebellion haue risen and growen among the kings subiects 12 Also you haue suffered the rebels and traitours to assemble and to lie in campe and armor against the king his Nobles and gentlemen without any speedye subduing or repressing of them 13 Also you did comfort and encourage diuers of the sayde rebelles by geuing of them diuers summes oâ— your owne mony and by promising to diuers of them sees rewards and seruices 14 Also you in fauour of the sayde rebels did againste the lawes cause a Proclamation to be made y t none of the said rebels or traitors shuld be sued or vexed by any person for any their offences in the said rebellion to the clear subuersion of the same lawes 15 Also you haue
In the Sacrament bread is receaued either leauened or vnleauened j. Ergo in the Sacrament is substaunce of bread and not accidences onely ¶ Argument Ba The body of Christ is named of that which is proportioned round and is vnsensible in operation ro Accidences only of bread haue no figure of roundnes co Ergo the body of Christ is not named of accidences but of very bread substantiall ¶ Argument The wordes of the Euangelist speaking of that whyche Christ tooke blessed brake and gaue do importe it to be bread and nothing else but bread Ergo the substance of bread is not to be excluded out of the Sacrament Chrisostome Christ in bread and wyne sayde do this in remembraunce of me Chrisost. â— Cor. 11. 〈◊〉 27. Cyrillus He gaue to them peeces or fragments of bread Cyrill in 〈◊〉 lib. 4. 〈◊〉 14. Also the same Cyrill sayth In bread we receaue his precious body and his bloud in wyne Ergo by these Doctours it remaineth bread after consecration Ambrose Before the blessing of the heauenly words it is called another kynde of thyng After consecration the body of Christ is signified ¶ Arguments of Peter Martyr disputing with M. Chadsey vpon the first question Da The Analogie and resemblaunce betwene the Sacrament and the thing signified must euer be kept in all Sacraments ti In the Sacrament of the Lordes body this Analogie or resemblaunce can not be kept if bread be transubstantiated si Ergo the substance of bread must needes remayne in the Sacrament of the Lords body The Maior of this Argument is certaine by S. Austen Lib. De catechisandis rudibus â—ugust eâ—â—st ad â—ardanum Epist. ad Dardan Where hee sayeth Sacramentes must needes beare a similitude of those thyngs whereof they are Sacramentes or else they can be no Sacramentes The Minor is thus proued ¶ Argument Ba The resemblaunce betweene the Sacrament and the body of Christ is this â—â—alogi◠〈◊〉 proporâ—â—â—n beâ—â—eene the â—â—tward â—â—urishing 〈◊〉 bread in 〈◊〉 bodyes 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 Christes 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 soules that as the properties of bread and wyne do nourish outwardly so the properties of the body of Christ do nourish spiritually ro Without the substaunce of bread and wine there is no resemblaunce of nourishing co Ergo without the substaunce of bread and wyne the Analogie can not hold ¶ Argument Ba Agayne another resemblaunce and similitude or Analogie of this Sacramente is this that as one loafe of bread and one cuppe of wine conteineth many cornes and many grapes so the mysticall congregation coÌ„teineth many members and yet maketh but one bodie ro Without the substance of bread wine no such resemblaunce or similitude of coÌ„iunction can be represented co Ergo without the substaunce of bread and wyne the Analogie of this spirituall coniunction can not holde ¶ Another Argument Ba Euery Sacrament consisteth in two thynges that is in the thing signifieng and the thing signified ro Without the substance of bread and wine there is nothing that signifieth in the Sacrament co Ergo the substaunce of bread and wyne in the Sacramente can in no wise be transubstantiate from theyr natures The Minor is thus to be proued Fes There is no signification in any Sacrament without the element â—i The substaunce of bread and wine is the elemente of this Sacrament â—o Ergo without the substaunce of bread and wine there is no similitude nor signification in this Sacrament And for somuch as the aduersaries ground their transubstantiation so much vpon these wordes of Christ This is my body which they expound onely after y e litteral sense Three causes prouing that these wordes of Christ. Hoc est corpus meum are not to be taken literally but spiritually without troupe or figure now that this their exposition is false and that the sayde woordes are to be taken figuratiuely and spiritually by three causes it is to be proued 1. First by the wordes of the Scripture 2. By the nature of a Sacrament 3. By the testimonies of the fathers 1. First by these wordes of the scripture where he sayth Doe this in remembraunce of mee for so muche as remembraunce properly serueth not for thinges corporally preseÌ„t but for thinges rather being absent 2. Secondly where he saith Vntill I come Places of Scripture making agaynst transubstantiation Which words were vayne if he were already come by consecration 3. Thirdly where S. Paule sayth The breaking of bread is it not the communion of the body of Christ Which words of breaking in no case can be verified vppon the body of Christ which for the glory thereof is vnpossible 4. Furthermore where as the Lord biddeth theÌ„ to take and eate it is euident that the same cannot be vnderstand simply of the body of Christ without a trope forsomuch as he cannot be eaten and chawed with teeth as we vse properly in eating other meates to doe 5. The wordes moreouer of Luke and Paule spoken of the cuppe doe argue likewise that the other words spoken of the bread must needes be taken mistically As where it is sayd This cup is the new testament which woordes must needes be expounded thus thys cup doth signifie the new Testament 6. Item these wordes of S. Iohn chap. 6. My wordes be spirite and life The flesh profiteth nothing c. 7. IteÌ„ where in the same place of S. Iohn Christ to refell the carnal vnderstanding of the Capernaites of eating his body maketh mention of his Ascension c. The second cause why the wordes of Christ The secoÌ„d cause the nature of a Sacrament This is my body cannot be litterally expounded without trope is y e nature of a sacrament whose nature and propertie is to beare a signe or signification of a thinge to be remembred which thing after the substantiall and reall presence is absent As touching which nature of a sacrament sufficiently hath bene sayd before The third cause the testimonye of the fathers The third cause why the woordes of consecration are figuratiuely to be taken is the testimonie of the auncient Doctours Tertullianus This is my body that is to say this is a figure of my body Tertullianus Contra Martionem Lib. 4. Augustinus Psal. 3. August contra Adamantum Cap. 12. Hiâ—ronimus August Psal. 3. Christ gaue a figure of his body August Contra Adamantum Manichaeum He did not doubt to say This is my body when he gaue a signe of his body Hieronimus Christ represented vnto vs his body August August in his booke De Doctrina Christiana declareth expressely that this speache of eating the body of Christ August de Doctrina Christiana Lib. is a figuratiue speach Ambrosius As thou hast receaued the similitude of his death so thou drinkest the similitude of his precious bloud ¶ Argument Fe The death of Christ is not present really in the sacrament but by similitude ri The precious bloud of Christ is present in the Sacrament
that it should be an occasion of Idolatry And long after the Apostles time as Tertullian wryteth womeÌ„ were suffered to take it home with them and to lap it vp in their châ—stes And the priest many times sent it to sicke persones by a childe which no doubt would haue geuen more reuerence therto if they had taken it for their God But a great while after about 300. yere agone Honorius 3. the Bishop of Rome tooke him and hanged him vp and caused men to kneele and crouch downe and all to bâ—god him Futhermore Pope Honorius 3. first author of worshipping the Sacrament An 1220. if the bread be turned and altered into the body of Christ doubtles it is the greatest miracle that euer God wrought But the Apostles saw no myracle in it Nazianzenus an olde wryter and Augustine entreating of al the myracles that are in the scripture number the Sacrament for none As for the apostles it appeareth wel that they had it for no maruel for they neuer mused at it Apostles olde Doctours make no miracle nor maruell at the Sacrament neither demanded how it might be whereas in other thinges they euermore were ful of questions As touching S. Augustine he not only ouerhippeth it as no wonder but by plaine expres words testifieth that ther is no maruel in it For speaking of the Lords supper and of the other sacraments he sayeth these words * That is to say Sacraments here may haue their honour as things religious but they are not to be woÌ„dred at as miracles Hic SacrameÌ„ta honorem vt religiosa habere possunt stuporem autem vt mira non possunt Moreouer a little before the institution of the sacrament Christe spake of hys ascension saying I leaue the world I tary but a litle while wyth you Let not your hearts be troubled because I go from you I tell you truthe it is for your profite that I goe from you for if I goe not the spirite of comfort cannot come to you Ihon 14. wyth many other like warnings of his departure S. Steuen sawe hym sitting at the right hand of his Father and thought it a speciall reuelation of God but he neuer said that he sawe him at the Communion or that he made him Actes 3. euery daye himselfe And in the Actes of the Apostles S. Peter sayeth that Christ must needes keepe the heauen till all be ended Esay Salomon and S. Steuen Actes 17. saye that God dwelleth not in temples made with mans hand S. Paule wysheth that he were dissolued and dead and were with Christ not in the aultar doutlesse where he might be daily but in heauen And to be briefe it is in oure Credo we do constantly beleeue that Christe is ascended into heauen and sitteth at his fathers right hande and no promise haue we that he will come iumping downe at euery priests calling Hereof I gather this reason Christes body can not both be gone and be heere If Christ were both gone and tarried then he should seme to haue left himselfe behinde him But he is gone and hath left the world Therefore it is follie to seeke him in the world Cust. Fie you be farre deceiued I can not in no wise brooke these words You shut vp Christ too straitly and imprisone hym in one corner of heauen not suffering hym to goe at large No doubtlesse he hath deserued more gentlenesse at your hande then to be tied vp so shorte Veri I do neither locke vp neither imprison Christ in heauen The body of Christ imprisoned by the Papistes in a boxe and afterward burned when he is mouldye but according to the Scriptures declare that hee hath chosen a blessed place moste worthy to receiue his maiestie in which place who so is inclosed thinketh not himself as I suppose to be a prisonner but if you take it for so hainous a thing y t Christ should sit resident in heauen in y e glory of his father what thinke you of them that imprison him in a litle boxe yea and keepe him in captiuitie so long vntil he be mouldy ouergrowne with vermine when he is past mans meat be not contented to hang him till he stincke but will haue him to a newe execution and burne hym too This is wonderfull and extreme cruell imprisoning But to returne to the matter wee are certainely perswaded by the worde of God that Christ the very sonne of God vouchsaued to take vppon him the body and shape of man that he walked was conuersant amongst men in that same one not in many bodies and that hee suffered death rose againe and ascended to heauen in the selfe same body and that he sitteth at his fathers ryght hande in hys manhode in the nature and substance of the said one body This is our beliefe this is the very word of God Wherefore they are far deceiued which leauing heauen wil grope for Christes body vpon the earth Cust. Nay sir but I see now you are farre out of the way For Christ hath not so grosse fleshly a body as you think Christes body iâ— spirituall in thâ— Sacrament say the Papistes but a spirituall and a ghostly body and therefore without repugnaunce it may be in many places at once Veri You say right wel and do graunt that Christes body is spiritual But I pray you answer me by the waye Can any other body then that which is spirituall be at one time in sondry places Cust. No truely Veri Haue we that same selfe sacrament that Christe gaue to his Disciples at his Maundie or no Cust. No doubtlesse we haue the same Veri When became Christes body spirituall was it so eueÌ„ from his birth Cust. No for doubtles before he arose from death his bobody was earthly as other mens bodies are Veri Well but when gaue Christe the Sacrament to hys Disciples before he arose from death or after Cust. The Popes doctrine repugnant to it selfe You know your selfe he gaue it before his resurrection the night before he suffered hys Passion Veritie Why then me thinketh he gaue the Sacrament at that time when his body was not spirituall Cust. Euen so Veri And was euery portion of the Sacrament delt to the Apostles and receaued into their mouthes the very reall and substantiall body of Christ Cust. Yea doubtles Veri Marke well what ye haue said for you haue graunted me great repugnance First you say that no body being not spiritual can be in sundry places at once Then say you that at the maundy Christes body was not spirituall and yet hold you that he was there present visible before the Apostles eyes and in ech of theyr handes and mouthes all at one time which graunts of yours are not agreeable But I will gather a better and a more formall reason of youre wordes The Papistes though they be conuicted yet they will not beleue in this sort Fe
the body of Christ to their owne confusion Veri No not so These are not Paules woordes but hee sayeth Who so eateth of this bread and drinketh of thys cuppe vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne condemnation The wicâ—â—â— receiue 〈◊〉 the body 〈◊〉 Christ. not iudging the bodye of the Lorde Heere hee calleth it in playne woordes breade And althoughe the Sacramente be very bread yet doeth the iniurie redounde to the body of Christ. As if a man breake the kynges Mace or treade the broade Seale vnder his foote although hee haue broken and defaced nothynge but siluer and waxe Yet is the iniurie the Kinges and the doer shall be taken as a Traitour Ambrosâ—â—â— Saint Ambrose declareth the meaninge of Saint Paule by these woordes Reus est corporis Domini qui poenas dabit mortis Christi quoniam irritam fecit mortem Domini The cause of the ordinance therof was the remembraunce of the death of Christe which who so forgetteth receiueth the Sacrament to their condemnation Augustiâ—â— That same witnesseth S. Augustine For the Sacrament sayeth he is an outwarde token of loue and charitie For like as many graines of come are become one pece of bread euen so they that receiue it ought to be one Then sayeth hee Mysterium pacis ac vnitatis nobis Christus in mensa sua consecrauit Quid accepit mysterium vnitatis non seruat vnitatem non mysterium accepit pro se sed testimonium contra se. Hee that readeth the Gospel wherein is declared the passion and death of Christe The plaâ—â— of S. Pauâ—â— of receiuâ— vnworthâ— expound and liueth contrary to the Gospell shall doubtlesse be the more giltie of the death of Christe because hee heareth and readeth the word of God and regardeth it not In a certaine countrey the maner is that when the Gospell is read the king shall stand vp with a naked sword in his hand declaring therby that he beareth his sword in defence of the Gospell But if he himselfe oppresseth the Gospell he beareth the sword against himself for the Gospel shal turne to his iudgement and condemnation So wil Christ so much more extremely punish a manne which knowing him selfe to be wicked and without repentance and therefore none of the flocke of Christe yet notwithstanding will impudently creepe into the company of Christian men receiue the Sacramentes with them as though he were one of the nomber And this meant S. Paule by the vnworthy receiuing of the Sacrament of Christes body Wherefore a man maye vnworthely take the Sacrament and be giltie of the death of Christe although he receiue not Christes body into hys mouthe chawe it with his teeth But what if I prooue that euerye Massing priest is giltie of the body and bloud of Christ Cust. I dare say you can not prooue it Veri But if I do prooue it will you beleeue me Cuâ—t I may well inough for it is impossible to doe it For Priestes commonly are confessed before they go to Masse and how can they then take the Sacrament vnworthely Veri â—â—â—fessioÌ„ In deede confession if it be discretely vsed is a laudable custome and to the vnlearned man and feeble coÌ„science so good as a Sermone But notwythstanding because it was neuer neither commaunded of Christ nor receiued of the Apostles â—â—brosius nor much spoken of the olde Doctours it can not make much for y e due receiuing of the Sacrament But how like you these woordes of S. Ambrose Is indignè sumit qui aliter sumit quam Christus instituit i. He taketh it vnworthely that taketh it otherwise then Christ ordained it Custome This liketh me very wel But what gather you of it Veritie This will I gather The Massing Priest taketh the Sacrament otherwise then Christ either commaunded or taught Ergo he taketh it vnworthely and so consequeÌ„tly to his condemnation Cust. That is not so for he doth altogether as Christ commaunded him Veritie That shall appeare For Christ commaunded it to be done in his remembraunce the Priest doth it in remembraunce of dead men 〈◊〉 Priest 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 as 〈…〉 it vnworthely Christ tooke breade and left it breade the Priest taketh bread and coniureth it away Christ tooke bread and gaue thankes the Priest taketh bread and breatheth vppon it Christe tooke bread and brake it the Priest taketh bread and hangeth it vppe Christ tooke breade and dealt to hys Apostles the Priest because hee is an Apostle him selfe taketh breade and eateth it euery whitte alone Christ in a Sacrament gaue his owne body to be eaten in faith the Priest for lacke of faith receiueth accidences and dimensions Christ gaue a Sacrament to strengthen mens faith the Priest geueth a sacrifice to redeeme mens soules Christ gaue it to be eaten the Priestes giueth it to be worshipped 〈◊〉 â—â—tweene Christs orâ—â—nance 〈◊〉 Priestes 〈…〉 And to conclude Christe gaue bread the Priest sayth he geueth a God Here is difference inough betwene Christ and the Priest Yet moreouer Christ at his Supper spake his woordes out and in a plaine tounge the Prieste speaketh nothing but Latine or Greeke which tounges he ofttimes perceiueth not and much he whispereth least any other poore man should perhaps perceiue him So it commeth to passe that the Prieste knoweth no more what hee himselfe sayeth then what he doeth This you may see that the Massing Prieste receiueth the Sacrament of Christes body farre otherwise then euer Christ minded and so therfore vnworthely and to his condemnation Nowe if you thinke your selfe satisfied I wil returne to my former question and prooue more at large that Christes body can not be 〈◊〉 of the wicked which thing must necessarily ensue if the breâ—de were turned into the body of Christ. Christ in the 6. of Iohn speaking of the eating of his body saythâ— He that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer Whereof I gather thus But sinnefull men take the Sacrament to theyr condemnation and liue not for euer Ergo in the Sacrament they receiue not the body of Christ. Againe Christe sayeth He that eateth me shall liue for my sake Heereof I conclude thus But impetinent personnes can not liue for Christes sake Moreouer Christes bodye must be receiued and not wyth the mouth Gregorius as Gregorie recordeth saying that it is eaten wyth the teethe of the soule not of the body as I haue aboue more largely declared But wicked and impenitent persons lacke faith Wherefore they can not eate the bodye of Christe Againe Christes body can not be deuided from his spirite but wicked men haue not the spirite of God Ergo they haue not Christes body Heereunto agreeth all the old wryters affirming constantly that the vnfaithful he no meete vessâ—lles to receiue the body of Christe â—â—gust 〈…〉 S. Augustine sayth Qui non manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus 〈…〉 non manducat carnem Christi nec bibit eius
barbariae vitium contrahat The report of the Princes Scholemaister in commendation of his towardnes to the Archb. RIght honorable and my singular good Lorde This 〈◊〉 seemetâ— be 〈◊〉 by D. â— after my most harty coÌ„mendations the oportunitie of this messenger forceth me to wryte at this time hauing litle matter but onely to signify vnto your grace that my Lords grace your godsonne is mery and in health and of such towardnes in learning godlinesse gentlenes and all honest qualities y t both you and I and all this realme ought to thinke him and take him for a singular gift sent of God an Impe worthy of such a father for whome we are bound sine intermissione to render to God most harty thankes wyth most humble request of hys long prosperous continuance He hath learned almoste foure bookes of Cato to construe to parse and to say wythout booke And of hys owne courage nowe in the latter Booke hee will needes haue at one time 14. Uerses which he konneth pleasantly and perfectly besides things of the Bible Sattellitium Viuis Aesops Fables and Latin making wherof he hath sent your Grace a litle tast Dominus Iesus te diutissimè seruet Thus muche hetherto hauinge declared The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 departâ—â— touchinge the worthy vertues and singulare towardnesse of this godlye impe king Edward the sixth although I haue not neither can insert all things due to his commendation but am enforced to let passe many memorable matters well worthy to be prosecuted if they might haue come to our hands yet this one briefe note I thought not to ouerslip somethinge to recreate the wery reader in suche a dolfull storye being notified to me by one M. Edward Hunderhill who wayting y e same time w t the rest of his felowes pensioners and men at armes as Syr Henry Gates M. Robert Hal M. Henry Harston and M. Stafforton hearde these woordes betweene the king and his counsaile The relation and testimonie of which persone and persons aboue named come to this effect that king Edw. the 6. the 4. yere of his raigne being then but 13. yeres old and vpward at Greenewiche vpon S. Georges day when he was come from the sermon into y e presence chamber there being his vncle the Duke of Somerset the Duke of Northumb with other Lordes Knights of that order called the order of the Garter he said vnto them My Lordes I pray you what saincte is S. George that we here so honour hym At which question the other Lordes being all astonied the L. Treasurer y t then was perceiuing this gaue answer and said If it please your Maiestie I did neuer read in any hystorie of S. George but only in Legenda aurea where it is thus set downe that S. George out with his sworde and ran the Dragon through with his speare The king when he could not a greate while speake for laughing at length saide I pray you my Lorde and what did he with his sworde the while That I can not tell your maiesty said he And so an end of y t question of good s. Georg. Now to returne againe from whence we haue digressed which is to signifie some part of the order manner of his godly departing as the time approched when it pleased almighty God to call this young king from vs whych was the 6. day of Iulye the yeare aboue sayde about three houres before his death this Godly childe his eyes being closed speaking to himselfe thinking none to haue heard him made this prayer as followeth The prayer of king Edwarde before his death LOrde God deliuer me out of this miserable wretched life take me among thy chosen how be it not my will but thy wil be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee The kinâ— prayer 〈◊〉 his deatâ— Oh Lord thou knowest howe happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy chosens sake send me life and health that I may truely serue thee Oh my Lorde God blesse thy people and saue thine inheritaunce Oh Lord God saue thy chosen people of England Oh my Lord God defend this Realme from papistrie and maintaine thy true religion that I and my people may praise thy holy name for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake Then turned he his face seeing who was by him sayd vnto them Are ye so night I thought you had bene further off Then Doc. Owen said We heard you speake to your selfe but what you saide we knowe not He then after his fashion smilingly said I was praying to God The last words of his pangs were these I am faint Lord haue mercy vpon me take my spirite And thus he yeelded vp the ghost leauing a wofull kingdom behinde vnto his sister Allbeit he in his will hadde excluded his sister Marye from the succession of the crowne because of her corrupt religion yet y e plage which God had destinate vnto this sinfull Realme coulde not so be voided but that shee beinge the elder and daughter to king Henry succeeded in possession of y e crowne Of whose dreadfull and bloudy regiment it remaineth nowe consequently to discourse This briefly may suffice to vnderstande that for all the writing sending and practising with the Lady Mary by the King and his Counsayle and also by the Bishop Ridley yet would she not be reclaymed from her owne singular opinion fixed vpon custome to giue anye indifferente hearing to the word and voice of veritie The whiche set will of the said Lady Mary The Lady Mary wedded to Custome both this yong King and also his father King Henry before him right well perceauing and considering they were both much displeased agaynst her In so much that not onely her brother did vtterly sequester her in his will The Lady Mary in displeasure both with her brother and father but also her own father considering her inclination conceiued suche hart against her that for a great space he did seclude her from the title of Princesse yea and seemed so egerly incensed against her that he was fully purposed to proceede further with her as it is reported had not the intercession of Thomas Cranmer the Archbyshop reconciled the King againe to fauour and pardon his owne daughter For the better vnderstanding whereof by these her owne letters copied out of her owne hand writing which I haue to shew something may be perceiued and more peraduenture may be gessed The words out of her owne hand writing be these And first her letter to King Henry her father heere followeth * A Letter of the Lady Mary to King Henry her father IN my most humble wise I beseeche your grace of your dayly blessing Lady Mary writeth to K. Henry her father Pleaseth it the same to be aduertised that this morning my Lord my Chamberleyne came and shewed me that hee had receyued a letter from sir William Paulet Controller of your house The effect whereof was that
of others First the Masse sayeth he is a most subtile and pernicious enemie against Christ and that double wayes namely against his Priesthode and against his sacrifice which he prooueth by this way For the Priesthoode of Christe sayeth he is an euerlasting Priesthoode and such an one as can not go to another But the Masse vtterly putteth him out of place as though he were dead for euer and so God were a lier which said that Christ should be a Priest for euer which briefly commeth vnto this Argument Fes That thing is not perpetuall nor standeth not alone which admitteth succession of other to do the same thing that was done before ti But the Masse Priests succeede after Christ doing the same sacrifice as they say which he did before no. Ergo the Masse Priests make Christs Priesthode not to be perpetuall Another Argument Ba All Priests eyther be after the order of Aaron or after the order of Melchisedech or after the order of the Apostles or after that spirituall sort whereof it is written Vos estis spirituale sacerdotium c. ro But our Masse Priests neither be after the order of Aaron Minor for that is to resume that which Christ hath abolished neither after the order of Melchisedech for that is peculiar only to Christ neither after the order of the Apostles for then should they be Ministers not Maisters not Priests but Preachers and which of the Apostles was euer named by the title of a Priest Againe neither are they after the generall sorte of the spirituall priesthoode For after that prerogatiue euery true Christian is a spirituall Priest as well as they offering vp spirituall not bodily sacrifice as prayers thankesgeuing obedience mortification of the bodie framed to the obedience of his commaundements co Ergo our Masse Priests are no Priests vnlesse it be after the order of the Priestes of Baal Conclusiâ— Secondlye The 〈◊〉 iniurious the sacrifiâ—â— or death 〈◊〉 Christ. Maior concerning the sacrifice of Christ aboue mentioned hee reasoneth in lyke manner whyche wee haue reduced in the waye of Argumente as followeth Da To reiterate a thing once done for the atteining or accomplishing of the end wherefore it was begon declareth the imperfection of the same thing before ri The Masse Priestes do reiterate the sacrifice of Christ once done for the end wherefore it was begonne that is Minor Conclusiâ—â— for propitiation and remission à poena culpa pro viuis pro defunctis j. Ergo Masse Priestes make the sacrifice of Christe to be vnperfect and so are they iniurious to the sacrifice of Christ. ¶ For the confirmation of the premisses marke heere Reader I beseech thee the Rubrike heere following written before the Masse of the fiue woundes in the Masse booke BOniface Bishop of Rome lay sicke and was like to die to whome our Lord sent the Archangell Raphael with the office of the Masse of the fiue woundes saying Rise and write this office and say it fiue times and thou shalt be restored to thy health immediately and what Priest soeuer shall say this office for himselfe or for any other that is sicke fiue times the person for whome it is sayde shall obteine health and grace and in the world to come if he continue in vertue life euerlasting And in whatsoeuer tribulation a man shall be in this life if he procure this office to be said fiue times for him of a Priest without doubt he shall be deliuered And if it be saide for the soule of the dead anone as it shall be saide and ended fiue times hys soule shall be rid from paines This hearing the Byshop he did erect himselfe vp in his bed coniuring the Aungell by the name of almighty God to tell him what he was and wherefore he came and that he should depart without doing him harme who aunswered that he was Raphaell the Archangell sent vnto him of God and that all the premisses were vndoubtedly true Then the sayde Boniface confirmed the said office of the fiue woundes by the Apostolike authoritie An other Argument against the Masse for that it is an hinderance to the true seruice of God The Masse is an hinderance to the true seruise of God and to the Godly life of 〈◊〉 Maior and to the godly life of men the declaration whereof is more at large by the saide Authour set out but briefly in fourme of Argument may thus be contracted Another Argument Da Whatsoeuer causeth or occasioneth a man to rest in outward seruing of God whose seruice should be all inward in spirit and veritie that hindreth the true seruice of God ti The Masse occasioneth a man to rest in outward seruing as in hearing seeing and saying Masse which be but outward senses of a man Minor and as they say meritorious ex opere operato etiam sine bono motu inteÌ„tionis si Ergo the Masse hindreth y e right true seruice of God Conclusio Another Argument proouing that Masse hindreth good life Di Upon the Masse riseth false hope and false remedie is promised to wicked liuers Maior For euill men hearing Masse in the morning vpoÌ„ hope therof take more securitie in doing al day what they list And such as haue in bibbing brauling tauerning swearing whoring dicing The Masse â—â—â—dereth â—ood lyfe carding committed wickednes to them the masse is set vp promising sufficient propitiation sacrifice remedy of body and soule for man and beast a poena culpa pro viuis mortuis Though they neuer hearde preaching neuer vsed praying neuer repented or how wicked so euer they haue bene yet if they come to the Church take holy bread and holy water and heare a Masse or finde a soule Priest vpon the remedie thereof then they thinke themselues discharged and good Catholicke men sa Upon what cause soeuer riseth false hope and false remedy is promised to wicked liuers Minor that hindreth good life mis. Ergo the Masse hindreth good life Conclusio Another Argument Da Where one thing is sufficient and serueth alone there all other helpes be neadeles thereunto Maior wherein it serueth ti The Masse as they say hath all serueth for all for by it commeth pardon for sinnes Minor by it commeth deliuerance from Hell and Purgatory by it commeth health for man and beast In summa the Masse is Mare bonorum c. si Ergo all other helpes else be needelesse hearing of Gods word Conclusio faith praying in spirit repenting preaching pietie and other helps to good life c. An other Argument proouing that the Masse is diuers and contrary from the institution of Christes Supper 1. CHrist ordeined his Supper to be a memoriall of his death and passion to be preached vntill he come The Masse is no memoriall thing of Christ remembred in the Sacrament but rather they make the Sacrament to be Christ himselfe offered and sacrificed for remission of
no lesse then the learned mayster his yong scholer Now here euery man would haue his saying which I passe ouer not much materiall for to tell But sir quoth I me thinkes it is not charitably done to beare the people in hand that any man doth so lightly esteme the sacrament as to make of it a figure For that but maketh it a bare figure without any more profit which that book doth often deny as appeareth to the reader most playnely Yes quoth he that they do Sir no quoth I of a truth and as for me I ensure you I make no lesse of the sacrament then thus I say whosoeuer receiueth the sacrament he receiueth therewith eyther life or death No quoth M. Secretary scripture sayth not so Sir quoth I although not in the same souÌ„d of words yet it doth in the same sense and S. Augustine sayth in the sound of words also for Paule sayth The bread which we breake is it not the partaking or felowship of the bodye of Christ And S. Augustine Manduca vitam Bibe vitam i. eate life drinke life Then sayd mayster Pope what can ye make of it wheÌ„ ye say there is not the reall body of Christ Whiche I doe beleue c. I pray God I may neuer beleue other How can it bring as ye say either life or death The 〈◊〉 bring 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 when Christes body is not there Syr quoth I when you heare Gods word truely preached if ye do beleue it and abide in it ye shal and do receiue life withal and if ye do not beleue it it doth bring vnto you death and yet Christes body is still in heauen and not carnall in euery preachers mouth I pray you tell me quoth he how can you aunswere to this Quod pro vobis tradetur which shall be geuen for you was the figure of Christes body geuen for vs No sir quoth I but the very body it selfe wherof the sacrament is a sacramentall figure How say ye then quoth he to Quod pro vobis tradetur which shall be geuen for you Forsoothe quoth I Tertullians exposition maketh it playne for he sayth Corpus est figura Corporis i. The body is a figure of the body Nowe put to Quod pro vobis tradetur Whiche shall bee geuen for you and it agreeth exceedyng well In fayth quoth he I would geue xl pouÌ„d that ye were of a good opinion For I ensure you I haue heard you and had an affection to you I thanke you mayster Pope for your hart and minde and ye knowe quoth I I were a very foole if I woulde in this matter dissent froÌ„ you if that in my conscience y e truth did not enforce me so to do For iwise as ye do perceiue I trowe it is somewhat out of my way if I would esteeme worldly gayne â—â—prian What say ye quoth he to Cyprian Doth he not saye playnly Panis quem dedit Dominus non effigie sed natura mutatus omnipotentia verbi factus est caro i. The Bread whiche the Lorde did deliuer being changed not according to the forme but according to the nature thereof by the omnipotent word is made flesh True Syr so he doth say and I answere euen the same which once by chaunce I preached at Paules Crosse in a Sermon 〈◊〉 Ridley â—â—lsely deâ—arted for 〈◊〉 Sermâ—n 〈…〉 Paules for the which I haue bene as vniustly as vntruely reported as any pore man hath bene For there I speaking of the sacrament and inueying against them that estemed it no better then a piece of bread told eueÌ„ the same thing of Poenitentes Audientes Catecumeni Energumeni that I spake of before and I bad them depart as vnworthy to heare the misterye and then I sayd to those that be Sancti Cyprian the Martyr shall tel you how it is that Christ calleth it saying Panis est corpus cibus potus caro c. i. Breade is the body The place of Saint Cyprian â—xpounded meat drinke flesh because that vnto this materiall substance is geuen the property of the thing whereof it beareth the name and this place then tooke I to vtter as the time would then suffer that the materiall substaunce of bread doth remaine M. Fecknam which as is reported to me did belie me openly in y e same matter at Paules crosse heard all this my talke as red as skarlet in his face and herein aunswered me neuer one word You do know wel quoth M. Secretary that Origenes and Tertullian were not Catholicke but erred 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 Doctors 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 pointes Syr quoth I there is none of all the Doctors that are holden in all points but are thought to haue erred in some thinges But yet I neuer heard that it was eyther layd to OrigeÌ„s charge or to Tertullian y t euer they were thought to haue erred in this matter of the sacrament What quoth M. Chomley late chiefe Iustice doth not christ say plainly that it is his very flesh his very bloud and we must needes eate him or we can haue no life Syr quoth I if you wil heare how S. Augustin expouÌ„deth that place you shal perceiue that you are in a wrong boxe And when I began to tell S. Augustines minde in his book de Doctrina Christiana Yea yea quoth M. Secretary that is true S. Augustine doth take it figuratiuely in deed Forty yeares agoe quoth M. Fecknam all were of one opinion in this matter Forty yeares ago quoth I all held that the Bishop of Rome was supreme head of the vniuersall Church What then was master Fecknam beginning to say c. but M. Secretary tooke the tale and sayde that was but a positiue law A positiue law quoth I No Syr he would not haue it so for it is in his decrees that he challeÌ„ged it by Christes owne word For his decree sayth Nullis Synodicis constitutis neque Consilijs sed viua voce Domini praelata est Ecclesia Romana omnibus Ecclesijs in toto Mundo dicente Domino Petro tu es Petrus c. The Church of Rome was aduaunced aboue all other Churches in the world not by any Sinodicall constitutioÌ„s nor yet any counsell but by the liuely voyce of the Lord according as the Lord sayd to Peter Thou art Peter c. And in an other place he entreateth Tu es Cephas id est caput i. Thou art Cephas that is to say the head Tush it was not counted an article quoth M. Secretary of our fayth Yes sayd I if ye call that an article of our fayth which is to be beleued vnder payne of damnation For he sayeth Omninò definimus declaramus pronunciamus omnem creaturam subesse Romano pontifici de necessitate salutis i. We do absolutely determine declare and pronouÌ„ce that euery creature is subiect to the obedience of the Byshop of Rome vpon necessity of saluation And here wheÌ„ we spake of lawes and decrees M Roger Chomley
speaking of Christ tropicall figuratiue anagogicall allegoricall which they do interpret after this sort that although the substance of bread wyne doe remayne and be receiued of the faythfull yet notwithstanding Christ chaunged the appellation thereof called the bread by the name of his flesh the wine by the name of his bloud non rei veritate sed significaÌ„te misterio i. not that it is so in verye deede but signified in a misterye So that wee shoulde consider not what they bee in theyr owne nature But what they import to vs and signify and should vnderstand the Sacrament not carnally but spiritually and shoulde attend not to the visible nature of the Sacraments neither haue respect onely to the outward bread cup thinkyng to see there with our eye no other thinges but onely bread and wyne but that liftyng vp our mynds we should looke vp to the bloud of Christ with our fayth Ann. 1454. â—priâ—l should touche hym with our mynde and receiue him with our inward man and that beyng lyke Egles in this lyfe we should flye vp into heauen in our heartes where that Lambe is resident at the right hand of hys father 〈◊〉 Sacraâ—â—â—â— to 〈…〉 what it 〈◊〉 â—ature 〈◊〉 whaâ— it 〈…〉 which taketh away the sinnes of the world by whose stripes we are made whole by whose passion we are filled at hys table and whose bloud we receiuyng out of his holy side do lyue for euer beyng made the ghests of Christ hauing him dwellyng in vs through the grace of his true nature and through the vertue and efficacie of his whole passion beyng no lesse assured and certified that we are fed spiritually vnto eternall lyfe by Christes flesh crucified and by hys bloudshed the true food of our myndes then that our bodies be fed with meat and drinke in this lyfe and hereof this sayd mysticall bread on the table of Christ the mysticall wyne beyng administred and receyued after the institution of Christ be to vs a memoriall a pledge a token a sacrament The Sacrament is a â—â—moriall 〈◊〉 pledge a 〈◊〉 a â—â—crament 〈…〉 â—hat is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and a seale And thereof is it that Christ sayth not thus This is my body eate ye but after he had biddeÌ„ them eate then he said This is my body which shal be geueÌ„ for you Which is to mean as though he should say In eating of this bread consider you that this bread is no common thyng but a mysticall matter neither do you attend that which is set before our bodily eyes but what feedeth you within Consider behold my body crucified for you that eate and digest in your myndes Chaw you vpon my passion be fed w t my death This is the true meat this is the drinke that moysteneth wherwith you beyng truly fed and inebriate shall liue for euer The bread and the wyne which be set before our eies are onely declarations of me What the 〈◊〉 â—ody of Christ doth â—o our sâ—â—les but I my selfe am the eternall food Wherfore whensoeuer at this my table you shall behold the sacraments haue not regard so much to them as consider ye what I promise to you by them which is myselfe to be meat for you of eternall lyfe The onely oblation of Christ wherewith he offered himselfe to God the father once to death vpon the aultar of the crosse for our redemption was of such efficacy y t there is no more need of any sacrifice for the redemption of the whole world The sacriâ—â—ce of Christes 〈…〉 all but all y e sacrifice of y e old law he tooke away performyng that in very deede which they did signify and promise Whosoeuer therfore shal fixe the hope of his saluatioÌ„ in any other sacrifice he falleth froÌ„ the grace of Christ and is contumelious against the bloud of Christ. For he was wounded for our transgressions and was broken for our iniquities 〈◊〉 53. All we lyke sheepe haue wandered astray Euery man hath turned after his owne way and the Lord hath layd all our iniquities vpon him For he hath entered once for all into the holy place by the bloud not of Goates or Calues but by his own bloud Heb. 9. finding eternall redemption And hath entered into heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs not to offer hymselfe oftentymes for so should he haue suffred many times but now hath he appeared once to put away sinne through hys owne oblation And as it is appoynted to all men once to dye so also Christ once was offered Heb. 17. Who offering vp one oblation for sinnes sitteth now for euer on the right hand of God For by one oblation hath he made perfect for euer those that be sanctified For where is remission of sinnes there is now no more oblation for sinne but this only sacrifice of Christ whosoeuer shall seeke any other sacrifice propitiatory for sinne 〈◊〉 sacrifice 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 maketh the sacrifice of Christ of no validitie force or efficacie For if it be sufficient to remit sinnes what neede is there of any other For the necessitie of another argueth and declareth this to be insufficient Almighty God graunt that we may truly leaue to one sacrifice of Christ and that wee to hym agayne may repay our sacrifices of thanksgeuing of prayse of confessing hys name of true amendment of repentaunce of mercifulnes towards our neighbors and of all other good workes of charitie Christ 〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 we 〈…〉 For by such sacrifices we shall declare our selues neither ingratefull to God nor altogether vnworthy of this holy sacrifice of Christ. And thus you haue out of the testimonies of holy scripture and of the ancient Doctors of the Church the true and sincere vse of the Lordes holy supper and the fruite of the true sacrifice of Christ. Which whosoeuer thorough captious or wrested interpretations or by mens traditions shal go about otherwise then Christ ordeined them to alter or traÌ„substantiate he shall aunswere to Christ in the latter day when he shal vnderstand but then to late that he hath no participation with the body and bloud of Christ but that out of the supper of eternal lyfe he hath eaten and dronken eternall damnation to hymselfe West Because we will not consume and spend the tyme in waste this your writyng which you exhibite hereafter shall be read in hys place In the meane season let vs now fall to the Arguments Ched The Scriptures in many places doe affirme Argument that Christ gaue hys natural body Mat. 26. Mark 14. Luk. 22 Ergo Aunsâ—â—â—â— I doe conclude that the naturall body is in the Sacrament Cran. To your argument I aunswer If you vnderstand by the body natural organicum that is hauyng such proportion and members as he had liuyng here then I aunswer negatiuely Furthermore concernyng the Euangelists thus I say and graunt that Christ tooke bread and called
God and also of our lord and sauior both ascending into heauen beholding from thence who despiseth and who obserueth them not so shal come from thence to iudge all men The argument is thus formed Ba Whosoeuer sayth that the Testator lyed is a wicked heyre Argument ba But whosoeuer sayeth that Christ spake by figures sayth that he did lye ra Ergo whosoeuer sayeth that Christ here spake by figures is a wicked heyre Cran. I deny the Minor As who say it is necessary that he which vseth to speake by tropes and figures Aunswere should lie in so doyng Ogle Your iudgement is disagreeyng with all churches Cran. Nay I disagree with the papisticall church Ogle This you do through the ignorance of Logike Cran. Nay this you say through the ignorance of the Doctours Weston I will go playnly to worke by Scriptures What tooke he Cran. Bread West What gaue he Cran. Bread West What brake he Cran. Bread West What did they eate Cran. Bread West He gaue bread therfore he gaue not his body Argument He gaue not his body therfore it is not his body verily in deed and in truth Cran. I deny the argument Cole This argument holdeth a disparatis It is bread Ergo Disparata is a Schoole terme meaning diuers substances being so sondred in nature that one can neuer be sayd to be the other it is not the body and it is such an argument or reason as cannot be dissolued Cran. The lyke argument may be made He is a rocke Ergo he is not Christ. Cole It is not lyke West He gaue not his body in deede Ergo it was not his body in deed Cran. He gaue his death his passion and the sacrament of his passion And in uery deede settyng the figure aside formally it is not his body West Why then the scripture is false The Sacrâ—â—ment settiâ—â— the figure aside formally 〈…〉 Christes body Cran. Nay the scripture is most true West This sayth Chrisostome Homil. 61. ad populum Antiochenum Necessarium est dilectissimi mysteriorum dicere miraculum quid tandem sit quare sit datum quae rei vtilitas c. That is to say Needfull it is deare frends to tel you what the miracle of the mysteries is and wherfore it is geuen Chrysost. hom 61. and what profite there is of the thing We are one body and members of his flesh and of hys bones We that be in the mysterie let vs follow that thyng which was spoken Wherfore that we may become this thyng not only by loue but also that we may become one with that flesh in deede that is brought to passe by this foode which hee gaue vnto vs mynding to shew his great good will that he hath toward vs and therefore he mixed hymselfe with vs and vnited his own body with vs that we should be made all as one thyng together as a body ioyned and annexed to the head for this is a token of most ardent and perfect loue And the same thyng Iob also insinuatyng sayd of hys seruaunts of whom he was desired aboue measure in so much that they shewyng their great desire toward him sayde who shall geue vnto vs to be filled with his fleshe Therefore also Christ dyd the same who to induce vs into a greater loue toward hym and to declare hys desire toward vs dyd not onely geue hymselfe to be seene of them y t would but also to be handled and eaten and suffered vs to fasten our teeth in hys flesh and to be vnited together and so to fill all our desire Lyke Lyons therfore as breathyng fire let vs go from that table beyng made terrible to the deuil remembryng our head in our mynde his charitie which he shewed vnto vs. For parents many tymes geue theyâ— children to other to be fed but I doe not so sayth he but feed you with myne owne fleshe and set my selfe before you desiryng to make you all iolly people and pretending to you great hope and expectation to looke for thynges to come who here geue my selfe to you but much more in the world to come I am become your brother I tooke flesh bloud for you Agayne my flesh and bloud by the which I am made your kinsman I deliuer vnto you Thus much out of Chrysostome Out of which words I make this argument The same flesh whereby Christ is made our brother kinsman is geuen of Christ to vs to be eaten D. Weston argument without true formâ— or figure Christ is made our brother and kinsman by hys true naturall and organicall flesh Ergo his true naturall and organicall flesh is geuen to vs to be eaten Cran. I graunt the consequence and the consequent D. Weston argument denyed 〈◊〉 eate the true body 〈◊〉 Christ Ergo we eate it witâ— our mouth A figureâ—â— Argumenâ— West Therfore we eate it with our mouth Cran. I deny it We eate it through fayth West He gaue vs the same flesh to eate wherby he became our brother and kinsman But he became our brother and kinsman by his true naturall and organicall flesh Therfore he gaue his true natural and organical flesh to be eaten Cran. I graunt he tooke and gaue the same true naturall and organicall flesh wherin he suffered and yet he feedeth spiritually and that flesh is receyued spiritually Weston He gaue vs the same fleshe which he tooke of the Uirgin Fallax a dicto secuâ—â—dum quâ—d ad simpliâ—citer But he tooke not the true flesh of the Uirgine spiritually or in a figure Ergo he gaue his true naturall flesh not spiritually Cran. Christ gaue to vs his owne naturall fleshe the same wherin he suffred but feedeth vs spiritually Aunswerâ— West Chrysostome is against you Homil. 83. in 26. cap. Mat. where he sayth Chrisost alleaged D. Westoâ— Hom. 83.26 cap. Mat. Veniat tibi in mentem quo sis honore honoratus qua mensa fruaris Ea namque re nos alimur quaÌ„ angeli c. That is to say Let it come into thy remembrance with what honour thou art honored and what table thou sittest at for wyth the same thyng we are nourished which the angels do behold and tremble at neither are they able to behold it w tout great feare for the brightnesse which commeth therof and we be brought and compact into one heape or masse with hym Being together one bodye of Christ and one flesh w t him Who shal speake the powers of the Lord and shall declare forth all his prayses What Pastor hath euer nourished hys sheepe wyth hys owne members Manye mothers haue put foorth their Infantes after their byrth to other Nurses which he would not do but feedeth vs w t hys owne body conioyneth and vniteth vs to himselfe Wherupon I gather this argument Like as Mothers nurse their children with mylke so Christ nourished vs with his body But mothers do not nourish their
people Ergo There is the naturall bloud of Christ. You aunswer that wordes make it bloud to them that receiue it not that bloude is in the cuppe but because it is made bloud to them that receiue it That all men maye see how falsely you would auoid the fathers heare what Ambrose sayth in the 6. booke and 1. chap. Forte dicas quomodo vera qui similitudinem video noÌ„ video sanguinis veritatem Primum omnium dixi tibi de sermone Christi qui operatur vt possit mutare conuertere genera instituta naturae Deinde vbi non tulerunt sermonem discipuli eius sed audientes quod carnem suam dedit manducari sanguinem suum dedit bibendum recedebant Solus tamen Petrus dixit Verba vitae eternae habes ego a te quò recedam Ne igitur plures hoc dicerent veluti quidam esset horror cruoris sed maneret gratia redemptionis ideò in similitudinem quidem accipis sacramentuÌ„ sed verè naturae gratiam virtutemque consequeris That is to say Peraduenture thou wilt say how be they true I which see the similitude do not see the trueth of the bloud First of all I told thee of y e word of Christ which so worketh that it can chaunge turne kindes ordained of nature Afterward when the Disciples coulde not abide the woordes of Christe but hearing that he gaue hys flesh to eate and hys bloud to drinke they departed Only Peter sayd thou hast the wordes of eternal life whether should I go from thee Least therefore moe should say this thing as though there should be a certain horror of bloud and yet the grace of redemption should remaine therfore in a similitude thou receiuest the sacrament but in deede thou obtainest the grace and power of his nature Cranmer These wordes of themselues are plaine enough And he read this place againe Aunswâ—â—â— to Ambâ—â— Thou receiuest the Sacrament for a similitude But what is that he sayth Thou receiuest for a similitude I thinke he vnderstandeth the sacrament to be the similitude of his bloud Ched That you may vnderstand that trueth discenteth not from trueth to ouerthrow that which you say of that similitude heare what Ambrose sayth lib. 4. De sacrament Si operatus est sermo coelestis in alijs rebus non operatur in sacramentis coelestibus Ambros. sacram 〈◊〉 Ergo didicisti quod e pane corpus fiat Christi quod vinum aqua in calicem mittitur sed fit sanguis consecratione verbi coelestis Sed forte dices speciem sanguinis non videri Sed habet similitudinem Sicut enim mortis similitudinem sumpsisti ita etiam similitudinem preciosi sanguinis bibis vt nullus horror cruoris sit pretium tamen operetur redemptionis Didicisti ergo quia quod accipis corpus est Christâ— That is to say If the heauenly word did worke in other things doth it not worke in the heauenly sacramentes Therefore thou hast learned that of bread is made the body of Christe and that wine and water is put into that cuppe but by consecration of the heauenly worde it is made bloude But thou wilt say peradueÌ„ture that the likenes of bloud is not sent But it hath a similitude For as thou hast receiued the similitude of hys death so also thou drinkest the similitude of his precious bloud Note thâ— Ambrose sayth 〈◊〉 drinke 〈◊〉 Christeâ— bloud Answerâ— the placâ— Ambrosâ— Sacramâ—â—â— be called the namâ—â— the thingâ— Ambrosâ— 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 so y t there is no horror of bloud yet it worketh the price of redemptioÌ„ Therfore thou hast learned that that which thou receiuest is the body of Christ. Cran. He speaketh of sacraments sacramentally He calleth the sacraments by the names of the things for he vseth the signes for the things signified and therefore y e bread is not called bread but his body for the excellencie and dignitie of the thyng signified by it So doth Ambrose interpreat hym selfe when hee sayeth In cuius typum nos calicem mysticum sanguinis ad tuitionem corporis animae nostrae percepimus 1. Cor. 11. That is For a type or figure wherof we receiue the mystical cup of his bloud for the safegard of our bodies and soules Ched A type hee calleth not the bloud of Christe a type or signe but the bloude of Buls and Goates in that respecte was a type or signe Cran. This is new learning you shall neuer read this among the fathers Ched But Ambrose sayeth so Cran. He calleth the bread and the cup a type or signe of the bloud of Christ and of his benefite West Ambrose vnderstandeth for a type of his benefit that is of redemption not of the bloud of Christ but of his passion The cuppe is the type or signe of his death seeing it is hys bloud Cran. He sayeth most plainely that the cuppe is the type of Christes bloud Da Ched As Christe is truely and really incarnate so is he truely and really in the Sacrament ri But Christ is really and truely incarnate j. Ergo the body of Christ is truely and really in the sacrament Cran. â—â—gument I deny the Maior Ched I prooue the Maior out of Iustine in hys 2. Apologie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cran. â—â—nswere 〈◊〉 the place Iustinus This place hath ben falsified by Marcus Constantius Iustine meant nothing els but that the bread which nourisheth vs is called the body of Christ. Ched To the Argument As Christ is truely and naturally incarnate c. vt supra Cran. I deny your Maior Ched The woordes of Iustine are thus to bee interpreated woord for woord Quemadmodum per verbum Dei caro factus Iesus Christus Saluator noster * Mutationem carnem habuit sanguinem pro salute nostra sic cibum illum consecratum per sermonem precationis ab ipso institutae quo sanguis carnesue nostrae per communionem nutriuntur eiusdem Iesu qui caro factus est carnem sanguinem esse accepimus That is to say As by the worde of God Iesus Christ our sauiour being made flesh had both flesh and bloud for our saluation so we are taught that the meat * Of thankes geuing consecrated by the word of prayer instituted of him whereby our bloude and flesh are nourished by * Mutation coÌ„munion is the flesh and bloud of the same Iesus which was made flesh Cran. You haue translated it wel But I deny your Maior Thys is the sence of Iustine Aunswere that that breade is called the body of Christ and yet of that sanctified meate our bodyes are nourished Ched Nay he sayeth of that sanctified meate bothe oure bodies and soules are nourished Cran. He sayth not so but he sayth that it nourisheth our flesh and bloud and howe can that nourish the soule that nourisheth the flesh and bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I.
noâ— denyed whyche is grounded vpon the word of God and made more plaine by the commentaries of y e faithfull fathers They that thinke so of me the Lord knoweth how far they are deceiued And to make the same euident vnto you I will in fewe woords declare what true presence of Christes body in the sacrameÌ„t of the Lordes supper I hold and affirme with the worde of God and the auncient fathers I say and confesse with the Euangelist Luke The fayth confession of D. Ridley in affiâ—â—ming the true preseÌ„t in the Sacrament and wyth the Apostle Paule that the bread on the which thankes are geuen is the body of Christe in the remembraunce of hym and of his death to be set foorth perpetually of the faithfull vntill his comming I say and confesse the bread which we breake to be the Communion and partaking of Christes bodye wyth the auncient and the faithfull fathers I say and beleeue that there is not onely a signification of Christes body sette foorth by the sacrament The grace of 〈◊〉 and immortal geuen with the Sacrament to the â—â—ythfull Life eaten Aâ—â—gust The Lord 〈◊〉 grace Emisse Celestiall foode receaued 〈◊〉 The property naturall communion receâ—â—ued Hilar. The vertue oâ— Christes flesh Cyrill The misticall â—â—uent of Chriâ—â— Basill The 〈…〉 Ambros. The body by grace 〈…〉 but not that which 〈…〉 Hierom Grace 〈…〉 a sacrifice 〈◊〉 Chrisost. Grace 〈…〉 verâ—ty The power of Gods 〈…〉 Bertram but also that therewith is geuen to the godly and faithfull the grace of Christes body that is the foode of life immortalitye And this I holde wyth Cyprian I say also with S. Augustine that wee eate life and wee drinke life with Emisene that we feele the Lorde to be present in grace wyth Athanasius that wee receiue Celestiall foode which commeth from aboue the propertie of natural Communion wyth Hyllarius the nature of flesh and benediction whych geueth life in breade and wine wyth Cyrill and wyth the same Cyrill the vertue of the very flesh of Christ life and grace of his body the propertie of the onely begotten that is to say life as he himselfe in plaine words expoundeth it I confesse also with Basil that we receiue the mysticall Aduent and comming of Christ grace the vertue of hys very nature the sacrament of his very flesh with Ambrose the body by grace with Epiphanius spirituall flesh but not that which was crucified with Hierome Grace flowing into a sacrifice and the grace of the spirite with Chrysostome grace and inuisible veritie grace and societie of the members of Christes body with Augustine Finally with Bertram which was the last of all these I confesse that Christes body is in the Sacrament in thys respect namely as he writeth because there is in it the spirite of Christ that is the power of the worde of God which not onely feedeth the soule but also clenseth it Out of these I suppose it may clearely appeare vnto al meÌ„ how farre we are froÌ„ that opinion wherof some go about falsly to slaunder vs to the world saying we teach that the godly and faithfull shoulde receiue nothing else at the Lordes table but a figure of the body of Christ. ¶ The second proposition After the consecration there remayneth no substaunce of bread and wine neyther any other substaunce then the substaunce of God and man The Aunswere â—â—swere to 〈…〉 THE seconde conclusion is manifestly false directly against the word of God the nature of the Sacramente and the most euident testimonies of the godly Fathers and it is the rotten foundation of the other two conclusions propounded by you The â— proâ—â—sition of transubstantation deâ—ye both of the first and of the third I will not therefore now tary vpon any further explication of this aunswere being contented with that which is already added afore to the aunswer of the first proposition ¶ The first argument for the confirmation of this aunswere IT is very playne by the worde of God that Christ did geue bread vnto his Disciples and called it his body But the substance of bread is another maner of substaÌ„ce then is the substance of Christes body God and man Confirm thou 〈◊〉 his answere Therefore the conclusion is false The second part of mine argument is playne and the first 〈◊〉 proued thus ¶ The second argument Da That which Christ dyd take on the which he gaue thanâ—â—s and the which he brake he gaue to his Disciples and called it his body ri But he toke bread gaue thaÌ„ks on bread brake bread si Ergo the first part is true And it is confirmed with the authorities of the Fathers Irene Tertullian Origene Cyprian Epiphaâ—ius Hierome Augustine Theodoret Cirill Rabanus and Beâ—â— Whose places I will take vpon me to shew most manifest in this behalfe if I may be suffered to haue my bookes as my request is Bread is the body of Christ Ergo it is bread * The rule of Logicke is this A propositione de tertio adiacente ad cam 〈◊〉 est de secundo 〈◊〉 verbo 〈…〉 A tertio adiacente ad secundâ—m adiacens cum verbi substantiui pura copula ¶ The third Argument Ba As the bread of the Lordes table is Christes naturall body so is it his mysticall body ro But it is not Christes mysticall body by transubstantiation co Ergo it is not his naturall body by transubstantiatioÌ„ The second part of my argument is plaine and the first is proued thus As Christ who is the veritie spake of the bread This is my body which shall be betrayed for you speaking there of his naturall body euen so Paul moued with y e same spirit of truth The Maior 〈◊〉 said We though we be many yet are we all one bread and one body which be partakers of one bread â— Cor. 10. ¶ The fourth Argument We may no more beleeue bread to be transubstantiate into the body of Christ The argument holdeth a destructione 〈…〉 Math. 26. Marke 14. then the wine into his bloud But the wine is not transubstantiate into his bloud Ergo neyther is that bread therefore transubstantiate into his body ¶ The first part of this argument is manifest the second part is proued out of the authoritie of Gods word in Mathew Marke I will not drinke of the fruite of the vine c. Now the fruite of the vine was wine which Christ dranke and gaue to his disciplis to drinke With this sentence agreeth playnely the place of Chrysostome on the xx Chapter of Mathew ChrisostoÌ„e Cyprian As Ciprian doth also affirming that there is no bloud if wine be not in the cup. 〈◊〉 argument holâ—eth after 〈◊〉 same 〈◊〉 as 〈…〉 ¶ The fift Argument Ba The words of Christ spoken vpon the cup and vpon the bread haue like effect and working ro But the wordes spoken vpon the cup haue not vertue to transubstantiate co Ergo it followeth that
the wordes spoken vppon the bread haue no such vertue The second part of the argument is proued because they shuld then transubstantiate the cup or that which is in the cup into the new Testament but neither of these thinges can be done and very absurde it is to confesse the same ¶ The sixt argument Da The circumstances of the scripture the Analogie and proportion of the sacraments and the testimony of the faithfull Fathers ought to rule vs in taking the meaning of the holy scripture touching the sacrament ti But the wordes of the Lords supper y e circumstances of the scripture the Analogie of the sacramentes the saying of y e fathers do most effectually plainely proue a figuratiue speach in the words of the Lordes supper si Ergo a figuratiue sense and meaning is specially to be receaued in these wordes This is my body The circumstances of the scripture The circumstances and wordes of scripture Do this in the remēbraunce of me As oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drynke of this cup ye shall shewe foorth the Lordes death Let a man proue himselfe and so eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. They came together to breake bread and they continued in breaking of bread The bread which we break c. For we being many are all one bread and one body c. The Analogie of the sacramentes is necessary The Analogie of the sacramentes For if the sacramentes had not some similitude or likenes of the things wherof they be sacramentes they could in no wise be sacraments And this similitude in the sacrament of the Lords supper is taken three maner of wayes 1. The first consisteth in nourishing as ye shall reade in Rabana Cyprian Augustine Irenee Analogie or similitude in the sacrament three maner of waies and most plainly in Isodore out of Bertram 2. The second in the vniting and ioyning of many into one as Cyprian teacheth 3. The third is a similitude of vnlike thinges where lyke as the bread is turned into one body so wee by the right vse of this sacrament are turned through fayth into the body of Christ. The sayinges of the Fathers declare it to be a figuratiue speache as it appeareth in Origen Tertullian The sayinges of the fathers for the figuratiue speach Chrysostome in opere imperfecto Augustine Ambrose Basill Gregory Nazianzene Hilary and most plainely of all in Bertram Moreouer the sayinges and places of all y e Fathers whose names I haue before recited against the assertion of the first propositiō do quite ouerthrow transubstantiation But of all other most euidently and playnly Irenee Origen Cyprian Chrisostome to Cesarius the Monke Augustine against Adamantus Gelasius Cyril Epiphanius Chrisostome agayne on the xx of Mathew Rabane Damasene and Bertram Here right worshipfull maister Prolocutor and ye the rest of the Commissioners it may please you to vnderstād that I do not leaue to these thinges onely Commendation of Bertram whiche I haue written in my former answeres and confirmations but y t I haue also for the proofe of y t I haue spoken whatsoeuer Bertram a man learned of sound and vpright iudgement and euer counted a Catholicke for these seuen hundreth yeares vntill this our age hath written His treatise whosoeuer shall read and wey considering the time of the writer his learning godlines of life the allegations of y e ancient fathers and his manifolde and most grounded argumentes I cannot doubtles but much marueile if he haue any feare of God at all D. Ridley first brought to the knowledge of the sacrament by Bertram howe he can with good conscience speake against him in this matter of the Sacrament This Bertram was the first that pulled me by the eare and that first brought me from the common errour of the Romishe Church and caused me to searche more diligently and exactly both the scriptures and the writinges of the olde ecclesiasticall Fathers in this matter And this I protest before the face of God who knoweth I lye not in the things I now speake ¶ The third proposition In the Masse is the liuely sacrifice of the Churche propitiable and auailable for the sinnes as well of the quicke as of the dead The third proposition touching propiciatory Masse ¶ The aunswere to this proposition I answere to this third proposition as I did to y e first And moreouer I say that being taken in such sense as the wordes seeme to import it is not onely erroneous Aunsweres to the third prosition but w t all so much to the derogation and defacing of the death and passion of christ that I iudge it may and ought most worthely to be counted wicked and blasphemous against the most precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ. ¶ The explication Concerning the Romish Masse whiche is vsed at this day or the liuely sacrifice therof propitiatory and auaylable for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Explication of the same the holy scripture hath not so much as one sillable There is ambiguitie also in the name of Masse what it signifieth Anno. 1554. and whether at this day there be any such in deed as the auncient fathers vsed seeing that now there be neither Catechistes nor penitentes to be sent away Doubtes in the third proposition In the primitiue Churche the newly instructed in the fayth and the vnworthy were sent away from the Communion The third doubt Againe touching these wordes The liuely sacrifice of the Church There is doubt whether they are to be vnderstand figuratiuely and sacramentally for the sacrament of the liuely sacrifice after which sort we deny it not to be in the Lords supper or properly and without any figure of the which maner there was but one only sacrifice and that once offered namely vpon the aultar of the crosse Moreouer in these wordes as well as it may be doubted whether they be spoken in mockage as men are wont to say in sport of a foolish and ignoraunt person that he is apt as well in conditions as in knowledge being apt in deede in neither of them both The 4. doubt There is also a doubt in the world Propitiable whether it signifie heere that which taketh away sinne or that which may be made auayleable for the taking away of sin that is to say whether it is to be taken in the actiue or in the passiue signification Now the falsenes of the proposition after the meaning of the Schoolemen and the Romishe Church impiety in that sense which the wordes seeme to import is thys that they leaning to the foundation and their fond trāsubstantiation would make the quick and liuely body of Christes flesh vnited and knit to the diuinitie to lye hid vnder the accidents The falsenes of the third proposition reproued and outward shewes of bread and wine Which is very false as I haue said afore and they building vpon this
vs notwythstanding when they were charged therewithall they aunsweared Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus that is we ought more to obey God then man euen so we may and doe answere you God is more to be obeyed then maÌ„ your wicked lawes can not so tongue tie vs but we will speake the truthe The Apostles were beaten for theyr boldnesse and they reioyced that they suffered for Christes cause Yee haue also prouided roddes for vs and bloudy whippes yet when ye haue done that whiche Goddes hande and Counsell hathe determined that yee shall doe be it life or deathe I truste that God wil so assist vs by his holy spirite and grace that wee shall paciently suffer it praise God for it and whatsoeuer become of mee and others whiche nowe suffer for speaking and professing of the truthe yet be yee sure that Goddes woorde will preuaile and haue the ouer hande when youre bloudy lawes and wicked decrees for want of sure foundation shall fal in the dust and that which I haue spoken of your Actes of Parliament the same may be sayd of the generall Councels of these latter dayes whych haue bene wythin these fiue hundreth yeares where as the Antichrist of Rome by reason of hys vsurped authority ruled the roaste and decreed suche things as made for his gaine not regarding Goddes glorye and therefore are they to be spoken wrytten and cried against of all such as fear God and loue hys truthe And thus muche I purposed to haue sayde concerning the first poynte Nowe touching the second poynte That where as my Lorde Chauncellour hadde the daye before sayde hys pleasure of them that ruled the Realme while hee was in prysone and also reioyced as though God hadde make this alteration euen for his sake and his Catholike Churche as hee calleth it and to declare as it were by myracle that we were before in a Schisme and Heresie and the Realme was nowe brought to an vnitie and to a trueth and I can not tell whereto Thereto was I fully purposed to haue sayde Secondlye my Lorde where as yee yesterdaye so highly dispraised the gouernment of them that ruled in innocent King Edwardes dayes it maye please your Lordshippe to vnderstande that wee poore Preachers whome yee so euill allowe did moste boldly and plainely rebuke theyr euill gouernaunce in manye things speciallye theyr couetousnesse and neglecte and small regarde to liue after the Gospell as also theyr negligence to occasion other to liue thereafter wyth mo things then I can now rehearse Thys can all London testifie wyth vs I would also haue tolde hym what I my selfe for my parte did once at Pauls Crosse concerning the misuse of Abbeys and other church goodes and I am assured right well that neuer a Papiste of them all did euer so much therein as I did I thanke the Lorde therefore I was also as it is well knowen faine to aunsweare therefore before all the Counsell and manye of my brethren did the like so that wee for the not rebuking of theyr faultes shall not aunsweare before God nor be blame worthy before menne Therefore lette the Gentlemen and the Courtiers them selues and all the Citizens of London testifie what we did But my Lord you could not abide them for that which they did vnto you and for that they were of a contrary Religion vnto you Whereâ—ore in that you seeme so infest against them it is neither any iust or publique cause but it is your owne priuate hate that maketh you to reporte so euill of their gouernaunce And yee may now say what yee list of them when they be partely dead and gone and partly by you put out of office But what shal be sayde of you when your fall shall folowe yee shall then heare And I muste say my conscience to you I feare me ye haue and wil with your gouernance bring England out of Gods blessing into a warme sunne I pray God you doe not I am an Englishe manne borne and God knoweth doe naturally wishe well to my Countrey And my Lorde I haue often prooued that the thyngs which I haue much feared afore hande shoulde come to passe haue in deede followed I praye God I may faile of my gessing in thys behalfe but truely that will not be wyth expellyng the true woorde of God out of the Realme and wyth sheading of innocent bloude And as touching your reioycing as thoughe God had sette you alofte to punishe vs by myracle for so you reporte and bragge openly of yourselfe and to minister Iustice if wee will not receaue youre holye fathers mercye and thereby to declare youre churche to be true and oures false to that I aunsweare thus Goddes workes be wonderful are not to be compreheÌ„ded and perceiued by maÌ„s wisedome not by the witte of the moste wise and prudent Yea they are soonest deceiued and doe moste easely iudge amisse of Goddes wonderfull woorkes that are moste worldly wise God hathe made all the wisedome of thys worlde foolishnesse first Corrinthians the firste and the seconde Chapter Dedit dilectam animam suam in manus inimicorum eius Hierem. xij That is Hee doeth putte his beloued and deare heart into the handes of the ennemies thereof Thys thing doeth God whiche thing all wise menne accompte to be the moste foolish and vnwise parte that can be Will the wise of the worlde trowe ye putte their most deare frendes and tenderly beloued children into their enmies handes to kill slaye burne c. that is vnto them a madnesse aboue all madnesse And yet doeth God vse thys order and thys is an highe and singular wisedome in his syght which the world taketh to be most extreme madnes Canne the worlde shewe a cause whye hee suffered the greate multitude of innocente children to be murthered of Herode of Ascalon or why he putte that moste holy man Iohn Baptiste into the handes of Herode hys sonne to be headed and that in prisone secreatly wythout open iudgement moste tyrannously Whye he suffered hys beloued Apostle Iames to be beheaded of another Herode Acts 12 Whye he suffered his beloued seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be foure hundred yeares in thraldome and bondage and vnder Pharao And all the stocke of Iuda and Beniamin hys beloued children and Churche to come vnder the power sweard and tyrannie of Nabuchodonosor No verely but hys true Catholicke Churche knoweth diuers causes heereof whyche are nowe too long to reherse and whych I would right gladly shew if I had time But this I am righte sure off that it was not because that the aforesayd Godly menne were in heresies and subiecte to false gods seruices and Idolatrie and that theyr aduersaries were men of God and beloued of God The contrarye was true Ihon Baptist was beloued of God and Herode hated and so foorth of the rest and Iohn Baptist the innocent children Iames the Children of Israel in Egypte and in Babylon were the catholike members and
cause for which a man of my estate should loose his life yet who woulde not geue it to aduouch this child to be legitimate and his mariage to be lawfull and holy I do good Reader recite thys saying not onely to let thee see what he thought of Priests mariage but chiefly to let all maryed couples and parents learne to beare in their bosome true affections naturall but yet seasoned with the true salt of the spirit vnfaynedly and throughly mortifyed to do the naturall workes and offices of maried couples parents so loÌ„g as with their doing they may keepe Christ with a free confessing faith in a conscience vnfoyled otherwise both they and their owne liues are so to be forsaken as Christ required theÌ„ to be denyed and geueÌ„ in his cause And now to come to the examination of this good man alter that the Bishops had kept him one whole yeare and a quarter in prison at the length they called him as they did the rest of his felowes openly to be examined Of the which his first examination the effect and purpose thus foloweth ¶ The Examination of Laurence Saunders PRaysed be our gracious God who preserueth his from euill and doth geue them grace to auoyd al such offeÌ„ces as might hinder his honor or hurt his Church Amen Being conuented before the Queenes most honorable Councell sundry bishops being present the Lord Chauncellor began to speake in such forme as foloweth I. Chan. It is not vnknowne that you haue bene Prisoner for such abhominable heresies false doctrine as hath bene sowne by you and now it is thought good that mercy be shewed to such as seeke for it Wherfore if now you will shew your selfe conformable come home agayne mercy is ready We must say that we haue fallen in maner all but now we bee risen agayne and returned to the Catholicke Churche you must rise with vs and come home vnto it Geue vs forthwith a direct aunswere Saun. My Lord and my Lordes all my it please your honors to geue me leaue to aunswere with deliberation Chan. Leaue of your painting and pride of speech For such is the fashion of you all to please your selues in your glorious wordes Aunswere yea or nay Saund. My Lord it is no time for me now to paynt And as for pride there is no great cause why it should be in me My learning I confesse to be but small and as for riches or worldly wealth I haue none at all Notwithstanding it standeth me in hand to auÌ„swere to your demaund circumspectly considering that one of these two extreme perilles are like to fall vpon me the losing of a good conscience or y e losing of this my bodye and life And I tell you trueth I loue both life and liberty if I coulde enioy them without the hurt of my conscience Chan. Conscience you haue none at all but pride and arrogancy * Of this 〈…〉 S. 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 6. Ierâ—m â—0 Come out and diuide your selues from them c. Argument Conscience 〈…〉 vpon things vncertaine 〈…〉 deuiding your selues by singularitye from the Church Saun. The Lorde is the knower of all mens consciences And where your Lordship layeth to my charge thys deuiding my selfe from the Church as you do mean is now among you concluded vpon as I do vnderstand I do assure you that I lyue in the fayth wherein I haue bene brought vp sithens I was 14. yeare old being taught that the power of the B. of Rome is but vsurped w t many other abuses springing thereof Yea this I haue receiued euen at your hands that are here present as a thing agreed vpon by the Catholicke Church and publicke authority Chan. Yea mary but I pray you haue you receiued by coÌ„sent and authoritye all your heresies of the blessed Sacrament of the aultar Saund. My Lorde it is lesse offence to cutte off an arme hand or ioynt of a man then to cut of the head For y e man may liue though he do lacke an arme hand or ioynt and so he can not without his head But you all the whole sort of you haue agreed to cut of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome whome now you will haue to be the head of your Church agayne Bish. of Lond. And if it like your Lordship I haue his hand agaynst the blessed sacrament How say you to that Saunders What I haue written that I haue written and farther I will not accuse my selfe Nothing haue you to burden me withall for breaking of your lawes since they were in force A lawfull 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 Chan. Well you be obstinate and refuse liberty Saund. My Lord I may not buy liberty at suche a pryce but I beseech your honours to be meanes to the Queenes Maiesty for suche a pardon for vs that wee may liue and keep our consciences vnclogged and we shal liue as most obedient subiectes Otherwise I must say for my selfe that by Gods grace I will abide the moste extremity that man may do against me rather then to do against my conscieÌ„ce Chan. Ah Syrra you will liue as you list The Donatistes did desire to liue in singularity but in deed they were not meete to liue on earth no more be you and that shall you vnderstand within these seuen dayes and therefore away with him Saund. Welcome be it whatsoeuer the will of God shal be either life or death And I tell you truely I haue learned to dye But I exhort you to beware of shedding of innoceÌ„t bloud Truly it will cry The spirite of God rest vpon all your honors Amen This is the summe and forme of my first examination Pray c. This examination being ended the officers led him out of the place so stayed vntill the rest of his fellowes were likewise handled that they might haue them altogether to prison Laurence Saunders standing among the Officers seing there a great multitude of people opened his mouth and spake freely warning them wel of that M. Saunders freely preacheth Christ. which by their falling from Christ to Antichrist they did deserue therefore exhorting them by repentaunce to rise agayne and to embrace Christ with stronger fayth to confesse him to the end in the defiance of Antichrist sinne death the deuill so should they reteine the Lordes fauor and blessing The copyes of his other examinations and excommunication came to the hands of such as do keepe them still in secret But in them as he defended Christes cause stoutly The 2. examination here lacketh so warned he the Pharisaicall bishops and papists of their hypocrisy and tyranny freely and cleared himselfe of theyr vniust quarrellinges truly After he was excommunicate and deliuered to the secular power he was brought by the Shriffe of London M. Saunders deliuered to the secular power to the prison called the Counter in his owne parish in Breadstreet whereat he reioyced greatly both because he found
heauier lumpe of this vile carkase ought therfore of nature to be more frayle then you yet sayth he The stouâ— bragges 〈◊〉 D. Pendlâ—â—ton at thâ— first begiâ—â—ning God geueth strength where feâ—â—blenes is confessed I will see the vttermost drop of this grease of mine molteÌ„ away the last gobbet of this flesh consumed to ashes before I wil forsake God and his truth Wherunto the other answering but litle wishing that almighty God woulde geue him more strength theÌ„ he presently felt in himselfe acknowledging his owne weaknes conseÌ„ted notwithstanding though it were somewhat fayntly to ioyne w t him in the profession of the Gospell so to go vp to London set forth the same wherupon they gaue ech other theyr haÌ„ds Now when they were come to London Lord what a great chaunge was there betwene these two persons The poore feeble faynt harted Saunders by the goodnes of almighty God taking hart of grace to him seking the same in humility boldly stoutly confirmed his flock out of the pulpit where his charge lay mightely beating down Antichrist lustely preached Christ his maister for the which he afterward suffered most willingly as is afore declared Wheras on the other side Pendleton the proud who as it appeared by the sequele had bene more stout in words Example how feebâ—â— man is 〈◊〉 himselfe without the Lord support him theÌ„ constant in deeds and a greater bragger then a good warrior folowed Peter so iustly in crackes howsoeuer he did in repentance which God onely knoweth that he came not so soone to London but he chauÌ„ged his tipet playd y e Apostata preaching in stede of sound doctrine nothing almost but errors lyes aduauncing Antichrist and ouerthrowing poore Christ with all his mayne so his former boldnes came to nothing vnlesse it were a contrarye key becomming of a faithfull pastour a false runnagate and of a true Preacher a sworne enemy of Gods euerlasting Testament to the great offence of his brethren the hurt of hys flock and the vtter vndoing with our Gods greater mercy of his owne soule Wherein are specially to be considered the deepe and maruellous iudgementes of God who as he can and doth make strong whome it pleaseth hym when he seeth his time most commonly such as appeare most feeblest euen so contrariwise throweth he downe other some seeme they neuer so stoute stand they neuer so much in theyr own conceites Wherefore let him that standeth take heed he fall not and let vs pray continually to almighty God though we haue fayth that he will helpe and encrease our faith that in him it may be made stroÌ„g which of it selfe is so weake that it is soone ouerthrowne Anno 1555. February This blessed man of God enduring long time in prisoÌ„ did not passe all his time in vnfruitfull idlenes but still froÌ„ time to time did visite his frendes as is sayd and especially his wife with many letters full of godly instruction consolatioÌ„ All which letters it shall not be greatly needful here to insert partly because they are to be found in the booke of letters partly because we enteÌ„d also if God will to prosecute the same more at large In the meane time it shall not be out of place here preseÌ„tly to coÌ„prehend certein of them as in order foloweth ¶ A letter sent to M. Farrar Bishop of S. Dauids Doctor Tailor M. Bradford and M. Philpot. A letter of M Saundeâ—s sent to B. Farrar D. Taylor M. Bradford and M. Pâ—ilpot 〈◊〉 8. GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our Lord. c. Good fathers and deare brethren be thankefull vnto our most gracious God which hath preserued vs and shall I doubt not from blaspheming his blessed name yea not onely that but also ex ore Infantium Lactentium perficiet laudem c. i. Out of the mouthes of very babes and sucklinges shall be set forth his praise They offer vs forsooth our liberty pardon so that we will rise with them vnto that faith which we with them were fallen from Yea or no must be answered in hast They will not admit any need full circumstances but all as heretofore most detestable abhominable Rise with them we must vnto the vnity And pardon say I of me must not be so dearely purchased A pardon I desire for to liue with an vnclogged coÌ„science The Donatists say they sought for such singularitye but they were not meete to liue in a common wealth no more be you as you shall shortly vnderstand Wherefore away with him yea the time was named within thys seuen night There be 12. houres in the day Death shall be wellcome say I as being looked for long since and yet do iustice ye were best for Abels bloud cryed ye wot what The spirite of God be vpon you Iohn 11. God saue your honors Thus departed I from theÌ„ Pray pray Ah ah puer sum nescio loqui i. I am a childe I cannot speake My brother P. shall shew you more herein By him send me word what you haue done Fare ye well and pray pray I woulde gladly meet with my good brother Bradford on the backeside about 11. of the clock Before that time I cannot start out we haue such outwalkers but then will they be at dinner Yours as you know Laurence Saunders ¶ A Letter which L. Saunders did write to his wife and others of the faythfull after his condemnation to the fire written the last of Ianua 1555. out of the Counter in Breadstreete THe grace of Christ w t the coÌ„solation of the holy Ghost to the keeping of fayth and a good conscience coÌ„firme keep you for euer vessels to Gods glory A comforâ—â—ble letter â—f M. Saunders to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 Amen Oh what worthy thanks can be geueÌ„ to our gracious God for his vnmeasurable mercies pleÌ„tifully poured vpoÌ„ vs And I most vnworthy wretch cannot but poure forth at this present eueÌ„ from the bottom of my hart the bewayling of my great ingratitude and vnkindnes towardes so gracious a good God and louing father I beseech you all as for my other many sinnes so especially for that sinne of my vnthankefulnesse craue pardon for me in your earnest prayers commendyng me to Goddes greate mercyes in Christ. To number these mercies in particular where to number the drops of water which are in the Sea the sandes on the shore the starres in the skie O my deare wife ye the rest of my frends reioyce with me I say reioyce w t thanksgeuing for this my present promotion The sweete comfort of 〈…〉 away 〈◊〉 feare of death from 〈…〉 in that I am made worthy to magnifye my God not onely in my life by my slow mouth vncircuÌ„cised lips bearing witnes vnto hys truth but also by my bloud to seale the same to the glory of my God and confirming of his true church And as
but the Lord would geue him strength to performe the same to his glory and immediately he sent to his seruaÌ„ts house for his bootes spurs and cloke that he might be in a redines to ride when he should be called The next day following about foure of the clocke in the morning before day the Keeper with others came to him and searched him the bed wherin he lay to see if he had written any thing and then he was led by the shiriffs of London and other their officers forth of Newgate to a place appoynted not farre from S. Dunstanes Church in Fleetestreete where sixe of the Queenes Garde were appoynted to receiue hym to cary hym to Gloucester there to be deliuered vnto the shiriffe who with the L. Shandois M. Wickes M. Hooper caâ—ryed to Glocester to be burned and other Commissioners were apointed to see execution done The which Gard brought hym to the Angel where he brake his fast with them eating his meat at that tyme more liberally then he had vsed to doe a good while before About the breake of the day he went to horse and lept cheerefully on horsebacke without help hauyng a hood vpon his hed vnder his hat that he should not be known and so tooke his iourny ioyfully towards Glocester and alwayes by the way the Gard learned of hym where he was accustomed to bait or lodge and euer caried hym to an other Inne Upon the Thursday following he came to a towne in his Dioces called Ciceter xv miles froÌ„ Glocester A woman of Ciceter confirmed by the constancy of M. Hooper which rayled at him before about eleuen of the clocke and there dyned at a womans house which had always hated the truth and spoken all euil she could of M. Hooper This woman perceiuing the cause of his commyng shewed him all the frendship she could and lamented his case with teares confessing that shee before had ofteÌ„ reported that if he were put to the trial he would not stand to his doctrine After dinner he rode forwardes M. Hooper câ—â—meth to Glocâ—ster came to Gloucestâ—r about v. of the clocke and a mile without the towne was much people assembled which cried lamented his estate in so much that on of the Gard rode post into the town to require ayde of the Mayor and shiriffes fearyng least hee should haue bene taken from them The Officers and their retinue repayred to the Gate with weapons The quiet minde of M. Hooper in his troubles and commanded the people to keepe theyr houses c. but there was no man that once gaue any signification of any such rescue or violence So was he lodged at one Ingrams house in Gloucester and that nyght as he had done all the way he did eate hys meat quietly and slept his first sleepe soundly as it was reported by theÌ„ of the Gard and others After his first sleepe he continued all that night in prayer vntil the morning and then he desired that he might go into the next chamber for the Gard wer also in the chamber where he lay that there being solitary he might pray and talke with God so that all that day sauing a litle at meat and when he talked at any time with such as the Gard licenced to speake with hym he bestowed in prayer Amongest other that spake with hym Sir Anthony Kingston Knight was one Who seemyng in tymes past his very friend was then appointed by the Queenes letters to be one of the commissioners to see execution done vppon hym Maister Kingston beyng brought into the chamber found him at his prayer â—yr Anthony Kingston câ—mmeth to M. Hooper and as soone as he sawe M. Hooper he burst foorth in teares Maister Hooper at the first blush knew hym not Then sayde maister Kingston Why my Lord doe ye not know me an olde friend of yours Anthony Kingston Yes M. Kingston I do now know you well and am glad to see you in health and do prayse God for the same But I am sory to see you in this case for as I vnderstand you bee come hether to dye Syr Anthony Kingstones perswasions But alas consider that lyfe is sweete and death is bitter Therefore seeyng lyfe may bee had desire to lyue for lyfe hereafter may doe good In deed it is true M. Kingston I am come hether to end this lyfe M. Hooper replyeth and to suffer death here because I wyll not gainsay the former truth that I haue heretofore taught amongest you in this Diocesse and els where and I thank you for your friendly counsail although it be not so frendly as I could haue wished it True it is M. Kingstone that death is bitter and lyfe is sweete but alas consider that the death to come is more bitter and the lyfe to come is more sweete Therfore for the desire and loue I haue to the one and the terror and feare of the other Lyfe compared with lyfe and death with death I do not so much regard this death nor esteeme this lyfe but haue setled my selfe through the strength of gods holy spirit paciently to passe through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me rather then to denye the truth of his worde desiring you and others in the meane tyme to commende me to Gods mercy in your prayers Well my Lorde then I perceyue there is no remedye Syr Anâ—hony Kingstone and therefore I wyll take my leaue of you and I thanâ—e God that euer I knew you for God did appoynt you to call me beyng a lost child and by your good instructions Syr Anthony Kingstone conuerted by M. Hooper where before I was both an adulterer and a fornicator God hath brought me to the forsaking and detesting of the same If you haue had the grace so to do I do highly prayse God for it and if you haue not I pray God ye may haue and that you may continually lyue in hys feare M. Hooper After these and many other woordes the one tooke leaue of the other M. Kyngston with bitter teares M. Hooper with teares also tricklyng downe hys cheekes At which departure M. Hooper tolde hym that all the troubles he had sustained in prison had not caused hym to vtter so much sorrow The same day in the after noone a blind boy after long intercessioÌ„ made to the Gard A blynd boy commeth to M. Hooper obteined licence to be broght vnto M. Hoopers speache The same boy not long afore had suffered imprisonment at Gloucester for confessyng of the truth M. Hooper after hee had examined hym of hys fayth Gods grace vpon a blynd boy at Glocester and the cause of his imprisonment beheld hym stedfastly and the water appearing in his eyes sayde vnto hym Ah poore boy God hath taken from thee thy outward sight for what consideration he best knoweth but he hath geuen thee an other sight much more precious for
contrary to your own othe writing With what countenaunce wil ye appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ and aunswere to your othe made first vnto that blessed king Henry 8. of famous memorye and afterward vnto that blessed king Edward the 6. his sonne The bishop answered Tush tush Herodes othe Here the bishop confesseth vnlawfull othes ought not to be kept that was Herodes othe vnlawfull and therfore worthy to be broken I haue done well in breaking it and I thanke God I am come home agayne to our mother to the Catholicke Churche of Rome and so I would thou shouldest doe Doctor Taylor answered Should I forsake y e Church of Christ which is founded vppon the true foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes to approue those lyes erroures superstitions and Idolatries that the Popes and their company at this day so blasphemously do approoue Nay God forbid The true church of Christ wherunto all men ought to turne Let the pope and his returne to our sauioure Christ and his word and thrust out of the Churches such abhominable Idolatries as he maintayneth and then wil christen men turne vnto him You wrote truely agaynst hym and were sworne agaynst him I tell thee quoth the Bishop of Winchester it was Herodes oth vnlawfull and therfore ought to be broken and not kept and our holy father the Pope hath discharged me of it Then sayd D. Taylor Christ will require lawfull othes and promises but you shall not so be discharged before Christ who doubtles will require it at youre handes as a lawfull othe made to your liege soueraigne Lorde the king from whose obedience no man can assoyle you neither the Pope nor none of his I see quoth the Bishop thou art an arrogant knaue Gardiner agayne rayling Rayling wordes become not a magistrate Math. 5. and a very foole My Lord quoth Doctor Taylor leaue your vnseemly rayling at me which is not seemely for such a one in authoritie as you are For I am a Christian man and you know that He that sayeth to his brother Racha is in daunger of a Counsell and he that sayth thou foole is in daunger of hel fire The Bishop answered ye are all false and lyars all the sort of you Nay quoth D. Taylor we are true men and know that is written Os quod mentitur occidit animam agayne Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium i. The mouth that lyeth slayeth the soule And agayne Lord God thou shalt destroy all that speake lyes And therefore we abide by the truth of gods word which ye contrary to your own conscience deny and forsake Thou art maryed quoth the B. Yea quoth Doctour Taylor that I thank God I am Maryage obiected to D. Taylour Mariage defended and haue had nine children and all in lawfull matrimony and blessed be God y t ordayned matrimony and commaunded that euerye man that hath not the gift of continency shoulde mary a wife of his owne and not liue in adultery or whoredome Then sayd the bishop thou hast resisted the Queenes Proceedinges One Idolater holdeth with an other and wouldest not suffer the Parson of Aldam a very vertuous and deuout Priest to say Masse in Hadley Doctor Taylor answered My Lorde I am Parson of Hadley and it is agaynst all right conscience and lawes that any man shall come into my charge presume to infect the flock committed vnto me The Masse with venome of the Popish Idolatrous Masse With that the Bishop waxed very angry said Thou art a blasphemous hereticke in deede that blasphemest the blessed sacrament and put of his cap and speakest agaynst the holy Masse which is made a sacrifice for the quick and the dead D. Taylor answered Nay I blaspheeme not the blessed sacrament which Christ instituted but I reuerence it as a true christian ought to doe The communiō and confesse that Christ ordayned the holy communion in the remembrance of his death and passion The true sacrifice for the quicke and dead what it is which◠when we keepe according to his ordinaunce we through fayth eat the body of Chryst and drinke his bloud geuing thanks for our redemption and this is our sacrifice for the quicke the dead to geue God thankes for his mercifull goodnes shewed to vs in that he gaue his sonne Christ vnto the death for vs. Propitiatory sacrifice offered neuer more then once Thou sayst well quoth the Bishop It is all y t thou hast sayd and more to for it is a propitiatory sacrifice for y e quick dead Thē answered D. Taylor Christ gaue hymselfe to die for our redemption vpon the Crosse whose body there offered was the propitiatory Sacrifice full perfect and sufficient vnto saluation for all them that beleeue in him And this sacrifice did our Sauiour Christ offer in his owne person himselfe once for all Our sacrifice is onely memoratiue Winchesters strong argument cary him to prison neither can any Priest any more offer him nor we neede no more propitiatory sacrifice and therefore I say with Chrysostome and all the Doctours Our Sacrifice is only memoratiue in the remembrance of Christes death and passion a sacrifice of thankesgeuing and therefore Fathers called it Eucharistia And other sacrifice hath the Church of God none It is true quoth the Byshop the Sacrament is called Eucharistia a thankesgeuing because we there geue thanks for our redemption and it is also a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead which thou shalt confesse ere thou and I haue done Then called the Bishop his men and sayde haue this fellow hence and carry him to the Kings bench and charge the keeper he be straitly kept Then kneeled Doctor Taylour down and held vp both his hands and said Good Lord I thanke thee and from the tiranny of the Byshop of Rome D. Taylours prayer agaynst the pope and his detestable enormities and all his detestable errours Idolatries and abhominations good Lord deliuer vs And God be praysed for good King Edwarde So they caried him to prison to the Kings Bench where he lay prisoner almost two yeares ☞ This is the summe of that first talke as I sawe it mentioned in a Letter that Doctour Taylour wrote to a frend of his thanking God for his grace that he had confessed his truth and was founde worthy for truth to suffer prison and bands beseeching his frendes to pray for him that he might perseuere constaunt vnto the ende Being in prison Doctour Taylour spent all hys tyme in prayer reading the holy Scriptures and writing and preaching The godly behauiour and cōuersation of D. Taylour in the prison and exhorting the prisoners and such as resorted to him to repentance and amendement of life Within a fewe dayes after were diuerse other learned and godly men in sondry countreys of England committed to prison for Religion so that almost all the prisons in England were become right
theÌ„ within the said Deanry whom he shall lyke best to be instructed and appeased in that behalfe And also I haue appoynted that iâ— this beyng done there shall yet remayne any scruple in the parties conscience and himselfe not satisfied then the said partie to repaire vnto one of myne Archdeacons or chaplens vnto whom his mynd shal be most inclined vnto or els to repaire vnto myne owne selfe to bee resolued in his saide scruple or doubt and to receiue and take such order therin as to one of the sayd Archdeacons or vnto me shall therin appeare to be most expedient Further certifieng and declaring vnto you that I haue geuen commaundement herein to all my Archdeacons that they monish and commaund euery pastor Curate within their Archdeaconries that they hauing knowlege hereof doe in the first holiday next then followyng at the masse tyme when the multitude of people is present declare all these thyngs vnto their parishioners and exhort them that they esteeme this grace accordingly and reconcile themselues to the church before the first Sonday after Easter next ensuyng which thyng I also do commaunde by the tenour hereof with intimation that the sayd tyme beyng once past and they not so reconciled euery one of them shall haue processe made agaynst hym accordyng to the Canons as the cause shall require for which purpose the pastours and Curates of euery parish shall be coÌ„manded by their Archdeacon to certifie me in writyng of euery man and womans name that is not so reconciled Further herewith I do signify and declare vnto you that our holy father the Pope Iulius the 3. of that name lyke a most tender and naturall father hearyng of the returne and recouery of his prodigall child this Realme of England hath hymselfe made much ioy and gladnes here at and also all other true christen Realmes haue done the lyke Exhorting you therefore in our Lord not to bee vnthankfull your selues or negligent in this behalfe but diligently to seeke for it ioyfully to embrace it and fruitfully to vse it remembryng with all the monition and charge which came from me the last yeare concernyng your commyng to confession in Lent and receiuyng the sacrament at Easter which monition to all effects and purposes I haue now here repeated and renewed chargyng you and also al your Curates therwith And because al our dueties is earnestly and deuoutly to pray for the prosperous estate of our soueraignes the King and Queene of this Realm I do finally require and pray you as hartily as I can to pray for their maiesties accordingly and specially that it may please almighty God to send vnto her grace a good tyme and to make her a glad mother which cannot be but vnto vs all great ioy much comfort and inestimable profite Geuen at London the 19 day of the moneth of Febr in the yere of our Lord God after the computation of the church of England 1554. and of my translation the 16. * The forme of absolution to be kept by the Pastors and Curates in priuate confessions concernyng this reconciliation OVr Lord Iesus Christ absolue you and by the Apostolike authoritie to me graunted and committed I absolue you from the sentences of excommunication and from all other censures and paynes into the which you be fallen by reason of heresie or schisme or any other wayes and I restore you vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Churche and the Communion of all Sacramentes dispensing with you for all manner of irregularitie and by the same authoritie I absolue you from all your sinnes In the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen ¶ The lamentable history of Maister Iames Hales Iudge IN the history of M. Hooper mention was touched a little before of Iudge Hales The history of Iuâ—ge 〈◊〉 wherefore somethyng would be sayd more in this place touching that matter But because the story of that man and of his ende is sufficiently comprehended in our first booke of Acts and MonumeÌ„ts we shall not greatly need to stand vpon rehersall of euery perticular matter touching the whole but only taking the chiefest and leauyng the rest we will report somewhat of the communication betwene the B. of Winchester hym declaring withal how false and vntrue the excuse is of our aduersaries which so precisely by the law defend theÌ„selues and say that in all their doyngs they did nothing but by y e Law to beare them out Which if it be so how did they theÌ„ to Anne Askew What law had they when they had condemned her first for a dead woman then afterward to rack her The Catholickes proued to doe agaynst the law in Q Maryes tyme. By what law did they cal vp M. Hooper prison him for the Queenes debt when the Queene in very deede did owe hym foure score pounds and kept hym a yeare and a halfe in prison and gaue hym neuer a penny pag. 1577. By what law did B. Boner condemn and burne Richard Mekins a lad of xv yeares when the first Iurie had quit hym and at the stake reuoked all heresies and praised the sayd Boner to be a good man and also hauing him in prison would not suffer his father and mother to come to hym to comfort their owne chylde pag. 1168. What lawe had they to put Maister Rogers in prison when hee dyd neyther preache nor reade Lecture after the tyme of the Queenes inhibition and when they had kept hym in his owne house halfe a yeare beyng not depriued of anye liuyng yet would not let hym haue a halfe peny of his owne liuyngs to relieue hym his wyfe and xi childreÌ„ pag. 1574. By what law was Thomas Tomkins hand burnt and afterward his body consumed to ashes What good law or honestie was there to burne the 3. poore womeÌ„ at Garnsey with the infant chyld fallyng out of the mothers woÌ„be when as they all before theyr death recanted their wordes and opinions and were neuer abiured before So here likewyse in this case what order or right of law did Steuen Gardiner follow in troublyng imprisoning Iudge Hales when he had done nothyng neither agaynst Gods law nor mans law in proceeding by order of law against certayne presumptuous persones which both before the law and agaynst the law then in force tooke vppon them to say their Masse as ye shall heare in these his answers and communication had with Steuen Gardiner here vnder ensuyng ¶ The communication betwene the Lord Chauncellour and Iudge Hales beyng there among other Iudges to take his oth in Westminster hall An. 1553. October 6. Lord Chauncellour I. Hales MAister Hales ye shall vnderstand that lyke as the Queenes highnes hath heretofore conceiued good opinion of you especially for that ye stood both faithfully lawfully in her cause of iust succession refusing to set your hand to the booke among others y t were against her grace in that behalfe Communication
determinate answer what he would do in the premisses and then either to reuoke and reclaime himself or els in the after noone the same day to come againe haue iustice as he called it ministred vnto him the copy of which articles here foloweth Anno. 1555. March Articles obiected and ministred the 8. day of Februarie against Tho. Tomkins with his owne hand subscribing to the same THou doest beleeue that in the Sacrament of the aultare vnder the formes of bread and wine there is not Articles ministred agaynst Tho. Tomkins Transubstantiation denyed by the omnipotent power of almighty God and his holy woorde really truely and in very deede the very true and naturall body of our Sauiour Iesus Christ as touching the substaunce thereof which was conceiued in the wombe of the virgine Mary and hanged vppon the crosse suffering Passion and death there for the life of the worlde I doe so beleeue Substance of bread remaineth in the sacrameÌ„t Thou doest beleeue that after the consecration of the breade and wine prepared for the vse of the Sacramente of the aultare there doth remaine the very substance of material bread and materiall wine not changed nor altered in substance by the power of almighty God but remaining as it did before I doe so beleeue The naturall pâ—eseÌ„ce of Christ in the sacrament denyed Thou doest beleeue that it is an vntrue doctrine and a false beliefe to thinke or say that in the Sacrament of the aultare there is after the consecration of the bread and wine the substaunce of Christes naturall body and bloude by the omnipotent power of almighty God and his holy worde I doe so beleeue Thou doest beleeue that thy parents kinsfolkes frendes and acquaintaunce The errour of the forelders touching the Sacrament and also thy Godfathers and Godmother and all people did erre and were deceiued if they did beleeue that in the Sacrament of the aultar there was after the consecration the body and bloude of Christe and that there did not remaine the substaunce of materiall bread and wine I doe so beleeue By me Thomas Tomkins The second examination of Thomas Tomkins THe next day being the 9. of Februarie at 8. of the clocke before noon The second examination the said Thomas Tomkins according to the former commaundement was brought againe into the place afore named before the Bishoppe and other hys assistants where the foresayd Articles were propounded vnto him whereunto he aunswered as foloweth Aunswere of Tomkins to the articles To the first he said that he did so beleeue as in the same is contained To the second he sayd that it was onely bread a participatioÌ„ of Christes death and passion and so do the scriptures teach To the third he said and did beleeue it was a false doctrine to beleeue and thinke as is contained in this Article To the fourth he did also beleeue the same After this aunswere he did also subscribe hys name to the sayd Articles Whereupon the Bishop drawing out of his bosome another confession subscribed wyth Tomkins owne hande and also that article that was the first day obiected against him caused the same to be openly read and then willed him to reuoke and deny his sayd opinions the which he vtterly refused to do and therfore was commanded to appeare before the Byshop againe in the same place at two of the clocke in the after noone The Bishop repeateth againe the confession of Thom. Tomkins wrytren before by the sayd Bishop of London and subscribed by the sayd Tomkins the 26. day Septemb. An. 1554. which is this I Thomas Tomkins of the Parish of Shordich in the Diocesse of London The first confession of Tomkins offered to B. Boner and now here agayne repeated The Masse full of superstition and Idolatry hauing confessed and declared openly heeretofore to Edmund Bishop of London mine Ordinarie that my beliefe hathe bene many yeares past and is at this present that the body of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is not truely and in very deede in the Sacrament of the aultare but onely in heauen and so in heauen that it can not nowe in deede be really and truely in the Sacramente of the altare And moreouer hauing likewise confessed and declared to my said Ordinary openly many times that although the church called the Catholicke Churche hathe allowed and doeth allowe the Masse and sacrifice made and done therein as a wholesome profitable a godly thing yet my beliefe hath ben many yeres past is at this present that the said Masse is full of superstition plaine idolatrie and vnprofitable for my soule so haue I called it many times and take it at this present Baptisme ought to be ministred in the vulgar tongue Hauing also likewise confessed and declared to my said Ordinarie that the Sacrament of Baptisme oughte to be onely in the vulgar tounge and not otherwise ministred and also without any such ceremonies as customably are vsed in the Latine church and otherwise not to be allowed Finally being many times and ofte called openly before my said Ordinarie and talked withall touching all my sayd confessions and declarations Tomkins constantly standeth to the truth oâ— the Gospel both by the saide mine Ordinarie diuers other learned men aswel his Chaplaines as other and counselled by all them to embrace the truthe and to recant mine errour in the premisses which they tolde me was plaine heresie and manifest errour do testifie and declare hereby that I do and wil continually stand to my saide confession declaration and beliefe in all the premisses euery part therof and in no wise recant or go froÌ„ any part of the same In witnesse wherof I haue subscribed passed this wryting the 26. day of Septemb. the yeare aforesayd By me Thomas Tomkyns aforesaid The names of them that sate vppon Thomas Tomkins at this Session were these Edmunde Boner The last appearance condemnation of Thomas Tomkins Martyr Iohn Fecknam Deane of Paules Iohn Harpsfield Archdeacon of London Iohn Morwen master of Art Thomas Morton parson of Fulham Tristram Swadell Thom. More Thomas Beckinsaw Iames Cline clearkes The last appearance of Tho. Tomkins before Boner and the Commissioners THe same daye and place at two of the clocke in the after noone he was the last time brought forth before the bishops of London Bath and Saint Dauids with others where hee was earnestly exhorted by the sayd Bishoppe of Bath to reuoke leaue off his opinions Unto whome he answeared My Lord I was borne brought vp in ignoraunce vntill nowe of late yeares And nowe I know the truthe wherein I will continue vnto the death Then Boner caused all his articles and confession to be again openly red and so in hys accustomed maner persuaded with hym to recant To whome hee finally sayde My Lord I can not see but that you would haue me to forsake the truth and to fall into errour and
M. Browne was very angry tooke vp the Bible and turned the leaues and then flong it downe againe in such a fury M. Browne in a pelting chafe that William could not wel finde the place againe wherof they reasoned Then M. Browne saide thou naughty boye wilt thou not take thyngs as they are but expounde them as thou wilt doth not Christ call the bread his body plainely and thou wilt not beleeue that the breade is hys body after the consecration thou goest about to make Christ a lier But William Hunter aunswered I meane not so sir but rather more earnestly to searche what the minde of Christ is in that holy Institution How Christ called bread his body wherin he commendeth vnto vs the remembraunce of his death passion resurrection and comming againe saying This dâ—e in the remembraunce of mee And also though Christe call the breade hys body as he doeth also say that hee is a vine a doore c. yet is not his body turned into breade no more then he is turned into a doore or vine Wherefore Christ called the breade his body by a figure At that worde M. Browne sayde thou art a villaine in dede Wilt thou make Christ a lier yet stil and was in such a furie with William and so raged that William could not speake a woorde M Browne in a rage but hee crossed him and scoffed at euerye woorde Wherefore William seeing him in suche furie desired hym that he woulde either heare him quietly and suffer hym to aunsweare for himselfe M. Browne sendeth vp William Hunter to B. Boner or else send him away To the which maister Browne aunsweared in deede I will sende thee to morrowe to my Lorde of London and hee shall haue thee vnder examination and thus lefte of the talke and made a letter immediately and sente William Hunter with the Constable to Boner Bishop of London who receiued William After that hee had read the letter and the Constable returned home againe the Bishoppe caused William to bee brought into a chamber where he begaÌ„ to reason with him in this maner I vnderstaÌ„d William Hunter quoth he by M. Brownes letter how that you haue had certaine communication with the vicare of Wielde Boners wordes to W. Hunter about the blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aultar how that ye could not agree wherupon M. Browne sent for thee to bring thee to the Catholicke faith from the which he sayth that thou art gon Howbeit if thou wilt be ruled by me thou shalt haue no harme for any thing that thou hast said or done in this matter William aunsweared saying I am not fallen from the Catholicke faith of Christ I am sure but do beleue it and confesse it with all my heart Talke betweene W. Hunter and the Bish. about the Sacrament Why quoth the Byshop how sayest thou to the blessed Sacrament of the aultar wilt thou not recant thy saying which thou confessedst before maister Browne howe that Christes bodye is not in the Sacrament of the aultare the same that was borne of the virgine Marie To the which William answered saying my Lorde I vnderstande y t M. Browne hath certified you of the talke which he and I had together and thereby ye knowe what I saide to him the which I wil not recant by Gods helpe Then said the Bishop I thinke thou art ashamed to beare a fagot and recant openly but if thou wilt recante thy sayinges I will promise thee Boner fayre proâ—mise to W. Hunter that thou shalt not be putte to open shame but speake the worde here nowe betwene me and thee and I wil promise thee it shal go no further and thou shalt goe home againe without any hurt William answeared and sayd my Lord if you wil lette me alone and leaue me to my conscience I will goe to my father and dwell with him or els with my maister againe W. Hunâ—â—â— not sufferâ—â— to haue 〈◊〉 consciencâ— free and so if no body will disquiet nor trouble my conscience I will keepe my conscience to my selfe Then sayd the Byshop I am content so that thou wilt goe to the Church and receiue and be shriuen and so continue a good Catholicke Christian. No quoth William I will not do so for all the good in the world Then quoth the Byshop if you will not do so I will make you sure enough I warrant you Wel quoth William you can doe no more then God will permitte you W. Huntâ—â— denyeth tâ— recant Wel quoth the bishop wilt thou not recant in deede by no meanes No quoth WilliaÌ„ neuer while I liue God willing Then the Bishop this talke ended commaunded hys men to put William in the stockes in his gatehouse Boner coâ—â—maundeth W. Hunâ—â—â— to the stockes W. Huntâ—â— 2. dayes 〈◊〉 2. nightes the stockâ—â— with a 〈◊〉 of bread a cuppe of water Hunter agayne refuâ—seth to 〈◊〉 his fayth 〈◊〉 Christ. where he sate two daies and nights onely with a crust of browne bread and a cuppe of water At the two daies end the bishop came to him and finding the cup of water and the crust of bread stil by him vpon the stocks sayd to his men take hym oute of the stocks and let him breake his fast with you Then they lette hym forth of the stockes but would not suffer hym to eate wyth them but called him hereticke And he said he was as lothe to be in their companie as they were to be in his After breakefaste the Bishop sent for William and demaunded whether he woulde recante or no. But William made him aunsweare howe that he woulde neuer recante that which he had confessed before men as concerning hys faith in Christ. Then the B. sayd that he wys no Christian but denied the faith in which he was Baptised But W. aunsweared I was baptised in the faith of the holy Trinitie the which I will not goe from God assisting me with his grace Then the Bishop sent hym to the conuicte prisone W. Hunter â—ayd in the conuict priâ—son with aâ— many yroâ—â— as he could beare and commaunded the keeper to lay yrons on him as manye as he coulde beare and moreouer asked him how old he was and William sayd that he was 19. yeare olde Well sayd the Bishop you wil be burned ere you be 20. yere old if you will not yeld your selfe better then you haue done yet William aunsweared God strengthen me in his truth and then he parted Hunter allowed an halfe peny a day to liâ—â— on the Bishop allowing him a halfpenie a day to liue on in bread or drinke Thus he continued in prison 3. quarters of a yeare In the which time he had beene before the bishop 5. times besides the time when he was condemned in the Consistorie in Paules the 9. day of Februarie at the which time I hys brother Robert Hunter was present These fiue were â—omkins Pigot Knight Haukes Laurence when
Hunter led to the place of Matirdome The Shriffes sonne geueth comfortable wordes to W. Hunter and embraced him in his right arme saying William be not afraid of these men which are here present with bowes bils weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned To whom William aunswered I thanke God I am not afraide for I haue cast my coumpt what it wil cost me already Then the sheriffes sonne could speake no more to him for weeping Then William Hunter plucked vp his gowne stepped ouer the Parlour grounsel and went forward chearefully the sheriffes seruaunt taking him by the arme and I his brother by an other and thus going in the way met w t his father according to his dreame he spake to his sonne W. Hunters dreame verefied weeping and saying God be with thee sonne William and William sayd God be with you father be of a good comfort for I hope we shall meete againe when we shal be mery His father said I hope so William and so departed His wordes to his father So W. went to the place where the stake stoode euen according to hys dreame whereas all thinges were very vnready Then William tooke a wet broome fagot kneeled downe thereon and red the 51. Psalme till he came to these words the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Then sayd M. Tirrel of the Beaches called W. Tirel thou lyest sayd he thou readest false M. William Tyrell of the Beaches carpeth where he hath no cause for the wordes are an humble spirit But W. said the translation sayth a contrite heart Yea quoth M. Tirel the translation is fals ye translate bokes as ye list your selues like hereticks Wel quoth William there is no great difference in those words Then sayd the sheriffe heere is a letter from the Queene If thou wilt recant thou shalt liue if not thou shalt be burned No W. Hunter refuseth the Quenes pardon quoth W. I will not recante God willing Then W. roase and went to the stake and stoode vpright to it Then came one Richard Ponde a Bailiffe and made fast the chaine about William The burning of William Hunter Martyr Then sayde M. Browne here is not woode enough to burne a legge of him Then said William good people pray for me and make speede and dispatch quickly and pray for me while ye see me aliue good people and I praye for you likewise Now quoth M. Browne pray for thee A dogged saying of M. Browne I will pray no more for thee then I wil pray for a dogge To whom William aunsweared M. Browne now you haue that whych you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day howbeit I forgeue you Then sayde maister Browne I aske no forgeuenes of thee Wel sayd William if God forgeue you not I shall require my bloude at your handes Then sayd William Sonne of God shine vppon mee and immediately the sunne in the element shone oute of a darke cloude so full in his face that he was constrayned to looke an other way whereat the people mused because it was so darke a little time afore An externall shew of Chriâ—â—s â—auour vpon W. Hunter Williamâ— dreamâ— verified Then William tooke vppe a fagot of broome and embraced it in his armes Then this Priest which William dreamed of came to his brother Robert with a popish booke to carye to William that he might recant which booke his brother woulde not meddle withall Then William seeing the priest and perceiuing how he woulde haue shewed hym the booke sayd away Hunters wordes to a Popish Priest thou false prophet Beware of them good people come awaye from their abominatioÌ„s lest y t you be partakers of their plagues Then quoth the Priest looke howe thou burnest heere so shalt thou burne in hel William answered thou liest thou false prophet away thou false prophet away Then was there a Gentleman whiche sayde I praye God haue mercy vpon his soule The people sayd Amen Amen Immediatly fire was made Then William cast his Psalter right into his brothers hande Hunter comforted by his brother Robert who sayde William thinke on the holy Passion of Christ and be not afraid of death And William aunsweared I am not afraid Then lifte he vp his handes to heauen and sayd Lorde Lorde Lord receiue my spirit and casting downe hys head againe into the smothering smoke he yeelded vp his life for the truthe sealing it with hys bloud to the praise of God Nowe by and by after M. Browne commaunded one old Hunt to take his brother Robert Hunter lay him in the stockes till he returned from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the hill Rob. Hunter set â—n â—he stocks Rob. Hunter had before M. Browne the same day Which thing olde Hunt did Then maister Browne when Robert Hunter came before him asked if he would doe as his brother had done But Robert Hunter answered if I do as my brother hath done I shall haue as he hath had Mary quoth M. Browne thou mayest be sure of it Then M. Browne sayde I maruell that thy brother stoode so to hys tackling and moreouer asked Robert if Williams Maister of London were not at hys burnynge Rob. Hunter by Gods prouideÌ„ce deliuered But Roberte sayde that hee was not there but Mayster Browne bare hym in hande that his master was there and howe that he did see him there but Robert denied it Then master Browne commaunded the Constable and Robert Hunter to goe theyr wayes home and so had no further talke wyth them Here followeth the hystorie of master Higbed and master Causton two worthy Gentlemen of Essex which for the syncere confession of theyr faith vnder Boner B. of London were Martyred and burned in Essex An. 1555. Marche 26. ALthough the coÌ„demnation of maister Higbed and master Causton followed after the condemning of those other Martyrs Marke 26. The story of M. Higbed and M. Causton Martirs which were condemned with Tomkyns and Hunter aboue mentioned yet because the time of their execution was before the burning of the foresaid four martyrs for so muche as they suffered the same day that William Hunter did which was the 26. of Marche I thoughte therefore next after the storie of the sayde William Hunter folowing the order of time here to place the same This maister Higbed and maister Causton two worshipfull Gentlemen in the Countie of Essex the one at Hornden of the hill the other of the parishe of Thunderst being zealous and religious in the true seruice of God as they could not dissemble with the Lord their God nor flatter with the world so in time of blind superstition wretched idolatrie they could not long lie hidde and obscure in such a number of malignant aduersaries accusers and seruaunts of thys worlde
but at length they were perceaued and detected to the foresayde Edmund Boner Bishoppe of London M. Higbed and M. Causton deâ—ected to Boner peraduenture not without the same organ which sent vp William Hunter as is aboue declared By reason whereof by commaundement they were committed to the officers of Colchester to be safely kept and with them also a seruant of Thomas Causton who in this praise of Christian godlines was nothing inferior to his maister Boner the forsayd Byshop perceiuing these 2. Gentlemen to be of worshipful estate of great estimation in that countrey least any tumult shoulde thereby arise came thether himselfe accompanied with M. Fecknam and certaine other B Boner commeth himselfe to Colchester thinking to reclaim them to his faction and fashion so that great labour diligence was taken therein as wel by terrors and threatnings as by large promises and flatteringe and all faire meanes to reduce them againe to the vnitie as they termed it of the mother church In fine when nothing coulde preuaile to make them assent to theyr doings at length they came to thys poynte that they required certaine respite to consulte with themselues what were best to doe Whych time of deliberation being expired and they remaining still constant and vnmooueable in their professed doctrine and setting oute also their confession in wryting the bishop seeing no good to be done in tarying any longer there M. Higbed and M. Causton caryed to London departed thence caried them bothe with hym to London and wyth them certaine other prisonners also which about the same time in those quarters were apprehended It was not long after thys but these prisonners being at London committed to strait prison and there attempted sundrye wise by the Bishop and his Chapleines to reuoke their opinioÌ„s at length when no persuasions wold serue they were brought forth to open examination at the Consistorie in Paules the first dayes Session the 17. daye of Februarie An. 1555. Where they were demaunded aswell by the said bishop as also by the Bishop of Bathe others whether they would recant their errors peruerse doctrine as they termed it and so come to y e vnitie of the Popish Church Which when they refused to doe the Byshop assigned them likewise the next day to appeare againe being the 18. of Februarie On the whych daye among many other thinges there sayd and passed The second dayes Sessiâ—on he read vnto them seuerally certaine Articles and gaue them respite vntill the next day to aunswer vnto the same so committed them againe to prisone The copie of which Articles here vnder foloweth Articles obiected and ministred by Boner B. of London seuerally against Tho. Causton Thomas Higbed of Essex FIrst that thou Thomas Causton or Thomas Higbed hast bene and arte of the Diocesse of London Articles laiâ— by B. Boner to M. Higbed and Causton and also of the iurisdiction now of me Edmund Bishop of London Item that thou was in time past according to the order of the Church of England baptised and christened Item that thou haddest Godfathers and Godmother according to the said order Item that the said Godfathers and Godmothers did theÌ„ promise for thee and in thy name the faith and religion that then was vsed in the realme of England Item that that faith and Religion which they did professe make for thee was accompted and taken to be the faith and Religion of the Churche and of the Christian people and so was it in very deede Item thou comming to the age of discretion that is to saye to the age of xiiij yeares diddest not mislike nor disallowe that faith that Religion or promise then vsed and approued and promised by the said Godfathers and Godmother but for a time diddest continue in it as other taking themselues for Christen people did likewise Item that at that time and also before it was taken for a doctrine of the Churche Catholicke and true and euerye where in Christendom then allowed for Catholicke and true and to be the profession of a Christen man to beleeue that in the Sacrament of the aultare vnder the formes of breade and wine after the consecration there was and is by the omnipotent power and will of almighty God and his woorde without any substance of breade and wine there remaining The reall presence the true and naturall body and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in substance which was borne of the virgine Marie and suffered vppon the Crosse really truely and in very deede Item that at that time thy father and mother all thine auncestors all thy kindred acquaintance and frends and thy sayd Godfathers and Godmother did then so beleeue and thinke in all the same as the sayd Church did therein beleeue Item that thy selfe hast had no iust cause or lawfull grounde to departe or swarue from the sayde Religion or faith nor no occasion at all except thou wilt followe and beleeue the erroneous opinion or beliefe that hath ben against the common order of the Church brought in by certaine disordred persons of late and at the vttermost within these 30. or 40. yeares last past Item that thou doest knowe or credibly hast heard and doest beleue that D. Robert Barnes Iohn Frith Tho. Garrerd Hierome Also sir Edmund Boner priest before the death of Cromwell seemed to be of the opinion and was swornâ— twise agaynst the Pope Lassels Anne Askew Iohn Hooper late Bishop of Gloucester sir Laurence Saunders Priest Iohn Bradford sir Iohn Rogers Priest sir Rowland Taylour Priest sir Iohn Laurence Priest William Pygot Steuen Knight William Hunter Thomas Tomkyns Thomas Hawkes haue bene heretofore reputed taken and accompted as heretickes and also condemned as heretickes and so pronounced openly and manifestly specially in holding beleuing certaine damnable opinions against the veritie of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar all the same persons sauing Iohn Bradford sir Iohn Laurence William Pygot Steuen Knight William Hunter Thomas Tomkins and Thomas Hawkes haue suffered paines of death by fire for the maintenance and defence of their said opinions and misbeliefe Item that thou doest knowe or credibly hast heard and doest beleeue that Thomas Cranmer late Archbishoppe of Canterburie and Nicholas Ridley naming himselfe Bishop of London Robert Ferrar late Bishop of S. Dauies and Hugh Latimer sometime Bishop of Worcester haue bene and are at this present reputed accompted and taken as heretickes and misbeleeuers in maintaining and holding certaine damnable opinions against the verity of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar Item Verity takeâ— for heresy 〈◊〉 misbeleuing heretickes that thou hast commended and praised all the sayd persons so erring and beleuing or at the least wise some of them secretely and also openly taking and beleeuing them to be faithfull and Catholicke people and their sayde opinions to be good and true and the same to the best
in diuinitie and minding well vnto you and desiring the safegard of your soule and that you should folow and beleue the doctrine of the Catholicke church as afore concerning the sayd sacrament of the aultar and whether you did not at al times since your sayd comming to me vtterly refuse to follow and beleue the sayd doctrine concerning the sayd sacrament Whether can you nowe finde in your hart and conscience to conforme your selfe in all poyntes to the said fayth and catholicke church concerning the sayde Sacrament of the aultar faythfully truely and playnely without anye dissimulation beleeuing therein as our sayd soueraignes with the Nobilitie Clergie and Laytie of this Realme and other Christian realmes and other persons aforesaid and also the sayd Catholicke Church haue and do beleue in that behalfe In case you so caÌ„not what ground haue you to mayntaine your opinion and who is of the same opinion wyth you and what conference haue you had therein with any what comfort and what reliefe haue you had therein by any of them and what are their names and surnames and their dwelling place Their aunsweres to these articles were not much discrepant from Tomkins and other like Martirs aboue mentioned as here followeth to be seene ¶ The aunswere of Steuen Knight and William Pigot to the aforesayd Articles TO the first article they beleue that the contentes of this article is not agreable to scripture Answeres to the Articles aforesayd To the second they answere and beleue that their parentes and other expressed in the sayd article so beleuyng as is contayned in the same were deceiued To the thyrd they aunswere that they so beleued but they were deceiued therein as they now beleue To the fourth they say that they haue heretofore beleued as is conteined in the said article but now they do not so beleue To the fift they say that if they so beleue they are deceiued To the sixt they beleue the same to be true To the seuenth they answere and beleue the contents of the same to be true To the eight they aunswere that they can no whyt confourme themselues to the fayth and doctrine contayned and specified in this article vntill it be proued by Scripture To the ninth they say that they haue no grounde to mainteine their sayd opinions but y e truth which as they say hath bene perswaded by learned men as D. Taylour of Hadley and such other These aunsweres being made and exhibited they were commaunded to appeare agayne the next daye at eight of the clocke in the morning and in the meane while to bethinke themselues what they would do An other appearaunce of the sayd prisoners before Boner An other appearaunce THe next daye in the morning being the 9. daye of February before their open appearaunce the Bishop sent for William Pigot and Stephen Knight into his great chamber in his Pallace where he perswaded with them to recant and deny their former profession Who answered that they were not perswaded in their consciences to returne and abiure theyr opinions whereunto they had subscribed Within a while after they were all three with Thomas Tomkins and William Hunter afore named brought openly into the Consistorye the ix day of February aforesayd and there had the same articles propouÌ„ded vnto them which were before propouÌ„ded vnto the foresayde Thomas Tomkins as appeareth in the discourse of his historye and therto also subscribed these wordes I do so beleue Talke betweene Boner and Iohn Laurence Priest Iohn Laurence sometymes a Fryer The Bishop also vsed certayne talke vnto Iohn Laurence onely Whereunto he aunswered in this manner That hee was a Priest and was consecrated and made a Priest about eightene yeares past and that he was sometime a Blacke Fryer professed that also hee was assured vnto a mayd whome he intended to haue maryed And being agayne demaunded his opinion vppon the Sacrament he said that it was a remembraunce of Chrystes body and that many haue bene deceiued in the beleeuing the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Aultar and that all such as doe not beleue as he doth doe erre After this talke and other fayre wordes and threatninges they were all of theÌ„ commaunded to appeare again at after noone The third and last appearaunce AT the which houre they came thyther agayne there 〈◊〉 the accustomed manner were exhorted to recant and reuoke their doctrine and receiue the fayth To the whiche they constantly aunswered they woulde not but would sticke to that fayth that they had declared and subscribed vnto for that they did beleeue y t it was no errour whiche they beleued but that the contrary therof was very heresy When the Bishop sawe that neither his fayre flatteringes Steuen Knight William Pigot Iohn LaureÌ„ce condemned Iohn Laurence disgraded Steuen Knight burned at Mauldon W. Pigot at Braintree March 28. nor yet his cruell threatnings would preuayle he gaue them seuerally their iudgementes And because Ioh. Laurence had bene one of theyr annoynted priestes hee was by the bishop there according to their order solemnly disgraded the maner whereof you may see in the history of Maister Hooper afore passed pag. 1435. Their sentence of condemnation this degradation once ended they were committed vnto the custodye of the Sheriffes of London who sent theÌ„ vnto Newgate where they remayned with ioy together vntill they were caryed downe into Essex and there the 28. daye of March the sayd William Pigot was burned at Brayntree and Stephen Knight at Mauldon who at the stake kneeling vpon the ground sayd this prayer which here followeth The Prayer that Stephen Knight sayd at hys death vpon his knees being at the stake at Mauldon O Lord Iesu Christe for whose loue I leaue willingly this life and desire rather the bitter death of his Crosse with the losse of all earthly thinges A godly prayer of Ste. Knighâ— at his Marâ—tyrdome then to abide the blasphemye of thy moste holy name or to obey men in breaking thy holye Commaundement thou seest O Lorde that where I might liue in worldlye wealth to worship a false God and honour thine enemy I chose rather the torment of the body and the losse of this my lyfe and haue counted all thinges but vile duste and dounge that I might winne thee whiche death is dearer vnto me then thousandes of gold and siluer Such loue O Lord hast thou layd vp in my breast that I hunger for thee Psal. 42. as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soyle Send thy holy comforter O Lord to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth whiche is emptye of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest O Lorde that I am but dust and able to do nothing that is good Therfore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodnes and loue thou hast bidden mee to this banket and accompted mee worthye to drinke of thyne owne cup amongst thine elect euen so geue me strength
had bene my liuing I aunswered I was a Minister serued a Cure and taught a schole Then sayd my Lord to his Counsell this is a wonderfull thing Afore he sayd he was no Priest and now he confesseth himselfe to be one I aunswered by the lawes now vsed in this Realme as farre as I do know I am none Then they asked me who gaue me orders or whether I had taken any at all I aunswered I receiued orders of the Bishops of London and Lincolne Then sayd they one to an other those be of these new heretickes and asked me what acquayntaunce I had with them I aunswered I neuer sawe them but at the tyme when I receiued orders They asked me how long I had bene Curate whether I had ministred with a good conscience I aunswered I had bene Curate but one yere and had ministred with a good conscience I thanked God and if the Lawes of the Realme would haue suffered me I would haue ministred still This blasphemous mouth of the paâ—son of Grapnal if the lawes at any time hereafter woulde suffer me to minister after that sort I would minister agayne Whereat they murmured and the person of Grapnall sayd this last Communion was the most deuilishe thing that euer was deuised Then they asked me what my beliefe was I answered I beleued in God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost according as the Scriptures of the olde and new testament do teach and according as the 4. Symboles or Creedes that is to wit the Creed commonly called Apostolorum the Creed of Nice Councell of Athanasius and of Austen and Ambrose do teach And after a few wordes the parson of Grapnall sayd but what is thy beliefe in the Sacrament of the aultar I aunswered I beleued that whosoeuer according to Christes institution G. Marshes beliefe in the Sacrament dyd receyue the holye Sacrament of Christes body and bloud did eate and drinke Christes body and bloud with all the benefites of his death and resurrection to their eternall saluation for Christ sayd I is euer present with his sacrament Then asked they me whether the bread and wyne by the vertue of the wordes pronounced of the Priest were chaunged into the flesh and bloud of Christ and that the sacrament whether it were receiued or reserued was the very body of Christ Wherunto I made aunswere G. Marsh loth to aunswere to the question of transubstantiation I knew no further then I had shewed already For my knowledge is vnperfecte sayd I desiring theÌ„ not to aske me such hard vnprofitable questions whereby to bring my body into dauÌ„ger of death to sucke my bloud Whereat they were not a little offended saying they were no bloud succours and inteÌ„ded nothing to me but to make me a good Christian man So after many other questions whiche I auoyded as well as I could remembring the saying of Paule Foolishe and vnlearned questions auoide knowing they do but ingender strife my Lord commaunded me to come to the boord and gaue me pen and incke in my hand and commaunded me to write mine aunsweres to the questions of the Sacrament aboue named I wrote as I had answered before G. Marsh commaunded by the Earle of Darby to write his answeres Wherat he being much offended coÌ„maunded me to write a more direct answere saying I should not chuse but do it Then I tooke the pen and wrote that further I knew not Whereat hee being sore greeued after many threatnings sayd I should be put to shamefull death like a traitor with such other like words and sometimes geuing me â—ayre wordes if I would turne and be conformable as other were how glad he would be In conclusion after much adoe he commaunded me to Ward in a cold windy stone house The Earle of Darby coÌ„maundeth G. Marsh into prison where was little roome where I lay two nightes without any bed sauing a fewe great canuasse tentclothes and that done I had a payre of sheetes but no wollen clothes so coÌ„tinued till Palm-sonday occupying my selfe aswel as I could in meditatioÌ„ prayer study for no man could be suffered to come to me but my keeper twise a day when he brought me meat and drinke ¶ An other examination of G. Marsh before the Earle of Darby ON Palme sonday at after dinner I was sent for to my Lord and his counsell sauing Syr William Nores Syr Pierce Alee were not then present in place amongest whoÌ„ was Syr Iohn Beram the Uicar of Prescot So they examined me yet once agayne of the sacrameÌ„t Marsh agayne examined about the Sacrament And after I had communed aparte with the Uicare of Prescot a good space coÌ„cerning that matter he returned to my Lorde and his Counsell with me saying that aunswere which I had made before and then did make as it is aboue writteÌ„ was sufficient for a beginner and as one which did not professe a perfect knowledge in that matter vntil such time as I had learned further Marsh yet keepeth himselfe close in the Sacrament Wherewith the Earle was very well pleased saying hee doubted not but by the meanes help of the vicar of Prescot I would be conformable in other thinges So after many fayre wordes he commaunded I should haue a bed with fire and libertye to goe amongest his seruantes so that I would do no harme with my communication amongest them And so after much other communication I departed much more troubled in my spirit then afore because I had not with more boldnes confessed Christ but in such sort Marsh troubled in his conscieÌ„ce for being no more bolde touching the Sacrament as mine aduersaries therby thought they should preuayle agaynst me wherat I was much greued For hytherto I went about as much as in me lay to rid my self out of their handes if by any meanes without open denying of Christ and his word that could be done This considered I cried more earnestly vnto God by prayer desiring him to strengthen me with his holy spirit Marsh prayetheth for more boldenes with boldnes to confesse him and to deliuer me from their intising words and that I were not spoyled through their Philosophy deceitfull vanity after the traditions of men and ordinaunces of the world and not after Christ. And so after a day or two I was sent for to y e Uicar of Prescot and the Parson of Grapnall where our most coÌ„munication was concerning the masse and he asked what offended me in the Masse I aunswered the whole Masse did offend me Marsh agayne examined before the Bishops Chaplens Talke about the Masse Allegations against the Masse first because it was in a straunge language wherby the people were not edified coÌ„trary to S. Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 14. and because of the manifold and intolerable abuses errors coÌ„teined therin contrary to Christs Priesthood and sacrifice Then they asked me in what place therof and I
his counsell that my life mother children brethren sisters and frendes with other delightes of life G. Marsh forsaketâ— kindred al togethâ—â— to sticke 〈◊〉 Christ. were as deare sweet vnto me as vnto any other man and that I would be as loth to lose them as an other would if I might hold them with good conscience and without the ignominy of Christ and seeing I could not doe that my trust was that God would strenthen me with his holy spirit to lose them all for his sake for I take my selfe sayd I for a sheepe appaynted to be slayne paciently to suffer what crosse so euer it shal please my merciful father to lay on me And so after I had desired them that if I were committed to prison my frendes might be suffered to relieue me they departed Mayster More afore this brought vnto me a booke of one Alphonsus a Spanish Frier Alphonsuâ— booke brought 〈◊〉 G. Marsh of all heresies wherwith the church of Rome which he called Christes true church had bene troubled since Christes time willing me to read and take Counsell of that booke appoynted me a place where this author did write agaynst them that say the lay people ought to receiue vnder both kindes This Authour I perceiued did vehementlye write agaynst Luther Melancthon PellicaÌ„ other Germaynes of this our time in all pointes defeÌ„ding y e blasphemous abuses and enormities of the Romish Church condeÌ„ning as detestable heresies whatsoeuer was written taught or beleued contrary to the same vsing for his stroÌ„gest and surest argumentes the consent agrement and determinatioÌ„ of the Romish Church So within a fewe dayes Mayster More came to me againe asking me how I liked the book I sayd the authour of the booke did in all poyntes beyng a Papist allow the rites and abuses of the Romish church Marshes iudgement of Alphoâ—sus booke and shewed him further that this author without authority and contrary both to the Scriptures olde Doctors did condemn for heresy the lay people receiuing of this sacrament vnder both kindes where as this Authour witnesseth his owne selfe that Christes church 900. yeares after Christ vsed the contrary So in conclusion he rebuketh me saying I was vnlearned erred from the Catholicke fayth stubburne and stoode altogether in mine owne conceite I aunswered for my learning I knowledge my selfe to know nothing but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified and that my fayth was grounded vpon Gods holy word onely such as I doubted not pleased God and as I would stand in vntill the last day God assisting me and that I did not say or do any thing either of stubbernes selfe wilfulnes vayn glory or any other worldly purpose but with good conscience and in the feare of God and desired him to speake to my Lord and his Counsell that I might finde some geÌ„tlenes and mercy at theyr handes He made me but short answere Then I sayd I commit my cause vnto God who hath numbred the hayres of my head and appoynted the dayes of my life saying I am sure God which is a righteous Iudge would make inquisition for my bloude according as he hath promised Then he tooke his booke froÌ„ me and departed I continued still in Ward vntill Low sonday and after dinner my keeper Richard Scot came to mee into my chamber G. Marsh 〈◊〉 to Lancaster Castell and told me that two young men were come to cary me to Lancaster and so deliuered me vnto them a great company both of my Lordes seruauntes and others accompanying and bringing mee on the way vnto Rich. Addertons and somewhat further counselling and perswading like as is aforesayd To whome I made playne aunswere that in matters of faith I would geue place to no earthly creature So they comforted me and sayd y t they wer sory for me saying if I knew mine opinion to be good I did wel and so they departed willing my bringers to entreate me honestly My bringers by the way shewed me they were willed aduised to binde me and that they desired first to see me and after they had looked on me sitting at dinner they answered they would take charge of me beyng loose for they sayd I seemed to be an honest man The first night we were all night at Broughton and the second day we came to LaÌ„caster betimes at after noone and so they kept me all night with them of their geÌ„tlenes and on the morow deliuered me to y e Iaylor who brought me into the highest prison where I do remaine G. Marsh caused to â—old vp his handes at Lancaster amongest other malefactours After that the sayd George came to Lancaster Castle there being brought with other prisoners vnto the Sessions was made to hold vp his haÌ„ds w t other malefactors The Earle of Darby had this communication with him as here followeth Communication betweene George Marsh and the Earle of Darby Talke betweene G. Marsh and the Earle of Darby I Sayd vnto my Lord I had not dwelled in the countrey these three or foure yeares past and came home but lately to visite my mother children and other my friends and to haue departed out of the country before Easter theÌ„ next to haue gone out of the realme Wherfore I trusted seing nothing could be layd against me wherein I had offended agaynst the lawes of this realme his Lordship would not with captious questions examine me to bring my body into daunger of death to the great discomfort of my mother but suffer me to auoyd peaceably seeing I might haue fled out of the country and yet of mine owne will came to hys Lordship He sayd to his Counsell he had heard tell of me aboue at London and intended to make search for me and take me either in Lancashyre or aboue at London and asked me into what land I would haue gone The Earle of Darby chaâ—geth the calme of 〈◊〉 of heresie I aunswered I would haue gone either into Almain or els into Denmarke He sayd to his Counsell in Denmarke they vsed suche heresie as they haue done in England but as for Almayne hee sayde the Emperour had destroyed them So after such like woordes I sayde vnto him my trust was that his Lordship being of the honourable Counsell of the late king Edward consenting and agreeing to acts concerning fayth toward God and religion vnder great payne woulde not so soone after consent to put poore men to shamefull death as he had threatned me for embrasing the same with so good a conscience He aunswered that he with the Lord Windsor Lord Dacars The Earle of Darby L. 〈◊〉 and Lord Dacars in â— Edwards 〈◊〉 agreed 〈…〉 with one moe whose name I haue forgotten did not consent to those Actes and that the nay of them foure would be to be seene as long as y e ParliameÌ„t house stode Then my Lord did rehearse the euill luck of the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke with
helpe towardes his children vseth an other way He ceaseth to be beneficiall vnto them to minister vnto theÌ„ fatherly correction he geueth them ouer vnto them selues sufferyng them to lyue as they lust them selues But we trust to see better of you my dearely beloued and that ye lyke very Gadarenites Heb. 6. Math. 8. for feare to lose your wordly substance or other delites of this lif wil not banish away Christ his gospell from amongest you Actes 1â— 2. Tim. â— 2. Tim. â— but that ye with al diligence of mind wil receiue y e word of god taught you by such ministers as now when persecution ariseth because of y e word are not ashamed of the testimony of our Lorde Iesus but are content to suffer aduersitie with the Gospel therein to suffer trouble as euil doers euen vnto bondes And if ye refuse thus to do Actes 1â— The moâ—â— preachiâ—â— with 〈◊〉 followiâ—â— draweth greater 〈…〉 God 's 〈◊〉 your owne bloud wil be vpon your owne heades And as ye haue had plenteous preaching of the Gospel more then other haue had so shall ye be sure if ye repent not and bring forth fruites worthy of repentaÌ„ce to be sorer plagued to receiue greater vengeaunce at Gods hand then others and the kyngdome of God shal be taken from you and be geuen to an other nation which will bring forth the fruites thereof Wherfore my dearely beloued in Christ take good heede to your selues ponder well in your mindes how fearefull and horrible a thing it is to fal into the haÌ„des of the liuing God And see that ye receiue not the worde of God in vaine but continually labour in fayth and declare your fayth by your good workes which are infallible witnesses of y e true iustifying fayth which is neuer idle but worketh by charitie And see that ye continually geue yourselues vnto all maner of good workes amongest the which the chiefest are to be obedient to the Magistrates sith they are the ordinaunce of God whether they be good or euil Iames â—â— Gala. 5. Tit. 2. Rom. 13 Actes 5â— vnles they commaunde Idolatry and vngodlines that is to say thinges contrary vnto true Religion For then ought we to say with Peter We ought more to obey God then man But in any wyse we must beware of tumult insurrection rebellion or resistaunce The weapon of a Christian in this matter Ephe. 6 ought to be the sword of the spirite which is Gods word and prayer coupled with humilitie and due submission Iohn 1â— Iob. 35. Rom. 1â— and with readynes of hart rather to dye then to do any vngodlynesse Christ also doth teach vs that al power is of God yea eueÌ„ the power of the wicked which God causeth often tymes to raigne for our sinnes disobedience towards him and his word Whosoeuer then doth resist any power doth resist the ordinaunce of God and so purchase to him selfe vtter destruction and vndoyng We must also by al meanes be promoters of vnity peace and concorde We must honour and reuerence Princes 1. Pet â—â— Ephe. â—â— 1. Tim. â— and all that be in authoritie and pray for them and be diligent to set forth their profite and commoditie Secondly we must obey our parents or them that be in their rowmes be careful for our housholds that they be prouided for fed not onely w t bodely foode but muche rather with spirituall foode which is the word of God Thirdly we must serue our neighbors by all meanes we can remembring well the saying of Christ Whatsoeuer ye woulde that men shoulde doe vnto you doe ye likewise vnto them for this is the lawe and the Prophets Fourthly we must diligently exercise the necessarye worke of prayer for all estates 〈◊〉 for Sspanâ— Math. 5. â—â—â—beaâ—ing 〈◊〉 aduersaries â—â—tience in 〈…〉 〈…〉 Pet. 1. Actes 20. knowing that God therefore hath so much commaunded it and hath made so great promises vnto it and doeth so well accept it After these workes we must learne to know the Crosse what affection and minde we must beare towardes our aduersaries and enemies what so euer they be to suffer all aduersities and euils paciently to pray for them that hurt persecute and trouble vs and by thus vsing our selues we shal obtaine an hope certaintie of our vocation that we be the elect children of God And thus I commende you brethren vnto God and to the word of his grace This letter 〈◊〉 written 〈◊〉 yeare 〈◊〉 the moneth 〈…〉 which is able to builde further geue you an inheritaunce among al theÌ„ which are sanctified beseechyng you to helpe M. SauÌ„ders me your late Pastours and all them that be in bondes for the Gospels sake with your praiers to God for vs that we may be deliuered from all them that beleue not and froÌ„ vnreasonable and froward meÌ„ and that this our imprisonment afflictioÌ„ may be to the glory and profit of our Christian brethren in the world that Christ may be magnified in our bodies whether it be by death or by lyfe Amen Salute from me all the faythfull brethren because I write not seuerall Letters to them let them either 〈◊〉 or heare these my letters The grace of our Lord be with you all AmeÌ„ The xxviij of Iune by the vnprofitable seruauÌ„t of Iesus Christ and now also his prisoner George Marsh. Saue your selues from this vntoward generation Actes 2. Pray pray pray Neuer more neede An other Letter of the sayd George Marsh to certaine of his dearely beloued frendes at Manchester in Lancashire GRace be with you and peace from God ouâ— Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen An other godly letter of G. Marsh to them of Manchester After salutations in Christe to you with thankes for youre frendly remembraunces of mee desiring and wishing vnto you not onely in my letters but also in my daily praiers such consolation in spirite and taste of heauenly treasures that ye may therby continually worke in faith labour in loue perseueer in hope and be pacient in all your tribulations and persecutions euen vnto the ende and glorious comming of Christ these shal be eaâ—nestly to exhort and beseeche you in Christ as ye haue receyued the Lord Iesus Coloss. 2. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 3. Math. 10. Luke 11. Aduersaries not to be feared Gods helpe alwayes ready with his Sâ—rsâ—antes euen so to walke rooted in him and not to be afraid of any terrour of your aduersaries be they neuer so manye and mighty and you on the other side neuer so fewe and weake for the battell is the Lordes And as in times past God was with Abraham Moses Isaac Dauid the Machabees and other fought for them and deliuered all their ennemies into their handes euen so hath he promised to be with vs also vnto the worlds end and so to assist strengthen and helpe vs that no man shal be able to
if it were to do againe W. Flower intending at Paules to haue done the lyke whether I coulde doe it againe or no for I was vp verye early at Paules church so called vpon Christes day in the morning to haue done it in my ielousie but when I came in place I was no more able to doe it then nowe to vndoe that is don and yet now being compelled by the spirit not onely to come ouer the water and to enter the churche but being in minde fully content to die for the Lord gaue ouer my flesh willingly without all feare I praise God Wherfore I can not learne you to doe the like Firste because I knowe not what is in you Secondly because the rules of the Gospell commaundeth vs to suffer wyth pacience all wrongs iniuries yet neuerthelesse if he make you worthy y t hath made me zealous ye shall not be letted iudged nor condemned for he doth in his people hys vnspeakable workes in all ages which no man can coÌ„prehend I humbly beseech you to iudge the best of the spirit and coÌ„demne not Gods doings for I can not expresse wyth my mouthe the great mercies y t God hath shewed on me in thys thing which I repent not Smith Are ye not assured to haue death ministred vnto you for the same act committed and euen with extremitie Flo. I did before the deede committed adiudge my bodye to dye for the same W. Flower prepared himselfe to death before the fact committed whereuppon I caryed aboute mee in wryting mine opinion of God and the holy Scriptures that if it had pleased God to haue geueÌ„ them leaue to haue killed my body in the church they might in the sayde wryting haue seene my hope which I praise God is layde vp safe within my brest notwithstanding any death that may be ministred vnto my body in thys worlde being ascertained of euerlasting life throughe Iesus Christe our Lorde and being most heartily sorie for al mine offences committed in this flesh and trusting shortly through hys mercye to cease from the same Smith It is no neede to examine or commune with you of the hope that yee haue any further for I perceiue God be praised ye are in good estate therefore I beseeche God for his mercies spreade his wings ouer you y t as for his loue you haue ben zelous euen to the losse of this life so he may geue you his holy spirite to conduct you out of thys death into a better life which I thinke wil be shortly Flo. I hunger for the same deare frend being fully ascertained that they can kill but the bodye which I am assured shall receiue life againe euerlasting and see no more death entirely desiring you and all that feare the Lorde to praye wyth me to almightye God to performe the same in mee shortly And thus Robert Smith departed leauing him in the dungeon and went againe to hys warde And thys gentle Reader is the truthe as neare as the saide Smyth coulde reporte it And thus muche concerninge the talke betweene hym and Robert Smith in Newgate concerning hys facte in striking the Priest Nowe to returne againe to the matter of his examination where we leaft we shewed before how thys William Flower after hys striking the Prieste firste was layde in the Gatehouse then being examined before Boner had articles ministred against him the copy wherof heere followeth Articles obiected and ministred by Boner against William Branch alias Flower late of Lambeth in the Countie of Surrie Articles obiected agaynst W. Flower by B. Boner FIrst that thou being of lawful age and discretion at the least of 17. yeare old wast professed a Monke in the late Abbey of Ely wherin after thy profession thou remainedst vntill the age of 21. yeares vsing all the meane tyme the habit and religion of the same house and wast reputed and taken notoriously for such a person In the latter dayes certayne shall depart froÌ„ the â—ayth forbidding mariage and eating of meates 1. Tim. 4. Item that after the premisses thou wast ordered and made prieste according to the laudable custome of the Catholike Church and afterward thou didst execute and minister as a priest and was commonly reputed named and taken for a priest Item that after the premisses thou forgetting God thy conscience honestie and the laudable order of the Catholike church diddest contrary to thy profession and vow take as vnto thy wife one woman commonly called Alice Pulton in the parish churche of Tewkesbury in the Dioces of Gloucester with whom thou haddest mutuall cohabitation and carnall copulation as man and wife and begatest of her two children Item that thou being a religious man and a Priest diddest contrary to the order of the ecclesiastical lawes A great heresie take vpon thee to practise in diuers places within the dioces of London Phisicke and Surgerie when thou wast not admitted expert nor learned Item that vpon Easter day last past that is to witte the 14. day of thys present moneth of Aprill within the parish Church of S. Margarets at Westminster wythin the Countie of Middlesex and Diocesse of London thou dydst maliciously outragiously and violently pul out thy weapon that is to wit thy Woodknife or hanger And wheras the priest and minister there called sir Iohn Cheltam was executing his cure and charge especially in doing hys seruice and ministring the sacrameÌ„t of the aultar to the communicants then didst thou wickedly abhominably smite with thy said weapon the said priest first vpoÌ„ the head very sore afterwards vpon his hands or other parts of his b dy drawing bloud abundantly vpon him the sayd priest then holding the sayd sacrameÌ„t in his hand and geuing no occasion why thou shouldest so hurte him the people greeuously being offended therwith and the said church polluted thereby so that the inhabitantes were compelled to repaire to an other Churche to communicate and to receyue the sayde sacrament Item that by reason of the premisses thou wast and art by the ecclesiastical lawes of the churche amongst other penalties excommunicate and accursed ipso facto and not to be companied withal neither in church nor otherwhere but in speciall cases Item that thou concerning the veritye of Christes naturall body and bloude in the sacrament of the aultar haste ben by the space of these yeares 20.19.18.17.16.15.14.13.12.11.10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2 and 1. or any one of them and yet art at this present of the opinion that is to say that in the sayd sacrament of the aultare His fayth in the Sacrament after the wordes of consecration there is not really truely and in very dede contained vnder the formes of bread the very true and naturall body of our sauiour Iesus Christ. Item that thou for the hatred and disdaine that thou hadst didst beare against the said sacrament and the vertue thereof and against the said priest ministring the same as before did smite wound and hurte him in maner
institute a sacrament there And to the other part of this article videlicet willyng that his bodye really and truely should be conteyned in the sayd sacrament no substance of bread and wyne there remayning but onely the accidents thereof he answereth that he doth not beleeue the same to be true By me Iohn Cardmaker M. Cardmaker calling to mynd afterwards the redy cauillings of the papists and thinking himself not to haue fully and according to his true meaning answered the latter part of the last eight article did the next day after the foresaid answers exhibite vnto the Bish. in a schedule this here after followyng Where in my answer to your articles I deny the presence of Christ in the Sacrament I meane not his sacramentall presence for that I confesse but my deniall is of his carnall presence in the same But yet further because this word is oftentymes taken of the holy fathers A more full answere to the second part of the eight article not only for the bread and wyne but also for the whole administration and receiuyng of the same accordyng to Christes institution so I say that Christ is present spiritually too and in all them which worthily receiueth the Sacrament Sacramentall presence in the Sacrament Carnal presence in the SacrameÌ„t denyed so that my deniall is still of the reall carnall and corporall presence in the sacrament and not of the sacramentall nor spirituall presence This haue I thought good to adde to my former aunswer because no man should misunderstand it By me Iohn Cardmaker Next to these articles of M. Cardmaker I thought best to inferre the articles and answers likewise of Iohn Warne his martyr fellow in maner as followeth ¶ Articles ministred agaynst Iohn VVarne Vpholster of the parish of S. Iohn in Walbrooke with his answers to the same Articles agaynst Iohn Warne vpholster in Walbroke FIrst that thou Iohn Warne beyng of the age of xxix yeres of the parish of S. Iohn of Walbrooke in London hast beleeued and doest beleeue firmely and stedfastly that in the Sacrament commonly called the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar there is not the very true and naturall body of our Sauiour Christ in substaunce vnder the formes of bread and wyne Item that thou hast beleued and doest beleue that after the words of consecration spoken by the priest Agaynst transubstantiation there is not as the church of England doth beleue and teach the body of Christ but that there doth only remayne the substance of material bread as it is before the consecration or speaking of the wordes of consecration and that the sayd bread is in no wyse altered or changed Item that thou hast sayd and doest beleeue that if the Catholike church do beleue and teach Agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse that there is in the masse now vsed in England and in other places of Christendome a sacrifice wherein there is a sacrament conteinyng the body and bloud of Christ really and truly then that beliefe and fayth of the church is naught and agaynst Gods truth and the scripture Item that thou hast said that where about a twelue moneths agone more Heresye for laughing at a Spaniell shorne on the head a great rough water Spaniell of thyne was shorne in the hed had a crowne like a Priest made in the same thou diddest laugh at it like it though thou didst it not thy selfe nor knowest who did it Item that thou neither this Lent last past nor at any tyme since the Queenes Maiesties raigne hast come into the church or heard masse or bene confessed or receiued the sacrament of the aultar and hast said that thou art not sory that thou hast so done but thou art glad because thou hast not therewith defiled thy conscience which otherwise thou shouldest so haue done Upon all which articles Iohn Warne being examined by the said Boner in presence of diuers witnesses the 23. of May ann 1555. did confesse and beleue the same subscribe hereunto his name with his owne hand By me Iohn Warne Also it was obiected against the said Iohn Warne by the B. aforesayd as followeth A nother addition of Articles Item that thou Iohn Warne wast in tyme past here in the city of London conuented in the Guildhal for heresie against the sacrament of the aultar according to the order of the lawes of this Realme of England in the time of king Henry the 8. and when Alderman Barnes was shirife the Thursday after that Anne Askew was burnt in Smithfield Iohn Warne about the tyme of Anne Askew was condemned to be burned and had his pardon and therupon thou wast sent as a prisoner to Newgate to whom Edmond B. of London did repayre with his chaplens to instruct thee in y e true faith of Christ touchyng the said Sacrament of the aultar to bring thee from thy error which was that in the Sacrament of the altar there is not the body of Christ nor any corporal preence of Christes body bloud vnder the formes of bread wyne but that in the sayd sacrament there is onely materiall bread wyne without any substance of Christs body and bloud at all because thou wouldst not leaue for sake thy sayd heresie therin but persist abide obstinately and wilfully therein thou wert according to y e said lawes condemned to death â—â—hn Warne â—â—rdoned by K. Henry 8. to be burnt and thereupon labour beyng made for thee to the king and other in the Courte thou hadst a pardon of king Henry the 8. and so thereby didst saue thy lyfe Neuerthelesse in thy heart conscience and mynd thou didst both then and also afore beleeue no otherwyse then at this present thou doest beleeue that is to say that in the Sacrament of the aultar there is neyther the very true body or bloud of Christ Iohn 〈◊〉 denye◠〈◊〉 transubâ—tâ—ation nor no other substace but the substaunce of materiall bread and wyne and to receiue the sayd materiall bread and wyne and to breake it and to distribute it among the people onely is the true receiuyng of Christes body and no otherwise so that thy fayth and beliefe is that in the sayd sacrament there is no substance of Christes material body and bloud but all the thyng that is there is materiall bread and the receiuyng thereof as afore and that the substance of the natural and true body of Christ borne of the Uirgine Mary is only in heauen and not in the sacrament of the aultare In which thine opinion thou hast euer hitherto since continued and so doest continue at this present thou confessing all this to be true and in witnes therof subscribing thy name thereunto as followeth By me Iohn Warne Iohn Warne beyng examined vpon these foresaid articles by the Bish. before certaine witnesses The 〈◊〉 aunsweâ—â— Iohn 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 whose names were Iohn Boswel Iohn Heywood Robert Rauens the
into his kingdom The triumph victory ouer death where he now sitteth at his fathers right hand that is to say in power glory equall in maiesty coeternall From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead He shal appeare againe in great glory to receiue his elect vnto himselfe to put his enemies vnder his feete chaunging all liuyng men in a moment and raising vp al that be dead that all may be brought to his iudgement In this shall he geue ech man according to his deedes They which haue folowed him in regeneratioÌ„ which haue their sinnes washed away in hys bloud are clothed with hys righteousnes shall receiue the euerlasting kingdome and raigne with him for euer and they which after the race of the corrupt generation of Adam haue followed fleshe and bloud shall receiue euerlasting damnation with the deuill and hys angels I beleeue in the holy ghost I do beleue that the holy ghost is God the third person in Trinitie in vnitie of the Godhed equal with the father the sonne geuen through Christ to inhabite our spirites by which we are made to feele and vnderstand the great power vertue louing kindnes of Christ our lord For he illumineth quickneth and certifieth our spirit that by him we are sealed vp vnto the day of redemption by whom we are regenerate and made new cretures so that by hym and through hym we do receyue all the aboundaÌ„t goodnes promised vs in Iesus Christ. The holy Catholike Church This is an holy number of Adams posteritie elected gathered The Church washed and purified by the bloud of the Lambe from the beginning of the world and is dispersed through the same by the tiranny of Gog Magog that is to say the Turke and his tiranny and Antichrist otherwyse named the Bish. of Rome and hys aungels as this day also doth teach The Communion of Saints Which most holy congregation beyng as Paule teacheth builded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Christ beyng the head corner stone though it be by the tyranny of Satan and his ministers persecuted some by imprisonment some by death and some by other afflictions painful torments yet doth it remayne in one perfect vnitie both in faith and fellowship which vnity is knit in an vnspeakable knot as well of them which are departed from this mortal life as of them which now be liuyng and hereafter shall be in the same and so shall continue vntill they all do meete in the kyngdome where the head Iesus Christ with all hys holy members of which number thorough Christ I assuredly beleeue that I am one shall be fully complete knit and vnited together for euermore The forgeuenesse of sinnes I do beleeue that my sinnes and all their sinnes which do rightly beleeue the holy Scripture Remission only through Christ. are forgeuen onely thorough that Iesus Christ of whom onely I do professe that I haue my whole and full saluation and redemption which S. Paule saith commeth not through our workes and deseruyngs but freely by grace lest any should boast hymselfe Thorough the bloud of his Crosse all thyngs in heauen and earth are reconciled and set at peace wyth the Father without him no heauenly lyfe is geuen nor sinne forgeuen The resurrection of the body I do beleue that by the same my sauiour Christ I and all men shall rise againe from death for he as Paul sayth is risen agayne froÌ„ the dead and is become the first fruits of them which sleepe Resurrection For by a man came death and by a man commeth the resurrection from death This man is Christ through the power of whose resurrection I beleue that we all shall rise agayne in these our bodyes the elect clothed with immortalitie to liue with Christ for euer the reprobate also shall rise immortall to liue with the deuill and his angels in death euerlasting And the life euerlasting Through the same Iesus by none other I am sure to haue life euerlasting He onely is the way and entrance into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. For so God loued the world that he did geue his onely sonne Iesus Christ to the ende that so many as do beleue in him might haue euerlasting lyfe The which I am sure to possesse so soone as I am dissolued Life and Saluation onely by fayth in Christ. departed out of this tabernacle in the last day shall both body and soule possesse the same for euer to the which God graunt all men to come I beleue that the sacramentes that is to say of Baptisme and of the Lordes supper are seales of Gods moste mercyfull promises towardes mankind Two sacraments of the new Testament In Baptisme as by the outward creature of water I am washed from the filthines which hangeth on my flesh so do I assuredly beleue y t I am by Christes bloud washed cleane froÌ„ my sins through which I haue sure confidence of my certaine saluation In the partaking of the Lordes supper as I receyue the substance of bread wyne the nature of which is to strengthen the body so do I by faith receyue the redemption wrought in Christes body broken on the crosse life by his death resurrection by his resurrection and in summe all that euer Christ in his body suffered for my saluation to the strengthening of my faith in the same And I beleeue that God hath appointed the eatyng drinking of the creatures of bread and wine in his holy supper according to his word to mooue and to stirre vp my mynd to beleue these articles aboue written This is my faith this I do beleue and I am content by Gods grace to confirme and seale the truth of the same with my bloud By me Iohn Warne ¶ A letter of Iohn Cardmaker to a certaine friend of his The peace of God be with you YOu shall right well perceiue A 〈◊〉 M. Câ—â—â—â—make◠〈…〉 that I am not gone backe as some men do report me but as ready to geue my lyfe as any of my brethren that are gone before me although by a pollicie I haue a little prolonged it and that for the best as already it appeareth vnto me and shortly shall appeare vnto all That day that I recant any poynt of doctrine I shall suffer twenty kyndes of death the Lord beyng myne assistance as I doubt not but he wil. Commend me to my friend and tell hym no lesse This the Lorde strengthen you me and all his elect My riches and pouertie is as it was woont to be and I haue learned to reioyce in pouertie as well as in riches for that count I now to bee very riches Thus fare ye well in Christ. Salute all my brethren in my name I haue conferred with some of my aduersaries learned men and I finde that they be but Sophistes and shadowes ¶ A note concerning M. Cardmaker MAister Cardmaker beyng condemned in
accusation as in that time it was called of heresy As touching the order maner of theyr examinations before the bishop as the articles ministred against them were much like so theyr aunsweres agayne vnto the same were not much discrepant in maner forme as out of the Bishops owne Registers here foloweth expressed ¶ Articles obiected agaynst Iohn Symson and Iohn Ardeley of the Parish of Wigborow the great in Essex husbandmen by Boner Bishop of London at Fulham 22. of May. 1555. Articles miâ—â—stred agaynst Iohn Simson and â—ohn Ardeâ—ey 1. FIrst that thou Ioh. Symson or Ioh. Ardeley husbandman of the age of 34. yeres or thereabout wast and art of the parish of great Wigborow within the dioces of LondoÌ„ and thou hast not beleued nor doest beleue that there is here in earth one Catholicke and vniuersal whole Church which doth hold and beleue all the fayth religioÌ„ of Christ and all the necessary articles and sacramentes of the same 2. Item that thou hast not beleued nor doest beleue that thou art necessarily bounden vnder the payne of damnation of thy soule to geue full fayth and credence unto the sayd Catholique and vniuersall Church and to the Religion of the same in all necessary poyntes of the sayd fayth and Religion without wauering or doubting in the sayde fayth and Religion or in any part therof 3. Item that thou hast not beleeued nor doest beleue that that fayth and Religion whiche both the Churche of Rome Italy Spayn England Fraunce Ireland The Church of Rome Italy Spayne an other forrayne countreys in Europe Scotland and all other Churches in Europe being true members and partes of the sayd Catholick vniuersall church do beleue and teach is both agreing with the sayd Catholicke and vniuersall Church and the fayth and Religion of Christ and also is the very true fayth Religion which all Christen people ought to beleue obserue folow keep but contrariwise thou hast beleued and doest beleue that that fayth and Religion which the sayd Church of Rome and all the other Churches aforesayd haue heretofore beleued and do nowe beleue is false erroneous and nought in no wise ought to be beleued obserued kept and followed of any Christian man 4. Item that albeit it bee true that in the Sacrament of the aultar there is in substance the very body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wyne and albeit that it be so beleued taught preached vndoubtedly in the sayd Churche of Rome and all the other Churches aforesayd yet thou hast not so beleued nor doest so beleeue Substance of Christes body vnder formes of bread wyne but contrariwise thou hast doest beleue firmely stedfastly that there is not in the sayd sacrament of the aultar vnder the sayd formes of breade and wine the very substaunce of Christes body and bloud but that there is onely the substaunce of material and common bread and wine with the formes therof and that the sayd materiall commoÌ„ bread and wine are onely the signes and tokens of Christs body and bloud and by fayth to be reciued onely for a remembraunce of Christes passion death without any such substaunce of Christes body and bloud at all 5. Item that thou hast beleued and taught and thou hast openly spoken and to thy power maynteined and defended and so doest beleue thinke maynteyn and defend that the very true receiuing and eating of Christes body bloud is onely to take materiall and commoÌ„ bread Transubstantiation denyed and to breake it and to distribute it amongest the people remembring therby the passion and death of Christ onely 6. Item that thou hast likewise beleued taught and spoken that the Masse now vsed in this Realme of England and others the churches aforesayd The Masse abominable is abhominable naught and full of Idolatry and is of the ordinance of the Pope and not of the institution of Christ hath no goodnes in it sauing the gloria in excelsis and the Epistle and the Gospell that therefore thou hast not nor wilt not come and be present at the Masse nor receiue the Sacrament of the aultar or any other Sacrament of the Church as they are now vsed in this Realme of Englande and other the Churches aforesayd 7. Item that thou hast in tymes past beleued precisely and obstinately affirmed and sayd so doest now beleue thinke that auricular confession is not needfull to be made vnto the Prieste but it is a thing superfluous and vayne and ought onely to be made to God to none other persoÌ„ and likewise thou hast condemned as superfluous vayne and vnprofitable all the ceremonies of the church and the seruice of the same hast sayd that no seruice in the church ought to be sayd but in the English tongue and if it be otherwise sayd it is vnlawfull and nought ¶ The aunsweres of Iohn Symson and also of Iohn Ardeley to the foresayd Articles TO the firste they beleue that here in earth there is one Catholicke and vniuersall holy Churche Their aunsweres to the articles which doeth hold and beleue as is conteined in the first article and that this Church is dispersed and scattered abroad throughout the whole world To the second they beleue that they be bound to geue fayth and credence vnto it as is conteyned in the second Article To the third as concerning the fayth and Religion of the Church of Rome of Italy Spaine Fraunce Ireland Scotland and other Churches in Europa they say they haue nothing to doe with that fayth and Religion but as concerning the fayth and Religion of England that if the sayde Churche of England be ruled and Gouerned by the word of life then the Church of England hath the fayth Religion of the Catholicke Church and not otherwise doe say also that if the Churche of England were ruled by the word of life it woulde not go about to condemne them and others of this heresy To the fourth they aunswere that in the Sacrament commonly called the Sacrament of the aultar there is very bread and very wine not altered nor chaunged in substaunce in anye wise Transubstantiation denyed and that hee that receiueth the sayde bread and wyne doth spiritually and by fayth only receiue the body and bloud of Christ Anno 1555. Iune but not the very naturall body and bloud of Christ in substaunce vnder the formes of bread and wine To the fift they say they haue aunswered aunswering to the sayde fourth article and yet neuerthelesse they saye that they haue beleued and doe beleue that in the sacrameÌ„t of the Aultar there is not the verye substaunce of Christes body and bloud but onely the substaunce of naturall bread and wine To the sixt they say that they beleue that the Masse is of the Pope The Masse detested and not of Christ and therefore it is not good nor hauing in it any goodnes
Boner The order was taken in the Catholicke Churche that y e Latin tongue shuld serue through the whole world Latin seruice because that they should pray all generally together in one tongue and that to auoyd all contention and strife and to haue one vniuersall order through the whole worlde Haukes This did your Counsels of Rome conclude Boner Understande yee what the generall Councels of Rome ment Haukes In deede all your generall Councels of Rome be in Latin and I am an English man The generaâ—â— Counsells 〈◊〉 Rome therefore I haue nothing to do with them Chad. Ye are to blame being an vnlearned man to reproue all the Councels throughout all the whole world Haukes I reprooue them not but Paule rebuketh them saying If any man preach any other doctrine then that whiche I haue taught do you hold him accursed Chad. Hath any man preached any other doctrine to you Haukes Yea I haue bene taught an other Gospel since I came into this house Other doâ—â—trine taughâ— in the Church of Rome theâ— euer Paulâ— taught Chad. What Gospell haue ye bene taught Haukes Praying to Sayntes and to our Lady and trust in the Masse holy bread and holy water and in Idols Chad. He that teacheth you so teacheth not amisse Haukes Cursed be hee that teacheth me so for I will not trust him nor beleue him Boner You speake of Idols and yee knowe not what they meane Idoles Haukes God hath taught vs what they be for whatsoeuer is made grauen or deuised by mans hand contrarye to Gods word that same is an Idoll What say you to that Chad. What be those that ye are so offended withall Haukes The crosse of wood siluer copper or gold c. The Crosse. Boner What say ye to that Haukes I say it is an Idoll What say you to it Bone I say euery Idoll is an image Images but euery image is not an Idoll Haukes I say what difference is there betweene an Idol and an Image Boner If it be a false God an Image made of him Note here Boners deâ—finition of an Idoll that is an Idoll but if an Image be made of God himselfe it is no Idoll but an Image because he is a true God Haukes Lay your Image of your true God and of youre false God together and ye shall see the differeÌ„ce Haue not your Images feete and goe not eyes and see not eares heare not handes and feele not mouthes and speake not and euen so haue your Idols Chad. God forbid sayth S. Paule Note here how grosseâ—ly Chadsey vnderstandeth the wordes of S. Paule That I should reioyce in any thing els but in the Crosse of Christ Iesus Haukes Do ye vnderstand Paule so Doe ye vnderstand Paule Unto the which he aunswered me neuer a word Boner Where can wee haue a godlyer remeÌ„braunce when we ride by the way then to see the Crosse. Haukes If the Crosse were such profite vnto vs why did not Christes Disciples take it vp and set it on a pole and cary it in procession with Salue festa dies Chad. It was taken vp Haukes Who tooke it vp Helene as ye say for shee sent a peece of it to a place of Religion where I was with y e visiters when that house was suppressed and the peece of the holy crosse which the religious had in such estimatioÌ„ The peoplâ— seduced by false peeâ—â— of the holy Crosse. and had robbed many a soule committing idolatry to it was called for and when it was proued and all come to all it was but a peece of a lath couered ouer with copper double gilted as it had bene cleane gold Boner Fie fie I dare say thou slaunderest it Haukes I know it to be true do not beleue the coÌ„trary And thus did the Bishop the Doctour depart in a great fume Chadsay said vnto me as he was about to depart it is pitie y t thou shouldest liue or any such as thou art I answered in this case I desire not to liue but rather to die Chad. Ye dye boldly because ye would glory in your death as Ioane Butcher did Note therâ— discretely the spirite Chadsey Haukes What Ioan Butcher did I haue nothing to doe withall but I would my part might be to morow GOD make you in a better minde sayde they both so they departed and I went to the Porters lodge with my keeper The next day Doct. Chedsey preached in the Boshops Chappell did not begin his sermon vntill all the seruice was done and then came the porter for me and sayd my Lord would haue you come to the sermon and so I went to the chappell dore and stode without the dore Boner Is not this fellow come Haukes Yes I am here Boner Come in man Haukes No that I will not He called againe and aunswered I will come no nearer and so I stode at the dore Then said the Bishop go to your sermon Then Doctour Chadsey put the stole about his neck and caried the holy water sprinckle vnto the Bishop 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 into 〈…〉 theame who blessed him and gaue him holye water and so hee went to his sermon The text that he entreated on was the xvi of Mathew Whome do men say that I the sonne of man am Peter sayd some say that thou art Helias some saye that thou art Iohn Baptist some say thou art one of the Prophetes But whom say ye that I am Then sayd Peter thou art Christ the sonne of the euerliuyng God Then left he the text there sayd Whose sinnes soeuer ye binde are bouÌ„d which authoritie sayd he is left to the heades of the Church as my Lord here is one and so vnto all the rest that be vnderneath him But the Church hath bene much kicked at sith the beginning yet kicke the heretickes spurne the heretickes neuer so much the church doth stand and florishe And then he went straight way to the sacrament and sayd his minde on it exalting it aboue the heauen as the most of theÌ„ doe and so returned to hys place agayne saying whose sinnes ye do remit are remitted and forgeuen Chadsey 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and so he applyed it to the byshops priestes to forgeue sinnes and sayd all that be of the Churche will come and receiue the same And this he proued by S. Ioh. in the xi chapter saying that Christ came to rayse Lazarus which when he was risen was bound in bands then sayd Christ to them that were in authoritie who were his disciples go ye and lose him lose him you And this was y e effect of his Sermon applying all to them that they haue the same authoritie that christ spake of to his Apostles and so ended his sermon and they went to dinner An other communication betweene Thomas Haukes and the Byshop ANd after dinner I was called into the chappel where as were certayne of the Queenes seruaunts and other straungers
which Goâ— doth geue neyther doth seeâ—â— for that which 〈◊〉 would haue by lawfull meanes For where the scripture perfectly doth promise and pronounce vs to bee iustified through our fayth in Christ willeth vs to seeke our saluation no where els but onely in the merits of Iesus the institution of the church of Rome neyther wyll receiue that God hath freely geuen wherein standeth infidelity neither yet will seek the same there where as they should but in the merites and prayers of our Lady of S. Iohn Baptist s. Peter and Paule s. Andrew s. Nicholas s. Thomas of Canterbury by the worthines of the materiall crosse and such other vnlawfull meanes wherein standeth plaine idolatry And yet such bookes as these can be suffered among the Catholikes to be currant as good wholesome and lawfull bookes where as the other which lead vs the true way from infidelitie and blynd idlatry to true christianitie in no wise can be sufferable But of this to complaine it is vaine Wherfore to passe from this proclamation let vs proceede God willing in the course of our history ¶ The story of Thomas Osmond William Bamford and Thomas Osborne Martyrs MEntion was made before in the storye of Thomas Haukes of sixe prisoners besides Thomas Osmund William Bamford Thomas Osburâ— Martyrs Read 〈◊〉 pag. 150 whithe were sente downe with hym to Essex the same tyme as hee wente to execution Of which sixe prisoners three were sent to be burned the other three to recant and to doe penaunce of whome it followeth next in story nowe to intreate The names of which sixe were these Thomas Osmund Fuller William Bamford alias Butler Weauer Thomas Osborne Fuller Nicholas Chamberlaine Weauer Thomas Brodehill Weauer Richard Webbe Weauer beyng all of the towne of Coxehall All which sixe Coxehall men nexte after the Examinations of Thomas Haukes and Thomas Wattes were sent vp to Boner to bee examined by the Earle of Oxford and sir Phillip Paris knight with a letter with them also sent the copy whereof here followeth ¶ A letter sent from the Erle of Oxford to Boner B. of London AFter our harty commendations vnto your good Lordship A letter from the Earle of Oxford B. Boner this shal be to aduertise the same y t the Constables of Coxehall within your Dioces haue brought before vs this day 6. persons dwelling in the town of Coxhal aforesayd whose names hereafter do folow videlicet Nicholas Chamberlaine Weauer Iohn Wallet Fuller Tho. Brody Weauer Rich. Web Weauer William Bamford aliâs Butler Weauer and Tho. Osborne Fuller for that they at the feast of Easter now last 〈…〉 sent by 〈◊〉 Earle of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 haue not obeyed to the order of the holy catholike Church in receiuyng of the sacraments but oâ—stinately refusing the same besides the holdyng of diuers other opinions contrary to the faith of the said church Wherfore we haue thought it good to send the same persons vnto your good lordship further to be ordered as in such case shal appertain Thus we commit your good Lordship to the keping of almighty God From Hedingham the 1. of May. 1555. Your Lordships assuredly Oxford Phillip Paris Thus the said prisoners beyng sent vp the first day of May were brought before the sayd Bishop the xvij of the sayd moneth to be examined vpon diuers and sundry Articles ministred obiected agaynst them whereunto they were compelled to aunswer and to put theyr hands to the same the copy of which their Articles and aunswers beyng all one in forme and effect if the Register say true here followeth ¶ The copy of the Articles obiected against Thomas Osmond William Bamford and Nicholas Chamberlayne of Coxehall 1. FIrst that thou Thomas Osmund Fuller wast and art of the Parish of Coxehall Articles 〈…〉 them 〈◊〉 the Bishop within the Dioces of London and thou hast not beleeued nor doest beleeue that there is here in the earth one Catholike vniuersal whole Church which doth hold and beleue all the fayth Religion of Christ and all the necessary Articles sacraments of the same 2. Item that thou hast not beleeued nor doest beleue that thou art necessarily bounden vnder the payne of damnation The Popes Church falsly terâ—ed by the name of the â—niuersall Church of thy soule to geue full fayth and credence vnto y e sayd Catholike and vniuersall Church and to the faith and religion of the same in all necessary poyntes of the sayd fayth and religion without doubting or wauering in the sayde fayth and religion or in any part thereof 3. Item that thou hast not beleued that the faith and religion which both the Church of Rome Italy Spayne England France Ireland Scotland and all other churches in Europe beyng true members and partes of the sayd Catholike and vniuersall Church do beleeue teach The faith of the Romish Church not 〈◊〉 be beleeâ—ed is both agreeyng with the faith and religion of Christ and also is the very true faith and religion which all christian people ought to beleeue obserue follow and keepe but contrarywise thou hast beleeued and doest beleeue that that fayth and religion which the sayd church of Rome all the other Churches aforesayd haue heretofore beleued and do beleue is false erroneous and naught in no wise ought to be beleeued obserued kept and followed of any Christian person 4. Item that albeit it be true that in the sacrament of the altar there is in substance the very body and bloud of our sauiour Christ vnder the formes of bread and wyne albeit that it be so beleued taught and preached vndoubtedly in the said church of Rome and all other churches aforesayd yet thou hast not so beleued nor doest so beleeue but contrarywise thou hast beleued and doest beleue firmely and stedfastly that there is not in the said sacrament of the aulter vnder the sayd formes of bread and wyne the very substance of Christes body and bloud but that there is only the substance of materiall and common bread and wine Note how â—his geare is 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 worst with the formes thereof and that the said material common bread and wyne are onely the signes and tokens of Christes body and bloud and are by fayth to be receyued onely for a remembraunce of Christes passion and death without any such substaunce of Christes body and bloud at all This article 〈◊〉 to put â—owne as 〈◊〉 ment 〈◊〉 5. Item that thou hast beleued and taught and hast opeÌ„ly spoken and defended and so doest beleue thinke maintaine and defend that the very true receiuing and eatyng of Christes body and bloud is onely to take materiall and common bread and to breake it and distribute it amongst the people remembring thereby the passion and death of Christ onely 6. Item that thou hast likewyse beleeued thought and spoken that the masse now vsed in this realm of England and other the churches aforesaid The Masse 〈◊〉
of Christes insâ—â—tution is abominable naught and full of idolatry and is of the ordinance of the Pope not of the institution of Christ and hath no goodnes in it sauyng the Gloria in excelsis the Epistle and Gospell and therfore thou hast not nor wilt not come and be present at masse nor receiue the sacrament of the altar nor any other sacrameÌ„t of the church as they are now vsed in this realm of England c. 7. Item that thou hast in tymes past beleued yet doest now beleeue Against auricular confession Church seruice that auricular confession is not necessary to be made vnto the priest but is a thing superfluous voyd and naught only to be made to God to none other person And likewyse thou hast condemned as superfluous vayne and vnprofitable all the ceremonies of the church and the seruice of the same and hast sayd that no seruice in the church ought to be sayd but in the English tong and if it be otherwise it is vnlawfull and naught 8. Item that thou beyng notoriously and openly suspected for an heretike and a person culpable in the premisses was of late called and coÌ„uented before the Erle of Oxford and M. Phillip Paris The Earle of Oxford M. Phillip Paris and there was charged with the said heresies especially against the sacrament of the altar And because thou didst maintaine and stand to thy said heresies and wouldst not come to the church and be confessed and receiue the said sacrament as other christian people did but vtterly didst refuse to doe the same thou wast by the said Earle of Oxford and M. Phillip Paris seÌ„t vp by a Constable vnto me Bishoppe of London and was by them denounced detected and put vp to me as an heretike and misbeleuyng person 9. Item that thou hast knowen and beleeued thou doest know and beleeue or at the least thou hast credibly heard reported spoken and said that all and all maner persons which do teach preach or hold any thing concernyng the sacraments of thr Church or any the articles of the fayth otherwise then is found already discussed and determined by the mother the holy church or doth call into doubte or question that thyng which is already decided or determined by the Church or that willingly and wittingly do vtter openly or priuily any slaunderous or blasphemous wordes concernyng the sayd Sacraments or any of them or that do preach teach or keepe any sect or kynd of heresie agaynst the wholesome doctrine of the church doe wittingly willingly or obstinately defend the said sect or kind of heresie are by the Canons of the whole and vniuersall Catholike Church and also by the Ecclesiasticall lawes of this Church of England by their so doing accursed with that curse which doth separate them from the entry into the Church from the receiuing of the Sacramentes and from the company of faythfull people and are in continuyng in this sayd sect and heresie to be pronounced declared and taken for heretikes and to be deliuered to the secular power and by the lawes temporall of this realme of England and the custome of the same to be by the sayde secular power put to death and burnt for this sayd sect and heresie 10 Item that thou by reason of the premisses wast art to be pronounced takeÌ„ had reputed and iudged for a manifest and open wilfull and obstinate heretike for a wycked and cursed person and to bee punished accordingly for the same accordyng to the said Canon lawes vsages and customes * The aunsweres whiche the sayd Thomas Osmund William Bamford and Nicholas Chamberlaine seuerally made vnto these Articles TO the first they aunswered and confessed the same to be true The aunsweres of the three prisoners to the articles agreeing all in one except that they do beleue y t there is here in earth one Catholicke whole Church and that the same church doth hold and beleue as is conteined in this Article To the second they aunswere beleue the sayd Article not to be true for they say that they haue doe beleue that they are necessarily bounden vnder payne of damnatioÌ„ of their soule to geue full fayth and credeÌ„ce vnto the said Catholicke Church to the fayth and religion of the same in all necessary points of the same fayth and religioÌ„ without waueryng or doubtyng in any part therof To the third they auÌ„swere that the Church of Rome The Church of Rome not to be beleeued other Churches mentioned in this Article bee not true meÌ„bers partes as they be vsed in fayth religion of the Catholicke Church of Christ that the fayth and religion vsed in the sayd Churches is not agreable with y e Church of Christ but are false and erroneous To the fourth they aunswere and say that how so euer the sayd Churches of Rome and others of Christendome haue and do beleue touchyng the SacrameÌ„t of the aulter yet they do beleue that in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the formes of bread wine there is not the very substauÌ„ce of Christes body bloud but that there is onely the substauÌ„ce of materiall bread and wine that the same materiall bread wyne be onely the signes and tokeÌ„s of Christes body and bloud and are to be receiued onely for a remembraunce of Christes passion and death without any substaunce of Christes body and bloud at all To the fiâ—t Article they aunswere that the true receiuyng and eatyng of Christes body The â—rue eating of Christs body accordyng to Christes institution is to take distribute and eate materiall bread and thereby to remember the passion and death of Christ and so receiue by fayth as they beleue Christes body and bloud and not otherwise To the sixt they aunswere the same to bee true in euery part therof except that ouer and besides the Gloria in excelsis the Epistle and Gospell which they beleue to bee good they beleue the Pater noster and Creâ—de vse in the Masse be also good Auricular confession not necessary Ceremonyes idle in the Chusch To the seueÌ„th they aunswere and confesse that auricular confession is not necessary to be made to the Priest neuerthelesse they thâ—ncke that it is necessary to goe to such a Priest as is able to geue good counsell And that for counsell only and not otherwise And as concerning the ceremonies of the church they answer the same to be vayne vnprofitable No seruice in the Church ought to be sayde but onely in the English tong To the eight they answer and beleeue the same to bee true in euery part thereof except that they doe not beleeue that they be heretikes or suspected of heresie To the ninth Osmund and Bamford aunswered that they referred themselues to the sayd lawes mentioned in that article but Chamberlaine made no aunswer at all to this article To the tenth the sayd Osmond and Bamford answered and sayd that by reason of
the poore people barly bread M. Buceâ—â— saying or whatsoeuer els the Lord hath committed vnto thee And whiles Bradford was thus persuaded to enter into the ministry Doctour Ridley that worthy Byshop of LoÌ„don and glorious Martyr of Christ accordyng to the order that then was in the Churche of England called hym to take the degree of Deacon Iohn Braâ—â—ford madâ— Deacon by Bishop 〈◊〉 withâ—â—â— any superâ—stitious abuse there Iohn Braâ—â—ford madâ— Prebendaâ—â— in Paules 〈◊〉 licensed 〈◊〉 preach Which order because it was not without some such abuse as to the whiche Bradford would not consent the Byshop yet perceauyng that Bradford was willing to enter into y e ministery was content to order him Deacon without any abuse euen as he desired This beyng done he obteyned for him a licence to preache and did geue him a Prebend in his Cathedrall Church of Saint Paules In this preaching office by the space of three yeares how faithfully Bradford walked how diligently he labored many partes of England can testify Sharply he opened and reproued sinne sweetely he preached Christ crucified pithily he impugned heresies and errours earnestly he persuaded to godly life After the death of blessed yong King Edward the sixt when Queene Mary had gotten the crowne still continued Bradford diligent in preaching vntil he was vniustly depriued both of his office libertie by the Queene and her Councell To the doyng whereof because they had no iust cause they tooke occasioÌ„ to do this iniurie for such an acte as among Turkes and Infidels would haue bene with thankfulnes rewarded and with great fauour accepted as in deed it did no lesse deserue The fact was this The xiij day of August in the first yere of the raigne of Queene Mary M. Bourne then B. of Bath made a seditious sermon at Paules crosse in LoÌ„don as partly is declared before pag. to set popery abroch in such sort that it mooued the people to no small indignation beyng almost ready to pull hym out of the pulpit Neither could the reuerence of the place nor the presence of the B. Boner who then was his maister nor yet the commandement of the Maior of London whoÌ„ the people ought to haue obeied stay their rage but the more they spake the more the people were inceÌ„sed At length Bourn seyng the people in such a moode and himselfe in such peril whereof he was sufficiently warned by the hurlyng of a drawen dagger at hym as he stoode in the pulpit and that he was put from endyng his sermon fearing least against his will hee should there ende his wretched lyfe desired Bradford who stood in y e pulpit behynd him to come forth and to stande in his place and speake to the people Bradford 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 people â—â—gardeth Papistâ—◠〈◊〉 Good Bradford at his request was content and there spake to the people of godly and quiet obedience Whome as soone as the people saw to beginne to speake vnto them so glad they were to heare him that they cried with a great shout Bradford Bradford God saue thy life Bradford well declaring not only what affectioÌ„ they bare vnto him but also what regard they gaue to his words For after that he had entred a little to preach vnto them 〈◊〉 reuereÌ„t and 〈◊〉 of people 〈…〉 and to exhort them to quiet pacience eftsoones all the raging ceased and they in the end quietly departed ech man to his house Yet in the meane season for it was a long tyme before that so great a multitude could all depart Bourne thought and truely himselfe not yet full sure of his lyfe till he were safely housed notwithstanding that the Maior Shirifes of London were there at hand to helpe him Wherfore he desired Bradford not to depart from him till hee were in safetie Bradford â—ureth Bournes 〈◊〉 which Bradford according to his promise performed For while the Maior and Shiriffes did leade Bourne to the Scholemaisters house which is next to the pulpit Bradford went at his backe shadowyng him from the people with his gowne and so to set him safe Let the Reader now consider the peril of Bourne the charitie of Bradford and the headines of the multitude also the grudging mynds of certaine which yet still there remayned behind greeued not a little theyr mindes to see that so good a man should saue y e life of such a popish priest so impudently and openly rayling against K. Edward Among whoÌ„ one gentlemaÌ„ sayd these words Ah Bradford Bradford thou sauest him y t wil help to burne thee I geue thee his life if it were not for thee I would I assure thee tâ—â— him through with my sword Thus Bourne for that tyme through Bradfordes meanes escaped bodily death but God hath his iudgement to be shewed in the tyme appoynted The same sonday in the after noone Bradford preached at the Bow church in Cheapside and reproued the people sharply for theyr seditious misdemeanor After this he did abide still in London with an innocent conscience to try what should become of his iust doing Within three daies after he was sent for to the Tower of London where the Queene then was to appeare there before the counsell There was he charged with this act of sauing of Bourne which act they there called seditious also obiected agaynst him for preaching and so by them he was coÌ„mitted first to the Tower then vnto other prisons out of the which neither his innocency godlines nor charitable dealing could purchase him liberty of body till by death which he suffred for Christes cause he obteyned the heauenly liberty of which neither Pope nor papist shall euer depriue him From the Tower he came to the kinges Benche in Southwarke and after his condemnation he was sent to the Counter in the Poultry in London in the which two places for the time he did remayne prisoner he preached twise a day continually vnlesse sicknes hindered him where also the sacrament was often ministred thorow his meanes the keepers so well did beare with him such resort of good folkes was dayly to his lecture and to the ministration of the sacrament that commonly his chaÌ„ber was well nigh filled therewith Preaching reading praying was all his whole life He did not eate aboue one meale a day which was but very little when he took it his continuall study was vpon his knees In the middest of dinner he vsed often to muse with himselfe hauyng his hat ouer his eyes from whence came commonly plenty of teares droppng on his trencher Uery gentle her was 〈◊〉 man and childe and in so good credite with his keeper y t at is desire Bradford came into London without his keeper and returned that night to prison agayne The description of Bradford Bradford content with a little sleepe Bradfordes recreation The holy lyfe of Bradford in an euening beyng prisoner in the kinges Bench in Soutwarke he had licence vpoÌ„ hys
promise to returne agayne that night to go into London without any keeper to visite one that was sicke lying by the Stilyard Neither did he fayle his promise but returned vnto his prison againe rather preuenting his houre then breaking his fidelitie so constant was he in word in deede Of personage he was somewhat tall and slēder spare of body of a faint sanguine colour w t an Awburne beard He slept not commonly aboue foure houres in the night in his bedde till sleep came his booke went not out of his hand His chief recreation was in no gaming or other pastime but onely in honest company comely talke wherin he would spend a little time after dinner at the bourde and so to prayer and his booke agayne He counted that houre not well spent wherin he did not some good Bradford visited the theeues pickpurses c. either with his pen study or in exhorting of others c. He was no niggard of his purse but would liberally participate y t he had to hys fellowe prisoners And commonly once a weeke he visited the theeues pickpurses and such others that were with him in the prison where he lay on the other side vnto whō he would geue godly exhortation to learne the amendment of their liues by their troubles and after that so done distribute among them some portion of money to theyr comfort By the way this I thought not to conceale While he was in the kinges Bench The meeting conference betwene Laurence Saunders and Iohn Bradford and Mayster Saunders in the Marshalsey both prisoners on the backside of those two prisons they mette many times and conferred together when they would so mercifully did the Lorde worke for them euen in the middest of theyr troubles and the sayde Bradford was so trusted with his keeper Bradford refusing to escape out of prison though be mighte and had such libertie in the backeside that there was no day but that he might haue easily escaped away if he would but that the Lord had an other worke to doe for him In the sommer tyme while he was in the sayd Kinges Benche he had libertie of his keeper to ryde into Oxfordshyre to a Marchauntes house of his acquayntaunce and horse and all thinges prepared for him for that iourney and the partie in a readines that should ride with him but God preuented him by sicknes that he went not at all One of his old friends and acquaintaunce came vnto him whilest he was prisoner and asked hym if he sited to get hym out what then he would do or whether he would go Unto whom he made answer as not caring whether he went out or no but if he did he said hee would marry Bradford would not flye out of England though he mighte and abyde still in England secretly teaching the people as the tyme would suffer him and occupy himselfe that way He was had in so great reuerence and admiration wyth all good men that a multitude which neuer knew him but by fame greatly lamented his death yea Bradford beleued and a number also of the Papistes themselues wished hartily hys lyfe There were fewe dayes in which he was thought not to spend some tears before he went to bed Bradfordes teares neyther was there euer any prisoner with hym but by his company he greatly profited as all they will yet witnes and haue confessed of hym no lesse to the glory of God whose societie he frequented as among many one speciall thyng I thought to note which is this Bishop Farrer beyng in the kynges Bench prisoner as before you haue hard was trauailed withall of the Papists in the end of Lent to receiue the sacrament at Easter in one kind who after much perswading yelded to them Byshop Farrat confirmed in the truth by Iohn Bradford and promised so to do Then so it happened by gods prouidence the Easter euen the day before hee should haue done it was Bradford brought to the Kings Benche prisoner where the Lord making him his instrument Bradford only was the meane that the said B. Farrer reuoked his promise and word and would neuer after yeeld to bee spotted with that papisticall pitch so effectually the Lord wrought by this worthy seruaunt of his Such an instrument was he in gods church that few or none there were that knew him but estemed him as a precious iewell and Gods true messenger Bradford dreameth of his burning according as it came to passe The night before he was had to Newgate which was the saterday night he was sore troubled diuers tymes in his sleepe by dreams how the chaine for his burning was brought to the Counter gate and how the next day beyng Sonday he should be had to Newgate and on the Monday after burned in Smithfield as in deed it came to passe accordingly which hereafter shal be shewed Now he beyng vexed so often tymes in this sort with these dreames about 3. of the clocke in the morning hee waked hym that lay with hym and told him his vnquiet sleepe what he was troubled withall Then after a little talke Maister Bradford rose out of the bed and gaue hymselfe to his olde exercise of readyng and prayer as alwayes he had vsed before and at dinner according to his accustomed maner he did eat his meat and was very mery no body being with hym from mornyng till night but he that lay with hym with whom he had many tymes on that day communication of death of the kingdome of heauen and of the ripenes of sinne in that tyme. In the after noone they two walking together in the keepers chamber sodainly the keepers wife came vp as one halfe amazed Bradford hath word of his burning seeming much troubled beyng almost wyndles said Oh M. Bradford I come to bring you heauy newes What is that said he Marry quoth she to morow you must be burned your chaine is now a buying soone you must go to Newgate With that M. Bradford put of his cap and lifting vp his eyes to heauen sayd I thanke God for it I haue looked for the same a long time and therfore it commeth not now to me sodainly but as a thing waited for euery day and houre the Lord make me worthy therof so thanking her for her gentlenes departed vp into his chamber and called his friend with hym who when he came thither he went secretly himselfe alone a long tyme and prayed Which done he came agayne to him that was in his chamber and tooke him diuers writings and papers shewed him his mind in those things what he would haue done and after they had spent the after noone till night in many and sundry such things at last came to him halfe a dosen of his friends more with whom all the euening he spent the tyme in prayer and other good exercises so wonderfully that it was meruailous to heare and see his doyngs A
preached the worde of GOD. Turne I saye vnto you all and to all the inhabitours there aboutes vnto the Lord our God and hee will turne vnto you he will saye vnto his Aungell It is enough put vppe the sworde The whiche thyng that he will doe I humblye beseeche his goodnesse for the precious bloudes sake of hys deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Ah good brethren take in good parte these my last wordes vnto euery one of you Pardon me myne offences and negligences in behauiour amongest you The Lorde of mercye pardon vs all our offences for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen Out of Prison readye to come to you the eleuenth of February Ann. 1555. ¶ To the Towne of Walden 〈…〉 of M. Bradford to 〈◊〉 towne 〈◊〉 Walden TO the faythfull and such as professe the true doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ dwelling at Walden and thereaboutes Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lorde nowe in bandes and condemned for the same true doctrine wysheth grace mercy and peace with the encrease of all godlynesse in knowledge and liuing from GOD the Father of all comforte through the desertes of our alone and full redeemer Iesus Christ by the mighty working of the most holy spirit the comforter for euer Amen When I remember how that by the prouidence and grace of God I haue bene a man by whome it hath pleased him through my ministery to call you to repentaunce and amendment of life something effectually as it seemed and to sowe amongest you his true doctrine and religion least that by my affliction stormes now arisen to trye the faythfull and to conforme them lyke to the Image of the sonne of GOD into whose companye wee are called you might be faint harted I could not but out of prison secretly for my keepers may not know that I haue penne ynke write vnto you a signification of the desire I haue that you should not only be more coÌ„firmed in the doctrine I haue taught amongest you which I take on my death as I shall answere at the day of dome I am perswaded to be Gods assured infallible and playne trueth 〈…〉 answeâ—â— with 〈◊〉 bloud 〈◊〉 his docâ—â—â—ne but also should after your vocation auow the same by confession profession and liuing I haue not taught you my dearely beloued in the Lord fables tales or vntruthe but I haue taught you the verity as now by my bloud gladlye praysed bee God therfore I do seale the same In deed to confesse the truth vnto you and to all the Churche of Christ I doe not thinke of my selfe but that I haue moste iustly deserued not onely this kinde but also all kindes of death and that eternally â— Bradford 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 lyfe for myne hypocrisy vayneglory vncleannesse selfe loue couetousnesse idlenesse vnthankefulnesse and carnall professing of Gods holy Gospell liuing therein not so purely louyngly and paynefully as I should haue done The Lord of mercy for the bloud sake of Christ pardon me as I hope yea I certainely beleue he hath done for his holy names sake thorowe Christe But my dâ—arely beloued you and all the whole world may see and easely perceiue that the Prelates persecute in me an other thing then mine iniquities euen Christ himselfe Christes verity and trueth because I canne not dare not nor wyll not confesse Transubstantiation and howe that wicked menne ye Mise and Dogges eating the Sacrament which they terme of the aultar thereby ouerthrowing Christes holy Supper vtterly do eate Christes naturall and reall body borne of the virgine Mary To beleue and confesse as Gods worde teacheth the primatiue Church beleued and all the Catholicke and good holy Fathers taught fiue hundreth yeares at the least after Christ that in the Supper of the Lord which the Masse ouerthroweth as it doth Christes Priesthoode sacrifice death and passion the ministerye of his word true â—ayth repentance and all godlines whole Christ God and man is present by grace to the fayth of the receiuers but not of the standers by and lookers on as bread and wyne is to theyr sences will not serue and therefore I am condemned shall be burned out of hand as an hereticke Wherefore I hartelye thanke my Lord God that will and doth vouch me worthy to be an instrument in whome he himselfe doeth suffer For you see my affliction and death is not simply M. Bradford persecuted for confessing the truth because I haue deserued no lesse but muche more at his handes and iustice but rather because I confesse his verity and trueth and am not affrayd through his gift that to do that you also might be confirmed in his truth Therefore my dearely beloued I hartely do pray you and so many as vnfaynedly loue mee in God to geue with mee and for mee most harty thankes to our heauenly Father through our sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ for this his exceeding great mercy towardes me and you also that your fayth wauer not from the doctrine I haue taught and ye haue receiued For what can you desire more to assure your coÌ„sciences of the verity taught by your preachers then theyr owne liues Goe to therefore my deare hartes in the Lord wauer not in Christes religion truely taught you and set forth in king Edwardes dayes Neuer shall the enemies be able to burne it to prison it and keepe it in bondes Vs they may prison Gods truth can neuer be kepte vnder by the aduersaryes they may bynde and burne as they doe and will doe so long as shall please the Lord but our cause religion and doctrine which we confesse they shall neuer be able to vanquish and put away Theyr Idolatry and Popish religion shall neuer bee builte in the consciences of menne that loue Gods trueth As for those that loue not Gods truth that haue no pleasure to walke in the wayes of the Lord in those I say the Deuill shall preuayle For God will geue them strong illusion to beleue lyes Therefore deare brethren and sisters in the Lord I humbly beseech you and pray you in the bowelles and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesuâ— Christ He exhorteth them to loue Gods truth and to liue therafter now goyng to the death for the testimony of Iesus as ofteÌ„times I haue done before this present out of your Pulpitte that you woulde loue the Lordes trueth loue I saye to loue it and frame your liues thereafter Alas you know the cause of all these plagues fallen vp vs and of the successe which Gods aduersaryes haue dayly is for our not louing Gods word You knowe how that we were but Gospellers in lippes and not in life We were carnall concupiscentious idle Gods Gospell abused· vnthankfull vncleane couetous arrogant dissemblers crafty subtle malicious false backebiters c. and euen glutted with Gods word yea we lothed it Gods Gospell lothed as did the Israelites the Manna in the wildernes and therefore as to them
the cognisaunce of the Lorde of hostes This cognisaunce of the Lorde standeth not in forked cappes The Lordes cognisaunce standeth not in forked caps c. but in suffering for the Lordes sake typettes shauen crownes or such other baggage and Antichristian pelfe but in suffering for the Lordes sake The world shall hate you sayth Christ. Loe â—here is the Cognisaunce and Badge of Goddes children The world shall hate you Reioyce therefore my dearely beloued reioyce that God doth thus vouchsafe to beginne to conforme you and make you like to Christ. By the tryall of these dayes yee are occasioned more to repent more to pray more to contemn this world more to desire life euerlasting more to be holy for holy is the end wherefore God doth afflict vs and so to come to Gods companye Whych thing because we can not doe as long as this body is as it is therfore by the dore of death we must enter with Christ into eternall life and immortality of soule and body whiche God of his mercy send shortly for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen ¶ To Maystres A. Worcup THe euerlasting peace of Christ be more and more liuely felte in our hartes Another letter of M. Bradford to Mistres Warcup by the operation of the holy ghost now and for euer Amen Although I knowe it bee more then needeth to write anye thing vnto you good Sister being as I doubt not you be diligently exercised in readinge of the Scriptures in meditating of the same and in harty prayer to GOD for the helpe of his holy Spirite to haue the sense and feeling especially of the comfortes you reade in Gods sweete booke yet hauinge such oportunity and knowing not whether hereafter I shall euer haue the like as this bringer can declare I thought good in few wordes to take my farewell in writinge because otherwise I canne not And nowe me thinkes I haue doone it For what else canne I or shoulde I saye vnto you my dearely beloued in the Lorde but farewell Farewell deare Sister farewell howbeit in the Lorde our Lord I say farewell In him shall you farewell Bradford 〈◊〉 farewell Maâ—stres Warcup so much the better by howe muche in your selfe you fare euill and shall fare euill When I speake of your selfe I meane also this worlde thys life and all thinges properly perteining to this life In them as you looke not for your welfare so be not dismayed when accordingly you shall not feele it To the Lord our GOD to the Lambe our Christ which hath borne our sinnes on his backe is our Mediatour for euer do I send you In him looke for welfare and that without all wauering because of his owne goodnesse and truth which our euilles and vntrueth can not take away Not that therefore I would haue you to flatter your selfe in any euill or vnbeliefe but that I woulde comfort you that they should not dismay you Yours is our Christ wholy Christ is wholy 〈◊〉 with all that euer hath yours I say he is with all that euer he hath Is not this welfare trow you MouÌ„taynes shall moue and the earth shall fall before you finde it otherwise say that liar Sathan what he list Therefore good Sister farewell and be mery in the Lorde bee mery I say for you haue good cause If your welfare ioy and saluation hanged vpon any other thing then onely Gods mercy truth then might you well be sad heauy and stand in a doubt but in that it hangeth onely vpon these two tel Sathan he lyeth How to aunswere Sathan when he moueth vs to doubâ—â— Gods 〈◊〉 How to looke vpoâ— Christ. How to looke 〈◊〉 our selueâ— In case oâ— iustificatiâ—â— let no 〈◊〉 looke vpoâ— himself 〈◊〉 onely vpâ—â— the goodâ—â—â— of God iâ— Christ. wheÌ„ he would you to stand in a mammering by causing you to caste your eyes which onely in this case should be set on Christ your sweet Sauior on your selfe In some part in deede looke on your selfe on your fayth on your loue obedience c. to wake you vp from security to stirre you vp to diligence in doing the thinges apperteyning to your vocation but when you would be at peace with God and haue true consolation in your conscience altogether looke vpon the goodnes of God in Christ. Thinke on this commaundement which precedeth all other that you must haue no other Gods but the Lord Iehouah which is your Lord God the which he could not be if that he did not pardon your sinnes in very deede Remember that Christ commaundeth you to call him father for the same intent And hereto call to minde all the benefites of God hitherto shewed vpon you and so shall you fele in very deede that which I wish vnto you now and pray you to wish vnto me Farewell or welfare in the Lord Iesus with whom he graunt vs shortlye to meete as his children for his name and mercies sake to our eternall welfare Amen ¶ To mine owne deare brother M. Laurence Saunders prisoner in the Marshalsee MY good brother I beseech our good and gracious Father alwayes to coÌ„tinue his gracious fauor loue towards vs by vs as by instruments of his grace to work his glory the coÌ„fusion of his aduersaryes A letter of M. Bradford to M. Sauâ—â—ders Ex ore infantium lactentium fundet laudem ad destruendum inimicum c. Amen 1. Out of the mouth of infantes and babes he will shew forth his prayse to destroy the enemy c. I haue perused your letters to my selfe and haue read them to others For aunswere whereof if I should write what Doctor Taylor and Mayster Philpot doe thinke then must I say that they thinke the Salt sent vnto vs by your * This frieâ—â— moued 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to the Paâ—pistes artâ—â—cles with this condâ—â—tion so 〈◊〉 as they 〈◊〉 agaynst Gods word being in deede cleane coâ—â—trary to 〈◊〉 and yet shortly 〈◊〉 he valiantâ—â— suffred death for refusing 〈◊〉 same Psal. 54. Psalm 36 Psalm 3â— Math. 10. 1. Cor 10 2. Pet. 1. Nahum â— frende is vnseasonable And in deede I thinke they both will declare it hartely if they shoulde come before them As forme if you woulde knowe what I thinke my good and most deare brother Laurence because I am so sinnefull and so conspurcate the Lord knoweth I lye not with many greuous sinnes which I hope are washed away Sanguine Christi nostri I neither canne nor woulde bee consulted withall but as a sypher in Agrime How be it to tell you how and what I minde take this for a summe I pray GOD in no case I may seeke my selfe and in deede I thankâ— GOD therefore I purpose it not Quod reliquum est Domino Deo meo committo spero in illum quod ipse faciet iuxta hoc Iacta in Dominum curam c. Omnis cura vestra coniecta sit in illum c. Reuela Domino
with coâ—â—rage Cast you selues on Christ who careth for you Kepe company with him now stil to the ende he is faithfull and wil neuer leaue you nor tempt you further then hee will make you able to beare yea in the middest of the temptation hee will make an outscape Nowe pray vnto him heartely be thankefull of his indignation reioyce in hope of the health you shall receiue and be mindefull of vs whych are in the vawarde and by Gods grace trust in Christ to be made able to breake the Ise before you that you followynge may finde the way more easie God graunte it may so be Amen Amen Out of prison by your brother in Christ Iohn Bradford To Maistresse Wilkenson ALmighty God our most louing father increase in your heart my good mother deare maistresse in the Lord his true knowledge and loue in Christe A letter M. Bradfâ—â—â— to 〈◊〉 Wilkinsâ—â— to y e encouraging and comforting of your faith in these stormy dayes as necessary vnto vs so profitable if we perâ—iste vnto the ende which thing God graunt to vs. Amen My righte dearely beloued I knowe not what other thing to wryte vnto you then to desire you to be thankfull vnto the Lord in that amongst thee not many of your calling and state it pleaseth him to geue you his rare blessing I meane to keepe you from all the filthe wherewyth onâ—e Countrey is horribly defiled Thys blessing assuredly is rare as you see But nowe if he shall blesse you with an other blessing which is more rare I meane to cal you foorth as a Martyr and a witnesse against this filth I hope you will become double thankefull For a greater token commonly we haue not to iudge of our election and saluation next to Christe and faith in him then the crosse especiallye when it is so glorious as on this sorte to suffer any thing The 〈◊〉 a great of Electâ—â—â— but chiefly losse of this life which in deede is neuer founde til it be so lost except the graine of wheate fall and be dead it remaineth fruitlesse You know how that he which was rapt into the third heauen and did knowe what he wrote doeth say That as the corne liueth not except it be dead and cast into the earth 1. Cor. â—â— so truely oure bodies And therefore the crosse shoulde so little feare vs that euen death it selfe shoulde altogether be desired of vs as the Tailour which putteth off oure ragges and araieth vs with the Royall Roabes of immortalitie incorruption and glory Great shame it shoulde be for vs â—om 8. that all the whole creatures of God shoulde desire yea grone in their kinde for our libertie and wee our selues to loath it as doubtlesse we doe if for the crosse yea for death it selfe we with ioy swallow not vp all sorrow that might let vs from following the Lordes calling and obtaining the Lordes prouidence whereby doubtles all crosses and death it selfe doth come and not by hap or chance In consideration whereof right deare Mother that this prouidence stretcheth it selfe so vnto vs and for vs that eueÌ„ the hair of our heads are numbred with God not one of them to fall to our hurte surely we declare our selues very faint in faith if we receiue not such comfort that we can willingly offer our selues to the Lord and cast our whole care vpon his backe honouring him with this honour that he is and euer will be carefull for vs and all we haue as for hys deare children Be therfore of good cheare euen in the middest of these miseries be thankful to the Lord and prepare your selfe for a further triall which if God sende you as I hope so do you beleeue that God therein wil help comfort you and make you able to bear whatsoeuer shall happen And thus much hauing this oportunitie I thoughte good to wryte praying God our father to recompence into your bosome all the good that euer you haue done to mee especially and to many others both in this time of trouble and alwaies heeretofore Your owne in the Lord Iohn Bradford An other letter wrytten to certaine godly persons encouraging them to prepare them selues with pacience to the crosse GRatious God and moste mercifull Father for Iesus Christes sake thy dearely beloued sonne graunte vs thy mercy grace wisedome and holy spirite to counsaile comforte and guide vs in al our cogitations woordes and woorkes to thy glorye and our euerlasting ioy and peace for euer Amen In my last letter you might perceiue my coniecturing to be no lesse towards you then now I haue learned But my dearely beloued I haue learned none other thyng then before I haue told you would come to passe if ye cast not away that which ye haue learned I do appeale to both your consciences whether herein I speake trueth as well of my telling though not so often as I might and should God forgeue mee as also of your learning Nowe God will trie you to make others to learne by you that whych ye haue learned by others and by them which suffred thys day ye might learne if already yee had not learned that life and honour is not to be set by more then Gods commandement They in no poynt for all y t euer their ghostly fathers could do hauing doctour Death to take their part would consent or seeme to consent to the popish masse and papisticall God otherwise then in y e daies of our late king they had receiued And this their faith they haue confessed with their deathes to their great glorye and all our comfortes if we follow them but to our confusion if we starre backe from the same Wherfore I beseeche you to consider it as well to praise God for them as to goe the same way with them if God so will Consider not the things of this life whyche is a verye prison to all Gods children but the things of euerlasting life which is our very home But to the beholding of thys geare â—â—ample of 〈…〉 goe with 〈…〉 ye must open the eyes of your mind of faith I shuld haue sayde as Moses did which set more by trouble wyth Gods people then by the riches of Egypt and Pharaos Court Your house home and goodes yea life and all that euer yee haue God hath geuen you as loue tokens to admonish you of his loue to win your loue to him againe Nowe will he trie your loue whether ye set more by hym then by his tokens or no. If ye for his tokeÌ„s sake that is for your home house goods yea life will goe w t the world least ye should loose them then be assured your loue as hee can not but espie it to be a strumpets loue â— strumpet 〈◊〉 more her 〈◊〉 then by â—ouer so will he cast it away with the world Remember that he which will saue his life shall loose it if Christ be true but he which aduentureth yea
of God Not that the action it selfe of beleeuing as it is a qualitie in man doeth so deserue but because it taketh that dignitie of the obiect For as I sayde in the acte of iustifying faith as it is an action in man is not to be considered alone but must euer go with his obiecte and taketh his vertue therof Like as the looking vp of the olde Israelites did not of it selfe procure any healthe vnto them but the promise made in the obiecte which was the brasen serpent whereupon they looked gaue them healthe by their looking vp Euen so after like sort are we saued by our faith and spirituall looking vp to the bodye of Christe crucified Which faith to define is this To beleeue Iesus Christe to be the sonne of the liuing God sent into thys worlde by hys death to satisfie for oure sinnes and so to receiue the same And thus much touching election and Faith with the order and explication of the causes necessary to be considered in our saluation Wherby may appeare howe farre the pretensed catholikes do swarne from the right mind of the scriptures For where the scriptures in declaring the causes of saluation do send vs only to faith as the onely condition whereby these causes haue their working these catholikes do quite leaue out faith and in stead thereof place in other conditions of doings merites wil workes pardons masses and especially auricular confession with penance and satisfaction for our sinnes c. And besides these letters aboue specified of M. Iohn Bradforde there hath come to our handes certaine other letters of his not long a goe sent by a certaine olde frende of the sayd Iohn Bradforde vnto vs. Which letters beyng written of him in former times before his trouble as they haue not bene yet printed nor seene abroade so I thought it not amisse to communicate the same to the châ—istian reader for the worthinesse of the matter and the goodnesse of the man which may redound I trust to no small fruite to him that with godly eyes shall aduise the same A letter of M. Bradford to father Trauers Minister of Blackeley THe aboundant grace and rich mercy of God in Christe our only sauiour and high bishop be increased in your heart thorow the liuely woorker of all goodnesse the holye spirite vntill the day of the Lorde c. I haue receiued youre two letters good father Trauers sithen y t I did wryte any vnto you whereof though honesty willeth to make an excuse yet truth biddeth me otherwise and sayeth it is better wyth shame to confesse the fault for therein is as a man mighte say halfe a deseruing of pardon then without shame to lie I might haue written vnto you twise notwythstanding in deede some businesse wherein I haue some thing bene occupied but yet I haue not Nowe the cause is because I woulde not And why woulde I not But because I coulde not I meane because my canning is taken away by sinne for my sinnes doe forbid goodnesse vnto me In dede if my sinning were of infirmitie there were good hope of recouerie of that which I haue lost But seeing both willing and knowing I haue too much yeelded and yet doe yeelde to my infirmities iustly I doe deserue that because I haue cast awaye and reiected the woord of the Lord behinde my backe that the Lord should reiecte me And because I would not haue blessing I am woorthye as Dauid sayeth that it be taken away from me I haue nowe at length experience that to bring a man foorth of Gods fauour is sooner seene when a man hath receiued all things abouÌ„dantly then when nede or the crosse pincheth Afore it pleased God to woorke the restitution you know what I meane and afore it pleased God to prouide for me as he hath done so that I can saye in nothing where any want is as pertaining to my body I was an other maner of man then nowe I am and yet Gods deserts haue otherwise bounden me But the scripture is true I haue aduanced my children Deut. 32. and nourished them but they haue contemned me I haue fedde them that they were fatte and grosse and they spurned agaynste me Perchaunce you will aske me wherein Oh father Trauers I warrante you this my stile in carnall and not in spirituall wryting doeth some thing shewe vnto you but as for it in comparison of other things is nothynge For where the life of man is such that either it paireth or ameÌ„deth as Paule sayeth the outwarde man is corrupted day by day and therefore except the inwarde man be renewed the shoe goeth awrie euery building in Christ doth grow to a holy temple as the wicked on the contrary parte shall proceede to worser 2. Tim. 3. 2. Tim. 3. I haue made a change farre otherwise in going backe than I thinke by letters I can perswade you wherein will you say For the first seconde and thirde and to be brief in all things As for an example Gods true feare is flowen away from me loue to my brethren is exiled from me faith is vtterly taken awaye In stead wherof is distrust doubtfulnes bearing rule Contempt of Gods honor of my brethreÌ„ raigning in stead of true feare an imagined feare accordinge to my brayne holding the principalitie For I extenuate sinne and I do not consider that in sinne which a Christian ought to consider that sinne being not forgeuen is such a thyng for the which God casteth his creature away as exaÌ„ples not only of Saule of Iudas of the Israelites which were beloued in deede yet for sinne are reiected but also of others on whome lately for my warning God hathe shewed the same do admonish me But it is but my pen which writes this for the wicked sayth Salomon when they come into the depth of their sinnes then they grow in securitye Prouerb 18. I am I caÌ„not tel what I feare but it is but blindly or els wold I awake otherwise then I do 2. Tim. 2 I feare me I say that I am intangled of the deuil after his desire Pray for me that the Lord would geue me repentance that I may escape out of his snares Alas the spirite of praier which before I haue felt plentifully is taken cleane away from me The Lorde be mercifull vnto me I am solde vnder sinne I am the bondslaue of sinne for whome I obey his seruaunt I am I am ashamed to speake ofte no I shame not at all for I haue forgot to blush I haue geuen ouer to wepe And truly I obey I obey I say mine owne coÌ„cupiscences namely in eating in drinking in iangling and idlenesse I will not speake of vaine glorie enuie disdaine hypocrisie desire of estimation selfeloue and who can tell all Is thys the rewarde thou renderest to GOD O Bradforde It is true yea to true thou knowst it O Lord for thy mercies sake pardon me In your letters you touch me home how that
and the Archdeacon at Caunterbury the thirteenth daye of Iune The name of this Byshop was Richard Thorneton The Commissary was Robert Collins whome the Cardinall by his letters patent had substitute to his factor before his comming ouer to Englande The Archdeacon was Nicholas Harpsfield Under these a great sorte of innocent Lambes of Christ were cruelly entreated and slayne at Caunterbury amongest whome this foresayd Mayster Bland was one of the first â—he wordes â—f M. Bland 〈…〉 who as it is sayd being brought before the said Bishop and Colleagues whiche were Iohn Frankeshe Nicholas Sheterden Thomas Thacker Umfrey Middleton William Coker was examined of articles To whome it was obiected by the Commissarye whether hee beleue that Christ is really in the sacrament or no. c. To this he aunswered and sayd that hee beleeued that Christ is in the sacrament as he is in all other good bodies so that he iudged not Christ to be really in the sacrament Wherupon the day being Monday he was bid to appeare agayne vpon Wednesday nexte An other appearance and from thence he was deferred agayne to monday following being the xx Iune in the same Chapterhouse then to heare further what should be done in case he would not relent to theyr minde The whiche daye and place he appearing as before The last appearance of M. Bland before the Bishop of Douer and others was required to saye his minde playnely and fully to the foresayd articles being agayne repeated to him Whiche articles commonly and in course they vse to obiect to their Examinates which he wrought before them as here now followeth and need not much hereafter specially for that Countrey of Kent to be repeated ¶ Articles ministred by Richard Byshop of Douer to mayster Bland and likewise to the rest followyng after him 1. FIrste that thou arte of the Dioces of Caunterbury Articles oâ— Course ministred against M. Bland and so subiect to the iurisdiction of the Archbyshop there 2. Item that thou art a Christen man and doest professe the lawes of God and fayth of Christes Catholicke Church and the determination of the same 3. Item that all Parsons which teach preache beleeue affirme holde mayntayne or saye within the Dioces of Caunterburye otherwise then our holy mother y e church doth are excommunicate persons and heretickes and as excommunicate and heretickes ought to be named reputed and taken 4. Item that thou contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of our mother holy Churche within the Dioces of Caunterbury hast openly spokeÌ„ mayntayned holden affirmed and beleued and yet doest hold maynteine affirme and beleeue that in the blessed Sacrament of the aultar vnder the fourmes of bread and wyne there is not the very bodye and bloude of our Sauioure Iesus Christ in substaunce but onely a token signe and remembraunce thereof and that the very body and bloud of christ is onely in heauen and no where els 5. Item that thou contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of our mother holye Churche hast wythin this Dioces of Caunterbury openly spoken sayde maintayned holden affirmed and beleued and yet doest holde maynteine affirme and beleue that it is agaynst Gods word that the sacrament of Christes Churche shoulde be ministred in an vnknowne tongue and that no man safely and with a safe conscience or without perill of sinne receiueth any sacrament ministred in any tongue that he vnderstandeth not 6. Item that thou contrary to the Catholicke fayth of our mother holy Church hast and yet doest hold opinion and say that is against Gods word that the sacrament of the aultar shoulde be ministred in one kinde and that no man may with a safe conscience so receiue it 7 Item that the premisses be true and that there is a common fame vppon them within the Dyoces of Caunterbury The aunsweres of Mayster Bland to the foresayd Articles 1. TO these articles M. Bland aunswearing agayne in order as they were obiected to him Aunswere to the first article out of the Register The Catholicke Church of Christ. The Catholicke Church of Antichrist sayth to the first graunting the same that he was a priest and of the Dyoces of Caunterbury 2. To the second also he aunswered affirmatiuely 3. Item to thirde hee aunswereth that the Article is true meaning the Catholicke Churche to bee Chrystes Churche 4. Item in the fourth Article as touching the first parte of the Article he doth confesse that he hath preached and taught it as it is contayned in the same And as touching the seconde parte of the article he doth confesse that he doth nowe also hold and say as he preached and taught before 5. Item to the fift article he graunteth 6. To the sixt hee hath preached held and doth holde as it is conteyned in the article 7. Item to the last article he graunteth the same c. This done and his aunsweres and confession taken respite was geuen hym yet a few dayes to deliberate with himselfe So the xxv day of the sayde moneth of Iune hee making his appearing agayne in the sayd Chapterhouse there openly and boldly withstoode the authoritie of the Pope whereupon his sentence was read and so he condemned and committed to the secular power Touching the forme and tenor of the sentence M. Bland denyeth the Pope M. Bland condemned because all theyr sentences of course agree in one read before in y e historye of Maister Rogers ¶ The prayer of Maister Bland before his death THe Lorde Iesus for whose loue I doe willingly leaue thys life A prayer of M. Bland and desire rather the bitter death of this crosse wyth the losse of all earthly thinges then to abide the blasphemye of thy holye name or els to obey man in breaking thy Commaundements thou seest Oh Lord that where as I might liue in worldly wealth to worship false Gods and honoure thy enemye I chose rather the tormentes of this body and losse of this my life and haue counted al thinges but vile dust and dung that I might winne thee Which death is more deare vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer Such loue Oh Lorde hast thou layde vp in my brest that I hunger for thee as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soyle Send thy holy comfort O Lorde to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth whiche is voyde of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest O Lorde that I am but dust and not able to doe any thing that is good Therefore O Lorde as thou of thy accustomed goodnes hast bidden me to this banket and counted me worthy to drinke of thine owne cup amoÌ„gst thine elect geue me strength against this element that as it is to my sight most â—â—kesome and terrible so to my minde it may be at thy commaundement as an obedient seruaunt sweete and pleasaunt and through the strength of thy holye spirite I may passe through the strength of this fire into thy bosome according
it musty our selues yet must we beleue it is sweete and then pay them well for theyr so saying and all is safe But I might saye agayne What sir be ye wiser then Christ and God hys father or the holy Ghost What wiser then the Prophetes and the holy Apostles and all the holye Martyrs I pray you sir where had you your high learning It is higher thē God being in heauen is able to teache or haue ye set it lower in hell then euer Christ durst to venter For it is some straunge learning belike that Christ nor his Apostles could neuer attaine to the knowledge of it But vayne men are neuer without some shift For peraduenture they will not be ashamed to saye that Christ cōming on his fathers message did forget half his errād by the way For I dare say the greater halfe of theyr ceremonyes were neuer commaunded by Christ Yea I doubt it would bee hard to finde one in the Churche perfectly as hee lefte so Romishly hath Antichrist turned the church vpsidedown for lukers sake Beloued Mother as I oftentymes sayde vnto you euen so now I beseeeche you from my very hart roote in Christ to consider your owne soules health is offered you doe not cast it off we haue not long time here Why should we deceiue our selues either for ease of our fleshe or for the winning of this worldes treasure I know that some will say to you why should wee condemne our fathers that liued thus God forbid that wee shoulde condemne any that did according to their knowledge But let vs take heede that they condemne not vs for if they had hearde the word as we haue and had bene warned as wee haue it is to bee thought that they would more thankefully haue receaued it thē we do The fathers that heard no better are not to be condemned but rather will condemne vs that heare and receaue it not yea they were more faythfull in that they knewe then many now are Therefore they shall be our condemnation if wee doe not embrace this grace offered vs. And surely looke how many of them God will accept and saue those shall wee neuer see nor haue any part among them for our disobedience is more great then their ignoraunce Wherefore if we will meete our fathers in blisse and ioye let vs not refuse his mercye offered more largely to vs then to them euen according to Christes promise which sayd after such great ignoraunce as to seek hym from country to country and finde him not Yet shall the Gospel sayth he be preached in all the world and then shall the ende come And now let vs knowe the time of our visitation and not turne backe agayne seeing we are once deliuered for surely God will not beare it at our handes to turne backeward Gods visitation not to be refused Oh remember Lots life God must needes punish out of hand our shamefull backesliding eyther with induration and hardnes of hart so that they shall persecute his Churche and true seruauntes or els reward it with open vengeaunce and plagues And therefore good mother accept this my simple letter as a fruite of my loue obedience to you Would God we might be so knitte in fayth trust in Gods word and promises here in this lyfe as wee myght together enioye the blisse and consolation of eternall lyfe which I desire and seeke aboue all worldly treasure as ye partly know If I woulde seeke the good will of men contrarye to my conscience I could make some my frendes whiche now peraduenture are ielous ouer me amisse Experience how Gods Martyrs seeke not the world But I thanke God let them waye the matter betweene God and theyr consciences and they haue no iust cause so to do neuerthelesse I would they would yet refrain and put theyr matter and myne into the euen ballaunce of gods most holy worde there to be wayed by the mynde of the holye Ghost expressed vnto vs by the holy Patriarckes and Prophetes and by Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour and Mediatour and by his holy Apostles and then I doubt not but our matter shall be ended with peace and ioyfulnes of hart whiche God graunt vs for his mercies sake Amen Your owne childe Nicholas Shetterden prisoner for the trueth in Westgate 1555. A letter to his brother VVater Sheterden My vncle hath bene with me made great promises and great threates also I Wishe you healthe in Christe true knowledge of hys word a faithful obedient hart vnto y e same It is shewed me my brother y t yee willed me by a letter made to a frend of yours to perswade with me that I shoulde be ruled by mine Uncle which saith he wil bestow his goods very largely vpon me If I shoulde not stand to highe in mine own conceipt But my good brother I trust ye doe not iudge so euill of me that I should haue a fayth to sell for money For though he or you were able to geue me the treasure of the whole countrey yet I thanke my Lorde God I do iudge it but an heape of dongue in respecte of y e treasure hid w tin yet I do esteme a buckle of your shoe if it come with good wil. And for to be counselled and ruled by him or you or any other my frends I do not neither haue refused it if they require no more of me then my power that which belongeth to mortall men But if they require of me any thing which pertayneth to God onely there is neither high nor low frend nor foe I trust in God shall get it of me nor yet the Aungels in heauen For though I be not learned as the vayne men of the world call learning yet I thanke my Lorde God So should he haue 2. bodyes at once one glorified and an other mortall No order nor reason in the popes doctrine I haue learned out of Gods booke to know God from his creatures and to know Christ from hys sacramentes and to put a difference betweene the merites of Christes Passion and hys Supper a difference betwene y e water of Baptisme and the holy Ghost and not to mixe and mingle all thinges confusely together so that if one aske me a question or a reason of my fayth I must say thus I beleeue as holy Church beleeueth if he aske me what is the order of that fayth I should be so ignoraunt that I could not discerne God from his creatures nor Christ from his sacramentes If I should so monstrously vtter my faythe that I were not able to iudge betweene Christes byrth and his buriall nor which were first of his mortification and hys glorification who would beleue that my faith wer sound For some affirme that Christ did not geue to his Apostles a mortall and a passible bodye but an immortall glorified body so that he should haue a glorified bodye before his death so his glorification was before
Rochester about the last daye of the moneth of Iune The sixe Articles ministred to them were of the same ordinarie course and effecte wyth the Articles of the other Martyrs before specified pag. 1582. the brief sum whereof were these A briefe summe of their Articles 1. FIrste that they were Christen men and professed the Catholicke determinations of oure Mother holye Churche Articles obiected agaynst Nic. Hall and Christopher Wayde 2. That they which maintein or hold otherwise then our holy mother the Catholicke Church doth are heretickes 3. That they haue and mainteine that in the Sacrament of the aultare vnder the formes of breade and wine is not very body and bloude of Christe And that the sayde verye bodye of Christe is verely in heauen onely and not in the Sacrament 4. Item that they haue and do holde and mainteine that the Masse as it is nowe vsed in the Catholicke Church is nought and abhominable 5. Item that they haue bene and be amongest the people of that Iurisdiction vehemently suspected vppon the premisses and thereupon indicted c. The aunsweres TO these Articles they aunsweared as commonly other vsed to doe which stand with Christ and his truthe against these pretended Catholickes Their answeres and their sinister doctrine Firste graunting them selues Christen men and acknowledging the determinations of the holy Church that is of the congregation or bodye of Christe saue that Halle denyed to call the Catholicke and Apostolicke Churche hys mother This word mother church is not found in the scripture because he founde not this worde mother in the Scripture To the second they graunted To the thirde Article as touching the very bodye and bloude of Christe to be vnder the formes of bread and wine in substance they woulde not graunt only affirming y e very body of him to be in heauen in the sacrament to be a token or remeÌ„brance of Christes death Aunswere of Nicholas Hall Nicholas Halle adding moreouer and saying that wheras before he held the Sacrament to be but only a token or remembraunce of Christes death now he sayd that there is neither token nor remembrance Aunswere of Christopher Wayde because it is now misused and cleane tourned from Christes Institution c. And coÌ„cerning the masse in the 4. article to be abhominable Christopher Waid with the other answered y t as they had confessed before so would they now not goe from that they had said To the 5. article for y e peoples suspition they made no great accompt nor sticking to graunt to the same And thus much concerning the articles and answeres of these good men Condemnation of N. Halle and Christopher Wayd Martyrs Which being receiued immediately sentence of condemnation was pronounced by the said Maurice the B. against them the copye of which sentence as it runneth muche what after the common course in condemning all other like seruants of Christ so the same being examplified before in the story of M. Rogers pag. 5453. shall not greatly neede heere againe to be repeated but rather may be referred ouer to the place aboue noted Nicholas Hall was burned at Rochester about the 19. day of Iuly Ex Registro Furthermore with the foresayd Hall and Waid in the same moneth of Iuly three other moe were condemned by Maurice bishop aforenamed whose names were Ioane Beach widow Ihon Harpoll of Rochester and Margery Polley Of which Margerie Polley touching her examination and condemnation here foloweth in storie The condemnation and Martyrdome of Margerie Polley MArgerie Polley widowe wife sometime of Richarde Polley of Pepingberie was accused and brought before the said Maurice Bish. of Rochester Ex Registro Margery Polley Widdow and Martyr about the beginning of the moneth of Iune Which Bishop according to the Pontificall solemnitie of that Church rising vp out of the chaire of his maiestie in the high swelling stile after his ordinary fashion to dash the seely poore woman beginneth in these woordes The Martyrdome of Margery Polley Thus the oth first being ministred The coâ—â—demnaâ—â—â—â— of 〈◊〉 Polley the articles commenced against her whiche Articles were the same ministred to Nicholas Hall and Waid before she so framed hee answeres againe especially answering to the 3. and 4. Article that shee neither allowed the deitie of theyr Sacrament nor the absurdity of their masse For the which sentence was read against her about the beginning of Iune and she condemned for the same But because her death folowed not vpon the same we wil therfore defer the tractation therof to the due place and time first setting downe in order of historie the execution of Christopher Waid aboâ—e mentioned The execution and Martyrdome of Christopher Waide CHristopher Waide of Darford in the Countie of Kent Linnen weauer was condemned by Maurice byshop of Rochester and appoynted to be burned at Darforde aforesayde At the day appoynted for his execution which was in the moneth of Iuly there was betimes in the morning carryed oute of the Towne in a Carte a Stake and therewith many bundles of Reedes to a place a quarter of a mile out of the Towne called the Brymthe into a Grauell pitte thereby the common place of the execution of felons Thither also was brought a loade of Broome fagot with other fagots and talwood Unto which place resorted the people of the Countrey in great number and there taried his comming In so muche that thither came dyuers Fruiterers wyth horse loades of Cherries and sold them About x. of the clocke commeth riding the Sheriffe wyth a greate manye of other Gentlemen and their retinue appoynted to assist him therein and with them Waide riding pinioned and by him one Margerie Polly of Tunbridge both singing of a Psalme whyche Margerie as soone as she espied a farre off the multitude gathered aboute y e place where she shoulde suffer waiting his comming she sayde vnto hym very loude and chearefully You maye reioyce Waide to see suche a companie gathered to celebrate youre marriage this day And so passing by the place whych ioyned harde to the hye way they were caried streighte downe to the Towne where shee was kepte vntill the Sheriffe returned from Waids execution And Waid being made ready and stripped out of his clothes in an Inne had broughte vnto hym a faire long white Shirte from hys wife which being put on and hee pinioned was led vppe on foote againe to the foresayde place And comming straite to the stake tooke it in hys armes embracing it and kissed it setting hys backe vnto it and standing in a pitche Barrell which was taken from the Beacon being hard by then a Smith brought a hoope of yron and wyth two staples made him fast to the stake vnder hys armes As soone as hee was thus setteled hee spake wyth hys handes and eyes lifted vp to heauen wyth a chearefull and loude voyce the laste verse of the lxxxvi Psalme Shewe some good token vppon me O Lord that
vsed in the church of England The vse and Sacrifice of the Latin Masse denyed he beleueth that there is no sacrifice in the sayde Masse and that there is in it no saluation for a christian man except it should be said in the mother toung that he might vnderstand it and coÌ„cerning the ceremonies of the Church he sayth and beleeueth that they be not profitable to a Christian man Item Auricular confession and absolution of the Priest reiected being examined concerning auriculare confession he answeareth that he hath and doth beleeue that it is necessary to goe to a good Priest for good counsaile but the absolution of the Priest laying his hand vppon any mans head as is nowe vsed is nothing profitable to a Christian mans saluation And further he sayth that he hath not ben confessed nor receiued the sacrament of the aulter since the coronation of the Queene that now is Item concerning the faith religion now taught setfoorth beleeued in the church of England he answeareth and beleueth that the faith and doctrine nowe taught setfoorth and vsed in the sayd Church of Englande is not agreable to Gods word And furthermore he sayth The fayth of the Church of England in Quene Maryes tyme reproued that bishop Hooper Cardmaker Rogers other of their opinion which were of late burned were good christian men did preach the true doctrine of Christ as he beleeueth and sayth that they did shed theyr bloude in the same doctrine which was by the power of God as he sayth beleeueth And further being examined saith y t since the Quenes coronation he hath had the Bible and Psalter in English red in his house at Brighthamsted diuers times and likewise since hys comming into Newgate but the Keeper hearing thereof did take them awaye and sayeth also that about a twelue moneth now past he had the English procession sayd in his house with other English praiers Iueson Launder and Veisâ—e imprisoned for hearing the Gospell And further sayeth that Thomas Iueson Iohn Launder and William Ueisey being prisoners with hym in Newgate were taken with this examinat in his house at BrighthaÌ„sted as they were hearing of the gospel then read in English a litle before Alhollowne day last past and brought to the Court and being examined thereuppon by the Counsaile were committed by them to prison in Newgate The confession of Iohn Launder before Boner bishop of London IOhn Launder husbandman of the Parish of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey of the age of xxv yeres Iohn Launder his confession borne at Godstone aforesayde being examined doth confesse and say that about two dayes next before Allhollonâ—ide nowe last past this Examinate and one Diricke Caruer Thomas Iueson William Ueisie with diuers other persons to the number of twelue being all together in their prayers and saying the seruice in English set foorth in the time of King Edwarde the sixte in the house of the sayde Diricke situate at Brighthamsted in Sussex were apprehended by one maister Edwarde Gage and by him sent vppe hether to London to the Kinge and Queenes Counsaile and by them vpon his examination committed to Newgate where he with his said other felowes hath euer since remained in prison And further being examined he doeth confesse and say that the occasion of his comming to the sayde Brighthamsted The cause of the apprehensioÌ„ of Iohn Launder was vpon certaine busines there to be sped for his father and so being there and hearing that the saide Diricke was a man that did much fauour the Gospel this Examinate did resorte to his house and companye whome before that time hee did neuer see or know and by reason of that hys resorte hee was apprehended as before And further doth confesse and beleeue that there is heere in earth one whole and vniuersall Catholicke Churche whereof the members he dispersed through the world and doth beleue also that the same Church doeth set foorth and teache onely two Sacraments videlicet the Sacrament of Baptisme Two Sacramentes onely and the Sacrament of the Supper of our Lord. And who soeuer doth teach or vse any more Sacraments or yet any ceremonies he doth not beleeue that they be of the Catholicke Churche but doth abhorre them from the bottome of his heart And doth further say and beleue that all the seruice Ceremonyes abhorred sacrifices and ceremonies now vsed in thys Realme of England yea in all other partes of the world whych ben vsed after the same maner be erroneous and naught contrary to Christes institution and the determination of Christes Catholicke church whereof he beleeueth that he him selfe is a member Also hee doeth confesse and beleeue that in the Sacrament The reall presence of Christs body vnder the formes of bread and wine denyed nowe called the sacrament of the aultar there is not really and truly contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the very naturall body and bloude of Christe in substaunce but his beliefe and faith therein is as followeth Videlicet that when he doth receiue the material bread and wine he doeth receiue the same in a remembrance of Christes death and passion and so receiuing it he doth eate and drinke Christes body and bloude by faith and none other wayes as he beleeueth And moreouer he doth confesse say and beleue that the Masse now vsed in the Realme of Englande The Masse abhominable or els where in all Christendome is nought and abhominable and directly against Gods worde and his Catholicke Churche and that there is nothing sayd or vsed in it good or profitable For he saith that albeit the gloria in excelsis the Creede Sanctus Pater noster Agnus and other partes of the Masse bene of themselues good and profitable yet the same being vsed amongest other things that be naught and superfluous in the Masse the same good things do become nought also as he beleeueth Auricular confession not necessary Also he doth beleeue and confesse that Auriculare confession is not necessary to be made to any Priest or to anye other creature but euery persone oughte to acknowledge confesse hys sinnes onely to God and also that no person hath any authority to absolue any man froÌ„ his sinnes and also beleeueth that the right and true way according to the Scripture after a man hathe fallen from grace to sinne to arise to Christe againe is to be sorie for his offences to doe the same or the like no more and not to make any auricular confession of them to the priest either to take absolution for them at the Priests handes All whyche hys sayde opinions hee hathe beleeued by the space of these seuen or eight yeares past and in that time hath diuers and many times openly argued and defendeth the same as hee sayeth c. Articles obiected by Boner Bishop of London against Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder 1. FIrste I doe obiect against
Iacob and the rest of the faythfull vntil Christes tyme as S. Paul sayth they did all eate of one spirituall meat did all drinke of one maner of spirituall drinke They did drinke of that spirituall rocke that followed theÌ„ which rocke was Christ that saueth vs. 1. Cor. â— And when the tyme was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman that is he tooke flesh of the virgin Mary became man not the shadow of a man nor a fantasticall maÌ„ Gala. 4. as some falsly faine but a very natural man in all points sinne onely excepted which God man is Christ the promised womans seed This Christ was here conuersant among men for the space of 30. yeres more Luke 22. and when the tyme was come that he should goe to hys father he gaue vnto vs the mistery of our redemption that we thorough fayth should eate his body and drinke hys bloud that we myght feed on hym through fayth to the end of the world After this Christ offred vp hys body on the crosse 1. Cor. â—â— to pacify his father to deliuer vs from the thraldome of the deuill in the which we were through sinne original actuall And with that one sacrifice of his body once offered on the crosse Heb. 1â— hee hath made perfect for euer all them that are sanctified He descended into hell the third day he rose agayne from death was conuersant at certaine tymes w t his disciples for the space of 40. dayes after he rose from death Then in the sight of all his disciples he ascended into heauen as hys disciples stood lookyng vpward Actes 1. beholding hym how he went into heauen two men stood by them in white apparell which also sayd ye men of Galilie why stand ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene hym goe into heauen Actes 3. S. Peter also sayth that the heauens must receiue hym vntill the tyme that all thynges whith God hath spoken by the mouth of all hys prophets since the world began be restored again which is the latter day when he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead I do beleeue in the holy ghost which is the spirite of God proceedyng from the father and the sonne which holy spirit is one God with them I beleeue that there is an holy church which is the company of the faythfull elect people of God dispersed abrode throughout all the world Math â—â— which holy church or congregation doth not looke for Christ here nor Christ there neither in the desert nor in the secret places whereof Christ warneth vs but as S. Paule sayth in heauen where he sitteth on the right hand of GOD the father Coloss. â— they set their affection on thyngs that are aboue and not on thyngs which are on earth For they are dead concernyng the thynges of this world and their lyfe is hid with Christ in God and when Christ which is their lyfe shall shew hymselfe then shall they also appeare with hym in glory I beleeue that there is a communion of saints euen y e fellowship of the faythfull people which are dispersed abrode throughout all the whole world and are of one mynde they followe Christ their head they loue one an other as Christ loued them are knit together in one euen in Christ which Church or congregation hath forgeuenes of sinnes thorough Christ and shall enter without spotte before the face of God into his glory For as Christ being their head hath entred pure and cleane so they entering by hym shall be lyke hym in glory And I am certaine and sure that all they which doe dye shall rise agayne and receiue their bodies In theÌ„ shal they see Christ come in his glory to iudge the quicke and the dead At whose commyng all men shall appeare and geue a reckoning of their doyngs he shall seperate y e good from the bad he shall say to theÌ„ which are hys elect come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning but to the other that haue always resisted his will he shall say depart from me ye cursed into euerlastyng fire which is prepared for the deuil and his aungels Thus haue I briefly declared my fayth which were no fayth at all if I were in doubt of it This fayth therefore I desire God to encrease in mee Prayse God for his gyftes ⧠And thus haue you the Martyrdome with the confession of this blessed man and witnes of the Lords truth who for that gaue his lyfe as is before declared ¶ Richard Hooke LIkewise Richard Hooke about the same season for the same matter gaue his like at Chichester ¶ The examinations aunswers and condemnation of William Coker William Hopper Henry Laurence Rich. Colliar Rich. Wright William Stere before the Byshop of Douer and Harpsfield Archdeacon of Caunterbury MEntion was made a little before in the story of M. Bland and Nich. Sheterden of certaine other Kentish men who beyng the same tyme with them called forth and examined by Thornton Bish. of Douer N. Harpesfield Rich. Faucet and Rob. Collins yet notwithstandyng because the condemnation and execution of theÌ„ was differred a little longer till the latter end of the moneth of Aug. commyng therfore now to the tyme of their suffryng we will briefly touch some part of their examinations and aunswers as we find them in the Registers The names of these were Wil. Coker Wil. Hopper Henry Laurence Rich. Colliar Rich. Wright W. Stere. What the articles obiected to M. Bland and them were ye heard before To the which Articles they answered for themselues seuerally in effect as followeth FIrst Wil. Coker sayd he would aunswer no otherwise then he had already answered beyng offered to haue longer respite of 6. dayes after he refused to take it and so vpon the same senteÌ„ce of condemnation was read against hym the 11. of Iuly WIl Hopper first seemed to graunt to the fayth determination of the Catholike church after callyng hymselfe better to mynd constantly stickyng to the truth he was condemned the next weeke after the 16. of Iuly HEnry Laurence examined the sayd 16. of Iuly partly differred to the 2. of August aunswered to the Articles obiected against hym first denying auricular confession and that he had not nor would receiue the Sacrament because sayth he the order of the holy Scriptures is changed in the order of the Sacrament Moreouer the sayd Laurence was charged for not puttyng of his cap when the Suffragan made mention of the sacrament did reuerence to the same the sayd Laurence answering in these words what said he ye shal not need to put of your cap for it is not so holy that you need to put of your cap thereunto Further beyng apposed concernyng the