sought his sauegard with the perill of myne owne life I thank god therefore That is not trew quoth the bishop of Lōdon for I my self did see thee take vpō thee to muche No quoth Bradforde I tooke nothinge vppon me vndesired and that of master Bourn himselfe as if he were here presēt I dare saye he woulde affirme it for hee desired me bothe to helpe him to pacifie the people and not to leaue him till he was in safety And as for my behauioure in the Towre and talk before your hohours if I did or saide any thing that did not beseme me if wherin your lordships woulde tell me I should and would shortely make you aunswer Wel quoth my lord Chancelor to leaue this matter how saist thou now wilt thou returne again and doe as we haue done and thou shalte receiue the Queenes mercy and pardon M◠lorde quoth Bradforde I desire mercy with gods mercy but mercy with Gods wrathe god keepe me from althoughe I thanke God therefore my conscience doeth not accuse me that I did or spake any thīg wherfore I should nede to receiue mercye or pardon For all that euer I did or spake was agreinge to Goddes lawes and the lawes of the realm at that presēt and did make much quietnes Well quoth my lord Chancelor if thou make this bablīg rolling in thy eloquent tonge beyng altogether ignoraunt and vayne glorious and will not receyue mercy offered to thee knowe for trueth that the Quene is mynded to make a purgacion of all suche as thou arte The Lorde quoth Bradforde to fore whom I stand as well as before you knoweth what vain glory I haue sought and seke in this behalf His mercy I desire also would bee glad of the Queenes fauor to lyue as a subiecte without clogge of conscience but otherwise the lordes mercye is to me better then lyfe And I knowe quoth he to whom I haue committed my life euē to his handes which will kepe it so that no man maye take it awaye before it be his pleasure There ar 1◠houres in the daie and as long as they last so long shall no man haue power theron Therfore his good will be done life in his dyspleasure is worse then death and death in his true fauour is trewe lyfe I knowe wel ynough quoth my Lorde Chauncellor that wee shoulde haue glorious talke ynough of thee be sure therefore y t as thou hast deceyued the people with false and deuilishe doctrine so shalte thou receiue I haue not deceiued quod Bradforde the people nor taught any other doctrine then by Gods grace I am and hope shall be ready to confirme with my lyfe And as for deuilishnesse and falsenesse in the doctrine I woulde bee sorye you could so proue it Why quoth the Bishop of Duresme tell me what you say by the ministracion of the communion as you now know it is My lorde saithe Bradforde here must I desire of your Lordeship and of all youre honours a question tofore I doe make aunswere to any intergatorie or question wherewith you now begin I haue bene .vi. tymes sworne y t I should in no case consent to the practysing of any iurisdiccion or any authoritie on the Bishop of Romes behalf within this realm of Englande Nowe therfore before God I humbly pray your honours to tel me whether you ask me this question by his aucthoritie or not If you dooe I dare not nor maye not aunswere you anye thyng in his aucthorite you shall demaunde of me excepte I would be forsworne whiche God forbid Hast thou bene sworne .vi. tymes quoth maister Secretarye Burne what offices haste thou borne Here is an other lie quoth my Lorde Chauncelor Forsooth quoth Bradfoode I was thryse sworn in Cambridge whē I was admitted maister of Arte when I was admitted felowe in Pēbrock Hall and when I was there the Visiters came thether and sware the Vniuersitye Agayne I was sworne when I entered into the mynisterye when I hadde a prebende geuen me and when I was sworne to serue the Kynge a litle before his death Tushe quoth my lorde Chauncelor Herodes othes a man should make no consciēce at But quoth Bradford mi lord these othes wer no Herodes othes nor no vnlawfull othes but othes according to gods woorde as you youre selfe haue well affirmed in youre boke de Vera obediētia My lords quoth an other of the counsel y t stode by the table M. Rochester I wene I neuer knewe wherfore this mā was in prison before nowe but I see wel that it had not bene good that this man had beene abrode What so euer was the cause he was laide in prison I know not but I now see well y t not without cause he was and is to be kept in prisone Yea quoth Secretarye Bourn it was reported this parliament tyme by the Erle of Derby that he hath doone more hurte by letters and exhortinge these y t haue come to him in religion thē euer he did when he was abrode by preachinge In his letters he curseth al that teacheth false doctrine for so he calleth that whiche is not accordīg to that he taught and moste earnestly exhorteth thē to whome he writeth to continue still in that they haue receiued by him and such lyke as he is All which woordes diuers others of of the counsel affirmed wherunto the saide maister Bourn added saying howe saye you serra speaking to Bradforde haue you not thus sediciouslye written and exhorted the people I haue quoth Bradford written nor spoken any thing sediciouslye and I thanke god therefore I haue not admytted any sedicious cogitacion nor I trust neuer shall dooe yea but thou haste wrytten letters quoth maister Secretary Bourne why speakest thou not quoth my lord Chauncelour hast thou not written as he saith That quoth Bradforde I haue wrytten I haue written Lorde God quoth M. Southwell what an arrogant stubburne boye is this that thus stoutlye and dallyengly behaue hymself before the Queenes coūsell whereat one looked vpon an other with disdaynefull countenaunce My lordes and masters quoth Bradforde the Lorde God whiche is and wyll iudge vs all knoweth that as I am certayne I stande nowe before his maiestye so wyth reuerence in hys syghte I stande beefore you vnto youre and accordyngly in woordes and gesture I desyre to behaue my selfe yf you otherwyse take it I doubte not but God in hys tyme wyll reuele it In the meane season I shall suffer with all due obedyence your sayinges and deedes too I hope These bee gay glorious wordes quoth my Lorde Chauncelour of reuerēce reuerence but as in al other thynges so hrrein thou doest nothyng but lye Well quoth Bradforde I would God the authour of trueth and abhorrer of lyes woulde pul my tounge out of my head before you all and shewe a terrible iudgemente on me here presentlye yf I haue purposed or dooe purpose to lye beefore you whatsoeuer you shall aske me Why then quoth my lord
Bradford answered that how so euer hrs honor toke him yet was he assured of his meaniÌ„g that no feare but y e feare of periury made him aferd to aunswere For as for death my lord ê™ he as I knowe ther ar .12 houres in the day so w t y e lord my time is appointed And wheÌ„ it shalbe his good tyme then shall I departe hence But in the meane season ê™ he I am safe ynough though al the worlde had sworne my death Into his haÌ„des I haue coÌ„mitted it his good will be done And ê™ Bradford sauiÌ„g mine oth I wil answer you in this behalf that the othe agaiÌ„st the. B of Rome was not nor is not against charitie Howe proue you y t ê™ my lord ChaÌ„celor Forsoth ê™ Bradford I proue it thus That is not against charitie whiche is not against gods worde but this othe against the bishop of Romes aucthoritie in Englande is not against gods worde therefore it is not against charitie Is it not against gods woorde ê™ my Lorde Chancellour that a man shoulde take a kyng to be supreme heade of the church in his realme No ê™ Bradford sauing styl mine othe it is not against gods worde but with it being taken in suche sence as it may be wel taken that is attributing to the kinges power y t soueraintie in all his dominions I praye you ê™ the lorde Chauncelour where finde you that I finde it in manye places ê™ Bradforde but specially in the .13 to the Romaines where Saint Paule writeth euery soule to be obedieÌ„t to the superiour power But what power que gladium gestat y e power verely which beareth the sweord which is not the spiritual but the temporall power As Chrisostome full well noteth ê™ Bradforde vpon the same place whiche youre honor knoweth better then I. He Chrisostome I meane ther plainly sheweth y t bishops prophetes and apostles owe obedience to y e temporall maiestrates Here yet more the Lorde Chancelour was stered and said howe that Bradforde went about to deny al obedience to the Queene for his oth so ê™ he this maÌ„ woulde make gods woord a warrant of disobedience For he will aunswere the Queene on this sorte that when she sayeth nowe sweare to the B. of Rome or obey his aucthoritye No wil he saie for I am then forsworne and so make the Queene no Queene No ê™ Bradforde I go not about to deny all obedieÌ„ce to the Queenes highnes by deniyng obedience in this part yf shee shoulde demaunde it For I was sworne to king Edward not simply that is not onely concernyng his owne person but also concerning his successours And therefore in denying to do the Quenes request herein I denye not her authoritie nor become dishobedient Yes that doest thou ê™ my Lorde Chancelor And so he beganne to tell a longe tale howe if a manne shoulde make an othe to pay a Cli. by such a day and the manne to whom it was due would forgeue the debt The debter woulde saie no you cannot do it for I am forsworne theÌ„ c. Here Bradford desired my lord Chauncellor not to trifle it saying y t he wondred hys honor would make solemne othes made to god trifles in that sorte And make so great a matter concerniÌ„g vowes as thei cal it made to the bishop for mariage of priestes At these wordes y e lord ChaÌ„celour was much offended said he did not trifle but ê™ he thou goest about to denie obedience to the Queene which now requireth obedience to the B. of Rome No my lord ê™ Bradford I dooe not denye obedience to the Queene yf you would discerne betwene genus and species Because I may not obey in this to reason ergo I maye not obey in the other is not firme As if a maÌ„ let one sel a pece of his inheritaÌ„ce yet this notw tstaÌ„dyng al his inheritaÌ„ce is not let or sold And so in this case all obedyence I denye not because I denie obedience in this branche I wil none of those similitudes said the lorde Chancellour I would not vse theÌ„ ê™ Bradforde if that you wente not about to perswade y e people I meane that which I neuer meÌ„t For I my self not onely meane obedience but wil geue ensample â–ª of all most humble obedience to y e Queenes highnes so long as she requireth not obedience agaynste god No no ê™ my lorde Chauncelour al men maie perceiue wel inough your meaning There is no man though he bee sworne to the king doth therfore break his othe yf afterwardes he be sworne to the Frenche king and to themperour It is true my Lorde ê™ Bradforde but the cases bee not like For here is an excepcioÌ„ thou shalt not sweare to y e. B. of Rome at any time If in like maner we were sworne thou shalt not serue themperour c. you see there were some alteracion and more doubt But ê™ Bradford I beseche your honour remembre what ye youre selfe haue written answeringe the obieccions here against in youre boke de vera obedientia Vincat modo domini verbi veritas Let Gods woorde and the reasons thereof beare the bell awaie Heare the lord Chauncelor was throughlye moued and saide styll howe that Bradforde had written sedicious letters and peruerted the people thereby and did stoutly stand as though he would defende the erronious doctrine in kynge Edwardes tyme against all men now ê™ he he saieth he dare not answer I haue written no sedicious letters ê™ Bradforde I haue not peruerted y e people But that which I haue writteÌ„ spokeÌ„ y t wil I neuer deny by gods grace And wher your L. saith I dare not answer you y t al meÌ„ may know I am not afraid sauiÌ„g mine oth ask me what you wyl I will plainelye make you answer by gods grace although I now see my lyfe lyeth theron But O lord ê™ he into thy hands I coÌ„mit it come what come will onelye sanctifie thy name in me as in one instrumente of thy grace Amen Now aske what you wil ê™ Bradford you shall se I am not afraid by gods grace flatly to answer Well then ê™ my lord Chauncelour how say you to the blessed sacrament do you not beleue there Christe to bee presente concernynge his naturall bodye My lorde ê™ Bradforde I doe beleue Christ to be corporally preseÌ„t in his sacrament duely vsed Corporally I say that is in such sorte as he woulde I meane Christe is there corporally preseÌ„t vnto faith Vnto faith ê™ my lorde Chaunceloure wee muste haue manye moe words to make it more plain you shal so ê™ Bradford but first geue me leaue to speake twoo wordes Speake on quoth my lord Chancellour I haue bene now a yeare and almoste thre quarters in prysone ê™ Bradforde and of all thys tyme you neuer questyoned wyth me heare aboutes when I myghte haue spoken my conscyence frankely wythout peryll But nowe you haue a law to haÌ„g vp and put to
furth was free of manye an yeres after Christe to beleue or not beleue what is that quoth he Transubstantiation said I. Why you are not coÌ„dempned therefore only quod he Yes quoth I that am I and bycause I denye that wicked men do receaue Christes bodie No quoth he you agree not with vs in the presence nor in nothing els How you beleue quoth I you knowe for my parte I confesse a presence of hole Christe God and man to the the fayth of the receauour No quoth he you muste beleue a Reall presence in the sacrament In the sacramente quoth I No I will not shute hym vppe nor tye hym to it otherwise then faithe see the and permitteth If I woulde include Christes reall presence in the sacrament or tye hym to it otherwise then to the Fayth of the receauer then the wycked man shoalde receiue him whiche I do not nor will not beleue by goddes grace More pitie quoth he but a man maye easelye see you make no presence at all and therefore you agree not therein with vs. I make a presence quoth I and a true preseÌ„ce but to the fayth of the receauer What quoth one that stode by of Christes verie bodie whiche died for vs yea quoth I eueÌ„ of whole Christe God and man to the faythe of hym that receaueth it why quoth maister Harpsfeld this is nothing els but to exclude the omnipotencie of God and all kynde of myracle in the Sacrament No ê™ I I do not exclude his omnipotencie but you rather doo it For I beleue that Christe can accomplishe his promise the substaunce of bread and wine beinge their still as well as the accidents And quoth I I counte it a greate miracle that common bread shoulde be made a spiritual bread that is a bread ordeined of God not for the foode of the bodye but rather for the foode of the soule For when we come to the sacrament we come not feade our bodies and therfore we haue but a litle peice of bred but we come to feade our soules by faith whiche the wicked waunte and therfore they receaue nothynge but Panem Domini as Iudas did and Panem Dominum as the other the Apostles did The wicked saithe maister Harpsfeld do receiue the verie bodie of Christe but not the grace of his bodie No quoth I they receaue not the body for it is no dead carkase He y t receaueth it receiueth the spirite whiche is not with out grace I wyne Wel quoth he you haue very many errors you counte y e Masse for abhominacion and yet saint Abrosse saide masse And so red oute of a boke written a sentence of sainct Ambrose to ê“ue it Why sir quod I the masse as it is now was nothinge so in saint Ambrose tyme. was not the most perte of the Canon made sithen by Gregorius Scolasticus and others In ded quoth he a greate peice of it was made as ye saye by Gregorius but Scholasticê° was before S. Ambrose tyme. I wene not quoth I howbeit I wyll not contend Saint Gregorie saith that the Apostles said masse with out Cannons onely with the lords praier you saye true quoth he for the Canon is not the greateste parte of the masse â–ª The greatest part is the sacrifice eleuacion transubstantiacion and adoracion I can awaye with none of those quoth I No I thincke the same quoth he But yet Hoc facite telleth plain lye the sacrifice of the churce â–ª you consider not well quoth I this worde sacrifice not discernynge betwixte the sacrifice of the churche and the sacrifice for the churche The sacrifice of the Churche is no propitiatorie sacrifice but a gratulatorie sacrifice The sacrifice Christe hym self offered is the propitiatorie sacrifice And as for your Hoc facite is not referred to anye sacrifyinge but to the whole action takynge eatynge you speake nowe quoth he not learnedlye for Chryste made his supper onelye to the .12 not admittinge his mother or any of the seuentie disciples to it Nowe the Apostles doo signifie the priestes I thincke quoth I that you speake â–ª as you would meÌ„ shoude vnderstand it for els you woulde not kepe the Cup awaye from the Laitie We haue greate cause to thaÌ„cke you that you wil giue vs the bread for I perceaue you make it as thoughe Christe had not coÌ„manÌ„ded it to his whole church FroÌ„ this talke he went to show me Eleuacion bringing out a place of Saint Basilius de spiritu â–ª And I told him that I had red y t place which semeth not to make of eleuatioÌ„ But ê™ I be it as it is I haue ben in Prison long without bokes and all necessaries for studie and therfore I muste omitte these thinges death draweth nye I by your leaue must not leaue of to prepare for it If I could do you good quoth he I woulde be right glad either in soule or body for you are in a perellous case both waies Sir quoth I I thaÌ„ck you for your good wil. My cause is as it is I thancke God it was neuer so wel with me for death to me shall be life I truste and hope in god It were beste for you to desire maister Harpsfeld quoth maister Cressewell y t he mighte make sute for you for a time to coÌ„ferre Vnto whiche woordes Maister Harpsfeld said that he would doe the beste he could for he pitied my case verie sore Sir quoth I to desire any bodie to sewe for tyme for me I neuer wil do it by godes helpe For I am not wauerynge nor I would not that anye bodye should thincke I were so But if you haue the charitie and loue towardes me you pretend and ther to doo thincke that I am in an errour I thincke the same shoulde moue you to doo as you woulde be done by as you thincke of me so do I of you that you are farre out of the way not only thincke it but also am therof assured In this and suche lyke gentle talke we departed he saing y t he would pray for me others willinge me to desire him to sue for me whiche I did not But I wished hym as muche good as he did me And as he was goinge and bad me farewell he turneth againe geueth me Ireneus prayinge me to read ouer a certeine place in it whiche thiÌ„g I told him I wold although I had red it before At the dore the wife of the house mete hym asked hym how he had done Forsothe Maisters quoth he I fynd alwaies one maner of maÌ„ of him as I found him so I leaue him I pray you sir quoth she do hym no hurte No quoth he but if I can I wil do hym good At after diner the same daye maister Clayden my keper commeth vnto me from the Erle of Darbye with whome he had dyned beinge sent for purposly about me Nowe after his coÌ„ming home this was the some of hys talke That the Erle would gladly haue me not to die
¶ All the examinacions of the Constante Martir of GOD M. Iohn Bradforde before the Lorde Chauncellour B. of Winchester the B. of London other cōmissioners Whervnto ar annexed his priuate talk conflictes in prison after his condemnacion with the Archbishop of york the B. of Chichester Alfonsus and King Philips confessour two Spanishe freers and sundry others With his modest learned and godly answeres Anno. Domini 1561 ¶ Cum Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The Originall of his Lyfe IOhn Bradford borne in Lancastershire in Manchester a notable towne of that coūtrey was of his gētle parentes brought vp in vertue good learning euen from his very childhode among other praises of his good educacion he obtained as a chief gift the cōnynge redines of writing which knowledge was not onely an ornamēte vnto him but also an helpe to the necessary sustētaciō of his liuing About y e time was one sir Ihō Haringtō paymaster to king Henry the .8 which at Boloign by order of knighthode beīg muche renomed but yet by his own vertue a great deale more noble was ther suruier and paymaister of y e souldiers Who then had the seruice of master Bradford so kept him both in his family in his fauor that it can scarce be told whether liued to other ether more beloued or more profitable For Bradford both lerned many things of him also experience and practise of thinges more increased abounded On the otherside he whiche tried his seruice so faithful estemed him as a great treasure so loued him that in all his affaires he would alwaies bee coupled w t him In which trade of life when Bradford long time had bene cōuersāt y e way to riches semed not so farre of vnto him if he woulde haue set his mind to gathering of worldly riches but the immutable prouidēce of god drew him another way For after he was wery of this kind of life had made a diligēt and true accompt of his maisters affairs he desired licēce to depart and so wēt from him to the intent that he being rid of all other troubles he might serue Iesu Christe the secrete working of goddes calling so mouinge him which neuer suffred his minde to be at rest vntil it had fully wholy possessed him In so muche that after he had forsaken his master gotten him to the studye of the law his minde could not long abide in that trade of lawyers but that forsaking also that kinde of study in whiche he was not altogether ignorāt he departed from the temple where he studied y e cōmon and temporal lawes to Cābridge the temple of gods lawes to apply those studies which pertained more to the ministerye of gods church In the which with what vehemens and force he labored it is euident by this y t the first yere of his comimng thether he obteined degree of schole and was made maister of art gatte the fauour and admiration of all men that by and by he was chosē felowe of Penbrooke hall where he so daily profited by a certayn heauēly dexterite of his wit that as he was had in estimaciō of all good men so also he began to be welbeloued of Martin Bucer which hoped of no small fruit to procede from that his so godlye disposicion wherefore he counselled him to bestow his giftes and talent to the common profyte of instructynge Christes flock To whom when he had alledged hys weakenes and lack of learnyng Bucer answered that though he could not fede thē with fine cakes and white bread yet he should satisfye them with barly bread wer it neuer so course By whose often exhortacions Bradforde beynge boldened althoughe of his owne accord he was redy inough while he was altogether ī this thought it came happelye to passe that by D. Ridly bishoppe of London he was sent for from Cambridge to take vppon him ecclesiasticall orders and functiōs Of whom beyng first made deacon and afterward licensed to preach hauing a good stipēd out of the Cathedrall church of Poules he diligētly labored in the ministery of publike teching in y e church of god so lōg as kinge Edwarde liuinge there could be any place for godly teachers But when at lenght y e religiō changed by death of y e prince and he neuerthelesse exercised his office of preching an occasō was foūd and yet most vniust because that by the lawes it was not yet concluded that his mouth being stopped he was thruste into prison the occasion was this The xiii day of August one of the Popish sect called Bourn afterward bishop of Bathe railed with many wordes most shamefully vpō king Edward and the pure doctrine of the gospel in his time preched whoso behaued himself y t he had muche a doe to escape but y t the multitude of hearers would haue laide hande vpon him and pulled him out of y e pulpit which thīg they declared by manifest tokens For so great was the indignacion of al men kindled against him that neither with y e reuerence of the place nor by the aucthoritie of the bishop of London then present nor at the lawful commandement of the Maire this commocion of the people could be pacyfied But as for Bourn he was so stricken with feare bothe by the greatnes of the tumulte chieflye for a dagger whyche was throwne from the middes of the company against the pulpit that he durst not make an ende of hys sedicious sermond much like the Oracions that the Tribunes in Rome wer wonte to make nether would y e people suffer him he hūbly desired Bradford which stode behind his backe in the pulpit y t he would take his place speake to the people remembringe perchaunce and not vnwiselye vyrgils counsel That when among a people stoute It chaunceth to betide The multitude to make a fraye Of wit ful often wide That stones wepons flies a brode and what come first to hande Some sadman cōmeth that for his right Is loned of all the land Anon thei ceaste and silence make And doune thei laie there rage To harke at him and he with speche their woode minds doth aswage Neyther was his purpose disappointed for as sone as Bradford stode forth in y e middest al the tumulte was easilye appeased the people at the first sight of him wished him lōg helth crying Bradforde Bradforde god preserue thy life Bradford After y t with much attenciō thei heard him entreat of quiet christiā obedience Finally after his sermond ended the most part of thē went quietlye peasably home to their houses In the meane time amonge the residew which resisted for it could not bee that in so great offence of y e multitude al thinges could so quickly be quieted there was a certayn gētleman with his two seruants whiche comming vp the pulpytte staires rushed against the doore desyring to enter vpon Bourn I know not what he minded Than Bradforde
whiche seemed to knowe hym and perceyuyng his entente resysted as muche as he coulde in the meane tyme priuelye geuynge Bourne warnynge by hys Seruaunte that hee shoulde auoyde the presente daunger as soone as he could Bourne streight waie flying vnto the Maior once againe escaped death yet not thinking himselfe safe ynoughe he desired Bradford that he woulde vouchsafe to be present and help him til he mighte hide himselfe in some house that he might be safe from all feare and daunger which gētlenes he willingly perfourmed that is to saie he couered him behinde with his gowne till by the Maior and the Sherifes he was safely brought into Poules scole On this wise the railing preacher against king Edward by Bradfordes helpe escaped death which for his raylinge he had deserued whiche thing thei whiche woulde haue bene reuenged of him dyd not dissemble for one of them opēly testifying to Bradford said Ah Bradforde Bradforde dooest thou saue his lyfe whiche will not spare thyne goe too I geue thee his lyfe but if it were not for thy sake I woulde thrust thys beast through with my sworde Mayster Bradforde the same daye after dinner preaching to the Londoners in the chiefe streate of the citie did sharply rebuke them for this sedicious and tumultuouse behauiour waytinge afterwarde at London what should be thend of this businesse Thou hast now reader y e whole discourse of Bradfordes facte whereby thou dooest vnderstande what reward he deserued of equall Iudges for so godly seruice Nowe heare what rewarde he receiued Thre daies after this was done he was sente for by the counsell bishoppes to the towre where the Queene than laye and was compelled before them to purge hymselfe of sedicion and heresy surely by the same reason that y e lambe sometyme was accused by y e wolfe for troubling the water in which he dronke a greate deale lower than the woolfe not that he had offended but that the woolfe was an hungred not that hee hadde troubled the water but that he was not hable to resyste the other whiche troubled it in deede After the same sorte was Bradforde sette a fyer wyth the flame of that Sedicion whyche hee alone dyd quenche and so commaunded to prysone where abydynge almoste twoo yeares together hee sustayned manye conflictes with the Papistes and other sectes he confirmed manye weake and coumforted the afflycted he wrote also manye thynges as hee hadde leysure and got opportunitye by stealth And among other thynges hee sente manye Epistles the copies whereof are extante to the Citizens of London to the Vnyuersite and towne of Cambridge to the townes of Walden and Manchester also to hys twoo brethren theyr wyues and famylyes in whiche Epistles the syncere zeale of hys Christyan heart and godlines doth marueilously appeare At lengthe after long labours sorowes he was priuily ledde from the counter by night to Newgate The next daie earlye in the morninge he was brought foorth into Smithfield with an other younge manne called Ihō Lyefe being eightene yeres olde he was there burnte At London the firste of Iulii Anno M.D.LV. ¶ The effect of M. Iohn Bradfordes examinacion before the Lord Chanceller B. of Winchester the B. of London and others in commission the .22 of Aprill Anno. Domini .1555 AFter the Lord Chancellor and the residew of the Queenes councel in commission with him had ended their talke with master Farrar late bishop of S. Dauies the vndermarshal of the kings Bench was commaunded to bring in maister Bradford who being come in to the presence of the counsel sitting at a table he kneling down on his knee but immediately by my lord Chauncelor was bidden to stand vp and so he did Whē he was risen the lord Chauncelor earnestly loked vpon him to haue be lyke ouerfaced him but he gaue no place that is he ceased not in like maner to loke on the lorde Chancelor stil and continuallye saue y e once he caste his eyes to heauen warde sighing for gods help and so outfaced him as they say Thē the Lorde Chauncelor as it were amased and some thing troubled spake thus to hym in effecte that of long tyme he had bene imprysoned iustly for his behauioure at Poules crosse the .xiii. of Auguste Anno. 1554. for his false prechinge and arrogancye takinge vppon hym to preache withoute aucthoritie But nowe quoth hee the tyme of mercye is come and therefore the Queenes highnesse myndyng to offer vnto you mercy hath by vs sente for you to declare and geue the same if so bee ye will with vs retourne And quoth he yf you wyll dooe as we haue done you shall finde as we haue founde I warraunte you These were the summe and euen in maner the words he spake To these woordes maister Bradford spake after reuerent obeysaunce made in thys maner My Lorde and Lordes all I confesse that I haue beene longe prisoned and with humble reuerence be it spoken vniustlye for that I dyd nothynge sediciouslye falselye or arrogantlye in worde or fact by preching or otherwise but rather sought peace al godly quietnes as an obedient faithful subiecte bothe in going aboute to saue the bishoppe of Bathe now the◠M. Bourne the preacher at y e crosse and in preaching for quietnes accordingly At these wordes or rather before he had fullye finished them the lorde Chauncellor some thing snuffed and spake with an admiracion y t there was a loude lie For quoth he the fact was sedicious as you my lord of Londō can beare witnes you saye trewe my lorde quoth the bishop of Lōdon I sawe him with mine owne eyes when he tooke vpon him to rule and leade the people malypertly therby declaring y t he was the authour of the sedicion Heare Iohn Bradforde replied sayd that notwithstandinge my lorde bishops seyng sayinge y t he had tolde was the trueth as one daye quoth he my lord god almightye shall reueile to all the world whē we all shall come and appeare before him In the meane season because I cannot be beleued of you I must and am ready to suffer as now your sayīgs so whatsoeuer God shall licence you to doe vnto me I know quoth my lord Chācellor then thou haste a gloriouse tonge godlye shewes thou makest but all is lyes that thou doest And againe I haue not forgotten how stubburne thou wert when thou werte before vs in the Towre whether thou wast committed to prison concerning relygion I haue not forgotten thy behauiour and talk wher through worthely thou hast bene kepte in prison as one y t would haue done more hurt then I wil speake of My Lorde quoth Bradforde as I sayd I say again that I stād as before you so before god one day we shall al stand before him The trueth then will be the truth though you wyl not now so take it Yea my lorde quoth he I dare saye that my lorde of Bathe M. Bourne will witnes with me y t I
Chancelor doest thou not answer haste thou written such letters as here is obiected against the As I said my lord quod Bradforde that I haue written I haue written I stande nowe before you whiche eyther can laye my letters to my charge or not if you lay any thiÌ„g to my charge that I haue writteÌ„ if I denye it I am then a lier we shall neuer haue done with thee I perceiue now saith my lord ChaÌ„celor be short be short wylt thou haue mercy I praye God quoth Bradforde geue me his mercie if therwith you wil extend yours I wyll not refuse it but otherwise I wil not Heare was now much a dooe one speaking thus and other speaking that of his arrogancye in refusing the Queenes pardon whiche she so louyngly â–ª dyd offer vnto him wherto Bradforde aunswered thus my lordes yf I may liue as a quiete subiect withoute clogge of conscience I shal hartely thanke you for your pardoÌ„ yf otherwyse I behaue my selfe then I am in daunger of the faute In the meane season I aske no more but the benefite of a subiect till I be conuinced of transgressioÌ„ If I cannot haue this as hitherto I haue not had goddes good wyll be doone Vppon these wordes my lord Chauncelor begon a loÌ„g proces of the false doctrine wherewith people were deceiued in the dayes of kyng Edwarde and so tourned the ende of his talk to Bradforde sayiÌ„g how sayst thou My lord quoth Bradforde the doctrine taught iâ— Kâ—â—g Edwardes daies was gods pure religion the whiche as I then beleued so doe I nowe more beleue then euer I didde And therein I am more confirmed and ready to declare it by gods grace euen as he will to the worlde then I was when I firste came into prisone What religion meane you quoth the bishop of Durisme in Kynge Edwardes daies what yeare of his raigne Forsoth quoth Bradforde euen that same yere of hys raigne my Lorde that the kynge dyed and I was preacher Heare wrote maister Secretary Bourn I wotte not what Nowe after a lytle pawsyng my Lorde Chauncelloure begynneth agayne to declare that the doctryne taught in Kynge Edwardes dayes was heresye vsynge for probacion and demonstraâ—ion therof no Scryppure nor reason but thys that iâ— ended wyth Treason and Rebellion so that quoth he the verye ende were ynoughe to improue that doctryne to bee naughte Ah my Lorde quoth Bradford that you would enter in to Gods Sanctuarie and marke the ende of this present doctrine you nowe so magnifie What meanest thou by that quoth he I wene we shal haue a snatche of rebellion euen now No quoth Bradforde my lord I meane no suche ende as you woulde gather I meane an ende whiche none seeth but thei y t enter into gods Sanctuarie If a man loke but on preseÌ„t thyngs he wil sone deceiue hiÌ„self Heare now dyd my Lorde Chauncellor offer againe mercye and Bradford answered as before mercye w t gods mercy should be welcome but otherwise he would none Whervpon the said lord Chancellor dyd ring a litle bel be like to cal in soÌ„e bodye for there was present none in maner but onelye these before named and the bishop of Worcester Now wheÌ„ one was come in it is beste quoth maister Secretarye Burne y t you geue y e keper a charge of this fellowe So was the vndermarshall called in you shall take this man to you quoth my Lord Chauncelor kepe him close without conference with any man but by your knowledge and suffer him not to wryte anye letters c. For he is of an other maner of charge vnto you now then he was before and so thei departed the said Bradford lokyng as cherefully as any man coulde doe declaring thereby euen a desire to geue his lyfe for confirmacion of that he hath taughte and written And surely yf he dooe so his death wyll destroye more of the Philistines as Sampson dyd then euer he dydde in hys lyfe God almyghtie keepe hym and al his felowes bounde for the lordes sake Amen ¶ The effect of the second examinacion of Iohn Bradforde in the temple of S. Marie Oueries before the lorde Chauncelour and diuers other byshoppes the .xxix. daye of Ianuarii .1555 AFter the excommunycacioÌ„ of IhoÌ„ Rogers Iohn Bradford was called in standynge before the lord Chancelour other bishops set w t him the said lord ChaÌ„celor spake thus in effect That wheretofore the .22 of Ianuarie they called the sayde Bradford before theÌ„ offred vnto hym y e Queenes pardoÌ„ although he had conteÌ„ned y e same further he said y t he would stifly stoutly maintaine defende therronious doctrine holdeÌ„ in y e daies of kyng Edward the .6 yet in coÌ„sideracioÌ„ that the Queenes highnes is woÌ„derfull merciful they thoughte good eftsones to offer the same mercy againe before it be to late Therfore ê™ my lorde Chauncellour nowe aduise you well there is yet space and grace tofore wee so procede that you be committed to the seculer power as we muste do and wil do if you will not follow thexample of M. Barlowe Cardmaker whoÌ„ he there coÌ„mended adding oratoriously amplificacions to moue the saide Bradford to yeld to the religioÌ„ preseÌ„tly set forth After the lord Chauncellors long talke Bradford began on this sorte to speake My Lord quoth he my lordes al as now I stand in your syght before you so I humbly beseche your honors to consider that you sit in y e sight of the lord who as Dauid doeth witnesse is in the congregacions of iudges and fittes in the myddest of theÌ„ iudgeing And as you woulde youre place to bee nowe of vs taken as gods place so demonstrate your selues to folowe hym in your sittyng that is seke no giltlesse bloude nor hunte not by questioÌ„s to bring into y e snare them whiche are out of the same At this presente I stande before you giltie or giltlesse if giltie theÌ„ procede and geue sentence accordinglye if giltles then geue me the benefite of a subiect whiche hitherto I could not haue Heare the Lorde Chauncellour replyed and saide that the said Bradford began with a true sentence Deus stetit in sinagoga c. but ê™ he this and all thy gesture declareth but Hypocrisie and vain glory And further he made much a do to purge himself that he sought no giltles bloud and so beganne a loÌ„g processe howe that Brodfordes facte at Poules crosse was presuÌ„ptuous arrogant and declared a taking vpoÌ„ him to lead the people whiche coulde not but tourne to much disquietnes ê™ he in y t thou speakiÌ„g to Bradford was so prefract and stout in religion at that preseÌ„t For y e which as thou wast theÌ„ committed to prison so hitherto haste thou bene kepte in prisoÌ„ where thou haste written letters to no litle hurte to the Queenes people as by the reporte of therle of Darby in the parlement house was credeblye reported And to this be added y t the said
writtynge his aunsweres he began to tell me how what he had done for Grymbolde howe that I neade not to feare anye reproche or slander I shoulde sustaine belike meaniÌ„g to haue me secretly to haue come to them as Grymbold dyd for he subscribed And therefore I speake on this sorte vnto hym Maister Deane quod I I wold gladly that you should not conceaue of me that I passe of shame of men simplye in this matter I rather would haue you to thincke of me as the verye truth is that hitherto as I haue seene nor heard nothinge to infirme my faith againste transubstaÌ„tiacioÌ„ so I am no lesse setled in it then I was at my comminge hyther I loue quod I to be plaine with you to tell you at the first that you shall finde at the last In good fayth Maister Bradforde quod he I loue you the better for your plainnesse do not thincke otherwise of me quod he but that you shall find me plaine in al my talke with you Here he began to aske me of my imprisonment and condempnacion So I began told hym how I had ben haÌ„dled wheare at the semed to wounder yea in playne wordes he saide I had ben handled otherwise then I had gyuen cause so showed me howe that my Lorde of Bath reported that I had deserued a benefite at the Queenes hande and at all the Counsels In this kind of talke we spent an houre almost and so as one wery I did arise vp â–ª and he called in the keper and before hym bad me be of good comforte and to bee out of all peril of death Mary sir quoth the keper but it is in euery maÌ„s mouth that hee shal dye to morowe Whereat he semed some thyng halfe amased and sayde hee woulde goe before euensong before the Queene and speake to her on my behalfe And I thynke the Queene hadde almoste supped at that presente for it was paste sixe of the clocke Before the keper I tolde hym againe that styll I was the same manne I was at the firste and til I should see matter to touch conscience to the contrary must nedes so continewe The keper desyred me to hearken to mayster Doctours counsayle and prayed M. Doctor to bee good vnto me And so after we hade dronke together maister Doctor with most gentle woordes tooke his leaue for three dayes Nowe when he was gone the keper tolde me how that mayster Doctor spake opeÌ„ly how that he sawe no cause why thei should burne me Whiche sentence for the ambiguitie of the meaning made me sorye leste I had behaued my selfe in any thinge wherin he gathered anye conformablenesse to them in their doctrine which god knoweth I neuer as yet dyd so God oure father blesse vs as hys chyldren for euer and keepe vs from all euyll for euer Amen Vpon the fifth daye of Apryll came maister Doctor WestoÌ„ to the couÌ„ter aboute .2 of the clocke in the after noone who excused hymselfe for beyng so long absent partely by sickenes partely for that Doctor Pendleton tolde hym that hee woulde come vnto me and partely for that quoth he I withstoode certaine Monckes which would haue come agayne into Westminster After whiche talke he told me howe that the Pope was dead and then he tolde me how he had spoken to the Queene for me and how that death was not nere vnto me Laste of all he excused himselfe for not aunswering myne argumentes against transubstanciacion because my commynge to daye quoth he was more by fortune then of purpose I woulde gladlye quoth I omittyng all other talkes haue seen an aunswer to my argumentes Why quoth he you haue remembered some thynge what I spake to you wheÌ„ I was last with you No sir quoth I I neuer called them in maner to mynde sythen that tyme as well because I hoped you would haue writteÌ„ them as also for that they semed not to bee so materiall In good faith ê™ he I cannot see any other or better waye for you then for to submit youre self to the iudgement of the Churche â–ª Marye so I wyll sir quoth I yf so be by the churche you vnderstand Christes church Lo quoth he you take vpon you to iudge the church No sir quoth I that doe I not in takyng vpon me to discerne I do not iudge the church yes that you do quoth he and make inuisible I dooe neyther quoth I. Why sayth he who can see youre churche Those sir quoth I that haue spiritual eyes wherewith they mighte haue dyscerned Christes visible conuersacion heare vpoÌ„ earth Nay quoth he Christes churche hath thre tokens that all men may looke well vpon namely vnitie antiquitye and consent These thre quoth I may be as well in euil as in good as well in synne as in vertue as well in the deuyls churche as in Gods churche As for ensaumple quoth I Idolatrie amongest the Israelites had al those thre Chrisostome telleth plainly as you wel knowe saide I that the church is well knowen Tantummodo per scripturas alonely bi the scriptures In good faithe ê™ hee you make your churche inuisible when you wyll haue it knowen alonelye by the scriptures No sir quoth I the scriptures dooe playnely set furth to vs the churche that all menne maye well ynough thereby know her yf thei list to loke The church ê™ hee is like a Towre or towne vppon a Hyll that al men may se True sir quoth I al men that be not blynde Visible ynough is the churche but menues blindnes is great Impute not therefore to the churche that whiche is to bee imputed to mens blindenes Where quoth he was your church forty yeares agoe or where is it nowe excepte in a corner of Germanye Forsooth sir quoth I the churche of Christ is dispersed and not tied to this or that place but to y e word of god so that where it is there is Gods churche yf it bee truelye taught Loe ê™ hee is not thys to make the church inuisible Poiâ—n me out a realme a hundreth yeres paste whiche mayntayned youre doctryne Syr quoth I yf you wyl or woulde well marke the state of the church before Christes commynge with it now as saint Paule and Peter wylleth vs I thynke you woulde not looke for suche shewes of the churche to be made as to poynte it oute by realmes You knowe quoth I that in Helyas time both in Israel and els where Gods churche was not poyntable and therefore cryed he oute that he was lefte alone No marye quoth he dyd not God say that there was .7000 whyche hadde not bowed theyr knees to Baale Loe sayeth he 7000. shewe me seuen thousande a hundreth yeares agoo of your religion Syr quoth I these .7000 were not knowen to men for then Helias woulde not haue sayde that hee hadde bene before left alone And thys is playne ynough by that whiche the texte hathe namelye that God sayeth Reliqui I haue reserued to me .7000 Marke that it sayeth God had reserued to hym selfe to hys own knowledge as I doubt not but the hundreth yeares agoe God hadde hys 7000. in hys proper places thoughe menne knewe not thereof Well maister Bradforde sayeth hee I wyll not make youre case woorse then for transubstanciacion all thoughe I knowe that we agree not in Other matters And I praye you quoth he make you it youre selfe not woorse If I canne dooe you good I wyll hurte you I wyll not I am no Prynce and therefore I cannot promyse lyfe excepte you wyll submytte youre self to the diffinicion of y e church Syr quoth I so that you wyll defyne me your churche that vnder it you brynge not in a false churche you shall not see but that we shal soune bee at a poynt In good fayth maister Bradford quoth hee I see no good wyl be doone and therefore I wyl wishe you as muche good as I can and hereafter I will perchaunce come or sende to you agayne and so he sent for maister Weale and departed Nowe after his departynge commeth the keper maister Claydon and Stephen Beiche and they were verye hotte with me and spake vnto me in suche sorte that I should not loke but to haue theÌ„ vtter enemies vnto me notwithstandyyng the frendeshippe they both haue hitherto pretended God bee wyth vs what matter is it who bee agaynste vs. Finis ¶ Imprinted at London in Fleetstrete at the Signe of y e Faucon by William Griffith and are to be sold at the litle shop in saincte Dunstones churchyard Anno .1561 The .xiii. daie of Maye Cori. 10. Mat. 10 Mat. 7. Mat. â— Mat â— Ioh. 5. Luk. 23 1. Io. Virgiâ— A prayer â—f M. â—radâ—ords 2. Pet. â—