21 The lawe is turned to wormewood Amos 6. And there caÌ„no ryght iudgement go forth Esaie 59. Iohan Bale Marke here how gracyouslye the lorde kepeth promyse with thys poor seruaâ—nt of hys He that beleueth on me sayth Christ out of hys bellye shall â—owe ryuers of lyuynge water Ioan. 7. Neyther lasheth thys woman out in her extreme troubles language of dispayre nor yet blasphemouse wordes agaynst God with the vnbeleuynge but vttereth the scriptures in wonderfull habundaunce to hys lawde and prayse She rebuketh here the most pestylent vyce of ydolatrye Not by olde narracyons and fables but by the most pare worde of God as ded Daniel Steuen And in the ende she sheweth the stronge stomacke of a most Christen martyr in that she is neyther desyerouse of the deathe neyther yet standeth in feare of the vyoleÌ„ce or extremyte therof What a constancye was thys of a womaÌ„ frayle teÌ„dre yonge and most delycyouslye brought vp But thâ—â— Christes sprete was myghtye in her who bad her be of good chere For though the tyrauntes of thys worlde haue power to slee the bodye yet haue they nopower ouer the sowle Mathei 20. Neyther haue they power in the ende to demynysh one heare of the heade Luce 21. She faynteth not in the myddes of the battayle 1. Cor. 9. But perseuereth stronge and stedefast to the verye ende Math. 10. Not doubtynge but to haue for her faythfull perseuerauÌ„ce the crowne of eternall lyfe Apoc. 2. So merye am I sayth she good creature in the myddes of Newgate as one that is bowne towardes heauen A voyce was thys of a most worthye and valcaunt witnesse in the paynefull kyngedome of pacyence Apoca. 1. She faythfullye reckened of her lorde God that he is not as men are fyckle Numeri 23. But most sure of worde and promyse Psalme 144. And that he wolde most faythfullye kepe couenaunt with her whan tyme shuld come Apoca. 2. She had it most grounded lye planted in her hart that though heauen and earthe ded passe yet coulde not hys wordes and promes passe by vnfulfylled Luc. 21. Ashamed maye these carnall Helchesytesbe whych haue not onlye denyed the veryte of their lorde God but also most shamefullye blasphemed dishonoured both it and themselues for the pleasure of a yeare or ij to dwell styll in thys fleshe They coÌ„sydre not that he with whome they mocke hath power to sende them to helle for their blasphemye Luce 12. They shall nor fynde it a matter lyght for their inconstancye to be â—ometed out of the mouthe of God as vnsauerye morsels Apoca. 3. Neyther shall they proue it a Christmas game to be denyed of Christ before hys heauenlye father and hys angels for denyenge here hys veryte Math. 10. Anne Askewe Oh forgeue vs all our synnes receyue vs gracyouslye As for the workes of our handes we wyll nomore call vpon theÌ„ For it is thu lorde that arte our God Thu shewest euer mercye vnto the fatherlesse Oh if they wolde do thys sayth the lorde I shuld heale theyr sores yea withall my harte wolde I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do with ydolles anye more Who so is wyse shall vnderstaÌ„de thys And he that is ryghlye enstructed wyll regarde it For the wayes of the lorde are ryghteouse Soch as are godlye wyll walke in them And as for the wycked they wyll stomble at them Osee 14. Iohan Bale All these wordes alleged she out of the last chaptre of Useas the prophete where as he prophecyed the destruccyon of Samaria for the onlye vyce of ydolatrye In the worde of the lorde she declareth her selfe therin to detest and abhorre that vyce aboue all and to repent froÌ„ the hart that she hath at anye tyme worshypped the workes of mennys handes eyther stone wode breade wyne or anye soch lyke for the eternall lyuynge God Consequentlye she confessyth hym to be her onlye God and that she had at that tyme trust in non other els neyther for the remyssyon of her synnes nor yet sowles coÌ„fort at her nede And lyke soch a wone as is vnfaynedlye coÌ„uerted vnto the lorde she axeth of the spirytuall Ephraimytes in hys worde what she hath anye more to do with ydolles or whye they shuld so tyrannouslye enforce her to the worshypynge of them consyderynge that he so ernestlye abhorreth them Fynallye ij sortes of people she reckeneth to be in the worlde and sheweth the dyuerse maner of them The one in the sprete of Christ obeyeth the worde the other in the sprete of errour coÌ„tempneth it And lyke as S Paule doth saye To the one part is it the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe and to the other the sauour of deathe vnto deathe 2. Corinth 2. Anne Askewe Salomon sayth S. Steuen buylded an howse for the God of Iacob Howbeyt the hyest of all dwelleth not in teÌ„ples made with haÌ„des As sayth the prophete Esa. 66. heaueÌ„ is my seate the earthe is my fote stole What howse wyll ye buylde for me sayth the lorde or what place is it that I shall rest in hath not my hande made all these thynges Acto 7. Woman beleue me sayth Christ to the Samarytane the tyme is at hande that ye shall neyther in thys mountayne nor yet at Hierusalem worshypp the father Ye worshypp ye wote not what but we knowe what we worshypp For saluacyon commeth of the Iewes But the houre coÌ„meth and now is wherin the true worshyppers shall worshypp the father in sprete veryte Ioan. 4. Laboure not sayth Christ for the meate that perysheth but for that endureth into the lyfe euerlastynge whych the soÌ„ne of maÌ„ shall geue yow For hymgod the father hath sealed Ioan. 6. Iohan Bale Here bringe she iii. stronge restymdnyes of the newe testament to confirme her owne Christen beleue therwith and also both to confute and condempne the most execrabyle heresye and false fylthye beleue of the papystes The first of them proueth that the eternall God of heaueÌ„ wyll neyther be wrapped vp in a clowâ—e nor yet shutte vp in a boxe The seconde declareth that in no place of the earthe is he to be sought neyther yet to be worshypped â–ª but within vs in sprete and veryte The thirde of them concludeth that Christ is a feadynge for the sowle and not for the bodye More ouer he is soch a meate as neyther corrupteth mouldeth nor perysheth neyther yet consumeth or wasteth awaye in the bellye Lete not the Romysh popes remnaunt in EnglaÌ„de thynke but in condempnynge the faythe of thys godlye womaâ— they also condempne the veryte of the lorde vnlesse they can discharge these iij. textes of the scripture with other iij. more effectuall As I thynke they shall not nisi ad Calendas Grecas If they allege for their part the saynge of Christ Math. 24. Lo here is Christ or there is Christ. They are confounded
become a God to be worshypped A myracle were thys aboue all the myracles that euer were wrought and a worke aboue all the workes that euer were done if it were true as it is most false Though our eternall God created heauen and earthe in the first begynnynge and fourmed all other creatures Gene. 1. Yet reade we not of hym that he made of hys creatures anye newe God to be worshypped In that poynt are our oyled Antichristes afore hym And where as he rested whollye in the seuenth daye from that offyce of creacyon Gene. 2. and neuer toke it vpon hym sens that tyme as testyfyeth Iohan Chrisostome Augustyne Hierome Bedas Alcuinus and all ther other doctors Yet wyll they take vpon theÌ„ to create euerye daye a fresh and whan their olde God stynketh in the boxe remoue hym out of the waye and put a newe in hys rowme yea they can make of breade wkych is but mannys corruptyble creature and ordayned onlye to be eate soch a God as shall stande checke mate with the great God of heauen parauenture deface hym also Oh blasphemouse wretches and theues Be ones ashamed of your abhomynable blyndenesse and submytt your selues to a iust reformacyon Anne Askewe But as touchynge the holye and blessyd supper of the lorde I beleue it to be a most necessarye remembraunce of hys gloryouse sufferynges and deathe More ouer I beleue as moch therin as my eternall onlye redemer Iesus Christ wolde I shuld beleue Fynallye I beleue all those scriptures to be true whom he hath confirmed with hys most precyouse bloude Iohan Bale No godlye instytucyon nor ordynaunce of Christ do thys faythfull woman contempne but reuerentlye submytteth herself therunto in the kynde that he ded leaue them She protesteth here to beleue so moch as can be shewed by the scriptures of both testamentes And what is more to be requyred of a Christen beleuer Onlye ded she in conscyence refuse and abhorre the ydell obseruacyons the paganes superstycyons the sorcerers in chauntmentes and the most parellouse ydolatryes whych the Romysh pope and hys clergye haue added to their Masse for couetousnesse In thys I suppose she remembred the wordes of saynt Paule 1. Corinth 2. My talkynge sayd he and my preachynge was not with persuasyble or entysynge wordes of mannys corrupt wysdome but in vtteraunce of the sprete and of power that your faythe shuld not stande in the wysdome of men but in the power of God For that sayth Christ whych semeth hygh and holye afore men is fylthye abhomynacyon before God Luce 16. Anne Askewe Yea and as S. Paule sayth those scriptures are suffycyent for our lernynge and saluacyoÌ„ that Christ hath lefte here with vs. So that I beleue we nede no vnwritten verytees to rule hys churche with Therfore loke what he hath layed vnto me with hys owne mouthe in hys holye Gospell that haue I with Gods grace closed vp in my harte And my full trust is as Dauid saych that it shall be a lanterne to my fote steppes Psalme 118. Iohan Bale Styll are these frutes of inestymable wholsomnesse declarynge thys womaÌ„ a most perfyght and innocent membre of Iesus Christ. In thys whole processe marke it hardelye she â—â—nneth not for socour to the muddye waters or broken pyttes of the Phylistynes Hieremye 2. Whych are the corrupt doctrynes and tradycyons of men But she seketh to the verye welsprynge of helthe fouÌ„tayne of saluacyon IoaÌ„ 4. All vnwritten verytees left she to those wauerynge wanderers whych wyll eternally perysh with them And in the verytees written appoynted she to iournaye amonge the true Christen beleuers towardes the laÌ„de euerlastynge In all her affayres most fyrmelye she cleaueth to the scriptures of God whych geueth both sprete and lyfe Ioan. 6. As the harte in the forest desyreth the plesaunt water brokes so longed her sowle and was desyerouse of the manyfest glorye of her eternall God Psal. 41. If her porcyon be not in the lande of the lyuynge Psal. 141. Yea if she be not allowed a cytezen with the Sayntes Ephe. 1. And her name regestred in the boke of lyfe Apoca. 20. Yt wyll be harde with manye But certayne and sure I am that with Marye Marthaes systre soch a sure part haue she chosen as wyll not be takeÌ„ awaye from her Luce 10. Anne Askewe There be some do saye that I denye the Eucharystye or sacrament of thankes geuynge But those people do vntrulye report of me For I both saye and beleue it that if it were ordered lyke as Christ instytuted it and left it a most syngular confort it were vnto vs all But as concernynge your Masse as it is now vsed in our dayes I do saye beleue it to be the most abhomynable ydoll that is in the worlde For my God wyll not be eaten with tethe neyther yet dyeth he agayne And vpon these wordes that I haue now spoken wyll I suffer deathe Iohan Bale All the workes of God and ordynaunces of Christ she reuerentlye admytted as grounded matters of Christen beleue But the Romysh popes creatures wolde she in no case allowe to stande vp checke mate with them The Masse whych is in all poyntes of that fylthye Antichristes creacyon toke she for the most execrable ydoll vpon earthe And ryghtlye For non other is the chylde to be reckened than was hys father afore hym â–ª be he man or beast The whelpe of a dog â—e is non other than a dogge whan he cometh â—nestâ— hys age Idolles sayth Sauid are lyâ—e them that maâ—e them â—o are they also whych put their trust in them Psalme 113. An ydâ—ll doth Zacharye call that proude slaughterouse shepehearde Zacharye 11. Who then can denye hys prodygyouse ordynaunces to be the same What other is the worke of an ydolatrouse worker than an exccrable ydoll And loke what propyrrces anye ydoll hath had or feates hath wrought yet sens the worldes begynnynge the popes prodygyouse Masse hath had wrought the same with manye conueyaunces more Of popes â—ath it receyued dysgysynges instrumentes blessynges turnynges and legerdemaynes with manye straunge obseruacyons borowed of the Iewes and paganes â—lde sacryfyces be sydes pardons for delyucraunce of sowles Of monkes haue it gotten a purgatorye after manye straunge apparycyoÌ„s with a longe ladder from thens to scale heauen with It hath obtayned also to be a remedye for all dyseases both in man and beast with innumerable supâ—r stycyons els Of vnyuerfytees and their doctours haue it cawte all the subtyltees and craftye lernynges of the prophane phylosophers to be defended by as is to be seane in the workes of their sentencyoners lyke as I haue shewed in the mysterye of iniquyte fo 33. It serueth all wytches in their wytcherye all foreerers charmers inchaunters dreamers sothsayers necromansers coniures crosse dyggers deuyll raysers myracle doers doggeleches and
Who so euer lyâ—eth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. 11. He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hath euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. 5. The lattre examinacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Synagoge of Antichrist with the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Anne Askewe stode fast by thys veryte of God to the ende Psalme 116. The veryte of the lorde endureth foreuer I wyll poure out my sprete vpoÌ„ all flesh sayth God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the lorde shall be saued Iohel ij Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the prymatyne churche as the horryble peâ—secucyoÌ„s increased manye dylygeÌ„t wryters collected the godlye answers and tryumphanÌ„t sufferynges of the mattyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of thys noÌ„bre was Lucas whych wrote the Apostles actes Sowere after hym Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton 〈◊〉 Abdias Babylonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexandrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius â—icephorus a great sort more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshopp of Rome ordayned in hys tyme for that onlye offyce vij deacoÌ„s so manye notayres aboute the yeare of our lorde CC.XXXVI that they shuld faythfullye regestre ther martyrdomes to holde theÌ„ in contynuall remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No lesse necessarye is that offyce now though fewe meÌ„ attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christeÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„welth than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucyoÌ„s all Christendome ouer so wele as were than Now are the true Christyanes vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as than Now are they reuyled ponnyshed imprysoned haue all euyll spoken agaynst them for Christes verytees sake Math. 5. so wele as than And what can be more confortable to the sufferers than to knowe the ernest constancye of their troubled companyons in that kyngedome of pacyeÌ„ce Apo. 1. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonyes what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Bernarde sayth in hys homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer ded the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some be sterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late years by the bolde callynge on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes and answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of the olde canonysed martyrs whych in the popes Englysh churche haue had so manye solempnytees seruyces and sensynges Manye haue also most desperatlye recanted through their most wycked persuasyons and threttenynges in whose vayne recantacyons are both to be seane their blasphemyes agaynst God and manyfest treasons agaynst their kynge Now in conferrynge these martyrs the olde with the newe and the popes with Christes I seclude first of all the Brytayne churche or the prymatyue churche of thys realme whych neuer had autoryte of the Romysh pope Her martyrs in dede were agreable to that Christ spake afore in the Gospell concernynge hys martyrs wherby we shuld knowe theÌ„ as we euydentlye fynde in the lyues of Emerita kynge Lucyes syster Amphibalus Albanus Aaron Iulius â—iâ—nothus soch other I â—ende yow forth sayth he as shepe amonge wolâ—es MeÌ„ shall delyuer ye vp in their counsels and synagoges Ye shall be brought before rulers and kynges and be hated of all men in a maner for my names sake Mathei 10. Cast not afore in your myndes what answere to make For I in that houre shall geue ye both vtteraunce and wysdome whych all your aduersaryes shall not be hable to withstande Luce 21. They shall excommunycate yow or condeÌ„pne yow for heretykes Yea they shall brynge yow in soche hate of the world that who so euer kylleth yow wyll thynke he doth God great good seruyce And thys shall they do bycause they knowe ryghtlye neyther the father nor yet me Ioan. 16. Manye other lyke senteÌ„ces left the forde Iesê° Christ in hys holye Gospell that we shuld alwayes by theÌ„ dyscerne hys true martyrs froÌ„ the popes Mahomeâ—es conÌ„terfeâ—t martyrs In EnglaÌ„d here sens the first plaÌ„tacyon of the popes Englysh churche by Augustyne other Romysh monkes of Benettes superstycyoÌ„ ij kyndes of martyrs hath bene â—ne of monasterye buylders and chaunterye founders whom the temporall prynces secular magistrates haue dyuersiye done to deathe sumtyme for dysobedyence sumtyme for manyfest treason as we haue of Wallenus of Crowlande Thomas of LaÌ„castre Rycharde Scrope Becket soch other The ymages of these haue bene setâ— vp in their teÌ„ples lyke the olde goddes of the paganes haue had ther vygyls holye dayes ryngynges sacryfysynges caÌ„dels offerynges feastynges moch a do besydes as they had The other sort were preachers of the Gospell or poore teachers therof iÌ„ corners whaÌ„ the persecucyoÌ„ was soche that it myght not be taught abroade And these poore sowles or true seruauntes of God were put to deathe by the holye spirytuall fathers Byshoppes prestes monkes chanons fryers for heresye Iollerye they saye These Christen martyrs were neuer soleÌ„pnysed of theÌ„ No they had not so moch â—s a penye dyrge or a grote masse of Requâ—em nomore than had Iohan Baptyst and Steuen amonge the Iewes But they haue bene holden for condempned heretykes euer sens Who euer hearde anye goodnesse yet reported of Dionothus with hys M. CC. companyons whom Augustyne caused to be slayne at Westchestre in hys churches begynnynge bycause they wolde not preache as he ded apoynt them nor baptyse after the Romysh maner neyther yet hallowe the eastre feast as they ded Manye a blessed creature both men womeÌ„ haue bene breÌ„t sens IohaÌ„ Wyclenes tyme afore for onlye dysclosynge the pharysees yokes teachynge the Gospels lyberte And theÌ„ haue that bawdye bloudye Synagoge of SathaÌ„ dyffamed blasphemed condeÌ„pned execrated cursed to hell as most detestable heretykes and dogges Where as if they were of Christ they ought in case they were their haters or enemyes to suffre theÌ„ to saye wele of them to do them good to praye for them Math. 5. Luce 6. and not thus to vse more tyrannye ouer them than euer ded Saracene Turke Tyraâ—Ì„t or deuyll A great dyfference is there of the martyrs whom they make from the martyrs whom they canonyse Of them whom they dampne from them whom they worshypp Yea so great a dyfference or dyuersyte betwyn them if ye marke them wele as is betwixt golde and
instaunt laboure anâ— sute Anne Askewe Then my lorde chauncellour asked me of my opynyon in the sacrament My answere was thys I beleue that so oft as I in a Christen congregacyon do receyue the breade in remembraunce of Christes deathe with thankes geuynge accordynge to hys holye instytucyoÌ„ I receyne therwith the frutes also of hys most gloryouse passyon The Byshopp of wynchestre bad me make a dyrect answere I sayd I wolde not synge a newe songe to the lorde in a straunge lande Iohan Bale Dyrect ynough was thys answere after Christes syngle doctryne but not after the popes double and couetouse meanynge for hys â—yled queresters aduauntage And here was at hande hys generall aduocate or stewarde to loke vpon the matter that nothynge shuld perysh perteynynge to the mayntenaunce of hys superstycyouse vayne glorye if anye craâ—tye polycye myght helpe it What offended thys godlye Christen woman here eyther in opynyon or faythe ye cruell aâ—d vengeable tyraunies But that ye must as Dauid sayth temper your tunges with venemouse wordes to destroye that innocent Psal. 63. Coulde yow haue brought in agaynst her a matter of more daunger concernynge your lawes to depryue her of lyfe ye wolde haue done it soch is your gostlye charyte But be sure of it as hawtye as ye are now the harde plage therof wyll â—e yours whan the great vengeaunce shall fall for shedynge of innocentes bloude Matheâ— 23. Anne Askewe Then the Byshopp sayd I spake in parables I answered it was best for hym For if I shewe the open truthe quoth I ye wyll not accept it TheÌ„ he sayd I was a paratte I tolde hym agayne I was ready to suffre all thynges at hys haÌ„des Not onlye hys rebukes but all that shuld folowe besydes yea and that gladlye Then had I dyuerse rebukes of the counsell bycause I wolde not expresse my mynde in all thynges as they wolde haue me But they were not in the meane tyme vnanswered for all that whych now to rehearce were to moche For I was with them there aboue fyue houres Then the clerke of the counsell conueyed me from thens to my ladye Garnyshe Iohan Bale Most coÌ„monlye Christ vsed to speake in darke symylytudes and parables whaÌ„ he perceyued hys audyence rather geuon to the hearynge of pharysaycall constytucyons and customes than to hys heauenlye veryte Math. 13. Mar. 4. Luce 7. Whych rule thys woman beynge hys true dyscyple forgote not here in coÌ„menynge with thys proude Byshopp whoÌ„ she knewe to be alwayes a most obstynate withstander of that wholsom veryte of hys And as concernynge mockes and scornefull reâ—ylynges they haue bene euer in that generacyon of scorners more plenteouse than good counsels to the ryghtwyse And therfor as a name after their condycyons it is vnto them appropryate of the holye Ghost in manye places of the scriptures In the lattre dayes sayth Iudas the apostle shall come mockers walkynge in vngodlynesse all after their owne lustes These are they whych separate themselues froÌ„ the common sort by a name of spirytualtie beynge in conuersacyon beastlye and hauynge no sprete that is godlye But derelye beloued sayth he grounde your selues surelye vpon our most holye faythe c. Anne Askewe The next daye I was brought agayne before the counsell Then wolde they nedes knowe of me what I sayd to the sacrament I answered that I alredye had sayd that I coulde saye Then after diuerse wordes â–ª they bad me go by Then came my lorde Lyle my lorde of Essexe and the Byshopp of wynchestre requyrynge me ernestlye that I shuld confesse the sacrament to be fleshe bloude and bone Then sayd I to my lorde Paraâ—d my lorde Lyle that it was great shame for them to counsell contrarye to their knowlege Wherunto in fewe wordes they ded saye that they wolde gladlye all thynges were wele Iohan Bale Alwayes haue the worldelye gouernours shewed more gentylnesse and fauer to the worde of God than the consecrate prestes and prelates As we haue for example in the olde lawe â–ª that Ezechias the kynge of Iuda wolde in no case at their callynge on put Micheas the true prophete vnto deathe whan he had prophecyed the destructyon of Samaria for their ydolatrye and for the tyrannye of their prynces and false prophetes Miche 1. and 3. Neyther wolde the prynces at the prestes headye exclamacyons murther Hieremye for the lordes veryte preachynge but mercyfullye delyuered hym out of their malycyouse handes Hieremye 26. Pylate in lyke case concernynge the newe Iawe pleaâ—ed with the Iewes spirytualte to haue saued Christ froÌ„ the deathe Math. 27. Ioan. 18. So ded the captayne Claudius Lisias delyuer Paule from their mortall malyce after that the hygh prest Ananias had commaunded hym to be smytten and hys retynewe coÌ„spyred hys deathe Acto 23. At the prestes onlye prouocacyon was it that the heythnysh emprours so greuouslye vexed and tormented the Christen beleuers in the prymatyue churche as testyfyeth Egesyppus Clemens Alexandrinus Eusebius aâ—d other olde hystoryanes Anne Askew Then the Byshopp sayd he wolde speake withme famylyarlye I sayd so ded Iudas whan he vnfryndelye betrayed Christ Then desyered the Byshopp to speake with me alone But that I refused He asked me whye I sayd that in the mouthe of two or thre wytnesses euerye matter shuld stande after Christes Paules doctryne Math. 18. and 2. Cor. 13. Iohan Bale Ded she not thynke yow hytt the nayle on the head â–ª in thus tauntynge thys Byshopp yeas For as great offence doth he to Christ that geueth one of hys beleuynge members vnto deathe as ded he that betrayed first hys owne bodye That ye haue done vnto those lyttle ones shall he saye at the lattre daye whych haue beleued in me ye haue done vnto myne owne persone Math. 25. Who so toucheth them sayth Zacharye shall touche the apple of the lordes owne eye Zacha. â— But thys beleueth not that peruerse generacyon Anne Askewe Then my lorde chauncellour begaÌ„ne to examyne me agayne of the sacrament Then I axed hym how longe he wolde halte on both sydes Then wolde he nedes knowe where I founde that I sayd in the scripture 3. Reg. 18. TheÌ„ he weÌ„t hys waye Iohan Bale Of Helias the prophete were these wordes spoken to the people of Israel soch tyme as they halted betwyne ij opynyoÌ„s or walked vnryghtlye betwyne the true lyuynge God the false God Baal as we do now in EnglaÌ„de betwyne Christes Gospell and the popes olde rotten customes We slenderlye consydre with S. Paule that Christ wyll haue no felyshypp or concorde with Belial lyght with darkenesse ryghtwysnesse with vnryghtwysnesse the temple of God with ymages or the true beleuers with the infydels 2. Corinth 6. For all our newo Gospell yet wyll we styll beare the strauÌ„gersyoke with the vnbeleuers and so be come neyther whote nor colde
set hym forth in but in soch a shappe onlye as the waffer baker hath ymagyned by hys slendre wytte Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for their Goddes but thys cake is onlye the bakers creature for he alone made it breade if it be breade And so moch is it a more vnworthye God than the other Farre was it from Christ to teache hys dyscyples to worshypp soch a God eyther yet to haue hymself honoured in soch a symylytude Nothynge is here spoken agaynst the most holye table of the lorde but agaynst that abhomynable ydoll of the prestes whych hath most detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse witnesse of the lorde ded thys blessyd woman shewe her self in the answere makynge to thys blasphemouse beggerye whaÌ„ she sayd that god was a sprete and no waffer cake wolde be worshipped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and iuglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydoll but moch more godlye to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in teÌ„ples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her self a most constaunt martyr praysynge her lorde God for hys gyft She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shuld se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan 8. Agayne they that beleued on hym shuld ioyfullye passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. 5. And vpon these promyses she most stroÌ„gelye trusted She consydered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyke 1. Petri 3. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme had the rule of deathe Hebre. 2. And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it self â—see 13. Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The lorde God by whome all creatures haue their beynge blesse yow with the lyght of hys knowlege amen My dutye to â–ª your lordshyppe remeÌ„bred c. It myght please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whych vpoÌ„ due coÌ„syderacyons is moued to the same and hopeth to obtayne My request to your lordeshypp is only that it may please the same to be ameane for me to the kynges magestie that hys grace maye be certifyed of these fewe lynes whych I haue writteÌ„ coÌ„cernynge my beleue Whych whan it shall be trulye coÌ„ferred with the harde iudgemeÌ„t geueÌ„ me for the same I thynke hys grace shall wele perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuenpayer of balauÌ„ces But I remytt my matter and cause to almyghtye god whych ryghtlye iudgeth all secretes And thus I commende your lordeshypp to the gouernaunce of hym and felyshypp of all sayntes Amen By your handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In thys byll to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyoÌ„s sequestred what thys womaÌ„ was She is not here deiected with the desperate for vnryghtouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowynge as they do commoÌ„lye But staÌ„dynge vp stroÌ„gelye in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers wysheth them the lyght of Gods necessarye knowlege Luce 6. She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum 13. And though their autoryte be sore abused yet with Christ and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herself to them thynkynge to suffer vndre them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunt 1. Pet. 4. Notwithstandynge she layeth forth here both before chauÌ„cellour kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to their bâ—unde dewtye myght more ryghtlye waye it 3. Regum 10. Not that she coâ—â—ted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembyaunce of their offyce concernynge the swerde whych they ought not vaynelye to mynystre Roma 13. and that they shuld also be without excuse of ignoraunce in the great daye of reckenynge for permittynge soch vyoleÌ„ce to be done Roma 2. In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherin she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalm 145. Anne Askewe My faythe breuelye written to the kynges grace I Anne Askewe of good memorie although God hath geueÌ„ me the breade of aduersyte and the water of trouble yet not so moch as my synnes haue deserued desyre thys to be knowne to your grace That for as moch as I am by the lawe coÌ„deÌ„pned for an euyll doer Here I take heauen and earthe to recorde that I shall dye in my innocencye And accordynge to that I haue sayd first and wyll saye last I vtterlye abhorre and detest all heresyes And as coÌ„cernynge the supper of the lorde I beleue so moch as Christ hath sayd therin whych he confirmed wyth hys most blessyd bloude I beleue also so moch as he wylled me to folowe beleue and so moch as the catholyck churche of hym doth teache For I wyll not forsake the commaundemeÌ„t of hys holye lyppes But loke what God hath charged me with hys mouthe that haue I shutte vp iÌ„ my harte And thus breuelye I ende for lacke of lernynge Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In thys she dyschargeth her self to the worlde agaynst all wrongefull accusacyons iudgemeÌ„tes of heresye what though it be not accepted to that blynde worlde vnto whome the lorde sayd by hysprophete Your thoughtes are not my thoughtes neyther yet are your wayes my wayes But so farre as the heauens are hyer than the earthe so farre do my wayes excede yours my thoughtes yours Esa. 55. Heresye is not to dyssent froÌ„ the churche of Rome in the doctryne of faythe as LaÌ„fraÌ„cus in hys boke de Eucharistia aduersus BerengariuÌ„ Thomas waldeÌ„ in hys worke of sermoÌ„s Ser .21 Dyffyneth it But heresye is a voluntarye dysseÌ„tynge froÌ„ the veryte of the scriptures of God and also a blasphemouse deprauyuge of them for the wretched bellyes sake to maynteyne the pompes of thys worlde Thus is it dyffyned of S. Hierome in coÌ„mâ—ntarâ—â—â— Hiere S. Augustyne and Isidorus a greynge to the same CoÌ„sydre thaÌ„ whether he be the these that sytteth vpoÌ„ the beÌ„che or he that standeth at the barre The popysh clergye that condempneth or the innocent that is condempned Athanasius in hys boke defuga aduersus Arrianos calleth them the heretykes whych seketh to haue the Christen beleuers murthered as ded the seyd Arryanes Thys godlye womau hyr innocencye to clere laboureth not here to an inferyour membre of the realme but to the head therof the kynges owne persone Whome she beleueth to be the hygh mynyster of God the father of the lande and vpholder of the people Sapi. 6. that he myght faythfullye and ryghtlye iudge her cause But who can thynke that euer it
came before hym Not I for my part Anne Askewe The effect of my examynacyon and handelynge sens my depature from Newgate On tewesday I was seÌ„t froÌ„ newgate to the sygne of the crowne where as mastre Ryche and the Byshopp of London with all their power and flatterynge wordes weÌ„t aboute to persuade me froÌ„ God But I ded not exteme their glosynge pretenses Then came there to me Nicolas Shaxton and counselled me to recaÌ„t as he had done TheÌ„ I sayd to hym that it had bene good for hym neuer to haue bene borne with manye other lyke wordes Iohan Bale After that Christ had ones ouer commen Sathan in the desart where he had fasted longe tyme Math. 4. We reade not in the scriptures that he was moch assaulted or vexed of the worlde the fleshe and the fyende whych are reckened the common enemyes of man But yet we fynde in the Gospell that these iij. ghostlye enemyes the prelates the prestes and the lawers or the Byshoppes pharysecs and scrybes neuer left hym afterwarde tyll they had throughlye procured hys deathe Marke it I desyre yow if it be here anye otherwyse with hys dere membre What other enemyes tempteth here Aâ—ne Askewe thaÌ„ the Byshopp of London mastre Ryche and doctor Shaxton besydes the great Cayphas of Wynchestre with hys spyghtfull I shuld saye spirytuall rable or who els procureth her deathe Ye wyll thynke parauenture concernynge mastre Ryche that though he be an enemye yet is he no spirytuall enemye bycause he is not anoynted with the popes grese But than are ye moch deceyued For it is the sprete of blasphemye auaryce and malyce and not the oyle that maketh them spirytuall And where as they are anoynted in the hande with oyle he is in the hart anoynted with the sprete of Mammon betraynge with Iudas at the Byshoppes malycyouse callynge on the poor innocent sowles for moneye or at the least for ambycyouse fauer O Shaxton I speake now vnto the I thynke in the voyce of God What deuyll bywytched the to playe thys most blasphemouse part â–ª as to become of a faythfull teacher a temptynge sprete Was it not ynough that thu and soch as thu art had forsaken your lorde God and troden hys veryte most vnreuerentlye vndre your fete but with soch feates as thys is thu must yet procure the a more deper or doubled aÌ„pnacyoÌ„ Ryghtlye sayd thys true seruauÌ„t of God that it had bene better for the and thy fellawes that ye neuer had bene borne Ye were called of God to a most blessyd offyce If ye had bene worthye that vocacyon as ye are but swyne Mathei 7. ye had perseuered faythfull and constaunt to the ende Mathei 10. and so haue worthelye receyued the crowne therof Apoca. 2. But the loue of your beastlye fleshe hath verye farre in yow ouerwayed the loue of the lorde Iesus Christ. Ye now shewe what ye are in dede euen wauerynge reedes with euerye blast moued Luce 7. Yea verye faynt harted cowardes and hypocrytes Apo. 3. Ye abyde not in the shepe folde as true shepeherdes but ye flee lyke hyrelynges Ioan. 10. Had ye bene buylded vpon the harde rocke as ye were on the fycklesande Math. 7. neyther Romysh floodes nor Englysh wyndes had ouer throwne yow But now loke onlye after your deseruynge for thys terryble iudgement of God For them sayth S. Paule whych voluntarylye blaspheme the truthe after they haue receyued the Gospell in faythe and in the holye Ghost remayneth no expyacyon of synne but the fearfull iudgement of hell fyre For a mocke haue they made of the sonne of God Hebreo 6. and 10. Anne Askewe TheÌ„ mastre Riche sent me to the tower where I remaynedtyll thre of the clocke Then came Riche and one of the couÌ„sell chargynge me vpon my obedyeÌ„ce to shewe vnto them if I knewe man or woman of my secte My answere was that I knewe none Then they asked me of my ladye of Sothfolke my ladye of Sussex my ladye of Hertforde my ladye Dennye and my ladye Fizwyllyams I sayd if I shuld pronounce anye thynge agaynst theÌ„ that I were not hable to proue it Iohan Bale Neuer was there soche turmoylynge on the earthe as is now a dayes for that wretched blynde kyngedome of the Romysh pope But trust vpon it trulye ye terryble termagauntes of hell There is no practyse there is no wysdome there is no counsell that can agaynst the lorde preuayle Prouerâ— 21. Ye loke to be obeyed in all deuylyshnesse But ye consydre not that where God is dyshonoured by your obedyence there belongeth non to yow Acto 5. Ye haue moch a do here with sectes as though it were a great heresye ryghtlye to beleue in our lorde Iesus Christ after the Gospell not after your Romysh father But where was euer yet a more pestylent and deuylysh secte than is that Sodomytysh secre whom ye here so ernestlye maynteyne with tyrannye and myschefe How gredylye seke yow the slaughter of Gods true seruauntes ye bloud thurstye wolues as the holye Ghost doth call yow Psal. 25. If the vertuouse ladyes most noble women whose lyues ye cruellye seke in your madde ragynge furye as rauyshynge lyons in the darke Psal. 9. haue throwne of their shulders for Christes easye and gentyll burdene Mathei 11. the popes vneasye and importable yoke Luce 11. Happye are they that euer they were borne For therby haue they procured a great quyetnesse and helthe to their sowles For Christes worde is quycke and bryngeth nothynge els to the sowle but lyfe Hebreo 4. The popes olde tradycyons and customes beynge but the wysdome of the fleshe are verye poyson and deathe Roma 8. Aune Askewe Then sayd they vnto me that the kynge was infourmed that I coulde name if I wolde a great nombre of my secte Then I answered that the kynge was as wele deceyued in that behalfe as dyssembled with in other matters Iohan Bale Great Assuerus kynge of the Perseanes Medes was infourmed also that the seruauÌ„t of God Mardocheus was a traytour whych neuerthelesse had dyscouered ij traytours a lyttle afore and so saued the kynges lyfe Hester 3. But Haman that false counseller whych so infourmed the kynge was in the ende proued a traytour in dede as I doubt it not but some of these wyll be founde after thys and was worthelye hanged for it so fallynge into the snare that hys selfe had prepared for other Psal. 7. Albertus Pyghius Cochleus Eckius soch other pestylent papystes haue fylled all Christendome with raylynge bokes of our kynge for renouncynge the Romysh popes obedyeÌ„ce but therof ye infourme not hys grace No neyther excuse ye nor yet defeÌ„deye hys godlye acte in that behalfe But ye are as apereth verye well coÌ„teÌ„ted that he be yll spoken of for it It is not a yeare a go sens our wynche stre was at