or soche an abomynable ydoll as subuertynge Christes true religyon wyll be your fynall destruccyon both here and in the worlde to come For ydolles are called abhomynacyō al the scriptures ouer Yet shall it endure say the Daniel sumwhere vnto the ende of al Daniel ix Wherby ye maye well perceyue that it comprehendethe not onely the tryumphaunt stremers of Tyberius or golden ymages of Caligula whyche bothe preuented the subuersyon of Hierusalem but some other ydolles which shulde contynewe And it folowethe in the Gospell texte that he shulde sytte in the holye place for the tyme of hys contynuaunce Mathei xxiiii And not in the paganes temples Tell me yf youre Masses be done anye where els than in your hallowed sanctuaryes vpon your sanctified aulters and in your holy ornamentes and consecrate cuppes Neyther may any do them vnlesse they be anoynted therunto of your Byshoppes sorcerers Not without the holy place sayth-Christ is that abhomynacyon but in it Mathei xxiiii Antichriste sayth saynt Paule shal syt not without but within the verye temple of God ii Thessalo ii The papacye is not wythoute but wythin the verie church of Christ what thoughe it be no part therof Apoca. xi Therfore it shall be mete that we be ware and seperate oure selues frome them at the admonyshmentes of hys hoolye doctryne leaste we be partakers wyth yow in theyr promysed dampnaciō Apoca xviii By the vayle ouer Moses face she meaneth the blynde confydence that manye men yet haue in olde Iewysh ceremonyes and beggarlye tradycions of men as S. Paule doth call them Gala. iiii Wherby the veryte of God is sore blemished The spiritual knowlege which cometh by the clere doctryne of the Gospell mynystreth no soch impedymentes of darkenes But all thynges are clerelye seane to them which are endued therwith They can be deceyued by none of Sathans subtyle conuayers but perceyueth all thynges whych haue obtayned the pure eyes of faythe Anne Askewe For it is playnelye expressed in the hystorye of Bel in the Byble that God dwellethe in nothynge materyall O kynge saythe Daniel be not deceyued Daniel xiiii For God wyll be in nothynge that is made with handes of men Actor vii Oh what styffnecked people are these that wyll alwayes resyste the hoolye Ghost But as theyr fathers haue done so do they bycause ther haue stonye hartes Wryttē by me Anne Askewe that nether wyshe deathe nor yet feare his myghte and as merye as one that is bowne towardes heauen Truthe is layed in pryson Luce. xxi The lawe is turned to worme woode Amos. vi And there can no ryghte iudgement go forth Esay lix Iohan Bale Marke here howe graciouslye the lord kepeth promyse with thys poore seruaunte of his He that beleuethe on me saythe Christe oute of his bellye shall flowe ryuers of lyuynge water Ioa. vii Neyther lasheth thys woman out in her extreme troubles language of dispayre nor yet blasphemouse wordes agaynste God with the vnbeleuinge but vttereth the scriptures in wonderfull habundaunce to his lawde and prayse She rebuketh here the most pestylent vyce of ydolatrye Not by olde narracions and fables but by the most pure worde of God as dyd Daniel Steuen And in the ende she shewethe the stronge stomacke of a mooste Christen martyre in that she is neyther desyrouse of the deathe neyther yet standeth in feare of the vyolēce or extremyte therof What a constancye was this of a woman frayle tēdre yong and most delycyouslye brought vp But that Christes sprete was myghtye in her who bad her be of good cher For though the tyrauntes of thys worlde haue power to fleye the bodye yet haue they no power ouer the sowles Matthei xx Nether haue they power in the ende to demynyshe one heare of the heade Luce xxi She faynteth not in the myddes of the battayle i. Corint ix But perseuerethe stronge and stedefast to the verye ende Mathei x. Not doubtynge but to haue for her faythful perseueraūce the crowne of eternall lyfe Apoc. ii So mery 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 valeaunt wytnesse in the paynefull kyngedome of pacience Apocalip i. She faithfullye reckened of her lorde God that he is not as men are fyckle Numeri xxiii But most sure of worde and promyse Psalm cxliiii And that he wolde most faithfully kepe conuenaunt wyth her whan tyme shuld come Apoca. ii She had it most groūdedlye planted in her hart that though heauen and earthe dyd passe yet coulde not his wordes and promes passe by vnfulfylled Lu. xxi Ashamed may those carnall Helchesytes be whych haue not on lye denyed the verite of theyr lorde god but also most shamefullye blasphemed dishonoured bothe it and themselues for the pleasure of a yeare or ii to dwell styl in this fleshe They cōsidre not that he wyth whome they mocke hathe power to sende them to helle for theyr blasphemye Luce. xii They shall not fynde it a matter lyght for theyr inconstancye to be vometed out of the mouthe of God as vnsauerye morsels Apocalypsis iii Neyther shal they proue it a Christmas game to be denyed of Christ before hys heauenlye father and his angels for denyenge here his verite Math. x. Anne Askewe Oh forgeue vs all oure synnes and receyue vs gracyouslye As for the workes of oure handes we wyll no more call vpon them For it is thou lorde that art oure God Thou sheweste euer mercye vnto the fatherles Oh yf they wolde do this saythe the Lorde I shoulde heale they re sores yea wyth all my harte woulde I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do wyth ydolles anye more Who so is wyse shall vnderstande thys And he that is ryghtlye enstructed wyll regarde it For the wayes of the Lorde are ryghteouse Soche as are godlye wyl walke in them And as for the wicked they wyll stomble at them Osee. xiiii Iohan Bale All these wordes alleged she oute of the last chaptre of Oseas the prophete where as he prophecyed the destructyon 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 frō the hearte that she hathe at anye tyme worshypped the workes of mennes handes eyther stone wode breade wyne or anye soche lyke for the eternall lyuynge God Consequently she confessyth hym to be her only God and that she had at that tyme truste in non other els nether for the remyssion of her synnes nor yet sowles cōfort at her nede And lyke soch a wone as is vnfainedlye cōuerted vnto the lorde she axethe of the spyritual Ephraimytes in his worde what she hath anye more to do wyth ydolles or whyether minde so tyrannouslye enforce her to the
with Marye Marthaes syster soch a sure part haue she chosen as wyll not be takē awaye from her Luce. x. Anne Askewe There be some do saye that I denye the Eucharistie or sacramēt of thankes geuynge But those people do vntrulye reporte of me For I both saye and beleue it that yf yt were ordered lyke as Christe instytuted it and left it a mooste syngular conforte it were vnto vs all But as concernynge your Masse as it is now vsed in our daies I do saye beleue it to be the mooste abhomynable ydoll that is in the worlde For my God wil not be eatē with tethe neyther yet dyeth he agayne And vpō these wordes that I haue now spoken wyll I suffer deathe Iohan Bale All the workes of God and ordinaunces of Christ she reuerenlye 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 Antychristes creacyon toke she for the moste execreable ydoll vpon earth And rightly For non other is the chylde to be reckened than was hys father afore hym be he man or beast The whelpe of a dogge is non other than a dogge whan he cometh ones to his age Ydolles sayth Dauid are lyke them that make them So are they also whych put theyr trust in them Psalme cxiii An ydoll doth zacharye call that proude slaughterouse shepehearde zacharye xi Who then can denye hys prodigiouse ordynaunces to be the same What other is the worke of an ydolatrouse worker than an execrable ydoll And loke what propertees anye ydoll hathe hadde or feates hath wrought yet sens the worldes begynnyng the popes prodygyouse Masse hath had and wrought the same with manye conueyaunces more Of popes hath it receyued disgisynges instrumentes blessynges turnynges and legerdemaynes wyth manye straunge obseruacyons borowed of the Iewes and paganes olde sacryfyces besydes pardons for delyueraunce of sowles Of monkes haue it gotten a purgatorye after manye straunge apparycyōs wyth a longe ladder from thens to scale heauen with It hathe obtayned also to be a remedye for all dyseases both in man and beast wyth innumerable superstycyons els Of vnyuersytes and their doctours haue it cawte all the subtyltees and crafty lernynges of the prophane phylosophers to be defended by as is to be seane in the workes of their sentencioners lyke as I haue shewed in the mysteri of iniquyte fo xxxiii It serueth all wytches in theyr wytchery all sorcerers charmers inchaunters dreamers sothsayers necromansers coniures crosse dyggers deuyll raysers myracle doers doggeleches and bawdes For wythout a Masse they can not well worke theyr feates The lawers lyke wyse whiche seke in Westmynstre hawle to get most moneye by falschede can neyther be well wythoute it It vpholdeth vayne glory pryde ambycyon auaryce glottonye slouthe ydelnesse hypocresye heresye tyrannye and all other deuylyshnesse besydes It maynteyneth the spirytuall souldiers of Antichriste in all superfluouse lyuynge and wanton lecherouse lustes with the chaste occupyenges of Sodome and Gomor What other ghostly frutes it hathe I shall more largelye shewe in my boke called The myracles of the Masse against Perine Perchaunce some deuout Masse hearers wyl laye for the holynes therof that it contayneth bothe pystle and Gospell Truelye that Epystle and that Gospell maye well haue a name of lyfe as S. Iohan saythe of the church of Sardis Apoca. z. Yet is it in that offyce of massynge nō other than the dead or mortyfienge letter ii Cor. iii. For the sprete that shuld quycken is clerely taken from it So that nothyng els therof remayneth to the common people but a dead noyse and an ydle sounde as it is now in the Romysh lāguage Who can saye but it was the scripture that Sathan alleged vnto Christ vpon the pynnacle of the temple Mat iiii Yet remayneth it there styll after his vngracyous handelynge therof as a false crafty suggestyon a deuylyshe erroure or a shylde of hys wyckednes wyll do euermore Where are the names of God of his Angels of his sayntes more ryfe than among witches charmers inchaūters sorcerers Yet can ye not saye that they are amōge thē to anye mānes saluacyon as they wolde be in ryght handelynge What it is that seruethe an ydoll lette godly wyse men coniecture whyche are not all ygnorraunt howe the Angel became a deuyll Anne Askewe O Lorde I haue more enemyes now than ther be heares on my heade Yet lorde lette them neuer ouercome me with vayne wordes But fyghte thou lorde in my stede For on the cast I my care With al the spyght they can ymagine thei fal vpō me which amthipore creature Yet swete lorde let me not set by thē which ar against the. For in that is my whole delight Iohan Bale O blessed woman and vndoubted cytyzen of heauen Truthe it is that thou hast had manye aduersaryes yea and a far greatter nombre of them than thou hast here reckened And the more thou hast had the greatter is nowe thy vyctorye in Christ. The great bodye of the Beast thou hast had to enemye whiche cōprehendeth the malignaunt muster of Sathā on the one syde the earthly worshyppers of his blasphemous beastlines on the other syde Daniel xi Apoc. xi i. whose nōbre is as the sande of the sec infynite Apo. xx But consydre agayne what fryndeshyp thou hast gotten for it on the other part Thou hast now to frinde for thy faythefull perseueraunce agaynst those ydoll mongers the sempyternall trynyte the father the sonne the holye Gost. Ioā xiiii With the gloryouse multitude of Angels the patriarkes Prophetes Aposteles Martyrs wyth all the electnōbre from righteous Abel hytherto Thou hast also here vpō earthe euermore shall haue the fauer of all thē which haue not bowed to that fylthy Beaste whose names are regestred in the boke of life Apo. xxi And as for thy vngodlye cruell enemyes as dust in the wynde the lorde wyll scattre them from the face of the earth be they neuer so stowte and many Psal. i. Anne Askewe And Lorde I hartelye desyre of the that thou wylte of thy mooste mercyfull goodnesse forgeue them that vyolence whyche they do and haue done vnto me Open also thou theyr blynde hartes that they maye hereafter do that thynge in thy syghte whych is onely acceptable before the. And to sette fourthe thy veryte a ryghte wythoute all vayne fantasyes of synnefull men So be it O Lorde so be it By me Anne Askewe Iohan Bale Afore here she confesseth with Dauid that on God she had caste her care and that in him was all her hartes delyght Psa. lx She desyred hym also neuer to fayle herin to is harde cōdicte but strōglye to assist her and in no case to
therof I sayde also that soche vnaduysed and hastye iudgemente is a token apparent of a verye slendre wytte Then I opened the boke and shewed it him He sayde he thoughte it had bene an other for he coulde fynde no faulte therin Then I desyred hym no more to be so swyfte in iudgemēt tyl he throughly knewe the truth And so he departed Iohan Bale Here sendeth he fourth an other Iudas of hys to betraye this true seruaūt of god Marke the good workemanshypp hardely and tel me yf they be not the of sprynge of the serpent Moche are they offēded with bokes for that they so playnlye do many feste theyr myschefes Iohan Frith is a great moate in their eyes for so turnynge ouer theyr purgatorye and heauynge at theyr most monstruose Masse or mammetrouse Mazon whyche sygnyfyeth breade or feadynge Notwithstandynge Daniell calleth it Maozim betokenynge strēgth or defence Dani. xi because the false worshyppynges therof shuld be so myghtelye defended by worldly autoryte and power No newe thynges is it that good men theyr bokes ar destroyed now a dayes whā they touch the mischefes of that generaciō For Ioakim the kyng of Iuda cut Hieremies prophecies in peces with a penne knyfe in his madnesse threwe them into the fyre commaundyng both Hieremye whych taught them and Baruch that wrot them to be put to death Hiere xxxvi Whan kynge Antiochus had set vpon the aultre of God the abhomynable Idoll of desolacion which is now the popysh masse Mat. xxiiii the bokes of Gods law cōmaunded he to be torne in peces and brent in the fyre sendynge fourth therupon thys cruell proclamacyon That what so euer he was whych had a boke of the Lordes Testament founde aboute hym or that endeuoured them selues to lyue after the lawes of God the Kynges commaundement was they shulde be put to deathe i. Mach. i. Anne Askewe Immedyatlye after came my cosyne Bryttayne in wyth dyuerse other as Master Hawe of Graies inne and suche other lyke Then my lorde of London perswaded my cosyne Bryttayne as he had done oft before which was that I shuld vtter the bottom of my hart in any wyse Iohan Bale This is the fourth tēptacyon or craftye callyng vpō to vtter her mynd that he myght saye of her as Cayphas sayde of Christ. Mat. xxvi what nede we anye more witnesses Lo now ye haue herde a blasphemye or an heresye How say ye now to it which are her frindes Is she not gyltye of deathe Yf they shuld haue sayd nay vnto thys they shuld haue bene so in as depe daūger as she This serpentyne practise was as wel to trappe them as her let it not be vnmarked Anne Askewe My lorde sayde after that vnto me that he wolde I shuld credyte the counsell of my fryndes in his behalfe whyche was that I shoulde vtter all thynges that burdened my conscyence For he ensured me that I shulde not nede to stāde in doubte to saye anye thynge For lyke as he promysed thē he sayd he promysed me and wolde perfourme it Which was that neyther he nor anye man for him shoulde take me at aduauntage of anye worde I shuld speake And therfore he bad me saye my mynde withoute feare I answered him I had noughte to say For my cōscyence I thanked god was burdened with nothynge Iohan Bale Styll foloweth this ghostly enemye his former temptaciō and calleth vpon mortall vtteraunce or vtteraunce full of deathe that he myght crie wyth Cayphas Luc. xxii what nede we further testymonye Her owne mouthe hath accused her We are able wytnesses therof for oure owne eares haue hard it Thus laye they wayte for bloude saythe Salomon and lurke pryuelye for the innocente wythout a cause Prouerbiorū i. Consent not sayth he vnto soche tyrauntes yf they entyce the. For though their worde apere as honye Prouerbiorum xvi Yet shalt thou fynde thē in the ende so bytter as wormewode Prouerbiorum v. Though that whory she generacion pretendeth a coloure of gentelnesse yet byte the it at the latter lyke a serpent and styngeth lyke an adder throwynge forthe poyson Prouer. xxiii Anne Askewe Then brought he fourthe thys vnsauerye symylytude That yf a man hadde a wounde no wyse surgeon woulde mynystre helpe vnto it before he hadde seane it vncouered In lyke case saythe he can I geue yow no good counsell vnlesse I knowe where wyth youre conscyence is burdened I answered that my conscyence was clere in al thynges And for to lai a pliaster vnto the whole skinne it might apere moch folye Iohan Bale Hath not he thynke yow moch nede of helpe which seketh to soch a surgeon Vncircumspect is that pacyente and mooste commonlye vnfortunate which goeth to the commē murtherer to be healed of his disease Christe had vs euermore to be ware of all suche vnlesse we wolde be woryed Matth. vii The nature of these Lorde sayth Dauid is not to make whole but to persecute them whom thou hast smytten to adde woūdes vnto wounde Psalm lxviii Their owne boches are insanable Esa. i. for the multitude of their myschefes Hie. xxx The prest and the Leuyte which trauayled betwine Hierusalem and Hierico healed not the wounded man yet were they no wounders Lu. x. Who can thynke that he wyll vnburden the cōscyence wych studyeth nothynge els but to oute loade it with most greuouse and daūgerouse burdens Math. xxiii Anne Askewe Then ye dryue me saythe he to laye to your charge youre owne report whyche is thys Ye dyd saye he that dothe receyue the sacrament by the handes of an yll prest or a synner he receyueth the deuyll and not God To that I answered that I neuer spake soch wordes But as I sayde a fore both to the qwest and to my lorde Mayte so saye I nowe agayne that the wyckednesse of the preste shuld not hurte me but in sprete and fayth I receyued no lesse the bodye and bloud of Christ. Then sayd the byshoppe vnto me what a saynge is this In sprete I wil not take you at that aduauntage then I answered my lorde with out fayth and sprete I can not receyue him worthelye Iohan Bale Now sheweth thys Cayphas where about he goeth for all his false flatterynge colours afore And seynge he can winne none aduaūtage to his cruel purpose of her owne cōmunycacion he shaketh the bougettes of his prouyded Iudases and betrayers of innocent bloud He bryngeth fourth suche stuffe and store as that wycked qwest had gathered of her answer to them to flatter and to please his tyranny therwith It is to be feared that as farre was the feare of God here from thē as from him Psa. xiii for as wel practised they thys myschefe agaynst her as he Marke here the natural workynge of a very ful Antychrist He defēdeth sinne in his owne generaciō and condēneth vertue in Christes dere mēbre Malice pryde
sayth he to those thynges which are laied Here against that of these mē Neuerthelesse he helde hys peace Mar. xiiii But whan he was ones throughly compelled by the name of the lyuynge God to speake and hadde vttered a verye fewe wordes he toke him at suche aduauntage though they were the eternall veryte as he was able through thē to procure hys death Matth. xxvi lyke as thys bloudye Bishopp Bonner of the same wycked generacion dyd at the lattre by thys faythful woman Anne Askewe Thirdelye my lorde layed vnto my charge that I shulde saye that the Masse was ydolatrye I answered hym No I sayde not so Howbeyt I sayde the quest dyd aske me whether pryuate Masses dyd releue sowles departed or no Vnto whome than I answered O Lorde what ydolatrye is thys that we shulde rather beleue in pryuate masses than in the helthsome deathe of the dere sonne of God Than sayde my lorde agayne What an answere was that Thoughe it were but meane sayd I yet was it good ynough for the question Iohan Bale About the lattre dayes of Iohan wycleue in the yeare of our lorde a M.CCC LXXXII as Henrye Spenser than Bishopp of Norwich was with a great nombre of English warryours besieginge the Towne of Hypers in Flaunders in the quarell of pope Vrbanus the. vi The vessels of perdycyon or verye organes of Sathan the iiii orders of beggynge fryres preached all Englande ouer that that moste holye father of theirs had lyberallye opened the wele of mercye and graunted cleane remyssyon to all them that wolde eyther fyghte or geue anye thynge towardes the mayntenaunce of those warres in the quarell of holye churche agaynst scysmatykes and heretikes For than was thys matter of their popyshe Masse in great controuersye lyke as it is now More ouer thei promised by vertue of hys great pardons to sende the sowles departed to heauen And diuerse of them sayd they had seane thē flye vp out of the churche yeardes from their graues thydre warde Thys moste deuilishe blasphemie wyth suche other lyke prouoked the sayde Iohan wycleue the verye organe of God and vessell of the holy Ghost not onlye to replye than agaynste them at Oxforde in the open scooles but also to wryte a greate nombre of bookes agaynst that pestylente popyshe kyngedome of theyrs lyke as Martyn Luther hath done also in our tyme wyth many other godly men And lyke as those false prophetes the frires dyd than attribute vnto the popes pardons the remyssyon of synnes the deliueraunce from dāpnacyon and the fre enteraunce of heauē whych peculyarly belongeth to the precyouse payment of Christes bloud i. Petri i. i. Io. i. So do these false anoynted or blasphemouse Byshoppes and prestes now attrybute them agayne vnto theyr pryuate and publique Masses the popes owne wares as prowlynge and pelferynge as the pardons with no lesse blasphemye The deuylysshenes of this newe doctrine of theyrs shall be refelled in my bokes agaynst fryre Peryn and Wynchestre and therfore I wrytte the lesse here Anne Askewe Then I tolde my Lorde that there was a prest whyche dyd heare what I sayde there before my lord Mayre them with that the chaunceller answered which was the same prest So she spake it in veri dede saith he before my lord the Mayre me Then were there certen prestes as doctor Standyshe other which tempted me moche to knowe my mynde And I answered them alwayes thus That I haue sayd to my lorde of London I haue sayde Iohan Bale By thys ye may se that the Byshoppes haue euery wher their watchmē lest the kynges offycers shulde do anye thynge contrarye to their bloudie behoue This Chauncellour wolde not haue thus answered hardely so agreablye to her tale had it not bene to theyr aduauntage agaynste her as here after wyll apere Marke here the fashyon of these temptynge serpentes Standysh and hys fellowes And tel me if they be not lyke vnto those vypers whelpes whyche came to Iohans Baptym Mathei iii. and to Christe Iesus preachynge Luce. xi I thynke ye shall fynde them the same generacion Anne Askewe And then doctor Standyshe desyered my lorde to byd me say my mynde concernyng that same text of S. Paule I answered that it was agaynste saynt Paules lernynge that I beynge a woman shulde interprete the scriptures specyallye wher so many wyse lerned men were Iohan Bale It is not yet halfe a score of yeares ago sens thys blasphemouse Idyote Standyshe compared in a lewde sermon of his the dere pryce of our redempcion or precyouse blode of Christ to the bloud of a fylthy swyne lyke himselfe a swyne And for hys good doyng he is now becomen a dawe a doctor I shuld saye of the popes dyuynyte and a scolasticall interpretour of the scriptures to his behoue Here wold the swynysh gētylman haue proued both that S. Steuen dyed an heretyke and S. Paule a scysmatyke for teachynge that God dwelleth not in tēples made with handes Act vii xvii if he might haue reasōe◠out the matter with thys woman But she toke a swyne for a swyne and wold laye no pearles afore hym as Christe had charged her afore Mathei vii For all their interrogacions are now about the temple and the temple wares Matthei xxvi Anne Askewe Then my lorde of London sayde he was infourmed that one shulde aske of me yf I woulde receyue the Sacramente at Easter and I made a mocke of it Then I desyred that myne accuser myghte come fourth whyche my lorde wolde not But he sayde agayne vnto me I sente one to geue yow good counsell and at the first worde ye called him papyste That I denied not for I perceyued he was no lesse yet made I non answere vnto it Iohan Bale No confortable scriptures nor yet anye thynge to the sowles consolacyon maye come oute of the mouthe of these spirytuall fathers But dogges rhetorycke and curres curtesye narrynges brawlynges and quarellynges Whan she was in the myddes of thē she myght wele haue sayd wyth Dauid Delyuer me lord from the quarelouse dealynges of men that I maye kepe thy cōmaundemētes I deale with the thynge that is lawfull and ryght O geue me not ouer to these oppressers lette not these proud quarellers do me wronge Psal. cxviii But among all these quarellynges her accusers myght not be seane whych were the grounders of them Anne Askewe Then he rebuked me and saide that I shoulde reporte that there were bente agaynste me thre score prestes at Lyncolne In dede quothe I I sayde so For my fryndes tolde me yf I dyd come to Lyncolne the prestes woulde assaulte me and put me to greate trouble as therof they had made theyr boast And whan I hearde it I wente thyder in dede not beynge afrayed because I knewe my matter to be good More ouer I remayned there vi
conscience woulde both accuse me and condempne me of the vnconsyderaunce of my lorde God More precyouse is the thynge which is in daylye controuersye and parell whiche is nowe Goddes true honoure than is al thys worldes treasure here What Christen hart can abyde it to se the creature yea not of God but of man to be worshypped in the stede of God and saye nothynge therin Salomon saythe there is as well a tyme to speake as a tyme to kepe sylence and a tyme as well to hate as a time to loue Ecclesiast iii. With a perfyght hate lorde saythe Dauid haue I hated those bloud thursty enemyes which were in they presumpcion agaynst the Psalm cxviii Strongly and with most myghtye stomacke are hypocrytes to be inuaded whyche wyll not geue place to the veryte Marke how myghtelye Moses resysted Pharao Helyas kynge Achab Helyseus Ioram zachary Ioas Daniell the ydolaters Iohan Baptyst the Pharysees and Herode Steuen the Iewes the Apostles the Byshoppes and prestes Christ rebuked hys discyple Peter and bad him come after hym deuyll Math. xvi Yet called he Iudas his frinde Mat. xxvi Necessary is it that the elect flocke of God do hate the vncleane fowles whych yet holde theyr habytacion in Babylō Apoca. xviii Iohā wycleue and Iohan Huse confesse in theyr writynges that they were by stronge force inwardlye constrayned of God to worke against the great antichrist Erasmus boldely vttered it that God for the euyls of this latter age hath prouyded sharpe phesycyanes Quenche not the sprete sayth S. Paule despyse not prophecyes i Thessalon v. I put my ernest wordes into thy mouthe sayde the Lorde to Hieremye that thou shuldest bothe destroye and buylde Hieremye i Let this suffice ye concernynge oure rebukes for they are Gods enemyes whō we inuade Yf ye perceyue it and fele it on the other syde that the waues of the see are greate also and doth horryblye rage in these dayes Psa. xcii Considre agayne sayth Dauid that the Lorde whyche dwelleth on hygh is a great dele myghtyer than they As he is of power to cease the storme and to make the wether caulme Psalme cvi So is he able to change a kynges indignacion which is but death into mooste peaceable fauer and louynge gentylnes Prouerbiorum xvi For the hart of a kynge is euermore in the hande of God and he maye turne it which waye he wyl Proue xxi Hys eternall pleasure it is that ye shuld honoure your kynge as his immediate mynyster cōcerning your bodyes and lyues i. Petri. ii and that ye shuld with al gentylnesse obeye the temporall rulers Romano xiii But suche spirituall hypocrites both Byshoppes and prestes as are continuall haters of hys heauenlye verite wolde he that we shulde hold for most detestable apostates and blasphemouse reprobates as did Christ and his Apostles which neuer obeyed them but most sharpelye rebuked them Matthei xxiii Acto xx and. ii Pet. xi The grace of that lorde Iesus Christ be euer wyth thē whyche ryghtly hate that sinagoge of Sathan as dyd Anne Askewe Amen God standeth by the generacyon of the ryghteouse Psal. xiii Thus endeth the firste examynacion of Anne Askewe latelye done to deathe by the Romyshe popes malycious remnaunte and nowe canonysed in the preciouse blode of the lord Iesus Christ. Imprynted at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen in Nouembre Anno. 1546. ¶ The voyce of Anne Askewe oute of the. 54. Psalme of Dauid called Deus in nomine tuo FOr thy names sake be my refuge And in thy truth my quarel iudge Before the Lorde let me be harde And wyth fauer my tale regarde Loo faythles men agaynst me ryse And for thy sake my death practyse My lyfe they seke with mayne myght Which haue not the afore their sight Yet helpest thou me in this distresse Sauynge my soule from cruelnesse I wote thou wylt reuenge my wronge And vysyte them ere it be longe I wyll therfore my whole hart bende Thy gracyouse name Lorde to commende From euyl thou hast delyuered me Declarynge what myne enemyes be Prayse to God Who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. xi He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. v. ¶ The latter examynacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Sinagoge of Antychrist wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psalme cxvi The verite of the lord endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by this verite of god to the ende I wyll poure oute my sprete vpon all fleshe saith God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Iohel ii ¶ Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the primatiue churche as the horible persecucyons increased many dyligēt writers collected the godly answers tryumphaūte sufferinges of the martyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of this nombre was Lucas which wrote the Apostles actes So were after him Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton Asianus Abdias Babilonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexaūdrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius Nicephorus a greate sorte more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshop of Rome ordayned in his tyme for that onely offyce vii deacōs so many notayres aboute the yeare of oure lorde CC. XXXVI that they shuld faithfully regestre theyr martyrdomes to holde thē in contynual remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No les necessary is that offyce now though fewe mē attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christē cōmō welthe than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucions all Christendome ouer so we le as were than Now are the true Christians vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as thā Now are they reuiled punyshed imprisoned haue all euyll spoken against them for Christes verites sake Math. v. 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 kingedome of pacience Apo. i. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonies what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Barnard sayth in his homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer dyd the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some besterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late yeares by the bolde calling on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of
it is vnto them appropriate of the holye Ghoste in manye places of the scryptures In the lattre dayes sayth Iudas the apostle shal come mockers walkynge in vngodlynesse all after their owne lustes These are they whych separat themselues frō the common sort by a name of spirytualtye beyng in conuersacion 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 broughte agayne before the counsell Then woulde they nedes knowe of me what I sayd to the sacramēt I answered that I alredye had sayd that I coulde saye Then after diuerse wordes they had me go by Then came my lorde Lyle my lorde of Essexe and the Byshoppe of winchester requirynge me ernestlye that I shoulde confesse the sacrament to be fleshe bloude and bone Then sayde I to my Lorde Par and my Lorde Lyle that it was greate shame for them to counsell contrarye to theyr knowledge Wherunto in fewe wordes they dyd saye that they wolde gladlye al thynges were well 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 that Ezechias the kynge of Iuda wold in no case at theyr callynge on put Mycheas the true prophete vnto deathe whan he had prophecyed the destruction of Samaria for theyr ydolatrye and for the tyrannye of their prynces and false prophetes Miche i. and. iii. Neyther wold the prynces at the prestes headye exclamacyons murther Hieremye for the lordes verite preachynge but mercyfullye delyuered hym out of theyr malycyous handes Hieremi xxvi Pylate in lyke case concernynge the newe lawe pleated wyth the Iewes spirytualte to haue saued Christ frō the deathe Math xxvii Io. xviii So dyd the captaine Claudias Lisias delyuer Paule frome their mortal malyce after that the hygh prest Ananias had commaunded hym to be smytten and his retynewe cōspired his deathe Act. xxiii At the prestes only prouocacyon was it that the heythnysh emprours so greuouslye vexed and tormented the Christen beleuers in the prymatyue churche as testyfyeth Egesyppus Clemens Alexandrinus Esebius and other olde hystoryanes Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppe sayd he woulde speake with me famylyarlye I sayde so dyd Iudas whan he vnfryndelye betrayed Christe Then desyred the Byshoppe to speake wyth me alone But that I refused He asked me whye I sayde that in the mouthe of two or thre wytnesses euerye mattre shoulde stande after Christes and Paules doctrine Mathei xviii and. ii Cor. xiii Iohan Bale Dyd she not thynke you hyt the nayle on the head in thus tauntynge thys Byshoppe yeas For as greate offence doth he to Christ that gyueth one of his beleuynge members vnto deathe as did he that betrayed first his owne bodye That ye haue done vnto those little ones shal he saye at the lattre daye whyche haue beleued in me ye haue done vnto myne own persone Math. xxv Who so toucheth them saythe zacharye shall touche the apple of the lordes owne eye zacha ii But this beleueth not that peruerse generacion Anne Askewe Then my lorde Chauncelloure beganne to examyne me agayne of the sacramente Then I axed hym howe longe he woulde halte on bothe sydes Then woulde he nedes knowe where I founde that I sayde in the scripture iii. Reg. xviii Then he went his way Iohan Bale Of Helias the prophet were these wordes spoken to the people of Israel such tyme as they halted betwyne ii opyniōs or walked vnryghtly betwyne the true lyuynge god the false God Baal as we do now in Englāde betwyne Christes Gospell and the popes olde rotten customes We slenderlye consydre with S. Paule that Christ wyll haue no felyshyppe or concorde with Beliall lyghte wyth darkenes ryghtwysnesse wyth vnryghtwysenes the temple of God wyth ymages or the true beleuers wyth the infydels ii Corinth vi For al our new Gospell yet wyll we styll beare the straūgers yoke wyth the vnbeleuers and so come neyther whote nor colde that god maye spewe vs out of his mouth as vnsauerye morsels Apo. iii. Saynge vnto vs as to the folyshe vyrgynes Verely I knowe you not Math. xxv Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppe sayde I shulde be brente I answered that I had serched all the scriptures yet could I neuer fynd there that eyther Christ or his Apostles put any creature to deathe Well wel sayde I God wyll laughe youre threttenynges to scorne Psalm ii Then was I commaunded to stande a syde Iohan Bale Amonge other songes that the holye scripture geueth vs to knowe an Antychrist by it sheweth that he shall be an aduersarye ii These ii An vnsacyable dogge Esa lvi A persuynge enemy psa iiii An enemye in the sanctuary Psal. lxxiii A rauening wolfe Mat. vii Luce x. Iohā x. Acto xx And a mooste cruell murtherer Dani. xi Iohan xvi Apoc. xiii Vnto soche sayth S. Iohan is it geuē to vexe mē with heate of fyre Apo. xvi The wyckednesse of prestes sayth Hiere shedeth innocētes bloude Yea say they ye must be brēt ye must dwel among the gentiles Treno iiii Or be cōmitted to prisō of the wordli powers so put vnto death by thē We maruele not therfore though these partes be played of proude Byshoppes Cōsydering the holye Ghost must be foūde true in hys foriudgemētes that some ther must be to do the feates But trulye dyd thys woman cōclude with the prophecye of Dauid Psalme ii That God which dwelleth in heauen shall haue theyr tyrannye in deryson and bringe all theyr wicked counsels to naught in the clere openynge of his worde haue they neuer so many paynted colours of false rightwysnesse Anne Askewe Then came mastre Pagette to me and desyred me to speake my mynde to hym I myghte he sayde denye it agayne if nede were I sayde that I wolde not denye the truthe He asked me howe I coulde auoyde the verye wordes of Chryste Take eate Thys is my bodye whych shall be broken for yowe I answered that Chrystes meanynge was there as in these other places of the scrypture I am the dore Ioan. x. I am the vyne Ioan xv Beholde the lambe of God Iohan. i. The rocke stone was Christe i. Cor. x. and soche other lyke Ye maye not here sayde I take Chryste for the materyall thynge that he is sygnyfyed by For than ye wyll make hym a verye dore a vyne a lambe and a stone cleane contrarye to the holy Ghostes meaninge All these in dyde do sygnyfye Chryste lyke as the breade dothe hys bodye in that place And though he dyde saye there Take eate this in remembraunce of me Yet dyde he not bydde them hange vp that breade in a boxe and make it a God or bowe to it Iohan Bale Moche ado
worshyppynge of them consideryng that he so ernestly abhorreth them Fynallye ii sortes of people she reckeneth to be in the world and sheweth the dyuerse manner of them The one in the sprete of Christe obeyeth the worde the other in the sprete of errour cōtempneth it And lyke as S. Paule dothe saye To the one part is it the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe and to the other the sauour of deathe vnto death ii Corinth ii Anne Askewe Salomon sayth saynte Steuen buylded an howse for the God of Iacob Howe be yt the hyeste of all dwelleth not in temples made wyth handes As saythe the prophete Esaye lxvi Heauen is my seate and the earth is my fote stole What howse wyll ye buylde for me sayth the Lord or what place is it that I shall rest in hathe not my hande made al these thynges Actorum vii Woman beleue me sayth Christe to the Samaritane the tyme is at hand that ye shall neyther in thys mountayne nor yet at Hierusalem worshyppe the father Ye worshyppe ye wote not what but we knowe what we worshyppe For saluacyon commeth of the Iewes But the houre cōmeth and nowe is wherin the true worshyppers shall worshype the father in spirite and veryte Ioannis iiii Laboure not sayth Christe for the meate that perysheth for that endureth into the lyfe euerlastynge whych the sonne of man shall geue yowe For hym god the father hath sealed Iohan. vi Iohan Bale Here bringe she iii. stronge testymonyes of the newe testament to confirme her owne Chrysten beleue therwith and also both to confute and condempne the moost execrable heresie and false filthy beleue of the papystes The fyrste of them proueth that the eternall God of heauen wyll neyther be wrapped vp in a clowte nor yet shutte vp in a boxe The seconde declareth that in no place of the earthe is he to be sought neither yet to be worshypped but wythyn vs in sprete and veryte The thirde of thē concludeth that Chryste is a feadynge for the sowle and not for the bodye More ouer he is soche a meate as neither corrupteth mouldeth nor perisheth neyther yet consumethe or wasteth awaye in the bellye Lette not the Romysh popes remnaunt in Englāde thynke but in condempnynge the faythe of thys godlye woman they also condemyne the veryte of the lorde vnlesse they cā discharge these iii. textes of the scripture with other iii. more effectuall As I thinke they shall not nisi ad Calendas Grecas If they allege for their part the saynge of Christ Math. xxiiii Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ. They are confoūded by that which foloweth Wherin he ernestlye chargeth hys faith full folowers not to beleue it callynge the teachers of soch doctrine false anointed deceyuable prophetes and sorcerouse worke men Marci xiii Anne Askewe The summe of the condempnacyon of me Anne Askewe at yelde hawle They sayde to me there that I was an heretyke and condempned by the lawe yf I wolde stande in my opynyon I answered that I was no heretyke neythere yet deserued I anye deathe by the lawe of God But as concernynge the faythe whyche I vttered and wrote to the counsell I wolde not I sayde denye it bycause I knew it true Then wolde they nedes knowe if I wolde denye the sacramente to be Chrystes bodye and bloude I sayde yea For the same sonne of God that was borne of the vyrgyne Marie is now gloriouse in heauen and wyll come agayne from thens at the lattre daye lyke as he wente vp Acto i. And as for that ye call your God is but a pece of breade For a more profe therof marke it whan ye lyste let it lye in the boxe but iii. monethes and it wyll be moulde and so turne to nothynge that is good Wherupon I am persuaded that it can not be God Iohan Bale Christ Iesus the eternall sonne of God was condempned of thys generacion for a sedicyouse heretyke a breaker of their sabbot a subuerter of their people a defyler of their lawes and a destroyer of their temple or holye churche Ioan. vii Luce xxiii Mathei xxvi Mar. xiiii suffred death for it at their procuremente by the lawe than vsed Is it than any maruele if hys inferiour subiect here and faythfull membre do the same at the cruell callynge on and vyolent vengeaunce of their posteryte No no the seruaunt muste folowe her mastre and the fote her heade and maye be foūde in that poynt no better thā he Ioan. xiii Saint Augustine diffynynge a sacrament calleth it in one place a signe of an holye thynge In an other place a vysyble shape of an inuisyble grace Whose offyce is to instructe anymate and strengthen our faythe towardes God and not to take it to it self and so depryue hym therof Christes bodye and bloude are neyther sygnes nor shaddowes but the verye effectuall thynges in dyde signified by those figures of breade and wyne But how that drye and corruptyble cake of theirs shulde become a God manye men wonder now a dayes in the lyght of the Gospell lyke as they haue done afore tyme also And specyally why the the wyne shulde not be accepted and set vp for a God also so we le as the breade consyderynge that Christ made so moche of the one as of the other Anne Askewe After that they wylled me to haue a preste And than I smyled Then they asked me if it were not good I sayde I wolde confesse my fawtes to God for I was sure that he wold heare me with fauer And so we were cōdempned without a queste Iohan Bale Prestes of godlye knowlege she dyd not refuse For the knewe that they are the massengers of the lorde that his holy wordes are to be sought at ther mouthes Mala. ii Of them she instauntlye desyred to be instructyd and it was denyed her as is written afore What shulde she than els do but returne vnto her lorde God in whome she knewe to be habundaunce of mercy for all them whych do from the hart repent Deutro xxx As for the other sort of prestes she dyd not amys to laugh both them and their maynteners to scorne For so doth God also Psalme ii And curseth both their absolucyons blessynges Mala. ii A thefe or a murtherer shulde not haue bene condempned without a queste by the lawes of Englande But the faythfull members of Iesus Christ for the spyght and hate that thys worlde hath to hys veryte must haue an other kinde of tyrannye added therunto besides the vnryghteouse bestowynge of that lawe Do be vnto yow sayth the eternall God of heauen by hys prophete or dampnacyō be ouer your heades that make wicked lawes and deuise cruell thinges for the poore oppressed innocentes Esaie x Do vnto hym that buyldeth Babylon with bloude and maynteyneth that wicked citie styll in vnryghtwysnesse Abacuch ii Nahum iii.
Ezech. xxiiii Anne Askewe My beleue whyche I wrote to the counsell was thys That the sacramentall breade was left vs to be receyued with thankes geuynge in remembraunce of Chrystes deathe the onlye remedye of our sowles recouer And that therby we also receyue the whole benefyghtes and frutes of hys mooste gloryouse passyon Iohan Bale We reade not in the Gospell that the materyall breade at Christes holye supper was anye other wise taken of the Apostles thā thus Neither yet that Chryste our mastre sauer requyred anye other takynge of them If so manye straunge doubtes had bene therin and so hygh dyffycultees as be moued and are in controuersye amonge men now a dayes both papystes and other they coulde no more haue bene left vndyscussed of hym than other high matters were The discyples axed here neyther how nor what as doubtlesse they woulde haue done if he hade mynded them to haue taken the breade for him They thought it ynough to take it in hys remembraunce lyke as he than playnelye taught them Luce xxii The eating of his fleshe and drynkynge of hys bloude therin to the releuynge of their sowles thyrst and hunger they knewe to perteyne vnto fayth accordynge to hys instruccyons in the vi of Iohan. What haue thys godlye woman than offended whyche neyther haue denyed hys incarnacyon nor deathe in thys her confessyon of faythe but most firmelye and groundedlye trusted to receyue the frutes of them bothe Anne Askewe Then wolde they nedes knowe whether the bred in the boxe were God or no I sayde God is a sprete and wyll be worshypped in sprete and truthe Ioan. iiii Then they demaunded Wyl yow playnlye denye Christ to be in the sacrament I answered that I beleued faythfullye the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnes wher of I recyted agayne the hystorye of Bel and the. ix chaptre of Daniel ye. vii and the. xvii of the Actes and the. xxiiii of Mathew concludynge thus I neyther wyshe death nor yet feare his myghte God haue the prayse therof with thankes Iohan Bale Amonge the olde ydolaters some toke the sūne some the mone some the fyre some the water with soch other lyke for their Godes as witnesseth Dioderus Siculus Herodotus Plynius Lactantius dyuerse autours more Now come our dottinge papistes here wadinge yet more deper in ydolatrye and they must haue breade for theyr God yea a waffer cake whyche is scarse worthy to be called bread In what sorowful case are Christen people nowe a dayes that they maye worshypp their lorde and redemer Ihesus Christe in no shappe that hys heauenly father hath set hym forth in but in such a shappe only as the waffer baker hath ymagined by his slendre wyt Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for theyr Gods 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 worshyp soche a God either yet to haue himself honoured in such a symylytude No thynge is here spoken agaynst the moste holye table of the lord but agaynst that abhomynable ydol of the prestes which hath moste detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse wytnesse of the lorde dyd this blessed woman sheweth her selfe in the answere makynge to thys blasphemous beggerye whā she sayde that god was a sprete and no waffer cake woulde be worshypped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and inglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydol but moch more godly to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in tēples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her selfe a most constaunt martyr praysynge her Lorde God for hys gyfte She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shulde se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan viii Agayn they that beleued on him shuld ioyfully passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Iohan. v. And vpon these promises she most strōgely trusted She considered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyfe i. Petri iii. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme hadde the rule of death Hebreorum ii And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it selfe Osee. xiii Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The Lorde God by whom all creatures have theyr beynge blesse yow wyth the lyghte of hys knowledge Amen My dutye to your lordshyppe remembred c. It myghte please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whyche vpon due consyderacions is moued to the same and hopethe to obtayne My requeste to youre lordeshyppe is only that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kynges magestye that hys grace maye be certyfyed of these fewe lynes whiche I haue wrytten concernynge my beleue Whyche whan it shall be trulye conferred wyth the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thynke hys grace shall well perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuen payer of balaunces But I remyt my matter cause to almyghtye God whyche ryghtlye iudgeth al secretes And thus I commende youre lordeshyppe to the gouernance of him and felyshipp of all sayntes Amen By youre handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In this byl to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyōs sequestred what this womā was She is not here defected with the desperat for vnryghteouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowyng as they do commōlye But stādynge vp strongely in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers and wysheth them the lyghte of Goddes necessarye knowledge Luce. vi She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum xiii And though theyr autoryte be sore abused yet wyth Christe and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herselfe to them thynkynge to suffer vnder them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunte i. Peter iiii Notwithstandyng she layeth forth here both before chauncelloure kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to theyr bounde dewtye myghte more ryghtlye waye it iii. Regu x. Not that she coueted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembraunce of theyr offyce concernynge the swerd which they ought not vaynely to ministre Roman xiii and that they shulde also be wythout excuse of ignoraunce in the greate daye of reckenynge for permitting soch vyolēce to be done Roma ii In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherein she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalme cxlv Anne
a daies for that wretched blynde kyngdome of the Romysh pope But trust vpon it trulye ye terryble termagantes of hell There is no practise there is no wisdome there is no counsell that can agaynst the lorde preuaile Prouerb xxi Ye loke to be obeyed in all deuilyshnesse But ye considre not that where God is dishonoured by your obedyence there belongeth none to yow Acto v. Ye haue moch ado here with sectes as though it were a great heresye rightlye to beleue in our lorde Iesus Christ after the Gospell not after your Romysh father But where was euer yet a more pestylent and deuilish secte than is that Sodomytyshe secte whom ye here so ernestlye maynteyne with tyrannye and mischefe How gredilye seke yow the slaughter of Gods true seruauntes ye bloud thurstye wolues as the holye Ghost doth call yow Psal. xxv If the vertuouse ladies most noble women whose liues ye cruellye seke in your madde ragynge furye as rauishynge lyons in the darke Psal. ix haue throwne of their shulders for Christes easye and gentill burden Mathey xi the popes vneasye and importable yoke Luce xi Happye are they that euer they were borne For therby haue they procured a greate quietnesse and helthe to their sowles For Christes worde is quicke and bringeth nothinge els to the sowle but life Hebreo iiii The popes olde tradicyons and customes beinge but the wisdome of the fleshe are verie poyson and deathe Roma viii Anne Askewe Then sayde they vnto me that the kynge was infourmed that I coulde name if I wolde a great nomber of my secte Thē I answered that the kynge was as wele deceyued in that behalfe as dissembled with in other matters Iohan Bale Great Assuerus kinge of the Perseanes Medes was infourmed also that the seruaunt of God Mardocheus was a traitour which neuerthelesse had discouered ii traytours a lyttle afore and so saued the kynges lyfe Hester iii. But Haman that false coūseller which so infourmed the kinge was in the ende proued a traitour in dede as I doubt it not but some of these wyll be founde after this and was worthelie hanged for it so fallinge into the snare that his selfe had prepared for other Psal. vii Albertus Pyghius Cochleus Eckius soch other pestilent papistes haue fylled all Christendome with railings bokes of our kinge for renouncinge the Romish popes obedience but therof ye infourme not his grace No neither excuse ye nor yet defende ye his godlie acte in that behalfe But ye are as apereth very well contented that he be yl spoken of for it It is not a yeare ago sens out wynchestre was at Vtrecht in hollād where as the sayd Pighius dwelt was for hys papistrye in great autoryte I know certaynlye the mā there was moch more easye to please in that cause than in another sleuelesse matter of hys owne cōcernynge Martyne Bucer Hys gallaūtes also warraūted there I knowe to whome that the Romysh pope by the Emprours good helpe shuld withī fewe yeares haue in Englāde as great autoryte as euer he had afore I doubt not but sūwhat they knewe of theyr masters good cōueyaūce but of this is not the kinge infourmed I coulde write here of manye other mysteryes cōcernynge the obseruaunt fryres other raūgynge Rome ronners what newes they receyue wekelye out of Englāde frō the papystes there in what hope they are put of their returne thydre agayne For I haue seane ther braggynge letters therof sent frō Emeryck to Frystāde frō the cōtraie of Coleyne into Westphalie Of this and soch other cōueyaūces the kinge is not yet infourmed but I trust he shall be Anne Askewe Then cōmaunded they me to shewe howe I was maynteyned in the Counter and who wylled me to stycke by my opynyon I sayd that there was no creature that therein dyd strengthen me And as for the helpe that I had in the counter it was by the meanes of my mayd For as she went abroad in the stretes she made to the prentyses and they by her dyd sende me moneye But who they were I neuer knewe Iohan Bale Ioseph was in pryson vndre Pharao the fearce kynge of Egypte yet was he fauourably handeled and no man forbidden to confort him Gen. xxxix Whā Iohan Baptist was in stronge duraunce vnder Herode the tyraunt of Galile hys discyples dyd frely vysyt hym and were not rebuked for it Mat. xi Paule beynge emprysoned and in cheynes at Rome vnder the most furyouse tyraunt Nero was neuer blamed for sendynge his seruaunt Onesimus abroad nor yet for writynge by hym to hys fryndes for socour Philem. i. Neither yet was Philemon troubled for releuyng hym there by the sayd Onesimus nor yet hys olde frynd Onesipherus for personally there vysytynge hym and supportyng hym wyth hys moneye lyke as he had done afore also at Ephesus Nowe conferre these storyes and soche other lyke with the present handelynge of Anne Askewe and ye shal well perceyue our Englyshe rulers and iudges in theyr newe Chrystyanyte of renouncynge the pope to excede all other tyrauntes in all cruelty spyght and vengeaunce But loke to haue it no otherwyse so longe as mytyred prelates are of counsell Be ashamed cruell beastes be ashamed for all Chrystendome wondereth on youre madnesse aboue all Anne Askewe Then they sayde that there were dyuerse gentylwomen that gaue me moneye But I knewe not theyr names Then they sayd that there were dyuerse Ladyes whyche hadde sente me moneye I answered that there was a man in a blewe coate whyche delyuered me x. shyllynges and sayde that my ladye of Hertforde sente it me And an other in a vyolette coate dyd geue me viii shyllynges and sayde that my lady Dennye sēt it me Whether it were true or no I cannot tell For I am not suer who sent it me but as the men dyd saye Iohan Bale In the tyme of Christes preachynge what thoughe the holye clergye were thā not pleased therwith but iudged it as they do styll to this daye most horryble heresye yet certen noble women is Marye Magdalene Iohan the wyfe of Chusa Herodes hygh stewarde Susanna manye other folowed hym frō Galile mynystred vnto hym of theyr substaūce cōcernynge his bodylye nedes Luce. viii These with other more after he was by the said clergye done to most cruell death for the veryte preachyng both prepared oyntementes and spyces to anoynte his bodye Luce. xxiiii also proclamed abroad hys gloryouse resurreccyon to his Apostles and other Ioā xx contrarye to the Byshoppes inhybycion Act. iii. Yet reade we not that anye man or womā was racked for the accusement of them A woman amōge the Macedonyanes dwellynge in the cytie of Thyatira called Lydia by name a purple seller verye rytche in marchaundyse receyued Paule Sylas and Timothe wyth other suspected brethrene into her