heretofore with the receiuing of Christes worde and peaceable Gospell we had great benedictions of God especially this Christian concorde and holy peace so that all were at a full and perfect stay in Religion no man offended with an other but as the sonnes of peace eche of vs with Christian charitie embraced other now alas for pitie the deuill ridyng vpon the red horse shewed vnto S. Iohn in the Reuelation is come forth and power is geuen him to take peace from the earth For now a man can goe to no place but malicious busie bodies curiously search out his deedes marke his wordes and if he agree not with them in despisyng Gods worde then will they spitefully hatefully rayle against him and it calling it error heresie and the professors therof heretickes and schismatikes with other odious and despiteful names as traytours and not the Queenes frends not fauourers of the Queenes proceedinges as if to loue Gods word wer heresie and as though to talke of Christ were to bee schismatikes as though none could be true to the Queene that were not false to God as though none were the queenes frendes but suche as despitefully rayle on her graces Father and brother and on Gods word that they set foorth as though none fauoured the Queenes maiestie but suche as hate all godly knowledge And in very deede these thinges that all this turmoile is made for are meere inuentions of popes brought into the church of theyr owne imaginations without cōmandement or ensample either of Christ or of his Apostles and there is not one word in the Bible that being truely alledged mayntayneth them nor any Doctor of Antiquitie before S. Austens dayes as it hath bene diuers times sufficiently proued before all the whole Parliament and Conuocation of this Realme Yet these being mere traditiōs of Bishops are set out for Gods commaundementes and the Queenes authoritie geuen to her of God to mayntayne his word must be abused to put downe Gods word And your right honourable Iustices keepers of lawes and righteousnes are also abused and made the Bishops apparatours to set forth such romishe trash as is to christes dishonour and agaynst the supreme authoritie of the regall estate of this realme And wee poore subiectes for speaking of that whiche is trueth and our bounden allegeance are dayly punished rayled vpon and noted for seditions and not the Queenes frendes But God who is blessed for euer knoweth that they sclaunder vs and pull the thorn out of their owne foot and put it in ours for the searcher of harts knoweth that we beare a faythful and true hart vnto her grace vnto al her proceedinges that are not agaynst God and his holy worde And we dayly pray vnto the heauēly father to lighten her graces royall hart with the glorious light of his Gospell that she may establishe and confirme that Religion that her graces brother our most deare king did set out amongest vs and so gouerning ruling this her realme in the feare and true way of God shee may long liue and wyth prosperitie peace and honor raigne ouer vs. But we cannot thinke that those men do seek eyther Gods honour or her Graces prosperitie or wealth of the realme that take from her Graces faythfull subiectes Gods word which onely is the roote of all loue and faythfull obedience vnder her grace and of all honestie good life and vertuous concord amonge her Commons And this wee feare least the roote being taken away the braunches wil sooone wither and be fruitles And when the Philistines haue stopped vp the welspring the fayre streames that shuld flow shall soone be dryed vp All our watchmen our true preachers haue taught vs that as longe as wee retayned Gods word we should haue God our gracious mercifull father but if we refused and cast of the Lordes yoke of hys doctrine then shall we looke for the Lordes wrath and seuere visitation to plague vs as hee did the Iewes for the like offences And Paule sayth God gaue to them the spirite of vnquietnes and vprore eyes wherwith they should not see eares wherewith they should not heare vntill this day And as Dauid sayd Let theyr table be made a snare to take themselues withall a trap to catche them and a stumbling blocke to fall at Let theyr eyes be blinded that they see not bow thou downe their backes alwayes O mercifull God all this is now come vpon vs and daily more more encreased and we feare at last it will so bow down our backes that we shall vtterly be destroyed the troublesome spirite of vprores vnquietnesr dayly troubleth mēs harts worketh such vnquietnes in al places that no man that loueth quietnes can tell where to place hymselfe Men haue eyes see not how greeuous offence it is to cast of the yoke of Gods doctrine to beare the heauye burden that vnfaythfull hipocrites lay vpon vs. We haue eares and heare not the warning of Gods worde calling vs to true repentance nor his threates agaynst our impietie Our most sweet table of Christes word and most holy Communion is taken away and turned to a moste perillous snare through the brawling disputations of men And as the Idoll of abomination betokeneth finall subuersion vnto the Iewish nation so wee feare this settyng aside of the Gospell and holy Communion of Christe and the placing it of Romish religion betokeneth desolation to be at hand of this noble realme of England For the plagues of hunger pestilence and sworde can not long tary but except we repent and turne agayne to the Lord our backes shall be so bowed that the like horrible plagues were neuer seene And no maruell for the like offence was neuer committed as to reiect and cast of Christ and his word and in playne English to say Wee will not haue him to raigne ouer vs. O Lorde howe terrible is it that followeth in the Gospell Those mine enemies that would not haue me to raygne ouer them bring them hither and slaye them before me God be mercifull vnto vs and moue the Queens maiesties hart and the hartes of her honorable counsayle and youre hartes right honourable Commissioners to weigh these dangers in due time to call Gods word into your Counsayle then you shall see how it agreeth with this Bishoplike commaundement to be as ware to auoyd the contempt of the eternall God and daungers of the same as you are prudent and wise in matters of thys world least if the almighty be contemned hee stretch forth his arme which no man can turne and kindle his wrath that no man can quench We haue humblye opened vnto you oure consciences doubtlesse sore wounded and greeued by this commaundement and wee meekely pray and beseeche the Queenes maiestie for the precious death bloudshedding of Iesus Christ our Sauiour to haue mercy and pitty vpon vs her Graces poore
them in any wise Their leauen is not good Their salte is all vnsauery And vnder good ententes They mayntayne all their knauery And murder Innocentes They seeke to sit in Christes seate And put him out of place And make all meanes that may be made His doynges to deface They keepe him downe with bils batâ— That made the blinde to see They make a God for myce and Rattes And say the same is he They shew like sheepe sweate like Wolues Their baytes be all for bloud They kill and slay the simple soules And rob them of ther good The darke illusions of the deuill Haue dimned so their eyes That they cannot abide the truth To sturre in any wise And if ye keepe the perfect path As I haue hope you doe Ye shall be sure to haue suche shame As they may put you to For all that leade a godly life Shall surely suffer losse And eke the world will seeke theyr shame And make them kisse the crosse Ye shal be killed sayth Christ Your sorrowes shall not cease And yet in your afflictions I am your perfect peace For in the worlde ye shall haue woe Because ye are vnknowne And for because ye hate the world The world will loue his owne Be feruent therefore to the death Agaynst all their decrees And God shall surely fight for thee Agaynst thine enemies Commit your cause vnto the Lord Reuenge not any euill And thou shalt see the wicked want When thou shalt haue thy will For all afflictions that may fall That they can say or doe They are not sure of the wealth We shall attayne vnto For I haue seene the sinners spread Theyr braunches like a bay And yet ere one could turne his head Were withered cleane away Beware that mony make ye not In riches to aryse Agaynst the goodnes of the Lord Among the worldly wise For many mischiefes it hath made That may not be exprest And many euils it hath begonne Which may not be redrest For money maketh many one In riches to rebell And he that maketh gold a God He hath a soule to sell. It maketh Kinges to kill and slay And wast their wittes in warre In leauing of the Wolfe at home To hunt the Foxe a farre And where they should see iustice done And set their realme in rest By mony they be made a meane To see the poore opprest It maketh Lordes obey the lawes That they doe ill and nought It maketh Bishops suck the bloud That God hath dearely bought And where they shuld be faythfull friends And father to the flocke By money they do turne about Euen like a weather Cock The Prieste doth make a mony meane To haue agayne his whoores To put away his wedded wife And children out of doores It holdeth backe the husbandman Which may not be forborne And will not suffer him to sow And cast abroad his corne In like case it doth let agayne When that the seede they sowe It choketh vp the corne agayne So that it cannot growe The husband he would haue a wife With nobles new and olde The wife would haue the husband hangd That she might haue his gold It maketh murthers many a one And beareth much with bloud The childe would see the parentes slayne To sease vppon their good And though it be a blessed thing Created in the kinde It is a necessary euill Annexed to the mind For who so playeth with the pitch His fingers are defiled And he that maketh gold a God Shall surely be beguiled Be frendly to the fatherles And all that are opprest Assist them alwayes out of hand And see them set at rest In all your doinges and your deedes Let mercy still remayne For with the measure that ye meate Shall ye be mette agayne Be alwayes lowly in your life Let loue enioy her owne The highest trees are seldome sure And soonest ouerthrowne The Lyons lacke and suffer sore In hunger and in thurst And they that doe oppresse the poore Continue still accurst The Bee is but a little beast In body or in sight And yet she bryngeth more encrease Then other Crow or Kyte Therefore beware in any wise Keepe well your watche alway Be sure of oyle within your lampe Let not your light decay For death despiseth them that lacke And hateth them that haue And treadeth downe the riche and poore Together in the graue Exhort your Children to be chast Rebuke them for their ill And let them not at any wise Be wedded to theyr will Laugh not with them but keep them low Shew them no mery cheare Least thou doe weepe with them also But bryng them vp in feare And let your light and liuing shyne That ye be not suspect To haue the same within your selfe For which they are correct Be meeke and modest in a meane Let all your deedes be done That they which are without the law May see how right ye runne Keepe well the member in your mouth Your tongue see that ye tame For out of little sparkes of fire Proceedeth out a flame And as the poyson doth expresse The natures of the Tode Euen so the tongue doth manifest The hartes that feareth God For therewith blesse we God aboue And therewith curse we men And therby murders doe aryse Through women now and then And seeing God hath geuen a tongue And put it vnder power The surest way is for to set A hatch before the doore For God hath set you in a seate Of double low degree Fyrst vnto God and then to man A subiect for to be I write not that I see in you These thinges to be suspect But onely set before your face How sinne should be correct For flesh and bloud I know ye are As other women be And if ye dwell in flesh and bloud There is infirmitie Receaue a warning willingly That to thy teeth is tolde Accompt the gift of greater price Then if he gaue thee gold A wiseman sayth Salomon A warning will embrace A foole will sooner as sayth he Be smitten on the face And as your members must be dead From all thinges that are vayne Euen so by Baptisme ye are borne To liue with Christ agayne Thus fare well free and faythfull frend The Lorde that is aboue Encrease in thee â— perfect fayth And leade thee in his loue And as I pray with perfite loue And poure out bitter teares For you and all that are at large Abroad among the bryers Euen so I pray thee to preferre My person and my bondes Vnto the euerlasting God That hath me in his handes That I may passe out of this ponde Wherein I am opprest Inclosed in a clod of clay That here can haue no rest That as he hath begon in me His mercies many one I may attayne to ouertake My brethren that be gone That when the death shall do his worst Where he shall point a place I may be able like a man To looke him in the face For though he catch away my cloke
And as hee neuer ceaseth to be man so doth he neuer lose the similitude of man hys body there hath hys liniamentes hee leaueth them not so hath that body there hys highnesse and shrinketh not and hys manly shape he altereth not at any tyme. He is in that he tooke of the virgin Mary a naturall man in all conditions except sinne And what he tooke of hys blessed Mother by the workyng of the holye Ghost he tooke it for euer and will not exchaunge the same for anye other He tooke the shape of a man with the substaunce of hys manhoode in one sacred wombe There were they coupled together by the holy ghost neuer to be deuyded a sunder He retayneth the one with the other in seperablye As he will not altar the substaunce of hys fleshe into the substaunce of bread no more will hee altar the shape of hys bodye into the forme of bread There cannot be a greater absurditie agaynst the truth then to thinke that he would leaue the shape that he tooke in the virgins womb being an accident vnto hys manhoode and ioyne vnto the same a wafer cake baken in an ouen or betwene a payre of yrons As he is in heauen very man one onely mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Chryst Iesus hee it is that is the propitiation for our sinnes Be bolde therefore to confesse thys most pure and Apostolicall doctrine and also that all fauoure mercy and forgeuenesse commeth onely by him He onely of God the father was made for vs all wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption All these are the giftes of God the father freely geuen vnto vs by Christ Iesus God and man through fayth in his bloud and not by the merites of men Giftes they are I say freely geuen vnto vs of fauoure wythout our deserte by beleeuing and not by deseruing To this doe the lawe and the Prophetes beare witnesse This doctrine haue all the blessed Martyrs of Christes church wytnessed wyth theyr bloude to bee true To thys trueth haue all the consciences of all true beleuers subscribed euer since the Ascension of Christ. This witnesse is not of man but of God What better quarrell can ye thē haue to geue your liues for then the trueth it selfe That man that geueth his lyfe for the truth taketh the rediest way to lyfe He that hath the Popes curse for the truth is sure of Christes blessing Well then my brethren what shall now lette but that ye goe forward as ye haue begon Nay rather runne wyth the runners that ye maye obtayne the appoynted glorye Holde on the right waye looke not back haue the eye of youre heart fixed vppon GOD and so runne that ye may get holde of it Cast awaye all your worldly pelfe and worldly respects as the fauour of friendes the feare of men sensuall affection respect of persons honour prayse shame rebuke wealth pouertie riches landes possessions carnall fathers and mothers wife and children with the loue of your own selues and in respect of that heauenly treasure ye loooke for let al these be denyed vtterly refused of you so that in no cōditiō they do abate your seale or quenche youre loue towardes God In this case make no acōpt of thē but rather repute thē as vile in comparison of euerlasting life Away with them as thornes that choke the heauenly seede of the Gospel where they be suffered to grow They are burdens of the fleshe which encomber the soule exchaunge them therefore for aduauntage Doth not he gayne that findeth heauenly and immortall treasure for earthly corruptible riches Loseth that man any thing whiche of his carnall father and mother is forsaken when therefore he is receaued of God the father to be his childe and eyre in Christ Heauenly for earthly for mortall immortall for transitory thinges permanēt is great gaynes to a Christian conscience Therefore as I beganne I exhort you in the Lorde not to be afrayd Shrinke not my brethren mistrust not God bee of good comforte reioyce in the Lord hold fast your fayth and continue to the end Deny the world and take vp your crosse and follow him whiche is your loadesman and is gone before If you suffer with him yea you shall raygne with him What way can you glorifie the name of your heauenly father better then by sufferyng death for his sonnes sake What a spectacle shal it be to the world to beholde so godly a fellowship as you seruauntes of God in so iust a quarrell as the Gospell of Christ is with so pure a conscience so strong a fayth and so liuely a hope to offer your selues to suffer most cruell tormentes at the handes of Gods enemyes and so to end your dayes in peace to receaue in the resurrection of the righteous life euerlasting Be strong therfore in your battayle The Lord God is on your side and his truth is your cause and against you be none but the enemies of the crosse of Christe as the serpent and his seede the Dragon with hys tayle the marked men of the Beast the ofspring of the Pharisees the congregation malignant the generation of Vipers murtherers as theyr father the deuill hath bene from the beginning To conclude such are they as the Lorde God hath alwayes abhorred and in all ages resisted and ouerthrowne God from whome nothing is hid knoweth what they are Hee that searcheth the heartes of men he hath found them out to be crafty subtill full of poyson proud disdainefull stiffenecked deuourers raueners and barkers against the truth filthy shamelesse and therefore doth the spirite of God by the mouthes of hys holy Prophetes and Apostles call them by the names of Foxes serpentes Cockatrices Lyons Leopardes Bulles Beares Wolues Dogs Swine Beasts teachyng vs therby to vnderstād that their natural inclinatiō is to deceaue poison and destroy as much as in them lyeth the faythfull and elect of God But the Lord with his right arme shal defend his little flocke agaynst the whole rabblement of these worldlings which haue conspired against him he hath numbred all the heares of his childrens heades so that not one of thē shal pearish without hys fatherly wil. He kepeth the sparrowes much more will he preserue them whom he hath purchased with the bloud of the immaculate Lambe Hee will keepe them vnto the houre appointed wherein the name of God shal be glorified in his saynctes In the meane tyme let them woorke theyr willes let them enuy let them maligne let thē blaspheeme let them curse banne betray whippe scourge hang and burne for by these meanes God will try his elect as gold in the furnace and by these fruites shall they also bring themselues to be knowen what they be for all their sheepes skinnes For as he that in suffering paciently for the Gospell of God is thereby knowne to be of Christ euen so in likewise is
daunger to libertie of life then as one passing out of the world by any paines of death Such was the change of the meruailous workyng of the Lordes hand vpon that good man ¶ Cornelius Bongey felow Martyr with Mayster Robert Glouer IN the same fire with him was burned also Cornelius Bongey a Capper of Couentrey and condemned by the sayd Radulph Byshoppe of Couentry and Liechfield As concerning the Articles which were to him obiected the effect therof was this Firste it was articulate agaynste him that these three yeres last in the City of Couentry and Liechfield other places about he did hold mainteyne argue and teach that the Prieste hath no power here to absolue any sinner from his sinnes Secondly that by Baptisme sinnes be not washed away because he sayd that the washing of the flesh purgeth the flesh outwardly and not the soule Thirdly that there be in the Church onely two sacramentes that is Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Fourthly that in the sacrament of theyr popish aulter was not the reall body bloud of Christ but the substance of bread wine there remayning stil because S. Paul calleth it bread and wine c. Fiftly that he within the compasse of the sayd yeares time did hold maintayne and defend that the Pope is not the head of the visible church here in earth c. Sixtly that he was of the dioces and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield c. Seuēthly that the premises are true manifest and notorious and that vpō the same there hath bene is a publick voice and fame as well in the places aboue rehearsed as in other quarters also about c. ¶ His aunsweres Unto the which articles he aunswering agayne to the first he graunted and to euery part therof meaning after the Popish maner of absolution The second he graunted first after reuoked the same To the thyrd also he graunted adding withall that in scripture there be no more conteined To the fourth touching the sacrament he graunted to euery part therof To the fift concerning the Pope likewise Also to the sixt he graūted and likewise to the seuenth Upon these articles and his answeres to the same the sayd Radulph the Bishop read the sentence and so cōmitted him also after the condemnation of Mayster Roberte Glouer to the seculer power Thus this foresayd Cornelius falsely condēned by the Bishop before mentioned suffered at the same stake wyth the Christian Martyr Mayster Robert Glouer at Couentry about the xx day of September ¶ The burning of Mayster Robert Glouer and Cornelius Bongey at Couentry ¶ Here foloweth the story of Iohn Glouer and William Glouer how they were excommunicate and cast out after theyr death and buried in the fieldes NOwe that wee haue discoursed the storye of Mayster Robert Glouer something also woulde bee touched of his other two brethrē Iohn and William Glouer Who albeit they were not called to finishe theyr course by lyke kinde of Martyrdome in the fire as the other did yet because for theyr constaunt profession of Gods Gospell vnto the latter ende they were exempted after theyr death cast out of the same Church as the other was I thought them not vnworthy therefore in the story to be ioyned together which in one cause and the same profession were not sūdered one from the other And first concerning Mayster Iohn Glouer the eldest brother what inward stormes and agonies he susteined by the ghostly enemy partly ye heard before described nowe what his bodily enemies wrought against him remaineth to be declared Whose rage and malice although god so restrained that they coulde litle preuayle agaynst him so long as his life endured yet after his decease hauing power vpon him what they did ye shall now vnderstand After the Martyrdome of mayster Robert Glouer although Iohn Glouer seing his brother to be apprehended for him had small ioy of his life for the great sorow of his hart wherewith he was sore oppressed and would gladly haue put himselfe in his Brothers stead if frendes had not otherwise perswaded with him shewing that in so doyng he might intangle himselfe but should doe his brother no good He thus in great care and vexation endured yet notwithstanding rubbing out as well as he could til at lēgth about the latter end of queene Mary there was a new search made for the sayd Iohn Glouer Whereupon the Sheriffes with theyr vnder Officers and seruauntes being sent to seek him came into his house where he and his wife were It chaūced as he was in his chamber by himselfe the Officers brusting into the house and searching other roomes came to the Chamber doore where this Iohn Glouer was Who being within and holding the latch softly with his hand perceiued and heard the Officers buskeling about the doore amongest whome one of the sayd officers hauing the string in his hand was ready to draw and plucke at the same In the meane time an other comming by whose voice he heard and knew bad them come away saying they had bene there before Whereupon they departing thence wēt to search other corners of the house where they found Agnes Glouer his wife who being had to Liechfilde there examined before the bishop at length after much ado was constrayned to geue place to their tyranny Ioh Glouer in the meane time partly for care of his wife partly through cold taken in the woodes where he did lye tooke an Agew whereupon not long after he left this life which the cruell Papistes so long had sought for Thus by the mighty protectiō of the almighty Lord how Iohn Glouer was deliuered and defended frō the handes of the persecuting enemies during all the time of hys life ye haue hearde Nowe what befell after his death both to him to William his brother it is not vnworthy to be remēbred Who after that he was dead buried in the churchyard without Priest or Clerke D. Dracot then Chauncellour sixe weekes after sent for the parson of the Towne demaunded howe it chaunced that hee was there buryed The parson aunswered that he was then sicke and knewe not of it Then the Chauncellour commaunded the parson to go home and to cause the body of the said Iohn Glouer to be taken vp to be cast ouer the wall into the hie way The Parson agayne answered that he had bene 6. weekes in the earth so smelled that none was able to abide the sauor of him Well quoth D. Dracot then take this byll and pronounce him in the pulpit a damned soule and a twelue moneth after take vp his bones for then the fleshe will be consumed and cast thē ouer the wall that cartes and horses may tread vpon them and then will I come hallow againe that place in the churchyard where he was buried Recorded by the Parson of the towne who tolde the same to Hugh Burrowes dwelling at
and aged folkes that before were not taught to know Christe in their childehood shoulde now euen with children and babes be forced to learne to know him Now therefore he roreth now he rageth But what els do they brethren which serue Satan and become his ministers slaues in mainteining of his impietie but euen the same which they did to whom Christ our Sauiour threatneth this curse in the Gospell Woe vnto you which shutte vp the kingdome of heauen before men take away the key of knowledge from them you your selues haue not entred in neither haue you suffered them that would enter to come in And from whence shall we say brethren that this horrible mischeuous darknes proceedeth which is nowe brought vpon the worlde From whence I pray you but euen from the smoke of the great furnace of the bottomlesse pit so that the sunne and the ayre are now darkened by the smoke of the pit Now euen now out of doubt brethren the pit is opened agaynst vs and the Locustes begyn to swarme and Abbadon now raigneth Ye therfore my brethren which pertaine vnto Christ and haue the seale of God marked in your foreheades that is to wit are sealed with the earnest of the spirite to be a peculiar people of God quite your selues like men and be strong for he that is in vs is stronger then he which is in the world and ye know that al that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is our victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Let the world freat let it rage neuer so much be it neuer so cruel and bloudy yet be ye sure that no man can take vs out of the fathers handes for he is greater then all who hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen him to death for vs all and therefore how shall he not with him geue vs all thinges also Who shall lay any thyng to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ that is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christe Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sworde the rest ye knowe breathren We are certainely perswaded with S. Paul by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe that no kynde of thyng shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which thyng that it may come to passe by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to the comfort both of you of vs all as we for our partes will continually God wyllyng pray for you so deare brethren in the Lorde with all earnest and harty request we beseech you euen in the bowelles of our Lorde Iesus Christ that ye will not cease to pray for vs. Fare ye well deare brethren The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe be with you all euermore Amen ¶ A Letter of Byshop Ridley answearyng to a certayne Letter of one Maister West sometime his Chapleine I Wishe you grace in God and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mightie hand of almighty God it is no more possible to stande by the truth in Christe in tyme of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heate of the fyre Sir knowe you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this worlde is but transitorie and as saint Iohn sayth The world passeth away and the lust thereof I am perswaded Christes wordes to be true Who soeuer shall confesse me before men hym will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shal be saued whom the Redeemer and Sauiour of the worlde shall before his father denie This the Lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my hart that neyther thinges present nor to come hygh nor low lyfe nor death be able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wishe that you wish me deepely to consider thinges perteyning vnto Gods glorye but if you had wished also that neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperitie shoulde let me to mayneteine Gods worde and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for Gods sake to remember my selfe In deede sir nowe it is time so to do for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trow then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare hym that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fire whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together our frayle flesh that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much sute for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in suing for my worldly deliueraunce impayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truth You haue knowen me long in deede in the which time it hath chaunced me as you say to mislike some thinges It is true I graunt for sodaine chaunges without substantiall and necessary cause and the heady settyng foorth of extremities I did neuer loue Confession vnto the minister which is able to instruct correct comfort informe the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in deede I euer thought might do much good in Christes congregation and so I assure you I thynke euen at this daye My doctrine and my preaching you say you haue hearde often and after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament which thing although it was of me reuerently handled and a great deale better then of the rest as you yet in the margent you write warily and in this worlde wisely and yet me thought all sounding not well Sir but that I see so many changes in this worlde so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a litle marueile I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainnes and faythfulnes as much I assure you as for your learning and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider moe things then one and wil not say all that I thinke But what neede you to care what I thinke for any thing I shal be able to do vnto you eyther good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothing against my learning and to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein like your counsell very well and by Gods grace I intend to folow it vnto my lyues end To write vnto those whom you name I can not see what it wyll auayle me For this I woulde haue you knowe that I esteeme nothyng auayleable for me
which also wyll not further the glory of GOD. And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desire of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly myserie if I shoulde not beare you a good hart in God againe me thinke I were to blame Sir howe nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this worlde is at hand I can not tell the Lordes wyll be fulfilled how sone soeuer it shall come I knowe the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt Iudge and be countable to him of all my former lyfe And although the hope of his mercies is my shootanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that who soeuer wittingly neglecteth regardeth not to cleare his conscience he can not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercy Conscience therefore moueth me considering you were one of my familie and one of my houshold of whom then I thinke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house which in deede ought to haue bene an example of godlynes to all the rest of my cure not only of good life but also in promotyng of Gods worde to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryall doth seperate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is God knoweth which the wind doth not blow away this conscience I say doth moue me to feare lest the lightnesse of my familie shall be layde to my charge for lacke of more earnest and diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be God which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my hart before my departyng hence This conscience dooth mooue me also now to require both you and my friende Doctor Haruy to remember your promises made to me in tymes past of the pure settyng foorth and preachyng of Gods worde and his truth These promises although you shall not neede to feare to be charged with them of me hereafter before the worlde yet looke for none other I exhort you as my friendes but to be charged with them at Gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you byddeth me now say vnto you both in Gods name feare GOD and loue not the world for GOD is able to caste both body and soule into hell fyre When his wrath shall sodaynely be kindled blessed are all they that put their trust in hym And the saying of sainct Iohn is true All that is in the world as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father but of the worlde and the worlde passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyll of God abydeth for euer If this gyfte of grace whiche vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens hartes they would not be so light so sodenly to shrinke from the maintenance and confession of the truth as is now alas seene so manifestly of so many in these dayes But here peraduenture you woulde knowe of me what is the truth Syr Gods woorde is the truth as sainct Iohn sayth and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and change as the Moone yet Gods worde is stable abydeth one for euermore and of Christ it is truely sayd Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer When I was in office all that were esteemed learned in Gods word agreed this to be a truth in Gods word written that the common prayer of the Churche should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with many and I ensure you I neuer founde man so farre as I do remember neither old nor new gospeller nor papist of what iudgement soeuer he was in this thing to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of Gods word thinke you that the alteration of the world can make it an vntruth If it can not why then do so many men shrynke from the confession maintenance of this truth receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christe in this worlde but to mainteyne the truth taught in Gods word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same This one thing haue I brought for an ensample other thinges be in like case which now particulerly I neede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truth of Gods word if he be constrained he wyl assuredly forsake God and al his truth rather then he wyl endaunger hym selfe to loose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he doth God and the truth of his word I like very well your plaine speaking wherein you say I must eyther agree or dye and I thinke that you meane of the bodyly death which is common both to good and bad Sir I knowe I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape this death which is so common to all and also incurre the gylt of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I may vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I lyue And because I dare say you wrote of friendshyp vnto me this short earnest aduertisement and I thynke veryly wishing me to lyue and not to dye therefore bearyng you in my hart no lesse loue in GOD then you doe me in the worlde I say vnto you in the worde of the Lord and that I say to you I say to all my friendes and louers in God that if you do not confesse maintayne to your power knowledge that which is grounded vpon Gods worde but will eyther for feare or gayne of the worlde shrinke and play the Apostata in deede you shall dye the death you know what I meane And I beseeche you all my true frendes louers in God remember what I say for this may be the last time peraduenture that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the .viij. day of Aprill 1555. M. Grindal now Archbishop of Canterbury being in the tyme of exile in the citie of Frankford wrote to D. Ridley thē prisoner a certaine Epistle wherin first he lamenteth his captiuitie exhorting him withall to be constant Secondly he certifieth him of the state of the English exiles being dispersed in Germany and of the singuler prouidence of God in stirring vp the fauour of the Magistrates and rulers there towardes them Thirdly he writeth to know his minde and will concerning the printing of his booke agaynst Transubstantiation and of certayne other treatises and his disputations Wherunto Bishop Ridley answereth agayne in order as foloweth ¶ The aunsweare of
Doctor Ridley to the letter abouesayd BLessed be God our heaueÌ„ly father which enclined your hart to haue such a desire to write vnto me blessed be he againe which hath heard your request hath brought your letters safe vnto my handes and ouer all this I blesse him through our Lorde Iesus Christe for the great comfort I haue receiued by the same of the knowledge of your state and of other our dearely beloued brethren and countreymen in those parties beyond the sea Dearely beloued brother Grindall I say to you and all the rest of our brethren in Christe with you reioyce in the Lord and as ye loue me and the other my reuerend fathers and concaptiues whiche vndoubtedly are Gloria Christi lament not our state but I beseech you and them all to geue to our heauenly Father for his endlesse mercies and vnspeakeable benefits euen in the myddest of all our troubles geuen vnto vs most harty thankes For knowe ye that as the weight of his crosse hath increased vpoÌ„ vs so he hath not nor doth not cease to multiply his mercies to strengthen vs and I trust yea by his grace I doubt nothing but he will so do for Christe our Maisters sake euen to the end To heare that you and our other brethren doo finde in your exile fauour and grace with the Magistrates Ministers and Citizens at Tigury at Frankford and other where it doth greatly comfort I dare say all here that do in deede loue Christe and his true woorde I ensure you it warmed my hart to heare you by chaunce to name some as Scory and Coxe c. Oh that it had come in your mynde to haue sayd somewhat also of Cheeke of Turner of Leauer of Sampson of Chambers but I trust in God they be all well And sir seeyng you say that there be in those parties with you of studentes and Ministers so good a number nowe therefore care ye not for vs otherwyse then to wish that Gods glory may be set forth by vs. For whensoeuer God shall call vs home as we looke dayly for none other but when it shal please God to say come you blessed be God are enough through his ayde to light and set vp againe the lanterne of his worde in Englande As concerning the copies ye say ye haue with you I wonder how euer they did and could find the way to come to you My disputation except he haue that whiche I gathered my selfe after the disputation done I can not thynke ye haue it truly If ye haue that then ye haue therwithall the whole maner after the which I was vsed in the disputation As for the treatise in English Contra transubstantiationem vix possum adduci vt credam operaepretium fore vt in latinum transferatur Caeterum quicquid sit nullo modo velim vt quicquam quocunque modo meo nomine ederetur donec quid de nobis dominus constituerit fieri vobis prius certo constiterit and thus much vnto your letters Now although I suppose ye know a good parte of our state here for we are forth commyng euen as when ye departed c. You shall vnderstande that I was in the Towar about the space of two monethes close prisoner and aâ—ter that had graunted to me without my labour the liberty of the Tower and so continued about halfe a yeare and then because I refused to allow the Masse with my presence I was shut vp in close prison agayne The last Lent saue one it chaunsed by reason of the tumult styrred vp in Kent there was so many prisoners in the Tower that my Lord of Canterbury M. Latimer Maister Bradford and I were put altogether in one prison where we remayned still almost to the nexte Easter and then we three Canterbury Latimer and I were sodenly sent a litle before Easter to Oxford and were suffered to haue nothing with vs but that we caried vpon vs. About the Whitsontide followyng was our disputations at Oxford after the which was all taken from vs as pen and inke c. Our owne seruauntes were taken from vs before and euery one had put to hym a straunge man and we eche one appoynted to be kept in seuerall places as we are vnto this day Blessed be God we three at the writing hereof were in good health and in God of good cheare We haue looked long agoe to haue bene dispatched for we were all three on one day within a day or two of our disputations of D. Weston being the head Commissioner condemned for heretikes and since that tyme we remayne as we were of hym left The Lordes will be fulfilled in vs as I do not doubt but by his grace it shal be to his glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise the Lord hitherto hath preserued aboue all our expectation our deare brother and in Christes cause a strong Champion Iohn Bradford He is likewyse condemned and is already deliuered to the secular power and writtes as we haue heard say geuen out for his execution and called in agayne Thus the Lord so long as his blessed pleasure is preserueth whom he listeth notwithstanding the wonderfull raging of the world Many as we heare say haue suffered valiauntly confessyng Christes truth and nothyng yeeldyng to the aduersary yea not for the feare or paynes of death The names of them whiche I knewe and haue nowe suffered are these Farrar the Bishop of S. Dauides Hooper the Bishop of Worcester Rogers tuus olim comprebendarius D. Tailour of Hadley M. Sanders and one Tomkins a weauer and now this last day M. Cardmaker with an other were burnt in Smithfielde at London and many other in Essex and Kent whose names are written in the booke of lyfe whom yet I do not know West your olde companion and sometyme myne officer alas hath relented as I haue heard but the Lorde hath shortned his dayes for anone he dyed and is gon Grimbolde was caught by the heele and caste into the Marshalsey but now is at liberty againe but I feare me he escaped not without some becking and bowyng alas of his knee vnto Baall My deare friende Thomas Ridley of the Bulhead in Cheape which was to me the most faythfull friende that I had in my trouble is departed also vnto God My brother Shipside that hath maried my sister hath ben almost halfe a yeare in prison for deliuering as he was accused of certayne thynges I wene from mee but now thankes be to God he is at libertie agayne but so that the Bishop hath taken from him his Parke Of all vs three concaptiues at Oxford I am kept most strait and with least libertie Vel quia viro in cuius aedibus ego custodior vxor dominatur licet modo sit Prefectus ciuitatis mulier vetula morosa superstiosiss quae etiam hoc sibi laudi ducit quod me dicatur arctissime cautissime
Gods cause and in Christes quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O maÌ„ it is an inestimable and an honourable gift of God geuen onely to the true elects and derely beloued childreÌ„ of God and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen For the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause S. Peter saith If ye suffer rebuke in the name of Christ that is in Christes cause and for hys truths sake then are ye happy and blessed for the glory of the spirit of God resteth vpon you If for rebukes sake suffred in Christes name a maÌ„ is pronounced by the mouth of that holy Apostle blessed happy How much more happy blessed is hee that hath the grace to suffer death also Wherefore all ye that bee my true louers and friends reioyce and reioyce with mee againe render with me hartie thanks to God our heaueÌ„ly father that for his sonnes sake my sauiour redeemer Christ he hath vouchsafed to call me beyng els without his gracious goodnes in my selfe but a sinnefull a vyle wretch to call me I say vnto this high dignitie of hys true Prophets of his faithfull Apostles of his holy elect chosen Martyrs that is to dye and to spend this temporall lyfe in the defence maintenance of his eternal and euerlasting truth Ye know that be my Countreymen dwelling vppon the borders where alas the true man suffereth oftentymes muche wrong at the thieues hande iâ— it chaunce a man to be slayne of a thiefe as it oft chanceth there which went out with his neighbour to helpe him to rescue hys goods agayne that the more cruelly he bee slayne and the more stedfastly he stucke by his neighbour in the fight agaynst the face of the thiefe the more fauour and frendship shall all his posteritie haue for the slayne mans sake of all them that be true as long as the memory of his fact and his posteritie doth endure Euen so ye that be my kinsefolke and countreymen know ye how so euer the blynd ignorant wicked world hereafter shall rayse vppon my death which thyng they caÌ„not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our Sauiour of his holye Prophets Apostles Martyrs know ye I say that both before God all them that be godly and that truly knâ—w follow the lawes of God ye haue and shall haue by gods grace euer cause to reioyce to thanke God highly and to thinke good of it and in God to reioyce of me your fleshe bloud whom God of his gracious goodnes hath vouchsafed to associate vnto the blessed coÌ„pany of his holy Martyrs in heauen and I doubt not in the infinite goodnes of my Lord God nor in the faithful fellowship of his elect chosen people but at both their hands in my cause ye shall rather finde the more fauour and grace For the Lord saieth that he will be both to them and theyrs that loue him the more louyng agayne in a thousand generations the Lord is so full of mercy to them I say and theirs which doe loue hym in deed And Christ saith againe that no maÌ„ can shew more loue then to geue his lyfe for his friend Now also knowe ye all my true louers in God my kinsfolke and Countreymen that the cause wherefore I am put to death is euen after the same sort and condition but touching more neere Gods cause in more waightie matters but in the general kynd all one For both is gods cause both is in the maintenance of right and both for the common wealth both for the weale also of the ChristiaÌ„ brother although yet there is in these two no small difference both concernyng the enimies the goods stolne the maner of the fight For know ye all that lyke as there wheÌ„ the poore true maÌ„ is robbed by the thiefe of his own goods truly gotten whereupon he and his househould should lyue he is greatly wronged the thiefe in stealing robbyng with violence the poore maÌ„s goods doth offend god doth transgres his law and is iniurious both to the poore man and to the common welth so I say know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the Church of England I meane the congregation of the true chosen children of GOD in this Realme of England whiche I knowledge not only to be my neighbours but rather the congregation of my spirituall brethren sisters in Christ yea members of one body wherein by Gods grace I am and haue bene grafted in Christ. This Church of England had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunt grace of almighty God great substaunce great riches of heauenly treasure great plenty of Gods true and sincere worde the true and wholesome administration of Christes holy Sacramentes the whole profession of Christes Religion truely and plainely set foorth in Baptisme the playne declaration vnderstandyng of the same taught in the holye Catechisme to haue bene learned of all true Christians This Church had also a true and sincere forme maner of the Lordes Supper wherein accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce and holy institution Christes commaundementes were executed and done For vpon the bread and wyne set vppon the Lordes Table thankes were geuen the commemoration of the Lords death was had the bread in the remembrance of Christes body torne vpon the crosse was broken and the cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shed was distributed and both communicated vnto all that were present and would receyue them and also they were exhorted of the Minister so to doe All was done openly in the vulgar tong so that euery thyng might be both easily heard plainly vnderstand of all the people to Gods high glorye and the edification of the whole Church This Church had of late the whole diuine seruice all common and publike prayers ordeined to be said and heard in the common congregation not onely framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holy scripture but also set foorth accordyng to the commaundement of the Lord and S. Paules doctrine for the peoples edification in their vulgare tong It had also holy and wholesome Homelies in commendation of the principall vertues which are commended in Scripture and likewyse other Homelies agaynst the most pernicious and capitall vices that vseth alas to raigne in this Realme of England This Church had in matters of controuersie Articles so penned and framed alter the holy Scripture and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods word that in short tyme if they had bene vniuersally receiued they should haue bene able to haue set in Christes Church much concorde and vnitie in Christes true religion and to haue expelled many false errors and heresies wherewith this Church alas was almost ouergone But alas of late into this spirituall possession of the heaueÌ„ly treasure of these godly riches are entred in theues that
whore in the fornication of her whorish dispensations pardons Idolatrye suche like abhominations so shall ye drinke with her except ye repent betime of the cuppe of the Lordes indignation and euerlasting wrath which is prepared for the beast his false prophetes and all theyr partakers For he that is partner with them in theyr whoredome and abhominations must also be partner with them of theyr plagues and on the latter day shall be throwne with them into the lake burning with Brimstone and vnquenchable fire Thus fare ye wel my Lords all I pray God geue you vnderstanding of his blessed will and pleasure and make you to beleue and embrace the truth Amen * An other farewell to the Prisoners in Christes Gospelles cause and to all them whiche for the same cause are exiled and banished out from theyr owne countrey choosing rather to leaue all worldly commodity then theyr mayster Christ. FArewell my dearely beloued brethren in Christ bothe ye my felow prisoners and ye also that be exiled and banished out of your countryes because ye will rather forsake all worldly coÌ„modity then the Gospell of Christ. Farewell all ye together in Christ farewell and be mery for ye know that the triall of your fayth bringeth forth patience and pacience shall make vs perfecte whole and sound on euery side and such after triall ye knowe shall receiue the crowne of lyfe according to the promise of the Lorde made to his dearely beloued let vs therefore be pacient vnto the comming of the Lord. As the husbandmanne abideth pacientlye the former and latter rayne for the encrease of his croppe so let vs bee paciente and plucke vp our hartes for the comming of the Lord approacheth apace Let vs my deare brethren take example of pacience in tribulation of the Prophetes which spake likewise Gods word truely in his name Let Iob be to vs an example of pacience the end which the Lord suffered which is full of mercy and pitty We know my brethren by Gods worde that our fayth is muche more precious then any corruptible golde and yet that is tryed by the fire euen so our fayth is therfore tried likewise in tribulations that it may be found when the Lord shal appeare laudable glorious and honorable For if we for Christs cause do suffer that is gratefull before God for thereunto are we called that is our state and vocation wherewith let vs be content Christ we know suffered for vs afflictions leauing vs an example that we shoulde folow his footesteps for he committed no sinne not was there any guile found in his mouth when he was rayled vpon and all to reuiled he rayled not agayne when he was euill entreated he dyd not threaten but committed the punishment therof to hym that iudgeth a right Let vs euer haue in freshe remembraunce those wonderfull comfortable sentences spokeÌ„ by the mouth of our Sauior Christ Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you persecute you speake all euill against you for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so did they persecute the Prophets which were before you Therfore let vs alway beare this in our mindes that if any incommodity doe chaunce vnto vs for righteousnes sake happy are we whatsoeuer the world doth thinke of vs. Christ our mayster hath tolde vs before hand that the brother should put the brother to death the father the sonne and the children should rise agaynst their pareÌ„ts and kill them and that Christes true Apostles should be hated of all men for his names sake but he that shall abide paciently vnto the end shal be saued Let vs then endure in all troubles paciently after the example of our Mayster Christ and be contented therewith for he suffered being our mayster and Lord how doth it not then become vs to suffer For the disciple is not aboue his mayster nor the seruaunt aboue his Lord. It may suffice the disciple to be as his maister and the seruaunt to be as his Lord. If they haue called the Father of the family the Mayster of the householde Belzebub howe much more shall they call so them of his householde Feare them not then sayth our Sauiour for all pâ—iuityes shall be made playne there is nowe nothing secret but it shall bee shewed in light Of Christes wordes let vs neither be ashamed nor afrayd to speake them for so Christ our mayster commaundeth vs saying that I tell you priuily speake openly abroade and that I tell you in your eare preach it vpon the house toppe And feare not them which kill the body for the soule they cannot kill but feare hym which can cast both body and soule into hell fire Know ye that the heauenly Father hath euer a gracious eye and respect towarde you and a Fatherly prouidence for you so that without his knowledge and permission nothing canne doe you harme Let vs therefore cast all our care vpon him and hee shall prouide that whiche shall be best for vs. For if of two small sparrowes whiche both are sold for a mite one of them lighteth not on the grounde without your father and all the heares of our head are numbred feare not them sayth our Mayster Christ for yee are more worth then many small sparrowes And let vs not sticke to confesse our Mayster Christe for feare of daunger whatsoeuer it shal be remeÌ„bring the promise that Christ maketh saying whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him shall I confesse before my father whiche is in heauen but whosoeuer shall denye me him shall I likewise denye before my father which is in heauen Christ came not to geue vnto vs here a carnall amity and a worldly peace or to knitte his vnto the world in ease and peace but rather to separate and deuide them from the world and to ioyne them vnto himselfe in whose cause we must if wee will bee his forsake father and mother and sticke vnto him If wee forsake him or shrinke from him for trouble or deathes sake which hee calleth his crosse he will none of vs we cannot bee hys If for his cause we shall lose our temporall liues here wee shall finde them agayne and enioy them for euermore but if in his cause we will not be contented to leaue nor loose them here then shall we loose them so that we shall neuer finde them again but in euerlasting death What thoughe our troubles here bee paynefull for the time and the sting of death bitter and vnpleasaunt yet we know that they shall not last in comparison of eternity no not to the twinckling of an eye that they pacieÌ„tly taken in Christes cause shall procure and gette vs vnmeasurable heapes of heauenly glory vnto the which these temporall paines of death and troubles compared are not to be estemed but to be reioyced vpon Wonder
bee free from chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and no children Seing then when as we haue had carnall parents which chastened vs we reuerenced them shall not we much more be subiect vnto our spirituall father that we might liue And they for a litle time taughte vs after theyr owne mind but this father teacheth vs to our commodity to geue vnto vs his holinesse Al chastisment for the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but paynefull but afterward it rendereth the fruite of righteousnesse on them which are exercised in it Wherefore let vs bee of good cheere good Brethren and let vs plucke vppe our feeble members that were fallen or beganne to faynt hart handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vpright and straight that no limping no◠〈…〉 bring vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be present but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastly behold the thinges that be euerlasting in heauen and so choose rather in respecte of that whiche is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare Christes Crosse then for this short life time to inioy all the riches honours and pleasures of the broade worlde Why should we Christians feare death Can death depriue vs of Christ which is all our coÌ„â—ort our ioy and our life Nay forsooth But contrary death shall deliuer vs from this mortall body whiche lodeth and beareth downe the spirite that it cannot so well perceiue heauenly thinges in the which so long as we dwell wee are absent from God Wherefore vnderstanding our state in that we be Christians that if our mortall body which is our earthly house were destroied we haue a building a house not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen c. therefore wee are of good cheere and know that when we are in the body we are absent from GOD for we walke by fayth and not by cleare fight Neuerthelesse we are bolde and had rather be absent from the bodye and present with GOD. Wherefore we striue whether we be present at home or absent abroad that we may alwayes please him And who that hath true fayth in our Sauior Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truely what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternall sonne of God life light the wisedome of the father all goodnesse all righteousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that heart canne desire yea infinite plentye of all these aboue that that mans hart canne either conceiue or thinke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godheade corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the Father and made of GOD to be our wisedome our righteousnesse our holâ—nesse and our redemption who I say is he that beleueth this in deede that woulde not gladly bee with his mayster christ Paul for this knowledge coueted to haue bene loosed from the body and to haue beene with Christ for that he counted it muche better for himselfe and had rather to be loosed then to liue Therefore these wordes of Christe to the thiefe on the Crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise To dye in the defence of Christes Gospell it is our bounden duety to Christ and also to our neighbour To Christ for he dyed for vs and rose agayne that he might be Lord ouer all And seing he dyed for vs we also sayth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our life for our Brethren And this kinde of geuing and loosing is getting and winning in deede for hee that geueth or looseth his life thus getteth winneth it for euermore Blessed are they therefore that die in the Lord and if they dye in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise then for a momeÌ„t to make the flesh to smart but that our fayth whiche is surely fastened and fixed vnto the worde of GOD telleth vs that we shall be anon after death in peace in the handes of GOD in ioye in solace and that from death we shall go straight vnto life For Saynt Iohn sayeth he that liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therefore this death of the Christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlasting life Therefore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paul a putting of this Tabernacle or dwelling house Meaning thereby the mortall body as wherein the soule or spirite doth dwell here in this worlde for a small time Yea this death may be called to the Christian an end of all miseries For so long as we liue here we must passe through many tribulations before we canne enter into the kingdome of heauen And nowe after that death hath shot his bolt all the christian mans enemies haue done what they canne after that they haue no more to doe What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the rich mannes Gate His former penury and pouerty his misery beggery and horrible sores and sickenesse For so soone as death had stricken him with his dart so soone came the aungels and caryed him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What lost he by death who from misery and payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioy and solace Farewell deare brethren farewell and let vs comforte our hartes in all troubles and in death with the worde of God for heauen and earth shall perish but the word of the Lord endureth for euer Farewell Christes dearely beloued spouse here wandering in this world as in a straunge land farre from thine owne couÌ„try coÌ„passed about on euery hand with deadly enemies which cease not to assault thee euer seeking thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of God here liuing vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true misticall body of Christ the very house holde and family of God and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewell O thou litle flocke of the highe heauenlye pastour Christ for to thee it hath pleased the heauenlye father to geue an euerlasting and eternall kingdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of God thou holy and royall priesthood thou choseÌ„ generatioÌ„ thou holy nation thou wonne spouse Farewell Farewell N. R. ¶ An other treatise of B. Ridley wherein is conteyned first a lamentation for the chaunge of Religion in England then a comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospell and the Romish religion with wholesome instructions in the end to all christians how to behaue themselues in time of tryall ALas what misery is thy church brought vnto O lord at this day Where of late the worde of the Lord was truely preached was read and heard in euery towne in euery Church
doctrine to be error and heresie and the olde lawes of Antichriste are allowed to returne with the power of theyr father agayne what can be hereafter looked for by reason to the man of God and true christian abiding in this realme but extreame vyolence of death or els to denye his mayster I graunt the hartes of Princes are in Gods handes and whether soe-euer he will he can make them to bowe and also that christian princes in olde tyme vsed a more gentle kinde of punishment euen to them whiche were heretickes in deede as degradation and deposition out of theyr roumes and offices exile and vanishment out of theyr domynions and countryes and also as it is read the true Bishoppes of Christes Church were sometime intercessors for the heretickes vnto Princes that they would not kill them as is read of S. Augustine But as yet Antichristes kingdome was not so erected at that time nor is nowe accustomed so to order them that will not fall downe and worship the beast and his Image but euen as al the world knoweth after the same maner that both Iohn Daniell hath prophesied before that is by violence of death and Daniell declareth farther that the kinde of death accustomablye should be by sword fire and imprisonment Therefore if thou O man of God doest purpose to abide in this realm prepare and arme thy selfe to dye for both by Antichristes accustomable lawes and these prophecies there is no appearaunce or likelihood of any other thing except thou wilt deny thy mayster Christ which is the losse at the last both of body and soule vnto euerlasting death Therefore my good brother or sister in Christ whatsoeuer thou bee to thee that canst and mayst so doe that counsayle that I thinke is the best safegard for thee both for thy body and most suretie for thy soules healthe is that whiche I shall shew thee hereafter But first I warne thee to vnderstand me to speake to hym or her which be not in captiuitie or called already for to confesse Christ but are at libertye abroade My councell I say therefore is this to flye from the plague and to get the hence I consider not onely the subtleties of Sathan and how hee is able to deceiue by hys false perswasions if it were possible euen the chosen of GOD and also the great frayltie whiche is oftentymes more in a man then he doth know in himselfe whiche in the tyme of temptation then will vtter it selfe I doe not onely consider these thinges I saye but that our mayster Christ whose life was and is a perfecte rule of the Chrystian mans life that hee himselfe auoyded oftentimes the furie and madnes of the Iewes by departing from the country or place Paule likewise when hee was sought in Damasco and the gates of the citty were layd in wayt for him was conueighed by night being let downe in a basket out at a windowe ouer the wall and Helias the Prophet fledde the persecution of wicked Iesabell and Chryste our sauiour sayth in the Gospell When they persecute you in one citie flie vnto an other and so did many good great learned vertuous men of God which were great and stout chaÌ„pions neuerthelesse and stoute confessors and mayntayners of Christ and his truth in due time and place Of suche was the great Clarke Athanasius But this is so playnâ— to be lawfull by Gods worde and examples of holy men that I neede not to stand in it Hauing this for my ground I say to thee O man of God this seemeth to me to be the most sure way for thy sauegard to depart and fly farre from the plague and that swiftly also for truely before God I thinke that the abhomination that Daniel Prophesied of so long before is nowe set vpp in the holye place For all Antichristes doctrine lawes rites and relygion contrary to Christ and to the true seruing and worshipping of God I vnderstand to be that abhomination Therfore now is the time in England for those wordes of Christ Tunc inquit qui in Iudea sunt fugiant ad montes TheÌ„ sayth he marke this Christes then for truely I am perswaded and I trust by the spirite of God that this then is commaunded Then sayth Christ they that be in Iewry let them flye into the mountaynes and he that is on the house top let hym not come downe to take away any thing out of his house and he that is abroad in the fielde let hym not retourne to take hys clothes Woe be to the great bellied women and to them that geue sucke but pray sayth Christ that youre flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabboth day These wordes of Christe are misticall and therefore haue neede of interpretation I vnderstand all those to be in Iewry spiritually which truely confesse one true liuing God and the whole truth of his word after the doctryne of the Gospell of Christ. Such are they whom Christ here biddeth in the time of the raigne of Antichristes abhomynations to flye vnto the mountaynes whiche signifieth places of safegard all such thinges which are able to defeÌ„d from the plague That he biddeth hym that is in the house top not to come downe and hym that is in the field not to returne to take with hym his clothes hee meaneth that they shoulde speede them to get them away betyme leaste in theyr tarying and trifling about worldly prouision they be trapped in the snare ere euer they be aware and caught by the backe and for gain of small worldly things endanger and cast themseues into great perilles of more waighty matters And where he sayth woe be to the great bellied woman and to them that geue suck women great with child and nigh to their lying downe and to be brought to bed are not able to trauell nor also those women whiche are brought to bed and now geueth their babes suck By these therefore Christ spiritually vnderstandeth all suche to be in extreame daunger whiche this worde woe signifieth all suche I say as are so letted by any maner of meanes that they no wayes be able to â—lye from the plague And where Christ sayth pray you that your flight be not in the winter nor on the sabboth day in winter the common course of the yeare teacheth vs that the wayes be foule therfore it is a hard thing then to take a farre iourney for many incommodities and daungers of the wayes in the tyme of the yeare and on the Sabboth day it was not lawful to iourney but a little way Now Christ therefore meaning that wee should haue neede both to speede oure iourney quickly which cannot be done in Winter for the incommodities of the wayes and also to go farre which cannot be done on the Sabboth day he biddeth vs therefore pray that our flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth day that is to pray that wee may flye in tyme and also farre enough from the
daunger to fall in like perill again there he maketh them perfite to be without danger paine or perill after that for euermore But this hys loue towards thē howsoeuer the worlde doth iudge of it is al one both when he deliuereth when he suffereth thē to be put to death He loued as well Peter and Paul whē after they had according to hys blessed will pleasure and prouidence finished their courses and done theyr seruices appoynted them by hym here in preaching of his Gospel the one was beheaded and the other was hanged or crucified of the cruell tyraunt Nero as the Ecclesiasticall hystory sayth as when hee sent the Aungell to bringe Peter out of prison and for Paules deliuery he made all the dores of the prison to flye wide open and the foundation of the same like an earthquake to tremble and shake Thinkest thou O thou man of God that Chryst our sauiour had lesse affection to the first martyr Stephen because he suffered his enemies euen at the first conflicte to stone him to death No surely nor Iames Iohns brother which was one of the three that Paule calleth Primates or Principals amongst the Apostles of Christ. Hee loued him neuer a whit the worse thē he did the other although he suffered Herode the tyrauntes sword to cut of his head Nay doth not Danyell say speaking of the cruelty of Antichristes time Et docti in populo docebunt plurimos ruent in gladio in flamma in captiuitate rapina dierum c. Et de eruditis ruent vt conflentur eligantur dealbentur c. That is and the learned hee meaneth truely learned in Gods lawe shall teache many and shall fall vppon the sworde and in the flame that is shall bee burned in the flaming fire and in captiuitie that is shall bee in prison and be spoyled and robbed of theyr goodes for a longe season And after a little in the same place of Daniell it followeth and of the learned there be whiche shall fall or be ouerthrowne that they may be knowne tryed chosen made white he meaneth be burnished scoured a new picked and chosen and made fresh and lustye If that then was foreseene for to be done to the godly learned and for so gracious causes let euery one to whom any such thing by the will of God doth chaunce be mery in God and reioyce for it is to Gods glory and to his owne euerlasting wealth Wherefore well is he that euer he was borne for whom thus graciously God hath prouided hauing grace of God and strength of the holy Ghost so stand steadfastly in the height of the storme Happy is he that euer hee was borne whome God his heauenly Father hath vouchsafed to appoynt to glorifie him and to edifie hys Churche by the effusion of hys bloud To dye in Christes cause is an high honour to that whiche no man certaynly shall or can aspire but to whō God vouchsafeth that dignitie For no man is allowed to presume for to take vnto hym selfe any office of honour but he which is thereunto called of God Therfore Ioh. saith well speaking of them which haue obtayned the victorye by the bloud of the Lambe and by the worde of hys testimony that they loued not theyr liues euen vnto death And our sauiour Christ sayth He that shall lose his life for my cause shall finde it And this manner of speach pertayneth not to one kinde of Christians as the worldly dothe wickedly dreame but all that doe truelye pertayne vnto Christ. For when Christe had called vnto hym the multytude together with hys Disciples he said vnto thē mark that he sayde not this to the Disciples and Apostles onely but he sayd it to al who soeuer wil follow me let him forsake or deny hymselfe and take vp his crosse and followe me for who soeuer will saue his lyfe shall lose it he meaneth who soeuer will to saue hys life both forsake or leaue hym and his truth and whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my cause and the Gospels sake shall saue it For what shall it profite man if he shall winne the whole world and lose his owne soule hys owne lyfe or what shall a manne geue to recompence that losse of his owne lyfe and of hys own soule Who soeuer shal be ashamed of me my words that is to confesse me and my Gospell before this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of hys Father with the holy Aungels Know thou O man of God that all thinges are ordayned for thy behoufe and to the furtheraunce of thee towardes thy saluation All thinges saith Paule worketh with the good to goodnes euen the enemies of God such kind of punishmentes whereby they goe about to destroy them shall be forced by Gods power might fatherly prouidence for to do them seruice It is not as the wicked thinketh that pouerty aduersitie sickenes tribulation yea paynfull death of the godly be tokens that God doth not loue them but euen cleane the contrary as all the whole course of scripture doth euidently declare for then he would neuer haue suffered hys most dearly beloued the Patriarkes to haue had such troubles his Prophetes his Apostles his martyrs and chiefe Champions and mayntayners of hys truth and Gospell so cruelly of the wicked to haue bene murdered and slayn Of the which some were racked as the Apostle sayth and woulde not be deliuered that they might receaue a better resurrection Some were tryed by mockinges scourginges yea moreouer by bondes and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen and cut a sunder they were tempted they were slayne with the sword they wandered vp and down in sheepes skinnes and Gotes skinnes beyng forsaken afflicted and tormented such men as the world was not worthy to haue wādring in wildernes in moūtaynes in Dennes and Caues of the earth All these were approued by the testimony of fayth and receaued not the promise because God did prouide better for vs that without vs they should not be consummated They tary nowe for vs vndoubtedly longing for the day but they are commaunded to haue pacience yet saith the Lord a litle while vntill the number of theyr fellow seruauntes bee fulfilled and of theyr brethren whiche are yet to be slayne as they were Now thou O man of God for our Lordes sake let vs not for the loue of thys lyfe tary then to long and bee occasion of delay of that glorious consummation in hope and expectation wherof the departed in the Lord and the whiche also the liuing endued with Gods spirite ought so earnestly to desire and to grone for with al the creatures of God Let vs all with Iohn the seruaunt of God cry in our harts vnto our sauiour Christ Veni Domine Iesu come Lorde Iesu come For then when Christ which is our life
shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye then shall the Children of God appeare what they be euen like vnto Christ for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vnto Christes glorious body and that by the power wherby he is able to subdue vnto himselfe al thinges Then that which is now corruptible shall be made incorruptible that nowe is vile shall then bee made glorious that is now weake shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and haue the vnspeakable ioy and fruâ—tion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is Who or what then shall let vs to ieoparde to ieopard yea to spende this lyfe whiche wee haue here in Christes cause in our Lorde God his cause O thou therefore man of God thou yâ— art loden so letted like vnto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after suche things as I haue spoken of stand fast what soeuer shall befall in thy maysters cause and take this thy letting to flye for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause Of this be thou certaine they can do nothing vnto thee whiche thy father is not aware of or hath not foreseene before they can do no more theÌ„ it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church and thine owne saluation Let theÌ„ then do what they shall seeing to thee O man of God all thinges shall be forced to serue and to worke with thee vnto the best before God O be not afrayd and remember the end All this whiche I haue spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnder the banner of the crosse of Chryste and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice and to sticke to him as men of trusty seruice in hys cause euen vnto death and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause is to win it in eternal glory for euermore Therfore now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise I say vnto all that loue God our heauenly father that loue Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure that loue to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all vnto al that loue Christs spouse and bodye the true catholicke Churche of Christe yea that loue lyfe and theyr owne soules health I say vnto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters all you that be of God of all sortes ages dignities or degrees hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel Feare not them whiche kill the body for they cannot kil the soule but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light vpon the ground without your father All the heares of your head be numbed Feare them not you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes Euery one that confesseth me before men him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen But who soeuer shall deny me before men I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen The Lord graunt vs therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation that he may confesse vs agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heaueÌ„ to his glory and our euerlasting comfort ioy and saluation To our heauenly Father to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost be all glory and honour now and for euer Amen Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ mayster Latimer and B. Ridley you haue dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed with the Farewels also of B. Ridley wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English to be remembred by the leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient The death and end of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester THe next moneth after the burning of Doctor Ridley and mayster Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember Stephen Gardiner Byshop and Chauncelloure a man hated of God and all good men ended hys wretched lyfe Concerning the quallities nature and disposition of which man for somuch as somewhat hath bene declared before in the storye of kinge Edwardes raygne I shall neede therefore the lesse now to stand greatly vpon the same First this Uipers byrd crept out of the towne of Bery in Suffolke brought vp most parte of his youth in Cambridge his wit capacitie memorye and other indumentes of nature not to bee complayned of if he hadde wel vsed and rightly applyed the same wherein ther was no great want of Gods part in hym if hee had not rather hymselfe wanted to the goodnes of his gifts Through this promptnes actiuitie towardnes of hys he profited not a little in such studyes as he gaue hys head vnto as first in the law ciuil then in languages and such other like especially in those artes and faculties which had any prospect to dignitie and preferment to be hoped for Besides other ornaments or helpes of nature memory chiefly seemed in hym very beneficiall rather then dilligence of study To these giftes and quallities were ioyned agayne is great or greater vices which not so much followed hym as ouertooke him not so muche burdened hym as made hym burdenous to the whole realme Hee was of a proude stomacke and high minded in hys owne opinion and conceit flattering himselfe to much in wit crafty and subtile towarde his superiour flattering and faire spoken to hys inferiours fierce agaynst hys equall stoute and enuious namely if in iudgement and sentence he any thyng withstoode hym as appeared betweene the good Lorde CroÌ„well and hym in the raygne of kyng Henry being of like hauâ—inesse of stomacke as the Poets wryte of Pelides Cedere nescius Who although would geue no place to men yet notwtstanding I wish he woulde haue geuen place to truth according as he semed not altogether ignorant of the truth What his knowledge was therin it is euident partly to vnderstand as wel by his book De vera obedientia as also by his sermon before king Edward also by his aunsweres to the Councell the same time and
proued London What say you then to the second scripture howe couple you that by the word to the other Phil. The text it selfe declareth that notwithstanding Chryst did abase himself in our humayne nature yet he is stil one in Deitie with the Father And this S. Paule to the Hebrues doth more at large set foorth And as I haue by the scriptures ioyned these two scriptures together so am I able to do in all other Articles of fayth which we ought to beleue and by the manifest word of God to expound them London How can that be seing saynct Paule sayth that the letter killeth but it is the spirite that geueth life Philpot. S. Paul meaneth not the worde of God written in it selfe killeth which is the word of life and the faythfull testimonie of the Lord but that the worde is vnprofitable and killeth him that is void of the spirite of God although he be the wisest man of the world and therfore S. Paule sayd That the Gospell to some was a sauour of life vnto lyfe and to some other a sauour of death vnto death Also an example hereof we haue in the vi of Iohn of them who hearing the worde of God without the spirite were offended thereby wherefore Christ sayd The flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirite that quickeneth London What do you vnderstand that of S. Paule and of S. Iohn so Philpot. It is not mine owne interpretation it is agreable to the word in other places and I haue learned the same of auncient fathers interpreting it likewise And to the Corinthians as it is written Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei spiritualis dijudicat omnia The natural man perceiueth not the thinges that bee of the spirite of God but the spirituall man whiche is indued with the spirite iudgeth all thinges London You see my Lordes that this man will haue but hys owne minde and will wilfully cast away himselfe I am sory for him Phil. The words that I haue spoken be none of mine but of the Gospell wheron I ought to stand And if you my lord of London can bring better authoritie for the faythe you would draw me vnto then that which I stand vpoÌ„ I wil gladly heare the same by you or by any other in this realm Wherfore I kneeling down besought the Lords to be good vnto me a poore Gentleman that would fayne lyue in the world if I might and to testifie as you haue heard me to say this day that if any man can approue that I ought to be of any other maner of faith then that of which I now am and can proue the same sufficiently I will be neyther wilâ—ull neither desperate as my Lorde of London woulde make you beleue me to be Rich. What countrey man be you are you of the Philpots of Hampshyre Phil. Yea my Lorde I was Sir Peter Philpots sonne of Hampshyre Rich. He is my neare kinsman wherefore I am the more sory for him Phil. I thanke your Lordship that it pleaseth you to chalenge kinred of a poore prisoner Rich. In faith I would go an hundreth miles on my bare feete to do you good Cham. He may do well enough if he liSt S. Iohn M. Philpot you are my countryman I woulde be glad you should do well Rich. You said euen now that you would desire to mayntaine your beliefe before ten of the best in the realme You did not well to compare with the Nobilitie of the Realme But what if you haue tenne of the best in the Realme to heare you will you be tryed by them Phil. My Lord your Lordshippe mistaketh me to thinke that I challenge tenne of the best of the Nobilitie in thys realme It was no part of my minde but I meant of the best learned on the contrary side Rich. Wel I take your meaning What if meanes be made to the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue your request will you be iudged by them Phil. My Lord it is not meete that a man shoulde be iudged by his aduersaries Rich. By whom then would you be iudged Phil. I will make your honours iudges that shal be hearers of vs. Rich. I dare be bolde to procure for you of the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue tenne learned men to reason with you and twenty or forty of the Nobility to heare so you wil promise to abide theyr iudgement How say you will you promise here afore my Lordes so to do Phil. I will be contented to be iudged by them Rich. Yea but wil you promise to agree to theyr iudgemeÌ„t Phil. There be causes why I may not so do vnlesse I wer sure they would iudge according to the word of God Rich. O I perceaue you wil haue no man iudge but your selfe and thinke your selfe wiser then all the learned men of this Realme Phil. My Lorde I seeke not to be myne owne iudge but am conteÌ„t to be iudged by other so that the order of iudgement in matters of religion be kept that was in the primatiue Church which is first that Gods wil by his word was sought and thereunto both the spiritualty and temporaltie was gathered together and gaue theyr consentes iudgement such kind of iudgement I will stand to London My Lordes he would make you beleeue that hee were profoundly seene in auncient writers of the iudgementes of the primatiue Church and there was neuer any such maner of iudgement vsed as he now talketh of Phil. In the Epistles of S. Ciprian I am able to shewe it you London A I tell you there is no such thing fet me Cyprian hether Phil. You shall finde it otherwise when the booke commeth And D. Chedsay his Chaplayne whom he appointed to fet his booke whispered the Bishop in his care and fet not the booke by likelihoode that he should haue susteined the reproche thereof if the booke had bene fet Well my Lord quoth I mayster Doctor knoweth it is so or els he would haue fet the booke ere this Rich. You woulde haue none other iudge I see but the worde Phil. Yes my Lord I will be tryed by the word by such as will iudge according to the word As for an example if there were a controuersy betweene your Lordship and an other vpon the words of a statute must not the words of the statute iudge and determine the controuersie Rich. No mary the Iudges of the law may determine the meaning therof Load He hath brought as good an example agaynst hym selfe as can be And here the B. thought he had good handfast against me and therefore enlarged it with many wordes to the iudgement of the Church The Lordes Hee hath ouerthrowne himselfe by his owne argument Phil. My Lords it seemeth to your honours that you haue great aduauntage of me by the example I brought in to expresse my cause but if it be pondered throughly it maketh wholy
book abroad of the report of the disputation to the contrary in the which there is neuer a true worde And where as you require to be satisfied of the sacrament I will shew you the trueth therof both by the scriptures and by the Doctors Philpot. It is a shrewed lykelihoode that you will conclude with any truth since you haue begonne with so many vntruthes as to say that I was aunswered whiles I had any thyng to say and that I wept for lacke of matter to say and that the booke of the reporte of the disputation is nothing true God be praysed there were a good many of Noble men Gentlemen and worshipfull men that heard and saw the doings therof which can testifie that you here haue made an vniust report before these honorable Lords And that I wept was not for lacke of matter as you slauÌ„der me for I thank God I haue more matter theÌ„ the best of you all shall euer be able to answere as litle learning as I haue but my weeping was as Christes was vpon Hierusalem seeing the destruction that should fall vppon her and I foreseeing then the destruction whiche you thorough violence and vnrighteousnesse which you there declared would worke agaynst the true Churche of Christ and his faythfull members as this daye beareth witnesse was compelled to weepe in remembraunce of that whiche I with infinite more haue felt and shall feele Al these words I did then speake out being interrupted by my Lord Rich saying that I shoulde suffer hym to proceede out in his matter and afterwardes I shuld haue leysure to aunswere him in euery Article But he promysed more then he could performe as the end did wel declare for he had not the consent of the spiritualtie to his promise which now rule the rost God shorten their cruell dayes for his electes sake And therfore I adde this which I had purposed to haue spoken if then I might haue bene suffered least any that perfectly know not the thinges done in the Conuocation house and now layd to my charge if they shoulde not be aunswered by me might recken Doctour Chadseys sayinges to bee true And as concerning the booke of the report of the disputations I wrote the same it is true in euery argument as M. Deane of Roochester and M. Cheyney Archdeacon of Herford yet being aliue and within the realme can testifie Chadsey You haue of scriptures the foure Euangelistes for the probation of Christes reall presence to be in the sacrament after the wordes of consecration with S. Paule to the Corinthians whiche all saye Hoc est corpus meum This is my body They say not as you woulde haue me to beleue this is not the bodye But specially the 6. of Iohn prooueth the same most manifestly where Christ promised to geue his body which hee performed in his last supper as it appeareth by these wordes Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam ego dabo pro muÌ„di vita The bread whiche I wyll geue is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world Phil. My Lord Rich with your leaue I must needes interrupt him a litle because he speaketh open blasphemy against the death of Christ for if that promise brought in by s. Iohn was performed by Christ in his last supper theÌ„ needed he not to haue dyed after he had geuen the sacrament Rich. Let maister Doctour make an end of his argumeÌ„ts and afterward obiect to him what you can Chadsey You must note that there is twise Dabo in thys saying of S. Iohn the first is referred to the sacrament of the auâ—tar the second to the sacrifice vpon the crosse and besides these manifest scriptures there bee many auncient Doctors proouing the same as Ignatius Irenaeus S. Cyprian whose authoritie he recited at large which I do omitte because I was not permitted to answere the same Rich. Now aunswere and obiect to him what you can you shal be heard Phil. My Lord the chiefest ground where he with the rest of his side do ground theÌ„selues agaynst vs be these words This is my body with a false pretence of the omnipotency of God And before I will come to the particular aunsweres of all that he hath alledged for that your Lordships may the better vnderstand me what I meane and whereuppon I stand I will require mayster Doctor to aunswere me one question But first of all I do protest to your honours that I thinke as reuerently of the sacrament as a christian maÌ„ ought to do and that I acknowledge the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe ministred after Christes Institution to bee one of the greatest treasures and comfortes that he left vs on the earth and contrariwise it is most discomfort and abhominable not being ministred as it ought to be as it is vsed now a dayes And now to my question which is this whether these wordes onely Hoc est corpus meum This is my body spoken by a priest ouer the bread and wine may make the body and bloud of Christ as you suppose or no Chedsey Staggering what he might say at last hee sayd that these wordes alone pronounced by the Priest be sufficient to make the bread and the wyne the very bodye and bloud of Christ really Philpot. That is blasphemy to say and agaynst al the scriptures and Doctours who affirme that the forme and substance in consideration must be obserued whiche Christ vsed and did institute as S. Cyprian sayth In sacrificio quod Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus In the sacrifice whiche is Christ onely is Christ to be followed And by the lawe it is forbidden to adde or take away from Gods word And S. Peter sayth If anye man speake let him speake as the worde of God Wherfore whosoeuer sayth that these wordes onely This is my body do make a presence of christ without blesse take and eate which be three as substanciall poyntes of the Sacramente as Thys is my bodye is he is highly deceiued Therfore S. Austen sayth Accedat verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it be commeth a sacrament So that if the entier worde of Christes Institution be not obserued in the ministration of a Sacrament it is no sacrament as the sacrifices which the ten tribes did offer at Bethell to God were not acceptable because they were not in all poyntes done according to Gods word Wherfore except blessing be made after the word whiche is a due thankesgeuing for our redemption in Christ and also a shewing forth of the Lordes death in such wise as the congregation may be edified and moreouer a taking and eating after Christes commaundement except I say these three partes be first performed which is not done in the Masse these wordes This is my bodye which are last placed in the Institution of
constant martyr Who the xviii day of December in the middest of the fiery flames yelded his soule into the handes of the almighty God and full like a lambe gaue vp his breath his body being consumed into ashes Thus hast thou gentle reader the lyfe and doyngs of this learned and worthy souldiour of the Lord Iohn Philpot with all his examinations that came to our handes first penned and written with his owne hand beyng meruaylously reserued from the sight and hands of hys enemies who by all maner meanes sought not onely to stop hym from al writing but also to spoyle and depriue him of that which he had written For the which cause he was manye tymes stripped and searched in the prison of his keeper but yet so happily these his writinges were conueyed and hid in places about him or els hys keepers eies so blinded that notwithstanding all this malicious purpose of the Bishops they are yet remayning and come to light A prayer to be sayd at the stake of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake MErcifull God and father to whome oure sauiour Christ approched in his feare and neede by reason of death found comfort Gracious God and most bounteous Christe on whome Stephen called in his extreeme neede and receiued strength Most benigne holy spirite whiche in the middest of all Crosses and death diddest comfort the Apostle S. Paule with more consolations in Christ then he felt sorowes and terrors haue mercy ⧠The martirdome of maister Iohn Philpot Archdeacon with the manner of his kneeling and praying at the stake vpon me miserable vile and wretched sinner which now drawe neare the gates of death deserued both in soule and body eternally by reason of manifold horrible olde and new transgressions which to thyne eyes O Lorde are open and knowne Oh be mercifull vnto me for the bitter death and bloudshedding of thine owne onely sonne Iesus Christ. And though thy iustice do require in respecte of my sinnes that nowe thou shouldest not heare me measuring me with the same measure I haue measured thy Maiesty contemning thy dayly calles yet let thy mercy whiche is aboue all thy works and wherewith the earth is filled let thy mercy I say preuaile towardes me through and for the mediation of Christ our sauiour And for whose sake in that it hathe pleased thee to bring me forth now as one of his witnesses and a record bearer of thy veritye and trueth taught by him to geue my life therefore to which dignitie I do acknowledge dear God that ther was neuer any so vnworthy and so vnmeet no not the theef that hāged with him on the Crosse I most hūbly therfore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly ayde helpe assiste me with thy strength and heauenly grace that with Christe thy sonne I may finde comfort with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power with Paule and all others whiche for thy names sake haue suffered affliction and death I may finde so present with me thy gracious consolations that I may by my deathe glorifie thy holy name propagate and ratifie thy veritie comfort the hartes of the heauy confirme thy Church in thy veritie conuert some that are to be conuerted and so depart foorth of thys miserable world where I do nothing but daily heape sinne vpon sinne and so enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy wherof now geue and encrease in me a liuely truste sense and feelinge wherethrough the terrours of death the tormentes of fire the panges of sinne the dartes of Sathan and the dolours of hel may neuer depresse me but may be driuen away thorough the working of that most gracious spirite which now plenteously endue me withall that through the same spirite I may offer as I nowe desire to do in Christ by him my selfe wholy soule and body to be a liuely sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight Deare Father whose I am and alwayes haue bene euen from my mothers wombe yea euen before the world was made to whome I commend my selfe soule and body family and frendes countrey and all the whole Churche yea euen my very enemies accordynge to thy good pleasure beseeching thee intirely to geue once more to this Realme of England the blessing of thy word agayn with godly peace to the teaching setting forth of the same Oh dear father now geue me grace to come vnto thee Purge and so purifie me by this fire in Christes death and Passion through thy spirite that I may be a burnt offering of sweete smell in thy sight which liuest and raignest with the sonne and the holy God nowe and euermore world without end Amen ¶ Letters of Mayster Philpot. ¶ A letter which he sent to the christian congregation exhorting them to refrayne from the Idolatrous seruice of the papists and to serue God after his word IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England the faithles departing both of men women frō the true knowledge vse of Christes sincere religion which so plētifully they haue bene taught do know their own consciences bearing witnes to the veritie thereof If that earth be cursed of God which eftsoones receiuing moisture pleasant dewes from heauen doth not bring forth fruite accordingly how much more greuous iudgemēt shal such persons receiue which hauing receiued from the father of heauē the perfect knowledge of his word by the ministery therof do not shew forth Gods worship after the same If the Lord wil require in the day of iudgemēt a godly vsury of all maner of talentes which he sendeth vnto men women how muche more wil he require the same of his pure religion reuealed vnto vs which is of al other talents the chiefest most pertayning to our exercise in this life if we hide the same in a napkin and set it not forth to the vsurye of Gods glory and edifying of his church by true confessiō God hath kindled the bright light of his Gospel which in times past was suppressed hid vnder the vile ashes of mās traditiōs and hath caused the brightnes therof to shine in our harts to the end that the same might shine before men to the honor of his name It is not onely geuen vs to beleue but also to confesse declare what we beleue in our outwarde couersation For as S. Paule writeth to the Romaynes The beliefe of the hart iustifieth and toe acknowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe It is al one before God not to beleue at al not to shew forth the liuely works of our belief For Christe sayth Either make the tree good and his fruites good or ells make the tree euill and the fruites euill because a good tree bringeth forth good fruites So that the person which knoweth his maysters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes And not all they
which say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of God but he that doth the will of the father And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me sayth Christ and of my wordes of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before his father After that wee haue built our selues into the true church of God it hath pleased him by geuing vs ouer into the hands of the wicked sinagoges to proue our building to haue it knowne as wel to the world as to our selues that we haue bene wise builders into the true church of God vpon the rock not on the sand therefore nowe the tempest is risen and the stormes doe mightily blow agaynst vs that wee might notwithstanding stand vpright and be firme in the Lord to his honor and glory and to our eternall felicitie There is no newe thing happened vnto vs for with such tāpests dangerous weathers the church of God hath continually bene exercised Nowe once agayne as the Prophet Aggeus telleth vs The Lord shaketh the earth that those might abide for euer which be not ouerthrowne Therefore my dearely beloued be stable and immoueble in the word of God and in the faythfull obseruation therof and let no man deceiue you with vayn words saying that you may keepe your faith to your selues and dissemble with Antichrist and so liue at rest and quietnes in the world as most men doe yelding to necessitie Thys is the wisedome of the fleshe but the wisedome of the fleshe is death and enmitie to God as our sauiour for ensāple aptly did declare in Peter who exhorted Christ not to goe to Ierusalem to celebrate the Passouer and there to be slayn but counselled him to looke better to himselfe Likewise the worlde woulde not haue vs to forsake it neither to associate our selues to the true churche which is the body of Christ whereof we are liuely members and to vse the sacramentes after Gods word with the danger of our liues But we must learne to answere the world as Christ did Peter and say Go behynd me Sathan thou fauourest not the thinges of God Shall I not drinke of the cup whiche the father geueth me For it is better to bee afflicted and to be slayne in the church of God then to be counted the sonne of the king and the sinagogue of false religion Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred but rather to bee desired which assuredly bringeth with it the crowne of euerlasting glory These bloudy executioners do not persecute Christes martyrs but crowne them with euerlasting felicitie we were borne into this world to be witnesses vnto the truth both learned and vnlearned Now since the time is come that we must shew our fayth and declare whether we will be Gods seruauntes in righteousnes holines as we haue bene taught are boūd to follow or els with hipocrisie to serue vnrighteousnes let vs take good heed that we be found faithfull in the Lords couenaunt and true members of hys Churche in that which through knowledge we are engraffed from the whiche if we fall by transgression with the common sort of people it will more straightly be required of vs then many yet doe make accompt therof We cannot serue two maysters we may not halt on both sides and thinke to please God we must bee feruent in Gods cause or els hee will cast vs out from him For by the first commaundement wee are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our mind with all our power and strength but they are manifest transgressours of this commaundement which with their heart mynde or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion contrary to the word of God in the papisticall Sinagogue which calleth it selfe the Church and is not As greatly do they offend God now which so doe as the Israelites did in tymes past by forsaking Ierusalē the true churche of God and by going to Bethell to serue God in a congregation of theyr owne setting vp and after theyr own imaginations and traditions for the which doyng God vtterly destroyed all Israell as all the Prophetes almost doe testifie This happened vnto them for our ensample that we might beware to haue any fellowship with any like congregation to our destruction God hath one Catholicke church dispersed throughout the world and therfore we are taught in our Creed to beleue one Catholicke Churche to haue communion therwith which catholicke churche is grounded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles and vpō none other as S. Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians Therfore whersoeuer we perceaue any people to worship God truly after the word there we may be certayne the churche of Christe to bee vnto the whiche we ought to associate oure selues to desire with the Prophet Dauid to prayse God in the middest of this churche But if we hehold through iniquitie of time segregations to be made with counterfayt religion otherwise then the word of God doth teach wee ought then if we be required to be companions therof to say agayne with Dauid I haue hated the Sinagogue of the malignant and will not sit with the wicked In the Apocalips the church of Ephesus is highly commended because she tried such as said they were Apostles and were not in deede therfore would not abide the company of them Further God commanded his people that they shuld not seek Bethel neither enter into Gilgal where idolatry was vsed by the mouth of his Prophet Amos. Also wee must consider that our bodyes be the tēple of God whosoeuer as S. Paule teacheth doth prophane the tēple of God him the Lord wil destroy May we thē take the tēple of Christ make it the mēber of an harlot All strange religion and Idolatry is counted whoredome with the Prophetes and that more detestable in the sight of God then the aduoutrous abuse of the bodye Therfore the Princes of the earthe in the reuelation of S. Iohn be sayd to go a whoring whē they are in loue with false religion and follow the same How then by any meanes may a christian man thinke it tollerable to be present at the popish priuate Masse which is the very prophanation of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and at other idolatrous worshippings and rites which be not after the word of God but rather to the derogation therof in setting mans traditions aboue Gods preceptes since God by his word iudgeth all straunge religion whiche is not according to his institutiō for whoredom aduoutry Some fondly think that the presence of the body is not materiall so that the hart doe not consent to theyr wicked doings But suche persons litle consider what S. Paule writeth to the Corinthians commaunding them to glorifie God as well in body as in soule Moreouer wee can doe no greater iniury to the true Church of Christ
Gods spirite in vs accordyng to the rule of the Gospell he that coÌ„formeth not him selfe to the same in godly conuersation may iustly treÌ„ble doubt that he is none of the elect children of God but of the viperous generation and a child of darkenesse For the children of light will walke in the workes of light and not of darkenes though they fall they do not lye still Let all vayne excusations be set a part and whiles ye haue light as Christ commaundeth beleue the light and abide in the same lest eternall darkenesse ouertake you vnwares The light is come into the world but alas men loue darkenesse more theÌ„ the light God geue vs his pure eyesalue to heale our blindnes in this behalfe O that men and women would be healed and not seeke to be wilfully blinded The Lord open their eyes that they may see how dauÌ„gerous a thyng it is to decline from the knowledge of truth contrary to their conscience But what sayd I conscience many affirme their conscience will beare them well enough to do all that they do and to go to the Idolatrous Church to seruice whose coÌ„scieÌ„ce is very large to satisfie man more then God And although their conscience can beare them so to do yet I am sure that a good conscience will not permit them so to doe which caÌ„ not be good vnlesse it be directed after the knowledge of Gods word and therfore in Latin this feelyng of mynde is called Conscientia which souÌ„deth by interpretation as much as with knowledge And therfore if our conscience be led of her selfe not after true knowledge yet we are not so to be excused as S. Paul beareth witnes saying Although my coÌ„science acseth me not yet in this I am not iustified And he ioineth a good coÌ„science with these 3. sisters charitie a pure heart vnfayned fayth Charitie keepeth Gods commaundements a pure hart loueth and feareth God aboue all vnfayned fayth is neuer ashamed of the profession of the Gospell whatsoeuer damage he shal suffer in body therby the lord which hath reuealed hys holy will vnto vs by hys word graunt vs neuer to be ashamed of it and geue vs grace so earnestly to cleaue to hys holy word and true church that for no maner of worldly respecte we become partakers of the workes of hipocrisie which God doth abhorre so that we may be found faythfull in the Lords Testament to the end both in hart word and deede to the glory of God and our euerlasting saluation Amen Ioh. Philpot prisoner in the Kinges Benche for the testimony of the truth 1555. * To hys deare frend in the Lord Iohn Careles prisoner in the kinges Benche MY dearely beloued brother Careles I haue receaued youre louing letters full of loue and compassion in somuch that they made my hard hart to weepe to see you so carefull for one that hath bene so vnprofitable a member as I haue bene and am in Christes church God make me worthy of that I am called vnto and I pray you cease not to pray for me but cease to weep for him who hath not deserued such gentle teares and prayse God with me for that I now approch to the company of them whose want you may worthily lament God geue your pittiful hart his inward consolation In deede my deare Careles I am in thys world in hell and in the shadow of death but he that hath brought me for my desertes downe vnto hell shall shortly lift me vpp to heauen where I shall looke continually for your commyng others my faythfull brethren in the kinges Benche And though I tell you that I am in hell in the iudgement of this world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen I prayse God and thys lothsome and horrible prison is as pleasaunt to me as the walke in the garden of the kinges Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauen out of this life is very narrow and wee must striue to enter in at a narrowe gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of myne imprisonment what will he do in the rage of the fire whereunto I am appoynted And this hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of comfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethren with you in these cruell dayes in the which the deuill so rageth at the faythfull flock of Chryst but in vayne I trust against any of vs who be perswaded that neither lyfe neither death is able to seperate vs from the loue of Christs Gospell which is Gods high treasure committed to your brittle vessels to glorifie vs by the same God of hys mercye make vs faythfull stewardes to the end and geue vs grace to feare nothing what soeuer in hys good pleasure we shal suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you eâ—st the cause is our strayt keepyng and the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writteÌ„ since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinations and I am fayne to scribble it out in hast Commend me to al our faythfull brethren and bid theÌ„ with a good courage looke for theyr redemption frame themselues to be harty souldiours in Christ. They haue taken his prest money a great while and now let them shew themselues readye to serue hym faythfully and not to fly out of the Lordes campe into the world as many do Let them remeÌ„ber that in the Apocalips the fearfull be excluded the kingdome Let vs be of good cheare for our Lord ouercame the world that wee shoulde doe the like Blessed is the seruaunt whome when the Lord commeth he findeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into teÌ„ptation Be ioyful vnder the crosse prayse the Lord coÌ„tinually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the Lord delighteth in CoÌ„meÌ„d me to my father Hunt and desire him to loue and continue in the vnitie of Christs true Church which he hath begon and then shal he make me more more to ioy vnder my crosse with him Tel my brother Clements that he hath coÌ„forted me much by his louing token in significatioÌ„ of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encrease my ioy vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you al. Salute al my louyng frends M. Mering M. Crooche with the rest and specially M. Marshal his wife with great thaÌ„ks for his kindnes shewed vnto me Farewel my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuil a while but now I am ouer the shoes God sende me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter to Iohn Careles profitable to be read of all them which mourne in repentaunce for theyr sinnes THe God
that haue died in the Lord from the beginning of the world Is not this more then an 100. fold Is not the peace of God which we in this world haue through faithfull imitation of Christ which the world can not take from vs x. M. fold more then those thinges that moste highly be esteemed in the worlde without the peace of God Al the peace of the world is no peace but mere anguish and a gnawing fury of hel As of late God hath set example before our eyes to teach vs how horrible an euill it is to forsake the peace of Christes truth which breedeth a worm in conscience that neuer shall rest O that we would way this with indifferent ballances Then shoulde we not be dismaied of this troublous time neyther sorrow after a worldly manner for the losse which we are now lyke to sustaine as the weake faithlesse persones do which loue theyr goods more then God and the things visible aboue those which be inuisible but rather would heartely reioyce and be thankful that it pleaseth God to call vs to be souldiours in his cause against the woorkes of hypocrisie and to make vs like vnto oure Sauiour Christ in suffering whereby we maye assure our selues of his eternall glory For blessed are they sayth Christ that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake And as S. Paule witnesseth to Timothe If we die with Christ we shall liue with Christ and if we deny him he will deny vs. O that wee woulde enter into the veile of Gods promises Then should we wyth S. Paule to the Phillippians reiect all and count all things but for drosse so that we may gaine Christ. God which is the lightener of all darkenesse and putter awaye of all blindnesse annoynte oure eyes with the true eyesalue that wee might beholde his glory and our eternall felicitie which is hidden with Christ and prepared for vs that doe abide in his Testament for blessed is that seruaunte that whome the maister when he commeth as Christ sayde doth finde faithfull Let vs therefore watch and pray one for an other that we yelde not in any poynt of our Religion to the Antichristian Synagogue and that we be not ouerthrowen of these temptations Stande therefore and be no cowardes in the cause of your saluation for his spirite that is in vs is stronger then he which in the worlde doth nowe rage against vs. Let vs not put out the spirit of God from vs by whose might we shall ouercome our ennemies and then death shall be as greate a gaine to vs as it was to the blessed Apostle S. Paule Why then doe ye mourne why do ye weepe why be ye so carefull as though God had forsaken you hee is neuer more present with vs then when we be in trouble if we doe not forsake hym We are in his handes and no bodye can doe vs anye iniurie or wrong without his good will and pleasure He hath commaunded hys aungels to kepe vs that we stomble not at a stone without his diuine prouidence The Deuill can not hurt anye of vs and muche lesse any of his ministers without the good will of our eternall father Therefore let vs be of good comfort and continuallye geue thankes vnto God for our estate what so euer it be for if we murmure against the same wee murmure against God who sendeth the same Which if we doe we kicke but against the pricke and prouoke more the wrath of God against vs which by pacient suffering otherwise would sooner be turned into our fauor through faithfull prayer I beseeche you with S. Paule to geue your bodies pure and holy sacrifices vnto God He hath geuen vs bodies to bestowe vnto his glory and not after our owne concupiscence If manye yeares God hathe suffered vs to vse oure bodies which bee his temples after the lust of the flesh in vaine delightes not according to his glory is it not our duetie in the latter end of our life the more willingly to yeelde vnto Gods glory our bodies with all that wee haue in demonstration of true repentaunce of that we haue euill spent before Cannot the ensample of the blessed man Iob horribly afflicted cause vs to say The Lord hathe geuen it the Lorde hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord Euen as it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe If we cast oure whole care likewise vpon God he will turne our misery into felity as well as he did to Iob. God tempteth vs now as he did our father Abraham commaunding him to slaye his sonne Isaac in sacrifice to him which Isaac by interpretation doth signifie mirth and ioy Who by his obedience preserued Isaac vnto long lyfe and offered in his stead a Ramme that was tied by the hornes in the brambles Semblably we all are commanded to sacrifice vnto God our Isaac which is our ioy and consolation the which if we be ready to do as Abraham was our ioy shall not pearish but liue and be encreased although our ramme be sacrificed for our Isaac which doth signifie that the pride and cōcupiscence of our flesh entangled thoroughe sinne with the cares of this stinginge world must be mortified for the preseruation and perfecte augmētation of our mirth ioy which is sealed vp for vs in Christ. And to withstande these present temptations wherewithall we are nowe encombred ye can not haue a better remedy then to set before our eyes howe our Sauiour Christ ouercame them in the desert and to follow his ensample that if the deuill hymselfe or any other by him willeth you to make stones bread that is to take suche a worldly wise way that yee may haue your faire houses landes and goodes to liue on still yee must say that man liueth not onely by bread but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouth of God Againe if the deuill counsailleth you to cast youre selues downe to the earth as to reuoke your sincere beliefe and Godly conuersation and to be conformable to the learned men of the world pretending that God will be wel enough content therewith yee must aunsweare that it is wrytten that a man shall not tempt his Lord God Further if the deuill offer you large promises of honoure dignitie and possessions so that yee will worshippe Idols in hys Synagogue ye must say goe behinde me Sathan for it is otherwise wrytten that a man must worship his Lorde God and serue him onely Finally if your mother brother sister wife childe kinsman or frend do seeke of you to do otherwaies then the word of God hath taught you ye must say with Christ that they are your mothers brothers sisters wiues children and kinsmen whiche doe the wil of God the father To the which wil the Lord for his mercy conforme vs all vnfainedly to the end Amen Your louing and faithful brother in Christ in captiuitie Iohn Philpot. An. 1555· To his friend and faithfull
tribulations that being founde constant to the end he may crowne his owne giftes in them in heauen highly reward thē Whether I trust to goe before looking for you to followe my faythfull frend that we maye sing perpetuall praise to our louing Lord God for victory ouer Sathan and sinne won for vs by Iesus Christ God and man our onely and sufficient Sauiour and Aduocate Amen Farewell and pray in fayth Yours Thomas Whittell Minister and nowe condemned to dye for the Gospels sake 1556. Ianuary 21. ¶ All my felowes salute you Salute all our faythful brethren with you ¶ To my deare frend and brother Iohn Went and other his prison felowes in Lollardes Tower HE that preserued Ioseph prisoner in Egypt fed Daniel in the Lions denne and deliuered Paul Peter and the Apostles out of prison vouchsafe of his goodnes to keep feed and deliuer you my good brother Went with the other our felow souldiors your prison felowes as may be most to his glory to your consolatiō and the edification of his Church I cannot but praise God most earnestly when I heare of your constancy in the fayth and ioye in the crosse of Christ which you now beare and suffer together with many other good members of Christ which is a token that by Christ you are counted worthy the kingdome of God as Paule sayth And though the world counteth the yoake and crosse of Christ as a most pernicious and hurtfull thing yet we which haue tasted how frendly the Lord is cannot but reioice in this persecution as touching our selues in as much as the cause for the which we suffer is the Lordes cause and not ours at whose hand if we endure to the end we shall receiue through his liberall promise in Christ not onely a greate reward in heauen but also the kingdome of heauen it selfe also in the meane season be sure to bee defended and cared for so that we shall lacke no necessarye thinges neither a heare of our heades shall perishe without his knowledge Oh what is he that would mistrust or not gladly serue so louing a father O how vnhappy are they that forsake him and put theyr trust in man But how blessed are they that for his loue and for his holy woordes sake in these troublesome dayes doe committe theyr soules and bodyes into his handes with wel doing counting it greater happines and riches to suffer rebuke with Christ and his Church thē to enioy the pleasures of this life for a litle short seasō This crosse that we nowe beare hath bene common to all the faythfull from Abell hitherto and shal be to the end because the Deuill hauyng great wrath agaynst God and his Christ can not abide that hee should for his manifolde mercies bee lauded and magnified and Christ to be taken and beleued vpon for our onely and sufficient redemer Sauiour and aduocate and therefore because we will not deny Christ nor dissemble with out fayth but openly protest and professe the same before the world he seeketh by all meanes to styrre vp his wicked members to persecute and kill the bodies of the true Christians as S. Iohn sayth the Deuill shall cast some of you into prison And Dauid sayth I beleued and therfore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled This notwithstanding goe forward deare brethren as ye haue begon to fight the Lords battel considering Christe the Captayne of your warre who will both fight for you geue you victorye and also highlye rewarde your paynes Consider to your comfort the notable and chiefe shepheardes and souldiours of Christe whiche are gone before vs in these dayes I meane those learned and godly Bishops Doctours other ministers of Gods word whose fayth and examples we that be inferiours ought to folowe as S. Paule sayth Remember them that haue declared vnto you the worde of God the ende of whose conuersation see that ye look vpon and folow theyr faith The grace blessing of God with the ministery of his holy Angels be with you for euer Amen All my prison felowes greete you From the Colehouse this 4. of December By your poore brother Thomas Whittell an vnworthy Minister of Christ nowe his prisoner for the Gospels sake Amen ¶ To all the true professors and louers of Gods holy Gospell within the City of London THe same faith for the whiche Abraham was counted righteous and Mary blessed the Lorde GOD encrease and make stable in your hartes my deare and faithfull brethren sisters of London for euer and euer Amen Dearely beloued be not troubled in this heat which is now come amongest you to try you as though some straunge thing had happened vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth ye may be mery and glad c. Out of these wordes of S. Peter I gather most specially these 4. notes First the persecution happeneth to Christes Church for their triall that is for the probation and proofe of their fayth Which fayth like as it is knowne with God in the depth of our hartes so will he haue it made manifest to the whole worlde through persecution that so it may euidently appeare that hee hath such a Churche and people vpon earth which so trusteth in hym and feareth his holy name that no kinde of persecution paynes nor death shal be able to seperate them from the loue of hym And thus was Abraham tried and Iob tempted that their fayth whiche before laye hid almost in their hartes might bee made knowne to the whole world to be so stedfast and stronge that the deuill naturall loue nor no other enemie coulde bee able to bereaue them thereof Whereby also GOD was to be magnefied who both tryeth his people by many tribulations and also standeth by them in the middest of their troubles to deliuer them by lyfe or death as he seeth best like as he assisted Loth and deliuered hym out of his enemies handes Ioseph out of the handes of his Brethren and out of Prison Paule from his enemies in Damasco and the Apostles out of the Stockes and Prison These with many mo he deliuered to lyfe And also he deliuered Abell Eleazar Steuen and Iohn Baptist with other manye by deathe and hathe also by the tryall of their fayth made them good presidentes and examples to vs and all that come after to suffer affliction in the like cause as Saynt Iames sayeth Take my brethren sayth he the prophets for an ensample of suffering aduersity and of long pacience which spake vnto you in the name of the Lord beholde we count them happy which endure Y◠haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lord made with him for the Lord is very pitifull and mercifull Also the Lorde tryeth vs to let vs see our owne hartes and thoughtes that no Hypocrisy or Ambitiō deceiue vs that the strong
in Christ may pray that he fall not but endure to the ende and that those that fall through fearefull infirmity might speedely repent and rise agayne with Peter and also that the weake ones mighte bewayle theyr weakenes and crye with Dauid haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heale me for all my bones are vexed Of this opening of the heart by persecution spake holy Simion to Mary Christes mother when he sayde the Sworde that is the Crosse of persecution shall pearse thy Soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened For like as a king that should go to battell is cōpelled to looke in his cofers what treasure he hath and also what number and puisaunce of menne and weapons hee hath so that if he himselfe be vnready and vnarmed to bicker with hys enemye he surceaseth and taketh truice for a time euen so wee by persecutions haue our heartes opened that wee maye looke therein to see what fayth in Christ we haue and what strength to withstand the enemies and to beare the Crosse that if we be riche in these treasures we might reioyce and valiauntly go to Battell or if we want these thinges with all speede to call and crye vppon him which geueth all good giftes to those that aske them Item the crosse trieth the good people from the bad the faythfull from the worldlinges and hipocrites and also cleanseth and scoureth the faythfull hartes from all corruption and filthinesse both of the flesh and the spirit And euen as yron except it be often scoured will soone waxe rusty so except our sinnefull hartes and flesh be often scoured with the whetstone of the Crosse they will soone corrupt ouergrowe with the ruste of all filthinesse and sinne And therefore it is meete and good for vs as the wise man sayeth that as gold siluer are tryed in the fire so should the hartes of acceptable men be tried in the fornace of aduersity Abide the triall deare frendes that yee may obteyne the Crowne of life Fighte manfully in this the Lordes cause that ye may obteyne a glorious victorye here and receiue a greate rewarde in heauen hereafter As yee are called Christians and woulde be angry to be called Iewes or Turkes so declare your Christianity by folowing the steps of Christ whose name ye beare suffer with hym and for his Gospelles sake rather then to denye him or to defile your fayth and conscience with false worshipping of Romish religion Take vp your Crosse my deare hartes now when it is offered you and go vp with Christ to Ierusalem amōgest the Bishoppes Priestes and Rulers if God call you thereto and they will anone sende you to Caluery from whence dying in the cause of the Gospell wherein our good Preachers and Brethren haue geuen theyr liues your soules I warrant you through Christ Iesu shall ascend to God that gaue them and the body shall come after at the last day and so shal ye dwell with the Lord for euer in vnspeakeable ioy and blisse O blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake as Christes people in this Iewish Englande nowe doth for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen O my beloued set your mindes on this kingdome where Christ our head and king is considering that as the brute beast tooketh downewardes with the face towardes the earth so man is made contrariwise with his face looking vpward towardes the heauens because his conuersation should be in heauen and heauenlye thinges and not vpon the earth and earthly thinges and S. Paule sayth set your mindes on thinges whiche are aboue where Christ is And agayne he sayth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour who will chaunge our vile bodyes and make them like to his glorious body Oh the glorious estate that we be called vnto The Lord preserue vs harmeles to his eternal kingdome through Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen The second thing that I note in the foresayde wordes of Peter is that he calleth persecution no straunge thinge And trueth it is for which of the Prophetes were not persecuted with Christ and his Apostles and some of them in the end cruelly killed for the truthes sake Cain killed Abell Isaac was persecuted of Ismaell Iacob was hated of Esau Ioseph was prisoned and set in the Stockes the Prophet Esay was cut in two with a Saw Ieremy was stoned Micheas was buffeted and fed with bread and water Helias was sore persecuted Eleazar and the woman with her 7. sonnes were cruelly killed What Christ and the Apostles suffered it is well knowne So that by many tribulations as Paul sayth we must enter into the kingdome of Heauen All the holy Prophetes Christ and hys Apostles suffered such afflictions not for euill doing but for preaching Gods word for rebuking the world of sinne and for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ. This is the ordinance of GOD my Frendes this is the high way to heauen by corporall death to eternall life as Christ sayth he that heareth my woordes and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into iudgement but is escaped from death to life Let vs neuer feare death which is killed by Christ but beleue in him and liue for euer as Paule sayth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the Spirit And agayne Paule sayth Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory Thankes be to God which hath geuen vs victory through Iesu Christe Besides this ye haue seene and dayly doe see the bloud of your good Preachers and Brethren which hath bene shed in the Gospelles cause in this sinnefull Sodome this bloudy Ierusalem this vnhappy City of London Lette not theyr bloud be forgotten nor the bloud of your good Bishop Ridley who like a Shepheard to your comforte exāple hath geuen his life for his sheepe good S. Paule sath remember them that haue spoken to you the word of God and looke vpon the end of theyr conuersation and folow theyr fayth The Deuill euer stirreth vp false teachers as he hath done now ouer all Englande as Peter Paule and Iude prophesied it should be to poyson and kill our soules with the false doctrine And where he fayleth of his purpose that way then mooueth he his members to persecute the seely carcases of the Saynctes because they will not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuing Christ and confesse a dead breadye Christ and honour the same as Christ God and man contrary to Gods commaūdement This is the working of Sathan who knowing hys owne iust damnation woulde all mankinde to be partakers wyth him of the same such a mortall hatred beareth he agaynst GOD and his people And therefore when this wicked Tempter coulde not kill Christe with subtle tentation to fall downe and worship him then
Christ our redemer brother and the blessed company of Aungels and all faithfull saued soules Of the incomparable good thinges and heauenlye treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by Christ Iesu. For the obteining wherof we ought to set light by all temporall griefes and transitorye afflictions so much the more in that our good God is faythfull will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength that namely in the end of our life when the tree where it falleth lieth styll as the preacher sayth when euery one causa sua dormit causa sua resurget for els before the ende he suffereth his sometime to fall but not finally to peryshe as Peter sinked vpon the Sea but yet was not drowned and sinned grieuouslye vpon the land thorow infirmity denying his Mayster but yet found mercy for the righteous falleth oftentimes And Christes holye Apostles are taught to â—ay remitte nobis debita nostra Yea though the righteous fall sayth Dauid he shall not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God towardes vs miserable sinners He vouchsafe to plant in my heart true repentaunce and fayth to the obteining of remission of all my sinnes in the mercies of God and merites of Christ his sonne and therto I pray you say Amen Oh my hartely beloued it grieueth me to see the spoyle hauocke that Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe but what remedy This is Gods will and ordinaunce that his people shall here both be punished in the fleshe and tryed in theyr fayth as it is written Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all for by a strayt path and narrowe doore must we enter Whether Into the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen therefore blessed are you and other that suffer persecution for Christes sake for the professing of the same Pray for me my felowes good brother that we may fight a good fight that we may keepe the fayth and ende our course with ioyfull gladnesse for now the time of our deliueraunce is at hand The Lord guide defend and keep vs and you and al his people in our iourney that we may safely through a shorte death passe to that long lasting life Farewell my deare and louing brother and felowe souldiour in Christ farewell I say in him who receiue our soules in peace when they shall depart from these tabernacles and he graunte vs a ioyfull resurrection and a mery meeting at the last day continuall dwelling together in his eternall heauenlye kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Yours with my poore prayer other pleasure can I do you none Thomas Whittell Minister * To my deare brethren M. Filles and Cutbert MY deare and welbeloued brethren in Christ Mayster Filles and Cutbert I wish you all welfare of soule body Welfare to the soule is repentance of sinne faythfull affiaunce in Christ Iesus a godly life Welfare to the body is the health of the same with all necessary thinges for this bodely life The soule of man is immortall and therefore ought to be well kept least immortality to ioy should turne to immortality of sorow As for the body be it neuer so well kept and much made of yet shortly by nature will it perish and decay But those that are engraffed incorporated into Christe by true fayth feeling the motion of Gods holy spirite as a pledge of theyr election and inheritaunce exciting and styrring them not onely to seek heauenly thinges but also to hate vice and embrace vertue will not onely doe these thinges but also if need requyre will gladly take vp theyr Crosse and folow their capteine their king theyr Sauior Iesus Christ as his poore afflicted church of England now doth agaynst that false and Antichristian doctrine and religion now vsed specially that blasphemous Masse wherin Christs supper and holy ordinaunce is altogether peruerted abused contrarye to his institutioÌ„ to Paules procedinges so that that which they haue in theyr Masse is neither Sacrament of Christ nor yet sacrifice for sinne as the Priestes falsely pretend It is a sacrament that is as S. Augustine saith a visible sign of inuisible grace when it is ministred to the communicants according to Christes example and as it was of late yeres in this realm And as for sacrifice there is none to be made now for sinne for Christ with one sacrifice hath perfited for euer those that are sanctified Beware of false Religion and mens vayne traditioÌ„s and serue God with reuerence and godlye feare according to the doctrine of his Gospell whereto cleaue ye that yee may be blessed though of wicked men ye bee hated and accursed Rather drink of the cup of Christ with his church then of the cuppe of that rosecoloured whore of Babilon which is full of abhominations Rather striue ye to go to heauen by the path which is strait to flesh and bloud with the litle flock then to goe in the wide waye folowing the enticementes of the world and the flesh which leadeth to damnation Like as Christ suffered in the flesh sayeth S. Peter so arme ye your selues with the same minde for Christ suffred for vs leauing vs example to folow his footsteps Blessed are they that suffer for his sake great is their reward in heauen He that ouercommeth sayth S. Iohn shall eat of the tree of life he shall haue a crowne of life not be hurt of the second death he shall be clothed with white araye not be put out of the booke of life Yea I will confesse his name sayth Christ before my father and before his Aungels he shal be a piller in the house of God and sitte with me on my seat And thus I bidde you farewell myne owne Brethren and deare felowes in Christ. Whose grace and peace be alway with you Amen This world I do forsake To Christ I me betake And for his Gospell sake Paciently death I take My body to the dust Now to returne it must My soule I know full well With my God it shal dwel Thomas Whittell ¶ An other Letter of M. Thomas Whittell written to a certayne Godly woman OH my deare and louing sister in Christe be not dismayde in this storme of persecution for Paule calleth the Gospell the word of the Crosse because it is neuer truely taught but the crosse and cruell persecution immediately and necessarily doeth folow the same and therfore it is a manifest token of Gods truth and hath bene here and is still abroade and that is a cause of the rage and crueltye of Sathan agaynste Christe and his members which must bee corrected for theyr sinnes in this worlde theyr fayth must be tried that after triall and pacient suffering the faythfull may receiue the crowne of glorye Feare not therefore my welbeloued but proceede in the knowledge and feare of God
not cease with continuall prayer to labour for you desiryng almighty GOD to encrease that which he hath long sith begonne in you of sober lyfe and earnest zeale towardes his Religion In fayth as sayth Sainct Paule she that is a true widowe and frendlesse putteth her trust in GOD continuyng day and night in Supplication and prayer but she that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet aliue And verely a true widowe is she that hath maryed Christ forsakyng the vanities of the worlde and luste of the fleshe For as the maryed woman careth howe to loue please and serue her husband so ought the widowe to geue all her hart and soule thoughtes and wordes studies and labours faythfully to loue GOD vertuously to bryng vp her children and houshold and diligently to prouide for the poore and oppressed Therefore Sainct Paule first instructeth a widow how to behaue her selfe that is Not to liue in pleasure then to watche vnto prayer as the onely meanes to obtayne all our desires stedfastly laying vppe all our trust in GOD as Dauid right well sayeth First eschew euill then doe good Of Anna the prayse was written that shee neuer went out of the Temple but serued GOD with fastyng and prayer night and day so well had she espoused Christ. Iudith ware a smocke of heare continuyng in fastyng and had good report of all men The next care that belongeth to a widowe is that she bryng vppe her children and houshold godly in the nourture and information of the Lorde Whereof Saincte Paule sayeth If any haue Children or Nephewes lette them learne firste to rule their owne house Godly and to recompence their elders The incontinencie and coueteousnesse of Phinees and Ophny not corrected by Ely their Father prouoked GODS vengeaunce vppon him and all his kynred The ouer tender loue of Absolon expelled Dauid from his kyngdome The vnrebuked sinnes of Ammon encouraged Absolon to flea his brother most manifest examples agaynste the parentes for the offences of their Children Contrarywise how greatly might Hannah reioyce ouer Samuell her Sonne whome she had brought vppe in the house of the Lorde What thankes might Tobias wife giue for her Sonne Toby How happy was Salomō to be taught by the prophet Nathan But aboue all widowes thrise blessed was the happy mother of the vij Sonnes that so had instructed them by the feare of GOD that by no tormentes they would shrincke from the loue of his truth Of the last parte Saincte Paule sheweth that a widowe shoulde bee chosen If shee haue nourished her Children if shee haue been liberall to straungers if shee haue washed the Sainctes feete and if shee haue ministred to them in aduersitie Herein it is euident howe earnestly Saincte Paule would haue widowes bent towardes the poore for that as though they onely had been therefore meete hee appointed onely widowes to minister to the Sainctes and to gather for the poore Whiche vse also continued almost throughout the primitiue Churche that widowes had the charge and gatheryng for the poore men and straungers Of your neighboures I neede not to put you in remembraunce seeynge you dayly feede them with good Hospitalitie by whiche meanes also many foreners are of you relieued but of the poore Almes houses and miserable prisoners here in London many lacking their libertie wythout cause some vnder the colour of Religion some onely kept for fees and some on priuate mennes displeasure Alas that Christe so hungereth and no man will feede hym is so sore opprest with thyrst and no man will geue him to drinke destitute of all lodgyng and not relieued naked and not cloathed sicke and not visited imprisoned and not seene In tyme past menne could bestowe large summes of money on copes vestimentes and ornamentes of the Churche Why rather follow we not S. Ambroses example whiche solde the same to the reliefe of the poore or Chrysostomes commaundement which willeth first to decke and garnish the liuing temple of God But alas suche is the wickednesse of these our last dayes that nothing moueth vs neyther the pure doctrine the godlines of life nor good examples of the auncient Fathers If in any thing they erred if they haue written anye thynge that serueth for sectes and dissension that will their charitable children embrace publishe and mayntayne with sworde Fagot and fire But all in vayne they stryue agaynst the streame For though in despite of the truth by force of the oers of crafty perswasion they maye bringe themselues into the hauen of hell yet can they not make all menne bebeleue that the bankes moue whilest the shippe sayleth nor euer shall be able to turne the directe course of the streame of Gods truth Our Lord Iesus Christ strengthen you in al pure doctrine and vpright liuing and geue you grace vertuously to bring vp your children and family and carefully to prouide for the poore and oppressed Amen At Newgate the 20. of Ianuary Ann. 1556. Your assured Bartlet Greene. An other certayne writing of M. Bartlet Greene. BEtter is the day of death sayth Salomon then the daye of birth Man that is borne of woman liueth but a shorte tyme and is replenished with many miseries but happye are the dead that dye in the Lord. Man of woman is borne in trauell to liue in misery manne thorough Christe dothe dye in ioye and lyue in felicitie He is borne to dye and dyeth to liue Straight as he cōmeth into the world with cryes he vttereth his miserable estate straight as he departeth with songes hee prayseth God for euer Scarse yet in his cradle 3. deadly enemies assault him after death no aduersary may annoy him Whilest hee is here he displeaseth God when he is dead he fulfilleth his will In this lyfe here he dyeth through sinne in the life to come he liueth in righteousnesse Through many tribulations in earth he is still purged with ioye vnspeakeable in heauen is he made pure for euer Here he dyeth euery houre there hee liueth continuallye Here is sinne there is righteousnes Here is tyme there is eternitie Here is hatred there is loue Here is payne there is pleasure Here is miserye there is felicity Here is corruption there is immortalitie Here we see vanitie there shall we behold the maiestie of god with triumphant and vnspeakeable ioy in glory euerlasting Seeke therefore the thinges that are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God the father vnto whom with the sonne and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Yours in Christ Bartlet Grene. Diuers other letters and matters there were beside which this seruaunt of God did write as namely certayn notes extractes in Latine out of the Doct. other authours for his memory wherby is declared how studious he was in the searching and knowledge of the law of God although his profession was the temporall lawe Where I would 〈◊〉 God
wherein the word of God is preached and the holy Sacraments truely ministred visible to the wicked world although it be not credited by the death of Saints confirmed as it was in the tyme of Helias the Prophet as well as now 3. Item the sea of Rome is the sea of Antichrist the congregation of the wicked c. whereof the Pope is head vnder the Deuill 4. Item the Masse is not onely a prophanation of the Lordes Supper but also a blasphemous Idoll 5. Item God is neither spiritually nor corporally in the Sacrament of the aultar and there remaineth no substance in the same but onely the substance of bread and wyne For these the Articles of our beliefe we beyng condemned to die do willingly offer our corruptible bodies to bee dissolued in the fire all with one voyce assentyng and consentyng therunto and in no one poynt dissentyng or disagreeyng from any of our former Articles Apparant also let it be and knowen that being of the former Articles before the bloudy Bishop examined the sayde day and tyme we affirmed to beleeue all that he or they would approoue by the Scriptures But he sayd that he would not stand to proue it with heretikes but sayd they themselues were the holy church and that we ought to beleeue them or els to bee cut of lyke withered branches ¶ Their names subscribed to the same Rafe Iackson Henry Adlington Lyon Cawch Wil. Hallywell George Searles Iohn Routh Iohn Derifall Henry Wye Edmund Hurst Laurence Parnam Tho. Boyer Elizabeth Pepper Agnes George Tho. Freeman Wil. Stannard Wil. Adams * Trouble and businesse in the Diocesse of Lichfield IN the Diocesse of Lichfield about the 14. of Iune in the same yeare Iohn Colstocke who was lately come from London before and now dwelling at Welington though he suffred no Martyrdome yet susteined some trouble beyng attached and examined by the B. named Rafe Bane for hys Religion especially for two poynts in holding agaynst the realtie of Christ in the Sacrament and against Auricular confession to be made to the Priest For the which cause beyng compelled to recant he was enioyned in the church of S. Cedde to beare a fagot before the crosse bare-headed hauyng in the one hand a Taper and in the other a payre of beades c. Amongst diuers other which in the same diocesse and the same tyme were suspected troubled for the lyke was Tho. Flyer of Uttoxater Shomaker Nich. Bail of Uttoxater Capper Tho. Pyot of Chedall Item Henry Crimes for marying his wife on Palme sonday euen c. Some other also there were which had the like penance enioyned them as Tho. Iohnson about the 26. day of this moneth of Iune because he sware by the holy Masse before the B. sittyng in iudgement who for the same was driuen to goe before the Crosse with hys Taper and beades c. Concerning the which Tho. Flyer aboue named being a godly and a zealous man this furthermore is to bee noted and not vnworthy of gratefull memory that where as in the Towne of Uttoxater commaundement was directed vnto him amongst others from the Ordinary for pullyng downe monuments of superstition and namely the Roode loft he beyng one of the churchwardens or Side-men on a tyme had talke vpon the same with certayne of his neighbours where one wished them ill to chieue that should go about such an acte What wordes passed els amongest them ministryng matter of further prouocation it is not perfectly known In fine the sayd Flier beyng offended and afterward metyng with him that had vsed such wordes before began to common with hym of the matter but in the ende the man so little repented him of those sayings that hee added yet more fierce words and at length strokes also in such wise that at that conflict the sayd Tho. Flyer was slayne and yet so was the matter handled such amends was made with money by the murtherer and hys friends to the sayd Fliers wyfe that he suffred little or nothyng for the same saue onely that he was banished that towne and sworne and bound neuer to come in it so long as the sayde Fliers wyfe should lyue ¶ Three men dead in the prison of the Kings Bench. AFter the burning of these in Stratford the same moneth died in the prison of the Kings Bench in Southwarke one Tho. Parret and was buried in the backside the 27. day of the moneth abouesayd Also Martin Hunt as is reported in the same prison was famished the 29. day At which tyme likewyse died in the same prison as I find recorded one Iohn Norice and after the same sort as the other was buried on the backeside of the sayd prison the day aboue mentioned ¶ The story of three Martyrs sufferyng at S. Edmondesbury AFter the death of the aforesayd Tho. Parret Martine Hunt and Iohn Norice were three martyred at S. Edmondsbury in Suffolke in one fire whose names are here vnder specified Roger Bernard Adam Foster Robert Lawson ¶ The first examination of Roger Bernard before D. Hopton B. of Norwich WHen Roger Bernard came before the Bish. first he was asked whether hee had bene with the Priest at Easter to be shriuen whether he had receiued the blessed Sacrament of the aultar or no. Unto whome Roger Bernard answered no I haue not bene with the Priest nor confessed my selfe vnto hym but I haue confessed my sinnes vnto almighty God I trust he hath forgeuē me wherfore I shall not need to go to the priest for such matters who cannot helpe hymselfe Bish. Surely Bernard thou must needes goe and confesse thy selfe vnto hym Rog. That shall I dot do by Gods grace while I liue Bish. What a stout boyly heretike is this how malipertly he answereth Rog. My L. it grieueth me no whit I thanke God to be called heretike at your hands for so your forefathers called the Prophetes and Confessours of Christ long before this tyme. At these words the B. rose vp in a great heat and bad Bernard follow hym Then the B. went and kneeled before that they call the Sacrament of the aultar and as hee was in his prayers kneelyng he looked backe and asked Bernard why he came not and did as he did Unto whom Bernard aunswered I cannot tell why I should so doe Why quoth the Bish. thou lewd felow whom seest thou yonder pointyng to the pixe ouer the aultar Rog. I see no body there Do you my Lord Bish. Why naughty man doest not thou see thy maker Rog. My maker No I see nothyng but a fewe cloutes hangyng together on a heape With that the Byshop rose vp sore displeased and commaunded the Gaoler to take hym away and to lay irons enough on hym For quoth he I will tame hym or he go from me I trow so and so he was caried away ¶ The second examination of Roger Bernard before the sayd Bishop THe next
there is the reall substance of the body of Christ Fort. And I aunswered him that it is the greatest plague that euer came into England Bish. Why so Fort. I sayd if I were a Bishop and you a poore man as I am I would be ashamed to aske such a question For a Bishop should be apt to teach and not to learne Bish. I am appoynted by the law to teach so are not you Fort. And I sayd Your lawe breaketh out very well for you haue burned vp the true Bishops and preachers and mainteined lyers to be in theyr steed Bish. Now you may vnderstand that he is a traytour for he denyeth the higher powers Fort. I am no traytour for S. Paule sayth All soules must obey the higher powers and I resist not the higher powers concerning my body but I must resist your euill doctrine wherwith you would infect my soule A Doct. Then sayd a Doctor my Lord you doe not well let him aunswere shortly to his articles Bish. How sayst thou make aunswere quickly to these articles Fort. S. Paule sayth Christ did one sacrifice once for all and set him downe on the right hand of his father triumphing ouer hell and death making intercession for sinnes Bish. I aske thee no suche question but make aunswere to this article Fort. If it be not GOD before the consecration it is not God after for God is without beginning and without ending Bish. Then sayd he lo what a stiffe hereticke is this He hath denyed altogether how sayest thou Is it idolatry to worship the blessed sacrament or no. Fort. God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and trueth Bish. I aske thee no such question answere me directly Fort. I answere that this is the God Mauzzim that robbeth God of his honor Bish. It is pity that the grounde beareth thee or that thou hast a toung to speak Thē sayd the scribe here are a great many more articles Bish. Then sayde the Bishop Away with him for he hath spoken to much ¶ An other examination of I. Fortune ANd when I came to mine examination agayne the bishoppe asked me if I would stand vnto mine answere that I had made before and I sayd yea for I had spoken nothing but the truth And after that he made a great circumstance vpon the Sacrament Then I desired him to stand to the text he read the Gospell on Corpus Christi day whiche sayd I am the breade which came downe from heauen beleuest thou not this And I sayd yea truely And he sayd why doest thou deny the Sacrament Because your doctrine is false sayd I. Then sayd he how can that be false which is spoken in the Scripture And I sayd Christ sayd I am the bread and you say the breade is he Therefore your doctrine is false sayd I. And he sayd doest thou not beleue that the bread is he And I sayd no. Bish. I will bring thee to it by the Scriptures Fort. Hold that fast my Lord for that is the best Argumēt that you haue yet Bish. Thou shalt be burned like an hereticke Fort. Who shall geue iudgement vpon me Bish. I will iudge an hundred such as thou art and neuer be shriuen vpon it Fort. Is there not a lawe for the spiritualty as well as for the temporaltye and Syr Clement Higham sayde yes what meanest thou by that Fort. When a man is periured by the law he is cast ouer the barre and sitteth no more in iudgement And the Byshop is a periured man and ought to sit in iudgement of no mā Bish. How prouest thou that Fort. Because you tooke an oth by king Henries dayes to resist the Pope So both spirituall and temporall are periured that here can be no true iudgement Bish. Thinkest thou to escape iudgement by that no for my Chaūcellor shall iudge thee He took no oth for he was out then of the Realme M. Hygham It is time to weede out such felowes as you be in deed Bysh. Good fellowe why beleuest not thou in the Sacrament of the aultar Fort. Because I finde it not in Gods booke nor yet in the Doctors If it were there I would beleue it with al my hart Bysh. How knowest thou it is not there Fort. Because it is contrary to the second cōmaundement and seing it is not written in Gods booke why do you thē robbe me of my life Then the Bishop hauing no more to saye commaunded the Bailiffe to take him away And thus much touching the examinations of this man Now whether he died in fire or otherwise preuented with death as I sayd before I am vncertayne In the Registers of Norwich this I do finde that his sentence of condemnation was drawne and Registred but whether it was pronounced in the said Register it is not expressed according as the vsuall maner of the Notary is so to declare in the end of the sētēce Neuertheles this is most certayne that he neuer abiured nor recanted howsoeuer it pleased the Lord by death to call him out of this world ¶ The death of Iohn Careles in the Kynges Benche ABout this time the first day of Iuly amongest diuers other prisoners which dyed the same yeare in the Kinges Bench was also one Iohn Careles of Couentry a weauer Who though he were by the secret iudgemēt of almighty God preuented by death so that he came not to the full Martyrdome of his body yet is he no lesse worthy to be counted in honor place of Christes martyrs then other that suffered most cruell torments aswell for that he was for the same truthes sake a long time imprisoned as also for his willing mind zelous affection he had thereunto if the Lord had so determined it as well may appeare by his examinatiō had before Doct. Martin Which examination because it conteineth nothing almost but wrangling interrogations and matters of contentiō wherin Doctour Martin would enter into no communication about the articles of his accusation but onely vrged him to detect his felowes it shall not be greatly materiall therfore to expresse the whole but onely to excerpt so much as perteining to the question of predestination may bring some fruit to the Reader ¶ The effect of Iohn Careles examination before Doctour Martin briefly declared FIrst Doctour Martin calling Iohn Careles to hym in his Chamber demaunded what was his name To whom when the other had answered that his name was Iohn Careles then began Doctour Martin to descant at his pleasure vpon that name saying that it would appere by his conditions by that time he had done with him that he would be a true careles man in deed And so after other by talke there spent about much needelesse matter then he asked him where he was borne Careles Forsooth sayth he at Couentry Mart. At Couentry what so farre man How camest thou hither Who sent thee to the kinges Bench to prison Carel. I was
Lorde of all mercy and Father of all comfort through the merites and mediation of his deare sonne thy onely Lord and Sauiour hath clearely remitted and pardoned all thy offences whatsoeuer they bee that euer hitherto thou hast committed agaynst his maiesty and therefore he hath geuen to thee as to his childe deare Brother Iohn Careles in token that thy sinnes are pardoned he I say hath geuen vnto thee a penitent and beleuing hart that is a hart which desireth to repent and beleue For suche a one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleuing hart in deed Wherefore my good Brother be mery gladde and of good cheare for the Lorde hath taken away thy sinnes thou shalt not dye Goe thy wayes the Lord hath put away thy sinnes The East is not so farre from the West as the Lord now hath put thy sinnes from thee Looke how the heauēs be in comparison of the earth so far hath his mercy preuayled towardes thee his deare chylde Iohn Careles through Christ the beloued Say therfore with Dauid prayse the Lord oh my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy name for he hath forgeuen thee all thy sinnes as truely he hath And hereof I desire to be a witnesse God make me worthy to heare from you the like true message for my selfe Myne owne dearly beloued you haue great cause to thanke God moste hartily that he hath geuen you such repētance and fayth the lord encrease the same in you and me a most miserable wretch whose hart is harder then the Adamant stone or elles I coulde not thus long haue stayed from writing vnto you If I liue and may I purpose and promise you to make amendes Praye for me my moste deare brother I hartely beseech you and forgeue me my long silence God our father be with vs for euer Amen Yours in the Lord Iohn Bradford ¶ To my most deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to dye for the testimony of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength and comfort of his most pure holy mighty spirite with the increase of fayth liuely feeling of his eternall mercy be with you my most deare faythfull louing brother Tyms with all the rest of my deare hartes in the Lord your faithfull felow souldiers most constant cōpanions in bonds yea of men condēned most cruelly for the sincere testimony of Gods euerlasting truth to the full finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begon in you all that the same may be to his glory the commodity of his poore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most sweet and louing brethrē and dearest hartes in the Lord what shall I say or how shall I write vnto you in the least poynt or part to vtter the great ioy that my poore hart hath cōceiued in God through the most godly example of your christian constancy and sincere confession of Christes verity Truely my tongue can not declare nor my pen expresse the aboūdance of spirituall myrth and gladnes that my minde and inward man hath felte euer since I heard of your harty boldnes and modest behauior before that bloudy butcher in the time of al your crafty examinations especially at your cruell condēnation in theyr cursed Consistory place Blessed be God the Father of all mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciously performed vpon you his deare darlinges his most sweete and comfortable promises in not onely geuing you the cōtinuall aide strength and comfort of his holye and mighty spirite to the faythfull confession of his Christ for whose cause O most happy mē ye are condemned to dye but also in geuing you such a mouth wisedom as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were fayne to cry Peace peace not suffer you to speake As truely as God liueth my deare brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euident probation that God is on our side and a sure certainty of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather gods cursed enemies a plaine demōstration of their iust eternall woe damnatiō which they shal be full sure shortly to feele whē ye shal ful sweetly possesse the place of felicity pleasure prepared for you frō the beginning Therefore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to prayse the Lord with a lusty courage for that of his great mercy and infinite goodnesse he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not onely the losse of goodes wife and childrē long imprisonment cruell oppressiō c. but also the very depriuation of this mortall life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fire The which is the greatest promotion that GOD can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue yet hath the Lord for his dere sonne Christs sake reputed you worthy of the same yea and that before me and many other which haue both long looked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Tyms whose time resteth altogether in the handes of the Lorde in a full happy time camest thou into this troublesome world but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the sweete saying of Salomon or rather of the holye ghost shall be full well verified vpon thee yea and all thy faythfull fellowes Better is the day of death sayth hee then the day of byrth This saying cannot be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and suche as thou art whose death is most precious before God full deare shal your bloud be in his sight Blessed be God for thee my deare brother Tymmes and blessed be God agayn that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came first into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God will once vouch me worthye of that great dignitie whereunto he hath now brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth now nigh vnto God of whom you haue receiued the same ful glad may you be that euer God gaue you a life to leaue for his sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wife Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I beseeche you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my sins of that great dignitie whereunto the Lord hath called you and the rest of your godly brethren whome I beseech you to comfort in the Lorde as you can full well praysed be God for his giftes which you haue hartily applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the commoditie of his
poore afflicted Church Which thing shal surely redound to your euerlasting ioy and comfort as you shall most effectually feele or euer it be long though the wicked of the world iudge farre otherwise Ah mine owne hartes and most dearely beloued brethren Cauell Ambrose and both the Spurges blessed be the Lord on your behalfe and praysed be his name which hath geuen you such a glorious victory Full valiant haue you shewed your selues in the Lords fight ful faithfully in your paynefull seruice Faint not but go on forward as ye haue most godly begun for great shall your reward be at the end of this your trauell Ah my good faythfull brethren all what shall I say or what shall I write vnto you but euen the same that good Elizabeth did say to her godly kinswoman Mary the blessed mother of Christe Happy art thou quoth that good woman which hast beleued for al thinges which the Lord hath spoken to thee shal be fulfilled So I say to you my deare heartes in the Lorde happy are ye all yea twise happy shall ye bee for euermore because yee haue stedfastly beleued the most sweete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his owne mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythfull seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shall be blessed euer world without end The promises of God your sweet father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record that God is true The Testymony wherof ye haue full worthily borne to the worlde shortly will full surely seale the same with your bloud yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiant souldiers of the high captayne Iesus Chryste who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hel hath geuē you full victory ouer them for euermore Oh worthy witnesses and most glorious martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proude sturdye bragging Prince of the world al his wicked army ouer whom ye shall shortly triumph for euermore Ah my sweet harts the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heauen The immercessible and moste glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon all your happy heades The holy Aungelles of your heauenly father are already appoynted to conducte your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heauēly host reioyseth already for that they shall shortly receiue you with ioy felicitie into their blessed fellowship Selah Reioyce with double ioy and bee glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then can be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde may lye and lament with the holy Prophet saying Woe is me that the dayes of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Satan which hath caused me so sore to offend my most deare louing father whereby my exile and banishmente is so much prolonged Oh christ my deare aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustly deserued that he may take me home to him in his sweete mercye Oh that I might now come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy will O Lord be effectuously fulfilled for it is onely good and turneth all thinges to the best for suche as thou in thy mercies hast chosen And now farewell my deare heartes most happy in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortly to see you in the celestiall citie wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heauē where your treasure doth remayne with your sweet Lord and Redeemer Iesus Christe whose calling you haue heard with the eares of youre heartes and therefore yee shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shall neuer be remembred be they neuer so many so greeuous or so great for your sauiour hath cast them all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them from you as farre as the East is from the West and his mercy hathe muche more preuayled ouer you then is distaunce betweene heauē and earth and he hath geue you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holinesse righteousnesse and iustification yea and the holy Ghost into your harts wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the daye of redemption to certifie you of your eternall election and that yee are hys true adopted sonnes whereby yee may boldly crye vnto God Abba deare father for euermore so that now no creature in heauen earth nor hell shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly king Satan is now cast out from you he himselfe is iudged and hathe no parte in you He will once more byte you by the heele and then he hath don for at that time you shall squise his head through your owne good Christ and so haue you finall victory for euermore In ioyfull triumphe whereof yee shall sweetly ascend into the place of eternall rest whether youre eldest brother christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy aultar with Cranmer Latimer Ridley Rogers Hooper Saunders Farrar Taylour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your comming to see sixe moe of their appoynted number that their bloud may so muche the sooner be reuenged vpon them that dwell on the earth Thus I make an ende committing you all to Gods most mercifull defence whose quarrell yee haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory yee haue sette forth and whose name ye haue constantly confessed Farewell for a while my deare hartes in the Lord I wil make as much haste after you as I may All our deare brethren salute you They pray for you and prayse God for you cōtinually Blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours sayth the holy Ghost and their workes follow them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable servaunt of the Lord. Pray pray pray ¶ In the pag. 1742. ye heard before the letter of Thomas Whittel written to Iohn Careles wherin he yeldeth great thankes vnto him for the singular ioy and consolatiō receiued by his letters The copie of which letters sent vnto him if any be disposed to peruse here vnder foloweth to satisfie his desire ¶ To M. Greene M. Whittel and certaine other prisoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimonie of our Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christe the continual comfort of his most pure and holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithfull brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appointed sheepe vnto the slaughter to the good performaunce of the great and notable worke of the Lord which he hath so graciously begon in you al that the same may redoūd to the setting forth of his glory to the commoditie of his
are much offended for it felleth all mans righteousnes to the ground I had like to haue sayd to the bottome of hell extolleth onely the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ whiche is allowed before God and is freely geuen to al those that firmely beleue as blessed be God you doe Ah my good brother Tymmes Sathan hath put hys hand in a wrong boxe when he beginneth to tempte you either to vayne glory or mistrust for you are an old beaten souldier and haue had good experience of these manner of temptations both by your selfe and other whome you know well were the beloued of God Bee of good cheare therefore deare hart be of good cheare for now Satā hath wrought all his malice he hath done all that hee can and hath shot of all his last Peeces wherwith he had thought to haue done most mischiefe but now he seeth hee cannot preuaile the strong tower of your fayth being so inuincible he will plucke vp all his tentes and get him to some other place to practise the like assaultes and then will the Aungels of God come and minister vnto you the moste sweete heauenly consolations of the holy Ghost To hym therefore who is able to do exceeding aboundantly aboue all that euer we can desire or thinke I do most hartily cōmit you with all the reste of youre godly prison fellowes who comfort strengthen and defend you with his grace mighty operation of his holye spirit as hee hath hitherto done that you hauing a most glorious victory ouer the subtle serpent and all his wicked seede may also receaue the crowne of glory and immortalitie prepared for you before the foundations of the world were layde and is so surelye kept for you in the handes of him whose promise is vnfallible that the Deuill sinne death or hell shall neuer be able to depriue you of the same The blessing of God bee with you now for euermore Amen Pray pray pray for me Your owne for euer Iohn Careles * To my good sister M.C. THe peace of God in Iesus Christ the eternal comforts of his sweete spirite be with you my deare and faithful sister to the ful accomplishment of that good worke which hee hath most graciously begon in you that the same may be effectuall to the setting forth of his glory and to your euerlasting consolation in him Amen My louing and faythful Sister in the Lord I thanke you for all your louing kindnes shewed vnto me in youre feruent and faithfull prayers and for your most godly and comfortable letter wherby you do not only much encrease my ioy and comfort but also put me in remembraunce of my duetie towardes you Blessed be the Lord our God which of his great merhath so beautified his Church in these our dayes that euen vnto many godly women hee hathe geuen most excellent giftes of knowledge and vnderstanding of his truth so that they are not onely well able to enforme their owne consciences in all thinges necessarye to saluation but also moste sweetly to comfort their sorrowfull brethren sisters that susteine any trouble for the testimony of Gods trueth yea that which is more euen in the middest of their great cōflictes of conscience Of which most happy number of godly and vertuous women my deare hart you are one and that of the chiefest being plentifully endued with the gifts of Gods most gracious spirite as it doth full wel appeare in your dayly doinges God onely haue the prayse therefore For asmuch then as God hath geuen you the gift to write I shall moste hartily desire you to let me heare from you sometimes be it neuer so little for truely I take great cōfort and courage thereby specially in my poore conscience whiche is sore assaulted of subtile Satan and in a manner oppressed of my sinnes Pray deare sister that GOD may geue me true hartie and earnest repentaunce increase my fayth for they are bothe the good giftes of God onely and farre passe the reache of my power to take at my pleasure Therfore deare sister if you wil helpe me to begge the same of our deare louing father I am sure that he both cā and will geue them in his good time As for the feare of death or terrour of the fire I most hartily thanke my good God I feele it not onely it is mine owne sinnes and vnthankfulnes which holdeth hard battayle wageth strōg warre against me which onely goeth about to separate me from my good captayne Christ that I shoulde not enioye his glorious victory but God being on my side as I am sure hee is that cannot continually preuayle agaynst me Though God for a time permitte Satan to take his pleasure on me as he did vpon Iob yet I doubt not but in the end all shall turne to my profite through the merites of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ to whose most mercifull defence I commit you deare Sister with al the rest of the Lordes elect Farewell in Christ. Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles Pray pray pray pray * To my deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continuall comfortes of his most pure and holy spirite be with you my most deare frend and faythfull brother U. to the increase of your fayth and comfort of your sorrowful spirite which is to the father a sweete sacrifice through chryst for whose sake he will neuer despise your humble and contrite hart but doth fauourably accept the same and wil in most ample wise performe the desire thereof to his glorye your eternall comfort in him In the mids of my manifold crosses troubles wherin I am constrayned to flee vnto God for refuge succour by earnest faithful prayer I cannot forget you my deare hart in the Lord but esteeming your state for mine owne I do poure forth my complaynt for you as I do for my selfe rather more as I thinke present neede doth require desiring most hartily to heare the good successe of the same in you The lord God for his great mercies sake accomplish my desire as I doubt not but he wil when he seeth it good and most to his glory and to your comforte and commoditie Oh that I might once see you so merry in Christ as you haue iust cause to be that you might say with Dauid Awake my glory awake Lute and Harpe bring forth the Psalter with the merry song that I might sing a newe song of prayse and thankesgeuing vnto the Lord for the light of his fauourable coūtenaunce his helpe and deliueraunce Oh that would refresh me as a most precious oyle and gladden my poore heart whiche is assaulted with sorrow moe wayes then one I doubt not but the same shal by your meanes receiue much comfort though for a time it doth mourne with you that we may be made both glad together yea that with such gladnes as shal continue for
time out she intended no lesse but honestly to be brought to bed and to nurse vp her childe neither caryng for shame of the world nor fearyng anye sclaunder to the Gospell Whereby may be argued that no suche intent of murder was euer in her thoughte For how is it like that shee whiche had gone so longe with childe almost to the full time of her deliueraunce neuer thought nor wrought any hurt to the infant al that while shoulde nowe goyng to her owne death mynde more hurte to her childe then she did before hopyng her selfe to liue Secondly how knoweth M.H. to the contrarye but that she was knowne in the towne to be with childe and went boldly abroad without note of any shame before the time she came in trouble Whiche being true shame then could be no cause why she should conceale her child more now after her condemnation then she did before she was condemned Thirdly admitte the case it was not knowne before what aduauntage thereby should ryse to her beyng nowe appoynted to dye by concealing her being with childe She should haue eschued sayth M.H. the publike shame and obloquie of the worlde in that none should haue knowen her to be with childe First what shame was it for a maryed wife to be noted to be with childe Agayne what gayne had that bene to her to auoyde the shame and fame of the world which hadde not to liue in the worlde being now condemned to dye Fourthly how is it like that for shame shee meant to conceale that from the world which both knew she shuld not liue in the worlde and also suffer that kinde of death whereby her childe could not be hidden from the sight of the worlde though she had gone about her self neuer so much to conceale it Fiftly how is it to be thought that any woman going to suche a sharpe punishment of fire to bee consumed would let for any worldly shame to reschue her owne life from so bitter torment at least so long as she might beside the safegard also of her childe if by any meanes she hadde knowne any remedy Sixtly for so much as M. Harding doth so haynouslye charge her with the wilfull murdering of her owne naturall childe let all indifferente consciences thys consider with themselues what was the cause that moued her so willinglye to recant as shee did but partly to saue her owne life and especially the poore innocent Whereby it is manifest to be vnderstanded what a motherly affection she had to saue her infant if the fathers of the spiritualtie had not bene so cruell agaynst all order of law to cast both her and her childe away all this her sayd recantation not withstanding Seuenthly and lastly when M.H. hath inueyed al that euer he can agaynst this poore Perotine yet is all the same but a by matter from this principall purpose pretented supposing thereby through his deprauing of her to iustifie and excuse the Pope holye Clergy which wrought her death Which will not bee For what soeuer her lyfe was besides yet for so much as the cause of her death condemnation was neither for their whoredome nor murder but onely and merely for Religion whiche deserued no death I therefore hauing in my story no further to deale as I sayd before so doe I say agayne that the cause of her condemning was wrongfully her deathe was cruell the sight of the babe was ruefull the proceding of the Iudges was vnlawfull the whole story is pittifull and of al thys the priestes and Clergye were the authors principall All which being considered and well expended M.H. I trust may stand sufficiently contented Or if hee thinke murder to be a thing whiche ought not as it ought not in deede lightly to bee passed ouer let him then finde out murder where it is and tell vs truely without affection of partialitie where the true murder lyeth whether in the poore woman whiche together with her childe was murdered or in them which without all law and conscience brought them both to death Briefly and finally to conclude with this manne what soeuer the woman was she is now gone To bite so bitterly agaynst the dead it is little honesty And thoughe the accusation had in it some truth yet this accusatiō here needed not Now the same being false it is to much vnmercifull At least being doubtfull and to him vnknown charytie would haue iudged the best Humanitie woulde haue spared the dead And if he coulde not foorde her his good word yet he might haue left her cause vnto the Lord whiche shall iudge bothe her and him To pray for the dead he findeth in his Masse but to backbite the dead he neyther findeth in his Masse Mattens nor Euensong And no doubt but in hys Dirige commendations he commēdeth many one lesse deseruing to be commēded then this woman let Catholicke affection be set aside And thoughe the merites of her cause deserued not his commendations yet did she neuer deserue at M. Hardinges handes to geue her suche a Kyrieleson as they saye after her departure Cruelty she suffered enough aliue thoughe M. H. hadde not added this cruell inuectiue to her former afflictions wherein notwithstanding he hurteth not her but hurtethe peraduenture himself neither so much destaineth her honesty as he blemisheth his owne It hath bene the maner of learned men in time past with theyr defending oration euer to be more ready then to accuse And if they dyd at anye tyme accuse yet neuer but enforced neyther did they accuse any but such onely as were aliue and that neyther but in such matters wherein eyther the common wealth or themselues were vehemently touched Now if this greue hym so greatly that in my storye I haue termed her to be a martyr let him consider the cause wherfore she suffered which was neyther for felony murder nor whoredome but onely for the religion in K. Edwardes time receaued and when hee hath confuted that religion I shall crosse her out of the booke and fellowship of Martyrs In the meane time my exhortation shall be this to M. Harding First that if he will needes become a writer in these so furious and outragious dayes of ours he will season hys veyne of writing with more mildenes and charitie not to geue such example of rayling to others Secondly that hee will moderate hys iudging condemning of other with more equitie and indifferencie and not to be so rash and partiall For if shee be to be accompted a murderer which so carefully went about by recantation to saue both her selfe and her childe from the fire what is to be sayd of them which condemned her so cruelly and caused both her and the infant to be burned notwithstanding that she for safegard of theyr lyues had as I sayd recanted And yet so partiall is hee that in all this inuectiue crying out so intemperately agaynst the woman and the childe that
that day or the daye following I should haue sent thence 22. heretickes indited before the Commissioners in dede so I had compelled to beare theyr charges as I did of the other which both stoode me aboue 20. nobles a summe of money that I thought full euill bestowed And these heretickes notwithstanding they had honest Catholicke keepers to conduct and bring them vp to me and in all the way frō Colchester to Stradford of the Bow did goe quietly and obediently yet comming to Stratford they began to take hart of grace and to doe as pleased themselues for there they beganne to haue theyr garde which generally increased till they came to Algat◠where they were lodged Friday night And albeit I tooke order that the sayde heretickes shoulde be with me very early on saterday mornyng to the intent they mighte quietlye come and bee examined by me yet it was ¶ The Picture of xxij godly and faythfull Christians apprehended about Colchester prisoned together in one band and so with three leaders at the most brought vp to London betweene x. and a xi of the clocke before they would come and no waye woulde they take but through Cheapside so that they were brought to my house with about a thousande Persons Which thing I tooke very strange and spake to sir Iohn Gressam then being with me to tell the Mayor and the Sheriffes that thys thing was not well suffered in the City These naughty hereticks all the way they came through Cheapside both exhorted the people to their part and had much comfort à promiscua plebe and being entred into my house and talked withall they shewed thēselues desperate and very obstinate yet I vsed al the honest meanes I could both by my self and other to haue wonne them causing diuers learned men to talke with them and finding nothing in them but pride and wilfulnes I thought to haue had them all hether to Fulham and here to geue sentence agaynst them Neuerthelesse perceiuing by my last doing that your grace was offended I thought it my duetie before I any thing further proceded herein to aduertise first your grace hereof and knowe your good pleasure whiche I beseeche your grace I may doe by thys trusty bearer And thus most humblye I take my leaue of youre good grace beseeching almighty God alwayes to preserue the same At Fulllam postridie Natiu .1556 Your graces most bounden Bedesman and seruaunt Edmond Boner By this letter of Bishop Boner to the Cardinall is to be vnderstand what good will was in this Bish. to haue the bloud of these men and to haue past with sentence of condemnation agaynst them had not the Cardinal somwhat as it seemed haue stayed his feruent headines Concerning the which Cardinal although it cannot be denyed by his Actes and writings but that he was a professed enemy and no otherwise to be reputed but for a papist yet agayne it is to be supposed that he was none of the bloudy cruell sort of papistes as may appeare not only by staying the rage of this Byshop but also by his solicitous writing and long letters written to Cranmer also by the complaintes of certayne papistes accusing him to the Pope to bee a bearer with the heretickes by the popes letters sent to him vpon the same calling him vp to Rome setting Fryer Peto in his place had not Q. Mary by special entreaty haue kept him out of the popes danger All whiche letters I haue if neede be to shewe besides also that it is thought of him that toward his latter end a little before his comming from Rome to England he begā somwhat to sauour the doctrine of Luther and was no lesse suspected at Rome Yea furthermore did there at Rome conuert a certayne learned Spanyarde from papisme to Luthers side notwithstanding the pompe and glory of the world afterward caryed him away to play the papist thus as he did But of this Cardinall enough To returne now to this godly company agayne first how they were brought vp in bandes to London ye haue heard Also how Boner was about to haue red the Sentence of death vpon them how he was stayed by the Cardinall ye vnderstand As touching their confession which they articled vp in writing it were to tedious to recite the whole at length Briefly touching the article of the Lords Supper for the whiche they were chieflye troubled thus they wrote as here followeth The supper of the Lord. WHeras Christ at his last supper took bread whē he had geuē thanks he brake it gaue it to hys disciples and sayd take eate this is my body likewise tooke the cup and thanked c. We do vnderstand it to be a figuratiue speache as the most maner of his language was in parrables darke sentences that they which are carnally minded should see with their eyes and not perceiue and heare with their eares not vnderstand signifying this that as he did breake the breade among them being but one loafe they al were partakers thereof so we through his body in that it was broken and offered vpon the crosse for vs are all partakers thereof and his bloud clenseth vs from our sinnes hath pacified Gods wrath towards vs and made the attonement betwene God vs if we walke henceforth in the light euen as he is the true light And in that he sayd further do this in the remembrance of me it is a memoriall and token of the suffering death of Iesu Christ and he commaunded it for this cause that the congregatiō of Christ should come together to shew his death and to thanke and laud him for all his benefites magnifye his holy name so to breake the bread drinke the wine in remembrance that Christ had geuen his body and shed his bloud for vs. Thus you may well perceiue though Christe called the bread his body the wine his bloud yet it followeth not that the substaunce of his body shoulde be in the bread and wine as diuers places in Scripture are spoken by Christ and the Apostles in lyke phrase of speach as in Iohn 15. I am the true vine also in Iohn the .10 I am the doore and as it is written in the 9. to the Hebrues and in Exodus 24. how Moyses tooke the bloud of the Calues and sprinckled both the booke and all the people saying This is the bloud of the couenant or Testament And also in the 5. chapter of Ezechiell how the Lord said vnto him concerning the third parte of his heare saying This is Hierusalem c. Thus we see the Scriptures how they are spoken in figures and ought to be spiritually examined and not as they would haue vs to say that the bodily presēce of christ is in the bread which is a blasphemous vnderstanding of the godly word and is contrary to all holy scriptures Also we do see
me to my Lord Chamberlaine that was then to the Queene Sir Iohn Gage shewyng him that I baptised children and married folks with many such lyes to bryng me into their hands agayne Then the Commissioners sent out certaine Citations to bring me to the Court My L. Chamberlain had directed out 4. or 5. Warrantes for me that if I had come there I should haue bene attached and sent to prisō straite way Which was not Gods will for I had warnyng of their laying await for me and came not there but sent my deputie he brought me word that the Bailifs waited for me there but they mist of their pray for that tyme wherevpon they were displeased Then within 3. dayes after my L. sent 3. of his men to take me whose names were Deane Ieffrey and Frāces I beyng at plough with my folkes right in the waye as they were commyng to my house least mistrusting thē of all other came to them and spake to them asking thē how they did And they sayd they arested me in the Kyng and Queenes name and that I must goe with them to their Maister the L. Chamberlaine Which wordes made my flesh to tremble and quake because of that sodayne But I answered them that I would go with them Yet I desired them that they would go to my house with me that I might breake my fast and put on some other geare and they said I should Then I remembred my selfe saying in my hart Why am I thus afraid they can lay no euill to my charge If they kill me for well doyng I may thinke my self happy I remembred how I was contented gladly before to dye in that quarell and so had continued euer since and should I now feare to dye God forbid that I should for then were all my labour in vayne So by and by I was perswaded I praise God considering it was but the frailty of my flesh which was loth to forgo my wife childrē and goods for I saw nothing but present death before mine eyes And as soone as I was perswaded in my mynd to die I had no regard of nothing in this worlde but was as mery and glad and ioyfull I prayse GOD as euer I was This battaile lasted not a quarter of an houre but it was sharper then death it selfe for the tyme I dare say So when I had my breakfast I desired them to shew me their warrant thinkyng thereby I should haue seene wherfore I was arested to the intent I might the better answer for my self whē I came before their maister And one of them answered they had not their warrāt there Which words made me astonied and it was put in my mynde by God that I neede not to goe with them vnlesse they had their warrant Then said I to them that is meruaile that you will come to take a man without a warrant It seemeth to me that you come of your owne mind to get thāke of your maister for in deed I heard say sayd I that there was 4. or 5. warrants out for me but they were called in agayne because I had certified my L. and the Commissary by a letter that I sent to the Commissaries court that I was not faulty in that they layd to my charge which was for baptising of children and marying of folks the which I neuer did for I was neuer minister appointed to do any such thyng wherfore set your hartes at rest I will not go with you said I vnlesse you will cary me by force and if you will do so at your owne aduentures And so I rose from the boord and stepped into my chamber meanyng to goe from them if I could possible seeyng God had made the way so open for me I ment to play Peters part with them but God would not it should be so but sent a feare amongst them that as soone as I was gone into my chāber ere euer I could come out againe they were gone out of my house When I saw that I knew it was Gods doyng to set me at liberty once againe Yet I was compelled to speake to them and said If you haue a warrant I desire you for Gods sake to shew it me and I wil go with you with all my hart if not I desire you to depart in Gods peace and the kings for surely I will not go with you without the order of the law for I haue bene too simple in such things already For before I was sent to prison first I went to the Iustices to two Sessions without any warrant or cōmandement but had word by one of their men I went gently to them they sent me to prison and kept me there almost a yere and thre quarters without all right or equitie as it is openly known not hearing my cause iustly debated And it semeth to me that I should be thus euil hādled and therefore I will not go to none of them all henceforth without the extremitie of the law Then one of them answered me and said we haue not the warrant here but it is at home at my house the worst is you can but make vs fetch it Then I said Fetch it if you wil but if you come in my house before you haue it at your owne aduenture So I shut my doore and went my way out of the other doore So they got helpe to watch my house while one of them fet the Constable and many moe thinking to haue had me in my house and to haue takē me in my house caried me away with a licence but I was gone before as god would haue it Notwithstanding they sought euery corner of my house but could not preuaile I mistrusted they would search it again that night and kept me abroad and in deed there came seuen of his men the Constable and searched my house And when they sawe that they could not meete with me they were redy to rent their coats that I had scaped them so knowing they should haue such a checke of their maister When I heard that they had sought so for me againe I perceiuyng that they were greedy of their pray came home and my wyfe told me all thyngs Then I supposed that they would lay all the countrey for me and the sea coast because I should not go ouer and thē I thought that they would not mistrust that I would dare bee nigh home So I tolde my wyfe that I woulde make my lodgyng in a woode not past a flight shotte from my house as I did in deede euen vnder a tree and there had my Bible my penne and myne inke and other necessaries and there continued a sixe or seuen weekes my wife bringing me meate daily as I had neede Yea I thought my selfe blessed of God that I was counted worthy to lye in the woodes for the name of Christ. Then there came word into the countrey that
in theyr Papistry and so be an occasion of our weake brothers falling the which will be all required at theyr handes which will be to heauy a burden for them to beare if they repent it not with speed For they that know theyr Maysters will doe it not shal be beaten with many stripes Oh do not we perceiue that now is the acceptable time that Christe speaketh of yea euen now is the axe put to the roots of the trees so that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruites now must be hewed downe and cast into the fire Now is the Lord come with his fanne in his hand to trie the wheate from the chaffe The wheat he will gather into his barne and the chaffe hee willl burne as is aforesayde Nowe is the time come that we muste goe meete the bridgrome with oyle in our Lampes We are also bidden to the feast let vs make no excuses Yea our Maister hath deliuered his talentes vnto vs God geue vs grace to occupy them well that at his comming he may receiue his owne with vauntage Yea nowe is the Lorde come to see if there be any fruit vpon his trees so that if the Lord come find none he will serue vs as he did the wilde figge trees that is neuer fruit shall grow on him more Also if we goe to meete the bridegrome without oyle in our laÌ„pes should go to buy the doubt is we should be serued as was the foolishe virgins that was God sayd to theÌ„ depart I know you not Or if we should make excuses to come to the feast other shal be biddeÌ„ in our roomes If we occupy not our talentes wel they shal be taken away from vs geuen to other and all such vnprofitable seruantes shal be cast into prison in hell wheâ—e shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Oh good God what a sort of feareful sayinges are here conteined what christian hart will not harken diligently hereto Oh may not all people well perceiue nowe that this is the time that our Mayster Christ speaketh of that the father should be agaynst the sonne and the sonne agaynste the father and one brother agaynst another that the brother shal deliuer the brother to death yea and that the wicked shall say all maner of wicked sayinges agaynst vs for his names sake the which I haue well found by experience I prayse God therefore that hath geuen mee strength to beare it For I thinke there canne no euill bee deuised but it hath bene imagined agaynst me that of my familiar frendes as Dauid said but I prayse my Lord God they are not able to proue any of their sayinges true but that they go about to finde fault in theÌ„ that God hath chosen because they theÌ„selues list not to take vp their crosse and folow Christ therfore they spake euil of the thing that they know not the which shall geue account for it before him that is ready to iudge both the quicke and the dead But my trust is that al the people of God wil be ruled by the counsell of S. Iohn saying My sheepe will heare my voyce strauÌ„gers the will not heare meaning thereby that ye shoulde not beleue straungers counting them straungers that go about to subuert the Gospell Wherfore marke well what they be and try theÌ„ well or euer you geue credite to theÌ„ according to S. Iohns couÌ„sell in his Epistle saying Beleue not euery spirit but trie the spirites whether they be of God or not meaning thereby that they that be not of God wil speake good of none but of them that be as they be Wherefore deare sister be of good cheare geue no credite to such people what so euer ye heare them say For I haue no mistrust by Gods help but that all the world shal see know that my bloud shal not be deare in mine owne sight whensoeuer it shall please God to geue my aduersaries leaue to shedde it I doe earnestly beleue that God which hath begon this good worke in me will performe it to the end as he hath geuen me grace wil alway to beare this easy yoke and light burden the which I haue alwayes found I prayse my Lord God For when I haue bene in prison wearing other while boltes other while shackles other while lying on the bare grouÌ„d some time sitting in the stockes sometime bound with cordes that al my bodye hath bene swollen much like to bee ouercome for the payne that hath bene in my flesh sometime fayne to lye without in the woodes fieldes wandring to and fro few I say that durst to keepe my company for feare of the rulers sometime brought before the Iustices Shiriffes Lordes Doctours and Bishoppes sometime called dogge sometime deuill hereticke whoremonger traytor theefe deceiuer with diuers other such like yea euen they that did eat of my bread that should haue bene most my fâ—endes by nature haue betrayed me Yet for all this I prayse my Lord God that hath separated me from my mothers wombe all this that hath happened to me hath bene easy light and most delectable ioyful of any treasure that euer I possessed for I praise God they are not able to proue one iote or title of their sayinges true But that way that they call heresy I serue my Lord God and at all times before whomesoeuer I haue bene brought God hath geuen me mouth and wisedome where agaynst all my aduersaries haue not bene able to resist I prayse God therfore Wherfore deare sister be of good coÌ„fort with all your brethren and sisters and take no thought what you shall saye for it shall be geuen you the same houre according to the promises as I haue alwayes found and as you and all other of Gods elect shall well finde when the time is full come And whereas I and manye other haue hoped that this persecution woulde haue bene at an end ere this time now I perceiue God will haue a further triall to roote out all disseÌ„blers that no man should reioice in himselfe but he that reioyceth shall reioyce of God Wherfore if prophecy should fayle and toungs should cease yet loue must endure For feare hath paynefulnesse but a perfecte loue casteth out all feare which loue I haue no mistrust but God hath poured it vpoÌ„ you so abouÌ„dantly that nothing in the world shal be able to seprate you from God Neither high nor low riche nor poore life nor death shal be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into new Hierusalem there to liue for euer beholding the glory of God with the same eyes that you now haue and all other faythfull people that coÌ„tinue to the end Geue all honour and glory to God the father God the sonne God the holy Ghost three persons and one God to be honoured now and euer Amen After
brought them ouer to sell for gaine D. Cooke Let her heade be trussed in a small line make her to confesse Martin The booke is called Antichrist and so may it be wel called for it speaketh against Iesus Christ the Queene And besides that shee hathe a certaine sparke of the Anabaptists for she refuseth to sweare vpon the iiij Euangelistes before a Iudge For I my selfe and M. Hussy haue had her before vs foure times but we can not bring her to sweare Wherfore my Lord Chauncellor would that shee should absteine fast for she hath not fasted a great while For she hathe laine in the Clincke a good while where she hath had too much her libertie Then said the bishop why wilt thou not sweare before a Iudge that is the right trade of the Anabaptists Eliz. My Lord I wil not sweare that this hand is mine No sayd the bishop and why Eliz. My Lorde Christ sayeth that what soeuer is more then yea yea or nay nay it commeth of euill And moreouer I know not what an oth is and therefore I wil take no such thing vpon me Then saide Cholmley xx pounde it is a man in a woman clothes xx pound it is a man Boner Thinke you so my Lord Cholm Yea my Lord. c. Eliz. My Lord I am a woman Bish. Sweare her vpon a booke seeing it is but a question asked Then said Cholmley I will lay twentie pounde it is a man Then D. Cooke brought her a booke commanding her to lay thereon her hande Eliz. No my Lorde I will not sweare for I knowe not what an oth is But I say that I am a woman and haue children Bish. That know not we wherefore sweare Cholmley Thou yll fauoured whore lay thy hande vpon the booke I will lay on myne and so he laied his hande vpon the booke Eliz So will not I mine Then the Bishop spake a woorde in Latine out of S. Paule as concerning swearing Elizab. My Lorde if you speake to mee of S. Paule then speake English for I vnderstand you not The bish I dare sweare that thou doest not Eliz. My Lord S. Paul saith that fiue wordes spoken in a language that may be vnderstand is better then manye in a foreine or strange tongue which is vnknowen Doctor Cooke Sweare before vs whether thou be a man or a woman Eliz. If ye wil not beleue me then send for women into a secrete place and I will be tried Cholm Thou art an ill fauored whore Then said the Bishop How beleeuest thou in the Sacrament of the altar Eliza. My Lorde if it will please you that I shall declare mine owne faith I will The bish Tell me how thou beleeuest in the sacrament of the altar Eliza. Will it please you that I shall declare my Faithe And if it be not good then teach me a better and I wil beleeue it D. Cooke That is well sayd declare thy faith Eliz. I beleeue in God the Father almighty the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God I beleue all the Articles of my Crede I beleeue al things wrytten in the holy Scripture and all thinges agreeable wyth the Scripture geuen by the holy Ghoste into the Churche of Christ set forth and taught by the church of Christ. I beleue that Iesus Christ the only sonne of God that immaculate Lamb came into the world to saue sinners that in him by him throughe him I am made cleane frō my sinnes and without him I coulde not I beleeue that in the holy sacrament of Christes body and bloud which he did institute and ordaine and left among his Disciples the nyght before he was betraied whē I do receiue his Sacrament in faith and spirite I do receiue Christ. Bish. No more I warrant you but the sacramēt of Christes body and bloud receiued but in spirit and faith wyth those heretiques Cholm Ah whoore spirite and faith whoore Eliz. This sacrament neuer man coulde or did make but only he that did which no man could do Mart. Then thou must allowe that grasse is a sacrament for who could make grasse but he only Eliz. Syr he hathe suffered and made a sufficient Sacrifice once for all and so hath he made hys Sacrament sufficient once for all for there was neuer man that could say Take eate this is my body that is broken for you but only Iesus Christ who had his body broken for the sinnes of the world which Sacrament he hath left here amongst vs for a testimonial of his death euen to the worldes ende Mart. Who taught thee this doctrine did Scorie Eliz. Yea Bishop Scorie and other that I haue heard Bish. Why is Scory Bishop now Eliz. If that doe offende you call him Docteur Scorie if yee will Roper I knew when he was but a poore Doctour Mart. What doe ye call Scorie Eliz. Our Superintendent Bish. Loe their Superindent Mart. And what are ye called Eliz. Christes congregation Bish. Lo Christes congregation I warrant you Doctor Cooke What liuing hath Scorie Eliz. Sir as farre as I do know he liueth by his owne for I know no man that geueth him ought Recorder Yes I warrant you he hath enough sent hym out of England Eliz. Syr I know no such thing Cholm Harke whore harke harke how I do beleeue Eliz. My Lord I haue tolde you my beliefe Cholmley Harke thou yll fauoured whoore howe I doe beleeue When the Priest hath spoken the wordes of Consecration I do beleue that there remaineth the very body that was borne of the virgine Marie was hanged on the crosse was deade and buried and descended into hell and rose againe on the thirde day and ascended to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God The same body when the priest hath spoken the woords commeth down and when the priest lifteth vp his body on this wise he lifting vp his handes sayd there it is Eliz. I haue tolde you also how I do beleeue Mart. Away with her Cholmley Ah euill fauoured whore nothing but spirit and faith whore Mart. Away with her we haue more to talke withall Then was shee caried into the Colehouse and searched for bookes and then put into the stockhouse and her knife girdle and aporne taken from her The fifth examination before the Bishop of Londons Chancellour c. THen was she brought out of the stockhouse brought before the bishops Chauncellour who required of her what age shee was of Eliz. Sir fortie yeares and vpwardes The Chauncellour Why thou art a woman of a faire yeares what shouldest thou meddle with the Scriptures it is necessary for thee to beleeue and that is inoughe It is more sitte for thee to meddle with thy distaff then to meddle with the Scriptures What is thy beliefe I woulde heare it for it can not be good in that thou art brought into prison Eliz. Syr if it will please you to heare
824. Dauid Beaton Archbishop of s. Andrewes in Scotland shortly after the beginning of M. George Wisard how hee by the iust stroke of God was slaine and wretchedly ended his lyfe within his owne Castle in the discourse of his story is euident to see who so listeth further to read of that matter pag. 1272. Ioannes Sleidanus in his 23. booke maketh relatiâ—â— of Cardinall Crescentius the chiefe President and moderator of the Councell of Trident ann 1552. The story of whom is certain the thing that hapned to him was straÌ„ge and notable the exaÌ„ple of him may be profitable to others such as haue grace to be warned by other meÌ„s euils The narration is this The 25. day of March in the yere aforesaid Crescentius the Popes Legate and Uicegerent in the Councell of Trident was sitting all the day long vntill darke night in writing letters to thâ— Pope After his labour when night was come thinking to refresh himselfe he began to rise and at his rising beholde there appeared to hym a mighty blacke dogge of a huge bignes his eyes flamyng with fire and his eares hanging low downe welneere to the ground to enter in and straite to come toward hym so to couch vnder the boord The Cardinall not a little amased at the sight thereof somewhat recouering himselfe ralled to his seruauntes which were in the outward chaÌ„ber next by to bring in a candle and to seeke for the dog But when the dog could not be found neither there nor in no other chamber about the Cardinall thereupon striken with a sodaine conceit of mynd immediately fell into such a sicknes wherof his Phisitions which he had about hym with all their industry and cunnyng coulde not cure hym And so in the towne of Uerona died this popish cardinall the Popes holy Legate and President of this couÌ„cel wherein his purpose was as Sleidane saith to recouer and heale againe the whole authoritie and doctrine of the Romish see and to set it vp for euer There were in this Councell beside the Popes Legates and Cardinall of Trident lxij Bishops Doctours of Diuinitie xlij And thus was the ende of that Popishe Councell by the prouident hand of the almighty dispatched and brought to naught Ex Sleidano Li. 23. This Councell of Trident being then dissolued by the death of this Cardinal was afterward notwithstanding recollected againe about the yeare of our lord 1562. against the erroneous proceedings of which Councel other writers there be that say enough So much as pertaineth only to story I thought hereunto to adde concernyng two filthy adulterous bishops to the sayd Councel belonging of whome the one haunting to an honest mans wife was slaine by the iust stroke of God with a Borespeare The other Bishop whose haunte was to creepe through a window in the same window was subtilly taken and hanged in a grinne layed for hym of purpose and so conueied that in the mornyng hee was seene openly in the streete hangyng out of the windowe to the wonderment of all that passed by Ex protestatione Concionatorum Germa aduersus conuentum Trident. c. Amongst all the religious order of Papists who was a stouter defender of the Popes side or a more vehement impugner of Martin Luther then Iohn Eckius who if his cause wherein he so trauailed had bene godly had deserued no doubt great fauour and condigne retribution at the hands of the Lord. Now for so much as we cannot better iudge of him then by his ende let vs consider the maner of his departing hence and compare the same with the end of M. Luther In the which M. Luther beyng such an aduersarye as he was to the Pope and hauyng no lesse then al the world vpon him at once first this is to bee noted that after all these trauailes the Lord gaue him to depart both in great age and in his owne natiue countrey where he was born Secondly he blessed him with such a quiet death without any violent hande of any aduersary that it was counted rather a sleepe then a death Thirdly as the death of hys body was myld so his spirit mynde continued no lesse godly vnto the end continually inuocating and calling vpon the name of the Lord and so commending his spirite to hym with feruent prayer he made a blessed and an heauenly ending Fourthly ouer and besides these blessings almighty God did also adde vnto him such an honourable buriall as to many great Princes vnneth happeneth the like And this briefly concernyng the ende of M. Luther as ye may read before more at large pag. 863. Now let vs consider and conferre with this the death of Iohn Eckius and the maner thereof which we find in the English translation of the history of Iohn Carion fol. 250. in these words expressed This yere saith he died at Ingold state Doctor Eckius a faithful seruant and champion of the Pope and a defender of the abhominable Papacie But as his lyfe was full of all vngodlines vncleannes and blasphemy so was his end miserable hard and pitifull in so much that his last wordes as it is noted of many credible personnes were these In case the foure thousand guildens were ready the matter were dispatched c. Dreamyng belike of some Cardinalship that he should haue bought Some say that the Pope had granted him a certaine Deanry which he should haue redeemed from the Courte of Rome with the foresayd summe Now what a heauenly ende this was of M. Eckius I leaue it to the Readers iudgement In the Citie of Andwerpe was as they terme hym there a Shoulted that is to say the next Officer to the Markgraue one named Iohn Uander Warfe a Bastard sonne of a stocke or kinred called Warfe of good estimation amongest the chiefest in Antwarpe Who as he was of nature cruell so was he of iudgement peruerse and corrupt and a sore persecutor of Christes flocke with greedines seekyng and sheddyng innocent bloud and had drouned diuers good men and women in the water for the which he was much commended of the bloudy generation Of some he was called a bloudhound or bloudy dog Of other he was called Shildpad that is to say Sheltode for that hee beyng a short grundy and of little stature did ride commonly with a great broad hat as a churl of the countrey This man after he was weary of his office wherein he had continued aboue xx yeres he gaue it ouer and because he was now growen rich and welthy he entended to passe the residue of his lyfe in pleasure and quietnes During which tyme about the second yeare after hee had left his office he came to Antwarpe to the feast called our Ladies Oumegang to make mery which feast is vsually kept on the Sonday followyng the assumption of our Lady The same day in the after noone about foure of the clock he being wel loden with wine rode homewards
strangler of his owne life Neither for the Apostles to pursue Iudas that betrayed their Mayster for he himselfe was his owne hangman no man els that his body brust and his guts brast out Senacharib had he not for his Persecutors his own sonnes and cost Ezechias nothing to be reuenged of him for his tiranny Antiochus and Herode although the Children of GOD whom they so cruelly persecuted layd no hand vpon them yet they escaped not vnpunished of Gods hand who sent Lyce and Wormes to be theyr Tormentours whiche consumed and eate them vp Pilate after he had crucified Christ our Sauiour within few yeares after was he not driuen to hang himselfe Nero after his cruell murders and persecutions stirred vp agaynst the Christians when he shoulde haue bene taken by the Romaynes God thought him not so worthy to be punished by the handes of them but so disposed the matter that Nero hym selfe when he could finde no frend nor enemy to kill him made his owne handes to be his owne cutthroat Dioclesianus with Maximinian his fellowe Emperour whiâ—â— were the Authours of the tenth and laste Persecution agaynst 〈◊〉 Christians being in the middest of theyr furious tyranny agâ—â—nst the name of Christ needed no mans helpe to bridle them anâ—â—lucke them backe for God of his secret iudgement put such 〈◊〉 in the mouthes of these Tyrauntes that they themselues 〈◊〉 â—heyr owne accorde deposed and dispossessed themselues of theyr â—â—periall function and liued as priuate persons all theyr liues afteâ— And notwithstanding that Maximinian after that sought to 〈◊〉 his Imperiall state agayne yet by Maxentius hys Sonne hee was resisted and shortlye after slayne What should I here speake of the cruell Emperour Maximinus who when he had set forth his Proclamation engrauen in Brasse for the vtter abolishing of Christ and his Religion was not punished by man but had Lice Vermin gushing out of his entrals to be his tormentors with such a rotting stinch layd vpon his body that no phisitions could abide to come neare and were caused to be slayne for the same pag. 82. Maxentius the sonne of Maximinian and Pharao the king of Egypt as they were both like enemies agaynst God and his people so dranke they both of one cup not perishing by any mans hand but both in like maner after were drowned with their harnes in the water Furthermore and briefely in this matter to conclude if the Kynges among the Iewes which were bloudy and wicked were not spared as Achaz Achab Iesabell Manasses Ioachim Sedechias with many other but hadde at length although it were long the hyre of theyr iniquity let not these bloudy Catholickes then thinke which haue bene Persecutors of Christes Sayntes that they being in the same cause as the other were aboue recited shall escape the same iudgement which the longer it is deferred the sorer many times it striketh vnles by due repentaunce it be preuented in time which I pray God it may Innumerable examples moe to the same effecte and purpose might be inferred whereof plentifull store we haue in all places and in al ages of men to be collected But these hitherto for this present maye suffice whiche I thought here to notify vnto these our bloudy children of the murdering mother church of Rome of whom it may well be sayd Manus vestrae plenâ— sunt sanguine c. Your handes be full of bloud c. Esay Chapter 1. to the intent that they by the examples of their other fellowes before mentioned may be admonished to followe the Prophetes counsell which followeth and biddeth Lauamini mundi estote c. Be you washed and make your selues cleane c. Esay 1. and not to presume to farre vppon their owne securitie nor thinke themselues the further of from Gods hand because mans hand forbeareth them I know and graunt that man hath no further power vppon any then God from aboue doth geue And what the lawes of this Realme could make agaynst them as agaynst open murderers I will not here discusse nor open that I could say because they shall not say that we desire their bloud to be spilled but rather to be spared but yet this I say and wishe them well to vnderstand that the sparing of their liues which haue bene murderers of so many is not for want of power in magistrates nor lack of anye iust lawe agaynst them whereby they might iustly haue bene condemned if it had so pleased the Magistrates to proceed as they might agaynst them but because almighty God peraduenture of so secret purpose hauing some thinge to doe wyth these persecuters hath spared them hitherto not that they shuld escape vnpunished but that peraduenture â—he will take his owne cause in his owne hand eyther by death to take them away as he did by Boner and by al Promoters in a manner of Queene Maryes time or els to make them to persecute themselues with their own handes or will stirre vp their conscience to be theyr owne confusion in such sort as the Church shall haue no neede to lay handes vpon them Wherfore with this short admonition to close vp the matter as I haue exhibited in these histories the terrible endes of so many persecuters plagued by Gods hand so would I wish all suche whome Gods lenitie suffereth yet to liue this wisely to ponder with themselues that as their cruell persecution hurteth not the sayntes of God whome they haue put to death so the pacience of Christs church suffering theÌ„ to liue doth not profite theÌ„ but rather heapeth the great iudgment of God vpoÌ„ theÌ„ in the day of wrath vnlesse they repent in tyme which I pray God they may And nowe to reenter agayne to the time and story of Queene Elizabeth where we left before In whose aduauncement and this her princely gouernance it cannot sufficiently be expressed what felicitie and blessed happines this Realme hath receaued in receauing her at the Lordes almighty and gracious haÌ„d for as there haue bene diuers kinges and rulers ouer this Realme I haue read of some yet I coulde neuer finde in Englishe Chronicle the like that may be written of this our noble worthy Queene whose comming in not onely was so calme so ioyfull and so peaceable without shedding of any bloud but also her reigne hetherto raygning nowe 24. yeares and more hath bene so quiet that yet the Lord haue all the glory to this present day her sword is a Uirgine spotted and polluted with no drop of bloude In speaking whereof I take not vpon me the part here of the morall or of the diuine Philosopher to iudge of thinges done but onely keep me within the compasse of an historiographer declaring what hath bene before and comparyng thinges done with thinges now present the like wherof as I sayde is not to be found lightly in Chronicles before And this as I speake truely so I would to be taken without flattery to be
electis Salutem Esdr. 4. ¶ Hoc Seculum fecit altissimus propter multos futurum autem propter paucos ¶ The almighty Lorde hath made this worlde for many but the world or life or come but for a few MOst certayne it is dearely beloued that Christes elect be but few in comparisō of that great number which go in the broad way to euerlasting perdition whiche lyfe after the flesh louing this present euill world deny God in word and deed whose eies are blinded and their harts hardened Most certaine it is also that our Sauior Iesus Christ hath and knoweth his owne whose names are written in the booke of life redemed with the most precious bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ. So that the eternall Father knoweth them which be his The almighty and eternall God graunt that we may haue the testimony of our conscience and the spirit of god to beare record with our spirites that we be his elect children walking in the spirite not fulfilling the lustes of the flesh but as Christes members hauing Christ Iesu fixed before our eyes he being to vs the true way the infallible verity the eternall life Christ hath geuē vs example let vs folow him as deare children for Gods delight is to beholde his Saintes which be in the earth Let vs put on the whole armour of God and walke in the light in these euill dayes in the whiche Sathan in his Aungels seeketh whom he may deuour The almighty Lorde deliuer vs from the mouthes of those vnshamefast dogs They truely seeke ours and not vs vnto the Lord. Esdras sayth and writeth truely the world is made for them and they for the world Dearly bought let vs remember Christ which sayth I haue chosen you out of the world you shal be hated of al worldly men Did euer the couetous Idolaters Oppressors or Whoremongers loue vs Nay they loue Masse Mongers which say peace peace when there is no peace Nay either then flatter the eares or els they say no thing as dum dogges not able to barke of whom be you ware of for though they come in sheepes clothing they be rauening Wolues whose damnation sleepeth not from whose captiuitye the holy will of God saue and preserue you Amen Dearely beloued we hauing the record of our conscience that we be very members in Christes body separate from that malignant Antichristes Church Let vs reioyce in conscience and in the Lord hauing heauenly hope in al his promises which be eternall and most sure to vs in Christ our Sauiour who looseth none of all them whom the eternall Father hath geuen him but at his appearing to be our mercifull Iudge shall rayse vs vppe at that last day for the trumpe of God shall blow and be heard of all Adams posterity sounding Venite ad iuditium Come vnto iudgement come and be iudged Let vs therfore be prepared hauing the wedding garment yea the whole armour of God the mariage garment cleare Lampes that is pure hartes and burning heauenly light in the same Let vs prepare our selues richly to restore to our Lord and Mayster our talentes with the increase of heauenly liuing and occupying then without all doubt we shall heare that most blessed wish of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ who shall then say reioyce good seruauntes I will make you Stewardes ouer many thinges Enter into the euerlasting rest and kingdome whiche hath bene prepared for you from the beginning This is the Kingdome of Iesus Christ whiche at this present is in Babilon and banished to the desert the troublesome waters of Sathan in the Antichrist and his shauelings spiewed out of Christs mouth The Lord be our ayde auenger and deliuerer when his holy will is Amen Dearely bought with the most precious bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ that we be not deceiued by the Antichrist let vs ponder wey marke and study the heauenly doctrine of our Sauiour Christ in his last Supper the text is Bene dixit dixit bene gratias egit he spake heauenly and well he gaue thankes he tooke bread brake it gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate this Sacramentall bread and me the breade of life whiche came downe from heauen which geueth life to the worlde take true fayth heauenly hope kindled with christen charitie thankes geuing for my death let these heauēly vertues enter in your soules then enter I. This is my body This is the true eating of my body which is geuen to the death of the crosse for the ransome and sinnes of Gods elect Likewise after supper he tooke the cup hee spake well gaue thankes and gaue it them saying drinke ye all of this drinke I say by this infallible veritie and euerlasting word ioyned and anexed with this cup my bloud which is shed from before the beginning of the world for many in remission of sins he or shee that thus dwelleth in me and I in him eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Sainct Augustine sayth why preparest thou thy tooth and belly beleeue and thou hast eaten Sainct Barnarde saith when fayth hope christian loue and thankes geuing for Christes death enter in a Christian Christ entereth and agayn S. Augustine sayth vpon these wordes of Christ you shal alwayes haue the poore with you but me shall ye not haue alwayes with you The Church had him but a few dayes touching his humanitie nowe they haue him by fayth with these eyes they do not see him O Iesus Christ thou sonne of the liuing God whiche art in the bosome of thy father God with God the very Image of God the father eternall geue vs victory ouer this Antichrist in thy most precious bloud Be faythfull to the ende and oure sauiour shall crown vs in glory let vs sanctify the name of God in thought word and deede I say vnto the Papist and will not flatter our God is in heauen whome they will not see And is no such little prety mattere as their God the Pope faineth him to be Pray for all the preachers of the veritie that God may geue vs grace and constancie They sing and say they haue him in a string tye not the dog so for feare of hanging To all the faythfull whose names in generall in the booke of lyfe by Christ are written all The godly thought and patient minde doth liberty in prison finde Who so to patience can attayne shall finde in prison is no payne Thrall trouble bownd or free as pleaseth God so shall all be Wherefore I neuer will forsake what pleaseth God lay on my backe Iohn Meluine preacher and priprisoner in Newgate ¶ A note concerning the trouble of Iulius Palmer lately come to my handes To his assured friend and brother in Chryst Mayster Perry preacher at Beuerstone geue these MAyster Perry after my harty commendations in the Lord Iesus Christ vnto you and your wife c. wheras you haue written vnto me
fallen vpon this Realme for sinne and with vnfayned hartes to turne to GOD who as he hath scourged vs with lesse plagues then we deserued so calleth vs agayne by his vndeserued and vnspeakeable mercy vnto repentaunce and amendement of our liuing It is doubtles now high time to turn vnfaynedly to God and to correct our sinnefull liuinges and to remember what S. Iohn Baptist sayd The Axe is now set to the root of the tree and euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe and caste into the fire For this may all men assure themselues of both rich and poore high and low olde and yong that the almighty zelous and righteous God will not suffer the sinnefull and wicked life of the vngodly vnrepētant that contemne his mercy nowe profered vnto them to be vnpunished but as he hath from the beginning of the world shewed himselfe a righteous Iudge and punisher of wickednes euen so will he do stil now God expulsed our first parentes Adam and Heua from Paradise and layd vpon them and vpon vs all these miseries sickenesses calamities and death that we dayly feele and miserably are oppressed withal God in Noahs dayes drowned the whole world onely eight persons were preserued God burnt vp Sodom and Gomor with fyre and brimstone frō heauen and destroyed those Cityes and all the Countrey about God gaue ouer Hierusalem called the holy Citty of God and deliuered his owne people the Iewes into perpetuall captiuitye If we seeke the cause of these punishmentes was it not sinnefull liuing vnrepentant harts What should I recite the calamities of other lands seyng Gods iudgementes hath not bene vnexecuted vpon this Realme of England for sinnefull liuing The olde Brytaynes were with Cadwallader theyr king constrayned to flye and leaue this land because of pestilence famyne what miseries destructions brought the Danes in with them and what troubles susteyned the inhabitauntes of this Realme afore the same were agayne driuē out What bloudshed was here in king William Conquerors daies were not the noble men slayne and gentlemen brought into bondage were not their matrons defiled and theyr daughters geuen to be kitchen drudges vnder the Normandes proud Ladyes were not theyr landes houses possessions diuided by lote vnto straungers Their golde and siluer wherein they trusted was the bayte that theyr enemyes hunted after what a plague was the ciuill war betwene the kinges and Barons what horrible bloudshed was in this Realme till at the last Gods mercifull prouidence ended those miseries by the happy ioyning of the 2. regall houses together in the mariage of king Henry 7. What miseries haue chaunced in our time we haue not onely sene and heard but we haue felt them and God be praised had our partes of them Doubtles this all hath chaunced for the sinnes of the people as the Prophet Ieremy playnely teacheth saying who is a wise man that vnderstandeth this And to whome shall the word of the Lords mouth come that he may preach it forth why hath the land perished and is burnt like a wildernesse so that no man may passe through it And the Lord sayth because they haue forsaken my law which I haue geuen them they haue not hearde my voyce and haue not walked in them and haue gone after the vanity of theyr owne harts And after Baalim the Images of Baall which they haue learned of theyr fathers we see here playnely the contēpt of Gods word and of the preachers of the same walking after theyr couetous mindes and leudnesse of theyr hartes and folowing of their idolatrous inuentions brought the wrath of God vpon the people as witnessed also Iesus Syrach saying because of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers deceites a Realme shal be translated frō one people to an other And a litle after he sayth the Lorde hath brought the congregations of the wicked to dishonour and destroyd them vnto the ende God hath destroyd the seates of proud Princes and set vp the meek in their stead God hath withered the root of the proud nations and planted the lowly amōg them God hath ouerthrowne the Landes of the Heathen and destroyed them vnto the ground He hath caused them to wither awaye He hath brought them to nought and made the memoriall of them to cease from the earth But what auaileth it to read such threates of God if we beleue them not Or if we beleue them to be Gods threates and despise thē Doubtlesse the Lorde is righteous a ielous God a Punisher of of sinne as he sayth himselfe I punish the sinnes of the fathers vpon theyr childrē vnto the third and fourth generatiō of them that hate me God geue vs grace to remember this and with speedye and vnfayned repentaunce to turne vnto God I say vnfayned repentaunce and not alas as we haue done in times past like hypocrites to dissemble with God and man making Gods holy worde nothing els but a cloke to couer our malice couetousnesse whoredome pride excesse glotony wrath enuy hatred murder with all other wicked liuing most detestable in the sight of God If men will well consider themselues they haue long enough dissembled and heaped the wrath of God heauy enough vpon theyr heades It is now high time to become a new people to amend in deed and to folow the counsell of the holy Ghost saying vnto vs by the Prophet Hieremy Why do mortal men murmur agaynst God let them murmur agaynst theyr own sinnes Let vs search our owne wayes and let vs seek and returne vnto the Lorde Let vs lift vp our hartes and handes vnto the Lord in heauen for we haue done wickedly and prouoked the Lord to wrath and therefore wilt thou not be entreated Doubtles the Lord will not be entreated except men very earnestly turne vnto him we haue felt in our selues and seene before our eyes that when GOD striketh no man can be able to abide the heauy stroke of his fist Hee hath hitherto corrected vs with mercy as a father let vs thanke him returne vnfaynedly so will he not extend his wrath as a Iudge His will is that we should returne liue not perish with the wicked I liue sayth the Lord and will not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and liue Here the godly othe certifieth vs of forgeuenes requireth an vnfayned conuersion vnto God that t s that men acknowledge in hart theyr wicked liuing be sory that euer they haue with wicked lyuyng offended agaynst that so good and louing a father and truste to haue forgeuenes through Christes bloud and fully and firmely set theyr hartes to serue GOD and to walke the wayes of his commaundementes all the dayes of theyr life Then shall we be the true Christians built vpon the corner stone Christ not wauering or chaunging at euery puffe of winde not seeking an Epicurish life in all voluptuous and vaine vanitie not
deuide a sonder the soule from the body 2141 Iudgementes of the papistes concerning heretickes of three sorts 1278.1286 Iustices of peace exhorted 1302. Iudgementes of the fathers vppon these wordes hoc est corpus meum 1394. Iua or Iue king of the West Saxons 125. Iuleddo a vertuous widow martyr her story and martyrdome 1622. Iustices become iuglers 1755. Iudgement of God Ciuill iudgment vnlike 1805. Iudge a persecutour plagued by Gods iudgement 2107.2109 Iulius a senator conuerted to christ 52. baptised with al his houshold and martyred being beaten to death with cudgels 52. Iudges corrupted a fearfull and terrible example thereof 196. Iulius Pope hys abhominable Sodometrie and filthines of lyfe hys blasphemy for a pecocke .1560 hys death funerall and collects ibid. Iulian Cardinall the popes warriour in Boheme hys bloudy crueltie .656 hys Oration at the councel of Basill to the Bohemians 657.675 Iudiciall law of Moses whether now in force or not 488 Iurisdiction vsurped of the Pope receyued into England but of late yeares 514 Iulian cardinall of S. Angell hys Epistle to Eugenius Bishop of Rome 697 Iulius 2. Pope his periury cast the keyes of S. Peter into Tyber is deposed 735 Iudge Hales his trouble .1410 committed to the Tower .1467 hys tragicall story .1532 would haue killed hymselfe .1533 at the last drowned hymselfe ibid. Iubilie first began at Rome 342 Iurisdiction of the Romish church examined 4 Iurisdiction of the Pope resisted in France 4 Iustices of Assises deuided into 6. circuites 227 Iue kyng made himselfe a monke hys lawes to his subiects 127 Iulian Liuyng her trouble for the Gospell deliuered by Gods prouidence 2063.2064 Iustification by fayth and not by the law 44.1116.977.980 Iurisdiction of the Pope 1 Iulitta her story her exhortation to the people her constant martyrdome 95 Iudas lips 508 Iudas whether he receiued the body of Christ or not 1950 Iudas called Thaddeus put to death 32 Iustus with hys brother Onam Martyrs 41 Iustinus a godly Martyr .44 hys worthy praises constant martyrdome 45 K A. KAlender of the Pope conteineth a double abhomination in it 582 Katherine the virgin her story farced with false lying miracles .95 her prophesies of reformatioÌ„ of the churche 419 Katherine Dowager Queene diuorced from king HeÌ„ry .8.1054 1055. her death 1082 Katherine Parre maried to Kyng Henry .8 her trouble for the gospel .1218.1219 1242. her extreme sickenes .1243 her miraculous deliuery out of all her troubles 1244 Katherine Haward maried to king Henry .8.1210 her death ibid. Katherine Duchesse of Suffolke her tragicall story and lamentable extremity susteyned for the gospell 2078.2079.2080.2081 Katherine Knight alias Katherine Timley Martyr her story examination condemnation Martyrdome for the truth of Christs Gospell 2053.2054 Katherine Hut Martyr her story and constant martyrdome 1910 Katherine Allen Martyr her story and Martyrdome 1979 Katherine Cawches her trouble Martyrdome 1943.1944 K E. Keyes mistaken in the Popes Canons 492 Keyes of Christes Kingdome 491 492 Keyes of the Churche what they are 1106. and to whom they are geuen 1039.675 Kenulphus king of the West Saxons slayne 129 Kerbie Martyr his story 1231 Kenelmus king of Mercia slayne 114 Kenilworth deâ—â—â—e 335 Kenilworth besieged ibid. Kent persecuted 642.1276 K I. Kinges of Britayne from Lucius to the Saxons 108. Kinges of England proued by ancient records to be supreme head and gouernors next vnder God ouer the Churche of Englande and other theyr dominions 340. Kinges of Englande chiefe gouernours as well in causes ecclesiasticall as temporall 8. Kinges the vicares of Christ vpon earth 166. Kinges three doe homage to Kyng Edgar 155. Kynges of Eng. commonly troubled wyth archbishops 350. Kinges of Persia called Sapores 97. Kinges of England before the Conquest were gouernours as well in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall 779. Kings making themselues monks 127.134 Kynges called Christes vicares by the Popes themselues 7. Kinges may and ought to depose wicked Popes in case they deserue it 546. Kinges may take away temporalties from the clergy in case they abuse the same 457. Kinges made slaues vnder the pope 241. Kinges duety to punish the clergy 418. Kinges of the Saxons from Egbert to Wil. Conquerour 135. Kings 7. rulyng in England 109 Kinges making themselues religious persones whether they doe well or not 115 Kings in tymes past had authoritie in spirituall causes 147 Kings of the Saxons rulyng in england described in a table 110 King of England carefull for the chusing of the Archb. of Cant. 236 King of England hys penance for the death of Becket 227. King Arthur of England 113 King of Fraunce his voyage to the holy land .292 hys acts there atchieued .293.294 his ouerthrow by the Infidels .295 hys ransom 276.296 King of Scotland doth homage to the king of England 340 King of Portingale deposed 200 King Alfrede his lyfe and commeÌ„dation 143 King Edward the elder 146 King Edward called the Martyr prooued a bastard 157 K. Edmund his story raign 150. King Iohn his raigne .247 diuorced from his wyfe his letters to the Pope .250.251 is accused of the Pope .253 is poysoned by a monke 256 King Iohn offring hys crowne to Pandulphus Legate 787 King Edward 6. hys instruction geuen to Sir Anthony Seintleger knight of his priuy chaÌ„ber beyng of a corrupt iudgement of the Eucharist 2139.2140 King Henry 3. reconciled to his nobles and banisheth forreiners from the Court 280 King Iue his voyage to Rome where he became a Monke 127 King Oswold hys story charitie pitie deuotion and death 122 King Offa and Kenredus make themselues monks 129 King Phillip arriueth at South-hampton 1471 King Richard and the Kyng of France concluded to conquer the holy land 235 King Richard his voyage to the holy land with his actes by the way 243. â—44 King Richard 1. his three daughters .249 hys death ibid. Kinigilsus kyng of Westsaxons coÌ„uerted to Christ. 122 King what he is his institutioÌ„ 677 Kingdome of Christ feared of the Romaine Emperors 48 Kingdome of the world compared with the kyngdom of the Pope 19 Kingdom of Christ in this world 30 Kingdom of Northumberland ceaseth 131 Kingdom of Mercia ceaseth 132 Kissing of the Popes feet by Emperors 129 King and Debnam hanged for takyng down the Rood of Douercourt 1031 King Martyr his story and death for the Gospell 1976 Kyng Martyr buried in the fields 1689.1702 K N. Kneelyng to the sacrament forbid in Councels 1390 Kneuet Lady her trouble and deliuerance 2072 Knightes of the Rhodes their first originall 200 Knights of s. Iohns order in England began 367 Knight his story 1542 L A. LAcedemonians their wonderfull constaÌ„cy 681 Lacye gentlewoman her trouble and deliuery 2073 Lactea via where and what it is 1296 Lady Elizabeth her miraculous preseruation in Queene Maries dayes 2091.2092.2093.2094.2095.2096.2098 Lady honor persecuter strikeÌ„ mad 2101 Lady Eleanor Cobham her defence against Alanus Copus 702 Lady Iane for her zeale to the truth brought in hatred with the Lady