into a pyt or ditche and earnestly perswaded by some of her ignoraunt neighbours to go on Pilgrimage to S. Laurēce for helpe for her child sayd that neither S. Laurence Against inuocation of dead Images nor any other S. could helpe her child therfore none ought to goe on Pilgrimage to any Image made with mās hād but one-to vnto almightie God for Pilgrimages were nothyng worth sauing to make the Priestes rich Vid. plura inferius VNto Iohn Houshold Robert Rascall Iohn Houshold c. and Elizabeth Stamford as well the Article against the Sacrament of the altar was obiected as also that they had spoken agaynst praying to Saintes had despised the authoritie of the Byshop of Rome and others of his Clergy Against trāsubstantiation and authoritie of the Pope But especially Iohn Houshold was charged to haue called thē Antichristes and whooremongers and the Pope him selfe a strong strumpet and a common bande vnto the world who with his Pardōs had drowned in blindnes all Christian Realmes and that for money ALso among diuers other ordinary Articles propounded agaynst George Browne George Brown these were coūted very heynous hereticall First that he had sayd that he knew no cause why the Crosse should be worshipped Against adoration of the crosse seyng that the same was an hurt payne vnto our Sauiour Christ in the tyme of his Passion and not any ease or pleasure alledging for example that if he had had a frend hanged or drowned he would euer after haue loued that gallowes or water by the which his frend dyed rather worse for that thē better An other obiection was that he had erroneously obstinately and maliciously said for so are theyr words that the Church was too rich Against immoderate riches of the popes clergy This matter I may tell you touched somewhat the quicke and therefore no maruell though they counted it erroneous and malicious for take away their gaine and farewell their religion They also charged him to haue refused holy water to be cast about his chamber and likewise to haue spoken against priests with other vaine matters Iohn Wikes THe greatest matter wherewith they burdened Iohn Wikes was that he had often and of long time kept company with diuers persons suspected of heresie as they termed them and had receiued them into his house and there did suffer and heare them sundry times reade erroneous and hereticall bookes cōtrary to the faith of the Romish Church and did also himselfe consent vnto their doctrine and had many times secretly conueyed them from the taking of such as were appointed to apprehend them Ioh. Southacke Rich Butler c Vide inferius Against the real presence LIke as the greatest number of those before mentioned so were also Iohn Southake Richard Butler Iohn Samme William King Robert Durdant and Henrye Woolmā especially charged with speaking words against the real presence of Christes body in the Sacrament of the Altar and also against Images and the rest of the seauen Sacraments Howbeit they burdened the last v. persons with the reading of certaine English hereticall bookes accounting most blasphemously the Gospel of Iesus Christ writtē by the 4. Euangelists to be of that number as appeareth euidently by the 8. article obiected by Tho. Benet Doctour of lawe and Chancelour and vicare general vnto Rich. Fitziames then Bish. of London against the sayd Rich. Butler The very words of which article for a more declaration of truth I haue thought good heere to infert which are these Reading of Englishe bookes Also we obiect to you that diuers times and especially vpon a certaine night about the space of three yeares last past in Robert Durdantes house of Yuercourt neare vnto Stanes you erroneously and damnably read in a great booke of heresie of the sayd Robert Durdants all that same night certaine chapters of the Euangelists in English conteining in them diuers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie in the presence of the sayde Robert Durdant Iohn Butler Robert Carder Ienkin Butler William King and diuers other suspect persons of heresie then being present and hearing your sayd erroneous lectours and opinions Of these men see more hereafter in the table following To the same effect and purpose tended the tenour of some of the Articles propounded against the other foure Whereby as also by others like before specified we may easily iudge what reuerence they which yet will be counted the true and onely Churche of Christ did beare to the word and Gospell of Christ who shamed not to blaspheme the same with most horrible titles of erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie But why should we maruel thereat seeing the holy Ghost in sundry places of the Scripture doth declare that in the latter daies there should come such proud and cursed speakers which shal speake lies through hypocrisy and haue their consciences marked with an hot yron Let vs therefore now thanke our heauenly father for reuealing them vnto vs and let vs also pray him that of his free mercies in his sonne Christ Iesus he would if it be to his glory eyther turne and mollifie all such harts or else for the peace and quietnes of his Church he woulde in his righteous iudgement take them from vs. About this time Richard Fitziames ended his life After whose death The death of Richard Fitziames bishop of London Cuthbert Tonstall Bishop of London Cutbert Tunstall afterwards Byshop of Durham succeeded in the Sea and Bishoprike of London who soone vpon his first entrie into the roome minding to follow rightly the footesteps of his predecessour caused Edmund Spilman priest Henry Chambers Iohn Higgins and Thomas Eglestone to be apprehended and so to be examined vpon sundry like Articles as before are expressed and in the end either for feare of his crueltie and the rigour of death The reall presence denied or else through hope of his flattering promises such was their weakenesse he compelled them to abiure and renounce their true professed faith touching the holy Sacrament of Christes body and bloud which was that Christes corpall body was not in the sacrament but in heauen and that the Sacrament was a figure of his body and not the body it selfe MOreouer about the same time there were certaine articles obiected against Iohn Hig aliâs Noke aliâs Iohnson by the saide Bishops vicar generall Amongst which were these Against a priest to haue two benefices First that he had affirmed that it was as lawfull for a tēporall mā to haue two wiues at once as for a priest to haue two benefices Also that he had in hys custody a booke of the foure Euangelistes in English and did often reade therein and that he fauoured the doctrines opinions of Martin Luther Testimony touching M. Luther openly pronouncing that Luther had more learning in his litle finger then all y e doctours in England in their
christen man his highnes therfore like a most gracious christian Prince onely entending the sauegarde of this his realme the preseruation of his subiectes and saluation of their soules willeth to put now in execution with all diligence possible all good lawes statutes and ordinaunces concerning the premisses before this time prouyded made and ordeyned by hys most noble progenitors kings of England for that purpose entent Which lawes and statutes by our soueraigne Lorde and hys most honourable counsaile by long and deliberate aduise for the extirpation suppressyng withstanding of the sayd heresies haue bene seene examined by them in euery part thought good necessary to be put in execution Wherefore his highnesse chargeth and straightly commauÌ„deth all and euery his Lordes spirituall and temporal Iudges Iustices of peace Shiriffes Mayors Baylifs Constables and all other hys Officers Ministers and all his true and louing subiectes that all fauour affection and partialitie layd apart they effectually with all diligence and study endeuour themselues substantially for the executing of al and euery of the articles hereafter ensuyng without dissimulation intermission or excuse as they wil auoide hys high indignation and displeasure First that no man within the kinges realme or other his domynions subiect to his highnes hereafter presume to preach teache or informe any thing openly or priuily or coÌ„pile and write anye booke or hold exercise or kepe any assembles or schooles in any maner of wise contrary to the Catholike faith or determinatyon of holy church nor that any person within this his sayd realme domininions do presume to preach openly or secretly withoute they haue first obtained liceÌ„ce of the Bishop of the diocesse where they entend to preach curates in their parishes persons priuiledged and other by the law of the church onely except Also that no maÌ„ wittingly hereafter fauour support or maintain any person which preacheth in forme aforesayd or maketh anye such or like conuenticles and assembles holdeth or exerciseth any schooles maketh writeth or publisheth anye suche booke teacheth infourmeth or stirreth the people or any of them in anye maner of forme to the said errours Moreouer that al euery person and persons hauing any bookes or writinges of any suche errors erroneous doctryne and opinion do deliuer or cause to bee deliuered effectually and actually all and euerye such bookes and writings to the Bishoppes of the dioces or to the ordinary of the place within 15 daies after this proclamation pronounced And in case any person or persons of what estate condition or degree soeuer they be do or attempt any thing contrary to this Act and proclamation or doe not deliuer or cause to bee deliuered suche bookes within the time aforesaid that euery bishop in his dioces or ordinary shal cause that person or persons and euery of them to be arested in that behalfe diffamed or euidently suspected and detayne kepe theÌ„ vnder safe custody in their persons Penâ—ltye vntil such time that the said persons euery of theÌ„ either haue purged theÌ„selues of the said errors or els do abiure the said erròneous sects preachings doctrines or opinions as the law of holye Churche doth require Furthermore if any person by the law of holy Church be coÌ„uicted before the bishop of the dioces or his CoÌ„missary in any case aboue expressed that the said Bishop may kepe in prison the sayd person or persons so conuicted as it shal seeme best to his discretioÌ„ after the greuousnes or qualitie of the crime and further may set a fine to be paid to the behoufe of the king by the persoÌ„ or persons conuicted as it shal bee thought conuenient to the saide Byshop hauing respect to the greuousnes of the effence of the sayde persoÌ„ or persoÌ„s the said fine to be certified by the Bishop into the kings Eschequer ther to be leuied to the kings vse except in such cases in which by the lawes of holy church the said persons conuict of heresies ought totally to be left to the secular iurisdictioÌ„ Also if any person within this his realme of England or other his dominions be by sentence iudicial conuicted of the said preaching and doctrines prohibited erroneous opinions schooles informations or any of them and before the Bishop or his Commissary do abiure according to the fourme of the lawes of holye churche the foresaid erroneous sectes doctrines schooles or informatioÌ„s or els be pronounced by the bishops or their coÌ„missaries after their abiuration by theÌ„ before made to bee relapsed so that after the lawes of holy church they ought to be relinquished to the iurisdiction secular wherin faith is to be geuen to the Bysh. or his CoÌ„missaries in that behalf then the Shiriffe of the CouÌ„tie Maior Shirifes or Maior and Baylifes of the same citie towne or borough next vnto the said Bishop or Commissaries shal bee personally present in the sentence geuing by the said Bishop or CoÌ„missaries thereunto required and after the said sentence geueÌ„ shal receiue the said persons and euerye of them and put them to further excution according to the lawes of this realme Also the Chauncellor treasurer of England the Iustice of the one Bench and the other Iustices of peace Shirifes Maiors and Bayliffes of cities and townes and other Officers hauing gouernance of the people which now be or for the time hereafter shall be shal make othe in taking their charge and ministration to put their whole power and diligence to put away and to make vtterly to cease and destroy all maner of heresies and errours coÌ„monly called Lollardies within the precinctes of their offices and administrations from time to time with all their power Also they shal assist the Bishoppes and their Commissaries and them shall fauour and mayntaine as oftentymes as that to do they or any of them shal be required by the said Byshops or their commissaries so that the Bishops or their commissaries shall beare pay the reasonable costes of the said officers and ministers when and as often as they shall trauaile or ryde to arrest heretickes and Lollardes or to assist the said Bishops or Commissaries by vertue of the kings lawes and statutes Moreouer the Iustices of the kings Bench Iustices of peace and Iustices of Assise shal inquire at their Sessions and sittings of all those that holde any errours or heresies and who be their mayntainers receptors fauourers and supporters common wryters of bookes as also of their sermons schooles conuenticles congregations confederacies Furthermore if any person be endicted of any of the poynts abouesayd the Iustices of the peace haue power to awarde agaynst them Acapias and the shriues be bound to arrest such persons so endicted as sone as they may be found by themselues or by their Officers And forsomuch as cognisaunce of heresie errours and Lollardies appertayneth to the Iudge of holy church and not to the Iudge secular the persons so indicted to bee deliuered to the bishoppes of
his demerites by him done beside his abiuration The which religious persons and other Ecclesiasticall men aboue sayd Rich. Bayfilde geuen to the secular power thought it good and agreed y t the sayd Byshop should proceede agaynst hym in this case of relaps and should pronounce and giue forth the sentence against him in case aforesaid and so he was deliuered to the Shriffes to cary to Newgate beyng commaunded to bring him againe vpon Monday following into Paules vpper Queere there to giue attendaunce vpon the byshop of London with the residue till they haue done with him Rich. Bayfilde disgraded by and by the Sheriffes were commaunded to haue him into the Uestry and then to bring him forth agayne in Antichristes apparell to be disgraded afore them Bayfild throweÌ„ downe with the byshops stafâ—e When he had disgraded him kneeling vpon the highest steppe of the aultar he took his Crosier staffe and smote him on the breast that he threwe him downe backewardes and brake his head that he sounded and when he came to himselfe again he thanked God that he was deliuered from the malignaunt Church of Antichrist that he was come into the true sincere Church of Iesus Christ militaunt here in earth and I trust anone said he to be in heauen with Iesus Christ the Church triumphaunt for euer and so was he lead forth through y e Queere to Newgate and there rested about an houre in prayer and so went to the fire in his apparell manfully ioyfully and there for lacke of a speedy fire was two quarters of an houre aliue And when the left arme was on fire and burned he rubbed it with his right hand it fell from his body and he continued in praier to the end without mouing The Martyrdome of Richard Bayfield * Iohn Teukesbery Leatherseller of London Martyr IOhn Tewksbery was conuerted by the reading of Tindals Testament and the wicked Mammon He had the Bible written Ioh. Tewkesbery Leatherseller of London Martyr In all poyntes of religion he openlye did dispute in the Byshops Chappell in hys pallace Who in y e doctrine of iustification and all other articles of his fayth was very expert and prompt in hys aunsweres in suche sort as Tonstall and all his learned men were ashamed y t a Leatherseller should so dispute with them with such power of the Scriptures and heauenly wisedome that they were not able to resist hym This disputation continued a seuennight The processe of whose examinations Articles and aunsweres here follow as they are out of the bishops Register extracted On Wensday the 21. day of Aprill in the yeare of oure Lord. 1529. Ex Regist. London Iohn Stewkesbery was brought into the CoÌ„sistory at London before Cutbert Byshop of London and his assistaunces Henry Bishop of S. Asse and Iohn Abbot of Westminster Unto whom the Byshop of London declared that hee had at diuers times exhorted hym to recant the errors and heresies whiche he held and defended euen as hee did theÌ„ agayn exhort him not to trust to much to his own wit learning but vnto the doctrine of y e holy mother the Churche Who made aunswere that in his iudgement he did not erre from the doctrine of y e holy mother the Church And at the last being examined vppon erroures which they sayd were in the sayd booke called y t wicked Mammon he aunswered thus Take ye the book and read it ouer and I thinke in my conscieÌ„ce ye shal finde no fault in it And beyng asked by the sayd bysh whether he dyd rather geue credite to hys book or to the Gospell The examination of Iohn Tewkesbery before Tonstal Bishop of London he answered that the gospell is and euer hath bene true And moreouer being particularly examined what hee thought of this article that the Iewes of good intent and zeale slue Christ he answered look ye the booke through before and after as it lyeth and ye shall finde a better tale in it then ye make of it further thought that whosoeuer translated y e new testament and made the booke meaning the wicked Mammon he did it of good zeale and by the spirite of god Also being farther asked by the sayd Bishop of LondoÌ„ whether he would stand to the contentes of his booke hee aunswered looke ye the booke before and after and I wyll be coÌ„tent to stand to it The being examined whether that all good works must be done without respect of any thing he aunswere that a man should do good works for the loue of God only for no hope of any reward higher nor lower in heauen for if he should it were presumption Also being demaunded whether that Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen He answered and sayd that it was playne enough Which thinges being done the Bishoppe sayd further to Iohn Tewkesbery thus I tell thee before God and those which are here present in examination of my conscience that the Articles aboue named and many other more conteined in the same booke are false hereticall and condemned by the holy Church howe thinkest thou And further the sayd Bishop of London sayd vnto him agayne I tel thee before God and those which are here present c. and so asked him agayne what he thought of those Articles And after many exhortations he commaunded him to aunswere determinately vnder payne of the lawe saying further vnto him that if he refused to aunswere he must declare him an open and obstinate heretick according to the order of the law Which thinges so done the Bishop asked Iohn Tewkesbery agayne whether the sayd booke called the wicked Mammon were good To which interrogatory he aunswereth that he thinketh in his coÌ„science there is nothing in the booke but that which is true And to this article obiected that is that faith onely iustifieth without workes he aunswereth that it is well sayd Wherunto the Bishop inferred agayne that the articles before obiected with diuers other conteined in the booke called the wicked Mammon were false erronious damnable and hereticall and reproued and condemned by the Church and before God and all those that were preseÌ„t for the discharge of his conscience he had often very geÌ„tly exhorted the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery that he would reuoke and renouÌ„ce his errors otherwise if he did intend to perseuere in them he must declare him an hereticke which he would be very sory to do These thinges thus done the Bishop oftentimes offered him that he should choose what spirituall or temporall man he woulde to be his Counsellor and gaue him time as before to deliberate with himself vntill the next sitting Also in the same moneth of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord aforesayd An other examinatyoÌ„ of Iohn Tewâ—sbery the Bishop of London Cutbert Tonstal sitting in the Consistory with Nicolas of Elye Iohn of Lincolne and Iohn of Bathe and Welles c. This Iohn Tewkesbery was
as we haue sayd before the deuil beleueth that God is God and that Iesus Christ hath here preached that he dyed was buryed and rose agayn Thus must we also beloue but this is not the fayth wherof speaketh the Gospell and S. Paul c. Of this fayth and what it is read before in the place of the 4 and 5. articles of this booke and of the 1. Article gathered out of the wicked Mammon and the 9. and 10. article of the Reuelation of Antichrist 28 He that doth good agaynst his will he doth euill fol. 56. 28. Article The place is this Aâ— good deedes which are not done by loue and good wil are sinne before God as saith S. Augustine The place answering 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 He that doth good against his wil doth euil albeit that he doth be good For that I do agaynst my wil I hate and wheÌ„ I hate the commaundement I hate also him that hath commaunded it c. 29 No man doth more then he is bound to do and therefore no man may make other partakers of theyr good workes fol. 59 â—â— Article The words be these The Prophet Esay sayth we are all as an vncleane thing and all our iustice is as it were a filthy cloth and therfore I can neuer maruell enough that many of the religious persons would make other partakers of theyr good workes Esay 64. â—â—osoeuer 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 seeing that Christ sayth in the Gospell when ye haue done all those things which are coÌ„maunded you say we are vnprofitable seruantes we haue done but that which was our duety to doe For none can do to much None doth more then he is bound to doe but onely Iesus Christ which onely as sayth S. Peter neuer did sinne neither was there deceit found in his mouth hath done that he was not bound to doe and as the Prophet Esay sayth hath taken vpon him our infirmities and borne our sorrowes he was wounded for our offences smitten for our wickednesse by his stripes are we made whole c. 30 Christ hath gotten heauen by his passion but that right hath he no need of 30· Article but hath graunted it to all them that beleue in hys promises fol. 59 Read the place Iesus Christ possesseth the kingdome of heaueÌ„ by double right The doctrine of this article is found First because he is the sonne of god and very inheritor of his kingdome Secondly because he hath gotteÌ„ it by dis passion and death Of his second right he hath no neede and therfore he geueth it to all them that beleue and trust in him and in his promises 31 If God had promised vs heauen for our good woorkes 31. Article wee should euer be vnsure of our saluation fol. 59. 32 Be our sinnes neuer so great 32. Article that it seemeth impossible to vs to be saued yet without any doubt we must beleue to be saued fol. 59. The wordes out of the which these two articles be gathered are these If God had promised heauen vnto vs because of our workes we should euer then be vnsure of our saluation For we should neuer know how much The doctrine of these articles be as true as the Gospell nor how long we should labor to be saued should euer be in feare that we had done to litle and so we should neuer dye ioyfully But God would assure vs of heauen by his promise to the entent we should be certayne and sure for he is the trueth and cannot lye and also to the intent that we should haue trust and hope in him And notwithstanding that after the greatnes multitude of our sinnes it seeme to vs a thing impossible yet alwayes we must beleue it without any doubt because of his sure promise And who soeuer doth this he may ioyfully dye and abide the iudgement of god which els were intollerable Read more hereof before in the xi article taken out of the wicked Mammon 33. If thou loue thy wife because shee is thy wife that is no loue before God 33. Article A difference betweene carnaâ— loue spiritual loue yet in Matrimony both are necessary but thou shalt loue her because shee is thy sister in God fol. 83. The wordes be these Our Sauiour Christ hath commaunded nothing so straightly as to loue an other yea to loue our enemies also Then how much more shoulde the man wise loue together But there be but few that know how to loue the one the other as they ought to do If thou loue thy wife onely because she is thy wife and because she serueth and pleaseth thee after the flesh for beauty byrth riches and such like this is no loue before god Of such loue speaketh not S. Paule For suche loue is among harlots yea among brute beastes but thou shalt loue her because she is thy sister in the christen faith and because she is inheritour together with thee in the glory of God because ye serue together one God because ye haue receaued together one baptisme c. Thou shalt also loue her for her vertues as shamefastnes chastitie and diligence sadnes pacience temperance secrecy obedieÌ„ce and other godly vertues c. 34. It is nothing but all incredulitie to runne in pilgrimage and seeke God in one certayne places 34. Article which is like mightye in all places fol. 62. The matter of this article is euident to all indifferent learned iudgementes to be voyde of all doubt of heresie 35. Men should see that their children come to Churche to heare the sermon fol. 89. 35. Article The place of this article is this On the Festiuall dayes thou shalt bring thy children to the church to heare the sermon and when thou shalt come home What meaneth these men â—ow you to make this doctrine an heresie thou shalt ask them what they haue kept in memory of the sermon Thou shalt teach theÌ„ the Christian fayth Thou shalt admonish theÌ„ to liue well and to put all their hope and trust in God and rather to dye then to do any thing that is against the will of God And principally thou shalt learne them the contentes of the prayer of our Sauiour Christ called y e Pater noster that is to say how they haue an other father in heauen of whom thy must seeke for all goodnesse and without whom they can haue no good thing how that they may seeke nothing in all theyr workes and in all theyr intents but the honor of theyr heauenly father And how they must desire that this father would gouerne all that they doe or desire And how that they must submit all to his holy wil which cannot be but good c. Thou shalt buy them wholsome bookes as the holy Gospell the epistles of the holye Apostles yea both the new the old Testament that they may vnderstand and drinke of the sweet fountayne waters of
from study of the law I haue perhaps forgotten what the law will do precisely in this point but admit the law were so as you say yet your selfe knoweth my Lord that thys is our certayne rule in law Quòd consuetudo est iuris interpres optimus and I am sure you will not nor can not deny but that the custome is commonly in this realme in all iudgements and Commissions vsed to the contrary and in very deede altogether at the Court hauing the Comâ—â—â—â—ion presented vnto vs take it vpon vs and therfore for you to sticke in such trifling matters you shall rather in my iudgement hurt your selfe and your matter then otherwise Truely Maister Secretary sayd the Byshop I haue also of long while bene disused in the study of the law but hauing occasion partly by reason of this matter to turne my bookes I finde the law to be as I say and yet as I sayd I tell you heereof by the way The answer of Boner to Secretarye Peter not minding to sticke much with you in that poynt At which wordes Maister Secretary Smyth sayd also vnto the Byshop well my Lord of London as cunning as you make your selfe in the law there be here that knoweth the law as well as you and for my part I haue studied the law to and I promise you these be but quiddites and quirkes inuented to delay matters but our Commission is to proceede summarily The wordes of Secretary Smyth to Boner The answer of Boner to Secretary Smyth The words of Secretary Peter de plano and to cut off such friuolous allegations Well sayd the Bishop againe looke well on your commission and you shall finde therein these wordes to proceede according to the law and Iustice and I aske both lawe and Iustice at your handes Then Maister Secretary Peter willed hym to stand no more thereupon but to proceede vnto his aunswere Wherupon he tooke foorth a writing wherin was conteined his aunswere to the denunciation exhibited the day before by Latimer and Hooper and deliuering it vnto the Archbishop sayde that it was of his owne hand writyng and for lacke of sufficient time written so hastily coursely that it could scarsly be read of any other and therfore he desired to read it himselfe and so taking it agayne read it openly the copy whereof here followeth * The aunswere of the sayd Bishop made to the denuntiation aforesayd I Edmond bishop of London concerning William Latimer Iohn Hooper the pretenced denunciators of thys matter here nowe before you and for aunswere vnto the vnlawfull vntrue and vncharitable pretenced denunciation of them lately in deede contrarye to iustice and good reason exhibited here and read before you vnder protestation heretofore made by me and red vnto you remayning in the actes of this court to which I referre me and haue the same here agayne for repeated and reheaâ—sed to all purposes agreeable to the law do for my necessary defence and helpe alleage and say as followeth First I do alledge and say that the sayd William Latimer and Iohn Hooper Allegations oâ— rather cauillations of Boner agaynst his denunciators or either of theÌ„ were not nor now are to be admitted in any wise by vertue of this or anye other commission as denunciators against me their Byshop specially for that they and either of them haue aswell before the time of this pretensed denunciation and also theÌ„ and since bene and be vile and infamed notorious criminous persons and also open and manifest notable heretickes especially concerning the sacramentes of the catholicke Churche and namely concerning the blessed Sacrament of the aulter How fayne would thiâ— man finde a fault if he could tell how by reason of whiche their heresies they were and be by the order of the sayde Catholicke Churche here in this realme of England iustly and duely excommunicated and accursed and haue deuided theÌ„selues therby from the vntie and integritie of Christes Catholick church and for such persons they haue bene and are named reputed and taken openly notoriously and commoÌ„ly amongst the catholicke people of this Realme of Englande and especially of this Citty of London familiarly haunting and conuersaunt with sacramentaries and openly knowne condemned heretickes and fauorers and Abbettors of the same and theyr detestable pestilent doctrine heresie 2. Item that the sayde Iohn Hooper amonges other hys poysoned and venemous doctrine and amonges other his erroneous detestable and abhominable errors and heresies taught and spread abroad here within this realme infecting and poysoning the kinges subiectes therewyth hath before the tyme of the sayde pretensed denunciation damnably and detestablie made diuers erroneous and hereticall bookes especially one intituled a declaration of Christ and of his offcie printed as hee falsly surmiseth in Zurick by Augustine Friers where hee in many places heretically and damnably denyeth the true presence of Christes body in the blessed sacrament of the aultar and also in effect denyeth the verity of Christes blessed bodye vpon the crosse calling it Mathematticall and excludyng thereby the true and very substaunce thereof 3. This terme Mathematicall is referred of Hooper not to the substance of the body vpon the crosse but to Papisticall accidence without substance vpon the aultar Item that the sayd Iohn Hooper doth perseuer and continueth still in his sayd poysoned and wicked venemous doctrine in al poyntes mayntayning and defending the same and euery part therof all the wayes he can especially agaynst y e presence of Christes blessed body in the sacrament of the altar and his sayde bookes especially the sayde declaration of Christ and of his office he doth yet allowe and mayntayn as good and Catholicke where in deede it is hereticall wicked and damnable the contentes of whiche doctrine and bookes so intituled the sayde Latimer especially touching the heresie agaynst the verity of Christes bodye and his true presence in the sacrament of the aultar hath heard taught read preached beleeued holden mayntayned and kept and so at this preseÌ„t doth yet beleue hold If al truth were away he had spoken morâ— truely maintayne and keepe contrary to the fayth of Christes Catholicke church and the vnitie of the same obserued amongest all true christen people incurring thereby heresie excommunication and Scisme to the losse both of their soules and of their beleuers 4. Item that the sayde Latimer and Hooper and eyther of them being of these vile and detestable quallities and consequently by the ordinaunce of the catholick Church of Christ aswell of this Realme as also throughout all Christendome being so excommunicate cast out thereby from the sayd Church are not to this pretensed denuntiation agaynst me theyr Bishop nor to any iudiciall act to be admitted ne yet to be accompanyed with all or aunswered vnto but are by scripture and the order of Christes Catholicke Church here in this Realme vtterly and clearely to be excluded auoyded detested eschewed and abhorred in all maner of wise
cause for which a man of my estate should loose his life yet who woulde not geue it to aduouch this child to be legitimate and his mariage to be lawfull and holy I do good Reader recite thys saying not onely to let thee see what he thought of Priests mariage but chiefly to let all maryed couples and parents learne to beare in their bosome true affections naturall but yet seasoned with the true salt of the spirit vnfaynedly and throughly mortifyed to do the naturall workes and offices of maried couples parents so loÌ„g as with their doing they may keepe Christ with a free confessing faith in a conscience vnfoyled otherwise both they and their owne liues are so to be forsaken as Christ required theÌ„ to be denyed and geueÌ„ in his cause And now to come to the examination of this good man alter that the Bishops had kept him one whole yeare and a quarter in prison at the length they called him as they did the rest of his felowes openly to be examined Of the which his first examination the effect and purpose thus foloweth ¶ The Examination of Laurence Saunders PRaysed be our gracious God who preserueth his from euill and doth geue them grace to auoyd al such offeÌ„ces as might hinder his honor or hurt his Church Amen Being conuented before the Queenes most honorable Councell sundry bishops being present the Lord Chauncellor began to speake in such forme as foloweth I. Chan. It is not vnknowne that you haue bene Prisoner for such abhominable heresies false doctrine as hath bene sowne by you and now it is thought good that mercy be shewed to such as seeke for it Wherfore if now you will shew your selfe conformable come home agayne mercy is ready We must say that we haue fallen in maner all but now we bee risen agayne and returned to the Catholicke Churche you must rise with vs and come home vnto it Geue vs forthwith a direct aunswere Saun. My Lord and my Lordes all my it please your honors to geue me leaue to aunswere with deliberation Chan. Leaue of your painting and pride of speech For such is the fashion of you all to please your selues in your glorious wordes Aunswere yea or nay Saund. My Lord it is no time for me now to paynt And as for pride there is no great cause why it should be in me My learning I confesse to be but small and as for riches or worldly wealth I haue none at all Notwithstanding it standeth me in hand to auÌ„swere to your demaund circumspectly considering that one of these two extreme perilles are like to fall vpon me the losing of a good conscience or y e losing of this my bodye and life And I tell you trueth I loue both life and liberty if I coulde enioy them without the hurt of my conscience Chan. Conscience you haue none at all but pride and arrogancy * Of this 〈…〉 S. 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 6. Ierâ—m â—0 Come out and diuide your selues from them c. Argument Conscience 〈…〉 vpon things vncertaine 〈…〉 deuiding your selues by singularitye from the Church Saun. The Lorde is the knower of all mens consciences And where your Lordship layeth to my charge thys deuiding my selfe from the Church as you do mean is now among you concluded vpon as I do vnderstand I do assure you that I lyue in the fayth wherein I haue bene brought vp sithens I was 14. yeare old being taught that the power of the B. of Rome is but vsurped w t many other abuses springing thereof Yea this I haue receiued euen at your hands that are here present as a thing agreed vpon by the Catholicke Church and publicke authority Chan. Yea mary but I pray you haue you receiued by coÌ„sent and authoritye all your heresies of the blessed Sacrament of the aultar Saund. My Lorde it is lesse offence to cutte off an arme hand or ioynt of a man then to cut of the head For y e man may liue though he do lacke an arme hand or ioynt and so he can not without his head But you all the whole sort of you haue agreed to cut of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome whome now you will haue to be the head of your Church agayne Bish. of Lond. And if it like your Lordship I haue his hand agaynst the blessed sacrament How say you to that Saunders What I haue written that I haue written and farther I will not accuse my selfe Nothing haue you to burden me withall for breaking of your lawes since they were in force A lawfull 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 Chan. Well you be obstinate and refuse liberty Saund. My Lord I may not buy liberty at suche a pryce but I beseech your honours to be meanes to the Queenes Maiesty for suche a pardon for vs that wee may liue and keep our consciences vnclogged and we shal liue as most obedient subiectes Otherwise I must say for my selfe that by Gods grace I will abide the moste extremity that man may do against me rather then to do against my conscieÌ„ce Chan. Ah Syrra you will liue as you list The Donatistes did desire to liue in singularity but in deed they were not meete to liue on earth no more be you and that shall you vnderstand within these seuen dayes and therefore away with him Saund. Welcome be it whatsoeuer the will of God shal be either life or death And I tell you truely I haue learned to dye But I exhort you to beware of shedding of innoceÌ„t bloud Truly it will cry The spirite of God rest vpon all your honors Amen This is the summe and forme of my first examination Pray c. This examination being ended the officers led him out of the place so stayed vntill the rest of his fellowes were likewise handled that they might haue them altogether to prison Laurence Saunders standing among the Officers seing there a great multitude of people opened his mouth and spake freely warning them wel of that M. Saunders freely preacheth Christ. which by their falling from Christ to Antichrist they did deserue therefore exhorting them by repentaunce to rise agayne and to embrace Christ with stronger fayth to confesse him to the end in the defiance of Antichrist sinne death the deuill so should they reteine the Lordes fauor and blessing The copyes of his other examinations and excommunication came to the hands of such as do keepe them still in secret But in them as he defended Christes cause stoutly The 2. examination here lacketh so warned he the Pharisaicall bishops and papists of their hypocrisy and tyranny freely and cleared himselfe of theyr vniust quarrellinges truly After he was excommunicate and deliuered to the secular power he was brought by the Shriffe of London M. Saunders deliuered to the secular power to the prison called the Counter in his owne parish in Breadstreet whereat he reioyced greatly both because he found
gift of spirit and courage God had geuen to this godly and blessed martyr At what time Doctour Taylour was depriued of hys benefice of Hadley there was one called Syr Robert Bracher a false pretensed Protestant in king Edwardes dayes and afterward a deadly enemy to the same ReligioÌ„ who was also one of them that so vnmercifully thrust Doctor Taylors wife and children out of the dores as she her selfe yet can testify notwithstanding the same now since became a Protestant agayne This Syr Robert Bracher aforesayde Syr Robâ—â—â— Bracherâ— coÌ„ming 〈◊〉 Hadley comming to Hadley to the buriall of a certayne frend of his and Gods great enemy one Walter Clarke albeit he came somewhat to late to the market as he sayd yet desirous to vtter such Popishe pelfe and packeware as he brought with him hee opened there his baggage of pestilent doctrine A popisâ— Sermon Syr 〈◊〉 Bracher preaching in the same towne of Hadley agaynst iustification of fayth of the corporall presence of praying for the dead and Auricular confession Whereof Doctour Taylour hauing vnderstanding by Letters writeth agayn to them of Hadley directing his Letter to his wife in confutation of the sayde Popish poysoned Sermon the Copy of which Letter we thought not vnworthy here in the ende of this story to bee annexed as vnder foloweth ¶ A Letter of Doctor Taylour of Hadley written to his wife DEare wife This cap was a 〈◊〉 cap sent M· Couâ—â—dale to 〈◊〉 Taylor 〈◊〉 his wyfe I pray God be euer with vs through Christ our onely Mediator Amen I thanke you for my cap I am something proud of it for it is one steppe from the Clergy in these dayes I thanke God my hart is cleane deuided from theyr proceedinges for I knowe that no man can serue two maisters specially if they agree no better theÌ„ Christ and Antichrist do I am glad that Hadley can skill of such packing ware as was brought thether the first day of May last past Christes sheepe can discerne Christes voyce from the voice of straungers theeues or hirelings The packebringer was sory that he came to late to the funerall market of his faithfull friend· But here I will leaue them both to Gods iudgement and somethyng touch the matter whereof the packer made mention on his openyng day At the first he called the Scripture as I heare full of darke sentences but in deed it is called of Dauid a candle to our feete and a light to our pathes Our Sauior Christ calleth hys word the light which euill doers do flee from and hate least their deeds should be reprooued thereby S. Paule would haue vs to walke as children of light and in any wyse not to continue in ignorance or darkenes But all we in the world pertaine to two princes eyther to the father of light truth or els to the prince of darkenes and lyes In these dayes preachers declare euidently of whome they are sent and with what spirit they speake to what prince they belong 〈◊〉 stripe 〈◊〉 falsely 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 to be â—eare and 〈◊〉 For they cry out against Gods Lightes Sunne Moone Starres torches lampes lanternes cressets and candles in Gods booke the Bible prouided of Gods great goodnes and mercy to auoyd all foule darknes cloudes and mistes or dangerous doutfull wayes in this our iourney to our heaueÌ„ly father long home mansion houses and dearely purchased heritage Esay gods faithfull messenger sayth Woe be vnto them that call sweete sower good euill and light darkenes Therfore commeth my people into captiuitie because they haue no vnderstanding Our Sauiour Christ pronounceth errours and heresies to remaine among the people so long as ignorance of the scriptures remayneth And hereby it appeareth to all good consciences what they meane which defame or accuse Gods blessed word beyng full of light as though it were full of darkenes These Owles would haue all day lights scraped out of bookes hartes and Churches Oh Lord turne their heartes and tongues bowe them from the waye of darkenesse least they goe to the prince of darkenesse and be cast into the pit of vtter darkenes where is weepyng and gnashyng of teeth Now touching the packes of wooll and the packes of cloth I feare they were as all other wares bee transubstantiate into flockes The Popes packe ware Iustification by workes Corporall pâ—esence Praying for soules Auricular confession euen his very finest packing stuffe against onely faith iustifieng and for the corporal presence of Christes body in the sacrament for praying for soules departed and for auricular confession Abrahams iustification by fayth by grace by promise and not by workes is plainly set forth both in the epistle to the Rom. cap. 4. and to the Gal. ca. 3. and Abrahams works of obedience in offring vp his sonne so long after his iustification must needes be taken as a fruite of a good tree iustifieng before men and not of iustification before God for then had man to glory in then dyd Christ die in vayne And where as the 6 chap. of Iohn was alledged to proue that Christ did geue his body corporally in his supper eueÌ„ as he had promised in the sayd 6. chap. it is most vntrue Against the corporall presence For onely he gaue his body sacramentally spiritually and effectually in his supper to the faythfull Apostles and corporally he gaue it in a bloudy sacrifice for the lyfe of the worlde vppon the crosse once for all There in hys owne person Chrâ—sts body geuen in the Supper spiritually vpon the croâ—se corporally in hys owne naturall body he bare all our sinnes By whose stripes we were healed as S. Peter proueth 1. Pet. 2. and Esay 53. In deed receiuyng Christs sacrament accordingly as it was instituted we receyue Christes body Christs bloud euen as I sayd before the Apostles dyd But the popish Masse is another matter The Masse as it is now is but one of Antichrists youngest daughters in the which the deuill is rather present and receyued Against the Masse The Masse the Popes youngest daâ—ghter Dâ—scription of the popes â—ingdome then our sauiour the second person in Trinitie God and man O Lord God heauenly father for Christes sake we beseeche thee to turne agayne England to the right way it was in in K. Edwards tyme from this Babylonicall stewish spirituall whoredome conspiracie tyranny detestable enormities false doctrine heresie hardnes of hart and coÌ„tempt of thy word and commaundements from this euident and open idolatry sacriledge simonie blasphemy superstition hypocrisie transubstantiate angell of lyght and day deuill kyngdome of lyes foule vayne schismes sects sedition apostasie gay sweete poyson honied and sugred viperous venome wily woluishnesse sathanicall subtletie and abhomination in the sight of God and of all such as put on the true spectacles of holy scripture I am the more playne now in this matter because I feare greatly that many will be to much ready to go from Christ to
corner stone not vpon the Romishe lawes and decrees the Bishop of Rome being the supreme head And where they sayd the Church did stand in ordinary succession of bishops The nature condition and notes of the false Church being ruled by generall Councels holy fathers and the lawes of holy Churche and so had continued by the space of fiftene hundreth yeares more he made aunswere that the holy church which is the body of Christ and therfore most worthy to be called holy was before any succession of Bishoppes generall Councels or Romish decrees neither yet was bound to anye time or place ordinary succession generall councels or traditions of Fathers ConfutatioÌ„ of the false church falsly defined eyther had any supremacy ouer Empyres and kingdomes but y t it was a little poore sely flock dispersed and scattered abroad as sheep without a shepheard in the middest of wolues or as a flocke of Orphanes or fatherles children and that this Churche was led and ruled by the onely lawes councels and word of christ he being the supreme head of this church and assisting succoring and defending her from all assaultes errours troubles and persecutions wherewith she is euer compassed about He shewed and prooued vnto them also by the floud of Noah the destruction of Sodome the Israelites departing out of Egypt by the parables of the sower Examples declaring the true Church of y e kings sonnes mariage of the great supper and by other playne sentences of scripture that this Church was of none estimation little in comparison of the church of hipocrites and wicked worldlinges He was thrust at withall violence of craft and subtilty but yet the Lord vpheld him and deliuered him The false Church eâ—er greater 〈◊〉 number Euerlasting thanks be to that mercifull and faythful Lord which suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our might but in the middest of our troubles strengthneth vs with hys holye spirit of comfort and pacience geueth vs a mouth wisedome how and what to speake where agaynst all his aduersaryes were not able to resist * An other appearaunce of George Marsh before the Byshop NOw G. Marsh agayne â—â—ought â—â—fore the â—â—shop and 〈◊〉 Colâ—â—agues after that the sayd bishop had taken his pleasure in punishing this his prisoner and often reuilyng him geuing tauntes odious names of hereticke c. hee caused him to be brought forth into a Chappell in the Cathedrall church of Chester called our Ladye Chappell before him the sayd B. at two of the clocke in the after noone who was there placed in a Chayre for that purpose and Fulke Dutton Maior of the sayd Cittye Doctour Walle and other priestes assisting him placed not farre from the said Bishop but somewhat lower George Wenslow chaÌ„cellour and one Iohn Chetham Register sat directly ouer agaynst the sayd Bishop â—he Bishop 〈◊〉 his â—olleagues 〈◊〉 vpon G. Marsh. â— Marsh 〈…〉 Then they caused the sayd George Marshe to take an othe vpon a booke to answere truely vnto suche articles as should be obiected agaynst him Upon whiche othe taken the Chauncellour layde vnto his charge that hee had preachâ—d and openly published most heretically and blasphemously within the Parishe of Deane Eccles Bolton Berry and many other parishes within the Byshoppes Dioces in the monthes of Ianuary February or some other time of y e yeare last proceding directly against y e popes authoritie and Catholicke Churche of Rome the blessed Masse the sacrament of the aultar and many other Articles Unto all which in summe he aunswered that he neither heretically nor blasphemously preached or spake agaynst any of the sayd articles but simply and truely as occasion serued and as it were thereunto forced in conscience mayntayned the truth touching the same articles as sayd he all you now present did acknowledge the same in the time of the late king Edward the vi Then they examined him seuerally of euery Article bad him aunswere directly yea or nay without circumstance for they were come to examine and not to dispute at that present Then he aunswered them vnto euery article very modestly according to the doctrine by publicke authoritie receiued and taught in this Realme at the death of the sayd king Edward whose aunsweres were euerye one noted and written by the Register to the vttermost that coulde make against him which cannot at this present be gotten After this the company for that time brake vpp and hee was returned to his prison agayne ¶ The last and finall appearaunce of George Marsh before the Bishop The last appearance of G. Marsh before the Byshop The ChauÌ„cellours oration WIthin three weekes after this or thereaboutes in y e sayd Chappell and in like sort as before the said Bishop and others before named there being assembled the sayd George Marshe was brought by the keeper and others with bils and diuers weapons before them where first the sayd Chauncellour by way of an Oration declared vnto the people present the sayde Byshoppes charge and burning charitie who euen like as a good shepheard doth see to his flocke that none of his sheepe hath the scabbe or â—ther disease for infecting other cleane sheepe but wyll saue cure the said scabbed sheep so his Lordship had sent for the sayd George Marshe there present as a scabbed sheep and had weeded him out for corrupting others and had done what he could in shewing his charitable disposition towards y e sayd Marsh to reduce him froÌ„ his naughty heresies but all that he could do would not help so that he was now determined if the sayd Marsh would not relent abiure to pronounce and geue sentence definitiue agaynst him Wherfore he bad the sayd George Marshe to be now well aduised what he would do for it stode vpon his life and if he would not at that present forsake his heretical opinions it would be after the Sentence geuen to late though he would neuer so gladly desire it Then the sayd Chauncellour first asked him whether he were not one of the Bishoppes Dioces 〈…〉 George Marsh. To the whiche he aunswered that he knewe not how large his Diocesse was for his continuaunce was at Cambridge But then they replyed and asked whether he had not lately bene at Deane Parish in Lancashyre and there abode And he answered yea Then the Chauncellour read all his former answeres that he made in that place at his former examination at euery one he asked him whether he would sticke to y e same or no To the which he answered agayne yea yea How say you then to this quoth the Chauncellor In your last examinatioÌ„ amoÌ„gst many other daÌ„nable schismaticall heresies you sayd that the Church and doctrine taugh and set forth in king Edwardes time was the true Church the doctrine the doctrine of the true Churche that the Church of Rome is not y e true catholick church I so sayd in deede quoth Marshe and
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌ„child vpoÌ„ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ„ dwellyng theÌ„ about old Fish streete demauÌ„dyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ„ also of whoÌ„ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâ—lumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ„ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—hibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâ—le◠〈◊〉 or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What 〈◊〉 is here to kept 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his sepulâ—chre and will he 〈◊〉 in spite oâ— his 〈◊〉 printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case
of Christes insâ—â—tution is abominable naught and full of idolatry and is of the ordinance of the Pope not of the institution of Christ and hath no goodnes in it sauyng the Gloria in excelsis the Epistle and Gospell and therfore thou hast not nor wilt not come and be present at masse nor receiue the sacrament of the altar nor any other sacrameÌ„t of the church as they are now vsed in this realm of England c. 7. Item that thou hast in tymes past beleued yet doest now beleeue Against auricular confession Church seruice that auricular confession is not necessary to be made vnto the priest but is a thing superfluous voyd and naught only to be made to God to none other person And likewyse thou hast condemned as superfluous vayne and vnprofitable all the ceremonies of the church and the seruice of the same and hast sayd that no seruice in the church ought to be sayd but in the English tong and if it be otherwise it is vnlawfull and naught 8. Item that thou beyng notoriously and openly suspected for an heretike and a person culpable in the premisses was of late called and coÌ„uented before the Erle of Oxford and M. Phillip Paris The Earle of Oxford M. Phillip Paris and there was charged with the said heresies especially against the sacrament of the altar And because thou didst maintaine and stand to thy said heresies and wouldst not come to the church and be confessed and receiue the said sacrament as other christian people did but vtterly didst refuse to doe the same thou wast by the said Earle of Oxford and M. Phillip Paris seÌ„t vp by a Constable vnto me Bishoppe of London and was by them denounced detected and put vp to me as an heretike and misbeleuyng person 9. Item that thou hast knowen and beleeued thou doest know and beleeue or at the least thou hast credibly heard reported spoken and said that all and all maner persons which do teach preach or hold any thing concernyng the sacraments of thr Church or any the articles of the fayth otherwise then is found already discussed and determined by the mother the holy church or doth call into doubte or question that thyng which is already decided or determined by the Church or that willingly and wittingly do vtter openly or priuily any slaunderous or blasphemous wordes concernyng the sayd Sacraments or any of them or that do preach teach or keepe any sect or kynd of heresie agaynst the wholesome doctrine of the church doe wittingly willingly or obstinately defend the said sect or kind of heresie are by the Canons of the whole and vniuersall Catholike Church and also by the Ecclesiasticall lawes of this Church of England by their so doing accursed with that curse which doth separate them from the entry into the Church from the receiuing of the Sacramentes and from the company of faythfull people and are in continuyng in this sayd sect and heresie to be pronounced declared and taken for heretikes and to be deliuered to the secular power and by the lawes temporall of this realme of England and the custome of the same to be by the sayde secular power put to death and burnt for this sayd sect and heresie 10 Item that thou by reason of the premisses wast art to be pronounced takeÌ„ had reputed and iudged for a manifest and open wilfull and obstinate heretike for a wycked and cursed person and to bee punished accordingly for the same accordyng to the said Canon lawes vsages and customes * The aunsweres whiche the sayd Thomas Osmund William Bamford and Nicholas Chamberlaine seuerally made vnto these Articles TO the first they aunswered and confessed the same to be true The aunsweres of the three prisoners to the articles agreeing all in one except that they do beleue y t there is here in earth one Catholicke whole Church and that the same church doth hold and beleue as is conteined in this Article To the second they aunswere beleue the sayd Article not to be true for they say that they haue doe beleue that they are necessarily bounden vnder payne of damnatioÌ„ of their soule to geue full fayth and credeÌ„ce vnto the said Catholicke Church to the fayth and religion of the same in all necessary points of the same fayth and religioÌ„ without waueryng or doubtyng in any part therof To the third they auÌ„swere that the Church of Rome The Church of Rome not to be beleeued other Churches mentioned in this Article bee not true meÌ„bers partes as they be vsed in fayth religion of the Catholicke Church of Christ that the fayth and religion vsed in the sayd Churches is not agreable with y e Church of Christ but are false and erroneous To the fourth they aunswere and say that how so euer the sayd Churches of Rome and others of Christendome haue and do beleue touchyng the SacrameÌ„t of the aulter yet they do beleue that in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the formes of bread wine there is not the very substauÌ„ce of Christes body bloud but that there is onely the substauÌ„ce of materiall bread and wine that the same materiall bread wyne be onely the signes and tokeÌ„s of Christes body and bloud and are to be receiued onely for a remembraunce of Christes passion and death without any substaunce of Christes body and bloud at all To the fiâ—t Article they aunswere that the true receiuyng and eatyng of Christes body The â—rue eating of Christs body accordyng to Christes institution is to take distribute and eate materiall bread and thereby to remember the passion and death of Christ and so receiue by fayth as they beleue Christes body and bloud and not otherwise To the sixt they aunswere the same to bee true in euery part therof except that ouer and besides the Gloria in excelsis the Epistle and Gospell which they beleue to bee good they beleue the Pater noster and Creâ—de vse in the Masse be also good Auricular confession not necessary Ceremonyes idle in the Chusch To the seueÌ„th they aunswere and confesse that auricular confession is not necessary to be made to the Priest neuerthelesse they thâ—ncke that it is necessary to goe to such a Priest as is able to geue good counsell And that for counsell only and not otherwise And as concerning the ceremonies of the church they answer the same to be vayne vnprofitable No seruice in the Church ought to be sayde but onely in the English tong To the eight they answer and beleeue the same to bee true in euery part thereof except that they doe not beleeue that they be heretikes or suspected of heresie To the ninth Osmund and Bamford aunswered that they referred themselues to the sayd lawes mentioned in that article but Chamberlaine made no aunswer at all to this article To the tenth the sayd Osmond and Bamford answered and sayd that by reason of
the publique coÌ„sent and authority of the church Popish beliefe and doctrine goeth by time now seing the authority of the church of Rome hath established the same it oughte not to be contraried nor can wythout daungerous disobedience In all mens actions diligent respect of time must be had That whych bindeth not at one time afterward the same by law being ratified may binde at an other Ibid. Finally for the number and multitude on the contrary side thus they answer for themselues Verity coÌ„sisteth not in number of voyces Not victory in multitude of soldiers as we nowe in these our daies likewise in defence of the truth may wel answere against the Pope and all his popish Friers turning their owne weapons against them selues Multitude say they ought not to mooue vs. Uictorie consisteth not in number and heapes but in fortitude and hearts of souldiours yea rather fortitude and stomacke commeth from heauen and not of man Iudas Machabeus wyth a little handfull ouerthrewe the great armye of Antiochus Strong Sampson wyth a poore Asses bone slew a thousand Philistines Dauid had no more but a seely sling a few stones and with these stroke downe terrible Goliath the Gyaunt c. Lib. eod cap. 13. With these and such other like reasons the gray Franciscans voided their aduersaries defending the coÌ„ception of the virgine Mary to be vnblemished and pure from all contagion of Originall sinne Contrariwyse the Blacke gard of the Dominike friers for theyr partes were not all mute but laide lustily from them agayne hauyng greate authorities and also the Scripture on theyr side But yet the other hauing the sea Apostolicall w t them had the better hande The Popes side stronger theÌ„ the scripture and in fine gate the victorye triumphantly ouer the other to the high exaltation of theyr order For Pope Sixtus as I sayd by the authoritie Apostolicall after hee had decreed the coÌ„ception day of the virgin perpetually to be sanctified and also with his terrible Bull had condeÌ„ned for heretiques al them which withstoode the same the Dominicke Friers wyth authoritie oppressed were dryuen to two incoÌ„ueniences the one was to kepe silence the other was to geue place to their aduersaries the Franciscanes All be it where the mouthe durste not speake yet the heart would worke and though the tongue were tied yet theyr good will was ready by all meanes possible to maintaine their quarel and their estimation Whereupon it happened the same yeare of our Lorde 1509. after this dissention betwene the Dominike Friers Anno. 1509. the Franciscanes that certaine of the Dominickes thinking by subtile sleight to worke in the peoples heades Ex Casparo Peucero Chron. lib. 5. Ex Sebast. Munster Cosmog Lib. 3. that which they durst not atchieue with opeÌ„ preaching deuised a certaine Image of the Uirgine so artificially wroughte that the Friers by priuie gins made it to stirre to make gestures to lament to complaine to weepe to grone to geue answers to them that asked in somuch that the people therwith were brought in a maruelous perswasion til at length the fraude being espied 4 Friers burned at Berne the Friers were taken condemned and burned at Berne the yere aboue mentioned 1509. Ex Peucer Sebast. Munstero Carione alijs In the Centuries of Iohn Bale I finde their names to be Ioannes Vetter Franciscus Vliscus Stephanus Bolizhorst and Henricus Steinegger In the storie of Ioh. Stumfius this story aforesayde doth partly appeare but in the Registers and Recordes of the Citie of Berne the order and circumstance therof is more fully expressed and set foorth both in meter and prose and is thus declared Ex Histor. Ferâ—ensi conscripta vulgari et latino sermone In the Citye of Berne there were certaine Dominike friers to the nuÌ„ber chiefly of 4. principall doers and chieftaines of that Order who had inueigled a certaine simple poore frier who had newly planted himselfe in the cloister whome the foresayd Friers had so infatuated wyth sundry superstitions fained apparitions of S. Maria S. Barbara and S. Catherina and w t their inchauntments and imprinting moreouer in hym the woundes of S. Fraunces that he beleeued plainely that the Uirgine Mary had appeared to hym and had offered to hym a red hoost consecrated with the bloud also of Christ myraculous whych blessed virgin also had sent him to the senatours of Berne with instructions declaring vnto them from the mouth of the virgine y t she was conceiued in sinne that the Franciscane friers were not to be credited nor suffered in the city which were not yet reformed from that erroneous opinion of her conception He added moreouer that they shuld resort to a certaine image there of y e virgine Mary whych image the Friers by engines had made to sweat should do their worship make their oblations to the same c. This fained deuise was not so soone forged by the Friers but it was assone beleued of the people so that a great while the red coloured host was takeÌ„ vndoubtedly for the true body and bloud of Christ and certain coloured drops therof sent abroad to diuers noble personages and estates for a great relique and that not wythout great recoÌ„pence Thus the deceiued people in great number came flocking to the image and to the red host and coloured bloud with manifolde giftes and oblations In briefe the Dominike friers so had wrought the matter and had so swept all the fatte to their owne beardes from the order of the Franciscanes that all the almes came to their boxe The Franciscanes seeing their estimation to decay and their kitchen to waxe colde and their panches to be pinched not able to abide that contumely being not ignorant or vnacquainted with suche counterfaited doings for as the Prouerbe sayeth It is il halting before a creeple eftsoones espied theyr craftye iuggling and detected theyr fraudulent myracles Wherupon the 4. chiefe captaines aboue named were apprehended and put to the fire of whom the Prouinciall of that order was one And thus much touching the beginning ende of this tumultuous and popish tragedy wherin euidently it may appeare to the Reader howe neither these turbulent friers could agree among themselues Friers neither can agree with themselues nor yet do disagree but in vaine trifles and yet in what friuolous trifles they wrangled together But to let these ridiculous friers passe w t their trifling phantasies most worthy to be derided of all wise men in the meane time this is to be lamented to beholde the miserable times of the Churche in which the deuil kept the minds of Christes people so atteÌ„tiue and occupied in such frierly toyes that nothing els almost was taught or heard in the church but only the commendation and exaltation of the virgin Mary The miserable blindnes of the time considered But of our iustification by faith of grace and the promises of God in
denied so doo I now for this present keepe secret in silence Ex Regist. Rich Fitziames as well for breuities sake as also somewhat to colour hide the shameles practises of that lieng generation But to our purpose THe chiefest obiection against Ioanne Baker was that she would not only her selfe not reuerence y e Crucifixe Ioanne Baker but had also perswaded a frend of hers lieng at the point of death not to put any trust or cōfidēce in the Crucifixe but in God which is in heauen who only worketh all the myracles that be done and not the dead Images that be but stockes and stones Agaynst worshipping of the crucifixe or crosse Testimonie for the Lady yong Mart. and therefore she was sory that euer she had gone so often on Pilgrimage to S. Sauiour and other Idols Also that she did hold opinion that the Pope had no power to geue pardons that Lady Yong who was not long before that time burned died a true martyr of God and therefore she wished of God that she her selfe might do no worse then the said Lady Yong had done VNto William Pottyer besides diuers other false and slanderous articles as that he should denie the benefite and effect of Christes passion it was also alleged that he should affirme William Pottier False slaunder of the aduersaries that there were sixe Gods The first three was the holy Trinitie the father the sonne and the holy Ghost The fourth was a priests concubine beeing kept in his chamber The fift was the Deuill And the sixt that thing that a man setteth his mind most vpon The first part of this Article he vtterly denied confessing most firmely and truely the blessed Trinitie to be only one God in one vnitie of Deitie Answere as to the other three he answered that a Priest delighting in his concubine made her as his God Likewise a wicked person persisting in his sinne without repentaunce made the Deuill his God And lastly he graunted that hee once hearing of certaine men whiche by the singing and chattering of birdes would seeke to knowe what things were to come eyther to themselues or others sayd that those men esteemed their birds as Gods and otherwise he spake not AMongst the manifold and seuerall articles obiected against Thomas Goodred T. Godred Tho. Walker Tho. Forge c. Thomas Walker Thomas Forge Alyce Forge his wife Iohn Forge their sonne Iohn Caluerton Iohn Woodrofe Richard Woolman and Roger Hilliar As that they should speake against Pilgrimages praieng vnto Saints and such like this principally was propounded that they all denied the carnall and corporall presence of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the altar Agaynst transubstantiation and corporall presence and further had concealed and consented vnto their teachers and instructers of that doctrine and had not according vnto y e lawes of the Church accused and presented them vnto the Bishop or Ordinary Also great and heinous displeasure was conceiued against Richard Wolman for that he tearmed the Church of Paules a house of theeues affirming that Priests and other Ecclesiasticall persons there were not liberall geuers vnto the poore as they ought but rather takers away from them what they could get Likewise as Thomas Austye Ioanne Austye hys wife Tho. Austy Ioan Austy c. Thomas Graunt Iohn Garters Christofer Rauins Dionise Rauins his sister Thomas Uincent Lewes Iohn Ioan Iohn his wife Iohn Webbe were of one felowship and profession of faith with diuers of y e last before recited so were they also almost all apprehended about one time chiefly burdened with one opinion of the Sacrament Which declareth euidently Agaynst transubstantiatiō corporall presence that notwithstandyng the darke ignoraunce of those corrupted tymes yet God did euer in mercy opē the eyes of some to behold the manifest truth euen in those thinges wherof the Papistes make now greatest vaunt and bragge of longest continuaunce Furthermore many of them were charged to haue spoken agaynst Pilgrimages to haue read and vse certaine English bookes repugnyng the fayth of the Romish Church as the foure Euangelistes Wickleffes Wicket a booke of the x. commaundementes of almightie God the Reuelation of S. Iohn the Epistles of Paule Iames with other like which those holy ones could neuer abide good cause why for as darkenes could neuer agree with light no more cā ignoraunce the mainteiner of that kingdome with the true knowledge of Christ and his Gospel It was further particularly obiected agaynst Ioanne Iohn the wife of Lewes Iohn Agaynst holy dayes that besides the premisses she learned and mainteined that God commaunded no holy dayes to bee kept but onely the Sabboth day and therefore she would keepe none but it nor no fastyng dayes affirmyng that to fast from sinne was the true fast Moreouer that she had despised the Pope his Pardons Against pilgrimage and adoration of images and Pilgrimages In somuch that when any poore body asked his almes of her in the worship of the Lady of Walsingham she would straight aunswere in contempt of the Pilgrimage the Lady of Walsingham helpe thee And if she gaue any thyng vnto him she would then say Take this in the worshyp of our Lady in heauen and let the other goe Which declareth that for lacke of better instructiō and knowledge she yet ignorauntly attributed too much honour to the true Saintes of God departed though otherwise she did abhorre the idolatrous worshippyng of the dead Images By which example as also by many others for shortnesse sake at this present omitted I haue iust occasion to cōdemne the wilfull subtiltie of those that in this bright shinyng light of Gods truth would yet vnder colour of godly remembraunce still mainteyne the hauyng of Images in the Church craftely excusing their idolatrous kneelyng and praying vnto them by affirming that they neuer worshypped the dead Images but the thynges that the Images did represent But if that were their onely doctrine and cause of hauyng of them why thē would their predecessours so cruelly compell these poore simple people thus openly in their recantations to abiure and renoke their speakyng agaynst the grosse adoration of the outward Images onely and not against the thing represented which many of them as appeareth partly by this exāple in their ignoraunt implicitie confessed might be worshipped Howbeit God be thanked who euer in his mercy continue it their coulourable and hypocriticall excuses can not now take such place in the hartes of the elect of God as they haue done heretofore especially seyng the word of God doth so manifestly forbid as wel the worshyppyng of them as also the makyng or hauing of them for order of Religion IT was alledged against Williā Couper and Alice Couper his wife that they had spoken against Pilgrimages William Couper and his wife worshyppyng of Images but chiefly the woman who hauyng her childe on a tyme hurt by fallyng
doubtfull By grace sayth the scripture through promise to all and vpon all y t beleue and not by the law vpon them that do deserue For if it come by deseruing theÌ„ is it not of grace If it be not of grace Rom. 3. theÌ„ is it not of promise And contrariwise if it be of grace and promise then is it not of works sayth S. Paul Upon this foundatioÌ„ of Gods free promise and grace first builded the Patriarckes Rom. 11. kinges and prophets Upon the same foundation also Christ the Lord builded his church Upon the which foundation the Apostles likewise builded the Church Apostolicall or Catholicall This Apostolicall and Catholicke foundation so long as the Church did retayn so long it continued sincere and sound which endured a long seasoÌ„ after the apostles time But after in proces of yeares through wealth and negligence crept into the Church so soone as this foundation began to be lost came in newe builders which would build vpon a new foundation a new Churche more glorious which we call now the Church of Rome Who beyng not contented with the olde foundation and the head corner stone whiche the Lord by his word had layd in place therof they layde the ground worke vppon the condition and strength or the lawe and workes Although it is not to be denyed but that the doctrine of gods holy law and of good workes according to the same is a thing most necessary to be learned and followed of all men yet is not that y e foundation wherupon our saluation consisteth neither is that foundation able to beare vp the weight of the kingdome of heauen but is rather the thing which is builded vppon the foundatioÌ„ which foundatioÌ„ is Iesus Christ according as we are taught of Saint Paul saying 1. Cor. 3. No man can lay any other foundation beside that whiche is layde Christ Iesus c. But this auncient foundation with the olde auncient Church of Christ as I sayd hath bene now of long tyme forsaken in stead therof a new Church The doctrine of the church corrupted with a new foundation hath bene erected and framed not vpon gods promise his free grace in Christ Iesus nor vpon free iustification by fayth but vpon merits desertes of mens working And hereof haue they planted al these their new deuises so infinite that they cannot wel be numbred as masses trecenares diriges obsequies mattens and houres singing seruice vigiles midnightrising barefootgoing fishtasting lentfast imberfast stations rogations iubiles aduocatioÌ„ of saints praying to images pilgrimage walking workes of supererogation application of merites orders rules sectes of religion vowes of chastitie wilful pouerty pardons relations indulgences penaunce and satisfaction with auricular confession sounding of Abbaies building of Chappels geuing to Churches And who is able to recite all their laborious buildinges falsly framed vpon a wrong ground and all for ignoraunce of the true foundation whiche is the free iustification by fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God Moreouer to note The life and maners of the church corrupted that as this new founde Church of Rome was thus deformed in doctrine so no lesse was it corrupted in order of life deepe hipocrisie doing al thinges onely vnder pretenses and dissembled titles So vnder y e pretence of Peters chayre they exercised a maiestie aboue Emperours and kinges Under the visour of their vowed chastitie reigned adultery vnder the cloke of professed pouerty they possessed the goodes of the temporalty Habentes speciem pietatis sed vim eius abnâ—gantes 2. Tim. 3· Under the tytle of being dead vnto the world they not only reigned in y e world but also ruled the world vnder the colour of y e keyes of heaueÌ„ to hang vnder theyr girdle they brought all the states of the worldes vnder theyr girdle crept not onely into the purses of men but also into theyr consciences they heard theyr confessions they knew their secrets they dispensed as they were disposed loosed what them listed And finally when they had brought the whole world vnder theyr subiection yet dyd theyr pryde neyther cease to ascend neyther could their auarice be euer satisfied And if the example of Cardinall Wolsey and other Cardinalles and popes cannot satisfie thee I beseech the gentle Reader turne ouer the foresayd booke of the ploughmans tale in Chaucer aboue mencioned wher thou shalt vnderderstaÌ„d much more of theyr demeanour then I haue here described In these so blynd and miserable corrupt dayes of darcknes and ignoraunce The reformation of the Church necessary thou seest good Reader I doubt not howe necessary it was and high time that reformation of the Church should come which now most happily graciously began to worke through the mercifull and no lesse needfull prouidence of almightye God Who although he suffered hys Church to wander and start aside through the seduction of pride and prosperitie a long time yet at length it pleased his goodnes to respect hys people and to reduce hys church into the prestine foundation and frame againe from whence it was pitiously before decayed Whereof I haue now consequently to intreat intending by the grace of Christ to declare how and by what meanes first this reformation of the church began and howe it proceeded increasing by little and little into this perfection which now we see and more I trust shall see And herein we haue first to behold the admirable work of Gods wisedome The first beginning of reformatioÌ„ how and by what means For as the first decay and ruine of the church before began of rude ignoraunce lacke of knowledge in teachers so to restore y e church agayne by doctrine and learning it pleased God to open to man y e arte of printing the time wherof was shortly after y e burning of Hus and Hierome Printing being opened incontinent ministred to the Churche the instrumentes and tooles of learning knowledge which were good bookes and authors which before lay hid and vnknowne Printing the fountain of reformation The science of Printing being found immediately followed the grace of God whiche styrred vp good wittes aptly to conceiue the light of knowledge and of iudgement by which light darcknes began to be espied and ignoraunce to be detected trueth from errour religion from superstition to be discerned as is aboue more largely discoursed where was touched the inuenting of printing pag. 707. Vid. supra pag. 707. Furthermore after these wittes styrred vp of God folowed other more increasing dayly more and more in science in tongues and perfection of knowledge who now were able not onely to discerne in matters of iudgement but also were so armed and furnished with y e helpe of good letters that they did encounter also with the aduersary sustayning the cause defence of learning against barbaritie of veritie against errour of true religion against superstition In number of whom amongest many other here vnnamed
ouerthrowne for euer In the tyme of pope Alexander the 6. and about the yeare of our Lord. 1500. as is before specified The fall of the Popedome signified by the fall of the Angel from the Church toppe of the popes Castle Ex Baleo Centur. 8. pag. 000. the hygh angell which stoode in the top of the popes churche and castle of S. Angell was throwne downe with a terrible thunder into the riuer of Tybris whereby might seeme to be declared the ruine and tall of the popedome To this may be adioyned whiche in certayne Chronicles and in Iohn Bale is recorded which sayth that in y e yeare of our Lord. 1516. whiche was the same yeare when Martine Luther began Pope Leo the x. dyd create 31. Cardinals In the which yeare and day of theyr creation there fell a tēpest of thūder and lightning in Rome which so strake the church where the Cardinals were made that it remoued the little Childe Iesus out of the lappe of hys mother and the keyes out of Saint Peters hand An other signification of the popes subuersion Whiche thing many then did interprete to signifie and foreshow the subuersion and alteration of the sea of Rome Hetherto pertayneth also a strange portente and a prodigious token from heauen in the yeare of our Lord. 1505. Ex Ioan. Carione Fronc Mirandula alijs Bloudie markes of the Lordes passion seen vpon mens garments In the which yeare vnder the reigne of Maximilian Emperour there appeared in Germany vpon the vestures of men as well of Priestes as lay men vpon womens garmentes also and vpon theyr rockes as they were spynning diuerse printes and tokens of the nayles of the spunge of the spayre of the Lordes coate and of bloudy Crosses c. All which were seene vpon theyr cappes and gownes as is most certaynly testified and recorded by diuers which both did see also did write vpon the same Of whom first was Maximilian the Emperour who both had and shewed the same to Franciscus Mirandula which wrote thereupon a booke in Latine meter called Staurostichon wherin for the more credite these verses be conteyned Non ignota cano Caesar monstrauit ipsi Vidimus Innumeros prompsit Germania testes c. Of this also writeth Iohn Carion Functius The exposition of this portent Phil. Melanct. Flaccius with diuers other moe These markes and tokēs as they were very straunge so were they diuersly expounded of many some thinking that they pretended affliction and persecution of the churche to drawe neare some that God by that token did admonishe them or foreshewed vnto them the true doctrine of their iustification which onely is to be sought in the Crosse and passion of Christ and no other thing This I maruell that Christianus Masseus and other of that profession doe leaue it out Belike they sawe some thinge in it that made not to theyr liking For whether it signifieth persecution to come vpon the Germayns they cannot be euill that suffer and beare the Crosse wyth Christ Or whether it signifieth the true doctrine of Christ comming to the Germaynes it cannot otherwise be but that the doctrine of the Byshop of Rome must needes be wrong which is contrary to this which God hath styrred vp in Germany By this and such like prophecies it is euident to vnderstand the time not to be farre of when God of his determinate prouidēce was disposed to reforme to restore his Churche And not onely by these prophecies the same might well appeare but also and much rather by y e hartes of the people at that tyme whose mindes were so insenced and inflamed with hatred agaynst the pompe and pryde of Rome both through all nations and especially the people of Germany that it was easie to perceaue the tyme was neare at hand whē the pride of popish prelacy would haue a fall Such disdeyne there was such contempte and derision began to ryse on euery side then agaynst the pope and the Courte of Rome that it might soone appeare by the heartes of the people that God was not disposed to haue it long to stand For neither were their detestable doinges of secret that men did not see them neither did any man be hold them hauing any sparckle of godlines that could abide them And thereupon grewe these prouerbes to their derision in euery country As in Germany it hath bene Prouerb amongst them Prouerbes against the corrupt sea of Rome Was i st nu in der werlt fur ein wesen Wir moegen fur den pfaffen nicht genesen What is this to see the world now round about That for these shaueling priestes no man that once maye route Quà m primum clericus suscipit rasuram statim intrat in eum diabolus That is So soone as a Clerke is shorne into his order by and by the deuill enterth into him In nomine Domini incipit omne malum That is In the name of God beginneth all euill alluding to the Popes Bulles which commonly so begin Item when Bulles come from Rome bind well your purses The nearer Rome the farther from Christ. Item he that goeth once to Rome seeth a wicked man He that goeth twise learneth to know him He that goeth thrise bringeth him home with him Item the Courte of Rome neuer regardeth the sheepe without the woll Once were wodden chalices and golden priestes Ex Auen Now we haue golden chalices and wodden Priestes Once Christan men had blinde churches and light hartes Now they haue blinde hartes and light Churches Item many are worshipped for Saintes in heauen whose soules be burning in hell What should I speake of our English prouerbe which so vily esteemeth the filthy Friers that it compareth them sauing thy reuerence good Reader to a fart In Fraunce Gallus Senonensis writeth .400 yeares agoe that amongest them it was an old saying Romae solui Satanam in perniciem totius Ecclesiae That is That Sathan was let lose at Rome to destroy the whole Church Thomas Becket himselfe in his time writing to the Colledge of Cardinals denieth it not but to be a common word both through town and city Quod non sit iustitia Romae That is That there is no right at Rome To these may be adioyned also the A. B. C. Whiche we find in the margent of a certayne ould register to be attributed to William Thorp whose story we haue comprehended in the booke before ¶ A wake ye ghostly persons awake awake The A.B.C. against the pride of the Clergie B oth Priest pope Byshop and Cardinall C onsider wisely what wayes that ye take D aungerously beyng like to haue a fall E uery where the mischiefe of you all F arre and neare breaketh out very fast G od will needes be reuenged at the last ¶ H ow long haue ye the world captiued I n sore bondage of mens traditions K inges and Emperours ye haue depriued L ewdly vsurping theyr chiefe possessions M uch
iestingly and merely to answere the Dukes request The iudgement of Erasmus touching Luther saying that in Luther were two great faultes first that he would touch the bellyes of monks the second y t he would touch the popes crown which two matters in no case are to be dealt withall Then opening his minde playnly to y e Duke thus he sayde Monkes belies and the Popes crowne not to be touched that Luther did well in detecting errours and that reformation was to be wished and very necessary in the church and added moreouer that the effect of his doctrine was true but onely that he wished in him a more temperate moderation and maner of writing and handling Wherupon Duke Friderick shortly after wrote to Luther seriously Ex Chron. Casp. Peâ—cer lib. 5. exhorting him to temperate the vehemency of his style This was at the City of Colen shortly after the Coronation of the newe Emperour where also Huttenus Aloisius Marlianus Ludouicus viues Halonius with other learned men were assembled together wayting vpon the Emperour Furthermore the same Erasmus the yeare next folowing that Ex epist. Erasm ad Moguntinensem wrote vp to the Archbishop of Mentz a certayne Epistle touching the cause of Luther In whiche Epistle thus he signifieth to the Byshop That many thinges were in the books of Luther condemned of monkes and Diuines for hereticall whiche in the bookes of Bernarde and Austen are redde for sound and godly Also that the world is burdened with mens institutions with schole doctrines and opinions The 〈◊〉 burdened 〈◊〉 and with the tyrannye of begging Friers which Fryers when they are but the Popes seruaunts and vnderlinges yet they haue so growne in power and multitude that they are nowe terrible both to the pope himselfe and to all princes Who so long as the pope maketh with them so long they make him more theÌ„ a God But if he make any thing agaynst their purpose or commoditie then they wey his authoritie no more then a dreame or phantasie Once sayd he it was counted an heresie when a man repugned agaynst the Gospell or Articles of the fayth Now he that dissenteth from Thomas of Aquine is an hereticke whatsoeuer doth not like them whatsoeuer they vnderstand not that is heresie To speake Greeke is heresie Or to speake more finely then they do that is with them heresie And thus much by the way concerning the iudgement of Erasmus Now to returne and to entreate something orderly of the actes and conflictes of Luther with hys aduersaryes after y e Tecelius the foresayd Fryer w t his fellow monkes and Frierly fellowes had cried out w t open mouth against Luther in mayntayning the popes indulgences and that Luther agayn in defence of hys cause had set vp propositions against the open abuses of the same maruell it was to see how soone these propositions were sparckled abroad in sundry and farre places and howe greedely they were catched vp in the hands of diuers both far near And thus y e contentioÌ„ of this matter increasing betwene them Ex Paralâ—p Abbat Vrsperg Luther was coÌ„pelled to write therof more largely fully theÌ„ other wise he thought which was in y e yeare of our Lorde 1517. Yet all this while Luther neuer thought of anye alteration to come of any ceremony much lesse such a reformation of doctrine and ceremonies as afterward did follow But onely hearing that he was accused to the Bishop of Rome he did write humbly vnto him in the beginning of which writing he declareth y e vnordinate outrage of those his pardonmongers whiche so excessiuely did pill pole the simple people to the great slaunder of the Church and shame to his holines and so proceeding in the ende of the sayd his writing thus he submitteth himselfe The submission of Luther to the Pope Wherefore sayth he most holy father I offer my selfe prostrate vnder the feete of your holines with all that I am and that I haue Saue me kill me call me recall me approoue me reproue me as you shall please Your voyce y e voyce of Christ in you speaking I wil acknowledge If I haue deserued death I shall be contented to dye For the earth is the Lordes Psal. 23. and all the fulnes therof who is to be blessed for euer Amen This was the yeare of our Lorde 1518. After that Martine Luther prouoked thus by Tecelius had declared hys minde in writing lowly and humbly and had set vp certayn propositions to be disputed not loÌ„g after The ragyng Dialogue of Syluester Prieâ—â—as against Luther among other monkes and Fryers steppeth vp one Siluester de Priero a Dominicke Frier who fyrst began to publish abroad a certayne impudent and rayling Dialogue against him Unto whom Luther answered agayn first alledging the place of the Apostle 1. Thes. v. That we must proue all thinges Also the place Gal. 2. That if an aungell from heauen do bryng an other Gospell then that we haue receiued he ought to be accursed The aunswere of Luther against Syluester Item he alledged the place of Austen vnto Hierome where the sayd Austen sayth That he is wont to geue thys honour onely to the book of Canonicall Scripture that who soeuer were the writers thereof he beleueth them verily not to haue erred But as touching all other mens writings were they neuer so holy men or learned he doth not beleue them therefore because they so say but in that respect as they doe agree with the Canonicall Scripture which cannot erre Clem. De poenit remiss C. Abusionibus Item he alledged the place of the Canon law Clem. de Poenit. remis C. Abusionibus Wherein he proued y t these pardonsellers in their setting forth of the popes indulgenses ought to go no further by the lawe then is enioyned them within the letters of their commission And in the latter part of his aunswer thus Luther writeth to the reader Let opinions sayth he remayne opinions so they be not yokes to the Christians Let vs not make mens opinions equall with the articles of fayth to the decrees of Christ and Paule Moreouer I am ashamed quod he to heare the common saying of this Diuine schole doctours who holding one thing in the schooles and thinking otherwise in their own iudgement thus are wont secretly among theÌ„selues Ex Paralipominis Abba Vrsperg and with their priuy friendes talking together to say Thus we do hold and thus would I say being in the schooles but yet be it spoken here amongst vs it cannot be so proued by the holy Scriptures c. Ex. Paralip Abb. Vrsperg Eckius wryteth against Luther D. Andraeas answereth for Luther Next after this Siluester stept forth Eckius and impugned the conclusions of Luther Agaynst whom encountered D. Andraeas Bedenstein ArchdeacoÌ„ of Wittenberg makyng hys Apologie in defence of Luther Then was Martin Luther cited the 7. of August by one Hieronimus
to be taught by the Scripture at least that the matter might be brought into open disputation in some free place of Germanye where y e truth might be discussed and iudged of learned men The Cardinall not pleased w t this in great anger cast out of many manacing words neither would admit hym any more to hys presence or speache whereas yet notwithstanding persisting in his obedience to the church of Rome gaue attendaunce wayting vpon the Cardinals pleasure a sufficient tyme. At last when no aunswere woulde come after hee had wayted y e space of v. or .vi. dayes to his great detriment greater daunger by the perswasion of hys friendes he departed Whereat if the Cardinall were displeased he had most cause to blame hymselfe And now whereas the Cardinall threatneth me sayth he not to let the action fall but y t the proces thereof shal be pursued at Rome vnlesse I eyther come and present my selfe or els be banished your dominions I am not somuch greeued for myne owne cause as y t you should susteyne for my matter any daunger or perill And therefore seeyng there is no place nor countrey Luther readie to be exiled which can keep me froÌ„ the malice of mine aduersaryes I am willing to depart hence and to forsake my couÌ„try whether soeuer it shall please the Lorde to leade me thanking God which hath counted me worthy to suffer thus muche for the glory of Christes name Here no doubt was the cause of Luther in great danger beyng nowe brought to this strayte The cause of Luther in great daunger that both Luther was ready to flye the countrey and the Duke agayne was as much afrayd to keepe hym had not the maruelous prouidence of God who had this matter in guiding here prouided a remedy where the power of man did fayle Gods prouidence by styrring vp the whole vniuersitie of Wittingberg who seeyng the cause of truth thus to declyne The Vniuersitie of Wittenberge writeth to the Duke for Luther with a full and a general consent addressed theyr letters vnto y e Prince in defence of Luther of his cause making their huÌ„ble suit vnto hym y t he of hys princely honour would not suffer innocency and the simplicity of trueth so cleare as is the Scripture to be foyled and oppressed by mere violence of certayne malignant flatterers about the Pope but that the errour first may be shewed and conuicted before the partye be pronounced gylty By the occasion of these letters the Duke began more seriously in hys minde to consider the cause of Luther and to read hys workes and also to harken to hys Sermons Wherby through Gods holy working he grew to knowledge and strength perceauing in Luthers quarrell more then he did before This was about the beginning of December an 1518. New indulgences set forth by Pope Leo. As this past on Pope Leo playing the Lyon at Rome in the meane time in the month of Nouember to stablishe his seate against this defection whiche he â—eared to come had sent forth new indulgences into Germany al quarters abroad The doctrine of the church of Rome w t a new Edict wherein he declared this to be the catholicke doctrine of the holy mother church of Rome Prince of al other churches that Bishops of Rome which are successours of Peter and vicares of Christ haue thys power and authoritie geuen to release and dispense also to graunt indulgences auaylable both for the liuing and for the dead lyeng in the paynes of purgatory And thys dotrine he charged to be receiued of all faythfull Christen men vnder payne of the great curse and vtter separation from all holy Church This Popishe decree and indulgence as a new Marchandise The Popes Alestake to picke mens purses or Alestake to get money being â—et vp in al quarters of Christendome for y e holy fathers aduauntage came also to be receiued in Germanye about the moneth of December Luther in the meane time hearing how they were about in Rome to proceede and pronounce agaynst him prouideth a certayne appeallation conceiued in due forme of law Luther appealeth froÌ„ the Pope to a general councell Miltitius the popes chamberlaine sent to duke Fridericke wherein he appealeth from the pope to the general Councell When Pope Leo percoaued that neyther his pardons would prosper to his minde nor that Luther coulde be brought to Rome to assay how to come to his purpose by crafty allurementes he sent his Chamberlayne Carolus Miltitius aboue mentioned which was a Germaine into Saxony to Duke Fridericke with a golden rose after y e vsuall ceremony accustomed euery yeare to be presented to him with secret letters also to certayne Noble men of the Dukes counsaile to sollicite y e popes cause and to remoue the Dukes minde if it might be from Luther But before Miltitius approched into Germany Maximilian the Emperour deceased in the month of Ianuary an 1519. At what tyme two there were which stoode for the election The death of Maximilian the Emperour Charles the 5. elected Emperour by the meanes of Duke Fridericke to wyt Fraunces the Frenche king and Charles king of Spayne which was also Duke of Austriche and Duke of Burgundy To make this matter short through the meanes of Fredericke Prince Elector who hauing the offer of the preferment refused the same the election fell to Carolus called Carolus the v. surnamed Prudence which was about the end of August In the month of Iune before there was a publike disputation ordeined at Lypsia The disputation at Lypsia which is a Cittie in Misnia vnder the dominion of George Duke of Saxonie vncle to Duke Fredericke This disputation first began thorough the occasion of Ioannes Eckius a Fryer and Andraeas Carolostadius Doctour of Wittenberge This Eckius had impugned certayne propsitions or conclusions of Martine Luther which he had written the yeare before touching y e popes pardons Agaynst him Carolostadius wrote in defence of Luther Eckius against Carolostadius Eckius agayne to aunswere Carolostadius set forth an Apology Whiche Apology Carolostadius agayn confuted by writing Upon this began the disputation with safe conduct graunted by Duke George to al singular Luther commeth to the disputation Melancthon newlye come to WitteÌ„berge persons that would resort to the same To thys disputation came also Martine Luther with Philip MelancthoÌ„ who not past a yeare before was newly come to Wittenberge Luther not thinking then to dispute in anye matter because of his appellation aboue mentioned but onely to heare what there was sayd and done First before the entry into the disputation it was agreed that the Actes should be penned by Notaryes and after to be diuulged abroad But Eckius afterward went backe from that pretending that the penning of the Notaries should be an hinderaunce a stay vnto them wherby the heate of them in their reasoning shuld the more languish and theyr
honour which notoriously will be disteined The 3. cause if they which most excell in nobility and authority among the Germaines shall not bend all theyr power to expell these heresyes First for that they shall appeare to degenerate from theyr progenitors who being present at the condemnatioÌ„ of Iohn Hus of other heretickes are sayd some of theÌ„ with theyr owne hands to haue led Iohn Hus to the fire Secondly for that they or the greater part of theÌ„ approuing with theyr authority * This edict of the Emperor aboue touched pag. 827. was deuised and set out not knowing to diuers of the Princes there And semeth chiefly to be brought about by the Pope and his flatterers about him Looke more hereof in the story of Sledan Lib. 3. the emperiall edict set forth of late in coÌ„demnatioÌ„ of M. Luther now except they shall folow the execution of y e same shall be noted inconstant or may be thought to fauor the same seing it is manifest that they may easily exterminate him if they were disposed The fourth cause is the iniury wrought by Luther to them their parentes The 4. cause and progenitors for as much as their fathers progenitors and themselues also haue alwayes holden the same fayth which the catholick church of Rome hath appoynted contrary to which fayth Luther with his sectaryes now doeth holde saying that many thinges are not to be beleued which theyr foresaid aunceters haue holden to be of fayth it is manifest therfore that they be condeÌ„ned of Luther for infidels and hereticks and so consequeÌ„tly by Luthers doctrine all theyr foreelders progenitors which haue deceased in this our fayth be in hell for errour in fayth importeth damnation The fift cause to moue them is that they should wel aduise consider the end The 5. reason or cause whereunto all these Lutherians do teÌ„d * The doctrine of Luther tendeth against the vsurped power of the Sea of Rome Ergo the doctrine of Luther dissolueth all obedience due to Magistrates This consequent is to be denied for the power of Magistrates is of God and he that resisteth them resisteth God So is not the vsurped power of the Pope which is that vnder the shadow of Euangelicall liberty they may abolish all superiority and power For although at the first beginning they pretended onely to adnul and represse our power ecclesiasticall as being falsely tyrannously vsurped agaynst the Gospell yet for as much as liberty is all theyr foundation and pretence by the which liberty the seculer power and magistrates can not binde men by any commaundementes be they neuer so iust or so reasonable * If the Pope doe say that no preceptes of Magistrates do oblige vnder paine of mortall sinne he sayth not true if hee say that Luther so teacheth he belyeth Luther who teacheth al men to be subiects vnto Magistrates no man more to obey theÌ„ vnder paine of mortall sinne it is manifest that theyr scope is to enfeeble and infringe as much or more the seculer state also although couertly they pretend to salue it to the end that when the seculer Princes shall beleue this theyr working not to be directed against them but onely agaynst the vsurped domination of the church and churchmeÌ„ then the laity which commonly hath bene alwayes agaynst men of the Church holding with them shall suffer the Church-men to be deuoured Which done no doubt but * Who so coÌ„sidereth the doctrine of Luther De Libertate Christiana shal finde this to be a false slaunder For how is it like that he meaneth any rebellion who describing a Christian calleth him a seruant and an vnderling to all men they will afterward practise the like vpon the secular Princes and potestates which now they attempt agaynst our ecclesiasticall iurisdiction The sixte cause to mooue and perswade them agaynst Luther is this for them to consider the fruites which folow of that sect The 6. cause as slaunders offences disturbaunce robberyes murders * The cause why the Pope doth charge the Lutherians with sedition dyd ryse vpon this because one Franciscus Sickyngus a valiant man and a great fauourer of Luther dyd warre agaynste the Archbyshop of Triers for 〈◊〉 two certain persons froÌ„ 〈◊〉 which should haue 〈◊〉 and by his meanes did not seditions dissentions which this sect hath and dayly doth styrre vp through whole Germany Also blasphemyes * As for sclaunderous words 〈◊〉 tauntes with what face 〈◊〉 Pope charge Luther being 〈◊〉 so impudent and bytter as in 〈◊〉 his present letter is manifest to 〈◊〉 seene wherein he sheweth himâ—â—â—â— in his own colours what he is slaunderous wordes scoffing iestes and bitter tauntes whiche are euer in theyr mouthes Agaynst which vnles that they shall finde a present remedy it is to be feared least the desolation of Gods wrath will fall vpon Germany being so diuided or rather vpoÌ„ the Princes of Germany who hauing the sword geuen of God into theyr hands for the suppression of malefactors suffer such enormities amongst theyr subiectes Ier. 48. Cursed is he sayth the Prophet which doth the worke of the Lorde negligently and holdeth backe his sworde from the bloud of wicked doers The seuenth reason is The 7. cause or reason that the princes should consider how Luther vseth the same way of seducing the people of Christ as hath the venimous vyper * If the doings properties of Mahumet be rightly considered 〈◊〉 should be found so aptly to resemâ—lâ— hym as the pope him self He decâ—â—neth from the word of God seâ—teth vp an other lawe so doeth 〈◊〉 Pope Hee killeth and sleyeth 〈◊〉 contrary part so doth the Pope He holdeth Saluation by workes of 〈◊〉 law so doth the Pope And if Mahumet giue liberty of flesh so 〈◊〉 not Luther but the Pope both â—â—keth it and also dispenseth with 〈◊〉 same Mahumet would not haue 〈◊〉 Religion reasoned vpon no 〈◊〉 will the Pope Briefly as the 〈◊〉 Mahumet is deuided into many suâ—dry sorts of Religion and of Religâ—ous meÌ„ so hath the sect of the pope hys Friers Monks Nunnes Hermâ—â— and other swarmes of an infinite varietie Mahumet practised in deceiuing so many thousands of soules in permitting to them the libertye of those thinges which flesh desireth and afterward in exempting them from such thinges as be more sharp in the law but that Luther a litle more temperately handleth the matter whereby he may deceiue more effectually For Mahumet geueth licence to haue many wiues and to diuorce and mary other at their pleasure This Luther to drawe vnto him the fauor of nunnes monks and priests such as be lasciuious in flesh preacheth that vowes of perpetuall continencye be vnlawfull much lesse to be obligatory and therfore permitteth vnto theÌ„ that they may mary forgetting by the way what the Apostle writeth of youÌ„g widowes saying 1. Tim. 5. That when they waxe wanton agaynst Christ then will they marrye hauing
libels be such bookes as raile against the fame of any person shewing no name of the author thereof so that if it be not admitted and approoued by them it shal not be permitted to be published in print or to come abrode Thus by these meanes they hope wel that the tumults errours and offensions among the people shal cease especially if the Popes holinesse himselfe shall begin with an orderly due reformation in the foresaid greuances aboue mentioned and wil procure such a free and Christian Councel as hath bene sayde and so shall the people be well contented and satisfied Or if the tumult shall not so fully be calmed as they desire yet the greater parte thus will be quieted for all such as be honest and good menne no doubt will be in great expectation of that generall Councell so shortly and now ready at hand to come For priestes or religious men that marry Finally as concerning priests which contract matrimonie religious men leauing their cloisters wherof intimation was also made by the Apostolicall Legate the foresaid princes do consider that forsomuch as in the ciuile lawe there is no penaltie for them ordeined they shal be referred to the Canonicall constitutions to be punished therafter accordingly that is by the losse of their benefices and priuiledges or other condigne censures and that the said Ordinaries shall in no case be stopped or inhibited by the seculer powers from the correction of such but that they shal adde their helpe and fauour to the maintenance of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and shal direct out their publike edicts and precepts that none shal impeach or prohibite the said ordinaries in their ecclesiastical castigation vpon such transgressors to be administred To conclude the redoubted prince L. Lieutenaunt and other princes estates orders of the publike Empire vehemently and most heartily do pray and beseech that the Popes holinesse the reuerend Lord his legate will accept and take all the premisses to be no otherwise spoken and meant then of a good free sincere a Christian minde Neither is there any thing that al the aforesaid princes estates and nobles do more wish and desire then the furtherance and prosperous estate of the holy Catholique church of Rome and of his holinesse To whose wishes desires obedience they offer and commend themselues most ready and obsequious as faithfull children Ex Orth. Grat. Thus hast thou louing reader the full discourse both of the popes letter and of his Legates instructions with the aunswere also of the states of Germanie to the sayde letter and instructions to them exhibited in the diete of Norenberge In the which diet what was concluded and what order and consultation was taken first touching the greeuances of Germanie whych they exhibited to the Pope then concerning a general councell to be called in Germanie also for printing and preaching for priests mariage hath bene likewise declared Ex Ioan. Sledano c. The occasion of this matter mooued against priests mariage came first by the ministers of Strausburgh which about this time began to take wiues and therfore were cited by the bishop of Strausburgh to appeare before him at a certaine day Ministers of Strausbrough troubled for their wiues as violaters of the lawes of holy Churche the holy fathers the Bishops of Rome and of the Emperours maiestie to the preiudice both of their owne order of priesthood and maiestie of almighty God But they referred theyr cause to the hearing of the magistrats of the same citie who being suiters for them vnto the Bishops labored to haue the matter either released or at least to be delaied for a time Luther expoundeth the decree of Norenberge Long it were to recite all the circumstances following vpon this diete or assemble of Norenberge howe their decree was receiued of some of some neglected of diuers diuersly wrasted and expounded Luther wryting his letters vpon the same decree to the Princes thus made his exposition of the meaning thereof that where as the preachers were commanded to preach the pure Gospel after the doctrine of the church receiued he expouÌ„ded the meaning therof to be not after the doctrine of Tho. Aquine or Scotus or suche other late schoole wryters but after the doctrine of Hilarie Cyprian Austen and other ancient doctors and yet the doctrine of the said aunciters no farther to be receiued but as they should agree with the Scripture Secondly as concerning new bokes not to be sold nor prinâ—ed he expounded the meaning therof to extend no farther but y e text of the Bible and bookes of the holy Scripture might be Printed notwithstanding and published to all men And as for the prohibition of Priestes mariage he wryteth to the Princes and desireth them to beare wyth the weakenes of men declaring that braunch of their decree to be very hard which though it stand with the Popes law yet it accordeth not with the Gospell neither conduceth to good maners nor to honestie of life c. Furthermore where as in the same session of Norenberge meÌ„tion was made before of certaine greuances collected to the number of an hundreth An hundreth greeuaunces of the Germainâ—â— against the pope and exhibited to the Bishop of Rome it were tedious likewise to inserte them all yet to geue some tasâ— of a few I iudge it not vnprofitable to the enteÌ„t that the world may see and iudge not only what abuses and corruptions moste monstruous and incredible lay hid vnder the glorious title of the holy church of Rome but also may vnderstand with what hipocrisie impudeÌ„cie the pope taketh vpon him so greuously to complaine vpon M. Luther and other when in all the vniuersall Church of Christe there is none so muche to be blamed all manner of wayes as he himselfe according as by these hainous complaints of the Germain princes here folowing against the popes intolerable oppressions greuances may right well appeare Which greuances being collected by the Princes of Germanie at Norenberge to the number of an hundreth I wish might be fully and at large setfoorth to the studious Reader whereby might appeare the subtile sleightes and intolerable fraudes of that pretensed Church But for somuch as it were to long to comprehend the whole I haue thought good to exhibite some part therof for example as geuing only a certain tast wherby thou mayest more easely conceiue what to thinke and esteeme of all the residue which both to me wold be tedious to write and perhaps more greeuous to thee to heare * Certaine greuances or oppressions of Germanie against the courte of Rome collected and exhibited by the Princes at the councel of Norenberge to the number of an C. wherof certaine specialties here folow AMongest other burthens greuances this is not least to be regarded y t many things are prohibited by mens constitutions many things exacted whiche are not prohibited or commaÌ„ded by any precept of God as the
nobles in Saxonie because of the Emperours Edict aboue mentioned In the meane time while Luther had thus absented hymselfe out of Wyttenberge Carolostadius casteth downe Images in Wittēberg Andraeas Carolostadius proceding more roughly and egerly in causes of Religion had stirred vp the people to throw downe Images in the temples beside other thinges moe For the which cause Luther returning again into the city greatly misliked the order of their doings and reprooued the rashnesse of Carolostadius declaring Luther misliketh casting out of Images by strong hand that theyr proceedynges herein were not orderly but that pictures images ought first to be throwen out of the harts and consciences of men that the people ought first to be taught that we are saued before God and please him onely by faith and that Images serue to no purpose this done and the people well instructed there was no danger in Images but they would fall of their owne accord Not that he repugned to the contrary he saide as though he would mainteine Images to stand or to be suffered but that this ought to be done by the magistrate and not by force vppon euery priuate mannes head without order and authority Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 3. Furthermore Luther wryting of Carolostadius Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 3. affirmeth that he also ioyned with the sentēce of them which began then to spread about certaine parts of Saxony saying that they were taught of God that al wickednes being vtterlye suppressed and all the wicked doers slaine a newe full perfection of all thyngs must be sette vp and the innocent onely to enioy all things c. The cause why Luther so stoode against that violente throwing downe of Images and against Carolostadius seemeth partly to rise of this by reason that Pope Adrian in his letters sent to the Princes and states of Germany doth greeuously complaine and charge the sect of Luther for sedition and tumultes and rebellion against Magistrates as subuerters and destroyers of all order and obedience as appeareth by the words of the Popes letter before expressed pag. 854. therefore M. Luther to stoppe the mouth of such slanderers and to preuent such sinister suspitions was enforced to take this way as he did that is to proceede as much as he might by order and authoritie ¶ Wherein are to be noted by y e way two speciall points touching the doctrine and doings of M. Luther especially for all such who in these our dayes now abusing the name authoritie of Luther thinke themselues to be good Lutherians The causes discussed why Luther permitted Images to stand Two things to be noted in Luther for bearing with Images if they suffer Images stil to remaine in temples and admit such things in the Church which themselues do wish to be away The first is the maner how and after what sort Luther did suffer such Images to stand For although he assented not that the vulgare and priuate multitude tumultuously by violēce should rap them downe yet that is no argument now for the Magistrate to let them stand And though he allowed not the Ministers to stirre vp the people by forceable meanes to promote Religion yet that argueth not those magistrates to be good Lutherians which may and should remoue them and will not The second point to be noted is to consider the cause why that Luther did so stand with standing of Images which cause was time and not his owne iudgement For albeit in iudgement he wished them away yet time so serued not therunto then as it serueth now For then the doctrine of Luther first beginning to spring and being but in the blade was not yet knowne whereto it tended nor to what it would grow but rather was suspected to tend to disobedience sedition and therefore the Pope hearing of the doings of Carolostadius in Wittenberge and of other like tooke his ground thereby to charge the sect of Luther with sedition vprores and dissolute libertie of life And this was the cause why Luther cōpelled then by necessitie of time to saue hys doctrine from sclaunder of sedition and tumulte beyng layd to hym by the Pope as ye haue heard was so much offended with Carolostadius and other for their violence vsed against Images For otherwise had it not bene for the Popes accusations there is no doubt but Luther would haue bin as well cōtented with abolishing of Images and other monuments of Popery as he was at the same time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contented to write to the Friers Augustines for abrogating of priuate Masses And therefore as Luther in this doing is to be excused Lutherians of this age the circumstances considered so the like excuse perhaps will not serue the ouermuch curious imitation of certeine Lutherians in this present age now which considering only the fact of Luther do not marke the purpose of Luther neyther do expend the circumstances and time of his doings being not much vnlike to the ridiculous imitatours of King Alexander the great which thought it not sufficient to follow him in his vertues but they woulde also counterfeite him in his stouping and all other gestures besides How Luther is to be folowed but to these liuing now in the Church in another age then Luther did it may seeme after my minde sufficient to follow the same way after Luther or to walke with Luther to the kingdome of Christ though they iumpe not also in euery foote steppe of his and keepe euen the same pase and turnings in all points as he did And contrarywise of the other sorte much lesse are they to be commended Luther not to be contēned for one little blemish which running as much on the contrary string are so precise that because of one small blemish or for a little stouping of Luther in the Sacrament therefore they giue cleane ouer the reading of Luther and fall almost in vtter contempt of his bookes Whereby is declared not so much the nicenes and curiousnes of these our daies Commendation of Martin Luthers doctrine Cyprian so much delited in reading of Tertulian that whensoeuer he called for his booke he badde reach him his maister as y e hinderance that cōmeth thereby to the Church is greatly to be lamented For albeit the Church of Christ praised be the Lord is not vnprouided of sufficient plenty of worthy and learned writers able to instruct in matters of doctrine yet in the chiefe points of our cōsolation where the glory of Christ and the power of his passion strength of faith is to be opened to our conscience where the soule wrasteling for death and life standeth in neede of serious consolation the same may be sayd of Martin Luther amongst all this other varietie of writers that S. Cyprian was wont to say of Tertulian Da magistrum geue me my maister And albeit that Luther went a little awry and dissented frō Zuinglius in this one matter of
the apple After long refusing wheÌ„ the wofull father could not otherwise choose by force constreined but must leauill at the apple as God would he mist the child and stroke the marke This Tell being thus compelled by the tirant to shoote at his sonne had brought with him two shaftes thinking that if he had stroke the child with the one the other he would haue let driue at the tyraunt Which being vnderstand he was apprehended and led to the rulers house but by the way escaping out of the boate betweene Urania and Brun and passing thorough the mountaines with as much speede as he might Pride and tyrannye well rewarded he lay in the way secretly as the ruler should passe where he discharged his arow at the tyraunt and slue him And thus were these cruell gouernours vtterly expelled out of these three valleyes or pages aforesayd and after that such order was taken by the Emperour Henricus 7. and also by the Emperours Ludouicus duke of Bauaria that henceforth no iudge should be set ouer them but only of their owne companie Ex Sebast. MuÌ„st Cosmog lib. 3. and towne dwellers Ex Seb. Munst. Cosmog lib. 3. It folowed after this in the yeare of our Lord 1315. that great contention and war fell betweene Fridericke Duke of Austria and Ludouicke Duke of Bauaria striuing and fighting the space of eight yeares together about the Empire With Ludouicus held the three pages aforesayd who had diuers conflicts with Lupoldus brother to the forenamed Fridericke Duke of Austria fighting in his brothers quarell As Lupoldus had reared a mighty army of twenty thousand footemen and horsemen and was come to Egree so to passe ouer the mountaines to subdue the pages he began to take aduise of his counsaile by what way or passage best he might direct his iourney toward the Suitzers Whereupon as they were busy in consulting there stoode a foole by named Kune de Stocken which hearing their aduise A fooles bolt somtimes hits the marke thought also to shoote his bolt withall and told them that their counsaile did not like him For all you quoth he consult how we should enter into yonder countrey but none of you geueth any counsaile how to come out againe after we be entred And in conclusion as the foole said so they found it true For when Lupoldus with his hoste had entred into the straites and valleys betweene the rockes and mountaines the Suitzers wyth their neighbours of Urania and Siluania lieng in priuie waite had theÌ„ at such aduantage with tumbling downe stones from the rockes and sodeine comming vpon theyr backes in blinde lanes did so encomber them that neither they had conuenient standing to fight nor roome almost to flie away By reason whereof a great part of Lupoldus army there being enclosed about y e place called MorgarteÌ„ lost their liues many in the flight were slaine Lupoldus with theÌ„ that remained retired and escaped to Thurgoia This battaile was fought anno 1315. Nouember 16. After this the burgers of these three villages being continually vexed by Fridericke Duke of Austria The first league betweene the 3. Pages for that they would not knowledge him for Emperour assembled them selues in the towne of Urania an 1316. and there entred a mutuall league and bond of perpetuall societie and coniunction ioining and swearing themselues as in one bodie of a common wealth and publike administration together After that came to them Lucernates then Tugiani after them the Tigurines next to them folowed Bernates the last almost of all were the Basilians then followed after the other seauen pages aboue recited And thus haue ye the names the freedome and confederatioÌ„ of these Suitzâ—rs or Cantons or pages of Heluetia with the occasions circumstaÌ„ces therof briefly expressed Now to the purpose of our story intended which is to declare the successe of Christes Gospel and true Religion receaued amoÌ„g these Heluetians also touching the life doctrine of Zuinglius order of his death as heere insueth ¶ The actes and life of Zuinglius and of receauing the Gospell in Zuitzerland IN the tractation of Luthers story mention was made before of Uldricus Zuinglius Vldricus Zuinglius who first abiding at Glarona in a place called then our Lords Ermitage from thence remoued to Zuricke about the yeare of our Lorde 1519. and there began to teach dwelling in the Minster among the Canons or Priestes of that close vsing with them the same rites and ceremonies during the space of ij or iij. yeares where he continued reading and explaining the Scriptures vnto the people with great trauaile Zuinglius reading the scriptures at Zurike Zuinglius against the Popes pardons and no lesse dexteritie And because Pope Leo the same yeare had renued his pardons againe through all countreys as is aboue declared Zuinglius zelously withstood the same detecting the abuses thereof by the Scriptures and of other corruptions reigning then in the Church and so continued by the space of two yeares and more till at length Hugo Bishop of Constance to whose iurisdiction Zuricke then also did belong hearing thereof Anno. 1521. wrote his letters to the Senate of the said Citie of Zuricke The Bishop of ConstaÌ„ce complayneth against Zuinglius complayning greeuously of Zuinglius who also wrote another letter to the colledge of Canons where Zuinglius was the same time dwelling complaining likewise of such new teachers which troubled the Churche and exhorted them earnestly to beware and to take diligent heede to themselues And forsomuch as both the Pope and the Emperours Maiestie had condemned all such new doctrine by their decrees and Edicts he willed them therefore to admit no such new innouations of doctrine without the coÌ„mon consent of them to whome the same did appertayne Zuinglius hearing therof referreth his cause to the iudgemeÌ„t and hearing of the Senate not refusing to render vnto them accompt of his faith And forsomuch as the Byshops letter was read openly in the colledge Zuinglius directeth another letter to the Bishop againe declaring that the sayd letter proceeded not froÌ„ the Bishop nor that he was ignoraunt who were the authors thereof desiring him not to follow their sinister counsailes for that truth said he is a thing inuincible and can not be resisted After the same tenour certaine other of the Citie likewise wrote vnto the Bishop desiring him that he would attempt nothing that should be preiudiciall to the libertie and free course of the Gospell requiring moreouer that he would forbeare no longer the filthie and infamous life of priests but that he woulde permit them to haue theyr lawfull wiues c. This was in the yeare of our Lord 1522. Besides this Zuinglius writeth to the Heluetians Zuinglius wrote also another letter to the whose nation of the Heluetians monishing them in no case to hinder the passage of sincere doctrine nor to inferre any molestation to Priests that were maried For
as for the vowe and coaction of their single life it came sayd he of the diuell and a diuelish thing it is And therefore Priestes mariage whereas the said Heluetians had such a rite and custome in their townes and pages that when they receiued anie new Priest into their Churches An olde vse of the Heluetians to forewarne their priests to take concubines they vsed to premonish him before to take his concubine least he should attempt any misuse with their wiues and daughters he exhorted them that they would no lesse graunt vnto them to take their wiues in honest matrimonie then to take concubines and harlots against the precept of God Thus as Zuinglius continued certaine yeares Zuinglius resisted by aduersaries labouring in the word of the Lord offence began to rise at thys new doctrine and diuers stept vp namely the Dominicke Friers on the contrary side to preach inuey against him But he keping himselfe euer within the Scriptures protested that he would make good by the word of God that which he had taught Upon this the Magistrates and Senate of Zuricke sent forth their cōmandemēt to all priests and ministers within their dominion to repaire to the citie of Zuricke Disputatiōs at Zuricke about religion against the xxix day of Ianuary next ensuing this was anno 1523. there euery one to speake freely and to be heard quietly touching these controuersies of religion what could be said directing also their letters to the Bishop of Cōstance that he would either make his repaire thether himselfe or else to send his deputie When the day appointed came and the Bishops vicegerent which was Ioannes Faber was also present Ioan. Faber Stapulensis against Zuinglius Ex Sled lib 3. the Consull first declaring the cause of this their frequencie and assemble which was for the dissention newly risen about matters of Religion required that if any there had to obiect or inferre against the doctrine of Zuinglius he should freely and quietly vtter and declare his minde Zuinglius had disposed his matter before Lxvij. articles of Zuinglius and cōtriued al his doctrine in a certaine order of places to y e number of lxvij Articles which articles he had published also abroad before to the ende that they which were disposed might resort thether better prepared to the disputation Whē the Consull had finished that which he would say and had exhorted other to begin then Faber first entring the matter begā to declare the cause of his sending thether and afterward wold perswade that this was no place conuenient nor time fit for discussing of such matter by disputation Iohn Faber refuseth disputation but rather that the cognition and tractation thereof belonged to a generall Councell which he saide was already appointed and now neere at hand Notwithstāding Zuinglius still continued vrging and requiring him that if he had there any thing to say or to dispute he would openly and freely vtter his minde To this he aunswered againe that he would cōfute his doctrine by writing This done with a few other words on both sides had to and fro whē no man would appeare The assēble of Zuricke brake vp without disputation The Gospel publickly receaued in Zuricke Traditions of men abolyshed there to offer any disputation the assemble brake and was discharged Whereupon the Senate of Zuricke incōtinēt caused to be proclaimed through all their dominion and territorie that the traditions of men should be displaced and abandoned and the Gospell of Christ purely taught out of the old and new Testament an 1523. Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 3. When the Gospell thus began to take place and to florish in Zuricke and certaine other places of Heluetia the yeare next following ann 1524. another assemble of the Heluetians was conuented at Lucerna where this decree was made on the contrary part That no man should deride or contemne the word of God which had bene taught now aboue a thousand four hūdreth yeares heretofore nor the Masse to be scorned wherein the body of Christ is consecrated to the honour of God and to the cōfort both of the quicke the dead That they which are able to receiue the Lords body at Easter shall confesse their sinnes in Lent to the Priest and do all other things as the vse and maner of the Church requireth That the rites and customes of holy Church be kept That euery one obey his owne proper pastor and curate and to receaue the Sacramēts of him after the maner of holy Church and to pay him his yearely duties That honour be geuen to Priests Constitutions made in the councell of Lucerne Item to absteine from flesheating on fasting dayes and in Lent to absteine from egges and cheese That no opinion of Luther be taught priuely or apertly contrary to the receaued determination of holy Church and that in tauernes and at table no mention be made of Luther or any new doctrine That Images and pictures of Sainctes in euery place be kepte inuiolate That Priests and Ministers of the Church be not compelled to render accompt of their doctrine but only to the Magistrate That due ayde and supportation be prouided for them if anie commotion do happen That no person deride the reliques of the holy spirit or of our Lady or of Saint Anthony Finally that all the lawes and decrees set foorth by the Byshop of Constance be obserued These constitutions whosoeuer shall transgresse let them be presented to the Magistrate and ouerseers be set ouer them that shall so transgresse After these things concluded thus at Lucerna the Cantons of Heluetia together direct their publicke letter to the Tygurines or men of Zuricke The letter of the Heluetians to the Tygurines wherein they do much lament and complaine of this new broched doctrine whych hath set all men together by the eares through the occasion of certaine rash and newfangled heads which haue greatly disturbed both the state of the Church and of the common wealth and haue scattered the seedes of discorde whereas before time all things were well in quiet And although this sore sayd they ought to haue bene looked to by time so that they should not haue suffered the glory of Almighty God and of the blessed Uirgine and other Saints so be dishonored but rather should haue bestowed their goodes and liues to mainteine the same yet notwithstanding they required them now to looke vpon the matter which otherwise would bring to them destruction both of body and soule as for example they might see the doctrine of Luther what fruit it brought The rude and vulgare people now sayde they coulde not be holden in but woulde burst foorth to all licence and rebellion as hath appeared by sufficient proofes alate and like is to be feared also among themselues and all by the occasion of Zuinglius and of Leo Iuda which so take vpon them to expound the word of God Zuinglius
together as they did But thus almightie God of his secret wisdome disposeth times occasions to serue his wil purpose in al things All be it Ferdinandus the Emperours brother deputie in Germanie remitted no time nor diligence to do what he could in resisting the procedings of the protestants as appeared both by the decree set foorth at Ratisâ—one and also at Spires In the whych Councel of Spires Ferdinandus at the same time whych was the yeare of our Lorde 1529. had decreed agaynste the protestants in effect as followeth The decree made at Spyres by Ferdinandus First that the edict of the Emperour made at Wormes should stand in force through all Germanie till the time of the general councel which should shortly folow Also that they whiche alredy had altered their religion now could not reuoke the same again for feare of sedition should stay themselues and attempt no more innouations heereafter till time of the generall Councell Item that the doctrine of them which hold the Lordes Supper otherwise then the Church doth teach should not be receiued nor the masse shuld be altered and there where as the doctrine of religion was altered shuld be no impediment to the contrary but that they which were disposed to come to Masse might safely therein vse their deuotion against Anabaptists likewise and that all ministers of the Church should be enioyned to vse no other interpretation of holy Scripture but accordyng to the exposition of the Church doctors other matters that were disputable not to be touched Moreouer that all persons and states shuld keepe peace so that for Religion neither the one part shuld inferre molestation to the other nor receiue anye confederates vnder theyr protection and safegarde All whych decrees they which shoulde transgresse to be outlawed and exiled Unto this sitting at Spires first the Ambassadours of Strausburgh were not admitted but repelled by Ferdinandus because they had reiected the masse and therefore the sayd citie of Strausburgh denied to pay any contribution against the Turk except they wyth other Germanes might be likewise admitted into their counsels The other princes which were receiued and not repelled The decree of Spires resisted by the Protestantes as the duke of Saxonie George of Brandeburgh Ernestus Franciscus Earles of Luneburgh Lantgraue Anhaldius did vtterly gainstand the decre shewed their cause in a large protestation written why they so did which done all such cities which subscribed and consented to the sayd protestation of the princes eftsones conioyned them selues in a coÌ„mon league with them whereuppon they had their name called thereof Protestants The names of the Cities were these The name of Protestantes how it first beganne Sancto gallum Argentina or Strausburgh Noriberge Vlmes Constance Rutelinge Winssemium Meminge Lindauia Campodunum Hailbrunum Isna Wisseburgum Norlinge Sangallum Furthermore as touching the Heluetians from wheÌ„ce we haue somewhat digressed howe the Citie of Berne and Zurick had consented and ioyned together in reformation of true religion ye hard before Wherfore the other Pages in Heluetia Quinque pag. The popish Pages in Heluetia coÌ„federate with Ferdinandus which were of contrary profession in like maner confederated them selues in league with FerdinaÌ„dus the number and names of which Pages especially were 5. to witte Lucernates Vraui Suitenses Vnterualdij and Tugiani whych was in the yeare aboue sayd to the intent that they conioyning their power together might ouerrunne the religion of Christ and the professours of the same Who also for hatred despite hanged vp the Armes of the foresaide cities of Zuricke and of Berne vppon the gallowes beside many other iniuries and greeuaunces whych they wrought against them For the which cause the said Cities of Berne and Zuricke raised their power intending to set vpon the foresaid Suitzers as vpoÌ„ their capital enemies But as they were in the field ready to encouÌ„ter one army against y e other through the meanes of the citie of Strausburgh and other intercessours they were parted for that time and so returned As touching the Councell of Auspurge The Couâ—â—cell of Aâ—â—â—purge The confessioÌ„ of 〈◊〉 Protestaâ—â— at Auspuâ—â—â— which followed the next yeare after the assemble of Spires An. 1530. howe the Princes and Protestantes of Germanie in the same Councell exhibited their confession and what labour was sought to confute it and how constantly Duke Fridericke persisted in defence of his conscience against the threatning woordes and replications of the Emperour also in what danger the said princes had ben in had not the Lantgraue priuily by night slipt out of the citie parteineth not to thys place presently to discourse To returne therefore vnto Zuinglius and the Heluetians of whome we haue heere presently to intreate you heard before howe the tumulte and commotion betweene the two Cities of Zuricke and Berne and the other v. Cities of the Cantons was pacified by the meanes of intercession which peace so continued the space of two yeares After that the olde wound waxing rawe againe began to burst out gather to an head which was by reason of certaine iniuries and opprobrious words and contumelies which the reformed cities had receiued of the other wherfore the Tigurines and the Bernates stopping al passages and streits would permit no corne nor victual to passe vnto them This was in the yeare of our Lord. 1531 And when great trouble was like to kindle therby the Frenche king with certaine other towneships of Suitzerland as the Glarians Friburgians Soloturnians Warres betweene the Gospelleâ—â— and the 〈◊〉 Popishe townes of SuitzerlaÌ„d and other comming betweene them laboured to set them at agrement drawing out certain coÌ„ditions of peace betwene them Whyche conditions were these that all contumelies iniuries past should be forgotten That hereafter neither parte shoulde molest the other That they which were banished for religion should againe be restored That the v. Pages might remaine without disturbaunce in their religion so that none should be restrained amongst them from the reading of the olde and new Testament Condition of peace drawen 〈◊〉 not kepte That no kind of disquietnesse should be procured against them of Berne and Zuricke and that either part should conferre mutuall helpes together one to succour the other as in times past But the fiue Pagemen wold not obserue those couenants made The Tygurines prouoked and â—â—pelled to warre against their enemies neither would their malicious hearts be brought to any conformitie Wherfore the Bernates and Tigurines shewing declaring first theyr cause in publicke wryting to purge and excuse the necessity of their warre being pressed wyth so many wrongs and in manner constrained to take the sword in hande did as before beset the hye wayes and passages that no furniture of victuall or other forage could come to the other Pages By reason whereof when they of the fiue towns began to be pinched with want and penurie they armed themselues secretly and set forewarde
Martyre buryed quicke which death they receiued lykewise very chearfully Certain of the other prisoners which were not codemned to death were depriued of theyr goodes commaunded in a white sheete to come to the church An aged woman Martyr buryed quicke and there kneling with a Taper in their hand to aske forgeuenes and they which refused so to doe and to abiure the doctrine of Luther were put to the fire Ex Francis Encenate The name of the persecutor appeareth not in the story M. Perseuall Martyr M. Perseuall At Louane An. 1544. Not long after this was one M. Perseual in the same Uniuersitie of Louane singularly well learned Who for reprehending certayne popishe superstitions and some thing speaking in commendation of the Gospell was throwne into prison Then beyng accused of Lutheranisme because he stood to y e same and woulde not condesende to the popes erroneous faction he was adiudged to perpetuall pryson there to be fedde onely with bread and water which punishment he tooke pacyentlye for Christes sake Neuerthelesse certayne Cittizens taking compassiō of him sent him wyne and beare But hys keepers beeing charged vnder a great penaltie durst let nothing come vnto hym At last what became of him no man coulde learne nor vnderstand Some iudge that hee was eyther famished for hunger or els that he was secretly drowned Et Franc. Encenate Dorsardus◠a Potestate in that coūtrey Franciscus Encenas prisoner and a great persecutor Iustice Imbsberger At Brusels An. 1544. Iustus of Louane Martyr Iustus a skinner of Louane being suspected of Lutheranisme was foūd in his house to haue the new testament and certayne sermons of Luther For the which he was committed and hys Iaylour commanded that he should speake wyth none There were the same tyme in the lower prison vnder them Egidius and Franciscus Encenas a Spanyard who secretly hauing the doores left open came to him and confirmed hym in the cause of righteousnes Thus is the prouidēce of the Lord neuer lacking to hys Saintes in time of necessity Shortly after came the Doctours and maysters of Louane to examine hym of certayne Articles touching religion as of y e popes supremacy Sacrifice of y e masse Purgatory and of the sacrament Iustus 〈◊〉 de terra Whereunto when hee had aunswered playnely and boldly after the Scriptures and woulde in no wise be remooued he was condemned to the fire but through y e intercessiō made to the Queene his burnyng was pardoned and he onely beheaded Ex Franc. Encenate The person of Brusels Giles of Brusels An. 1544. This Gyles was borne in Brusels Gyles Martyr of honest parentes By hys occupatiō he was brought vpp from hys youth to be a Cutler In the which occupation he was so expert and cunning that hee waxed thereby riche wealthy Comming to the yeares of 30. he beganne to receaue the light of the Gospell thorough the readyng of the holy Scripture and encreased therein exceedingly And as in zeale he was feruent so was he of nature humane milde and pittyfull passing al other in those partes Whatsoeuer he had that necessitie coulde spare he gaue it awaye to the poore and onely liued by hys science Some he refreshed with hys meate Good works going with a lyuelye fayth some with clothing to some he gaue hys shoes some he helped wyth housholde stuffe to other some he ministred holesome exhortatiō of good doctrine One poore woman there was brought to bed and had no bed to lye in to whom he brought hys owne bed hymselfe contented to lye in the straw The sayd Egidius being detected by a Priest or person of Brusels was taken at Louane for that religion whiche the Pope doth call heresie Where hys aduersaryes extended great care and dilligence to reduce hym to theyr doctrine and to make hym abiure But as he was a man well reasoned and singularly witted they went away many tymes wyth shame Thus beyng deteyned 8. monthes in prison he was sent to Brusels to be iudged The humble heart of Gyles where he comforted dyuers whych were there in prison amōg whom was also Fraunciscus Encenas exhorting them to constancie of the truth vnto the crowne which was prepared for them At the table he ministred to them al beyng contented hymselfe wyth the fewe scrappes which they left Feruency of prayer In thys hys prayers he was so ardent kneelyng by hymselfe in some secret place that he seemed to forget hym selfe Beyng called many tymes to meate he neyther heard nor sawe them that stood by hym till he was lift vp by the armes then gently he woulde speake vnto them as one waked out of a sweet sleep Certayne of the Gray Friers sometymes were sent vnto hym by two and two to reduce hym but he would alwaies desire them to depart frō him Blasphemy of Papistes for he was at a poynt when the Fryers at anye tyme did miscall hym he euer helde his peace at such pryuate iniuries in somuche that those blasphemers would say abroad that he had a dum deuill in hym But when they talked of any religion there he spared not but answered them fully by euidences of the Scripture in such sort that diuers times they would depart maruelyng At sundry times he might haue escaped the doores being let open but he woulde not for bringing his keeper in perill At length about the moneth of Ianuary he was brought to an other prison to be constrayned with tormentes to confesse Purgatory and to vtter mo of hys fellowes But no forcement would serue Wherfore vppon the 22. of Ianuary he was condemned to the fire but priuily contrary to the vse of y e Country for openly they durst not condemne hym for feare of the people so wel was he beloued When tidinges of the sentence came vnto him he gaue harty thankes to GOD that the houre was come when he might glorifie the Lord. As he was brought to the place of burning where he saw a great heape of wood pyled hee required the greater part therof to be taken awaye and geuen to y e poore a litle sayd he wold suffice him Also seyng a poore man comming by as he wēt that lacked shoes he gaue hys shoes vnto him Better sayd he so to do then to haue his shoes burnt and the poore to perish for cold Standing at the stake the hangman was ready to strangle hym before but he woulde not saying that there was no such need that hys payn shuld be mittigated for I feare not sayd he the fire doe therfore as thou art commanded And thus the blessed Martyr lifting vp his eyes to heauen in the middle of the flame was extincted to the great lamentation of all that stood by The zeale of people against the bloudy Fryers After that tyme when the friers of that Cittie would goe about for theyr almes the people would say it was not meet for them to receaue almes with bloudy handes This history
Nicholas hys two sonnes went to Germany to study Returning agayne to theyr mother and sister and younger brother by dilligent instruction brought theÌ„ to the right knowledge of Gods Gospel whiche being not vnknown to the Person there of S. Catherine he called to him Doctour Rupert Tapert other Maisters and Fryers who takyng counsaile together with William Clericken the head Magistrate of the towne of Mechlen agreed that the mother with her foure Children shoulde be sent to prison separated one from an other where great labour was employed to reclayme them home vnto theyr Church that is from light to darcknes agayn The ij yonger to wit the daughter with the yonger brother beyng yet not setled neyther in yeares nor doctrine something inclined to them and were delyuered The mother which woulde not consent was condemned to perpetuall prison The other 2. Frances and Nicholas Fraunces Nicholas constant in Christ. standing firmely to theyr confession defended that the Catholicke Church was not y e Church of Rome that the Sacrament was to be mynistred in both kynds that auricular confession was to no purpose that Inuocation of Sayntes was to be left that there was no Purgatory The Fryers they called hypocrites and contemned theyr threatninges The Magistrates after disputations fell to torments to know of them who was theyr mayster and what fellowes they had Theyr mayster they sayd was Christ which bare hys crosse before Felowes they sayd they had innumerable dispersed in all places At last they were brought to the Iudges their Articles were read and they condemned to be burned Comming to the place of execution as they began to exhort the people gagges or balles of wood were thrust in their mouthes whiche they through vehemencye of speaking thrust out agayne desiring for y e Lord sake that they might haue leaue to speake And so singing with a loud voyce Credo in vnum Deum c. they went and were fastened to the stake praying for theyr persecutors and exhorting the one the other they did abide the fire paciently The one feeling the flame to come to hys beard Ah sayd he what a small payn is this to be compared to the glory to come Thus the pacient martyrs committyng theyr spirite to the hands of God to the great admiration of the lookers on through constancy atchieued the crowne of martyrdome Ex. Phil Melanct. The names of their accusers appeare not in the Authours Marion wyfe of Adrian Taylor At Dornic An. 1545. In the same persecution agaynst Brulius and his companye in Dornic Adrian and Marion his wyfe Martyrs was apprehended also one Adrian and Marion hys wyfe The cause of theyr trouble as also of the others was the Emperoures decree made in the Councell of Wormes agaynst y e Lutherians mentioned before pag. 841. Adrian not so strong as a man for feare gaue backe from y e truth and was but onely beheaded The wife stronger theÌ„ a woman did withstand their threates and abide the vttermost and beyng inclosed in an yron grate formed in shape of a pastie Marion buryed quicke was layd in the earth and buryed quicke after the vsuall punishment of that countrey for women When the aduersaryes fyrst tolde her that her husband had relented she beleeued them not and therefore as shee went to her death passing by the Tower where he was shee called to hym to take her leaue but he was gone before Et Pant. lib. 4. The Magistrates of Dornic or Tornay M. Peter Bruly Preacher At Dornic An. 1545. M. Peter Bruly was preacher in the Frenche Churche at Strausburgh Peter Bruly Martyr Who at the earnest request of faythful brethren came downe to visite the lower countryes about Artoys and Dornic in Flanders wher he most dilligeÌ„tly preached the word of God vnto the people in houses the dores standing open Wherupon wheÌ„ y e magistrates of Dornic had shut the gates of the towne and had made searche for hym three dayes he was priuelye let downe the wall in the night by a basket and as he was let downe to the ditch ready to take his way one of them whiche let him downe leaning ouer the wall to byd hym fare well caused vnawares a stone to slip out of y e wall which falling vpon hym brake hys legge by reason whereof he was heard of the watchmen complayning of hys wounde and so was taken geuing thankes to God by whose prouidence he was there stayed to serue the Lord in that place Gods secret working in disposing the wayes of his seruauntes So long as he remayned in prison hee ceased not to supply the part of a diligent preacher teaching and confirming all them that came to hym in y e word of grace Beyng in prison he wrote hys owne confession and examination sent it to the brethren He wrote also an other Epistle to them that were in persecution an other also to all the faithfull also an other letter to hys wife the same day that he was burned He remayned in prison 4. monethes His sentence was geuen by the Emperours Commissioners at Bruxels that he should be burneh to ashes and hys ashes to be throwne into the riuer Although the fryers and priestes made the fire but small The Martirdome of Brulius to multiply hys payne yet he the more cheerefully and constantly tooke hys martyrdome and suffered it The letters of Duke Fredericke and of the Lantgraue came to entreat for hym but hee was burned a little before the letters came Ex Lud. Rab. Lib. 6. The Senate of Dornic Doctour Hasardus a Gray Fryer Peter Miocius Bergiban At Dornic An. 1545. The comming of M. Peter Bruly into the countrey of Flaunders Pet. Mioce Martyr did exceeding much good among the brethren as appeared by diuers other good men and namely by thys Peter Mioce which was by hys occupation a silke weauer This Peter before he was called to y e Gospell led a wicked lyfe geuen to much vngraciousnes almost to all kyndes of vyce But after the taste of the Gospell began to worke in hym so cleane it altered hym from that former man that he excelled all other in godly zeale and vertue In his first examination he was asked whether he was one of the scholers of Peter Bruly He sayd he was and that hee had receiued muche fruite by his doctrine Wilt thou then defend hys doctrine sayd they Yea sayd he Crueltie shewed vpoÌ„ Châ—istes seruauntes for that it is consonant bothe to the old Testament and to the new and for thys he was let downe vnto a deepe dongeon vnder y e castle ditch ful of toades and filthy vermine Shortly after the Senate with certayne Friers came agayne to examine him to see whether they coulde conuert hym To whome he answered and sayd that when he before had liued such an vngodly lyfe they neuer spake word agaynst hym but now for sauouring and fauoring the worde of God they were so infeste agaynst hym
Franciscan Fryers of Paris caused him to be apprehēded layd in prison and so iudgement passed vpon hym that he shoulde be hanged but he to saue hys lyfe was contented to recant and so did The Fryers hearing of his recantation commended him saying if he continued so he should be saued and so calling vpon the officers caused them to make haste to the gallowes to hang hym vp while he was yet in a good way said they least he fall again And so was this marchaunt The iudgements of God notwithstanding hys recantation hanged for iesting against the Fryers Ex. Pantal. lib. 7. To this marchaunt may also be adioyned y e brother of Tamer who when hee had before professed the truth of the gospell and afterward by the counsel and instruction of hys brother was remooued from the same fell in desperation and such sorrow of mind that he hanged himselfe Ex Ioan. Manlio in dictis Phil. Melanct.  Tho. Galbergne a Couerlet maker At Tourney Ann. 1554. This Tho. had copied out certayn spiritual songes out of a book in Geneua whiche he brought wyth hym to Tourna lent y e same to one of hys felowes This booke beyng espied Thomas Galbergne martyr he was called for of the Iustice examyned of the book which he sayd contayned nothyng but y t was agreing to the scripture that he would stand by Then he was had to y e Castle and after xix dayes was brought to the towne house and there adiudged to the fire Whereūto he went chearfully singing psalmes As hee was in y e flame the Warden of the fryers stood crying Turne Thomas Thomas yet it is tyme remember hym y t came at the last houre To whom he cryed out of the flame with a loud voyce and I trust to be one of that sort and so calling vpon the name of the Lord gaue vp hys spirite Ex Crisp. lib. 4. Nicholas Paule martyr Adde also to this one Nicholas Paul beheaded at Gaunt These two should haue bene placed amōg the Dutch Martyrs in the table before Latrunculator or vnder Marshal or examiner of Dolphenie The Lieutenant His Attourney His Scribe Rich. Feurus a goldsmith At Lyons An. 1554. Feurus a Goldesmith borne at Rhoan first being in Englād Richard Feurus martyr and in London there receiued the taste and knowledge of Gods word as in hys owne Epistle hee recordeth Then he went to Geneua where he remayned 9. or 10. yeares From thēce returning to Lions there was apprehended and condemned Then he appealed to the hye court of Paris through the motion of his friends Where in the waye as hee was led to Paris he was met by certain whome he knew not and by them taken frō hys keepers and so set at libertie which was ann 1551 After the continuing at Geneua about y e space of iii. yeares he came vppon busines to the prouince of Dolphenie and there as he found faulte wyth the grace sayd in Latine he wak detected and taken in hys Inne in the night by the vndermarshall or him which had the examination of malefactours The next day he was sent to the Iustice from him to the bishop Who ridding their handes of him then was he brought to the Lieuetenaunt who sent his aduocate w t a notary to him in the prison The examination of Richard Feurus to examine hym of his fayth The whole processe of his examinatiōs w t his aduersaryes and the fryers in his story described is long y e principal contents come to this effect Inquisitour This Inquisitor was the Aduocate which the Lieutenant sent with the Notarie Doest thou beleue the Church of Rome The Martyr No I do beleue the Catholicke and vniuersall Church Inquisitour What Catholicke church is that The Martyr The congregation or communion of Christans Inquisitour The church What congregation is that or of whom doth it consist The Martyr It consisteth in the number of Gods elect whō God hath chosen to be the members of his sonne Iesus Christ of whome he is also the head Inquisitour Where is the congregation or how is it knowē The Martyr It is dispersed through the vniuersall world in diuers regions and is knowne by the spirituall direction wherwith it is gouerned that is to say both by thy word of God and by the right institution of Christes Sacramentes Inquisitor Do ye thinke the Church that is at Geneua Lausanna Berne and suche other places to be a more true Church then the holy church of Rome The Martyr Yea verily for these haue the notes of the true Church Inquisitour Difference betweene the church of Rome and the church of Christ. What difference then make you betweene those Churches and the Church of Rome The Marytr Muche for the Churche of Rome is gouerned onely with traditions of men but those are ruled only by the word of God Inquisitor Where learned you this doctrine first The Martyr In England at London Inquisitour How long haue ye bene at Geneua The Martyr About 9. or 10. yeares Inquisitor Doest thou not beleue the virgine Mary to be a mediatrix and aduocate to God for sinners The virgin Mary no aduocate The Martyr I beleue as in the worde of God is testified Iesus Christ to be onely mediator and aduocate for all sinners Albeit the virgine Mary be a blessed womā yet the office of an aduocate belongeth not vnto her Inquisitor The Sayntes that be in Paradice haue they no power to pray for vs Whether saintes doe praye The Martyr The church of Rome is not the church of christ No but I iudge thē to be blessed to be contēted with y e grace glory whiche they haue that is that they be counted the members of the sonne of God Inquisitor And what then iudge you of them which follow the religion of the Church of Rome think you them to be Christians The Martyr No for that churche is not gouerned with y e spirite of God but rather fighteth agaynst the same Inquisitor Do you then esteme all them which seperate them selues from the Churche of Rome to be Christians The Martyr Galat. 6. I haue not to aunswere for others but onely for my selfe Euery man sayth S. Paule shall beare hys owne burden And thus the aduocate when he had asked hym whether he would put his hand to that he had sayd and had obtayned the same departed to dinner At the next examination was brought vnto him a Franciscan fryer who first entring with hym touthing the wordes y t he spake in hys Inne asked him why that grace might not be said in Latine Because sayd he by the worde of God Christians are commaunded to pray with hart and with spirite and with that tongue which is most vnderstanded and serueth best to the edification of the hearers Then the Fryer bringing forth his Benedicite Agimus tibi gratias c. Laus Deo pax viuis requies defunctis
c. began thus to reason The Fryer God vnderstandeth al tongues and the church of Rome hath prescribed this forme of praying Prayiâ—â— strauâ—â—â— tongâ—â— receiuing the same from the auncient churche and the fathers which vsed then to pray in Latine And if anye tongue be to be obserued in prayer one more then an other why is it not as good to pray in the Latyn tongue as to pray in the Frencch The Martyr My meaning is not to exclude any kynd of language from prayer whether it be in y e Latine Greek Hebrue or any other so that the same be vnderstanded and may edifie the hearers The Fryer When Christ entred the Citty of Hierusalem the people cryed lauding hym with Osanna filio Dauid and yet vnderstood they not what they sayd as Hierome writeth The Martyr It may be that Hierome so writeth howe they vnderstoode not the propheticall meaning or the accomplishment of these wordes vpon Christes comming but that they vnderstood not the phrase of that speache or language whiche they spake speaking in theyr owne language Hierome doth not deny Then the Fryer declaring that he was no fit parson to expound the Scriptures being in the Latine tongue inferred the authorities of Counsels and doctors testimonies of men which semed to moue the officer not a little who then charging hym with many thinges The Sacâ—â—â—ment Iohn 6. as with wordes spoken in contempt of the virgin Mary and of the Sayntes also wyth rebellion agaynst princes and kinges came at laste to the matter of the Sacrament and demaunded thus Inquisitour Doest thou beleue the holy host whiche the priest doth consecrate at the masse or no The Martyr I beleue neyther the host nor any such consecration Inquisitour Why doest thou not beleue the holy Sacrament of the aultar ordayned of Christ Iesus hymselfe The Martyr Touching the sacrament of the Lordes supper I beleue that when soeuer we vse the same accordyng to the presentation of S. Paule we are refreshed spiritually with the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the true spirituall meate and drinke of our soules The Fryer The Fryer then inferred the wordes of S. Ioh. Gospell saying My flesh is meate in deede c. and sayd that the Doctors of the church had decided that matter already and had approued the masse to be an holy memory of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. The Martyr The sacrament of the supper I beleeue to be ordeined of the Lord for a memoriall of his death for a styrryng vpp of our thankes geuing to hym In whiche Sacrament we haue nothing to offer vp to hym but doe receiue with all thankesgeuing the benefites offered of God to vs most aboundantly in Christ Iesus hys sonne And thus the Aduocate with the Fryer biddyng the Notary to write the wordes that he had spoken departed Who after eyght dayes beyng accompanied with the sayd Franciscan and other fryers moe of the Dominickes sent for the sayde Richard Feurus agayne to hys house and thus began to enquire Inquisitour Doest thou beleue any purgatory The Martyr Purgatory I beleue that Christ with hys precious bloude hath made an end of all purgatory and purgation of our sinnes Inquisitour And doest thou thinke then there is no place after this life where soules of men departed remayne so long til they haue made satisfaction for their sins The Martyr No but I acknowledge one satisfaction once made for the sins of all men by the bloude sacrifice of Iesus Christ our Lord which is the propitiation and purgation for the sinnes of the whole world The Fryer Math. 18. In the xviij chap. of S. Math. Christ speaketh by way oâ— a parable or similitude of a certayne cruell seruaunt who because he would not forgeue hys fellow â—eruaunt was cast in prison and saith That he shall not come out from thence before he hath payde the vttermost farthing By the which similitude is signified vnto vs a certayn middle place which is left for satisfaction to be made after this lyfe for sinnes The Martyr First the satisfaction for our sinnes by the death of Christ Satisfaction for sinnes Math. 11. Ioh. 10. Ioh. 13. Apoc. 13. Luke 23. is playne and euident in the scriptures as in these places Come to me all you that labour and be burdened and I will refresh you Math. 11. I am the doore he that entreth by me shal be saued Iohn 10. I am the waye veritie and lyfe Iohn 13. Blessed be they that dye in the Lord for they rest from theyr labours Apoc. 13. Also to y â— thiefe which hanged with the Lorde it was sayde This day thou shalt be with mee in paradise c. Secondly as touching this similitude it hath no other demonstration but to admonishe vs of our duetye in shewing charitie and forgeuing one an other which vâ—â—es we do there is no mercye to be looked for at the handes of God The Fryer If this be true that you say then it should folow that there is neyther purgatory Limbus nor anye Limbus whiche were agaynst our Christian fayth and oure Crede which sayth He descended into hell c.. The Deputy Doest thou not beleue there is a Limbus The Martyr Neither doe I beleue to be any suche place ney-doth the scripture therof make any mention The Fryer Where were the old fathers then before the death of Christ The Martyr In lyfe I say eternall which they looked for beyng promised before to Adam Abraham and the Patriarches in the seede to come The Deputy Then the Deputy what saith he doest thou beleue that the pope hath any power The Martyr Yea verily The Deputy The power of the pope Doest thou beleeue that the pope as the vicar of Iesu Christ can here bynde and loose The Martyr That I doe not beleue The Deputy How then doest thou vnderstand the power of the pope The Martyr I vnderstand the power of the pope so as sainct Paul declareth .ij. Thess. saying That because the worlde refused to receiue the loue of the truth vnto saluation therefore God hath geuen to Satan and to hys ministers power of illusions and erroures that men shoulde beleeue lyes and set vp to themselues pastors and teachers suche as they deserue The Fryer Christes vicar in earth Christ gaue to S. Peter power to bynde loose whose successour and vicar of Christ is the pope for the gouernment of the church that it might haue one head in the world as it hath in heauen And though the Pastors doe not liue according to y e word which they preach yet their doctrine is not therefore to be refused as Christ teacheth Math. 23. Math. 23. The Martyr If the pope and hys adherents would preach the word purely sincerely admixing no other inuentions of theyr own nor obtruding laws of theyr own deuising I would then imbrace their doctrine how soeuer their lyfe were to the
contrary according as Christ doth tell vs of the scribes phariseis admonishing vs to followe theyr doctrine not their liues Mat. 23. but there is great difference Math. 23. whether they y t take the gouernance of the church do sit in Moses chayre which is the seate of truth or els doe sit in the chayre of abhomination spoken of by Daniell also by S. Paule where he sayth 2. Thes. 2. That the man of perdition shal sit in the temple of God vaunting hymselfe insolently aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2. And as touching the keyes of binding loosing geuen to Peter Christ therein assigned to Peter The keyes of binding loosing other apostles the office of preaching the word of the gospell whiche they did also well obserue in preaching nothing els but onely the word in the whiche word is al the power conteyned of binding loosing Neither is it to be granted the Church to haue two heades one in heauen an other in earth The head whereof is but one whiche is Iesus Christ whome the father hath appoynted to be head alone both in heauen and earth Ephes. 1. Colos. 1. as S. Paul in many places of his Epistles doth teach Ephes. 1. Colos. 1 c. The Fryer You haue no vnderstanding how to expound the Scriptures But the olde doctors haue expounded the scriptures holy Councels Auricular confession whose iudgements are to be followed But what say you to auricular confession The Martyr I know no other confession but that which is to be made to God and reconciliation towardes our neighbour which Christ and his Apostles haue commended to vs. The Fryer Haue you not read in the Gospell howe Christ doth bid vs to confesse to the priest where hee commaunded the leper being made whole to shew hym selfe to the priest The Martyr The true church of the Lord Iesus Christ neuer obserued this straunge kinde of confession to carrye our sinnes to the priestes eare And though the churche of Rome haue intruded this maner of confessing it followeth not thereby that is to be receiued And as touching the leper whome the Lorde sent to the priest he was not sent therefore to whisper his sins in the Priestes care but onely for a testimony of hys health receiued according to the law Of the other confession whiche is to be made to God we haue both the examples and testimonyes of the prophet Dauid full in the psalmes 32.51.106 where he sayth Psal. 32.51.106 That he confessed his sinnes vnto the Lord and receiued forgeuenes of the same The Fryer After this the fryer proceeding further to make comparison betweene the churche of Rome The Church of Rome and of Geneua compared and the churche of Geneua would proue that the pope hath power to set lawes in the Church without anye expresse worde of God For so it is written sayd hee That there were many other thinges besides which are not written in this booke Ioan. 21. Also where Christ promiseth to his Disciples to send vnto them the holye ghost which shuld induce them into al truth Moreouer such decres ordinances which are in y e church were decided sayd he and appoynted by the doctors of y e church by al the Councels directed no doubt by the holy Ghost Furthermore he inferred that y e church also of Geneua had theyr ordinaunces and constitutions made without any word of God And for example he brought forth the order of the psalms and seruice publiquely obserued and appoynted vpon wednesday in the churche of Geneua as though that day were holyer then an other The Martyr To this the martyr answered agayne declaring that the ordinaunce of those publicke prayers and psalmes vppon wednesday in the churche of Geneua was not to bynde conscience or for anye superstitious obseruation or for any necessitie whiche eythere should bind conscience or could not be altered at their arbitrement but onely for an order or commoditie for publike resort to heare the word of god according as ancient kings temporall Magistrates haue vsed in old time to doe in congregating the people together not to put any holines in the daye or to bind conscience to any obseruation as the pope maketh his lawes but onely for orders sake seruing vnto commoditie And as touching that any thing should be left for doctors and counsels to be decided without the expresse word of God that is not so for that al things be expressed and prescribed by the word whatsoeuer is necessary eyther for gouernment of the Church or for the saluation of men so that there is no neede for doctours of the Church or Councels to decide anye thing more then is decided already Rom. 15. 2. Iohn Paule sayth that he durst vtter nothing but that the Lord had wrought by him Rom. 15. S. Iohn speaking of the doctrine of Christ Iesu willeth vs to receaue no man vnles he bring with him the same doctrine 2. Ioan. S. Paule warneth the Gallat not to beleeue an angell from heauen The Church ought to be gouerned only by the voyce of the Lords word 1. Pet. 5. bringing an other doctrine thē that which they had already receiued Gal. 2. Christ callyng himselfe the good shepheard noteth them to be his sheep which heare his voyce and not the voyce of others Ioh. 11 And S. Peter admonishing the pastors of y e churche forewarneth them to teache onely the woorde of God without any seeking of Lordship or dominion ouer the flocke From the which moderation how far y e forme of the popes church doth differ the tyranny whiche they vse doth well declare The Fryer In the old churche priestes and ministers of the church were wont to assemble together for deciding of such thinges as pertained to the gouernment and direction of the church whereas in Geneua no such thing is vsed as I can proue by this your owne testament here in my handes that you the better may vnderstand what was then the true vse and manner of the Churche The Martyr Churches may be instituted without the Pope What was the true order and manner that the Apostles did institute the church of Christ I would gladly heare and also would desire you to consider the same and when you haue well considered it yet shall you finde the institution and regiment of the Church of Geneua not to be without the publicke counsell and aduisement of the magistrates elders ministrs of that church with such care and diligence as Paule and Silas took in ordering the church of Thessalonica Birrhea c. wherin nothing was don without the authoritie of Gods word as appeareth Act. 17. As likewise also in stablishing the Church of Antioch when the Apostles were together in counsell for y e same there was no other law nor doctrine folowed but onely the word of God as may appere by the wordes of the Councell Quid tentatis Deum
iugum imponere c. And albeit the ministers of the church of Rome and the pope were not called to the institution of the foresayd churche of Geneua yet it followeth not therfore that there was no lawful order obserued eyther in stablishing that Churche or any other The Fryer Baptisme in the popes church no necessary cause to folow all the Popes errours You were first baptised in the Church of y e Pope were ye not The Martyr I graunt I was but yet that nothing hindereth the grace of God but hee may renouate and call to further knowledge whom he pleaseth A Counseller I would wishe you not to sticke to your owne wisedome and opinion Ye see the Churches in Germany how they dissent one from an other So that if you should not submit your iudgement to the authoritie of the Generall Councels Agreement in the principall pointes of doctrine in the churches reformed euery day you should haue a new Christianitie The Martyr To mine owne wisedome I do not sticke nor euer will but onely to that wisedome whiche is in Christ Iesu although the world doth accompt it foolishnes And where ye say that the churches of Germanie dissent among themselues one from an other that is not so for they accorde in one agreement altogether touching the foundation and principall groundes of Christian fayth Neyther is there anye such feare that euery day should ryse vp a new christianitie vnles the church be ballanced with authoritie of the councels as you pretend For so we read in the profite Dauid psal 33. and in other places of scripture moe Psal. 33. that the Counsels of the nations and people shal be ouerthrowne and subuerted of the Lorde c. Wherefore the best is that we follow the councell of God and hys word and preferre the authoritie therof before all other counsels and iudgementes of meÌ„ And thus doyng Paruus Christianismus potior populoso Papatu I for my part had rather dwel and settle my selfe in this litle Christianitie be it neuer so small then in that populous Papalitie be it neuer so great in multitude And thus was this godly Feurus commaunded agayne by the Deputye to the Bishops prison and from thence shortly after remoued to Lions not by the open and beaten waye but by secret and priuy iournyes least perhaps he should be taken from theÌ„ agayne as he was before The martyrdome of Richard Feurus An Inquisitour monk Nicholas du Chesne At Gry by Bezanson Ann. 1554 The cause and occasion why this Nicolas came in trouble Nicholas Chesne martyr was for that he goyng from LausaÌ„na where he abode for hys conscience to fette hys sister her husband certayne other of hys friendes as hee went from Bezanson toward the towne of Gry did not homage to a certayne crosse in the way where a certayne monke which was an inquisitour False dealing in a papist ouertook him and therby suspected him He was guyded by the same monk craftily disseÌ„bling hys religion to a lodgyng in Gry where the Iustice of the place comming in incontinent took him Nicholas seing how hee was by y e monke his conductor betrayed O false traytor sayd he hast thou thus betrayed me Then after examination he was condeÌ„ned Being caryed to the place of martyrdome by y e way he was promised that if he would knele down and heare a masse he should be let go as a passenger But Nicolas armed with perseuerance sayde hee would rather dye then commit such an act Who calling vpon the name of the Lord tooke his death paciently Ex Crisp. Lib 6. The seniors or Lords of Estnay and of Ciguongnes dwelling by the towne of Machenoir Denys Barbes Counsellour of Bloys Iohn Bertrand a foâ—â—er or keeper of the forest of Marchenoir At Bloys Ann. 1556. Iohn Bertrand martyr For the religion gospell of Christ thys Iohn was apprehended by these persecuters here specified and led bounde to Bloys where he was examined by Denys y e counseller of diuers points as whether he had spokeÌ„ at any time against God agaynst y e church the he sayntes the she saynts of Paradise Wherunto he sayd no. Item whether at any time hee had called the masse abhominable whiche hee graunted for that hee finding no masse in all the Stripture was commanded by S. Paule That if an angell from heaueÌ„ would bring anye other gospell beside that whiche was already receiued he shuld account it accursed After his condemnation they woulde haue hym to be confessed and presented to him a crosse to kisse But he bad the Fryers with theyr crosse depart That is not the crosse sayd he that I must cary Entring into y e cart before the multitude he gaue thanks to God that he was not there for murther theft or blasphemye but onely for the quarrell of our sauiour Being tyed to the post he sang the 25. psalme Of age he was yong his countenaunce was exceeding chearfull amiable his eyes looking vp to heauen O the happy iourny sayd he seeing the place where he should suffer the fayre place that is prepared for me When the fire was kindled about them O Lord cryed he geue thy hand to thy seruaunt I recommend my soule vnto thee and so meekly yelded vp his spirite Whose pacient and ioyfull constancye so astonyed the people that of long tyme before nothing did seeme to them so admirable Ex Gallic hist. per. Crisp. Lib. 6. A brother in lawe of this Peter Peter Rouseau An. 1556. Peter Rousseau martir Peter Rousseau comming from Geneua and Lausanna to hys countrey partlye to communicate wyth certayne of hys acquayntaunce in the word of God partlye for other certayn affayres because hee required hys inheritaunce of hys brother in law was by him betrayed Then being constant in his confession which he offered vp he was put to the racke three tymes which he suffered constantly with great tormentes Afterward he had hys tongue cut of and a balle of yron put in hys mouth He was draweÌ„ vpon a hurdle Crueltie al broken and maymed to the fire where he was lifted vp into the ayre and let downe three tymes And when he was halfe burned the balle fell from hys mouth and he with a loud voyce called on the name of GOD saying Iesus Christ assiste me And so thys blessed Martyr gaue vp hys life to God Ex Ioan Crisp. Antony de Lescure the kinges attourney Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes At Bordeaux An. 1556. After that Arnald Moniere was taken and examined of the Iustice and so was layde in prison Iohn de Cazes resorting to the same town of Burdeaux Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes martyrs and hearing of hym and beyng admonished moreouer that if he went to him hee shoulde be appeached of heresie notwithstanding went to comforte him and so was also imprisoned After many examinations sentence was geuen vpon them to be burned When the tyme came of
Renaudine de Francuile Certayne suffered at Tournay Michell Robilert of Aras Nicaise de le Tombe at Tournay Roger du Mont. ¶ To the Catologue of French Martyrs aboue rehearsed the story of Merindoll and Cabriers Touching the storye of Merindoll Vid. infr wyth the lamentable handling of them were also to be annexed But because the tractation thereof is prolixe and cannot well be contracted into a shorte discourse therefore we haue deferred the same to a more conuenient roome after the Table here following next of the Spanishe and Italian Martyrs Where better oportunitie shal be geuen to prosecute more at full that Tragicall persecution the Lord so permittyng ¶ A Table of such Martyrs as for the cause of Religion suffered in Spayne The Spanishe Martyrs Spanishe marchantes in Antwerp The Fryers of Antwerpe Franciscus San Romanus At Burges in Spayne AN. 1540. Thys Frances was sent by certayne Spanishe Marchantes of Antwerpe Fraunces San Romane martir to Breme to take vp money due to be payde of certayne Marchantes there Where hee being at a Sermon hearing M. Iacobus priour sometimes of the Austen friers of Antwerp preache was so touched drawne thorough the maruelous woorking of Gods spirite at the hearyng thereof albeit hauing no perfect vnderstanding of the Dutche tongue that not onely hee vnderstoode all that there was sayde but also comming to the preacher The cōuersion of San Romane accompanying him home all his other worldly busines set apart there recited the whole contentes of hys Sermon euery thing as they sayd which heard the sayd minister of Breme preach in perfect forme and order as he had preached After this little taste and happy beginning he proceeded further searching and conferring with learned men that in shorte space hee was growne in great towardnes ripe knowledge in y e word of lyfe The Minister marueling at the sodayn mutation of the man and also seeyng the vehemency of hys zeale ioyned withall began to exhort hym howe to temper hymselfe with circumspection and discretion still more and more instructyng hym in the worde and knowledge of the Gospell whiche he so gredely dyd receaue as one that coulde neuer be satisfied so remayned hee with the minister 3. dayes together committyng hys worldly busines and message that he was sent for vnto hys fellowe which came wyth hym Thus being inflamed with an other desire he ceased to seeke for temporall trifles seking rather for such french or dutch bookes which he could get to read and agayne read y e same so diligently that partly by the reading therof partly by M. Iacobus and also by M. Machabeus which was there the same time he was able in short time to iudge in the chiefe Articles of our religion In so much that he took vpō him to write letters vnto his coūtrymen the Marchaunts of Antwerpe in y t whiche letters first he gaue thanks to God for y e knowledge of his holy word Fraunces writeth to the Marchauntes of Antwerpe which he had receiued Secondly he bewayled the great cruelty grosse blindnes of his countrymen desiring God to open theyr eyes and eares to see vnderstand the word of their saluation Thirdly he promised shortly to come to thē at Antwerp to confer with them touching the grace of God which he had receiued Fourthly declareth to them his purpose in going also to Spaine intēding there likewise to impart to his parentes and other frēds at Burges the wholesom Doctrine which the Lord hath bestowed vpon him Beside this he addressed other letters also to charles the Emperor Frances writeth to the Emperour opening to him the calamities and miserable state of Christes Church desiring hym to tender the quietnes thereof especially that he would reforme the miserable corruption of the Churche of Spaine c. Ouer and besides al this he wrote there a Catechisme diuers other treatises in the spanish toung And all this he did in one monethes space In the meane time the Spanish Marchaunts of Antwerpe vnderstanding by his letters both hys chaunge of religiō also his purpose of comming to Antwerpe sent him letters agayne pretending outwardly a fayre countenaunce of much good will but secretly practising his destruction For at the day appointed of his cōming certaine Friers were set ready to receiue him Frances betrayed by Spanyshe Marchantes which tooke him comming downe from his horse rifled his books had him into a marchaūts house neare hād where they examined hym with whom he agayne disputed mightely and when they found him not agreing to theyr fayth they boūd him hand and foote crying out vpon him and calling him Lutherane burnt his bookes before hys face threatning to burne himselfe also At this disputatiō within the house diuers Spaniardes were present which made the Friers more bold Being demaūded to shew The fayth and confession of San Romane of what fayth and religiō he was my fayth sayd he is to cōfesse and preach Christ Iesus onely and him crucified which is the true fayth of the vniuersall Church of Christ through the whole world But this fayth and doctrine you haue corrupted taking an other abhominable kinde of life and by your impiety haue brought the most part of the world into blindnes most miserable and to explane his fayth to thē more expressely he recited al the Articles of the Creed Which done thē the Friers asked whether he beleued the Bishop of Rome to be Christes Uicar and head of the Churche hauing all the treasures of the Church in his owne power being able to binde and loose The Pope Antichrist also to make new articles abolish the olde at his owne will arbitrement Hereunto Fraunces aūswered agayne that he beleued none of al this but contrary did affirme that the Pope was Antichrist borne of the deuill being the enemy of Iesus Christ transferring to himselfe Gods honor which more ouer being incited by the deuill turned all things vp side downe corrupted the sinceritye of Christes religion partly by his false pretences beguiling partly by his extreme cruelty destroying the poore flocke of Christ. The Popes crowne and the Fryers bellies are not to be touched c. With the like boldnes he vttred his mind likewise agaynst the Masse Purgatory The Fryers could suffer him meanely well to speake till hee came to the pope began to speak against his dignity theyr profite then could they abide no lōger but thundred agaynst him woordes full of cruelty terror As they were burning of his bookes and began also to cast the new testament into the fire Fraunces seyng that began to thūder out against them again The Spaniardes thē supposing him not to be in his right senses conueied him into a Tower 6. miles distant from Antwarpe Frances brought into prison where he was deteined in a deep caue or dungeon with much misery the space of 8. monethes In which time of his imprisonment
can say of this iustice Nowe it is aboute two of the clocke in the afternoone Shortly we shall heare what some of them sayde when they went to execution There be certaine of them so obstinate that they will not looke vppon the crucifixe nor be confessed to the priest and they shall be burned aliue The heretickes that be apprehended and condemned are to the number of 1600· but as yet no more but these foresayd 88. are already executed This people haue theyr originall of the valley named Angronia neare to Subaudia and in Calabria are called Vltramontani In the kingdome of Neaples there are 4. other places of the same people of whome whether they liue well or no as yet wee knowe not For they are but simple people ignoraunt wythout learning woode gatherers and husbandmen but as I heare much deuout and religious geuing themselues to die for religions sake From Montealto the 11. of Iune And thus much wryteth this Romanist ☞ Here moreouer is to be noted that the foresaid Marques Buccianus aboue specified hadde a sonne or brother vnto whome the sayde new Pope Pius the fourth belike is reported to haue promised a Cardinalshippe at Rome if all the Lutherans were extirped and roted out in that prouince And like inough that the same was the cause of thys butcherly persecution and effusion of Christen bloud in the said countrey of Calabria beyond Neaples in Italy Besides these godly Italian Martyrs in thys Table aboue contained many other also haue suffred in the same countrey of Italie of whome some before haue bene specified some peraduenture omitted But many moe there be whose names we know not wherof assoone as knowledge may be geueÌ„ vnto vs we purpose God willing to impart the same louing reader vnto thee ☞ Now in the meane time it foloweth according to my promise made before next after this lameÌ„table slaughter of Calabria here to insert also the tragical persecution horrible murder of the faithfull flocke of Christe inhabiting in Merindole in Fraunce and in other townes adiaceÌ„t neere vnto the same in the time of Franciscus .1 the french king The furious crueltie of whiche miserable persecution although it can not be set foorth too muth at large yet because we wil not weary too much the reader with the ful length therof we haue so contracted the same especially the principal effect therof we haue comprehended in such sorte that as we on the one part haue auoided prolixitie so on the other we haue omitted nothing which might seme vnworthy to be forgotten The story here foloweth A notable historie of the persecution and destruction of the people of Merindol and Cabriers the countrey of Prouince where not a fewe persons but whole Villages and Towneships with the most part of all the foresayde countrey both men women and children were put to all kind of cruelty suffered martyrdome for the profession of the gospell THey that write of the beginning of this people say that about CC. yeres ago The lamentable story of Merindoll· they came out of the Country of Piedmont to inhabite in Prouince in certaine Uillages destroyed by warres and other desert places Wherin they vsed such labour and diligence that they had abundance of corne wine oyles hony almons with other fruits commodities of the earth and muche cattell Before they came thether Merindol was a barren desert and not inhabited But these good people in whome God alwaies had reserued some litle seede of pietie being dispersed and separated from the societie of men were compelled to dwell with beasts in that waste and wilde desert which notwithstanding through the blessing of God and their great laboure and trauel became exceeding frutefull Notwithstanding the world in the meane time so detested abhorred them and with all shamefull rebukes and contumelies railed against them in such despiteful maner y t it semed they were not worthy that the earth should beare them For they of a long continuance and custome had refused the Byshop of Romes authoritie and obserued euer a more perfect kinde of doctrine then others deliuered to them from the father to the sonne euer since the yere of our Lord. 1200. For this cause they were often accused complained of to the king as contemners despisers of the magistrates and rebels Wherefore they were called by diuers names according to the countreis and places where they dwelte For in the country about Lyons they were called the pore people of Lyons Paupeâ—es de Lugduno WaldeÌ„sâ—â— Tuâ—â—elupini Chagnardi In the borders of Sarmatia Liuonia and other countreis towards the North they were called Lolards In Flanders and Artoys Turrelupius of a desert where wolues did haunte In Dolphine with great despite they were named Chagnardes because they liued in places open to the Sunne and without house or harborough But most commonly they were called Waldoys of Waldo Of Waldo read before pag. 230. who first instructed them in y e word of God which name continued vntill the name of Lutheranes came vp which aboue all other was most hated and abhorred Notwithstanding in all these most spitefull contumelies ond sclaunders the people dwelling at the foote of the Alpes and also in Merindol Cabriers and the quarters thereabout alwaies liued so godly so vprightly and iustly y t in al their life conuersation there appeared to be in theÌ„ a great feare of God That little light of true knowledge whiche God had giuen them they laboured by al meanes to kindle encrease daily more more sparing no charges whether it were to procure bookes of the holy Scripture or to instructe such as were of the best and moste towardly wits in learning godlinesse or els to send theÌ„ into other countreis yea euen to y e farthest partes of the earth where they had heard that any light of the gospel began to shine For in the yere 1530. vnderstanding that the gospel was preached in certaine townes of Germany Switzerland they sent thether 2. learned men that is Georgius Maurellus borne in Dolphine a godly preacher of their owne and whome they had of their owne charges brought vp in learning Petrus Latomus a Burgundian to conferre with the wise learned ministers of the Churches there in the doctrine of the gospel and to know the whole forme and manner which those Churches vsed in the seruice and worshipping of God and particularly to haue their aduise also vppon certaine poynts which they were not resolued in These 2. after great conference had w t the chiefest in the Churche of God namely with Oecolampadius at Basill at Strausburgh with Bucer and Capito and at Berne w t Bartholdus Hallerus as they were returning thorow Burgundie homewarde Petrus Latomus was taken at Dyion and caste into prison Maurellus escaped returned alone to Merindol with the bookes and letters whych he brought with him from the churches of Germanie and declared
manifestly iniucious vniust and contrary to all right and reason yea to all sense of humanitie also contrary to the solemne othe which all such as are receiued to office in Courtes of Parliament are accustomed to make that is to say to iudge iustly vprightly according to the law of God and the iust ordinances lawes of the realm so that God therby might be honoured and euery mannes right regarded without respect of persons Some of the aduocates or lawyers defending the said Arrest to be iust and right sayd that in case of Lutheranisme the iudges are not bouÌ„d to obserue either right or reason Euen so the Phariseis procâ—â—ded against Chrâ—st the soÌ„ne of God law either ordinance and that the iudges can not faile or do amisse whatsoeuer iudgement they do geue so that it tend to the ruine and extirpation of all suche as are suspected to be Lutheranes To this the other lawyers and learned men answered that vppon theyr sayings it woulde insue that the Iudges should now altogether folowe the same maner and forme in proceeding against the Christians accused to be Lutheranes which the gospell witnesseth that the Priests Scribes and Pharises followed in pursuing and persecutyng and finally condemning our Lord Iesus Christ. By these such other like talkes y e said arrest was published throughout the country and there was no assemble or banket where it was not disputed or talked of namely within 12. dayes after the Arrest was geuen oute there was a great banket in the towne of Aix The Bishops bancket at the whych banket was present M. Barthelmew Chassanee President many other Councellers and other noble personages and men of authority There was also the Archb. of Aries and the bishop of Aix with diuers ladies and gentlewomen amongst whom was one which was commonly reported to be the bishop of Aix his concubine They wer scarse wel set at the table but she began thus to talke My Lord President There is no cruelty to the cruelty of an harlot will you not execute the arrest which is geuen out of late against the Lutheranes of Merindoll The President aunswered nothing faining that hee hearde her not Then a certaine gentleman asked of her what Arrest that was Shee recited it in maner and forme as it was geuen out forgetting nothing as if she had a long time studied to commit the same vnto memorye Whereunto they whyche were at the banket gaue diligent eare without any woorde speaking vntill she had ended her tale Then the lord of Alenc a man fearing God and of great vnderstanding The Lord of Alenc a good man said vnto her gentlewomaÌ„ you haue learned this tale either of some that wold haue it so or els it is geuen out by some parliament of women Then the lord of Senas an ancient counsailor said vnto him no no my L. of Alenc it is no tale which you haue hard this gentlewoman tell for it is an arrest geuen out by a whole Senate you ought not thus to speake except you woulde call the court of Prouince a parliament of women Then the L. of Alenc began to excuse hymselfe wyth protestation that hee wold not speake any thing to blemish the authority of that soueraigne court notwithstanding he could not beleue all that which the sayd gentlewoman had tolde that is to say that all the inhabitants of Merindoll were condemned to die by y e Arrest of the said court of parliament of Prouince and specially the women little children and infants and the town to be rased for the fault of 10. or 12. persons which did not appere before the saide court at the day appoynted And the Lord Beauieu also answered that he beleued not the sayde courte to haue geuen out any such Arrest The L. Beauieu for that said he were a thing most vnreasonable and suche as the very Turkes and the most tyrannes of the worlde would iudge to be a thing most detestable and sayde further that he had knowen a long time many of Merindol which seemed vnto him to be men of great honesty and my L. President said he can certify vs wel what is done in this mater for we oughte not to geue credite vnto womens tales Then the gentlewoman which had rehersed y e arrest staied not to heare the Presidents answer but sodenly loking vpon the B. of Aix said I should greatly haue marueiled if there had bene none in all this company whyche woulde defend these wicked men and lifting her eyes to heauen in a great womanly chafe and fume sayd would to God that all the Lutheranes which are in Prouince yea and in all Fraunce A Catholicke wishe of a Priestes harlot had hornes growing on theyr forheads then we should see a goodly many of hornes To whome the Lorde Beauieu sodenly answered saying would to God that all priests harlots should chatter like Pies Then said the geÌ„tlewoman ha my L. Beauieu you ought not so to speake against our holy mother the church for that there was neuer dogge y t barked against the crucifixe but that he waxed madde Whereat the Bishop of Aix laughed and clapping the gentlewoman on the shoulder sayd by my holy orders my minion wel said I conne you thanke She hath talked wel vnto you my Lord Beauieu remember wel the lesson that shee hath geuen you Heere the Lorde Beauieu being wholy moued w t anger sayde I care neyther for her schole nor yours for it would be long before a man should learne of either of you both any honesty or honour For if I shuld say that the most part of the bishops and priests are abhominable adulterers blind idolaters deceiuers theeues seducers I should not speake against the holy church but against a heape and flocke of wolues dogs and filthy swine in speaking these thinges I would thinke a man not to be mad at all except he be mad for speaking of the truth Then the Archbishop in a great iurie answered my L. Beauieu you speake very euil and you must geue account when time and place serueth of this your talke which you haue here vttered against the Church men I would sayde the Lord Beauieu that it were to do euen this present day and I wold binde my selfe to prooue more abuses naughtinesse in Priestes then I haue yet spoken Then sayde the President Chassinee my Lorde Beauieu lette vs leaue of this talke and liue as our fathers haue done and maintain theyr honour Then sayde hee in a greate anger I am no Priestes sonne to maintaine their wickednesâ—e and abuse And afterward he sayde I am well content to honour all true pastors of the church and will not blame them which shew good example in their doctrine and liuing but I demaund of you my Lord of Arles and you my Lord of Aix when as our Lord Iesus Christ called the Priestes deceiuing hypocrites blind seducers robbers and theeues did he them any outrage
of Augustine saying Distingue tempora conciliabis scripturas c. Make distinction of times and thou shalt reconcile the Scriptures The law to be discerned from the Gospell c. Contrariwise where men be not perfectly in these places instructed to discerne betwene the lawe and the Gospell betweene faith and woorkes c. so long they can neuer ryghtly estable their minds in the free promises of Gods grace but walke confusedly without order in al matters of religion ExaÌ„ple wherof we haue to much in the Romish church The ignorance and blindnes of the Popes Church in confounding these places who confouÌ„ding these places together without distinction following no methode haue peruerted the true order of christian doctrine and haue obscured the swete comfort benefit of the Gospel of Christ not knowing what the true vse of the law nor of the Gospel meaneth In the doctrine of the law iij. things to be noted The first poynte to be noted in the doctrine of the lawe In the law therfore 3 things are to be considered First what is the true rigour and strength of the lawe which is to require full and perfect obedience of the whole man not only to restraine his outward actions but also his inward motions and inclinatioÌ„s of wil and affection from the appetite of sinne And therfore saith S. Paul The law is spiritual but I am carnal c. Rom. 7 Whereupon riseth this proposition That it is not in our nature and power to fulfil the law Item The law commandeth that which is to vs vnpossible c. 2 The second thing to be noted in the doctrin of the law is to consider the time and place of the lawe what they be The streÌ„gth of the lawe The second thing to be noted in the lawe how far they extend For as the surging seas haue their banks and barres to kepe them in so the law hath his times limites which it ought not to passe If Christ had not come suffred the time dominion of the law had ben euerlasting But nowe seeing Christ hath come and hath died in his righteous flesh The due time place of the lawe The death of Chriâ—t iâ— the death the lawe that is of the condemnation of the lawe The time of the lawe how long it lasteth the power of the law against our sinfull flesh doth cease For the ende of the lawe is Christ. Rom. 10. that is the death of Christes body is the death of the law to al that beleue in him so that who so euer repeÌ„teth their sinnes flie to the death and passion of Christ the condemnation time of the lawe to them is expired Wherefore this is to be vnderstand as a perpetual rule in the scripture that the law withal his sentences and iudgements whersoeuer they are writteÌ„ either in the old Testament or in the new do euer include a priuy exception of repentaunce and beliefe in Christ to the which alwayes it geueth place hauing there his end and can proceede no further according as S. Paul doth say The lawe is our Scholemaister vntil Christ that we might be iustified by faith Gal. 3. Moreouer as the law hath his time how long to reigne so also it hath his proper place where to raigne By the raigne of the law here is ment the coÌ„demnation of the law for as the time of the law ceaseth when the faith of Christ in a true repenting heart beginneth so hath the law no place in such as be good and faithful that is in sinners repenting and amending Gal. 3. Iustis noÌ„ est lex posita sed iniustis et in obsequentibus 1. Tim. 1. In remission of sinnes 3. things to be noted 1. the disease 2. The knowing of the disease 3. The Phisition but only in them which be euill and wicked Euil men heere I call all such which walking in sinful flesh are not yet driueÌ„ by earnest repentaÌ„ce to flie to Christ for succour And therefore sayth S. Paule To the iust man there is no law set but to the vniust and disobedient c. 1. Tim. 1. By the iust man here is ment nor he which neuer had disease but he who knowing his disease seeketh out the Physition and being cured kepeth himselfe in health as much as he may from any mo surfets notwithstanding he shall neuer so kepe him self but that his health that is his new obedience shal alwaies remaine fraile vnperfect and shall continually nede the Physition Where by the way these iij. things are to be noted 1. the sicknes it self 2 the knowing of the sicknes 3. the Physitian The sicknes is sinne The knowing of the sicknes is repentance which the lawe worketh The Physitian is Christ. And therfore although in remission of our sinnes repeÌ„taunce is ioyned with faith yet it is not the dignity or worthines of repentaÌ„ce that causeth remission of sinnes but only the worthines of Christ whom faith onely appreheÌ„deth Repentance is ioyned with faith yet is it no cause of saluation The third point to be noted in the doctrine of the lawe no more then the feeling of the disease is the cause of health but only the Phisition For els when man is cast and condemned by the lawe it is not repentance that can serue or deserue life but iâ— his pardoÌ„ come then is it the grace of the prince and not his repentance that saueth The third poynt to be considered in the doctrine of the lawe is this That we marke well the ende and purpose why the lawe is geuen which is not to bring vs to saluation not to worke Gods fauoure nor to make vs good but rather to declare and conuicte our wickednesse and to make vs feele the daunger therof to thys ende and purpose that we seeing our condemnation and beynge in our selues confounded may be driuen thereby to haue our refuge in Christ the sonne of God and to submit our selues to him in whom only is to he found our remedy and in none other And this ende of the lawe discretely ought to be pondered of all Christians Otherwise they that consider not this â—nd and purpose of the law fall into manifold errours and inconueniences Inconuenienses that rise in not knowing the true 〈◊〉 of the lawe First they peruert all order of doctrine 2. They seeke that in the lawe which the law cannot geue 3. They are not able to comfort themselues nor other 4. They keepe mens soules in an vncertayne doubt and dubitation of their saluation 5. They obscure the light of Gods grace 6. They are vnkind to Gods benefites 7 They are iniurious to Christes passion and enemies to his crosse 8. They stop christian liberty 9 They beriue the church the spouse of Christe of her due comfort as taking away the sonne out of the world 10 In all their doings they shoote to a wrong marke For where Christ only is set vp to be appreheÌ„ded
hee was apprehended and put in prysonne by Iames Beton Archbyshop of Saint Andrews Who shortlye after caused a certaine Fryer named Walter Laing to heare hys confession To whom when Henry Forest in secreate confession had declared hys conscience howe hee thoughte maister Patrike to bee a good man and wrongfully to be put to deathe that his articles were true and not hereticall the Frier came and vttered to the Byshoppe the confession that hee hadde heard The Fryer vttereth the cōfessiō of Henry Forest. which before was not throughly knowne Whereupon it followed that his confession being brought as sufficiēt probation againste hym hee was therfore conuented before the Councel of the clergy and Doctors and there concluded to be an heretick equal in iniquitie with maister Patrick Hameltō there decreed to be geuen to the seculare Iudges to suffer death When the daye came of his death and that hee should first be degraded and was brought before the Cleargye in a greene place being betwene the castle of S. Andrewes and another place called Monymaill assoone as he entred in at the doore and sawe the face of the clergy perceiuing wherunto they tended he cryed wyth a loude voyce saying Fie on falshoode Fie on false Friers Phie on false Fryers reuealers of confession after this day let no man euer trust any false Friers contemners of Gods woorde and deceiuers of men And so they proceeding to degrade him of hys small orders of Benet and Collet he sayd wyth a loud voyce take from me not onely your owne orders but also youre owne baptisme meaning thereby whatsoeuer is besides that which Christ himselfe instituted whereof there is a great rablement in Baptisme Then after his degradation they condemned him as an heretike equall wyth M. Patrike aforesayd and so he suffered death for his faithful testimony of the truth of Christ and of his Gospell at the Northchurche stile of the Abbey Church of S. Andrewe to the entent that all y e people of Anguishe might see the fire and so might be the more feared from falling into the like doctrin whych they terme by the name of heresie Ex Scripto testimonio Scotorum Iames Hay bishop of Rose and commissioner of Iames Beton Archbishop of S. Andrews M. Iohn Spens Lawyer Iames Hamelton brother to M. Patrike Katherine Hamelton A wife of Lieth Dauid Straton M Norman Gurlay Wythin a yeere after the martyrdome of Henry Forest or there about Iames Hamelton Katherine Hamelton his sister A wife of Leith persecuted Dauid Stratō Norman Gurley Martyrs was called Iames Hamelton of Kynclitgowe his sister Katherine Hamelton the spouse of the captaine of Dunbar also an other honest woman of Lieth Dauid Straton of the house of Lawristonne and M. Norman Gurlay These were called to the Abbey Church of Halyrowdhouse in Edenburghe by Iames Hay Bishoppe of Rose commissioner to Iames Beton Archbyshoppe in presence of King Iames the fift of that name who vppon the daye of theyr accusation was altogether clad in red apparell Iames Hamelton was accused as one that maintained the opynions of M. Patrick hys brother To whome the Kynge gaue counsaile to depart and not to appeare for in case hee appeared hee coulde not helpe him because the Byshops hadde perswaded hym that the cause of heresie dyd in no wise appertain vnto him and so Iames fledde and was condemned as an heretike all hys goodes and lands confiscate and disposed vnto others Catherine Hamelton his Sister appeared vpon the scaffolde and being accused of an horrible heresie to witte that her owne woorkes coulde not saue her shee graunted the same and after long reasoning betweene her and M. Iohn Spens the Lawyer shee concluded in this manner worke here worke there what kinde of working is all this A great heresie in the Popes church that no workes can saue vs but the workes of Christ. I knowe perfectly that no kinde of workes can saue me but only the workes of Christ my Lord and Sauiour The kyng hearing these words turned hym about and laught and called her vnto him and caused her to recant because shee was his aunt and shee escaped The woman of Leith was detected heereof that when the midwife in time of her labour bad her saye our Ladye helpe mee Shee cried Christe helpe mee Christe helpe mee in whose helpe I truste A great heresie to say◠Christ helpe 〈◊〉 our Ladye Shee also was caused to recant and so escaped without confiscation of her goods because she was maried Maister Norman Gurley for that he fayde there was no such thing as Purgatory and that the Pope was not a Byshop but Antichriste Agaynst Purgatorye and had no iurisdiction in Scotland Also Dauid Straton for that hee sayde there was no Purgatorie but the Passion of Christe and the tribulations of thys worlde and because that when M. Robert Lowson Uicare of Eglesgrig asked hys tieth fishe of hym hee did caste them to him out of the boate so that some of them fel into the Sea therefore he accused hym as one that shoulde haue sayde that no tithes should be payed These two because after great sollicitation made by the kynge they refused to abiure and recant were therefore condemned by the Byshop of Rose as heretickes and were burned vpon the greene side betweene Leith and Edenburgh to the entent that the inhabitants of Fiffe seeing the fire might be stricken with terrour and feare not to fall into the lyke Ex eodem Scripto ¶ And thus muche touching those Martyrs of Scotland which suffered vnder Iames Beton Archbishop of S. Andrewes After whom succeeded Dauid Beton in the same Archbyshoprike vnder whom diuers other were also martired as hereafter God willing in their order shall appeare Iohn Lōgland Byshop of Lincolne Rowland Vicare of great Wickam the Byshops Chaplen Thomas Harding an aged father dwelling at Chesham in Buckinghamshire At Chessham in Buckingham An. 1532. Thom. Harding dwelling at Chesham in the Countie of Buckingham with Alice his wife was firste abiured by William Smith Byshop of Lincolne an 1506. with dyuers other moe which the same time for speaking agaynst Idolatrie and superstition were taken and compelled some to beare fagots some were burned in the cheeke with hote irons some condemned to perpetuall prison some thrust into Monasteries and spoyled cleane of all theyr goodes some compelled to make pilgrimage to the great blocke otherwise called our Lady of Lincolne some to Walsingam some to Saint Romuld of Buckingham some to the roode of Wendouer some to S. Iohn Shorne c. of whōe mention is made in the Table before beginning pag 821. Of this Thomas Harding much rehearsall hath bene made before Tho. Harding martir as in the pages 821.822.823 First this Thomas Harding with Alice his wife being abiured and enioyned penance with diuers other moe by William Smith Bishop of Lincolne afterward by the sayd Byshop was released againe in the yeare of our
sisters A prophesi The sacrament of the aultar is not as they take it to be But if it be as I trust we shall see none of theÌ„ holden vp one of these dayes ouer the priests head c. Item for saieng that the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ hath made satisfaction for all ill deedes that were done or should be done and therefore it was no neede to go on pilgrimage It was also layde to his charge and confessed by himselfe that he had Iesus Gospels in English and that he was present in the house of Iohn Taylor when one Iohn Symonds read to them a lecture out of the Gospell of the Passion of Christ the space of two houres Item for sayeng that Images were but Idoles and it was Idolatrie to pray to them For sayeng moreouer that at sacring time hee kneeled downe but he had no deuotion nor beleeued in the Sacrament Item that the Popes authoritie and pardon can not helpe mans soule and it was but cast away money that is giuen for pardon For if we aske pardon of our Lord Iesus Christ he will geue vs pardon euery day Thomas Lound Priest who had bene with Luther ij yeares being afterward cast in the Fleete at London was a great instructor of this I. Ryburne Iohn LoÌ„gland Byshop of Lincolne Ex eod Regâ—â—t fol. 323. Iohn Symondes Iohn Simondes accused It was layde agaynste Iohn Symondes for sayeng that men doo walke all daye in Purgatory in this world and when they depart out of this worlde there is but two wayes eyther to hell or to heauen Item he sayd that priests should haue wiues It was reported by the confession of the said Iohn Symondes that hee conuerted to his doctrine viij Priestes and had holpen two or three Friers out of their orders Ioh. Longland B. of Lincolne William Wingraue Thomas Hawkes of HicheÌ„den Ex Regist. Longland fol. 311. Robert Hawes of Westwicome Iohn Taylor Iohn Hawkes Tho. Herne of Cobshil Nicholas Field Richard Deane Thomas Clerke the yonger William Hawkes of Chesham An. 1530. These persons with other Dyuers accused for hearing the Scripture read in Englishe were examined excommunicated and abiured for beeyng together in Iohn Taylors house at Hichenden and there hearing Nicholas Fielde of London to reade a parcell of scripture in english to them who there expouÌ„ded to them many things that they whiche went on Pilgrimage were accursed That it booted not to pray to Images SimoÌ„ Wisedome abiured for they were but stockes made of wood and could not helpe a man That GOD almighty biddeth vs worke as well one day as an other sauyng the Sonday for vj. dayes he wrought and the seuenth day he rested That they needed not to fast so many fasting dayes except the Imbryng dayes for hee was beyond the Sea in Almany and there they vsed not so to fast nor to make such holy dayes Item that offerynges do no good for they haue them that haue no neede therof And when it was aunswered agayne by one y t they mainteyned Gods seruice nay sayd Nicolas it mainteyneth great houses as Abbeys and other Item that men should say their Pater noster and Aue Maria in Englishe with the Creede and declared the same in Englishe Item that the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar was not as it was pretended the fleshe bloud and bone of Christ but a Sacrament that is a Typicall signification of his holy body To WilliaÌ„ Wingraue moreouer it was obiected y t he should say that there was no Purgatory and if there were any Purgatory and euery Masse that is sayd should deliuer a soule out of Purgatory there should be neuer a soule there for there be moe Masses sayd in a day then there be bodies buried in a moneth Iohn LoÌ„gland Byshoppe of Lincolne Symon Wisedome of Burford Symon Wisedome of Burford was charged in Iudgement for hauyng three bookes in English one was the Gospels in English an other was y e Psalter y e thyrd was the SuÌ„me of the holy Scripture in English Doctour Prinne Commissary to the Byshop of Lyncolne Iames Algar or Ayger An. 1530. It was articulated obiected to Iames Ayger Iames Algar abiured first that he speakyng to a certaine Doctour of Diuinitie named Aglonby sayd that euery true Christen man lyuyng after the lawes of God and obseruyng his CoÌ„maundementes is a Priest as well as he c. IteÌ„ that he sayd that hee would not his executours to deale any penny for his soule after his death for hee would doe it with his owne handes while he was aliue that his conscience gaue him that the soule so soone as it departeth out of the body goeth streight either to heauen or to hell IteÌ„ when Doct. Aglonby aforesayd had alledged to him the place of S. Mat. 16. Thou art Peter c. He answered him againe with that which followeth in the Gospell after Get thee after me Sathan c. Item the sayde Iames hearing of a certayne Church to be robbed sayd openly it made no great force for the Church hath enough already  Iohn FreÌ„ch of Longwitam At Longwitam An. 1530. Against Iohn French lykewise these three Articles were obiected Iohn French abiured 1. That he beleeued not the body of Christ flesh bloud and bone to be in the Sacrament 2. That hee was not confessed to anye Priest of long tyme. 3. That Priestes had not power to absolue from sins c. For the which he likewise with the other was troubled and at length compelled also with them to kneele downe and to aske his holy Catholicke fathers and mothers blessing of Rome But what stand I heere numbering the sand For if all the Register bookes were sought it would be an infinite thing to recite all them which through all the other Diocesses of the Realme in these dayes before and since were troubled and pursued for these and such like matters But these I thought for example sake heere to specifie that it might appeare what doctrine it is and long hath bene in the Churche for the whiche the Prelates and Cleargie of Rome haue iudged men heretickes and so wrongfully haue molested poore simple Christians Now passing from the abiurations of those poore men we will something speake God willing of the life doings of the contrary part who were their persecutours and chiefe Rulers then of the Churche to the entent that by those Rulers it may better be discerned and iudged what maner of Church that was which then so persecuted the true doctrine of Christ and members of hys Church * A briefe discourse concerning the storie and life of Thomas Wolsey late Cardinall of Yorke by way of digression wherein is to be seene and noted the expresse image of the proud vayneglorious Church of Rome how farre it differeth from the true Church of Christ Iesus ALthough it be not greatly pertinent vnto this our hystorie Cardinall Wolsey nor greatly requisite in
the church My grief most bitter is turned to peace c. But the malignant church sayth Peace peace and there is no peace but onely that wherof it is written When the mighty armed man kepeth his gates he possesseth all thinges in quiet But when he seeth that he shal be vanquished of a stronger then he him selfe is he spoyleth and destroyeth all thinges What now a dayes beginneth agayne to be attempted I dare not say God graunt vs grace that we doe not refuse and reiect if it bee Christ him that commeth vnto vs 2. Thess. 2. least that we doe feele that terrible iudgement agaynst vs because sayth he they haue not receiued the loue of trueth that they might be saued therefore God will send vpon them the blindnesse of errour that they shall geue credite vnto lyes O terrible sentence whiche God knoweth whether a great number haue not alreadye incurred that all they might bee iudged which haue not geuen credite vnto the trueth Notes and argumentes prouing that it is not the true word of God which hath bene preached in the Popes Church but consented vnto iniquity The tyme shall come sayth he when that they will not suffer the true doctrine to be preached And what shall we theÌ„ say of that learning which hath now so loÌ„g time raigned and triumphed so that no man hath once opened his mouth agaynst it Shall we think it sound doctrine Truely iniquity did neuer more abound nor charity was neuer so cold And what should we say to be the cause therof hath the cause bene for lacke of preaching agaynst the vices of men and exhorting to charity That cannot be for many learned and greate Clearkes sufficiently can witnesse to the contrary And yet all these notwithstanding we see the life and maners of meÌ„ do greatly degenerate from true Christianity and seme to cry out in deede that it is fulfilled in vs which God in times past threatned by his Prophet Amos Amos 8. saying Beholde the day shall come sayth the Lord that I will send hunger vpon the earth not hunger of bread neither thirst of water but of hearing the word of God and the people shall be moued from sea to sea and from the West vnto East and shall runne about seekinge for the word of God but shall not finde it In those dayes the fayre Virgines and young men shall perish for thirst c. But now to passe ouer many thinges This letter may well answere to the note of D. Saunders booke intituled The rocke of the Church fol. 14. nota 5. whereby I am mooued to feare that the word of God hath not bene purely preached thys is not the leaste argument that they whiche come and are sent and endeuour themselues to preach Christ truely are euyll spoken of for his name which is the rocke of offence and stumbling blocke vnto them which stumble vpon hys woorde and doe not beleue on hym on whome they are builded But you will aske who are those men what is theyr doctrine Truely I say whosoeuer entreth in by the doore Christ into the sheepfolde which thing all such shall do as seeke nothing els but the glory of God and saluation of soules Of all such it may be truely said that whom y e Lord sendâ—th he speaketh the woord of God And why so Because he representeth the Aungel of the church of Philadelphia vnto whom Saynt Iohn writeth saying This sayth he Apoc. 3. which is holy and true which hath the keyes of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth behold saith he speaking in the name of Christ which is the dore and dorekeper I haue set before thee an open dore that is to say of the Scriptures opening thy senses that thou shouldest vnderstand the Scriptures and that because thou hast entred in by me which am the dore Iohn 3â— For whosoeuer entreth in by me which am the dore shal be saued he shall goe in and come out and find pasture for the dorekeeper openeth the dore vnto him and the sheepe heare his voyce But contrariwise they whiche haue not entred in by the doore Who 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 but haue clymed in some other way by ambition auarice or desire of rule they shall euen in a moment goe downe into hell except they repent And of them is the saying of Ieremy verefied All beautye is gone away from the daughter of Syon because her princes are become lyke rammes Lameâ—â— 1. not finding pasture And why so Because like theeues robbers they haue clymed an other way not being called nor sent And what meruaile is it if they doe not preach when as they are not sent but runne for lucre seeking theyr owne glory and not the glory of God and saluation of soules Outward callyng by kynges and princes in Christes ministry auayleth nothing without the inward calling of God And this is y e roote of all mischeife in the Church that they are not sent inwardly of God For without this inward calling it helpeth nothing before God to be a hundreth times electe and consecrate by a thousande Bulles eyther by Pope King or Emperour God beholdeth the harte whose iudgementes are according to truth howsoeuer we deceyue the iudgement of men for a tyme which also at the last shall see theyr abhomination This I say is the originall of all mischiefe in the Church that we thrust in our selues into the charge of soules whose saluation and the glory of God which is to enter in by the doore we doe not thirst nor seeke for but altogether our owne lucre profit Hereupon it commeth that wee knowe not howe to preach Christ purely For how should they preach Christ saith the Apostle except they be sent for otherwise many theeues and robbers do preach him but with theyr lippes onely for theyr hart is farre from him The roote of all mischiefe in the Church Ex Prudentio Neither yet do we suffer those which do know how to preach but persecute them and go about to oppresse the Scriptures now springing vnder the pretence of godlinesse fearing as I suppose least the Romaines should come take our place Ah thou wicked enemy Herode why art thou afrayd that Christe shoulde come he taketh not away mortall and earthly kingdomes Lay thys letter against Doct. Saunders booke aforesayd Exod. 5. which geueth heauenly kingdomes O blindnesse O our great blindnesse yea more then that of Egypt of the which if there be any that would admonish the people by and by sayth Pharao Moyses and Aaron why do ye cause the people to cease from theyr labours and truely called theyr labours Get you to your burdens Lay more worke vpon them and cause them to do it that they harken not vnto lyes The persecuters of our time compared to Pharao Thus the people was dispersed throughout all y e land of Egypt to gather vp chaffe I say to gather
Quaelibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Nowe if this vayne of yours which so extremely rayleth and fareth agaynst the poore Martyrs seruauntes of Christ be so copious that you dare take in hand anye false matter to proue and to make men beleue that Bilney dyed a Papist yet the maner of handling hereof woulde haue required some more artificiall conueyaunce Mendacem enim vt scis memorem esse oportet that meÌ„ although they see the matter to be false yet might commend the workmanship of the handler which to say the trueth neither hangeth w t it selfe nor beareth any semblance of any truth But because M. More is gone and dead I will cease anye further to insult vpon him least I may seeme to incur y e same vice of hys in mordendo mortuos Yet for somuche as his bookes be not yet dead but remayne aliue to the hurt of many hauing therfore to do notw t him but with his book disciples this would I know how hangeth this geare together Bilney was heard Marke howe these thinges hang together and yet not heard hee spake so softly yet not softly Some sayd he did recat some said he did not recant Ouer and besides how wil this be answered that for so much as the sayd Bilney as he sayth reuoked many dayes before his burning the same was knowen to him at London then how chaunced the same could not be as well knowne to them of Norwiche who as hys owne story affirmeth knew nothing therof before the day of his execution then seeing a certayne bill in his hande whiche some sayd was a bill of his reuocation some other heard it not All this would be made â—layne especiallye in such a matter as this is which he knew himselfe peradueÌ„ture to be false at least he knew would be doubted The second reason of M. More suspected and contraried of a great multitude I passe now to hys second reason where he reporteth that the sayd Bilney forthwith vpon hys iudgement and degradation kneeled downe in the presence of all the people and asked of the Chauncellour absolution from the sentence of excommunication holding hym well content with hys death whiche hee confessed himselfe to haue deserued c. Aunswere As touching the pacient receiuing of hys death I doe well assent although I do not thinke that he had deserued any such for his doctrine And as for his kneeling down in the presence of the people vpon his iudgement and degradation as I do not deny that he myght so do so I suppose agayne the cause of hys kneeling not to be vnto the Chancellour to aske absolution from hys excommunicatioÌ„ And if he were assoyled froÌ„ hys excommunicatioÌ„ yet doth it not thereupon followe that he recanted no more then before wheÌ„ he came to M. Latimer in hys study huÌ„bly to be confessed assoyled from hys sinnes as the blindnes of y e tyme then led him But whether he kneeled downe and was assoyled or no neyther was I there to see hym nor yet M. More hymselfe And therfore with the like authority as he affirmeth I may deny the same vnlesse hee brought better demonstration for hys assertion then hee doth hauing no more for himselfe but onely hys owne * That is he so sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet neuerthelesse admit hee so did being a man of a timorous conscience of an humble spirite and not fully resolued touching that matter of the Church yet it followeth not therby as is sayd that he reuoked hys other Articles and doctrine by hym before professed The like answere may also be shaped to his third reason where he sayth that certayne dayes after hys iudgement The third reason of M. More he made great labour that hee might receaue the blessed bodye of Christ in forme of bread whiche the Chauncellour after a great sticking a while at length did graunt perceiuing his deuotion thereto c. Whereunto I aunswere as before that it is not vnpossible but that Bilney might both heare Masse Aunswere and desire to receaue the sacrament For in that matter it maye be that he was not resolued otherwise then common custome then led both hym and many other Neyther doe I finde in all the articles obiected agaynst Bilney that euer he was charged with any such opinion concerning either the Masse or the Sacrament whiche maketh me thinke that hee was yet ignoraunt and also deuout as other then were Also fourthly be it admitted as M. More sayth The 4. reason of M. More that in receiuing of the sacrament he holdyng vp hys handes should say the Collect Domine Iesu Christe and comming to these wordes ecclesiae tuae paceÌ„ concordiam he knocked vpon hys brest dyuers tymes repeatyng the same wordes c. al this beyng granted to M. More yet it argueth no necessarye alteration of hys former doctrine Status inficialis in Rhethoricke is when one staÌ„deth to the deniall of the fact which he preached and taught before And yet if I listed here to stand dalying with M. More in the state inficiall and deny that he affirmeth how will hee make good that which he sayth He sayth that Bilney kneeling before the Chauncellour desired absolution Then commyng to Masse full deuoutly required to receaue the body of Christ in forme of bread An argument of Mores authoritie repeating diuers tymes the woordes of the collect Domine Iesu Christe c. By what argument proueth he all this to be so M. More in hys preface before y e book against Tindal so saith Ergo it is certain If M. More had neuer made fictions in hys writinges beside or had neuer broken the head of veritie in so many places of hys bookes as I could shewe hym then might this argument goe for somewhat But here I aske was this M. More present at y e iudgement of Bilney No Or els what registers had he for hys direction None Or els by what witnesses will he auouch this to be certayne Goe and seeke these witnesses good reader where thou canst finde them M. Mores credit crackt for M. More nameth none Onely because M. More so saith that is sufficient Well geue this to M. More although hee hath crackt his credite so often and may alwayes be bankrout yet let his word go for paymeÌ„t at this time let vs imagine all to be oracles y t he sayth yet neuertheles here must needes remaine a scruple For what will M. More or because he is gone what will his disciples say to this that if Bilney was before assoyled vppon his iudgement as they pretend howe was he then afterward degraded What assoyling is this to be forgeueÌ„ first and then to be punished after Againe if he were as they surmise conuerted so fully to the Catholicke fayth and also assoyled why then dyd the Chauncellour sticke so greatly for a while to housell him with the body of Christ in forme of
bread I am sure that if Christ had bene here himselfe in forme of his owne fleshe he would nothing haue stucke to receaue him being so conuerted at the first To be short if Bilney was so graciously reduced to y e holy mother the Catholicke Church repenting his errors and detesting his heresies now being in no Purgatory but being a very Saint in heauen as ye say he is why theÌ„ did ye burne him whom you knew your selues should be a Saint Thus ye burnt doth Gods enemies and Gods Saintes too The lawe of relapse Extrauag de haeret super co what cruel men are you But here you wil alledge perhaps your lawe of relaps by the whiche the first fall is pardonable but the second fall into heresie is in no case pardonable for so standeth your lawe I graunt But how this law standeth with y e true church of Christ with his word now let vs reason For this being a lawe not of politicke or ciuill gouernment where suche lawes be â—xpedient for publicke necessitie but onely being a law mere Ecclesiastical what a cruell mother Church is this which will not and cannot forgeue her children rising and repenting the second faulte or error committed Mores wordes in his preface but needes must burne theyr bodyes that theyr soules may be saued from y e paynfull Passion of Purgatory The popes lawe disagreeing from the condition of the true church of christ whom neuerthelesse they know forthwith shal be blessed in heauen If God do saue them why doe you burne them If God doe pardon them why do you condeÌ„ne them And if this be the law of your Churche according to your doctrine to burne them at the second time though they be amended how then doth this Church agree with the worde of Christ and nature of his true spouse which onely seeketh repentaunce amendment of sinners which once being had she gladly openeth her bosome and motherly receaueth them whensoeuer they returne Wherfore if Bilney did returne to your Church as ye say he did then was your Church a cruell mother and vnnaturall which would not opeÌ„ her bosome vnto hym but thrust him into the fire wheÌ„ he had repented Furthermore how will you defend this law by the word of God who in expresse wordes teaching all Bishops and Pastors by the example of Christ the great Bishop of our soules beyng compassed about with tentations that he might haue the more compassion of them which be infirme exhorted all other spirituall pastors by the lyke example saying Hebr. 5. Hebr. 5. For euery bishop whiche is taken from among men is ordayned for men in thinges pertayning to God to offer giftes and sacrifice for sinnes that he may be mercifull to the ignoraunt and to such as erre for somuch as he himselfe is compassed about with infirmitie c. Bilney needed not to be burned by the sentence of the Canon lawe Besides whiche Scripture adde also that some Doctors of the Canon law if they be well scande will not deny but that they which be fallen in relapse whither it be verè or fictè yet if they earnestly returne from theyr errors before the sentence be geuen they may be sent to perpetual prison in some monastery Ex tractatu cuinsdam Doct. Canonistae c. Wherefore if Bilney dyd so earnestly retract and detest his former opinions so manye dayes as More sayth before his suffering then needed not he to suffer that death as he dyd but might haue bene sent to perpetuall prison Thus I although I need not to stand longer vpon this matter being so playn and hauing sayd inough yet briefly to repeate that before hath bene sayd this I say again first if Thomas Bilney was assoyled from excommunication and after that heard his Masse so deuoutly and at the ende of the Masse was confessed and consequently after confession was housseled and lastly asked mercy for contemning of the Church as M. More doth beare vs in hand to see nowe howe this tale hangeth together why then dyd the Chauncellour sticke so greatly to geue hym the sacrament of the aultar whom he hymselfe had assoyled and receiued to the sacrament of penaunce before M. Mores tale full of absurdities whiche is playne agaynst the Canon lawes Agayne the sayd Thomas Bilney if hee were nowe receaued to the mother Church by the Sacraments of penaunce and of the aultar why then was he afterward disgraded and cut from the Church sith the Canon permitteth no degradation but to them which onely be incorrigible Furthermore the sayd Bilney if he being conuerted so many dayes before as More pretendeth to the Catholicke fayth was now no hereticke howe then did the sentence pronounce him for an hereticke or finally how would they or why could they burn him beyng a Catholicke especially sith the Canon law would beare in him to be iudged rather to perpetuall prison in some monastery as is afore touched if they had pleased Wherefore in three wordes to aunswere to M. More First all this tale of hys may be doubted because of y â— matter not hanging together Secondly it may also well be denyed for the insufficiencye of probation and testimonye Thirdly if al this were graunted yet neyther hath master More anye great aduauntage agaynst Bilney to reproue him to haue recanted nor yet M. Cope against me whiche by the authoritie of M. More seeketh to beare mee downe Mores consequent denyed and disproue my former story For be it graunted that Bilney at his death did holde with the Masse with confession and with the authority of theyr Romish Church being an humble spirited man and yet no further brought yet all this notwithstanding prooueth not that he recanted For so much as he neuer held nor taught any thing before agaynst the premisses therfore he could not recant that which he neuer did hold For the better demonstration whereof I will recite out of the Registers some part of his teaching and preaching as was obiected agaynst him by one Richard Nele Priest who among other witnesses Ex Registro London 〈◊〉 82. Bilney against offeringes to Images deposed agaynst hym for preaching in the Towne of Wylsedone these wordes folowing Put away your golden Gods your siluer Gods your stonye Gods and leaue your offeringes and lift vp your heartes to the sacrament of the aultar Also the sayd Maister Bilney sayde in hys Sermon I know certayne thinges haue bene offered in such places whiche haue bene afterward geuen to whores of the stewes and I call them whores of the stewes that be naught of their lyuing c. Ex Regist. Item by an other witnes named W. Cade it was deposed agaynst him thus to preache That Iewes and Saracens would haue become Christen men long agoe had not Idolatrye of Christen men beene by offring of Candels waxe or money to the stockes and the stones of Images set and standing in the Churches c.
commaunding Leo then Bishop of Rome to come vnto the same And albeit Leo neither liked the tyme which he would for a season shoulde haue bene deferred nor yet the place for he wold haue had it in Italy wheras the Emperour by hys owne commaundement had called it to Calchis in Asia yet he answered the Emperor that he would gladly obey his commaundement and sent thither his agentes to appeare there for him as doth appeare in the Epistles of Leo to Martiane then Emperoure xli.xlvii.xvliij and in the xlix Epistle to Pulcheria the Empres. And likewise desireth Theodosius the Emperour to commaund a Councell of Bishops to be called in Italy for taking away such contentions and troubles as at that tyme troubled the quietnes of the Churches And in many moe Epistles of the same Leo it doth manifestly appeare that the Emperoures alwayes assembled generall Councels by theyr commaundementes And in the sixt generall Councel it appeareth very playnly that at that time the Byshoppes of Rome made no clayme nor vsed anye title to call themselues heades vniuersall ouer all the Catholicke Churche as there doth appeare in the superscription or salutation of the foresayd Synodicall preamble which is this word for word To the most godly Lordes and most noble victors and conquerours the welbeloued Children of God and our Lord Iesu Christ Constantine the great Emperour and to Heraclius and Tiberius Cesars Byshop Agatho the seruaunt of the seruaunts of God with all the cōuocations subiecte to the Councell of the See apostolicke sendeth greeting And he expresseth what Countryes he reckoned and comprehended in that superscription or salutation For it followeth that those were vnder hys assembly whiche were in the North and East partes so that at that time the byshop of Rome made no such pretence to be ouer and aboue all as he nowe doth by vsurpation vendicating to hymselfe the spirituall kingdom of Christ by which he raigneth in the heartes of all faythfull people and then chaungeth it to a temporall kingdome ouer and aboue all kinges to depose them for hys pleasure preaching thereby the flesh for the spirite and an earthly kingdome for an heauenly to hys owne damnation if he repent not Pet. 2. Where hee ought to obey hys prince by the doctrine of S. Peter in his first Epistle saying Be ye subiect to euery ordinaunce of man Rom. 14. for the Lordes sake whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or vnto gouernours as sent of hym to the punishment of the euill doers and to the prayse of the good Agayne S. Paule Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers With other thinges before alledged So that this his pretensed vsurpation to be aboue all kings is directly agaynst the scriptures geuen to the Churche by the Apostles whose doctrine whosoeuer ouerturneth can be neyther the head nor yet the least member of the Church Wherfore albeit ye haue hetherto sticked to the sayd wrongfully vsurped power moued thereto as ye write by your conscience yet sithence now ye see further if ye lust to regarde the meere truth and such auncient authours as haue bene written to you of in tymes past we would exhorte you for the wealth of your soule to surrender into the Byshoppe of Romes handes your redde hatte by whiche he seduced you trustyng so to make you beyng come of a noble bloud an instrument to aduaunce his vayne glory whereof by the sayd hat hee made you participant to allure you thereby the more to his purpose In whiche doyng yee shall returne to the truth from whiche yee haue erred doe your duetye to your soueraigne Lord from whom ye haue declined and please thereby almightie God whose lawes ye haue transgressed and in not so doyng ye shall remayne in errour offendyng both almightie God and your naturall soueraigne Lord whome chiefly yee ought to seeke to please Which thyng for the good mynde that we heretofore haue borne you we pray almightie God of his infinite mercy that you do not Amen When all other kynges subiectes Anno 1535. and the learned of the Realme had taken and accepted the othe of the kynges supremacie onely Fisher the Byshop of Rochester Syr Thomas More refused as is aforesaid to be sworne who therfore fallyng into the daūger of the law were committed into the Tower and executed for the same an 1535. This Iohn Fisher aforesayd had written before agaynst Oecolampadius whose booke is yet extant and afterward agaynst Luther Iohn Fysher Bishop of Rochester enemye to Christes Gospell Also amongest other his actes he had bene a great enemy and persecuter of Iohn Frith the godly learned Martyr of Iesus Christ whom hee and Syr Thomas Moore caused to be burned a yeare and a halfe before and shortly after the said fisher to his confusion was charged with Elizabeth Barton called the holy maid of Kent and founde guilty by act of Parleament as is aboue recorded For his learning and other vertues of life this Bishop was well reputed and reported of many and also much lamented of some But whatsoeuer his learning was pitie it was that he being indued with that knowledge should be so farre drowned in such superstition more pitie that he was so obstinate in his ignoraunce but most pitie of all that he so abused the learning he had to such crueltie as hee dyd But thus commonly we see come to passe as the Lorde saith That who so striketh with the sworde shall perishe with the sworde 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 and they that staine their handes with blood seldome do bring their bodies drie to the graue as cōmonly appeareth by the end of bloudy tyrantes and especially such as be persecuters of Christes poore members Byshop Fysher and Sir Tho. More persecutors In the number of whom was this Bishop and sir Thom. More by whom good Iohn Frith Teukesbery Thomas Hytten Bayfild with diuers other good saintes of God were brought to their death It was sayde that the Pope to recompence Byshop Fisher for his faithfull seruice had elected him Cardinal and sent him a Cardinals hat as far as Calice but the head it should stand vpon was as hie as London bridge ere euer y e Popes hat could come to him Thus Bishop Fisher and Syr Thomas More which a litle before had put Iohn Frith to death for heresy against the Pope Byshop Fysher Syr Tho. More beheaded were themselues executed and beheaded for treason against the king the one the xxij of Iune the other the vi of Iuly ann 1535. Of sir Tho. More some thing hath bene touched before who was also recounted a man both wittie learned but whatsoeuer he was beside a bitter persecuter he was of good men The lying bookes of Syr Tho. More and a wretched enemie against the truth of the Gospel as by his bookes leaft behind him maye appeare wherein most slanderously and contumeliously he writeth against Luther Zwinglius Tindal Frith Barnes
by some meane be brought to passe that as the Serpent deceiued Eue thorow wilines so your mindes may be corrupt from the simple veritie that is in Christ. And also in his Commentaries vpon the epistle to the Coloss vpon this text In Christ Iesus is all treasure of wisedome and in other diuers places of the same worke 2. Tim 3. Chrysost. in Epist. Paulâ— in opere imperfecto The preacher must not sweâ—â—e neither on the right hand or left from the expresse word of God S. Chrysostome also in his Commentaries vppon Paul declaring this saying Omnis scriptura diuinitus inspirata c. The whole Scripture giuen by inspiration of GOD. c. And in his Booke called Opus imperfectum I wote not precisely vpon what text but there you shal finde that he would haue a true preacher of gods law not swaruing therefro neither vpon the right hand neither vpon y e left but keeping thereafter according to the teaching of SalomoÌ„ for he that should thervnto adde or withdraw should enterprise as sayeth Chrysostome to be wiser then God These or els such like wordes doth he say I will be deemed by the booke brought forth because my remembraunce cannot retayne perfectly all such thinges S. Cyprian mainteineth well the same in an Epistle that â—e writeth ad Cecilium fratrem Cyprianus ad Ceciliâ—â— fratrem Which I woulde to God were in English that al men might learn the deuout goodnes in it conteined In the same he teacheth clearely how we ought to heare Christ onely and his learning not regarding ne attending to the traditions of men lyke as he doth also in many other places And this agreeth well with Scripture which is called the word of Saluation Scripture how many names it hath the administration of righteousnes the word of truth yea and the truth it selfe the rod of direction our spirituall food the spirituall sword that we ought to fight with against all temptations and assaultes of our ghostly enemies the seede of God the kingdome of heauen keyes of the same the power of God the light of the worlde which who so followeth shal not be ouercome with darknes the law of God his wisedome and Testament Of which wordes and such like The word sufficient 〈◊〉 all our direction euery one will giue matâ—er of substantial argument that we following the same doctrine onely shall haue sufficient safe conduict to come vnto the inheritaunce promised albeit none other wayes or meanes were annexed with the same And certaine I am that in this blessed doctrine of Christ is taught Scripture sufficient to saluation without any other addition Psal. 25. howe we ought to do truth and mercy which is all that we neede to do as testifieth the Psalme in these wordes Vniuersae viae domini misericordia veritas c. All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and truth And againe the Prophet willing vs to do as he did sayth in this maner Adhaesi testimonijs tuis domine noli me confundere I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord confound me not In lyke maner the sayd whole Psalme warneth vs. Psal. 118. Yea all the Scripture biddeth vs sticke fast to the steady and true worde of God saying that he is verax viae eius veritas omnis autem homo vanitas mendax For he is true and all his wayes are trueth but all men are vaine and lyers For that is the sure foundation which cannot fayle them that grounde therevppon as reporteth Christ Euery one sayth he that heareth my words doth them is like to a wise man that buildeth vppon a sure foundation And there ought to be none other foundation to christen men but only the vndoubted truth of Iesus to build our faith vpon and direct our liuing thereafter as sheweth s. Paul saying FundamentuÌ„ aliud nemo c. Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. And likewise in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians 1. Cor. 3. where he sayth I am non estis hospites aduenae sed conciues sanctorum domestici dei c. Nowe ye are no more strangers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 〈◊〉 1. And in the same epistle S. Paul dilating of Christes benificence sheweth how that he ordained in the Churche diuers officers to the edifying of Christen people that he calleth Christes body vntill all we may come vnto the vnitie of faith which coÌ„meth by following of one doctrine whiche is Christes wherby wee may growe to bee perfect men and that we should not be here like to children caried about with euery winde of doctrine by deceipte and wilines of men that study to deceiue vs. Heb. 13. In like forme doeth he warne vs in the Epistle to the Hebrues that we should not be caried about as the wind with diuers and straunge doctrines but continue in that which euer continueth like and all one agreeable for all men in all partes The inconstancy and variablenes of mens coÌ„stitutions The popes lawes were neuer wholy receiued of all men and that at all times not being chaungeable as mens constitutions be whereof looke what one doth counsaile or ordaine to be of effecte another annulleth the same according as mens mindes doe alway alter and are full vnstedy Neither doe such pertaine vnto all men for the Greekes with other whome the Pope ne none of his people wil yet deny to be of Christes Church will in no condition admitte such neither for men to liue after them nor to beleeue them as pertaining to theyr faith But they allowe well the doctrine that perseuereth euer one Heb. 13. and is immutable as sheweth Saint Paule saying Iesus Christ yesterday and to day is all one and so euer shal be He is white breade without any sower leuen of Pharisaical traditions veritie without guile light without any darkenes the very straight way that hath neither hooke ne croke From this ought we not to turne neither vpon one hand ne other vnlesse we will go from him that is our felicitie and anker of safetie But what should I more entreate of this excepte I would recite all scripture which in euery parte is full of admonitions exhorting and warning vs to cleaue fast vnto this way which is the doctrine of the Gospel which God I beseech him graunt vs all both to knowe and loue taking heede that in no wise wee be seduced therefro by lawes doctrines of men Looke also in the ij chap. to the Colossians and in the epistle of Timothe and Titus So that I conclude in holy scripture to be conteined sufficiently enough of doctrine The chiefe article obiected againsâ— Iohn Lambert for the regiment and saluation of our soules And this because learned men do call the head Article laid against me I would that all men should well note it and record my saying
thus Non sit nobis religio humanorum operum cultus Lactantius Origines contra Câ—â—sum Goldesmithes and Caruers needles 〈◊〉 common wealth meliores enim sunt ipsi artifices qui talia fabricantur quos tamen colere non debemus LactaÌ„tius also maketh strongly with the same I can not without the booke recite his saying for he teacheth largely of the same matter OrigeÌ„ also contra Celsum I trow will likewise testify where as I remember he concludeth saying that he would haue no Goldsmithes ne Grauers in a Communalty for they do but litle profite or none thereto And S. Gregory that was chiefe either inuentor that Images should be set in churches or els mainteiner therof woulde not as I haue read I trow it is in an Epistle which he writeth ad Seruum haue them worshipped And as concerning the exciting of mens memory I would suppose that it Christes doctrine were so shewed and opened that people might clearely vnderstand it and that is the principall office of prelats and curates to do by diligent teaching thereof I thinke veryly we should haue litle need of any other Images then that should by wholsome doctrine be shewed vnto vs by word of mouth writing Quoniam nihil tam efficax ad comonefaciendum discipulos quam viua vox Nothing is so effectuall to excite the remembraunce of disciples as the liuely voyce of good teachers as it is testified both by common report and also by the sentence of learned men So that I suppose if this liuely doctrine of God had afore time bene apertly diligently opened vnto the people as curates ought to haue done we should haue suche proâ—ite thereby that we should not need to contend for setting vp or taking downe of other dumme stockes lifeles stones â—he worde 〈◊〉 doctrine 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 vs in reâ—embrance 〈◊〉 not Images carued or made by men And if prelates would begin to set vp Christes word which alas for pity is not looked vpon but rather troden downe despised so that many are not ashamed to say I will haue no more learning in Christes law then my predecessors for they that magnifye it must be sore punished and taken for hereticks with such other greeuous wordes if this doctrine were yet set vp in Churches I say and truely opened that all men myght haue theyr iudgement therby reformed and made cleare I thinke we shoulde not greatly neede the profite that commeth by Images made of men to excite our remembrauÌ„ce to liue Christerily For that word which came from the brest of Christ him selfe and was writteÌ„ of other that wrote and spake by the suggestion of his spirite the holy ghost The true Image of god in his worde and his workes sheweth full perfectly his blessed will which is the true and certayne Image of his mind and deuise If this therfore were diligently inculcate I thinke we should be transformed anewe according to the minde of Paule which writing to the Colossians Colloss 3 sayth thus See that you lye not one to an other after that now you haue put of the olde man with his woorkes and haue put vpon you the new man which is transformed and renouate after the knowledge and image of him that made vs. Yea thus should we all be docti à Deo taught of God as is sayde in Iohn and all should know God both small and great Iohn 6. according to the promise recited in the Hebrues yea thus should we be restored to goodnesse Heb. 8. that we should haue the Image of God â—arned in our hartes full expressely For euery man is transformed into the fashion of vertuous thinges that he is accustomed to read and heare 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 fashioâ—â—â— And therfore it were a greate grace if we might haue the worde of God diligently and often spoken and song vnto vs in such wise that the people might vnderstand it Yea then should it come to passe that craftes meÌ„ should sing spirituall psalmes sitting at theyr worke and the husbandman at his plough as wisheth S. Hierome Yea this holy Image of Christ I meane his blessed doctrine doth appoynt vs also to coÌ„sider the works made by the hand of God The best Image of god is hys word such as no man can make like wherby as sayth S. Paule writing to the Romanes The inuisi ble power and diuinity of God is knowne and sene by the creation oâ— the world of such as will consider his workes that are therin by him made 〈◊〉 1. Looke in the Psalmes Laudate Dominum de Coelis Coeli enarrant c. Prayse ye the Lord from heaueÌ„ The heauens declare the glory of God Psal. 149. with other And these two Images Gods workes and his doctrine hath ere any Images made by men were set vppe in Churches well and sufficiently instructed the primitiue church Psal. 19. and should yet instruct vs well Gods workes and his word be the right Images of God if they were well considered so that we shoulde not neede so sore to contend for setting vp of other made by men Wherby I haue perceiued much harme to arise and no great profite nor the scripture maketh not for them but rather contrary As concerning which matter I woulde your Lordshyppe woulde please to reade the Epistle of Baruche once agayne writing of the same matter Unto the xix where you aske whether I beleue that prayers of men liuing do profite soules departed beyng in Purgatory Aâ—swere to 〈◊〉 1â— artiâ—â—â— I made answere in the xiij article Unto the xx where you doe aske whether men merite and deserue both by theyr fasting and also by other deedes of deuotion â—â—swere to 〈…〉 I haue shewed what I do think therof in the fift demaund In the xxi where you do aske whether I do beleue that men prohibited of bishops to preach â—â—swere to 〈…〉 artyâ—â—â— as suspect of heresy ought to cease from preaching teaching vntill they haue purged themselues of suspition afore an higher Iudge I say that men may be wrongfully suspected of heresy Truth takeÌ„ mâ—ny tymes for heresie and heresy for truth either because they neuer thought to beleue such errors as men by false suspition do deeme them to fauor or els when men as well of high estate as of low by sinister iudgemeÌ„t may thinke that to be error which is the very truth And of this speaketh Esay Esâ—y 5. Whether men prohibited ought to cease from preaching Wo be to them quoth he that calleth the light darckenes and the darckenes light the truth falsehood and falsehood truth as the Byshops and the Priestes with theyr Oratour Tertullus called Paule saying thus before a Iudge called Felix vnto whose Court they brought hym to be condemned to death We haue quoth they gotteÌ„ here a pestilent felow Actes 24. a sower of sedition or discord among all the Iewes of the worlde
of heresy and so prohibited by Bishops for to preach the worde of God Wrongfull prohibytion oughte not to stoppe the preaching of Gods worde that they ought for no mans commaundement to leaue or stop though they do neuer purge themselues afore them for such will admitte no iust purgation many times but iudge in theyr own causes and that as they lust which me thinketh is not all comely Therfore in the old law the priestes and other Iudges do sit together hearing of matters that were in controuersy Yet this I thinke reasonable that a man iustly and not causelesse suspect Popish prelates iudges in their owne causes and namely if he be so found faultye of heresy ought to cease from preaching after he is inhibited vntill he haue made his purgation before some Iudge But in my rude opinion it were necessary and conuenient that our heades should not be ouer ready of suspition Swiftnes of suspition reproued and so inhibiting men approued from preaching specially in this Session when the people doth suspect them to doe it more for loue of themselues and mainteining of their priuate lucre or honor then to do it for loue of God and maintenance of his honor In the xxij where you demaund whether I beleue that it is lawfull for all Pristes freely to preache the woorde of God or no Answere to the 22. article and that in all places at all seasons to al persons to whom they shall please although they be not sent I say that priestes are called in Scripture by two distinct wordes that is to wit Praesbiteri Sacerdotes The fyrst is to say auncient men Seniors or elders and by that word or vocable Priestes whether they ought to preach though they be not sent are the seculer iudges or such like head officers sometime also signified as we reade in Daniel that they were called which defamed and wrongfully accused Susanna that this is seldome and nothing so customably as those to be called Praesbiteri which are set to be Prelates in the Church to guide the same by the word of God and his blessed doctrine Episcopi and Praesbyteri all one that is the roode of direction and the foundation of Christes fayth And Priestes thus called Praesbiteri in the Primitiue Church what time were but few traditions and ordinaunces to let vs from the strayt trade or institution made by Christ and his Apostles were the very same and none other but Bishops as I shewed you in the first part of mine aunswere by authoritye of Saynt Hierome Paul also recordeth the same right euidently in the first to Titus in this fourme I left thee Titus quoth blessed Paule behinde me in Crete that thou shouldest set in a due order such thinges as lacke or be not els perfectly framed and that thou shouldest set priestes in euery towne Priestes haue two names in Scripture Presbyteri Sacerdotes like as I did appoynt thee if any be without reproche or blamelesse the husbande of one wife hauing faythfull children not geuen to ryote or that be not vnruely for so ought a Bishop to be c. These are not my words but S. Paules in the Epistle to Titus Tit. 1. Where you may see that a priest called Praesbiter shuld be the same that we call a byshop whom he requireth a litle after to be able by wholesome doctrine of Gods Scripture Descripâ—â—â—â— of a 〈◊〉 Priest Gainesayâ—â—â— of truth 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 by scriptures 〈◊〉 by authority only oâ— traditions of men made in generall Councels What miâ—â—sters be 〈◊〉 to exhort the good to â—olow the same doctrine if any shall speake agaynst it to reproue them thereby And marke you how he would haue a bishop otherwise called an auncient man or a priest to make exhortation by holy scripture therby to reproue them that shall speake agaynst the trueth not to condemne them by might or authority onely or els by traditions of men made in generall Councels And as many as are in this wise Priestes whiche are called commonlye Praesbiteri otherwise Bishops such as in the church are set to take cure of soule and to be spirituall pastors ought to preach freely the word of God in all places and times conuenient and to whom soeuer it shall please theÌ„ if they suppose and see that theyr preaching should edify and profite And where as you adde this particle Though they were not sent I say that all suche are chosen to be preachers and therfore sent for of this speaketh S. Gregorye in his Pastorals in this wise Grigor in Pastoral Praedicationis quippe officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit Whosoeuer taketh priesthood vpoÌ„ him taketh also vpon him the office of preaching Yea your lawe reporteth in like maner Distinct. 43. where it is thus sayd A Priest ought to be honest that he may shew honesty both in wordes and conditions Dist. 43. Wherfore it is sayd in the Canticles The Cheekes of the spouse that is to wit of preachers are to be compared to a Turtle doue Where is moreouer added He must also haue the gift of teaching because as sayth S. Hierome innocent coÌ„uersation without speach or preaching how much it is auaylable by example geuing so much doth it hurt agayn by sileÌ„ce keping for wolues must be driueÌ„ away by barking of dogs by the shepheards staffe which as y e glose sheweth signifieth preaching sharpe words of the priest And this I vnderstaÌ„d of such as should be priestes elect both by god and men in Gods church whose office is to preach And though many of them which now doe minister in the church and are elect by bishops otherwise theÌ„ after the maner of Christes institution and the forme of the primitiue Church neither do ne can preach Multitude serueth for authority yet ought not the multitude of such to be layd for an authority agaynst me or other that are compelled to shew the truth and right ordinance of the apostles that was vsed afore time in the Primitiue church God bring it in agayn Neither ought we for the negligence of bishops which haue chosen such an ignorant multitude wherby the principal duty of priestes is growen out of knowledge when we do shew you therof to be so enforced by a booke othe and therfore noted as heretickes imprisoned and burned Sacerdotes Other be called priestes in the new Testament by thys word Sacerdotes that is to say I thinke sacrificers And thus as Christ was called Rex Sacerdos Kyng Prieste so be all true Christen men in the newe Testament as is testified Apocal. 1. by Christ made Kinges and Priestes The wordes in the Apocal. be thus Apoc. 1. To Iesu Christ whyche hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes through his bloud and made vs kinges and priestes vnto God euen his father vnto him be glory and rule for euer and euer Amen
after the counsell of the wicked and hath not stande in the way of sinners ne sit in the chayre of pestilence Psal. 1. but hath hys will in the law of God and shall muse or be occupyed in it both day and night See howe the Prophete whiche I doubt not but hee knew as perfectly that will and pleasure of God as euer did any pope or generall couÌ„sell or whatsoeuer they were beside that ordeined long seruice to be sayd of Priestes testifieth them to be blessed that study and are exercised in the law of God both day and night that is to wit alwayes What is true godlynes oâ— pietye A great promise put of God to such blessed exercise which we may call right deuotion or true godlines For Paule defining godlynes sayth thus Pietas ad omnia vtilis est vt quae promissiones habeat praesentis vitae futurae 1. Tim. 4. That is to wit Godlynes is profitable vnto all things No promise of God for saying Mattens for that hath annexed thereto promises of this life present of the life to come But no such promise is made of God I am certayne to them that say dayly mattins Neither are we certayne by the word of God that we shal therfore be blessed of him no more then we are certayne The 15. Ooâ—s that for saying ouer the xv Oos euery day once through an whole yeare we shall apertly see our Lady to ayd vs afore our death as it is testified in the Scripture of the Primer Our Ladyes Psalter but not by Scripture of the Bible or that we shall haue a like benefite for saying of her Psalter vpon the ten beades that commeth from the crossed friers or vpon the fiue beades halowed at y e Charter house or fasting our Ladyes fast as men call it ne for fasting on the wednesday Fasting ouâ— Ladyes Faâ—â— as is shewed by a booke that is allowed to be printed and read of all men that lusteth for it is neither the new Testament ne the olde They are condemned you wote wel I perhaps shal haue a litle lesse fauor because I tell y e trueth freely for such thinges are called offensiue But would God that all persons so thinking Math. 15. would remember what aunswere Christ made vnto his disciples in the 15. of Math. wheÌ„ they came vnto him and warned him to beware saying You knowe that the Phariseis are offended hearing such wordes spoken I will leaue out Christes aunswere least I should be thought ouer free and plain in tarying or vttering of abusions and speake no further A like demaund with aunswere thereto annexed Luke 11. shall you finde in the 11. of Luke where Christ woulde not refrayne to speake any deale more easily Therefore I beseech them that deeme me God wotteth whether righteously or no sclaunderously to reuise the sayde places and theÌ„ councel me to do that shal be most expedient to folow if their charitie will so require Yet would I that all people should knowe that I do not reproue that saying of the xv Oos which so farre â—orth as my remembrance doth serue is a very good praier Fasting commeâ—ded or such like prayers ne would I that any person shuld think me to disalow any discret fastings for such not only present with you but euen from hence absent haue I commended in earnest speaking and so enteÌ„d to do by the assistaunce of Gods grace Neuertheles such vain promises I do abhorre as be with theÌ„ annexed with the vpholders of the same For such doe cause vaine confidence in the people withdrawing and seducing them from the right beleife of the Gospel which Christen men ought onely to build their faith vpon vnto new inuentions of vanitie S. Paul calleth such old womens tales where he writeth vnto Timothe bidding him to beware of them to throw them away The Prophete Dauid likewise doth accord therunto saying Beatus vir cuius est nomeÌ„ Domini spes eius non respexit in vanitates insanias falsas Psal. 40. Blessed quoth he is the mâ—n that hath in the name of God his affiaunce or hope and hath not looked backe to vanities and false dotages or madnesse And this I say againe that the Mattens saying hath no more promise of God made to the sayers Mattens saying instytuted by faÌ„tasie then hath the other aboue named for they were institute by the fantasie or mind of men and not by y e rule of scripture Neither do I thinke the priestes which wil truly follow the rule of God written in the Bible ought so to be charged or encombred with saying of them that they thereby should be hindered from y e study of that which to know belongeth principally both to their owne soules saluation and also to the discharge of their dutie and which God most highly of Priestes doeth require I meane the study of his Gospel whereby they them selues should be spiritually nourished and therafter should fede Christes flock the congregation of his people according to the saying of our Sauiour in Iohn I quoth he am the doore Ioh. 10. whosoeuer shall come in by me shal both come in and goe out and finde good pasture or feeding That is to saye who soeuer shall enter to be a pastour or Minister in Christes church or congregation by Christ shal both enter into contemplation of Gods glory declared aboundantly in scripture and after go forth and shew that same abroade to other for their wealth and edifying To this accordeth that is written in Luke whereas our Sauiour speaketh to all his Churche signified in the person of Saint Peter Peter quoth he I haue prayed that thy faith should not fayle and thou being conuerted goe then about to confirme thy brethren So that he would haue Peter stablished first in faith of his sure doctrine Luke 22. and then to go forth as he did to teache other to be grounded in the same likewise And thus ought all priests to be called Presbyteri which will be ministers in the Church for so biddeth S. Peter in his first Epistle in the last chapter saying thus I beseech the Priestes quoth he that are among you I my selfe being a priest and a witnes bearer of Christes afflictions and also a partaker of the glory which shal be reuealed see that you with all diligence doe feede the flock of Christ taking care of the same 1. Pet. 5. not as enforced thereto but willingly not desiring filthy lucre but with a louing minde neither as men exercising dominion ouer the children or inheritours of God but so that you be paternes or ensample giuers to the flocke See how he requireth of priestes that they should spend all their diligence to feede Christes flocke and to shew good ensample of liuing making no mention of long Mattens saying which then were not mentioned nor spoken of According to this it is written in your Decrees after
scaffold Lābert brought before the king to dispute By and by the godly seruant of Christ Iohn Lambert was brought from the prison with a garde of armed men euen as a Lambe to fight w t many Lyons and placed right ouer against where the kyngs royal seat was so that now they taried but for the kings comming to the place At the last the king himselfe did come as iudge of that great controuersie with a great garde clothed all in white as couering by that colour and dissimuling seueritie of all bloudy iudgement On his right hand sate the Bishops and behind them the famous Lawyers clothed all in purple accordinge to the maner On the left hand sat the Peeres of the Realme the Iustices and other Nobles in theyr order behynde whome sate the Gentlemen of the kings priuie Chamber And this was the manner and forme of the Iudgement which albeit it was terrible inough of it selfe to abash any innocent yet the kings looke his cruell countenaunce and his browes bent vnto seueritie The kings sterne looke agaynst Lambert did not a litle augmēt this terrour plainly declaring a minde ful of indignation farre vnworthy such a Prince especially in such a matter and against so humble and obedient a subiect When the king was set in his throne he behelde Lambert with a sterne countenance and then turning himselfe vnto his counsailours he called foorth D. Day Byshop of Chechester commanding him to declare vnto the people the causes of this present assembly and iudgement The Oration of Doctour Day The whole effect of hys Oration tended in a manner to this poynt That the king in this Session woulde haue all states degrees Byshops and all other to be admonyshed of his will and pleasure that no man should conceiue any sinister opinion of hym that nowe the authoritye and name of the Byshop of Rome beyng vtterly abolished he woulde also extinguish all Religion or geue libertie vnto heretickes to perturbe and trouble the Churches of England wythout punishment whereof he is the heade and moreouer that they shoulde not thinke that they were assembled at that present to make any disputation vpon the hereticall doctrine but onely for thys purpose that by the industrie of hym and other Byshops the heresies of thys man heere present meaning Lambert and the heresies of all such like should be refuted or openly condemned in the presence of them all When hee had made an ende of hys Oration the King standing vp vpon his feete leaning vpō a cushion of white cloth of tussue turning him self toward Lambert with his browes bent as it were threatning some greeuous thyng vnto him sayd these wordes Hoe good fellow what is thy name Then the humble Lamb of Christ humbly kneling downe vpon his knee sayd My name is Iohn Nicolson although of many I be called Lambert What sayde the king haue you two names I would not trust you hauing two names although you were my brother Lambert O most noble Prince The kinges wordes to Lambert your bishops forced me of necessitie to chaunge my name And after diuers Prefaces and muche talke had in this maner the king commaunded him to goe vnto the matter and to declare hys minde opinion what he thought as touching the Sacrament of the altare Then Lambert beginning to speake for himselfe Lamberts oration to the king gaue God thankes which had so inclined the heart of the kinge that he himselfe would not disdaine to here and vnderstand the controuersies of Religion for that it happeneth oftentimes through the crueltie of the bishops The 〈◊〉 of Bishops noted that many good innocent men in many places are priuely murthered and put to death without the kings knowledge But now for so much as that highe and eternall kyng of kyngs in whose handes are the heartes of all Princes hath inspired and stirred vp the kings minde that he hymselfe will be present to vnderstande the causes of hys subiectes specially whom God of his diuine goodnesse hath so aboundantly endued with so great gifts of iudgement and knowledge he doth not mistrust but that God will bryng some great thing to passe through him to the setting foorth of the glory of his name Then the king with an angry voice interrupting hys Oration I came not hether sayd he to heare mine owne praises thus painted out in my presence but briefly goe to the matter wythout any more circumstaunce Thus hee spake in Latine But Lambert beynge abashed at the Kynges angrye words contrary to al mens expectation staid a while considering whether hee myght turne him selfe in these great straites and extremities But the king being hasty with anger and vehemencie sayde why standest thou still The king fierce vpon Lambert Aunswere as touching the Sacrament of the aultar whether doest thou say that it is the body of Christ or wilt deny it And with that word the king lifted vp his cappe Lambert I answere with S. Augustine that it is the bodie of Christ after a certaine maner The king Answer me neither out of S. Augustine neither by the authoritie of anie other but tell me plainelie Quodam modo 1. after a certaine maner whether thou saiest it is the bodie of Christ or no These words the king spake againe in Latin Lambert Then I denie it to be the bodie of Christ. The king Marke well for now thou shalt be condemned euen by Christes owne words Hoc est corpus meum Then he commanded Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie to refute his assertion who first making a short preface vnto the hearers The Archbishops reasons began his disputation with Lambert verie modestlie saieng Brother Lambert let this matter be handled betwene vs indifferentlie that if I do conuince this your argument to be false by the Scriptures you will willinglie refuse the same but if you shall prooue it true by the manifest testimonies of the scripture I do promise I will willinglie embrace the same The argument was this taken out of that place of the Actes of the Apostles where as Christ appeared vnto S. Paule by the way disputing out of that place The Archbishops argument that it is not disagreeable to the worde of God that the bodie of Christ may be in two places at once which being in heauen was seene vnto S. Paule the same time vpon earth if it may be in two places why by the like reason may it not be in many places In this maner the Archbishop began to refute the secōd argument of Lambert which as we haue before said was written deliuered by the said Lābert vnto the preacher for the king had first disputed against his first reason Lambert aunswered vnto this argument saying that the Minor was not thereby prooued that Christes bodye was dispersed in two places or more but remained rather still in one place as touching the maner of his bodye Lamberts aunswere to Cranmers obiection For the
accused indited or presented should be admitted to chaleÌ„ge any that shoulde be enpanelled for the triall of any matter or cause other theÌ„ for malice or enuy which chaleÌ„ge should forthwith be tryed in like maner as in cases of felony c. Prouided moreouer that euery person that shoulde be named Commissioner in this inquisition should first take a corporall oth the tenor of which oth here ensueth * The oth of the Commissioners The othe geuen to the Commissioners to enquire vppon true Christians YE shall swere that ye to your cunning witte and power shall truely and indifferently execute the authority to you geuen by the kinges Commission made for correction of heretickes other offenders mentioned in the same Commission without any fauor affection corruption dread or malice to be borne to any person or persons as God you helpe and all Sayntes And thus much briefly collected out of the act and Originals Stat. an 31. Reg Henr. 8. which more largely are to be sene in y e statute an 31 Reg. Henr. 8. concerning the sixe Articles which otherwyse for the bloudy cruelty thereof are called the whip with sixe stringes set forth after the death of Queene Anne and of good Iohn Lambert deuised by the cruelty of y e Bishops but specially of the Bishop of Wint. and at length also subscribed by K. Henry But herein as in many other parts moe the crafty pollicy of that Bishop appeared who like a lurking Serpent most slyly watching his time if he had not taken the king comming out vpon a soddayne there where it was I spare here to report as I heard it it was thought and affirmed by certaine which then were perteining to the king that Winchester had not obteined y e matter so easely to be subscribed as he did These sixe Articles aboue specified although they conteined manifest errours Truth in danger left desolate heresies and absurdities agaynst all Scripture and learning as all men hauing any iudgemeÌ„t in Gods word may plainly vnderstand yet such was the miserable aduersity of that time the power of darcknes that the simple cause of truth and of religion was vtterly left desolate and forsakeÌ„ of all frends For euery man seing the kinges minde so fully addict vpon polliticke respectes to haue these articles to passe forward few or none in all that Parliament would appeare Cranmer stood openly in the Parliament against the 6. articles which either could perceiue that was to be defended or durst defend that they vnderstood to be true saue onely Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who then being maryed as is supposed like a constant Patron of Gods cause tooke vpon him the earnest defence of the trueth oppressed in the ParliameÌ„t three dayes together disputing against those sixe wicked articles bringing forth suche allegations and authorities as might easely haue helped the cause nisi pars maior vicâ—sset vt saepe solet meliorem Who in the sayd disputation Cranmer willed to departe 〈◊〉 of the Parliament house for his consâ—â—ence Cranmer refused to goe out of the Parliament for matter against his conscience behaued himselfe with such humble modesty and with such obedience in words toward his Prince protesting the cause not to be his but the cause of almighty God that neither his enterprise was misliked of the king agayne his reasons and allegatioÌ„s were so strong that well they could not be refuted Wherfore the king who euer bare speciall fauour vnto him well liking his zealous defeÌ„ce onely willed him to depart out of the Parliament house into the Councell Chamber for a time for sauegarde of his conscience til the Acte should passe and be graunted which he notwithstanding with humble protestation refused to do After the Parliament was finished that matter concluded the king considering the constant zeale of the Archbishoppe in defence of his cause and partly also weighing y e many authorities reasons wherby he had substantially confirmed the same sent the Lord Cromwell which w tin few dayes after was apprehended the ij dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke and all the Lordes of the Parliament to dine with hym at Lambeth where they signified vnto him that it was the kinges pleasure that they all shoulde in his hignes behalfe cherish comfort animate hym Cranmer comforted againe by the king as one that for his trauell in that parliameÌ„t had declared him selfe both greatly learned and also a man descreet wyse and therfore they willed him not to be discouraged in any thing that was passed in that Parliament contrary to hys allegations He most humbly thanked first y e kinges highnes of his singuler good affection towardes him and them all for theyr paynes adding moreouer that he so hoped in God that hereafter his allegations and authorities should take place to the glory of god commodity of the realme Which allegations and authorities of his I wish were amongest vs extant to be seene and read no doubt but they would stand in time to come in great good stead for y e ouer throw of the wicked and pernicious Articles aforesayd Allegations agaynst the vi Articles IN the meane while for so much as the sayd hereticall articles are not so lightly to be passed ouer Allegationâ— agaynst the 6. articles wherby y e rude ignorant multitude hereafter may be deceiued in the false erroneous doctrine of them any more as they haue bene in times past for lack of right instructioÌ„ and experience of the auÌ„cient state course of times in our fore elders dayes I thought therefore the Lord therunto assisting so much as antiquity of stories may helpe to the restoring agayn of truth and doctrine decayed to annexe hereunto some allegations out of auncient recordes which may geue some light to the conuincing of these newfangled Articles and heresies aboue touched And first as touching the Article of transubstantiation wherin this Parliament doth enact that the Sacrament of the Altar is the very naturall body of Christ the selfe same which was borne of the virgin Mary and that in such sort as there remayneth no substance of bread wine after the Priestes consecration but only the body bloud of Christ vnder the outward formes of bread and wine First here is to be noted that this monstrous article of theyrs in that forme of words as in standeth was neuer obtruded receiued or holden either in the Greek Church or in the Latine Church vniuersally for a Catholicke that is for a generall opinion or article of doctrine before y e time of the Laterane Counsell at Rome vnder Pope Innocent the 3. an 1216. And for so much as it hath bene a common persuasioÌ„ amongest the most sort of people The article of transubstantiatioâ— that this article in y e forme of words as here standeth is hath bene euer since Christ his time a true Catholick generall doctrine commonly receiued and taught in the Church being
lately inueÌ„ted The doctrine of transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ is but a late opinion and standeth with no antiquity Lanâ—rancus was an ItaliaÌ„ Bish. of Canterbury about the yeare of our Lord 1063. reaching not much aboue y e age of 3. or 4. hundred yeares or at most aboue the the time of Lancfrancus an 1070. it remayneth now to be proued Wherin first may be ioyned this issue that this monstrous paradoxe of transubstantiation was neuer induced or receiued publickely in the church before the time of the Laterane Councell vnder Pope Innocentius the 3. ann 1216. or at most before the time of Lanfrancus the Italian Archbishop of Cant. 1070. In which time of Lanfrancus I denye not but that this question of transubstantiation began to come in controuersy and was reasoned vpon amongest certaine learned of the clergy But that this Article of transubstantiation was publickely determined or prescribed in the church for a general law or Catholick doctrine of all men necessaryly to be beleued Innocent â— was Bishop of Rome an 1215. before the time of the forsayd Innocentius the 3. it may be doubted and also by histories of tyme proued to be false And though our aduersaryes seeme to alledge out of the olde Doctours certayne speeches and phrases which they wrast and wring to theyr purposes wherin they say that the bread is called is beleued is the body of Christ that of bread is made the body of Christ that the bread is chaunged Phrases of the doctors speaking of the sacramâ—â— altered or conuerted to the body of Christ or is made to be his body that the creatures be conuerted into the substance of the body and bloud of Christ that the bread and wine doe passe into the diuine substaunce with such other like sentences and beare themselues bragge vpon the same as thought thys doctrine of transubstantiation stood vpon y e consent of the whole vniuersall Church The Papistes falsely pretende antiquity for their transubstantiation of all ages and times of nations and people and that the iudgement of the Church was neuer other then this and yet if the olde Doctors sayings be well weyed and the discourse of times by this historye well examined it will be found that this prodigious opinion of transubstantiation hath no such ground of consent and antiquity as they imagine nor yet that any heresy or treason was made of denying of transubstantiatioÌ„ before y e time of Innocentius the 5. or at the furthest of Lanfrancus as is aforesayd about the which time Sathan the old Dragon was prophesied by the Apocalips to be let lose to seduce the world For probation whereof first I will beginne with the time of Tertullian and of Augustine Doctors agaynst transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ which both doe teach the Sacrament to be a figure a signe a memoriall representation of the Lordes body and knewe no suche transubstantiation yet were no traytors nor heretickes Tertullian August Neyther was S. Ambrose any hereticke or traytour where he writeth these wordes Vt sint quae erant in aliud conuertantur c. Ambrose ¶ Anno 408. Which wordes Lanfrancus coulde not aunswere vnto any otherwise but by denying them to be the wordes of Ambrose Gelasius was byshop yf Rome and liued about 500. yeares after Christ Gelatius lib. contra EuticheÌ„ Anno 500. and speakth of a transmutation of the bread and wine into the diuine nature but there expounding himselfe he declareth what he meaneth by that mutation so that he expressely sheweth the elementes of bread wine notwithstanding to remayne still in their proper nature with other wordes moe very playne to the same effect vnto the which words Contarenus in the assemble of Ratesbone could not well aunswere but stood astonied Theodoretus likewise speaking of the visible simboles hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoretus secund 〈◊〉 contra EuticheÌ„ i. after the sanctification they remayne in theyr former substaunce figure and forme c. Ireneus where he sayth that the bread broken and the cuppe mixt after the vocation of God Ireneus cease to be coÌ„mon bread any more but are the Eucharist of the body and bloud of Christ and explicating his wordes more playnely addeth moreouer that the Eucharist consisteth in 2. things one being earthly which is bread wine the other heauenly which is the bodye and bloud of Christ. c. declareth in these woordes both his owne opinion playnely also teacheth vs what was then the doctrine of his time Hesichius lib. 20. in Leuit. cap. 8. Hesichius also who was 500. yeares after Christ where he speaketh of the sayd mistery quòd simul panis caro est i. which he sayth to be both flesh and bread declareth therby two substances to be in the Sacrament By the whiche we haue to vnderstande that transubstantiation in hys age was not crept into the Church and yet neyther heresy nor treason therefore was euer layd to his charge for so saying ¶ Anno. 500. Emissenus de coÌ„secra Distinct. 2. Quia corpus Emissenus comparing a man conuerted to Christ by regeneration vnto the holy misteryes conuerted into the body and bloud of our Lord expresseth playnly quod in exteriori nihil additum est totum in interiori mutatum est That is that outwardly nothing is chaunged and that all the chaunge is inward c. wherin no doubt he spake playne agaynst this Article and yet no man in all that age did accuse him therfore either to be hereticke or traytor Here might be added the wordes of Fulgentius Hic calix est nouum Testamentum id est Hic calix quem vobis trado nouum Testamentum significat i. This cup is the new Testament that is this cup which I deliuer vnto you signifieth the new Testament Bede also who liued about the yeare 730. writing vpoÌ„ the psalme 21. hath these wordes Edent pauperes c. Pauperes id est mundi contemptores edent quidem realiter si ad sacramenta referantur saturabuntur aeternaliter qui intelligent in pane vino visibiliter sibi proposito inuisibile scilicet corpus verum sanguineÌ„ verum domini quae verus cibus verus potus sunt quo non venter distenditur sed mens saginatur c. that is Poore men to wit despisers of the world shall eat in deed really if it be referred vnto the Sacramentes and shal be filled eternally because they shall vnderstand in bread and in wine beyng visibly set before them a thing inuisible to wit the true body and true bloud of the Lord which are true meat true drinke wherwith not the belly is filled but the mind is nourished And thus in these words of Bede likewise is to be vnderstand that no transubstantiation as yet in his time was receiued in the Church of England Long it were to stand vpon all particulars Briefely to conclude the farther the church hath
bene from these our latter dayes the purer it was in all respectes and especially touching this barbarous article of traÌ„substaÌ„tiation Haymo ¶ Anno. 800. We will now draw more neare our owne time coÌ„ming to the age of Bertrame and of Haimo who were about the yeare of our Lord 810. vnder Carolus Magnus By whose writings it is euident that the church was infected as yet with no such phantasy of transubstantiatioÌ„ neither did any almost dreame of taking away y e substance of bread from the Sacrament For although Haymo Remigius Rabanus and other which liued in that age doe attribute to the Sacrament the honorable name and reuerence as we also doe of the Lordes body and bloud yet they exclude not from thence all substaunce of mele bread leane the bare accidences as our new come Catholickes do Haymo de Sermonum proprietate lib. 5. cap. 11. as by the wordes of Haymo doth appeare Where he folowing the wordes of Bede sheweth also the cause why it is so called by the name of the Lordes body Quia sayth he panis corpus confirmat ideo ille corpus Christi congruenter nuncupatur Vinum autem quia sanguinem operatur in carne ideo ad sanguinem Christi refertur That is Because bread confirmeth the hart of man therefore it is called conueniently the body of Christ and because wine worketh bloud in the fleshe of man thereof is it referred to the bloud of Christ. What canne be more effectually spoken to proue the substaunce of breade there to remayne For take away the substance of bread wine what is in the accidences left that can confirme maÌ„s hart or ingender bloud in the flesh And therefore seeyng there must nedes something remaine that must be referred to Christes body bloud in that SacrameÌ„t it either must be the substaunce of bread and wine or els it canne be no Sacrament And furthermore speaking of the visible thinges which are sanctified how and whereunto they be conuerted he sayth that by the holy ghost they passe to a Sacrament of the Lordes body And likewise the same Haymo in an other place speaking of the feuites of the earth that is of corne and wyne declareth Haymo lib. 7. in ecclesial cap· 8. how our Sauiour making of them an apt mistery coÌ„uerteth them to a Sacrament of his body and bloud c. Lib. 7. in Ecclesiast cap. 8. Bertramus likewise as he liued in the same age so in like sort he shewed his opinion therein to the like effect as Haymo did For as Haymo writing in these words declareth quia aliud est Sacramentum aliud virtus sacramenti sacramentum enimuero percipitur virtute Sacramenti interior homo satiatur Haim ibid. that is the sacrament is one thing and the vertue of the sacrameÌ„t is an other thing for the sacrament is receiued with the mouth but with the vertue of the Sacrament the inward man is satisfied So after like maner Bertramus according to y e same thus writeth Ille panis qui per Sacerdotis ministerium Christi corpus efficitur aliud exterius humanis sensibus ostendit aliud interius fidelium mentibus clamat c. That is the bread which by the ministery of y e priest is made the body of christ doth import one thing outwardly to the senses of man ¶ An. â—10 Bertram 〈◊〉 de corpore sang Domini an other thing it speaketh to the mindes of the faythfull Outwardly it is bread the same as was before the same forme is pretended the coulour appeareth the same taste remayneth But inwardly there is an other matter fare more precious and more excellent because it is heauenly which is the body of Christ that is scene not with the outwarde eyes of the fleshe but with the syght of a faythfull minde c. We will now proceede to the testimonye of Rabanus Maurus byshop of Mentz scholer somtime to Alcuinus in Paris an english man Rabanus Maurus Bishop of Mentze Anno. 800. who liuing also in the same age with Haymo and Bertrame which was 800. yeares after Christ geueth the like testimony of this doctrine in his booke of Institutions Where he asking the question why the Lord would geue the misteries of his body and bloud then vnder suche thinges as might be kept and reserued whole with great honor thus he aunswereth agayne The Lord sayth he would rather that the Sacramentes of his body and bloud should be receiued with the mouth of the faythfull Rabanus 〈…〉 and made to be theyr food that by the visible action the inuisible effecte might be shewed For like as materiall meate outwardlye nourisheth and quickeneth the body so also the word of God inwardly nourisheth and strengtheneth the soule For man lyueth not onely by bread but by euery word proceeding from the mouth of God And after foloweth For this bread and drink signifieth the eternall society of the head and of the members together And agayne For the Sacrament is one thing and the vertue of the Sacrament is an other thing The SacrameÌ„t is receiued with the mouth with the vertue of the Sacrament the inwarde man is nourished For the Sacrament is turned to the nourishmeÌ„t of the body but the vertue of the Sacrament the dignity of eternall life is gotten Wherfore like as the same is turned into vs when we eate of it so also are we turned into the body of Christ when we liue obediently and godly c. Who seeth not by these wordes of this Byshoppe what forme of doctrine was then in the Church receiued concerning this article of the Sacramet much diuers from this our grosse opinion of transubstantiation With the sayd Rabanus also accordeth an other of the like standing and also doctrine called Christianus Druthmerus who writing vpon Math. The wine sayth he doth chere and cherish the bloud and therfore not incoÌ„uenienlty the bloud of christ is figured therby for whatsoeuer procedeth froÌ„ him to vs it chereth vs with true gladnes encreaseth al goodnes vnto vs. And a â—itâ—e before the sayd Druthmarus sayth The Lorde gaue to his Disciples the Sacrament of his body to the remission of sinnes and keeping of charity that they alwayes remembring his doing might do that in figure which he should doe for them This is my body sayth he that is in Sacrament This Druthmarus liued also in the time of Carolus Magnus as witnesseth Abbas Spaynehemensis After Bertamus was Ioannes Scotus or els as some call him Ioannes Erigena Ios. 〈◊〉 a man well accepted with Carollus Caluus and afterward with Lodouicus Balbus about the yere of our Lord 880. He wrote a Booke De corpore sanguine Domini so affirming therein teaching as he knew that Bertramus had taught a litle before in Fraunce This booke y e pope caused to be condemned in Vercellensi Synodo Of the life and conuersation of this Iohannes Scotus
ghost came in fyry lykenes to the Apostles in diuers tonges The Israelites should eate the lambs head and the feete and the purtenaunce and nothing therof must be leâ—te ouer night If any thing thereof were left they did burne that in the fire and they breake not the bones After Ghostly vnderstanding we doe eate the lambes head when wee take holde of Christes diuinitie in our beliefe Agayne when we take holde of his humanitie with loue then eate we the lambs feete because that Christe is the beginning and end God before all worlde and man in the end of this worlde What bee the lambes purtenaunce but Christes secrete precepts and these we eate when we receiue with the greedines the word of life There must nothing of the lambe be left vnto the mornig because that all Gods sayings are to bee searched with great carefulnesse so that all his precepts may be knowen in vnderstanding and deede in the nyght of this present life before that the last day of the vniuersall resurrection doe appeare If wee cannot searche out throughly all the mysterie of Christes incarnation then ought we to betake the rest vnto y e might of the holy ghost with true humilitie and not to search rashly of that deepe secretenes aboue the measure of our vnderstanding They did eate the Lambes flesh wyth theyr loynes girte In the loynes is the lust of the bodye and he whiche will receyue that housell shall couer or wrap in that concupiscence and take with chastitie that holy receite They were also shod What be shoes but of the hides of dead beasts We be truely shod if we match in our steppes and dedes the life of meÌ„ departed this life which please God with keeping of hys commandements They had staues in their handes when they did eate This staffe signifieth a carefulnes diligent ouerseeing And all they that best knowe and can shoulde take care of other men and stay them vp with theyr helpe It was inioyned to the eaters y t they should eat the lambe in haste for God abhoreth slouthfulnesse in his seruaunts and those hee loueth that seeke the ioye of euerlasting lyfe with quickenes and hast of minde It is written Prolong not to turne vnto God least the time passe away throughe thy slow tarrying The eaters mought not breake the laÌ„bs bones No more mought y e souldiers that did hang Christ breake his holy legges as they did of the two theeues that hanged on either side of him And the Lord rose from death sounde without all corruption and at the last iudgement they shall see him whom they did most cruelly wounde on the crosse This time is called in the Ebrue tongue Pasca in Latine Transitus and in English a Passeouer because that on this day the people of Israel passed from the land of Egypt ouer the red sea from bondage to the laÌ„d of promise So also did our Lorde at this time departe as sayeth Iohn the Euangeliste from thys world to hys heauenly father Euen so we ought to folow our head and to goe from the deuill to Christe from thys vnstable worlde to hys stable kingdome Howbeit we shoulde firste in this presente lyfe departe from vice to holy vertue from euill manners to good manners if we wil after this our lente life goe to that eternall life and after our resurrection to Christ. He bring vs to hys euerlastinge father who gaue hym to deathe for our sinnes To hym be honour and praise of well doynge world wythout ende Amen And thus I suppose it standeth cleare euidently prooued by course of al these ages afore recited from the time of Tertullian and Austen vnto the daies of this Elfricus aboue mencioned and after him that this newcome miracle of transubstantiation was not yet crept into the heades of men nor almost came in any question amongst learned meÌ„ nor was admitted for any doctrine in the Churche at least for any general doctrine of all men to be receiued til a M. yeare compleate after Christe that is till that Sathan began to be let at large Apoca. 20. For who euer heard in all the primitiue Churche or euer reade in the woorkes of the old ancient Doctors this question once to be asked or disputed whether any substance of bread and wine remained in the Lordes Supper Or what manne was euer so doltish to beleeue any suche thyng or euer called hereticke for not beleuing the same before the time of seduction that is before the 1000. yeares aforesayd were expired They that thinke 〈…〉 be otherwise then a new doctrine are ignorant of histâ—â—ieâ— and antiquity Wherefore they that stand so much vppon the antiquity of this Article as a doctrine which hath euer since Christes time bene receaued in the Church taught by the Apostles beleued of all Catholickes and confirmed by consent of all ages of Councels of natioÌ„s and people vnto this present day these I say either shewe them selues very ignoraunt in hystories and in all state of antiquitie or els most impudently they doe abuse the simple credulitie of the people To procede now farther in this discussion of antiquitie it followed that after the time of Elfricus aforesayde this matter of transubstantiation began firste to be talked off to come in question among a few superstitious monkes so that as blindnes and superstition began more and more to encrease Transubstantiation when it first came in question so the sayd grosse opinion still more and more both in number and authoritie preuailed in so muche that about the yeare of our Lord. 1060. the denying of transubstantiation began to be counted heresie And in thys number firste was one Berengarius a Frenche man Berengarius the first that euer was counted hereticke for denying traÌ„substantiation Vide Bulling De origine erroris Chronic Bibliandri Acta Concilij Romae habiti contra Berengarium and Archdeacon of Angeowe whyche of all Christen men which we read of was first called and counted an hereticke for denying of transubstantiation troubled for the same as ye shall heare This Berengarius liued in the time of Pope Leo 9. Uictor and Nicholas 2. which was about the yeare of our Lorde 1060. Albeit I doe finde our wryters heere in some discrepaunce For the most of them doe holde that he firste recanted vnder Pope Leo 9. in the Councel of Uercellense and afterwarde againe vnder Pope Nicholas 2. about the yeare 1062. as is to be gathered of Gratian De consecrat dist 2. Ego Berengarius where he sayth that Pope Nicholas did send about to Bishops and Archbyshops the Copie of his recantation Againe by the Actes of the Councell of Rome it there appeareth that the sayd Berengarius made this hys sayde last recantation vnder Pope Hildebrande called Gregory 7. But this difference of times is no great matter to stand vpon The truth of the story is this that when Berengarius had professed the truth of the
consecration of the Priest remaine onely a Sacrament and are not the very selfe body and bloude of oure Lorde Iesu Christ neither canne be handled or broken wyth the priestes handes or chewed with the teethe of the faithfull otherwise then onely by maner of a Sacrament Consenting now to the holy and Apostolicall Church of Rome The effecte of Berengarius recantation he professed wyth mouth and heart to holde the same faith touching the Sacraments of the Lordes masse which the Lorde Pope Nicholas with his Synode heere present doth holde and commaundeth to be holden by hys Euangelicall and Aposticall authoritie that is that the bread and wine vpon the Altar after consecration are not only a Sacramēt but also are the very true and selfe body and bloud of our Lorde Iesu Christ and are sensibly felt and broken with handes and chewed with teethe swearing by the holy Euangelistes that whosoeuer shall holde or say to the contrary he shal holde them perpetually accursed and if he himselfe shall hereafter presume to preach or teach against the same he shall be content to abide the seueritie and rigour of the Canons c. This cowardly recantation of Berengarius as it offended a great number of the godly sorte so it gaue to the cōtrary part no litle triumph wherby euer since they haue taken the greater courage to tread downe the truth It happened shortlye after this that Hildebrande the Popes graunde Captaine in the behalfe of hys Mayster Pope Nicolas went in warfare against the Normandes Which warre being finished shortly after he set vppon a new viage to fight for Pope Alexander against Cadolus which victory being also atchieued it was not long but he put the new Pope Alexander beside the cushion and was made Pope himselfe so that during the busie stirre of these warres the Popes holinesse had no laisure to attende the debating of this controuersie of the Sacrament Concilium Romanum 3. At length when al was quieted and Pope Hildebrand now was where he woulde be hys restlesse brayne coulde not be vnoccupied but eftsoone summoneth a new Councell at Rome in the Church of Laterane to reuiue agayne the olde disceptation of Berengarius about the yeare as some holde 1079. Thus Berengarius beyng toste by these Monkes and Phariseis was so confounded and bayted on euery side that partly for worldly feare straining him on the one side partly for shame and griefe of conscience that he had nowe twise renied the truth on the other side that the man as is of hym reported after these suche turbulent tragedies forsaking his goods his studies learning and former state of life became a labourer and wrought wyth hys handes for liuing all the residue of his life The opinion which Berengarius sustained touchyng the Sacrament as by his owne wordes in Lancfranckes booke may appeare was thys The true opiniō and iudgement of Berengarius of the sacramēt Ex lib. Lancfranci Archiepisc contra Bereng The sacrifice of the Churche consisteth of two things The one visible the other inuisible that is of the Sacrament and of the thing or matter of the Sacrament Which thing which is to meane the body of Christe if it were here present before our eyes it were a thing visible to be sene but being lift vp into heauen and sitting on the right hand of his father to the time of restoring of all thing as S. Peter sayeth it can not be called downe from thence For the person of Christ consisteth of God and man the Sacrament of the Lords table consisteth of bread and wine which being consecrate are not chaunged but remaine in their substances hauing a certaine resemblance or similitude of those things wherof they be sacraments c. Ex Lib. Lancfranci By these wordes of Berengarius doctrine all indifferent readers may see iudge that he affirmed nothing but that was agreable to the holy scripture beleuing wyth S. Austen and all other auncient elders of the Churche that in the holy supper all faithful beleuers be refreshed spiritually with the body bloud of the Lord vnto euerlasting life The doctrine of Berengarius falsely sclaundered Wherefore most impudently they doe misreporte hym as they doe many other besides whych falsely lay to hys charge as though his teaching should be that in the sacred supper of the Lord nothing els were receiued of y e faithful besides onely y e bare signes which is the bread the wine And nowe that you haue seene the doctrine of Berengarius let vs also take a vewe of the contrary teaching of Lanfrancus and his fellowes conferring and comparyng together the institution of the one side with the institution of the other to marke and cōsider whych of them soundeth nearer to the truth of the scriptures The wordes of Lanfrancke be these I beleue the earthly substances which vpon the Lordes table are diuinely sanctified through the ministration of the Priest to be conuerted vnspeakeably incomprehensibly and miraculously by the operation of Gods mightye power into the essence of the Lordes body The grosse opinion of Lancfrancus and the Papistes concerning the Sacrament the outward formes only of the things themselues and certaine qualities reserued and that for two respectes The one least the sight of the rawe and bloudy flesh might otherwyse make men to abhorre from eating thereof for that they whiche beleeue the thinge they see not might haue the greater merite for their beliefe The conuersion of which earthly substances into the essence of the Lordes body notwithstanding yet is the selfe same body of the Lorde in heauen and there hathe hys essentiall being at the right hande of hys father immortall inuiolate perfect vndeminished and vncorrupted so that truely it may be affirmed the selfe same body both to be receiued of vs and yet not the selfe same The impious grosse opinion of Guimundus of transubstantiation The self same I meane as touching the essence propertie and vertue of his true nature and yet not the selfe same as touching the formes of breade and wine and other outwarde qualities incurring to our outwarde senses c. And thus haue ye the confession of Lancfranke Archb. of Cant. From thys confession of Lancfranke the opinion and assertion also of Guimundus Archb. of Auersane doth nothing differ in grosenesse and impietie but rather passeth the same thus affirming and defending That the bodye of Christ is pressed and torne with teethe euen like as it was felt and touched with the handes of Thomas And moreouer the sayde Guimundus if his booke be not rather counterfaited at Louaine in the same place answearing to an obiection put out that it is not lawfull for Christe to be torne in pieces with teethe doubteth not to pronounce that whether we take tearing for hard bitinge or soft biting it is not repugnant nor disagreeing but that by the will of God agreeing therunto the body of Christ may be touched with handes bitten
quemquam cunctis prodesse fauorem Et populare lucrum pellere mente manu Cui vestis textura rudis cui non fuit vnquam Ante sitim potus nec cibus ante famem Quem pudor hospitium statuit sibi quamque libido Incestos superat tam superauit eam Quem natura parens cum mundo contulit inquit Degenerant alij nascitur iste mihi Quaeque vagabatur penè reliquerat orbem Inclusit sacro pectore iustitiam Vir sacer à puero qui quantum praeminet orbi Fama adeò famae praeminet ipse suae Fama minor meritis cùm totum peruo let orbem Cùm semper crescat non erit aequa tamen Vir pius atque grauis vir sic in vtroque modestus Vt liuor neutro rodere possit eum Liuor enim destet quem carpserat antea nec tam Carpsit odit eum quam modo laudat amat Quà m prius ex vita tam nunc ex morte gemiscit Et queritur celeres huius abisse dies Vir verè sapiens parte beatus ab omni Qui coelos anima corpore ditat humum Post obitum secum viâ—ram precor ac requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte sua Althoughe in this time of Berengarus whyche was about the yeare of oure Lorde 1060. as ye haue heard this errour of transubstantiation began to growe in force and strength by the supporting of certaine popishe monkes aboue rehearsed as Lancfrancus Guimundus Algerius Hugo Bishop of Lincolne Fulbertus of whom it is said in stories that our Ladie gaue him sucke being sicke wyth her owne brestes and such other yet notwythstanding all this while the sayd TransubstantiatioÌ„ was decreed for no publicke law Transubstantiation first decreed for a general law by pope Innocent 3. The general Councell of Laterane nor doctrine to be holden by any general coÌ„sent either of the Church of Rome or any other Councell before the Councel of Laterane vnder Pope Innocent the 3. who in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. celebrating in the church of Laterane a generall councel of 1300. bishops enacted there diuers constitutions as of yerely coÌ„fession and the communion to be vsed of the whole multitude once a yeare through euery parish church Item for the recouery of the holy land with a subsidie also to be leauied for the same Item for the abolishing of the bookes and wrytinges of Ioachim Abbas and also the opinions of Almaricus afore mentioned notwithstanding that y e said Ioachim did subscribe with his owne hand that he held the same doctrine Ex Antonin part 3. tit 19. c. 1. which was in the church of Rome and also submitted hys bookes to be presented to the Sea of Rome there to bee corrected or approoued And yet was he iudged though not an heretike yet to be erroneous especially in those bokes which he wrote against Peter Lombard calide afterward the master of Sentence In the sayde Counsel besides diuers other constitutions and the Articles of the Creede there in order repeated Extrau De Sum. trin cap. 1. sirmit credimus as appeareth Extr. De summa trinit fide Catholica cap. 1. firmiter there was also enacted decreed and establyshed the fayth and beliefe of Transubstantiation in these woordes following There is one vniuersall Church of the faithful without which none can be saued in the which Church the self same Iesus Christ is both Priest and also the sacrifice The wordes of the Councell whereby transubstantiation was first established whose body and bloude are truly contained in the Sacrament of the aulter vnder the formes of breade and wine the breade being transubstantiated into the body and the wine into the bloud by the power and workinge of God so that to the accomplishing of thys mysterie of vnitie wee might take of his the same which he hath taken of ours And thys sacrament none can make or consecrate but hee that is a prieste lawfully ordained according to the keyes of the Church whych Iesus Christ hath left to his Apostles and to their successours c. And thus was the foundation layd for the building of transubstantiatioÌ„ vpon the consent of these foresayd 1300. Byshops in the yeare of our Lorde aboue specified vnder pope Innocentius and the doctrine therof intruded for an article of fayth into the church necessarily to be beleeued of all men vnder payne of heresie But yet all this while notwithstanding that the substaunte of bread and wine was nowe banished out of the sacrament Eleuation and adoration brought in by Pope Honorius the 3. ¶ Anno. 1220. and vtterly transcorporated into the substaunce ot Christes very body and bloud yet was not this body eleuated ouer the priestes head nor adored of the people till the dayes af pope Honorius the 3. succeeding after Innocentius who by his counsaile likewise commaunded adoration and eleuation to be ioyned with transubstantiation as one idolatry commonly bringeth forth an other Agayne the sayd sacramedt of the Lordes supper being now consecrated transubstantiated eleuated and adored yet it was not offered vp for a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead nor for a remedye of the soules in Purgatory nor for a merite operis operati sine bono motu vtentis c. before that other popes comming after added still new aditions to the former inuentions of theyr predecessours And thus haue you the whol order and origine of these Idolatrous partes of the masse described by theyr times ages Consecration Transubstantiation Eleuation Adoration Oblation whiche first began with consecration and the forme therof which were wordes of the Canon Then came traÌ„substantiation by Innocentius and after eleleuation adoration by Honorius and last of all came the oblation meretorious and propitiatory for the quicke and dead in remission of sinnes Ex opere operato Which thinges being thus constituted by the to muche vsurped authority of the church of Rome Persecution first beginning in these latter dayes shortly after followed persecution tyranny and burning among the christians first beginning with the Albingenses and the fayth full congregation of Tholouse neare about the tyme of the sayd Innocentius as is afore remembred pag. 271. And thus much for the first article of transubstantiatioÌ„ which as ye haue heard was not admitted into y e Church for any generall doctrine of fayth before the yeare and time aboue assigned of pope Innocent the third and therefore if any haue bene otherwise perswaded or yet doe remayne in the same perswasion still of this doctrine as though it had bene of a longer coÌ„tinuance then froÌ„ the time aboue expressed let him vnderstand that by ignoraunce of hystories he is deceiued and for the more satisfyinge of his mynde if he credite not me Read before pag 271. Read before pag 257. Ioh. Duns in Ii 4. lib. Sentent let him beleeue the wordes of one of hys owne catholike sort Iohn Duns I meane
their wiues we following the auncient Canon of the diligent Apostles and constitutions of holy men enact that suche lawfull mariage from henceforth shall stande in force in no case dissoluing theyr coniunction with their wiues neither depriuing them of their mutuall societie and familiaritie together in suche time as they shall thinke conuenient c. Hetherto ye haue heard the decree heare now the penaltie in the same decree and distinction conteined Si quis igitur praesumpserit contra Apostolicos canones aliquos Praesbyterorum Diaconorum priuare à contactu communione legalis vxoris suae deponatur c. That is If any therefore shal presume against the Canons of the Apostles Ibidem 6. thinges in this Councell to be noted to depriue either priest or Deacon from the touching and companye of his lawfull wife let him be depriued And likewise this Priest and Deacon whosoeuer for religion sake shall put away his wife let him be excommunicate c. And the Councell of Gangren sayth let him be accursed By these wordes of the Councell recited sixe things are to be noted 1. First how this Councell calleth y e Mariage of priestes lawfull contrary to these vj. articles and to a certeyne late Englishe writer of our countrey entituling his booke against the vnlawfull mariage of Priests 2. In that this Councell so followeth the Canons of the Apostles and constitutions of holy men we haue to vnderstand what the censure both of the Apostles and determination of other holy men were therein 3. If the Iniunction of this Councell agreeyng thus with the Apostles and holy men stoode with truth the contrary Canon of the Romaines and also of these sixe English articles must needes be condemned of errour 4. By this Councell appeareth that so long time almost 700. yeares after Christ this prohibition of Priestes mariage was not yet entred into the Orient Churche but stoutely was holden out 5. By the Romane Canon heere mentioned which began with Gregorius 600. yeares after Christ a little before this Councell it can not be denied but the Churche of Rome began then to disceuer not onely from the veritie but also from the vnitie of all other Churches following the Apostolicke doctrine Albeit the said Romane Canon at that time stode not long but was shortly disanulled by the sayd Gregorius agayne by the occasion of infants heads found in his fish pond whereof Christ willing more shal be spoken heereafter The crafty packing of the Romanes in suppressing and counter 〈◊〉 the Canon◠of Councels 6. Sixtly heere is to be noted remēbred the craftie false packing and fraude of the Romaines which in the Latine booke of Councels in diuers new impressions haue suppressed this Canon because be like it maketh little w t their purpose plaieng much like with this as Pope Zosimus Bonifacius and Celestinus played with y e sixt councel of Carthage which for their supremacy would haue forged a false Canon of Nice had not the Councell sent to Cōstantinople for the true exemplar therof so proued them open lyers to their faces So likewise this Canō aboue mētioned although it be omitted in some bookes yet beyng found in the auncient true written copies beyng alledged of Nilus a Greeke Byshop of Thessalonica Dist. 31. CC. yeare tofore and moreouer beyng found alledged in the Popes own booke of Decrees Distin. 31. must needes conuince them of manifest theft falsehoode Thus it may stand sufficiently proued that y e deprauation of Priestes lawfull mariage all this space was not entred into the church neither Greeke nor Latin Hildebrand and Calixtus first extorters of Priestes lawfull mariage at least tooke no ful possession before Pope Hildebrandus tyme. Anno Domini 1070 and especially Pope Calixtus time Anno Domini 1120. which were the first open extortors of Priestes mariage Auentinus a faythfulll writer of his tyme writyng of the Councell of Hildebrand hath these wordes Auentinus in histor Bonorum Sacerdotes illa tempestate publicè vxores sicut caeteri Christiani habebant filios procreabant sicuti instrumentis donationū quae illi templis Mystis Monachis fecere vbi hae nominatim cum coniugibus testes citantur honesto vocabulo Praesbiterissae nūcupantur inuenio Caesar tum c. That is In those dayes Priestes commonly had wiues as other Christē men had and had children also as may appeare by auncient instrumentes deedes of gift which were then giuen to Churches to the Clergy and to religious houses in the whiche instrumentes both the Priestes and their wiues also with them which there be called Praesbyterissae I finde to be alledged for witnesses It happened moreouer y e same tyme sayth Auentine that the Emperour had the inuestyng of diuers Archbyshoprickes Byshoprickes Abbayes and Nunries within his dominions Pope Hildebrand disdaynyng agaynst both these sortes aforesayd that is both against them that were inuested by the Emperour and also agaynst all those Priestes that had wiues prouided so in his Coūcell at Rome that they which were promoted by the Emperour into liuyngs of the Church were counted to come in by Symony the other which were maryed Priestes were counted for Nicolaitanes Wherupon pope Hildebrād writyng his letters to y e Emperour to Dukes Princes and other great Prelates and Potētates namely to Bertholdus Zaringer to Rodolphus of Sueuia to Welphon of Bauaria to Adalberon and to their Ladyes and to diuers other to whom he thought good also to Byshops namely to Otto Byshop of Constance with other Priestes and lay people willeth them in his letters to refuse and to keepe no company with those Symoniake and those Nicolaitane Priestes for so were they termed then which had either any Ecclesiasticall liuyng by the Emperour or els which had wiues to auoyd their Masses Simoiacke Priestes Nicolaitan Priestes neither talke neither to eate nor drinke with them nor once to speake to them nor to salute them but vtterly to shunne them as men execrable and wicked no otherwise thē they would eschue the plague or pestilence By reason whereof ensued a mighty schisme and affliction among the flocke of Christ Ex Auentino Annal. Bonor◠lib. 5. such as lightly the lyke hath not bene seene For the Priestes went agaynst their Byshops the people agaynst the Priest the laytie agaynst the Clergy briefly all ranne together in heapes in confusion Men and women as euery one was set vpon mischief wickednesse contention and auarice tooke thereby occasion vpon euery light suspition to resiste their Minister to spoyle the goodes of the Church The vulgare people contemned the Priestes which had maryed wiues despised their Religion and all thynges that they dyd yea and in many places would purge the place where they had bene with holy water and brent their Tithes Also such was the mischief of them that they would take the holy mysteries whiche those maryed Priestes had consecrated and cast them in the dyrt
Masses What man in all the primitiue Churche more then 4. hundreth yeares after the Apostles time did euer so say or thinke at what tyme there were no suche priuate Masses vsed Priuate Masses But afterwarde in the processe of the Article folowe other blinde sophistications to make the people beleeue that they should receiue by them diuine consolations and benefites And why doe they not plainely declare what consolations and benefites those be By application of masses is ment when the passiâ— and merites of Christ is applied to any by the vertue of the Masse The Bishops here do name no application and merite for they knowe that they can not be defended Yet they dally wyth glosing wordes whereby they may winde out and escape if any should improue their application And yet notwithstanding they would haue this their application to be vnderstanded and beleeued of the people They woulde haue this Idolatrous perswasion confirmed to witte that thys sacrifice doth merite vnto others remission A poena culpa release of all calamities and also gaine luker in common trafficke and to conclude whatsoeuer els the carefull heart of man doth desire The lyke Sophistication they vse also where they say that Priests mariage is against the law of God They are not ignoraunt what S. Paule sayth Priestes mariage 1. Tim. 3. A Bishop oughte to be the husband of one wife and therefore they know right well that Mariage is permitted to Priestes by the law of God But because nowe they say they haue made a vowe they goe craftely to worke and doe not say that priests for their vowes sake can not marrie but plainely geue out the Article after this sorte that Mariage of Priestes is vtterly against the lawe of God Againe what impudencie and tyranny do they shew moreouer when they compell mariages to be dissolued and command those to be put to death whych will not put away their wiues and renounce theyr matrimony Wher as the vow of Priests if it had any force at all should extend no further but onely to put them from the ministerie if they would mary And this no doubt is the true meaning of the Councels and Canons O cursed Byshops Winchester cuâ—â—â—ning in the arte of iugling called deceptio visus O impudent and wicked Winchester who vnder these colourable fetches thincketh to deceiue the eyes of Christ and the iudgements of all the godly in the whole worlde These things haue I wrytten that you may vnderstand the crafty sleights and so iudge of the purpose and pollicie of these Byshops The worde of God ought simply to be handled without all sophistryâ— For if they woulde simply and hartely search for the truth they would not vse these craftie collusions and deceitfull iugglings This Sophistication as it is in all other affaires pernitious and odious so aboue al things most specially it is to be auoyded in matters of Religion wherein it is a heynous impiety to corrupt or peruert the pure word of God And heereof the Deuill whiche is called Diabolus specially taketh his name because he wrasteth the word of God out of mennes hearts by such false iuggling and sophistical cauillations And why do not these Bishops as well plainely vtter and confesse that they will abide no reformation of doctrine and Religion in the Church for that it shall make against their dignitie pompe pleasure Why do not their adherents also and such as take their part plainly say that they will retaine still thys present state of the Churche for their owne profite tranquilitie and maintenaunce Thus to confesse The cloked hipocrisie of false Papistes were true and plaine dealing Now whiles they pretende hypocritically a false zeale and loue to the truth and sincere Religion they come in w t their blinde sophistications wherwith they couer their errours for their Articles set forth in thys act be erroneous false impious how glorious soeuer they seme outwardly Wherfore it were to be wished that these bishops would remember Gods terrible threatning in the prophet Esay Wo to you sayeth he which make wicked lawes Esa 10. Esa. 5. What wil you doe in the day of visitation and calamitie to come c. Woe vnto you that call euill good c. Now to come more nere to the matter which we haue in hande this cannot be denied but that long and horrible darkenes hath bene in the church of Christ. Mans traditions counted for Gods seruice Mens traditions not onely haue bene a yoke to good mens consciences but also which is much worse they haue bene reputed for Gods holy seruice to the great disworship of God There were vowes thyngs bequeathed to churches diuersitie of garments choice of meats long babling prayers pardoÌ„s image worship manifest idolatry committed to saints the true worship of God and true good workes not knowen Briefly little difference there was betwixte the Christian and heathen religion as stil is yet at Rome to this present day to be sene The true doctrine of repentance of * remission of sinnes whych commeth by the faith of Christ of iustification of faith of the difference betweene the lawe and the gospell of the right vse of the SacrameÌ„ts was hid and vnknowen The keyes were abused to the maintenance of the Popes vsurped tyrannie Ceremonies of mens inuention were much preferred before ciuile obedience and dueties done in the common wealth Unto these errours moreouer was ioyned a corrupte life The filthy life of the Clergy for lackee of mariage full of all lecherous and filthy lustes by reason of the law forbidding Priestes to marrie Out of thys miserable darknes God something hath begon to deliuer his church through the restoring againe of true doctrine For so wee must needes acknowledge that these so great and long festred errors haue not ben disclosed and brought to light by the industry of man This restoring of the Gospell is onely of God and not of man but thys light of the Gospel is onely the gift of God who nowe againe hath appeared vnto the Church For so doth the holy Ghost prophecie before how in the later times the godly should sustaine sore perillous conflicts with antichrist foreshewing that he should come enuironed with a mighty and strong army of Bishoppes hypocrites and Princes that he should fighte agaynste the truth and slay the godly And that now all these things are so come to passe it is most euident and caÌ„ not be denied The tirannie of the byshop of Rome hath partly brought in errors into y e church partly hath confirmed them nowe maintaineth the same with force and violence as Daniel well foreshewed And muche we reioyced to see you deuided froÌ„ him By the 6. Articles all errours and traditions are maintayned hoping and trusting well that the Church of England would now florish But your Byshops be not deuided from the Romish Antichrist his Idolatrie errours and vices they
of the Masse it selfe declareth no lesse And why then doe some of these craftie sophisters dally out the matter wyth their glosing wordes denieng that they make any application of their Masses when they know full well that the errour of the people is confirmed by this their doing although they themselues do thinke otherwise Albeit how few be there in very deede which do otherwise thinke We ought not to dissemble in Gods matters Let vs vse them as the holy Scripture teacheth and as the auncient custome of the primitiue Church doth leade vs. The olde institution of Christ is not to be altered by nâ—w inuentions Why should any man be so presumptuous to swerue from auncient custome Why now do they defend the errours of other which haue peruerted the institution of Christ Now although some perhaps wil pretend and say that he maketh no application of his Masses yet notwithstanding he so dealeth in handling the ceremony priuately by himselfe that he thinketh this his oblation to be high seruice done to God and suche as God requireth whiche is also erroneous and to be reproued For why no seruice nor worship perteining to God ought to bee set vp by mans deuise without the commaundement of God Wherefore I beseeche you for the glorye of Christ that you will not defend the article of this Acte coÌ„cerning these priuate Masses but that you will suffer the matter to bee well examined by vertuous and learned men All thinges that we here with vs do we do them by euident substantiall testimonie of the primitiue Church which testimonie I dare bee bolde to set against the iudgementes of all that haue since followed such as haue corrupted the aunciente doctrine and old rites with manifold errours As touching the other articles they haue no neede of any long disputation Against vowes of Priestes single lâ—fe The commoÌ„ errour concerning vowes Uowes that be wicked fayned and impossible are not to be kept There is no doubt but thys is the common perswasion of all men touching vowes that all these wil workes deuised by man are the true seruice and worship of God and so thinke they also whyche speake most indifferently of them Other adde therevnto more grosse errours saying that these works bring wyth them perfection and merite euerlasting life Now all these opinions the Scripture in manye places doth reprooue Christ saith They woorship me in vayne wyth the preceptes of men Marke 7. â— Tim. 4. And Paule sayth that these obseruations be the doctrine of deuils for they ascribe to the power and strength of man false honour because they are taken for the seruice of God they obscure faith and the true worshipping of God Item the sayd Paule to the Coloss. sayth Let no man deceyue you by fayned humilitie Coloss 2. c. Why make you Decrees c. Wherfore these corrupt traditions of men are in deede a wicked and detestable seruice of God Unto these also are annexed many other corrupt wicked abuses The whole order of Monkery what superstition doth it conteine What prophanations of Masses inuocation of Saints colours fashions of apparell choise of meates superstitious prayers without all measure Of which causes euery one were sufficient Causes why vowes ought to be broken why these vowes ought to be broken Besides this a greate part of men are drawne to this kinde of life chiefely for the bellye 's sake and then afterward they pretend the holines of their vowe and profession Furthermore this vowe of single life is not to all men possible to be kept as Christ himselfe sa it All men do not receiue this Math. 19. Such vowes therefore whiche without sinne can not be performed are to be vndone but these things I haue discussed sufficiently in other of my workes But this causeth me muche to maruell that this vowe of Priestes in your English Decree The 6. articles make the â—owe of Priestes as streâ—ght as the vowe of Monkes which is contrary to their owne lawe is more straite and hard then is the vowe of Monkes whereas the Canons themselues doe bind a Priest no farther to single life but onely for the time that he remaineth in the ministery And certeynely it made my hart to tremble when I reade thys Article which so forbiddeth matrimony and dissolueth the same being contracted and appointeth moreouer the punishment of death for the same Although there haue bene diuers godly Priests which in certeyne places haue bene put to death for their mariage yet hath neuer man hetherto bene so bold to stablish any such lawe No lawe of death euer established for Priestes mariage before the 6. Articles For euery man in a maner wel perceiued that all well disposed and reasonable persons would abhorre that crueltie and also they feared least the posteritie woulde thinke euill thereof Who would euer thinke that in the Church of Christ wherein all lenitie towarde the godly ought most principally to be shewed such cruelties and tyrannie could take place to set sorth bloudy lawes to be executed vpon the godly for lawfull matrimonie But they brake their vowes will the Byshoppes say Why Priestâ—s vowes ought not to stand For as I sayd that vow ought not to staÌ„d seing it is turned to a false worshyp of God is impossible to be kept Agayne although it stoode in force yet it should not extend to theÌ„ which forsake the ministery Finally if the Bishops here would haue a care and regarde to mens consciences they should then ordaine Priestes without any such profession or vow makyng as appeareth by the old Canons how that many were admitted to the ministery without professing of any vow and the same afterward when they had maried their wiues to haue remayned in the ministery as is testified Cap. Diaconi Distinct. 28. Certainely what here I may coÌ„playne I can not tell Dist. 28. â—ap Diaconi First in this Article I can not impute it to ignorauÌ„ce that they do For no man is ignorauÌ„t of the commaundemeÌ„t of God which sayth Let euery man haue his wife for auoydyng of fornication Agayne who is so blynd but he seeth what a life these vnmaried Priestes do liue Bishops restraine Priestes mariage against all reason and â—xcuse The complayntes of good meÌ„ are wel knowen The filthynes of y e wicked is toto manifest But peraduenture your Byshops holding w t the sect of Epicures doe thinke that God is not offended with filthy lustes Which if they so thinke then doe we susteine doubtlesse a hard cause where such must be iudges I am not ignoraunt that this single life is very fitte to set out the glory and brauery of Byshops and Colledges of Priestes to mainteine their wealth and portely state and this I suppose to be the cause why some do abhorre so much that Priestes should be maried But O Lamentable state of the Church if lawes shuld be so forced to serue not the
veritie and the will of God but the priuate gayne and commoditie of men They erre which thinke it lawfull for them to make lawes repugnaunt to the commauÌ„dement of God to the law of nature so that they be profitable to attaine wealth and riches Complaint of vniust lawes seruing to the â—â—ker of meÌ„ against the glory of God And of trouth froÌ„ my very hart I do mourne lament right noble Prince both for your sake also for the cause of Christes Church You pretende to impugne and gaynestaÌ„d the tyraÌ„ny of the Romish Byshop and truly do call him Antichrist as in deede he is in the meane tyme you defeÌ„d and maintaine those lawes of that Romish Antichrist which be the strength sinowes of all his power as priuate Masses single lyfe of Priestes other superstitions You threaten horrible punishmentes to good men and to the meÌ„bers of Christ you violently oppresse and beare down the veritie of the Gospell begynnyng to shyne in your Churches This is not to abolish Antichrist but to establish him I beseech you therfore for our Lord Iesus Christ that you file not your conscience in defendyng those Articles which your Byshops haue deuised and set forth touchyng priuate Masses Auricular confession vowes single life of Priestes prohibition of the one halfe of the Sacrament It is no light offeÌ„ce to establish Idolatry errours crueltie the filthy lustes of Antichrist If the Romane Byshop should now call a Councell what other Articles chiefly would he deuise and publish vnto the world but the very same which your Byshops haue here enacted Understand and consider I pray you the subtile traynes and deceites of the deuill The subtiltye of Sathan in abusing the power of Princes to maintaine his kingdome whiche is wont first to set vpon and assayle the chief gouernours And as he is the enemy of Christ from the begynnyng of the world so his chief purpose is by all craftie and subtile meanes to worke contumely agaynst Christ in sparsing abroad wicked opinions and setting vp Idolatry and also in pollutyng maÌ„kind with bloudy murthers and fleshly lustes in the workyng wherof he abuseth the policies and wittes of hypocrites also the power and strength of mighty Princes as stories of all tymes beare witnes what great kyngdomes Empires haue set themselues with all might maine agaynst the poore Church of Christ. And yet notwithstaÌ„ding God hath reserued some good Princes at all tymes out of the great multitude of such giants and hath brought them to his Church to embrace true doctrine and to defend his true worshyp Example of good Princes as AbrahaÌ„ taught Abimelech Ioseph the Egyptian kynges and after them came Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias excellyng in true godlynesse Daniell conuerted to the knowledge of God the kynges of Chaldea Persia. Also BritaÌ„ny brought forth vnto the world the godly Prince Constantine In this number I wishe you rather to be then amongest the enemyes of Christ defiled with Idolatry spotted with the bloud of the godly of whom God will take punishment as he doth many tymes forewarne and many examples do teach Yet agayne therefore I pray and beseeche you for our Lord Iesus Christ that you wil correct and mitigate this Decree of y e Byshops In which doyng you shall aduauÌ„ce the glory of Christ and prouide as well for the wealth of your owne soule as the sauegarde of your Churches Let the hartie desires of so many godly men through the whole worlde moue you so earnestly wishing that some good Kings woulde extend their authoritie to the true reformation of the Church of God to the abolishing of all Idolatrous worship and the furthering of the course of the Gospell Regarde also and consider I beseeche you those godly persons He meaneth ShaxtoÌ„ Latimer Cromer and others which are with you in bands for the Gospels sake being the true members of Christ. And if that cruell Decree be not altered the Byshops will neuer cease to rage agaynst the Churche of Christe without mercy or pitie For them the deuill vseth as instrumentes and ministers of his furie and malice agaynst Christ. The deuils instrumentes by whom he workâ—â—h These he stirreth vp to slay and kill the members of Christ. Whose wicked and cruell proceedings and subtile sophistications that you wil not prefer before our true and most righteous request all the godly most humbly hartily do pray beseech you Which if they shall obteyne no doubt but God shal recompence to you great rewards for your pietie and your excelleÌ„t vertue shal be renowmed both by penne and voyce of all the godly whiles the world standeth For Christ shall iudge all them that shall deserue either well or euill of his Church And whiles letters shal remaine the memoriall worthy of such noble deserts shall neuer dye or be forgotten with the posteritie to come And seing we seeke the glory of Christ and that our Churches are the Churches of Christ there shall neuer be wantyng such as both shall defend the righteous cause and magnifie with due commendation such as haue well deserued likewise shal condemne the vniust crueltie of the enemies Christ goeth about hungry thirstie naked prisoned complaining of the raging furie of the Bishops and of the wrongfull oppression and crueltie of dyuers Kyngs and Princes entreating that the members of his body be not rent in peeces but that true Churches may be defended his Gospell aduanced This request of Christ to heare to receiue and to embrace is the office of a godly Kyng and seruice most acceptable vnto God ☞ Intreating a little before page 1143. of certayne olde instrumentes for proofe of Priestes lawfull Marriage in times past I gaue a little touch of a certayne recorde taken out of an olde Martyrologe of the Church of Cant. touching Liuingus a priest and his wife in the time of Lanfrancke Wherein I touched also of certain lands and houses restored againe by the said Lanfrancke to the Church of S. Andrew Liuingus Priest and his wife Now for asmuch as the perfect note thereof is more fully come to my hands and partly considering the restoring of the sayde landes to be to Christes Churche in Canterbury and not S. Andrew in Rochester and also for that I haue founde some other presidentes approouing the lawfull Mariage of Priestes and legitimation of theyr children I thought good for the more full satisfying of the reader to enter the same as followeth * A note out of an old Martyrologe of Caunterbury OBijt Guillielmus Rex Anglorum c. Hic reddidit Ecclesiae Christi omnes ferè terras c. That is After the death of William King of England Ex Archiuis Eccles. Cant. the sayd Lanfrancke restored agayne to Christes Church in Canterbury all the landes whiche from auncient memory vnto these latter dayes haue bene taken away from the right of the sayd Church The names of which landes
outward ceremony And so Paule by that saying confuteth this opinion Ex opere operato that the Sacramentes should make men righteous iust before God for y e very outward work without faith of them that receiue them And after this manner doth Paule speake vnto the Ephesians Eph. 5. that Christ doth sanctify his church through the bath of water in the word of life And for as much as he ioyneth the word vnto the ceremony and declareth the vertue and power of the word of God Sacramentes onely to be gathered out of the word of God that it bringeth with it life he doth manifestly teach that the word of God is the principall thing and euen as it were the very substaunce body of the Sacrament and the outward ceremony to be nothing els then a token of that liuely inflamation whych we receiue through fayth in the word and promise Saint Paule also in ministring the sacrament of the Lordes supper doth manifestly adde the woordes of Christ He tooke bread sayth he and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and sayd take ye this and eate ye this for it is my body Item Do ye this in my remembrance The institution of Christ ought not to be altered 1. Cor. 11. Beside this he teacheth euidently y e onely Christ and none but he had power to institute a sacrament that neither the Apostles nor the Church hath any authority to alter or to adde any thing vnto his ordynaunce whereas he saith For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you c. To what purpose shoulde he go about to mooue the people to beleue him and to winne theyr hartes with this protestation if it had bene lawefull for him to haue made any sacramentes or to haue altered the forme and maner of ministring this sacrameÌ„t as some men both wickedly and shamelesly do affirme that the Apostles did alter the forme of Baptisme When he had spoken thus much The aunswere of the Bishop of London agaynst Alesius the B. of LondoÌ„ dyd interrupt him and sayd Let vs grauÌ„t that the sacraments may be gathered out of the word of God yet are you farre deceiued if ye think that there is none other word of God but that which euery sowter and cobler doe reade in theyr mother tongue And if ye thinke that nothing pertayneth vnto the Christian fayth but that onely that is written in the Bible then erre ye playnely with the Lutherans Iohn 21. 2. Thess. 2. For S. Iohn sayth that Iesus did many thinges which be not written And S. Paul commaundeth the Thess. to obserue and keep certeine vnwritten traditions ceremonies Actes 16. Vnwritten verities and traditions of fathers in equall force with Gods written word 2. Thes. 2. Moreouer he himselfe did preach not the scripture onely but euen also the traditions of the Elders Act. xvj Finally we haue receiued many things of the Doctors Councels by times which although they be not written in the Bible yet for as much as the olde Doctors of the Churche do make mention of them we ought to graunt that we receiued them of the Apostles and that they be of like authority with the Scripture and finally that they may worthily be called the word of God vnwritten Now when the right noble Lord Cromwell The vnwritten word of God Stokesly laughed to scorne the Archbishop with the other Bishops which did defend the pure doctrine of the gospel heard this they smiled a litle one vpoÌ„ another forasmuch as they saw him flee euen in y e very beginning of the disputation vnto his old rusty sophistry and vnwritten verities Then Alesius would haue proceded further with the Bishop to haue confuted this blasphemous lye but the Lord Cromwell bade him be coÌ„tent for the time began to go away and it was xij of the clock and thus he made an end w t his protestation Right reuerend mayster Bishop you deny that our christen fayth and religion doth leane only vpoÌ„ the word of God which is written in the Bible which thing if I can proue and declare then you will graunt me that there be no sacramentes but those that haue the manifest word of God to confirme theÌ„ Unto this he did consent and then immediatly that assemble was dissolued for that day The next day when the Bishops were set agayne the Archbishop of Canterbury sending his Archdeacon commaunded Alesius to abstayne from disputation wherupon he wrote his minde and deliuered it vnto Cromwell who afterward shewed the same vnto the Bishops Thus through the industry of Cromwell the colloquies were brought to this end that albeit religioÌ„ could not wholy be reformed yet at that time there was some reformation had throughout all England How desirous and studious this good Cromwel was in y e cause of Christs religioÌ„ The publicke care of Cromwell for the commoÌ„ wealth exaÌ„ples need not to be broght His whole life was nothing els but a continuall care and trauell how to aduaunce and further the right knowledge of the Gospell and reforme the house of God As by so many Proclamations aboue specified by his meanes set forth may well appeare wherein first he caused the people to be instructed in the Lordes Prayer and Creede in English then procured the Scripture also to be read and set forth in the same language for euery English man to vnderstand after that to rescue the vulgar people from damnable Idolatry caused certaine of the most grossest pilgrimages to be destroyed And further for the more commodity of the poore sort which get their liuing with their dayly labor worke of their handes he prouided that diuers idle holidayes were diminished Item he procured for theÌ„ liberty to eate egges and whitmeat in Lent Furthermore by him it was also prouided for y e better instruction of the people that beneficedâ—meÌ„ should be resident in their Cures and parishes there to teach and to keepe Hospitality with many other thinges els most fruitfully redressed for the reformation of Religion and behoofe of Christes Church as by the ProclamatioÌ„s Read afore pag. 1069.1070.1071.1072 c. Iniunctions and necessary articles of Christian doctrine aboue specified set forth in the kings name by his meanes may more aboundauntly appeare pag. 1069.1070 c. Now to adioyne withall his priuate benefites in helping diuers good men and women at sundry times out of troubles and great distresses it would require a long discourse Briefly his whole life was ful of such examples being a man to that intent ordeined of God as his deedes well proued to do many men good and especially such as were in daunger of persecutioÌ„ for religions sake Amongst other infinite stories one or two examples shall suffice for a testimony of his worthy doinges ¶ How Cromwell holpe a poore woman with childe out of great trouble longing for a piece of meat in time of Lent Persecuters Persecuted The
prison two of the Canons of the Colledge the one called Doctour Blithe and the other maister Arche whych two were sent to be their confessors master Arche asked them if they would be confest and they sayde yea Then hee demaunded if they would receyue the Sacramente Yea sayde they wyth all our heartes I am glad quoth Arche to heare you say so but the law is quoth he that it may not be ministred to none that are coÌ„demned of heresie But it is inough for you that ye do desire it And so had them vp to the Hall to heare theyr confessions because the prison was full of people Doctor Blyth tooke Anthony Person to him to confesse and mayster Arche the other two But how soeuer the matter went between the Doctour Anthony he taryed not long w t him but came downe agayne saying he woulde no more of his doctrine Do you call him Doct. Blith quoth Anthony He may be called Doct. Blind for his learning as farre as I see And soone after the other two came downe also TheÌ„ Anthony seeing much people in the prison began to say y e Lords prayer whereof he made a maruelous godly declaration wherein hee continued til the Officers came to set them away and so made an end And taking theyr leaue of Marbecke their prison fellow they praysed God for his delyueraunce wishing to hym the increase of godlynes vertue and last of all besought him hartily to helpe them with hys prayer vnto God to make them strong in theyr afflictions and so kissing him one after an other departed Now as the prisoners passed thorough the people in y e streetes they desired all the faythfull people to praye for them to stand fast in the truth of the gospell not to be moued at theyr afflictions for it was the happyest thinge that euer came to them And euer as Doctour Blithe and Arche who rod on each side the prisoners woulde perswade them to turne to their mother holy Churche away would Anthony cry away with your Romishe doctryne and all your trompery for we will no more of it When Filmer was come to his brothers dore he stayed and called for his brother but he coulde not be seene for Doctour London had kept him out of sight that day for the nonce And when hee had called for him three or foure times and saw he came not he sayd and will he not come Then God forgeue him and make him a good man And so going forth they came to the place of execution where Anthony Person with a cheerefull countenaunce embraced y e post in his armes and kissing it sayd Nowe welcome myne owne sweete wife for this day shalt thou and I be maried together in the loue and peace of God And being all three bound to the post a certaine young man of Filmers acquayntaunce brought him a pot of drinke asking if he woulde drinke Yea quoth Filmer I thanke you And nowe my brother quoth he I shall desire you in the name of the liuing Lord to stand fast in y e truth of the gospell of Iesus Christe whyche you haue receaued and so taking the pot at hys hande asked hys brother Anthony if he would drinke Yea brother Filmer quoth he I pledge you in the Lord. And when he had dronke he gaue the pot to Anthonye Anthony likewise gaue it to Testwoode Of which drinking their aduersaries made a iesting stocke reportyng abrode that they were all dronke wist not what they said when as they were none otherwise dronke then as the Apostles were when the people sayd they were full of newe wyne as theyr deedes declared For when Anthonye and Testwoode had both dronken geuen the pot from them Filmer reioysing in the Lord sayd Be mery my brethren lift vp your hearts vnto God for after this sharp breakfast I trust we shall haue a good dinner in the kingdom of Christ our Lord and redeemer At the which words Testwood lifting vp his handes and eyes to heauen desired the Lorde aboue to receiue his spirite And Anthony Persone pulling the straw vnto him laid a good deale thereof vpon the top of hys head saying Thys is Gods hatte now am I dressed like a true souldiour of Christ by whose merites onely I trust this day to enter into his ioye And so yelded they vp their soules to the father of heauen in the faythe of his deare sonne Iesus Christe w t suche humilitie and stedfastnesse that many which saw their patient suffering confessed that they coulde haue founde in their heartes at that present to haue died with them How all their conspiracies were knowen YE haue hearde before of one Robert Bennet howe hee was at the first apprehended wyth the other foure persons aforesayd and committed to the B. of Londons pryson and aboute the tyme hee shoulde haue gone to Wyndsore fell sicke of the pestilence by meane whereof he remained still in prison This Bennet Symons ye shall vnderstaÌ„d were the greatest familiars and coÌ„pany kepers y t were in all Windsore neuer lightly swarued the one froÌ„ the other sauing in matters of religioÌ„ wherin they could neuer agree For Bennet the one Lawyer was an earnest Gospeller Simons the other Lawyer a cankered papist but in al other worldly matters they cleaued together like burres Thys Bennet had spoken certayne woordes agaynst theyr little rounde God for the whych hee was as farre in as the best and had suffered death wyth the other if he had gone to Windsore when they went R. Ocâ—am 〈◊〉 vp by the biâ—hop of Salisbury and by otherâ— to Gardiner with letters And now that the mater was al done and finished it was determined by the bishop of Salisburye that Robert Ockam on the Mondaye after the men were burnte shoulde goe to the Byshop of Winchester wyth the whole processe done at the Sessions the Thursday before Then Symons at Bennets wiues request procured of the byshop of Salisbury his fauourable letter to the byshop of Winchester for Bennets deliuerance Which letter Bennets wife for asmuche as her owne man was not at home which should haue gone with the letter desired Robert Ockam to deliuer it to y e Bishop to bring her word againe who sayde hee woulde So foorth went Ockam toward the bishop of Winchester with his budget ful of wrytings to declare and open all thyngs vnto hym that were done at Wyndsore Sessions The conspiracie of the 〈…〉 disclosed Many good men and certayne of the 〈◊〉 chamber indited by the Byshops but all theyr wicked intentes as God wold haue it were soone cut off and their doings disclosed For one of the Queenes menne named Fulke which had lien at Windsore all the time of the busines and had got knowledge what a number were priuily indited and of Ockams going to the bishop of Winchester gate to the Court before Ockam and told sir
Papistes who will needes be both accusers and also â—â—dges in their owne opinions and causes and be not iudges your selues of your owne phantasticall opinions and vayne expositions for in such high causes ye may lightly erre And although you be permitted to reade holy scripture and to haue the worde of God in your mother tongue you must vnderstand that it is licenced you so to do onely to informe your owne conscience and to instruct your children and family and not to dispute and make scripture a rayling and a taunting stocke agaynst priestes and preachers as many light persons do I am very sory to know and heare how vnreuerently that most precious iewel the word of God is disputed rymed How are they 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Gods word when none 〈…〉 to â—ead it vnder the degree of a Gâ—nâ—leman song iangled in euery Alehouse and Tauerne contrary to the true meaning and doctrine of the same And yet I am euen as muche sory â— Hierom wisheth the Scriptures not onely to be read of all men but also to be song of women at their rockes of plowmen at the plow of 〈◊〉 at their loome c. that the readers of the same folow it in doing so faintly coldly For of this I am sure that charity was neuer so faynt amongest you vertuous * Godly liuing though it encrease not with the Gospel so much as we wisheâ— yet the defecte thereof is not to bee imputed to the Gospel And if we well coÌ„pare tyme with time we shall find by vewing the bookes of the old Warmot questes of 〈◊〉 and baâ—des and wicked liuers 〈◊〉 presented to one nowe besides 〈◊〉 the common stues godly liuing was neuer less vsed nor god himselfe amongest Christians was neuer lesse reuerenced honored or serued Therfore as I sayde before be in charitye one with an other like brother and brother Loue dread and serue God to the which I as your supreme head and soueraigne Lord exhort and require you and then I doubt not but that loue and league that I spake of in the beginning shall neuer be dissolued or broken betwene vs. And as touching the lawes which be now made and concluded I exhort you the makers to be as diligent in putting them in execution as you were in making furthering the same or els your labour shall be in vayne your coÌ„mon wealth nothing relieued Notes vpon the foresayd exhortation The kinges Oration expeÌ„ded with notes vpon the same PRinces which exhort to concorde and charitie doe well but Princes which seeke out the causes of discord reforme the same do much better The papist and protestant Hereticke and Pharisee the old Mumpsimus and the newe Sumpsimus be teâ—mes of variance and dissention and be I graunt Symtomata of a sore wound in the commoÌ„ wealth but he that will amend this wound must first beginne to search out the causes and to purge the occasion thereof otherwise to cure the sore outwardlye whiche inwardlye doth fester and ranckle still it is but vayne The roote and ground of al this greeuance riseth here of the prelates and clergy of Rome seeking as it seemeth altogether after riches pompe honour of this world to mayntayn y e same vnder pretence of religion doe in verye deed subuert religioÌ„ vnder y e title of the church they bring into the churche manifest errours absurdities intollerable who pretending to be fathers of the churche if they transgressed but in maners and lightnes of life or neglygence of gouernement they might be borne withall for peace concords sake and here modesty ciuillitie quietnes vnitie charitie might haue place amongst modest natures But now they obscure the glory of the sonne of God which in no case ought to be suffered they extinct the light grace of the Gospell they clogge mens consciences they set vp Idolatry mayntayn Idols they bring in false inuocation they restrayne lawfull matrimonye whereby groweth filthy pollution adultery and whoredome in the Church vnspeakable they corrupt the sacramentes they wrast the scripture as worldly purposes they kill and persecute Gods people Briefly theyr doctrine is damnable theyr lawes be impious their doinges are detestable And yet after all this they crept craftely into the hartes of princes vnder the title of the Church coulor of concord making kinges and princes beleue that all be heretickes and schismatickes which will not be subiect to their ordinary power Now almighty God who is a ielous God not suffering the glory of his sonne to be defaced nor his truth to be troden vnder foot stirreth vp againe the harts of his people to vnderstaÌ„d his truth to defend his cause WhervpoÌ„ of those two partes as two mighty flintes thus smiting together coÌ„meth out the sparcle of this diuisioÌ„ which by no wise can be quenched but that one part must nedes yeld geue ouer There is no neutrality nor mediatioÌ„ of peace nor exhortation to agremeÌ„t that will serue betwene these two contrary doctrines but either the Popes errors must geue place to Gods word or els the veritye of God must geue place vnto them Wherefore as the good intent and plausible Oration of the king in this behalf was not to be discommended in exhorting his subiectes to charity so had he much more deserued commendation if he hadde sought the right way to worke charity to helpe innocency amongst his subiects by taking away the impious law of the 6. articls the mother of all diuision and manslaughter For what is this to the purpose to exhort in wordes neuer so much to charity and in deed to geue a knife to the murtherers hand to run vpon his naked brother which neither in conscience can leaue his cause nor yet hath power to defend himselfe As by experience here foloweth to be seene what charity ensued after this exhortation of the king to charity by the racking and burning of good Anne Askew with 3. other poore subiectes of the king within halfe a yeare after whereof shortly you shall heare more declared When these Chauntries and colledges thus by Acte of ParliameÌ„t wert geuen into the kings hands as is aboue remembred which was about the moneth of DeceÌ„ber an 1545. the next Lent following D. Crome preaching in the Mercers chappel among other reasons and persuatioÌ„s to rouse the people from the vayn opinion of Purgatory inferred this grounding vpon the sayd act of parliameÌ„t that if Trentals and Chauntry masses could auayle the soules in Purgatory then did the Parliament not wel in geuing away Monasteryes Colledges chauÌ„tries which serued principally to that purpose But if the parliament did wel as no maÌ„ could deny in dissoluing them D. Cromes Dilemma agaynst priuate masses and bestowing the same vpon the king then is it a playne case that such Chauntries and priuate masses do nothing conferre to relieue them in Purgatory This dilemma of D. Crome no doubt was insoluble D.
of the lawe which is the very true losing But for al that he hath not taken away from the powers and officers their right sword and authoritie to punish the euill for such pertayne not to hys kingdome vntill they are made spirituall and then freely and with a glad hart they serue God 6 If the Pope woulde make all the obseruations of the ceremonies as Lent fasting holydayes confession matrimonie masse 6. article mattins and reliques c. free and indifferent he should not bee Antichrist but now because he commendeth them in the name of Christ he vtterly corrupteth the Church suppresseth the faith and aduanceth sinne fol. 67. If the Pope will infer a necessitie of those things which Christ leaueth free and indifferēt then what doth he make himselfe but Antichrist The Article is plaine and is founded vpon the doctrine of Christ and S. Paule 7 To beleeue in Christ maketh sure inheritors with Christ fol. 1. 8 If a man say then shall we no good workes do 7. article I aunswere as Christ did 8. article This is the worke of God to beleeue in him whome he hath sent fol. 1. The place of these two Articles gathered out of the Reuelat is this The place annexed Iohn 1. Who is this light that we are exhorted to beleeue in Truely it is Christ as S. Iohn doth testifie He was the true light that lighteneth all men which come into the world To beleeue in this light maketh vs the children of light and the sure inheritors with Iesus Christ. Euen now haue we cruell aduersaries which set vp their bristles saying why shall we then do no good workes To these we aunswere as Christ did to the people in the sixt of s. Iohn which asked him what they should do that they might worke the workes of God Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto them This is the worke of God that ye beleeue on him whome he hath sent Iohn ◠And after it followeth Uerily verily I say vnto you he that beleueth on me hath euerlasting life To this also condescendeth S. Iohn in his epistle saying These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that you may surely know how that you haue eternall life What is the name of the sonne of God Truely his name is Iesus that is to say a sauiour therefore thou must beleeue that he is a sauiour But what auayleth this The diuels do thus beleeue tremble Iacob 2 Math. 8. They know that he is the sonne of God and sayd vnto him crying O Iesu the sonne of God what haue we to do with thee They know that he hath redemed mākind by his passion and laboured to let it For whē Pilate was set downe to geue iudgement his wife sent vnto him saying Math. ◠Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man for I haue suffered many things this day in my slepe about him No doubt she was vexed of the diuel to the intent that she should perswade her husband to giue no sentence vpō him so that Satan might the longer haue had iurisdiction ouer mankind They knowe that he hath suppressed sinne and death as it is written Death is consumed into victory Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne the sting of sinne is the lawe But thanks be vnto God Osee 13. Heb. 2. 1. Cor. 1◠Rom. 8. which hath geuē vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ who by sinne damned sinne in the flesh For God made him to be sinne for vs that is to say a sacrifice for our sinne and so is sinne taken in many places which knew no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnes which before God is allowed It is not therefore sufficient to beleeue that he is a sauiour and redeemer but that he is a sauiour redemer vnto thee c. 9 Nombring of sinnes maketh a man a more sinner yea a blasphemer of the name of God 9. Article fol. 3. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelat. is this The place annexed Knowledge thy selfe a sinner that thou mayest be iustified Not that the numbring of thy sinnes can make thē righteous but rather a greater sinner yea a blasphemer of the holy name of God as thou mayest see in Caine which said that his sinnes were greater then that he might receiue forgiuenes and so was a reprobate c. 10 God bindeth vs to that which is impossible for vs to accomplish 10. article fol. 3. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelat. is this The place annexed If thou aske of me why he bindeth vs to that whych is impossible for vs to accomplish thou shalt haue S. Augustine aunswere which saith in the second booke that hee wrote to Hierome that the lawe was geuen vs that wee might knowe what to do and what to eschewe to the intent that when we see our selues not able to do that whiche we are bound to do nor auoide the contrary we may then know what we shall pray for and of whome we shall aske this strength so that we may say vnto our father Good father commaunde whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee but giue vs the grace to fulfill that thou commaundest And when wee perceiue that we can not fulfill his will yet let vs confesse that the law is good and holy and that we are sinners and carnall solde vnder sinne But let vs not heere sticke for now are we at hell gates and doubtles shoulde fall into vtter desperation Rom. 7. except God did bring vs agayne shewing vs his gospell promise saying feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue you a kingdome Luke 12. c. 11 Sinne can not condemne vs for our satisfaction is made in Christ which dyed for vs 11. article fol. 4. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelat. is this The place annexed Sinne hath no power ouer vs neither can condemne vs for our satisfaction is made in Christ which dyed for vs that were wicked and naturally the children of wrath But God which is rich in mercy through the greate loue wherewith he loued vs euen whē we were dead through sinne Ephes. 2. hath quickened vs with Christ with him hath raised vs vp with him hath made vs sit in heauēly things through Iesus Christ for to shew in times to come the exceding riches of his grace in kindnes towards vs through Christ Iesus for by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of our selues for it is the gift of God and cōmeth not of workes least any man should boast himselfe c. 12 I will shew thee an euident argument and reason that thou mayst know without doubt 〈◊〉 article who is Antichrist All they that doe pursue are Antichrists The Pope Byshops Cardinals and theyr
thereof Peter and Paul wherof the one of thē dareth not freely vtter or speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by hymselfe for the obedience of the Gentiles The other exhorteth that if any man speake he should speake the praises of God but I condemne those lawes which the bishops of Rome haue made accordyng to their owne will and mynde and say that they are spirituall pertainyng vnto the soule and necessarie vnto euerlastyng lyfe For so much as the writyngs of the Apostles doe euidently declare that there was no authoritie knowen amongest them to make or ordayne any ordinaunces or lawes Furthermore the Scriptures do manifestly shewe the same how oftentimes euen by the Lordes owne mouth this foresayd authoritie is taken from the Ministers of the Church so that no excuse for them remayneth but that they be playne rebelles agaynst the worde of GOD how many so euer doe presume or take vppon them to appoint or set any new lawes vpon the people of GOD whiche thyng is more manifest and euident then the lyght it selfe in many places of the Scripture For in the 23. chapter of Iosue it is written you shall obserue and doe all that is written in the lawe of Moyses neyther shall you swarue from that eyther to the ryght hande eyther to the lefte hand But that which is written in the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomium ought to mooue them somewhat the more Whatsoeuer I commaund sayth the Lorde that you shall obserue and doe thereunto you shall adde nothing neyther shall you take any thyng from it The lyke he had sayd before in the fourth chapter of the same booke And agayne Moyses in the xxx chapiter of the same booke doth witnesse that he dyd put foorth lyfe and blessing vnto Israell when as he gaue them that lawe which he had receiued of the Lord. How can they then excuse themselues of periury which ordaine new lawes to liue by But let vs proceede further and see what authoritie the Priestes of Leuies stocke had to make lawes I doe not denye but that God in the xvij chapter of Deuteronomie ordayned vnder a great penaltie that the authoritie of the Priestes should not be contemned but had in reuerence But in the ij of Malachie He also declareth vnder what condition they are to be heard where as he sayth he hath made a couenaunt with Leuy that the law of truth should be in hys mouth and by and by after he added the lips of the Priest shall keepe and maintayne wisedome and the law they shall require at hys mouth which is the messenger of the Lord of hostes Therefore it is fitte and necessary that if a Priest will be heard that he doe shew himselfe the messenger of God that is to say faythfully to report and declare the commaundements which he hath receiued of the Lorde For where as Malachie speaketh of hearyng of them he putteth this specially that they doe aunswere accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde Therefore lyke as the Leuiticall Priestes did breake theyr couenaunt made with GOD if they do teache any other lawe then that which they had receyued of hym So likewyse these men muste eyther acknowledge themselues to be couenant breakers or els they may not bynde the consciences of men with no new lawe Furthermore what power the Prophetes had vniuersally it is very liuely described in Ezechiel in his xxxiij chapter Thou sonne of man sayth the Lord I haue made thee a guide vnto the house of Israel thou shalt heare the word out of myne owne mouth Ezechiel cap. 55. and declare it vnto them from me He then which is commaunded to heare of the mouth of the Lord is he not forbidden to rehearse or speake any thing of hymselfe For what other thyng is it to speake from the Lord but so to speake that he may boldly affirme and say that it is not his word but the word of the Lorde which he speaketh Further God by his Prophet Ieremy calleth it chaffe what so euer doth not proceede from hymselfe Wherefore none of the Prophetes haue opened theyr mouthes at any tyme to speake but beyng premonished before by the worde of GOD. Whereupon it happeneth that these wordes are so often pronounced by them The worde of the Lord The charge or burden of the Lord The vision of the Lord Thus sayth the Lord The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now that we may also confirme that which is before spoken by the examples of the Apostles that they haue taught nothyng but that whiche they haue learned of the Lorde the law which Christ prescribed vnto them when as he endowed them with the dignitie and honour of the Apostleship is somewhat more profoundly to be repeated In the last chapiter of Mathew he commandeth them to go foorth and teach not such thyngs as they themselues did rashly inuent or deuise but those things which he had commaunded them Furthermore Paule in the second to the Collossians denieth that he hath any dominion or rule ouer the fayth of the Corinthians albeit he was ordayned by the Lorde to be their Apostle If you require and desire a further reason of the moderation of Saint Paule read the tenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romaines where as he teacheth That fayth commeth by hearyng it commeth not by the dreames of the Bishop of Rome or by any other Bishop but onely by the worde of God neyther ought any man to thinke it straunge that neyther Christ restrayned hys Apostles by the lawe that they should not teache any thyng but that which they had learned of the mouthe of the Lord. He set the same law vppon himselfe because it should not be lawfull for any man to refuse it My doctrine sayth Christ is not myne but hys which sent me my fathers he which hath bene the onely and eternall counseller of the father which also is ordayned by the Father the Lord and Maister ouer all for so much yet as he doth the office and part of a Minister he doth by hys example prescribe vnto all Ministers what rule and order they ought to followe in teachyng wherfore the power of the Church is not such that it may at hys owne wyll and discretion teach new doctrines eyther as they terme it frame new Articles of fayth either establish new laws but is subiect vnto the worde of the Lorde and as it were included in the same But now let vs beholde what defence they do bryng for their constitutions The Apostles say they and the Elders of the Primitiue Church established a decree besides the commandement of Christ wherby they did commaunde all people to abstayne from all things offered vnto Idols suffocation and bloud The Church subiect to the word of God Reasons wherewith they defēd their constitutions If that were lawfull for them so to doe why is it not lawfull for their successour as often as necessitie shall require to imitate
vnderstand first the condition or promise made by the Frenche man or straunger So likewyse I woulde that wee vnderstoode what thing we promise in the name of y e infant vnto God in Baptisme For this cause I beleeue ye haue confirmation Then said master Bleiter chapleine that he had the deuill within hym and the spirite of error Then answeared him a child saying The deuill cannot speake suche wordes as yonder man doth speake 6 Thou heretike traitour and thiefe thou saidest that the Sacrament of the altar was but a peece of bread baken vppon the ashes and no other thing els and all that is there done 6. Articâ—â— is but a superstitious rite against the commaundement of God Oh Lorde God so manifest lies and blasphemies the Scripture doeth not teache you Aunswâ—â—â— As concerning the sacrament of the aultare my Lordes I neuer taught any thing against the Scripture The Paâ—pistes reâ—proued lyers aâ—◠〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 vse of 〈◊〉 Sacramâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 the whych I shall by Gods grace make manifest thys daye I being ready therefore to suffer death The lawfull vse of this Sacrament is most acceptable vnto God but the great abuse of it is very detestable vnto hym But what occasion they haue to say such wordes of me I shall shortly shew your Lordships I once chaunced to meete wyth a Iewe when I was sailing vpon the water of Rhene I did enquire of him what was the cause of his pertinacie The 〈◊〉 of a Iewâ— that he did not beleue that the true Messias was come considering that they had seene all the Prophecies whych were spoken of him to be fulfilled Moreouer the Prophecies taken away and the Scepter of Iuda by many other testimonies of the scripture I vaÌ„quished him that Messias was come The priâ—â—â—â—pall 〈◊〉 which the 〈◊〉 from Câ—â—â—â—stianity y t which they called Iesus of Nazareth Thys Iewe aunsweared againe vnto mee when Messias commeth he shall restore all things and hee shall not abrogate the law which was geuen to our forfathers as ye do For why we see the poore almost perish through hunger amongst you yet you are not mooued with pity towards them but among vs Iewes though we be poore there are no beggers found Secondarily it is forbidden by the lawe to faine anye kind of imagery of things in heauen aboue Images or in the earth beneath or in the sea vnder the earthe but one God onely to honour but your Sanctuaries and Churches are ful of Idolles Thirdly a pece of bread baken vpon the ashes The Saâ—â—â—â—ment of 〈◊〉 altar ye adore and worship and say that it is your God I haue rehersed heere but the sayings of the Iewe which I neuer affirmed to be true Then the bishops shooke their heads and spitted on the earth and what they meant in this matter further they would not heare 7 Thou false heretike diddest say 7. Articlâ— that extreeme vnction was not a sacrament My Lordes forsooth I neuer taught any thynge of extreme vnction in my doctrine whether it were a Sacrament or no. 8 Thou false heretike saidest that holye water is not so good as washe and suche like Thou condemnest coniuring and sayest that holy Churches cursings auaile not My Lordes as for holy water what strengthe it is of I taught neuer in my doctrine Coniuringes and Exorcismes Aunswere if they were conformable to the woorde of God I would commend them but in so much as they are not conformable to the commaundement and woord of God I reprooue them â— Article 9 Thou false heretike and runnagate hast sayde that euery lay man is a priest and suche like Thou sayest that the Pope hathe no more power then any other man My Lordes I taught nothyng but the worde of God I remember that I haue read in some places in S. Iohn and S. Peter Aunswere of the which one sayth He hath made vs kings and priests The other sayeth Hee hath made vs a kingly priesthood Wherefore I haue affirmed that any man being cunning in the woorde of God the true faith of Iesu Christ hath his power geuen him from God and not by the power or violence of men but by the vertue of the woorde of God the which woord is called the power of God as witnesseth S. Paule euidently enough And againe I say that any vnlearned man Rom. 1. not exercised in the worde of God nor yet constant in his faith what so euer estate or order hee be of I say he hath no power to binde or loose seeing he wanteth the instrument by the which he bindeth or looseth that is to say the woorde of God After that he had sayd these wordes all the Byshoppes laughed mocked him When that he behelde their laughing Laugh yee sayeth he my Lordes Though that these sayings appeare scornefull and worthy of derision to your Lordships neuertheles they are very waighty to me and of a great value because they stand not only vpon my life but also the honour and glory of God In the meane time many godly men beholding the woodnes and great crudelitie of the Bishops and the inuincible patience of maister George did greatly mourne and lament 10 Thou false heretike saidest that a man hath no free wil. But is like to the Stoikes â—â— Article which say that it is not in mans will to doe any thing but that all concupiscence desire commeth of God what soeuer kinde it be of My Lordes I saide not so truely I say that as many as beleeue in Christe firmely vnto them is geuen libertie conformable to the saying of S. Iohn Aunswere If the sonne make you free then shall ye verely be free Of the contrary as many as beleue not in Christ Iesu Iohn 8. they are bond seruants of sinne He that sinneth is bond to sinne 11. Article 11 Thou false heretike sayest it is as lawfull to eate flesh vpon the friday as on sonday Pleaseth it your Lordshippes I haue read in the Epistles of S. Paule Aunswere that who is cleane vnto him all thyngs are cleane Of the contrary to the filthy men all things are vncleane 〈◊〉 1. A faithful man cleane and holy sanctifieth by the woorde the creature of God But the creature maketh no manne acceptable vnto God So that a creature may not sanctifie any impure and vnfaithful man But to the faithfull man all things are sanctified by the praier of the word of God The creaâ—â—re doth 〈◊〉 sanctify without the 〈◊〉 After these sayings of master George then said all the Bishops wyth theyr complices what needeth vs any witnesse against him hath he not openly here spoken blasphemie 12 Thou false heretike doest say that wee shoulde not praye to Saintes 12. Article but to God onely Say whether thou hast sayd this or no say shortly For the weakenes and the infirmitie of the hearers he said without doubt
part of the Scripture to founde his purpose vpon yet came to the Pulpit the first of Nouember being the Feast of All hallowes an 1551. and tooke the text of the Gospell for that day read in their Masse written in the 5. of Mathew conteining these wordes Blessed are the poore in spirite for to them pertayneth the kingdome of heauen Math. 5. This feeble foundation being layde the Frier began to reason most impertinently The doctrine of the Papistes 〈◊〉 that the Pater noster may be 〈◊〉 to Saintes and why that the Lordes Prayer might be offered to Saints because euery petition therof appertaine to them For if we meete an old maÌ„ in y e streete sayd he we will say to him good day father and therefore much more may we call the Saints our fathers and because we graunt also that they be in heauen we may say to euery one of them Our father which art in heauen Father God hath made their names holy and therefore ought we as followers of God to holde their names holy and so we may say to any of the Saints Blaspheâ—â—us doctrine against the glory 〈◊〉 name of God A Fryerly glosing vpoÌ„ 〈◊〉 Pater â—oâ—ter Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name And for the same cause sayd the Frier as they are in the kingdome of heauen so that kingdome is theirs by possession and so praying for the kingdome of heauen we may say to them and euery one of them Thy kingdome come And except their will had bene the very will of God they had neuer come to that kingdome and therefore seeing their will is Gods will we may say to euery one of them Thy will be done But when the Frier came to the fourth petitioÌ„ touching our dayly bread he began to be astonished and ashamed so that he did sweate abundantly partly bicause his sophistry began to fayle him The Fryers sophistry 〈◊〉 fayled 〈◊〉 not findyng such a colour for that part as for the other which went before and partly because he spake against his owne knowledge and conscience and so was compelled to confesse that it was not in the Saintes power to giue vs our daily bread but that they shoulde pray to God for vs said he that we may obtaine our daily bread by their intercession and so glosed he the rest to the ende Not standing yet content with this detestable doctrine hee affirmed most blasphemously that S. Paules napkyn and S. Peters shadow did miracles and that the vertue of Eliseus cloke deuided the waters attributing nothing to the power of God with many other errours of the Papistes horrible to be heard Upon this folowed incontinent a daungerous schisme in the Church of Scotland for not onely the Cleargie but the whole people were deuided among themselues one defending the trueth and an other the Papistry in suche sort that there rose a Prouerbe To whome say you youre Pater noster A Scottishe prouerbe And although the Papists had the vpper hand as then whose words were almost holdeÌ„ for law so great was the blindnes of that age yet God so inspired y e harts of the common people that so many as could get the vnderstanding of the bare words of the Lords prayer in english which was then saide in Latin vtterly detested that opinioÌ„ holding that it should in no wise be said to Saints So that the craftes men and their seruauntes in theyr boothes when the Frier came exploded him with shame enough Fryer Pater noster driueÌ„ out of S. Andrewes crying Frier Pater noster Frier Pater noster who at the last being conuict in his owne conscience and ashamed of his former Sermon was compelled to leaue the Towne of S. Andrewes In the meane time of this brute there were two Pasquils set on the Abbay Churche the one in Latin beatyng these words Doctores nostri de Collegio Concludunt idem cum Lucifero Quod Sancti sunt similes altissimo Et se tuentur grauatorio De mandato Officialis Ad instantiam fiscalis Gâ—w â—eruey non varij In premissis connotarij M. Dauid â—aw and M. Thomas â—â—ruy 〈◊〉 procuâ—â—tors The other in English bearing these words Doctors of Theologie of fourescore of yeares And old iolâ—e Lupoys the bald gray Friers They would be called Rabbi and Magister noster And wot not to whome they say their Pater noster Shortly the Christians were so 〈◊〉 offended and the Papistes on the other side so proud and wilfull that necessary it was to eschew greater incoÌ„ueniences that y e Clergy at least should be assembled to dispute and conclude the whole matter that y e lay people might be put out of doubt Disputation in Scotland to whom they should say their Pater noster Pater noster to be sayd to God formaliter to Saintes materialiter Vltimatè to god non vltimatè to Sayntes Principaliter to God minus principaliter to Saintes Primariè to god secundariè to Saintes Strictè to God largè to Saintes Which being done and the Uniuersitie agreed whosoeuer had bene present might haue heard much subtile sophistry For some of the popish Doctours affirmed that it shoulde be sayd to God formaliter and to Sayntes materialiter Others vltimatè non vltimatè Others sayde it shoulde be said to God principaliter and to sayntes minus principaliter Others that it should be sayd to GOD primariè and to saintes secundariè Others that it would be sayd to GOD capiendo strictè to sayntes capiendo largè Whiche vayne distinctions being heard and considered by the people they y t were simple remayned in greater doubtfulnes theÌ„ they were in before so that a well aged man and seruaunt to y e Suppriour of S. Andrewes called y e Suppriours Thome being demaunded to whome hee sayde hys Pater noster he answered to God onely Then they asked agayne what should be sayd to the sayntes he answered geue them Aues and Credes inough in the deuils name for that may suffice them wel inough albeit they doe spoyle God of his right Others making their vauntes of the Doctours sayd that because Christ who made the Pater noster neuer came into the I le of Britaine so vnderstood not the English tonge therefore it was that the Doctors concluded it shoulde be sayd in Latine This perturbation and open sclaunder yet depending it was thought good to call a principal Councell to decide the matter Whiche being assembled at Edenbrough The aunswere of an olde man to whom they should say their Pater noster A doctorly reason why the Pater noster should be sayd in Latine The Councell of Edenbrough could not agree to whom they should say theyr Pater noster The Papistes mainteyne their cause with lyes and rayling when reason lacketh the Papistes being destitute of reason defended theyr partes with lyes alledging that the Uniuersitie of Paris had coÌ„cluded that the Lordes Prayer should be sayd to Saintes But
Pope Leo with what heape of tragicall wordes and exclamations doth he fare and rage agaynst y e true seruant of God poore Luther for disturbing y e church of God when it is the Pope onely his fathers house that troubleth and long hath troubled the true Church of the Lord as by his doings all the world may see enough to much In the meane time read I besech thee with iudgement this impudent false slaunderous Bull of the Pope with the appeale also of Luther agayn from the sayd pope The copy wherof because they be rare to be gotten hath not bene hetherto commonly sene being before omitted I thought to coÌ„mit here to history as I had it out of certayn Registers the maner tenor wherof is this as foloweth A copy of the Bull of Pope Leo x. no lesse sclaunderous then barbarous agaynst Martin Luther and his doctrine Leo Papa .x. LEo Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam Exurge Domine iudica causam tuam The Bul of pope Leo agaynst M. Luther Memor esto impropriorum eorum quae ab insipientibus fiunt tota die Inclina aurem tuam ad preces nostras quoniam surrexerunt vulpes querentes demoliri veneam cuius tu torcular solus calcasti ascensurus ad patrem eius curam regimeÌ„ Que sequntur vide superiore aeditione Pag. 1459. administrationem Petro tanquam capiti tuo vicario eiusque successoribus instar triumphantis Ecclesiae commisisti c. ¶ The sayd sclaunderous and barbarous Bull of Pope Leo the x. agaynst Luther in English with the aunswere of Luther ioyned to the same LEo Byshop seruaunt of the seruauntes of God for a perpetual memory hereof Rise vp O Lord iudge thy cause Remember the rebukes wherewith we are scorned all the day loÌ„g of foolish rebukers Encline thy eare to our prayers The Popes Bull in Engliâ—he for Foxes are risen vp seeking to destroy thy vineyarde the vinepresse wherof thou onely hast trodeÌ„ and ascending vp to thy Father hast committed the charge and regiment therof vnto Peter as chiefe head and to thy Uicare and his successors The wilde Bore out of the woode seeketh to exterminate and roote vp thy Uineyard Rise vp Peter and for this thy pastorall charge committed to thee from aboue enteÌ„d to the cause of the holy Church of Rome the mother of all churches Note here and marke good reader how the Church of Rome holdeth by the bloud of S. Peter not by the bloud of Christ. and of our fayth which thou by the commaundement of God didst consecrate wyth thine owne bloud agaynst which as thou hast foretold vs false lyers haue risen vp bringing in sects of perdition to their owne spedy destruction Whose touÌ„g is like fire full of vnquietnes and replenished with deadly poysoÌ„ who hauing a wicked zeale and nourishing contentions in theyr harts do bragge and lye agaynst the verity Rise vp Paul also we pray thee which hast illuminate the same Church with thy doctrine and like martyrdome For now is sprong vp a new Porphecy who as they said Porphyry then vniustly did sclaunder the holy Apostles so semblably doth this man now sclaunder reuile rebuke byte and barcke agaynst the holy Byshops our predecessors not in beseeching them but in rebuking them And where he distrusteth his cause there he falleth to opprobrious checkes rebukes after the wonted vse of heretickes whose vttermost refuge is this as Hierome sayth y t wheÌ„ they see theyr cause go to wracke then like Serpentes they cast out theyr venime with theyr toung and when they see themselues neare to be ouercome they fall to rayling For though heresies as thou sayest must needes be for the exercise of the faythfull yet least these heresies should further encrease and these Foxes gather strength agaynst vs it is needfull that by thy meanes and helpe they be suppressed and extinguished at the beginning Finally let all the whole vniuersall Churche of Gods Saynts and Doctours rise vp whose true expounding of holy Scripture being reiected certayne persons whose hartes the father of lyes hath blinded and wise in theyr owne conceites as the maner of heretickes is do expouÌ„d the scriptures otherwise then the holy Ghost doth require folowing onely theyr owne sense of ambition and vayne-glory yea rather do wrast and adulterate the Scriptures so that as Hierome sayth now they make it not the gospel of Christ but of man or which is worse of the deuill Let all the holy church I say rise vp wiâ—h the blessed Apostles together make intercessioÌ„ to almighty God that the errors of all schismatickes being rooted stocked vp his holy Church may be conserued in peace and vnity For of late which for sorrow we can not expresse by credible information and also by publick fame it hath come to our eares yea we haue seene also read with our eyes diuers and sundry errors of which some haue bene condemned by counsels and constitutions of our predecessors containing expresly y e heresies of the Greekes of the Bohemians Respectiuely some agayn respectiuely either heretical or false or sclaunderous or offensiue to good eares or such as may seduce simple myndes newly to be raysed vp by certayne false pretensed Gospellers who by curious pride seeking worldly glory against the doctrine of the apostle would be more wise then becommeth them whose babling as S. Hierome calleth it without authority of the Scriptures should finde no credit vnlesse they should seme to coÌ„firme theyr false doctrine euen with testimonies of the scripture but yet falsely interpreted Which worketh vs so much the more grief for y t those heresies be sprong in y e noble nation of the Germaines vnto the which natioÌ„ we with our predecessors haue alwayes borne speciall fauor and affection For after the Empyre was first translated by the Church of Rome from the Greekes vnto the Germaines the said our predecessors and we haue alwayes had them as speciall fautors defenders of this our Church and they haue alwaies shewed themselues as most earnest suppressors of heresies as witnes wherof remaine yet those laudable coÌ„stitutions of the Germane Emperors set forth and confirmed by our predecessors for the liberty of the Church and for expulsing heretickes out of all Germany and that vnder greuous penalty and losse of al theyr goods and lands Which constitutioÌ„s if they were obserued this present day both we and they should now be free from thys disturbaunce The Germaines in olde tyme most addicted to popery aboue al other nations Furthermore the heresy of the Hussites Wicleuistes of Hierome of Prage being condeÌ„ned and punished in the CouÌ„cel of Constance doth witnes y e same Moreouer doth witnes the same so much bloud of y e Germanes spilt fighting agaynst the Bohemians To coÌ„clude the same also is confirmed witnessed by the learned true confutatioÌ„ reprobation and condeÌ„nation
except he had ben moued by the authority of the church now commeth in this goodly Bull and maketh this Catholicke church to be a few reuerent Cardinals his brethren priours of regular orders Masters of Diuinitie and doctors of the law out of whose counsell the sayd Bull boasteth her selfe to be borne and brought forth a blessed babe forsooth of such an vniuersall Church O happy trauell no dout of this Catholike church neuer seene nor heard of before A new vâ—â—â—uersall Church oâ— the Popeâ— making and such as Augustine the valiant impugner of sectes if he did see would not doubt to call it the Sinagogue of the deuill See therefore the madnesse of their Papistes The vniuersall Church is a â—ewe Cardinals Priours and Doctours scarsly perhaps 20. persons in all when also it is possible enough that neuer one of them all is the meÌ„ber of one chappel or altare And whereas the Church is the communion of Saintes as we say in the Creede out of this communion of saintes that is out of this vniuersal churche all they then must needes be excluded whosoeuer be not in the noÌ„ber of these 20. persons The vniâ—â—â—â—sall Chuâ—â—â— bound to 20. persoâ— and so whatsoeuer these holye men doe thinke or iudge by and by the vniuersal Churche must needes holde and beleeue the same albeit they be liers heretikes and Antichristes thinking and iudginge nothinge but that which is abhominable Would there euer any man thinke such doltishnesse and madnes to be in Rome Is there any braine in these mens heads thinke ye or hart in their bodies What Aâ—â—gustine 〈◊〉 the â—â—iuersal Church Austen speaketh of the church dispersed throughe the whole worlde confessing the gospel with one consent Neither would God that any booke els should be receiued with such coÌ„sent of the whole world as the holy scripture as the sayd Augustine in hys confessions affirmeth least by the receiuing of other bokes No vniuâ—â—â—sall Catâ—â—â—licke 〈◊〉 but onelâ— the scripâ—tures schismes might take occasion to rise according as the wicked Sea of Rome hath long sought by her decrees hath for a great part brought the same to passe already But yet the vniuersall Churche did neuer agree thereto For in the East West South ther haue ben christians which being content only with y e gospel haue not regarded how Rome hath gone about of a particular church to make her self an vniuersal church accuseth other churches as schismatical wheÌ„ as she hath cut of her selfe from the vniuersal Church and striueth in vaine to draw the whole vniuersall church to her being the mother and fountaine of all schismes and all by the meanes of this tyrannie Let no man therfore euer thinke that this true Catholike Churche aforesaide The Catholicke Church the Chuâ—â—â— of Rome are two thinges will beleeue or maintaine those things which this detestable Bull heere pratleth when as neyther that which is the very true Churche of Rome indeede doth her selfe so thinke neither taketh that by and by to be Catholicke whatsoeuer is knowen to proceede from y e Church of Rome For as I saide there is no booke which shall be called Catholike heereafter as neither it hath bene heretofore besides onely the holy scripture For the church of Rome it may suffice to glory her selfe to be a little parcell or peece of the vniuersal church and so let her vexe her selfe onely with her owne decrees Neither let any man thinke this to be the Bull of the catholike church but rather to proceede out of the Court of Rome For such wisedome and religion may well beseeme that seate of Sathan whiche seeketh to be counted for the whole vniuersall Churche and obtrudeth her foolishe and wicked Bulles most arrogantly and vainely to the whole world in y e steade of sincere catholike doctrine The priâ—â— presumpâ—â—â—on of the Church Rome Whose pride and presumption hath growne so farre that shee trustinge vpon her owne power without al learning and holines of life taketh vpon her to prescribe lawes to al men of al their doings and sayings Dominiâ—â—â—nd powâ—â— maketh â—he chuâ—â—â— as though for dominion only and loftines of spirit she were to be counted the house and church of Christ where as by this meanes Sathan also the prince of the worlde or the Turke might be counted the Churche of Christ. Againe neither the Monarchies of the Gentiles can abide mighty Princes to raigne ouer them w tout wisedome and goodnes Furthermore 1. Cor. 2 in the Church the spirituall man onely iudgeth al things is iudged of no man and not the Pope alone or the Court of Rome vnlesse they be spirituall But against all this theyr rashe presumption I boldly set the inuincible Champion of the Church S. Paule who 1. Cor. 14. sayeth If anye thinge be reueiled to an other that sitteth by lette the firste manne holde hys peace Heere haue yee plainely that Pope or any other elder what so euer he be ought to kepe sileÌ„ce if any thyng be reueiled to other in the Church that is inferiour I therfore vppon hys authoritie contemning the presumptuous proceding of this swelling Bull do confidently take vpon me to defende the Articles caring nothing for the bare condemnation of any persone yea of the Pope him selfe with hys whole Churche vnlesse he shall enforme me by the Scriptures Whereof the firste Article is this The Article 1. Câ—r 14. The 〈◊〉 â—â—ticle It is an hereticall sentence and also common to saye that Sacraments of the new lawe doe geue grace to them which haue no obstacle in themselues to the contrary The Answere I acknowledge this Article to be mine and I aske of you good maisters Respectiuistes which make these Articles respectiuely some to be hereticall some erroneous some slaunderous c. whether respecteth thys article I pray you To heresie to error to slaunder and offence Or els whether respected you in condemning the same To the holy scripture to the holy fathers to faith to y e church To which of these I beseech you tell me Neither do I here put you to the labour of proouing but onely require you to shew your iudgement what you thinke that I may know wherein I say amisse Will you that I should tell you you babish inâ—antes and noddies whether this Article respecteth I will This article hath ij respects Whereof the one respecteth the Papists the condemners heereof amongste whome it respecteth some to be mules some to be horses which haue no vnderstanding and be voide of al sence and yet notwithstanding they will nedes condemne al things An other respect it hath to the holy Scripture which saith Rom. 14. What so euer is not of faith is sinne Whereupon consequently it followeth that the Sacraments or the new law can geue no grace to the vnbeleeuers for so muche as the sinne of infidelitie is the greatest obstacle but onely to the beleeuers For onely faith putteth no obstacle
In the which hys assault he was so hotely saluted by the kinges shippes and the Island that by the confession of them that sawe it and by the report wrytten vnto the Lord Protector the French men at least lost a thousand men theyr ships and galleis so spoiled as being forced to return home they were not able then to set out againe Ex literis D. Protectoris Furthermore out of Fraunce creadible woorde was broughte to the Lorde Protectoure whyche yet in letters appeareth that into one towne in one vessel were brought at least three score Gentlemen to be buried and also an â—â—hibition special geuen out by the king not to speake of 〈◊〉 successe in that iourney Thys was about the beginning of August 1549. The like also might be noted of the losses of the sayde French king at Bullenburgh the eight day of August the same yeare as by the Lord Clintons letters may well appeare but for spending of time I passe it ouer What the meaning of the French king was in these voiages The 〈…〉 King Edward or how he intended further to procede I haue not herein to deale This is certain and euident that the mighty arme of God mercifully fought for king Edwarde his seruant to defend and deliuer him from so many harde dangers so daÌ„gerous and sundrye commotions stirred vp in so many quarters within this Realme and also without the Realme and all wythin the compasse of one yeare and yet the Lorde aboue fighting for his true seruant dispatched them all as in storie heere ye haue heard declared and is no lesse worthye of all posteritie to be noted Matter concerning Edmund Boner Bishop of London with declaration of the Actes and processe entred against him in king Edwardes time ANd thus muche hetherto hauing discoursed touching the manifolde troubles and tumults raised vp on euery side against king Edward by his vnkinde and vnnatural subiects and yet notwithstaÌ„ding the gratious goodnesse of the Lorde euer geuing him the victorie nowe lette vs returne againe to Boner Byshop of London where we leaft hym before that is in hys owne house where he was by the Counsaile commaunded to remaine as is aboue signified And nowe for so much as we haue to enter into the storie of the sayd Boner for the better vnderstandinge of the whole order therof it shal be requisite to rip vp the matter wyth the circumstaunces and occasions thereof from the first beginning of kinge Edwardes time Where is to be vnderstanded Sitting oâ— the kingâ— Commiâ—â—â—onerâ— in Paules Church that king Edwarde in the first yeare of hys raigne an 1547. the first day of September for the order of hys Uisitation directed out certaine Commissioners as sir Anthony Cooke sir Iohn Godsaule Knightes Maister Iohn Godsaule Christopher Neuinson Doctours of the Lawe and Iohn Madew Doctour of Diuinitie Who sitting in Paules church vpon their commission the day and yeare aforesaide there being presente at the same time Edmund Bishop of London Iohn Royston Polidore Uirgil Peter Uan and others of the saide cathedrall Churche An 〈◊〉 â—â—â—nystred tâ— Boner to 〈◊〉 â—he Popâ— after the sermone made and the Commission being reade ministred an othe vnto the said B. of London to renounce and deny the bishop of Rome with his vsurped authority and to sweare obedience vnto the king according to the effect and forme of the statute made in the 31. yeare of kinge Henry the eight also that he should present and redresse all and singular such things as were needeful within the sayd Church to be reformed Wherupon the said Bishop humbly and instantly desired them that he might see their commissioÌ„ only for this purpose intent as he sayd that he might the better fulfill put in execution the things wherein he was charged by them in their commission Unto whom the commissioners answearing said they wold deliberat more vpon the matter so they called the other ministers of the saide Church before them and ministred the like oth vnto them as they did to the bishop before Annâ— 1549 To whom moreouer there then certaine interrogatories and articles of inquisition were read by Peter Lillye the publike Notarie Which done after their othes taken the sayde Commissioners deliuered vnto the Bishop aforesaid certaine Iniunctions as wel in printe as wrytten and Homilies set foorth by the king All which things the sayde Bishop receiued vnder the wordes of thys protestation as followeth I Do receiue these Iniunctions and Homilies with this protestation that I will obserue them if they be not contrarye and repugnaunt to Gods lawe and the statutes and ordinaunce of the Church and immediately added with an othe that he neuer reade the sayde Homilies and Iniunctions The whyche Protestation being made in manner and fourme aforesaid the said Edmund Bishop of London instantly desired and required Peter Lilly the register aforesaide there and then to register and enact the same And so the sayd Commissioners deliuering the Iniunctions and Homilies to Maister Bellasiere Archdeacon of Colchester and to Gilberte Bourne Archedeacon of London Essex and Middlesexe and enioyning them in moste effectuous manner vnder paines therein contained to put the same in speedy execution and also reseruing other new iniunctions to be ministred afterward as wel to the bishop as to the Archdeacons aforesayd according as they should see cause c. did so continue the visitation til 3. of the clocke the same day in the afternoone At the whiche houre and place assigned the Commissioners being set and the Canons and Priestes of the sayd Church appearing before them and being examined vpon vertue of theyr othe for their doctrine and conuersation of life first one Iohn Painter one of the Canons of the said Cathedrall church there and then openly confessed that he viciously and carnally had often the company of a certaine married mans wyfe 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—rupt life of these 〈◊〉 Priestes Popish 〈◊〉 whose name he denied to declare In the which crime diuers other Canons and Priestes of the said church confessed in like maner could not deny them selues to be culpable And then after the Commissioners aforesayde had deliuered to Maister Royston Prebendary and to the proctour of the Deane and of the Chapter of the sayde Cathedrall Churche of Sainte Paule the kinges Iniunctions and the booke of Homelies enioyninge them to see the execution thereof vnder paine therein specified they proroged theyr sayde visitation vntill seuen of the clocke the next day following By this visitation aboue specified it appeareth gentle Reader first howe Boner made his Protestation after the receiuing of the kings Iniunctions and also how he after required the same to be put in publike recorde Thinges in this visitation to be noted Furthermore thou hast to note the vnchast life and conuersation of these popish votaries and priestes of Paules Nowe what followed after this protestation of the Bishop made remayneth further in
and dutie of all Subiectes generallye to theyr Kyngs and speciallye of subiectes of thys Realme to the Kyngs Maiestie that nowe is whose minoritie to all people of thys Realme is more then manifest If ye did be 〈◊〉 it why did ye not fully approue and declare the same to the people and is euidently also knowne to all the whole world beside And also dyd then declare the daunger and perill of Rebellion of Subiectes agaynste the hygh powers and also speciallye of the Rebellion late committed by them of Deuonshyre Cornewall Northfolke and elsewhere agaynste the Kyngs Maiestie that nowe is whyche I woulde not haue doone except I both had beleeued that all the Kynges Subiectes without exception were bounde to obey the Kings Maiestie euen as he now is was and shall bee during hys lyfe whyche our Lorde long preserue to all our comfortes and wealth and also that the Rebellion of late so committed agaynste hys Maiestie was damnable and vtterlye detestable and condemned by Gods Lawe and heerein I referre mee to the indifferente hearers of thys my Sermon wyshyng that thys Latymer and Hooper wyth all the reste of these nowe Preachers dyd meane as faythfullye truely obedientlye and catholikely as I alwayes haue done towarde the Kyngs maiestie his honour authoritie ryall power and suretye of his person and realme and did not moue encourage and stirre the kinges maiesties subiectes to sedition tumulte and inobedience by their erroneous doctrine and teaching then I did at any time encourage or stirre any of them in any wise or geue occasion vnto anye of the same .ix. Item where the sayd William Latimer and Iohn Hooper do falsly surmise in their pretensed denunciation that it was of no light ground looked for that I the sayde Byshop of London should more apertly haue declared y e Iniunctions and articles aforesayd and that it did so appeare vnto their iudgementes I do saye that their iudgements are corrupted and onely set to sclaunder and pickyng of quarrells in this behalfe being well assured and so credibly informed that all the worshipfull and honest Catholicke persons of my sayd audience were fully satisfyed both as touching obedience to the kings maiestie in his tender age and minoritie Ergo by yoâ—â— owne confessioÌ„ it appeareth that these iniunctions were geueÌ„ you by my L. Protectors owne mouth though not with his owne handes which article you will not graunt and also touching the penaltie and great perill of punishmentes for the rebellion so lately committed against his sayd maiestie by the foresaid rebels And moreouer I do saie that before my Lorde Protectors grace and the rest of the kinges maiesties most honorable counsell then present I made my excuse and alledged many impedimentes for my not preaching at the crosse and did not further promise but do the best I coulde whiche of my fedelitie and conscience I did not omitting any thyng of purpose or euill will that might be to the satisfaction of all people both good and bad in euery condition poynt specially in this behalfe collecting and gathering together with all dilligent study all that might make in my iudgement and opinion for the better setting forth of the same Wherein first he alleaged or rather shamelesse slaunderously cauilled that those his denouncers were vile infamed and notorious criminous persons Boners writing exhibited to the Commyssioners aunswering to 〈◊〉 the denunciatiâ— and also open manifest heretickes aswell agaynst the rest of the Sacramentes of the Churche as chiefly agaynst the Sacrament of the aulter and were for the same by the orders of the Church excommunicated and accursed and were so taken of all the Catholickes of this realme and especially Hooper who besides other his poysoned doctrine and heresye amongst the people Exceptions laid by Boner agaynst M. Hooper hys denouncer had also before the tyme of the denunciation made diuers erroneous and hereâ—icall books agaynst the true presence of Christes body in the sacrament of y e aultar did also continue in y e same allowing maintayning it as good catholicke which books and doctrine chiefly agaynst the sacrament of the aultar W. Latymer had and then likewise did allow beleeue teach to y e losse of both their owne soules and also their beleuers therefore were not now nor ought at anye time to be admytted eyther in this their denunciation agaynst him or in any other Iudiciall acte and that rather also because that although they pretended in their denunciation y t they made not the same of any malice or euill will towardes him but for the good tranquillitie and quyet gouernaunce of thys Realme yet was it notoriously knowne that aswell the same day at after noone in which he the sayd byshop preached at the Crosse of Paules as also at sundry other times The friuoloâ—â— quarelling of Boner agaynst his denouncers they two conspiring with other of theyr faction did maliciously and vnlawfull within his Dioces assemble together a great rablement of such as themselues were there vnder the colour of reading did openly rayle and inuey agaynst hym nor for any the causes pretended in theyr denunciation but because hee had in his Sermon declared as the Catholicke Church taught that in the Sacrament of the aultar there was the very true bodye and bloude of Christ the same in substaunce that was hanged and shed vpon the Crosse. Then after these vayne and friuolous allegations agaynst the denouncers he commeth and aunswereth to the substaunce of their denunciatioÌ„ and sayth that where they in the same do falsly surmise that there were deliuered vnto him from the kinges Maiestie by the handes of the lord Protectour and the rest of his highnes Counsayle Boner put to a baâ—e shifte certayne Iniunctions and articles to be published and declared vnto the people at a day limitted in the same theyr information in such sort as it was deduced was most false vntrue for that the articles deliuered vnto hym by Syr Thomas Smith one of the kinges secretaries were neyther signed with the kinges owne hand neyther sealed with his hignes seale or signet nor yet subscribed by anye of his Counsayle c. Where marke I beseech you the subtiltie of a disloyall Papist Boners â—ayne cauillation to no purpose who because the articles were not sealed or signed by the king and his Counsaile would make them therfore not to be of any such force as that the breach thereof should cause him to incurre the danger of contemptuous disobedieÌ„ce But admit they were not signed nor sealed of which thing by the way in the denunciation there is no mention yea or nay yet is it manifest by the second Bill of Articles ministred vnto him by the CoÌ„missioners in the fourth Acte of this processe Anno 1549. that at such time as he was before y e Counsell those Articles were by the commandemeÌ„t of the Lord Protectour openly there read vnto him by one of
either to retein painting and grauing and forbeare writing or chosing writing to forbeare both the other gifts it would be a probleme seeing if grauing were taken away we could haue no printing And therefore they that presse so much the wordes of Non facies tibi sculptile euer me thincketh they condemne printed bookes the originall wherof is of grauing to make * * If ye did see any prinâ—eâ— yet to do worship to his grauen letterâ— then might you well seeke thus as ye do a knot 〈◊〉 in a rushe matrrices literarum Sed hoc est furiosum sunt tamen qui putaÌ„t palmarium And therfore now it is englished Thou shalt make no grauen Images least thou worship them which I here is newly written in the new church I know not the name but not farre froÌ„ the old Iury. But to y e matter of Images wherin I haue discoursed at large I thinke and ye consider as I doubt not but ye will the doctrine set foorth by our late Soueraigne Lord Ye shall in y e matter see y e truth set forth by such as had that committed vnto them vnder his highnes amongest whome I was not nor was not priuie vnto it till it was done And yet the clause in the booke for discussion of the Lord and our Lorde hath made manye thinke otherwise but I take our Lorde to witnes I was not that declaratioÌ„ of our Lord was his highnes own deuise ex se. For he saw the fond Englishing of the Lord disseuered in speach whom our Lord had congregate And this I adde lest geuing authoritie to the booke Holy water I shoulde seeme to aduaunt my selfe Now will I speake somewhat of holy water wherein I seÌ„d vnto you the xxxiiij chapter in the ix book of thistory Tripartite where Marcellus the bishop bad Equitius his Deacon to cast abroad water by him first hallowed wherwith to driue away the deuill And it is noted howe the deuil could not abide the vertue of the water but vanished away And for my part it seemeth the history may be true (:) (:) Consecration of water and salt to 〈◊〉 the people is attribute to Alexander 1. but what credite is to be geuen to those decâ—â—es falsly 〈◊〉 vpon those auncient Byshops 〈…〉 In nomine 〈◊〉 c. If the name of Christ do can serue only to cast out deuils What should water doe where Christ may and should serue onely to worke that mastery for we be assured by scripture that in the name of God the churche is able and strong to cast out Deuils according to the Gospel In nomine meo daemonia eijcient c. So as if the water were away by only calling of the name of God that maystry may be wrought And being the vertrue of theffect onely attributed to the name of God the question shuld be onely whether y e creature of water may haue the office to conuey the effect of the holines of thinuocation of Gods name And first in Christ the skirt of hys garment had such an office to minister health to the womaÌ„ and speâ—cle and cley to the blinde and S. Peters shadow S. Paules handkerchers And leauing old stories here at home the special gift of curation ministred by the kings of this realme not of their owne strength but by inuocation of the name of God hath bene vsed to be distributed in rings of gold and siluer And I thinke effectually wherin the mettall hath only an office and the strength is in the name of God wherein all is wrought And Elizeus put his staffe in like office And why the whole church myght not put water in like office to conuey abroad the inuocation of gods name there is no scripture to the contrary but there is scripture how other inferiour creatures haue bene promooted to like dignitie and much scripture how water hath bene vsed in like and greater seruice And the story I send vnto you sheweth how water hath bene vsed in the same seruice to driue away deuils In which matter if any shall say he beleeueth not the story and he is not bound to beleue it being no scripture that man is not to be reasoned with for the effect of the kings crampe rings And yet for such effect as they haue wroght when I was in FraÌ„ce * * The kingâ— ring geueth 〈◊〉 Ergo holy water may haue also his effect operation Resp. Non 〈…〉 thing of corporall things wiâ—â— spirituall ioyneth in 〈◊〉 compaâ—ison together 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 playne answere this Bâ—â—h be 〈◊〉 and aâ—gaynst the 〈◊〉 of God I haue bene my selfe much honoured and of all sortes entreated to haue them with offer of as much for them as they were double worth Some will say what is rings to holy water Marrie thus I say if the mettall of gold and siluer may doe seruice to cary abroad the inuocatioÌ„ of the name of God effectually for one purpose water may also serue to cary abroad the inuocation of the name of God wherewith to driue awaye deuils Hereto will be sayde Non valet argumentum a posse ad esse But the story saith the water did that seruice and other straungers say and affirme by experience the kings Maiesties rings haue done the seruice And our late maister continued all his life the exercise of that gift of God and vsed siluer and gold to doe that seruice to cary abroad the strength of the inuocation of the name of God by him and he vsed it among vs that serued him in it when hee had throughly heard and seene what might be sayd in the matter and yet he had no scripture especially for it that spake of rings of siluer or gold no more then is for the ashes ministred a little before ye last preached And as our young soueraigne Lord hath receiued them reuerently so I trust he shall be aduertised ne negligat gratiam Dei in dono curationum but follow his father therein also not doubting but God will heare him as he hath heard his father and others his progenitors kyngs of this realme to whose dignitie God addeth this prerogatiue as he doth also to inferior ministers of his church in the effect of their prayer when it pleaseth hym A man might finde some yonglings percase y t would say how worldly wily wittie bishops haue enueigled simple kings heretofore and to confirme their blessinges haue also deuised Anno 1550. how kings should blesse also and so authoritie to maintayne where truth fayled and I haue had it obiected to me that I vsed to prooue one piece of myne argument euer by a king as when I reasoned thus If ye allow nothing but scripture what say you to the Kinges rings but they be allowed Ergo somwhat is to be allowed besides scripture And another if Images be forbidden * * 〈…〉 â—rgumeÌ„t 〈◊〉 King 〈…〉 weare S. George 〈◊〉 brest if Images 〈…〉 The Kyng 〈◊〉 S. George vpon hys 〈◊〉
Ergo Images be not 〈◊〉 Resp. This arguâ—â—â—â— besides that it 〈…〉 particulaâ—ibu◠〈…〉 may be denied 〈…〉 also there is a 〈◊〉 vnderstanding in this 〈…〉 whether it be 〈…〉 the latter part of the 〈◊〉 bee taken vniuersally 〈◊〉 Images both in churâ—â—◠〈…〉 priuate houses 〈…〉 in garmentes 〈…〉 part is false If 〈◊〉 for such only as 〈…〉 churches then 〈…〉 whether it be 〈…〉 maketh a false 〈…〉 terminis Or 〈…〉 it may be 〈…〉 and hurteth 〈◊〉 ouâ— doctâ—â—ne for wee 〈◊〉 onely against the Images set vp in Churches 〈◊〉 agaynst the other why doth the king weare S. George on his brest But he weareth S. George on his brest Ergo Images be not forbidden If saints be not to be worshipped why kepâ— we S. * * S. Georges feast is kept Ergo 〈◊〉 are to be worshipped Resp. A like argument 〈◊〉 fayre is kept Ergo Laâ—bes 〈◊〉 to be worshipped Georges feast But we keepe S. Georges feast Ergo c. And in this matter of holy water if the strength of the inuocation of the name of God to driue away deuils cannot be distribute by water why can it be destribute in siluer to driue away diseases and the daungerous disease of the falling euill But the rings hallowed by the holy church may do so Ergo the water hallowed by the Churche may do lyke seruice These were sore argumeÌ„ts in his tyme and I trust be also yet and may bee conuenieÌ„tly vsed to such as would neuer make an end of talke but rake vp euery thyng y t theyr dull sight cannot penetrate wherin me thought ye spake effectually when ye sayd men must receyue the determination of the particular church and obey where Gods lawe repugneth not expresly And in this effect to driue away deuils that prayer and inuocation of the church may do it scripture maintaineth euidently and the same scripture doth autorise vs so to pray and encourageth vs to it So as if in discussioÌ„ of holy water we attribute all the effect to y e holines which procedeth from God by inuocation of y e church and take water for an onely seruaunt to cary abroad holynesse there can be no superstition where men regard only prayer which scripture authoriseth And if we shall say that the water cannot do such seruice we shall be conuinced in that it doth a greater seruice in our baptisme by gods speciall ordinance So as wee cannot saye that water cannot or is not apt to doe this seruice onely the staye is to haue a precise place in the newe Testament to say vse water thus in this seruice as we do in holy water which me thinketh needeth not where all is ordered to be well vsed by vs and wheÌ„ the whole church agreed vpon such an vse or any particular church or the common minister of it and by the exorcisme ordered for it the thyng to be vsed purged there can be but slender matter to improoue that custome wherin God is only honoured the power of his name set forth whereunto all thing boweth and geueth place all naturall operation set apart and secluded And when any man hath denyed that water may do seruice because scripture appoynteth it not that because driueth away much of the rest the church vseth and specially our cramp rings For if water may not serue to cary * * The water of Baptisme hath an expresse ordinaunce where holy water hath â—one abroad the effect of Gods grace obteined by inuocation froÌ„ God by y e common prayer of y e church How can the mettall of siluer or gold cary abroad the effect of the kings inuocation in the crampe rings which manner of reasonyng ad hominem Christ vsed with the Iewes wheÌ„ he sayd Si ego in Belzebub eijcio daemonia filij vestri in quo eijciunt And if by our owne principles we should be enforced to say that our * * Christ vseth not â—ow in his Church â—â—mme â—reatures of Gold and Siluer c. â—ut ministers by the 〈◊〉 ministring of his word to 〈◊〉 abroad â—is grace 〈◊〉 Crampe â—â—inges and holy water both together in lyke 〈◊〉 of abuse and supeâ—â—â—ition crampe rings be superstitioÌ„ where truth enforceth vs not so to do it were a maruelous punishment Si caeci essemus as Christ saith peccatum non haberemus sed videmus and this realme hath learnyng in it and you a good portion thereof accordyng whereunto I doubt not but ye will waigh this matter non ad popularem trutinam sed artificis stateram I meane that artificer y t teacheth the church our mother as ye full well declared it ordered our mother to geue nourishment vnto vs. In which poynt speaking of the church although ye touched an vnknowen church to vs and knowen to God only yet declared the vnion of that Church in the permixt Church which God ordereth men to complaine vnto to heare agayne wherein the absurditie is taken away of them that would haue no church knowen but euery man beleue as he were inwardly taught himselfe whereupon followeth the olde Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is far froÌ„ y e vnitie ye so earnestly wished for wherof as me thought ye said pride is the let as it is vndoubtedly which fault God amend and geue you grace so to facion your words as ye may agree with them in speeche with whom ye be enclined to agree in opinion For that is the way to relieue the world And albeit there hath bene betwene you and me no familiaritie but contrarywise a litle disagreement which I did not hide froÌ„ you yet consideryng the feruent zeale ye professed to teach * * After Peters doctrine the bloud of Christ onely purgeth vs from al sinne Ergo what should holy water doe Peters true doctrine that is to say Christes true doctrine whereunto ye thought the doctrine of Images and holy water to put away deuils agreed not I haue willingly spent this tyme to communicate vnto you my folly if it be folly * * Playnely as it is his penne wil not let him lye plainly as it is whereupon ye may haue occasion the more substantially fully and plainly to open these matters for the reliefe of such as be fallen from the truth and confirmation of those that receyue and follow it wherein it hath bene euer much commended to haue such regard to histories of credite and the continuall vse of the church * * The beginning of holy water came first from the Gentyles who vsed to sprincle aqua lustrati standing at the dore vpoÌ„ such as went into the temple rather to shew how a thyng continued from the beginnyng as holy water and Images haue done may be well vsed theÌ„ to follow the light rash eloquence which is euer ad manuÌ„ to mocke and improoue that is established And yet agayne I come to Marcellus that made a crosse in the water and bade his deacon cast it abroad * * Cum fide
Vowes 〈◊〉 going 〈◊〉 pilgrimaâ—â— 2 Item that any person may lawfully marrie without any dispensation from the B. of Rome or any other manne with any persone whome it is not prohibited to contracte matrimonie by the lawe Leuiticall 3 Item that the vowing and going of pilgrimage to Images or to the bones and reliques of any Sainctes hath ben superstitiously vsed and cause of much wickednes and idolatrie and therfore iustly abolished by the said late king of famous memorie and the Images and reliques so abused haue ben of great and godly consideratioÌ„s defaced and destroyed 4 Item that the counterfaiting of S. Nicholas S. Clement S. Katherine Gaddinâ—â—â—bout 〈◊〉 S. Nichoâ—â—â— c. Scriptureâ— be in thâ— vulgare tongue and S. Edmond by children heeretofore brought into the church was a meere mockerye foolishnesse and therefore iustly abolished and taken away 5 Item it is conuenient and godly that y e scripture of the olde Testament and new that is the whole Bible be had in English and published to be read of euery man that who soeuer doth repel dehort me from the reading therof doth euell and damnably 6 Item that the sayd late king of iust ground and reason did receiue into hys handes the authoritie and disposition of chauntries and such liuings as were geueÌ„ for the maintenaunce of priuate masses and did well change diuers of them to other vses 7 Also the kings maiestie that now is by the aduise consent of the Parliament did vpon iuste ground and reason Chauntâ—â— Masses 〈◊〉 put dowâ— suppresse abolish and take away the sayd chauntryes and suche other liuings as were vsed and occupied for maintenaunce of priuate Masses and Masses satisfactorye for the soules of theÌ„ which are dead or finding of obites lights or other like things The 〈◊〉 full of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaunges to the Câ—â—â—munion the Masse that was wonte to be sayde of priestes was full of abuses and had very fewe thinges of Christes institution besides the Epistle Gospell Lordes prayer and the wordes of the Lords supper the rest for the more part were inueÌ„ted and deuised by bishops of Rome and by other men of the same sort and therfore iustly taken away by the statutes and lawes of this realme and the coÌ„munion which is placed in the stead thereof is very godly and agreeable to the Scriptures 8 Item that it is most conuenient and fit and according to the first institution that all Christen men should receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both the kindes Anno 1550. that is in bread and wine 9 And the masse wherein the Priest doth onely receiue and the other doe but looke on is but the inuention of man and the ordinance of the bishop of Romes churche nor agreeable to Scripture 10 Item that vpon good and godly coÌ„siderations it is ordred in the said boke and order that the Sacrament should not be lifted vp and shewed to the people to be adored but to be w t godly deuotion receiued as it was first instituted 11 Item that it is well politikely and godly done that the kings maiestie by Act of Parlament hath commanded all images which haue stande in Churches or Chappels to be clerely abolished dâ—faced least hereafter at any time they should geue occasion of Idolatrie or be abused as many of them heretofore haue bene with pilgrimages and such Idolatrous worshipping 12 And also that for like godly and good considerations by the same authoritie of Parliament all Masse bokes Cowchers Grailes and other bokes of the seruice in latin heretofore vsed should be abolished and defaced as wel for certaine superstitions in them contained as also to auoid dissention and y t the saide seruice in the church should be thorow the whole realme in one vniform conformitie and no occasion through those olde bookes to the contrary 13 That bishops priests and deacons haue no commaundement of the law of God either to vow chastitie or to abstaine continually from mariage Vowel chaâ—â—ity of Priestes hath no coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God 14 Item that al canons coÌ„stitutions lawes positiue and ordinances of man which doe prohibite or forbid mariage to any bishoppe priest or deacon be iustly and vpon godly grounds and coÌ„siderations taken away and abolished by authority of Parlament 15 The Homilies lately commanded and set foorth by the kings maiestye to be red in the congregation of England are godly and wholesome Homelies â—o be read in â—he church and doe teache such doctrine as ought to be embraced of all men 16 The boke set forth by the kings maiesty by authority of Parliament containing the forme maner of making and consecrating of archbishops The kinges booke of order bishops priests and deacons is godly in no poynt contrary to the wholesom doctrine of the gospel therfore ought to be receiued and approued of all the faithfull members of the church of England and namely the ministers of Gods worde by them commended to the people 17 That the orders of Subdeacon Benet and Colet and suche others as were commonly called Minores ordines Orders of Subdeacon Benet Colet needâ—es in the Church Doctrine of our saluatioÌ„ sufficiently contayned 〈◊〉 the scripture Paraphrases of Erasmus be not necessarye by the woorde of God to be reckened in the church and be iustly left out in the sayd booke of orders 18 That the holy Scriptures containe sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal saluatioÌ„ through faith in Iesus Christ and that nothing is to be taught as required of necessity to eternal saluation but that which may be concluded and prooued by the holy Scriptures 19 That vpon good and godly considerations it was and is commaunded by the kings maiesties Iniunctions that the Paraphrases of Erasmus in English shoulde be set vp in some conuenient place in euery parish Churche of thys realme where as the parishioners may most commodiously resort to read the same 20 And because these Articles aforesaid do containe onely such matters as be already published and openly set forthe by the kings maiesties authority by the aduise of his highnesse Counsaile for many great and godly considerations and amongst others for the common tranquillity and vnity of the realme Wynchester required to â—ubscribe to these articles his maiesties pleasure by the aduise aforesayd is that you the B. of Winchester shall not only affirm these Articles wyth subscription of your hande but also declare and professe your selfe well contented willing and ready to publish and preach the same at such times and places and before suche audience as to his Maiestie from time to time shal seeme conuenient and requisite vpon the pain of incurring suche penalties and punishmentes as for not doing the same maye by his Maiesties lawes be inflicted vpon you These Articles were sent the 15. of Iuly The bishop of Winchester receiuing and perusing these Articles
of England and B. of Winchester Doct. Poynet beyng put out but also that Boner was restored to his bishoprike agayne The tâ—â—e preaching â—â—shop â—â—splaâ—ed and D. Ridley displaced IteÌ„ D. Day to the bishoprike of Chichester Iohn Scory beyng put out Item D. Tonstall to the bishoprike of Duresme Item D. Heath to the bishoprike of Worcester and Iohn Hooper committed to the Fleete Item D. Uesiâ— to Exceter and Miles Couerdale put out These things beyng marked and perceiued great heauinesse and discomfort grew more and more to all good mens hartes but contrary to the wicked great reioysing In which discord of minds and diuersitie of affections was now to be seene a miserable face of things in the whole commoÌ„ welth of England They that could dissemble tooke no great care how the matter went But such whose consciences were ioyned to truth perceiued already coales to bee kindled which after should be the destruction of many a true Christian man as in deed it came to passe In the meane while Queene Mary after these beginnings A Parliament Summoned remoouyng from y e Tower to Hampton Court caused a Parliament to bee suÌ„moned against the x. day of Octob. next ensuing wherof more is to be sayd hereafter Ye heard before how diuers Bishops were remooued and other placed in their roumes amongest whome was D. Ridley B. of London a worthy man both of fame and learnyng This D. Ridley in tyme of Queene Iane had made a Sermon at Paules crosse so commaunded by the Counsaile Bishop Ridley preacheth 〈◊〉 Queene Maryes 〈◊〉 declaryng there hys mynde to the people as touching the Lady Mary and disswading them alledging there the incommodities and inconuenieÌ„ces which might ryse by receiuyng her to be their Queene prophesieng as it were before that which after came to passe y t she would bryng in forraine power to raigne ouer them besides the subuertyng also of Christian Religion then already established shewyng moreouer that the same Mary beyng in hys Diocesse he accordyng to his duetie beyng then her Ordinary had trauailed much with her to reduce her to this Religion and notwithstandyng in all other poyntes of ciuilitie she shewed her selfe gentle and tractable yet in matters that concerned true fayth and doctrine she shewed her selfe so stiffe and obstinate that there was no other hope of her to be conceyued but to disturbe and ouerturne all that which with so great labours had bene confirmed and planted by her brother afore Shortly after this Sermon Queene Mary was proclaymed whereuppon hee speedily repairyng to Fremingham to salute the Queene had such colde welcome there that beyng dispoyled of all his dignities he was sent backe vpon a lame halting horse to the Tower After hym preached also Maister Rogers the next sonday M. Rogers preacheth entreatyng very learnedly vppon the Gospell of the same day This so done Queene Mary seyng all things yet not goyng so after her mynd as she desired deuiseth wyth her Counsaile to bring to passe that thyng by other meanes which as yet by open lawe she could not well accomplish directing forth an Inhibition by Proclamation that no man should preach or read openly in churches the word of God besides other thynges also in the same Proclamation Inhibited the copye whereof here followeth ¶ An inhibition of the Queene for preaching Printyng c. THe Queenes highnes well remembryng what great inconuenience and daungers haue growen to this her highnes Realme in tymes past August 18. thorough the diuersitie of opinions in questions of religion An inhibition of the Queene for preaching and printing and hearyng also that now of late sithence the beginnyng of her most gracious Raigne the same contentions be agayne much reuiued thorough certayne false and vntrue reportes and rumors spreade by some lyght and euyll disposed personnes hath thought good to doe to vnderstand to all her highnes most louyng subiectes her most gracious pleasure in manner followyng First Q. Mary beginneth to set forth her popish religion Religion here grounded vppon the Queenes will her Maiestie beyng presented by the onely goodnesse of God setled in her iust possession of the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme and other Dominions thereunto belongyng cannot now hide that religion which God and the world knoweth she hath euer professed from her infancie hitherto Which as her Maiestie is mynded to obserue and maintaine for her selfe by gods grace during her tyme so doth her highnesse much desire and would be glad the same were of all her subiectes quietly and charitably embraced And yet she doth signifie vnto all her maiesties louyng subiects that of her most gracious disposition clemency her highnesse myndeth not to compell any her sayde subiects thereunto vnto such tyme as further order by common assent may be taken therein forbiddyng neuertheles all her subiects of all degrees at their peryls to mooue seditions or stirre vnquietnes in her people by interpreting the Lawes of this Realme after their braynes and fantasies but quietly to continue for the tyme tyll as before is sayd further order may be taken and therfore willeth and straitly chargeth and commaundeth all her sayd good louyng subiects to lyue togethers in quiet sort and Christian charitie leauyng those new found diuelish termes of Papist or heretike and such lyke and applying their hole care study and trauaile to lyue in the feare of God exercising their conuersations in such charitable godly doyng as their lyues may in deed expresse that great hunger and thirst of Gods glory and holy worde Termeâ— of Papist and Hereticke forbidden which by rash talke wordes many haue pretended and in so doing they shal best please God and lyue without daungers of the lawes and maintaine the tranquillitie of the Realme Wherof as her highnes shall be most glad so if any man shall rashlye presume to make any assemblies of people or at any publike assemblies or otherwyse shall go about to stir the people to disorder or disquiet shee myndeth according to her dutie to see the same most surely reformed punished accordyng to her highnes lawes And furthermore forasmuch also as it is well knowen False surmise against true preachers Printers and players that sedition and false rumours haue bene nourished and maintayned in this Realme by the subtletie and malice of some euill disposed persons which take vpon them without sufficient authoritie to preach to interprete the word of God after their owne brayne in churches and other places both publike and priuate Here was the head of Winchester also by playing of Enterludes and printyng of false fond bookes ballades rymes and other lewd treatises in the English tongue concernyng doctrine in matters now in question and controuersie touchyng the high poyntes and mysteries of christen religion which bookes ballades rymes and treatises Preachyng Printyng Readyng and playing of Enterludes restrayned are chiefly by the Printers and Stationers set out to sale to her graces
subiects of an euil zeale for lucre and couetousnes of vile gayne Her highnes therefore straitly chargeth and commaundeth all and euery of her sayde subiectes of whatsoeuer state condition or degree they be that none of them presume from hencefoorth to preach or by way of readyng in Churches or other publike or priuate places except in schooles of the Uniuersitie to interprete or teach any scriptures or any maner poynts of doctrine concerning religion neither also to print any bookes matter ballade ryme Enterlude processe or treatise nor to play any Enterlude except they haue her graces speciall licence in writyng for the same vpon payne to incurre her highnesse indignation and displeasure And her highnes also further chargeth and commaundeth all and euery her sayd subiectes that none of them of their owne authoritie do presume to punish or to ryse against any offender in the causes abouesayde or any other offender in words or deeds in the late rebellion committed or done by the Duke of Northumberland or his complices or to cease any of their goods or violently to vse anye such offender by strikyng or imprisonyng or threatenyng the same but wholy to referre the punishment of all suche offenders vnto her highnes and publike authority wherof her maiestie myndeth to see due punishment accordyng to the order of her highnes lawes Anno 1553. Neuertheles as her highnesse myndeth not hereby to restraine and discourage any of her louyng subiectes to geue from tyme to time true information against any such offenders in the causes abouesayd vnto her grace or her Counsaile for the punishment of euery such offender according to the effect of her highnes lawes prouided in that part so her sayde highnes exhorteth and straitly chargeth her sayd subiects to obserue her commaundement pleasure in euery part aforesayd as they will auoyd her highnes sayd indignation and most grieuous displeasure The seueritie and rigor whereof as her highnes shall bee most sory to haue cause to put the same in execution so doth she vtterly determine not to permit such vnlawfull and rebellious doyngs of her subiects wherof may ensue the daunger of her royall estate to remayne vnpunished but to see her sayd lawes touching these points to be throughly executed which extremities she trusteth all her sayd louyng subiects will foresee dread and auoyde accordingly her sayd highnes straightly charging and commaundyng all Mayors Shiriffes Iustices of Peace Bailiffes Constables and all other publike Officers and Ministers diligently to see to the obseruyng and executyng of her sayde commaundementes and pleasure and to apprehende all such as shall wilfully offend in this part committyng the same to the next Gaole there to remayne without bayle or maineprise till vpon certificate made to her highnes or her priuy Counsaile of their names and doyngs and vpoÌ„ examination had of their offences some further order shall be taken for their punishment to the example of others according to the effect and tenour of the lawes aforesayd Yeuen at our Manor of Richmond the 18. day of August in the 1. yeare of our most prosperous raigne M. Bourne preaching at Paules Crosse. M. Bournes Sermon at Paules crosse August 13. ABout this tyme or not long before Boner B. of London beyng restored appoynted M. Bourne a Canon of Paules to preach at the Crosse who afterward was B. of Bathe he takyng occasion of the Gospell of the day to speake somewhat largely in iustifieng of Boner beyng theÌ„ present No maruell if Boner were so foule fallen away in such a vyle dungeon in the Marshalsey which Boner sayd he vpon the same text in that place that day foure yeares had preached before and was vppon the same most cruelly and vniustly cast into y e most vile Dungeon of the Marshalsey and there kept duryng the tyme of King Edward Hys wordes sounded so euill in the eares of the hearers that they could not keep silence but began to murmure and to stirre in such sort that the Mayor and Aldermen with other estates theÌ„ present feared much an vprore But the truth is that one hurled a dagger at the preacher but who it was it could not then be prooued albeit afterward it was knowen In fine the sturre was such that the Preacher pluckt in hys head and durst no more appeare in that place The matter of hys Sermon tended muche to the derogation and disprayse of King Edward M. Iohn Bradford appeaseth the people which thyng the people in no case could abyde Then M. Bradford at the request of the Preachers brother and other then beyng in the pul pit stoode foorth and spake so myâ—â—ely Christianly and effectuously that with fewe woordes he appeased all and afterward he and M. Rogers conducted the Preacher betwixt them from the Pulpit to the Grammar schole doore where they left him safe as further in the story of Maister Bradford is declared But shortly after they were both rewarded with long imprisonment and last of all with fire in Smithfield By reason of this tumult at Paules Crosse an order was taken by the Lordes of the Counsaile with the Mayor and Aldermen of London Bradford and Rogers garded the preacher that they calling the next day followyng a common counsaile of the Citie should therby charge euery housholder to cause their children apprentises and other seruaunts to keep their owne parish Churches vpon the holydays and not to suffer them to attempt any thyng to the violatyng of the common peace Willyng them also to signify the sayd assembly the Queenes determination vttered vnto them by her highnes the 12. of August in the Tower Which was that albeit her graces coÌ„science is stayed in matters of religion yet she graciously ment not to compell or strayne other mens conscience otherwyse then God shal as she trusted put in their harts a perswasion of the truth that she is in thorough the openyng of hys word vnto them by godly vertuous learned preachers c. Also it was then ordered that euery Alderman in hys Ward should foorthwith send for the Curates of euery parish within their liberties and to warne them not only to forbeare to preach themselues but also not to suffer any other to preach or make any open or solemne readyng of scripture in their churches vnles the sayd preachers were seuerally licensed by the Queene After this Sermon at Paules Crosse aforenamed the next day after it followed that the Queenes Gard was at the crosse with their weapons to gard the Preacher And when men withdrew themselues from the Sermon order was taken by the Mayor that the Ancients of all companies should be present least the preacher should be discouraged by hys small Auditorie August 1553. The 5. of August 5. of Auâ— an 1553. an 1553. was one William Rutler committed by the Counsaile to the Marshalsey for vtteryng certayne wordes agaynst Maister Bourne Preacher for hys Sermon at Paules Crosse on Sonday last before The 16. of August
to the first proposition nor of the worlde Therefore this proposition or cōclusion is framed after an other maner of phrase or kinde of speeche then the Scripture vseth Againe it is very obscure and darke by meanes of sundry wordes of doubtfull signification And being taken in the sence whych the Schoolemen teache The proposition put foorth in 〈…〉 and at thys time the church of Rome doth defend it is false and erroneous and plaine contrary to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse The explication How farre the diuersitie and newnes of the phrase in all this first proposition is from the phrase of the holy Scripture and that in euery part almost it is so plaine euident to any that is but meanely exercised in holy wryte that I neede not now especially in this company of learned men to spend any time therein except the same shal be required of me hereafter First The first doubt· there is a doubtfull sense in these woordes by the vertue of Gods word For it is doubtful what word of God this is whether it be that which is red in the Euangelists or in Paul or any other And if it be that which is in the Euangelists or in S. Paule what that is If it be in none of them then how it may be knowen to be Gods worde of such vertue y t it should be able to worke so great a matter Againe there is a doubte in these woordes of the Priest whether no man may be called a Priest 2. Doubt in the word priest but he whych hath authoritie to make propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the deade and howe it may be prooued that thys authoritie was committed of God to any man but to Christ alone It is likewise doubted 3. Doubt in the word sacrificing after what order the sacrificing Priest shall be whether after the order of Aaron or els after the order of Melchisedech For as farre as I know the holy scripture doth allow no moe West Let thys be sufficient D. Weston interrupteth him in his explication Rid. If we lacke time at this present there is time enough heereafter West These are but euasions or starting holes You consume the time in vaine Rid. I can not start farre from you I am captiue bound West Fall to it my maisters Smith That whych you haue spoken may suffice at thys present Rid. Let me alone I pray you for I haue not much to say behinde West Goe forwarde Rid. Moreouer there is ambiguitie in thys word really whether it be to be taken as the Logicians terme it 4. Doubt in the word really transcendenter that is most generally and so it may signifie any manner of thing which belongeth to the body of Christ by any meanes after which sort we also graunt Christes body to be really in the sacramente of the Lordes Supper as in disputation if occasion be geuen shall be declared or whether it be taken to signifie the very same thing hauing body life and soule which was assumed taken of the worde of God into the vnitie of persone In which sence sith the body of Christ is really in heauen because of the true manner of his body it may not be sayde to be here in the earth There is yet a further doubtfulnesse in these words 5. Doubt in the words of formes of bread wine vnder the formes of breade and wine whether the formes be there taken to signifie the onely accidental and outward shewes of bread and wine or there withall the substantial natures therof which are to be seene by their qualities and perceiued by exterior sences Now the error and falsenes of the proposition The proposition erroneous after the sense of the Romishe Church Transubstantiation not founded in scripture after the sense of the Romish church and scholemen may hereby appeare in that they affirm the bread to be transubstantiated and chāged into the flesh assumed of the word of God and that as they say by the vertue of the woorde whych they haue deuised by a certaine number of woordes and cannot be founde in any of the Euangelistes or in Paule and so they gather that Christes bodye is reallye contained in the sacrament of the aultar Which position is grounded vpon the foundation of transubstantiation The Analogie of the sacramēts is the similitude and likenes whiche they haue with the thinges they represent which foundation is monsterous against reason and destroieth the Analogie or proportion of the sacraments and therfore this proposition also which is builded vpon thys rotten foundation is false erroneous and to be counted as a detestable heresy of the Sacramentaries West We lose time Rid. You shall haue time inough West Fall to reasoning You shall haue some other day for this matter Rid. I haue no more to say concerning my explication If you will geue me leaue and let me alone I wil but speake a woord or two for my confirmation West Go to say on The confirmation of the foresaid answere Fes THere oughte no Doctrine to bee established in the church of God Confirmation of his aunswere which discenteth from the word of God from the rule of faith and draweth with it many absurdities that cannot be auoided ti But this doctrine of the first proposition is such no. Ergo Argument it ought not to be established and maintained in the Church of God The Maior or first part of my argument is plaine and the Minor or second part is prooued thus This doctrine maintaineth a real corporal and carnal presence of Christes flesh assumed and taken of the woorde to be in the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper that not by vertue grace onely but also by the whole essence and substance of the body and flesh of Christ. The reall presence of Christes body disagreeth from the scriptures But such a presence disagreeth from Gods word from the rule of faith and cannot but drawe wyth it manye absurdities Ergo the second part is true The first part of thys argument is manifest and the second may yet further be confirmed thus West Thus you consume time which might be better bestowed on other matters D. Weston agayne interrupted D. Ridley Maister Opponent I pray you to your arguments Smith I will heere reason with you vppon transubstantiation which you say is contrary to the rule and Analogy of faith The contrary whereof I proue by the Scriptures and the doctors But before I enter argumentation wyth you I demaund first whether in the 6. chap. of Iohn there be any mention made of the sacrament or of the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament Rid. It is againste reason that I shoulde bee impeached to prosecute that which I haue to speake in this assembly being not so long but that it may be comprehended in few woordes West Let him reade on Rid. First of all this presence is contrary to many
peccata mundi à sacerdotibus sacrificatum Let vs not not looke alow by the grounde vpon the bread and the drinke set before vs but lifting vppe our minde let vs faithfully beleue there vpon y e holy table to lye the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world being sacrificed of the priestes Rid. That Councell was collected out of anâ—ient Fathers and is to me of great authority for it sayth Positum esse panem in altâ—ri exaltata mente considerandum eum qui in coelis est i. That breade is set vpon the aultare and hauing our mindes 〈◊〉 vp we must consider him which is in heauen The words of the Councell make for me Wat. Exaltata mente with a minde exalted That is not as brute beastes at the racke or maunger hauing an eye onely vpon the thing that is set before them Agnus Dei iacet in mensa the Lambe of God lieth on the table sayeth the Councell Rid. The Lambe of God is in heauen accordyng to the verity of the body and here he is with vs in a mistery according to his power not corporally Wat. But the Lambe of God lyeth on the table Rid. It is a figuratiue speach for in our minde we vnderstand him which is in heauen Wat. But he lyeth there the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rid. He lyeth there that is he is there present not corporally but he lyeth there in his operation Wat. He lyeth but his operation lyeth not Rid. You thinke very grossely of the sitting or lying of the Celestiall Lambe on the Table of the Lorde For we may not imagine any such sitting or lying on y e table as the reason of man would iudge but all thinges are here to be vnderstand spirituallye For that heauenly Lambe is as I confesse on the table but by a spirituall presence by grace and not after any corporall substance of his flesh taken of y e virgin Mary And indeed the same Canon doth very playnly teach that the bread which is set on the table is materiall bread and therefore it the Canon I meane commaundeth that we shoulde not creepe on the ground in our cogitation to these thinges which are set before vs as who shoulde say what other things are they as much as perteineth to their true substaunce then breade and wine but rather sayth the Canon lifting vp our mindes into heauen let vs consider w t fayth the Lambe of God which taketh awaye the sins of y e world sitting or lying vpon y e table For a lifted vp fayth sayth he seeth him which sitteth on the right hande of God the father after y e true maner of a body set by grace on the Lordes Table and taking away the sinnes of the worlde For I thinke you meane not so as though the Lambe did lye there prostrate with his members spreade upon the table Smith I bring an other place out of the Councell of Nice Nullus Apostolorum dixit An other place of Nicene Counâ—ell alleaged haec est figura corporis Christi Nullus venerabilium praesbyterorum dixit incruentum altaris sacrificium figuram Ergo. c. That is None of the Apostles sayd this is a figure of the body of Christ None of the reuerend Elders sayd the vnbloudy sacrifice of the aultar to be a figure Ergo you are deceiued Rid. This Chanon is not in the Councell of Nice For I haue read ouer this Councell many times Then came in an other whom M. Ridley knew not sayd the vniuersall church both of the Greekes Latines of the East and of the West haue agreed in the Councell of Florence vniformably in y e doctrine of the sacrament that in the Sacrament of the Aultar there is the true and reall Body Rid. I denye the Greeke and the East Churche to haue agreed either in the Councel at Florence or at any time els with the Romish Church in the doctrine of Transubstantiation of bread into the body of Christ. For there was nothing in the Councell of Florence wherein the Greekes would agree with the Romanistes albeit hitherto I confesse it was left free for euery Churche to vse as they were wont leuened or vnleauened bread Here cryed out D. Cole sayde they agreed together concerning transubstantiation of breade into the bodye of Christ. M. Ridley sayd that could not be Here start vp an other vnknowne to M. Ridley but thought to be one of the Scribes who affirmed with him y t in deed there was nothing decreed coÌ„cerning traÌ„substaÌ„tiation but the Councell left that as a matter not meete nor worthy to disturbe the peace and concord of the church To whom M. Ridley answered agayne saying that he sayd y e trueth Pie What say you to that councell where it is sayde that the Priest doth offer an vnbloudy sacrifice of the Bodye of Christ Rid. I say it is well sayd if it be rightly vnderstand Pie But he offereth an vnbloudy sacrifice Rid. It was called vnbloudy and is offered after a certain maner and in a misterye and as a representation of that bloudy sacrifice and he doth not lye which sayth Christ to be offered West I with one argument will throw downe to y e grouÌ„d your opinion out of Chrysostome Sacrifice called vnbloudy is nothing els but a representation of the bloudy Sacrifice of Christ. Weston playeth Golyah with Dauid This argument after the disposition termes as it standeth iâ— not formall Homi. 24. in 1. ad Corinth and I wil teach not onely a figure or signe or grace onely but the very same body which was here conuersant in the earth to be in the Eucharist We worship the selfe same body in y e Eucharist whiche the wise men did worship in the maunger But that was his naturall reall body not spirituall Ergo the reall body of Christ is in the Eucharist Agayne the same Chrysostome sayth We haue not here the Lord in the maunger but on the aultare Here a woman holdeth him not in her handes but a priest Rid. We worship I confesse the same true Lord and Sauiour of the world which the wise men worshipped in the maunger howbeit we do it in mystery and in the sacrameÌ„t of the Lordes supper and that in spiritual liberty as sayth S. Aust Lib 3. de doctrina Christiana not in carnall seruitude that is we do not worship seruilely the signes for the thinges for that shuld be as he also sayth a part of a seruile infirmity But we behold with the eyes of fayth him present after grace and spiritually sette vppon the Table and we worship him which sitteth aboue is worshipped oâ— the Aungels For Christ is alwaies assistant to his mysteries as the sayd August sayth And the diuine maiesty as sayth Cyprian doth neuer absent it selfe from the diuine mysteries but this assistaunce and presence of Christ as in Baptisme is wholy spirituall and by grace and not
that will saye the contrary that all that is contained in the holy Communion set out by the most innocent and godly Prince king Edward the 6. in his high court of Parliament is conformable to that order which our Sauiour Christ did both obserue and commaund to be obserued which his Apostles primatiue church vsed many yeares whereas the Masse in many things not onely hath no foundation of Christe his Apostles nor the primatiue Church but is manifestly contrary to the same and coÌ„taineth many horrible abuses in it And although many either vnlearned or malitious do report that M. Peter Martyr is vnlearned yet if the Queeneâ— highnes wil graunt thereunto I with the sayde M. Peter Martyr and other 4. or 5. whiche I shall chuse will by Gods grace take vppon vs to defende not onely the common praiers of the Church the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites ceremonies but also al the doctrine and religion set out by our said soueraigne Lord king Edward the 6. to be more pure and according to Gods worde then any other that hath bene vsed in England these 1000. yeares so that Gods word may be iudge that the reasons and proufes of both parties may be sette out in wryting to the intent as well that all the worlde maye examine and iudge thereon as that no man shall start backe from his wrytinge And where they boast of the faith that hath bene in the Churche these 1500. yeres we will ioyne with them in this poynt and that the same doctrine and vsage is to be followed whiche was in the Church .1500 yeres past and we shall prooue that the order of the Churche let out at this present in this Realme by Acte of Parlament is the same that was vsed in the Church .1500 yeres past so shall they be neuer able to prooue theirs The same Thursday beinge the 7. of Septemb. Lorde Mountacute chiefe Iustice and Lorde chiefe Baron were deliuered out of the Tower The 13. of September the reuerende father M. Hughe Latimer was committed to the Tower The 14. of Septemb. the bishop of Caunterburye was committed to the Tower The 26. of September one Maister Graye of Cambridge called before hym one M. Garth for that he would not suffer a boy of Peter house to helpe hym saye Masse in Penbroke hal which was before any law was established for that behalfe The Queene came to the Tower of London vpon the Thursday being the 28. of September Amongest these Pageantes stood a certaine man vpon the top of the Eagle vpon Paules steeple with a flagge in his hand and vpon the Saterday following shee rode from the Tower thorough the Citie of London where were made many Pageants to receiue her and so was triumphantly brought to Westminster to White hall Uppon the Sonday being the first day of October the Queenes highnesse went from White hall to Westminster Abbey accompanied wyth the most part of the Nobility of this Realme namelye these The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Shrewsburie the Marques of Winchester the Earls of Darby Bedford Worcester Cumberland Westmerland Oxford Sussex Deuonshire Penbroke the Lord Dacres of the North Lord Ferris Lorde Cobham Lord Aburgeiny Lord Wentwoorth Lord Scroupe Lord Rich Lord Uaus Lorde Hawarde Lord Conias Lord Morley Lorde Paget and the Lorde Willowbye with many other Nobles and all the Embassadours of diuers countreys the Maior of London wyth all the Aldermen Also out of the Abbey to receiue her comming came three siluer Crosses and to the number of four score or neare vppon Q. Mary crowned Doctor sayes Sermon Generall pardon at the Queens CoronatioÌ„ â—xempted 〈◊〉 of the Pardon of singing men all in very rich gorgeous coapes Amongest whom were the Deane of Westminster and diuers of her Chaplaines which bare euerye one some ensigne in their handes and after them followed 10. Byshops mytred all and their Croyser staues in theyr handes and rich Copes vpon them euery one And in this order they returned froÌ„ Westminster hal before the Quene to the Abbey where she was crowned by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lorde Chancellor of England At the time of the Coronation Doctour Day Bishop of Chichester made a sermon to the Queenes maiestie and to the rest of the nobilitie Also there was a generall Pardon proclaimed wythin the Abbey at the sayd time of her Coronation out of which Proclamation all the prisonners of the Tower and of the Flete were excepted and 62. more Wherof M. Whitchurch and M. Grafton were two The thirde of October the Uicechauncellour of Cambridge did chalenge one M. Pierson for that hee ministred still the Communion in his owne Parish and did receyue straungers of other Parishes to the same and woulde not say masse Whereupon within 2. dayes after he was cleane discharged from farther ministring in his Cure Uppon the Wedensday following Q. Mary rideth to the Parliament house Sergeant Pollard speaker in the Parliament The Earle of Huntington deliuered out of the Tower M. Saunders for preaching agaynst the Masse committed to the Marshalsey the Archb. of Yorke was committed to the Tower Uppon Thursdaye being the 5. of October 1553. the Queene road to the Parliament in her roabes and all the nobilitie with her and when they were set in the Parliament house the Bishop of Winchester made to them a solemne Oration and Sergeant Pollarde was chosen speaker of the Parliament The same day the Bishops of Lincolne Harford and Westchester were discharged from the Parliament and Conuocation Also the 10. daye of October the Earle of Huntington was deliuered out of the Tower Upon the Sonday after being the 15. of Oct. M. Laurence Saunders preached at Alhallowes in Breadstreete in y e morning where he declared the abhomination of the masse with diuers other matters very notably and godly Wherof more shal be heard by the Lordes leaue heereafter when we come to his story In which his doing as he shewed himselfe to be Gods faithful minister so is he sure not to be defrauded of gods faithful promise who sayth Omnis qui confitebitur me coram hominibus confitebor ego illum coram patre meo qui est in coelis Math. 10. But about noone of the same day he was sent for by the bishop of London and from thence committed to the Marshalsee Upon the Sonday folowing being the 20. of October Doctor Weston preached at Paules Crosse. D. Westons popish Sermon at Paules Who in the beginning of his Sermone willed the people to praye for the soules departed on this wise You shall pray for all them y t be departed that be neither in heaueÌ„ nor hell but in a place not yet sufficiently purged to come to heaueÌ„ that they may be releued by your deuout prayers He named the Lordes table an oyster board He saide that the Catechisme in Latin lately sette out was abhominable heresie likened the setters
Tower hill where hee vttered these woordes M. Wiats words touching the Lady Elizabeth touching the Lady Elizabeth and the Earle of Deuonshyre Concerning sayd he what I haue sayd of other in my examination to charge any other as partakers of my doings I accuse neyther my Lady Elizabeths grace nor my Lord of Deuonshyre I can not accuse them neyther am I able to say that to my knowledge they knew any thing of my rising And when Doctour Weston tolde him that his confession was otherwise before the Counsell he aunswered that which I said then I sayd but that which I say now is true Uppon the Tuesday beeing the xvij of Aprill Syr Iames Croft and Maister Winter Aprill 17. Sir Iames Croft M. Winter Sir Nichoâ—las Throgmorton were brought to the Guild hall with whom also the same time and to the same place was brought sir Nicholas Throgmorton and there arraigned of treason for that he was suspected to be of the conspiracie with the Duke of Suffolke the rest agaynst y e Queene where he so learnedly and wisely behaued him selfe as well in clearing his owne case as also in opening such lawes of the Realme as were then alledged agaynst him that the Quest which was charged with his matter could not in conscience but finde him not gilty The Queâ—â—â— troubled 〈◊〉 Sir Nichoâ—las Throgmorton for y t which the said xij persons of the Quest being also substantiall meÌ„ of the Citie were bounde in the summe of 500. poundes a peece to appeare before y e Queenes Counsell at a day appointed there to answere such things as should be laid against theÌ„ for his acquiting Which Quest appeared accordingly before the Counsell in the Starre chamber vppon Wednesday being the xxv of Aprill and S. Markes daye Aprill 25. From wheÌ„ce after certaine questioning they were coÌ„mitted to prison Emanuell Lucar maister Whetstone were committed to the Tower and the other ten to the Fleete As concerning the condemnation of Thomas Archbyshop of Cant. of Doctour Ridley and M. Latymer which was the xx of this moneth of Aprill also of their disputations because we haue sayd enough before it shall not neede now to bestow any further rehearsall thereof The Friday next following after the condemnation of them the xxvij of Aprill Lord Thomas Gray L. Thomas Gray beheâ—â—ded Aprill 27. Aprill 28. the late Duke of Suffolkes brother was beheaded at Tower hil Upon the Saterday beeing the xxviij of Aprill Syr Iames Croft and Maister Winter were agayne brought to the Guild hall where Sir Iames Croft was arraigned and condemned and because the day was farre spent Maister Winter was not arraigned Upon the Thursday being the xvij of May William Thomas was arraigned at the Guild Hall W. Thomas condemneâ— May. 17. and there the same day condemned who the next day after was hanged drawne and quartered His accusation was for coÌ„spiring the Queenes death which how true it was I haue not to say This is certaine that he made a right godly ende and wrote many fruitefull exhortations Letters and Sonets in the prison before his death In the moneth of May it was so giuen out and bruitted abroad A certaine disputation intended to be had at Cambridge that a solemne disputation should be holden at Cambridge as ye heard before in Maister Ridleys letter page 1396 betwene M. Bradford M. Saunders mayster Rogers and other of that side and the Doctours of both the Uniuersities on the other side like as had bene in Oxford before as you haue heard Whereupon y e godly Preachers which were in prison hauing word therof albeit they were destitute of their bookes neither were ignorant of the purpose of the aduersaries and how y e cause was preiudicate before also how the disputations were coÌ„fusedly haÌ„dled at Oxford neuerthelesse they thought not to refuse the offer of disputatioÌ„ so that they might be quietly and indifferently heard and therefore wisely pondering the matter with themselues by a publicke consent directed out of prison a declaration of their minde by writing the vij day of May. Wherein first as touching the disputation although they knew that they should do no good wheras all things were so predetermined before yet neuertheles they would not deny to dispute The preachers in prâ—â—son refuse not to dispute before indifferent Iudges so that the disputation might be either before the Queene or before the Counsaile or before the ParlameÌ„t houses or else if they might dispute by writing for else if the matter were brought to the Doctours handling in their owne scholes they haue sufficient proofe they sayd by the experience of Oxford what little good will be done at Cambridge and so coÌ„sequently declaring the faith and doctrine of their Religion and exhorting the people withall to submit themselues with all patience and humilitie either to the will or punishmeÌ„t of the higher powers they appealed in the end from them to be theyr Iudges in this behalfe and so ende their protestation the copie and contents whereof I thought not vnfit here to be inserted * A copie of a certayne declaration drawne and sent out of prison by Mayster Bradford Mayster Saunders and dyuers other godly Preachers concerning theyr disputation A declaratiâ—on of the godly preachers written and senâ— abroad out of prison and doctrine of their Religion as followeth BEcause we heare that it is determined of the magistrats and such as be in authoritie especially of the Clergye to send vs speedely out of the prisons of the kings Bench the Fleet the Marshalsey and Newgate where presently we are and of long time some of vs hath ben not as rebelles traytors seditious persons theeues or transgressours of any lawes of this realme inhibitions Proclamations or commaundements of the Queenes highnes or of any of y e Councels Gods name be praysed therfore but alonely for the conscience we haue to God and his most holy word truth vpon most certayne knowledge because we say we heare that it is determined we shal be sent to one of the vniuersities of Cambridge or Oxford there to dispute with such as are appointed in that behalfe A 〈◊〉 of a preâ—enâ—ed 〈…〉 at Cambridge in that wee purpose not to dispute otherwise then by writing except it may be before the Queenes highnes and her Counsell or before y e Parlament houses and therfore perchaunce it will be bruted abroad that we are not able to mayntaine by the truth of Gods word and the consent of the true and Catholicke Church of Christ the doctrine we haue generally and seuerally taught and some of vs hath writteÌ„ set forth wherthrough the godly and simple may be offended somwhat weakened we haue thought it our bounden dutie now whilest we may by writing to publish and notifie the causes why we will not dispute otherwise then is abouesayd to preuent the offences which might come thereby First because it is euidently knowne vnto the whole
world The causes whâ— they 〈…〉 otherwise dispute theâ— before indifferent Iudges The matter of the disputation is against Gods word The second cause that the determinations of both the Uniuersities in matters of Religion especially wherin we should dispute are directly against Gods word yea against their own determinations in the time of our late soueraigne Lord and most godly Prince King Edward and further it is knowen they be our open enemies and haue already condemned our causes before any disputation had of the same Secondly because the Prelates and clergie do not seeke either vs or the verity but our destruction and their glory For if they had sought vs as charity requireth theÌ„ would they haue called vs forth hereaboutes before theyr lawes were so made that franckly and without perill we might haue spoken our consciences Againe if they had sought for the veritie they woulde not haue concluded of controuersies In the disputation neither charitie nor veritie sought for tofore they had bene disputed so that it easely appeareth that they seeke their owne glory and our destruction and not vs and the veritie and therefore we haue good cause to refuse disputation as a thing which shall not further preuaile then to the setting forth of their glory and the suppression of the veritie Thirdly because the Censors and Iudges as we heare who they be are manifest enemies to the truth and that which worse is obstinate enemies before whome pearles are not to be cast The third cause The Iudges of the disputation professed enemies against the truth The 4. cause by the commaundements of our Sauior Iesus Christ and by his owne example That they be such their doings of late at Oxford and in the Conuocation house in October last past do most euidently declare Fourthly because some of vs haue bene in prison these 8. or 9. monethes where we haue had no bookes no paper no penne no inke or conuenient place for study we thinke we should do euill thus sodainly to descend into disputation with them which may alledge as they list the fathers and their testimonies Want of booâ—es necessaâ—â— for disputation bicause our memories haue not that which we haue read so readily as to reproue when they shall report and wrest the authors to their purpose or to bring forth that we may haue there for our aduantage Fiftly because in disputation we shall not be permitted to prosecute our Argumentes The 5. cause but be stopped when we would speake one saying thus another that the third his mind Example of 〈◊〉 disputation at Oxford c. As was done to the godly learned fathers especially D. Ridley at Oxford who could not be permitted to declare his minde and meaning of the propositions had oftentimes halfe a dosen at once speaking against hym alwayes letting him to prosecute his argument and to aunswere accordingly we will not speake of the hissing scoffing and taunting which wonderfully then was vsed If on this sorte and much worse they handled these fathers much more will they be shameles bold with vs if we shuld enter into disputation with them Sixtly because the Notaries that shall receiue write the disputations shal be of their appointment and such as either do not or dare not fauour y e truth and therefore must write eyther to please them or else they themselues the Censours and Iudges we meane at their pleasure wyll put to and take from The 6. cause that which is writteÌ„ by y e Notaries who can not Notaries 〈◊〉 indiffeâ—â—nt nor must not haue in their custody that which they write longer then the disputation indureth as their doings at Oxford declareth No copy nor scroule could anye man haue by their good will For the Censors and Iudges will haue all deliuered into their hands Yea if any man was sene there to write as the report is the same man was sent for and his writings taken from him so must the disputation serue only for the glory not of God but of the enemies of his truth For these causes we all thinke it so necessary not to dispute with them as if we did dispute we shuld do that whiche they desire purposely seek to promote the kingdome of Antichrist and to suppresse as much as may be y e truth We will not speake of the offence that might come to the godly wheÌ„ they shuld heare by the report of our enemies our aunsweres and arguments framed you may be sure for their fantasies to the sclaundering of the veritie Therfore we publish and by this writing notifie vnto the whole congregation and church of England Exceptions taken agaâ—nst the aduersaries that for these aforesaid causes we will not dispute with theÌ„ otherwise then with the penne vnlesse it be before the Queenes highnes and her Councell or before the houses of the parliament as is aboue sayd If they will write Conditions assigned how they would dispute we will aunswere by writing confirm and proue out of the infallible veritie euen the very word of God and by the testimonye of y e good and most auncient fathers in Christes Churche this our fayth and euery peece thereof which hereafter we in a summe do write and send abroad purposely that oure good brethren and sisterne in the Lord may knowe it and to seale vp y e same Exhortation to obedience we are ready through Gods helpe and grace to geue our liues to y e halter of fire or otherwise as God shall appoynt humbly requiring in the bowels of our Sauiour Iesus Christ beseeching all that feare God to behaue themselues as obedient subiects to the Queenes highnes and the superiour powers which are ordeyned of god vnder her rather after our exaÌ„ple to geue their heads to the blocke then in any poynt to rebell or once to mutter agaynst the Lordes annoynted we meane our soueraigne Lady Queene Mary into whose hart we beseech the Lord of mercye plentifully to doure the wisedome and grace of his holy spirite now and for euer Amen First we confesse and beleue all the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament The confession and fayth of the prisoned Preachers and al the bookes of the new Testament to be the very true word of God and to be written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost and are therfore to be heard accordingly as the Iudge in all controuersies and matters of religion Secondly The Catholicke Church we confesse and beleue the Catholick church whiche is the spouse of Christ as a most obedient and louing wife to embrace and follow the doctrin of these books in all matters of religion and therefore is shee to be heard accordingly so that those which will not heare this church thus following and obeying the word of her husband we accompt as heretickes and schismatickes accordyng to this saying If he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as a Heathen Thirdly we
beleue and confesse all the Articles of faith doctrine set forth in the Simbole of the Apostles The Creede whiche we commonly cal the Creede and in the Symboles of the Councels of Nice kept An. dom 324. of Constantinople An. dom 384. of Ephesus kept An. dom 432. of Calcedon kept An. dom 454. of Toletum the first and fourth Also the Symboles of Athanasius Irenaeus Tertullian of Damasus which was about the yeare of our Lorde 376. we confesse and beleue we saye the Doctrine of the Symboles generally and particularly so that who soeuer doth otherwise we hold the same to erre from the truth Fourthly we beleue and confesse concerning iustification Iustification by fayth onely in Christ. that as it commeth onely from Gods mercy through Christ so it is perceaued and had of none whiche be of yeares of discretion otherwise then by fayth onely which fayth is not an opinion but a certaine perswasiō wrought by the holy Ghost in the minde and hart of man What fayth is where through as y e minde is illumined so the hart is soupled to submitte it selfe to the will of God vnfaynedly so sheweth forth an inherēt righteousnes Righteousnes in man righteousnes without man The doctrine of free iustification defended for no curiositie but for quiet of conscience which is to be discerned in the Article of iustification from the righteousnes which God endueth vs withall iustifying vs although inseperably they goe together And this we do not for curiositie or contention sake but for conscience sake that it might be quyet whiche it can neuer be if we confounde without distinction forgeuenes of sinnes and Christes Iustice imputed to vs with regeneratiō and inherent righteousnes By this wee disalowe Papisticall doctrine of free will of woorkes of supererogation of merites of the necessitie of auricular confession and satisfaction to Godwardes Seruice in the vulgar tongue Fiftly we confesse and beleue concerning the exteriour seruice of God that it ought to be according to the word of God and therfore in the congregation al thinges publike ought to be done in such a tongue as may be most to edifie not in Latin where the people vnderstād not the same Sixtly we confesse and beleue that God onely by christ Iesus is to be prayed vnto and called vpon Inuocation to God alone Purgatory and Masses suffragatory denied therfore we disalow inuocation or prayer to Saints departed this life Seuenthly we confesse and beleeue that as a man departeth this life so shall he be iudged in the last day generally in the meane season is entred either into the state of the blessed for euer An. no 1554. May. or damned for euer and therefore is either past all helpe or else needes no helpe of any in this life By reason whereof we affirme Purgatory Masses of Scala coeli Trentals and suche Suffrages as the Popishe Church doth obtrude as necessary Two sacramentes to be the doctrine of Antichrist Eightly we confesse and beleeue the Sacramentes of Christ which be Baptisme and the Lordes Supper that they ought to be ministred according to the institution of Christ concerning the substantiall partes of them and that they be no longer Sacraments then they be had in vse and vsed to the end for the which they were instituted The supper to be ministred in both kindes Against transubstantiation Agaynst Adoration of the sacrament The masse to be no propitiatory sacrifice Inhibition of Priestes mariage Antichristian And heere we playnly confesse that the mutilation of the Lords Supper and the subtraction of the one kinde from the lay people is Antichristian And so is the doctrine of transubstantiation of the Sacramentall bread and wyne after the words of consecration as they be called Item the adoration of the Sacrament with honor due vnto God the reseruation and carying about of the same Item the Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead or a worke that pleaseth God All these we confesse and beleeue to be Antichristes doctrine as is the inhibition in Mariage as vnlawfull to any state And we doubt not by Gods grace but we shal be able to prooue all our confessions heere to be most true by the veritie of Gods word and consente of the Catholicke Churche which followeth and hath followed the gouernaunce of Gods spirit and the iudgement of his word And this thorough the Lordes helpe we will do eyther in disputation by word before the Queenes hyghnesse and her Counsayle eyther before the Parliament houses of whome we doubt not but to be indifferently heard eyther with our pennes whensoeuer we shall be thereto by them that haue authoritie required and commaunded In the meane season as obedient Subiectes wee shall behaue our selues towardes all that be in authoritie and not cease to pray to God for them that he woulde gouerne them all generally and particularly with the spirite of wisedome grace And so we hartily desire humbly pray all men to do Exhortation agaynst rebelliō in no point consenting to any kinde of rebellion or sedition against our soueraigne Lady the Queenes highnes but where they can not obey but they must disobey God there to submit themselues with all patience and humilitie to suffer as the will and pleasures of the higher powers shall adiudge as we are ready thorough the goodnes of the Lord to suffer whatsoeuer they shall adiudge vs vnto rather then we will cōsent to any doctrine contrary to this which we heere confesse vnlesse we shall be iustly conuinced therof either by writing or by word before such Iudges as the Queenes hyghnes and her Counsell The bigger part agaynst the better Appeale from the Vniuersitie Doctors as not indifferent iudges or the Parlamēt houses shall appoint For the Uniuersities and Clergy haue condemned our causes already by the bigger but not by the better part without all disputation of the same and therefore most iustly we may do appeale from them to be our Iudges in this behalfe except it may be in writing that to al men the matter may appeare The Lord of mercy endue vs all with the spirit of his truth and grace of perseuerance therein vnto the end Amen The 8. of May Anno Dom. 1554. Robert Menauen aliâs Robert Ferrar. Rowland Taylor The names of the prisoned preachers subscribing to this declaration Iohn Philpot. Iohn Bradford Iohn Wigorne and Glouc. Episcopus aliâs Iohn Hooper Edward Crome Iohn Rogers Laurence Saunders Edmund Laurence I. P. T. M. ☞ To these things abouesayd do I Myles Couerdale late of Exon consent and agree with these my afflicted breethren being prisoners with mine owne hand And thus much concerning this present declaration subscribed by these preachers which was on the viij day of May. Furthermore the xix day of the sayd moneth the Lady Elizabeth May. 19. Lady Elizabeth Sir Iohn Williams Sister to the Queene was
the Christian Preachers Vnorderly proceeding of the aduersaryes aâ—gainst Goâ—â— people their goodes and bookes taken from them and they slandered to be most hainous heretikes their enemies themselues being both witnesses accusers and Iudges belying slandering and misreportyng your said subiectes at their pleasure whereas your sayd subiectes beyng straightly kept in prison cannot yet be suffred to come forth and make aunswer accordingly In consideration whereof it may please your most excellent Maiesties and this your high court of Parliament graciously to tender the present calamitie of your sayd poore subiects and to call them before your presence graunting them liberty either by mouth or writing in the playne English tong to aunswer before you or before indifferent Arbiters to be appointed by your Maiesties vnto such articles of controuersie in religion as their sayd aduersaries haue already condemned them of Request of the Preachers to stand to thâ— triall of their doctrine befoâ—â— indifferenâ— Iudges as of hainous heresies Prouided that all things may be done with such moderation quiet behauior as becommeth subiectes and children of peace that your said subiects may haue the free vse of all their owne bookes and conference together among themselues Which thing beyng granted your said subiects doubt not but it shall plainly appeare that your sayd subiects are true and faithful christians neither heretikes neither teachers of heresie nor cut of from the true catholike vniuersal church of Christ Yea that rather their aduersaries themselues be vnto your Maiesties as were the charmers of Egypt vnto Pharao Sedechias his adherents vnto the king of Israel Actes 1â— and Bariesu to the Proconsul Sergius Paulus And if your said subiects be not able by the testimonie of Christ his prophets Apostles godly fathers of his church to prooue that the doctrine of the church homilies and seruice taught and set forth in the tyme of our late most godly prince and king Edward the 6. is the true doctrine of Christes Catholicke church and most agreeable to the articles of the christian fayth your sayd subiects offer themselues then to the most heauy punishment that it shall please your maiesties to appoynt Wherfore for the tender mercy of God in Christ which you looke for at the day of iudgement your sayd poore subiectes in bonds most humbly beseech your most excellent maiesties and this your high court of Parliament beningly and graciously to heare and graunt this their petition tendyng so greatly to the glory of God to the edifiyng of his church to the honor of your maiesties to the commendation and maintenaÌ„ce of iustice right and equitie both before God and man And your sayd subiectes according to their bounden duety shall not cease to pray vnto almighty God for the gracious preseruation of your most excellent maiesties long to endure ⧠The ende of the tenth Booke Anâ—â— 1554. â—â—bruaâ—◠¶ Here beginneth the eleuenth Booke wherein is discoursed the bloudy murthering of Gods Saintes with the particular Processes and Names of such good Martyrs both Men and Women as in this tyme of Queene Mary were put to death ⧠The Story Life and Martyrdome of Maister IOHN ROGERS THE fourth daye of February suffered the constant Martyr of God M. Iohn Rogers concernynge whose life examinations and suffring here followeth in order set forth And first touching his lyfe and bringing vp Iohn Rogers brought vp in the Uniuersitie of Cambridge where hee profitably trauelled in good learning â— Rogers â—haplayne 〈◊〉 the â—archaunt 〈…〉 Rogers brought to the03 Goâ—pell 〈◊〉 M. W. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 at the length was chosen and called by the Merchants Aduenturers to be their Chaplaine at Antwerpe in Brabant whome he serued to their good contentation many yeares It chaunced him there to fal in company with that worthy seruant and Martyr of God William Tindall and with Miles Couerdale which both for the hatred they bare to popish superstition and idolatry and loue to true religion had forsaken their natiue country In conferring with them the scriptures he came to great knowledge in the Gospell of God in so much that he cast of the heauy yoke of Popery perceiuyng it to be impure and filthy Idolatry and ioyned himselfe with them two in that paynefull most profitable labour of translating the Bible into the Englishe tongue which is intituled The Translation of Thomas Mathew He knowing by the scriptures that vnlawful vows may lawfully be broken and that Matrimony is both honest and honourable amongest all men ioyned hymselfe in lawfull matrimonye and so went to Wittemberge in Saxony where he with much sobernes of liuyng did not onely greatly encrease in all good and godly learnyng but also so much profited in the knowledge of the Dutch tong that the charge of a congregation was orderly committed to his cure In which ministery he diligently and faithfully serued many yeares vntil such tyme as it pleased God by y e faithfull trauell of his chosen and deare seruant king Edward the sixt vtterly to banish all Popery forth of England to receiue in true Religion settyng Gods Gospell at liberty He then beyng orderly called hauyng both a conscience and a ready good will to helpe forward the worke of the Lord in his natiue country left such honest and certaine conditions as he had in Saxony and came into England to preach the Gospel without certaintie of any condition In which office after he had a space diligently and faithfully trauailed Nicholas Ridley then bishop of London gaue him a Prebende in the Cathedrall Churche of Paules and the Deane and the Chapter chose hym to be the Reader of the Diuinitie lesson there wherein he diligently trauailed vntill such tyme as Queene Mary obtaining the crowne banished the Gospell and true religion and brought in the Antichrist of Rome with his Idolatry and superstition After the Queene was come to the Tower of LondoÌ„ he beyng orderly called thereunto made a godly and vehement Sermon at Paules Crosse confirmyng such true doctrine as he and other had there taught in K. Edwards dayes exhortyng the people constantly to remayne in the same and to beware of all pestilent Popery Idolatry and superstition The Councel beyng then ouermatched with popish and bloudy bishops M. Rogers called to accompt for his Sermon at Paules Crosse. called hym to accompt for his Sermon To whom he made a stout wittie godly answer and yet in such sort handled himself that at that time he was clearely dismissed But after that Proclamation was set foorth by the Queene to prohibite true preachyng he was called agayne before the Counsel for the bishops thirsted after his bloud The Counsell quarelled wyth hym concerning his doctrine and in conclusion commanded hym as prisoner to keepe his owne house and so hee did although by flying he might easily haue escaped their cruell hands and many thyngs there were M. Rogers agaâ—ne called before the Counsell and commaunded
to keepe his house which myght haue mooued hym thereunto He did see the recouery of religion in England for that present desperate he knew he could not want a liuyng in Germany and he coulde not forget his wyfe and x. children and to seeke means to succour them But all these things set apart after he was called to answer in Christes cause he would not depart but stoutly stood in defence of the same and for the triall of that truth was content to hazard his lyfe Thus he remayned in hys owne house as prisoner a long tyme till at the length through the vncharitable procurement of Boner Bishop of London who could not abyde such honest neighbours to dwell by him M. Rogers sent to Newgate he was remooued from his owne house to the prison called Newgate where he was lodged among theeues and murtherers for a great space during which tyme what businesse he had with the aduersaries of Christ all is not knowen neither yet any certaintie of his examinations further theÌ„ he hymselfe did leaue in writyng which God would not to be lost but to remayne for a perpetuall testimony in the cause of Gods truth as here followeth recorded and testified by his owne writyng ¶ The Examination and aunswere of John Rogers made to the L. Chancellor and to the rest of the Counsell the 22. of Ianuary Anno. 1555. The Lord Chauncellour FIrst the L. Chancellour said vnto me thus Sir Examination aunswere of M. Iohn Rogers ye haue heard of the state of the realme in which it standeth now Rogers No my Lord I haue bene kept in close prison and except there haue bene some generall thyng sayd at the table wheÌ„ I was at dinner or supper I haue heard nothing and there haue I heard nothing whereupon any speciall thing might be grounded L. Chan. Then sayd the L. Chancellor Generall thynges generall things mockingly Ye haue heard of my L. Cardinals commyng and that the Parliament hath receyued his blessing not one resisting vnto it but one man which did speake against it Such an vnitie and such a myracle hath not bene seene And all they of which there are eyght score in one house sayd one that was by whose name I know not haue with one assent and * Ful sore against theyr wills if they could otherwise haue chosen consent receyued pardon of their offences for the schisme that we haue had in England in refusing the holy father of Rome to be hed of the Catholike Church How say ye are ye content to vnite and knit yourselfe to the fayth of the catholike church with vs in the state in which it is now in England Wyll ye do that Rogers The Catholike Church I neuer did nor will dissenâ— from L. Chancel Nay but I speake of the state of the Catholike church in that wyse in which we stand now in England hauyng receaued the Pope to be supreme head Rog. No head of the Catholicke Church but Christ. I know none other head but Christ of his catholike church neither will I acknowledge the Bishop of Rome to haue any more authority then any other bishop hath by the word of God and by the doctrine of the olde and pure Catholike church 400. yeres after Christ. L. Chaun Why didst thou then acknowledge King Henry the 8. to be supreme head of the church if Christ be the onely head Rog. The supremacie of king Henry 8. how it is to be taken I neuer graunted hym to haue any supremacy in spirituall thyngs as are the forgeuenesse of sinnes geuing of the holy Ghost authoritie to be a Iudge aboue the worde of God L. Chan. Yea said he and Tonstall B. of Duresme and N. B. of Worcester Tonstall B. of Duresme N. Bishop of Worcester if thou hadst said so in his dayes and they nodded the hed at me with a laughter thou hadst not ben alyue now Rog. Which thing I denied and would haue told how hee was said and ment to be supreme head But they looked laughed one vpon another and made such a busines that I was coÌ„strayned to let it passe There lyeth also no great waight thereupon for all the world knoweth what the meanyng was The L. Chancellor also sayd to the L. Wil. Haward that there was no inconuenience therin to haue Christ to be supreme head The meaning why K. Henry was titled â—upreame head and the B. of Rome also and when I was ready to haue answered that there could not be two heds of one church and haue more plainly declared the vanity of that his reason the L. Chancellor said what saist thou make vs a direct answer whether thou wilt be one of this catholike church or not with vs in the state in which we are now Rog. My L. without faile I cannot beleeue that ye your selues do thinke in your harts that he is supreme head in forgeuing of sinne The Bishops contrary to theyr former doinges and wrytinges c. as is before sayd seyng you all the bishops of the realme haue now xx yeares long preached and some of you also written to the contrary and the Parliament hath so long agone condescended vnto it And there he interrupted me thus L. Chan. Tush that Parlament was with most great crueltie constrained to abolish and put away the primacie froÌ„ the bishops of Rome Rog. With crueltie Why then I perceyue that you take a wrong way with crueltie to perswade mens consciences For it should appeare by your doyngs now that the cruelty then vsed hath not perswaded your consciences How would you then haue our consciences perswaded wyth cruelty L. Chan. I talke to thee of no cruelty but that they were so often so cruelly called vpon in that Parlament to let the Act go forward yea and euen with force driuen thereunto where as in this parliament it was so vniformly receiued as is aforesayd Rog. Here my L. Paget told me more plainly what my L. Chauncellor ment Truth goeth not by number nor by the greater part Unto whom I answered My Lord what will ye conclude thereby that the first Parliament was of lesse authoritie because but few condescended vnto it and this last Parliament of great authoritye because more condescended vnto it It goeth not my Lord by the more or lesser part but by the wyser truer godlier part and I would haue sayd more but the L. Chauncellour interrupted me with his question willyng me once agayne to aunswer him For sayd he we haue mo to speake with theÌ„ thou 10. Prisoners out of Newâ—â—tâ— to be 〈◊〉 before 〈…〉 〈…〉 the 10. yelded which must come in after thee And so there were in deed ten persons moe out of Newgate besides two that were not called Of which ten one was a citizen of London which graunted vnto them and ix of the contrarye which all came to prison agayne and refused the cardinals blessing and the authoritie of his
holy fathers Church sauyng that one of these ix was not asked the question other wyse then thus whether hee would be an honest man as his father was before hym and aunswering yea he was so discharged by the friendship of my Lord William Haward as I haue vnderstanded He bade me tell hym what I would doe whether I would enter into one Church with the whole Realme as it is now or not No sayd I I will first see it prooued by the Scriptures Let me haue pen inke and bookes c. And I shall take vpon me plainly to set out the matter so that the contrary shall be prooued to be true let any man that wil conferre with me by writyng Steph Gardiner refused to haue the truth to be tryed by learning L. Chan. Nay that shall not be permitted thee Thou shalt neuer haue so much profered thee as thou hast now if thou refuse it and wilt not now condescend and agree to the catholike church Here are ij things Mercy and Iustice If thou refuse the Queenes mercy now then shalt thou haue Iustice ministred vnto thee Rog. I neuer offended nor was disobedieÌ„t vnto her grace The Bâ—â—shop◠〈…〉 stand bâ— theyr 〈…〉 yet wiâ—â— suffer 〈◊〉 men so doe and yet I will not refuse her mercy But if this shal be denied me to conferre by writing and to try out the truth then it is not wel but to far out of the way Ye your selues all the Bishops of the Realme brought me to the knowledge of the pretensed primacie of the Bishop of Rome when I was a yong man twenty yeares past and wil ye now without collation haue me to say and do the contrary I cannot be so perswaded L. Chan. If thou wilt not receiue the Bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the Catholike Church A fayrâ—â— tense to â—â—cuse yoâ—â— ignoraâ—â—â— then thou shalt neuer haue her mercy thou maist be sure And as touching conferring and triall I am forbidden by the Scriptures to vse any conferring and triall with thee For S. Paule teacheth me that I shall shun and eschew an heretike after one or two monitions knowing that such an one is ouerthrowen and is faulty in as much as he is condemned by his owne iudgement Rog. My L. I deny that I am an heretike prooue ye that first and then alledge the foresayd text But still the Lord Chancellor played on one string saying L. Chan. If thou wilt enter into one Church with vs c. tell vs that Gardineâ— wil 〈◊〉 to that 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 caÌ„not 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 or els thou shalt neuer haue so much proferred thee agayne as thou hast now Rog. I will fynd it first in the Scripture and see it tryed therby before I receiue hym to be supreme head Wor. Why do ye not know what is in your Creed Credo ecclesiam sanctam catholicam I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Rog. I fynde not the bishop of Rome there For Catholike signifieth not the Romish Church It signifieth the consent of all true teaching Churches of all tymes The Popâ— church pâ—â—â—ued not to be Catholicke and all ages But how should the Bishop of Romes Church bee one of them which teacheth so many doctrines y t are plainly and directly against the word of God Can that bishop be the true head of the Catholike Church that doth so that is not possible L. Chancellor Shew me one of them one one let me heare one Rog. I remembred my selfe that amongst so many I were best to shew one and sayd I will shew you one L. Chan. Let me heare that let me heare that Rog. The B. of Rome and hys Church say read and sing all that they do in their congregations in Latin Latin Seâ—â—uice which is directly and plainly against the first to the Corrinthians the 14. chapter L. Chan. I deny that I deny that that is against the word of God Let me see you prooue that how prooue ye that Rog. Thus I began to say the text from the beginning of the chap. Qui loquitur lingua Speaking a straungâ— tongue â—â—gaynst S. Paule c. to speake with tonge sayd I is to speake with a strange tong as Latine or Greeke c. and so to speake is not to speake vnto meÌ„ but to God But ye speak in Latin which is a strange tong wherfore ye speake not vnto men but vnto God * Imperfâ—â—â—tion meanyng God only at the most This he graunted that they speake not vnto men but vnto God L. Chan. Well then it is in vayne vnto men Rog. No not in vaine For one man speaketh in one tong and another in another tong and all well L. Chan. Nay I wil prooue then that he speaketh neyther to God nor to man but vnto the wynde Rog. I was willing to haue declared how and after what sort these two textes do agree for they must agree 1. Cor. 1â— To speak◠〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 To speakâ— both to 〈◊〉 and man To speakâ— neyther 〈◊〉 God not 〈◊〉 maÌ„ but 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 they be both the sayings of the holy Ghost spoken by the Apostle Paule as to witte to speake not to men but vnto God and to speake into the wynd and so to haue gone forward with the proofe of my matter begon but here arose a noyse and a confusion Then sayd the L. Chancellor L. Chan. To speake vnto God and not vnto God were vnpossible Rog. I will prooue them possible L. Haward No sayd my Lorde William Haward to my L. Chauncellour nowe will I beare you witnesse that hee is out of the way For he graunted first that they whiche speake in a straunge speach speake vnto God and now he sayth the contrary that they speake neither to God nor to man Rog. I haue not graunted or sayde turning me to my L. Haward as ye report I haue alledged the one text and now I am come to the other They must agree and I can make them to agree But as for you you vnderstand not the matter L. Haward I vnderstand so much that that is not possible This is a poynte of Sophistrie Secretary Bourne A 〈◊〉 Suaueâ— quoth Secretarye Bourne L. Chan. Then the Lord Chauncellor began to tell the L. Hawarde Anno 1555. â—ebruaâ—â— that when hee was in high Dutchlande they at Hale which had before prayed and vsed their seruice all in dutch began theÌ„ to turne part into latin part into dutch Worcest Yea and at Wittembergh to Rog. Yea but I could not be heard for the noise in an Uniuersitie were men for the most part vnderstande the Latine and yet not all in Latine And I would haue tolde the order haue gone forward both to haue answered my lord and to haue proued the thing that I had taken in hand but perceiuing their talking and noyse to be too noysome I was faine to thinke this in my heart suffering them in the meane while
a mercy of the Antichristian church of Rome To rise to the Pope is to fall from Christ. whyche I vtterly refused that the rising which he spake off was a very fall into errour and false doctrine Also that I had and woulde be able by Gods grace to prooue that all the doctrine which I had euer taught was true and catholike and that by the scriptures and the authoritie of the fathers that liued 400. yeres after Christes death He aunsweared that should not might not nor ought not be graunted me for I was but a priuate man Whatsoeuer is once concluded in a Parliament ought not to be reformed afterward by no doctrine nor the word of God by the Bishop of Winchesters diuinitie might not be heard against the determination of the whole realme Should quoth he when a Parliament hathe concluded a thinge one or anye priuate person haue authority to discusse whether they had done right or wrong No that may not be I aunswered shortly that all the lawes of men myght not neither coulde rule the worde of God but that they all must be discussed and iudged thereby and obey therto and my conscience nor no christian mans could be satisfied with such lawes as disagreed from that worde and so was willing to haue said much more but the L. Chauncellor began a long tale to very smal purpose concerning mine answer to haue defaced me that there was nothing in mee wherefore I should be heard but arrogancie pride and vainglory I also graunted mine ignorauncy to be greater then I coulde expresse or then he tooke it but yet that I feared not by Gods assistance streÌ„gth to be able by wryting to performe my word The Bishop of Winchester iudgeth M. Rogers by his own disease neither was I I thanked God so vtterly ignorant as he would make me but all was of God to whom be thanks rendred therfore Proud man was I neuer nor yet vaine glorious Al the world knew wel where and on which side pride arrogancie and vaineglory was It was a poore pride y t was or is in vs God it knoweth Then sayde hee that I at the first dashe condemned the Queene and the whole realme to be of the churche of Antichrist and burdened me highly therewithall I aunsweared that the Queenes maiesty God saue her grace would haue done wel enough if it had not ben for his counsel He sayde the Queene wente before him and it was her owne motion I said with out faile I neither could nor I wold euer beleeue it Then sayde D. Aldrise the bishop of Carlile that they the bishops woulde beare him witnesse D. Aldresse witnesseth with the B. of Winchester Yea quoth I that I beleeue well and with that the people laughed For that day there were many but on the morrow they had kept the dores shut and would let none in but the Byshops adherentes and seruauntes in maner yea and the firste day the thousand man came not in Then master Comptroler and Secretary Bourne woulde haue stande vppe also to beare witnesse and did I sayd it was no great matter and to say the truthe I thought that they were good helpers thereto them selues but I ceased to say any more therein knowyng that they were too strong and mighty of power and that they should be beleued before me yea and before our sauior Christ and all his Prophets and Apostles thereto in these daies Then after many words he asked me what I thought concerning the blessed sacrament The opinion of M Rogers 〈…〉 sacrament of the body â—f Christ required and stoode vp and put off his cap al his felow bishops of which there were a great sort new men of whom I knew few whether I beleeued in the sacrament to be the very body and bloude of our sauiour Christ that was borne of the virgin Mary and hanged on the crosse really and substantially I aunswered I had often tolde him that it was a matter in which I was no medler and therfore suspected of my brethren to be of a contrary opinion Notw tstanding euen as the most part of your doctrine in other poyntes is false and the defence therof onely by force and crueltie so in thys matter I thinke it to be as false as the rest For I cannot vnderstand really and substantially to signifie otherwyse then corporally Act. 3. but corporally Christ is only in heaueÌ„ and so cannot Christ be corporally also in your sacrament And here I somewhat set out hys charitie after thys sorte My Lord quoth I ye haue dealt with me most cruelly For ye haue set me in prison without law and kept me there now almost a yere and a halfe Cruelty shewed withouâ—â— cause For I was almost halfe a yere in my house where I was obedient to you God knoweth and spake w t no man And now haue I bene a full yeare in Newgate at great costes and charges M. Rogers a yeare and a half in durance hauing a wife and 10. children to finde and I had neuer a penie of my liuings which was against the lawe Hee answeared that D. Ridley which had geuen them me was an vsurper and therfore I was the vniust possessour of them Was the king then an Usurper quoth I which gaue D. Ridley the Bishoppricke Ste. Gardiner calleth kyng Edward an vsurpâ—r Yea quoth he and began to sette out the wrongs that the king had done to the B. of London and to himself also But yet I do misuse my termes quoth he to call the King vsurper But the word was gone out of the aboundance of the heart before and I thinke that he was not very sorye for it in hart I might haue sayd more coÌ„cerning that matter but I did not I asked hym wherefore he set me in pryson He said because I preached against the Queene I aunsweared that it was not true and I woulde be bound to prooue it and to stand to the triall of the law that no man should be able to prooue it M. Rogers imprisoned against all law and right and thereupon woulde set my life I preached quoth I a sermon at the Crosse after the Queene came to the Tower but therein was nothing said against the Queene I take witnesse of al the audience which was not small I alleaged also that he had after examination let me goe at libertie after the preaching of that Sermon Yea but thou didste read thy lectures after quoth hee against the commaundement of the Counsell That did I not quoth I lette that be prooued and let me die for it Thus haue ye now against the law of God man handled me neuer sent for me neuer conferred with me neuer spoke of any learning till now that ye haue gotten a whip to whip me with a sword to cut off my necke if I will not condescende vnto your minde Thys charitie doth all the world vnderstand I might and
woulde haue added if I coulde haue bene suffred to speake that it had ben time enough to take away mens liuings and thereto to haue prisoned them after that they had offended lawes For they be good Citizens that breake not lawes and worthy of praise and not of punishment M. Rogers punished before any law was brokâ—n But theyr purpose is to kepe men in prison so long vntil they may catche them in their lawes and so kill them I could would haue added the example of Daniel which by a crafty deuised law was cast into the Lions den Item I might haue declared that I most humbly desired to be set at libertie sending my wife to him with a supplication being great with childe with her 8. honest women or therabout to Richmond at Christmas was a 12. monthe whiles I was yet in my house Item I wrote two supplications to him out of Newgate M. Gosnold laâ—â—ured for M. Rogers and sent my wife many times to hym M. Gosnolde also that worthy man who is nowe departed in the Lord laboured for mee and so did diuers other worthy men also take paines in the matter These things declare my Lorde Chancellors Antichristian charitie which is that he hathe and doth seeke my bloud and the destruction of my poore wife and my ten children This is a short summe of the wordes which were spoken the 28. day of Ianuarye at after noone after that Maister Hooper had bene the first M. Cardmaker the second in examination before me The Lorde graunte vs grace to stand together fighting lawfully in hys cause till wee be smitten downe together if the Lords wil be so to permitte it For there shall not a haire of our heades pearish againâ—â— hys will but with his will Whereunto the same Lorde graunt vs to be obedient vnto the ende and in the end Amen Sweete mighty and mercifull Lord Iesus the sonne of Dauid and of God Amen Amen let euery true Christian say and pray Then the clocke being as I gessed aboute foure the L. Chauncellor sayde Great meâ—â—cy of Winchest no lesse then the Foxe hath to the chickenes the Wolfe to suck the bloud of Lambes that he and the Churche must yet vse charitie with me what maner of charitie it is all true christians do well vnderstand as to wit the same that the foxe doeth with the chickens and the wolfe with the Lambes and gaue me respite til to morow to see whether I would remember my selfe wel to morrow and whether I would returne to the catholike churche for so he calleth hys Antichristian false churche againe and repent and they woulde receiue me to mercy I sayde that I was neuer oute of the true Catholicke Church nor would be but into hys churche woulde I by Gods grace neuer come Well quoth he then is our church false and Antichristian The Popes church is the churcâ— of Antichryst Yea quoth I. And what is the doctrine of the sacrament False quoth I and cast my handes abroade Then sayd one that I was a player To whom I answeared not for I passed not vpon his mocke M. Rogers warned to appeaâ—e the next day Come againe quoth the Lord Chancellour to morrow betweene nine and ten I am ready to come againe whensoeuer ye cal quoth I. And thus was I broughte by the shiriffes to the Counter in Southwarke Maister Hooper going before me and a great multitude of people being present so that we hadde much to doe to goe in the streates Thus much was done the 28. day of Ianuarie THe second day which was the 29. of Ianuary we were sent for in the morning about 9. of the clocke M. Roger M. Hooper brought agayne before the Chauncellour and by the Shriffes fetched from the Counter in Southwarke to the Church againe as to wit to S. Mary Oueries where we were the daye before in the after noone as is sayde And when Maister Hooper was condemned as I vnderstoode afterward then sent they for me Then the Lorde Chauncellour sayd vnto me Rogers quoth hee here thou wast yesterday and wee gaue thee liberty to remember thy selfe this night whether thou wouldest come to the holy catholicke church of Christ agayne or not Tell vs nowe what thou haste determined Gardinerâ— wordes to M. Rogers whether thou wilt be repentant and sory and wilt returne againe and take mercy My Lorde quoth I I haue remembred my selfe right wel what you yesterday laid for you Aunswere of M. Rogerâ—s to the Bâ—â—hop of Wâ—nâ—hester and desire you to giue me leaue to declare my minde what I haue to say thereunto and that done I shall answere you to your demaunded question When I yesterday desired that I myght be suffered by the Scripture and authoritie of the firste best M. Rogers nâ—t suffered here to defend himsâ—â—â— by wrytinâ— and purest Churche to defende my doctrine by wryting meaning not onely of y e primacie but also of all the doctrine that euer I had preached ye answered me that it might not nor ought not to be grauÌ„ted me for I was a priuate person and that the parlament was aboue the authoritye of all priuate persons therfore the senteÌ„ce therof might not be found faultie and valureles by mee being but a priuate persone And yet my Lorde quoth I I am able to shewe examples that one man hath come into a generall Councell and after the whole had determined and agreed vppon an act or article that some one maÌ„ comming in afterward hath by the word of God declared so pithely that the counsel had erred in decreeing the sayd Article Wâ—ole Coâ—â—celâ—s turned by priuate perâ—ons that he caused the whole Counsell to chaunge and aulter their Acte or Article before determined And of these examples sayde I I am able to shewe two I can also shewe the authoritie of S. Augustine that when hee disputed with an hereticke 〈◊〉 Maâ—entium lib. â— cap. 14. hee woulde neyther himselfe nor yet haue the heretike to leane vnto the determination of two former Councels of the whyche the one made for him and the other for the hereticke that disputed against him but sayd that he would haue the scriptures to be their iudge which were coÌ„mon and indifferent for them both and not proper to either of them Item I could shewe sayde I the authoritye of a learned Lawyer Panormitanus whiche saith that vnto a simple laye man that bringeth the woorde of God with hym there ought more credite to be geuen then to a whole Councell gathered together By these thinges will I prooue that I ought not to be denied to say my minde and to be heard against a whole Parlament bringing the worde of God for me and the authoritie of the olde Churche 400. yeares after Christ all be it that euery man in the Parliament had willingly and without respect of feare and fauor agreed therunto which thing I doubte not a little off
specially seeing the like had bene permitted in that olde Churche euen in generall Councels yea and that in one of the chiefest councels that euer was 〈◊〉 put 〈◊〉 the B. of 〈◊〉 vnto which neither any Actes of thys Parlament nor yet any of the late general Councels of the Bishops of Rome oughte to be compared For sayde I if Henry the eight were aliue and should call a Parliament and begin to determine a thing and heere I woulde haue alledged the example of the Acte of making the Queene a Bastarde and of making himselfe the Superiour head but I coulde not being interrupted of one whome God forgeue then will ye poynting to my Lorde Chauncellour and yee and yee and so yee all poyntinge to the rest of the Byshops say Amen yea and it like your grace it is mete that it be so enacted c. M. Rogers 〈◊〉 suffered to speake Here my L. Chauncellor would suffer me to speake no more but had me sit downe mockingly saying that I was sent for to be instructed of them and I woulde take vppon me to be their instructer My Lorde quoth I I stand and sit not shall I not be suffred to speake for my life Marke here â—he spirite of this prelate Shall we suffer thee to tel a tale and to prate quoth he and with that he stoode vp and began to face me after hys olde arrogant proude fashion for he perceiued that I was in a way to haue touched them somwhat which he thought to hynder by dashing mee oute of my tale and so hee dyd For I could neuer be suffered to come to my tale agayne no not to one word of it but he had much like communication with me as he had the day before and as his maner is taunt vpon taunt and checke vpon checke For in that case being Gods cause I tolde hym he should not make me afraid to speake L. Chaun See what a spirit this fellow hath sayde he fineding fault at mine accustomed earnestnesse and harty maner of speaking Rog. The godly spirite of M. Rogers I haue a true spirite quoth I agreeing and obeying the word of God and would further haue sayd that I was neuer the worse but the better to be earnest in a iuste and true cause and in my master Christes matters but I might not be heard And at the length he proceeded towardes his excommunication and condemnation after that I had told hym that his Church of Rome was the Churche of Antichriste The church of Rome is the Church of Antichrist meaning the lawes and doctrine now vsed in Rome meaning the false doctrine and tyrannicall lawes with the maintenance thereof by cruel persecution vsed by the Bishops of the said church which the B. of Winchester and the rest of his fellow bishops that are now in EnglaÌ„d are the chiefe members Of lawes I meane quoth I and not of all men and women which are in the popes church Likewise when I was saide to haue denied their sacrameÌ„t whereof he made his wonted reuerent mention more to maintaine his kingdom therby then for the true reuerence of Christes institution more for his owne and his Popish generations sake then for religion or Gods sake I tolde him after what order I did speake of it for the manner of hys speakyng was not agreeing to my woords which are before recited in the communication that wee had the 28. of Ianuarie wherewith he was not contented but he asked the audience whether I had not simply denied y e sacrameÌ„t How the Bishop of Winchester seketh for bloud They would haue said and did what he lusted for the most of them were of his owne seruants at that day the 29. day of Ianuary I meane At the last I said I wil neuer denye that I sayd that is that your doctrine of the Sacrament is false but yet I tell you after what order I sayde it To be short he red my condemnation before me perticularly mentioning therein but 2. Articles firste that I affirmed the Romish catholike church to be the church of antichrist and that I denied the reality of their sacrament He cursed me to be disgraded and condemned and put into the hands of the laitie and so he gaue me ouer into the shriues hands which were much better then his ¶ The copie of which his condemnation here I thought to put downe in English to the entent that the same being here once expressed may serue for all other sentences condemnatory through the whole storie to be referred vnto The Sentence condemnatorie against Maister Rogers IN the name of God Amen Wee Steuen by the permission of God Bishop of Winchester lawfully and ryghtly proceeding with all godly fauoure by authority and vertue of our office againste thee Iohn Rogers priest The 〈◊〉 definitâ—â—â— against M. Râ—geâ—s alias called Mathewe before vs personally heere present being accused and detected and notoriously slaundered of heresie hauing heard seene and vnderstand and with al diligent deliberation wayed discussed and considered the merites of the cause all thinges being obserued which by vs in thys behalfe in order of law ought to be obserued sitting in our iudgement seat the name of Christ being first called vpon and hauing God onely before our eyes because by the actes enacted propounded and exhibited in this matter and by thine owne confession iudicially made before vs we do finde that thou hast taught holden and affirmed and obstinately defended diuers errours heresies and damnable opinions contrarye to the doctrine and determination of the holy church as namely these That the catholike churche of Rome is the church of Antichrist Item His Articles that in the Sacrament of the aultare there is not substantially nor really the natural bodye and bloude of Christe The which aforesayde heresies and damnable opinions being contrary to the law of God and determination of the vniuersall and Apostolicall Church thou hast arrogantly stubburnely and wittingly mainteined held and affirmed and also defended before vs as wel in thys iudgement as also otherwise and with the like obstinacie stubbornnesse malice and blindnesse of heart both wittingly and willingly haste affirmed that thou wilt beleeue maintaine and holde affirme and declare the same Wee therefore S. Wint. B. Ordinarie and Diocesan aforesayd by the consent and assent as well of our reuerend brethren the Lord Bishops heere present and assistent as also by the counsell and iudgement of diuers worshipfull lawyers and professours of Diuinitie wyth whome wee haue communicated in thys behalfe doe declare and pronounce thee the sayde Iohn Rogers otherwise called Mathewe through thy demerites transgressions obstinacies wilfulnesses whych thou manifolde wayes hast incurred by thine owne wicked and stubburne obstinacie to haue bene and to be guiltie in the detestable horrible and wicked offence of hereticall prauitie and execrable doctrine and that thou haste before vs sondry times spoken maintained and wittingly and stubbornely defended the sayde
people of God and theyr aduersaries into whose handes they were putte and deliuered and that of GOD and by hys good will and pleasure were Idolatrers and the people of the Deuill but they woulde be called the chiefe members of God and reioyced that they hadde the true God and that it was nowe declared by myracle that the Israelites hadde but a false God and a false religion seeing they were deliuered into the Babylonians handes And all the other the Herodes and Pharao I meane plainely determined that if the menne whiche they killed and handled euil hadde bene Goddes people God would neuer haue suffered them to come into their hands but rather haue done the contrarye and haue lette Iohn Baptist kill Herode and the Israelites Pharao and Nabuchodonosor Euen the like is nowe to be seene in vs and in our most cruell aduersaries They are not therfore the catholike Church because our merciful God hath at this present geueÌ„ our liues into their handes neyther are wee therefore heretickes because wee suffer punishment at theyr handes as the Lord Chauncellour by hys reioycing seemeth to gather the contrarye is hereby to be gathered that we be the members of the true Catholike church because wee suffer for the same Doctrine which Iohn Baptiste Iames the Israelites yea Christe the Apostles did teache of which none taught any thing of oure aduersaries doctrine namely that the rotten Antichristian heade of Rome shoulde be the heade of Christes church But they haue manifestly taught the contrary specially Paule 2. to the Thessalonians the 2. chapter Iohn in the Apocalipse Dan. 11. which thing if I might haue life and Bookes I would so by Gods grace set foorth that all the world should see it and that our aduersaries with their Antichristian head are the members of the Deuils church as they vndoubtedly are And in like case as the aboue meÌ„tioned holy men though they in their dayes were counted to be heretickes seditious and disturbers of the whole worlde for vnto Iohn Baptiste it was sayde Iohn 1. Wherefore baptisest thou if thou be not Helias nor that Prophet c. As who saye thou haste no such authoritie to beginne a newe Ceremonie in the Churche For we be in ordinarie possession of the churche and of vs thou haste receiued no such power We abide by our circumcision and the like coulde I declare of Iames and of all the Apostles and Prophetes and of our Sauiour Christe him selfe that were all condemned as heretickes blasphemers of God and disturbers of the whole world Paule and Silas Act. 16. heard like woordes of the Philippians these men trouble our Citie seeing they are Iewes and preache institutions whych are not lawful for vs to receiue seeing we be Romaines And in 17. In Athens the wise menne of this world suche as gaue their endeuour to wisedom said by S. Paule Quid vult spermologus hic dicere That is What will this prater as my Lord Chancelour sayd to me shall we suffer this felow to prate wheÌ„ I would faine haue sayd that thyng that I haue heere wrytten trifler newes caryer or â—ringer that telleth what so euer men will haue him for gaine and aduauntage that will for a piece of bread say what yee will haue hym c. And an other sayd in the same place hee seemeth to be a preacher of newe Deuelles c. And Actes 21. The Iewes say by Paule laying handes on hym helpe O yee Israelites saye they this is the manne that teacheth all men euery where against the people meaning the Iewes and the law and this place meaning Ierusalem and yet was neuer a woorde of these true And Actes 22. the same Iewes sayde of Paule out of the earthe wyth that man or away wyth him For it is not lawfull for him to liue or he is not woorthy to liue And howe many moe of these examples are to be found in the Bible Although I say these men were in their dayes taken for heretickes of them that were then in authoritye and of the great multitude of the worlde yet it is nowe wel knowen yea and very shortly after their deathes this was known yea and euen in theyr liues also vnto the true Catholicke Churche that they were not onely the chiefe and speciall members of the true Catholicke Churche but also the founders and builders thereof notwithstanding the sinister iudgement that the wise and mighty menne and the great multitude of the worlde hadde of them and in theyr consciences they were alwayes assuredlye certified of the same Euen the same shall the world find true in vs shortlye after oure deathes as also there be at thys houre the Lorde be thanked therefore not a fewe that already know it as we our selues also are by Gods grace assuredly certified in our consciences that we are no heretikes but members of the true catholike church and that our aduersaries the bishops and popish cleargie which wil haue that title are the members of Sathans churche and theyr Antichristian head of Rome wyth them But here they wil crie out loe these men wil be stil like Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the Prophets c. I answere we make not our selues like vnto them in the singular vertues and giftes of God geuen vnto them as of miracles doing and of many other things The similitude and likenesse of them and vs consisteth not in all things but only in this that is that we be like them in doctrine and in the sufferinge of persecution and infamie for the same We haue preached theyr very doctrine and none other thing that we are able sufficiently to declare by theyr wrytings by wryting for my part I haue profered to prooue the same as is now often sayd And for this cause we suffer the like reproche shame and rebuke of the worlde the like persecution leesing of our liues and goodes forsaking as our maister Christ commandeth father mother sister brethren wiues children and all that there is being assured of a ioyfull resurrection and to be crowned in glorye wyth them according to the vnfallible promises made vnto vs in Christ our onely and sufficient mediatour reconciler priest and sacrifice which hath pleased the father and quieted and pacified his wrath against our sinnes made vs wythout spot or wrinkle in his sight by imputation although wee off and in our selues are bespotted be blotted w t many filthy sinnes which if the great mercy graunted in Christ did not put away by not imputing them vnto vs of his measurelesse vnspeakeable mercye and loue to saue vs they woulde haue brought vs to euerlasting damnation and death perpetuall Heerein and in no other doe we affirme our selues to be like vnto our head Christe and all his Apostles Prophetes Martyrs and Saintes And heerein oughte all Christian menne to be like them and heerein are all true Christen men and women lyke them euery one according to the measure of y e faith that
was retayned of M. Sentlow till the tyme that he was agayne molested and laid for whereby he was coÌ„pelled vnder the pretence of being Captayne of a ship going to Ireland to take the Seas and so escaped he although not without extreme perill of drowning through Fraunce Great frendship betweene M. Bullinger and M. Hooper to the higher partes of Germany Where he entring acquaintance with the learned men was of theÌ„ freÌ„dly and louingly enterteined both at Basil and especially at Zuricke of Mayster Bullinger being his singuler frend Where also he maryed his wife which was a Burgonian and applied very studiously the Hebrue toung At length when God saw it good to stay the bloudy time of the 6. Articles and to geue vs king Edward to raygne ouer this Realme with some peace and rest vnto the gospel amongest many other English exiles which theÌ„ repared homeward M. Hooper also moued in coÌ„scieÌ„ce thought not to absent himselfe seing such a time and occasion offered to helpe forward the Lords worke M. Bullingers wordes to M. Hooper at his departing from Zurick to the vttermost of his ability And so comming to M. Bullinger and other of his acquayntance in Zuricke as duty required to geue them thankes for their singuler kindnes and humanity toward him manifolde wayes declared with like humanity agayne purposed to take his leaue of theÌ„ at his departing so did Unto whom M. Bullinger agayne who had alwayes a speciall fauor to M. Hooper spake on thys wyse M. Hooper sayde he although we are sory to parte wyth your company for our own cause yet much greater causes we haue to reioice both for your sake and especially for the cause of Christes true religion that you shall now returne out of long banishment vnto your natiue country agayn where not onely you may enioy your own priuate liberty but also the cause and state of Christes Church by you may fare the better as we doubt not but it shall An other cause moreouer why we reioyce with you for you is this that you shal remoue not only out of exile into liberty The aunswere of M Hooper to M. Bullinger but you shall leaue here a baren a sower an vnpleasant country rude sauage and shal go into a land flowing with milke and hony replenished w t al pleasure fertility Notwithstanding w t this our reioycing one feare and care we haue least you being absent and so far distant from vs or els comming to such aboundance of wealth felicity in your new welfare and plenty of al thinges and in your florishing honors where ye shall come peraduenture to be a Bishop and where ye shall finde so many new frends you wil forget vs your old acquaintance welwillers Neuertheles howsoeuer you shall forget shake vs of yet this perswade your selfe y t we will not forgette our old frend felow M. Hooper And if you shal please not to forget vs agayne then I pray you let vs heare from you Whereunto M. Hooper aunswering agayne first gaue to M. Bullinger and the rest right harty thankes for that their singuler good will and vndeserued affection appearing not onely now but at all times towardes him declaring moreouer that as the principal cause of his remouing to his countrey was the matter of Religion so touching the vnpleasantnes and barrennes of that couÌ„try of theirs there was no cause therein why he could not finde in his hart to continue his life there as soone as in any place in the world and rather then in his owne natiue country if there were nothing els in his coÌ„science that moued hym so to do And as touching the forgetting of his olde frendes although sayd he the remembraunce of a mans countrey naturally doth delight him neither could he deny but god had blessed his country of England with many great commodities yet neither the nature of country nor pleasure of commodities nor newnesse of frendes should ouer induce him to the obliuion of such frendes and benefactors whoÌ„ he was so intirely bound vnto therfore you shall be sure sayde he from time to time to heare from me and I wyll write vnto you as it goeth with me But the last newes of al I shal not be able to write for there sayd he taking M. Bullinger by the hand where I shall take most paynes there shall you heare of me to be burned to ashes M. Hooper prophesyeth of himselfe and that shal be the last newes which I shal not be able to write vnto you but you shall heare it of me c. To this also may be added an other like prophetical demonstration forshewing before the maner of his Martyrdome wherewith he should glorify God which was this When M. Hooper being made Bishop of Worcester and Glocester should haue his armes giueÌ„ him by the Herold A note 〈◊〉 M. Hooâ—â—â— armes 〈◊〉 signify 〈◊〉 his Marâ—â—â—â—dome as the maner is here in EnglaÌ„d euery Bishop to haue his armes assigned vnto him whether by the appoyntment of M. Hoper or by y e Herold I haue not certainly to say but the armes which were to him allotted was this a Lambe in a fiery bush and the sunne beames from heauen descending downe vpon the Lambe rightly deuoting as it seemed the order of his suffering which afterward folowed But now to the purpose of our story againe M. Hooâ—â—â— returnâ—â— agayne 〈◊〉 Englanâ— Thus wheÌ„ M. Hooper had taken his farewell of M. Bullinger and his frends in Zurick he made his repayre agayn into Enland in the raigne of K. Edward 6. where he comming to London vsed continually to preach most tymes twyse at least once euery day and neuer fayled In his Sermons according to his accustomed maner he corrected sinne The notâ—â—ble diligâ—â—â— of M. 〈◊〉 in prâ—â—â—ching and sharply inueyed agaynst the iniquity of the world and corrupt abuses of the Churche The people in great flocks and companies daily came to heare his voyce as the most melodious sounde and tune of Orpheus harpe as the Prouerbe sayth Insomuch that often times when he was preaching the Church shoulde be so ful that none could enter further then the dores therof In his doctrine he was earnest in tong eloquent in the scriptures perfect in paynes indefatigable Moreouer besides other his giftes and qualities this is in him to be maruelled that euen as he began so he coÌ„tinued still vnto his liues end The singâ—â—ler vertuâ—â— of M. Hâ—â—â—per descrâ—â—bed For neither could his labour and payne taking breake him neither promotion chaunge him neither daynty fare corrupt him His life was so pure and good that no kinde of sclauÌ„der although diuers went about to reproue it could fasteÌ„ any fault vpoÌ„ him He was of body strong his health whole souÌ„d his wit very pregnant his inuincible pacience able to sustein whatsoeuer sinister fortune and aduersity could doe He was constant of iudgement a good
haue dedicate themselues vnto Christ in fayth to liue purely and chastly then let them so remayne without any fable and stronglye stedfastly abide the rewarde of virginitye But if they will not abide or els cannot abide then it is better to mary then for to fall into the fire of concupiscence And let theÌ„ geue to the brethren sisterne none occasion of sclaunder c. ¶ Saynt Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali ad Iulianum CErtayne men doe affirme those men to be aduouterers that doe marry August de Bono coniugali ad Iulianum after that they haue vowed chastity But I do affirme that those men do greuously sinne the whiche do separate them c. ¶ Ambrose 32. Quest. 1. Cap. Integritas The Pope his Byâ—hops commaundeth and counselleth not to mary yea to burne men for marying CHastitye of the bodye ought to bee desired of vs the whiche thing I do geue for a counsell and do not commaund it imperiously For Virginity is a thing that alonelye ought to be couÌ„selled but not to be commaunded it is rather a thing of voluntary will and not a precept ¶ A briefe recapitulation out of Doctour Taylours causes afore touched for the Reader more euidently to see how the Papistes do agaynst their own knowledge in forbiddinge Pristes Mariage THe Popes Clergy forbidding Ecclesiastical persons to mary do against their conscience knowledge as may well be proued by these causes hereunder folowing 1. First they know that Matrimony in the old testament De iure institutionis is indifferently permitted to all menne without any exception 2. Secondly they know that in the old Testament De facto both Priestes Leuites Prophets Patriarches and al other had theyr wiues 3. Thirdly they know that Matrimony was permitted instituted of God for two principall endes to wit for procreation and auoyding of sinne 4. Fourtly they know that in the old testameÌ„t God not onely instituted and permitted Matrimony to be free but also induceth appoynteth meÌ„ to mary and take wiues in these wordes It is not good for a man to be alone c. 5 Fiftly they know that in the new testament S. Paule permitteth the state of Matrimony free to all men hauing not the gift of continency and forbiddeth none 6. Sixtly they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paule not only permitteth but also expressely willeth chargeth men hauing not the gift to mary saying For auoyding fornication let euery man haue his wife c. 7. Seuenthly they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paul not onely permitteth and commauÌ„deth but also commendeth and prayseth the state of Matrimonye Hebr. 13. Calling it honorable and the bedcompany to be vndefiled c. 8. Eightly they know that in the new testament Christ himselfe not onely was not conceiued nor borne of the virgine before she was espoused in matrimonye but also that both he and his blessed mother did beutify and honour the state of matrimony with their presence yea in the same began his first miracle 9. Ninthly they know both by the old testament new that mariage is no impediment to walke in the obedieÌ„ce of Gods commandement for both Abraham caryed into the land of Canaan his old yea and barrayne wife the vertuous woman Sara with him also to Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid and other their mariage was no impedemeÌ„t to them to talk with God neither to other Leuites bishops and Priestes in the time both of the old testament of the new Agayne neither was it a let to Peter Philip other both to haue their wiues with them and also to supply the office of Apostleship 10. Tenthly they know both by the old testameÌ„t new y t sinnefull fornicatioÌ„ adultry depriueth man of Gods fauor graces of the holy Ghost which graces especially be requisite in men of the Church 11. Eleuenthly they know in theyr owne secret conscience by experience that neither they which enioyne this vow of chastity nor they which take it doe obserue the vowe of chastity Whereupon rise inconueniences more then can be expressed but the Lord aboue knoweth all besides the secret murders peraduenture of many a poore infant c. 12. Twelfthly they knowe by S. Cyprian Epist. 11. and S. Augustine Lib. De bono coniugali ad Iulianum that a vowe is no impediment sufficient to let Matrimony or to diuorce the same 13. Thirtenthly they know that Chrysostome affirmeth it to be an heresy to say that a byshop may not haue a wife 14. Fourtenthly they know that S. Ambrose 32. q. 1. Integritas will haue no commaundement but counsel onely to be geuen touching the obseruing of virginity 15. Fiftenthlye they knowe that before the time of Pope Hildebrand that is during that time of 1000. yeares after Christ mariage was neuer restrained by any forceable necessity of vow from men of the Church 16. Sixtenthly they know that S. Paul calleth it the doctrine of deuils to forbid meates and maryage which God hath left free with thankes geuing for necessity of man and woman After that Doct. Taylour thus with great spirite and courage had aunswered for himselfe and stoutly rebuked his aduersaries for breaking their oth made before to king Henry and to king Edwarde his sonne and for betraying the realme into the power of the Romain bishop they perceiuing that in no case he could be styrred to their wils and purpose that is to turne with them from Christ to Antichrist committed him therupon to prison againe where he endured till the last of Ianuary * D. Taylour the fourth tyme with M. Bradford and M. Saunders brought before Winchester and other Byshops VPon which day yeare aforesayd Gardineâ— Hopton Boner Capon Tonstall D. Tailour and M. Bradford and M. SauÌ„ders were agayne called to appeare before the byshop of Winchester the bishop of Norwich of London of Salisbury and of Duresme and ther were charged agayne with heresy schisme and therfore a determinate answere was required whether they woulde submit themselues to the Romayne byshop abiure there errors or els they would according to theyr lawes proceed to theyr condemnation When D. Taylour and his felowes M. Bradford and M. Saunders heard this they answered stoutly and boldly The conâ—â—cye of thâ— men that they would not depart froÌ„ the truth which they had preached in king Edwards dayes neither would they submit themselues to the romish Antichrist but they thanked God for so great mercy that he would cal them to be worthy to suffer for his word and truth When the Bishops saw them so boldly constanly and vnmoueably fixed in the truth Sentence death 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 they read y e senteÌ„ce of death vpon them which wheÌ„ they had heard they most ioyfully gaue God thankes and stoutly sayde vnto the Byshops We doubt not but God the righteous Iudge will require our bloud at your handes and
but at length they were perceaued and detected to the foresayde Edmund Boner Bishoppe of London M. Higbed and M. Causton deâ—ected to Boner peraduenture not without the same organ which sent vp William Hunter as is aboue declared By reason whereof by commaundement they were committed to the officers of Colchester to be safely kept and with them also a seruant of Thomas Causton who in this praise of Christian godlines was nothing inferior to his maister Boner the forsayd Byshop perceiuing these 2. Gentlemen to be of worshipful estate of great estimation in that countrey least any tumult shoulde thereby arise came thether himselfe accompanied with M. Fecknam and certaine other B Boner commeth himselfe to Colchester thinking to reclaim them to his faction and fashion so that great labour diligence was taken therein as wel by terrors and threatnings as by large promises and flatteringe and all faire meanes to reduce them againe to the vnitie as they termed it of the mother church In fine when nothing coulde preuaile to make them assent to theyr doings at length they came to thys poynte that they required certaine respite to consulte with themselues what were best to doe Whych time of deliberation being expired and they remaining still constant and vnmooueable in their professed doctrine and setting oute also their confession in wryting the bishop seeing no good to be done in tarying any longer there M. Higbed and M. Causton caryed to London departed thence caried them bothe with hym to London and wyth them certaine other prisonners also which about the same time in those quarters were apprehended It was not long after thys but these prisonners being at London committed to strait prison and there attempted sundrye wise by the Bishop and his Chapleines to reuoke their opinioÌ„s at length when no persuasions wold serue they were brought forth to open examination at the Consistorie in Paules the first dayes Session the 17. daye of Februarie An. 1555. Where they were demaunded aswell by the said bishop as also by the Bishop of Bathe others whether they would recant their errors peruerse doctrine as they termed it and so come to y e vnitie of the Popish Church Which when they refused to doe the Byshop assigned them likewise the next day to appeare againe being the 18. of Februarie On the whych daye among many other thinges there sayd and passed The second dayes Sessiâ—on he read vnto them seuerally certaine Articles and gaue them respite vntill the next day to aunswer vnto the same so committed them againe to prisone The copie of which Articles here vnder foloweth Articles obiected and ministred by Boner B. of London seuerally against Tho. Causton Thomas Higbed of Essex FIrst that thou Thomas Causton or Thomas Higbed hast bene and arte of the Diocesse of London Articles laiâ— by B. Boner to M. Higbed and Causton and also of the iurisdiction now of me Edmund Bishop of London Item that thou was in time past according to the order of the Church of England baptised and christened Item that thou haddest Godfathers and Godmother according to the said order Item that the said Godfathers and Godmothers did theÌ„ promise for thee and in thy name the faith and religion that then was vsed in the realme of England Item that that faith and Religion which they did professe make for thee was accompted and taken to be the faith and Religion of the Churche and of the Christian people and so was it in very deede Item thou comming to the age of discretion that is to saye to the age of xiiij yeares diddest not mislike nor disallowe that faith that Religion or promise then vsed and approued and promised by the said Godfathers and Godmother but for a time diddest continue in it as other taking themselues for Christen people did likewise Item that at that time and also before it was taken for a doctrine of the Churche Catholicke and true and euerye where in Christendom then allowed for Catholicke and true and to be the profession of a Christen man to beleeue that in the Sacrament of the aultare vnder the formes of breade and wine after the consecration there was and is by the omnipotent power and will of almighty God and his woorde without any substance of breade and wine there remaining The reall presence the true and naturall body and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in substance which was borne of the virgine Marie and suffered vppon the Crosse really truely and in very deede Item that at that time thy father and mother all thine auncestors all thy kindred acquaintance and frends and thy sayd Godfathers and Godmother did then so beleeue and thinke in all the same as the sayd Church did therein beleeue Item that thy selfe hast had no iust cause or lawfull grounde to departe or swarue from the sayde Religion or faith nor no occasion at all except thou wilt followe and beleeue the erroneous opinion or beliefe that hath ben against the common order of the Church brought in by certaine disordred persons of late and at the vttermost within these 30. or 40. yeares last past Item that thou doest knowe or credibly hast heard and doest beleue that D. Robert Barnes Iohn Frith Tho. Garrerd Hierome Also sir Edmund Boner priest before the death of Cromwell seemed to be of the opinion and was swornâ— twise agaynst the Pope Lassels Anne Askew Iohn Hooper late Bishop of Gloucester sir Laurence Saunders Priest Iohn Bradford sir Iohn Rogers Priest sir Rowland Taylour Priest sir Iohn Laurence Priest William Pygot Steuen Knight William Hunter Thomas Tomkyns Thomas Hawkes haue bene heretofore reputed taken and accompted as heretickes and also condemned as heretickes and so pronounced openly and manifestly specially in holding beleuing certaine damnable opinions against the veritie of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar all the same persons sauing Iohn Bradford sir Iohn Laurence William Pygot Steuen Knight William Hunter Thomas Tomkins and Thomas Hawkes haue suffered paines of death by fire for the maintenance and defence of their said opinions and misbeliefe Item that thou doest knowe or credibly hast heard and doest beleeue that Thomas Cranmer late Archbishoppe of Canterburie and Nicholas Ridley naming himselfe Bishop of London Robert Ferrar late Bishop of S. Dauies and Hugh Latimer sometime Bishop of Worcester haue bene and are at this present reputed accompted and taken as heretickes and misbeleeuers in maintaining and holding certaine damnable opinions against the verity of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar Item Verity takeâ— for heresy 〈◊〉 misbeleuing heretickes that thou hast commended and praised all the sayd persons so erring and beleuing or at the least wise some of them secretely and also openly taking and beleeuing them to be faithfull and Catholicke people and their sayde opinions to be good and true and the same to the best
M. Fecknam still busie with matter of the sacrament I do not beleeue that Christ is in the sacrament as ye will haue him which is of mans making Both their answeres thus seuerally made they were again commanded to depart for that time to appeare the next day in the consistory at Paules betweene the houres of one and three of the clocke at after noone The last appearaunce of M. Causton and M. Higbed before Boner AT which day and houre being the ninth day of march they were both brought thether M. Causton and M. Higbed appeare agayne before the bishop Where the Bishoppe caused M. Thomas Caustons articles and answeres first to be read openly and after perswaded with him to recant and abiure his heretical opinions and to come home now at the last to their mother the catholicke Church and saue hymselfe But M. Thomas Causton answered agayn and said No I wil not abiure For I came not hither for that purpose M. Causton and M. Higbed do exhibite a confession of their fayth and therwithall did exhibite in writing vnto the Bishop as well in his owne name as also in Thom. Higbeds name a confession of theyr fayth to the whiche they would stand and required leaue to read the same whiche after great suite was obteined and so he read it openlye in the hearing of the people as followeth ☞ The confession and fayth of Thomas Causton and Thomas Hygbed which they deliuered to the Bishop of London before the Mayor and Sheriffes and in the presence of all the people their assembled Anno. 1555. the 9. of March were condemned for the same in the sayde Consistory in Paules Church the yeare and day abouesayd 1 FIrst we beleue and professe in Baptisme to forsake the Deuill and his workes and pompes The confession of M. Causton and the vanities of the wicked world with all the sinfull lustes of the fleshe 2. We beleue all the articles of our Christian fayth 3. We beleue that wee are bound to keepe Gods holye will and commaundementes Abrenouncing of the world The Articles of the Creede The commaundementes The Lordes prayer The Catholick Church and to walke in the same all the dayes of our lyfe 4. We beleue that there is contayned in the Lords praier all thinges necessary both for bodye and soule and that we are taught thereby to pray to our heauenly father and to none other saint or angell 5. We beleue that there is a catholicke Church euen the Communion of Saintes Built vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles as S. Paule sayth Christ being the head corner stone For the which Church Christ gaue himselfe to make it to himselfe a glorious congregation without faulte in his sight 6. We beleue that this churche of her selfe and by her owne merites is sinfull The Church of it selfe is sinfull by imputation righteous and must needes say Father forgeue vs our sinnes but through Christe and his merites shee is freely forgeuen For he in his owne person sayth saint Paule hath purged her sinnes and made her faultles in hys sight Anno 1555. February Besides whome there is no Saueour sayeth the Prophete neyther is there saluation sayth Sainct Peter in any other name 7 We beleeue as he is our onely Sauiour so is he our onely Mediatour Christ onely our mediatour For the holy Apostle S. Paule sayeth There is one God one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ. Wherefore seeing none hath this name God and man but Iesus Christ therefore there is no mediator but Iesus Christ. 8 We beleeue that this Church of Christ is and hath bene persecuted by the wordes of Christe saying As they haue persecuted me The condition of the Church to be persecuted so shall they persecute you For the disciple is not aboue his maister For it is not onely geuen vnto you to beleeue in Christ sayeth Sainct Paule but also to suffer for his sake For all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 9 Wee beleeue that the Churche of Christe teacheth the worde of God truely and sincerely putting nothing to nor taking any thing fro The Churche onely is directed by Gods worde neither adding nor taking fro and also doth minister the Sacraments according to the Primitiue Church 10 We beleeue that this Churche of Christ suffereth all men to reade the Scriptures according to Christes commaundement saying Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me We reade also out of the Actes that when Sainct Paule preached the audience dayly searched the Scriptures The true church forbiddeth none to read the scriptures whether he preached truely or no. Also the Prophet Dauid teacheth all men to pray with vnderstanding For how shall the vnlearned saith S. Paule say Amen at the geuing of thankes when they vnderstand not what is sayde And what is more allowed then true faith which S. Paule saith commeth by hearing of the word of God 11 Wee beleeue that the Churche of Christe teacheth that God ought to be worshipped according to his word God onely to be worshipped after his word and not after the doctrine of men For in vayne sayth Christ ye worship me teaching nothing but the doctrine of men Also we are commaunded of God by hys Prophet saying Gods preceptes to be followed and not the constitutions of men Walke not in the traditions and preceptes of your Elders but walke sayth he in my precepts do that I commaund you put nothing thereunto neyther take any thing from it Likewise saith Christ you shall forsake father and mother and folow me Whereby we learne that if our Elders teach otherwise then God commaunded in that point we must forsake them The Lordes supper is not to be chaunged from the institution of Christ. 12 We beleeue that the Supper of the Lord ought not to be altered and chaunged for as much as Christ himselfe being the wisedome of the father did institute it For it is written Cursed is he that chaungeth my ordinaunces and departeth from my Commaundements or taketh any thing from them Now we finde by the scriptures that this holy supper is sore abused The Lordes supper how many wayes it is abused The second abuse First in that it is geuen in one kind where Christ gaue it in both Secondly in that it is made a priuate Masse where Christ made it a Communion for he gaue it not to one alone but to all the Apostles in the name of the whole Church The third abuse Thirdly in that it is made a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead wheras Christ ordeined it for a remembraunce of the euerlasting sacrifice which was his owne body offered vpon the aultar of the Crosse once for all as the holy Apostle sayth Euen the full and perfect price of our redemption and where there is remission of sinne saith he there is no more sacrifice for sinne
in diuinitie and minding well vnto you and desiring the safegard of your soule and that you should folow and beleue the doctrine of the Catholicke church as afore concerning the sayd sacrament of the aultar and whether you did not at al times since your sayd comming to me vtterly refuse to follow and beleue the sayd doctrine concerning the sayd sacrament Whether can you nowe finde in your hart and conscience to conforme your selfe in all poyntes to the said fayth and catholicke church concerning the sayde Sacrament of the aultar faythfully truely and playnely without anye dissimulation beleeuing therein as our sayd soueraignes with the Nobilitie Clergie and Laytie of this Realme and other Christian realmes and other persons aforesaid and also the sayd Catholicke Church haue and do beleue in that behalfe In case you so caÌ„not what ground haue you to mayntaine your opinion and who is of the same opinion wyth you and what conference haue you had therein with any what comfort and what reliefe haue you had therein by any of them and what are their names and surnames and their dwelling place Their aunsweres to these articles were not much discrepant from Tomkins and other like Martirs aboue mentioned as here followeth to be seene ¶ The aunswere of Steuen Knight and William Pigot to the aforesayd Articles TO the first article they beleue that the contentes of this article is not agreable to scripture Answeres to the Articles aforesayd To the second they answere and beleue that their parentes and other expressed in the sayd article so beleuyng as is contayned in the same were deceiued To the thyrd they aunswere that they so beleued but they were deceiued therein as they now beleue To the fourth they say that they haue heretofore beleued as is conteined in the said article but now they do not so beleue To the fift they say that if they so beleue they are deceiued To the sixt they beleue the same to be true To the seuenth they answere and beleue the contents of the same to be true To the eight they aunswere that they can no whyt confourme themselues to the fayth and doctrine contayned and specified in this article vntill it be proued by Scripture To the ninth they say that they haue no grounde to mainteine their sayd opinions but y e truth which as they say hath bene perswaded by learned men as D. Taylour of Hadley and such other These aunsweres being made and exhibited they were commaunded to appeare agayne the next daye at eight of the clocke in the morning and in the meane while to bethinke themselues what they would do An other appearaunce of the sayd prisoners before Boner An other appearaunce THe next daye in the morning being the 9. daye of February before their open appearaunce the Bishop sent for William Pigot and Stephen Knight into his great chamber in his Pallace where he perswaded with them to recant and deny their former profession Who answered that they were not perswaded in their consciences to returne and abiure theyr opinions whereunto they had subscribed Within a while after they were all three with Thomas Tomkins and William Hunter afore named brought openly into the Consistorye the ix day of February aforesayd and there had the same articles propouÌ„ded vnto them which were before propouÌ„ded vnto the foresayde Thomas Tomkins as appeareth in the discourse of his historye and therto also subscribed these wordes I do so beleue Talke betweene Boner and Iohn Laurence Priest Iohn Laurence sometymes a Fryer The Bishop also vsed certayne talke vnto Iohn Laurence onely Whereunto he aunswered in this manner That hee was a Priest and was consecrated and made a Priest about eightene yeares past and that he was sometime a Blacke Fryer professed that also hee was assured vnto a mayd whome he intended to haue maryed And being agayne demaunded his opinion vppon the Sacrament he said that it was a remembraunce of Chrystes body and that many haue bene deceiued in the beleeuing the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Aultar and that all such as doe not beleue as he doth doe erre After this talke and other fayre wordes and threatninges they were all of theÌ„ commaunded to appeare again at after noone The third and last appearaunce AT the which houre they came thyther agayne there 〈◊〉 the accustomed manner were exhorted to recant and reuoke their doctrine and receiue the fayth To the whiche they constantly aunswered they woulde not but would sticke to that fayth that they had declared and subscribed vnto for that they did beleeue y t it was no errour whiche they beleued but that the contrary therof was very heresy When the Bishop sawe that neither his fayre flatteringes Steuen Knight William Pigot Iohn LaureÌ„ce condemned Iohn Laurence disgraded Steuen Knight burned at Mauldon W. Pigot at Braintree March 28. nor yet his cruell threatnings would preuayle he gaue them seuerally their iudgementes And because Ioh. Laurence had bene one of theyr annoynted priestes hee was by the bishop there according to their order solemnly disgraded the maner whereof you may see in the history of Maister Hooper afore passed pag. 1435. Their sentence of condemnation this degradation once ended they were committed vnto the custodye of the Sheriffes of London who sent theÌ„ vnto Newgate where they remayned with ioy together vntill they were caryed downe into Essex and there the 28. daye of March the sayd William Pigot was burned at Brayntree and Stephen Knight at Mauldon who at the stake kneeling vpon the ground sayd this prayer which here followeth The Prayer that Stephen Knight sayd at hys death vpon his knees being at the stake at Mauldon O Lord Iesu Christe for whose loue I leaue willingly this life and desire rather the bitter death of his Crosse with the losse of all earthly thinges A godly prayer of Ste. Knighâ— at his Marâ—tyrdome then to abide the blasphemye of thy moste holy name or to obey men in breaking thy holye Commaundement thou seest O Lorde that where I might liue in worldlye wealth to worship a false God and honour thine enemy I chose rather the torment of the body and the losse of this my lyfe and haue counted all thinges but vile duste and dounge that I might winne thee whiche death is dearer vnto me then thousandes of gold and siluer Such loue O Lord hast thou layd vp in my breast that I hunger for thee Psal. 42. as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soyle Send thy holy comforter O Lord to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth whiche is emptye of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest O Lorde that I am but dust and able to do nothing that is good Therfore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodnes and loue thou hast bidden mee to this banket and accompted mee worthye to drinke of thyne owne cup amongst thine elect euen so geue me strength
I beleeue it to be true Here also others tooke occasion to aske hym for that he denyed the Byshop of Romes authoritie in England whether Linus Anacletus and Clement that were Byshops of Rome were not good men and he answered yes and diuers others but sayd he they claimed no more authoritie in England then the Byshop of Caunterbury doth at Rome and I striue not quoth he with the place neyther speake I agaynst the person of the Byshop but agaynst his doctrine which in most poyntes is repugnant to the doctrine of Christ. Thou art an arrogant fellow in deede then sayde the Byshop In what article is the doctrine of the Churche of Rome repugnant to the doctrine of Christ To whome George Marshe answered sayd Oh my Lord I pray you iudge not so of me Wherein the doctrine of the Church of Rome â—â—â—eth I stand nowe vppon the point of my life and death a man in my case hathe no cause to be arrogant neither am I God is my record And as concerning the disagreement of y e doctrine among many other things the Church of Rome erreth in the Sacrament For where Christ in y e institution therof did as well deliuer the cup as the bread saying Drinke ye all of this Marke reporteth that they did drinke of it in like manner S. Paul deliuered it vnto the Corinthians And in y e same sort also was it vsed in the primitiue church by the space of many hundreth yeares Now the Churche of Rome both taketh away one parre of the Sacrament from the Laity Wherefore if I coulde be perswaded in my conscience by Gods worde that it were well done I could gladly yeld in thys poynt Then sayd the Bishop Non disputandum est cum haeretico That is There is no disputing with an heretick So sayth the Turke in his Alcaron that no man must dispute of his lawe And therfore when all his answeres were read hee asked hym whether he would stand to the same beyng as they were sayd he full of heresie or els forsake them and come vnto the catholicke Churche To whom he made this full aunswere and sayde that he held no hereticall opinion but vtterly abhorred at kynd of heresie G. Marsh cleareth himselfe of heresie although they most vntruely so did sclaunder him And hee desired all the people present to beare hym wiâ—nesse if hereafter anye would sclaunder him and say y t he held any greuous heresie that in all Articles of Religion he he held none other opinion then was by law most godly established and publickely taught in England at the death of king Edward the vi and in the same pure Religion and doctrine he would by Gods grace stand liue Leach bidde to stand from Marsh. dye And here the ChauÌ„cellour spake to one Leache which â—tode neare vnto Marshe and bad him stand farther from him for hys presence did him no good This being done the Bishop tooke out a writing of his bosome begaÌ„ to read the sentence of condeÌ„natioÌ„ Sentence of condemnation read agaynst Marsh. but when the bishop had read almost halfe therof the Chauncellour called to him and sayd good my Lord stay stay for if ye proceede any further it will be to late to call it agayne and so the B. stayed Then his popish Priestes and many other of the ignorant people called vpon Marsh The Bishop stayeth in his sentence with many earnest wordes to recant and amongst other one Pulleyn a Shomaker sayd to hym for shame man remember thy selfe and recant They bad him kneele downe and pray and they would pray for him So they kneeled down and he desired them to pray for him and he would pray for theÌ„ The Bishoppe then asked hym agayne whether hee would not haue the Queenes mercy in time Gods mercy preferred before the Queenes mercy and he aunswered hee did gladly desire the same did loue her grace as faythfully as any of them but yet he durst not deny his Sauiour Christ for loosing his mercy euerlasting and so winne euerlasting death Then the Bishop put his spectacles agayne vpon his nose read forward his senteÌ„ce about v. or vi lyues and there againe the Chauncellour with a glauering and smiling countenance called to the B. and sayde The B. proceâ—â—deth in his sentence Yet good my Lord once againe stay for if that word be spoken al is past no relentyng will then serue and the Byshop pulling of his spectacles sayd I would stay and if it would be How sayst thou quoth he wilt thou recant Many of the Priestes and ignoraunt people bad him so do An other stay in reading the sentence and call to God for grace and pulled him by y e sleeue and bad him recant and saue his life To whom he answered I would as fayne to liue as you if in so doyng I shoulde not deny my mayster Christ and agayne he should denye me before his father in heauen So the bishop read out hys sentence vnto the end and straight after sayd vnto him G. Marsh. exhorted to recaÌ„t but could not be turned The B. readeth out the sentence A dogged saying of the Bishop G. Marsh deliuered to the Shiriffes The strayt keeping of Marsh in prison Nowe will I no more praye for thee then I will for a dogge And Marshe answered y t notwithstanding he would pray for his Lordship after this the bishop deliuered him vnto the Sheriffes of the city Then hys late keeper bad him fare well good George w t weeping teares whiche caused y e officers to cary him to a prisoÌ„ at the Northgate where he was very straitly kept vntill the tyme he went to hys death during which tyme he had small comfort or reliefe of any worldly creature For being in y e dongeon or darke prison none y t would hym good could speake w t hym or at least durst enterprise so to doe for feare of accusation and some of the Cittizens which loued him in God for the gospell sake wherof there were but a fewe although they were neuer acquaynted with him would sometime in the euening at a hoale vpon the wall of the City that went into the sayd darcke prisoÌ„ call to him and aske him how he did He would answere them most chearefully that he did well and thanked God most highly that he woulde vouchsafe of his mercy to appoynt him to be a witnes of his truth and to suffer for the same wherein he did most reioyce beseeching him that he would geue him grace not to faynt vnder the Crosse but patiently beare the same to his glorye and comfort of hys Churche The brotherly zeale of good men in comforting G. Marsh. with many other like godly sayinges at sondrye tymes as one that most desired to be with Christ. Once or twise he had money cast him in at the same hole about ten pence at one tyme 2. shillings at an
An other 〈…〉 Tho. Haukes and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Quenes 〈◊〉 whom I did know Boner Haukes how like you the sermon Haukes As I like all the rest of his doctrine Boner What are ye not edified therby Haukes No surely Boner It was made onely because of you Haukes Why then am I sory that ye had no mo hereticks here as ye call them I am sory that ye haue bestowed so much labour on one and so little regarded Boner Well I will leaue you here for I haue busines I pray you talke with him for if ye could do him good sayd he I would be glad This the Bishop spake to the Queenes men who said vnto me Alas what meane you to trouble your self about such matters against the Queenes proceedinges Haukes Those matters haue I aunswered before theÌ„ that be in authoritie and vnles I see you haue a further commission Thomas Haukes reâ—seth to 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 Quenes â—eruantes I will aunswere you nothing at all Then sayd y e bishops men which were many my Lord hath commauÌ„ded you to talke with them Haukes If my Lorde will talke with me himselfe I will answere him They cryed fagottes burne him hang him to prison with him it is pitie that he liueth lay Irons vpon him and with a great noyse they spake these woordes Then in the middest of all the rage I departed from them and went to the porters lodge againe The next dayes talke THe next day the Bishop called me into his chamber sayd ye haue bene with mee a great while ye are neuer the better but worse and worse An other dayes talke betweene Haukes and Boner and therefore I will delay the time no longer but send you to Newgate Haukes My Lord you ran do me no better pleasure Boner Why would ye so fayne go to prison Haukes Truely I did looke for none other when I came to your handes Boner Come on your wayes ye shall see what I haue written Then did he shew me certaine articles and these are the contentes of them Whether the Catholicke Church do teach and beleeue y t Christes reall presence doth remaine in the Sacrament or no after the wordes of consecration according to y e words of S. Paule which are these Is not the bread which we break the partaking of the body of Christ and the cup which we blesse the partaking of the bloud of Christ whiche if it were not so Paule would neuer haue sayd it Haukes What your Church doth I cannot tell but I am sure that the holy Catholicke Church doth neither so take it nor beleue it Boner Whether doth the Catholicke Church teach and beleue the Baptisme that now is vsed in the Church or no Haukes I aunswered to it as I did to y e other question before Then did the Byshop with much flattery counsell me to be perswaded to keepe me out of prison Aunswere of Haukes to the first article Aunswere to the 2. article Talke betweene Haukes and D. Harpsfield Archdeacon of Cant. which I vtterly refused and so we departed And I supposed that the next day I should haue gone to prison and so I had saue for the Archdeacon of Canterbury whose name is Harpsfield whome the bishop had desired to talke with me and began to perswade me concerning the Sacrament the ceremonies and after much talke he sayd that the Sacrament of the aultar was the same body that was borne of y e virgine Mary which did hang vpon the Crosse. Haukes He was vpon the crosse both aliue dead which of them was the Sacrament A question put to Harpsfield Harps The Archdeacon aunswered aliue Haukes How proue you that Harps Ye must beleue Doth not S. Iohn say He is already condemned that beleueth not Haukes S. Iohn sayth He that beleeueth not in the sonne of God is already condemned but he sayth not he that beleueth not in the sacrament is already condemned Harps There is no talke with you for ye are both without fayth and learning and therefore I will talke no more with you in scripture Haukes TheÌ„ ij that stode by bad me enter further in talke with him and then said I vnto him An other question put to Harpsfield why â—he Roodeloft is set betwene the Church and the Chauncell why is the Roodeloft set betwixt the body of the Church and the Chauncel Harps I cannot tell for ye haue asked a question which ye cannot assoyle your selfe Haukes Yes that I can for this sayth one of your owne Doctours that the body of the Church doth represent the Church militant and the Chauncell the Churche triumphant and so because we cannot go from the Church militant to the Church triumphant but that we must beare the crosse of Christ this is the cause of the Roodeloft being betweene the body of the Church and the Chauncell Harps This is well and clarkely concluded Haukes As all the rest of your doctrine is so with many perswasioÌ„s on his part we ended and so departed and I to the Porters lodge agayne ¶ An other dayes talke THe next day in the morning which was the first day of Iuly the Bishop did call mee himselfe from the Porters lodge commaunding me to make me ready to goe to prison and to take such things with me Haukes sent to the Gatehouse at Westminster with the bishops warrant as I had of mine owne And I sayd I do neither intend to bribe neither to steale God willing Then he did write my warrant to the Keeper of the Gatehouse at Westminster and deliuered it to Harpsfield who with his owne man and one of the byshops meÌ„ brought me to prison deliuered the warrant me both to y e Keeper this was contayned in y e warrant I will and commaund you The Bishopâ— warrant that you receaue him who commeth named in this warrant and that he be kept as a safe prisoner and that no man speake with him and that ye deliuer him to no man except it be to the Councell or to a Iustice For he is a SacrameÌ„tary and one that speaketh agaynst Baptisme a seditious man a perilous man to be abroad in these perilous dayes And thus was I receiued they departed The Bishopâ— men sent to Haukes in the Gatehouse And there I remayned xiij dayes then the bishop sent two of his meÌ„ vnto me saying My Lord would be glad to know how ye do I aunswered them I doe like a poore prisoner They sayd My Lord would know whether ye be the same man that ye were when ye departed I sayd I am no chaungeling They sayd my Lord would be glad that ye should do well I sayd If my Lord wil me any good I pray you desire him to suffer my frendes to come to me So they sayde they would speake for me but I heard no more of them This is the first examination of me Thomas Haukes being examined by Edmund Boner then
garland of our Lady compiled by the said S. Bonauenture wherein these words are to be red as followeth O Mediatrix betweene God and man the Lorde hath worthily magnified thee Blasphemye The Rosary or Garland of our Lady called Corenâ— beatae Mariae Mary made a commaunder of Christ. that thou onely shouldst conceyue hys sonne c. Wherefore O good Mary our mediatrix mother of Grace and mother of Mercy c. And moreouer within fewe lynes it followeth in these woordes Therefore O our Empresse and Lady most bountifull by the authoritie of a Mother commaund commaund I say thy welbeloued sonne that he wil stirre vp our myndes from the loue of worldly thyngs to heuenly desires c. Item O the Aduocate of the miserable the eyes of thy seruants be directed to thee c. To these premisses I might also adioyne the horrible and most blasphemous wordes of the said Bonauenture in the said booke Fol. 100. pag. 2. col 1. which I besech thee to read and note Quae maior bonitas quam quod Christus i. What greater goodnes can be then that Christ is content to be captiue vpon the aultar Whereupon he speaketh in the person of Ieremy saying Behold I am in your hands do with me as you see good c. Where note sayth he that when any Duke or prince â—s taken prisoner for hys subiectes he is not let goe before he paye some great summe of mony for hys ransome Christ made a captiue and a prisoner in the Popes Church Euen so neither we ought to let Christ go out of our hands beyng our prisoner and captiue except he graunt vnto vs remission of our sinnes and his heauenly kingdome The priest therfore lifteth vp the body of Christ vpon the aultar as though he sayd thus behold hym whome the whole world is not able to comprehend he is holden here our captiue wherfore let vs hold hym fast and not let hym go before we obtayne of hym our requests c. Notes The Church of Rome examined Is not here good Catholike stuffe christen Readers trow you Conferre I beseech you this doctrine wyth the doctrine of the Apostles which teach vs that we are fullye complet in Christ and I wil referre me to no better iudge then to your own conscience And now therfore if any maÌ„ haue bene in doubt in tymes past of the doctrine and proceedings of the church of Rome The Church of Rome connâ—ct of manifest idolatry whether it be rightly charged with blynd errors with blasphemy intollerable Idolatry abominable or not here now may he be fully certified resolued For where was euer idolatry or blasphemy to be found if it be not here in this Mattins Psalter of our Lady Our Lady made equall with God in the Church Rome If Idolatry be to make an idoll to bee worshipped as God which is no God what doe we here but make an idoll of our Lady as we call her to be worshipped with no lesse dignity glory authority reuerence and seruice then is the Lord God himselfe As he is called our Lord so she is called our lady And if he be kyng yet she is the queene of heaueÌ„ The doctrine of the Romish Church directly against the first commaundemeÌ„t of God And though he haue the name of god yet she bereth so the title of the mother of God that as mothers haue authority ouer their children so she is willed to shew her selfe to be his mother to cause him to graÌ„t our petitions Finally if he be our patron yet is she our patronesse The commandement saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and hym only shalt thou serue And what worship or seruice can we geue to God more then we doe ascribe vnto her Or what benefit is to be asked at y e hands of Christ our Sauiour which is not equally asked of her To saue our soules to geue vs peace to graunt grace to comfort the desperate to loose our captiuity to release our sinnes To trust and beleeue in our Lady to deliuer from the fiend to bryng to heauen c. to her we pray we cry we creepe we sigh we grone wee knock and kneele to her we trust and if we beleue not also in our Lady Our Lady hath her Church as well as Christ. we be heretikes ipso facto Furthermore as Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour hath his Church and Congregation which professeth hys name of whom we are called Christians so neither is she likewise without her chapels her cloisters her Chapters fraternities and brotherhoods which professing her name in like sort are called our Ladies brethren or white friers besides an innumerable sort of other patrons of churches of whom euery one hath his peculiar church and religion by himselfe yet all these together be included vnder the generall deuotion of our Lady their supreme patronesse and gouernesse Now to proceed further to the other prrt of the commaundement which sayeth Him onely shalt thou serue What seruice hath the Lord in all the church but our Lady also iointly with him hath the lyke Her Masse her Mattins her Euensong her Houres and Complin her Rosaries her Anthems her Collects her Primer her Psalter her holydaies likewyse yea fiue to one Finally as y e Lord hath his prayer called the Lordes prayer so hath shee her Aue Maries yea x. Aues to one Pater noster yea read further in the said Bonauenture 10. 〈◊〉 to one Pâ—â—ter nosteâ— and ye shal see her also to haue her Te Deum her Benedictus her Magnificat and also her Quicunque vult If the Lorde our God had not expressed vnto vs hys own will by playne worde limiting vnto vs by expresse iniunction what to beleue what to folow how to worship and serue him how to receiue from him our saluation but had left vs to the imagination of our owne inueÌ„tions euery man to shift for himself after his own pollicy then peraduenture this way taken by the Popes Church to make frends mediators betwene God and vs for reconciliation remission saluation might haue some ryme or reason but now gods word doth bynde vs doth prescribe and limite vs precisely in euery point touching saluation what to beleue what to do shewing vs plainly that we cannot be saued but by the bloud of hys sonne only neither caÌ„ be iustified but by faith only in y e same Christ his sonne Wherfore not to beleue that which he hath promised is infidelitie and to follow any other beliefe then he hath set vs is plaine idolatry Infidelity Idolatrye The which ij special errors most commonly doe followe the doctrine of the Romish church as not only in this primer and psalter of our Lady aforesaid but also in all their proceedings teachings and preachings besides may well appeare The 〈◊〉 of Rome charged with Infidelitye 〈◊〉 Idolatryâ— The church of Rome neyther taketh 〈◊〉
my selfe more then Gods honour Seruaunt Ah M. Bradford consider your mother sisters frendes kinsfolke and country what a great discomfort it wil be vnto them to see you dye as an hereticke Brad. I haue learned to forsake father mother brother sister friend and all that euer I haue M. Bradford preferreth Christ before all his kynne and kynred yea euen mine owne selfe for els I cannot be Christes Disciple Seruaunt If my Lord shuld obtayne for you that ye might depart the Realme would ye not be content to be at the Queenes appoyntment where shee would appoynt you beyond the sea Bradford No Bradford contented to be burned in England rather theâ— to be sent ouer the sea to popish places I had rather be burned in England then be burned beyond the seas For I know that if she should seÌ„d me to Paris Louaine or some such place forthwith they would burne me Talke betweene Maister Bradford and one Perceuall Creswell and after that with Doctour Harding VPon the 14. of February Perciuall Creswell Perciuall Creswell talketh with Bradford an olde acquayntaunce of Bradfordes came to him bryngyng with him a kinsman of Mayster Fecknams who after many wordes sayd Creswell I pray you let me make labour for you Bradford You may do what ye will Creswell But tell me what sute I should make for you Brad. Forsooth that ye wil do do it not at my request for I desire nothing at your handes Creswell offereth to make sute for Bradford If the Queene will geue me life I will thanke her If she will banishe me I will thanke her If shee will burne me I will thanke her If she will condemne me to perpetuall prisonment I wyll thanke her Hereupon Creswell went away Mores booke brought to Bradford and about a xi of the clocke he and the other man came againe brought a book of Mores making desiring Bradford to read it ouer Bradford taking the booke sayde Good perciuall I am setled for being moued in this article Creswell Oh if euer ye loued me do one thing for me Bradford What is it Creswell Desire and name what learned man or men yee will haue to come vnto you My Lord â—o York my Lord of Lincolne my Lorde of Bath others will gladly come vnto you Brad. No neuer will I desire them or anye other to come to conferre with me for I am as certayne of my doctrine as I am of any thing But for your pleasure and also that all men may knowe I am not ashamed to haue my fayth â—ifted and tryed bring whom ye will and I will talk with them So they went their way About 3. of the clocke in the after noone Mayster Doctor Harding D. Harding commeth to M. Bradford who was then the B. of Lincolns Chaplayn came to Bradford and after a great and solemne protestation shewing how y t he had prayed to God before he came to turne his talke to Bradfords good hee began to tell of the good opinion he had of Bradford and spent the time in such tratling so that their talke was to little purpose saue that Bradford praied him to consider from whence he was fallen and not to folow the world nor to loue it For the loue of God is not where the world is Harding But Harding counted Bradford in a damnable estate as one being out of the church therfore willed him to take heede of his soule not to dye in such an opinion Brad. What M. Harding quoth Bradford I haue heard you with these eares maintaine this that I stand in Harding I graunt that I haue taught that the doctrine of transubstantiation was a subtill doctrine but otherwise I neuer taught it And so he enueying against mariages of Priestes D. Harding inueyeth agaynst Peter Martyr Bucer Luther and namely against Peter Martyr Martin Bucer Luther and such which for breaking theyr vowes were iustly geuen vp into heresies as he sayd Bradford seyng him altogether geuen vp to Popery after admonishment therof bad him farewell Talke betweene D. Harpsfield Archdeacon and Mayster Bradford D. Harpsfield talketh with M. Bradford VPon the xxv of February Perciuall Creswell came w t M. Harpsfield Archdeacon of London and a seruaunt wayting vppon him After formall salutations he made a long Oration of which this is a short summe That al meÌ„ euen the infidels Turkes Iewes Anabaptistes and Libertines desire felicitie as well as the Christians and how that euery one thinketh they shall attayne to it by their religion To which Bradford answered briefly that he spake not farre amisse Harps Then sayd Harpsfield but the way thither is not al alike Felicitie coueted of all men but the way to felicitie not knowen to all men For the infidels by Iupiter Iuno the Turke by hys Alcoran the Iew by his Thalmod doe beleeue to come to heauen For so may I speake of suche as beleue the immortalitie of the soule Brad. You speake truely Harps Well then here is the matter to know the way to this heauen Brad. The true way to felicitie We may not inuent any manner of wayes There is but one way that is Iesus Christ as he himselfe doth witnesse I am the way Harps It is true that you say and false also I suppose that you meane by Christ beleuing in Christ. Brad. I haue learned to discerne betwixt fayth Christ Albeit I confesse that who so beleueth in Christ the same shall be saued Harps No not all that beleue in Christ for some shall say Lord Lord haue not we cast out deuils c. But Christ wil answere in the day of Iudgement to these Depart from me I know you not Brad. You must make a difference betwixt beleuing and saying I beleue Note the difference betweene beleeuing and saying I beleue As for example if one shuld say sweare hee loueth you for all his saying yee will not beleue hym when you see he goeth about to vtter and do al the euill against you that he can Harps Well this is not muche materiall There is but one way Christ. How come we to know him Where shal we seeke to finde him Brad Forsooth we must seeke him by his word and in his word The way to come to Christ is by the worde for by the word commeth fayth by fayth we come to Christ. Baptisme an outward seale whereby we are knowen to be Christians Children which dye without Baptisme and after his word Harpsfield Uery good but tell me now how first we came into the companye of them that coulde tell vs this but by Baptisme Brad. Baptisme is the sacrament by the which outwardly we are engrafted into Christ I say outwardly because I dare not exclude from Christ all that dye without Baptisme I will not tye God where he is not bound Some Infantes dye whose Parentes desire Baptisme for them and can not haue it Harps To those we may
thinke perchaunce that God will shew mercy Brad. Yea the children whose parentes do contemne baptisme will not I condemne because the childe shall not beare the fathers offence Harpsfield Well we agree that by Baptisme then wee are brought The Church is our mother and as a man would say begotten to Christ. For Christ is our father and the churche his spouse is our mother As all men naturally haue Adam for their father and and Eua for their mother so all spirituall men haue christ for their father and the Church for their mother And as Eua was taken out of Adams side so was the Church taken out of Christes side whereout flowed bloud for the satisfaction and purgation of our sinnes Brad. All this is truely spoken Harps Descent of the Church The Chuâ—ch of Christ is visible euen as Christ was that is not by exteriour pompe or shew but by the inwarde eye Now then tell me whether this Churche of Christ hath not bene alwayes Brad. Yea sithens the creatioÌ„ of man and shall be for euer Harps Uery good But yet tel me whether this Church is a visible Church or no Bradford It is no otherwise visible then Christ was here on earth that is by no exteriour pompe or shewe that setteth her forth commonly and therefore to see her wee must put on such eyes as good men put on to see know christ when hee walked here on earth for as Eue was of y e same substaunce that Adam was of so was the Churche of the same substaunce that Christ was of flesh of his flesh bone of his bones as Paule sayth Ephes 5. Looke therfore how Christ was visibly knowne to be Christ when he was on earth that is by considering hym after the word of GOD so is the Church knowne Harps I do not come to reason at this present thereforâ— I will goe on forwarde Multitude not alwaâ—â— the 〈◊〉 marke to 〈…〉 Church D. 〈…〉 Preaâ—â—â—ng the 〈◊〉 goeth 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 Church it be 〈…〉 sometyâ—◠〈…〉 Ad. 〈…〉 is one 〈◊〉 but not bâ—â—cause of 〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 And yet 〈◊〉 such a 〈◊〉 but that 〈◊〉 may often letteâ— by 〈◊〉 secution yet the 〈◊〉 Church râ—â—mayne The Popes Church 〈◊〉 Baptisme 〈…〉 the Popes Church 〈…〉 A Popish â—â—â—stinction 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 be a 〈◊〉 hauing 〈◊〉 of Gospell 〈…〉 power 〈…〉 successio◠〈◊〉 Byshopâ— Is not this Churche a multitude Brad Yes that it is Howbeit latâ—t anguis in herba as the Prouerbe is For in your question is a subtiltie What visible multitude was there in Heâ—ias tyme or wheÌ„ Moses was on the Mount Aaron and all Israell worshipping the Calâ—e Harps Ye diuert from the matter Brad. No nothing at all For I doe preuent you knowing well where about you go And therfore fâ—wer wordes might well serue if that you so would Harpsfield Well I perceaue you haue knowledge and by a litle perceiue I the more Tel me yet more whether this multiude haue not the Ministery or preachyng of Gods worde Bradford Syr ye goe about the bushe If ye vnderstande Preaching for confessing the Gospel I will go with you for els if you will you may knowe that persecution often letteth preaching Harps Well I meane it so Tell mee yet more hath it not the Sacramentes administred Brad. It hath the sacramentes howbeit the administratioÌ„ of them is often letted But I wil put you from your purpose because I see where about you goe If heretickes haue Baptisme and doe Baptise as they did in S. Ciprians tyme you knowe this Baptisme is Baptisme not to be reiterate This Bradford did speake that the staÌ„ders by might see that though the Papistes Church haue baptisme which we haue receiued of them yet therfore it is not the true Church neither neede we to be baptised againe Harps You goe farre from the matter and I perceiue you haue more errours then one Brad. So you say but that is not enough til you proue theÌ„ Harps Well this Churche is a multitude Hath it not the preaching of the Gospell the ministraâ—ion of the Sacraments yet more hath it not the power of Iurisdiction Bradford What iurisdiction is exercised in persecution and affliction Harps I meane by iurisdiction admonishing one an other and so forth Brad. Well go to what then Harps It hath also succession of Byshoppes And here he made such a doe to proue y t this was an essentiall poynt Bradford You say as you woulde haue it for if this parte fayle you all the Church y t you go about to set vp will fall down Successâ—â—â— of Byshâ—â— is no esseâ—â—tial parâ— the 〈◊〉 but rathâ—â— accidenâ— commuâ—â—â— which bâ—â—ing inteâ—â—rupted 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 may stanâ— as it did both be Christe◠〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 commiâ—â— Antichâ—â—â—â— Apostlâ— Bishopâ— sundry 〈◊〉 the minâ—â—â—ry of 〈◊〉 word aâ—â—ministeâ— an 〈◊〉 poynt oâ— true 〈…〉 locall sâ—â—cession â—â—â—ministeâ— one certayne 〈◊〉 You shall not finde in all y e scripture this your esseÌ„tiall parte of succession of Byshops In Christes Churche Antichrist will sit And Peter telleth vs as it went in the old Church afore Christes coÌ„ming so will it be in the new church sithen Christes coÌ„ming that is as there were false Prophets such as bare rule were aduersaries to the true Prophets so shall there be sayth he false teachers euen of such as are Byshops and beare rule amongest the people Harps You go alwayes out of the matter but I will proue further the succession of Byshops Bradford Do so Harps Tell me were not the Apostles Byshops Brad. No except you will make a new definition of a Byshop that is geue him no certayne place Harps In deede the Apostles office was not the Byshops office for it was vniuersall but yet Christ instituted Byshops in his church as Paule saith he hath geueÌ„ Pastors Prophetes c. so that I trow it be proued by the Scriptures the succession of Byshops to be an essentiall poynt Brad. The Ministerie of Gods worde and Ministers be an essentiall poynt But to translate this to the Byshops and their succession is a plaine subtiltie And therfore that it may be playne I will aske you a question Tel me whether that the Scripture knew any difference betwene Byshops and Ministers which ye call Priestes Harps No. Brad. Well then go on forewardes and let vs see what ye shal get now by the succession of Byshops that is of Ministers which can not be vnderstand of such Byshops as Minister not but Lord it Harps I perceiue that you are farre out of the way By your doctrine you can neuer shew in your Church a multitude which ministreth Gods word his Sacramentes which hath iurisdiction and succession of Byshops which hath from tyme to tyme beleued as you beleue beginning now and so going vpwardes as I will do of our doctrine and therefore are ye out of the church so cannot be saued Perchaunce you will bring me downwardes a shewe to bleare
peoples eyes but to go vpwardes that you can neuer do and this is the true tryall Brad. Anno 1555. â—â—ly Yee must and will I am assured geue me leaue to follow the scriptures and examples of good men Harps Yea. Brad. Well theÌ„ Stephen was accused and condemned as I am that he had taught new and false doctrine before the fathers of the Church then as they were taken Stephen for his purgation improoueth their accusation But how doth he it by going vpwardes no but by coÌ„ming downwardes beginning at AbrahaÌ„ and continuing still till Esayas tyme and the peoples captiuitie From whence he maketh a great leape vntill y t time he was in whiche was I thinke vpon a 400. yeares called them by their right names helhoundes rather then heauen hounds On this sort will I proue my fayth that can you neuer do yours Harpsfield Yea sir if we did knowe that you had the holye Ghost then could we beleue you Here Bradford woulde haue answered that Steuens enemies would not beleue he had the holy Ghost and therefore they did as they dyd but as he was in speaking M. Harps arose vp the keeper and others that stode by began to talk gently praying Bradford to take heede to that maister Archdeacon spake who still sayd that Bradford was out of the church Bradford Syr I am most certaine that I am in Christes Church and I can shew a demonstration of my Religion from time to time continually God our father for the name and bloud of his Christ be merciful vnto vs and vnto al his people and deliuer them from false teachers and blinde guydes through whome alas I feare mee much hurt will come to this realme of England God our Father blesse vs and keepe vs in hys truth and poore Churche for euer Amen Then the Archdeacon departed saying that he would come againe the next morning ¶ The next dayes talke betweene Doctour Harpsfield and Maister Bradford VPon the xvi of February in the morning the Archdeacon and the other two with him came again â—rchdeacon â—arpsfield â—â—meth 〈◊〉 to M. â—â—adford and after a few by wordes spoken they sate downe Harps Maister Archdeacon began a very long Oration first repeting what they had said and how farre they had gone ouer night and therw t did begin to proue vpwards succession of Bishops here in England for 800. yeares in Fraunce at Lyons for 1200. yeares M. Harpsâ—â—eld agayne 〈◊〉 his â—hurch by 〈…〉 in Spayne at Hispalen for 800. yeares In Italy at Milan for 1200. yeares labouring by this to proue his Church He vsed also succession of Bishops in the East Church for the more confirmation of his wordes and so concluded with an exhortation and an interrogation the exhortation that Bradford would obey this church the interrogatioÌ„ whether Brad-could shew any such succession for the demonstratioÌ„ of his Church for so he called it which followed â—radfordes 〈…〉 M. Harpsâ—â—â—â—des 〈◊〉 Bradford Unto this his long Oration Bradford made this short answere my memory is euill so that I cannot aunswere particularly your Oration Therfore I wil generally do it thinking because your Oration is rather to perswade then to proue that a small aunswere will serue If Christ or his Apostles being here on earth had bene required by the Prelates of the churche then to haue made a demonstration of that churche by succession of such high Priestes as had approued the doctrine which he taught I think that Christ would haue done as I do that is haue alledged y t which vpholdeth the church euen the veritie y e word of God taught beleeued not by the high Priests which of long time had persecuted it but by the Prophetes and other good simple men which perchaunce were counted for heretickes of the Church which Church was not tied to succession but to the word of god And this to thinke S. Peter geueth me occasion when he sayth that as it went in the Churche before Christes comming so shall it go in the Church after his comming but then the pillers of the church were persecutors of the true Church therfore the like we must looke for now Harps I can gather and proue succession in Ierusalem of the high Priestes from Aarons tyme. Bradford I graunt but not such succession as allowed the trueth Harps Why did they not allow Moses law Bradford Yes and keepe it as touchyng the bookes therof as you doe the Bible and holye Scriptures But the true interpretation and meaning of it they did corrupt as you haue done doe and therefore the persecution which they sturred vpp against the Prophetes and Christ was not for the lawe but for the interpretation of it For they taught as you do now The Iewes corrupt the law as the Papists doe the Scriptures A comparison betweene thâ— old Phariseys our new Papistes that we must fetch the interpretation of the scriptures at your handes But to make an end death I looke dayly for yea hourely and I think my time be but very short Therfore I had need to spend as much tyme with God as I can whilest I haue it for his helpe comfort and therfore I pray you beare with me that I do not now particularly and in moe wordes aunswere your loÌ„g talk If I saw death not so neare me as it is I would then weigh euerye peece of your Oration if you woulde geue me the summe of it and I would answere accordingly but because I dare not nor I will not leaue of looking preparing for that which is at hand I shal desire you to hold me excused because I do as I do and hartely thanke you for youre gentle good will I shall hartily praye God our father to geue you the same light and life I do wish to my selfe so Bradford began to arise vp Harps But then began Maister Archdeacon to tell hym that he was in very perilous case Bolde confideÌ„ce and hope of Gods word and promise semeth strange among them which are not exercised in mortification and that he was sory to see him so setled As for death whether it be nigh or farre of I know not neither forceth it so that you did die well Brad. I doubt not in this case but y t I shall dye well for as I hope and am certaine my death shall please the Lord so I trust I shall dye chearfully to y e comfort of his childreÌ„ Harps But what if you be deceiued Bradford What if you shoulde say the sunne did not shyne now and the Sunne did shine through the windowe where they sat Harps Well I am sory to see you so secure and carlesse Bradford In deed I am more carnally secure and carelesse then I shuld be God make me more vigilant But in this case I cannot be so secure for I am most assured I am in y e trueth Harpsfield That are ye not for you are out of the
talke they departed ¶ The talke of Doctor Heth Archbishop of Yorke and day Byshop of Chichester with Maister Bradford THe xxiii of the same moneth the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Chichester came to the Counter to speake with Bradford When hee was come before them Talke bâ—â—tweene Byshopâ— Bradford they both and especially the Bishop of York vsed him very gently they would haue him to sit downe and because he would not they also would not sit So they all stode whether he woulde or not they would needes he shoulde put on not only his night cap but his vpper cap also saying vnto him that obedience was better then sacrifice Now thus standing together my Lord of Yorke began to tell Bradford howe that they were not sent to him but of loue charitie they came to him and he for that acquayntance also whiche he had with Bradford more then the Bishoppe of Chichester had then after commending Bradfordes godly life he concluded w t this question how he was certaine of saluation and of his Religion Brad After thankes for theyr good will Bradford aunswered by the word of God euen by the Scriptures I am certayne of saluation and Religion Yorke Uery well sayd but how do ye know the worde of God and the scriptures but by the Church Bradford In deede my Lorde the Churche was and is a meane to bring a man more speedely to knowe the Scriptures and the worde of God as was the woman of Samaria a meane that the Samaritans knewe Christ but ⧠Certayne Bishops talking with Maister Bradford in prison as when they had heard him speake they sayde nowe we know that he is Christ not because of thy wordes but because wee our selues haue heard him so after we came to the hearing and reading of the Scriptures shewed vnto vs and discerned by the Church we doe beleue them and knowe them as Christes sheepe not because y e Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same spirite whiche wrote and spake them Yorke You knowe in the Apostles time at the first the word was not written Bradford True if you meane it for some books of the new Testament but els for the old Testament Peter telleth vs Firmâ—orem sermonem propheticum habemus We haue a more sure worde of prophecie not that it is simply so but in respect of the Apostles which being aliue and compassed w t infirmitiâ— attributed to the worde written mâ—re firmitie as wherewith no fault coulde be found where as for the infirmitie of their persons men perchaunce might haue found some faulte at their preaching albeit in very deede no lesse obedience and fayth ought to haue bene geuen to the one then to the other for all proceedeth foorth of one spirite of truth Yorke That place of Peter is not so to be vnderstand of the word written Brad. Yea syr that it is and of none other Chic Yea in deede Maister Bradford doth tell you truely in that poynt Yorke Well you know that Irenaeus and others doe magnifie much and alleage the Church agaynst the heretickes and not the scripture Bradford True for they had to do with such heretickes as did deny the scriptures and yet did magnifie the Apostles so that they were inforced to vse the authoritie of those Churches wherein the Apostles had taught and whiche had still retayned the same doctrine Chic You speake the very truth for the heretickes dyd refuse all scriptures except it were a peece of Lukes Gospel Brad. Then the alledgyng of the Church cannot be princially vsed agaynst me whiche am so farre from denying of the Scriptures that I appeale vnto them vtterly as to the onely iudge Yorke A pretty matter that you will take vppon you to iudge the Churche I pray you where hath your Churche bene hetherto For the church of Christ is Catholicke and visible hetherto Brad. My Lord I doe not iudge the Church when I discerne it from that congregation those whiche be not the Church I neuer denyed the Church to be Catholicke visible althought at some times it is more visible then at some Chic I pray you tell me where the Church which allowed your doctrine was these foure hundreth yeares Brad. I will tell you my Lord or rather you shal tell your selfe if you will tell me this one thing where the Churche was in Helias his time when Helias sayde that hee was left alone Chic That is no aunswere Bradford I am sory that you say so but this will I tell your Lordship that if you had the same eyes wherwith a man might haue espied the Churche then you woulde not say it were no answere The true 〈…〉 euery man hath not eyes to see it The fault why the Church is not seene of you is not because the Churche is not visible but because your eyes are not cleare inough to see it Chic You are much deceaued in making this collation betwixt the Church then and now Yorke Uery well spoken my Lord for Christ sayde aedificabo Ecclesiam I will build my Church and not I doe or haue built it but I will build it Bradford The â—ishops 〈◊〉 to an 〈…〉 My Lordes Peter teacheth me to make thys collation saying as in y e people there were false Prophetes which were most in estimation afore Christes comming so shall there be false teachers amongest the people after Christes comming and very many shall follow them And as for your future tense I hope your grace will not therby conclude christes Church not to haue bene before but rather that there is no building in the Church but by Christes worke onely for Paule and Apollo be but watterers Chichester In good fayth I am sory to see you so light in iudging the Church Yorke He taketh vpon him as they all doe to iudge the Church A man shall neuer come to certaintie that doth as they do Brad. My Lordes I speake simply what I thinke desire reason to aunswere my obiections Your affections sorrowes can not be my rules If that you consider y e order and case of my condemnation I can not thinke but y t it should somethyng moâ—e your honours You knowe it well enough for you heard it no matter was layd against me but what was gathered vpon mine owne confession Because I did denye Transubstantiation and the wicked to receaue Christes body in the Sacrament therefore I was condemned and excoÌ„municate but not of the churche although the pillers of the church as they be taken did it Chichester No. I heard say the cause of your imprisonmeÌ„t was for that you exhorted the people to take the sword in the one hand and the mattocke in the other Brad. My Lord I neuer ment any such thing nor spake any thing in that sort False surmâ—â—e agaynst Bradford Yorke Yea and you behaued your selfe before the Counsel so stoutly at the
first that you would defend the Religion then and therfore worthely were you prisoned Brad. Your grace did heare me answere my Lord Chauncellour to that poynt Bradford imprisoned for thaâ— for which he had the lawes on his side But put case I had bene so stout as they and your Grace make it were not the lawes of the Realme on my side then Wherefore vniustly was I prisoned onely that which my Lord Chauncellour propounded was my confession of Christes trueth agaynst Transubstantiation and of that whiche the wicked do receaue as I sayd Yorke You deny the presence Brad. I do not to the fayth of the worthy receiuers Yorke Why what is that to say other The presence of Christes body to the fayth of the worthy receauer then that Christ lyeth not on the aultar Brad. My Lord I beleue no such presence Chichest It seemeth that you haue not read Chrisostome for he proueth it Brad. Hetherto I haue bene kept well inough without bookes howbeit this I doe remember of Chrisostome Hiperbolicall phrase of Chrisostome that he sayth that Christ lyeth vpon the aultar as the Seraphines with their tongues touche our lippes with the coales of the aultar in heauen which is an hyperbolicall loquution of whiche you know Chrisostome is full Yorke It is euident that you are to farre gone but let vs come then to the Church out of the whiche ye are excommunicate Brad. I am not excommunicate out of Christes Churche my Lord Bradford excommunicated with the poore blind man Iohn 9. although they which seeme to be in the Church and of the Church haue excommunicated me as the poore blinde man was Iohn 9. I am sure Christ receiueth me Yorke You do deceiue your selfe Here after much talke of excommunication at length Bradford sayd Brad. Assuredly as I thinke you did well to departe from the Romish church so I thinke ye haue done wickedly to couple your selues to it againe for you can neuer prooue it which you call the mother church to be Christes Church Chichest Ah M. Bradford you were but a child when this matter began I was a yong man and then comming froÌ„ the Uniuersitie I went with the world but I tell you it was alwayes against my conscience Brad. I was but a child then howbeit as I tolde you I thinke you haue done euill The Pope proued to be Antichrist by Scripturâ— For ye are come haue broght others to that wicked man which sitteth in the Temple of God that is in the church for it cannot be vnderstand of Mahomet or any out of the Church but of such as beare rule in the Church Yorke See how you build your fayth vpon such places of Scripture as are most obscure to deceyue your selfe as though ye were in the Church where you are not Brad. Well my Lord though I might by fruites iudge of you and others yet will I not vtterly exclude you out of the church And if I were in your case I would not condemne him vtterly that is of my faith in the Sacrament knowyng as you know that at the least 800. yeares after Christ as my L. of Duresme writeth What B. Tonstall writeth of Transubstantiation it was free to beleue or not to beleeue transubstantiation Yorke This is a toy that you haue found out of your own braine as though a man not beleuing as the church doth that is transubstantiation were of the church Chichest He is an heretike and so none of the Church that doth hold any doctrine against the definitioÌ„ of the church as a man to hold against transubstantiatioÌ„ Cyprian was no heretike though he beleued rebaptising of them which were baptised of heretikes because hee helde it before the church had defined it whereas if he had holden it after Note how these Bishops themselues do graunt that the time was when transubstantiationâ— was not defined by the Church Tonstall sayth it was more then 800 yeares after Christ. theÌ„ had he bene an heretike Brad. Oh my Lord wil ye condemne to the deuill any man that beleeueth truely the xij Articles of the fayth wherein I â—ake the vnitie of Christes Church to consist although in some points he beleeue not the definition of that which ye call the Church I doubt not but that he which holdeth firmely the Articles of our beliefe though in other thyngs he dissent from your definitions yet he shal be saued Yorke Chichester Yea sayde both the Byshops this is your Diuinitie Brad. No it is Paules which sayth that if they holde the foundation Christ though they build vpon him straw and stubble yet they shall be saued Yorke Lord God how you delite to leane to so hard and darke places of the Scriptures Chic I will shewe you how that Luther did excommunicate Zuinglius for this matter and so he read a place of Luther making for his purpose Brad. My Lord what Luther writeth as you muche passe not M. Bradford hangeth not of Luther Zuinglius or Oecolampadius yet he accompteth them good men no more do I in this case My fayth is not builded on Luther Zuinglius or Oecolampadius is this poynt and in deede to tel you truely I neuer read any of their works in this matter As for them I do think assuredly that they were and are Gods Children and Sayntes with hym Yorke Well you are out of y e Communion of the Church Brad. I am not for it consisteth and is in fayth Yorke Loe how make you your Church inuisible for you would haue the Communion of it to consist in fayth Brad. For to haue Communion with the Churche needeth no visiblenes of it Communion of the Church consisteth in fayth and not in visible ceremonyes Disagreing in rites breaketh no agreement in fayth Ireneus for Communion consisteth as I sayd in faith and not in exterior ceremonies as appeareth both by Paule which would haue one fayth and by Irenaeus to Uictor for the obseruation of Easter saying that disagreeing of fastyng shoulde not breake the agreeyng of fayth Chichester The same place hath often euen wounded my conscience because we disseuered our selues from the Sea of Rome Bradford Well God forgeue you for you haue done euill to bryng England thether agayne Yorke Here my Lord of Yorke tooke a booke of paper of common places and read a peece of Saint Austen contra Epistolam Fundamenti Aug. contra Epiâ—â— fundament how that there were many thinges that did holde S. Augustine in the bosome of the Churche consent of people and nations authoritie confirmed wyth myracles Consent of people Authority confirmed with miracles nourished with hope encreased with charity established with antiquitye Succession of Priestes The name Catholicke nourished with hope encreased with charitie established with antiquitie besides this there holdeth me in the Church sayth S. Augustine the succession of priests from Peters seate vntill this present Bishop Last of all the very name of Catholicke doth
remeÌ„ber that once you were as farre as a man might iudge of the Religion that I am of at this present 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 religiâ—â— with M. â—â—adford and I remember that you haue set forth the same earnestly Gladly therfore would I learn of you what thing it was that moued your conscience to alter and gladly would I see what thing it is that you haue sene sithen which you saw not before Pendleton Maister Bradford I doe not know wherefore you are condemned Bradford Transubstantiation is the cause wherfore I am condemned and because I denye that wicked men receyue Christes body wherein I woulde desire you to shewe me what reasons which before you knew not did moue your conscience now to alter For once as I sayd you were as I am in Religion Here mayster Pendleton halfe amazed began to excuse himselfe if it would haue bene as though he had not denied fully transubstantiation in deede although I sayde quoth he that the word was not in Scripture Pendleton belike would study out the reasons that moued him to alter for he had none ready to shew Euill men receiue not Christes body He must be in Christes body that must receiue Christes body and so hee made an endlesse tale of the thing that moued hym to alter but sayd he I wil gather to you the places which moued me and send you them And here he desired Bradforde that hee might haue a copye of that whiche he had sent to Mayster Weston the which Bradford did promise him Syme reasoning also they had whether euill men dyd receiue Christes body Bradford denying and Pendleton affirming Bradford sayd that they receiued not the spirit Ergo not the body for it is no 〈◊〉 carkas Hereto Bradford brought also S. Augustine how Iudas receiued Panem Domini and not Panem Dominum how that he muste be in Christs body which must receiue the body of Christ. But Pendleton went about to put it away with idem and not ad idem and how that in Corpore Christi was to be vnderstand of all that be in the visible Church with Gods elect Bradforde denyed this to be Saynt Augustines meaning and sayd also that the allegation of idem and not ad idem could not make for that purpose They talked more of Transubstantiation Pendleton bringing forth Cyprian The place of S. Cyprian expounded how the nature of bread is chaunged Cyprian expounded by Gelasius Panis natura mutatur c. And Bradforde sayde that in that place natura did not signify substaunce As the nature of an herbe is not the substaunce of it so the breade chaunged in nature is not to be taken for chaunged in substaunce For now it is ordeined not for the foode of the body simply but rather for the soule Here also Bradford alleadged the sentence of Gelasius Pendleton sayde that he was a Pope Yea sayd Bradford but his faith is my fayth in the Sacrament if ye would receiue it They reasoned also whether accidentia were res or no. If they be properly res sayde Bradford then are they substaunces and if they be substances they are earthly Pendleton driuen to say that accidences be substance then are there earthly substaunces in the Sacramen as Irenaeus sayth which must needes be bread But Pendleton sayde that the colour was the earthly thing and called it an accidentall substaunce I omitte the talke they had of my Lord of Canterbury of Peter Martyrs booke of Pendletons Letter layde to Bradfordes charge when he was condemned with other talke more of the Church whether Dic Ecclesiae was spokeÌ„ of the vniuersall Church or of a particular which PeÌ„dleton at the length graunted to bee spoken of a particulare Church also of vayne glory which he willed Bradford to beware of and such like talke A litle before his departing Bradford sayd thus Maister Doctor Bradford could heare no reason of the Papistes to infirme his opinion agaynst transubstantiation as I said to M. Weston the last day so saye I vnto you agayne that I am the same man in Religion agaynst Transubstantiation styll which I was wheÌ„ I came into prison for hitherto I haue sene nothing in any poynt to infirme me At which words Pendleton was something moued and said that it was no Catholicke doctrine Yes quoth Bradford and that wil I proue euen by the testimony of the Catholicke fathers vntill Concilium Lateranense or thereabout Thus Pendleton weÌ„t his way saying that he would come oftener to Bradford God our father be with vs all and geue vs the spirite of his truth for euer Amen The same day in the afternoone about fiue of the clock came Mayster Weston to Bradford and after gentle salutations he desired the company euery man to depart so they two sat downe And after that he had thanked Bradford for his writing vnto him he pulled out of his bosome the same writing which Bradford had sent him The writing is this that foloweth * Certayne reasons agaynst Transubstantiation gathered by Iohn Bradford and geuen to Doctour Weston and others 1. THat which is former sayth Tertullian is true that whiche is latter is false TransubstantiatioÌ„ not brought into the church before the yeare 1215. by Pope Innocentius 3. But the doctrine of transubstantiation is a late doctrine for it was not defined generally afore the Councel of Laterane about 1215. yeares after Christes comming vnder Pope Innocentius the thyrd of that name For before that time it was free for all men to beleue it or not beleue it as the Bishop of Duresme doth witnesse in his booke of the presence of Christ in his Supper lately put forth Ergo the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false 2. That the words of Christes supper be figuratiue the circuÌ„staÌ„ces of the scripture the Analogy or proportioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„tes Three reasons prouing the wordes of the Lordes supper to be figuratiue the senteÌ„ces of all the holy fathers which were did write for the space 1000. yeares after Christes Ascension do teach wherevpon it foloweth that there is no transubstantiation 3. That the Lord gaue to his Disciples bread and called it his body the very Scriptures do witnesse For he gaue that called it his body which he tooke in his handes wheron he gaue thankes which also he brake gaue to his Disciples that is to say bread as the fathers 1. Circumstances of Scripture 2. Proportion of Sacramentes 3. Testimony of olde Doctours The wine is not transubstantiateâ— Ergo neyther the bread Iraeneus Tertullian Origene Cyprian Epiphanius Augustine and all the residue which are of antiquity doe affirme but in as much as the substaunce of breade and wine is an other thing then the substance of the body bloud of Christ it plainely appeareth that there is no transubstantiation 4. The bread is no more transubstantiate then the wine but that the wine is not traÌ„substaÌ„tiate S. Mathew S. Mark
do teach vs for they witnes that Christ sayd that he would drinke no more of the fruit of the vine which was not bloud but wine and therfore it foloweth that there is no transubstantiation Chrysostome vpoÌ„ Mathew and S. Cyprian do affirme this reason 5. As the bread in the Lordes Supper is Christes naturall bodye so is it his mysticall body for the same spirit that spake of it This is my body The same spirit which sayeth This is my body sayth also We many are one bread and one body c. The words doe not transubstaÌ„tiate the cup into the new testament Ergo neyther the bread into the body did say also for we many are one bread one body c. but now it is not the mysticall body by transubstantiation and therfore it is not his naturall body by transubstantiation 6. The wordes spoken ouer the cup in S. Luke and Paule are not so mighty and effectuall as to transubstantiate it For then it or that which is in it should be transubstantiate into the new Testament therfore the wordes spoken ouer the bread are not so mighty as to make transubstantiation 7. All that doctrine which agreeth with those Churches whiche be Apostolicke mother Churches or originall churches is to be counted for truth in that it holdeth that which these Churches receiued of the Apostles the Apostles of Christ Christ of GOD. But it is manifest that the doctrine taughte at this present of the church of Rome concerning transubstantiation doth not agree with the Apostolicke and mother Churches in Grece of Corinthus The doctrine of the Church of Rome for transubstantiatioÌ„ agreeth not with the Apostles Church nor with the Greke Churches nor with the olde Romain church of Phillppos Colossia Thessalonica Ephesus which neuer taught transubstantiation yea it agreeth not with the doctrine of the Churche of Rome taught in times past For Gelasius the Pope setting forth the doctrine which that sea did theÌ„ hold doth manifestly confute the error of transubstantiation and reproueth them of the sacriledge which deuide the mistery and keepe from the Laity the cup Therefore the doctrine of transubstantiation agreeth not with the truth This was the writing which Weston pulled out of his bosome yet before he began to read it he shewed Bradford that he asked of his conuersatioÌ„ at CaÌ„bridge sithen his last being with him and quoth he Mayster Bradford because you are a man not geuen to the glory of the world I will speake it before your face Your life I haue learned was such there alwayes as all men euen the greatest enemyes you haue can not but prayse it and therefore I loue you much better then euer I did but now I will reade ouer your argumentes and so we will conferre them Such they are that a man may well perceiue you stand on coÌ„science therfore I am the more redy glad to pity you So he began to read the first to the which he sayd that though the word transubstantiatioÌ„ began but lately yet the thyng alwayes was and hath bene sithen Christes institution Brad. I do not contend or hang vpon the worde onely but vpon the thing which is as new as the word West Then went he to the seconde and there brought out S. Augustine The wordes of Austen guilefully wrasted by Weston how that if an euill man goyng to the deuill did make his will his sonne heyre would not say his father did lye in it or speak tropically much more Christ going to God did neuer lye or vse any figuratiue spech in his last wil and testament Do you not remember this place of S. Augustine sayd he Brad. Yes Syr but I remember not that S. Augustine hath those wordes tropicè or figuratiue as you rehearse theÌ„ for any man may speak a thing figuratiuely and lye not so Christ did in his last Supper West After this he went to the thyrd and brought foorth Cyprian howe that the nature of the bread is turned into flesh Here sayth he my Lord of Caunterbury expoundeth nature for quality by Gelasius the which interpretatioÌ„ serueth for the answere of your third argument y t Christ called bread his body that is the quality forme apperance of bread And further the Scripture is wont to call things by the same names whiche they had before Simon though he were called the leper yet he was seene to be no leper But bread is seene still to be bread and therfore hath his name not of that it was but of that it is Cyprian expounded by Gelasius as Symon the Leaper he was not so preseÌ„tly but because he had bene so Brad. Cyprian wrote before Gelasius therefore Cyprian must not expouÌ„d Gelasius but Gelasius Cyprian and so they both teach that bread remaineth stil. As for things hauing still the names they had is no aunsweare except you could shew that this nowe were not breade as easily as a man might haue known sene then Symon to haue bene healed and cleare from his Leprosye West After this he went to the fourth of the cup the which he did not fully read but digressed into a long talke of Cyprians Epistle De Aquarijs also of S. Augustine expounding the breaking of breade by Christ to his two Disciples going to Emaus to be the Sacrament with such other talk to no certaine purpose and therfore Bradford prayed him that in as much as he had written the reasons that stablished his fayth agaynst Transubstantiation Weston â—â—â—quired 〈◊〉 write 〈◊〉 reasonâ— so hee woulde likewise doe to him that is aunswere him by writing and shew him moe reasons in writing to confirme Transubstantiation Which Doctor Weston promised to do sayde that he would send or bring it to Bradford agayne within three dayes Thus when he had ouer read the argumentes here and there spokeÌ„ litle to the purpose for the auoiding of theÌ„ and Bradford had prayed him to geue him in writing hys aunsweres then he began to tell Bradford how and what he had done for Grimoald and how that Bradford neded not to feare any reproch or sclaunder he should suffer Grimoalâ— subscribeâ—â— meaning belike to haue Bradford secretly come to theÌ„ as Grimoald did for he subscribed Brad. Maister Deane I would not gladly that you should conceiue of me that I passe of shame of men simply in thys matter I rather would haue you to think of me M. 〈◊〉 playne aâ—â—firme in confessiâ—â— the truth as the very truth is that hitherto as I haue not sene nor heard any thing to infirme my fayth agaynst Transubstantiation so I am no lesse setled in it then I was at my coÌ„ming hither I loue to be playne with you and to tell you at the first as you shall finde at the last West In good fayth maister Bradford I loue you the better for your playnnes do not think otherwise of me but that you shall finde me playne in all my talke
with you Here Weston began to aske Bradford of his imprisonment and condemnation and so Bradford told him altogether how he had bene handled Whereat Weston seemed to wonder yea in playne wordes he sayd that Bradford had bene handled otherwise theÌ„ he had geueÌ„ cause so shewed Bradford how that my Lord of Bath reported that he had deserued a Benefite at the Queenes hande and at all the Counsell In this kinde of talke they spent an houre almost and so as one weery Bradford arose vp and Weston called to the Keeper and before him he bad Bradford be of good coÌ„fort and sayd that he was out of all perill of death Keeper Syr quoth the keeper but it is in euers mannes mouth that he shall dye to morow West Wherat Weston seemed halfe amazed and sayde hee would go say EueÌ„song before the Queene The vayâ—â— promiseâ— Weston speake to her in his behalfe But it is to be thought that the queene had almost supped at that preseÌ„t for it was past 6 of the clocke Brad. Before the Keeper Bradforde tolde Weston agayne that still he was one man and euen as he was at the first and till he should see matter to teach his conscience the coÌ„trary he sayd he must needes so continue Keeper The keeper desired Bradford to harken to maister Doctors counsell and prayd M. Doctour to be good vnto him and so after they had dronke together M. Doct. with most gentle wordes tooke his leaue for 3. dayes Now when he was gone the Keeper tolde Bradford that Mayster Doctour spake openly how that he sawe no cause why they should burne him Whiche sentence for the ambiguity of the meaning made him somewhat sory least he had behaued himselfe in any thing wherin he had gathered any conformablenes to them in theyr doctrine whyche God knoweth sayeth Bradforde I neuer as yet did God our father blesse vs as his children and keepe vs from all euill for euer Amen ¶ An other talke or conference betwene M. Bradford and Doctour Weston VPon the fifth day of April came M. Doctor Weston to the Counter about two of the clocke in the afternoone An other talke or conferencâ— betweene M. Bradfoâ—â— Doctoâ—â— Weston D. Weston withstandeth the Monkes comming into Weâ—â—â—minster who excused himselfe for being so long absent partlye by sicknes partly for that Doctour Pendleton tolde him that he would come vnto him and partly for that quoth he I withstood certayne Monkes whiche woulde haue come agayne into Westminster telling him moreouer howe that the Pope was dead also declared vnto him how he had spoken to the Queene in his behalfe and howe that death was not neare vnto him Weston Last of all he excused himselfe for not aunswering his argumentes agaynst Transubstantiation because my comming to day quoth he was more by fortune then of purpose Brad. I woulde gladly M. Doctor if it please you see your aunsweres to my argumentes Bradford argumenâ— not aunswered West Why you haue remeÌ„bred some thing what I spake to you when I was last with you Brad. No Syr. I neuer called them in maner to mynde sythen that tyme as well because I hoped you woulde haue written them as also for that they seemed not to be so materiall West In good fayth I can not see any other or better way for you then for to submit your self to the iudgement of the Church Brad. Mary so will I Syr if it so be by the church you vnderstand Christes Church West The Papists will not haue the church 〈◊〉 Lo you take vpon you to iudge the Church Brad No sir that do I not in taking vpon me to discerne I do not iudge the Church West Yes that you do and make it inuisible Brad. I do neither West Why who can see your Church Brad. Those Syr that haue spirituall eies wherwith they might haue discerned Christes visible conuersation here vpon earth The churche 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 Vnity Antiquitye Câ—â—â—ent 〈◊〉 Antiquitye Consent as well 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 as to Christes Church West Nay Christes Church hath three tokens that all meÌ„ may looke well vpon namely vnity antiquity consent Brad. These three may be as wel in euil as in good as wel in sin as in vertue as well in the deuils church as in gods church As for ensample Idolatry amongst the Israelites had all those three Chrysostome telleth plainely as you well know that the church is well known TantuÌ„modo per scripturas alonely by the scriptures West In good fayth you make your Church inuisible wheÌ„ you will haue it knowne alonely by the scriptures Brad. No Sir the Scriptures doe playnely set forth to vs the church that all meÌ„ may well enough therby know her if they liâ—t to looke West The Church is like a Tower or towne vpon a hill that all men may see Brad. True Syr all menne that be not blinde Uisible enough is the church but mens blindnes is great Impute not therfore to the Church 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 commeth in 〈◊〉 with his Antiquitye The church iâ— tyed to no place â—ut to the word that which is to be imputed to mens blindnes West Where was your Churche fourtye yeares agoe or where is it now except in a corner of Germany Brad. Forsoothe Syr the Churche of Christ is dispersed and not tyed to this or that place but to the word of God so that where it is there is Gods Churche if it be truely taught West Loe is not this to make the church inuisible poynt me out a Realme a hundred yeres past which mainteined your doctrine Brad. Syr if you will or would wel marke the state of the Church before Christes coÌ„ming The church is not alwaâ—s to be poynted out by realmes countries The Church in Helias 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 with it now as S. Paule and Peter willeth vs I thinke you woulde not looke for such shewes of the Churche to be made as to poynt it by Realmes You know that in Helias time both in Israell and els where Gods Church was not poyntable therfore cryed he out that he was left alone West No mary did not God say that there was 7000. whiche had not bowed theyr knees to Baal Loe then 7000. shew me seuen thowsande a hundred yeares agoe of your Religion Brad. Syr these 7000. were not knowne to men for then Helias would not haue sayde that he had bene left alone And it is plain enough by that which the text hath namely that God saith Reliqui mihi I haue reserued to me 7000. Marke that it sayth God saw the Church 〈…〉 himselfe did not 〈◊〉 so is 〈◊〉 God had reserued to hymselfe to his owne knowledge as I doubt not but a hundreth yeres agoe God had his 7000. in his proper places though men knew not therof West Well Mayster Bradford I will not make your case worse then for transubstantiation although I know that we agree not in other matters
it with our blouds For I thought this night that I had bene sent for because at a 11. of the clocke there was such rapping at the dore Then answered a mayd and sayd why theÌ„ I perceiue you were afrayd Brad. M. Bradford nothing afrayd of death Ye shall heare how fearefull I was For I considered that I had not slept and I thought to take a nap before I went and after I was a sleepe these men came into the next chamber and sang as it was tolde me and yet for all my fearefulnes I heard theÌ„ not therfore belike I was not afrayd that slept so fast Seru. Do you lacke any thing toward your necessity Brad. Nothing but your prayers I trust I haue them and you mine Seru. I saw a priest come to you to day in the morning Brad. Yea he brought me a letter from a Fryer and I am writing an answere Seru. Then we let you therefore the liuing God be wyth you Brad. And with you also and blesse you Seru. Amen sayd we and gaue him thankes departed M. Bradford had from the Counter to Newgate by night THus still in prison continued Bradford vntill the moneth of Iuly in such labors suffrings as he before alwayes had susteyned in prison But when the time of hys determined death was come he was sodeÌ„ly conueyed out of the Counter where he was prisoner in the night season to Newgate as afore is declared froÌ„ thence he was caried the next morning to Smithfield where he constantly abiding in the same truth of God which before he had confessed earnestly exhorting the people to repent to return to Christ sweetly comforting the godly yong springall of 19. or 20. yeares old which was burned with him chearefully he ended his paynefull life to liue with Christ. ¶ Iohn Leafe burnt with M. Bradford Iohn Leafe fellow Martyr with M. Bradford WIth whoÌ„ also was burnt one Iohn Leafe an appreÌ„tice to Humfrey Gawdy Tallow Chaundlor of the parish of Christs church in London of the age of 19. yeres and aboue borne at Kirkeby Moreside in the Countye of Yorke who vpoÌ„ the friday next before Palme sonday was coÌ„mitted to the Counter in Breadstreete Iohn Leafe of the parish of Christ church by the Alderman of that warde committed to prison by an Alderman of London who had rule charge of that warde or part of the City where the sayd Leafe did dwell After he coÌ„myng to examination before Boner gaue a firme Christian testimony of his doctrine profession answering to such articles as were obiected to him by the sayd Bishop First as touching his beliefe fayth in the sayd sacrament of the aultar Iohn Leafe examined before B. Boner The aunsweres of Iohn Leafe concerning his fayth in the Sacrament he answered that after y e words of consecration spoken by the priest ouer the bread wine there was not the very true naturall body bloud of Christ in substance and further did hold and beleue that the sayd sacrameÌ„t of the aultar as it is now called vsed beleued in this realme of EnglaÌ„d is idolatrous abhominable also sayd further that he beleued that after the words of coÌ„secration spoken by the Priest ouer the material bread and wine there is not the selfe same substance of Christes body bloud there coÌ„teined but bread wine as it was before and further sayd that he beleued that when the priest deliuereth the said material bread wine to the coÌ„municants he deliuereth but onely * Onely as touching the substance but not as concerning the effect thereof Auricular confession He meaneth after the Popish maner of remitting c. material bread and wyne and the communicants do receiue the same in remeÌ„brance of Christes death and passion and spiritually in fayth they receiue Christs body and bloud but not vnder the formes of bread and wine and also affirmed that he beleued auricular confession not to be necessary to be made vnto a priest for it is no poynt of soule health neither that the Priest hath anye authority geuen him by the Scripture to absolue and remit any sinne Upon these his answeres and testimony of his fayth he at that time being dismissed was bid the Monday next being the x. of Iune to appere again in the said place there and then to heare the sentence of his condemnatioÌ„ who so did At what time the foresayd Bishop propounding the sayd articles again to him as before assaying by al maner of wayes to reuoke him to his owne trade that is from truth to error notwithstanding all his perswasioÌ„s threates and promises found him the same man still so planted vpon the sure rocke of truth that no wordes nor deedes of men could remoue him Then the bishop after many wordes to and fro at last asked him if he had bene M. Rogers scholler Iohn Leaâ—e M. Rogeâ—â— scholler To whoÌ„ the foresayd Iohn Leafe answered agayne graunting him so to be and that he the same Iohn did beleue in the doctrine of the sayd Rogers and in the doctrine of Bishop Hooper Cardmaker and other of their opinion which of late were burned for the testimony of Christ and that he would dye in that doctrine that they dyed for And after other replications agayne of the Bishop mouing him to returne to the vnity of the Church he with a great courage of spirite answered agayne in these words My Lord quoth he you cal mine opinioÌ„ heresy it is the true light of the word of God and agayne repeating the same he professed that he would neuer forsake his stayed well grounded opinion while y e breath should be in his body Wherupon the Bishop being too weake eyther to refute his sentence or to remoue hys constancy proceeded consequently to read the Popish sentence of cruell condemnatioÌ„ Sentence read agaynst Iohn Leafe wherby this godly constant young man being coÌ„mitted to the secular power of the shiriffes there present was theÌ„ adiudged not long after suffered the same day with M. Bradford confirming w t hys death that which he had spoken and professed in his life It is reported of the said Iohn Leafe by one that was in the Counter the same time and saw the thing Iohn Leafe sealed the bill of his confessions with his bloud that after his examinations before the Bishop when two bils were sent vnto him in the CouÌ„ter in Bredstreet the one conteyning a recantation the other his confessions to knowe to which of them he would put to his hand first hearyng the Byll of recantation read vnto him because he coulde not read nor write hymselfe that he refused And when the other was read vnto him which he well liked of in stead of a pen he tooke a pinne and so pricking his hand sprinckled the bloud vpon the sayd bill willing the reader thereof to shew the Bishop that he had sealed the same
I haue preached before him It is Gods truth I haue taught It is that same infallible word whereof he sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The masse and such baggage as the false worshippers of God and enemies of Christes Crosse the Papistes I say haue brought in agayne The Masse is a poyson to the Church to poyson the Church of God withall displeaseth God highly and is abhominable in his sight Happy may he be whiche of conscience suffereth losse of life or goodes in dissalowing it Come not at it If God be God follow him If y e Masse be God let them that will see it heare or be present at it ComparisoÌ„ betweene the Lordes supper and the Masse go to the deuill with it What is there as God ordayned His supper was ordayned to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our fayth that his body was broken for vs his bloud shed for pardon of our sinnes but in the masse there is no receiuing but the pâ—iest keepeth all to himselfe alone Christ sayth Take eate No sayth the Priest gape peepe There is a sacrificing yea killing of Christ agayne as much as they may There is Idolatry in worshipping the outward signe of bread wyne there is all in Latine you cannot tell what he saith To conclude there is nothing as God ordeyned Wherefore my good mother come not at it Oh will some say it will hinder you Doubtes obiections aunswered Math. 19. if you refuse to come to masse and to do as other do But God wil further you be you assured as you shall one day find who hath promised to them that suffer hinderaunce or losse of anye thing in this world his great blessing here and in y e world to come life euerlasting You shall bee counted an hereticke but not of others then of heretickes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the Priestes but God wil that all they shall not be able to withstand you No body wil do so but you onely In deede no matter for â—ewe enter into the narrow gate which bringeth to saluation Howbeit you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and other my brothers and sisters to go with you therein but if they will not I your sonne in God I trust shall not leaue you an inche but go before you pray that I may geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffering for it is for your sakes to confirme the truth I haue taught How soeuer you do beware this letter come not abroad but into father Traues his handes For all this caueat yet this letter came to the Earle of Darbyes knowledge for if it should be knowne that I haue pen and inke in the prison then would it be worse with me Therfore to your selues keep this letter commending me to God his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his Gospel and Church sake Out of the Tower of London the sixt day of October 1553. My name I write not for causes you know it well enough Like the letter neuer the worse Commend me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. Howsoeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is no point either in hand or tongue rebell but rather if they coÌ„maund that which with good conscience you caÌ„not obey lay your head on the blocke and suffer what soeuer they shall do or say By pacience possesse your soules After the time that M. Bradford was condemned and sent to the Counter it was purposed of his aduersaryes as ye heard before that hee shoulde be had to Manchester where he was borne and there be burned Whereupon he writeth to the Cittye of London thinking to take his last Vale of them in this letter ¶ To the Citie of London TO all that professe the Gospell and true doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Cittie of London A fruitefull letter of M. Bradford 〈◊〉 the citye oâ— London Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of y e Lord now not onely in prison but also excommunicated condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine wisheth mercy grace peace with increase of al godly knowledge and pietie from God the father of mercy through the merites of oure alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Iesus Christ by the operation of the holy spirite for euer Amen My dearely beloued brethren in our Sauiour Christ although the tyme I haue to liue is very little for hourly I looke when I shoulde be had hence to be conueyed into Lankeshyre there to be burned and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God where I first receaued it by y e same prouidence and although the charge is great to keepe me from all things wherby I might signifie any thing to the world of my state yet hauing as now I haue pen inke through Gods working maugre the head of Satan and his souldiours I thought good to write a shorte confession of my fayth and thereto ioyne a little exhortation vnto you all to liue according to your profession First for my fayth I do confesse and pray all the whole Congregation of Christ to beare witnesse with me of the same that I do beleue constantly through the gift goodnes of God for fayth is Gods onely gifte all the 12. articles of the Symbole or Creede commonly attributed to the collection of the Apostles This my faythe I woulde gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple but alas by starts stealth I write in maner that I write and therfore I shall desire you all to take this breuitie in good part And this fayth I holde not because of the Creede it selfe but because of the word of God the which teacheth and confirmeth euery Article accordingly This worde of God written by the Prophetes and Apostles left and contayned in the Canonicall bookes of the whole Bible I do beleue to containe plentifully all thinges necessary to saluation so that nothing as necessary to saluation ought to be added thereto and therfore the Church of Christ nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine theÌ„ which hereout hath his foundation and ground In testimony of this fayth I render and geue my life being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his Catholicke and vniuersall Church here or els wherevppon earth as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation and Christes reall corporall and carnall presence in his supper vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine To beleeue Christ our Sauiour to be the head of hys Churche and kinges in their Realmes to be the supreme powers to whom euery soule oweth obedience and to beleue that
vsed in the church of England The vse and Sacrifice of the Latin Masse denyed he beleueth that there is no sacrifice in the sayde Masse and that there is in it no saluation for a christian man except it should be said in the mother toung that he might vnderstand it and coÌ„cerning the ceremonies of the Church he sayth and beleeueth that they be not profitable to a Christian man Item Auricular confession and absolution of the Priest reiected being examined concerning auriculare confession he answeareth that he hath and doth beleeue that it is necessary to goe to a good Priest for good counsaile but the absolution of the Priest laying his hand vppon any mans head as is nowe vsed is nothing profitable to a Christian mans saluation And further he sayth that he hath not ben confessed nor receiued the sacrament of the aulter since the coronation of the Queene that now is Item concerning the faith religion now taught setfoorth beleeued in the church of England he answeareth and beleueth that the faith and doctrine nowe taught setfoorth and vsed in the sayd Church of Englande is not agreable to Gods word And furthermore he sayth The fayth of the Church of England in Quene Maryes tyme reproued that bishop Hooper Cardmaker Rogers other of their opinion which were of late burned were good christian men did preach the true doctrine of Christ as he beleeueth and sayth that they did shed theyr bloude in the same doctrine which was by the power of God as he sayth beleeueth And further being examined saith y t since the Quenes coronation he hath had the Bible and Psalter in English red in his house at Brighthamsted diuers times and likewise since hys comming into Newgate but the Keeper hearing thereof did take them awaye and sayeth also that about a twelue moneth now past he had the English procession sayd in his house with other English praiers Iueson Launder and Veisâ—e imprisoned for hearing the Gospell And further sayeth that Thomas Iueson Iohn Launder and William Ueisey being prisoners with hym in Newgate were taken with this examinat in his house at BrighthaÌ„sted as they were hearing of the gospel then read in English a litle before Alhollowne day last past and brought to the Court and being examined thereuppon by the Counsaile were committed by them to prison in Newgate The confession of Iohn Launder before Boner bishop of London IOhn Launder husbandman of the Parish of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey of the age of xxv yeres Iohn Launder his confession borne at Godstone aforesayde being examined doth confesse and say that about two dayes next before Allhollonâ—ide nowe last past this Examinate and one Diricke Caruer Thomas Iueson William Ueisie with diuers other persons to the number of twelue being all together in their prayers and saying the seruice in English set foorth in the time of King Edwarde the sixte in the house of the sayde Diricke situate at Brighthamsted in Sussex were apprehended by one maister Edwarde Gage and by him sent vppe hether to London to the Kinge and Queenes Counsaile and by them vpon his examination committed to Newgate where he with his said other felowes hath euer since remained in prison And further being examined he doeth confesse and say that the occasion of his comming to the sayde Brighthamsted The cause of the apprehensioÌ„ of Iohn Launder was vpon certaine busines there to be sped for his father and so being there and hearing that the saide Diricke was a man that did much fauour the Gospel this Examinate did resorte to his house and companye whome before that time hee did neuer see or know and by reason of that hys resorte hee was apprehended as before And further doth confesse and beleeue that there is heere in earth one whole and vniuersall Catholicke Churche whereof the members he dispersed through the world and doth beleue also that the same Church doeth set foorth and teache onely two Sacraments videlicet the Sacrament of Baptisme Two Sacramentes onely and the Sacrament of the Supper of our Lord. And who soeuer doth teach or vse any more Sacraments or yet any ceremonies he doth not beleeue that they be of the Catholicke Churche but doth abhorre them from the bottome of his heart And doth further say and beleue that all the seruice Ceremonyes abhorred sacrifices and ceremonies now vsed in thys Realme of England yea in all other partes of the world whych ben vsed after the same maner be erroneous and naught contrary to Christes institution and the determination of Christes Catholicke church whereof he beleeueth that he him selfe is a member Also hee doeth confesse and beleeue that in the Sacrament The reall presence of Christs body vnder the formes of bread and wine denyed nowe called the sacrament of the aultar there is not really and truly contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the very naturall body and bloude of Christe in substaunce but his beliefe and faith therein is as followeth Videlicet that when he doth receiue the material bread and wine he doeth receiue the same in a remembrance of Christes death and passion and so receiuing it he doth eate and drinke Christes body and bloude by faith and none other wayes as he beleeueth And moreouer he doth confesse say and beleue that the Masse now vsed in the Realme of Englande The Masse abhominable or els where in all Christendome is nought and abhominable and directly against Gods worde and his Catholicke Churche and that there is nothing sayd or vsed in it good or profitable For he saith that albeit the gloria in excelsis the Creede Sanctus Pater noster Agnus and other partes of the Masse bene of themselues good and profitable yet the same being vsed amongest other things that be naught and superfluous in the Masse the same good things do become nought also as he beleeueth Auricular confession not necessary Also he doth beleeue and confesse that Auriculare confession is not necessary to be made to any Priest or to anye other creature but euery persone oughte to acknowledge confesse hys sinnes onely to God and also that no person hath any authority to absolue any man froÌ„ his sinnes and also beleeueth that the right and true way according to the Scripture after a man hathe fallen from grace to sinne to arise to Christe againe is to be sorie for his offences to doe the same or the like no more and not to make any auricular confession of them to the priest either to take absolution for them at the Priests handes All whyche hys sayde opinions hee hathe beleeued by the space of these seuen or eight yeares past and in that time hath diuers and many times openly argued and defendeth the same as hee sayeth c. Articles obiected by Boner Bishop of London against Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder 1. FIrste I doe obiect against
you and euery of you that yee and euery of you Articles layd to Diricke Caruer anâ— Iohn Launder beinge within the sayde prisone of Newgate and within this sayde Citie of London are of my iurisdiction being Bishoppe of London and subiecte vnto the same offending and trespassing wythin the sayd prison and Citie in matters of Religion and concerning the Catholicke faith and beliefe of the Churche in any wise 2. Item I doe obiect against you and euery of you that yee and euery of you Sacramentes of pennance and of the aultar since your first comming and entring into the sayde prisone and during your abode there bothe there and in sundry places wythin this Citie and Dioces of London haue holden maintained and defended sundry opinions against the Sacraments of the Church especially against the Sacrament of penance and also against the Sacrament of the aultar 3. Item I do likewise obiect that yee and euery of you in all or in some of the said places Reall presence haue as concerning the sacrament of the aultar holden mainteined and defended to the best of your power that in the sayde sacrament of the aultar there is not the very substaunce of the body bloud of our Sauiour Christ but that in the Sacrament there is onely the substaunce of naturall breade and wine and no other substaunce The Latin Masse 4. Item I do likewise obiect that you and euery of you in all or some of the said places haue concerning the masse in Latine nowe vsed in the Church and the sacrifice of the same holden maintained and likewise defended that the sayde Masse is not good or profitable and that there is no sacrifice in the same Ceremonyes 5. Item I do likewise obiect that you and euery of you in all or some of the places haue concerning y e ceremonies of the Church holden mainteined and likewise defended that the saide ceremonies are not profitable to a Christian man but hurtfull and euill Auricular confession 6. Item I do likewise obiect that you and euery of you in all or some of the sayd places haue concerning the Sacrament of penaunce holden mainteined and likewise defended that auricular confession being a part thereof albeit it may be made vnto a good Priest for counsaile yet the absolution of the Priest laying hys hand vpon any mans heade and doing as is nowe vsually done in the Churche is nothing profitable to any mans saluation that therefore yee neither haue bene confessed to the Priest after the vsuall maner of the Churche nor yet receiued the sayd Sacrament of the aultar since the coronation of the Queenes Maiestie whyche is more then the space of one yeare and a halfe 7. Item I do likewise obiect The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Churâ—â— Englaâ—â— that ye and euery of you in all or some of the sayd places concerning the faith and religion now taught set foorth vsed and beleued in the church of this Realme of Englande and the doctrine of the same haue holden beleeued and sayde that it is not agreeable to Gods woord but cleane contrary to the same 8. Item I do likewise obiect that ye and euery of you in all or some of the sayd places haue beleued spoken sayd Defenâ—â— of Hooper Cardmaâ—â—â— Rogerâ— and to your power vpholden mainteined sayd that byshop Hooper Cardmaker Rogers and others of theyr opinion which of late wythin this realme were burnte for heresie were good Christian men in speaking and holding against the said Sacrament of the aultar and that they did preache nothing but the true doctrine of Christe shedding their bloud for the maintenance of the sayd doctrine 9. Item I do likewise obiect that yee and euerye of you haue earnestly laboured and traueiled to the best and vttermost of your power English serâ—uice to haue vp againe the English seruice and the Communion in all poyntes as was vsed in the latter daies of king Edward the sixt here in this realm of Englande 10. Item I do likewise obiecte that ye and euery of you haue thought and doe thinke firmely and stedfastly Defeâ—â—â— the 〈◊〉 vsed 〈◊〉 Edwâ—â—â— tyme and so haue and do beleeue that the faith religion doctrine setfoorth in the 〈…〉 of the foresaid king Edward was in all poyntes 〈…〉 godly containing in it the true Faith and Religio◠〈…〉 in euery part 11. Item 〈…〉 likewise obiect and say that ye and euery of you for your misbelief offence transgression and misbehauiour in the premisses and for that also that you wold not come to your seuerall parish churches and heare your diuine seruice there as other Christian people did and do but absent your selfe from the same and haue your priuate seruice in your houses especiallye in the house of Diricke Caruer were sent vp vnto the King and Queenes Maiesties priuie counsaile and by them or some of them sente afterward vnto the prison of Newgate aforesayd hauing thereby their authoritie remained as prisoners during all the time ye haue bene there 12. Item I do likewise obiect and say that I the sayd byshop of London If theâ—◠〈◊〉 to death 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 why 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 it If it 〈◊〉 lawfull why doe 〈◊〉 so at 〈…〉 was commaunded by the authority of the sayd Counsaile to make processe against you and euery of you so that it was not my procuring or searching that yee should be commaunded or called before me in this matter of heresie but partly your owne demerites and partly the sayde commandement enforced me to cal and send for you to make aunsweare heerein and heereof to shewe you the sayde letters Their answeres to the Articles VPon Monday being the sayd tenth day of Iune these two persons with others were brought by the keper vnto the bishops Consistorie as it was before commaunded at one of the clocke in the after noone where the Byshop first beginning with the sayde Diricke Caruer caused his confession with the Articles and Aunsweres to be openly read vnto him which order he kept at the condemnation of euery prisonner asking hym whether he would stand to the same To whom the sayd Diricke answeared that he would for your doctrine quoth hee is poyson and Sorcerie If Christe were heere you would put him to a woorse death then he was put to before You say that you can make a God ye can make a pudding as well The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 Boner Your Ceremonies in the Churche be beggery and poyson And farther I say that auricular confession is contrary to Gods word and very poyson wyth diuers other such woordes The Bishop seeing this constancie that neyther hys accustomed flatteries nor yet his cruell threatnings could once moue this good man to encline to their idolatry pronounced his vsuall and general blessing as well towards this Diricke as also vppon the sayde Iohn Launder although seuerally Who after the like manner of processe vsd with him remained in
approued by the Scriptures and doctors and consent of all ages vnto this present time To the entent therfore that the contrary may appere the people may see how far they haue herin bene beguiled we will here Christ willing make a litle stay in our story examine this foresayd article by true antiquity and course of historyes to try whether it be a doctrine old or new Now therfore for y e better discussing of y e matter let vs first orderly and distinctly aduise the wordes of the Article The article of the sacraâ—ment conâ—â—â—steth in 〈◊〉 partes the contents of which Article consist in 2 parts or meÌ„bers In the first whereof is noted to vs a presence of a thynge which there was not before In the secoÌ„d is noted a priuation or absence of a thing which there before was present The presence is noted by these wordes of the Article where is said that in the blessed Sacrament by the words pronounced is present the naturall body and bloud of our Sauior vnder y e formes of bread and wine so that in these wordes both the sacrament the naturall body is imported necessaryly to be preseÌ„t For els how can y e natural body of Christ be present in the Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine Tâ—â— things present in 〈…〉 that repreâ—â—â—teth the thing represented if the Sacrament there were not preseÌ„t it selfe or how can a thing be sayd to be in that which is not there Wherfore by these wordes both the Sacrament and also the body must necessaryly haue theyr beyng and presence the one being in the other And this presence both of the Sacrament and of the body being rightly taken may right well stand together the Sacrament to the outward eyes and mouth of man the body of Christ to the inward eyes of fayth and mouth of the soule And therefore touching these prepositions in thys Article In and Vnder if question be asked in what is the body of Christ In Vnder it may be well aunswered in the Sacrament to the eyes of our fayth like as the outward sacrament is also present to the outward eyes of the body Agayne if the question be asked vnder what is the body of Christ it may be well aunswered vnder the formes of bread and wine so as the Doctors did take the formeâ—â— to meane the outward elements and natures of the Sacrament and not the accidences The preseÌ„ce of the naturall body of Christ well expounded may be graunted in the sacrament Absence of bread in the sacrament The article of the sacrameÌ„t agreeth not with it selfe The body of Christ can not be in the Sacrament of his bâ—dy And thus to the first part of the article beyng well expounded we do assent and confesse the same to haue bene the true Catholick opinion approued by the auncient Doctors and consent of all times euen from the first institutioÌ„ of this Sacrament But as concerning the second member or part of y e article which taketh away all presence and substance of bread from the Sacrament to that we say that first it standeth not with theyr owne article Secondly that it standeth not with the doctrine of Scripture Thirdly that it standeth not with antiquity but is meerly a late iâ—â—â—ention And first that it agreeth not with theyr owne Article it is manifest For whereas in the former part of their article they say that the naturall body of Christ is present in the blessed Sacrament vnder the formes of bread wine how can the naturall body of Christ be present in the Sacrament if there remayne no sacrament or howe can any sacrameÌ„t of y e body remayne if there remayne no substauÌ„ce of bread which should make the sacrament For how can the body of Christ be in that thing which is not or how caÌ„ the sacrament of the body haue any being where the substance of bread hath no being The accideÌ„ces of the body cannot be the sacrament of Christes naturall body For first that the body it selfe can not be the sacrament of the body it is euident of it selfe Secondly that the accideÌ„ces of bread without the substance of bread can not be any Sacrament of Christes body certayne it is and demonstrable by this argument Argumentum a definitione Sacramentes if they had no similitude with the thinges which they represent they were no Sacraments Aug. ad Boâ—â—â— epist. 23. Ca A sacrament is that beareth a similitude of that thing wherof it is a Sacrament mest Accidences bere no similitude of that thing which is there signified res Ergo Accidences can in no wise be a Sacrament Wherfore vpon this argument being thus concluded vpon the same this also must nedes folow The resemblaunce betwene the Sacrament and the body of Christ consisteth in this that as the bread drinke â—â—ne nouryshmâ—t to our outward life so the body bloud of Christ doe nourishe vnto spirituall 〈◊〉 The Popish 〈…〉 stand togeather ¶ Argument Da In the Sacrament of the Lordes body the thing that representeth must nedes beare a similitude of the thing represented ti The substance of bread in the Sacrament is onely that whiche beareth the similitude of Christes body j. Ergo the substaunce of bread must needes be in the Sacrament And therfore by this demonstratioÌ„ it is apparant that these ij partes in the Article aforesayd are euil couched together wherof the one must nedes destroy the other For if the first part of the Article be true that the naturall body of Christ is present in the Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine and seing the Sacrament wherein the body of Christ is present must nedes be the substance of bread and not the accidences onely of bread as is aboue proued then the substance of bread can not be euacuated from the Sacrament and so the second member of the Article must nedes be false Or if the second part be true that there is no substaunce of bread remayning and seing ther is nothing els to make the sacrament of the naturall body of Christ but onely the substaunce of bread for as much as the accidences of bread can make no SacrameÌ„t of Christes body as is aboue shewed then taking away the substance of bread the first paâ—t of the article must needes be false which sayth that the naturall body of Christ is present in the sacrament forasmuch as the substance of bread being euacuated there remaineth no Sacrament wherin the body of Christ should be preseÌ„t 2. Secondly The article of transubstantiatioÌ„ disagreeth from the scripture that it disagreeth from the whole order and course of the scriptures it is sufficiently explaned before in the treatise of Iohn Lambert vpon the Sacrament pag. 1099. as also in other suÌ„dry places in this volume besides 3. Thirdly that the sayd Article of transubstantiation is no auncient nor authentike doctrine in the church publickly receiued but rather is a nouelty
Ministers the whiche do wish vnto you the grace of God and constancy in the truth Concerning the state of our Church it remayneth euen as it was when you departed from vs into your countrey God graunt we may be thankfull to him and that we doe not onely professe the faith with wordes but also expresse the same effectually with good workes to the praise of our Lord. The word of God increaseth dayly in that part of Italy that is neare vnto vs and in Fraunce In the meane while the godly sustaine greeuous persecutions and with great constancy and glory through tormentes they goe vnto the Lord. I and all my houshold with my sonnes in law and kinsmen are in good health in the Lord. They doe salute you and pray for your constancie being sorrowfull for you and the rest of the prisoners There came to vs Englishmen Studentes both godly and learned They be receaued of oure Magistrate Tenne of them dwell together the rest remayne here and there with good men Amongest the other Mayster Thomas Leuer is deare vnto me and familiar If there be anye thing wherein I may doe any pleasure to your wife and childreÌ„ M. Tho. Leuer they shall haue me wholly at commaundement whereof I will write also to your wife for I vnderstand shee abideth at Franckford Be strong and mery in Christ wayting for his deliraunce when and in what sort it shall seeme good vnto hym The Lorde Iesus shewe pittie vppon the Realme of Englande and illuminate the same with his holy Spirite to the glorye of his name and the saluation of soules The Lorde Iesus preserue and deliuer you from all euill with all them that call vpon hys name Farewell and farewell eternally The 10. of October 1554. From Zurich You know the hand H.B. The history of D. Rouland Taylour which suffered for the truth of Gods word vnder the tyranny of the Romayne Byshop .1555 the 9. day of February THe towne of Hadley was one of the first that receaued the worde of God in all Englande at the preachinge of M. Thomas Bilney Hadly towne commended Thomas Bilney By whose industrye the Gospell of Christ had such gracious successe and took such root there that a great number of that parishe became exceeding wel learned in the holye scriptures as well women as men so that a man might haue found among them many that had often read the whole Bible through and that coulde haue saytâ— a great part of S. Paules epistles by hart and very wel readily haue geuen a godly learned sentence in any matter of controuersie Their children and seruantes were also brought vp and trayned so dilligently in y e right knowledge of Gods worde that the whole towne seemed rather an Uniuersitie of y e learned then a town of Cloth-making or labouring people And that most is to be commended they were for the more part faythfull followers of Gods word in their liuing In this towne was D. Rouland Taylor Doctour in both the Ciuill and Canon lawes D. Taylour a Doctour in both lawes and a diuine and a right perfect Diuine parson Who at his first entring into his benefice did not as the common sort of beneficed meÌ„ do let out his benefice to a Farmar that should gather vp the profites and set in an ignoraunt vnlearned Priest to serue the Cure so they may haue the fleece litle or nothing care for feeding the flocke But contrarily he forsooke the Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Cranmer Thomas Cranmer Archb. of Canterâ—ury with whome he before was in housholde and made hys personal abode and dwelling in Hadley among y e people coÌ„mitted to his charge Where he as a good shepheard abiding and dwelling among has sheepe A good shepheard and his conditions gaue himself wholly to the study of holy scriptures most faythfull endeuouring himselfe to fulfill that charge which the Lord gaue vnto Peter saying Peter louest thou me Iohn 2. Feede with worde Feede my Lambes Feede my sheepe Feede my sheepe This loue of Christ so wrought in him that no Sonday nor holy day passed nor other time when he might get the people together Anno 1555. February but he preached to them the worde of God the doctrine of their saluation Not onely was his worde a preaching vnto them but all his lyfe and conuersation was an example of vnfayned christian life and true holynes He was voyde of all pride humble Feede with example and meeke as any childe so that none were so poore but they might boldly as vnto their father resorte vnto him neither was his lowlines childish or fearefull but as occasion time and place required he would be stout in rebuking the sinfull and euill doers so that none was so rich but he would tell him playnely his fault with such earnest and graue rebukes as became a good Curate and Pastor He was a man very milde voyde of all rancour grudge or euill will ready to do good to all men readely forgeuing his enemies and neuer sought to do euil to any To the poore that were blinde lame sicke bedred or that had many childreÌ„ Feede with almes he was a very Father a carefull patrone and diligent prouider in so much that he caused the parishioners to make a generall prouision for theÌ„ and he himselfe beside the continuall reliefe that they alwayes found at his house gaue an honest portion yearely Commendation of Doct. Taylours wife and his children to the common almes boxe His wife also was an honest discrete and sober matrone and his children well nourtred brought vp in the feare of God and good learning To conclude he was a right and liuely image or paterne of all those vertuous qualities described by S. Paule in a true Byshop a good salt of the earth sauourly biting the corrupt maners of euill men a light in Gods house set vpoÌ„ a Candlesticke for all good men to imitate and folow Thus continued this good Shepeheard among hys flocke gouerning and leading them through this wildernes of the wicked world all the dayes of the most innocent and holy King of blessed memory Edward the vj. But after it pleased God to take King Edward from this vale of misery vnto his most blessed rest The Papistes and their naturall workes the Papistes who euer sembled and dissembled both with King Henry the eight and king Edward his sonne now seing the time conuenient for their purpose vttered their false hypocrisie openly refusing all good reformation made by the sayd two most godly Kings and contrary to that they had all these two Kings dayes preached taught written and sworne they violently ouerthrew the true doctrine of the Gospell and persecuted with sword and fire all those that would not agree to receaue againe the Romaine Byshop as supreme head of the vniuersall Church and allow all the errours superstitions and idolatries that before by Gods worde were disproued and iustly condemned as
though nowe they were good doctrine vertuous and true Religion In the beginning of this rage of Antichrist a certayne Petigentleman after the sort of a Lawyer called Foster being Steward and keeper of Courtes Foster a lawyer and Ioh. Clerke of Hadley two notorious Papistes a man of no great skil but a bitter persecutour in those daies with one Iohn Clerke of Hadley which Foster had euer bene a secrete fauourer of all Romish Idolatry coÌ„spired w t the said Clerke to bring in the Pope his maumentry againe into Hadley Church For as yet Doct. Taylour as a good shepheard had retained and kept in his Church the godly Churchseruice and reformation made by king Edward most faithfully and earnestly preached against the popish corruptions which had infected the whole countrey round about Therefore the foresayde Foster and Clerke hyred one Iohn Auerth Iohn Auerth a right popishe Priest Person of Aldam a very money Mammonist a blinde leader of the blinde a Popish Idolatour and an open Aduouterer and whoremonger a very fit Minister for their purpose to come to Hadley and there to geue the onset to begin againe the Popish Masse To this purpose they builded vp with all haste possible the aultar entending to bring in their Masse agayn about the Palme Monday Marke how vnwillingly the people were to receiue the papacy agayne But this their deuise tooke none effect for in the night the aultar was beaten down Wherefore they built it vp againe the second time and layde diligent watch least any should againe breake it downe On the day following came Foster and Iohn Clerke bringing with them their Popish Sacrificer who brought with him all his implements and garmentes to play his Popish Pageant whome they and their men garded with swords and buklers least any man should disturbe him in his Missall Sacrfice When Doctour Taylour who according to hys custome sate at his booke studying y e word of God D. Taylours custome â—o study heard the bels ring he arose and went into the Churche supposing some thing had bene there to be done according to his Pastorall office and comming to the Churche he founde the Church dores shut and fast barred sauing the Chauncell dore which was onely latched Where he entring in and comming into the Chauncell Masse brought inâ—to Hadley with swoâ—â— and bucklers D. Taylor rebuked thâ— deuill The Papiâ—â— call al thâ— trumpery 〈◊〉 the Quenâ— proceedinâ— For you must remâ—â—â—ber that Antichrist rayneth by an others arme and not by hyâ— owne poâ—â—er Read Daniell 〈◊〉 the king 〈◊〉 faces the 〈◊〉 chapter D. Tayloâ— here playeth a righâ— Elias 3. Râ—â— 18. saw a Popishe Sacrificer in his robes with a broad new shauen crown ready to begin his Popish sacrifice beset rouÌ„d about with drawne swords and bucklers lest any maÌ„ should approch to disturbe him Then said Doctour Taylour Thou Deuill who made thee so bold to enter into this church of Christ to prophane and defile it with this abhominable Idolatry Wyth that start vp Foster and with an irefull and furious countenaunce sayd to Doctour Taylour thou Traytour what doest thou heere to let and disturbe the Queenes proceedings Doctour Taylour aunswered I am no traytour but I am the shepheard that God my Lord Christ hath appointed to feed this his flocke wherfore I haue good authoritie to be here I command thee thou popish Wolfe in the name of God to auoyd heÌ„ce and not to presume here with such a Popish Idolatry to poyson Christes flocke Then said Foster wilt thou traytourly hereticke make a commotion resist violently the Queenes proceedings Doctour Taylour answered I make no coÌ„motion but it is you Papistes that maketh commotions and tumults I resist onely with Gods word agaynst your Popish Idolatries which are against Gods word y e Queenes honor tend to y e vtter subuersioÌ„ of this realme of England And further thou doest against the Canon law which coÌ„mandeth that no Masse be said but at a consecrate aultar When the Parson of Aldam heard that hee began to shrinke backe would haue left his saying of Masse TheÌ„ start vp Iohn Clerke and said M. Auerth be not afrayd ye haue a * Super alâ—tare is a stone conâ—â—â—crated by the bishoâ— commonlâ— of a footâ—â— long 〈◊〉 the Papiâ—â— cary in 〈◊〉 of an 〈◊〉 when thâ— masse for money in gentlemâ—â— houses The Papâ—â—â— argumenâ— wherewiâ—â— they mainâ—tayne the doctrine Sap. 2. Superaltare Go forth with your busines man Then Foster with his armed meÌ„ tooke Doctour Taylour and led him with strong hand out of the Church and the Popish Prelate proceeded in his Romishe Idolatry Doct. Taylours wife who folowed her husband into the Church when she saw her husband thus violently thrust out of his Church she kneeled downe held vp her haÌ„ds and with loude voyce sayd I beseeche God the righteous Iudge to auenge this iniury that this Popish Idolatour this day doth to the bloud of Christ. Then they thrust her out of the Church also and shut to the dores for they feared that the people woulde haue rent their Sacrificer in peeces NotwithstaÌ„ding one or two threw in great stones at the windowes and missed very little the popish masser Thus you see how without consente of the people the Popishe Masse was agayne set vp wyth battayle aray with swordes and buckelers with violence and tyranny which practise the Papistes haue euer yet vsed As for reason lawe or Scripture they haue none on their parte Therefore they are the same that saith The law of vnrighteousnes is our strength Come let vs oppresse the righteous without any feare c. Within a day or two after with all haste possible this Foster and Clerke made a complaint of Doctour Taylour by a letter written to Steuen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester and Lord Chauncellour When the Byshop heard this he sent a letter missiue to Doct. Taylour commaunding him within certaine daies to come and to appeare before him vpon his allegiance D. Tayloâ— cited by a letter misâ—siue to aunswere such complayntes as were made against him When Doctour Taylours frends heard of thys they were exceeding sory and agreeued in minde which then foreseing to what end the same matter would come seeing also all truth and iustice were troden vnder foote and falsehode with cruell tyranny were set aloft and ruled all the whole route his frendes I say came to him and earnestly counselled him to departe and flye alledging and declaring vnto him D. Tayloâ— frendes would 〈◊〉 him to fly that he could neyther be indifferently heard to speake his conscience and mind nor yet looke for iustice or fauour at the sayd Chauncellours handes who as it was well knowne was most fierce and cruell but must needes if he went vp to him wayte for imprisonment and cruell death at his hands Then sayd D. Taylour to his frends Deare frendes The valiaâ—â— courage of D. Tayloâ— in Christes cause
it was aunswered hym by the vndermarshals officers of the Kinges Benche that there was none such hee entred into the house and tooke acquayntance of Iohn Bradford saying Thomas Hussey commeth to Bradford that he would coÌ„mon and speake with him the nexte morning for olde acquayntance The next morning about 7. of the clocke this gentleman came into the chamber wherein Iohn Bradford dyd lye and being with him hee began a long Oration how that of loue olde acquayntaÌ„ce he came vnto him to speak that whiche he woulde further vtter Counsell of M. Hussey geuen to Bradford You did sayd he so wonderfully behaue your selfe before the Lord Chauncellour and other Bishops yesterday that euen the veriest enemyes you haue did see that they haue no matter agaynst you therefore I aduise you speaking as though it came of his owne good will without making any other man priuy or any other procuring hym as he sayd this day for anone you shall be called before them again to desire a time and men to conferre withal so shall all men thinke a wonderfull wisedom grauity and godlines in you and by this meanes you shall escape present dauÌ„ger which els is nearer then you beware of To this Iohn Bradford aunswered Bradford refuseth to require respite I neither can nor will make any such request For theÌ„ shall I geue occasion to the people to all other to thinke that I doubt of the Doctrine which I confesse the whiche thing I do not for therof I am most assured and therefore I will geue no such offence As they were thus talking the chamber doore was vnlocked and Doctour Seton came in who when hee sawe Mayster Hussey D. Seton commeth to Mayster Bradford what Syr quoth he are you come before me O Lord sayd Bradforde in his hart to God goeth the matter thus This man tolde me no man knew of his comming Lorde geue me grace to remember thy Lesson Cauete ab hominibus illis Hussey taken with a lye Beware of those men c. Caste not your pearles before dogges for I see these menne be come to hunt for matter that the one may beare witnes with the other Seton Counsell of D. Seton geuen to M. Bradford Doctour Seton after some by talke of Bradfordes age of his country such like began a gay and long sermoÌ„ of my Lord of Canterbury M. Latimer and M. Ridley and howe they at Oxforde were not able to aunswere any thing at all and that therefore my Lord of Canterbury desired to confer with the Bishop of Duresme and others al which talke tended to this end that Iohn Bradford should make the like sute being in nothing to be coÌ„pared in learning to my Lord of Canterbury Brad. To this Iohn Bradford briefly answered as he did before to Mayster Hussey Seton With this aunswere neither the Doctour nor Gentleman being coÌ„tented after many perswasions M. Doctour sayd I haue heard much good talke of you The flatteâ—ring commendatioâ— of D. Setoâ— to Maysteâ— Bradford and euen yesternight a Gentleman made report of you at the Lorde ChauÌ„cellors table that ye were able to perswade as much as any that he knewe And I though I neuer hearde you preach to my knowledge neuer did I see you before yesterday yet me thought your modesty was such your behauior and talke so without malice and impacience that I would be sory ye should do worse then my selfe And I tell you further I do perceiue my Lorde Chauncellour hath a fantasy towardes you wherfore be not so obstinate but desire respite and some learned man to conferre withall c. Brad. But Iohn Bradforde kept still one aunswere I can not nor I will not so offende the people I doubt not M. Bradford refuseth to askâ— respite to conferre vpon his doctrine but am most certayne of the doctrine I haue taught Seton Here Mayster Doctoure waxed hoate and called Bradford arrogant proud vayneglorious and spake like a Prelate Brad. But Bradforde aunsweared beware of iudgyng least ye condemne your selfe But styll Mayster Doctour Seton vrged him shewing hym how mercifull my Lorde Chauncellour was and how charitably they enterteyned hym Brad. I neuer sawe any iustice muche lesse loue Litle iustiâ—â—â— lesse loue appeareth in the Bishop of winchester I speake for my part quoth Bradford in my Lorde Chauncellor Long haue I bene vniustly imprisoned and handled in the same vncharitably now my Lord hath no iust matter agaynst me This talke serued not the Doctors purpose wherefore he went froÌ„ matter to matter froÌ„ this point to that poynt Bradford still gaue him the hearing and aunswered not for he perceiued that they both did come but to fish for som such thinges as might make a shew that my Lord ChauÌ„cellor had iustly kept him in prison When all theyr talke took no such effect as they would or looked for Mayster Hussey asked Bradford M. Bradford refuseth to admit conference but vpon conditions will ye not admit conference if my Lord Chauncellour should offer it publickely Brad. Conference if it had bene offered before the law had bene made or if it were offered so that I might be at liberty to conferre and as sure as he with whom I should conferre then it were something but els I see not to what other purpose conference should be offered but to defer that which will come at the length and the lingering may geue more offeÌ„ce then do good Howbeit if my Lord shall make such an offer of his owne motion I will not refuse to conferre with whom so euer he shall appoynt Mayster Doctour hearing this called Bradford arrogant proud and whatsoeuer pleased him D. Seton â—ayleth agaynst M. Bradford Then Bradford perceiuing by them that he shoulde shortly be called for besought them both to geue him leaue to talke with God and to beg wisedome and grace of him for quoth he otherwise I am helpelesse and so they with much add departed Then Bradford went to God made his prayers whiche the Lorde of his goodnesse dyd graciously accept in his need praised therfore be his holy name Shortly after they were gone Bradforde was lead to the foresayd church and there taryed vncalled for till eleuen of the clocke that is till Mayster Saunders was excommunicated * The effect and summe of the last examination of Iohn Bradford in the Church of S. Mary Oueryes AFter the excommunication of Laurence Saunders Iohn Bradford was called in The last examination of M. Bradford beyng brought in before the Lord Chauncellour and other the Bishops there sitting the Lord Chauncellour began to speake thus in effect that Bradford being now eftsoones come before them would answere with modesty and humility The effect of Winchesters talke with M. Bradford and conforme himselfe to the Catholicke Churche with them and so yet he might finde mercy because they would be loth to vse extremity Therefore he concluded
with an exhortation that Bradford would recant his doctrine After the Lorde Chauncellor had ended his long Oration Bradforde began to speake thus As yesterday I besought your honours to set in your sight the Maiesty and presence of God to followe him which seeketh not to subuert the simple by subtle questions so I humbly beseech euery one of you to do this day M. Bradfordes aunâ—swâ—re to Winchester for that you know well enough that guiltles bloud wil cry for vengeance And this I pray not your Lordships to do as one that taketh vpon me to condemne you vtterly herein but that ye might bee more admonished to do that which none doth so muche as he should doe For our nature is so much corrupt that wee are very obliuioâ—s and forgetâ—ull of God Agayne as yesterday I pretended mine othe and othes agaynst the Byshop of Rome that I shoulde neuer conâ—ent to the practysing of anye iurisdiction for him or on his behalfe in the realme of England so do I agayn this day least I should be periured And last of all as yesterday the aunsweres I made were by protestation and sauing mine othe so I would your honors should knowe that mine aunsweres shall be this day and this I do that when death which I look for at your hands shall come I may not be troubled with the guiltines of periury L. Chaunc At which wordes the Lord Chauncellour was wroth and sayd that they had geuen him respite to deliberate till this day whether he would recant his errours of the blessed Sacrament which yesterday quoth he before vs you vttered Brad. My Lord you gaue me no time of any such deliberation neither did I speake anye thing of the Sacrament which you did disalow For when I had declared a preseÌ„ce of Christ to be there to fayth you went froÌ„ that matter to purge your selfe that you were not cruell and so went to dynner L. Chaunc What I perceiue we must beginne all agayne with thee Did not I yesterday tell thee playnely that thou madâ—st a coÌ„science where none should be Did not I make it playne that the oth against the Bishop of Rome was an â—â—â—awfull oth Brad. No in deed my Lord You sayd so but you proued it not yet nor neuer can do L. Chaunc Oh Lord God what a felowe art thou Thou wouldest go about to bring into the peoples heades that we all the Lordes of the parliament house the Knyghtes and Burgesses and all the whole realme be periured Oh what an heresy is this here good people you may see what a senceles heretick this fellow is If I should make an oth I would neuer help my brother nor lend him mony in his need Winchesters 〈…〉 no poynt 〈◊〉 were this a good aunswere to tell my neighbour desiring my helpe that I had made an oth to the contrary O that I could not do it Brad. Oh my Lord discerne betwixt othes that be against charity and fayth and othes that be according to fayth and charity as this is agaynst the byshop of Rome Chaun Here the Lord Chauncellor made much ado and a long time was speÌ„t about othes which were good which were euill he captiously asking often of Bradford a direct aunswere concerning othes which Bradford woulde not geue simply but with a distinction Wherat the Chauncellor was much offended but Bradforde still kept him at the bay that the oth agaynst the Bishop of Rome was a lawful oth vsing thereto the Lord Chauncellors owne booke de vera Obedientia for confirmation At the length they came to this issue who shoulde bee Iudge of the lawfulnes of the othe and Bradford sayd the word of God according to Christs word Ioh. 12. My word shall iudge and according to the testimony of Esay and Mithe that Goddes worde comming out of Ierusalem shall geue sentence among the Gentiles By this word quoth Bradford my Lord I will proue the othe agaynst the byshop of Romes authority to be a good a godly and a lawfull othe So that the Lord Chauncellor left his holde and as the other day he pretended a deniall of the queenes authority and obedience to her highnes so did he now But Bradford as the day before proued that obedieÌ„ce in this poynt to the Queenes highnesse if she should demaund an othe to the Bishop of Rome being denied was not a * generall deniall of her authority and of obedience to her no more quoth he theÌ„ the sale gift or lease of a piece of a mans inheritaunce proueth it a sale gift or lease of the whole inheritaunce And thus much ado was made about this matter The Lord Chauncellour talking much and vsing many examples of debt of going out of the Towne to morow by oth and yet tarying till Friday and suche like Whiche trifling talke Bradford did touch saying that it was a wonder his honor weyed conscience no more in this and would be so earnest in vowes of Priestes Mariages made to bishops and be careles for solemne othes made to God to Princes Summa this was the end The Lord Chauncellor sayd the Queene might dispense with it and didde so to all the whole Realme But Bradford sayd that the queenes highnes could do no more but remitte her right as for the othe made to God she could neuer remit forasmuch as it was made vnto God L. Chaunc At which wordes the Lord Chauncellour chased wonderfully and sayd that in playne sence I sclaundered the Realme of periury And therefore quoth he to the people you may see how thys felow taketh vpon him to haue more knowledge and conscience M. Bradford imprisoned without a cause then all the wise meÌ„ of England and yet he hath no conscience at all Brad. Well my Lorde let all the standers by see who hath conscience I haue bene a yere and an halfe in prison Now before al this people declare wherfore I was imprisoned or what cause you had to punish me You sayd y e other day in your owne house my Lord of London witnessing with you that I tooke vpon me to speake to the people vndesired There he sitteth by you I meane my Lorde of Bathe which desired me himselfe for the passioÌ„ of Christ M. Bradford neaâ—e slayne in the pulpit with the dagger throwen against M. Bourne I would speake to the people Upon whose words I commyng into the Pulpite had like to haue bene slayne with a dagger which was hurled at him I thinke for it touched my sleeue He then prayd me I would not leaue him I promised him as loÌ„g as I liued I would take hurt before him that day and so went out of the pulpit and entreated with the people at length brought him my selfe into an house Besides this in the afternoone I preached in Bowe church and there going vp into the Pulpit one willed me not to reproue y e people M. Bradford ieoparded his lyfe