by our faith so freely to iustify vs they leauing this Iustification by faith set vp other markes partly of the lawe partly of their owne deuising for men to shoote at And here commeth in the manifest and manifolde absurdities of the B. of Romes doctrine which here the Lorde willing we will rehearse as in Catalogue here following Errours and absurdities of the Papists touching the doctrine of the Law and of the Gospel 1. THey erroniously conceiue opinion of saluation in the law which only is to be sought in the faith of Christ Errours in the Popes doctrine coÌ„cerning the doctrine of the lawe and in no other 2. They erroneously do seke Gods fauor by works of the law not knowing that the law in thys our corrupt nature worketh only the anger of God Rom. 3. 3. They erre also in this that where the office of the lawe is diuers and contrary from the Gospel they without any difference 〈…〉 of God iâ— tâ—e popes 〈…〉 onely 〈…〉 This aâ—ticle 〈…〉 Goâ—pell to euery creâ—ture He that 〈…〉 But they preach as â—â—ough Christ 〈…〉 Goe pâ—each the law to euery creature This aâ—ticle is contâ—ary to the pâ—ace Rom. 8. Tâ—at wâ—ich the lawe coulde not peâ—forme in the behalfe of our weake flesh c. Rom. 8. Thâ—s article repâ—gneth against 〈◊〉 place Gal. 2. 〈◊〉 it righteousnes come by the lawe tâ—en Chrâ—st dyed in vaine Tâ—â—s article sauâ—reth oâ— the pâ—ice of the Pharisâ—y which said I am not like this Pâ—blicane This article re pugneth agayâ—st this place They 〈…〉 greeuous to 〈◊〉 and lay theâ— on mens shoulde â— Maâ— 23. 〈◊〉 to you 〈…〉 which for the 〈…〉 the Commaundementes of God coÌ„found the one with the other making the gospel to be a law and Christ to be a Moses 4. They erre in deuiding the law vnskilfully in 3. partes into the law naturall the law morall and the lawe Euangelicall 5. They erre againe in deuiding the lawe Euangelicall into precepts and counsailes making the precepts to serue for all men the counsailes onely to serue for them that be perfect 6. The chiefe substance of all their teaching and preaching resteth vpon the works of the law as may appear by theyr religion which wholy consisteth in mens merites traditions lawes canons decrees and ceremonies 7. In the doctrine of saluation of remission and iustification either they admixt the lawe equally with the Gospel or els cleane secluding the Gospel they teache and preache the law so that litle mention is made of the faith of Christ or none at all 8. They erre in thinking that the lawe of God requireth nothing in vs vnder paine of damnation but onely our obedience in externe actions as for the inwarde affections and concupiscence they esteeme but light matters 9. They not knowing the true nature and strength of the lawe do erroneously imagine that it is in mannes power to fulfill it 10. They erre in thinking not onely to be in mans power to keepe the law of God but also to performe more perfect workes then be in Gods law commanded and these they call the workes of perfection And heereof rise the workes of supererogation of satisfaction of congruitie and coÌ„dignitye to store vp the treasurehouse of the Popes Churche to be solde out to the people for money 11. They erre in saying that the state monasticall is more perfect for keeping the Counsailes of the Gospell then other states be in keping the law of the Gospell 12. The counsailes of the Gospell they call the vowes of theyr religious men as profound humilitie perfect chastitie and wilfull pouertie 13. They erre abhominably in equaling their laws constitutions with Gods law and in saying that mans lawe bindeth vnder paine of daÌ„nation no lesse then Gods law 14. They erre sinnefully in punyshing the transgressours of their lawes more sharply then the transgressours of the law of God as appeareth by their Inquisitions and theyr Canon lawe c. 15. Finally they erre most horribly in this that where the free promyse of God ascribeth our saluation onely to oure faith in Christ excluding woorkes they contrary ascribe saluation onely or principally to workes and merites excluding faith Wherupon riseth the applicatioÌ„ of the sacrifice of the Masse Ex opere operato for the quicke and deade application of the merites of Christes passion in Bulles application of the merites of all religious orders and such other moe aboue specified more at large in the former part of this history about the pag. 21.22 c. ¶ Here follow three cautions to be obserued and auoided in the true vnderstanding of the Law The first caution FIrst that we throughe the misunderstanding of the Scriptures do not take the law for the Gospel Three Cautions to be auoyded coÌ„cerning the right vnderstanding of the lawe nor the Gospel for the law but skilfully discerne and distincte the voyce of the one from the voyce of the other Many there be which reading the booke of the new Testament doe take and vnderstand whatsoeuer they see contained in the sayd boke to be only and meerely the voyce of the gospel And contrariwise whatsoeuer is contained in the coÌ„passe of the old Testament that is within the law stories Psalmes and Prophets to be only and merely the worde and voyce of the law wherein many are deceiued For the preaching of the law of the Gospel are mixed together in both the Testaments as wel the old as the new Neither is the order of these two doctrines to be distincted by bookes and leaues but by the diuersitie of Gods spirite speaking vnto vs. The voice of the Gospell sometymes soundeth in the olde Testament For sometimes in the olde Testament God doth comfort as he comforted Adam with the voyce of the Gospell Sometimes also in the newe Testament he doth threaten and terrifie as when Christ threatned the Phariseis In some places againe Moses and the Prophets play the Euangelists In so much that Hierome doubteth whether he should call Esay a Prophet or an Euangelist In some places likewise Christe and the Apostles supply the part of Moses The voice of the lawe sometymes is vsed in the new Testament And as Christ himselfe vntill hys death was vnder the law which law he came not to breake but to fulfill so his Sermons made to the Iewes for the most part runne all vpon the perfect doctrine and workes of the law shewing and teaching what we ought to doe by the righte lawe of Iustice and what danger insueth in not performing the same Al which places though they be contained in the booke of the new Testament What places of the Scripture are to be referred to the law what to the Gospell Math. 5. yet are they to be referred to the doctrine of the lawe euer hauyng in them included a priuie exception of repentaÌ„ce and faith in Christ Iesus As in example where Christ thus preacheth Blessed be they that be pure of heart
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
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
the Sacrament yet in all other states of doctrine they did accord as appeared in the Synode holdeÌ„ at Marpurge by prince Philip Lautgraue of Hesse which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1529. where both Luther and Zuinglius were present and conferryng together agreed in these Articles 1. On the vnitie and Trinitie of God The consent betweene Luther and Zuinglius in cases of doctrine 2. In the Incarnation of the word 3. In the passioÌ„ and resurrection of Christ. 4. In the Article of Originall sinne 5. In the Article of Fayth in Christ Iesu. 6 That this fayth commeth not of merites but by the gift of Cod 7. That this fayth is our righteousnesse 8. Touchyng the extreme word 9. Likewise they agreed in the Arricles of Baptisme 10. Of good workes 11. Of coÌ„fession 12 Of Magistrates 13. Of mens traditioÌ„s 14. Of Baptisme of infantes 15. Lastly concernyng the doctrine of the Lordes Supper this they did beleue and hold first that both the kyndes therof are to be ministred to the people accordyng to Christes institution and that the Masse is no such worke for the which a maÌ„ may obteine grace both for the quick and the dead Item that the Sacrament which they call of the altar is a true Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord. Item that the spirituall manducation of his body and bloud is necessary for euery Christen man And furthermore that the vse of the Sacrament tendeth to the same effect as doth the word geueÌ„ and ordeyned of the almightie God that thereby infirme consciences may be stirred to belefe by the holy Ghost c. Ex Paral. Abbat Vrsp. In all these summes of doctrine aboue recited Luther and Zuinglius did consent and agree Neither were their opinions so differeÌ„t in the matter of the Lordes Supper but that in the principall pointes they accorded For if the question be asked of them both what is the materiall substaunce of the Sacrament which our outward senses doe behold and feele they will both confesse bread and not the accidents onely of bread Further if the question be asked whether Christ be there present Luther Zuinglius agree in the presence only in the maner of the presence they diffâ—â— they will both confesse his true presence to be there onely in the manner of presence they differre Agayn aske whether the materiall substauÌ„ce layd before our eyes in the Sacrament is to be worshypped they will both deny it and iudge it Idolatry And likewise for transubstantiation and for the sacrifice of the Masse they both do abhorre and do deny the same As also the CommunioÌ„ to be in both kyndes administred they do both assent and graunt Onely their difference is in this concernyng the sense and meanyng of the wordes of Christ How wherein Luther and Zuinglius dissent in doctrine of the Lordes supper Luthers opinion in the SacrameÌ„t Zuinglius opinion in the Sacrament Hoc est corpus meum This is my body c. Which wordes Luther expoundeth to be taken nakedly and simply as the letter staÌ„deth without trope or figure and therfore holdeth the body and bloud of Christ truely to be in the bread and wine and so also to be receaued with the mouth Uldricus Zuinglius with Ioannes Oecolampadius and other moe do interprete these wordes otherwise as to be taken not litterally but to haue a spirituall meanyng to be expounded by a trope or figure so that the sense of these wordes This is my body is thus to be expouÌ„ded this signifieth my body and bloud Ex Ioan. Sled Lib. 5. With Luther coÌ„sented the SaxoÌ„s Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 5. With the other side of Zuinglius went the Heluetians And as tyme did grow so the diuision of these opinions increased in sides spread in farther Realmes and countreys the one part beyng called of Luther LutheriaÌ„s Lutherians Sacramentariâ—â— the other hauyng y e name of Sacramentaries NotwithstaÌ„dyng in this one vnitie of opinion both the Lutherians Sacramentaries do accorde agree Ex Paralip Abb. Vrsp. that the bread wine there present is not traÌ„substantiate into the body bloud of Christ as is sayd but is a true Sacrament of the body bloud But hereof sufficient touchyng this diuision betwene the Lutherans and Zuinglians In which diuisioÌ„ if there haue bene any defect in Martin Luther yet is that no cause why either the Papistes may greatly triuÌ„ph or why the Protestantes should despise Luther For neither is the doctrine of Luther touchyng the SacrameÌ„t so grosse that it maketh much with the Papistes nor yet so discrepaunt froÌ„ vs that therfore he ought to be exploded And though a full reconciliation of this difference caÌ„ not well be made as some haue gone about to do yet let vs geue to Luther a moderate interpretation if we will not make thinges better yet let vs not make them worse theÌ„ they be Lutherians and Zuinglians differ more in charitie then in doctrine let vs beare if not with the maner yet at least with the tyme of his teachyng and finally let it not be noted in vs that we should seeme to differre in Charitie more as Bucer sayd then we do in doctrine But of this hereafter more Christ willyng when we come to the history of Iohn Frith They which write the lyfe of Saintes vse to describe and to extoll their holy lyfe godly vertues and also to set forth such miracles as be wrought in them by God Wherof there lacketh no plenty in Martin Luther but rather time lacketh to vs and oportunitie to tary vpon them hauyng such hast to other things Otherwise what a miracle might this seeme to be for one man a poore Frier creepyng out of a blynd cloyster to be set vp agaynst the Pope the vniuersall Bishop and Gods mighty Uicare in earth to withstand all his Cardinals yea and to susteine the malice and hatred almost of the whole worlde being set against him and to worke that against the said Pope Cardinals and Church of Rome A notable miracle of God to ouerthrow the Pope by a poore Fryer which no King nor Emperour could euer do yea durst neuer attempt nor all the learned men before him could euer compasse Which miraculous worke of God I recount nothing inferiour to the miracle of Dauid ouerthrowing great Goliath Wherfore if miracles do make a Sainct after the Popes definition what lacketh in Martin Luther but age and tyme only to make him a Sainct who standing openly against the Pope Cardinals and prelates of the Church in number so many in power so terrible in practise so craftie hauing Emperours and all the Kings of the earth against him who teaching and preaching Christ the space of nine and twenty yeares could without touch of all his enemies so quietly in his owne countrey where he was borne die and sleepe in peace Three miracles noted in M. Luther In
about their affaires Ex Ioan. Sledano â—ib 16. c Thus hard was the king against them notwithstanding sayeth Sleydan that he the yere before had receaued from the sayde his subiectes of Merindoll a confession of their faith and doctrine The Articles whereof were that they according to Christian faith confessed first God the father creator of all things The sonne the onely Mediatour and Aduocate of mankinde The holy spirite the comfortour and instructour of all truth They confessed also the Church which they acknowledged to be the felowship of Gods elect wherof Iesus Christ is the head The ministers also of the Churche they did allowe wishing that such which did not their duety should be remoued And as touching Magistrates they grauÌ„ted likewise the same to be ordeined of God to defend the good The confession faith of the Waldenses in Merindoll to punish the transgressours And how they owe to him not loue onely but also tribute and custome and no man herein to be excepted euen by the example of Christ who paied tribute himselfe c. Likewise of Baptisme they confessed the same to be a visible and an outwarde signe that representeth to vs the renuing of the spirite and mortification of the members Furthermore as touching the Lordes Supper they sayde and confessed the same to be a thankesgeuing and a memoriall of the benefite receaued through Christ. Matrimonie they affirmed to be holy and instituted of God and to be inhibited to no man That good workes are to be obserued exercised of all men as holy Scripture teacheth That false doctrine which leadeth men away from the true worship of God ought to be eschewed Briefly and finally the order and rule of their faith they confessed to be the olde and newe Testament protesting that they beleeued all such things as are contained in the Apostolike Crede Desiring moreouer the King to geue credite to this their declaratioÌ„ of their faith so that whatsoeuer was informed to him to the contrary was not true and that they would well prooue if they might be heard And thus much concerning the doctrine and confession of the Merindolians out of Sleidan and also concerning their descent and ofspring from the Waldenses * The Historie of the persecutions and warres against the people called Waldenses or Waldois in the valleis of Angrongne Luserne S. Martin Perouse and others in the countrey of Piemont from the yere 1555. to the yere of our Lord. 1561. Persecutours Martyrs The Causes The Parliament of Thurin The President of S Iulian. Iacomell Monke an Inquisitour Monsieur de la Trinitie The Gentlemen of the Valleyes Charles Truchet Boniface Truchet The Collaterall of Corbis The Collateral de Ecclesia The Duke of Sauoy Monkes of Pigneroll and many other moe enemies of God and ministers of Sathan The Martirs of the valley of Angrogne The Martyrs of the valley of Luserne The Martyrs of S. Martin The Martyrs of Perouse and others In the couÌ„trey of Piemont From the yeare 1555. vnto 1561. TO procede now further in the persecution of these Waldois Persecution in the valley of Angrongne Luserne S. Martin Perouse in Piedmont or Waldenses you haue herd hitherto first how they deuiding themselues into diuers Countreis some fled to Prouince and to Tolouse of whom sufficient hath bene sayd Some went to Piedmont and the valley of Angrogne of whom it foloweth now to entreat God willing Thus these good men by long persecution being driuen from place to place were grieuouslye in all places afflicted but yet could neuer be vtterly destroied nor yet compelled to yeelde to the superstitious and false religion of y e church of Rome but euer absteined from theyr corruption and Idolatrie as much as was possible gaue themselues to the worde of God as a rule both truely to serue him and to directe their liues accordingly They had many bookes of the old and new Testament translated into their language Theyr Minysters instructed them secretely to auoyd the furye of theyr ennemies whyche could not abide the light all be it they did not instruct theÌ„ wyth suche puritie as was requisite They liued in great simplicity and with the sweate of theyr browes They were quiete and peaceable among theyr neighbors absteining from blasphemy and prophaning of y e name of God by othes and such other impietie from lewde games dauncing filthy songes and other vices and dissolute life and coÌ„formed their life wholy to the rule of Gods word Their principal care was alwaies that God might be rightly serued and his woorde truely preached In so muche that in our time when it pleased God to set forth the light of his gospel more clearely they neuer spared any thing to establish the true and pure ministery of the worde of God and his Sacraments Which was the cause that Sathan with his ministers did so persecute them of late more cruelly then euer he did before as manifestly appeareth by the bloudy horrible persecutions which haue bene not onely in Prouince against those of Merindol Cabriers also against them of Prage and Calabria as the histories afore written doe sufficiently declare but also against them in the Countrey of Piedmont remaining in the Ualley of Angrongne and of Lucerne and also in the Ualley of S. Martine and Perouse in the sayd countrey of Piedmont Whych people of a long time were persecuted by the Papists and especially within these fewe yeares they haue bene vexed in such sort and so diuersly that it seemeth almost incredible and yet hathe God alwayes miraculously deliuered them as heereafter shall ensue Albeit the people of Angrongne had before this time certaine to preach the word of God and minister the sacramentes vnto them priuately yet in the yeare of our Lorde 1555. in the beginning of the moneth of August the Gospel was openly preached in Angrongne The ministers and the people entended at the first to kepe themselues still as secrete as they mighte but there was suche concourse of people from al parties that they were compelled to preach openly abroad For this cause they built them a Church in the mids of Angrongne where assembles were made and Sermons preached It happened about that time that one Iohn Martin of Briqueras a mile froÌ„ Angrongne which vaunted euery where The iust haÌ„d of God vpon Iohn Martin a persecutor that he wold slit the ministers nose of Angrogne was assaulted by a Wolfe which bitte of hys nose so that he died thereof madde Thys was commonly knowen to all the townes thereabout At this season the French king helde these foresaid valleis they were vnder the iurisdiction of the Parliament of Thurin In the ende of DeceÌ„ber folowing newes was brought that it was ordeined by the sayd Parlament that certaine horsemen and footemen should be sent to spoil and destroy Angrongne Whereuppon some whych pretended great freÌ„dship to this people counselled theÌ„ not to goe forward with their enterprise but
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
that he seeth no cause in this title why any maÌ„ should be offended that the King is called head of y e Church of EnglaÌ„d rather then of y e Realme of England and addeth his reason therunto saieng If the Prince King of England be the head of hys kingdome that is of all English men that be his subiects is there any cause why the same English subiects shoulde not be subiect to the same head likewise in this respect because they are Christians that is to say for the title of godlynes as though that God which is the cause of all obedience should now be the cause of Rebellion At length thus he concludeth with an exclamation sayeng To say sayth he that a King is the head of the kingdome and not of the Church what an absurde and a foolish sayeng is this And farther adding for example the subiection of the seruaunt and wife The king is as well the head of the Church as of his kingdome If the seruaunt saith he be subiect to his maister or wife to her husbaÌ„d being infidels doth their conuersion afterwarde or name of Christians make them lesse subiects then they were before As Religion therefore doth not alter the authoritie of the Maister ouer the seruaunt nor the husband ouer the wife no more sayeth he doth it betweene the Prince and subiects Paule making no exception nor distinction of subiection saue only of that which belongeth to God willeth all men to obey their Princes and what Princes Those Princes which beare the sworde And although wee bee bound by the Scripture to obey our Byshops and spirituall Pastours of the Church yet that obedience diminisheth nothing the chiefe and head authoritie that ought to be giuen to the Prince no more then the obedience of the seruant to his Maister or of the wife to her husband exempteth them from subiection due to their superiour powers And heerewithall he inferreth a principle of the Lawe Diuers Iurisdictions saith he proceeding from one person do not marre nor hinder themselues A rule of the lawe but rather do confirme and fortifie one another Wynchesters wyshe that â—he Pope â—ere Peters succesâ—or Argument The pâ—erogatiue was geueÌ„ to him which confessed Flesh bloud in Peter did not confesse Christ. Ergo the prerogatiue was not geuen to the flesh and bloud of Peter Againe where as the Bishop of Rome vnder the name of Peter doth appropriate to himselfe the highest place in the Church for that he is the successour of Peter thereunto he aunswereth in one word but in that one word he answereth enough and to the ful I would saith he he were for so in very deede he might well exceede passe all kings and princes if not in prehemineÌ„ce of dignitie yet in admiration excellency of vertue In which kinde of superioritie the Lord Christ would his Apostles and Ministers to go before all Kings and Emperours in the whole world After this in prosecuting the argument of Peters confession he argueth thus and sayth That as flesh and bloud did not reuele to Peter that confession so neither was that prerogatiue giuen to the fleshe and bloud of Peter but to the better part that is to the spirit of Peter whiche is to meane in respect of the spirituall confession of Peter and not in respect of any carnall place or person c. Item if the scholer ought not to be aboue the mayster how then could either Peter take that vppon him which Christ his maister so constantly did refuse or how can the Byshop of Rome now clayme that by succession whereof no example is to be founde either in the head or his predecessor before him For so we read in Eusebius both of Peter Iames Iohn that they did arrogate no such primacie vnto them but were conteÌ„t that Iames surnamed Iustus should be the Byshop of the Apostles And as for the name and signification of the word Primatus i. primacie if it be taken for the first nomination Primatus or Primacie what it signifieth or the first place giuen so he grauÌ„teth that Peter had the preferment of the first name and place in the order of the Apostles But it foloweth not that with this primacie he had also a kyngdome giuen He sayeth confirme thy bretheren but not thy subiectes And though hee were byd of the Lord to confirme his brethren yet was he not byd to exercise an imperie vpon his brethren for so were they not his brethren but his subiectes Then Peter was Primus that is first or chief in the number of them which confessed Christ Primus Primatus 1. Primacie meaneth as much as the first standing in vocation and is the name of vertue not of power it is not to be denyed For first he confessed first he taught the Iewes first he stoode in defeÌ„ce of the veritie and was the first and chief Prolocutor amongest them but yet that maketh not that he should therfore vendicate a generall primacie and rule ouer all other states and potestates of the world no more then Apelles because hee is noted the first and chief of all Paynters therfore he ought to beare rule ouer all Painters or because the Uniuersitie of Paris is nominate for the first and chief of other Uniuersities shall therefore the French kyng and all other Princes in their publicke administratioÌ„ wherein they are set of God become subiectes and vnderlynges to that Uniuersitie Thus after many other reasons and persuasions conteined in the sayd booke De obedientia for I do but superficially skimme ouer the toppe only of his probations and argumentes finally in the end of his peroration he coÌ„cludeth the whole summe of his mynde in this effect first denying that the Bishop of Rome had euer any such externe iurisdictioÌ„ assigned to him absolutely from God to reigne ouer Kynges and Princes For the probation wherof he hath alledged sufficiently as hee sayth the examples and doynges of Christ him selfe whiche ought to be to vs all a sufficient document And as concernyng the terme of Primacie albeit it be vsed sometyme of the Fathers yet the matter beyng well considered and rightly expounded maketh nothing for the large dominion of the Byshop of Rome whiche now he doth vsurpe Also as for the prerogatiues graunted vnto Peter by the whiche prerogatiues our Sauiour would crowne his owne giftes giuen vnto him crownyng not the flesh and bloud of Peter but the marueilous testimony of his confession all this maketh nothyng for the Popes purpose Likewise as concernyng the locall succession of Peter y e Pope hath nothyng thereby to clayme SuccessioÌ„ of Peter If he will be successour of Peter he must succeede him in fayth doctrine conditions in so doyng he neither will neither yet shall neede to seeke for honour but shall be honored of all good men accordyng as a good man should be and that much more then he beyng a good man would require And
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
Aidanus Ceadda king Ulferus Oswius Elfreda King Oswys daughter Kineburga Hilda Botulphus Edeldreda King Oswald Edgar Erkenewaldus Bishop Ethelwoldus Bishop of Winchester Osketellus Archbishop of Yorke Oswaldus Bishop of Worcester Leswinus Byshop of Dorcester Dunstane and diuers other The end and final cause why they were builded appeareth in stories to be The ende and cause of building religious houses pro remissione redemptione peccatorum pro remedio liberatione animae pro amore coelestis patriae in eleemosinam animae in remissionem criminum pro salute Regnorum pro salute requie animarum patrum matrum fratrum sororum nostrarum parentum omnium benefactorum in honorem gloriosae Virginis c. As may appeare in auncient histories in olde Charters and donations vnto religious houses and in the Chronicle of Ingulphus as also all other stories be full of the same So King Ethelstane for killing his brother Edwyne builded two Monasteries The damnable doctrine and institutions of religious sectes and orders Midleton and Michelneye for his soule page 152. Which doctrine and institution for so much as it tendeth and soundeth directly against the foundation of Christian religion against the TestameÌ„t of God the Gospel of Iesus Christ the freedome of our redemption and free iustification by fayth it is therfore to be condeÌ„ned as execrable and horrible as euil or worse then the life of the persons and not only worthy to be suppressed to the foundation but to be maruelled rather that God woulde suffer it to stand so long Gods conâ—â—nual plaâ—â—â—gaynst Moâ—â—steryeâ— Albeit Gods mighty vengeance and scourge hath not ceased from time to time to worke againste suche impious foundations from the time of theyr first setting vp For besides the inuasions of the Danes whiche may seeme to be stirred vp of God especially for the subuersion of Abbeyes let old hystories be searched what Monasterie almost in all this Realme was eyther leaft by the Danes or reedified agayne after the Danes but by some notorious casualty of fire sent by Gods hand it hath bene burnt vp First the Monasterie of Caunterbury called the house of S. Gregory was burnt an 1145. and afterward againe burnt an 1174. Ex hist. Geruasij The Abbey of Croyland also was twise burnt Ex hist. Ingulphi The Abbey of Peterborow twise set on fire an 1070. Ex Chron. Peterb The Abbey of S. Maries in Yorke burnt with the hospitall also The Abbey of Norwich burnt The Abbey of S. Edmunds Bury burnt and destroyed Ex Chron. S. Edmund The Abbey of Worcester burnt The Abbey of Glocester was also burnt The Abbey of Chichester burnt The Abbey of Glastenbury burnt The Abbey of S. Mary in Southwarke burnt The Church of the Abbey at Beuerley burnt The steeple of the Abbey of Euesham burnt These with many other monasteries mo Abbeyes burnt and 〈◊〉 within fire God brought downe to the ground so that few or none of all the Monasticall foundations in all England either before the Conquest escaped the hands of the Danes and Scottes or else after the Conquest escaped destruction of fire and that not without iusâ—â—â—use deserued The doctrin of the monkes worse then their liues for as the trade of their lyues was too too wretched and bestiall so the profession of theyr doctrine was intollerable fraught with all superstition full of much Idolatrie and vtterly contrary to the grace of the Gospell and doctrine of Christ. Furthermore the more these Abbeyes multiplyed and the longer they continued in time the more corruption still they drew vnto them And albeit we reade the name of Monkes to haue continued from the old auncient time yet notwithstanding the Monkes of those dayes were not like to the Monkes of our time nor their houses then like to our Abbeyes nowe So we reade of the Monkes of Bangor before the comming of Augustine but those Monkes got their liuing with toyle and labour of theyr hands and had no other lands nor lordships to liue vpoÌ„ 16. q. 1. Moâ—â—chus 16 q. 2. 〈◊〉 caus◠〈◊〉 Againe neither were they as Ministers then but as Laye men according as Hierome describeth the Monkes of his time sayeng Monachus non docentis sed plangentis habet officium And againe he sayeth Alia causa est Monachi alia Clerici Clerici oues pascunt Ego pascor That is A Monkes office is not to preache but to mourne The state of a Monke is one thing and the state of a Priest is another Priestes feede the flocke of Christ. I am fedde c. Also in the storie of Ingulphus Abbot of Croylande Ex 〈…〉 thus I finde an 1075. In Croylandiam primum installatus inueni tunc in isto Monasterio Croylandési Monachos numero 62. Quorum quatuor laici fratres erant praeter aliorum Monasteriorum Monachos nostri capituli conprofessos c. That is Lay 〈…〉 Being installed in the Abbey of Croyland I found there to the number of lxij Monkes Of which Monkes foure of them were laye breethren besides the Monkes of other Monasteries which were also professed to our Chapter c. The like matter also appeareth in the fourth Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon where it is prouided Ne Monachi se Ecclesiasticis negotijs immisceant c. Et Leo Epist. 62. Vetat Monachos laicos etsi scientiae nomine glorientur admitti ad officium docendi concionandi Whereof reade more page 154. Thus it appeareth about or before the time of Hierome that Monkes in the firste persecutions of the Primitiue Church were lay men and companies of Christians associating themselues together eyther for feare of persecution or for eschewing the company of heathen Gentiles Afterward in continuance of time when the Gentiles began to be called to Christianitie the monkes yet keeping theyr name growing in superstition woulde not ioyne with other Christians but keepe still their brotherhoodes diuiding themselues from other Christians and professing a kinde of life straunge and diuers from the common trade UpoÌ„ this diuersitie of life and profession folowed also like diuersitie of garments and attire differing from their other breethren After this moreouer came in the rule of S. Benedict enioyning to them a prescribed forme of goyng of wearing of watching sleeping rising praying of sileÌ„ce sole life and diet and all thinges almost differing from the vulgar sort of common Christians Whereby men seeing theyr austerity beganne to haue them in great admiration Monkes diuers from other in apparell And thus growing vp in opinion of hoâ—â—nes of lay men and laborers they came at length to be Clergy men and greatest doers of all other in Christes religion In so muche that at last there was none reputed almost for a religious man or perfect christian vnles he were a monk neither almost was any aduauÌ„ced to any dignity of the Church but either he was a monke or afterward he put on a
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
Then gaue he himselfe wholy to the study of the holy scripture to furnish himselfe to the office of a Preacher In study he was diligent and paynefull in godly life he declared the fruites of a well exercised conscience he prayed often and with great feruour and in his praiers as also at other times hee had hys parte of spirituall exercises which his harty sighing to God declared In which when any speciall assaulte did come by prayer he felt presente reliefe then was his company marueilous comfortable For as his exercises were speciall teachinges so in the ende they proued singular consolations wherein he became so expert that within short space he was able to comforte other which were in any affliction by the coÌ„solation wherwith the Lord did comfort him Thus continued he in the Uniuersitie till he proceeded Maister of Arte and a long space after In the beginning of K. Edwards raigne when Gods true religion was begon to be restored M. Saunders reader in the Colledge of Fothringa after licence obteined he began to preach and was so well liked of them which then had authoritie that they appointed him to read a Diuinitie lecture in the Colledge at Fothringa where by doctrine and life he edified the godly drew many ignoraunt to Gods true knowledge and stopped the mouth of the aduersaries Saunders after reader at Lichfield He marryed about that time and in the marryed estate led a life vnblameable before all men The Colledge of Fothringa being dissolued he was placed to be reader in the Minster at Lichefield where he so behaued himselfe in teaching and liuing that the very aduersaries did geue him a full report as well of learning as of much godlines After a certaine space he departed from Lichfield to a benefice in Leicester shyre called Churchlangton wherupon he keeping residence taught diligently and kept a liberall house From thence he was orderly called to take a benefice in the Citie of London named Alhallowes in Breadstreete Then minded he to geue ouer his Cure in the Countrey and therefore after he had taken possession of his benefice in London he departed from London into the Countrey clearely to discharge hymselfe thereof And euen at that time began the broyle aboute the clayme that Queene Mary made to the Crowne by reason whereof he could not accomplish his purpose In thys trouble and euen among the begynners of it suche I meane as were for the Queene he preached at Northampton The constaÌ„t 〈…〉 Saâ—ders nothing medling with the estate but boldly vttered his conscience against Popish doctrine and Antichrists damnable errours which were like to spring vp agayne in England as a iust plague for the little loue which the English nation did beare to the blessed word of God which had bene so plentifully offred vnto them The Queenes men which were there and heard him were highly displeased with him for his Sermon and for it kept him among them as prisoner But partly for loue of hys brethren frends which were chiefe doers for the Quene among them partly because there was no lawe broken by his preaching they dismissed him He seeing the dreadfull dayes at hand inflamed with the fire of godly zeale preached with diligence at both those benefices as tyme coulde serue him seeing he could resigne neither of them now but into the hand of a Papist Thus passed he to and fro in preaching vntill that proclamation was put forth of which mention is made in the beginning At which tyme he was at his benefice in the countrey where he notwithstanding the proclamation aforesayd taught diligently Gods truth confirming y e people therin and arming them against false doctrine vntill he was not only commaunded to cease but also with force resisted â— Saunders 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the â—ealâ—e so that he could not proceede there in preaching Some of his frends perceiuing such fearefull manassings counseled him to flie out of the realme which he refused to do But seing he was with violence kept from doing good in that place he returned towardes London to vysite the flocke of which he had there the charge On Saterday the 14. of October as he was comming nigh to the Citie of London Sir Iohn Mordant a CouÌ„sellour to Queene Mary did ouertake him asked him whether he went I haue sayd Saunders a cure in London and now I go to instruct my people according to my duety If you wil follow my councell quoth M. Mordant let them alone and come not at them To this Saunders aunswered how shall I then be discharged before God if any be sick and desire consolation if any want good counsell neede instruction or if any should slipp into errour receaue false doctrine Did not you quoth MordaÌ„t preach such a day and named the day in Breadstreet in London Yes verely sayd Saunders that same is my cure M. Mordant disswadeth Laurence Saunders from preaching I heard you my self quoth M. Mordant and will you preach now there agayne If it please you sayde Saunders to morow you may heare me agayne in that same place where I wil confirme by the authoritie of Gods worde all that I sayd then and whatsoeuer before that time I taught them I would counsell you quoth the other not to preache If you can and will forbid me by lawfull authoritie then must I obey sayde Saunders Nay quoth hee I will not forbid you but I doe geue you counsell And thus entred they both the Cittie departed eche from other M. Mordant of an vncharitable minde went to geue warning to Boner Bishop of London y t Saunders woulde preach in his Cure the next day Saunders resorted to his lodging w t a minde bent to doe his duety Where because he seemed to be somewhat troubled M. Saunders 〈◊〉 prison till he was in prison one which was there about him asked him how he did In very deede sayth hee I am in prison till I be in prison meaning that his minde was vnquiet vntill he had preached and that then hee shoulde haue quietnes of minde though he were put in prison The next day whiche was Sonday in the forenone he made a sermon in his parish M. Saunders sermon at Alhallowes 2. Cor. 11. entreating that place whiche Paule writeth to the Corinthians I haue coupled you to one man that ye shoulde make your selues a chast Virgine vnto Christ. But I feare lest it come to passe that as the Serpent beguiled Eue euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the singlenes which ye had towardes Christ. He recited a summe of that true Christian doctrine through whiche they were coupled to Christ to receiue of him free iustification thorough fayth in his bloud The Papisticall doctrine hee compared to the Serpentes deceiuing and lest they shuld be deceiued by it he made a comparison betweene y e voice of God and the voice of the Popish Serpent descending to more particular declaratioÌ„ therof as
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
turne from his errour and come to the vnitie of their Church To whome he sayde No I would ye should recant for I am in the truth and you in errour Well quoth the Byshop if ye will returne I will gladly receiue you No sayd Higbed I will not returne as you wyll haue me to beleeue in the sacrament of the altar your God M. Causton M. Higbed condeÌ„ned and seÌ„t to Newgate Whereupon the Byshop proceeded and gaue iudgement vpon him as he had done before vpon Tho. Causton When all this was thus ended they were both deliuered to the Sheriffes and so by them sent to Newgate where they remained by the space of xiiij dayes praysed be God not so much in afflictions as in consolations For the encrease whereof they earnestly desired all their good brethren and sisterne in Christ to pray that God for his sonnes sake would go forth with that great mercy which already he had begon in them so that they might perseuere vnto the ende to the prayse of the eternall God and comfort of all their brethren These xiiij dayes after their condemnation once expired M. Causton and Maister Higbed brought froÌ„ Newgate into Essex they were the xxiij day of this moneth of March fetched from Newgate at foure of the clocke in the morning and so led through the Citie vnto Algate where they were deliuered vnto the Sheriffe of Essex and there beeing fast bound in a cart were shortly after brought to their seuerall appointed places of burning that is to saye Thomas Higbed to Horneden on the hill March 26. and Thomas Causton to Rayly both in the Countrey of Essex where they did most constantly The constaÌ„t Martirdome of M. Thomas CaustoÌ„ and Maister Higbed Martyrs the xxvj day of the same moneth seale this their faith with shedding of their bloud by most cruell fire to the glory of God and great reioysing of the godly At the burning of whiche Mayster Higbed Iustice Browne was also present as is aboue specified and diuers Gentlemen in the shiere were commaunded to be present for feare belike least they should be taken from them And thus much touching the apprehension examination confession condemnation and burnyng of these two godly and constant Martyrs of God William Pigot Steuen Knight and Iohn Laurance with their exanation and constant martirdome IN the Story before of Thomas Tomkins and his fellowes March 28. mention was made of sixe whiche were examined and condemned together by bishop Boner the ninth day of February W. Pigot Ste. Knight Iohn Laurence Martâ—â—s Of the which sixe condemned persons two which were Tomkins and William Hunter as ye heard were executed the one vppon the 26. of February and the other vppon the 26. day of March Other three to witte William Pigot and Steuen Knight suffered vpon the eight and twenty day and Iohn Laurence the nine and twenty of the sayd month of march Touching the which three Martyrs now something to say of their examinations it was first demaunded of them what their opinioÌ„ was of the sacrament of the Aultar Whereunto they seuerally answered and also subscribed that in the sacrament of the aultar vnder formes of bread and wine there is not the very substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ but a special partaking of the body and bloud of Christ the very body and bloud of Christ being onely in heauen and no where els This answere thus made the bishop caused certayne articles to be read vnto them tending to the same effect as did the articles before of Tomkins and of M. Causton The tenour whereof here followeth * Articles or interrogatories obiected by the bishop of London to Willlam Pigot Steuen Kight and Iohn Laurence the 8. of February 1555. WHether do you thinke and steadfastly beleeue that it is a catholicke Articles obieâ—ted to W. Pigot 〈…〉 faithfull christian and true doctrine to teach preach and say that in the sacramentes of the aultar vnder y e formes of bread wine there is w tout any substance of bread wine there remayning by y e omnipotent power of almightye God his holy worde really truely and in very deede the true and natural body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the selfe same in substaunce though not in outward forme and appearaunce whiche was borne of the Uirgine Mary and suffered vppon the crosse yea or nay Whether doe you thinke Beliefe of their forelders and steadfastly beleeue that your Parentes kinsfolke frendes and acquaintance here in this realm of England before your birth a great while and also after your Birth professing and beleuing the said doctrine and fayth concerning the sayd sacrament of the aultar had a true christian fayth and were faythfull and true christen people or no Whether do you think and steadfastly beleue that your Godfathers and Godmother Beliefe of their godfathers and godmothers professing and beleuing the said Doctrine and faith concerning the sayde Sacrament of the aultar had a true christen fayth and were faythfull and true christen people or no Whether do you think and steadfastly beleue that your own self in times past being of the age of 14. yeares Beliefe of their young age and aboue did thinke and beleue concerning the sayd sacrament of the aulter in all poyntes as your sayde parentes kinsfolke friendes acquaintaunce godfathers and godmother did then thinke and beleue them or no Whether doe you thinke and steadfastly beleeue that oure Soueraignes the king and the Queene of thys Realme of England and all the Nobilitie Clergie and Laitie of this Realm professing and beleuing the said doctrine and fayth as other christian Realmes doe concerning the sayd sacrament of the altar haue a true christian fayth and beleeue as the Catholicke and true Churche of Christ hath alwayes beleued preached and taught or no Whether do ye thinke and steadfastly beleeue that our sauiour Christ and his holy spirite hath bene is Beliefe of the king and Queene the Nobilitie and shal be with his Catholicke churche euen to the worldes end gouerning and ruling the same in all thinges especially in the necessary poyntes of Christian Religion not suffering the same to erre or to be deceiued therein Whether it is true that you being suspected or infamed to be culpable Beliefe of the pretensed Catholicke church and faultie in speaking agaynst the sacrament of the Aultare and agaynst the very true presence of Christes naturall body and the substaunce thereof in y e sayd sacrament and thereupon called before mee vppon complaynt made to me agaynst you haue not bene a good space in my house hauing freely meate and drinke and also diuers times instructed and informed The reall presence and transubstantiation as well by one being our Ordinary as also by my chaplaines and dyuers other learned men some wherof were bishops some Deanes and some Archdeacons and euery one of them learned
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
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
and Leo Iuda were preachers at this time in Zuricke after their owne interpretation opening thereby whole dores and windowes to discord and dissention Albeit of their doctrine they were not certaine what they did teach yet what inconuenience folowed vpon their doctrine they had to much experiēced For now all fasting was layd downe and all daies were alike to eate both flesh egges as well one as an other Priests religious persons both mē women brake their vowes ranne out of their order and fell to marying Gods seruice was decayed singing in the church left and prayer ceased Priests grewe in contēpt Religious men were thrust out of their cloisters Confession and penance was neglected so that men woulde not sticke to presume to receaue at the holy aultar without any confession made to the Priest before The holy masse was dirided and scorned Our blessed Lady and other saintes blasphemed Images pluckte downe broken in peeces neither was there any honour geuen to the Sacraments To make short men now were growen vnto such a licence and liberty that vnneth the holy host could be safe within the Priests hands c. The disorder of all which thinges as it is of no small importaunce so it was sayd they to them so greuous and lamētable that they thought it their part to suffer the same no lōger Neither was this the first time they said of thys their complaining when in their former assemble they sent vnto them before the like admonition wryting to them by certaine of the Clergye and crauing their aide in the same Which seing it is so they did now againe earnestly cal vpō them touching the premisses desiring them to surcease frō such doings and to take a better way cōtinuing in the religion of their old aunceters which were before them And if there were any such thing wherein they were greeued offended against the Bishop of Rome the Cardinals Bishops or other Prelates either for their ambition in heaping exchanging and selling the dignities of the Church or for their oppressiō in pilling mens purses with their indulgences or els for their vsurped iurisdiction and power which they extend too farre corruptly apply it to matters externe politicall which onely ought to serue in such cases as be spirituall if these and such other abuses were the causes wherewith they were so greeuously offended they promised that for the correction reformation therof they would also themselues ioyne their diligence and good will thereto for somuch as themselues also did not a litle mislike therewith therfore would conferre their counsailes together with them how by which way such greuaunces might best be remoued To this effect were the letters of the Heluetiās written to the Senate Citizens of Zuricke Whereunto the Tigurines made their aunswere agayne the xxi day of March the same yeare in maner as here foloweth ¶ An answere agayne of the Tygurines to the Letter aforesayd FIrst * The letter of the Tigurines aunswering againe the letter of the Heluetiās declaring how their Ministers had laboured and trauailed amongest them teachyng and preachyng the word of God vnto thē the space now of v. yeares Whose doctrine at the first seemed to them very straunge and nouelle because they neuer heard the same before But after that they vnderstoode and perceiued the * If the scope of doctrine be well marked betwene the Papistes and the Protestātes ' it will not be hard for any mā to iudge which is the truer doctrine For the whole ende and scope of the Popes doctrine tendeth to set vp the honour and wealth of man as may appeare by the doctrine of supremacy of confession of the masse of the Sacramēt of the aultar c. all which do tend to the magnyfiyng of the Priests like as Purgatory obsequies pardons and such other serue for their profite Contrarywise the teaching of the Protestantes as well touching iustification originall sinne as also the Sacramentes and inuocation and all other such like tende onely to the setting vp of Christ alone and casting downe of man No iniurye to Saints if Christ onely be worshipped scope of that doctrine onely to tende to this to set forth Christ Iesus vnto vs to be the pillar and refuge of all our saluation whiche gaue his life and bloud for our redemption and which onely deliuered vs also sinnefull misers from eternall death and is the onely Aduocate of mankynde before God they could no otherwise do but with ardent affection receaue so wholesome and ioyfull message The holy Apostles and faythfull Christiās after they had receaued the Gospell of Christ did not fall out by and by in debate and variunce but louyngly agreed and consented together and so they trusted sayd they that they should doe if they would likewise receaue the worde of God settyng aside mens doctrines and traditions dissonant from the same Whatsoeuer Luther or any other mā doth teach whether it be right or wrong it is not for the names of the persons why the doctrine whiche they teach should be either euill or well iudged vpon but onely for that it agreeth or disagreeth from the rule of Gods word for that were but to goe by affection and were preiudiciall to the authoritie of the word of God which ought to rule man and not to be measured by man And if Christ onely be worshipped and mē taught soly to repose their confidence in him yet neither doth the blessed Uirgine nor any Saint elles receaue any iniurie thereby who beyng here in earth receiued their saluation onely by the name of hym And where as they charge their Ministers with wrastyng the Scripture after their owne interpretation God had styrred vp such light now in the hartes of mē that the most part of their Citie haue the Bible in their hand and diligently peruse the same so that their Preachers cā not so winde the Scriptures awry but they shall quickly be perceaued Who be they that wraste the scripture Wherefore there is no danger why they should feare any sectes or factions in them but rather such sectes are to be obiected to those who for their gaine and dignitie wrast the word of God after their owne affections and appetites And where as they and other haue accused them of errour Errour many times obiected where none can be proued yet was there neuer man that could proue any errour in them Although diuers Byshops of Constance of Basill of Curiake with diuers Uniuersities besides also they themselues haue bene sundry times desired so to do yet to this present day neither they nor euer any other so did neither were they nor any of all the foresayd Bishops at their last assemble being requested to come so gentle to repaire vnto them saue only the Schashusians and Sangallians In the which foresayd assemble of theirs all such as were then present considering throughly the whole case of the matter condescended together with
all meanes do prouide how to stop the course of the word and because they see themselues too weake to bring theyr purpose about they flie to the ayde of Kings and Princes For the necessary remedie whereof if they shall thinke good to ioyne their consent there shall nothing be lacking in their behalfe what they are able eyther in counsayle or goodes to do in the matter declaring moreouer that this should haue bene seene too long before Which being so they praied and desired them to accept in good parte and diligently to expend this that they did write As for theyr owne parte they required nothing else more then peace both betweene them and all men Neither was it euer their intent to stirre any thing that should be preiudiciall against their league and bande agreed vpon betweene them But in this cause which concerneth their eternall saluation they can do no otherwise but as they haue done vnlesse their errour by learning might be proued and declared vnto them Wherefore as they did before so now they desire againe that if they thinke this their doctrine to be repugnant to the holy Scripture The Tygurines will be iudged by the scriptures they will gently shew and teach them their errour and that before the end of the moneth of May next ensuing for so long they will abide wayting for an aunswere as wel from them as from the Bishop of Constance and also from the Uniuersitie of Basill And thus much conteineth the aunswere of the Tigurines vnto the letter of their other colleagues of Heluetia In the meane time as this passed on and the moneth of May aboue mentioned was now come The B. of Constance aunswereth the Tygurines by wryting the Byshop of Constance with the aduise of his Councell about him did aunswere the Tigurines as he was requested of them to do in a certaine booke first written and afterward printed wherin he declareth what Images and pictures those were which the prophane Iewes and Gentiles in the old time did adore and what Images be these which the Churche hath from time to time receaued and admitted and what difference there is betweene those Idols of the Iewes Gentiles and these Images of the Christians A Popishe distinction betweene the Images of the Gentiles and Images of of the Christians Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 4. The conclusion hereof was this that where as the Scripture speaketh against Images and willeth them not to be suffered that is to be vnderstand of such Images and Idols as the Iewes and Idolatrous Gentiles did vse yet neuerthelesse such Images pictures which the Church hath receaued are to be vsed and reteined From this he entreth next into the discourse of the Masse where he proueth by diuers and sondry testimonies both of the Popes Canons and Councels the Masse to be a sacrifice and oblation This booke being thus compiled and wrytten hee sent it vnto the senate of Zuricke about the beginning of Iune willing and exhorting them by no manner of meanes The booke of the Byshop of Constance written to the Senate of Zuricke in defence of the Masse and Images The aunwere of the Tigurines to the Byshops booke to suffer their images or the masse to be abrogated and shortly after he published the said booke in Print sent it to the Priests and Canons of the Minster of Zuricke requiring them to folow the custome of the Church receaued and not to suffer themselues otherwise to be persuaded by any mā The Senate againe answering to the Bishops booke about the middle of August did write vnto him first declaring that they had read ouer ouer againe his booke with all diligence The which booke for somuch as the Byshop had diuulged abroad in printe they were therof right glad because the whole world thereby might iudge betwene thē the better After thys they explaned vnto hym the iudgement and doctrine of their ministers and preachers and finally by the authoritie testimonies of the Scripture conuinced his opinion and prooued the doctrine of his booke to be false But before they sent their answer to him about the 13. day of Iune they commanded al the images as wel within the Citie as throughe their dominion to be taken downe and burned quietly and without any tumult Images abolished within all the dominiō of Zuricke A few monethes after an order was taken in the sayde Citie of Zuricke betweene the Canons of the churche and citie for disposing the landes and possessions of the Colledge It would grow to a long discourse to comprehend all things by order of circumstance Certaine Pages or townes of the Suitzers complayne against the Tigurines that happened amōg the Heluetians vpō this new alteration of religion but briefly to contract and to runne ouer the chief specialties of the matter heere is first to be noted that of the Heluetians which were confederate together in 13. Pages chiefly sixe there were which most disdained and maligned thys religion of the Tigurines to witte Lucernates Urani Suitenses Unterualdij Tugiani Friburgenses These in no case could be recōciled False matter of accusation laide against the Tigurines by the other Pages The rest shewed thēselues more fauourable But the other which were their ennemies conceiued great grudge raised many sclaunderous reportes and false rumours against them and laide diuers thinges to their charge as first for refusing to ioyn theyr consent to the publique league of the other Pages with Frances the french king then for dissenting from them in religion and thirdly for refusing to stand to the Popish decree made the yeare before at Ratisborne by Ferdinandus and other bishops aboue mentioned pag. 838. They layd moreouer to their accusation for aiding the Uualsutenses theyr neyghbors against Ferdinandus their Prince which was false Also for ioyning league secretly with other Cities wythout their knowledge which was likewise false Item that they should intende some secrete conspiracie against them and inuade them with warre which was as vntrue as the rest What slaūnderous tongues can doe Many other quarels besides they pretended againste the Tigurines which were all false and cauilling sclaunders as that they should teach and preache that Mary the mother of Christ had mo sonnes that Iames the younger the Apostle did die for vs and not Christe hymselfe Against these and such other vntruthes being meere matters of cauillation and sclaunder The Tigurines aunswer againe to the complaint of the Pages the Tigurines did fully and amply purge and acquite themselues by wryting and did expostulate vehemently with them not onely for these false and wrongfull suspitions of theyr partes vndeserued but also for other manifolde iniuries receiued and borne at theyr handes among which other wrongs and iniuries thys was one that the Burghmaster of Turegia had apprehended a certaine preacher Iohn Oxlinus a preacher apprehended for religion named Ioannes Oxlinus and led him home as prisoner vnto his house
was taken prisoner by the Cardinall of Loraines seruants by whome he was caryed from Gorze to the Castell of Nommeny Doctor Castellane carriâ—d to the Castell of Nommenye The zelous affection of the CitezeÌ„s of Metz toward their preacher wherupon the citizens of Merz tooke no little displeasure and greeuance who being greeuously offended to haue their preacher so to be apprehended and imprisoned within short space after tooke certaine of the Cardinalles subiectes and kept them prisoners so long vntill the Abbot of S. Antonies in Uiennois called Theodore de Chaumont vicar generall as wel in causes spirituall as teÌ„porall through the iurisdiction both of the Cardinall and Bishopricke of Metz Tollouse and Uerdune being furnished with a letter commission from the See of Rome came to the saide towne of Metz and after diuers declarations made to the Prouost and the other Iustices and Counsellers of the Citie he so wrought and brought to passe that immediately the sayde subiectes of the Cardinall were set at libertie But Iohn Castellane was kept still prisoner in the Castell of Nommeny Whosoeuer escape the Christians are sure to suffer and was most cruelly handled from the time of the fourth day of May vntill the twelfth day of Ianuary during all which time he perseuered constant in y e doctrine of the sonne of God Wherupon he was carried from Nommeny Doctor Castellane constant in his doctrine to the towne and Castell of Uike alwaies perseuering constantly in the profession of the same doctrine so that they did proceed vnto the sentence of his degradation that he might be deliuered ouer vnto the secular power according to the custome and manner And for so much as the fourme and manner of the sentence and processe of disgrading is notable and hath bene reported vnto vs word for word we haue thought good heere to annexe the same to declare the horrible blasphemies ioined with grosse and brutish subtiltie in those high misteries which the enemies of the truth do vse in their processe against the children of God whereby euery man euen the most ignoraunt may euidently perceaue the horrible blindnes that these vnshamefast Catholiques are blinded withall The sentence of the degradation The senteÌ„ce of his degradation Ex actis episcopalibus COncerning the processe inquisitorie fourmed and geuen in fourme of accusation against thee Iohn Castellane priest and religious man of the fryer Eremites of the order of S. Austine vnderstanding likewise thy confession which thou hast made of thine owne good will mainteining false and erroneous doctrine and marking also besides this the godly admonitions and charitable exhortations which we made vnto thee in the towne of Metz which thou like vnto the serpent Aspis hast refused and geuen no eare vnto also considering thine answeares made and reiterate vnto our interrogatories by meanes of thine othe in the which diuelishly thou hast hydden and kept backe not onely the truth but also following the example of Caine hast denyed to confesse thy sinnes and mischeuous offence and finally hearyng the great number of witnesses sworne and examined agaynste thee theyr persons and depositions diligently considered and all other things woorthy of consideration beeing iustly examined the reuerende mayster Nicholas Sauin doctour of diuinitie and inquisitour of the fayth assistaunt vnto vs hath entred processe agaynst thee and geuen full information thereof this our purpose and intent being also communicate vnto diuers Maysters and Doctours both of the Ciuile and Canon lawes heere present which haue subscribed and signed heereunto whereby it appeareth that thou Iohn Castellane hast oftentimes and in diuers places openly and manifestly spread abroade and taught manye erroneous propositions full of the heresie of Luther contrary and against the Catholique faith and the veritie of the Gospell and the holy Apostolique see and so accursedly looked backe turned thy face that thou art founde to be a lyer before Almighty God It is ordeyned by the sacred rules of the Canon lawe that such as through the sharpe dartes of their venemous tongue doo peruert the Scriptures and go about with all their power to corrupt and infect the soules of the faithfull should be punished and corrected with most sharpe correction to the ende that others should be afrayde to attempt the like and apply themselues the better to the study of Christian concorde through the examples set before their eyes as well of seuerity as of clemency For these causes and others rising vpon the saide processe by the Apostolique authoritie and also the authoritie of our sayde reuerende Lorde the Cardinall whych we doo vse in this our sentence definitiue whiche wee sitting in our iudgement seate declare in these writinges hauing God onely before our eyes and surely considering that what measure we do meat vnto other the same shal be measured to vs againe True you say for your measure is death definitiue and therfore looke you for the same measure agayne at Gods hand we pronouÌ„ce and declare senteÌ„tially and diffinitiuely thee Iohn Castellane beyng here present before vs and iudge thee because of thy desertes to be excoÌ„municate with the most great excoÌ„munication and therewithall to be culpable of treason against the diuine maiesty and a mortall enemy of the Catholicke fayth and veritie of the Gospell also to be a manifest hereticke a folower partaker of the execrable * If Luther be to be noted of cruelty which teacheth all meÌ„ and killeth no man what then is to be noted in the Pope which killeth all Gods children and teacheth none crueltie of Martin Luther a stirrer vp of old heresies already coÌ„demned and therfore as thou oughtest to be deposed and depriued of all Priestly honor and dignitie of all thy orders of thy shauing religious habite also of thy Ecclesiasticall benefices if thou hast any and from all priuilege of the Clergy so we here presently do depose depriue and seperate thee as a rotten member from the communion and companie of all the faythfull and beyng so depriued we iudge that thou oughtest to be actually disgraded that done we leaue thee vnto the secular powers committyng the degradation and actuall execution of this our sentence vnto the reuerend Lord and Byshop here present with the authoritie and commaundement aforesayd This senteÌ„ce beyng thus ended with their Catholicke Sermon also the sayd Byshop of Nicopolis sittyng in his pontificalibus in the iudgement seate beyng Suffragan of Metz with the clergy nobles and people about him proceeded to the disgradyng as they call it of the sayd maister Iohn Castellane Thus the sayd maister Iohn Castellane being made ready to his degradation by the officers of the sayd Byshop was apparelled in his Priestly attyre and afterward brought forth of the Chappell by the Priestes which were therunto appointed with al his priestly ornamentes vpon him and holdyng his handes together he kneeled downe before the Bishop Doc. Castellane disgraded Then the officers gaue him the chalice
of Sainct Iustice. I aske mercye sayth he of God and hys Iustice but the Uirgine blessed S. Mary I neuer offended nor did that thinge for the whiche I should aske her mercy From thence he passed forward to the Churche of S. Legia preaching still as he went Then spake one of the souldiours to the driuer or carter Iohn 8. Filioli custodite vos a simulachris 1. Iohn 5. willyng him to driue a pase for here is preaching sayd he enough To whō sayd Aymond He that is of God heareth the wordes of God c. In passing by a certain Image of our Lady great offence was taken agaynst him because he alwayes called vpon Christ Iesus onely and made no mention of her Whereupon hee lifted his voyce to God praying that he woulde neuer suffer him to inuocate any other sauing him alone Comming to the place where he should suffer he was tumbled out of the cart vpon y e groūd testifying to the Magistrates to the people standing by y t he dyed for the Gospell of Iesus Christ for his word More he would haue spoken but he coulde not be suffered by y e tumultuous vexing of the officers crying dispatch dispatche him let him not speake Thē he speaking a few wordes softly in y e eare of the litle Carmelite whō he had conuerted was bid to stepp vp to y e stage Where the people beginning to geue a litle audiēce thus he said O Lord make hast to helpe me tary not do not despise the woorke of thy handes The wordes of Aymond to the studentes And you my brethren y e be students scholers I exhort you to study and learne the Gospell for the word of God abideth for euer labour to knowe the will of God and feare not them that kill the body but haue no power vpon your soules And after that my fleshe sayde hee repugneth merueilously against the spirit but shortly I shall cast it away My good maysters I beseech you pray for me O Lord my God into thy hands I commend my soule The death and martyrdome of Aymondus As he was oft repeting the same the hangman tooke and haled him vpon the steppes in such sort that he strangled hym And thus y e blessed Sainct gaue vp his life Whose body afterwarde was with fire consumed  Fraunces Bribard An. 1144. Fraunces Bribard was sayde to be the secretarye of the Cardinal of Bellay Fraunces Bribard Who being also for the Gospel condemned after hys tongue was cutte off did with like constācie susteyne the sharpenes of burning Ibidem The high Court of Roan A widowe keeping a vitailing house in the suburbes of Roan William Husson an Apothecary At Roan An. 1544. William Hussan Apothecary William Husson Martyr comming frō Bloys to Roan was lodged with a certaine widow in the suburbs of the Cittye Who asking of her at what tyme the Counsayle or Parliament did ryse she sayd at x. of y e clock About whiche tyme houre hee went to the Pallace and there scattered certayne bookes concernyng Christian doctrine and the abuse of mens traditions Whereat the counsayle was so mooued that they commaunded all the gates of the Cittye to be locked and dilligent search to be made in all Innes and hostles to finde out the authour Then the widow told of the partye which was there and asked of the rising of the Counsayle shortly vpon the same took hys horse and rode away Thē were postes set out thorough all quarters so that the sayd William was taken by the waye riding to Diepe and brought agayne to Roan Who there being examined declared hys fayth boldly and howe became of purpose to disperse those bookes in Roan and went to do the like at Diepe The boldnes of a constant Martyr The weeke ensuing hee was condemned to be burned aliue After the sentence geuen he was brought in a cart accompanyed with a Doctor a Carmelite Frier before the great churche who puttynge a torche in hys hand required hym to doe homage to the Image of our Lady Custodite vos a simulachris Iohn 5. which because he refused to do his tongue was cut out The Fryer then making a Sermon when he spake any thing of the mercies of God the sayd William harkened to hym but when he spake of the merites of Sayntes and other dreames he turned awaye his head The Fryer looking vppon the countenaunce of Husson lifte vpp his hand to heauen saying with great exclamation that he way damned and was possessed with a deuil When the Fryer had ceased hys Sermon this godly Husson had his handes and feete bound behynde his backe with a pully was lifted vp into the ayre and when the fire was kindled Crueltie of the aduersaries he was let down into the flame where the blessed Martyr with a smyling and cheerefull countenaunce looked vp to heauen neuer mouing nor styrryng till he let down his head and gaue vp hys spirite All the people there present were not a little astonyed thereat and were in diuers opinions some saying that he had a deuill other mayntayned the contrary saying if hee had a deuill he should haue fallen into dispayre This Carmelite Fryer abouesayde Frier Delāda conuerted was called Delanda which after was conuerted and preached the Gospell Ex. Gallie hist. Ioan. Crisp. Lib. 2. Three popish priests The Duke of Loraine· Iames Cobard a Scholemaster and many other taken the same time An. 1545. This Iames scholemaister in the Citty of Sainct Michael in the Dukedom of Barens in Loraine Iames Cobard Martyr disputed with three priests that the sacrament of Baptisme and of the Supper dyd not auayle vnlesse they were receaued with fayth which was as muche to saye as that the Masse dyd profite neither y e quick nor the dead For the which and also for hys confession which he being in prison sent of hys owne accorde by hys mother vnto the Iudge hee was burned and most quietly suffered Ex. Ioan. Crisp. The Franciscan Friers The Doctours of Sorbone and others Peter Clerke brother to Iohn Clerke burnt before Stephanus Manginus Iames Bouchbeck Iohn Brisebar Henr. Hutinote Tho. Honorate Iohn Baudouinus Iohn Flesch Iohn Picquere Peter Piquere Io. Matheston Philippe Little Michaell Caillow Fraunces Clerke Couberon a Weauer At Meaux An. 1546. These xiiij dwelt at Melda Xiiij. Martyrs a Cittye in France x. myles from Paris Where William Briconetus beyng there Bysh. did muche good Pet. Clerke Ioh. Clerke brethrē and Martyrs brought to them the light of the Gospell and reformed the Church Who straightly beyng examined for the same relented but yet these with many other remained constāt Who after the burning of Iames Pauane before mentioned and seeing superstition to grow more and more Xiiij. blessed martyrs at Meaux began to congregate in Mangins house to set vp a churche to themselues after the example of the French Churche in Strausburgh A
Pantal alijs Notes vppon the storie of Merindoll aboue recited THus hast thou heard louing Reader the terrible troubles slaughters committed by the Bishops and Cardinals againste these faithfull men of Merindol whiche for the hainous tirannie and example of the facte moste vnmercifull maye be comparable with any of the first persecutions in the primitiue Churche done either by Decius or Dioclesianus Nowe touching the sayd storie and people of Merindol briefly by the way is to be noted The Gospellers of Merindoll came first of the Waldenses that this was not the firste time that these men of this countrey were vexed neither was it of late yeres that the doctrine and profession of them began For as by the course of time and by auncient Recordes it maye appeare these inhabitaunts of Prouince and other coastes bordering about the confines of Fraunce and Piemont had their continuance of auncient time and receiued their doctrine first from the Waldenses or Albigenses which were as some say about the yeare of oure Lord 1170. or as other doe recken about the yeare of our Lorde 1216. whereof thou haste gentle reader sufficiently to vnderstaÌ„d Vid. supra pag. 230. c. reading before pag. 230. Item pag. 260 Item pag. 267. c. These Waldenses otherwise called Pauperes de Lugduno beginning of one Petrus Waldus Citizen of Lyons as is before shewed Vid. supra pag. 231. pag. 231. by violence of persecution being driuen oute of Lions were disparcled abroad in diuers countreis of whom some fled to Massilia some to Germanie some to Sarmatia Liuonia Bohemia Calabria and Apulia diuers strayed to the Countreis of France especially about Prouince and Piemont of whoÌ„e came these Merindolians aboue mentioned and the Angrognians with others of whom now it foloweth likewise God willing to discourse Waldenses how and of whom they first began They which were in the countrey of Tolouse of the place where they frequented were called Albij or Albigenses Against the which Albigenses Frier Dominicus was a great doer labouring and preaching against them 10. yeres together and caused many of them to be burned for the which he was highly accepted and rewarded in the Apostolicall Court and at lengthe by Pope Honorius the 3. was made Patriarch of the blacke gard of the Dominicke Friers Dominicus Patriarch of the blacke Fryers enemie to the Waldenses Ex Antonino part 3. tit 19. cap. 1. These Albigenses against the Pope of Rome had set vppe to them selues a Bishop of their owne named Bartholomaeus remaining about the coastes of Croatia and Dalmatia as appeareth by a letter of one of the Popes Cardinals aboue specified pag 261. For the which cause the Sea of Rome tooke great indignation against the sayde Albygenses Vid. sâ—pra pag. 261. and caused all their faithfull Catholickes and obedienciaries to their Churche to rise vp in armour and to take the signe of the holy crosse vpon them to fight against them An. 1206 by reason wherof great multitudes of them were pitifully murdered not onely of them about Tolouse Auinion in France as is afore to be seene pag. 273. but also in al quarters miserable slaughters and burnings of them long continued from the raigne of Fridericke 2. Emperour almost to this present time through the instigation of the Romane Popes Paulus Aemylius the French Chronicler in his 6. booke wryting of these Pauperes de Lugduno Ex Paul Aemylio lib. 6 and Humiliati and deuiding these two orders from Albigenses reporteth that the two former orders were reiected of Pope Lucius 3. And in their place other two orders were approued to witte the order of the Dominicke Friers and of the Franciscanes Which seemeth not to be true for somuch as this Pope Lucius was 20. yeres before Innocent 3. and yet neither in the time of Pope Innocent the order of the Dominicke Friers was approued but in the time of Pope Honorius the 3. who was 40. yeres after Pope Lucius Again Bernardus Lutzenbergensis in Catal. haeret affirmeth that these Pauperes de Lugduno Ex Bernard Lutzenberg or Waldenses began first an 1218. Which if it be true then must the other report of Aemylius be fals wryting of the sect of Pauperes Lugdunenses to be refused by Pope Lucius the 3. who was long before this in the yeare of our Lord. 1181. Among other authours which wryte of these Waldenses Ioan Sleidan Lib. 16. intreating of their continuance and doctrine See the story of Sleidan thus wryteth of them There be sayeth he in the French Prouince a people called Waldoys These of an auncient trade and custome among them doe not acknowledge the Bishop of Rome and euer haue vsed a manner of doctrine somewhat more pure then the rest but especially since the comming of Luther they haue encresed in more knowledge and perfection of iudgement Wherefore they haue beene oftentimes complained vppon to the kinge as though they contemned the Magistrate and would moue rebellion with other suche matter falsely surmised against them more of despite and malice then of any iust cause of truthe There be of them certaine Townes and Villages among which Merindoll is one Against these Merindolians sentence was geuen fiue yeares past at Aix being the high tribunall seate or iudgement place of Prouince that all should be destroied without respecte of age or persone in such sort as that the houses being pluckt downe the Village shoulde be made plaine euen with the grounde the trees also should be cut downe and the place altogether made desolate and desert All beit though it were thus pronounced yet was it not then put in execution by the meanes of certaine that perswaded the king to the coÌ„trary namely one William Bellay who was at the same time the kings Lieutenaunt in Piedmont But at the last the 12. day of April an 1545. Iohn Minerius President of the Counsell of Aix calling the Senate reade the kings letters commaunding them to execute the sentence giuen c. This confession worthy of perpetual memory you shall see more largely set out in Henr. Pantaleon wryting of the destruction of Cabriers and Merindoll and also in the French storye Moreouer concerning the confession and the doctrine of the sayde Merindolians receiued of auncient time from their forefathers the Waldenses thus it followeth in the sayd boke and place of Iohn Sleidan At last sayeth Sleidan after he had described what great crueltie was shewed against them when the reporte hereof was bruted in Germanie it offended the mindes of many and in deede the Suitzers who were then of a contrary Religion to the Pope entreated the King that he woulde shewe mercy to suche as were fled Whereunto the saide king Fraunces made aunswere in thys wise pretending that he had iust cause to doe as he did inferring moreouer that they ought not to be carefull what he did within his dominions or how he punished his offendours more then he was
the second to the Duches The Angronians send forth three supplication and the third to y e dukes counsell wherein they briefly declared what their religion was and the poyntes thereof whych they and their aunciters had of a long time obserued being wholy grounded vpon the pure word of God and if by the same worde it should be proued that they were in errour they would not be obstinate but gladly be refourmed and embrace the trueth After this the persecution seemed to be somewhat asswaged for a litle while In the ende of Iune next following the Lorde of Raconis and the Lorde of Trinitie came to Angrogne there to quallifie as they sayde the sore persecution and caused the chiefe rulers and ministers to assemble together propoundinge diuers poyntes of Religion concernyng Doctrine the callyng of Ministers the Masse and obedience towardes Princes and Rulers and furthermore declared vnto them that their confession was sent to Rome by the Duke and daily they looked for aunsweare The confession of the Angronians sent to the Pope To all these poynts the Ministers answered After this they demaunded of the chiefe rulers if that the Duke would cause Masse to be song in their parishes whether they woulde withstand the same or no. They answered simply that they would not Then they demanded of them if that the Duke would appoynt them Preachers whether they would receiue them They answered Demaundes put to the Angronians that if they preached the word of God purely they would heare them Thirdly if y t they were content that in the meane time their ministers shuld cease and if they whiche shoulde be sent preached not the worde of God sincerely then theyr ministers to preache againe If they would agree to thys they were promysed that the persecution should cease and the prisoners should be â—estored againe To thys question after they had conferred with the people they aunswered that they could by no meanes suffer that theyr Ministers shoulde forbeare preaching The two Lordes not contented with thys aunswere commaunded in the Dukes name that all the Minysters whyche were straungers shoulde oute of hande be banished the countrey saying that the Duke woulde not suffer them to dwell wythin his dominion for that they were his enemies demaunding also whether they would foster and maintaine the Princes ennemies wythin hys owne lande againste his owne decree and expresse commaundement To the whyche answeare was made by the chiefe Rulers that they coulde by no meanes banish them vnlesse they were afore conuicted of some heresie or other crime for their part The Angronians deny to put away their ministers they had alwaies founde them to be men of pure and sound doctrine and also of godly life and conuersation Thus done immediatly Proclamations were made and the persecution began on euery syde to be more furious then it was afore Amongest others the Monkes of Pignerol at that tyme were most cruell for they sent out a company of hyred Ruffians The Monks of Pignerol cruel against the Angronians which dayly spoyled and ransackt houses and all that they could lay hands of tooke men women and children and led them captiues to the Abbey where they were most spitefully afflicted and tormented At the same time they sent also a band of the sayde ruffians by night to the Ministers house of S. Germain in the valley of Perouse The minister of S. Germain betrayed taken being led thither by a traytour which knew the house and had vsed to haunt thether secretly who knocking at the dore the Minister knowing his voyce came foorth immediately and perceiuing hymselfe to be betrayed fledde but he was soone taken and sore wounded and yet notwithstandyng they pricked him behynde wyth theyr halbards to make hym hasten hys pace At that tyme also many they slue many they hurt and many also they brought to the Abbey and there kepte them in prison and cruelly handled them The good Minister endured sore imprisonment Barbarous cruelty shewed against the good minister of S. Germain and after that a most terrible kind of death with a wonderfull constancie For they rosted him by a small fire and when halfe his body was burnt he confessed and called vpon the Lorde Iesus with a loude voice The Inquisitour Iacomel with his Monkes and the Collaterall Corbis amongest other shewed one practise of most barbarous crueltie against thys poore man Who when he should be burnt Two womeÌ„ compelâ—ed to 〈◊〉 fagots to burne their pastor caused two poore women of S. Germain which they kept in prison to cary fagots to the fire and to speake these wordes to their Pastour take thys thou wicked hereticke in recompence of thy naughty doctrine which thou hast taught vs. To whome the good Minister aunswered Ah good women I haue taught you well but you haue learned ill To be briefe they so afflicted and tormented those poore people of Saint Germain and the places thereabout that after they were spoyled of their goodes and driuen from theyr houses they were coÌ„pelled to flie into y e mountaine to saue their liues So great was the spoyle of this poore people that many which before had bene men of much wâ—alth and with their riches had ministred great succour and comfort to others were now brought to such miserie that they were compelled to craue succour and reliefe of other Now for as much as the sayde Monkes with theyr troupes of ruffians which were counted to be in number about three hundred made such spoyle and hauocke in all the countrey Whether it be lawfull for the persecuted people of christ to stand to their owne defence that no man could there liue in safetie it was demaunded of the Ministers whether it was lawfull to defend themselues against the insolencie and furious rage of the sayde Ruffians The Ministers aunswered that it was lawfull warning them in any case to take heede of bloudshed This question being once dissolued they of the valley of Luserne and of Angrongne sent certayne men to them of S. Germain to ayde them against the supporters of these Monkes In the moneth of Iune the haruest being then in Piemont diuers of the Waldoys were gone into y e countrey to reape and make prouision for corne for very litle groweth vpon their mountaines the which were all taken prisoners at sundry times and places not one knowing of another Mirabilia Dei but yet God so wrought that they all escaped out of prison as it were by a myracle Whereat the aduersaries were maruelously astonished At the same time there were certayne other also which had susteyned long imprisonment looking for nothing else but death and yet they after a wonderfull sort by Gods mercifull prouidence were likewise deliuered In the moneth of Iuly they of Angrongne beeyng in a morning at haruest vpon the hill syde of S. Germain perceyued a company of souldiours spoylyng them of S. Germaine doubting least they would go
trust not in his holynesse To this he aunswered take ye it as ye will I will take it well enough Item Almes whom and how farre it profiteth now seest thou what almes meaneth and wherfore it serueth He that seeketh with his almes more then to be mercifull to be a neighbour to succour his brothers need to do his duty to his brother to geue his brother that he ought him the same is blind seeth not Christes bloud Here he answereth God to be serued and worshipped onely as he commaundeth otherwise not that he findeth no fault throughout all the booke but all the booke is good and it hath geuen him great comfort and light to his conscience Item that ye do nothing to please God but that he cōmaunded To that he answereth and thinketh it good by his truth Item so God is honored on all sides in that we coūt him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces And to worship him otherwise then so it is Idolatry To that he answered that it pleaseth him well The examination of these Articles being done the Bishop of London did exhort the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery to recant his errors abouesayde and after some other cōmunication had by the Bishop with him the sayd Bishop did exhort him again to recant his errors and appoynted him to determine with himselfe against the next Session what he would do Iohn Tewkesbery submitteth himselfe IN this next Session he submitted himselfe and abiured his opinions and was enioyned penaunce as foloweth which was the 8. of May. In primis that he should keepe well his abiuration vnder payne of relaps Secondly that the next Sonday folowing in Paules Church in the open procession he should cary a Fagot and stand at Paules Crosse with the same That the Wednesday folowing he should cary the same Fagot about Newgate market and Chepeside That on Friday after he should take the same fagot agayne at S. Peters church in Cornehill and cary it about the market of Ledenhall That he should haue 2. signes of Fagots embrothered one on his left sleue the other on his right sleue which he should weare all his life time vnles he were otherwise dispensed withall That on Whitsonday euē he should enter into the Monastery of S. Bartholomew in Smithfield and there to abide and not to come out vnles he were released by the bishop of London That he should not depart out of y e city or dioces of London without the speciall licence of the B. or his successors Which penance he entred into the 8 day of May. an 1229. And thus much concerning his first examinatiō which was in the yeare .1529 at what time he was inforced thorow infirmitye as is before expressed to retract and abiure his doctrine Tewkesbery returned againe to the truth Notwithstāding the same Iohn Tewkesbery afterward cōfirmed by the grace of God and moued by y e example of Bayfild aforesayd that was burned in smithfield did returne and constantly abide in the testimonye of the truth and suffered for the same Who recouering more grace better strength at the hand of the Lord two yeares after being apprehended agayne was brought before Syr Thomas More and the Bishop of Londō where certaine Articles were obiected to him the chiefe wherof we intēd briefly to recite for the matter is prolixe In primis that he confesseth that he was baptised and intendeth to keepe the Catholicke fayth Articles agayne obiected to Tewkesbery Secondly that he affirmeth that the abiuration othe subscription that he made before Cutbert late Byshop of London was done by compulsion Thirdlye that he had the bookes of the obedience of a Christian man and of the wicked Mammon in his custody and hath read them since his abiuration Fourthly that he affirmeth that he suffered the two fagots that were embrothered vpon his sleue to be taken frō him for that he deserued not to weare them Fiftly he sayth that fayth onely iustifieth which lacketh not charity Sixtly he sayth that Christ is a sufficient Mediator for vs therfore no prayer is to be made vnto any Sayntes Wherupon they layd vnto him this verse of the Antheme Salue Regina aduocata nostra c. To the which he aunswered that he knew no other Aduocate but Christ alone Seuenthly he affirmeth that there is no Purgatory after this life Christ is our Purgatorye but that Christ our Sauior is a sufficient purgation for vs. Eightly he affirmeth that the soules of the faythful departing this life rest with Christ. Ninthly he affirmeth y t a priest by receiuing of orders receiueth more grace if his fayth be increased or els not Tenthly and last of all he beleueth that the sacrament of the flesh bloud of Christ is not the very body of Christ in flesh bloud as it was borne of y e virgin Mary Whervpon the Byshops Chauncellor asked the sayd Tewkesbery if he could shew any cause why he should not be takē for an hereticke falling into his heresy agayne and receiue the punishment of an hereticke Wherunto he aunswered that he had wrong before and if he be condemned now he reckoneth that he hath wrong agayne Then the Chaūcellor caused the articles to be read opēly with the aunsweres vnto the same the which the sayde Tewkesbery confessed therupon the Bishop pronounced sentence agaynst him deliuered him vnto the Shyriffes of Londō for y e time being who were Rich. Greshā Edward Altam who burned him in Smithfield vpō S. Thomas euen being the 20. of Decēber in the yeare aforesayd the tenor of whose sentence pronounced agaynst hym by the Bishop doth here ensue word for word IN the name of God Amen The deseruinges and circūstances of a certein cause of hereticall prauity falling again thereunto by thee Iohn Tewkesbery of the Parish of S. Michaels in the Querne of the City of Londō of our iurisdiction appearing before vs sitting in iudgement being heard seene vnderstand fully discussed by vs Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of Londō because we do find by inquisitions manifestly enough that thou didst abiure freely voluntarily before Cutbert late Bishop of Londō thy ordinary diuers sundry heresies errors damnable opinions contrary to y e determination of our mother holy church as well speciall as generall that since and beside thy foresaid abiuration thou art agayne fallen into y e same damnable heresies opiniōs errors which is greatly to be lamēted the same doest hold affirme beleue we therfore Iohn the Bishop aforesayd the name of God first being called vpon the same only God set before our eyes with the coūsell of learned men assisting vs in this behalfe with whō in this cause we haue cōmunicated of our definitiue sentence finall decree in this behalfe to be done do intēd to proceed do proceed in this maner Because as it is aforesayd we do finde thee
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
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
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
defende and maintaine with tooth and naile for the Articles nowe passed are craftely picked out They confirme all humane traditions in that they establish solemne vowes single life and auricular confession They vpholde and aduaunce not onely their pride and authoritie but all errours wythal in retaining the priuate Masse Thus haue they craftily prouided that no reformation can take any place that their dignitye wealth may still be vpholden And this to be the purpose of the bishops experience it selfe doth plainly teach vs. Nowe what man will not lament to see the glory of Christ thus to be defaced For as I sayde before this matter concerneth not onely these Articles whyche be there enacted but all other Articles of sound doctrine are likewise ouerthrown Marke 7. if such traditions of men shal be reputed as necessary and to be retained For why doeth Christe say For they worship me in vaine wyth the precepts of men or why doth S. Paule so oft detest mennes traditions It is no light offence to set vp new kindes of worshipping and seruing of God without his worde God will not be worshipped but after his worde Prou. 3. or to defend the same Such presumptioÌ„ God doth horibly detest which wil be knowen in his word onely He wil haue none other Religions inuented by mans deuise for els all sorts of religions of all nations might be approued allowed Leane not sayth he to thine owne wisdome But he sent Christ and commaundeth vs to heare him not the inuention of subtile and politike heads which apply religion to their own luker and commoditie Furthermore priuate Masses â—owes the single life of Priestes numbring vp of sinnes to the Prieste wyth other thinges moe being but mere ordinaunces of men are vsed for Gods true seruice and worship For although the Supper of the Lorde was truely instituted by Christe yet the priuate masse is a wicked prophanation of the Lords supper For in the Canon what corruption is coÌ„tained in this where it is said that Christ is offered and that the worke it selfe is a sacrifice which redemeth the quicke and the deade These things were neuer ordained of Christ yea manifold wayes they are repugnaunt to the Gospell Christ willeth not him selfe to be offered vppe of Priestes neither can the worke of the offerer or of the receiuer by any meanes be a sacrifice This is manifest Idolatry and ouerthroweth thâ— true doctrine of faith and the true vse of the Sacraments By faith in Christ we are iustified and not by any worke of the Priest And the Supper is ordained that the Minister should distribute to others to the intent that they repeÌ„ting for their sinnes shoulde be admonished firmely to beleeue the promises of the Gospell to pertaine vnto them Heere is sette a plaine testimonie before vs that we are made the members of Christ and washed by hys bloude And thys is the true vse of that Supper whyche is ordained in the gospel and was obserued in the primatiue Churche 300. yeares and more from the which we oughte not to be remooued For it is plaine impietie to transferre the Lordes institution to any other vse as wee are taughte by the seconde commaundement Wherefore these priuate Masses for asmuche as they swarue from the right institution of Christ manifold waies as by oblation sacrifice application and many other ways besides 1. Cor. they are not to be reteined but to be abolished Flie sayeth S. Paule from al Idolatrie In these priuate masses muche Idolatrie is committed which we see our bishops now so stoutly to defeÌ„d and no maruell Maâ—â— â— For in the latter times y e scripture plainly sheweth that great Idolatrie shall raigne in the Church of God As Christ himselfe also signifieth saying When ye shal see the abhomination of desolation which is foretold of the Prophet Daniel standing in the holy place he that readeth Dan. â—â— lette him vnderstande And Daniel in the 11. chapter And he shall worship the God Maozim in his place and shall adore the God whom his fathers knew not with gold siluer and precious stones Both these places speake of the masse Thys kinde of worship and horrible prophanation of the Sacrament God abhorreth For howe many sundry kindes of manifest impiety are here committed in this one action of the Masse First it is set foorth to sale Secondly they that are vnworthy are compelled to receyue whether they will or no. Thirdly it is applied for meritorious and satisfactorie for the quicke and the deade Fourthly many thynges are promised thereby as prosperous nauigation remedies against diseases both for manne and beast wyth other infinite moe These be most manifest and notorious abhominations But besides these there be other also no lesse to be reprehended whych the simple people doe not so plainly see Such worshipping and seruing of God is not to be set vp after the phantasie of men Wherfore they do wickedly when they offer sacrifice to God without his commaundement For when of this woorke they make a sacrifice they imagine that priuate Masses are to be done because God would be worshipped after this sorte And we see that Masses are bought with gold and siluer great riches and sumptuous charges also the Sacrament to be caried about in gold and siluer to be worshipped whereas the sacrament was neuer ordeined for any such purpose Wherfore seeing the commandement of God biddeth flie from Idolatry priuate Masses are not to be maintained And I maruell what they saye that such priuate Masses are necessarily to be reteyned when it is euident that in the olde time there was none such Shal we thinke that thinges perteining to the necessary worship of GOD could so long be lacking in the primatiue Church 300. yeares after the Apostles and more What can be more absurde and against all reason We see these priuate Masses to be defended with great labour and much a doe of some for feare lest their gayne should decay of some because they would serue the affection of the vulgare people whiche thinketh to haue great succour therby and therefore are loth to leaue it rather then for any iust cause or reason to lead them But howsoeuer they do a most manifest euident cause there is why these priuate Masses ought to be abolished For first their application vndoubtedly is wicked neither doth the work of the priest merite any grace to any person but euery one is iustified by his owne fayth Neither againe would God haue any man to trust vpon any ceremony but only to the benefite of Christ. And most certaine it is that the application of these Masses for the dead is ful of great errour and impietie But here come in blinde gloses albeit to no purpose to excuse this application Application of the Masse 〈◊〉 For vniuersally amongest all the people who is he that thinketh otherwise but that thys worke is auaylable for the whole Church Yea the Canon
be these In Kent Raculfe Sandwich Rateburch Wodetun the Abbay of Limming with the lands and customes vnto the same monasterye belonging Saltwude c. Stocke and Denentun because they belonged of olde time to the Churche of S. Andrewe S. Andrewes Church in Rochester them he restored to the same Churche In Sutherey Murtelac the Abbay of S. Mary in London with the landes and houses which Liuingus Priest and his wife had in London All these Lanfrancke restored agayne for the health of his owne soule freely and without money Liuingus Priest maried man c. * A note for the legitimation of Priestes children ex termino Michael Anno 21. Henr. 7. fol. 39. page 2. NOte that in the xix yeare of this King in an Assise at Warwicke before Syr Guye Fairfax and Syr Iohn Vauisour it was found by Verdite M. 21. H. 7. that the father of the tenaunt had taken the order of Deacon and after married a wife and had issue the tenaunt dyed and the issue of the tenaunt did enter Vpon whome the pleyntife did enter as next heyre collaterall to the father of the tenaunt A Deacō taketh a wife hath issue dyeth the issue adiudged not Bastarde Vpon whome he did reenter c. and for difficultie the Iustices did adiourne the Assise And it was debated in the Escheker chamber If the tenaunt shall be a Bastard c. And heere by aduise it was adiudged that he shall not be bastard c. ¶ Frowicke chiefe Iustice sayd to me in the xix yeare of Henry the vij in the common place that he was of counsayle in this matter and that it was adiudged as before which Vauisour did graunt ¶ And Frowicke sayd that if a Priest marry a wife and hath issue and dyeth his issue shall inherite for that the espousals be not voyde but voydable ¶ Vauisour if a man take a Nunne to wife this espousall is voyde ☞ Note that in the latter Impression of Henry the vij yeares of the lawe this word Priest in this case aforesayd in some bookes is left out whether of purpose or by negligence I leaue it to the Reader to iudge * Another note for legitimation of Priestes children AD Curiam generalem D. Philippi D. Mariae Dei gratia c. xvj die Iulij Anno Reg. dict Regis Reginae primo tertio irrotulatur sic Praesentatum est per totum homagium quòd Symon Heynes * Clericus diu antè istam Curiam vid. per duos annos iam elapsos fuit sesitus secundum consuetudinem huius Manerij in dominio suo vt de feodo de in duabus acris terrae percellis de xxxv acris dimidij terrae nuper in tenura Ioannis Heynes Ac. de in vno tenemento vocat Bernardes nuper in tenura Ioannis Cotton Ac de in lvij Acris iij. rodis terrae pasturae siue plus siue minus prout iacent in campis de Myldenhall praedicta in diuersis pecijs vt patet in Curia hic tenta die Iouis proximo post festum Sancti Lucae Euangelistae An. regni Regis Henrici viij xxxviij Necnon de in xij acris terrae natiuae iacentibus in Townefield Twamelfield in diuersis pecijs Ac de in quatuor Acris dimidio terrae iacentibus in Myldenhall praedicta Ac de in quinque rodis terrae iacentibus in Halywelfield Qua propter praemissa idem Symon nuper habuit ex sursum redditione Willielmi Heynes prout pater in Curia hic tenta die Martis proximo post Dominicam in Albis Anno regni Regis Edwardi vj. primo Et sic sesitus idem Symon de omnibus supradictis praemissis inde obijt solus sesitus Et quòd Ioseph Heynes est filius haeres eius propinquior modo aetatis quinque annorum amplius Qui quidem Ioseph praesens hic in Curia in propria persona sua petit se admittie ad omnia supradicta praemissa tanquam ad ius haere ditatem suam Et D. Rex D. Regina ex gratia sua speciali per Clementum Heigham militem Senescallum suum concesserunt ei inde sesinam tenendam sibi haeredibus assignatis eius per virgam ad voluntatem dict D. Regis D. Reginae secundum consuetudinem huius Manerij per seruitia redditus inde debita c. Saluo iure c Et dat Domino Regi D. Reginae v. lib. de fine pro ingressu suo habendo fidelitas inde respectuatur quousque c. Et vlterius consideratum est per Curiam quòd dict Ioseph est infra aetatem vt praefertur Ideo determinatum est concessum est per consensum Curiae quòd Ioanna Heynes nuper vxor praedicti Simonis ac mater predicti Ioseph habebit custodiam eiusdem Ioseph quousque idem Ioseph peruenerit ad suam legitimam aetatem Concerning these vj. Articles passed in this Acte aforesayd in the 21. yeare of King Henry sufficiently hetherto hath bene declared first what these Articles were secondly by whom and from whom chiefly they proceded thirdly how erroneous pernicious repugnant and contrarious to true doctrine christian religion and the word of God to nature also it selfe all reason and honesty and finally to the auncient lawes customes and examples of our forcelders during the daies of a thousande yeares after Christe they were Fourthly yee haue heard also what vnreasonable and extreme penaltie was set vpon the same that a man may deeme these lawes to be written not wyth the inke of Steuen Gardiner but with the bloud of a Dragon or rather the clause of the Diuell The breach whereof was made no lesse then treason and felony and no lesse punishment assigned thereto then death Besides all this the wordes of the Acte were so curious and subtile that no man could speake wryte or cyphar against them without present daunger yea scarcely a man might speake any word of Christ and his Religion but he was in perill of these vj. Articles Ouer besides the Papistes began so finely to interprete the Act that they spared not to indite men for abusing their countenance behauiour in the Church So great was the power of darkenesse in those dayes And thus much concerning this Acte Besides these vj. Articles in this foresaide Acte concluded there was also another constitution annexed withall not without the aduise as may seeme of the Lord Cromwell which was this that Priestes and Ministers of the Church seing now they would needes thēselues be bound from all Matrimony should therefore by law likewise be bound to such honesty and continencie of life that carnally they should vse accustome no maner of woman maried or single by way of aduoutrie or fornication the breache whereof for the first tyme was to forfaite goodes to suffer imprisonment at the Kings pleasure and
Tolwine defended himself saying that he tooke occasion so to do by the kinges Iniunctions whyche say that ceremonyes should be vsed all ignorance superstition set apart In y e end this Tolwyne was forced to stand at paules crosse to recaÌ„t his doctrine doings Rob. Wisedome Tho. Becon Preacher The same time also Robert Wisedome The recantation of W. Tolwin parish Priest of S. Katherines in Lothbery and Tho. Becon were brought to Paules crosse to recant and to reuoke theyr doctrine and to burne theyr bookes Sir George Parker Person of S. Pancrace This priest and parsoÌ„ of S. Pancrace Little Allhalowes and Curate of little Alhallowes was noted suspected and conuented before the Ordinary for certayne bookes especially for hauing Vnio dissidentium c. Sir Iohn Birch Priest I. Byrch priest of S. Botolphes lane was complayned of by one M. Wilson for being a busy reasoner in certayne opinions which agreed not wyth the popes church Alexander Seton a Scottishman and a worthye Preacher Alexander Seton was denounced detected presented by 3. priestes Alex. Seton Chaplein to the Duke of Suffolke of whoÌ„ one was felow of Whittington colledge called Rich. Taylor An other was Ioh. Smith The thyrd was Ioh. Huntingdon who after was conuerted to y e same doctrine himselfe This Seton was Chaplayne to the duke of Suffolke and by him was made free Denison In his sermon preached at S. Anthonies his aduersaries picked agaynst him matter coÌ„teining 15. obiectioÌ„s or rather cauillatioÌ„s which for example I thought here to exhibite to the reader to the intent that men may see not only what true doctrine Seton then preached consonant to the Scriptures but also what wraÌ„gling cauillers caÌ„ do in deprauing that is right or in wrasting that is wel meÌ„t or in carping that they vnderstand not or in seking out faults where none is as by these theyr sinister cauillations may appeare * Certayne places or Articles gathered out of Setons Sermons by his aduersaryes THe sayings and wordes of Alexander Seton spoken preached by him in his sermon Articles gathered out of Alex Setons sermons by his aduersaryes made the xiij day of Nouember at afternoone in the Parish Churche of S. A. in London Paule saith of our selues we can do nothing I pray thee then where is thy will Art thou any better theÌ„ Paul Iames Peter and all the Apostles Hast thou any more grace then they Tell me now if thy will be any thing or nothing If it be any thing tel me whether it be to do good or ill If thou say to do ill I will graunt thou hast a greater deale If thou say to doe good I aske whether is more somewhat or nothing For Paul said he could do nothing and I am sure thou hast no more grace then Paul and his companions Scripture speaketh of three thinges in man the fyrst is will the other two are consent and deed The first that is will God worketh without vs 1. Will. 2. Consent 3. Deede No will in man of himselfe to do good and besides vs. The other two he worketh in vs and wyth vs. And here he alledged S. Augustine to proue that we can will nothing y t is good Moreouer he said thou hast not one iot no not one title to do any good There is nothing in heauen nor earth creature nor other that can be any meane towardes our iustification nor can or may satisfy God the father for our sinne saue onely Christ and the shedding of his bloud He that preacheth that workes doe merite or be any meane to our saluation or any part of our iustificatioÌ„ preacheth a doctrine of the deuill Ouâ— workes merite nothing to saluation If any thing els saue onely Christ be any meane towards our iustificatioÌ„ then did not Christ only iustify vs. I say that thy good woorkes nor any thing that thou canst do can be one iot or title towards thy iustificatioÌ„ For if they be then is not Christ a full iustifier and that I will proue hy a familier example Be it in case that I haue .2 seruantes the one is called Iohn and the other Robert I promise to send you such a day xx.l. by Iohn my seruant and at my day I send you by Iohn my seruant xix l.xix s. xi d. ob q. and there lacketh but one farthing which Robert doth bring thee and so thou hast thy xx.l. euery penye and farthing Yet will I aske if I be true of my promise or no and thou mayst say nay And why because I promised to send thee that whole xx pound by Iohn and did not for there lacked a farthing which Robert brought Wherefore I say if thy workes do merite or bring one litle iot or title toward thy iustification then is Christ false of his promise which sayd that he would do altogether One Scripture I will bring you which they can not writhe to proue that Christ was onely promised to be our onely Iustifier our onely meane and that is in the xxij of Genesis where it is written In thy seede shall all people bee blessed meaning therby onely Christ and he said not in thy seedes nor in the workes of thy seedes Wherfore all they that preach that workes be any part or meane toward our iustification do make God false of his promise They that preach that works do merit do make works the tree which are but the fruits of iustice wrought by him that is already a iust man which can not chuse but brynge forth good fruit I would aske a question whether he that worketh be a good maÌ„ Good fruites make not a good man but a good man cannot câ—use but to make good fruites Mans workes made checkmate with christ or bad for he must be one of them If he be a good man he can not chuse but bring forth good fruites if he be an ill maÌ„ he can bring forth no fruit but ill fruit for a good tree cannot bring forth ill fruit He that sayth that works do merit any thing towards our saluation doth make workes checke mate with Christ plucketh from Christ that is his geueth it to workes Some will aske wherfore then should I do good workes I aunswere good workes are to be done for no cause els but onely for the glory of God and not that they do merite any thing at all And he that sayth that workes are to bee done for any other cause theÌ„ for the glory of God only and will haue theÌ„ to merite or be any meane towardes our iustification I say he lyeth and beleue him not He that caÌ„ shew me in any scripture that works do merite or by any meane to our iustification for the first scripture I will without any further iudgemeÌ„t lose both mine eares for the second my toung and for the third my necke For I dare say he cannot prooue in all the whole scripture one title wherfore beleue them not Men
say that we deny good workes and fasting and prayer The Papistes belye the protestantes as though they dâ—nyed good workes They lye on vs we deny nothing but popish workes and popish fasting and popish prayer he that preacheth that works do merite or fasting doth merite or prayer doth merite doth preach a popish doctrine If you aske when we will leaue preaching of workes euen when they do leaue to preach that works do merite suffer Christ to be a whole satisfier only mean to our iustification till theÌ„ we will not cease in Gods cause to set forth onely Christ to be a ful perfect onely satisfaction If you aske if good works shal be rewarded I say yea and with no lesse then eternall glory Good workes how they be rewarded but for no merit that they deserue for they deserue nothing but only because god hath promised not for the merite of the worke but for hys promise sake and he will not breake his promise Other articles gathered out of Setons Sermons TOuching reconciliation spoken of by D. Smith preaching in the forenoone at Paules crosse Other articles out of Setons sâ—rmons 2. Cor. 5. Alexander Seton preaching at afternoone at S. Anthonies recityng his sayings scriptures reproued him for alledging thys saying RecoÌ„ciliamini deo englishing the same thus recoÌ„cile your selues to God because it is there spoken passiuely not actiuely so that there should be nothing in man perteining to reconciliation but all in God Also reprouing the sayd D. Smith for that the said D. said that man by his good works might merite Which saying of D. Smith the sayd Alexander SetoÌ„ reproued in the pulpit at S. Anthonies the 13. day of Nouember the yere of our Lord 1541. as noughtely spoken Moreouer the sayd Alexander Seton sayd in the same place that it was shame that any such preacher shoulde be suffered so openly to preach such erroneous doctrine as to say that workes should merite adducing non sunt condignae passiones c. Et postquam feceritis omnia c. Finally Seton said peradueÌ„ture ye will say the church hath determined this matter touching workes And I say quoth he that it is Ecclesia malignantium so determining any thing agaynst scripture To these preteÌ„sed obiectioÌ„s of his aduersaryes he made his answere again by writing first denying many thinges there presented taking vpon his conscience that he neuer spake diuers of those words and again many things that he neuer ment to such end nor purpose as in y e said register may appeare But all this notwithstanding for all that he could say for himself the ordinary proceded in his coÌ„sistory iudgement ministring to him certain Interogatories after the popish course to y e number of x. articles The greatest matter laid against him was for preaching free iustificatioÌ„ by fayth in Christ Iesu Seton bâ—â—ring a 〈◊〉 at Paules crosse agaynst false coÌ„fideÌ„ce in good works mans fre wil. Also it was layd vnto him for affirming y e priuate masses diriges other prayers profited not y e soules departed so that in the end he with Tolwing aforesaid was caused to recant at paules crosse an 1541. Adde to these aforesayd D. Taylor Parson of S. Peters in Cornehill South Parish priest of Allhallowes in Lombardstreet Some Priest Giles the kinges Beerebrewer at the redde Lion in S Katherines Tho. Lancaster Priest All which were imprisoned likewise for the 6. Articles To be short such a number out of all parishes in LoÌ„doÌ„ out of Calice and diuers other quarters All prisonâ— in London to little to hold them that were taken for the vi articles The Lord Audly Loâ—â— Chauncellour of England were theÌ„ apprehended through the sayd InquisitioÌ„ that al prisons in LoÌ„don were to litle to hold theÌ„ in so much that they were fain to lay theÌ„ in the Halles At the last by the meanes of good L. Audley such pardoÌ„ was obteined of the king that y e said L. Audley theÌ„ L. Chancellor being conteÌ„t that one should be bound for another they were all discharged being bouÌ„d onely to appere in the starre chamber the next day after Al soules there to answer if they were called but neither was there any person called neither did there any appeare ¶ The story of Iohn Porter cruelly Martyred for reading the Bible in Paules IN the number of these afore named commeth the remeÌ„braunce of Iohn Porter A story of Iohn Porter Martyr who in the same yeare 1541. for reading the Bible in Paules Church was cruelly handled and that vnto death as you shall heare It was declared in this history aboue pag. 1162. how Edm. Boner Bishop of London in the dayes of the L. Cromwell beyng then Ambassador at Paris The bible commaunded by the king to be set vp in Churches Read beforâ— pag. 1069. was a great Doer in setting forward the Printing of the Bible in the great volume promising moreouer that he would for his part haue 6. of those Bibles set vp in the Church of S. Paule in London Which also at his comming home he no lesse performed according to the kinges proclamation set foorth for y e same whereof read before pag. 1069. The bibles thus standing in Paules by the commauÌ„dement of the king and the appointment of Boner the bishop many well disposed people vsed much to resort to the hearing therof especially wheÌ„ they could get any that had an audible voyce to read vnto theÌ„ misdoubting therin no daunger toward them and no more there was so long as the dayes of Cromwell lasted After he was gone it happened amongest diuers and sondry godly disposed persoÌ„s which frequented there the reading of the foresayd Bible that one Iohn Porter vsed sometimes to be occupyed in that godly exercise to the edefying as well of himselfe as of other This Porter was a freshe young man and of a bigge stature Who by diligent reading of the Scripture and by hearing of such Sermons as then were preached by them that were the setters forth of Gods truth Ann. 1541. became very expert The Bible then being set vppe by Boners commaundement vpon diuers pillers in Paules Church fixed vnto the same with cheines for all men to read in theÌ„ y t would I. Porter a great reaâ—der in the Bible at Paules great multitudes woulde resort thither to heare this Porter because he could read well and had an audible voyce Boner his chappeleines being greued withall the world beginning then to frowne vppon the Gospellers sent for the sayd Porter and rebuked him very sharpely Boner and his Chapleynes greeâ—ed with the Byâ—leâ— whicâ—â— he before caused to 〈◊〉 vp himâ—â—lfe for his reading But Porter answered hym that he trusted he had done nothing contrary to the law neither contrary to his aduertisementes which he had fixed in print ouer euery Bible Boner theÌ„â—ayd vnto his charge that he had made expositions vpon the
vnity concord in al things and especially in the true fayth and religion of God and therewithal also duely wayed the great daunger that his louing Subiects were in for confessing the gospell of Christ through many and diuers cruell statuts made by sondry his predecessors against the same which being stil left in force mought both cause the obstinate to conteÌ„n his graces godly procedings and also the weak to be fearefull of theyr christianlike profession he therfore caused it among other things by the authority of the same parliament to be enacted Statut. an 1. Reg. Edwardi 6. Cap. 12. that all Actes of Parliament Statutes touching mentioning or in any wise concerning religion or opinions that is to say as well y e statute made in the first yeare of the reigne of king Rich. the second The statute made An· 1. Reg. Rich. 2. An. Reg Hen 5. An. 25. Reg. HeÌ„ 8. Item An. 31. Henr. â— An. 34. Henr. 8. An. 35. Henr. 8. repealed Item note for the statute An. 2. Reg. HeÌ„ 4. cp 15. because that statute was repealed by an estatute made 25. an Henr. 8. therefore the same is here omitted The bloudy statute of the 6. articles repealed and the statute made in the second yeare of the reigne of King Henry the fift and the statute made in the 25. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry .8 coÌ„cerning punishment and reformation of hereticks and Lollards and euery prouision therein conteined and the Statutes made for the abolishment of diuersity of opinions in certain Articles concerning Christian religion commoÌ„ly called the 6. Articles made in the 31. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry 8. also the statute made in the ParliameÌ„t begon the 16. day of Ianuary in the 33. yeare of the reigne of the sayd K. HeÌ„ry the 8. and after proroged vnto the 21. day of Ianuary in the 24. yeare of his sayd raigne touching mentioning or in any wise concerning bookes of the olde and new Testament in English the printing vttering selling geuing or deliuering of bookes or writings and reteining of english bookes or writinges and reading preaching teaching or expounding the scriptures or in any wise touching meÌ„tioning or coÌ„cerning any of the sayd matters And also one other statute made in the 35 yeare of the Raigne of the sayd K. Henry 8. concerning the qualification of the Statute of the sixe Articles and all and euery other act or acts of parliament concerning doctrine or matters of religion and al and euery braunch article sentence matter paines or forfaytures conteined meÌ„tioned or in any wise declared many of the same Actes or Statutes should from thenceforth be vtterly repealed made voyd and of none effect By occasion wherof as wel al such his godly subiects as were then still abiding within this Realme had free liberty publickely to professe the Gospel as also many learned zealous preachers before banished were now both licensed freely to returne home agayne also encouraged boldly and faythfully to trauel in theyr fuÌ„ction and calling so that God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified Moreouer in the same Session his Maiestye with the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in the same Parliament assembled throughly vnderstanding by the iudgement of the best learned that it was more agreable vnto y â— first institution of the sacrament of the most precious body and bloud of our Sauior Christ and also more conformable to the common vse and practise both of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche by the space of fyue hundreth yeares and more after Christes Ascension that the sayde holye Sacrament shoulde bee ministred vnto all Christen people vnder both the kindes of bread and wine then vnder the forme of bread onely and also that it was more agreable vnto the sayd first institution of Christ and the vsage of the Apostles and primatiue Churche that the people being preseÌ„t should receiue the same with the priest then that the priest should receiue it alone dyd by theyr authority moreouer enacte that the sayde holy Sacrament should be from theÌ„ceforth commonly deliuered and ministred vnto the people throughout the churches of Englâ—d and Ireland and other the kinges dominioÌ„s vnder both y e kindes of bread and of wine The asseâ—â—bly oâ— Byâ—shop◠〈◊〉 others at Windsore except necessity otherwise required and also that the Priest that should minister the same should at the least one day before exhort all persons which should be present likewise to resort prepare themselues to receiue the same And at y e day prefixed after some godly exhortation made by the minister wherin should be further expressed the benefit and comfort promised to them which worthely receiue this holy Sacrament the daunger and indignation of God threatned to them which presume to receiue the same vnworthely to the end that euery man might try and examine his owne conscience before he should come thereunto the sayd Minister shoulde not without a lawfull cause denye the same to any person that would deuoutly and humbly desire it any Law Statute The assemâ—bly of Byshops and others 〈◊〉 Windsore ordinaunce or custome contrary therunto in any wise notwithstanding After which most godly consent of the parliament the king being no lesse desirous to haue the forme of administration of the Sacrament truely reduced to the ryght rule of the scriptures and first vse of the primatiue church then he was to establish the same by the authority of his owne regall lawes appoynted certain of the most graue and best learned Bishops and others of his Realme to assemble together at his Castle of Windsor there to argue and entreat vpon this matter and conclude vpon and set forth one perfect and vniforme order according to the rule and vse aforesayd And in the meane while that the learned were thus occupyed about theyr conferences the Lord Protectour and the rest of the kinges Councell farther remembring that that time of the yere did then approch wherin were practised many superstitious abuses and blasphemous ceremonies agaynst the glory of God and trueth of his word determining the vtter abolishing thereof directed theyr letters vnto the godly and reuerend father Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Caunterbury Metropolitane of England requiring him that vpon the receit thereof he should will euery Bishop within his Prouince forthwith to geue in charge vnto all the Curates of theyr Diocesses that neither candles should be any more borne vpoÌ„ Candlemas day neither yet ashes vsed in Lent Candleâ—â—â— to be 〈◊〉 on Candâ—â—â—mas day nor Palmes vpon palme Sonday Whereupon the Archbishop zealously fauouring thee good and Christianlike purpose of the king and his CouÌ„sell Ashes for bidden on Ashwednesday 〈◊〉 Edm. Boâ—â—â— did immediately in that behalfe write bnto all the rest of the Bishops of that prouince and amongest them vnto Edmund Boner then Bishop of London Of whose rebellious and obstinate contumacy for that we
Winchesters story And though I haue not here withal so fully expressed all his letters answeres preachinges examinations defensions exhibites attestations with the depositions of all suche witnesses as he could and did produce for the most aduantage of hys owne cause with such notes also and collections gathered vpon the same as here I might and as before I haue don I must intreate y e reader to cōsider first y e greatnes of this volume which would not well beare the tedious tractatiō thereof and secondly to content himself in resorting to our first history The Notes and collections hereof read in the first edition fol. 862. where not onely he may peruse the whole discourse of this bishops doinges set foorth at large but also may briefely read in a few summarye notes collected the whole course of his doctrine and Iudgement touchyng what poyntes of religion he did consent and agree or not agree vnto pag. 862. And thus an end of Winchester for a while til we come to talke of his death hereafter Whome as wee number amongest good Lawyers so is he to be reckoned amongest ignoraunt and grosse Diuines Winchester a good lawyer yet but a naughty diuine and a worse Bishop proud Prelates and bloudy persecuters as both by his cruell life and Pharisaicall doctrine may appeare especially in the article of the Sacrament and of our iustification and Images and also in crying out of the Paraphrase not considering in whose person the things be spoken but what the Paraphrast vttereth in the person of Christ or of the Euangelist and not in his own that he wrasteth vnto the author and maketh thereof heresie and abhomination The like impudency and quarrelling also hee vsed agaynst Bucer Luther Peter Martyr Cranmer almost agaynst all other true Interpreters of the Gospell So blinde was his iudgement or els so wilfull was his mind in the truth of Christs doctrine that it is hard to say whether in him vnskilfulnes or wilfulnes had greater predomination But agaynst this doct Gardiner we will now set and match on the cōtrary side D. Redman Winchester as vnskilfull as wilfull for so much as he departing this transitory life the same present yeare 1551. commeth now by course of history here to be mentioned Who for his singular life and profounde knowledge being inferiour in no respect to the sayde Gardiner D. Redman set to match Steuen Gardiner shall stand as great a frend in promoting the gospels cause as the other seemeth an enemy by all maner of wayes to empayre and deface the same For the more assured declaratiō whereof we will hereto adioyne the Lorde willing the learned communication betweene the said Doct. Redman lying in his deathbed and M. Wilkes mayster Alexander Nowell Doct. Yong and other witnesses moe Whereof the sayd M. Wilkes thus recordeth speaking in his owne person and his owne wordes as followeth A note of the communication that I Richard Wilkes had with maister Doctor Redman being sicke at Westminster but of good memory 2. Nouemb. 1551. in the presence of M. Yong an other whō I did not know and 2. of M. Doct. Redmans seruants the one called Elias and the other vnknowne I The foresayd Richard Wilkes comming to Doct. Redman lying sicke at Westminster and first saluting him after my ordinary duetye wished him health both in soule body not doubting moreouer The communication and confession of D. Redman in his deathbed but he did practise the godly counsaile in himselfe which he was wont to geue to other being in his case and thankes be to God said I who had geuen him stuffe of knowledge to comfort himself w tall To whom he answering again said in this wise God of all comfort geue me grace to haue comfort in hym and to haue my mind wholy fixed in him M. Yong I sayd Amen Thē I cōmoned w t him of his sickenes the weaknes of his body and said y t though he were brought neuer so low yet he if it were his pleasure that raised vp Lazarus could restore him to health agayne No no saith he that is past and I desire it not but the will of God be fulfilled After this or a little other like communication I asked if I mighte be so bolde not troubling him to knowe hys mynde for my learning in some matters and poyntes of religion He sayd yea and that he was as glad to common wyth me in such matters as with any man And then I sayde to hys seruauntes I trust I shall not trouble hym No said Ellis his seruaunt my L. of London M. Nowel and other haue communed with him and he was glad of it Then sayd M. Redman no you shall not trouble me I pray God euer geue me grace to speake the truth and hys truth and that which shall redound to his glory and send vs vnitie in his Church and we sayd Amen I sayde he shoulde do much good in declaring his faith and I would be glad to knowe his minde as touching the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ. Communicatiō touching the Sacramēt of the Lordes Body bloud He sayd as man is made of two partes of the body and the soule so Christ would feede the whole man but what sayth he be the wordes of the text Let vs take the words of the Scripture and he rehearsed the text himselfe thus Accepit Iesus panem Christ tooke bread Wherein hys wyll was to institute a Sacrament Accipite commedite Take eate Here he told the vse of it What did he geue them Hoc est corpus meum Question Whether Christ be present in the Sacrament Vnitio he calleth it his body Then I asked him of the presence of Christ. He said Christ was present with his sacrament and in those that receaued it as they ought And there was Mira vnitio a wonderfull vnion for that word was named betwixt Christ and vs as S. Paul saith Vos estis os ex ossibus eius caro ex carne eius Ye be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh Question Whether Christ be present corporally naturally and really in the Sacramēt Corporally that is truely so Christ is there otherwise not Quest. Whether Christ be there flesh bloud bone The which vnion was ineffable Then I asked him what he thought of the opinion that Christ was there corporally naturally and really He aunswered if you meane by corporally naturally and really that he is there present Verè I graunt Then I asked how he thought of that which was wont commonly to be spoken that Christ was there flesh bloud bone as I haue heard the Stewards in their Leets giue charge when the 6. articles stoode in effect and charge the Inquest to enquire that if there were any that would denie that Christ was present in the Sacrament of the aultar in flesh bloud and bone they should apprehend them He said that was too grosse
de eo qui se dixit panem esse aeternae vitae All mysteries must be considered with inwarde eyes that is to say spiritually As the inwarde eyes when they see the bread they passe ouer the creatures neither do they thinke of that bread which is baked of the baker but of him which called himself the bread of eternal life For these two causes the bread and wine are called the body and bloud of Christe Nowe I thinke you are satisfied concerning the meaning of these woordes This is my body Cust. Yet one thing mooueth me very much Veri What is that Cust. The Doctors and old wryters men inspired with the holy Ghost haue euermore bene against your doctrine Custome standeth vpon authority coÌ„mon voyce Yea and in these daies the wisest men and best learned call you heretickes and your learning heresie Veri As touching the olde wryters I remember well they speake reuerently of the Sacramentes like as euery man ought to doe The right meaning of the Doctours misconstrued of custome keepers But where as they deliuer their minde wyth the right hand you Custome receiue it wyth the lefte For where as they say that it is the bodye of Christe and that it must be verely eaten meaning that it doeth effectually lay before the eyes Christes body and that it is to the faithfull man no lesse then if it were Christe him selfe and that Christe must be eaten in faith not torne nor rent wyth the teeth The Doctours how they call the Sacrament the body of Christ why The wordes of the Doctours against the Popes doctrine you say that howsoeuer it be taken it is Christes bodye and that there is none other eatyng but wyth the mouth And that the fathers meant no other thing then I haue sayde it shall appeare by their wordes But as touching the learned and wise men of these dayes I can not blame them if they call my doctrine heresie for they would condemne al auncient wryters of heresie if they were now aliue But I will aunsweare you to them anone In the meane while marke you how well their learning agreeth They say you must follow the letter you must sticke to the letter Origines in Leuit Hom. 17. But Origenes sayeth Si secundum literam sequaris id quod scriptum est nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis non erit vita in vobis ea litera occidit If ye folow after the letter that which is wrytten vnlesse yee shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man August de doctrina Christiana Lib. 3 cap. 16. there shal be no life in you this letter killeth Augustine in the third booke De doctrina Christiana Principio cauendum est ne figuratam dictionem secundum literam accipias Ad hoc enim pertinet id quod ait Apostolus 2. Cor. 3. litera occidit Cum enim figuratè dictum sic accipitur tanquam propriè dictum sit carnaliter sapitur neque vlla animae mors congruentius appellatur i. First thou muste beware that thou take not a figuratiue speache after the letter For thereto pertaineth that the Apostle sayeth The letter killeth For when a thing is spiritually meant and the same is takeÌ„ litterally and properly spoken that is a carnall taking Neither can any other be called the killing of the soule rather then that And in the same booke he teacheth a man to know the plain sense from a figure August de doctrina Christiana Lib. 3. cap. 16. saying thus Si praeceptiua loquntio est flagitium iubens aut beneficentiam vetans figurata est Nisi mâ—nducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non erit vita in vobis Flagitium videtur iubere Ergo Figura est praecipiens passioni Domini esse communicandum A rule to know a figuratiue speach from the litterall suauiter in memoria recoÌ„dendum quòd pro nobis caro eius crucifixa sit i. If the commaunding speach be such as commandeth a thing wicked and horrible to be done or a charitable thing to be vndone then this is a figuratiue speach Unlesse ye shal eat the flesh of the sonne of man and shall drinke his bloud there shall be no life in you Because in this speach he seemeth to commaund a wicked thing it is therefore a figuratiue speache commaunding that we should communicate with the passion of our Lorde and sweetely to retaine it in our remembraunce In like manner Chrysostome plucketh you from the plaine letter and the bare woordes by this saying Caro non prodest hoc est secundum spiritum verba mea intelligenda sunt Quia qui secundum carnem audit nihil lucratur Quid est autem carnaliter intelligere Chrisost. in Ioan. hom 46. Simpliciter vt res dicuntur neque aliud quip piam cogitare Non enim ita iudicanda sunt quae videntur sed mysteria omnia interioribus oculis videnda sunt hoc est spiritualiter i. The flesh profiteth not that is to say my wordes must be taken and expounded after the spirite For hee that heareth after the flesh gaineth nothing Nowe what is it to vnderstaÌ„d carnally To take things simply as they be spoken and not to consider any meaning further therein For things must not be iudged as they are seene but all mysteries must be seene with inwarde eyes that is to say spiritually What is so hainous in these dayes as to cal the Sacrament the token or the remembrance of Christes body Yet did the olde wryters in manner neuer call it other Tertullian in the 4. booke against the Martionistes Christus accepit panem â—â—rtullianus â—â—ntra Martion Lib. 4. corpus suum fecit Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ dicendo id est figura corporis mei Christ took bread made it hys body saying This is my body that is to say a figure of my body Ambrose vpon the 11. to the Corinthians Quia morte Domini liberati sumus huius rei memores in edendo potando Ambros. â— 1. Cor. 1â— carnem sanguinem quae pro nobis oblata sunt significamus Because we are deliuered by the Lords death in y e remembraunce of the same by eating and drinking we signify the body and bloud which were offered vp for vs. Chrisost. Matth. Hom. â—3 Chrysostome in the lxxxiij Homily vpon the Gospel of Mathew Quando dicunt vndè patet Christum immolatum fuisse haec adferentes eorum ora consuimus Si enim mortuus Christus non est cuius Symbolum ac signum hoc sacrificium est When they obiect vnto vs and aske howe knowe you that Christe was offered vppe then alledging these things we stoppe theyr mouthes For if Christ died not then whose signe or token is this sacrifice Augustine to Adimantus Non dubitauit Christus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui August 〈◊〉 Adimanâ—â—â— Christ doubted
discretion of the said Bishop or his Officer as he shall thinke may be spared of the said Benefice Item that euery Byshop and all other persons aforesaid Maried Priestes â—â—uorced â—â—th from â—ife and â—enefice do foresee that they suffer not any religious man hauing solemnely professed chastitie to continue with hys woman or wife but that all such persons after depriuation of their benefice or Ecclesiasticall promotion be also diuorced euery one from his saide woman and due punishment otherwise taken for the offence therein Item that euery Bishop and all other persons aforesaid do take order and direction with the Parishioners of euery Benefice where Priests do want Prouision 〈◊〉 want of Priestes to repayre to the next Parish for diuine seruice or to appoint for a conuenient time till other better prouision may be made one Curate to serue Alienis vicibus in diuers Parishes and to allot to the saide Curate for his labour some portion of the Benefice that he so serueth Item that all and all maner of processions of y e Church be vsed 〈…〉 Latin â—olydayes 〈◊〉 fasting â—â—yes frequented and continued after the old order of the Church in the latine tongue Item that all such holydaies and fasting daies be obserued and kept as were obserued and kept in the latter time of king Henry the eight Item that the laudable honest ceremonies which wer wont to be vsed frequented and obserued in the Churche Ceremonies restored be also hereafter frequented vsed and obserued Item that children be christened by the Priest and confirmed by the Bishop as heretofore hath bene accustomed and vsed Item touching such persons as were heretofore promoted to anye orders after the new sorte and fashion of orders considering they were not ordered in very deede Orders the bishop of the Dioces finding otherwise sufficiency and habilitie in those men may supply that thing which wanted in them before and then according to his discretion admit them to minister Item Comming to diuine seruice that by the bishop of the Dioces an vniforme doctrine be set foorth by Homelies or otherwise for the good instruction teaching of al people And that the sayd bish and other persons aforesaid doe compell the parishioners to come to their seuerall Churches and there deuoutly to heare deuine seruice as of reason they ought Item that they examine all Scholemaisters teachers of children finding them suspect Prouision for Catholickâ— scholemaisters in any wise to remoue them and place Catholicke men in theyr rowmes with a speciall commaundement to instructe their children so as they may be able to aunswere the priest at the masse and so helpe the priest to masse as hath bene accustomed Item that the sayd Bishop and all other the persons aforesaid haue such regard respect and consideration of and for the setting forth of the premisses with all kind of vertue godly liuing and good example with repressing also and keping vnder of vice and vnthriftines as they and euerich of them may be seene to fauour the restitution of true Religion and also to make an honest accompt and reckening of their office and cure to the honor of God our good contentation and the profite of this our Realme and the dominions of the same A like prescript also with Articles was sent from the said Queene Mary to the Lord Mayor of London March 4. the 4. day of March in the yeare abouesayd which Lord Mayor vpon the same directed his commandement to the Aldermen euerye one seuerally in his warde conteing as followeth * By the Lord Mayor ON the Queene our most gracious most benigne soueraigne Ladies behalfe A prescript of the Lord Mayor to the Aldermen we most straightly charge commaund you that ye the said Aldermen faile not personally to call before your owne person in such place within your sayde warde as to you shall seeme most conuenient meete vpon Wednesday nexte comming which shal be the 7. daye of this present moneth at 7. of the clocke in the morning of the same daye all and euery the householders both poore and rich of your sayd warde then there openly and plainely for your owne discharge and for the eschewing of the perils that to you might otherwise be iustly imputed layd do not onely straitly admonish charge commaund in the Queene our sayd soueraigne Ladyes name and behalfe al and euery the sayd householders that both in theyr own persons and also their wiues children and seruantes being of the age of xij yeares and vpwards and euery of them do at al and euery time and times from henceforth and namely at the holy time of Easter now approching honestly quietly obediently and Catholickely vse and behaue themselues like good and faithful christian people in all and euery thing and thinges touching concerning the true fayth profession and Religion of his Catholicke Church both according to the lawes and precepts of almighty God and also theyr bounden duetie of obedyence towards our soueraigne Lady y e Queene her lawes and Statutes and her highnes most good example gracious proceeding according to the same and according also to y e right wholsome charitable godly admonitioÌ„ charge and exhortation late set forth and geuen by y e right reuereÌ„d father in God the bishop of London our Diocesan and ordinary to all the Persons Uicares and Curates wythin this Dioces but also that they and euery of them do truely without delaye aduertise you of the names surnames of all and euery person and persons that they or any of them can or may at any time hereafter know perceiue or vnderstand to transgresse or offend in anye poynt or Article concerning the premisses at their vttermost perilles That ye immediately after such notice therof to you geuen do forthwith aduertise vs thereof fayle ye not thus to do with all circumspection and dilligence as ye will aunswere to our sayd most dread soueraigne Lady the Queene for the contrary at your like perill Geuen at the Guildhall of the Citie of London the v. day of March in the first of the raigne of our said saueraigne Lady the Queene Blackwell And likewise do you geue to euery of the sayd housholders straightly in commaundemente that they or theyr wiues depart not out of the said Citie vntill this holy time of Easter be past ABout the same yeare and time when Doct. Boner set foorth this prescript or monitory there came from the Quene another proclamation against straungers and forreiners within this realme The purpose intent of which proclamation because it chiefly and most specially concerned religion and doctrine and the true professors thereof I thought here to annexe the tenor and maner of the same * A copy of the Queenes Proclamation for the driuing out of the Realme Straungers and Forreiners Q. Maryes proclamation for driuing out of straungers THE Queene our soueraigne Lady vnderstanding that a multitude of
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
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
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
question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then sayd I My Lord I thinke many things be farre wide from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my Lord sayd Thou art a very varlet Math. 5. To that I aunswered that is as ill as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt beetill brow To that I aunswered D. Taylour learned in diuinitie and also in the ciuill lawe Gardiners booke de vera obedientia I haue read ouer and ouer agayne the holy Scriptures and S. Augustines workes through S. Cyprian Eusebius Origine Gregory Nazianzen with diuers other bookes through once therefore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignoraunt Besydes these my Lorde I professed the Ciuill lawes as your Lordship did and I haue read ouer the Canon law also Then my Lord sayd with a corrupt iudgement thou readest all things Touching my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lord ye did write one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscience that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord sayd tut tut tut I wrote agaynst Bucer in Priestes Mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maryed many yeares To that I aunswered I am maryed in deed and I haue hadde nine children in holy Matrimonye I thanke God and this I am sure of that your proceedinges now at this present in this Realme agaynst Priestes Mariages is the maintenance of the doctrine of deuils agaynst naturall lawe Ciuill lawe Canon law generall Counsels Canons of the Apostles auncient Doctours and Gods lawes Then spake my Lord of Duresme saying You haue professed the Ciuill law as you say Then you know that Iustinian writeth that Priestes shoulde at theyr taking of orders sweare that they were neuer maryed and he bringeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I did not remember any such lawe of Iustinian But I am sure that Iustinian Writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in Cod. that if one would bequeath to his wife in his TestameÌ„t a legacy vnder a conditioÌ„ that she shuld neuer mary agayne and take an othe of her accomplishing of the same yet she may mary agayne if he die notwithstanding the aforesayd coÌ„dition and othe taken and made agaynst Mariage and an othe is an other maner of obligation made to God then is a Papisticall vow made to man Moreouer in the Pandects it is conteined that if a man doth manumit his handmayde vnder a condition that shee shall neuer mary yet she may mary and her Patrone shall loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnaturall and vnlawfull condition agaynst Matrimony Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd thou sayst that Priestes may be maryed by Gods law How prouest thou that Scripture â—pprâ—ueth 〈◊〉 maâ—sages but â—he Pâ—pe 〈◊〉 be heard beâ—ore the Scripture Chrysost. â—alleth it an â—eresie to â—ay that a Priest may â—ot be maâ—yed I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paul both to Timothy to Titus where he speaketh most euidentlye of the mariage of Priestes Deacons and Byshoppes And Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy sayth It is an heresye to say that a Bishop may not be maryed Then sayd my Lord Chauncellor thou lyest of Chrysostome But thou doest as all thy companions doe belye euer without shame both the Scriptures and the Doctors Diddest thou not also say that by the Canon lawe Priestes may be maried whiche is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I aunswered We read in the Decrees that the foure generall Councels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedone haue the same authority that the foure Euangelistes haue And we read in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon law that the Councell of Nicene by the meanes of one Paphnutius Canon law â—â—proueth Priests maâ—iages did allow Priestes bishops mariages Therfore by the best part of the Canon law Priestes may be maried Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd thou falsifiest the generall Councell For there is expresse mention in the sayde Decree that Priestes shoulde be diuorced from their wiues Winchester â—â—lyeth the â—ouncell whiche bee maried Then said I if those words be there as you say then am I content to lose this great head of mine Let the booke be fetched 〈◊〉 â—elpeth Winâ—â—ester 〈…〉 Then spake my Lord of Duresme Though they be not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which booke the Decree was taken To that sayd I it is not like that the Pope woulde leaue out any such sentence hauing such authority making so much for his purpose Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Gratian was but a patcher thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I answered my Lord I can not but maruell that you do call one of the chiefe Papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilt thou not returne agayne with vs to the Catholicke Church and with that he rose And I sayd By Gods grace I will neuer departe from Christes Church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison and my Lord Chauncellour sayde thou shalt haue iudgement within this weeke and so was I deliuered agayne vnto my keeper D. Taylour 〈◊〉 agayne 〈…〉 My Lord of Duresme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we ought to preferre Gods word before all men And thus muh was conteined in the foresayd letter of Doctor Taylour for that matter Besides this letter moreouer he directed an other writing in like maner to an other frend of his concerning the causes wherfore he was condemned whiche we thought likewise here to expresse as foloweth ¶ The copy of an other Letter to his frend touching his assertions of the Mariage of Priestes and other causes for the which he was condemned IT is heresy to defend any doctrine agaynst the holy scripture Therfore the Lord Chauncellour and Bishops coÌ„senting to his sentence agaynst me be heretickes For they haue geuen sentence agaynst the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paul to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly The B. of Wint. and his felloweâ— proued to be oâ—pen heretickes by Scripture 〈◊〉 by the true â—â—â—nition of hereâ—â— that Bishops Priestes Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of y e deuils to inhibite Matrimony And S. Paule willeth euery faythfull Minister to teach the people so least they be deceiued by the marked Marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These Byshops are not ignoraunt that it is onely S. Paules counsell
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
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
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
I come to redemption so to iustification and so to election On thys sorte I am sure that warely and wisely a man maye walke in it easely by the light of Gods spirite in and by his woorde seeing this Faith not to be geuen to all men 2. Thes. 3. but to suche as are borne of God Predestinate before y e world was made after the purpose and good wil of God which wil we may not call into disputation but in trembling and feare submit our selues to it as to that whych can will none otherwise then that whych is holy righte and good howe farre soeuer otherwise it seeme to the iudgemeÌ„t of reason which must needes be beaten downe to be more careful for Gods glory then for mannes saluation whyche dependeth onely thereon as all Gods children full well see for they seeke not the glory whych commeth of men but the glory which commeth of God Ieremie 9. Ihon 5. They knowe God to be a God whych doeth on earthe not onely mercye but also iudgement which is hys Iustice and moste Iustice althoughe oure foolishe reason cannot see it And in thys knowledge they glory and reioice though others through vaine curiositie grudge murmure there againste Thus brieflye I haue sente you my minde and meaning concerning this matter Hereafter you shal haue I thinke your letter particularly answeared by M. Philpot as also if I haue time and so you require it I will doe Iohn Bradford Notes vpon the same Epistle and to the matter of election appertaining AS touching the doctrine of Election wherof thys letter of M. Bradforde Notes this 〈◊〉 added and manye other his letters moe doe much intreate three thinges must be considered 1 Firste what Gods election is and what is the cause thereof 2 Secondly howe Gods election proceedeth in woorking our saluation 3 Thirdly to whome Gods election pertaineth and howe a man may be certaine thereof Betweene Predestination and Election Differâ—â—â—â— betweenâ— predestination and Election thys difference there is Predestination is as well to the reprobate as to the Elect. Election onely pertaineth to them that be saued Predestination in that it respecteth the Reprobate is called Reprobation in that it respecteth the saued is called Election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternal decreement of God Definitioâ— of predâ—â—â—â—â—nation purposed before in him selfe what shall befall on all men eyther to saluation or damnation Election is the free mercy grace of God in his owne wil through faith in Christ his sonne Election defined chusing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him In thys definition of Election firste goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes therof whereby are excluded al woorkes of the lawe and merites of deseruing whether they goe before faith or come after So was Iacob chosen and Esau refused The 〈◊〉 of the deâ—â—â—nition examined Mercy and grace before either of them began to woorke c. Secondly in that thys mercy and grace of God in this definition is said to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and woorking of God not to be bounde to any ordinarie place or to any succession of chaire nor to state and dignitie of persone nor to worthinesse of bloude Free meâ—â—â— and grace c. but all goeth by the meere wil of his owne purpose as it is written Spiritus vbi vult spirat c. And thus was the outward race and stocke of Abraham after flesh refused whych seemed to haue the preeminence and an other seede after the spirite raised vp to Abraham of the stones that is of the Gentiles So was the outwarde Temple of Hierusalem and chaire of Moses whyche seemed to be of price forsaken and Gods chaire aduanced in other nations So was tall Saule refused and little Dauid accepted the riche the proude the wyse of this worlde reiected and the woorde of saluation daily opened to the poore and miserable abiects the hie mountaines caste vnder and the lowe valleys exalted c. Thirdly where it is added in his owne will by thys falleth downe the free will purpose of man The free mercy and grace of God in his owne will Rom. 9. with all hys actions counsels strength of nature according as it is written Non est volentis neque currentis sed miserentis Dei c. i. It is not in hym that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So we see how Israel raÌ„ long yet got nothing The Gentiles vnneth begaÌ„ to set out and yet got the game So they which came at the first houre did labor more yet they which came last were rewarded with the first Math. 20. The working will of the Pharisie seemed better Math. 20. but yet the Lords will was rather to iustifie the Publicane Luke 18. Luke 18. The elder sonne had a better wil to tary by his father and so did in dede and yet y e fat Calfe was geuen to the yonger sonne that ran away Luk. 15. Wherby we haue to vnderstand Luke 15. howe the matter goeth not by the will of man but by the will of God as it pleaseth hym to accept according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Gods mercy in 〈◊〉 the elect 〈◊〉 includeth the condition 〈◊〉 fayth in Christ. The free mercy and grace of God in 〈◊〉 owne 〈◊〉 will tâ—â—rough 〈◊〉 in Chriâ—â— his sonâ—â— our Lorâ—â— Non ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex Deo nati sunt c. i. Which are borne not of the wil of the flesh nor yet of the wil of man but of God Furthermore as al then goeth by the will of God onely and not by the wil of man so againe here is to be noted that this wil of God neuer goeth with out faith in Christ Iesus his sonne And therefore fourthly is this clause added in the definition through faith in Christe his sonne Whych faith in Christ to vs ward maketh altogether For first it certifieth vs of Gods election As this Epistle of M. Bradforde doth wel expresse For whosoeuer wil be certaine of hys election in God let him first begin with his faith in Christ which if he finde in him to stande firme he may be sure and nothing doubt but that he is one of the number of Gods elect Secondly the said faith and nothing els is the onely coÌ„dition and meanes wherupon Gods mercy grace election vocation and al Gods promises to saluation do stay according to the woordes of S. Paule Si permanseritis in fide c. i. If ye abide in the faith Colos. 1. Thirdly this faith also is the immediate and nexte cause of oure Iustification simply wythout any other condition annexed For as the mercy of God his grace election vocation and other precedent causes doe saue and iustifie vs vppon condition if we beleue in Christ so this faith onely in Christe wythout condition