more able somewhat to help the poore as they did to the vttermost of their power Greg. Basset prisoned at Bristowe Amongst all other priestes and Friers Gregory Basset was most busie with him This Gregorie Basset as is partly touched before was learned and had a pleasant tongue Greg. Basset compelled by the Friers to recant and not long before was faln from the truth for the which hee was prisoned in Bristowe long time at whose examinatiō was ordeined a great pan of fire where his holy brethren as report went abroad menaced him to burne his hands of whereupon he there before them recāted and became afterward a mortall enemie to the truth al his life This Gregorie as it is sayde was feruent wyth the poore man to please the Canons o◠that Churche and marueilously tormented his braines howe to turne hym from his opinions yea and he was so diligent and feruent with him that he wold not depart the prison but lay there night and day Greg. Basset busie agaynst Tho. Benet who notwythstanding loste his labour for good Benet was at a poynt not to deny Christ before men So Gregory as wel as y e other holy fathers lost his spurres in so much that hee sayde in open audience that there was neuer so obstinate an heretike The principal poynt betweene Basset hym was touching the supremacie of the B. of Rome whom in his bils he named Antichriste The matter betweene Basset and Tho. Benet the thiefe the mercenary the murtherer of Christes flocke and these disputations lasted about 8. daies where at sundry times repaired to hym both the blacke and gray Friers with priestes and Monkes of that Citie They that had some learning perswaded hym to beleue the Church and shewed by what tokens shee is knowen The other vnlearned railed said that the deuil tēpted him and spit vpon him calling him hereticke who praied God to geue them a better mind to forgeue them For saide he I will rather die then worship such a beast the very whoore of Babylon Rayling agaynst Benet and a false vsurper as manifestly it doeth appeare by his doings They asked what he did that he had not power and authority to do being gods vicar He doth quoth he sell the sacraments of the Church for mony he selleth remissiō of sinnes daily for mony and so doe you likewise for there is no day but yee say diuers Masses for soules in fained Purgatorie The abuses of the pope noted yea and yee spare not to make lying sermons to y e people to maintaine your false traditions and foule gaines The whole worlde doth begin now to note your doings to your vtter confusion shame Selling of soules The shame saide they shal be to thee and to such as thou art thou foule heretike Wilt thou allowe nothyng done in holy Church What a peruerse heretike art thou I am sayde he no heretike but a Christian man I thanke Christ and with all my heart will allow all things done vsed in the church to the glory of God and edifying of my soule but I see nothing in your church but that maintaineth the deuil What is our church sayd they It is not my church quoth Benet God geue me grace to be of a better church The popes Churche paynted in her colours for verily your church is the plaine church of Antichrist the malignant church the second church a denne of theeues an awmry of poyson and as farre wide from the true vniuersall Apostolike churche as heauen is distant from the earth Dost not thou thinke sayde they that we pertaine to the vniuersal church Yes quoth he but as dead mēbers vnto whom the church is not beneficial for your workes are the deuises of man and your Church a weake foundation for ye say preach The keyes not onely geuen to Peter but to all the Apostles y t the popes word is equall with Gods word in euery degree Why sayd they did not Christ say to Peter To thee I will geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen He said that quoth he to al as wel as to Peter and Peter had no more authority geuen him then they or els y e churches planted in euery kingdom by theyr preaching are no churches The church builded vpon man is the deuils Churche Doth not S. Paul say Vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets Therefore I say plainly that the church that is built vpon a mā is the deuils church or congregation not Gods And as euery Church this day is appoynted to be ruled by a bishop or pastor ordeined by y e word of God in preaching ministration of the sacramēts vnder the prince the supreme gouernor vnder God so to say y t all the churches with their princes gouernours be subiect to one bishop is detestable heresie the pope your God chalenging this power to him selfe is the greatest schismatike that euer was in the church most foul whore of whom Iohn in the Reuelation speaketh The Whore of Babilon O thou blinde vnlearned foole said they is not y e confession consent of all the world as we confesse consent Consent of the worlde y t the popes holines is the supreme head vicar of Christ That is saide Benet because they are blinded know not the scriptures but if God wold of his mercy open the eyes of princes to know their office his false supremacie would sone decay We thinke said they thou art so malitious that thou wilt cōfesse no church Loke saide he where they are that confesse the true name of Iesu Christe Where the true Church is where onely Christ is y e head vnder him the prince of the realm to order al bishops ministers preachers and to see them doe their dueties in setting forth the only glory of God by preaching the worde of God where it is preached that Christ is our only aduocate mediator patrone before God hys father making intercession for vs and where the true faith and confidence in Christes death and passion and his only merits and deseruings are extolled our owne depressed where the sacrament is duly w tout superstition or idolatry administred in remembrance of his blessed passion and only sacrifice vpon the crosse once for all and where no superstition raigneth of that Church wil I be Doth not the Pope sayd they confesse the true Gospel do not we all the same Yes sayde he but ye denie the frutes thereof in euery poynt Yee builde vpon the sands not vppon the rocke And wilt thou not beleeue in deede sayd they that the pope is Gods vicare No sayd he in deede The Pope not Gods Vicar and why And why sayde they Because quoth hee hee vsurpeth a power not geuen him of Christ no more then to other Apostles and also because he doeth by force of that vsurped supremacie blinde the
power ouer them be called gracious Lords but so it shal not be amongst you But whosoeuer amongst you is the greater shal be as the yonger And whosoeuer amongst you shall be chiefe shal be as a seruaunt and a minister c. And againe Christ speaking to Pilate of his kingdome declareth that his kingdome is not of this world therefore sayth Tonstall those that go about to make of Christs spirituall kingdome 〈◊〉 22. a worldly kingdome do fall into the error of some heretickes that looke that Christ after the day of iudgement shall raign with all his sayntes here in earth carnally in Hierusalem as the Iewes do beleue that Messias is yet to come and when he shall come he shall raigne worldly in Hierusalem By these and such other places it may well appere that Christ neither before his incarnation Iohn 18. as Tonstall sayth nor after his incarnation did euer alter the authoritye of worldly kinges and Princes but by his owne woorde commaunded them still to be obeyed of theyr subiectes as they had bene in the auncient time before c. And for examples of the same Math. 22. Examples of Christes humble subiection he alledgeth first y e example of Christ himselfe Mathew 22. who being asked of the Iewes whether they should geue tribute to Caesar or no he bad theÌ„ geue to Caesar those thinges that be his and to God those thinges that be his signifying that tribute was due to Caesar and that theyr soules were due to God c. Also in the 17. of Mathew it appeareth that Christ bad Peter pay tribute for him and his Disciples Math. 17. when it was demaunded of him And why Because he woulde not chaunge the order of obeysaunce to worldly Princes due by theyr subiectes c. An other example of Christe he citeth out of the 6. of Iohn Iohn 6. where after Christ had fed fiue thousand and moe with a few loaues and fewer fishes and that the Iewes would haue takeÌ„ him and made him theyr king he fled from them and woulde not consent vnto them For the kingdome sayth he that he came to set hâ—re in earth was not a worldly and temporall kingdome but an heauenly and spirituall kingdome that is to raigne spiritually by grace and fayth in the hartes of all Christen and faythfull people of what degree or of what nation soeuer they be and to turne al people and nations which at his comming were carnall liued after the lustes of the flesh to be spirituall and to liue after the lustes of the spirite that Christ with his father of heauen might reigne in the hartes of all men c. And here in these examples of Christes humility farther is to be noted how Christ the sonne of God did submit himselfe not only to the rulers and powers of this world but also deiected himselfe and in a maner became seruaunt to his owne Apostles so far of was he from all ambitious and pompous seeking of worldly honor For so appeared in him not onely by washing the feet of his Apostles but also the same time a litle before his passion when the Apostles fell at contention among themselues who among theÌ„ should be superiour he setting before them the example of his owne subiection asketh this question Who is superiour he that sitteth at the Table Luke 22. or he that serueth at the Table Is not he superior that sitteth but I am amongest you as he that ministreth and serueth c. The like examples Tonstall also inferreth of Peters humility Examples of Peters subiection Act. 10. For where we read in the Actes how the Centurion a noble man of great age did prostrate himselfe vpon the ground at the feete of Peter then Peter not suffering that eftsoones tooke him vp and bad him rise saying I am also a man as thou art So likewise did the Aungell Apocalips 19. and 22. to whom when Iohn would haue fallen downe to haue adored him which shewed him those visions Apoc. 19.22 the Aungell sayd vnto him See thou do not so for I am the seruaunt of God as thou art c. Agayne in the foresaid Peter what an example of reuerent humility is to be sene in this that notwithstaÌ„ding he with other Apostles hauing his commission to go ouer all yet neuerthelesse he being at Ioppa and sent for by Cornelius durst not go to him without the vision of a sheete let downe from heauen by the which vision he was admonished not to refuse the Gentiles or els he knew in himselfe no such primacy ouer all people and places geueÌ„ vnto him nor no such commission so large aboue the other c. Furthermore the sayd Peter being rebuked of Paule his felow brother tooke no scorne therof but was content submitting himselfe to due correction But here sayth Tonstall steppeth in the B. of Rome and sayth that Peter had authority geuen aboue all the residue of the Apostles The Popes obiections alledgeth the wordes of Christ spoken to him Math. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church will geue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth Math. 16. shall be bound in heauen This sayd Christ sayth the Pope and S. Peter is buryed at Rome whose succour I am and ought to rule the Church as Peter did and to be porter of heaueÌ„ gates as Peter was c. And Christ sayd also to Peter after his resurrection Feede my sheepe which he spake to him onely Iohn 21. so that thereby he had authority ouer all that be of Christes flocke and I as his successour haue the same And therefore who so will not obey me King or Prince I wyll curse hym The ambitious pride of the Pope and depriue him of his kingdome or seigniory For al power is geuen to me that Christ hath and I am his Uicare generall as Peter was here in earth ouer all none but I as Christ is in heauen This ambitious and pompous obiection sayth Tonstall of the Pope and his adherentes The scriptures falsely perueted by the pope hath of late yeares much troubled the world and made dissention bebate and open warre in all partes of ChristeÌ„dome all by a wrong interpretatioÌ„ of the Scripture Who if he would take those places after the right sense of them as both the Apostles themselues taught vs and all the auncient best learned interpretours do expound them the matter were soone at a poynt But otherwise sith they peruert the Scripture and preach an other Gospell in that poynt to vs then euer the apostles preached we haue therin a general rule to folow That though an Aungell came from heauen Gal. 1. and woulde tell vs such new expositions of those places as are now made to turne the wordes which were spoken for spirituall authoritye of preaching the word of God and ministring of
contrary according as Christ doth tell vs of the scribes phariseis admonishing vs to followe theyr doctrine not their liues Mat. 23. but there is great difference Math. 23. whether they y t take the gouernance of the church do sit in Moses chayre which is the seate of truth or els doe sit in the chayre of abhomination spoken of by Daniell also by S. Paule where he sayth 2. Thes. 2. That the man of perdition shal sit in the temple of God vaunting hymselfe insolently aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2. And as touching the keyes of binding loosing geuen to Peter Christ therein assigned to Peter The keyes of binding loosing other apostles the office of preaching the word of the gospell whiche they did also well obserue in preaching nothing els but onely the word in the whiche word is al the power conteyned of binding loosing Neither is it to be granted the Church to haue two heades one in heauen an other in earth The head whereof is but one whiche is Iesus Christ whome the father hath appoynted to be head alone both in heauen and earth Ephes. 1. Colos. 1. as S. Paul in many places of his Epistles doth teach Ephes. 1. Colos. 1 c. The Fryer You haue no vnderstanding how to expound the Scriptures But the olde doctors haue expounded the scriptures holy Councels Auricular confession whose iudgements are to be followed But what say you to auricular confession The Martyr I know no other confession but that which is to be made to God and reconciliation towardes our neighbour which Christ and his Apostles haue commended to vs. The Fryer Haue you not read in the Gospell howe Christ doth bid vs to confesse to the priest where hee commaunded the leper being made whole to shew hym selfe to the priest The Martyr The true church of the Lord Iesus Christ neuer obserued this straunge kinde of confession to carrye our sinnes to the priestes eare And though the churche of Rome haue intruded this maner of confessing it followeth not thereby that is to be receiued And as touching the leper whome the Lorde sent to the priest he was not sent therefore to whisper his sins in the Priestes care but onely for a testimony of hys health receiued according to the law Of the other confession whiche is to be made to God we haue both the examples and testimonyes of the prophet Dauid full in the psalmes 32.51.106 where he sayth Psal. 32.51.106 That he confessed his sinnes vnto the Lord and receiued forgeuenes of the same The Fryer After this the fryer proceeding further to make comparison betweene the churche of Rome The Church of Rome and of Geneua compared and the churche of Geneua would proue that the pope hath power to set lawes in the Church without anye expresse worde of God For so it is written sayd hee That there were many other thinges besides which are not written in this booke Ioan. 21. Also where Christ promiseth to his Disciples to send vnto them the holye ghost which shuld induce them into al truth Moreouer such decres ordinances which are in y e church were decided sayd he and appoynted by the doctors of y e church by al the Councels directed no doubt by the holy Ghost Furthermore he inferred that y e church also of Geneua had theyr ordinaunces and constitutions made without any word of God And for example he brought forth the order of the psalms and seruice publiquely obserued and appoynted vpon wednesday in the churche of Geneua as though that day were holyer then an other The Martyr To this the martyr answered agayne declaring that the ordinaunce of those publicke prayers and psalmes vppon wednesday in the churche of Geneua was not to bynde conscience or for anye superstitious obseruation or for any necessitie whiche eythere should bind conscience or could not be altered at their arbitrement but onely for an order or commoditie for publike resort to heare the word of god according as ancient kings temporall Magistrates haue vsed in old time to doe in congregating the people together not to put any holines in the daye or to bind conscience to any obseruation as the pope maketh his lawes but onely for orders sake seruing vnto commoditie And as touching that any thing should be left for doctors and counsels to be decided without the expresse word of God that is not so for that al things be expressed and prescribed by the word whatsoeuer is necessary eyther for gouernment of the Church or for the saluation of men so that there is no neede for doctours of the Church or Councels to decide anye thing more then is decided already Rom. 15. 2. Iohn Paule sayth that he durst vtter nothing but that the Lord had wrought by him Rom. 15. S. Iohn speaking of the doctrine of Christ Iesu willeth vs to receaue no man vnles he bring with him the same doctrine 2. Ioan. S. Paule warneth the Gallat not to beleeue an angell from heauen The Church ought to be gouerned only by the voyce of the Lords word 1. Pet. 5. bringing an other doctrine thē that which they had already receiued Gal. 2. Christ callyng himselfe the good shepheard noteth them to be his sheep which heare his voyce and not the voyce of others Ioh. 11 And S. Peter admonishing the pastors of y e churche forewarneth them to teache onely the woorde of God without any seeking of Lordship or dominion ouer the flocke From the which moderation how far y e forme of the popes church doth differ the tyranny whiche they vse doth well declare The Fryer In the old churche priestes and ministers of the church were wont to assemble together for deciding of such thinges as pertained to the gouernment and direction of the church whereas in Geneua no such thing is vsed as I can proue by this your owne testament here in my handes that you the better may vnderstand what was then the true vse and manner of the Churche The Martyr Churches may be instituted without the Pope What was the true order and manner that the Apostles did institute the church of Christ I would gladly heare and also would desire you to consider the same and when you haue well considered it yet shall you finde the institution and regiment of the Church of Geneua not to be without the publicke counsell and aduisement of the magistrates elders ministrs of that church with such care and diligence as Paule and Silas took in ordering the church of Thessalonica Birrhea c. wherin nothing was don without the authoritie of Gods word as appeareth Act. 17. As likewise also in stablishing the Church of Antioch when the Apostles were together in counsell for y e same there was no other law nor doctrine folowed but onely the word of God as may appere by the wordes of the Councell Quid tentatis Deum
Smith But he did beare himselfe in his owne handes Ergo he did not beare a figure onely Rid. He didde beare himselfe but in a Sacrament and Austen afterward addeth quodam modo that is Sacramentally Smith Quodam modo You vnderstand not what Austen meant when hee sayd quodam modo For he ment that he did beare his very true body in that supper not in figure and forme of a body but in forme and figure of bread Ergo you are holden fast neither are ye able to escape out of his labirinth Doctor Weston repeated this place agayne in English Which done then Doct. Tresham thus began to speake moued as it seemed to M. Ridley wyth great zeale and desired that he might be in sted of Iohn Baptist in conuerting the hartes of the fathers and in reducing the sayde B. Ridley agayne to the mother church Now at the first not knowing the person he thought he had bene some good old man which had the zeale of God although not acording to knowledge and began to aunswere him with mansuetude and reuerence But afterwarde hee smelled a foxe vnder a sheepes clothing D. Tresham prayeth for conuerting Ridley GOd almightye graunt that it may be fulfilled in me that was spoken by the Prophet Malachy of Iohn Baptist which maye turne the hartes of the Fathers to the children and the hartes of the children to theyr fathers that you at length may be conuerted The wise man sayth Sonne honour thy father and reuerence thy mother But you dishonor your father in heauen and pollute your mother the holy church here on earth while ye sette not by her Rid These by wordes do pollute your schoole Tres. If there were an Arrian whiche had that subtle wit that you haue The decree of Lateraâ—e CouÌ„cell alleaged for transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ he might soone shift of the authority of the scriptures and fathers West Either dispute or els hold your peace I pray you Tres. I bring a place here out of the Councell of Laterane the which Counsell representing the vniuersall Churche wherein were congregated 300. Bishops 〈◊〉 Of thiâ— Councâ—â—â— read 〈◊〉 Metropolitans besides a great multitude of other decreed y e bread wine by the power of Gods word was traÌ„substaÌ„tiate into the body bloud of y e Lord. Therefore whosoeuer sayth contrary cannot be a childe of the church but an hereticke Rid. Good Syr I haue heard what you haue cited out of the Councell of Laterane and remember that there was a great multitude of Bishops and Metropolitanes as you sayde but yet you haue not numbred how many Abbots Priors and Friers were in that councell who were to the number of 800. One of the Scribes What One oâ— Scribes 〈…〉 B. Ridlâ—â— will you denye then the authority of that Counsell for the multitude of those Priors Rid. No syr not so much for that cause as for that especially because the doctrine of that Councell agreed not wyth the word of God as it may well appere by the actes of that Councell which was holdeÌ„ vnder Innocentius the third Of thi◠〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 a man if we beleue the historyes moste pernitious to the church and common wealth of Christ. Tres. What doe you not receiue the Councell of Lateran Whereupon he with certayne other cryed Scribite scribite Write write Rid. No syr I receiue not that Councell Scribite rescribite Write and write agayne B. Ridâ—â—â— reiecteâ— the Coâ—â—â—cell of terane 〈◊〉 Good 〈◊〉 do eate 〈◊〉 very truâ— body of 〈◊〉 Christ bâ— sacrameÌ„tâ—â—ly and spâ—â—ritually August 5. contra Donatist cap. 8. Tres. Euill men do eat the naturall body of Christ Ergo the true and naturall body of Christ is on the aultare Rid. Euill men do eate the very true and naturall bodye of Christ sacrameÌ„tally and no further as S. Augustine saith but good men do eat the very true body both sacramentally and spiritually by grace Tres. I proue the contrary by S. Austen Lib. 5. contra Donatistas Cap. 8. Sicut enim Iudas cui buccellulam Dominus tradidit non malum accipiendo sed malè accipiendo peccauit c. Like as Iudas to whome the Lorde gaue the morsell did offend not in taking a thing that was euill but in receiuing it after an euil maner c. And a litle after Quia aliquis non ad salutem manducat non ideo non est corpus i. Because some do not eate vnto saluation it foloweth not therefore that it is not his body Manducaâ— panem Dâ—â—mini â—â—â—nem Doâ—â—â—num 〈◊〉 Rid. It is the body to them that is the sacrament of the body and Iudas tooke the sacrament of the Lord to his condemnation Austen hath distincted these thinges well in an other place where he sayth Panem Domini panem Dominum Mali manducant panem Domini non panem dominum boni autem manducant panem Domini panem Dominum That is The bread of the Lord the bread the Lorde Euill men eate the breade of the Lord but not breade the Lorde But good men eate both the breade of the Lord and breade the Lord. West Paule sayth the body and you say the sacrament of the body This 〈◊〉 spoke in Englisheâ— Rid. Paule meaneth so in deed Wat. You vnderstand it euill concerning the signe for the Fathers say that euill men doe eat him which descended from heauen The olde Doctors vse many tymes thâ— Sacrameâ—â— for the 〈◊〉 of thâ— Sacrameâ—â— Theophiâ—lact alleaâ—ged Rid. They eate him indeede but sacramentally The Fathers vse many times the sacrament for the matter of the sacrament and al that same place maketh agaynst you and so here he cited the place West I bring Theophilacte which sayth that Iudas dyd taste the bodye of the Lord. Ostendit Dominus crudelitatem Iudae qui cum argueretur non intellexit gustauit carnem Domini c. id est The Lord did shewe the cruelty of Iudas whiche when he was rebuked did not vnderstand and tasted the Lordes flesh c. Rid. This phrase to Diuines is well knowne Aunsweâ—â— and vsed of the Doctors He tasted the flesh of the Lord Insensibiliter Insensibly that is the sacrament of the Lordes flesh West Chrysostome sayth that the same punishmeÌ„t remaineth to them whiche receiue the body of the Lorde vnworthily as to them which crucified him Chrisost alleaged Rid. That is because they defile the Lordes body for euill menne doe eate the body of Christ sacramentally Chrisost expoundâ—â— but good men eate both the sacrament and the matter of the Sacrament Wat. You reiecte the Councell of Laterane The Couâ—â—cell of 〈◊〉 alleaged because you say it agreeth not with Gods worde What say you then to the Councell of Nice The wordes of the Councell be these Ne humiliter spectemus propositum panem potum sed exaltata mente fideliter credamus iacere in illa sacra mensa agnum Dei tollentem
vehemency rebayte But Carolostadius without Notaryes woulde not dispute The summe of their disputations was reduced to certain conclusions The questiō of free will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among which first came in question to dispute of free wyll which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is whether a man haue of himselfe any election or purpose to do that is good or to vse the termes of the schoole whether a man of congruence may deserue grace doing y t whiche in hym doth lye Herein when y e questiō was to be discussed what y e will of mā may do of it selfe without grace they through heat of contention as the maner is fell into other by matters and ambages little or nothing appertayning to that which Carolostadius proposed God geueth his grace to vsury Eckius affirmed that the pure strength to do good is not in mans will but is geuē of God to man to take interest increase of man agayne which first he seemed to deny Then being asked of Carolostadius whether y e whole full good worke that is in mā proceedeth of god to this he answered y e whole good work but not wholy graunting that the will is moued of God Totum Totaliter but to cōsent to be in mans power Agaynst this reasones Carolostadius alledging certain places of Austen namely of S. Paule whiche sayth Phil. ◠that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe And this sentence of Carolostadius seemed to ouercome Eckius for his assertion in erred certayne escriptes out of Bernard which seemed little to the purpose And thus was a whole weeke lost about this cōtentious and sophisticall alteration betweene Eckius and Carolostadius Luther as was sayd came not thinking at all to dispute but hauing free libertie graunted by the Duke vnder the popes authoritie was prouoked forced agaynst hys will to dispute with Eckius The matter of their controuersie was about y e authoritie of the Bishop of Rome Luther disputeth with Eckius Here is fyrst to be admonished that Luther before had set forth in writing this doctrine y t they which do attribute y e preheminence to the church of Rome haue no foundation for them but out of the Popes decrees Luthers assertion against the popes supremacy set forth not muche past 400. yeares heretofore whiche decrees he affirmed to be contrary to all auncient historyes aboue a thousande yeares past contrary also to the holy scriptures and vnto Nicene Councell Agaynst this assertion Eckius set vp a contrarye conclusion saying The assertion of Eckius for the supremacie that they whiche holde that the supremacie and preheminence of the Church of Rome aboue all other Churches was not before the time o◠Pope Siluester the first do erre for as much as they which succeeded in the see and fayth of Peter were alwayes receiued for the successours of Peter and vicars of Christ in earth This being the last of all the other Themes of Eckius yet thought he chiefly to begin with this against Luther to bring him into more displeasure with the B. of Rome wherein Luther himself much refused to dispute alledging that matter to be more odious then necessary for that present time and that also for the B. of Romes sake he had much rather keepe silence in the same Wherunto if he must needes be vrged he would the fault should be vnderstanded of all men to be where it was namely in his aduersary which prouoked him thereunto not in himselfe Eckius agayn clearing himselfe translateth all the fault vnto Luther which first in his treatise De indulgentijs Papae defended that before pope Siluesters tyme the church of Rome had no place of maioritie or preheminence aboue other churches also before y e Cardinall Caietanus affirmed y e Pope Pelagianus wrested many places of the Scripture out of their sense vnto hys owne affection and purpose Wherefore the fault hereof sayd he to him rather is to be imputed which ministred the first occasion Thus Luther being egged and strayned to dispute whether he would or no Disputation betwene Luther and Eckius about the popes supremacy the question began to be propoūded touching the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome whiche supremacy Eckius did contend to be founded grounded vpon Gods law M. Luther on the other side denyed not the supremacie of the Byshoppe of Rome aboue other churches neither denyed the same moreouer to be vniuersall ouer all churches but onely he affirmed it not to be instituted by Gods lawe Upon this questiō the disputation did continue the space of 5. dayes During al which season Ex paralio Abbat Vrsp. Eckius very vnhonestly vncurteously demeaned himselfe studying by all meanes how to bring his aduersary into y e hatred of the auditors into danger of the P. The reasons of Eckius were these For so much as y e churche beyng a ciuill body cannot be without an head The reasons of Eckius for the supremacy therefore as it standeth w t Gods law that other ciuill regimēts should not be destitute of theyr head so is it by Gods law requisite that the pope should be the head of the vniuersall Church of Christ. To this M. Luther aunswered that he confesseth graunteth y e Church not to be headles so long as Christ is aliue who is the onely head of y e Church neither doth the Churche require any other head beside hym for so much as it is a spirituall kingdome not earthly and he alledged for hym the place of Collos. 1. Hieron Eckius agayne produced certayne places out of Hierome and Cyprian whiche made very little to proue the primacie of the P. to hold by gods law Ciprian As touchīg y e testimony of Bernard neither was y e authoritie of y e author of any great force in thys case neither was the place alledged so greatly to y e purpose Bernard Then came he to the place of S. Math. 16. Tues Petrus c. Thou art Peter Math. 16. and vpon thys rock I will build my Church c. To this was aunswered that thys was a confession of faith and that Peter there representeth the person of the whole vniuersall Church as Austen doth expound it Luther aunswereth to the place of S. Math. Also that Christe in that place meaneth himselfe to be the Rocke as is manifest to collecte both by hys wordes and order of the sentence and many other coniectures Likewise to the place of S. Iohn Pasce oues meas Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. Which wordes Eckius alleged properly and peculiarly to be spoken to Peter alone Martin aunsweared that after these wordes spoken equall authoritie was geuen to all the Apostles where Christ sayeth vnto them Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted c. By these wordes sayeth hee Christ assigning to
his offence in such like maner as other malefactours are with the punishment apoynted by the common lawes of the Empire which thing without doubt wil please the true ministers of the church such as are honest and learned that they will not thincke their power and authoritie thereby in any case diminished By this meanes it shall be brought to passe that suche as are of the Clergie onely by name and otherwise naughty wicked men through the obedience due vnto their magistrates shal be compelled to liue more honestly and al sedition and priuie hatred betwene them and the laitie shall be put away and finally thereby the laitie shall be the more mooued and stirred to loue and reuerence such of the Clergie as be of a sounde life ¶ Complaint of excommunication abused ITem at Rome and in other places many Christiās are excōmunicate by the Archbyshops Byshops or by their Ecclesiastical iudges for prophane causes through the desire and couetousnes of money lucre Excōmunication abused in the church of Rome The cōsciences of men which are weake in fayth thereby are burthened and brought vnto desperation and finally for money luker a matter of no importaūce is made to tend to the destruction both of body soule contrary both to the law of God and mā for somuch as no mā ought to be excommunicate but onely for heresie or for some haynous fact perpetrate nor to be counted as separate frō the Christian Catholicke Church as the Scriptures do witnes Therfore the princes nobles states layty of the Sacred Empire desire require the Popes holynes that as a faythful Christian louyng father he will remoue the sayd burthen of excommunication vsed both in the sea of Rome also in the seas of all other Archbyshops and Ecclesiasticall Iudges and finally decree that no man shall hereafter be excommunicate but onely for a manifest conuict crime of heresie For it is to wicked a thyng that faythfull Christians for euery light offence touchyng any temporall goodes or gayne or for any other worldly matter but onely for obstinacie of heresie or some great enormitie should be excluded from almighty God and the Catholicke congregation ¶ The Churche burdened with number of holy dayes MOreouer the common people are not a litle oppressed with the great nūber of holy dayes for that there are now so many holy dayes that the husbādmē haue scarcely tyme to gather y e frutes of y e earth which they haue brought forth with so great labour trauayle The nūber of holydaies to be diminished beyng often in daūger of hayle rayne and other stormes which fruites notwithstandyng if they were not letted with so many holy daies they would gather bring home without any losse Besides that vpon those holy daies innumerable offences are committed done rather then God honoured or worshipped Which thing is so manifest that it nedeth no witnes For that cause the estates of the sacred Empire thinke it best most profitable for the Christian common wealth that this great nūber of holy dayes should be diminished whych ought rather to be celebrate in spirite veritie then wyth the externall worship and be better kept with abstinence from sinne Suspending and halowing of Churchyardes gainfull to the Pope and chargeable to the people FUrthermore if it happē that 2. or more do fight without any weapon in a Churchyard onely with their fists Hallowing of Churchyardes abused for money or by the heare that there be neuer so litle bloud shed by by y e clergy haue recourse to enterdiment doe not suffer any more Christen burials there to be done before that all the citizens with great pomp expenses do cause it to be consecrated halowed againe with no lesse charge then when at the first of a prophane place it was halowed for burial all which things do redound to the charges costes of the laity And though the churches or chapels be neuer so litle which are so hallowed yet the suffraganes do burden and oppresse the simple poore housholdes be they neuer so bare or nedy with superfluous expenses and require moreouer gifts of the people which is not for theyr ease to geue Also the suffragans haue inuēted that no other but only themselues may baptise belles for the lay people Baptising of Belles Wherby the simple people vpō the affirmation of the suffragans do beleue that such belles so baptised wil driue away euill spirits and tempests wherupon a great number of godfathers are appoynted especially such as are riche which at the time of the baptising holding the rope wherwithal the bel is tied the suffragan speaking before them as is accustomed in the baptising of young children they altogether do answere Bells weare coates A question whether these gossips which christen Belles may marry togeather by the Canon law geue the name to the bell The bell hauing a new garment put vpon it as is accustomed to be don vnto the Christians after this they go vnto sumptuous bākets wherunto also the gossips are biddē that therby they might geue the * Spoyling of the people by baptising of Belles greater reward and the suffraganes with their chaplaines and other ministers are sumptuously fed Yet doth not this suffise but that the suffragane also muste haue a rewarde which they doe call a small gifte or present whereby it happeneth oftentimes that euen in small villages a 100. florens are consumed and spent in such christnings which is not onely superstitious but also contrary vnto Christian religiō a seducing of the simple people and mere extortion Notwithstanding the Bishops for to enriche their Suffraganes doe suffer these things and other farre worse wherefore such wicked and vnlawfull things ought to be abolished Complaint against Officials and other Ecclesiasticall iudges THe Officials also of Archbishops for the most part are vnlearned vnable men Against Officials besides that men of euil conditions taking thought for nothing but onely for money Also howe corruptly they liue and continue in notorious crimes transgressions it is daily sene Wherby the laity whom they ought to correct and punish for their offences instruct in Christian godlinesse are not in any poynt by them amēded but rather by them encouraged and confirmed in their offences Besides this the laitie are miserably robbed spoiled of their goodes by these light vile officials In whose conscience there is no sparke of christian pity and godlines but only a wicked desire couetousnesse Which thing the archbishops and bishops if they were in dede such as they are called that is to say the pastours and shepheards of Christ without doubt they would no lōger suffer or commit Christes flocke to such wicked and offensiue pastors to be fed and nourished Howe the Ecclesiasticall iudges do annexe certaine special causes being lay matters vnto their owne iurisdiction and will by no meanes release the same WHensoeuer any
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
to be theyr Pastor labored by all meanes how to extirp out of the harts of the people Idolatry and Superstition Whiche through the grace of Christ working with him he in short time had brought prosperously to passe according to his desire In so muche that the obseruation of Lent Images and all Idols with the abhominatiō also of the Masse in the same towne was vtterly abolished So reformable God made the hartes of the people there such affection had they to theyr minister It was not long but the rumour thereof came to the hearing of Duke Antony prince of Loraine vnder whose dominion they were through the swift report of the aduersaries False and pernitious tongues falsly belying these Hippolitans to y e duke as though they in relinquishing the doctrine and faction of the Pope went about to reiect and shake of all authority power of princes all superior gouernors By the meanes of which sinister report they incensed the Prince to such displeasure and indignation The Duke of Loraine threateneth the town of S. Hypolitus that he threatned to subuert and vtterly to destroy the Towne with swoord and fire Wolfgangus hauing word of this wrote vnto the Duke his Epistle in most humble obedient wise in defence both of his ministery of his doctrine which he taught of the whole cause of the Gospell In which Epistle first he excused the people to be innocent blamelesse The letter of Wolfgāgus to the Duke rather those slaunderous reporters to be both worthy to be blamed and also punished for theyr false rumors forged sclaunders raysed vp agaynst them After that he opened and explaned the cause and state of the Gospell and of our saluation cōsisting only in the free grace of God through fayth in Christ his sonne cōparing also the same doctrine of the Gospell with the confused doctrine of the Church of Rome That done thirdly he proceeded to our obedience honor and worship which first we owe to God to Christ next vnder him to Princes here and Potestates whom God hath placed in his roome and endued with authoritye here in earth vnto whom they offered themselues nowe at all times prest and most ready to obey with all seruice duety c. But with this Epistle Wolfgangus did nothing preuayle eyther for that it was intercepted by the way or els for that the false accusations wicked tongues of the aduersarye parte tooke more effect to winne credite wyth the Duke then could the simple defence of verity Whereupon Wolfgangus when he saw no other remedy rather then the towne should come in any daūger for his cause y e good man of his owne accord came to the city of Nancey which is the head towne of Loraine there to render a confession of his doctrine and also to deliuer the towne of S. Hippolite out of perill deriuyng all the daunger vppon hymselfe As soone as he was come thyther The Constancie of Wolfgangus vnremoueable incontinent handes were layd vpon him and he laid fast in a straight and stinking prison where he was sharpely and bitterly handled vnder the custody of the churlish and cruell kepers All this notwithstanding Wolfgangus cōtinuing in that prisō the space of a whole yeare yet would not be moued from hys cōstancy neither with the straitnes of the prison nor wyth the hardnesse of his kepers nor yet with the compassion of his wife children which he had about sixe or seuen Wolfgangus had to the Gray Fryers Then was he had to the house of the Gray fryers to professe there his fayth where he both wittyly and learnedly confuted all them that stood agaynst him ¶ The Martyrdome of Wolfgangus As he was led to the place of execution passing by the house of the Gray Friers Bonauenture the greate Cyclops sitting at the doore cryed out to him thou heretique do thy reuerence here to God and to our Lady and to his holy Sayntes shewing to him the Idols standing at the Friers gate To whom Wolfgangus aunswered agayne thou hypocrite thou paynted Wall the Lord shall destroy thee and bring all thy false dissimulation vnto light When they were come to the place of his Martyrdome fyrst hys bookes before him were throwne in the fire Then they asked him whether he woulde haue his payne mynished or shortned to whom he sayd no bidding thē to do theyr will for sayd he as God hath bene with me hitherto so I trust now he will not leaue me when I shall haue most need of him concluding his wordes thus that they should put the sentence in execution Note the quiet and ioyful death of this blessed Martyr so beginning to sing the 51. Psalme he entred into the place heaped vp with fagots and wood continuing in his Psalme and singing till the smoke the flame tooke from hym both voyce and life The singuler vertue constancye and learning of thys blessed man as it refreshed and greatly edified the harts of many good men The iust punishment of God vpon persecutors so it astonyed as much the mindes of hys aduersaryes and wrought to theyr confusion For shortlye after his death the Commēdator of S. Antony of Uienna who sate as spirituall iudge ouer him and gaue sentence of his condemnation fell sodenly down and dyed Also his felow which was Abbot of Clarilocus and suffragan to to the Bishop of Metz sodenly at the comming of the Duches of Denmarke into the city of Nancy strokē with soden feare at the cracke of gunnes fell downe and dyed as they which were presēt and saw it haue made faythfull relation of the same an 1525. Ex Ludou Rabo Pantal. ¶ Iohn Huglein Martyr OF Iohn Huglein Priest mention is made in the Commentaryes of Iohn Sled in Lib. 6. who the next yeare folowing Iohn Huglein Martyr Ex Comment Sled lib. 6. an 1526. was burned at Merspurge by the bishop of Constance for that he did not holde with the Byshop of Romes doctrine in all poyntes Moreouer besides other matters in this yeare occurrent Promise of maryage broken with Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxony here is also a Memorandum to be made to all posterity that in this present yeare .1526 vnto Iohn Friderick sonne and heyre to the Prince and Electour of Saxony was promised the Lady Katherine the Emperours younger sister in Mariage and writinges made of the same But when the alteration of religion was sent by Gods prouidence in to Saxonye The Popes church keepeth no promise with heretickes they swarued from theyr couenauntes and Hawnart which was then the Emperours Ambassadour in Germany sayde playnely that there was no promise to be kept with heretickes wherin they seemed to folow well the footsteppes of the Councell of Constance as before you haue partly heard in the story of Iohn Hus of the Emperour Sigismund pag. 593.587 ¶ George Carpenter of Emeryng Martyr burned in the towne of
him and he was comforted and they beganne to sing As they were in the fire the maister stādyng vprighte to the stake shifted the fire frō him to his seruaunt being more carefull for hym then for himselfe and when he saw him dead he bowed downe into the flame so expired Ex Crisp. alijs  Hugonius Grauier a Scholemayster and minister after of Cortillon in the County of Newcastle At Burge An. 1552. At Burge in Bresse a dayes iourney from Lyons Hugh Grauier martyr this Grauier was burned He comming from Geneua to Newcastle there was elected to be Minister But first hee going to see hys wyues frends at Mascon there as he was commyng away out of the towne was taken vppon the Brydge wyth all hys company and in the ende hee willing the women and rest of the companye to laye the fault in him for bringing them out was sentēced to be burnt notwithstanding y e Lords of Berne sent theyr Heraldes to saue his life also that the Officiall declared him to bee an honest man to holde nothing but agreeing to the scriptures Ex Ioan Crisp. lib. 3. Tignacius the gouernour or deputy of Lyons Buatherius Officiall to the Archb. of Lyons Clepierius Chamberlayne Thre orders of Friers Iudge Melierus Doct. Cunubanus a gray frier Iudge Vilard Primatius Officiall Cortrerius Iudge Martiall Alba. Petrus Scriba Bernard Seguine Charles Faber Peter Nauihere At Lyons An. 1553. These 5. Students V. studentes martyrs Martiall Alba. after they head remayned in the Uniuersitye of Lausanna a certayn time Petrus Scriba Bernard Seguine consulted among themselues being all French men to return home euery one to hys countrey to the intent they mighte instructe theyr parentes other theyr friendes in suche knowledge as y e Lord had geuen them So taking theyr iourney frō Lausanna Charles Faber Peter Nauihere firste they came to Geneua wher thei remained a while Frō thence they wēt to Lyons Where they sitting at the table of one that mette them by the way and desired them home to his house were apprehended and led to prison where they continued a whol yeare that is from the first day of May to the 16. of the sayd moneth agayne As they were learned and well exercised in the scriptures so euery one of thē exhibited seuerally a learned confession of his fayth and with great dexterity through the power of the Lordes spirite they confounded the Friers with whō they disputed especially Peter Scribe or Scriuener and Seguine They were examined sonderly of the Sacrament of the Lordes body of Purgatory of confession and Inuocation of freewill and of the supremacy c. Although they approued their cause by good scripture and refuted theyr aduersaryes in reasoning yet right being ouercome by might sentence was geuen and they burned in y e said towne of Lions Being set vpon the cart they began to sing psalmes As they passed by the market place one of thē with a loud voyce saluted the people with the words of the last chap. to the Heb. The God of peace which brought again frō death the great pastor of the sheep in the bloud of the eternall Testament c. Comming to the place first the 2. youngest one after an other went vp vpon the heap of wood to the stake there were fastened and so after them the rest Martiall Alba being the eldest was the last who likewise being stripped of his clothes and brought to the stake desired this petitiō of the gouernor which was that he might go about his felowes tied at the stake and kisse them Which being graunted he went and kissed euery one saying farewel my brother Likewise the other foure following the same example bad each one farewel my brother With that fire was commaunded to be put vnto thē The hangman had tyed a rope about al theyr necks thinking first to strangle them but theyr faces being smered with fat and brimstone the rope was burnt before they were strangled So the blessed Martyrs in the midst of the fire spake one to an other to be of good cheare and so departed Ex Crisp Pantal. c. ¶ Theyr examinations briefely touched The Frier Thou sayst frend in thy confession that the Pope is not supreme head of the Church Supremacy I will proue the contrary The Pope is the successor of S. Peter Ergo he is supreame head of the Church The Martyr I deny first your antecedent The Frier The Pope sitteth in the place of S. Peter Ergo he is the successor of S. Peter The Martyr I will graunt neither of both First because that he which succeedeth in the roome of Peter ought to preach and teach as Peter did Which thing the pope doth not The head of the Church Secondly although he did so preach as Peter did he might wel folow the example of Peter yet should he not therefore be the head of the Church but a member onely of the same The head of menne and Aungels whom God hath appoynted is Christ alone Ephe. 1. sayth S. Paule The Frier Although Christ be the head of the whole church militant and tryumphant yet his vicar here in earth is left to supply his roome The Martyr Not so for the power of his Diuinitye being so great to fill all things he needeth no Uicar or deputy to supply his absence The Frier I wil proue that although Christ be king both of heauen and earth yet he hath here in earth many vicars vnder him Regiment ciuile Regiment spirituall to gouerne his people The Martyr It is one thing to rule in the ciuill state another thing to rule spiritually For in ciuill regiment we haue kinges princes ordeined of God by the scriptures for the obseruation of publicke society In the spirituall regiment and kingdome of the Church it is not so Then another Frier Thou sayest that S. Peter is not the head of the church I will proue he is Our Lord sayd to Peter Thou shalt be called Cephas Which Cephas is as much to say in latine as head Iohn 1. Cephas Ergo Peter is head of the Church The Martyr Where finde you that interpretation S. Iohn in his first chap. doth expoūd it otherwise Thou shalt be called Cephas y t is as much saith he as Petrus or stone Then the iudge Uilardus calling for a new testament turned to the place and found it to be so Wher upon the Frier was vtterly dashed and stood mute The Frier Thou sayst in thy confession that a man hath no free will I wil proue it It is written in the Gospel how a man going from Hierusalem to Iericho Luke 10. fell among theeues was spoyled maymed left halfe dead c. Thomas of Aquine expoundeth this parable to meane free wil which he sayth is maymed yet not so but y e some power remayneth in mā to work The Martyr This interpretation I do refuse and denye The
diuinitie a frier Iacobine named Bassinet who then answered againe with this Oration This is a weyghty matter sayd he and of great importaunce The oration of Bassinet answering to the Byshop of Aix We muste therefore proceede wisely and in the feare of God and beware that we do nothing rashly For if we seeke the deathe and destruction of these poore and miserable people wrongfully whē the King and the Nobilitie shall heare of suche an horrible slaughter we shall be in great daunger least they doe to vs as we reade in the Scriptures was done to the priestes of Baal For my parte I must say and vnfainedly confesse that I haue too rashly and lightly signed many processes against those which haue bene accused of hereticall doctrine but nowe I do protest before God whyche seeth and knoweth the hearts of men that seeing the lamentable end and effect of mine assigments I haue had no quietnesse in my conscience considering that the secular iudges at the reporte of the iudgement and sentence geuen by mee and other Doctours my companions haue condemned all those vnto most cruel death whome wee haue iudged to bee heretickes The godly repentance of Bassinet And the cause why in conscience I am thus disquieted is this that now of late since I haue geuē my self more diligently to the reading cōtēplatiō of the holy scriptures I haue perceiued that the most part of those Articles which they that are called Lutheranes doe maintayne are so conformable and agreeing to the Scriptures The testimony of Bassinet for Lutherans that for my part I can no longer gainesay them except I should euen wilfully and maliciously resist and striue against the holy ordinances of God Al be it hetherto to maintaine the honour of our holy mother the Churche and of our holy father the Pope and of our order I haue consented to the opinions doings of the other Doctours as well through ignoraunce as also because I woulde not seeme to attempt any thing against the will and pleasure of the Prelates and Vicares generall But now it seemeth vnto mee that wee ought not any more to proceede in this matter as wee haue done in time past It shall be sufficient to punish them with fines or to banish them which shall speake too intemperately or rashly against the constitutions of the Churche and of the Pope and such as shall be manifestly conuicted by the holy Scriptures to be blasphemers or obstinate heretickes to be condemned to deathe according to the enormity of the crimes or errours or els to perpetuall prisone And this my aduise and counsaile I desire you to take in good part With this counsaile of Bassinet al the company was offended but especially the Bish. of Aix who lifting vp his voyce aboue all the rest sayd thus vnto hym O thou man of litle faith God and the Pope and the obedience to them two compared together whereof art thou in doubt Doest thou repent thee of that thou haste well done Thou haste tolde heere a tale that smelleth of fagottes and brimstone Is there any differēce thinkest thou betwene herisies and blasphemies spoken and mainteined againste the holy Scriptures and opinions holden against our holy mother the Church and contrary to our holy father the Pope a most vndouted and true God in earth Iohn 3. Art thou a maister in Israel and knowest not these things Then said the Bishop of Arles could any man entreat better of the little Barke of Christ Iesus then my Lorde of Aix hath done Then stoode vp Bassinet agayne and made thys Oration It is true that my Lorde the Bishop of Aix hathe very well set out the manners and state of the Clergie An other Oration of Bassinet and hath aptly reprooued the vices and heresies of this present time and therefore so soone as mention was made of the shippe of Christ Iesus it came in my minde first of all of the high Bishop of Hierusalem the Priestes the Doctours of the lawe the Scribes and Phariseys whyche sometime had the gouernaunce of this shippe being ordeined pastours in the Church of God But when they forsooke the lawe of God and serued him with mennes inuentions and traditions he destroyed those Hypocrites in his great indignation and hauing compassion and pitie vppon the people which were lyke sheepe without a shepheard hee sent diligent fishers to fishe for menne faithfull workemen into his haruest and labourers into hys vineyeard which shall all bring foorth true fruites in their season Secondly considering the purpose and entent of the reuerent Lord Bishop of Aix I called to minde the saying of the Apostle in his ◠Epistle and 4. chapter vnto Timothe That in the latter daies some shall fall away from the faith following after deceitfull spirites and the doctrine of deuils And the Apostle geueth a marke whereby a man shall know them Likewise our Lord Iesus Christ in the 7. chapter of Mathew sayeth That the false Prophetes shall come clothed in sheepes skinnes but inwardly they are rauening Wolues and by their fruites they shall be knowen By these two and diuers such other places it is easy to vnderstand who are they that goe about to drowne this little barke of Christ. False pastors in Christes church described Are they not these which fill the same wyth filthy and vncleane thinges With mire and dirt with puddle and stinking water Are they not those which haue forsaken Iesus Christe the fountaine of liuing water and haue digged vnto them selues pittes or cesternes whych will holde no water Truely euen those they are which vaunt themselues to be the salte of the earth and yet haue no sauour at all which cal them selues pastours yet are nothing lesse then true pastours for they minister not vnto the shepe the true pasture and feeding neither deuide and distribute the true bread of the word of life And if I may be bolde to speake it would it not be at this present as a great wonder to heare a Bishop preache as to see an Asse flie Are not they curssed of God whych glorye and vaunte them selues to haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and neither enter in them selues Math. 23. nor suffer them that wold enter to come in They may be knowen right well by their fruites for they haue forsaken faith iudgement and mercy there is no honest cleane or vndefiled thing in them but their habite theyr rochet theyr surplesse and such other Outwardly they are exceeding neat and trimme but wythin they are full of al abhomination rauine gluttonie Take heede of those that come to you in shepes skinnes but inwardly they are rauening Wolues filthy luste and all manner of vncleannesse They are like painted sepulchers which outwardly appeare beautifull faire but wythin they are full of filth and corruption A man shal know I say these rauening Wolues by their fruites which deuour the quicke and the dead
wished and greatly groned for in tymes past of many godly learned men so much more ought wee nowe to reioyce and geue God thankes seeyng these dayes of reformation which God hath geuen vs. If Iohn Husse or good Hierome of Prage or Iohn Wickliffe before them both or William Brute Thorpe Swynderby or the Lord Cobham if Zisca with all the company of the Bohemians if the Earle Raymundus with all the Tholossians if the Waldoys or the Albingensis with infinite other had bene eyther in these our times now or else had seene then thys ruyne of the Pope and reuealing of Antichrist which the Lord now hath dispensed vnto vs what ioye and triumph would they haue made Wherefore now beholding that thyng which they so long tyme haue wished for let vs not thinke the benefite to be small but render therefore most humble thankes to the Lorde our God Who by his mightie power and brightnes of his word Antichrist longe hyd and now reueled hath reuealed this great enemie of his so manifestly to the eyes of all men who before was hid in the Church so coulourably that almost few Christians could espye him For who would euer haue iudged or suspected in hys mynde the Byshop of Rome commonly receyued and beleeued almost of all men to be the Vicare and Vicegerent of Christ heere in earth to be Antichrist and the great aduersary God whome S. Paule so expresly prophesieth of in these latter dayes to be reuealed by the brightnes of the Lords commyng as all men now for the most part may see is come to passe Wherefore to the Lord and Father of lightes who reuealeth all things in hys due tyme be prayse and glory for euer Amen The ende of the seauenth Booke The eyght Booke continuing the hystorie of English matters appertayning to both states as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and Temporall Martyrs of Couentrye Persecuters Martyrs The Causes Symon Mourton the bishops Somner The bishop of Couentry Frier Stafford Warden Maistres Smith Rob. Hatchets Archer Haukins Tho. Bond. Wrigsham Landsdale Martyrs Maistres Smyth widow Rob. Hatchets a shomaker Archer a shomaker Hawkins a shomaker Tho Bond a shomaker Wrigsham a Glouer Landsdale an Hosier At Couentry An. 1519. THE principall cause of the appreheÌ„sion of those persons was for teaching their children and familie the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundementes in English for which they were vpon Ashwednesday taken and put in prison some in places vnder the grounde some in chambers and other places about till Friday following Then they were sent to a Monasterye called Mackestocke Abbey sixe miles from Couentry During which time their children were sente for to the Gray friers in Couentry before y e Warden of the sayd friers called Frier Stafford Who straitly examining them of their beliefe and what heresie their fathers had taught them charged theÌ„ vppon payne of suffering suche deathe as their fathers should in no wyse to meddle any more with the Lords prayer The Lordes prayer in Englishe foâ—byddeÌ„ of the Papists the Creede and Commaundements in English Which done vpon Palmesonday the fathers of these children were broughte backe agayne to Couentry and there the weeke next before Easter were condemned for relapse because most of them had borne fagots in the same Citie before to be burned Onely Maistres Smith was dimissed for that present and sent away And because it was in the euenyng beyng somewhat darke as she should go home the foresayd Symon Mourton the Somner offered him selfe to goe home with her Now as he was leadyng her by the arme and heard the rattelyng of a scrole within her sleeue yea sayth he What haue ye here And so tooke it from her espyed that it was the Lordes prayer the Articles of the fayth Maistres Smith coÌ„deÌ„ned for hauing the Lords prayer in Englishe the x. Commaundementes in Englishe Which when the wretched Somner vnderstood ah serrha sayd he come as good now as an other tyme so brought her backe agayne to the Byshop where she was immediately condemned and so burned with the vj. men before named the fourth of Aprill in a place thereby called the litle parke An. 1519.  Robert Silkeb At Couentry An. 1521. IN y e same nuÌ„ber of these CoueÌ„try men aboue rehearsed was also Robert Silkeb Anno. 1521. who at the apprehension of these as is aboue recited fled away Robert Silkeb Martyr and for that tyme escaped But about two yeares after he was taken agayne brought to the sayd Citie of Couentry where he was also burned the morowe after hee came thether whiche was about the xiij day of Ianuary An. 1521. Thus when these were dispatched immediatly the Sheriffes went to theyr houses and tooke all their goodes and cattell to theyr owne vse not leauyng their wiues and children any parcell therof to helpe themselues with all And for somuch as the people began to grudge somewhat at the crueltie shewed and at the vniust death of these innocent Martyrs the Byshop with his Officers and Priestes caused it to bee noysed abroad by their Tenauntes seruantes and fermers y t they were not burned for hauyng the Lordes prayer and commaundementes in English but because they did eate fleshe on Fridayes and other fastyng dayes Which neither could he proued either before their death or after nor yet was any such matter greatly obiected to them in their examinations Testimony of this storye The witnesses of this history bee yet aliue whiche both saw them and knew them Of whom one is by name mother Halle dwelling now in Bagington two myles from Couentry By whom also this is testified of them Note how these Martirs holding with the popish sacramentes yet were burned of the papists only for a few Scriptures in English that they aboue all other in Couentry pretended most shew of worshyp and deuotion at the holdyng vp of the Sacrament whether to colour the matter or no it is not knowen This is certain that in godlinesse of life they differed from al the rest of the Citie Neither in their occupying they would vse any oth nor could abyde it in them that occupyed with them Iames BetoÌ„ Archb. of S. Andrew M. Hew SpeÌ„s dean of diuinity in the vniuersitie of S. Andrew M. Iohn Weddell Rector of the vniuersitie Iames Symson Officiall Tho. Ramsay Chanon and Deane of the Abbey of S. Andrewes Allane Meldrum Chanon Iohn Greson Principall of the Blacke Friers Iohn Dillidaffe Warden of the Gray Friers Martin Balbur Lawyer Iohn SpeÌ„s Lawyer Alexander Yong The godly zeale of M. Hamelton towardes his countrey bacheler of Diuinitie Chanon Iohn Annand Chanon Frier Alex. Chambell Priour of the Blacke Friers c. Patricke HalmentoÌ„ At Saint Andrewes in ScotlaÌ„d An. 1527. PAtricke Hamelton a Scottish man borne of an hygh and noble stocke and of the kynges bloud Anno. 1527. young and of flourishyng age and excelleÌ„t towardnesse of xxiij yeares called Abbot of Ferme
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
or al saynts of Barking An other apperaunce where as he ministred these interrogatories vnto him First y t since y e feast of Easter last past he sayd affirmed and beleued that the sacrament of the altar was but a misticall body of Christ and afterwarde he sayd it was but a memoriall y t which article Bainham denied The the vicar general declared vnto him that our holy mother y e catholick church determineth teacheth in this maner that in the sacramēt of the altar after the words of consecration there remaineth no bread The officiall asked Bainhā whether he did so beleue or not Wherunto Bainham answered saying that S. Paul calleth it bread S Paul calleth the sacrament bread rehearsing these words Quotiescunque comederitis panem hunc de poculo biberitis mortem Domini annunciabitis and in that poynt he sayth as S. Paul sayth and beleueth as y e church beleueth And being demaunded twise afterward what he thought therin he would geue no other answere Item that since the feast of Easter aforesaid he had affirmed beleued that euery man that would take vpō him to preach the Gospel of Christ clearly True preachers haue as much power of the keyes as the Pope had as much power as the Pope To the which article he aunswered thus He that preacheth the word of God whatsoeuer he be and liueth thereafter he hath the key that bindeth and looseth both in heauen and earth The which key is the same scripture that is preached and the Pope hath no other power to binde and to loose but by the key of the Scripture Item that he affirmed that S. Thomas of Canterbury was a thiefe and a murderer in hel Articles falslye depraued Wherunto he answered as before Item that he sayde he had as leue pray to Ioane hys wife as to our Lady the which he denyed as before Item that he affirmed beleued that Christ himselfe was but a man the which article he also denyed The premisses thus passed the vicar generall receiued Frances Realms Iohn Edwards Raphe Hilton Iohn Ridly Frances Dryland and Raphe Noble as witnesses to be sworne vpon the articles aforesayd Witnes agaynst M. Baynham and to speake the truth before the face of the sayd Iames Bainhā in the presence of M. Iohn Nayler Uicar of Barking M. Iohn Rode Bacheler of diuinity Williā Smith Richard Griuel Tho. Wimple and Richard Gill. The 26. day of Aprill in the yeare aforesayd before M. Ioh. Foxford vicar general of the bish of Londō The last appearance of Iames Baynham in y e presence of Mathew Greftō Register and Nicolas Wilson Will Philley professors of diuinity Iohn Oliuer Williā Midleton Hugh Apprise doctors of the law M. Richard Gresham Sheriffe of London a great cōpanye of others Iames Bainham was brought forth by the Lieutenaunt of the Tower in whose presence the vicar general rehearsed the merites of the cause of inquisition of heresye agaynst him proceded to y e reading of the abiuratiō And whē the Iudge read this article folowing conteined in the abiuration Itē Soules departed that I haue said that I wil not determine whether any soules departed be yet in heauen or no but I beleue that they be there as it pleaseth God to haue them that is to say in the fayth of Abraham I wote not whether the soules of the apostles or any other be in heauen or no. To this Iames aunswered that I did abiure and if that had not bene I would not haue abiured at all After all the articles were read conteined in the abiuration certeine talke had as touching the sacrament of baptisme the sayd Iames Bainham spake these words If a Turke a Iew The sacrament of Baptisme or Sarasen do trust in God keepe hys law he is a good Christian manne Then the Officiall shewed vnto him the letters which he sent vnto his Brother written with his owne hand and asked him what he thought as touching this clause folowing Yet could they not see and know him for God when in deed he was both God man yea he was three persons in one the father y e sonne and the holy ghost Wherunto Bainham said that it was nought that he did it by ignorance did not ouersee his letters Thē M. Nicholas Wilson amongest other talke as touching the sacrament of the alter The sacrament of the aultar declared vnto him that the church did beleue the very body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the alter Bainham aunswered The bread is not Iesus Christ for Christes body is not chewed with teeth therefore it is but bread Being further demaunded whether in the sacrament of the altar is the very body of Christ God and man in flesh and bloud after diuers doubtfull aunsweres Bainham aunswered thus He is there very God and man in forme of bread This done the Officiall declared vnto him the depositions of the witnesses which were come in agaynst him obiected vnto him that a litle before Easter he had abiured all heresies as well particularly as generally Then the sayd vicar generall after he had takē deliberation aduise with the learned his assistantes did proceed to the reading of the definitiue sentence agaynst him also published the same in writing wherby amongest other thinges besides his abiuration Sentence read against Baynhā he pronounced condemned him as a relapsed hereticke damnably fallen into sundry heresies so to be left vnto the secular power that is to say to one of y e Sherifs being there presēt After the pronoūcing of which sentence M. Nicolas Wilson counselled admonished tha said Iames y t he would conforme himself vnto the church To whō he aunswered that he trusted that he is the very childe of God which ye blinde Asses sayd he doe not perceiue And last of al departing frō his iudgement he spake these wordes The wordes of Iames Baynham to M. Wilson M. Wilson nor you my Lord Chauncellor shall not proue by scripture that there is any Purgatorye Then the sentence of condemnation was geuen agaynste him the which here to repeat word for word is not necessary for so much as the tenour thereof is all one with that which passed before in the story of Bayfeld aliâs Somersam Here also should ensue the letter of the Bishop of Lōdon directed vnto the Maior and Sheriffes of the same city for the receiuing of him into their power that putting of him to death the tenor wherof is also of like effect to that before written in the story of Bayfeld After this sentence geuen Iames Bainham was deliuered into the handes of Syr Richarde Gresham Sheriffe then being present who caused him by his Officers to be caryed vnto Newegate the said Iames Baynham was burned in Smithfielde the last day of Aprill in the yeare aforesayd at three a clocke at afternoone This M. Bainham
foorth his fruite so did it appeare by thys man Antichristians are those which are against Christ. For he daily seeing the glorye of God to be so blasphemed idolatrous religion so embraced and maintained that most false vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome so extolled was so greeued in conscience and troubled in his spirite that he could not be quiet till he did vtter his minde therein Wherefore dealing priuately with certaine of his frendes he did plainely open and disclose howe blasphemously and abhominably God was dishonoured his worde contemned and hys people whom he so dearely bought were by blinde guides caried headlong to euerlasting damnation and therefore hee coulde no longer endure but muste needes and would vtter theyr abhominations and for his owne parte for the testimonie of his conscience and for the defence of Gods true religion The godly zeale of Tho. Benet would yeelde hymself moste patiently as neare as God woulde geue him grace to die and to shedde hys bloude therein alleaging that his death shoulde be more profitable to the Churche of God and for the edifying of his people then his life shuld be To whose perswasions when hys friendes had yeelded they promysed to pray to God for hym that hee myght be strong in the cause and continue a faithfull souldiour to the ende Which done he gaue order for the bestowing of such bookes as he had and very shortlye after in the moneth of October hee wrote his minde in certaine scrolles of Paper whyche in secreate maner he set vp vpon the doores of the Cathedrall churche of the Citie in which was wrytten The Pope is Antichrist and we ought to worshippe God onely The Pope is Antichrist and no Saintes These bils being found there was no smal adde and no litle search made for the inquiry of the heretike that should set vp these bils Benet setteth vp billes against the Pope and the Maior his officers were not so busie to make searches to find this heretike but the bishop and all his doctors were as hote as coales enkindled as though they had bene stong w t a sort of waspes Wherefore to kepe y e people in their former blindnes order was taken that the doctors should in hast vp to the pulpit euery day and confute this heresie Neuerthelesse this Thom. Benet keping his own doings in secret went the sonday folowing to the cathedral church to the Sermon and by chaunce sate downe by 2. men which were the busiest in al the city in seking searching for this heretike and they beholding this Benet sayd the one to the other Surely thys fellowe by all likelyhoode is the heretike that hath set vp the billes and it is good to examine him Benet almost tak◠in the church Neuertheles whē they had wel behelde him and saw the quiet and sober behauiour of the man his attentiuenes to the preacher his godlinesse in the Church being alwayes occupied in hys Booke which was a Testament in the Latine tongue were astonied and had no power to speake vnto him The storyes a little vary touching the taking of Benet but departed left hym reading in his booke As touching this poynte of Benets behauior in the Church I finde the reportes of some other a litle to vary and yet not much contrary one to the other For in receiuing the letters and wrytings of a certain minister whych at the same time was present at the doynge hereof in Exeter thus I finde moreouer added concerning the behauiour of this Thomas Benet in the Church At that time sayth he as I remember doct Moreman Crispin Caseley wyth suche other bare the swinge there Beside these were there also preachers there Doctors friers in Exeter one Doctour Bascauild an vnlerned doctor God knoweth and one D. Dauid as wel learned as he both Gray friers and doctor I know not who a Blacke frier not much inferiour vnto them Gregory Bassed Fryer of Exeter Moreouer there was one Bacheler of Diuinitie a Gray frier named Gregory Bassed in deede learned more then they all but as blinde and superstitious as he whych was most Whych Gregorie not long before was reuolted from the way of righteousnes to the way of Beliall for in Bristowe sayth the author he lay in prison long almost famished for hauing a booke of M. Luther called his questions which he a long time priuily had studied for teaching of youth a certaine Cathechisme To be shorte the braines of the Canons and Priests the officers and commons of that Citie were very earnestly busied howe or by what meanes suche an enormious heretique whyche had pricked vp those billes might be espied and knowen but it was long first At last the Priestes founde out a toye to curse him what soeuer he were with booke bel and candle which curse at that day seemed most fearefull and terrible The maner of the curse was after this sort One of the Priestes apparelled all in white ascended vp into the pulpit The priestes curse they cannot tell whom The other rabblement wyth certaine of the two orders of Friers and certaine superstitious Monks of S. Nicholas house standing round about and the Crosse as the custome was being holdē vp with holy candles of waxe fixed to the same he began his sermon w t this Theame of Iosue Est blasphemia in Castris There is blasphemie in the armie and so made a long protestation but not so long as tedious and superstitious and so concluded that that foule and abominable heretike which had put vp such blasphemous billes was for that his blasphemie damnably accursed and besought God our Lady S. Peter Patrone of that church with all the holy companie of martyrs confessors and virgines that it might be knowen what hereticke had put vp such blasphemous billes that Gods people might auoide the vengeance The maner of the cursing of the sayd Benet was maruelous to beholde for as muche as at that time there was fewe or none The manner of the popes blacke curse with booke bell and candle vnlesse a Sherman or two whose houses I well remember were searched for billes at that time and for bookes that knew any thing of Gods matters or how God doeth blesse theyr curses in such cases Then sayde the Prelate by the authoritie of God the father almighty and of the blessed virgin Mary of S. Peter and Paule and of the holy Saints we excommunicate we vtterly curse and banne commit and deliuer to the deuill of hell him or her what soeuer he or shee be that haue in spite of God and of S. Peter whose church this is in spite of all holy saintes and in spite of our most holy father the Pope Gods vicare heere in earth Here is colde charitye and in spite of the reuerend father in God Iohn our Diocesane and the worshipfull Canons Maisters and Priestes and Clarkes which serue God daily in this Cathedrall Church
for a coÌ„clusion vndoubted do affirme approue pronounce that y e Byshop of Rome hath no more state authoritie and iurisdiction geuen him of God in the scriptures ouer this Realme of EnglaÌ„d The byshop of Rome hath no more state in England then hath any other foreine byshop then any other externe Byshop hath And in testimony and credence of this our aunswere and affirmation we haue caused our common seale to be put to these our foresaid letters accordingly At Cambridge in our Regent house an Domi. 1534. ¶ Steph. Wint. De Vera Obedientia YOu haue heard before of Stephen Gardiner of Lee of Tonstal of Stokesley how of their voluntary mind they made their profession to the king euery one seuerally Steph. Wint. against the mariage of the king with his brothers wife in his booke De vera obedientia taking and accepting a corporall othe vtterly and for euer to renounce and reiect the vsurped superioritie of the Byshop of Rome Now for a further testimonie and declaration of their iudgementes and opinions whiche then they were of following the force both of truth and of time then present ye shall heare ouer and beside their othes what the foresayd Byshops in their owne Bookes Prologues and Sermons do write and publishe abroade in Printe touching the sayd cause of the Popes supremacie And first God willing to begin with Stephen Gardiners booke De vera Obedientia we will briefly note out a few of his owne words wherein with great Scriptures and good deliberation he not onely confuteth the Popes vsurped authority Steph. Wint. De vera obedientia but also proueth the Mariage betwene the King and Queene Katherine his brothers wife not to be good nor lawfull in these words Of the which morall preceptes in the old law to speake of some for to rehearse al it needeth not the Leuiticall precepts touching forbidden incestuous mariages Steph. Wint De vera obedientia as farre as they concerne chast and pure wedlocke wherin the Originall of mans increase coÌ„sisteth are alwaies to be reputed of such sorte that although they were first giuen to the Iewes yet because they apperteine to the law of nature expound the same more plainely vnto vs therfore they belong as well to all maner of people of the whole world for euermore In which doubtles both the voyce of nature Gods Commaundement agreeing in one haue forbidden that which is contrary and diuers from the one and from the other And amongest these sith there is commaundement that a man shall not mary his brothers wife what could the Kings excellent Maiestie do otherwise then he did by the whole consent of the people and iudgemeÌ„t of his Churche that is to be diuorced from vnlawfull mariage Ste. Wint. against the kinges mariage with his brothers wife and vse lawful and permitted copulation and obeieng as meete it was conformably vnto the commandement cast off her whome neither law nor right permitted hym to retayne and take him to chaste and lawfull mariage wherein although the sentence of Gods worde whereunto all things ought to stoupe might haue suffised yet his Maiestie was content to haue the assisting consents of the most notable graue men and the censures of the most famous Uniuersities of the whole world and al to the entent that men shoulde see he did that both that he might doe and ought to do vprightly seeing the best learned and most worthy men haue subscribed vnto it shewing therein such obedience as Gods word requireth of euery good godly man so as it may be said that both he obeyed God and obeyed him truly Of which obedience forasmuch as I am purposed to speake I could not passe this thing ouer with silence whereof occasion so commodiously was offered me to speake ¶ Winchesters reasons against the Popes supremacie Moreouer Ste. Wint. a Lutherane in his booke De vera obedientia the sayde Gardiner in the forenamed booke De vera obedientia what constancy he pretendeth what arguments he inferreth how earnestly and pithely he dsputeth on the Kings side against the vsurped state of the Bishop of Romes authoritie by the wordes of his booke it may appeare whereof a breefe collection heere followeth IN the processe of his foresayd booke he alledging the old distinction of the Papistes The sword of the Church how farre it extendeth wherein they geue to the Prince the regiment of things temporall and to the church of things spiritual comparing the one to the greater light the other to the lesser light he confuteth and derideth the same distinction declaring the sword of the Church to extend no farther then to teaching and excommunication and referreth all preheminence to the sword of the Prince alleadging for this the Psal. 2. And now you Kings be wise Psal. 2. and be learned you that iudge the earth c. Also the example of Salomon who being a King 2. Par. 28. according to his fathers appointment ordeined the offices of the Priests in their ministeries Exoâ— â—2 1. Râ—â— â—â— 1. Mâ—â—h â—â— Math. 16. and Leuites in their order that they mighte geue thankes and minister before the Priests after the order of euery day and porters in their diuisions gate by gate And speaking more of the sayd Salomon he saith For so commaunded the man of God neither did the Priestes nor Leuites omitte any thing of all that he had commaunded c. Beside this he alleageth also the example of King Ezechias 2. Paralip 28. He alledgeth moreouer the example and facte of Iustinian whiche made lawes touching the faith Byshops Clerkes heretickes and such other Aaron saith he obeyed Moses Salomon gaue sentence vpon Abiathar the high Priest Alexander the King in the first of Machabees writeth thus to Ionathas Now haue we made thee this day the high Priest of thy people c. So did Demetrius to Simon Then comming to the wordes of Christ spoken to Peter Math. 16. vpon which words the Pope pretendeth to builde all his authoritie to thys he aunswereth that if Christ by those wordes had limited vnto Peter any suche speciall state or preheminence aboue all princes then were it not true that is written Caepit Iesus docere facere for asmuch as the words of Christ should then be contrary to his owne factes and example who in all his life neuer vsurped either to himself any such domination aboue Princes shewing himselfe rather subiect vnto Princes nor yet did euer permit in his Apostles any such example of ambition to be seene but rather rebuked them for seeking any maner of maioritie amongst them And where he reasoneth of the Kings style and title being called the King of England and of Fraunce defendour of the faith The â—inges stile and title approued by Stâ— Wint. Lord of Ireland supreme head in earth of the Church of Englande immediately vnder Christ c. thus he addeth his mind censure saieng
of y e canon law as well Prouinciall as Synodall so according to their discretions to set establish an order of ecclesiasticall lawes suche as should be thought by the king and them cōuenient to be receiued and vsed within this realm Which statute as it is most needfull for the gouernement of the Church of England so would God it had bene brought to perfection In this yere touching matters of histories we read no great thing worthy of memory Anno. 1545. but onely of two persons Ioh Athee I. Haywood Of which two we find first I. Athee to be indicted by the kings writ Iohn A the recanted for certayne words agaynst y e sacramēt which words in the indictmēt are specified to be these that he would not beleue in y e thing whiche y e knaue priest made neither in that which Longs wife selleth but onely in God y t is in heauen And when it was told him that God through his word could make it flesh bloud he answered so he might do if he would turne it into a chickins leg meaning the sacrament of the aulter The same yere also folowed y e recantation of Io. Heywood The recantation of Iohn Heywood who although he was tached for treasō for denying the kings supremacy yet vsing y e clemency of y e king vpon his better reformatiō amēdment made an open solēne recantation in y e face of all the people abandoning renoūcing the Popes vsurped supremacy cōfessing of the king to be chiefe supreme head gouernor of this church of England al forein authority iurisdictiō being excluded The tenor effect of whose recantation here foloweth * The recantation of Iohn Haywood I Am come hyther at this time good people willing and of mine own disirous sute Anno. 1544. to shew and declare vnto you briefely First of all the great and inestimable clemency and mercifulnesse of our moste soueraigne and redoubted Prince the kinges Maiesty the which his highnesse hath most graciously vsed towardes me a wretch moste iustlye and worthely condempned to dye for my manifolde and outragious offences haynously and trayterously committed agaynst his maiestye and his lawes For wheras your maiestyes supremacy hath so often bene opened vnto me both by writing and speaking if I had grace either to open mine eies to see it or mine eares to heare it to be surely and certaynely grounded and established vpon the very true worde of God Yet for lacke of grace I haue moste wilfully and obstinately suffered my selfe to fall to suche blindnes y t I haue not onely thought y t the bysh of Rome hath bene and ought to be taken the chiefe and supreame head of the vniuersall Church of Christ heare in earth but also like no true subiect conceiled and fauored such as I haue knowne or thought to be of the opinion For the which moste detestable treasons and vntruthes I heare most humbly and with all my hart first of all aske the kinges maiesty forgeuenesse and secondarily of the world beseeching all these that either now doe or hereafter shall heare of these my great transgressions to take this mine example for an instruction for them to call for grace that they therby be stayd from falling at any time in such miserable blindnesse and folly Moreouer here afore God and you good Christian people I do vtterly withall my hart recāt reuoke all mine aforesayd erronious and trayterous opinions And as my conscience now doth force I protest that euē wyth my hart I firmely thinke and vndoubtedly beleue that the Byshop of Rome neyther now hath nor at any time hath had or can haue by any law of God or man any more authoritye without the precincte of his owne countrye about him then any other Bishop hath within his owne dioces Wherby I assuredly take the abolishing of the pretensed and vsurped power or authority of the Byshop of Rome out of this Realme to be done iustly and truely by the law of God And also I take our soueraigne Lord the kinges highnesse to be supreme head immediatly next vnder Christ of the Church of England and Ireland and all other his graces dominions both of the spiritualty temporalty And I confesse not onely that his maiesty so is by the law of God but also his progenitours kinges of thys Realme so hath bene and his highnesse heyres and sucessors kinges of this Realme so shall be Thus haue I shewed you my minde as well as I can but neither so well as I would nor so full as I should namely cōcerning the multitude of mercy which my most gracious prince hath shewed toward me not onely for sauing my body after worthy cōdēnatiō to death as is aforesayd but also for sauing my soule frō perishing if my body had perished before the receiuing of such wholesome councell as I had at his highnes most charitable assignement And of this confession declared vnto you I say as farre forth as I can I hartely pray you all to beare me record and most entyrely to pray almighty God for the long and most prosperous estate of our soueraigne Lord the kinges Maiesty in all his affayres and procedings By me Iohn Heywood Memorandū quod supra scripta assertio siue recātatio fuit facta publice emissa per prenominatum Iohannem Heiwood die dominica Sexto viz. die Iulij An. Millessimo Quingentessimo Quadragesimo quarto apud crucem paulinam tempore Concionis ibidem In this yeare of our Lord. 1545. as there was no other thing done in England worthy to be noted so now the order of story here requireth by the course of yeares next to infer the discourse of the troubles and persecutions which happened in Scotland agaynst M. George Wysard and diuers other good men of the same country about the same yeare of our Lord. 1545. and somewhat before But because now we are come to the latter ende almost of K. Henryes raygne we will make an ende the Lord willing with a few other English storyes perteyning to that time that finished so to set vpon those matters of Scotland ioyning them whole together The tractation whereof thou shalt see good reader in the latter end and closing vppe of this kinges raigne * Kerby and Roger Clarke of Suffolke Martyrs COmming now to the yeare of our Lord. Ann. 1546. 1546. first passing ouer the Priest whose name was Saxye which was hanged in the Porters lodge of Stephen Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchester and that as it is supposed not without the consent of the sayd Bishop and the secret conspiracy of that bloudy generation to passe ouer also one Henry with his seruaunt burned at Colchester I will now proceede to the story of Kerby and Roger Clarke of Mendessham who were apprehended at Ipswiche ann 1546. the saterday before Gang monday and brought before the Lord Wentworth with other Commissioners appointed there to sit vpon theyr examinations
all other things be obstacles although they put not the same obstacles which the Sophisters vnderstande meaning onely of the actuall purpose of externall sinne I confesse therefore this article not only to be mine but also to be the article of the Catholike and Christian veritie and the Bull whych confesseth the same to be twise heretical impious and blasphemous with all them which folow the same Who litle regarding the sinne of incredulitie foolishly and madly doe holde that the obstacle is taken away if a man cease from suming although the vnbeleuer can thinke no good thyng But these things I haue discussed more at large in my bookes and wil more discusse if those prating Romanists dare at any time prooue their opinion and confute mine The 2. Article To denie that sinne remaineth in a childe after his Baptisme is as much as to tread downe Christ Paul together vnder fote The Answere I wold also require of them to shew the cause why this article is condemned if they were not so blinded in theyr fantasticall respects that they are not able to perceiue why they would haue this article condemned And yet I caÌ„not tell whether it be hereticall or erroneous And no maruel when as the condemners themselues cannot tell mee I hold therfore this article also by the Apostle Rom. 7. I my selfe in my minde do serue the law of God and in my flesh the lawe of sinne Heere the Apostle confesseth plainely of himselfe that in his flesh he serueth sinne And also 1. Cor. 1. Christ is made to vs of God our righteousnesse our wisedome sanctification and redemption And how then doeth he sanctified them that be sanctified already vnlesse it be as the Apoc. sayeth He that is holy let him be holy stil To be sanctified Rom. 7. is as much as to be purged froÌ„ sinne But what haue these our Respectiuists to do with the apostle Paule seeing they are the whole vniuersall Church â— Cor. 1. by whose authoritie Paule either standeth or falleth being but a member onely and a parte of the church â—poc 12. The Lorde rebuke thee Sathan and these thy Sathanicall papists The 3. Article The originall roote of sinne although no actuall sinne do followe stoppeth the soule departing out of the body from entrance into heauen 〈◊〉 answer 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 the â— article The Answere As touching this matter I neuer defined any thing hetherto but largely probably I haue disputed hereof neither yet to this day am I fully certain what is done w t such a â—oule But our papists more blind then bussardes when they are nothing able to perceiue what cause thys Article hath worthely to be condeÌ„ned yet dare they take vpon theÌ„ to pronounce that which the whole vniuersal church is ignorant of I yet notw tstanding contemning this folish and fond condemnation aforsaid doe holde this article probably to be true For seing this original roote which I speake of is truly sin as I haue proued Rom. 7. Gal. 5. and seing that sin letteth a man from entring into heauen as it is written No polluted thing shal enter I suppose therefore that originall sinne wythholdeth a man from entring into heauen Nether do I any thing at al esteme the fantastical dreames of them whereby they extenuating original sinne doe call it only the paine of sinne and imperfections plainly against the manifest scriptures whiche call it sin and teach the same to be cured by grace which is the medicine of true and not of fained sinne The 4. Article Aunswere of M. Luther to the 4 article The imperfect charity of a man departing necessarily carieth with it great feare which of it selfe is enough to make the pain of Purgatorie and letteth the entrance into the kingdome of heauen The Answere This foloweth of the other going before which in lyke maner I did not determinately affirm although very probably I do yet holde the same asking before a dispensation after mine owne arbitrement euen in defiance of the Bul which is not able to bringe foorth any other probation but this We are the hiest powers in the Church yea we are the church it selfe Ergo we are the best learned most holiest ful of the holy Ghost which cannot erre although we stink like a filthy puddle to the whole worlde polluted with all kind of sinnes and drowned in ignoraÌ„ce But all these reasons preuaile nothing with me peraduenture they may w t them which feare least if my sentence should preuaile then purgatory should be taken out of the Popes hands then priests and religious men hauing lost their gainful offices of vexing of releasing I wold haue said of the dead The popes doctrine gaynfull to the purse shuld be pinched by the bellies and brought to penurye It was time therefore for their greedy auarice here to wake looke about and not to suffer these their friuolous opinions but yet very gainefull to be ouercome with truth and so to be ouerthrowen The 5. article Aunswere of M. Luther to to the 5. article Where they say penaunce standeth of three partes to wit contrition confession and satisfaction it is not founded in holy scripture nor in ancient holy and christian Doctours The aunswere This article in what respect it is condemed I do right well perceaue For the respect thereof is to greedye couetousnesse and therefore I know that the probation therof hath the like respecte which is this if this article wer true then men would geue nothing for satisfactioÌ„ and indulgences neither should we haue any more wherewith to vexe them with confessioÌ„s cases reserued restricted or ampliated for our gayne and so should we become beggers and gods seruice shoulde be minished in Uigils and Masses But it is wicked that Gods seruice shoulde be minished therfore Luther is an hereticke This consequent holdeth a respectu Bullae ad Papistas 1. From the Bull to the papists and contrariwise I beseech thee by the Lord Iesus whatsoeuer graue learned reader shalt read these thinges that thou wilt pardon this my leuitie and as it may seeme my childishnes For thou seest how I haue to do with such meÌ„ as be twise children and yet do brag themselues to be peeres and principall pillers of all men I assure you I know it most certaynly to be true that there be many and great gouernors of people whiche this so ridiculous and foolishe reason aboue recited hath moued to y e condemnation of my books Unlesse I perceiued with teares I speake it the anger of God sharpe and fierce agaynst vs in bringing vs vnder subiection of such effeminate children and such dregs of the earth and vile refuse of al other people of the whole world it would make â—e to burst for very griefe and sorrow My sentence is and hath bene this that that satisfaction whiche the keyes are able to dispence withall standeth not by the law of God For if it did then could
the 4. article c. Let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of theyr othe whether they know that these wordes folowing as Mattens Masses now sayd after that sort in this Realme were and be put in the Iniunction pretended to be ministred vnto me the sayd Bishop or no. interrogetur vt supra 13. Item if they or any of them do depose that I haue trangressed and offended touching the 5. Article let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of theyr othe Interrogatoryes concerning the 5. article whether the IniuÌ„ctions pretended in this behalfe were signed with the kinges vsuall signet or rather at all whether it was sealed with any seale whether it was subscribed by the L. Protectors grace or any of the priuye Counsell whether it was in full Counsell sitting deliuered vnto mee by the Lord protector whether it was deliuered to me the rest of the kinges Maiestyes priuye Counsell there then sittyng whether the sayd dayes as is conteined in the first Article by whom it was written when and where interrogetur vt supra 14. Item if they or any of them do depose that I do defeÌ„d the opinion of the rebels Interrogatoryes concerning the 6. article let them be examined euery of theÌ„ what rebels they be what is their opinion how the lawe of this Realme doth determine therein declaring by what wordes factes I the sayd Bishop did speake do and at what time and place and in whose presence suche wordes or act was spoken or done interrog vt supra Interrogatoryes concerning the 7. article 15. Item if they or any of them doe depose that I knowe or haue heard say crediblye that since the time of the sayde pretensed Iniunctions certayn persons within my dioces haue heard bene at or celebrate Masse or Euensong in the latine tongue and after the olde rite and maner other then according to the kinges maiestyes booke let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of his sayd othe how they know that I so know or haue heard say and of the name or names of the partye or partyes and of the tyme and place when and where it was and whether any denunciation or detection were according to the statutes and ordinaunces of this Realme made vnto me or no. interrog vt supra 16. Item if they or any of them doe say that I knowe or haue heard say Interrogatoryes concerning the 9. article of such notable adulterers offences mentioned in the 9. article let them and euery of them be examined in virtue of his and theyr othe that they do knowe that I do know or haue heard say and who be the persoÌ„s where they dwell who hath denounced or detected them and how I could and ought to haue cited them punished them in this behalfe interrog vt supra 17. Item if they or any of them doe say that I knowe certeinely nowe what Doctour Coxe declared in hys Sermon at Paules Crosse as is deduced in the 10. Article let them be inquired and euery of them in virtue of theyr oth how they can proue it by whom and after what sort interrog vt supra 18. Item if they or any of them do say that I do know or heare certaynely of the diuersity of the rites of the commoÌ„ seruice of the church nowe set forth and of the ministers parsons transgressing therein let them and euery of them in virtue of theyr othe bee examined whether there hath bene any detection or denuntiation made to me therupon and how they know or can proue that I haue bene culpable and negligent herein interrog vt supra 19. Item whether they or any of them haue bene spoken vnto or solicited herein to testify and after what sorteâ— by whom when and where and what was theyr conference and communication therin interrog supra 20. Item that they and euery of them declare and shewe the true and sufficieÌ„t cause of theyr testimony in all and singuler the premisses After this the Iudges delegate assigned the Bishop to appeare againe before them vpon Wednesday the next ensuing betwene the houres of 7. and 8. of the clocke before noone in the Hall of the Archbishops manor of Lambetâ— Boner â—â—gayne 〈…〉 â—â—gaynst 〈◊〉 witnesâ—â— there to shew the cause why he should not be declared pro confesso vpon al the Articles wherunto he had not theÌ„ fully answered and to see farther processe done in the matter and so he still protesting of the nullity and inuadility of all theyr procedinges they did for that present depart In this meane while the Commissioners certified the kinges Maiesty and his Counsell of the Bishops demeanour towards them The Câ—â—â—missioâ— certyfiâ—â— king of 〈…〉 and what obiections he had made agaynst theyr procedinges making doubtes and ambiguities whether by the tenor of his maiesties Commission the Commissioners might proceed not onely at the denuntiation but also of theyr meere office and also whether they mought aswell determine as heare the cause Whereupon his Maiesty by aduise aforesayd for the better vnderstanding therof did the 17. of September send vnto the Commissioners a full and perfect declaration and interpretatioÌ„ of his will and pleasure in the foresayd Commission geuing them hereby full authority to proceed at theyr owne discretions as appeareth more at large by the tenor therof ensuing ¶ A certayne declaration or interpretation of the king touching certayne poyntes and doubtes in his former Commission with licence geuen to the Commissioners as well to determine as to heare in the case of Boner EDward the 6. by the grace of God king of England Fraunce Leaue 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 to the Câ—â—â—missionâ—â— to deteâ—â—mine aâ—gainst 〈◊〉 and Ireland defendor of the fayth and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head to the moste reuerend father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitane and Primate of England the right reuerend Father iâ— God Nicholas Byshop of Rochester our trusty and right welbeloued Counsellours Syr William Peter and Syr Thomas Smyth Knightes or two principal Secretaries and William May Doctor of law Ciuill and Deane of Paules greeting Where we of late by the aduise of our most entyrely beloued Vncle Edward Duke of Somerset Gouernor of our Person and Protectour of our Reâ—lmes Dominions and subiects and the rest of our priuy Counseâ— haue addressed vnto you 5.4.3 of you our letters patentes of CoÌ„mission bearing date at Westminster the 8. daye of September in the third yeare of our raign willing you by force therof to heare the matters and cause of contempt therein expressed and calling before you aswell the denouncers therof as also the right reuerend Father in God Edmund Bishop of London agaynst whom such denunciation is made as in our sayd letters of Commission more at large doth appeare we be now credibly informed that vpon the sayd Commission diuers
of any tractable reason in hym determined that the Archbishop with their whole consent should at that preâ—â—nt there openly read and publish their finall 〈◊〉 or Sentence definitiue agaynst hym Which he did pronouncing hym thereby to be cleane depriued from the Bishopricke of London and further as in the same appeareth in tenouâ— as followeth ¶ Sententia depriuationis â—ata contra Edmundum London Episcopum The coÌ„teÌ„ptuous talke of Boner IN Dei nomine Amen Nos Thomas miseratione diuina Cantuar Archiepiscopus totius Angliae Primas Metropolitanus Nicholaus eadem miseratione Roffensis Episcopus Thom. Smith Miles illustrissimi in Christo principis Domini nostri Domini Edwardi sexti Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hyberniae Regis fidei defensoris in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae supremi capitis Secretariorum principalium alter Wilhelmus May Iuris ciuilis Doctor Ecclesiae cathedralis diui Paulâ— Decanus dicti illustrissimi principis domini nostri Regis ad infra scripta vna cum eximio viro Domino Wilhelmo Petro Milite â—iuidem serenissimae Regiae maiestatis etiam Secretariorum principalium altero commissarij siue iudices delegati cum ista clausa videlicet Deputamus vos quinque quatuor vel tres vestrum c. Rectè legittimè deputati contra te Edmundum permissione diuina London episcopum in causa causis in literis commissionalibus dictae serenissimae Regiae maiestatis express specificat rirè legitimè procedentes iudicialiter in quirentes auditis que per nos intellectis ac primo examine debit mature discussis meritis circumstantijs causae causarum inquisitionis huiusmodi seruatisque vlterius per nos de iure in hac parte seruandis in praesentia tui Episcopi antedicti iudicialiter coram nobis constituti ac protestantis de coactione de caeteris prout in vltima protestatione hodie per te facta continetur ad definitionem causae causarum huiusmodi prolationemque sententiae nostrae siue nostri finalis decreti super eisdem ferend sic duximus procedendum procedimus in hunc qui sequitur modum Quia tam per acta inactitata deducta proposira exhibita allegata probata parâ—ter confessata in causa causis huiusmodi facta habita gestâ— quam per confessionem tuam propriam factique notorietatem alia legitima documenta euidentem inuenimus compertum habemus te praefatum Episcopâ— London inter caetera pro meliori officij tui pastoralis administratione in mandatis habuisse vt de his qui duas aut tres vxores vt maritos in vnuÌ„ haberent aut qui externos non probatos Ecclessae riâ—us in hoc regno sequerentur quibus rebus tua Diocesis Londinens praecipue erat infamatum inquireres teque ea facere omnino neglexisse Item expresse tibi per Regiam Maiestatem praescriptum fuisse vt ipse Episcopus adesses concâ—oâ—â—bus ad crucem Pauli habitis tam vt eas honestares tua praesentia quam vt possis â—as accusare si qui male ibidem concionarentur te tamen contra non solum abijsse sed etiam scriptis litteris Maiorem London Aldermannos vt inde recederent admonuisse exhortatum fuisse Item inter alia quoque per Regiam Maiestatem tibi iniuncta in mandatis tibi datum fuisse quod articulum quendam statum reipubl tunc perniciosissima rebellione proditorum contra illum articulum sentientium grauissime perturbatae precipue concernend propterea supremum necessarium specialiter tibi iniunctum videlicet Ye shall also set foorth in your Sermon that our autoritie of our Royall power is as of truth it is of no lesse authoritie and force in this our younger age then is and was of any of our predecessoures though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias and other young Kinges in Scripture And therefore all our Subiectes to bee no lesse bounde to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were xxx or xl yeares of age Apud crucem siue suggestum Diui Pauli London certo die tibi in ea parte praefixo limitato in publica tua concâ—one tunc ibidem populo recitares explicares teque modo forma premissa eundem articulum iuxta mandatum officij tui debitum recitare explicare minime curasse sed contumaciter inobedienter omisisse in maximum Regiae Maiestatis contemptum ac in eius regni praeiudicium non modicum necnon in subditorum suorum malum perniciosum exemplum contumatiamque inobedientiam multiplicem tam in hac nostra inquisitione quam alias perperrasse commisisse contraâ—isse Iâ— ciâ—â—o nos Thomas Cantuariens Archiepiscopus Primas â—etropolitanus indexque delegatus ante dictus Christi non 〈◊〉 primitus inuocato ac ipsum solum Dâ—â—â—oculis nostris pâ—â—ponentes de cum expresso consensu pariter assensu Collegarum nostrorum praedictorum vna nobiscum assidentium deque cum concilio Iurisperitorum cum quibus communicamus in hac parte Te Edmundum London Episcopum antedictum a tuo Episcopatu London vna cum suis iuribus pertinâ—ntibus commoditatibus â—eteris emolumentis quibuscunque deptiuandum prorsus amoâ—endum fore de iure debere pronunciamus decernimus declaramus pro vt per praesentes sic depriuamus amouemus per hanc nostram sententiam definitiâ—am siue hoc nostrum finale decâ—erum quâ—m siue quod ferimus promulgamus in his scriptis Which ended the B. immediately did therefrom appeale by word of mouth alledgyng that the same sentence there geueÌ„ against him was Lex nulla The tenor of whose words I thought hereto expresse accordyng as they were by him vttered in this wise as followeth I Edmund Byshop of London The worâ— of Boner appealing from the Sentence definitiue brought in and kepte heere as a prisoner agaynst my consent and wyll doe vnder my former protestation heretofore made and to the intent it may also appeare that I haue not beyng so here in this place consented not agreed to any thyng done agaynst me and in my preiudice alledge and say that this sentence geuen here agaynst me is Lex nulla and so farre foorth as it shall appeare to be Aliqua I doe say it is Iniqua and Iniusta and that therefore I doe from it as Iniqua and Iniusta appeale to the most excellent and noble king Edward the sixt by the grace of God Kyng of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth and of the Church of England and also of Ireland next and immediately vnder GOD here in earth supreme head and vnto hys Courte of Chancerie or Parliament as the lawes statutes and ordinaunces of this Realme wyll suffer and beare in this behalfe desiryng instauntly first Letters â—â—â—uerentiall demissoriâ—â— second and third accordyng to the lawes
proceded he to the answering of the foresaid articles but in such crafty and obstinate maner as before he had ben accustomed and as at large to them that be desirous to vnderstand the processe thereof in the first booke of the Actes and monuments of the Church aforesayd may appeare But briefly to conclude such exceptions he vsed against the witnesses produced against him and he himself produced such a number of witnesses in hys defence and vsed so many delaies and cauillations that in the end the commissioners seeing his stubbernesse proceeded to the sentence definitiue against him as heere vnder followeth ¶ Sentence definitiue agaynst Stephen Gardiner B. of Winchester IN the name of God Amen By authority of a commission by the high and mighty prince our moste gracious soueraigne Lord Edward the 6. by the grace of God king of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith The finall sentence 〈◊〉 the depriâ—uation of the Bishâ—â— of Winchâ—â—ster and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head the tenour whereof hereafter ensueth Edward the sixt c. Wee Thomas by the sufferaunce of God Archbishop of Canterburye primate of all Englande and Metropolitane wyth the right reuerende fathers in God Nicholas Bishop of London Thomas Byshop of Ely and Henry Byshop of Lincolne Syr William Peter Knight one of our said soueraigne Lordes two principall secretaries Sir Iames Hales knight one of our sayd soueraigne Lordes Iustices of his common plees Griffith Leison and Iohn Oliuer Doctors of the Ciuill lawe Richard Goodrike Iohn Gosnold Esquiers delegates and Iudges assigned appointed rightfully lawfully proceeding according to the forme tenor of y e said commission for the hearing examinatioÌ„ debating finall determination of y e causes and matters in the said commisson mentioned and conteined and vpon the contentes of the same and certeine articles obiected of office against you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester as more plainely and fully is mencioned and declared in the said commission and articles all which we repute take here for to be expressed after sondry iudiciall assemblies examinations debatings of the said cause matters with all incidents emergents circumstances to the same or any of them belonging and the same also beeing by vs ofte heard seene and well vnderstanded and with good and mature examination and deliberation debated coÌ„sidered and fully wayed and pondred obseruing all such order and other things as by the lawes equitie and the said commission ought or needed heerein to be obserued in the presence of you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester do proceede to the geuing of our finall iudgement and sentence diffinitiue in this maner following For asmuch as by the actes inacted exhibites and allegations purposed deduced alleaged by sufficient proofes with your owne confession in the causes aforesaid had and made we do euidently finde and perceiue that you Steuen Bishop of Winchester haue not only transgressed the commaundements mencioned in the same Wynchester fouÌ„d to be a transgressor but also haue of loÌ„g time notwithstanding many admonitions and commandements geuen vnto you to the contrary remained a person much grudging speaking and repugning against the godly reformations of abuses in religion set foorth by the kings highnes authoritie within this his realme and forasmuch as we do also finde you a notable open and contemptuous disobeyer of sondry godly and iust commandements geuen vnto you by our sayd soueraigne Lorde and by his authoritie in diuers great and weighty causes touching and coÌ„cerning his princely office the state and common quietnes of this his Realme and for asmuch as you haue and yet do contemptuously refuse to recognise your notorious negligences misbehauiours contempts and disobedieÌ„ces remaining still after a great number of seuerall admonitions alwaies more and more indurate incorrigible and without all hope of amendement coÌ„trary both to your oth sworne obedience promise and also your bouÌ„den duety of allegiance and for the great sclaunder and offence of the people arise in many partes of the Realme through your wilfull doings sayings and preachings contrary to the common order of the Realme and for sondry other great causes by the actes exhibites your owne confession and proofes of this processe more fully appearing considering withall that nothing effectually hath ben on your behalfe alleaged purposed and proued ne by any other meanes appeareth whiche doth or may empayre or take away the proofes made against you vpon the sayde matters and other the premisses Therefore we Thomas Archbyshop of Caunterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane Iudge delegate aforesayd calling God before our eyes with expresse consent and assent of Nicholas B. of London Tho. bishop of Ely Henry B. of Lincolne sir Wil. Peter Knight Sir Iames Hales Knight Griffith Leison and Ioh. Oliuer doctors of the ciuill law Rich. Goodricke and Iohn Gosnold Esquires Iudges and Colleagues with vs in the matters aforesaid and with the counsaile of diuers learned men in the lawes with whome we haue conferred in and vpon the premisses SteueÌ„ Gardiner Bish. of Winchester depriueâ— of his Bishopricke do iudge and determine you Steeuen Bishop of Winchester to be depriued and remooued from the Bishopricke of Winchester and from all the rightes authoritie emoluments commodities and other apurtenaunces to the sayde Byshoprike in any wise belonging whatsoeuer they be and by these presentes we doe depriue and remoue you from your sayd Bishopricke and all rites other commodities aforesaide and further pronounce declare the sayd Byshopricke of Winchester to all effectes and purposes to be voyde by this our sentence definitiue which we geue pronounce and declare in these writings This sentence diffinitiue being geuen the sayd Byshop of Winchester vnder his former protestatioÌ„s dissented froÌ„ the geuing and reading thereof and froÌ„ the same as vniust of no efficacy or effect in law and in that that the same conteineth excessiue punishmeÌ„t and for other causes expressed in his appellation aforesayd did then and there apud Acta immediately after the pronouncing of the seÌ„tence by word of mouth appeale to the kinges Royall maiestie first secondly and thirdly instantly more instantly SteueÌ„ Gardiner appealeth from the Sentence to the king most instantly asked apostles or letters dimissorials to be geuen and granted vnto him And also vnder protestation not to recede from the sayd appellation asked a copy of the sayd seÌ„tence the Iudges declaring that they would first knowe the kinges pleasure and his counsell therin vpon the reading and geuing of which sentence the promoters willed Will. Say and Thomas Aâ—gall to make a publicke Instrument and the witnesses then and there present to beare testimony thereunto c. And thus haue ye the whole discourse and processe of Steuen Gardiner late bishop of Winchester vnto whome the Papisticall cleargy doth so much leane as to a mighty Atlas an vpholder of their ruinous Religion The end of
M. Perne M. Gest M. Pilkington Aunswerers and disputers in those disputatioÌ„s at Cambridge In the third disputation answered M. Perne Against whome disputed one M. Parkar not Doct. Math. Parkar M. Pollard M. Uauisour M. Yong. At length the disputations ended the Bishop of Rochester Doct. Nicolas Ridley after the maner of Scholes Anno 1552. made this determination vpon the foresayde conclusions as here followeth ¶ The determination of Doctor Nicolas Ridley Bishop of Rochester vpon the conclusions aboue prefixed THere hath bene an ancient custome amongst you that after disputations had in your common scholes The determination of D. Nic. Ridley vpon the disputations there should be some determination made of the matters so disputed and debated especially touching Christian religion Because therefore it is seene good vnto these worshipfull assistentes ioyned with me in commission from the kings Maiestie that I should performe the same at this tyme I will by your fauourable pacience declare both what I do thinke and beleue my selfe and what also other ought to think of the same Which thing I would that afterwardes ye did with diligence way and ponder euery man at home seuerally by himselfe The principal groundes or rather headsprings of this matter are specially fiue The first is the authoritie maiestie and veritie of holy Scripture 5. Princypall groundes to take away transubstantiation The second is the most certayne testimonies of the auncient Catholicke Fathers who after my iudgement do sufficiently declare this matter The third is the definition of a Sacrament The fourth is the abhominable heresie of Eutiches that may ensue of Transubstantiation The fift is the most sure beliefe of the article of our fayth He ascended into heauen ¶ The first grounde This Transubstantiation is cleane agaynst y e wordes of the scripture Transubstantiation agaynst the Scripture and consent of the auncient Catholick Fathers The scripture sayth I will not drinke hereafter of thys fruite of the vine c. Now the fruite of this Uyne is wyne And it is manifest that Christ spake these wordes after the Supper was finished as it appeareth both in Mathewe Marke and also in Luke if they be well vnderstanded There be not many places of the scripture that do confirm this thing neither is it greatly materiall For it is enough if there be any one playne testimonie for the same Neither ought it to be measured by the number of Scriptures but by the authority Scripture to be measured not by number but by authoritye and by the veritie of the same And the maiestie of this veritie is as ample in one short sentence of the Scripture as in a thousand Moreouer Christ tooke bread he brake bread he gaue bread In the Actes Luke calleth it bread So Paule calleth it bread after the sanctification Both of them speaketh of breakyng which belongeth to the substaunce of bread and in no wyse to Christes body for the Scripture sayth Ye shall not breake a bone of hym Exod. 12. 1. Cor. 11. Christ sayth Doe ye this in my remembraunce Saint Paule also sayeth Doe ye this in my remembraunce And agayne As often as ye shall drinke of this cup Iohn 6. do it in the remembraunce of me And our Sauiour Christ in the 6. of Iohn speakyng against the Capernaits sayth Labour for the meat that perisheth not And when they asked What shall we do that we may worke the workes of God He aunswered them thus This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in hym whom he hath sent Iohn 6. You see how he exhorteth them to fayth for fayth is that worke of God Agayne This is the bread which came downe from heauen But Christes body came not downe from heauen Moreouer Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in hym My flesh sayth he is meat in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede When they heard this they were offended And whilest they were offended he sayd vnto them What if ye shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where he was before Wherby he went about to draw them from the grosse and carnal eatyng This body sayth he shall ascend vp into heauen meanyng altogether as S. Augustine sayth It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothyng The wordes that I speake vnto you are spirit and lyfe and must be spiritually vnderstood These bee the reasons which perswade me to incline to this sentence and iudgement The second ground agaynst transubstantiation ¶ The second ground Now my second ground agaynst this transubstantiation are the auncient Fathers a thousand yeares past And so farre of is it that they do confirme this opinion of transubstantiation that playne they seeme vnto me both to thinke and to teach the contrary Dionysius in many places calleth it breade Dionysiâ—â— Eccle. 〈◊〉 The places are so manifest and playne that it needeth not to recite them Ignatius to the Philadelphians sayth Ignaâ—ius 〈◊〉 Philadelph I beseech you brethren cleaue fast vnto one fayth and to one kynde of preachyng vsing together one manner of thankesgeuyng for the fleshe of the Lord Iesu is one and hys bloud is one which was shedde for vs There is also one bread broken for vs and one cuppe of the whole Church Irenaeus writeth thus Irennaeus lib. 4. cap. 34. Euen as the bread that commeth of the earth receauyng Gods vocation is nowe no more common breade but Sacramentall breade consistyng of two natures earthly and heauenly euen so our bodyes receauyng the Eucharist are now no more corruptible hauyng hope of the resurrection Tertullian is very playne Tertullianus for he calleth it a figure of the body c. Chrysostome writyng to Caesarius the Monke albeit he be not receyued of dyuers Chrisost. Cesariuâ— yet wyll I read the place to fasten it more deepely in your myndes for it seemeth to shewe playnely the substaunce of bread to remayne The wordes are these Before the bread is sanctified we name it bread but by the grace of God sanctifiyng the same thorough the ministery of the Priest it is deliuered from the name of breade and is counted worthy to beare the name of the Lordes body although the very substaunce of bread notwithstandyng doe still remayne therin and now is taken not to be two bodies but one body of the Sonne c. Cyprian sayth Bread is made of many graynes And is that naturall bread and made of wheate Yea it is so in deede Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 6. Theodorâ—â—â—us The booke of Theodoret in Greeke was lately printed at Rome which if it had not bene his it should not haue bene set forth there especially seeyng it is directly against transubstantiation For he sayth plainely that bread styll remayneth after the sanctification Gelasius also is very playne in this manner The Sacrament sayth he which we receyue of the body and bloude of Christ is a diuine
offering hath he made perfect for euer those that are sanctified 〈◊〉 10. These scriptures do perswade me to beleeue that there is no other oblation of Christ albeit I am not ignoraunt there are many sacrifices but that which was once made vpon the crosse 〈…〉 offered 〈◊〉 once 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 Epist. 〈◊〉 August 〈…〉 coÌ„â—tanstum 〈◊〉 â—1 The testimonies of the auncient Fathers which confirme the same are out of Augustine ad Bonifac. Epist. 23. Agayne in his booke of 43. Questions in the 61. Question Also in his 20. booke agaynst Faustus the Manichie cha 21. And in the same booke agaynst the sayd Faustus cap. 28. thus he writeth Now the Christians keepe a memoriall of the sacrifice past with a holy oblation and participation of the body and bloud of Christ. Fulgentius in hys booke De Fide calleth the same oblation a Commemoration And these thynges are sufficient for this tyme for a scholasticall detâ—rmination of these matters Disputations of Martin Bucer OUer and beside these disputations aboue mentioned other disputations also were holden at Cambridge shortly after by Martin Bucer vppon these conclusions followyng Conclusions to be disputed 1. The Canonicall bookes of holy Scripture alone Conclusions disputed at CaÌ„bridge by Martin Bucer do sufficiently teach the regenerated all thinges necessarily belongyng vnto saluation 2. There is no Church in earth which erreth not as well in faith as in maners 3. We are so iustified freely of God that before our iustification it is sinne and prouoketh Gods wrath agaynst vs what so euer good worke we seeme to doe Then beyng iustified we do good workes In these three Propositions agaynst Bucer disputed M. Segewike Yong and Perne Disputers agaynst M. Bucer at Cambridge Which disputations because they are long here to be recited I mynde the Lord willyng to reserue them to some other conuenient place In the meane season because great controuersie hath bene and is yet amongst the learned and much effusion of Christen bloud about the wordes and meanyng of the Sacrament to the intent that the veritie thereof more openly may be explained and all doubtfull scruples discussed it shall not be out of place to adioyne to the former discourses of Peter Martyr and of Doctour Ridley aboue mentioned an other certayne learned treatise in fourme of a Dialogue as appertaynyng to the same Argument compiled as it seemeth out of the tractations of Peter Martyr and other Authours A learned Dialogue betweene Custome and Truth by a certayne learned and reuerend person of this Realme who vnder the persones of Custome and Veritie manifestly layeth before our eyes and teacheth all men not to measure Religion by Custome but to try Custome by truth and the word of God for els custome may soone deceyue but the worde of God abydeth for euer A fruitfull Dialogue declaring these wordes of Christ This is my body CVSTOME VERITIE CVstome I maruell much what madnes is cropen into those mens harts A Dialogue betwene Custome and Veritye which now a days are not ashamed so violently to tread downe the liuely worde of God yea and impudently to deny God hymselfe Veritie God forbid there should be any such In deede I remember that the Romish bishop was wont to haue the Bible for his footestoole so to tread downe Gods worde euermore when he stood at his Masse But thankes be to God he is now detected and hys abhominations be opened and blown throughout all the world And I heare of no moe that oppresseth Gods word Cust. No mo say you Yes doubtles there are an hundreth thousand moe and your parte it is Veritie to withstande them Veri As touching my part you know it agreeth not with my nature to stand with falsehood But what are they disclose them if you will haue them reprooued Custome What are you so great a stranger in these quarters Heare you not how that meÌ„ do daily speake against the Sacrament of the aulter denying it to be the real body of Christ Veritie In good sooth I haue bene a great whyle abroade and returned but of late into this countrey Wherfore you must pardon me if my aunswere be to seeke in such questions But goe foorth in your tale You haue bene longer here and are better acquainted then I. What say they more then this Cust. Then this why what can they possible say more Veri Yes there are many things worse then this for this seemeth in some part to be tollerable Cust. What me thinketh you dally with me Semeth it tolerable to deny the sacrament Veritie They deny it not so much as I can gather by your wordes Custome Nay then fare you wel I perceyue you wil take their part Veri I am not parciall but indifferent to all parties For I neuer go further then the truth Cust. I can scarsly beleue you But what is more true then Christ which is truth it self or who euer was so hardy before this tyme to charge Christ with a lye for sayeng these wordes Math. 26. This is my body The words are euident playne there is in them not so much as one obscure or darke letter there is no cause for any man to cauill And yet that notwithstanding where as Christ himselfe affirmed it to be his body Christs wordes The Euangelistes The old writers The Catholicke Church meÌ„ now a days are not abashed to say Christ lyed it is not his body The Euangelists agree all in one the old writers stand of our side the vniuersall and catholike church hath bene in this mynd these xv hundred yeare and more And shall we thinke that Christ hymselfe hys Euangelists all the whole Catholike church hath bene so long deceyued and the truth nowe at length begotten and borne in these dayes Veri You haue mooued a matter of great force and waight and whereto without many words I can make no ful answer Notwithstanding because you prouoke me thereto if you will geue me licence I will take part with them of whome you haue made false report The doctrine of the Papistes coÌ„monly standeth vpon false reporters for none of them euer reproued Christ of any lye But contrarywise they say that many men of late days not vnderstanding Christs words haue builded and set vp many fonde lyes vpon hys name Wherfore first I will declare the meaning of these words This is my body The sense of Hoc est corpus meum expounded and next in what sense the Church and the old fathers haue euermore taken them First therefore you shall vnderstand that Scripture is not so to be taken always as the letter soundeth but as the intent and purpose of the holy ghost was by whom the scripture was vttred For if you follow the bare wordes you will soone shake downe ouerthrow the greatest part of the christiaÌ„ fayth What is plainer then these words Pater maior me est My father is greater then I am
for the washing away of sinnes as it was euen the same day that it flowed out of the blessed side of our sauiour and finally that the whole substance of our sacrifice which is frequented of the Church in the Lords Supper The wholâ— substance 〈◊〉 our sacrificâ— wherein it consisteth consisteth in praiers praise and geuing of thankes and in remembring and shewing foorth of that sacrifice once offered vpon the altar of the crosse that the same might continually be had in reuerence by mystery which once onely and no more was offered for the price of our redemption These are the things right worshipfull M. Prolocutor and ye the rest of the Commissioners which I could presently prepare to the aunswering of your three foresayde propositions being destitute of all helpe in this shortnes of time sodaine warning and want of bookes B. Ridley appealeth from the vniust sentence of his aduersaries to some other superiour competent iudge Wherefore I appeale to my first protestation most humbly desiring the helpe of the same as much as may be to be graunted vnto me And because ye haue lately giuen most vniust and cruell sentence against me I do heere appeale so farfoorth as I may to a more indifferent iust censure iudgemeÌ„t of some other superiour competent lawful iudge that according to the approued state of the church of England Howbeit I confesse that I am ignoraunt what that is at this present through the trouble and alteration of the state of the Realme â— Ridley 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 â—ppealeth 〈◊〉 â—ighty 〈◊〉 But if this appeale may not be graunted to me vpon earth then do I flye euen as to my onely refuge and alone hauen of health to the sentence of the eternall iudge that is of y e almighty God to whose most merciful iustice towardes his most iust mercifulnes I doe wholly commit my selfe and all my cause nothing at all despayring of the defence of mine Aduocate and alone Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with the euerlasting Father and the holy Spirit the sanctifier of vs all be now and for euer all honour and glory Amen Albeit this learned Byshop was not suffered to reade all that is aboue prefixed before the Disputations yet because he had it then ready and offered it vp to the Prolocutour after the Disputations sentence pronounced I thought heere the place not vnmeete to annexe the same together with the rest Now let vs heare the Arguments and aunsweres betweene Doctour Smith and him ¶ D. Smith beginneth to oppose SMith You haue occasioned me to go otherwise to worke with you then I had thought to haue done Me seemed you did in your supposition abuse the testimonies of scripture concerning the Ascension of Christ to take away hys presence in the Sacrament as though this were a strong Argument to inforce your matter withall Smithes argument Christ did ascend vnto heauen Ergo he is not in the Sacrament Now therefore I will go about to disproue this reason of yours Christes Ascension is no let to his reall presence in the Sacrament Ergo you are deceiued whereas you do grounde youre selfe vpon those places Rid. You import as though I had made a strong Argument by Christes going vp into heauen But howsoeuer mine Argument is made Aunswere you collect it not rightly For it doth not only stay vpon his Ascension but both vpon hys Ascension and his * The veritie of M. Ridleyes answere touching the reall being of Christ in earth to be restrained by his ascending and abiding in heauen standeth vpon a necessitie whiche we call Necessitas consequentiae by thys demonstration Da Euery naturall body must necessarily be contayned in his pecular and certaine place â—iâ— Christes body is a naturall body â— Ergo Christes body not to be in one certaine place at once contayned it is impossible according to the rule Omne propositiones de impossibili de necesâ—e equipollent dicto dissimiliter se habenti modoÌ„ similiter abiding there also Smith Christes going vp to heauen and his abiding there hinder not his reall presence in the Sacrament Ergo you are deceiued Rid. Of Christes reall presence there may be a double vnderstanding if you take the reall presence of Christ according to the reall and corporal substance which he tooke of the virgine that presence being in heauen caÌ„ not be on the earth also But if you meane a reall presence secuÌ„dum rem aliquam quae ad corpus Christi pertinet i. according to some thing that appertaineth to Christes body certes the Ascension and abiding in heauen are no let at all to that presence Wherefore Christes body after that sort is heere present to vs in the Lords supper by grace I say as Epiphanius speaketh it West I will cut off from hencefoorth all equiuocation and doubt For whensoeuer we speake of Christes body wee meane that which he tooke of the Uirgin Rid. Christes Ascension and abiding in heauen can not stand with this presence Smith Christ appeared corporally and really on the earth for all his Ascension and continuall abode in heauen vnto the day of Dome Argument Ergo his Ascension and abiding in heauen is no let to his reall presence in the Sacrament Rid. Aunswere Maister Doctour this Argument is nothing worth I do not so straightly tye Christ vp in heauen that he may not come into the earth at his pleasure For when he will he may come downe from heauen and be on the earth as it liketh himselfe Howbeit I do affirme that it is not possible for him to be both in heauen and earth at one tyme. Smith Marke I pray you my Maisters diligently that be here what he aunswereth First he saith that the sitting of Christ at the right hande of his father is a let to the reall presence of his body in the Sacrament and then afterward he flyeth from it agayne Rid. I woulde not haue you thinke that I do imagine or dreame vpon any such maner of sitting as these men heere sit in the Schoole Smith Ergo it is lawfull for Christ then to be heere present on the earth when he will himselfe Rid. Yea when he will it is lawfull indeede Smith Ergo his ascending into heauen doth not restrayne his reall presence in the Sacrament Rid. I do not gaynesay but that it is lawfull sor hym to appeare on the earth when he wil but proue you y t he wil. Christes aboâ—e in heauen is no let for him to appeare on earth when he will but whether he wil that must be proued Againe it is one thing to appeare on earth an other still in the Sacrament and to be present the same time with his body in heauen wheÌ„ he is bodely present in earth Smith Then your aunswere dependeth vppon the will of Christ I perceiue Therfore I will ioyne agayn with you in this short argument Christ albeit hee doth alway abide in heauen
Steuen to beholde him in heauen euen hee could bring to passe well enough Aunswere that Paule might heare him out of heauen Da Smith As other saw him so Paule saw him ti Other did see him visibly and corporally on earth si Ergo Paule saw him visibly and corporally on earth Argumenâ— Rid. I graunt he was sene visibly and corporally but yet haue you not proued that he was seene in earth Aunswere Smith He was seene so of him as of other But he was seene of other being on earth and appeared visibly to them on earth Ergo he was seene of Paule on earth Rid. Your controuersie is about existens in terra that is being on earth if Existere to be be referred as vnto y â— place I deny that Christ after that sort was on the earth But if it be referred as to the veritie of the body then I graunt it Moreouer I say that Christ was seene of men in earth after his ascension it is certayne For he was sene of Steuen he was seene also of Paule But whether he descended vnto the earth or whether he being in heauen did reuele or manifest himselfe to Paule when Paule was rapt into the third heauen I know that some contend about it the Scripture as far as I haue read or heard doth not determine it Wherfore we cannot but iudge vncertainly of those things which be vncertayne Smith Wee haue Egesippus and Linus agaynste you whiche testifie that Christe appeared corporally on the earth to Peter after hys Ascension Lib. 3. cap. 3. Peter ouercome with the requestes and mournings of the people whiche desired him to geâ— hym out of the Citie because of Nero his lying in waite for him began without company to conuey hymselfe away from thence and when he was 〈◊〉 to the gate he seeth Christ come to meete him and worshipping him he sayd Maister whether walke you Chrâ—st aunswered I am come againe to be crucifyed Linus writing of the passion of Peter hath the selfesame story Saint Ambrose hath the same likewise and also Abdias scholer to the Apostles which saw Christ before his ascending into heauen With what face therefore dare you affirme it to be a thing vncertaine which these men do manifestly witnes to haue bene done Rid. I sayd before that y e Doctors in that matter did vary Smith Do you thynke thys story is not certayne beeyng approued by so auncient and probable authoritie Rid. I do so thinke because I take and esteeme not theyr words for the wordes of Scripture And though I dyd graunt you that story to be certayne yet it maketh not against me Smith Such things as be certayne and approued of them you do reiect as things vncertayne Rid. The story of Linus is not of so greate authoritie although I am not ignorant that * Thâ—â—â—ddition is taken out of the 〈◊〉 of B. Riâ—â—leys owne writâ—â—g Eusebius so writeth also in the story of the Church And yet I accompt not these mens reports so sure as the Canonicall scriptures The credite of Linus story Albeit if at any time he had to any man appeared heere on the earth after his Ascension that doth not disprooue my saying For I goe not about to tye Christ vp in fetters as some do vntruly report of vs but that he may be sene vpoÌ„ the earth according to his Diuine pleasure whensoeuer it liketh him But we affirme that it is contrary to the nature of his manhoode and the true maner of his body that he should be together and at one instant both in heauen and earth according to his corporall substaunce And the perpetuall sitting at the right hand of the father may I graunt be taken for the stabilitie of Christes kingdome and his continuall or euerlasting equalitie with his father in the glory of heauen Smith Now where as you boast that your faith is the very fayth of the auncient Church I will shew heere that is not so but that it doth directly striue against the fayth of the old Fathers I will bring in Chrysostome for this poynt Hom. 2. ad populum Antiochenum Tanquam maximam haereditatem Chrysost. alleaged â—om 2. ad populuÌ„ Antioch Elisaeus melotem suscepit Etenim verè maxima fuit haereditas omni auro praetiosior erat duplex Helias ille erat sursum Helias deorsum Helias Noui quòd iustum illum beatum putatis velletis quisque esse vt ille Quid igitur si vobis demonstrauero quid aliud quod illo multo maius omnes sacris mâ—sterijs imbuti recipimus Helias quidem melotem discipulo reliquit Filius autem dei ascendens suam nobis carnem dimisit Sed Helias quidem exutus Christus autem nobis reliquit ipsam habens ascendit That is Eliseus receiued the mantell as a right great inheritaunce For it was in deede a right excellent inheritaunce and more precious then any gold beside And the same Helias was a double Helias He was both Helias aboue and Helias beneath I know well you thinke that iust man to be happy and you would gladly be euery one of you as he is what will you then say if I shall declare to you a certayne other thing whych all we that are indued with these holy mysteries do receiue much more then that Helias in deede left his mantell to his scholer But the sonne of God ascending dyd leaue heere his flesh vnto vs. Helias left it putting off the same But Christ both left it to vs and ascended also to heauen hauing it with him Rid. Here at this aunswere great 〈◊〉 of taunting spitefull 〈…〉 vpon this good Bishop I graunt that Christ did both that is both tooke vp his fleshe wyth hym ascending vp and also did leaue the same behynde him with vs but after a diuers manner and respect For he tooke his flesh with him after the true and corporall substance of his body and flesh againe he left the same in mysterie to the faithfull in the supper to be receiued after a spirituall communication and by grace Neither is the same receiued in the Supper onely but also at other times by hearing the Gospell and by fayth For the bread which we breake is the communication of the body of Christ And generally vnles ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall haue no life in you Smith Chrysost. De 〈◊〉 de Sacerdotij lib. 3. cap. 3. Chrysostome in his booke de dignitate Sacerdotij lib. 3. cap. 3. sayth O miraculum O Dei beneuolentiam Qui sursum sedet tempore sacrificij hominum manibus continetur Or as other haue translated it O miraculum O Dei benignitatem qui cum patre sursum sedet in illo ipso teÌ„pore articulo omniuÌ„ manibus pertractatur ac seipse tradit volentibus ipsum accipere complecti That is O miracle O good will of God He
Desiderio desideraui hoc pascha manducare vobiscum i. Tertull contra Martion lib. 4. I haue desired with my harty desire to eat this Paschall with you What Paschall I pray you desired he to eate If you stand in doubt you haue Tertullian Lib. 4. Contra Martionem◠Professus itaque se concupiscentia concupiscere edere pascha suum indignum enim vt alienum concupisceret Deus acceptum panem distributum discipulis suum corpus illum fecit Hoc est corpus meum dicendo c. i. He therfore protesting a great desire to eat his Paschall his owne Paschall I say for it was not meete that he shoulde desire any other then his owne taking bread and distributing it to his Disciples made it his body saying This is my body What say you did he vnderstand by this Paschall the Iudaicall Lambe or by that whiche afterward he gaue in his Supper Rid. I suppose that the first he vnderstoode of the Iudaicall Passeouer and afterward of the Eucharist Ward Nay then Tertullian is agaynst you which sayth Ba He desired to eate his Passeouer ro But the Iudaical Passeouer was not his but straūge from Christ. Argument co Ergo he meant not of the Iudaicall Passeouer Rid. The Iudaicall Passeouer was not straunge from Christ but his owne insomuch as hee is the Lord of all Aunswere and as well the Lord of the Iudaicall Passeouer as of his owne supper Ward What aunswere you then to Tertullian the which sayth He desired to eate his owne Passeouer and not the Iuish Passeouer which stood vpon wordes without flesh Anagogicall sense is that which hath a high and misticall vnderstanding that lyeth abstruse profound vnder the externall letter Rid. Tertullian may here dallye in sense Anagogicall I know that Cyprian hath these wordes Tunc instituit quidē Eucharistiam sed vtrumque erat Christi i. He began th◠to institute the holy Eucharist but both were Christes Ward Augustine the Psalme 96. Writing vppon these wordes Adorate scabellum pedum eius i. Worshipp his footestoole c. Quaero inquit quid sit scabellum pedum eius Et dicit mihi Scriptura Terra scabellum pedum meorum Fluctuans conuerto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hic August in Psal. 98. inuenio quomodo sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem accepit quia in ipsa carne hic ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnē māducat nisi prius adorauerit Inuentum est quo modo tale scabellum pedum Domini adoretur vt non solum non peccemus adorādo sed peccemus non adorando ipsum c. i. I aske sayth he what is the footstoole of his feete Esay 66. and the Scripture telleth me The earth is the footstoole of my feete And so in searching therof I turne my selfe to Christ because I seeke him here in the earth and I find how without impiety the footstole of his feete may be worshipped for he tooke earth of earth in that he is flesh of the earth and of the fleshe of Marye he tooke flesh and because that in the same flesh here he walked and also he gaue the same flesh to vs to be eaten vnto saluation But no man eateth that fleshe excepte hee haue worshypped before And so it is found how such a footestoole of the feet of the Lord is to be worshipped so that not only we sinne not in worshipping but also do sinne in not worshipping the same Da He gaue to vs his flesh to be eaten If the Minor of this argument as is sayd before be equipollent to affirmatiue then it commeth next to the Mode Datisi How Christ gaue his flesh to be eaten and when y e which he tooke of the earth in which also here he walked c. ti But he neuer gaue his flesh to be eaten but when hee gaue it at his Supper saying This is my body si Ergo in the Eucharist he gaue vs his flesh Rid. You do alledge the place of Austen vpon the Psalme 98. Where he sayth that Christ gaue his fleshe to be eaten which he tooke of the earth and in whiche here he walked inferring hereupon that Christ neuer gaue the same hys fleshe to be eaten but onely in the Eucharist I deny your Minor for he gaue it both in the Eucharist to be eaten and also otherwise as wel in the word as also vpon the crosse Smith What if Augustine say that Christ did not onelye geue himself to vs in a figure but gaue his own very flesh in deed and really Rid. I neuer sayd that Christ gaue onely a figure of his body For in deed he gaue himselfe in a reall communication that is he gaue his flesh after a communicatiō of his flesh West Here Weston read the place of Augustine in English Christ gaue himselfe not only in a figure but in deede by a reall and effectuall communication of his fleshe D. Glinne disputeth D. Glinne B. Ridleys old frend desireth him of Pardon B Ridley for geueth D. Glin. and afterwardes sayd Ye say Christ gaue not his body but a figure of his body Rid. I say not so I say he gaue his own body verely But he gaue it by a reall effectuall and spirituall cōmunicatiō ☞ After this Doctour Glinne began to reason who notwythstandinge Mayster Ridley hadde alwayes taken him for his olde frend made a very contumelious Preface agaynst him This preface Mayster Ridley therefore did the more take to hart because it proceeded from him Howbeit he thought that Doctour Glins minde was to serue the turne For afterwarde hee came to the house wherein Mayster Ridley was kept and as farre as Mayster Ridley could call ro remembraunce before Doctor Young and Doctour Oglethorpe he desired him to pardon his wordes The whiche Mayster Ridley did euen from the very hart and wyshed earnestly that God would geue not onely to him but vnto all other the true and euident knowledge of Gods Euangelicall sincerity that all offences put a part they being perfectly and fullye reconciled might agree and meete together in the house of the heauenly father Glin. I see that you elude or shift away all scriptures and fathers B. Ridley purgeth himselfe against D. Glin. I will go to worke with you after an other sort Christ hath here his Church known in earth of which you were once a child although now you speake contumeliously of the Sacramentes Rid. This is a greuous contumely that you call me a shifter away of the Scriptures and of the Doctours As touching the Sacraments I neuer yet spake contumeliously of them I graunt that Christ hath here his Churche in earth but that Church did euer receiue acknowledge the Eucharist to be a sacrament of the body of
but that they thought rather as frendes to reconcile you then as enemies to infest you For they wanted not great offers of the most mighty Potentates in all Europe to haue ayded the Church in that quarrell Then marke the sequell There semed by these chauÌ„ges to rise a great face of riches gayn which in proofe came to great misery and lacke See how God then can confound the wisedome of the wise turne vniust pollicy to meere folly that thing that seemed to be done for reliefe was cause of playne ruine decay Yet see that goodnes of God which at no time fayled vs but most beningly offred his grace when it was of our partes least sought and worse deserued And when all light of true religion seemed vtterly extinct as the churches defaced the aultars ouerthrown the Ministers corrupted euen like as in a lampe the light being couered yet it is not quenched euen so in a few remained the confession of Christes fayth namely in the brest of the Queenes excellency of whom to speake without adulation the saying of the prophet may be verefied Ecce quasi derelicta And see how miraculously God of his goodnes preserued her highnes contrary to the expectatioÌ„ of man y t wheÌ„ numbers conspired against her and pollicies were deuised to disherite her and armed power prepared to destroy her yet she being a virgine helpeles naked and vnarmed preuayled had the victory of tyrants which is not to be ascribed to any What policy is this to make promise to get strength and to breake it as the Queene did pollicy of man but to y e almighty great goodnes and prouideÌ„ce of God to whom the honor is to be geuen And therefore it may be sayd Da gloriam Deo For in mans iudgement on her graces part was nothing in appearaunce but despayre And yet for all these practises and deuises of ill menne here you see her Grace established in her estate being your lawfull Queene and Gouernesse borne among you whoÌ„ God hath appointed to raigne ouer you for the restitution of true religion and extirpation of all errours and sectes And to confirme her grace the more strongly in this enterprise loe how the prouideÌ„ce of God hath ioyned her in mariage with a Prince of like religion who being a King of great might armor force yet vseth towards you neither armor nor force but seeketh you by the way of loue and amity in which respect great cause you haue to geue thaÌ„kes to almighty God that hath sent you such a catholicke Gouernesse It shall be therefore your part agayne to loue obey and serue them And as it was a singuler fauor of God to conioyne theÌ„ in mariage so it is not to be doubted but that he shall send them * The Cardinall here appeareth to be a false prophet issue for the comfort surety of this commoÌ„ wealth Of all Princes in Europe the Emperour hath trauayled most in the cause of Religion as it appeareth by his actes in germany yet happely by some secret iudgement of god he hath not atchiued the end With whom in my iourny hitherwardes I had confereÌ„ce touching my legation wherof wheÌ„ he had vnderstanding he shewed great appearance of most earnest ioy gladnesse saying that it reioyced him no lesse of y e recoÌ„cilemeÌ„t of this realme vnto christiaÌ„ vnity theÌ„ that his sonne was placed by mariage in y e kingdome and most glad he was of al that the occasion therof should come by me being an English man borne which is as it were to call home our selues Charles the Emperour coÌ„parâ—d to Dauid I can well compare hym to Dauid which though he were a man elect of God yet for that he was contaminate with bloud and warre he could not build the temple of IerusaleÌ„ but left the finishing therof to Salomon whiche was Rex pacificus So may it bee thought that the appeasing of controuersies of religion in christianity is not appoynted to this Emperor but rather to his sonne who shall performe the building that his Father hath begonne Which church can not be perfectly builded without vniuersally in all Realmes we adhere to one head Two powers in earth Ecclesiasticall and Imperiall and doe acknowledge him to be the Uicare of God and to haue power froÌ„ aboue For al power is of God according to the saying Non est potestas nisi a Deo And therefore I consider that all power beyng in God yet for the conseruation of quiet godly life in the world he hath deriued that power froÌ„ aboue into two partes here in earth whiche is into the power Imperiall and Ecclesiasticall And these two powers as they be seuerall and distinct so haue they two seuerell effectes and operations For secular Princes to whome the temporall sword is committed be ministers of god to execute vengeance vpon transgressors and euill liuers and to preserue the wel doers and Innocentes from iniury and violence Which power is represeÌ„ted in these two most excellent persoÌ„s the king Queenes Maiesties here present who haue this power committed vnto them immediately from God without any superior in that behalfe The other power is of ministratioÌ„ which is the power of the keies The power of the keyes clarkely declared and order in the ecclesiasticall state which is by the authority of gods word examples of the apostles and of all old holy fathers from Christ hitherto attributed and geuen to the Apostolick sea of Rome by speciall prerogatiue From which sea I am here deputed Legate Embassador hauing full and ample coÌ„missioÌ„ from thence and haue the keyes committed to my handes I confesse to you that I haue the keyes not as mine owne keies The Poâ—â— keyes senâ— by the Câ—â—â—dinall but as the keyes of him that sent me and yet cannot opeÌ„ not for wat of power in me to geue but for certain impedimeÌ„ts in you to receiue which must be taken away before my commission can take effect This I protest before you my Commission is not of preiudice to any persoÌ„ I come not to destroy but to build I come to reconcile not to condemne I come not to compell but to call agayne I am not come to call any thing in question already done but my Commission is of grace and clemency to such as will receiue it For touching al matters that be past they shal be as things cast into the sea of forgetfulnes But the meane whereby you shall receiue this benefit is to reuoke and repeal those lawes and statutes The Poâ—â— keyes canâ—not woâ—â— in Englaâ—â— before thâ— locke of good law be chauÌ„g which be impediments blocks and barres to the executioÌ„ of my coÌ„mission For like as I my selfe had neither place nor voyce to speake here among you but was in all respectes a banished man till suche time as ye had repealed those lawes that lay in my way euen so cannot you receiue the
benefite and grace offred from the apostolick sea vntill the abrogation of such lawes wherby you haue disioined and disseuered your selues from the vnity of Christes Church It remayneth therefore that you like true christians prouident men for the weale of your soules bodyes ponder what is to be done in this so weighty a cause and so to frame your actes and procedings as they may tend first to the glory of God and next to the conseruation of your coÌ„mon wealth surety and quietnes The next day after the 3. Estates assembled agayne in the great chamber of the Court at Westminster where the king and queenes maiesties and the Cardinall being present they did exhibite sitting all on theyr knees a supplication to theyr highnesses the tenor wherof ensueth * The Copy of the supplication and submission exhibited to the king and Queenes maiesties by the Lordes and Commons of the Parliament WE the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the commoÌ„s of this present parliament assembled The suppâ—â—â—catioÌ„ â—â—â—â—mission oâ— the Loâ—â— and Comâ—mons to the king 〈◊〉 Queenes maiesties representing the whole body of the realme of England and dominions of the same in our own names particularly and also of the sayd body vniuersally in this supplicatioÌ„ directed to your maiestyes with most huÌ„ble sute that it may by your gracious intercession and meane be exhibited to the most reuerend father in God the Lord Cardinall Poole Legate sent specially hither from our most holy father Pope Iulius the third and the Sea Apostolick of Rome do declare our selues very sorye and repentaunt for the schisme and disobedience committed in this realme and the dominions of the same against the sayd sea Apostolicke either by making agreing or executing any lawes ordinaunces O great sâ—â—row and deepe repentauncâ— or commaundementes agaynst the supremacye of the sayde sea or otherwise doing or speaking that might impugne the same Offring our selues promising by this our supplication that for a token and knowledge of our sayd repentance we be and shal be alway ready vnder and with the authorities of your Maiesties to the vttermost of our power to doe that shal be in vs for the abrogation and repealing of the sayd lawes and ordinaunces in this present parliament as well for our selues as for the whole body whom we represent Whereupon we most humbly beseech your maiesties as persons vndefiled in the offence of his body towardes the sayde Sea which neuerthelesse God by his prouidence hath made subiecte to your maiesties so to set forth this our moste humble sute The Popâ— absolutioâ— caÌ„not 〈◊〉 but by inâ—tercessioâ— of kinge Queene The suppâ—â—â—cation 〈◊〉 vp by the king and Queene 〈◊〉 the Caâ—â—â—â—nall that we may obteine from the sea Apostolicke by the sayd most reuerent father as wel particularly as vniuersally Absolution release and discharge from all daunger of such Censures and sentences as by the lawes of the church we be fallen in and that we may as children repentant be receiued into the bosome vnity of Christes church so as this noble Realme with all the members therof may in vnity and perfect obedience to the Sea Apostolicke and Popes for the time being serue GOD and your Maiesties to the furtheraunce and aduancement of his Honour and Glorye Amen The Supplication being read the king and Queene deliuered the same vnto the Cardinall who perceiuing y e effect thereof to aunswere his expectation did receiue the same most gladly from theyr Maiesties and after he had in fewe wordes geuen thankes to God and declared what great cause he had to reioyce aboue all others that his coÌ„ming from Rome into England had takeÌ„ most happy successe He by the Popes authority did geue them this absolution folowing ¶ An absolution pronounced by Cardinall Poole to the whole Parliament of England in the presence of the King and Queene OUr Lord Iesus Christ which with his most precious bloud hath redemed and washed vs froÌ„ all our sinnes and iniquities that he might purchase vnto himselfe a glorious spouse without spot or wrinckle whoÌ„ the Father hath appoynted head ouer all his church he by his mercy absolue you And we by apostolick authority geuen vnto vs by the most holy lord Pope Iulius the 3. his Uicegerent in earth do absolue deliuer you and euery of you with the whole Realme and the Dominions therof from all Heresy and Schisme and from all and euerye iudgement Censures and paynes for that cause incurred also we do restore you agayn vnto the vnity of our Mother the holy Church as in our Letters more playnely it shall appeare In the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost When all this was done they went into the Chappell and there singing Te Deum with great solemnity declared the ioy and gladnesse that for this reconciliation was pretended The reporte of thys was with great speede sent vnto Rome as well by the king and Cardinals Letters which hereafter folow as also otherwise WherupoÌ„ the pope caused there at Rome processions to be made and thankes to be geueÌ„ to God with great ioy for the conuersion of England to his Churche and therefore praysing the Cardinals diligence and the deuotion of the king and queen on Christmas euen by his Buls he set forth a generall pardoÌ„ to all such as did truely reioyce for the same ¶ A copy of king Philips Letter written with his owne hand to Pope Iulius touching the restoring of the Realme of England MOst holy Father I wrote yesterday vnto Don Iohn Maurique Nouember 30. K. Phillips letter to the Pope tranâ—uted out of Spanish into English that he shoulde declare by worde of mouth or els write to your holynes in what good state the matter of religion stoode in this Realme and of the submission to your holinesse as to the chiefe As this day which is the feast of S. Andrew late in the euening we haue done God that seruice to whose onely goodnesse we must impute it and to your holynes who haue taken so great payne to gayne these soules that this realme with full generall consent of all them that represent the state being very peniteÌ„t for that was past and well bent to that they come to doe submitted themselues to youe holynes to that holy Sea whom at the request of the Queene and me your Legate did absolue And forasmuch as the sayd Don Iohn shall signify vnto your holinesse all that passed in this matter I will write no more therof but onely that the Queene I as most faythful deuout children of your holynes haue receiued the greatest ioy and comfort hereof that may be expressed with tong Considering that besides the seruice done to God hereby it hath chaunced in the time of your holynes to place as it were in the lappe of the holy Catholicke churche such a kingdome as this is And therfore I thinke I cannot be thankefull enough
accusation as in that time it was called of heresy As touching the order maner of theyr examinations before the bishop as the articles ministred against them were much like so theyr aunsweres agayne vnto the same were not much discrepant in maner forme as out of the Bishops owne Registers here foloweth expressed ¶ Articles obiected agaynst Iohn Symson and Iohn Ardeley of the Parish of Wigborow the great in Essex husbandmen by Boner Bishop of London at Fulham 22. of May. 1555. Articles miâ—â—stred agaynst Iohn Simson and â—ohn Ardeâ—ey 1. FIrst that thou Ioh. Symson or Ioh. Ardeley husbandman of the age of 34. yeres or thereabout wast and art of the parish of great Wigborow within the dioces of LondoÌ„ and thou hast not beleued nor doest beleue that there is here in earth one Catholicke and vniuersal whole Church which doth hold and beleue all the fayth religioÌ„ of Christ and all the necessary articles and sacramentes of the same 2. Item that thou hast not beleued nor doest beleue that thou art necessarily bounden vnder the payne of damnation of thy soule to geue full fayth and credence unto the sayd Catholique and vniuersall Church and to the Religion of the same in all necessary poyntes of the sayd fayth and Religion without wauering or doubting in the sayde fayth and Religion or in any part therof 3. Item that thou hast not beleeued nor doest beleue that that fayth and Religion whiche both the Churche of Rome Italy Spayn England Fraunce Ireland The Church of Rome Italy Spayne an other forrayne countreys in Europe Scotland and all other Churches in Europe being true members and partes of the sayd Catholick vniuersall church do beleue and teach is both agreing with the sayd Catholicke and vniuersall Church and the fayth and Religion of Christ and also is the very true fayth Religion which all Christen people ought to beleue obserue folow keep but contrariwise thou hast beleued and doest beleue that that fayth and Religion which the sayd Church of Rome and all the other Churches aforesayd haue heretofore beleued and do nowe beleue is false erroneous and nought in no wise ought to be beleued obserued kept and followed of any Christian man 4. Item that albeit it bee true that in the Sacrament of the aultar there is in substance the very body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wyne and albeit that it be so beleued taught preached vndoubtedly in the sayd Churche of Rome and all the other Churches aforesayd yet thou hast not so beleued nor doest so beleeue Substance of Christes body vnder formes of bread wyne but contrariwise thou hast doest beleue firmely stedfastly that there is not in the sayd sacrament of the aultar vnder the sayd formes of breade and wine the very substaunce of Christes body and bloud but that there is onely the substaunce of material and common bread and wine with the formes therof and that the sayd materiall commoÌ„ bread and wine are onely the signes and tokens of Christs body and bloud and by fayth to be reciued onely for a remembraunce of Christes passion death without any such substaunce of Christes body and bloud at all 5. Item that thou hast beleued and taught and thou hast openly spoken and to thy power maynteined and defended and so doest beleue thinke maynteyn and defend that the very true receiuing and eating of Christes body bloud is onely to take materiall and commoÌ„ bread Transubstantiation denyed and to breake it and to distribute it amongest the people remembring therby the passion and death of Christ onely 6. Item that thou hast likewise beleued taught and spoken that the Masse now vsed in this Realme of England and others the churches aforesayd The Masse abominable is abhominable naught and full of Idolatry and is of the ordinance of the Pope and not of the institution of Christ hath no goodnes in it sauing the gloria in excelsis and the Epistle and the Gospell that therefore thou hast not nor wilt not come and be present at the Masse nor receiue the Sacrament of the aultar or any other Sacrament of the Church as they are now vsed in this Realme of Englande and other the Churches aforesayd 7. Item that thou hast in tymes past beleued precisely and obstinately affirmed and sayd so doest now beleue thinke that auricular confession is not needfull to be made vnto the Prieste but it is a thing superfluous and vayne and ought onely to be made to God to none other persoÌ„ and likewise thou hast condemned as superfluous vayne and vnprofitable all the ceremonies of the church and the seruice of the same hast sayd that no seruice in the church ought to be sayd but in the English tongue and if it be otherwise sayd it is vnlawfull and nought ¶ The aunsweres of Iohn Symson and also of Iohn Ardeley to the foresayd Articles TO the firste they beleue that here in earth there is one Catholicke and vniuersall holy Churche Their aunsweres to the articles which doeth hold and beleue as is conteined in the first article and that this Church is dispersed and scattered abroad throughout the whole world To the second they beleue that they be bound to geue fayth and credence vnto it as is conteyned in the second Article To the third as concerning the fayth and Religion of the Church of Rome of Italy Spaine Fraunce Ireland Scotland and other Churches in Europa they say they haue nothing to doe with that fayth and Religion but as concerning the fayth and Religion of England that if the sayde Churche of England be ruled and Gouerned by the word of life then the Church of England hath the fayth Religion of the Catholicke Church and not otherwise doe say also that if the Churche of England were ruled by the word of life it woulde not go about to condemne them and others of this heresy To the fourth they aunswere that in the Sacrament commonly called the Sacrament of the aultar there is very bread and very wine not altered nor chaunged in substaunce in anye wise Transubstantiation denyed and that hee that receiueth the sayde bread and wyne doth spiritually and by fayth only receiue the body and bloud of Christ Anno 1555. Iune but not the very naturall body and bloud of Christ in substaunce vnder the formes of bread and wine To the fift they say they haue aunswered aunswering to the sayde fourth article and yet neuerthelesse they saye that they haue beleued and doe beleue that in the sacrameÌ„t of the Aultar there is not the verye substaunce of Christes body and bloud but onely the substaunce of naturall bread and wine To the sixt they say that they beleue that the Masse is of the Pope The Masse detested and not of Christ and therefore it is not good nor hauing in it any goodnes
their beliefe afore by them confessed they are not to bee reputed taken or iudged for wilfull and obstinate heretikes nor to be punished therefore as is declared in that article The other aunswered nothyng ¶ Scholies vpon the foresayd articles THese articles in the same forme maner of words are commonly obiected to all other that follow after Notes or Scholies vpon the Articles vsed to be ministred to the poore Christians by the Popes Church with the same aunsweres also thereto annexed In which articles thou mayest note Reader the crafty and subtile handlyng of these Lawyers and Registers who so deceitfully frame theyr articles and positions that vnlesse a man doe aduisedly consider them it is hard for a simple man to aunswer to them but he shall be snared and intangled So they paynt their Churche with such a visage of vniuersall whole holy catholike as who should saye Hee that denieth Rome denieth the holye Churche of Christ here in earth Likewyse in examinyng them and specially the simple sorte in the matter of the Sacrament to the materiall breade in the Sacrament they put this worde onely very captiously and fraudulently to take them at the worst auauntage makyng the people beleeue that they take the holy Sacrament to bee no better then onely common bread The crafty and captious dealing of the Papisteâ— in propounding their articles when they doe not so but make a difference betweene the same both in the vse honour name thereof Agayne when the Examinates hold but only agaynst the erroneous poyntes of Romish Religion these bishops in theyr Interrogatories geue out the matter so generally as thogh the said Examinates in generally spake against all the articles of fayth taught in Rome Spayne England Fraunce Scotland c. Moreouer concernyng Latin seruice in such crafty forme of words they propound their article that it might appeare to the people these men do deny any seruice to be lawfull in any place countrey or language but onely in English And as these articles are crafty captiously and deceitfully in forme of words deuised by the bishops and their Notaries so the aunswers agayne to the same be no lesse subtilly framed after the most odious manner put downe in the name of the Examinates which beyng read vnto them thus without further aduise they were constrayned vpon a sodaine to subscribe the same with their hands Wherby if any word escaped their hand peraduenture not considerately subscribed there the Papists take their aduantage agaynst them to defame them and to bryng them into hatred with the people These Articles thus propounded and aunswered they were vntil the after none dismissed At what tyme they did agayne appeare and there were examined and trauayled with by fayre and flattering speaches as well of the Bish. as of others his assistance to recant and reuoke their opinions who notwithstandyng remayned constant firme and therefore after the common vsage of their Ecclesiasticall lawes Sentence against Osmund Chamberlayne Bamford Iune 14. Iune 15. were sent away agayne vntill the next day beyng Saterday and the xviij day of May. Then in the fore noone the Bishop vsing his accustomed maner of proceedyng which he hath vsed before as well with them as w t others did likewyse dismisse them and at last in the after noone condemned them as heretikes and so deliuered theÌ„ to the Shirifes in whose custodye they remayned vntiâ—l they were deliuered to the shiriffe of Essex by hym were executed Chamberlayne at Colchester the 14. of Iune Thomas Osmund at Maningtree the 15. of Iune William Bamford aliâs Butler at Harwich the same 15. day in the month of Iune ¶ The history of the worthy Martyr and seruaunt of God M. Iohn Bradford with his lyfe and actes and sundry conflicts with his aduersaries and Martyrdome at length most constantly suffered for the testimony of Christ and hys truth AS touching first the country and education of Iohn Bradford Iuly 1. The history of M Iohn Bradford Martyr he was borne at Manchester in Lancastershire His parents did bring hym vp in learnyng from his infancie vntil he attained such knowledge in the Latin tong and skill in writing that he was able to gaine his own liuyng in some honest condition Syr Iohn Harrington Knight Then he became seruaunt to sir Iohn Harington knight who in the great affaires of K. Henry the 8. and K. Edward the 6. which he had in hand when he was Treasurer of the kings campes buildyng at diuers times in Bullonois had such experieÌ„ce of Bradfords actiuity in writyng of expertnes in the arte of Auditors and also of his faythfull trustines The trusty seruicâ— of Iohn Bradâ—ford vnder M. Harringâ—ton that not onely in those affaires but in many other of his priuate busines he trusted Bradford in such sort that aboue all other he vsed his faythfull seruice Thus continued Bradford certayne yeares in a right honest and good trade of life after the course of this world lyke to come forward as they say if his mynde could so haue liked or had ben giueÌ„ to the world as many other be But the Lord which had elected him vnto a better function and preordeined him to preach the gospell of Christ in that houre of grace which in his secret counsell he had appointed called this his chosen chyld to the vnderstandyng and pertakyng of the same Gospell of lyfe In which call he was so truely taught that forthwith his effectuall call was perceyued by the fruites For then Bradford did forsake his worldly affaires forwardnes in worldly welth Bradford callâ—d to the Gospell and after the iust accompt geuen to his Maister of all hys doyngs he departed from hym and with meruailous fauour to further the kyngdome of God by the ministery of his holy word Bradford geueth him selfe to the study of Scripture he gaue himselfe wholy to the studye of the holy scriptures The which his purpose to accomplish the better he departed from the Temple at London where the temporall law is studied and went to the vniuersitie of Cambridge to learne by Gods law how to further the building of the Lordes Temple In Cambridge his diligence in study his profiting in knowledge and godly conuersation so pleased all men that within one whole yeare after that he had bene there the Uniuersitie did geue hym the degree of a M. of Arte. Immediately after the Maister and fellowes of Penbroke hal did geue him a felowship in their Colledge with them yea that man of God Martin Bucer so lyked him Bradford M. of art 〈◊〉 fellow in Pembrooâ—â— Hall that he had him not onely most deare vnto him but also often tymes exhorted him to bestow his talent in preaching Unto which Bradford aunswered alwayes that he was vnable to serue in that office through want of learnyng To the whiche Bucer was wont to reply saying If thou haue not fine manchet bread yet geue
thinke perchaunce that God will shew mercy Brad. Yea the children whose parentes do contemne baptisme will not I condemne because the childe shall not beare the fathers offence Harpsfield Well we agree that by Baptisme then wee are brought The Church is our mother and as a man would say begotten to Christ. For Christ is our father and the churche his spouse is our mother As all men naturally haue Adam for their father and and Eua for their mother so all spirituall men haue christ for their father and the Church for their mother And as Eua was taken out of Adams side so was the Church taken out of Christes side whereout flowed bloud for the satisfaction and purgation of our sinnes Brad. All this is truely spoken Harps Descent of the Church The Chuâ—ch of Christ is visible euen as Christ was that is not by exteriour pompe or shew but by the inwarde eye Now then tell me whether this Churche of Christ hath not bene alwayes Brad. Yea sithens the creatioÌ„ of man and shall be for euer Harps Uery good But yet tel me whether this Church is a visible Church or no Bradford It is no otherwise visible then Christ was here on earth that is by no exteriour pompe or shewe that setteth her forth commonly and therefore to see her wee must put on such eyes as good men put on to see know christ when hee walked here on earth for as Eue was of y e same substaunce that Adam was of so was the Churche of the same substaunce that Christ was of flesh of his flesh bone of his bones as Paule sayth Ephes 5. Looke therfore how Christ was visibly knowne to be Christ when he was on earth that is by considering hym after the word of GOD so is the Church knowne Harps I do not come to reason at this present thereforâ— I will goe on forwarde Multitude not alwaâ—â— the 〈◊〉 marke to 〈…〉 Church D. 〈…〉 Preaâ—â—â—ng the 〈◊〉 goeth 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 Church it be 〈…〉 sometyâ—◠〈…〉 Ad. 〈…〉 is one 〈◊〉 but not bâ—â—cause of 〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 And yet 〈◊〉 such a 〈◊〉 but that 〈◊〉 may often letteâ— by 〈◊〉 secution yet the 〈◊〉 Church râ—â—mayne The Popes Church 〈◊〉 Baptisme 〈…〉 the Popes Church 〈…〉 A Popish â—â—â—stinction 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 be a 〈◊〉 hauing 〈◊〉 of Gospell 〈…〉 power 〈…〉 successio◠〈◊〉 Byshopâ— Is not this Churche a multitude Brad Yes that it is Howbeit latâ—t anguis in herba as the Prouerbe is For in your question is a subtiltie What visible multitude was there in Heâ—ias tyme or wheÌ„ Moses was on the Mount Aaron and all Israell worshipping the Calâ—e Harps Ye diuert from the matter Brad. No nothing at all For I doe preuent you knowing well where about you go And therfore fâ—wer wordes might well serue if that you so would Harpsfield Well I perceaue you haue knowledge and by a litle perceiue I the more Tel me yet more whether this multiude haue not the Ministery or preachyng of Gods worde Bradford Syr ye goe about the bushe If ye vnderstande Preaching for confessing the Gospel I will go with you for els if you will you may knowe that persecution often letteth preaching Harps Well I meane it so Tell mee yet more hath it not the Sacramentes administred Brad. It hath the sacramentes howbeit the administratioÌ„ of them is often letted But I wil put you from your purpose because I see where about you goe If heretickes haue Baptisme and doe Baptise as they did in S. Ciprians tyme you knowe this Baptisme is Baptisme not to be reiterate This Bradford did speake that the staÌ„ders by might see that though the Papistes Church haue baptisme which we haue receiued of them yet therfore it is not the true Church neither neede we to be baptised againe Harps You goe farre from the matter and I perceiue you haue more errours then one Brad. So you say but that is not enough til you proue theÌ„ Harps Well this Churche is a multitude Hath it not the preaching of the Gospell the ministraâ—ion of the Sacraments yet more hath it not the power of Iurisdiction Bradford What iurisdiction is exercised in persecution and affliction Harps I meane by iurisdiction admonishing one an other and so forth Brad. Well go to what then Harps It hath also succession of Byshoppes And here he made such a doe to proue y t this was an essentiall poynt Bradford You say as you woulde haue it for if this parte fayle you all the Church y t you go about to set vp will fall down Successâ—â—â— of Byshâ—â— is no esseâ—â—tial parâ— the 〈◊〉 but rathâ—â— accidenâ— commuâ—â—â— which bâ—â—ing inteâ—â—rupted 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 may stanâ— as it did both be Christe◠〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 commiâ—â— Antichâ—â—â—â— Apostlâ— Bishopâ— sundry 〈◊〉 the minâ—â—â—ry of 〈◊〉 word aâ—â—ministeâ— an 〈◊〉 poynt oâ— true 〈…〉 locall sâ—â—cession â—â—â—ministeâ— one certayne 〈◊〉 You shall not finde in all y e scripture this your esseÌ„tiall parte of succession of Byshops In Christes Churche Antichrist will sit And Peter telleth vs as it went in the old Church afore Christes coÌ„ming so will it be in the new church sithen Christes coÌ„ming that is as there were false Prophets such as bare rule were aduersaries to the true Prophets so shall there be sayth he false teachers euen of such as are Byshops and beare rule amongest the people Harps You go alwayes out of the matter but I will proue further the succession of Byshops Bradford Do so Harps Tell me were not the Apostles Byshops Brad. No except you will make a new definition of a Byshop that is geue him no certayne place Harps In deede the Apostles office was not the Byshops office for it was vniuersall but yet Christ instituted Byshops in his church as Paule saith he hath geueÌ„ Pastors Prophetes c. so that I trow it be proued by the Scriptures the succession of Byshops to be an essentiall poynt Brad. The Ministerie of Gods worde and Ministers be an essentiall poynt But to translate this to the Byshops and their succession is a plaine subtiltie And therfore that it may be playne I will aske you a question Tel me whether that the Scripture knew any difference betwene Byshops and Ministers which ye call Priestes Harps No. Brad. Well then go on forewardes and let vs see what ye shal get now by the succession of Byshops that is of Ministers which can not be vnderstand of such Byshops as Minister not but Lord it Harps I perceiue that you are farre out of the way By your doctrine you can neuer shew in your Church a multitude which ministreth Gods word his Sacramentes which hath iurisdiction and succession of Byshops which hath from tyme to tyme beleued as you beleue beginning now and so going vpwardes as I will do of our doctrine and therefore are ye out of the church so cannot be saued Perchaunce you will bring me downwardes a shewe to bleare
with you Here Weston began to aske Bradford of his imprisonment and condemnation and so Bradford told him altogether how he had bene handled Whereat Weston seemed to wonder yea in playne wordes he sayd that Bradford had bene handled otherwise theÌ„ he had geueÌ„ cause so shewed Bradford how that my Lord of Bath reported that he had deserued a Benefite at the Queenes hande and at all the Counsell In this kinde of talke they spent an houre almost and so as one weery Bradford arose vp and Weston called to the Keeper and before him he bad Bradford be of good coÌ„fort and sayd that he was out of all perill of death Keeper Syr quoth the keeper but it is in euers mannes mouth that he shall dye to morow West Wherat Weston seemed halfe amazed and sayde hee would go say EueÌ„song before the Queene The vayâ—â— promiseâ— Weston speake to her in his behalfe But it is to be thought that the queene had almost supped at that preseÌ„t for it was past 6 of the clocke Brad. Before the Keeper Bradforde tolde Weston agayne that still he was one man and euen as he was at the first and till he should see matter to teach his conscience the coÌ„trary he sayd he must needes so continue Keeper The keeper desired Bradford to harken to maister Doctors counsell and prayd M. Doctour to be good vnto him and so after they had dronke together M. Doct. with most gentle wordes tooke his leaue for 3. dayes Now when he was gone the Keeper tolde Bradford that Mayster Doctour spake openly how that he sawe no cause why they should burne him Whiche sentence for the ambiguity of the meaning made him somewhat sory least he had behaued himselfe in any thing wherin he had gathered any conformablenes to them in theyr doctrine whyche God knoweth sayeth Bradforde I neuer as yet did God our father blesse vs as his children and keepe vs from all euill for euer Amen ¶ An other talke or conference betwene M. Bradford and Doctour Weston VPon the fifth day of April came M. Doctor Weston to the Counter about two of the clocke in the afternoone An other talke or conferencâ— betweene M. Bradfoâ—â— Doctoâ—â— Weston D. Weston withstandeth the Monkes comming into Weâ—â—â—minster who excused himselfe for being so long absent partlye by sicknes partly for that Doctour Pendleton tolde him that he would come vnto him and partly for that quoth he I withstood certayne Monkes whiche woulde haue come agayne into Westminster telling him moreouer howe that the Pope was dead also declared vnto him how he had spoken to the Queene in his behalfe and howe that death was not neare vnto him Weston Last of all he excused himselfe for not aunswering his argumentes agaynst Transubstantiation because my comming to day quoth he was more by fortune then of purpose Brad. I woulde gladly M. Doctor if it please you see your aunsweres to my argumentes Bradford argumenâ— not aunswered West Why you haue remeÌ„bred some thing what I spake to you when I was last with you Brad. No Syr. I neuer called them in maner to mynde sythen that tyme as well because I hoped you woulde haue written them as also for that they seemed not to be so materiall West In good fayth I can not see any other or better way for you then for to submit your self to the iudgement of the Church Brad. Mary so will I Syr if it so be by the church you vnderstand Christes Church West The Papists will not haue the church 〈◊〉 Lo you take vpon you to iudge the Church Brad No sir that do I not in taking vpon me to discerne I do not iudge the Church West Yes that you do and make it inuisible Brad. I do neither West Why who can see your Church Brad. Those Syr that haue spirituall eies wherwith they might haue discerned Christes visible conuersation here vpon earth The churche 〈◊〉 but 〈…〉 Vnity Antiquitye Câ—â—â—ent 〈◊〉 Antiquitye Consent as well 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 as to Christes Church West Nay Christes Church hath three tokens that all meÌ„ may looke well vpon namely vnity antiquity consent Brad. These three may be as wel in euil as in good as wel in sin as in vertue as well in the deuils church as in gods church As for ensample Idolatry amongst the Israelites had all those three Chrysostome telleth plainely as you well know that the church is well known TantuÌ„modo per scripturas alonely by the scriptures West In good fayth you make your Church inuisible wheÌ„ you will haue it knowne alonely by the scriptures Brad. No Sir the Scriptures doe playnely set forth to vs the church that all meÌ„ may well enough therby know her if they liâ—t to looke West The Church is like a Tower or towne vpon a hill that all men may see Brad. True Syr all menne that be not blinde Uisible enough is the church but mens blindnes is great Impute not therfore to the Church 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 commeth in 〈◊〉 with his Antiquitye The church iâ— tyed to no place â—ut to the word that which is to be imputed to mens blindnes West Where was your Churche fourtye yeares agoe or where is it now except in a corner of Germany Brad. Forsoothe Syr the Churche of Christ is dispersed and not tyed to this or that place but to the word of God so that where it is there is Gods Churche if it be truely taught West Loe is not this to make the church inuisible poynt me out a Realme a hundred yeres past which mainteined your doctrine Brad. Syr if you will or would wel marke the state of the Church before Christes coÌ„ming The church is not alwaâ—s to be poynted out by realmes countries The Church in Helias 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 with it now as S. Paule and Peter willeth vs I thinke you woulde not looke for such shewes of the Churche to be made as to poynt it by Realmes You know that in Helias time both in Israell and els where Gods Church was not poyntable therfore cryed he out that he was left alone West No mary did not God say that there was 7000. whiche had not bowed theyr knees to Baal Loe then 7000. shew me seuen thowsande a hundred yeares agoe of your Religion Brad. Syr these 7000. were not knowne to men for then Helias would not haue sayde that he had bene left alone And it is plain enough by that which the text hath namely that God saith Reliqui mihi I haue reserued to me 7000. Marke that it sayth God saw the Church 〈…〉 himselfe did not 〈◊〉 so is 〈◊〉 God had reserued to hymselfe to his owne knowledge as I doubt not but a hundreth yeres agoe God had his 7000. in his proper places though men knew not therof West Well Mayster Bradford I will not make your case worse then for transubstantiation although I know that we agree not in other matters
I haue preached before him It is Gods truth I haue taught It is that same infallible word whereof he sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The masse and such baggage as the false worshippers of God and enemies of Christes Crosse the Papistes I say haue brought in agayne The Masse is a poyson to the Church to poyson the Church of God withall displeaseth God highly and is abhominable in his sight Happy may he be whiche of conscience suffereth losse of life or goodes in dissalowing it Come not at it If God be God follow him If y e Masse be God let them that will see it heare or be present at it ComparisoÌ„ betweene the Lordes supper and the Masse go to the deuill with it What is there as God ordayned His supper was ordayned to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our fayth that his body was broken for vs his bloud shed for pardon of our sinnes but in the masse there is no receiuing but the pâ—iest keepeth all to himselfe alone Christ sayth Take eate No sayth the Priest gape peepe There is a sacrificing yea killing of Christ agayne as much as they may There is Idolatry in worshipping the outward signe of bread wyne there is all in Latine you cannot tell what he saith To conclude there is nothing as God ordeyned Wherefore my good mother come not at it Oh will some say it will hinder you Doubtes obiections aunswered Math. 19. if you refuse to come to masse and to do as other do But God wil further you be you assured as you shall one day find who hath promised to them that suffer hinderaunce or losse of anye thing in this world his great blessing here and in y e world to come life euerlasting You shall bee counted an hereticke but not of others then of heretickes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the Priestes but God wil that all they shall not be able to withstand you No body wil do so but you onely In deede no matter for â—ewe enter into the narrow gate which bringeth to saluation Howbeit you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and other my brothers and sisters to go with you therein but if they will not I your sonne in God I trust shall not leaue you an inche but go before you pray that I may geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffering for it is for your sakes to confirme the truth I haue taught How soeuer you do beware this letter come not abroad but into father Traues his handes For all this caueat yet this letter came to the Earle of Darbyes knowledge for if it should be knowne that I haue pen and inke in the prison then would it be worse with me Therfore to your selues keep this letter commending me to God his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his Gospel and Church sake Out of the Tower of London the sixt day of October 1553. My name I write not for causes you know it well enough Like the letter neuer the worse Commend me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. Howsoeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is no point either in hand or tongue rebell but rather if they coÌ„maund that which with good conscience you caÌ„not obey lay your head on the blocke and suffer what soeuer they shall do or say By pacience possesse your soules After the time that M. Bradford was condemned and sent to the Counter it was purposed of his aduersaryes as ye heard before that hee shoulde be had to Manchester where he was borne and there be burned Whereupon he writeth to the Cittye of London thinking to take his last Vale of them in this letter ¶ To the Citie of London TO all that professe the Gospell and true doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Cittie of London A fruitefull letter of M. Bradford 〈◊〉 the citye oâ— London Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of y e Lord now not onely in prison but also excommunicated condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine wisheth mercy grace peace with increase of al godly knowledge and pietie from God the father of mercy through the merites of oure alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Iesus Christ by the operation of the holy spirite for euer Amen My dearely beloued brethren in our Sauiour Christ although the tyme I haue to liue is very little for hourly I looke when I shoulde be had hence to be conueyed into Lankeshyre there to be burned and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God where I first receaued it by y e same prouidence and although the charge is great to keepe me from all things wherby I might signifie any thing to the world of my state yet hauing as now I haue pen inke through Gods working maugre the head of Satan and his souldiours I thought good to write a shorte confession of my fayth and thereto ioyne a little exhortation vnto you all to liue according to your profession First for my fayth I do confesse and pray all the whole Congregation of Christ to beare witnesse with me of the same that I do beleue constantly through the gift goodnes of God for fayth is Gods onely gifte all the 12. articles of the Symbole or Creede commonly attributed to the collection of the Apostles This my faythe I woulde gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple but alas by starts stealth I write in maner that I write and therfore I shall desire you all to take this breuitie in good part And this fayth I holde not because of the Creede it selfe but because of the word of God the which teacheth and confirmeth euery Article accordingly This worde of God written by the Prophetes and Apostles left and contayned in the Canonicall bookes of the whole Bible I do beleue to containe plentifully all thinges necessary to saluation so that nothing as necessary to saluation ought to be added thereto and therfore the Church of Christ nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine theÌ„ which hereout hath his foundation and ground In testimony of this fayth I render and geue my life being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his Catholicke and vniuersall Church here or els wherevppon earth as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation and Christes reall corporall and carnall presence in his supper vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine To beleeue Christ our Sauiour to be the head of hys Churche and kinges in their Realmes to be the supreme powers to whom euery soule oweth obedience and to beleue that
or rise agaynst the magistrates Auenge not your selues but commit your cause to the Lord to whome vengeance pertayneth and he in his tyme will reward it If you feele in your selues an hope and trust in God that he will neuer tempt you aboue that he will make you able to beare Patience be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to beare all bruntes But if you want this hope flee and get you hence rather then by your tarying Gods name should be dishonored In summe cast your care on the Lorde knowing for most certayne that he is carefull for you with him are all the heares of your head numbred so that not one of them shall perish without his good pleasure and wille muche more thē nothing shall happē to your bodies which shall not be profitable how soeuer for a time it seeme otherwise to your sences Hang on the prouidence of God We ought to depend vpon Gods prouidence alwayes not onely when you haue meanes to helpe you but also when you haue no meanes yea when all meanes be agaynst you Geue him this honour which of all other thinges he most chiefly requireth at your handes namely beleeue that you are his children through Christ that he is your father and God through him y t he loueth you pardoneth you al your offences he is with you in trouble and will be with you for euer When you fall he will put vnder his hande you shall not lye still before you cal vpon him he heareth you out of euill hee will finally bryng you and deliuer you to his eternall ioy Doubt not my dearly beloued hereof doubt not I say this will God your father do for you in respect not of your selues but in respect of christ your Captayne your Pastor your keeper out of whose hands none shal be able to catch you All our hope is only in Christ for his sake to be receaued in him be quiet oftē cōsider your dignitie namely how that ye be Gods children the saints of God citizens of heauen temples of the holy Ghost the thrones of God members of Christ and Lordes ouer all Therfore be ashamed to think speake or do any thing that should be vnseemely for Gods children Gods saynts Christes members To beare the Crosse. c. Marueile not though the deuil and the worlde hate you though ye be persecuted here for the seruaunt is not aboue his mayster Couet not earthly ryches Mortification feare not the power of man loue not this world nor thinges that be in this world but long for the Lord Iesus his comming at whiche time youre bodies shall be made like vnto his glorious body when he appeareth you shall be like vnto him when your lyfe shall thus be reuealed then shall ye appeare with him in glory In the meane season liue in hope hereof Let the lyfe you lead be in the faith of the sonne of God For the iust doth liue by fayth which fayth fleeth from al euill followeth y e word of God as a Lanterne to her feete and a light to her steppes her eyes be aboue where Christ is shee behouldeth not the thinges present but rather thinges to come she glorieth in affliction she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not like to be compared to the glory whiche God will reueale to vs We must liue in the fayth of Christ. The property of fayth and in vs. Of this glory GOD graunt vs here a liuely taste then shall wee runne after the sent it sendeth forth It wil make vs valiaunt men to take to vs the kingdome of God whyther the Lorde of mercy bryng vs in hys good tyme through Chryste oure Lorde to whome with the father and the holy ghost three persōs and one God be al honour and glory world without end Amen My dearly beloued I woulde gladly haue geuen here my body to haue bene burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I haue taught here vnto you But that my Countrey must haue Therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good will towardes euery of you Impute the want herein to tyme and trouble Pardon me mine offensiue and negligent behauiour when I was amongest you With me repent labour to amend Continue in the trueth whiche I haue truely taught vnto you by preaching in al places where I haue come Gods name therefore be praysed Confesse Christ when you be called whatsoeuer commeth therof and the God of peace be with vs all Amen This xi of Februar an 1555. Your brother in bondes for the Lordes sake Iohn Bradford To the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge TO all that loue the Lorde Iesus and his true doctrine being in the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge An other letter of M. Bradford to the vniuersity of Cambridge Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lord nowe not onely prisoned but also condemned for the same true doctrine wisheth grace peace and mercye with increase of all godlines from God the father of all mercy through the bloudy passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ by the liuely working of the holy spirite for euer Amen Although I looke hourely when I should be had to the stake my right dearely beloued in the Lord and although the charge ouer me is great and strayt yet hauing by the prouidēce of God secretly pen and an ynke I could not but something signifie vnto you my solicitude which I haue for you and euerye of you in the Lord though not as I woulde yet as I may You haue often and openly heard the truth speciallye in this matter wherein I am condemned disputed and preached that it is needeles to do any more but onely to put you in remembraunce of the same but hitherto haue you not heard it confirmed and as it were sealed vp as now you doe and shall heare by me that is by my death and burning For albeit I haue deserued through my vncleannes hypocrisie auarice vainglory idlenes vnthankfulnes and carnalitie wherof I accuse my selfe to my confusion before the world that before God through Christ I might as my assured hope is I shall find mercy eternall death and hell fire much more then this affliction and fire prepared for me yet my dearly beloued it is not these or any of these thinges wherfore the prelates do persecute me but Gods verity and truth yea euen christ him selfe is the onely cause and thing wherefore I nowe am condemned The Martyrs persecuted of the prelates not for their sinnes but onely for Christ. and shal be burned as an hereticke for because I will not graunt the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his churche here and euery where vppon earth by Gods ordinaunce and because I will not graunt suche corporall reall and carnall presence of Christes body bloud in the sacrament as doth transubstanciate the
substaunce of bread and wine and is receiued of the wicked The 〈◊〉 of his coâ—â—demnaâ—ioâ— declared yea of dogges mise Also I am excommunicated and counted as a dead menber of Christes Church as a rotten braunche and therefore shall be cast into the fire Therefore ye ought hartily to reioyce with me and to geue thankes for me that God the eternall father hath vouched safe our mother to bring vp any childe in whom it would please him to magnifie his holy name as hee doth A great mercy of God to turne the death of â— saintes 〈◊〉 deseruâ—â— to serue a confirmâ—â—tion of his owne glorâ— and I hope for his mercye and truthes sake will do in me and by me Oh what such benefite vppon earth can it be as that that which deserued deathe by reason of my sinnes should be deliuered to a demonstration a testification and confirmation of Gods veritie and trueth Thou my mother the Vniuersitie hast not onely had the truth of gods word playnely manifested vnto thee by reading disputinge and preaching publickely and priuately but now to make thee altogether excuselesse and as it were almost to sinne agaynst the holy Ghost if thou put to thy helpyng hand with the romysh route to suppresse the veritie and set out the contrary thou hast my lyfe and bloud as a zeale to confirme thee if thou wilt be confirmed or els to confound thee and beare witnes agaynst thee if thou wilt take part with the prelates and Clergye Cantabriâ—â—ense◠〈…〉 moniti which nowe fill vp the measure of their fathers which slew the Prophetes and Apostles that all righteous bloud from Abell to Bradforde sued vpon the earth may be required at theyr handes Of this therefore I thought good before my death as tyme and libertie woulde suffer me for loue and duetye I beare vnto thee to admonishe thee good mother and my sister the Towne that you would call to minde from whence you are fallen and study to do the first workes You know if you wil these matters of the Read before the letter Cambridâ—â— to K. Henâ—â— 8. pag. 1104. Romish supremacy and the Antichristian transubstantiation whâ—â—â—by Christes supper is ouerthrowne his priesthoode euacuatâ— his sacrifice frustrate the ministery of his word vnplaced repentaunce repelled fayth faynted godlines extinguished the Masse mayntayned idolatry supported and all impietie cherished you know I say if you will that these opinions are not onely besides Gods word but euen directly agaynst it and therfore to take part with them is to take part agaynst God agaynst whome you cannot preuayle Therefore for the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and bloud I beseeche you to take Christes collyrium and eye salue to annoynt your eyes that you may see what you doe and haue done in admitting as I heare you haue admitted yea alas authorised and by consent confirmed the Romish rotten rags whiche once you vtterly expelled Oh be not canis reuersus ad vomitum be not * The 〈◊〉 returned to his owne â—omitte Sus lota reuersa ad volutabrum coeni Beware least Satan enter in with seuen other spirites and then postrema shal be worse then the first It had bene better yee had neuer knowne the truth then after knowledge to runne from it Ah woe to this world and the thinges therein * The soâ—â— that was washed returned to 〈…〉 in the â—ite 2. Pet. 1. which hath nowe so wrought with you Oh that euer this dirt of the deuill shoulde daube vpp the eye of the Realme For thou oh mother art as it were the eye of the Realme If thou be light and geue shyne all the body shall fare the better But if thou the light be darcknes alas how great will the darckenes be What is man whose breath is in his nostrels that thou shouldest thus be afrayde of him Oh what is honour and life here Bubbles What is glorye in this worlde but shame Why art thou afrayde to carrye Christes Crosse Wilt thou come into hys kingdome and not drynke of his cup Doest thou not know Rome to be BabiloÌ„ The glory of this world is a vaine thing Babylon hath Iuda in captiuity doest thou not know that as the olde Babilon had the children of Iuda in captiuitie so hath this Rome the true Iuda that is the confessours of Christ Doest thou not know that as destruction happened vnto it so shall it do vnto this And trowest thou that God will not deliuer his people now when the time is come as hee did theâ— Hath not God commaunded hys people to come out from her and wilt thou geue ensample to the whole Realme to runne vnto her Hast thou forgotten the woe that Christ threatneh to offence geuers Wilt thou not remember that it were better that a Mylstone were hanged about thy necke and thou throwe into the sea then that thou shouldest offend the little ones And alas how hast thou offended yea and howe doest thou still offend The church â—â—ndeth 〈◊〉 in the outward shew Wilt thou consider thinges according to the outward shew Was not the Synagogue more seemely and like to be the true Church then the simple flocke of Christes Disciples Hath not the whore of Babilon more costly aray and rich apparell externally to set forth her selfe then the homely housewyfe of Christ Where is the beautie of the kinges daughter the Churche of Christ without or within Doth not Dauid saye wythin Oh remeÌ„ber that as they are happy which are not offended at christ so are they happy whiche are not offended at hys poore church Can the Pope and his prelates meane honestly whiche make so much of the wife and so little of the husband The Churche they magnifie but Christ they contemne If this Church were an honest woman that is Christes wife except they woulde make much of her husband Christ and his worde shee woulde not be made much of them When Christ and hys Apostles were vppon earth who was more like to be the true Church they or the Prelates Byshops Synagogue If a man should haue followed custome vnitie antiquitie or the more part shoulde not Christ and his companye haue bene cast out of the dores Therfore bade Christ Search the scriptures And good mother shall the seruaunt be aboue his master shall we looke for other entertaynment at the handes of the world then Christ and his deare Disciples found who was taken in Noes tyme for the Church Poore Noe and his familie or others Who was taken for Gods Churche in Sodom Lot or others And doth not Christ say As it was than so shall it goe now towardes the comming of the sonne of man What meaneth Christ when he sayth Iniquitie shall haue the vpper hand doth not he tell that charitie shall waxe colde And who seeth not a wonderfull great lacke of charitie in those whiche woulde nowe be taken for Christes Church All that feare GOD in thys Realme truely can
geue vs a bishop But they obtrude vnto vs a butcher rather or a bitesheepe then a Bishop They brag of Peters succession of Christes vicare this is alwayes in theyr mouth But alas how can we call hym Christes Vicare that resisteth Christ oppugneth his veritie persecuteth hys people and lyke a Prelate preferreth himselfe aboue God and man How or wherein doth the Pope and Christ agree How supplieth hee Peters ministery that boasteth of hys succession Therfore to beginne withall which I will vse presently for a conclusion The Bishop of Rome seemeth in deede rather a Butcher then a Bishop if the Papists will haue the B. of Rome supreme head of the Churche of Christ in earth they must afore they attayne this gâ—ue vs a Bishop in deed and not in name For whosoeuer he be that will make this the bond of vnitie whatsoeuer the Bishop of Rome be surely this must needes folow that they do nothyng els but teach a most wicked defection and departing from Christ. But of this if God lend me lyfe I purpose to speake more at large hereafter Now will I betake your Ladyship vnto the tuition of God our father and Christ our onely head pastour keeper to whom see that you cleaue by true fayth which dependeth onely vpon the word of God which if you doe follow as a lanterne to your feete and a light to your steps you shall theÌ„ auoyd darkenes and the daungerous deepes whereinto the Papists are fallen by the iust iudgement of God and seeke to bryng vs into the same dungeon with them that the blynd following the blind they both mayfall into the ditch out of the which God deliuer them accordyng to hys good will and preserue vs for his names sake that we beyng in his lyght may continue therein and walke in it whilest it is day so shall the night neuer ouerpresse vs wee goyng from lyght to lyght from vertue to vertue from fayth to fayth from glory to glory by the gouernaunce of Gods good spirite which God our father geue vnto vs all for euer and euer Amen Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Ioh. Bradford Here followeth another letter of M. Bradford to one Richard Hopkins shiriffe sometimes of Couentry He wrote also an other fruitefull letter to this Richard Hopkins which you may read in the booke of letters of the Martyrs yet beyng as I heare say alyue This Hopkins whom M. Bradford commendeth so much in this letter duryng the tyme of his shiriâ—ealtie was detected and accused by certaine malignant aduersaries of matter pertaing to religion What matter it was I am not yet certainly informed vnles it were for sending and lendyng vnto a theefe being then in prison ready to be hanged a certain English booke of scripture for his spirituall comfort Whereupon or els vpon some such like matter he being maliciously accused was sent for and committed to the Fleete and there endured a sufficient tyme not wythout great perill of lyfe Notwithstandyng the sayd Hopkins beyng at length deliuered out of prison followyng thys counsaile of M. Bradford and mindyng to keepe his conscience pure from Idolatry was driuen with his wife and 8. yong children to auoyde the realme and so leauyng all other worldly respects with his great losse and dammage went into high Germany where he contiued in the Citie of Basill till the death of Queene Mary being like a good Tobias to his power a frendly helper and a comfortable relieuer of other Englishe exiles there about him Gods holy blessing so working with hym therefore that in those far countries neither he fell in any great decay neither any one of all his houshold during all that tyme there miscaried but so many as he brought out so many he recaried home againe yea that with aduantage and gods pleÌ„ty withall vpon him Now the letter written to this Richard Hopkins by M. Bradford is this ¶ A Letter to Maister Richard Hopkins then Shiriffe of Couentry and prisoner in the Fleete for the faythfull and constant confessing of Gods holy Gospell DEarely beloued in the Lord I wish vnto you as vnto myne owne brother yea as to myne owne hart roote A letter of M. Bradford to Richard Hopkins prisoner the same tyme for his conscience Gods mercy the feelyng of the same plentifully in Christ our sweete sauiour who gaue himselfe a raunsome for our sinnes and price for our redemption praysed therefore bee his holy name for euer and euer Amen I will not go about to excuse my selfe for not sendyng vnto you hetherto suffring for the Lordes sake as you do to the comfort of mee and of all that loue you in the truth but rather accuse my selfe both before God and you desiring you of forgiuenesse and with me to pray to God for pardon of this my vnkind forgetting you and al other my sinnes which I beseech the Lord in his mercy to do away for his Christes sake Amen Now to make amends to you ward I would be glad if I could but because I cannot I shall hartily desire you to accept that will and this which I shal now write vnto you there after I meane after my will and not after the deed to accept and take it At this present my deare hart in the Lord you are in a blessed state although it seem otherwise to you or rather vnto your olde Adam the which I dare now be so bold as to discerne from you because you would haue him not onely discerned but also vtterly destroyed For if God be true then is his word true Nowe his worde pronounceth of your state that it is happy therefore it must needes bee so To prooue this I thinke it need not for you know that the holy ghost saith That they are happy which suffer for righteousnes sake and that Gods glory and spirit resteth on them which suffer for conscieÌ„ce to God Now this you cannot but know that this your suffering is for righteousnesse sake and for conscience to Godwards for els you might be out of trouble eueÌ„ out of hand I know in very deed that you haue felt and do feele your vnthankfulnesse to God and other sinnes to witnes to you that you haue deserued this prisonment and lacke of libertie Martyrs persecuted not for their sinnes but for Christ onely the Gospell betwixt God and your selfe and I would you so would confesse vnto God in your prayers with petition for pardon and thanks geuing for his correctyng you here But you know that the Magistrates doe not persecute in you your sinnes your vnthankfulnesse c. But they persecute in you Christ hymselfe his righteousnesse his veritie and therefore happy be you that haue founde such fauor with God your father as to accompt you worthy to suffer for his sake in the sight of man surely you shall reioyce therfore one day with a ioy vnspeakeable in the sight of man also You may thinke
in the Sacrament as hee is where two or three are gathered together in his name THe difference of doctrine betweene the Faithfull the Papistes concerning the Sacramente is that the Papistes say that Christ is corporally vnder or in the formes of bread and wine but the faithfull say that Christe is not there neither corporally nor spiritually but in them that worthely eate and drinke the breade and wine he is spiritually but not corporally For figuratiuely he is in the breade and wine and spiritually hee is in them that woorthely eate and drynke the breade and wine but really carnally and corporally he is onely in heauen from whence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead ¶ My beliefe in the Sacrament of the blessed body and bloud of my Sauiour Iesus Christ. AS concernyng the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ my beliefe is this that the bread and wyne is appointed vnto a Sacrament and that after thanks be geuen to God the father then it doth represent vnto me the very body and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ not that the bread is the body or the wyne the bloud but that I in faith do see that blessed body of our sauiour broken on the crosse his precious bloud plenteously shed for the redemption of my sinnes Also in faith I heare hym call vs vnto him saying Come vnto me all you that labour and are laden and I wil refresh you Esay 55. a. b. Mat. 11. c. In faith I come vnto him I am refreshed so that I beleue that all that do come vnto the table of the Lord in this frith feare and loue beyng sory for their offences intending earnestly to lead a godly conuersatioÌ„ in this vale of misery do receiue the fruit of the death of Christ which fruit is our saluation I do vnderstand spiritually that as the outward maÌ„ doth eate the material bread which comforteth the body so doth the inward man thorough fayth eate the bodye of Christ beleeuyng that as the breade is broken so was Christes body broken on the Crosse for our sinnes which comforteth our soules vnto lyfe euerlastyng and signifieng thereby that euen as that bread was deuided among them so should his body and fruit of hys passion be distributed vnto as many as beleeued hys wordes But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper monisheth putteth vs in remembraunce of hys death and so exciteth vs to thankesgeuyng to laud and prayse God for the benefits of our redemption And thus we there haue Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our faith we eate his body and drinke his bloud that is we beleeue surely that his body was crucified for our sinnes and his bloud shed for our saluation Christes body and bloud is not conteyned in the Sacramentall bread and wyne as the papists haue sayd 〈◊〉 grosse 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Papistes the reall 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Sacraâ—ent as some yet doe say as ye read in these scriptures folowing first read in S. Math. 9. Luk. 5. Math. 24. and 26. Marke 16. Luk. 24. Iohn 13. Luke 23. in the ende Iohn 14.15.16.17 Acts 1.3.7.9 Rom. 8. Psalm 8. 1. Cor. 10.11 Exod. 12. Col. 1.3 Ephe. 1.4 Phil. 2. 1. Thes. 1.4 Heb. 1.5.8.9.10.12 1. Pet. 3. Psal. 11.47.103.10 Christes materiall body is not in all places as these Scriptures do testifie hereafter â—hristes â—ody not in â—ll places 〈◊〉 â—nce First reade Saint Mathew the last Marke the last Luke the last Iohn 11.20.21 These places of the Scripture do plainly declare that his body that was borne of the Uirgin Mary cannot be in mo places then one that is in heauen on the right hand of God and not in the Sacrament nor in all places as the Papists haue affirmed and yet do affirme â—dolatry to 〈◊〉 creaâ—â—re of â—read and â—ine Therefore who so euer they bee that doe worship the creatures of bread and wyne doe commit Idolatrye and make abominable Idols of them and take the glory from God and geue it to his cretures which is contrary to the mynd of God as these scriptures hereafter do testify first in Exodus 20.22.23.24 Leuit. 19. Deut. 4.6.32 Psal. 80. Esay 45. Mal. 2. Mathew 4. Luke 4. Actes 14. Reuel 14. Psalm 98. 1. Corrinth 8. Ephes. 4. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Ioh. 5. Reuel 19.22 Iohn Denley M. Denley â—nd his felâ—ow prisoâ—ers sent to â— Boner Now to returne to the Commissioners againe they receiuyng these prisoners afore mentioned after they saw they could little preuaile by their owne perswasions sent them vnto B. Boner to be handled after his fatherly and charitable discretion Which how discrete fauourably it was as well the history of others as also the sequele of this doth manifestly declare M. Denley Newman â— Packingâ—am had in â—xamâ—natioÌ„â—efore the â—â—shop of â—ondon For the 28. day of Iune then next folowyng he caused the sayd Denly NewmaÌ„ with one Patrike Packingham to bee brought into his chaÌ„ber within his house or pallace there examinyng them vpon their confessions which Tyrrell had founde about them obiecting also vnto them certayne other Articles of hys owne The which they all aunswered in effect one thing although Denly answered more largely then the others therfore I thought it enough only to manifest his as sufficient in no part differyng from the others except that Pachingham had one Article of no great force obiected to hym which the rest had not This done the B. vsed with them his accustomed perswasions to the which M. Denly said God saue me from your counsaile keepe me in the mynde that I am in for that you count heresy I take to be the truth The wordes of M. Denly to Bishop Boner thereupon they were commanded to appeare in the bishops Consistory the 5. of Iuly then next commyng in the after noone where these Articles were obiected against them ¶ The Articles obiected by Edmond Boner Bishop of London against Iohn Denley Iohn Newman and Patrike Pachingham ioyntly and seuerally the xxviij of Iune 1555. FIrst that the said N. now is of the dioces of London of the iurisdiction of the B. of London Articles obiected Slaunder of vntruth Catholicke Church Secondly that the sayd N. hath not beleeued nor doth beleeue that there is any Catholike Church of Christ here in earth Thirdly that the said N. had not beleued nor doth beleue that this church of England is any part or member of the said catholike church· Fourthly the sayd N. hath beleued Masse and doth so beleue that the Masse now vsed in this Realme of England is naught and full of Idolatry and euill and playne against Gods word and therfore he the sayd N. hath not heard it nor will not heare it Fiftly that the sayd N. hath beleued doth so beleue Auricular confession that auricular confession vsed now in