in euery village yea and almost in euery honest mans house alas now it is exiled and banished out of the whole realme Of late who was not taken for a louer of Gods word for a reader for a ready hearer for a learner of the same And now alas who dare beare any open countenaunce toward it but such as are content in Christes cause and for his wordes sake to stand to the daunger and losse of all that they haue Of late there was to be found of euery age of euery degree and kinde of people that gaue theyr diligēce to learne as they could out of Gods word the articles of the christian fayth the commaundementes of God and the Lordes prayer The babes and young children were taughte these thinges of theyr parentes of theyr maisters weekly of theyr Curates in euery church the aged folke whiche had bene brought vp in blindnes and in ignoraunce of those things which euery christian is boūd to know whē otherwise they could not yet they learned the same by oftē hearing theyr children and seruantes repeating the same but now alas and alas agayne the false Prophets of Antichrist which are past all shame do openly preach in pulpittes vnto the people of God that the Catechisme is to be counted heresy wherby theyr olde blindnes is brought home agayn for the aged are afraid of the higher powers and the youth is abashed and ashamed euen of that which they haue learned though it be Gods woord and dare no more meddle Of late in euery congregation throughout all Englād was made prayer and petition vnto God to be deliuered from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities from al false doctrine and heresy now alas Sathan hath perswaded England by his falshoode craft to reuoke her olde godly prayer to recant the same prouoke the fearefull wrath and indignation of God vpon her owne pate Of late by strayt lawes and ordinances with the consent of the nobles and commonalty and full agreement counsel of the prelates and clergy was banished hence the beast of Babilon with lawes I say and with othes all meanes that then could be deuised for so godly a purpose but now alas all these lawes are troden vnder foote the Nobles the Commonalty the Prelates and Cleargy are quite chaūged and all those othes though they were made in iudgement iustice truth and the matter neuer so good doth no more hold then a bond of Rushes or of a Barley straw nor publicke periurye no more feareth them then a shadow vpon the wall Of late it was agreed in Englande of all handes according to Paules doctrine and Christes commaūdemēt as Paule sayth playnly that nothing ought to be done in the Church in the publicke congregation but in that toūg which the Congregation could vnderstand that all might be edefied thereby whether it were Common Prayer Administration of the Sacramentes or any other thing belonging to publicke Ministerye of Gods holy and wholesome word but alas all is turned vpside downe Paules doctrine is put apart Christs commaundement is not regarded For nothing is heard commonly in the Church but in a straunge tongue that the people doth nothing vnderstand Of late al men and women were taught after Christes doctrine to pray in that toūg which they could vnderstād that they might pray with hart that whiche they shoulde speake with theyr toung now alas the vnlearned people is brought in that blindnes again to think that they pray when they speak with theyr toung they can not tell what nor wherof theyr hart is nothing mindefull at all for that it can vnderstand neuer a whit therof Of late the Lordes Supper was duely ministred and taught to be made common to all that were true Christians with thankesgeuing and setting foorth of the Lordes death passion vntill his returning agayne to iudge both quicke and dead but now alas the Lordes table is quite ouerthrowne and that whiche ought to be common to all godly is made priuate to a fewe vngodlye without any kind of thankesgeuing or any setting foorth of the Lordes death at all that the people is able to vnderstand Of late all that were endued with the light and grace of vnderstanding of Gods holy misteries did blesse God which had brought them out of that horrible blindnes and ignorance wherby in times past being seduced by sathans subtleties they beleued that the Sacrament was not the Sacrament but the thing it self wherof it is a Sacramēt that the creature was the Creator and that the thing whiche hath neither life nor sense alas suche was the horryble blindenesse was the Lord himselfe which made the eye to see and hath geuen all senses and vnderstandinge vnto man but now alas Englande is returned agayne lyke a Dogge to her owne vomitte and spuing and is in worsse case thē euer she was For it had bene better neuer to haue knowne the trueth then to forsake the truth once receiued and knowne and now not onely that light is turned into darcknesse and Gods grace is receiued in vayne but also lawes of death are made by high Courte of Parliament maysterfully to mainteine by sword fire and al kind of violence that haynous Idolatry wherein that adoration is geuen vnto the liuelesse and dumbe creature which is only due vnto the euerliuing God yea they say they can and do make of bread both manne and GOD by theyr transubstantiation O wicked mention and Sathans owne broode Of late was the Lordes cuppe at his Table distributed according to his owne cōmaundement by his expresse wordes in his Gospell as well to the Laity as to the clergy which order Christes Churche obserued so many hundreth yeares after as all the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers doe testify without contradiction of any one of them that can be shewed vnto this day but now alas not only the Lords commaundement is broken his cup is denied to his seruauntes to whom he commaunded it shoulde be distributed but also with the same is set vp a new blasphemous kinde of sacrifice to satisfye and paye the price of sinnes both of the dead and of the quicke to the great intollerable contumely of Christ our sauior his death passion which was and is the one only sufficient and euerlasting auayleable sacrifice satisfactorye for all the Electes of God from Adam the first to the last that shall be borne in the end of the world Of late the commaundement of God Thou shalte not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor any similitude or likenes of any thing in heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth thou shalte not bowe downe to them nor worship them This commaundement of God I say was grauen almost euery where in Churches was learned of euery body both young olde whereupon Images that prouoked the simple and ignorant people vnto Idolatrie as
bee free from chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and no children Seing then when as we haue had carnall parents which chastened vs we reuerenced them shall not we much more be subiect vnto our spirituall father that we might liue And they for a litle time taughte vs after theyr owne mind but this father teacheth vs to our commodity to geue vnto vs his holinesse Al chastisment for the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but paynefull but afterward it rendereth the fruite of righteousnesse on them which are exercised in it Wherefore let vs bee of good cheere good Brethren and let vs plucke vppe our feeble members that were fallen or beganne to faynt hart handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vpright and straight that no limping no◠〈…〉 bring vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be present but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastly behold the thinges that be euerlasting in heauen and so choose rather in respecte of that whiche is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare Christes Crosse then for this short life time to inioy all the riches honours and pleasures of the broade worlde Why should we Christians feare death Can death depriue vs of Christ which is all our coÌ„â—ort our ioy and our life Nay forsooth But contrary death shall deliuer vs from this mortall body whiche lodeth and beareth downe the spirite that it cannot so well perceiue heauenly thinges in the which so long as we dwell wee are absent from God Wherefore vnderstanding our state in that we be Christians that if our mortall body which is our earthly house were destroied we haue a building a house not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen c. therefore wee are of good cheere and know that when we are in the body we are absent from GOD for we walke by fayth and not by cleare fight Neuerthelesse we are bolde and had rather be absent from the bodye and present with GOD. Wherefore we striue whether we be present at home or absent abroad that we may alwayes please him And who that hath true fayth in our Sauior Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truely what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternall sonne of God life light the wisedome of the father all goodnesse all righteousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that heart canne desire yea infinite plentye of all these aboue that that mans hart canne either conceiue or thinke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godheade corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the Father and made of GOD to be our wisedome our righteousnesse our holâ—nesse and our redemption who I say is he that beleueth this in deede that woulde not gladly bee with his mayster christ Paul for this knowledge coueted to haue bene loosed from the body and to haue beene with Christ for that he counted it muche better for himselfe and had rather to be loosed then to liue Therefore these wordes of Christe to the thiefe on the Crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise To dye in the defence of Christes Gospell it is our bounden duety to Christ and also to our neighbour To Christ for he dyed for vs and rose agayne that he might be Lord ouer all And seing he dyed for vs we also sayth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our life for our Brethren And this kinde of geuing and loosing is getting and winning in deede for hee that geueth or looseth his life thus getteth winneth it for euermore Blessed are they therefore that die in the Lord and if they dye in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise then for a momeÌ„t to make the flesh to smart but that our fayth whiche is surely fastened and fixed vnto the worde of GOD telleth vs that we shall be anon after death in peace in the handes of GOD in ioye in solace and that from death we shall go straight vnto life For Saynt Iohn sayeth he that liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therefore this death of the Christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlasting life Therefore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paul a putting of this Tabernacle or dwelling house Meaning thereby the mortall body as wherein the soule or spirite doth dwell here in this worlde for a small time Yea this death may be called to the Christian an end of all miseries For so long as we liue here we must passe through many tribulations before we canne enter into the kingdome of heauen And nowe after that death hath shot his bolt all the christian mans enemies haue done what they canne after that they haue no more to doe What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the rich mannes Gate His former penury and pouerty his misery beggery and horrible sores and sickenesse For so soone as death had stricken him with his dart so soone came the aungels and caryed him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What lost he by death who from misery and payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioy and solace Farewell deare brethren farewell and let vs comforte our hartes in all troubles and in death with the worde of God for heauen and earth shall perish but the word of the Lord endureth for euer Farewell Christes dearely beloued spouse here wandering in this world as in a straunge land farre from thine owne couÌ„try coÌ„passed about on euery hand with deadly enemies which cease not to assault thee euer seeking thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of God here liuing vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true misticall body of Christ the very house holde and family of God and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewell O thou litle flocke of the highe heauenlye pastour Christ for to thee it hath pleased the heauenlye father to geue an euerlasting and eternall kingdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of God thou holy and royall priesthood thou choseÌ„ generatioÌ„ thou holy nation thou wonne spouse Farewell Farewell N. R. ¶ An other treatise of B. Ridley wherein is conteyned first a lamentation for the chaunge of Religion in England then a comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospell and the Romish religion with wholesome instructions in the end to all christians how to behaue themselues in time of tryall ALas what misery is thy church brought vnto O lord at this day Where of late the worde of the Lord was truely preached was read and heard in euery towne in euery Church
corporall not carnall not naturall not sensible not perceptible but onely spirituall pag. 181. l. 18. c. l. 25. p. 223. l. 21. Confutation We receyue Christ in the Sacrament of his fleshe and bloud if we receiue hym worthily p. 190. l. 7. p. 197. lin 27. Confutation When an vnrepentant sinner receyueth the Sacramēt he hath not Christes body within hym p. 256. l. 18. Confutation He that eateth verily the flesh of Christ is by nature in Christ and Christ is naturally in hym pag. 18. li 51. Confutation An euill man in the sacrament receiueth in deed Christes very body p. 18. l. 24.25 Euill men eat verily the flesh of Christ p. 2561. l. 24.25 c. Confutation Christ geueth vs to be eaten the same flesh that he took of the virgin Mary p. 274. l. 25. We receyue not in the Sacrament Christes flesh that was crucified p. 276. l. 1. Confutation S. Augustines rule in his booke De doctrina Christiana pertaineth not to Christes supper p. 132. l. 40. S. Augustine meaneth of the Sacrament ibidem and p. 10. l. 44. Confutation Reason in place of seruice as beyng inferior to fayth wyll agree with the fayth of Transubstantiation well enough p. 300. l. 12. Confutation And as reason receyued into faithes seruice doth not striue with transubstantiation but agreeth well with it so mans senses be no such direct aduersaries to transubstantiation as a matter wherof they cannot skill for the senses cannot skill of substances p. 307. l. 11. c. Thine eyes say there is but bread and wyne thy taste sayeth the same thy feelyng and smellyng agreefully with them Hereunto is added the carnal mans vnderstanding which because it taketh the beginning of the senses procedeth in reasonyng sensually In the deuils sophistry fo 6. The Churche hath not forborne to preach the truth to the confusion of mans senses and vnderstandyng fol. 15. It is called bread because of the outward visible matter p. 327. lyne When it is called bread it is ment Christ the spirituall bread p. 320. l. 41. And the Catholike fayth teacheth that the fraction is in the outward signe and not in the body of Christ p. 165. lyne 1. and pag. 392. lyne 47. and in the Deuils Sophistry fol. 17. That which is broken is the bodye of Christ p. 392. lyne 49. The inward nature of the bread is the substance p. 323 lyne 14. Substance signifieth in Theodoret he sayth the outward nature p. 404. l. 40. The substances of bread and wyne be visible cretures p. 322. l. 30. and 323. l. 32. Accidents be the visible natures and visible elements p. 1406. l. 16. and 25. c. Christ is our satisfaction wholy and fully hath payd our whole debt to God the Father for the appeasyng of hys wrath agaynst vs p. 92. l. 6.7 The act of the priest done accordyng to Gods cōmandement must needs be propitiatory and ought to be trusted on to haue a propitiatory effect p. 437. l. 13. The sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ was neuer reiterate p. 416. l. 8. Priests do sacrifice Christ p. 431. l. 16. And the catholike doctrine teacheth the daily sacrifice to be the same in essence that was offered on the Crosse p. 439. l. 11. The Nestorians graunted both the Godhead manhood always to be in Christ continually p. 348. l. 11.12 The Nestorians denied Christ conceyued GOD or borne God but that he was afterward God as a mā that is not borne a bishop is after made a bishop So the Nestorians sayd that the Godhead was an accession after by merite and that he was conceyued only man p. 347. l. 47 50.51 and p. 148. l. 47. Christ vseth vs familiarly as he dyd hys Apostles p. 93. l. 21. Christ is not to be sayd conuersant in earth pag. 114. lin 11. c. ¶ Certaine things that Winchester granted vnto CHrist declared eatyng of hymselfe to signify beleeuing p. 29. l. antepenultima Confutation Christ must be spiritually in man before he receiue the Sacrament or els he cannot receyue the sacrament worthily p. 54. l. 44. p. 160. l. vltima p. 196. l. 3. p. 105. l 32. How Christ is present p. 69. l. 29. c. p. 81. l. 12. p. 181. li. 26. p. 65. l. 15. By faith we know only the beyng present of Christes most precious body not the maner thereof p. 70. l. 15. When we speake of Christes body we must vnderstād a true body which hath both forme and quantitie p. 81. l. 5. lin 35. Although Christs body haue all those truths of forme quantitie yet it is not present after the maner of quantitie ibidem l. 8.9 The demonstratiue this may bee referred to the inuisible substance p. 120. l. 42 All the old prayers and ceremonies sound as though the people did communicate with the priest p. 165. l. 46. The maner of Christs beyng in the Sacrament is not corporall nor carnall not natural not sensible not perceptible but only spirituall p. 181. l. 19. c. l. 25. p. 223. l. 21. When the vnrepentant sinner receiueth the sacrament he hath not Christes body within hym p. 256. l. 18. We eat not Christ as he sitteth in heauen raignyng p. 276. l. 18. The worde Transubstantiation was first spoken of in a generall Councell where the B. of Rome was present p. 284. l. 11. In the sacrifice of the church Christs death is not iterated but a memory daily renued of the death so as Christes offeryng on the crosse once done and consummate is now only remembred p. 440. l. 40. c. To these notes places of D. Ridley let vs also adioyne other 12. places or Articles of the lyke affinitie taken out of his booke called the examination of the proud hunter noted in the later end of D. Turners secōd course By these Articles it may appeare how this Bishop swarueth no lesse from the sound truth of Christes Gospell then he dyd in the other both from hymselfe and also from other hys fellow brethren of hys owne Catholike mother church of Rome The Articles in summe are these ¶ Twelue new found Articles of Steuen Gardiners Creede taught in hys booke called the examination of the hunter 1. THe ceremonies and traditions which the Bish. of Rome hath ordeyned and are now allowed in England are the pale of the church of England fol. 7. 2. The Popes ceremonies and traditions are good and politike lawes wherby God hath enclosed the kings subiects vnder hys maiestie alone ibidem 3. As king Richard an euill man made a good politicke law for the body common welth of England so can the Pope an euill man make good lawes and wholesome doctrine for mans soule and Christes church fol. 23. 4. Whatsoeuer is good spoken and vsed by mā is much more of God then Christes
meere office for thy soule health for reformation of thyne offences and misdemeanours nourishyng thee in the vertue of obedience and vnder the paynes of both censures of the Churche and also of other paynes of the lawe to aunswere fully playnely and truely to all the same 1 FIrst that thou N. hast firmly stedfastly and constātly beleeued in tymes past and so doest now beleue at this present that there is here in earth a catholike Church in the which Catholike Church the fayth and religion of Christ is truely professed allowed receyued kept and reteined of all faithfull and true christian people 2. Item that thou the sayd N. in tymes past hast also beleeued and so doest beleeue at this present that there are in the Catholique Church seuen Sacramentes instituted ordeined by God and by the consent of the holy churche allowed approoued receiued kept and reteyned 3. Item that thou the sayd N. wast in tymes past baptised in the fayth of the sayd catholike church professyng by thy godfather and godmothers the fayth and Religion of Christ and the obseruation thereof renouncing there the deuil all hys pomps and works and wast by the said sacrament of baptisme incorporate to the catholike church made a faythfull member thereof 4. Item that thou the sayd N. commyng to the age of 14. yeares and so to the age of discretion didst not depart from the sayd profession and fayth nor diddest mislike any part of the same fayth or doyngs but diddest like a faythfull Christian person abide and continue in all the same by the space of certayne yeares ratifieng and confirmyng all the same 5. Item that thou the said N. notwithstanding the premisses hast of late that is to say within these two yeares last past within the City dioces of London swarued at the lest way from some part of the sayd catholike faith and religion and among other thyngs thou hast misliked and earnestly spoken agaynst the sacrifice of the Masse the sacrament of the altar and the vnity of the church raisyng malignyng on the authoritie of the See of Rome and the fayth obserued in the same 6 Item that thou the sayd N. hast heretofore refused doest refuse at this present to be reconciled againe to the vnitie of the church knowledging and confessing the autoritie of the sayd See of Rome to be lawfull 7 Item that thou the sayd N. mislikyng the sacrifice of the Masse and the sacrament of the aultar hast refused to come to thy parish Church to heare Masse and to receyue the sayd Sacrament and hast also expresly sayd that in the sayd Sacrament of the aultar there is not the very bodye and bloud of our Sauiour Christ really substantially truly but hast affirmed expresly that the Masse is idolatry and abhomination and that in the Sacrament of the aultar there is none other substance but only material bread and materiall wyne which are tokens of Christes body bloud onely and that the substance of Christes bodye and bloud is in no wyse in the sayd Sacrament of the aultar 8 Item that thou the sayd N. beyng conuented before certaine Iudges or Commissioners for thy disorder herein and beyng found obstinate wilfull and heady wast by their commaundement sent vnto me and my prison to be examined by me Processe to be made against thee for thy offence herein 9. Item that all and singuler the premisses haue bene and be true and manifest and thy selfe not onely infamed and suspected therof but also culpable therin and by reason of the same thou wast and art of the iurisdiction of me Edmund B. of London and before me accordingly to the order of the Ecclesiasticall lawes art to be conuented and also by me to be punished and reformed ¶ Here follow likewyse their aunsweres in a generall made to the Articles aboue rehearsed ¶ And first concernyng the first Article in beleeuyng there is a Catholike Church TO the first Article they altogether agreeyng affirmed the same to bee true Iohn Tudson and Thomas Browne further addyng that the Church of England as it was at that present vsed was no part of the true catholike Church ¶ Concernyng the second Article that there be in the Churche seuen Sacraments To the second Article they aunswered that they acknowledged but onely two Sacraments in Christes catholike Church that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord Iohn Went and Tudson affirmyng that the sacrament of the aultar as it is vsed is an Idoll and no sacrament at all ¶ Concernyng the third Article that they were first baptised in the fayth of the Catholike Church professing by their Godfathers the profession of the same c. To the third article they agreed and confessed all to be true that they were baptised in the fayth of Christ and of the church then taught and afterward duryng the time of K. Edward the vj. they hearyng the Gospel preached and the truth opened followed the order of religion doctrine then vsed and set foorth in the raigne of the sayd kyng Edward Concernyng the fourth Article that they for the space of certayne yeares did ratifie or allowe and not departe from any part of the profession of the same Church To this fourth Article they graunted also and agreed Iohn Went addyng moreouer that about seuen yeares past he then beyng about twenty yeares of age began to mislyke certayne thyngs vsed in the Church of England as the ministration of the Sacrament of the aultare likewyse all the ceremonies of the sayd Church and dyd lykewyse at that present tyme mislike the same as they were vsed although hys godfathers and godmothers promised for hym the contrary Iohn Tudson added also in much like sort and sayde that when he came to the yeres of discretion that is about nine yeares past beyng about eighteene yeares of age he did mislike the doctrine and religion then taught and set forth in the church of England sauyng in king Edwards tyme in whose tyme the Gospell was truly set forth and further sayde that the doctrine set forth in the Queenes raigne was not agreeable to Gods word nor yet to the true catholike church that Christ speaketh of c. Isabell Foster with other graunted adding likewyse and saying to the sayde foure Articles that she continued in the same faith and Religion which she was baptised in after she came to the yeres of discretion as other common people did howbeit blindly and without knowledge till the raigne of King Edward the sixt at which tyme shee hearing the Gospel truly preached and opened to the people receyued thereupon the fayth and religion then taught and set forth c. ¶ Concernyng the fift Article that they of late yeares haue swarued and gone away misliked and spokē agaynst the profession of the same Church at least some part thereof especially the sacrifice of the Masse the Sacrament of the aultar
hym at hys cōmandement but to your Masse sayd I I haue small affectiō At which aunswer he was displeased sore sayd I should be fedde with bread and water And as I followed hym through the great hall he turned backe and beat me with his fist first on the one cheeke and then on the other as the signe of my beatyng did many dayes appeare And then he led me into a little salthouse where I had no straw nor bed but lay two nightes on a table and slept soundly I thanke God Then vpon the Friday next after I was brought to my L. and he then gaue me many fayre words and said he would be good to me And so he goyng to Fulham committed me to Doct. Harpsfield that he and I in that after noone should common together and drewe out certayne Articles whereunto if I would subscribe I shoulde bee dismissed But D. Harpsfield sent not for me til night and then perswaded me very sore to forsake my opinions I answered I held nothing but the truth therfore I could not so lightly turne therefrom So I thought I should at y◠time haue had no more ado but he had made a certaine bill whiche the Register pulled out of his bosom red it The bill in deed was very easily made and therefore more daungerous for the effect therof was to detest all errours and heresies against the sacrament of the aultar and other sacramentes to beleue the fayth of the catholicke church and liue accordingly ¶ The copy of this bill here mentioned if it please the gētle reader to peruse so as it came to our hands we haue hereunto adioyned written and conteined in theyr owne wordes as foloweth to be sene ¶ The Bill of submission offered to Thomas Whittell to subscribe I Thomas Whittell Prieste of the Dioces of London knowledge and confesse with my mouth agreeing wyth my hart before you reuerend father in God Edm. bishop of London my Ordinary that I do detest and abhorre all maner of heresies and errours agaynst the Sacrament of the aulter or any of the Sacramentes of the Church whiche heresies and errours haue heretofore bene condemned in any wise by the catholicke church and I do protest and declare by these presents that I do both now hold and also entēd by gods grace alwayes hereafter to hold obserue and keepe in all poyntes the Catholicke fayth and beliefe of Christes Church according as this church of England being a member of the sayd Catholicke Church doth now professe and keepe and in no wise to swerue decline or go from the sayd faith during my naturall life submitting my selfe fully and wholly to you reuerend father my sayd Ordinarye in all thinges concerninge my reformation and amendement at all times In witnesse whereof I the sayde Thomas Whittell Prieste haue hereunto subscribed my name written c. To this Bill I did in deed set to my hand being much desired and counselled so to do and the flesh being alwaies desirous to haue libertye I considered not throughly the inconuenience that might come thereupon and respite I desired to haue had but earnestlye they desired me to subscribe Now when I had so done I had litle ioy thereof For by and by my mind and conscience tolde me by Gods worde that I had done euill by such a sleighty meanes to shake of the sweete Crosse of Christ and yet it was not my seking as God he knoweth but altogether came of them O the crafty subtlety of Sathan in his members Let euery man that God shall deliuer into theyr hands take good heede and cleaue fast to Christ for they will leaue no corner of his conscience vnsought but will attempt all guilefull and subtle meanes to corrupt him to fall both frō God and his trueth But yet let no man dispayre of Gods help for Peter did fall and rise agayne And Dauid sayeth A righteous man though he fall he shall not bee cast away for the Lorde vpholdeth him with his hande For I for my part haue felt my infirmities and yet haue I found Gods present helpe and comfort in time of neede I thanke hym therfore The night after I had subscribed I was sore greeued and for sorrowe of conscience coulde not sleepe For in the deliueraunce of my body out of bondes whiche I mighte haue had I could finde no ioy nor comfort but still was in my conscience tormented more and more being assured by Gods spirit and his word that I through euill councell aduisement had done amisse And both with disquietnesse of minde and with my other cruell handeling I was sickly lying vpon the ground when the keeper came and so I desired him to pray Doctour Harpsfield to come to me and so he did And when he came and the Register with him I told him that I was not well at ease but especially I told him I was greued very much in my conscience and minde because I had subscribed And I sayd that my conscience had so accused me through the iust iudgement of God and hys word that I had felt hell in my conscience and Sathan ready to deuoure me and therefore I pray you M. Harpsfield sayd I let me haue the bill agayne for I wyll not stande to it So he gentlye commaunded it to be fetched and gaue it mee and suffered mee to pull out my name whereof I was right glad when I had so done although death should folow And hereby I had experience of gods prouidence and mercy towardes me who trieth his people and suffereth them to fall but not to be lost for in the middest of this temptation and trouble he gaue me warning of my deed and also deliuered me his name be praysed for euermore Amen Neither deuill nor cruell tyrant can plucke any of Christes sheepe out of his hand Of the which flock of Christes sheepe I trust vndoubtedly I am one by meanes of hys death and bloudshedding which shall at the last day stand at his right hand and receiue with other his blessed benediction And now being condemned to dye my conscience and minde I prayse God is quiet in Christ and I by hys grace am very well willing and content to geue ouer this body to the death for the testimony of his truth pure religion agaynst Antichrist and all his false Religion doctrine They that report otherwise of me speake not truely And as for Fountayne I saw not him all that while By me Thomas Whittell Minister ¶ Concerning the troubled mind of this Godly man and tearing of his name out of the bill here followeth the report of the same written in the letters both of the sayde Harpsfield and also of Iohnson the Register beyng then present thereat and reporters of the same vnto the bishop as in theyr letters hereto annexed is to be sene * The Copy of Nich. Harpsfieldes Letter touching Mayster Whittell written to Boner Byshop
cordis thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae Well what it is thē if feare do not hinder you shame to vnsay that that you haue sayde Nay it is no shame vnlesse ye thinke it shame to agree with the true and the catholicke church of christ And if that bee shame then blame S. Paule who persecuted the Disciples of Christ with sword then blame S. Peter who denyed his mayster Christ with an othe that he neuer knewe him S. Cyprian before his returne being a witch S. Augustine being ix yeares out of the Church They thought it no shame after their returne of that they hadde returned Shall it then be shame for you to conuert and consent with the Churche of Christe no no. What is it then that doth let you Glory of the world nay as for the vanity of the world I for my part iudge not in you beyng a man of learning and knowing your estate And as for the losse of your estimation it is tenne to one that where you were Archhishop of Caunterbury and Metropolitane of England it is tenne to one I say that ye shall be as well still yea and rather better And as for the winning of good men there is no doubte but all that be here present and the whole congregation of Christes Churche also will more reioyce of your returne then they were sory for your fall And as for the other ye neede not to doubt for they shall all come after and to say the truth if you should lose them for euer it were no force ye should haue no losse thereby I do not here touch them which should confirme your estimation For as Sayncte Paule after his conuersion was receiued into the Church of Christ with wonderfull ioy to the whole congregation euen so shall you be The fame of your returne shall be spread abroade throughout all Christendome where your face was neuer knowne But you will say perhappes your conscience will not suffer you My Lord there is a good conscience and there is a bad conscience The good conscience haue not they as S. Paul declareth to Timothe concerning Hymaeneus and Alexander This euill badde conscience is sayth S. Cyprian well to be knowne by his marke What marke This conscience is marked with the print of heresy This conscience is a noughty filthy and a bronded conscience which I trust is not in you I haue cōceiued a better hope of you then so or els would I neuer go about to persuade or exhort you But what conscience should stay you to returne to the Catholicke fayth and vniuersall Churche of Christ what conscience doth separate you to that deuillish and seuerall Church to a liberty which neuer had ground in the holy Scriptures If you iudge your liberty to be good then iudge you all Christendome to do euill besides you O what a presumptuous persuasiō is this vpō this vtterly to forsake the church of Christ Vnder what colour or pretence doe you this for the abuses as though in your Church were no abuses yes that there were And if you forsake the vniuersall Church for the abuses why do you not thē forsake your particuler churche and so be flitting from one to an other That is not the nexte way to slip from the church for the abuses for if you had seene abuses you should rather haue endeuored for a reformation then for a defection He is a good Chirurgeon who for a litle payne in the toe will cut of the whole leg He helpeth well the tooth ache which cutteth away the head by the shoulders It is mere folly to amend abuses by abuses Ye are like Diogenes for Diogenes on a time enuying the clenlines of Plato sayd on this wise Ecce calco fastum Platonis Plato answered Sed alio fastu So that Diogenes semed more faulty of the two But when we haue sayde all that we can peraduenture you will say I will not returne And to that I say I will not aunswere Neuerthelesse heare what Christ sayth to such obstinate and stifnecked people in the parable of the Supper Whē he had sent out his men to cal them in that were appoynted and they would not come he bad his seruantes going into the wayes and streetes to compell men to come in Cogite intrare If then the Church wyll not lese any member that may be compelled to come in ye must thinke it good to take the compulsion least you loose your part of the supper which the Lord hath prepared for you and this cōpulsion standeth well with charity But it may be perhaps that some hath animated you to sticke to your tackle not to geue ouer bearing you in hand that your opinion is good and that ye shall dye in a good quarrell god shall accept your oblation But heare what Christ sayth of a meaner gift If thou come to the aultar to offer thy oblation and knowest that thy brother hath somewhat to saye agaynst thee leaue there thy gift and go and be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer vp thy gift or els thy brother will make thy offering vnsauery before God This he sayd vnto all the world to the end they should know how theyr offeringes should be receiued if they were not according Remember you therefore before you offer vp your offering whether your gift be qualified or no. Remember the Churche of Rome and also of Englande where not one onely brother but a number haue matter against you so iust that they wil make your burnt offering to stincke before God except you be recōciled If you muste needes appoynt vppon a Sacrifice make yet a meane first to them that haue to lay agaynst you I say no more then the Church hath allowed me to saye For the sacrifice that is offered without the Church is not profitable The premises therfore cōsidered for gods sake I say Memor esto vnde excideris age paenitentiam prima opera fac Sin minus c. Cast not your selfe away spare your bodye spare your soule spare them also whome you haue seduced spare the shedding of Christes bloud for you in vayne Harden not your hart acknowledge the trueth yelde to the prescript word of God to the catholicke Church of Rome to the receiued veritie of all Christendome Wedde not your selfe to your owne selfewill Stand not to much in your owne conceyt thinke not your selfe wiser then all Christendome is besides you Leaue of this vniust cauill How leaue why leaue reason leaue wonder and beleue as the Catholicke Church doth beleeue and teach you Perswade with your selfe that extra Ecclesiam non est salus i. Without the Churche there is no saluation And thus much haue I sayd of charitye If this poore simple exhortation of mine may sincke into your head and take effect with you then haue I sayd as I would haue sayd otherwise not as I would but as I could for this
faythfull Christian man and a good subiecte of this Realme of England behaued himselfe in wordes and deedes in diuers conditions and poyntes contrarye to the order Religion and fayth of Christes Catholicke church and contrary to the order of this Realme to the pernicious and euill example of the inhabitauntes of the City of London and the prisoners of the prison of the sayd Counter in the Poultry and greatly to the hurt dammage of his owne soule offending especially in the Artiles followyng By reason whereof the sayde Richard Gibson was and is of the iurisdiction of the sayde Byshoppe of London and subiect to the sayd iurisdiction to make aunsweare to his offences and transgression vnder written according to the order of the law 2. Secondly that the sayd Richard Gibson hath vnreuerentlye spoken agaynste the Pope and Sea and Churche of Rome and likewise agaynst the whole Church of this Realme of Englande and agaynst the seuen Sacramentes of the Catholicke and whole Churche of Christendome and agaynst the Articles of the Christian fayth here obserued in this Realme of England and agaynst the commendable and laudable Ceremonies of the Catholicke Church 3. Thirdly that the sayd Richard Gibson hath commended allowed defended and liked both Cranmer Latimer Ridley and also all other heretickes here in this Realme of Englande according to the Ecclesiasticall lawes condemned for heretickes and also liked all their hereticall and erroneous damnable and wicked opinions especially agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar and the authority of the Pope and Sea of Rome with the whole Religion therof 4 Fourthly that the sayd Richard Gibson hath coÌ„forted ayded assisted and mainteined both by words and otherwise hereticks and erroneous persons or at the least suspected and infamed of heresies and errors condemned by the Catholicke Churche to continue in their hereticall and erroneous opinions aforesayde fauouring and counselling the same vnto his power 5. Fifthly that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed and sayde that the Religion and Fayth commonly obserued kepte and vsed now here in this Realme of Englande is not good and laudable nor in any wise agreable vnto Gods word and commaundement 6. Sixtly that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed that the English seruice and the bookes commonly called the bookes of communion or common prayer here set forth in this Realme of Englande in the time of K Edwarde the sixt were in all partes and poyntes good and godlye and that the same onely and no other ought to be obserued and kept in this Realme of England 7. Seuenthly that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed that if he may once be out of prison and at liberty he will not come to any parish church or ecclesiasticall place to heare Mattins Masse EueÌ„song or any diuine seruice now vsed in this Realme of Englande nor come to procession vpon times and dayes accustomed nor beare at any time any Taper or Candle nor receiue at any tyme Ashes nor beare at anye time Palme nor receiue Pax at Masse time nor receiue holy water nor holy bread nor obserue the ceremonies or vsages of the Catholicke Church here obserued or kept commonly in this realme of England 8. Eightly that the said Gibson hath affirmed that he is not bouÌ„d at any time though he haue liberty and the presence of a Priest conuenient and meete to confesse his sinnes to the sayd Prieste nor to receiue absolution of his sinnes at his handes nor to receiue of him the sacrament commonly called the Sacramente of the aultar after such foâ—me as is now vsed within this Realme of England 9. Ninthly that the sayd Gibson hath affirmed that prayer vnto Sayntes or prayers for the dead are not laudable auayleable or profitable and that no man is bound at any time or in any place to fast or pray but onely at his owne will and pleasure and that it is not lawful to reserue or keepe the sayd sacrament of the aultar nor in any wise to adore and worship it The greatest matter whiche hee was charged withall was for not comming to Confession being thereunto required for not receiuing of the sacramentes of the Popysh making and for that he would not sweare to answere vnto theyr interrogatoryes layd agaynst him Notwithstanding after these his first examinations he continued in the aforesayde Prison of the Counter a good space from the moneth of May vnto Nouember at what time he was agayne produced vnto the finall examinatioÌ„ iudiciary Where is to bee noted that M. Gibson being a very big and talle man of a personable and heroycall stature was sent for of Boner by a little and short person a promoter like Robin Papiste called Robin Caley if it were not he himselfe This Robin Caley hauing the conducting of the sayde Gentleman from the Pultry would needes hale him thorow Chepeside the gentleman desiring him to turne some other waye But the more the Gentleman entreated the more fierce was the sely iack vpon him and drawing and holding him by the arme woold needes hale him through the high street that the all world might see what he coulde do in his office M. GibsoÌ„ desirous to be led without holding willed and entreated him to let his arme loose he would go quietly of his accord with him whether he would onely crauing that he might go by him freely without noting of the people The saucy and impotent miser the Promoter hearing this who was scarse able to reach vnto his shoulders nay sayth he thou shalt not escape me so come on thy wayes Thou shalt not choose but come so reaching at his arme would needes drag him vnto the Byshop The Gentleman content to goe yet loth to be notified in the streetes gently requested agayne and agayne that reâ—rayning hys hold he would suffer him to goe of his owne free and voluÌ„tary will he should not neede to feare him for he would not start froÌ„ him To whom the Caytiff looking vp to his face Come on thy way sayth he I wil hold thee fast spite thy beard and whether thou wilt or no. Mayster Gibson seing and beholding the intollerable bragging of the wretched miser and moued therwith not a little could beare no longer but sayd Wilt thou sayd he and addeth moreouer bitterlye looking downe towardes hym that if he dyd not incontinentlye plucke awaye hys hand and so stayed withall he would immediatly wring his necke from his body Whereupon Robin Papist the Promoter was fayne to plucke awaye his holde and so proceeded they vnto the Bishop there to bee examined agayne before him After this an other day being assigned him to appeare agayne muche talke past betweene him and Darbyshyre then Chauncellour But in fine being required to sweare that he should aunswere vnto all they would demaund he denyed to aunswere vnto all thinges the Bishops should commaund hym as Ordinary for he is not sayeth he mine Ordinary and so bidde him goe tell the Byshoppe Before the which Byshoppe he
Boner certayne articles were ministred in this effect as followeth Articles FIrst that ye being within the Cittye and Dyoces of London haue not according to the commō custome of the catholick churche of this realme of Englande come to your owne parishe churche nor yet to the Cathedrall church of this citie and diocesse of London to heare deuoutly and christianly the Matins the Masse the Euensong song or sayd there in the Latine toung after the common vsage and maner of the church of this realme 2. Second that ye haue not come to any of the said churches to pray to goe in procession or to exercise your selues there in godly and laudable exercises 3. Thirde yee haue not conformed your selues duely to all the laudable customes rites and Ceremonies of anye the sayde churches 4. Fourth ye haue not bene confessed at due times and places to your owne curate of your sinnes 5. Fifth yee haue not receiued at your sayd Curates handes as of the minister of Christ absolution of your sinnes 6. Sixt ye haue not at due times and places of your Curate receiued reuerently and duely the sacrament of the altar 7. Seuenth yee haue not faithfully and truely beleeued that in the said sacrament of the altar there is really and truely the very body and bloud of Christ. 8. Eight yee haue not by your mouthe nor otherwise by your deede expressed or declared in any wise that ye without wauering or doubting doe thinke and beleeue that the faith and religion now obserued in the church of England is a true faith and religion in all poyntes 9 Ninthe yee haue not made any signification that yee doe in deede approoue or allowe in any wise the common seruice in Latine heere obserued and kepte in the Church of this Realme of Englande 10. Tenth ye haue not beleeued nor doe beleeue at this present that the seruice in Latine commonly vsed and obserued in the Churche of this realme is good and lawfull and not against the woorde of God 11. Eleuenth yee haue in times past liked allowed and approued as good and godly and so do like alow and approue at this present the seruice in English the bookes of Common prayer the bookes of Communion the religion setforth and vsed in the time of king Edward the sixt especially as it was set forthe and vsed in the latter daies of the said king Edward 12. Twelfth ye haue in times past bene very desirous and so are at this present that the sayde English seruice the sayde booke of common praier the sayd booke of communion and the sayd religion and faith so set foorth and vsed in King Edwardes time might nowe againe be restored set foorth and vsed and youre selfe freely at your libertie without anye restraint or lets to vse it and also in all poyntes and things to doe therein as ye did especially in the latter daies of the said Edward the sixt 13. Thirtene yee haue of late bene charitably sent to from me the Bishop of London and also by mouth exhorted that where of late yee did leaue your Churches and went in the time of diuine seruice into the fieldes and prophane places to reade English Psalmes and certaine English bookes ye wold leaue of that and being out of prisone and at your libertie come in to youre owne parish churches there to heare Mattens Masse and Euensong after the common order of the churches of this realme to make due confession of your sinnes to your owne curate and receiue at his handes as of the minister of Christ hauing therein sufficient authoritie absolution of your sinnes heare Masse receiue the Sacrament of the altare with a true faith according to the beliefe of the catholicke church and obserue all other the rites and customes of the saide catholicke churche vsed in thys realme of England aswell in going in procession after the crosse as also otherwise generally 14. Fourtene ye being so required haue refused and do refuse so to do saying amongst other vaine and light wordes that forasmuch as yee were imprisoned by the space of sixe weekes not knowing wherewith you were charged your petition should be and was that yee might first aunswere to your former cause and then ye would be ready to answere me the said bishop to al that by me should be laid to your charge Unto the which Articles all the forenamed 7. onely Reinold Eastland excepted made answer in effect as here after followeth The aunsweres of the forenamed persons to the Articles aforesayde 1. TO the first article they aunsweared affirmatiuely Roger Holland adding that hee came not to their Latine seruice these two yeares before Mathewe Ricarby added that he came not to churche since Latine seruice was renewed because it is against the woorde of God and Idolatrie committed in creeping to the crosse Henry Pond added if hee had licence then to goe to church he woulde 2. To the 2. Article they all aunsweared affirmatiuelye Henrye Ponde adding as in the first Article Iohn Floyd adde that the Latine seruice then vsed was set vp by man and not by God this he learned he sayd in king Edwardes daies which he beleued to be true Robert Southam added that he refused to come to churche because it is furnished with idoles and because the sacrament of the altar he beleeued to be an idoll 3. To the 3. Article they all aunsweared affirmatiuely For they sayd that the customes rites and ceremonies of the church then vsed are not agreeable to Gods woord 4 5. To the 4 and 5. Articles they all answeared affirmatiuely adding that they beleeued no Priest hath power to remit sinne 6. To the 6. Article Ihon Holiday Henry Ponde and Robert◠Southam aunsweared that since the Queenes maiesties raigne but Robert Southam added not for 10. yeares before he had receiued the Sacrament of the altar either at their Curates hands or any other Priest Ihon Floyde Mathewe Ricarby and Roger Holland answeared affirmatiuely adding in effecte that the Sacrament of the altare is no Sacrament approoued by the worde of God c. 7. To the 7. Article they all confessed the contentes thereof to be true in euery part Henry Ponde adding that he knoweth not nor beleeueth any such Sacrament called the Sacrament of the altare but confesseth the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper and beleeueth that to be approoued Iohn Floyde added that those that kneele and worship the Sacrament of the altare committe idolatrie c. 8.9.10 To the 8 9.10 Articles they all confessed the contentes of those Articles to be true But Iohn Holiday Henry Pond and Iohn Floyd added that they do allow the Latine seruice for thē that vnderstandeth the same so farre as it agreeth with Gods word For some parte thereof is not agreeable to Gods woorde they sayd but to such as do not vnderstand the sayd seruice in Latine they doe not allowe it for it doeth not profite them Robert Southam added and sayd that it was a fond
with him that night but committed him to the Clinke tyl Tuesday after * The first examination of Thomas Rose before Winchester at saint Mary Oueryes ON Thursday being brought before the B. of Winchester at S. Mary Oueries the said Tho. Rose spake as followeth Rose It maketh me to maruayle my Lord quoth he that I should be thus troubled for that which by the worde of God hath bene established by the lawes of this Realme allowed by your own writing so notably in your booke De vera obedientia confirmed Bysh. Ah sirha hast thou gotten that Rose Yea my Lord I thanke God and do confesse my self much thereby confirmed For as touching the doctrine of the supremacie agaynst the B. of Romes vsurped authoritie no man hath sayde further And as I remember you confesse in it that when this truth was reuealed vnto you you thought the scales to fall from your eyes Bishop Thou lyest like a varlet there is no such thinge in my booke but I shall handle thee and suche as thou art well enough I haue lōg looked for thee at length haue caught thee I will knowe who be thy maynteiners or els I will make thee a foote longer Rose My Lord you shall doe as much as pleaseth God no more yet the lawe is in our hand but I haue God for my maynteiner none other At these wordes one of his seruāts stepped forth and said my lord I heard this man preach by Norwich in sir Iohn Robsters house in hys praier he desired God to turne Q. Maries hart or elles to take her out of the world and this was in K. Edw. time Rose My Lord I made no such prayer but next after the king I prayed for her after this sort saying Ye shall pray for my Lady Maries grace that God wil vouchsafe to indue her with his spirite that she graciously may perceiue the misteries conteined within his holy lawes and so render vnto him her hart purified with true fayth true loyall obedience to her soueraigne lord and king to the good ensample of the inferiour subiects And this my Lord is already aunswered in mine own hand writing to the counsel Unto this he sayd little but turning his face to certayne that were by him This is he quoth the Bishop that my Lord of Norwich told me had begotten his mayd with chylde Rose This is no heresie my Lord although it be a lye In deed certayn wicked persons raysed this report of me for the hatred they bare to the doctrine whiche I preached but for purgatiō of my self herein I had no lesse then 6. of the counsails hands that there might be due dilligent examination for this matter in the country by men of worship appointed for that purpose who can al testifie I thank god that I am most cleare frō such wickednes in deede they haue cleared me frō it therfore I doubt not but all good mē will espye the mischieuous deuise of mine aduersaryes whych when other wayes fayled by such sinister means went about to draw me into discredite hatred but God which is the helper of the innocēt searcher of mens harts hath doth defend me hath layd open thinges that wer hid to their shame One of the chief reporters of this that I should so abuse my self was one M. Clarke seruaunt in some estimation with the old Lord Treasurer of England reputed taken for a coniurer who afterwards for his good demerites hanged himself in the Tower Then the bishop commanded that I shoulde be caryed to the tower be kept safely where I did lye til it was the weeke before Whitsōtide Before which time I was twise called when as the bish came to the tower about other prisoners Notwythstanding the B. had no great talk with me but spake frēdly Howbeit one sir Rich. Southwell knight still accused me for my prayer sayde I did put a difference betwixte Lady Mary Lady Elizabeth for that I prayed in king Edwardes fayth prayed that he would confirme Lady Elizabeth in that which was well begō in her Unto this the bish sayde little but in the weeke before Pentecost I was conueyed from the tower to Norwich there to be examined by the bish and his clergy as concerning my faith the maner wherof here followeth ¶ The second examination of Tho. Rose before the bishop of Norwiche Hopkins by name in his owne Palace in the presence of sir William Woodhouse knight M. Stewarde the Chauncellor Doct. Barret with diuers others the Wednesday in Whitson weeke an Domini 1553. AFter I was presented by my keeper the bishop immediately asked me what I was I told him I had bene a Minister Bishop What is this to the purpose were yee a Fryer or a Priest Rose Fryer was I neuer but a Prieste haue I bene and beneficed by the kinges Maiesty Byshop Where were ye made Priest Rose In Exceter in the county where I was borne Thē the bishop required of me my letters of orders I told hym I knew not where they were become for they wer things of me not greatly regarded Byshop Well you are sent to me to be examined what say you will you submit your selfe to the order of the Churche of England Rose My Lord I trust I am not out of the order of chrystes Church in England neither do I knowe my selfe an offender there agaynst Bysh. What ye◠ye haue here preached moste damnable deuilish doctrine Rose Not so my lord The doctrine by me here preached was both true sincere holy But in deede the doctrine that is now set forth is most wicked and damnable yea that both agaynst Gods lawes mans But as for the doctrin by me preached it is grounded vpon the word of God set out also by the authoritie of two most mighty kings with the consent of all the Nobilitie and clergy of the same so that I preached nothing but their lawfull proceedinges hauing their lawfull authoritie vnder their broad Seales for confirmation of the same for which my doyng ye cannot iustly charge me For why sithens the lawe ceased I haue kept silence so that the Counsaile which sent me vnto you haue not charged me therwith Wherefore ye doe me open wrong to burden me with that wherein I am free Chanc. What sir ye are very captious answerest thou my Lord after such a sort Rose Syr sayd I I aunswere for my selfe and accordyng to the truth wherwith ye ought not to be offended if ye be of God Chaunc Thou art an euill man Wast thou not abiured before now Rose No ye vntruely report me and are in no wise able to proue that whiche ye haue spoken so that your wordes appeare to proceede altogether of malice whiche I haue not deserued at your handes But in this I well perceiue ye are made an instrument to vtter other mennes malice conceiued of olde Chaunc
doctrine to be error and heresie and the olde lawes of Antichriste are allowed to returne with the power of theyr father agayne what can be hereafter looked for by reason to the man of God and true christian abiding in this realme but extreame vyolence of death or els to denye his mayster I graunt the hartes of Princes are in Gods handes and whether soe-euer he will he can make them to bowe and also that christian princes in olde tyme vsed a more gentle kinde of punishment euen to them whiche were heretickes in deede as degradation and deposition out of theyr roumes and offices exile and vanishment out of theyr domynions and countryes and also as it is read the true Bishoppes of Christes Church were sometime intercessors for the heretickes vnto Princes that they would not kill them as is read of S. Augustine But as yet Antichristes kingdome was not so erected at that time nor is nowe accustomed so to order them that will not fall downe and worship the beast and his Image but euen as al the world knoweth after the same maner that both Iohn Daniell hath prophesied before that is by violence of death and Daniell declareth farther that the kinde of death accustomablye should be by sword fire and imprisonment Therefore if thou O man of God doest purpose to abide in this realm prepare and arme thy selfe to dye for both by Antichristes accustomable lawes and these prophecies there is no appearaunce or likelihood of any other thing except thou wilt deny thy mayster Christ which is the losse at the last both of body and soule vnto euerlasting death Therefore my good brother or sister in Christ whatsoeuer thou bee to thee that canst and mayst so doe that counsayle that I thinke is the best safegard for thee both for thy body and most suretie for thy soules healthe is that whiche I shall shew thee hereafter But first I warne thee to vnderstand me to speake to hym or her which be not in captiuitie or called already for to confesse Christ but are at libertye abroade My councell I say therefore is this to flye from the plague and to get the hence I consider not onely the subtleties of Sathan and how hee is able to deceiue by hys false perswasions if it were possible euen the chosen of GOD and also the great frayltie whiche is oftentymes more in a man then he doth know in himselfe whiche in the tyme of temptation then will vtter it selfe I doe not onely consider these thinges I saye but that our mayster Christ whose life was and is a perfecte rule of the Chrystian mans life that hee himselfe auoyded oftentimes the furie and madnes of the Iewes by departing from the country or place Paule likewise when hee was sought in Damasco and the gates of the citty were layd in wayt for him was conueighed by night being let downe in a basket out at a windowe ouer the wall and Helias the Prophet fledde the persecution of wicked Iesabell and Chryste our sauiour sayth in the Gospell When they persecute you in one citie flie vnto an other and so did many good great learned vertuous men of God which were great and stout chaÌ„pions neuerthelesse and stoute confessors and mayntayners of Christ and his truth in due time and place Of suche was the great Clarke Athanasius But this is so playnâ— to be lawfull by Gods worde and examples of holy men that I neede not to stand in it Hauing this for my ground I say to thee O man of God this seemeth to me to be the most sure way for thy sauegard to depart and fly farre from the plague and that swiftly also for truely before God I thinke that the abhomination that Daniel Prophesied of so long before is nowe set vpp in the holye place For all Antichristes doctrine lawes rites and relygion contrary to Christ and to the true seruing and worshipping of God I vnderstand to be that abhomination Therfore now is the time in England for those wordes of Christ Tunc inquit qui in Iudea sunt fugiant ad montes TheÌ„ sayth he marke this Christes then for truely I am perswaded and I trust by the spirite of God that this then is commaunded Then sayth Christ they that be in Iewry let them flye into the mountaynes and he that is on the house top let hym not come downe to take away any thing out of his house and he that is abroad in the fielde let hym not retourne to take hys clothes Woe be to the great bellied women and to them that geue sucke but pray sayth Christ that youre flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabboth day These wordes of Christe are misticall and therefore haue neede of interpretation I vnderstand all those to be in Iewry spiritually which truely confesse one true liuing God and the whole truth of his word after the doctryne of the Gospell of Christ. Such are they whom Christ here biddeth in the time of the raigne of Antichristes abhomynations to flye vnto the mountaynes whiche signifieth places of safegard all such thinges which are able to defeÌ„d from the plague That he biddeth hym that is in the house top not to come downe and hym that is in the field not to returne to take with hym his clothes hee meaneth that they shoulde speede them to get them away betyme leaste in theyr tarying and trifling about worldly prouision they be trapped in the snare ere euer they be aware and caught by the backe and for gain of small worldly things endanger and cast themseues into great perilles of more waighty matters And where he sayth woe be to the great bellied woman and to them that geue suck women great with child and nigh to their lying downe and to be brought to bed are not able to trauell nor also those women whiche are brought to bed and now geueth their babes suck By these therefore Christ spiritually vnderstandeth all suche to be in extreame daunger whiche this worde woe signifieth all suche I say as are so letted by any maner of meanes that they no wayes be able to â—lye from the plague And where Christ sayth pray you that your flight be not in the winter nor on the sabboth day in winter the common course of the yeare teacheth vs that the wayes be foule therfore it is a hard thing then to take a farre iourney for many incommodities and daungers of the wayes in the tyme of the yeare and on the Sabboth day it was not lawful to iourney but a little way Now Christ therefore meaning that wee should haue neede both to speede oure iourney quickly which cannot be done in Winter for the incommodities of the wayes and also to go farre which cannot be done on the Sabboth day he biddeth vs therefore pray that our flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth day that is to pray that wee may flye in tyme and also farre enough from the
in Christ may pray that he fall not but endure to the ende and that those that fall through fearefull infirmity might speedely repent and rise agayne with Peter and also that the weake ones mighte bewayle theyr weakenes and crye with Dauid haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heale me for all my bones are vexed Of this opening of the heart by persecution spake holy Simion to Mary Christes mother when he sayde the Sworde that is the Crosse of persecution shall pearse thy Soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened For like as a king that should go to battell is cōpelled to looke in his cofers what treasure he hath and also what number and puisaunce of menne and weapons hee hath so that if he himselfe be vnready and vnarmed to bicker with hys enemye he surceaseth and taketh truice for a time euen so wee by persecutions haue our heartes opened that wee maye looke therein to see what fayth in Christ we haue and what strength to withstand the enemies and to beare the Crosse that if we be riche in these treasures we might reioyce and valiauntly go to Battell or if we want these thinges with all speede to call and crye vppon him which geueth all good giftes to those that aske them Item the crosse trieth the good people from the bad the faythfull from the worldlinges and hipocrites and also cleanseth and scoureth the faythfull hartes from all corruption and filthinesse both of the flesh and the spirit And euen as yron except it be often scoured will soone waxe rusty so except our sinnefull hartes and flesh be often scoured with the whetstone of the Crosse they will soone corrupt ouergrowe with the ruste of all filthinesse and sinne And therefore it is meete and good for vs as the wise man sayeth that as gold siluer are tryed in the fire so should the hartes of acceptable men be tried in the fornace of aduersity Abide the triall deare frendes that yee may obteyne the Crowne of life Fighte manfully in this the Lordes cause that ye may obteyne a glorious victorye here and receiue a greate rewarde in heauen hereafter As yee are called Christians and woulde be angry to be called Iewes or Turkes so declare your Christianity by folowing the steps of Christ whose name ye beare suffer with hym and for his Gospelles sake rather then to denye him or to defile your fayth and conscience with false worshipping of Romish religion Take vp your Crosse my deare hartes now when it is offered you and go vp with Christ to Ierusalem amōgest the Bishoppes Priestes and Rulers if God call you thereto and they will anone sende you to Caluery from whence dying in the cause of the Gospell wherein our good Preachers and Brethren haue geuen theyr liues your soules I warrant you through Christ Iesu shall ascend to God that gaue them and the body shall come after at the last day and so shal ye dwell with the Lord for euer in vnspeakeable ioy and blisse O blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake as Christes people in this Iewish Englande nowe doth for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen O my beloued set your mindes on this kingdome where Christ our head and king is considering that as the brute beast tooketh downewardes with the face towardes the earth so man is made contrariwise with his face looking vpward towardes the heauens because his conuersation should be in heauen and heauenlye thinges and not vpon the earth and earthly thinges and S. Paule sayth set your mindes on thinges whiche are aboue where Christ is And agayne he sayth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour who will chaunge our vile bodyes and make them like to his glorious body Oh the glorious estate that we be called vnto The Lord preserue vs harmeles to his eternal kingdome through Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen The second thing that I note in the foresayde wordes of Peter is that he calleth persecution no straunge thinge And trueth it is for which of the Prophetes were not persecuted with Christ and his Apostles and some of them in the end cruelly killed for the truthes sake Cain killed Abell Isaac was persecuted of Ismaell Iacob was hated of Esau Ioseph was prisoned and set in the Stockes the Prophet Esay was cut in two with a Saw Ieremy was stoned Micheas was buffeted and fed with bread and water Helias was sore persecuted Eleazar and the woman with her 7. sonnes were cruelly killed What Christ and the Apostles suffered it is well knowne So that by many tribulations as Paul sayth we must enter into the kingdome of Heauen All the holy Prophetes Christ and hys Apostles suffered such afflictions not for euill doing but for preaching Gods word for rebuking the world of sinne and for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ. This is the ordinance of GOD my Frendes this is the high way to heauen by corporall death to eternall life as Christ sayth he that heareth my woordes and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into iudgement but is escaped from death to life Let vs neuer feare death which is killed by Christ but beleue in him and liue for euer as Paule sayth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the Spirit And agayne Paule sayth Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory Thankes be to God which hath geuen vs victory through Iesu Christe Besides this ye haue seene and dayly doe see the bloud of your good Preachers and Brethren which hath bene shed in the Gospelles cause in this sinnefull Sodome this bloudy Ierusalem this vnhappy City of London Lette not theyr bloud be forgotten nor the bloud of your good Bishop Ridley who like a Shepheard to your comforte exāple hath geuen his life for his sheepe good S. Paule sath remember them that haue spoken to you the word of God and looke vpon the end of theyr conuersation and folow theyr fayth The Deuill euer stirreth vp false teachers as he hath done now ouer all Englande as Peter Paule and Iude prophesied it should be to poyson and kill our soules with the false doctrine And where he fayleth of his purpose that way then mooueth he his members to persecute the seely carcases of the Saynctes because they will not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuing Christ and confesse a dead breadye Christ and honour the same as Christ God and man contrary to Gods commaūdement This is the working of Sathan who knowing hys owne iust damnation woulde all mankinde to be partakers wyth him of the same such a mortall hatred beareth he agaynst GOD and his people And therefore when this wicked Tempter coulde not kill Christe with subtle tentation to fall downe and worship him then
Christ our redemer brother and the blessed company of Aungels and all faithfull saued soules Of the incomparable good thinges and heauenlye treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by Christ Iesu. For the obteining wherof we ought to set light by all temporall griefes and transitorye afflictions so much the more in that our good God is faythfull will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength that namely in the end of our life when the tree where it falleth lieth styll as the preacher sayth when euery one causa sua dormit causa sua resurget for els before the ende he suffereth his sometime to fall but not finally to peryshe as Peter sinked vpon the Sea but yet was not drowned and sinned grieuouslye vpon the land thorow infirmity denying his Mayster but yet found mercy for the righteous falleth oftentimes And Christes holye Apostles are taught to â—ay remitte nobis debita nostra Yea though the righteous fall sayth Dauid he shall not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God towardes vs miserable sinners He vouchsafe to plant in my heart true repentaunce and fayth to the obteining of remission of all my sinnes in the mercies of God and merites of Christ his sonne and therto I pray you say Amen Oh my hartely beloued it grieueth me to see the spoyle hauocke that Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe but what remedy This is Gods will and ordinaunce that his people shall here both be punished in the fleshe and tryed in theyr fayth as it is written Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all for by a strayt path and narrowe doore must we enter Whether Into the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen therefore blessed are you and other that suffer persecution for Christes sake for the professing of the same Pray for me my felowes good brother that we may fight a good fight that we may keepe the fayth and ende our course with ioyfull gladnesse for now the time of our deliueraunce is at hand The Lord guide defend and keep vs and you and al his people in our iourney that we may safely through a shorte death passe to that long lasting life Farewell my deare and louing brother and felowe souldiour in Christ farewell I say in him who receiue our soules in peace when they shall depart from these tabernacles and he graunte vs a ioyfull resurrection and a mery meeting at the last day continuall dwelling together in his eternall heauenlye kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Yours with my poore prayer other pleasure can I do you none Thomas Whittell Minister * To my deare brethren M. Filles and Cutbert MY deare and welbeloued brethren in Christ Mayster Filles and Cutbert I wish you all welfare of soule body Welfare to the soule is repentance of sinne faythfull affiaunce in Christ Iesus a godly life Welfare to the body is the health of the same with all necessary thinges for this bodely life The soule of man is immortall and therefore ought to be well kept least immortality to ioy should turne to immortality of sorow As for the body be it neuer so well kept and much made of yet shortly by nature will it perish and decay But those that are engraffed incorporated into Christe by true fayth feeling the motion of Gods holy spirite as a pledge of theyr election and inheritaunce exciting and styrring them not onely to seek heauenly thinges but also to hate vice and embrace vertue will not onely doe these thinges but also if need requyre will gladly take vp theyr Crosse and folow their capteine their king theyr Sauior Iesus Christ as his poore afflicted church of England now doth agaynst that false and Antichristian doctrine and religion now vsed specially that blasphemous Masse wherin Christs supper and holy ordinaunce is altogether peruerted abused contrarye to his institutioÌ„ to Paules procedinges so that that which they haue in theyr Masse is neither Sacrament of Christ nor yet sacrifice for sinne as the Priestes falsely pretend It is a sacrament that is as S. Augustine saith a visible sign of inuisible grace when it is ministred to the communicants according to Christes example and as it was of late yeres in this realm And as for sacrifice there is none to be made now for sinne for Christ with one sacrifice hath perfited for euer those that are sanctified Beware of false Religion and mens vayne traditioÌ„s and serue God with reuerence and godlye feare according to the doctrine of his Gospell whereto cleaue ye that yee may be blessed though of wicked men ye bee hated and accursed Rather drink of the cup of Christ with his church then of the cuppe of that rosecoloured whore of Babilon which is full of abhominations Rather striue ye to go to heauen by the path which is strait to flesh and bloud with the litle flock then to goe in the wide waye folowing the enticementes of the world and the flesh which leadeth to damnation Like as Christ suffered in the flesh sayeth S. Peter so arme ye your selues with the same minde for Christ suffred for vs leauing vs example to folow his footsteps Blessed are they that suffer for his sake great is their reward in heauen He that ouercommeth sayth S. Iohn shall eat of the tree of life he shall haue a crowne of life not be hurt of the second death he shall be clothed with white araye not be put out of the booke of life Yea I will confesse his name sayth Christ before my father and before his Aungels he shal be a piller in the house of God and sitte with me on my seat And thus I bidde you farewell myne owne Brethren and deare felowes in Christ. Whose grace and peace be alway with you Amen This world I do forsake To Christ I me betake And for his Gospell sake Paciently death I take My body to the dust Now to returne it must My soule I know full well With my God it shal dwel Thomas Whittell ¶ An other Letter of M. Thomas Whittell written to a certayne Godly woman OH my deare and louing sister in Christe be not dismayde in this storme of persecution for Paule calleth the Gospell the word of the Crosse because it is neuer truely taught but the crosse and cruell persecution immediately and necessarily doeth folow the same and therfore it is a manifest token of Gods truth and hath bene here and is still abroade and that is a cause of the rage and crueltye of Sathan agaynste Christe and his members which must bee corrected for theyr sinnes in this worlde theyr fayth must be tried that after triall and pacient suffering the faythfull may receiue the crowne of glorye Feare not therefore my welbeloued but proceede in the knowledge and feare of God
likewise after diuers examinations vppon the articles aforesayde in the Consistory attempted the lyke maner of perswasions with hym as he did to the other to recant and returne To whome in fewe wordes the sayde Went aunswered agayne he woulde not but that by the leaue of God he would stand firme and constant in that he had sayd And when the Bishop yet notwithstanding did still vrge and call vpon him with words and fayre gloses to geue ouer himselfe to theyr opinion he could haue no other answer of hym but this No I say as I haue sayd c. Whereuupon being condemned by the Bishops sentence he was committed vnto the Sheriffes whom that shameles shaueling at yâ— time abused for hys seruile Butchers and so brought to hys martyrdome which he with no lesse constancie suffered to the ende with the rest of that blessed societie of Martyrs aboue named 6. Isabell Foster Martyr WIth these fiue persons aboue recited and condemned were also two women in the foresayd company condemned the same tyme and likewise burned for the same cause the one a wife called Isabell Foster the other a mayde named Ioane Warne or otherwise Lashford This foresayd Isabell was borne in Grafestocke in the Dioces of Carlill and afterward maried to one Iohn Foster Cutler of the Parish of S. Brides in Fleetstreete beyng of the age of Lv. yeares She likewise for not commyng vnto the Churche beyng sent vnto Boner and so imprisoned was sundry tymes examined by the sayd Byshop but neuer ouercome nor remoued from the constant confession of Christes Gospell At length commyng vnto her finall examination before the Byshop in the Consistory the xv day of the sayd moneth of Ianuary she was moued agayne whether she would yet goe from her former aunsweres Whereunto she gaue a resolute aunswere in few wordes I will not sayth she goe from them by Gods grace and thereunto did adhere neither beyng cast downe by the manacyng threates of the Byshop nor yet yeldyng thorough his alluryng enticementes promising both lyfe and libertie if she would associate her selfe in the vnitie of the Catholicke Churche Whereunto she sayd agayne in this wise that she trusted she was neuer out of the Catholicke Church c. and so persisting in the same continued constaunt till the sentence diffinitiue was pronounced and theÌ„ she was committed by commaundemeÌ„t of the Byshop to the secular power and so brought a fewe dayes after to the stake the 27. day of the foresayd moneth where she like a faythfull witnesse of the Lordes truth with the other fiue aforesayd ended her troubles here to finde a better rest in the kyngdome of Christ our Sauiour 7. Ioane Lashford alias Ioane Warne Martyr IN a certaine place of these Actes and Monumentes heretofore meÌ„tion was made of one Elizabeth Warne pag. 1608. col 2. who with her husband Iohn Warne as is aforesayd in the begynnyng of Queene Maries Reigne was apprehended in Bowe Churchyard for beyng there at a CoÌ„munion and both suffered for the same first the man in the moneth of May then the wife in Iuly after and now the daughter in the moneth of Ianuary followed her parents in the same martyrdome Furthermore in the same place and page mention was made also of D. Storie who there we sayde was somewhat neare vnto the sayd parties eyther in kindred or alliance albeit as I vnderstande since of some there was no kindred betweene them but only that she was his seruant Yet notwythstanding the said D. Storie as it is aboue specified before he was Commissioner made intercession for the parties to D. Martine then Commissioner but afterwarde being placed in Commission hymselfe so farre forgat him selâ—e and hys olde seruaunt that hee became no small procurer of theyr deathes I will not heere expostulate wyth the hard heart of that man nor with hys incoÌ„stancie Who â—et notwythstanding after he had brought them to death was rested him selfe for lx pounde charged wyth dette in theyr behalfe which if it be true it may thereby appeare that he was in some peece of kindred ioyned or allied vnto them But leauing that persone vnto the good pleasure of the Lord let vs returne vnto that we haue in hand Thys Ioane Lashforde borne in the parishe of little Hallowes in Thames streete was the daughter of one Robert Lashford Cutler and of the foresayde Elizabeth who afterward was married to Iohn Warne vpholster who as is sayde was persecuted for the Gospell of God to the burning fire and after him his wife and after her thys Ioane Lashford theyr daughter Who about the age of xx yeares ministring to her father and mother in prisone suspected and knowen to bee of the same doctrine and religion was sent vp to Boner bishop of London by D. Storie as is aboue in her answeres to the articles declared and so committed to the Counter in the Poultrie where shee remained the space of 5. wekes and froÌ„ thence had to Newgate where shee continued the space of certaine moneths After that remaining prisonner in the custodie of the sayd Boner her confession was being examined that the whole xij moneth before and more she came vnto no popish masse seruice in the church neither would doe eyther to receiue the Sacrament of the aultare or to be confessed because her conscience would not suffer her so to doe confessing and protesting that in the sacrament of the aultar there is not the reall presence of Christes body and bloud nor that auricular coÌ„fession or absolution after the popish sort was necessary nor the Masse to be good or according vnto the scripture but sayd that both the sayd sacrament confession absolution and the Masse with all other theyr superfluous sacrameÌ„ts ceremonies and diuine seruice as then vsed in thys Realme of Englande were moste vile and contrary to Christes woordes and institution so that neyther they were at the beginning nor shal be at the latter ende Thys godly damosell feeble and tender of age yet strong by grace in this her Confession and faith stoode so firme that neyther the flattering promises nor the violent threates of the Byshops could â—ourne her but being mooued and exhorted by the Byshoppe to retourne to the catholicke vnitie of the church sayth boldly to him againe If yee wil leaue off your abhomination so I wil returne and otherwyse I will not Whereupon the Bishop yet againe promised her pardon of all her errours as he called them if shee would be conformed To thys shee answeared againe saying vnto the Bishop Doe as it pleaseth you and I pray God that you may doe that whych may please God And thus shee constantly perseueryng in the Lordes holy truthe was by the sentence definitiue coÌ„demned and committed vnto the Sheriffes by whom the foresayd 27. day of Ianuarie shee with the rest being brought vnto the stake there washed her clothes in the bloud of the lambe
the helpe of the B. of Winchester Steuen Gardiner they found a new meanes to put hym to an vtter confusion deuising that he came home from examination in such glorious pompe by the hyewayes side in the woods adjoynyng that 500. persones met hym then with bankettyng dishes to welcome hym home stirryng the people rather to an vprore and a commotion then to keepe them in any quiet obedience when in very deed contrary to this surmise as God would on this side Rochester a myle or two for auoyding all such lyght glorious talke with any of hys familiars or acquaintaunce he of purpose left the hye way and came through the woods all alone aboue 18. myles together on foote so weried and megered for want of sustenance that when he came into my house at Chartham he was not well able to stand or speake for fayntnesse and thurst This malicious tale beyng reported vnto the Kinges hyghnesse his Maiestie was so sore agrieued therewith that hee sente for the Archb. of Caunterbury willyng hym to cause Turner to be whipt out of the countrey By meanes whereof the Archbishop of Caunterbury sent agayne for Turner I hearyng thereof made incontinently report by my letters with suche vehemencie proouyng it meere malice that the Archb. vnderstāding the truth pacified agayne the kings maiesties wrath Home commeth Turner once agayne to his Cure without blotte Which so wroong the Papistes in that they could not preuayle that they thought it all in vayne any further to attempt against hym concernyng any accusation for matters in Kent the Archb. of Canterbury beyng his Ordinarie Well yet woulde they not thus leaue him vndiscredited Then was there other new matter deuised howe that he had preached erroneous doctrine in other countries before he came into Kent laying to his charge that he had both translated the Masse into English and said or ministred the same and that he had preached agaynst Purgatory Pilgrimages and praying for the dead c. By meanes whereof he was now conuented before the whole counsaile by the B. of Wint. Who sent Siriacke Petite Gentleman for hym whiche brought hym vp to London bound as I heard say and beyng examined before the sayd Bish. of Winchester and other was committed to warde for a season In the which meane tyme the Archbishop of Caunterbury beyng in Kent about the triall of conspiracie purposed agaynst hymselfe by the Iustices of the Shiere and the Prebendaries of Christes church Turner is now sent downe to the Archbishop to the entent he should recant that doctrine which long agoe he in other places out of Kent had preached to the vtter subuersion and defacyng of all that he had most godly and earnestly here in Kent taught both to the glory of God and the furtheraunce and settyng foorth of the Kinges highnesse proceedynges If hys Maiestie wyll thus permit learned honest men thus dayly to bee ouercrowed and troden vnder foote with a sort of tyrannous or rather trayterous Papists who cannot abide to heare his Maiesties supremacy aduaunced nor the sincere worde of God preached it were better for men to dwell amongest the Infidels and miscreaunts then in England What reason is this that Turner should recant here in Kent the doctrine which in other Countreys he hath taught to the woundyng and ouerthrowyng most desperately of fiue hundred mens consciences and aboue I dare say who lately by hys sincere preachyng haue embraced a right good opinion both of the Kyngs supremacy and also of the reformed religion receyued All good subiectes may well lament the kynges Maiesties estate in this behalfe that no man may dare to be so bold to aduaunce hys highnesse title but that euery ignoraunt and malicious Papist shall spurne against hym seekyng his vtter vndoyng and that by the ayde of papisticall Iustices set in authoritie I beseech your worships to pardon me of my rude homely termes They herein deserue worse if worse may bee deuised For what honest man can beare with this that so noble a Princes eares shall be thus impudently abused with manifest lyes and fables as this one is of Turners commyng home in such a triumph as they craftily and falsely had deuised It is easilye to bee espied what they meane and goe about that the Prince beyng alyue dare take in hand so vncurteously to abuse both the gentle nature of the Prince and his godly preacher the aduancer and extoller of hys iust authoritie What thinke your worships they would attempt if hys Maiestie were at Gods mercy as God forefend that euer any of vs should see that day without better reformation that can thus dally with hys highnesse blindyng hys eyes with mistes whylest he lyueth and raigneth amongest vs in most prosperitie As for my Lord of Cant. dare nothyng doe for the poore mans deliuerie he hath done so much for hym already And hys grace hath told me playnely that it is put into the Kyngs head that he is the mainteiner and supporter of all the heretikes within the realme nor will not permit me nor my neighboures to resort vnto the Counsaile for his purgation whilest he was at Chartham sauyng onely I haue obtained this at his hand that I may become a suter in writyng to my friends and good Maisters in the court for hys deliuerie And therefore it is right worshipfull that I haue nowe taken penne in hand thus to discourse and open our miserie vnto you concernyng the extreme handling of this honest poore man Maister Turner that if it may possibly be broght to passe by your godly wisedome that the poore man may bee released and discharged of hys recantation you cannot doe to God and your prince a more acceptable seruice in my poore opinion For otherwyse if he should be driuen to recant as I am sure he wyll sooner dye both Gods cause and the kyngs shall suffer no small detriment amongst hys poore louyng subiects here For if there be no better stay for the maintenaunce of these godly preachers the Kyngs authoritie concernyng his supremacy shall lye poste alone hidden in the Acte of Parliament and not in the hartes of his subiectes If they can bryng to passe that Turner may recant to the defacyng of his good doctrine preached here then haue they that for which they haue thus long trauailed And yet in effect shall not Turner recant but king Henry the 8. in Turners person shal most odiously recant to the woundyng of all mens consciences here If the kynges Maiestie do not esteeme his authoritie geuen to his highnesse by Gods word and his Parliament it were wel done that the preachers had good warnyng to talke no more to the people thereof then thus to be tossed and turmoiled for doyng their duties by the members of Antichrist And now to the entent that they might effectually for euer slander Turners doctrine here they haue indited hym for offending agaynst the vj. Articles this last Sessions by the witnesse
lawes of appealing whych say A iudge that is refused ought not to proceede in the cause but to leaue off And when he had required of me answers to certaine articles I refused to make him any answeare I sayde I would yet gladly make answeare to the moste renoumed Kinges and Queenes deputies or Attourneis then present wyth this condition notwythstanding that mine answeare should be extraiudicial and that was permitted me And with thys my protestation made and admitted I made aunsweare but mine aunsweare was sodaine and vnprouided for and therefore I desired to haue a Copie of mine aunsweares that I myght putte too take awaye chaunge and amende them and thys was also permitted mee Neuerthelesse contrarye to hys promyse made vnto mee no respecte hadde to my protestation nor licence geuen to amende myne aunsweare the saide reuerende Father Bishop of Glocester as I heare commanded mine aunsweares to be enacted contrary to the equitie of the lawe In which thing againe I feele mee muche grieued 4 Furthermore I coulde not for many causes admit the bishop of Romes vsurped authority in this Realme nor consent to it first my solemne othe letting mee whyche I made in the time of most famous memorie of king Henry the eight according to the lawes of Englande Secondly because I knewe the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome whych he vsurpeth to be againste the crowne customes and lawes of this realme of Englād in so much that neither the king can be crowned in thys realme without the most grieuous crime of periurie nor may Bishops enioy their Bishoprickes nor iudgements be vsed accordyng to the lawes and customes of this Realme except by the byshop of Romes authoritie be accursed both the King and Queene the Iudges wryters and executors of the lawes and customes with all that consent to them Finally the whole Realme shal be accursed 5 Moreouer that heinous and vsurped authoritie of the bishop of Rome through reseruations of the Bishoprickes Prouisions Annuates Dispensations Pardones Appellations Bulles and other cursed Marchaundice of Rome was woont exceedingly to spoyle and consume the richesse and substaunce of this Realme which all thinges shoulde followe againe by recognising and receyuing of that vsurped authoritye vnto the vnmeasurable losse of thys Realme 6 Finally it is most euident by that vsurped authority not onely the Crowne of Englande to be vnder yoke the lawes and customes of this realme to be throwen downe and troden vnder foote but also the most holy Decrees of Councels together with the precepts both of the gospel and of God When in times past the sonne of righteousnesse being risen in the world Christian religion by the preaching of the Apostles began to be spred verye farre abroade and to floorish in so much that theyr sounde went out into all the worlde innumerable people which walked in darknesse saw a great light Gods glory euery where published did flourishe the onely carke and care of the Ministers of the church was purely sincerely to preache Christ the people to imbrace and followe Christes doctrine Then the church of Rome as it were Lady of the world both was also was coūted worthily the mother of other churches for as much as then she first begat to Christ nourished with the foode of pure doctrine did help them with their riches succoured the oppressed and was a sanctuarie for the miserable she reioyced with them that reioyced and wept with them that wept Then by the examples of the Bishops of Rome riches were despised worldly glory pompe was troden vnder foote pleasures and riot nothyng regarded Then this fraile vncertain life being ful of al miseries was laughed to scorne whiles thorow the example of Romish martyrs men did euery where presse foorth warde to the life to come But afterward the vngratiousnes of dānable ambition neuer satisfied auarice and the horrible enormitie of vices had corrupted taken the see of Rome there followed euery where almost the deformities of all churches growing out of kinde into the manners of the churche their mother leauing their former innocencie and puritie and slipping into foule and heinous vsages For the foresayde and many other griefes and abuses which I intend to prooue and doe profer my selfe in time conuenient to prooue heereafter since reformation of the aboue mentioned abuses is not to be looked for of the byshop of Rome neither can I hope by reason of hys wicked abuses and vsurped authority to haue hym an equall iudge in hys owne cause therefore I do chalenge and appeale in these wrytinges from the Pope hauing no good counsell and from the aboue named pretenses commissions and iudges from their citations processes and from all other things that haue or shal folow therupon from euery one of them and from all their sentences censures paines and punishmēts of cursing suspension and interdicting and from all others what soeuer theyr denouncinges and declarations as they pretende of schisme of heresie adulterie depriuation disgrading by them or by any of them in any manner wise attempted done and set forwarde to be attempted to be done and to be sette foorth hereafter sauing alwayes their honors and reuerences as vnequal and vnrighteous more tyrannicall violent and from euery griefe to come which shall happen to me as wel for my selfe as for al and euery one that cleaueth to me or will heereafter be on my side vnto a free generall councel that shal heereafter lawfully be in a sure place to the which place I or a Proctour deputed by mee maye freely and with safety come and to him or them to whom a man may by the lawe priuiledge custome or otherwyse challenge and appeale And I desire the first the seconde and the thirde time instantly more instantly and most instantly that I maye haue messengers if there be any man that wil can geue me them And I make open promise of prosecuting thys mine appellation by the way of disanulling abuse inequalitie and vnrighteousnes or otherwise as I shal be better able choise and liberty reserued to me to put too diminish chaunge correcte and interpretate my sayings and to reforme all thinges after a better fashion sauing alwaies to me euery other benefit of the law and to them that either be or will be on my parte And touching my doctrine of the sacrament and other my doctrine of what kinde soeuer it be I protest that it was neuer my minde to wryte speake or vnderstand any thing contrary to the moste holy woorde of God or else against the holy catholicke church of Christ but purely and simply to imitate and teach those things onely whyche I had learned of the sacred scripture and of the holy catholicke church of Christe from the beginning and also according to the exposition of the moste holye and learned Fathers and Martyrs of the Church And if any thing hath peraduenture chaunced otherwise then I
will make so long as the Lord for our sinnes will suffer you to prosper and vntill the tyme that your own iniquitie be full ripe But then be you sure the Lord will sit in iudgement vpoÌ„ you as well as you do now vpon his Saints and will reward you according to your deseruings to whoÌ„ with my whole hart I coÌ„mit my cause and he will make auÌ„swere for me when the full time of my refreshing coÌ„meth In the meane space I will keepe silence with this that I haue sayd trusting that I haue sufficiently discharged my conscience in coÌ„fessing my faith and Religion to you declaring of what Churche I am euen of the Catholicke Church of Iesus Christ which was well knowne to be here in Englande in oure late good kinges dayes by two speciall tokens whiche cannot deceiue me nor suffer me to be deceiued that is to say the pure preaching of his holy worde and the due administration of the holy sacramentes whiche is not to be seene in your Romysh Churche and therefore it cannot iustly bee called the Churche and spouse of Christ. I beleeue in the holy Trinitie and all the other Articles of the Christian faythe contayned in the three Creedes and finally all the Canonicall scripture to be true in euery sentence And I detest all sectes bothe of the Arrians and Anabaptistes or anye other that deuide themselues from the true Churche of Christe whiche is his misticall bodye the grounde and piller of trueth and the very house of the liuing God And if for these thinges you take away my life make your selues gilty of my bloud you may for I am in your handes as the sheep brought to the shambles abiding the grace of the Butcher And bee you sure youre iudgement sleepeth not but when you cry peace peace and all is safe then shall your plagues begin like the sorrow of a woman traueling with childe according to Christes infallible promise This kynde of aunswere my deare heart it shall bee beste for you to make and by Gods grace I doe entend to take the same order my selfe in time to come when the Lorde shall vouche me worthy of that great dignitie whereunto hee hath called you And if they shall laugh you to scorne as I know they will saying thou art a foole and an vnlearned assehead and art able to make aunswere to nothing c. care you not for it but stil committe your cause vnto God who will make aunswere for you and tell them that they haue bene aunswered agayne and agayn of diuers godly and learned men but all will not helpe for you haue one solution of all manner of questions euen a fayre fire fagots this will be the ende of your disputations Therefore I pray you to trouble me no more but doe that whiche you are appoynted when God shall permit the time I am no better then Christe his Apostles and other of my good brethren that are gone before me This kinde of aunswere will cut their combes moste and edifie the people that stand by so that the same bee done coldly with sobrietie meekenes and patience as I hearde say oure sweete brethren Thomas Harland and Iohn Oswalde did at Lewes in Sussex to the great reioycing of the children of God that were in those parties and I heare saye that they were dissolued from this earthly Tabernacle at Lewes on saterday last and were condemned but the Wednesday before so that wee may perceaue the papistes haue quicke worke in hande that they make suche haste to haue vs home to our heauenly father Therefore let vs make our selues ready to ride in the fiery chariot leauing these sory mantels and old clokes behinde vs for a little time whiche God shall restore vnto vs agayne in a more glorious wise My good brother Harry you shall vnderstande that bragging Iohn T. hath begiled hys keepers who trusted hym to well and is runne awaye from them and hathe broughte the poore men into gaeat daunger by the same The one of them is cast by the Counselles commaundemente into the gatehouse at Westminster the other is fled foorth of the Countrey for feare Thus you may see the fruites of our free will men that made so much boast of their owne strength But that house whiche is not builded surely vppon the vnmoueable rocke will not longe stand agaynst the boystrous windes and stormes that blowe so strongly in these dayes of trouble But my dearely beloued brother blessed be God for you such as you be whiche haue played the partes of wise builders You haue digged downe past the sande of youre owne naturall strengthe and beneath the earth of your owne worldly wisedome are now come to the hard stone and vnmoueable Rock Christ who is your onely keeper and vpon him alone haue you builded your fayth most firmely without doubting mistruste or wauering Therefore neither the stormes nor tempestes wyndes nor weathers that Sathan and all his wily workemen canne bring agaynst you with the verye gates of hell to helpe them shall euer be able once to moue your house much lesse to ouerthrow it for the Lorde God hymselfe and no man is the builder thereof and hath promised to preserue and keepe the same safe for euer Vnto his moste mercifull defence therefore I doe hartily committe you and all your good company desiring him for his sweete sonne Iesus Christes sake to confirme and strengthen you all that you may be constant vnto the verye ende that after the finall victory is once gotten you may receiue the immeâ—cessible crowne of glorye of Gods free gifte through hys great mercye in Iesus Christe our onely Sauiour To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory praise thankes power rule and dominion for euer and euermore Amen The blessing of God be with you all Iohn Careles ¶ To my most deare and faythfull brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of GOD in Iesus Chryste the continuall ioye and comfort of hys most pure holy and mighty spirit wyth the increase of fayth and liuely feeling of hys mercy bee with you my deare hart in the Lorde and faythfull louing brother T. V. to the full accomplishing of that good work which he hath so graciously begonne in you that the same by all meanes may be to the setting forth of his glory to the coÌ„moditie of his poore afflicted congregation and to the sweete comfort and quietnes of your conscience in him now and euermore Amen With suche due honour loue and reuerence as it becommeth me to beare vnto the sweete sayntes and dearely beloued children of God I haue me most hartily commended vnto you my deare brother V. with all earnest and faythfull remembrance of you in my dayly prayers thanking God right hartily that you doe likewise remember me in yours assuring you that my poore hart doth dayly feele great consolation thereby GOD onely haue the prayse for the same and
sake we suffer whose cause we defend and what glorious reward we shall haue at the day of our victory then doubtles the consolation of these things will make sweete all our suffringes soone swallowe vp all the sorrowes that we are sowâ—ed in for Gods sake I coulde recite diuers textes of the Scriptures to confirme this pointe But I neede not for I am well assured that you do knowe them most perfectly alreadye The Lorde geue you strength and assist you with his holy spirite that you may continually walke in all pointes according to your godly knowledge And then shall you not doe as the moste parte of our Gospellers doe nowe adaies the more is the pitie There are a greate manye in Englande that doe perfectlye knowe that the Idolatrous Masse is abhominable Deuelishe and detestable in the sight of God And yet alasse they be not afrayde to pollute and defile theyr bodyes whych oughte to be the temples of the holy Ghoste with being present at it so sinning against God and theyr owne conscience But dere sister K. do you flie from it both in body soule as you would flie from the very Deuill himselfe Drinke not of the whore of Babylons cuppe by no meanes for it will infecte the body and poyson the soule Be not partakers of her sinnes sayth the Aungell least you be partakers of the plagues that shortly shall be powred vppon her O what an aray is this that so many that know Gods truth wil nowe tourne againe and defile them selues in the filthy puddle of antichristes stinking religion They goe about to saue theyr liues wyth their dowble dissimulation but doubtlesse they shall loose euerlastinge life by it if they doe not repent in time and tourne vnto the Lorde But deare sister my trust is that you doe vtterly abhorre the comming to anye such thyng I hope that you wil not by any meanes turne backe into Egypt nowe but that you will boldly venter throughe the wildernesse of trouble and persecution that you may come into the lande that floweth with all kinde of heauenly pleasures and ioyfull delectations and possesse the same for euer Lette vs consider howe that euery one of vs doeth owe vnto God a death by nature and howe soone the Lord wil require it of vs we knowe not O howe happye are we then if God of hys goodnesse appoynt vs to pay natures dette wyth sufferyng for hys trueth and Gospels sake and so making vs his faithfull witnesses wyth the Prophetes Apostles Martyrs and Confessours yea wyth his dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christe to whome he doeth heere begin to fashion vs lyke in suffering that we myght be like hym also in glory Thus my dearely beloued sister I haue ben bold to trouble you a little with my rude simple letter being made in hast as it doth appeare Yet I desire you to take it in good woorthe as a token of my poore zeale vnto you and to accept my good will And if it please God to spaâ—e me life and libertye I trust heereafter to wryte vnto you more largely Fare yee well deare sister E.K. the Lorde blesse you and all yours and powre vpon you the heauenly dewe of his grace The Lorde endue you wyth plentifull knowledge of hys verity and fill you with hys holy and mighty spirite that you may continuallye reioyce in the comfortes of the same nowe and euer Amen Pray pray pray with stedfast faith Your daily Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lord. ¶ In the letters of William Tymmes ye heard before page 1897. much mention made of Agnes Glascock Thys Agnes Glascocke through infirmity and her husbandes perswasion was allured to goe to Masse For whyche cause shee falling in great sorrow and repentance was raised vppe againe by the comfortable Letters of William Tymmes and Iohn Careles as before you maye reade and after that was constante in the syncere profession of the verity and in danger for the same of persecution vnto whome Iohn Careles wryteth therefore thys letter as followeth A letter of Careles to Agnes Glascocke THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continuall aide strengthe and comfortes of his moste pure holye and mighty spirite be with you my deare faithfull sister Glascock to the good performance of that good woorke which God hath so graciously begun in you to his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflâ—cted Churche and to your owne eternall comfort in hym Amen In our Lorde I haue my most humble and hearty commendations vnto you my deare sister most faithfull mother Glascocke with all remembrance of you in my daily prayers geuing God most hearty laude praise and thankes for you and on your behalfe in that he of his great mercye hath hetherto so mightely strengthened you constantly to cleaue vnto youre Captayne Christ notwithstanding the great assaultes and manifold temptations that you haue had to the contrary Doubtles deare heart it can not be expressed what ioy and comfort it is vnto my very soule to see howe mightely the Lorde hathe magnified hym selfe in you and other his deare electe darlings whome hee will shortly glorify with himselfe as he hath done other of his sweete Sainctes that are gone before you Reioyce therefore be glad for verilye you haue good cause if you diligentlye consider the great dignitie that God hath called you vnto euen now in your olde age to be one of his woorthy witnesses vnto the worlde and I thinke you shall wyth mee and other youre brethren in bonds seale the Lords verity with the testimony of your bloud Surely sweete sister this is the greatest promotion that God caÌ„ bring you or any other vnto in this life and an honour that the highest aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue Therefore happye are you Oh faithfull daughter of Abraham that the Lorde will nowe preferre you before many other yea or any other of your age that I doe know in Englande Oh faithfull and vertuous matrone which wilt not be moued from the sure rocke Christe vppon whome you haue so firmely built your house that neither stormes nor tempestes neither yet bell gates or any other temptations shall euer be able once to preuaile against it Full wel doeth it appeare by your constant continuance that you haue played the parte of a wise builder in counting the cost afore hand belonging to the finishing of your tower And I doubt not but through Gods gift you haue sufficient to the performaunce thereof that the hypocrites of theyr parte shall haue no iuste cause to triumphe againste you or to mocke you saying loe thys woman beganne to builde but is not able to make an ende Therefore goe on boldlye and feare not for God is faithfull as S. Paule sayeth which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but eyther will hee geue you grace and strength to stande vnto the death whych is the gate and entraunce into
that day or the daye following I should haue sent thence 22. heretickes indited before the Commissioners in dede so I had compelled to beare theyr charges as I did of the other which both stoode me aboue 20. nobles a summe of money that I thought full euill bestowed And these heretickes notwithstanding they had honest Catholicke keepers to conduct and bring them vp to me and in all the way frō Colchester to Stradford of the Bow did goe quietly and obediently yet comming to Stratford they began to take hart of grace and to doe as pleased themselues for there they beganne to haue theyr garde which generally increased till they came to Algat◠where they were lodged Friday night And albeit I tooke order that the sayde heretickes shoulde be with me very early on saterday mornyng to the intent they mighte quietlye come and bee examined by me yet it was ¶ The Picture of xxij godly and faythfull Christians apprehended about Colchester prisoned together in one band and so with three leaders at the most brought vp to London betweene x. and a xi of the clocke before they would come and no waye woulde they take but through Cheapside so that they were brought to my house with about a thousande Persons Which thing I tooke very strange and spake to sir Iohn Gressam then being with me to tell the Mayor and the Sheriffes that thys thing was not well suffered in the City These naughty hereticks all the way they came through Cheapside both exhorted the people to their part and had much comfort à promiscua plebe and being entred into my house and talked withall they shewed thēselues desperate and very obstinate yet I vsed al the honest meanes I could both by my self and other to haue wonne them causing diuers learned men to talke with them and finding nothing in them but pride and wilfulnes I thought to haue had them all hether to Fulham and here to geue sentence agaynst them Neuerthelesse perceiuing by my last doing that your grace was offended I thought it my duetie before I any thing further proceded herein to aduertise first your grace hereof and knowe your good pleasure whiche I beseeche your grace I may doe by thys trusty bearer And thus most humblye I take my leaue of youre good grace beseeching almighty God alwayes to preserue the same At Fulllam postridie Natiu .1556 Your graces most bounden Bedesman and seruaunt Edmond Boner By this letter of Bishop Boner to the Cardinall is to be vnderstand what good will was in this Bish. to haue the bloud of these men and to haue past with sentence of condemnation agaynst them had not the Cardinal somwhat as it seemed haue stayed his feruent headines Concerning the which Cardinal although it cannot be denyed by his Actes and writings but that he was a professed enemy and no otherwise to be reputed but for a papist yet agayne it is to be supposed that he was none of the bloudy cruell sort of papistes as may appeare not only by staying the rage of this Byshop but also by his solicitous writing and long letters written to Cranmer also by the complaintes of certayne papistes accusing him to the Pope to bee a bearer with the heretickes by the popes letters sent to him vpon the same calling him vp to Rome setting Fryer Peto in his place had not Q. Mary by special entreaty haue kept him out of the popes danger All whiche letters I haue if neede be to shewe besides also that it is thought of him that toward his latter end a little before his comming from Rome to England he begā somwhat to sauour the doctrine of Luther and was no lesse suspected at Rome Yea furthermore did there at Rome conuert a certayne learned Spanyarde from papisme to Luthers side notwithstanding the pompe and glory of the world afterward caryed him away to play the papist thus as he did But of this Cardinall enough To returne now to this godly company agayne first how they were brought vp in bandes to London ye haue heard Also how Boner was about to haue red the Sentence of death vpon them how he was stayed by the Cardinall ye vnderstand As touching their confession which they articled vp in writing it were to tedious to recite the whole at length Briefly touching the article of the Lords Supper for the whiche they were chieflye troubled thus they wrote as here followeth The supper of the Lord. WHeras Christ at his last supper took bread whē he had geuē thanks he brake it gaue it to hys disciples and sayd take eate this is my body likewise tooke the cup and thanked c. We do vnderstand it to be a figuratiue speache as the most maner of his language was in parrables darke sentences that they which are carnally minded should see with their eyes and not perceiue and heare with their eares not vnderstand signifying this that as he did breake the breade among them being but one loafe they al were partakers thereof so we through his body in that it was broken and offered vpon the crosse for vs are all partakers thereof and his bloud clenseth vs from our sinnes hath pacified Gods wrath towards vs and made the attonement betwene God vs if we walke henceforth in the light euen as he is the true light And in that he sayd further do this in the remembrance of me it is a memoriall and token of the suffering death of Iesu Christ and he commaunded it for this cause that the congregatiō of Christ should come together to shew his death and to thanke and laud him for all his benefites magnifye his holy name so to breake the bread drinke the wine in remembrance that Christ had geuen his body and shed his bloud for vs. Thus you may well perceiue though Christe called the bread his body the wine his bloud yet it followeth not that the substaunce of his body shoulde be in the bread and wine as diuers places in Scripture are spoken by Christ and the Apostles in lyke phrase of speach as in Iohn 15. I am the true vine also in Iohn the .10 I am the doore and as it is written in the 9. to the Hebrues and in Exodus 24. how Moyses tooke the bloud of the Calues and sprinckled both the booke and all the people saying This is the bloud of the couenant or Testament And also in the 5. chapter of Ezechiell how the Lord said vnto him concerning the third parte of his heare saying This is Hierusalem c. Thus we see the Scriptures how they are spoken in figures and ought to be spiritually examined and not as they would haue vs to say that the bodily presēce of christ is in the bread which is a blasphemous vnderstanding of the godly word and is contrary to all holy scriptures Also we do see
What sayest thou to the reall presence in the sacrament Rose I wist right well yee were made an instrument to seeke innocent bloud well ye may haue it if God permitte it is present and at hande for I am not come hither to lye but to dye if God see it good in defence of that whiche I haue sayd Wherefore ye may begin when ye shall thinke good for I haue sayd nothing but the trueth and y◠which in those dayes was of al men allowed for truth agaynst the which ye at that time durst not once whisper although ye now brag neuer so much Bish. Wel father Rose sayd he what soeuer hath ben done in times past shal not now be called in question so that ye now submit your self For not only you but all the whole realm hath bene out of the right way both high low spiritual tēporal but al notwtstāding haue submited thēselues acknowledged their faith Wherfore if ye wil be accoūted for an Englishman ye must likewyse submit your selfe Rose My L. I am an Englishman borne do most humbly require of the christian congregation of England to bee counted as a perticular member of the same with al due reuerence submit my self as in forme maner followyng That whatsoeuer law or laws shal be set forth in the same for the establishment of Christs true religion that according to the faith doctrine of the holy patriarchs prophets Iesus Christ his holy apostles with the faithful fathers of Christs primatiue church I do not only hold it beleeue it but also most reuerently obey it At which my assertion the B. seemed to be greatly reioiced said well then we shall soone be at a point But said he you shal take this for no day of examination but rather of communication so that ye shall now depart pawse your selfe vntill we call for you againe and so ended our first meetyng ¶ The third examination of Thomas Rose ON the Friday following I was called agayne into Christes church within their Ladies chapell as they termed it where was gathered a great part of the whole citie of Norwich after I was by my keper presented the B. began with a great protestation after many wordes demanded of me whether according to my former promise I would submit my selfe or no I answered as before I had done that according to my former protestation I would most gladly obey Then said the Chauncellor to vtter hys gentlenes I thinke ye do but fayne Rose The fault then said I shal be in your selfe and not in me For if ye burthen me with nothing but scriptures the fathers of Christes primatiue church then as I sayde before so I say agayne I shall most gladly obey Chanc. Well then seeyng you chalenge to be a member of the church of England your mother here for triall of obedience prouoketh you as mothers are woont to allure you to receiue this little gift at her hand Rose Forsooth sayd I if she offer it me as receyued of God my father I shal gladly receiue it as from the hand of my very true and ghostly mother Chanc. What say you to care confession is it not a law ecclesiasticall and necessary for the church of England Rose Some wayes it might be permitted some wayes not that because it had not his originall of God hys blessed word and yet I deny not but that a man beyng trobled in his conscience and resorting to a discreete sober christian learned man for the quieting of hys mind might well be permitted but to binde a man vnder payne of dānation once euery yeare to number his sinnes into the eare of a filthy lecherous priest is not of God neither cā be approued by his word Bish. Ah sirrha yee will admitte nothing but scripture I see well Rose No truely my Lord I admit nothing but scripture for the regiment of the soule for why faythe commeth by hearing hearing by the word of god and where the word of God is not there ought no beliefe to bee geuen For what soeuer is not of fayth is sinne and here they leaue of speaking any more of that matter But then M. Chancelor began to whet his teeth at me saying Yea but you haue here preached that the reall naturall and substantiall presence of Christ is not in the Sacrament of the altar what say ye to that Rose Uerily I say that you are a bloudy man seeke to quench your thirst with the bloud of an innocent therefore to satisfie you in that behalfe I say verily vnto you that euen so I haue here preached and althoughe contrary to law you charge me with the same yet will I in no wise deny it though iustly I might do it but stand thereunto euē to seale it with my bloud desiring all that be here present to testifie the same and beleue it as the onely truth Bish. I charge you all beleue it not Rose Yea But my Lord sayde I if ye will needes haue credence geuen you you must bring Gods word to maintayne your sayinges Bish. Why doth not Christ say This is my body and can there be any playner wordes spoken Rose It is true my Lord the words be as playne as can be and euē so be these where as it is said I am a dore a vine and Christ called a stone a Lyon and yet is hee naturally none of these For they be all figuratiue speaches as both the scriptures and fathers do sufficiently proue At which my saying the Bishop woulde haue had me stay saying I should haue an other day wherin I might take better aduisement Rose Not so my Lord sayde I for I am at a full point with my selfe in that matter and am right well able to proue both your transubstantiation with the reall presence to be agaynst the scriptures the ancient fathers of the primatiue churche For Iustinus which is one of the ancientest writers that euer wrote vpon the sacramentes wryteth in his 2. Apologie that the bread water and wine in the sacrament are not to be taken as other meates drinkes but bee meates purposely ordayned to geue thankes vnto God and therfore be called Eucharistia and also haue the names of the body and bloud of Christe and that it is not lawfull for anye man to eate and drinke of them but suche as professed the religion of Christ and liue also accordyng to theyr profession and yet sayth he the same bread drink is chaunged into our flesh and bloud and nourisheth our bodyes By which saying it is euident that Iustine ment that the bread and wine remayne still or els they coulde not haue bene turned into our fleshe and bloud and nourish our bodyes At which my saying they were not a litle troubled but enforced themselues to haue denyed the Doctor and would suffer me to speake no more but strait way
as he did but truely I beleeue the Deuill was in him * The cursed lyfe and bloudy end of Doctor Story a cruell persecuter of Christ in hys members I had thought christian reader here to haue made an end and to haue concluded the volume of this booke had not the remembraunce of Doctour Story an Archenemy to Christes gospell and a bloudy persecutor of Gods people come into my minde The discourse of whose lyfe and doinges I thought good here briefly to lay open to the view of the world as followeth This Doctor Story beeing an Englishe man by byrth and from his infancie not onely missed in papistry but also euen as it were by nature earnestly affected to the same and growing somewhat to riper yeares in the dayes of Queene Mary became a most bloudy tyrant and cruel persecutor of Christ in his members as all the stories in this booke almost doe declare Thus hee raging all the raygne of the foresayde Queene Mary agaynst the infallible truth of Christes Gospel and the true professors thereof neuer ceased till hee had consumed to ashes two or three hundred blessed martyrs who willingly gaue their liues for the testimony of his truthe and thinking theyr punishment in the fire not cruell enough went about to inuent new tormentes for the holy martyrs of Christe suche was his hatred to the trueth of Christes Gospell but in the ende the Lorde God looking vpon the affliction and cruell bloudshedding of his seruauntes tooke away Queene Mary the great pillar of papistry After whome succeeded Ladye Elizabeth nowe Queene of Englande who staying the bloudy sworde of persecution from ragyng any further caused the same Doctor Story to be apprehended and committed to ward with many other his complices sworne enemies to Christes glorious gospell The sayd story hauing bene a while deteined in prison at the last by what meanes I knowe not brake forth of hold and conueyed himselfe ouer the seas where he continued a most bloudy persecutor still raging against Gods saynctes with fire and sworde In somuche as hee growing to be familiar and right deare to Duke Dalua in Antwerpe receiued a speciall commission from him to search the Shippes for goodes forfayted and for english bookes and such like And in this fauour and authoritie hee continued there for a spare by the which meanes he did muche hurte and brought many a good man and woman to trouble and extreme perill of life thorough his bloud thyrstye cruelty but at the last the Lord when the measure of his iniquitie was full proceeded in iudgement agaynst him and cut him off from the face of the earth according to the prayers of many a good man whiche came to passe in order as followeth It being certainly knowne for the bruite thereof was gone forth into al landes that he not onely intended the subuersion and ouerthrowe of his natiue countrey of England by bringing in forreigne hostilitie if by anye meanes he might compasse it but also dayly and hourely murthered gods people there was this platform layd by Gods prouidence no doubt that one M. Parker a marchaunt should sayle vnto Antwerpe and by some meanes to conuey Story into England This Parker arriuing at Antwerpe suborned certain to repayre to Doctor Story and to signifie vnto him that there was an english ship come fraught with marchandize that if he would make search thereof himselfe he should find store of english books other things for his purpose Story hearing this and suspecting nothing made haste towardes the ship thinking to make the same his praye and comming a boord searched for english heretical books as hee called them and going downe vnder the hatches because he would be sure to haue theyr bloud if hee coulde they clapped downe the hatches hoysed vp their sayles hauing as God would a good gale sayled away into England where they arriuing presented this bloudy butcher and trayterous rebell Story to the no litle reioysing of many and Englishe hart He being now committed to prison cōtinued there a good space during all which time he was labored and solicited daily by wise and learned fathers to recant his deuillishe and erroneous opinions to conforme himselfe to the trueth and to acknowledge the Queenes Maiesties supremacy All which he vtterly denyed to the death saying that he was sworne subiecte to the King of Spayne and was no subiecte to the Queene of England nor she his souereigne Queene and therfore as he well deserued he was condemned as a traytor to God the Queenes Maiesty the Realme to be drawne hanged and quartered which was performed accordingly he being layde vpon an hurdle and drawne from the tower along the streetes to Tiborn where he being hanged till he was halfe dead was cut downe and stripped which is not to be forgot when the executioner had cut off his priuy mēbers he rushing vp vpon a sodeine gaue him a blow vpon the eare to the great wonder of all that stood by and thus ended this bloudy Nemrode his wretched life whose iudgemēt I leaue to the Lord. * A not◠of Raphe Lurdane persecuter of George Eagles IN the history of George Eagles alias Trudgeouer the world pag. 2009. mention is made of his apprehension jn a corne field where by the benefite of the heighth of the corne and breadth of the field he had escaped had not one of his persecuters with more malicious crafte climed a high tree to view ouer the place so descried him This persecutor named Raph Lurdane as we haue since learned a lewd felow of life for theft and whoredome was within few yeares after he had apprehended the foresayd George Eagles for gayne of money attached of felony for stealing horse condemned and hanged in the same place Towne of Chelmesford where George Eagles before suffered Martyrdome ¶ A briefe Note concerning the horrible Massaker in Fraunce an 1572. HEre before the closing vppe of this booke in no case woulde bee vnremembred the tragicall and furious Massaker in Fraunce wherein were murdered so many hundrethes and thousands of Gods good Martyrs But because the true narration of this lamentable story is set forth in english at large in a booke by it selfe and extant in print already it shall the lesse neede nowe to discourse that matter with any new repetition only a briefe touch of summary notes for remembraunce maye suffice And first for breuity sake to ouerpasse the bloudy bouchery of the Romish Catholickes in Orynge agaynst the Protestantes most fiercely and vnawares breaking into theyr houses and there without mercy killing man woman child of whom some being spoyled and naked they threw out of theyr loftes into the streetes some they smothered in theyr houses with smoake with sword weapon sparing none the karkases of some they threwe to dogges which was an 1570. in the reign of Charles 9. Likewyse to passeouer the cruell slaughter at
made Byshop of Winchester 279.57 Peter Moone and his wife theyr trouble and persecution .1942 preserued by Gods merciful prouidence ibid. Petrus Flistedius Martyr 885 Peter GauestoÌ„ his story his pride banished the land receiued agayn apprehended of the nobles .367.368 beheaded 369 Peter Wakefielde a false Prophet hanged 253 Petrus Iohannes burned after hys death 322 Peter Spengler Martyr drowned 880.881 Petrus Lumberdus Mayster of the sentences 201 Peter Pateshul against friers 506 Peter Martyrs wife her cruell handling at Oxforde of the Papistes 1968 Peter the Apostle neuer Byshop of Rome .15 how called head of the Apostles 18 Peters wife her death for the gospell 34 Peter Liset author of the burning chamber plagued 2190 Peter whether euer at Rome or not 34 Peter his body clothed in siluer at Rome 130 Peter had neuer more power geuen him then the rest of the Apostles 14. had no temporal sword geuen him 403 Peter neuer head of the Church 610 Peter no more Uicar of Christ theÌ„ the rest of the Apostles 1119 Peter had no rule or preheminence ouer the rest of the Apostles 1260.1263 Peter neuer built the Churche of Rome .1805 had no greater authority then other the Apostles 1811.1812 Peterborough Abbeies foundatioÌ„ 133 Person his story 641 Petrouill Appleby Martyr her story and martyrdome 1979 Pestilence grieuous in Englande 387 Pestilence great in Basill 688 Pestilence through the whole Romayne Monarchy 66 P H. Phillip thappostle 14. maryed 33. Philippus the first Christian Emperour slayne 59.17 Phillip Melancthon agaynst the sixe articles 1172. Phillip Humfrey martyr burned at Bury for the testimony of Christes Gospell 2049.2050 Phillip Repington his examination .437 his abiuration made bishop and become a bloudy persecutor of Christe in his members 444.530.539.27 Phillip the Frenche King seeketh trayterously the death of Kyng Richard .244 his quipping letter to Pope Boniface 8.343 excommunicate by the Pope 342. Phillips a very Iudas the betrayer of good Maister Tindall .1077.1078 consumed in the end wyth lice 1079. Phillips his history 1042. Phillippus and Eugenia theyr story 73. Phillip king of Fraunce at varyaunce with Pope Boniface 341 Philippus Bishop of Alexandria martyr 74. Phillippus for holding agaynst Images losâ— both hys eyes and kingdome 47.129 Philpot of Tenterden martyr hys story and Martyrdome 1970. Philpot his tragicall story his disputation in the conuocation house .1410.1411.1412 his lyfe hys first examination .1796 hys second 1797. the third 1798. fourth 1999. the fifte 1802. sixt .1806 seuenth .1802 eight .1814 ninth 1814. tenth .1816 eleuenth .1817 twelueth .1822 thirteenth 1824 his last examination and condeÌ„nation .1826.1827 his beyng in the colehouse 1797.1798 hys constant death and moste victorious martyrdome 1830. hys letters 1832.1833.1834.1835.1836.1840.1842.1844 Philoramus his story and Martirdome 92 Phocas bishop of Pontus martyr 40. Phocas the wicked Emperour murthered the Emperor Mauritius 120. Photinus hys constancie in the trueth and martyrdome for the same 47 P L. Plague at Basill in tyme of the Councell 688 Plane hys trouble for the Gospell is racked deliuered and dieth 2128 Plagues of God agaynst such as haue contemned and persecuted the Gospell 31 Plankney of new Colledge in Oxford papist drowned hymselfe 2104 Plantagenet his story 199 Pleimundus teacher to kyng Alfred .144 after made Archb. of Cant. ibid. Plinie hys epistle to Traianus for the staying of persecution 39 Ploughmans complaint 398 Pluralities of benefices 237 Plutarchus and Serenus his brother Martyrs 54 P O. Pope Adrian an enemy to Luther 854 Pope Alexander poisoneth the turks brother committed to his custody 734 Pope AlexaÌ„der refuseth to be pope vnlesse he were confirmed by the emperor and was therefore cast into prison and deposed by Hildebrand 5 Pope Alexander treadeth on the necke of Frederike the Emperour 204 Pope Alexander his death 330 Pope Boniface .8 besieged driuen to a straight is taken hys house ransackt and he imprisoned 348 Pope Clement taken prisoner 988 Pope Celestine crowneth the emperour with hys feete 244 Pope Gregory 9. wageth 35. Gallâ—s to spoyle the Emperoures coasts .305 hys edict agaynst the Emperour refuseth to speake with hys Legates ibid. Pope Gregory the 9. flieth the citie of Rome and warreth against it 281 Pope Hildebrand hys tragicall story 174 Pope Hildebrand excommunicatyng the Emperour hys chayre burst vnder hym .176 he hireth one to slay the Emperor .177 casteth the sacrament into the fire murthereth 3. persons not being conuict ibid. putteth hys friend Centius in a barrell of nayles killeth a widowes sonne after he had done hys penance 177 Pope Ioane 8. a woman and pope her lyfe and story 137 Pope Iohn .15 159 Pope Iohn put in prson his goodly qualities 93 Pope Iohn .13 a wicked pope hys prouerbe deposed wounded in adultery 159 Pope Innocent his conspiracies against Friderike 2. Emperour 297 Pope Innocent his death 256 Pope Innocent the 4. would not be reconciled to the Emperour 265 Pope Leo pleadeth his cause at the barre before the Emperour 8 Pope Leo his death 854 Pope Martin elected his coronation 644 Pope Martin his bloudy inquisition .651 contrary to all Popes 552 Pope Paule 1. excommunicateth the Emperour for pulling downe of Images 130 Pope Siluester coÌ„pacted with the Deuill to be made pope and was so the Deuill promising him that he shoulde liue till he hadde sayde Masse in Ierusalem 167 Pope Sergius chaunged Popes names 137 Pope Stephen .2 130 Pope Urbanus his letter to Baldwine Archbishop of Caunterbury 240 Pope maketh the Emperour and lay men Asses 390 Pope curseth all spirituall persons that submit them selues to theyr liege King 192 Pope iudged and deposed by the Councell of Brixia 181 Pope with the Cardinalles whether they may erre 146 Popes letter for an Italian boy to be Canon or Prebend .323 with aunswere of Grosthead Byshop of Lincolne to the same 324 Popes election wrong oute of the Emperors handes .5 muche different from the election of the old bishops in the primitiue Church 4 Popes power falsly grounded vpon scripturs 490 Pope hath no power or iurisdiction in other Princes dominions 1133 Popes gaynes out of Englande in one yeare 326 Popes Successors rather to Romulus then to Peter 204 Pope subiect to the Councell 672 Popes in old time submitted themselues to kinges and Emperors 6 Popes doctrine more gaynefull theÌ„ the scripture 2 Popes make themselues kinges priestes yea Christ himselfe 482 Popes 3. at once in Rome 167 Popes three at once an other time 553 Pope may erre and how 671 Pope stroken on the side by Robert Grosthead Byshop of Lincolne 326 Popes founde falsifiers of Nicene councell 10 Popedome vacant .2 yeares 342 Pope his iurisdiction 1.2 Pope his errors touching remissioÌ„ of sinnes .28 his errors touching ciuill magistrates 29 Pope hath nothing to do in temporall matters 6 Popes haue bâ—ne maried theÌ„selues 690 Pope and Court of Rome cause of all the mischiefe in Christendom 292 Pope driuen out of Rome 272 Pope not any member of Christes true church 1507
iudgement of God vpon a burning persecutour Gods fearefull hand vpon Castellanus persecutour Legate Du Prat the first beginner of persecution agaynst the faythfull horribly plagued Iohn Ruse comming from accusing the faythfull was terribly stricken with Gods hand The wicked end of Claude de Asses a wicked persecutour Peter Lyset author of the burning chamber plagued The mighty hand of God vpon Iohn Morin a greeuous persecutor Iohn Andrew Booke bynder plagued The terrible vengeance of God vpoÌ„ Iohn de Roma a terrible persecutor Iohn Minerius a cruell persecutour plagued of God The French king by sundry sortes of troubles warned of God Riches and Pride of the Clergy the fountayne of all euills The purenes of the primatiue church how long it continued and whereby The false Donation of Constantine Exhortation to the king to seise vpon the temporalityeâ— of the Clergye The ryches of the Popes Clergye how they ought to bâ— employed The malicious and lying slaunders of the Papists to bring the true Gospellers in hatred with Princes Constantine confirmed in his kingdome the more by receauing the Gospel Examples of England and Germany how Princes lose no honour by the gospell The Popes religion more noysome to the state of Princes then the doctrine of the Lutherans Wholesome remedy shewed agaynst the Popes pryde A blynde shift of the Papistes to stop Princes from calling generall Councels The contrarietyes in the Popes Councells enough for their disproofe Prophesie agaynst the French king The story and end of Henry 2. the French king that would not be warned What commeth to kinges that refuâ—e good counsell Henry â— French king wholy set to persecute the Church oâ— Christ. Gods mighty power agaynst his enemyes Henry 2. the French king forâ— set agaynst the poore Protestantes Henry 2. the French king in his triumph iusteth agaynst Montgommery Montgommery agaynst his will commaunded to iuste agaynst the king Henry 2. the French king stricken and killed in his owne iusting The deuelishe perswasion of the Cardinall of Loraine at the death of the French king Certayne gentlemen executed at Amboyse for standing against the house of Guyse The Lordes punishment vpon the Chauncellour Oliuier for his sentence geuen agaynst certayne gentlemen Protestantes The death of Fraunces 2. french king after he began to withstande the course of the Gospell How the Lord worketh for his Gospell The wordes of king Fraunces at his death The terrible stroke of Gods reuenge vpon Carol. 9. the French king The death of Charles the Emperour An Epitaphe vpon Charles Emperour Henry .2 French king and Fraunces his sonne The sodaine death of President Minard The punishment of God vpon the king of Nauarre after he had reuolted from the Gospell to Popery The Duke of Guyse slâ—ine before Orleance The Constable before Paris The Marshall of S. Andrew before Dreux The story of one Drayner otherwise called Iustice nine holes A malitious practise to intrappe a good man Drayner conuict of falsehood A lamentable history of Iohn Whiteman snowmaker Iohn Whitman coulde not suffer the abhominable Idolatry of the Papists Iohn Whitman apprehended Iohn WhitmaÌ„ brought â—efore the â—udges Sentence geuen agaynst Iohn Whitman The Martyrdome and death of Iohn Whitman Iohn 16. 3. Argumentes agaynst the Papistes Gods worde Bloud of Martyrs Gods punishment The plagues of God set against pretensed antiquitye Henry .2 the French king and king FrauÌ„ces his sonne stricken the one in the eyes the other with an impostume in the eare Stephen Gardiner Queene Mary Constable of Fraunce King of Nauar. Henry Smith D. Shaxton The end of Gardiner Iohn de Roma Twyford Bayliffe of Crowland Suffragan of Douer D. Dunning D. Geffray Berrye Poacher Archbishop Crescentius Cardinall Rockwood Latomus Guarlacus Eckius Thornton Pattyer Longe Bomelius all professours of Popery Esay 50. Page 199. A secrete note of Papisteâ— which haue beene great cryers out of Priestes maryage and themselues after taken in open adultery Comparison betweene the ende of Popishe persecutours the Gospellers The godly ende of the Gospellers to be noted The blessed end of King Edward .6 The patient end of the Duke of Somerset the kings vncle The quiet and ioyfull end of the Martyrs Two speciall notes of the â—iue Church of Christ. Outward affliction peace of conscience 2. Tim. 3. 1. Cor. 1. The wretched end of Papistes geue testimony agaynst their owne doctrine Admonition to persecutours which yet remayne aliue The end and death of Edmund Boner God maketh the persecutors of his people commonly to be their owne persecutours Saul murderer of himselfe Achitophel murderer of himselfe Iudas murderer of himselfe Senacherib murdered of his owne sonnes Herode and Antiochus murdered by lyce Pilate murderer of himselfe Nero murderer of himselfe Dioclesianus and Maximinianus Emperours deposed them selues Maximinus eaten vp with lyce Maxentius and king Pharao both drowned in their owne harnesse Achaz Achab. Iesabell Manasses Ioachim Sedechias punished of God for theâ—r persecutions The murdering mother church with her bloudy children admonished Esay 1. Esay 1. What the lawes of this Realme could say agaynst the persecutours in Queene Maâ—les tyme. The nature of the Church is not to persecute with bloud In that the persecutours of the Church be suffered of the Church to liue it is to their confusion Syr Henry Bonifield forgiuen Nouember 18. Doctor Weston Great benefites and treasures do nothing profit where the vse of them cannot be inioyed Felicitye not in hauing but in vsing Wicked practises of most cruell Tyrantes Cruelty of late dayes farre exceeding al crueltyes committed by the auncyent and famous tyrauntes in tyme past Tyrantes euill gouernours be the plague of God God worketh all thinges to his owne glory Affliction tryeth men whether they be good or euill God plenteously poureth his benefites vpon vs not for our sakes but of his infinite mercy and for his gloryes sake Wonderfull is the mercy of God in deliuering this Realme from the tyranny of the Papistes The Papistes buildings stand so long onely as they be propt vp with rope sword fagot Burgesses vnlawfully disorderly and violently thrust out of the Parliament house in Queene Maryes dayes The third Parliament in Quueene Maryes dayes not orderly and formally called and therefore of none effecte A ioyfull day God preserueth the innocent maketh frustrate the malicious purposes of the wicked An apt similitude Three thinges which preserue the good estate of a Realme or câ—mmon wealth Charges not to be weyed where Gods glory is to be furthered The 1. proposition Two partes of the proposition The first part of the proposition The Argument or probation The Maior proued An other argument oâ— probation An other argument The fourth argument or probation Ambros. Per hos enim impletur confirmatio precis qui respondent Amen The fyfte argument The sixte argument Obiection dissolued The 7. reason The 8. reason The 9. reason The 10. reason The 11. reason or probation The 12. reasâ—n or probation The second part of the