in the said booke briefly dissolued vnder these two questions to wit whether Christ be there in misterie and figure or according to the trueth Whither this bodie of Christ be the proper body which he tooke of the wombe of the virgin Marie or not The which two questions hee debateth aswell on the one partie as on the other affirming concerning the first aswell by naturall reasons drawne from common vnderstanding as by euident testimonies of the holy scriptures and auncient doctours that the bodie and bloude be therin taken vnder the vaile and couerture of breade and wine figuratiuely and shadowed not visibly and euidently the which he calleth according to the trueth Also not clearely and openly but secreatly Concerning the other question by one and the same processe hee sheweth by infringible and inuincible argumentes that in this misterie is the spirituall bodie that there is a mistical and spirituall vnderstanding thereof and not the verie same bodie that he tooke of the virgin Marie He saith verely that the bodie of Christ is there inasmuch as the spirite of Christ is in the sacrament that is to say the power of the word of God the which doth not only féede the soule but also purgeth and cleanseth it For to sée this matter more at large you may reade the booke that is at this day extant in French and published abroade 116 In the yeare 964. Huldricke Bishoppe of Auspurge in Allemaigne did greatly withstand the decrées of Pope Nicholas he wrote vnto him one Epistle shewing among other thinges that he did amisse when he went about to compell the Clearks whom he ought to haue exhorted that they shoulde kéepe the chastitie of marriage by force and vyolēce to abide in continencie Saying also that this is deemed of all men violence when any bodie is constrayned to kéepe any particuler decrée contrary to the institution of the Gospel and against the doctrine of the holy Ghost He shewed plainely that the Lord in the old Testament hath constituted and ordeyned marriage for priests and that we do not reade that afterward he forbad it That euery one folowing the saying of the Apopostle in the 7. Chapt. to the Corinthians ought to haue his wife That hypocrites doe corrupt this sentence and falsely say that it appertayneth onely to the lay people and yet notwithstanding they make no difficultie of conscyence in any holy order whatsoeuer they be placed to abuse other mens wiues Also he sheweth that this sentence of the Apostle that is that euery one shoulde haue his wife excepteth no person but him that maketh profession of cōtinencie or him that hath determined to perseuer in virginitie according to the Lords will That the vowe of man cannot breake the commaundement of God That he who cannot contain ought to marry 1. Cor. 7. He also alleageth the Canons that is that the Bishop or minister ought in no wise put away his wife vnder a colour of Religion and that if he forsooke her he should be excomunicated and that if he abode in that obstinacie he should be vtterly dismissed and cast of from his calling That the bishop must be vnreproueable and the husbande of one wife and howe that the Apostle to the end that none should conuerte this sentence to one Church or congregation alone added consequently He that knoweth not howe to gouerne his housholde how shal he gouerne and guide the church of God he also sheweth that the glose of those is false who will expounde the Church to be the onely wife Also that those which alledge for their patrone and defendour S. Gregorie be ignoraunt not vnderstanding that perilous decrée made by S. Gregorie whiche was afterwarde purged by a worthie fruite of repentance for it is said that on a certaine day as the saide Gregorie sent to his poole for fish he had drawne vp out of the saide poole which he saw aboue sixe thousande heades of yong children wherat he being moued with true repentance beganne to wéepe and confessing that the decrée that he had made concerning the continencie of Priestes had béene cause of such a murther he then amended his fault as it is said by a worthy déede of repentance And after that he had condéemned his said decrée he praysed the councell of the Apostle to wit that it is better to marrie then to burne adding more on his part that it is better to marrie then to giue occasion of murther In the ende he confounded by many testimonies of the holy scripture the horrour of vowing continencie and following the saying of S. Paul 1. Timo. 4. he declared that it is the doctrine of Diuels to forbidde marriage Wherby we must note that the Lord in the middest of the furie and madnesse of the world rayseth vp some faithful ministers for to withstand the horrible spoyles of the aduersaries He that would sée at large the saide Epistle published nowe in French read the firste of Crespin vppon the estate of the Church out of the which I haue gathered some parte of these collections 117 In the yeare 869. was Iohannes Scotus it was not Iohn the Frier a learned man who was sent for out of France into England by Alfridus king of Englande who founded the Schoole or vniuersitie of Oxenforde whereas the said Scotus was president but afterward becomming a Monk he was slain by the Monks of the Conuent as he was teaching thē He wrot like as Bertrand did touching properly the body and bloude of Christe in the supper In that time or thereabouts the Normands being vanquished receiued the faith Naucl. The king of Bulgaria also about this time receiued the faith and willingly forsaking publike affaires he was made a Monke and left the realme to his sonne who reiected the faith so that his father came out of the monasterie and went againste him in battaile and hauing gotten the victorie he caused his eyes to bee digged out and kepte him in prison and gaue the kingdome to his yonger sonne and after he returned to the Monastery againe Naucle and Sigeb Adrian the Pope sent thrée legats vnto the Bulgarians being newly conuerted to wit Siluester Leopard and Dominicke for to institute ordinances concerning the affaires of the Church according to the Komaine forme and fashion but afterwarde they being persuaded by the Grekes reiected the latine ministers which thing bread great hatred betwixt the latine Church and the Greeke Church and all the contention of the said Churches happened through this Primate and for the diuersitie of ceremonies Naucl. Edmund the last king of the East Englishmen was slaine by the Paganes of Denmarke in the yeare 871. and is canonised a martyre 118 In the yeare 938. Ratherius Bishop of Verone wrot against the herisie of Anthromorphites which was renewed againe in that time saying that God had a corporall forme In the same time Spireneus Duke of Bohemia receiued the Christian faith thorough the persuasion of the Emperour Henricus Suppl Chro. Aldebert
virgin and others infinites were martyred in this horrible persecution Passing all other cities Alexandria was then as a scaffolde in which the faithfull were brought to the viewe of the worlde Looke Euseb liber 6. Chap. 40. Sundry kindes of tormentes then vsed against the martyres are recited by Eusebius as sharpe pricks of rose bushes thrust against their faces eyes then bruised with stones burned their entrailles torne they cast downe from high places their flesh rent with cardes of yron rackings they cast vnto brute beastes condemned to be whipped To conclude the most horrible and cruell tormentes that coulde be imagined was executed vppon them S. Cyprian being then in exile wrote letters of great consolation to those that suffered such afflictions and like as Tertullian in his time defended by writing the Christians against Scapula euen so did Cyprian againste Demetrius the Pagane gouernour showing that the calamities of the world be falsly imputed to the Christians Dionisius Alex. writeth that after the publishing of the edict made by Decius for confirming of this horrible persecution manie of the most excellent shewed themselues cowardes and of their owne accorde made abiuration and did offer sacrifice vnto idols Cyprian made a sermon of them that fought hardily that is of those that perseuered in the confession of Iesus Christe He then set downe examples of the punishment of those that had made abiuration and affirmed that many of them were tormented with euill spirites He saide that there was one who became dumbe immediately after he had abiured Also of a mayden that was possessed with a deuill soone after and cut a sunder her tongue with her téeth Also there be of late yeares examples memorable of the punishmentes happened vnto those that made abiuration aswell Italians Flemings Germanes Frenchmen as of other nations For some of them after that they had denyed the truth lost imediately the taste both of meate and drinke without being able to receiue any comforte at the handes of their parentes and friends and were intangled with madnes tormented day and night because of their horrible sinne the which was always without ceasing present before their eyes And some others were tormented in their consciences so as they cast themselues downe into the bottomes of ryuers and pondes and others cried and howled as though all the Deuils had béene assembled possessed their bodies and soules others euen of the most learned and wise fell into dispaire so that one of them openly said these words as Luther maketh mention on the Epistle to the Galathians I haue denied Christ and therefore is he nowe before God the father who accuseth me For he was before time so grounded in this perswasion and Sathan by his illusions and temptations had so imprinted in him this dispaire that he receiued no consolation nor admonition which could be giuen him hauing still in his mouth the foresaide words in such sorte that in this myserable dispaire he wofully killed himsefe Lastly the examples of many the iudgementes of God are verie notable and worthy to be marked the which were written by people worthy of credit and were imprinted at Lions of some that are past and some that are to come To conclude it is a horrible thing to fall into the handes of the liuing GOD who notwithstanding woulde not enter into iudgement with all those the denied his holy trueth but hath suffered them looking for their amendement stedfastnesse and constancie the which we ought dayly to craue for that we may finishe our course to the mainteinance of the kingdome of our onely Sauiour and Redemer Iesus Christ 81 Xistus an Athenian in the time of Gallien the Emperour about the yeare after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus 264. was ordeined bishoppe of Rome by the election of the cleargie comming back againe out of Spaine where he had preached Bergomensis and Sabellicus doe witnesse that Xistus laboured greatly for to take away the heresies of the Sabellians At the last he was accused by thē before Gallien and was by his commaundement beheaded sixe Deacons with him Saint Ambrose in the firste booke of his offices Chap. 41. saith that as he was going one day to prayer Laurence the Deacon spake to him in this sorte father doe you go without your sonne and Xistus aunswered him sonne I leaue thee not there draweth neare vnto thée yet greater combates for the faith thou shalt follow me within thrée dayes in the meane space if thou hast any treasures distribute them to the poore This Laurence was the first of the seauen Deacons of Rome who had the dealing with the goods deputed for almes The gouernour of Rome being then hungry of monie was perswaded that the Church had golde and moueables of syluer and he woulde néeds compell Laurence to shewe him where those treasures were Laurence hauing thrée dayes terme appoynted for to doe this distributed in the meane time all that he had to the poore gathering together in a troupe al the impotent lame that were succoured with almes he at the day appointed prayed the gouernour that he woulde goe vp to that place and showing him all the poore he saide loe here the moueables of siluer behold the talents set in order take them and with them thou shalt repaire the citie of Rome and shalt enrich the reuerenue of the Emperour holde it The gouernour séeing that he was mocked commaunded that there shoulde be made ready a hote burning grydyron wherevppon they laide Laurence who with great courage calling vpon the Lorde gaue vp his soule most happely Prudentius a Christian Poete in his booke de coronis described this martyre 82 Archelaus Bishop of Mesopotamia confuted the errours of the Manichees in the Syrian language and his confutation was afterwarde translalated into the Gréeke tongue For Manes or Manichée was of Persia Archelaus was in the time of the Emperour Probus about the yeare 284. after the natiuitie of Iesus Christ Anatholius liued also in that time 83 In the time of Dioclesian the Emperour and in the 300. yeare after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Authimus bishop of Nicomedie after that hée had made confession of his faith was beheaded with a great multitude of Martyrs Serena the wife of Dioclesian constantly endured martyrdome so cruel was this persecution that they spared none looke Hermanus Gig. In Europe aboue all other at Rome was a great multitude of martyrs The Prouost Rictiouarus in France made great hauocke especially at Collogne at Treues and towarde Mosella Beda writeth that the persecution extended euen vnto Englande then when as saint Albain a man greatly renoumed receiued the crowne of a martyre After that time they beganne to inuent diuerse kindes of tormentes but so much the more horrible as they were so much the more exquisite séemed the constancie of the martyrs Eusebius saith that he was a beholder of the persecution that was at Thebaida and saith that the swordes of the executioners of
of the supper the accidents be not without the subiect that is to say that the whitenesse and roundnesse of the breade be not without the bread to wit that contrary to transubstantion which the priests haue forged the breade abideth bread and the wine contynueth in the proper substance Moreouer the conclusions proposed by him at the towne of Lambeth be these If that any Princes or Lordes or any others haue made any donations vnto the mynisters of the Church there is therin a secreate condition to wit that God shoulde be honoured and that the faithfull should be edified And if this condition ceasse then they may take away from wicked pastours that which they had giuen them any excommunication or other whatsoeuer to the contrary notwithstanding That if these dealinges of men were let alone the cleargie which were of couetous persons will bring all the world into their hands Also that the Pope may lawfully be reproued by those whom he kéepeth in obedience vnder him and that for the vtilitie of the Church he may be accused both of the clearks and lay people That the Pope as great a Lord as he reporteth himselfe to be must thinke that he is a brother vnto others and that if he sinne he ought to be brotherly corrected and heare corrections brotherly And when as by the holy scripture his heresie or errour is shewed him he ought not to be obstinate And by many other conclusions he shewed euidently the abuse of the Pope and of the cleargy and how that their possessions of so great reuenewes be vniust To conclude he was assaulted by many and amongest others the begging monkes who rose against him by greate flockes But the Lorde gaue him for a protectour the Kinge Edwarde vnder whose raigne he had some lybertie to speake the truth Richarde the successour of the said Edwarde persecuted and banished him Within a while after he was called again from banishment and returned vnto the parrishe of whiche he was pastour and there like a lustie champion of the Lorde he aboade alwayes constant euen vntill the death he died in the yeare of our Lorde 1388. fortie and one yeares after his death he was digged vp againe by the commandement of the Pope and his bones were burned and the ashes thereof cast into the water but Iesus Christ dieth not in his faithful ones vse the tyrants what cruelty they can He composed many bookes the which were burned in the citie of Oxenford in the yere 1410. there be certaine notwithstanding reserued still for to declare that God hath alwayes some faithfull seruantes who doe resist the errours of the world Amongest his writinges there is an Epistle which he sent to Pope Vrbane He that woulde sée more at large of him and of his historie let him looke in the booke of Martyrs 134 In the persecution raysed vp against Wiclief and in the yere 1400. Sautree a priest imbraced with zeale of true pure religion craued and requested in the ful Parliament the audience might be granted him for the cōmon profit of all the Realme Then albeit that his request was honest and ciuill and that he gaue to vnderstande that he coulde bring great profite yet he was not hearde for the bishops perceiuing that he came caused him to be attached of heresie and for the seauen articles condemned disgraded and burned him Looke Fabius in his Chronicles and Iohn Crespin in the booke of martyrs William Thorpe an Englishman was also a valiant martyre of our Lorde Iesus Christ He sustayned great assaultes of many prelats of of the Church of Rome without forsaking his vocation which was to instruct the people according to the pure word of God And therefore he woulde not agrée to preach the superstitions and humaine inuentions which he declared to be contrarie to the institution of the holy scriptures he was condemned hauing yeelded a testimonie of his faith Nowe of many pointes well worth the noting vpon the interrogations propounded to him I will recite for to auoyde great prolixitie one onely that is that he being demaunded of the Archbishop of Canterburie primate of Englande and Chauncelour of the whole Realme what the Church did signifie he answered that it is Iesus Christe and the companie of saincts Which thing the said Archbishop confessed to be true in respect of heauen but he demaunded further what the Church was here below on earth It is deuided into two partes answered the said Williā Thorp the one of the two parts which is the better hath obtained victorie ouer the enemies and triumpheth nowe with Christe in great ioy the other part fighteth here still on earth by the sworde of faith against the continuall bulwarkes of Sathan of the fleshe and of the worlde There is no strength so violent no pompe so proud no fire of afflictions and persecutions so burning no tyrannie so cruel no reasons of Doctours so discording nor opinions so diuerse which can withdrawe them from the right rule of faith and of the holy scriptures For they be fortyfied by the worde of God in Christ and firmely stablished as vppon a sure rocke that can not be remoued Looke Iohn Crespin in his booke of martyrs Within a while after the death of Iohn Wiclief there arose greate persecution in Englande against the faithfull for the truth of the Gospell which then began to take déepe rooting The worthiest men in the Realme were not then spared the lord Cobham a knight of the order one of the peeres of England was there apprehended but he was executed after these that we nowe speake off And therefore according to the order of time we will hereafter speake of him more at large for he was an excellent martyr of our Lorde Iesus Christ King Henrie then by publike ordinaunce made an edicte and set foorth through the persuasions of the bishoppes and prelates terrible punishmentes for all them that should follow the doctrine of Wicliefe vsing so great seueritie against them that he helde them not onely for heretikes but also as guiltie of treason And for this cause it was ordeined that they should be punished with two sortes of punishmentes that is that they should be both hanged and burned and there was neither fréedome nor any priuiledge whereby they coulde enioye profite so maliciously were they bente againste the faithfull séeking all meanes againste them and in that time they called al them Wicleffians who read the scriptures in the vulgar tongue and which made their assemblies in secrete places in the darke preaching in woodes and bushes Then the Bishops being armed with this edicte of the king exercised great tyrannie against manie good people and many poore innocentes and amongest other against Roger Acton a knight of the order and a true nobleman adorned with great vertues he abhorred the wicked traditions of the Pope had his affections withdrawen from him and from all his assistants For that cause it is reported that he was hated amongest the
also that the Church by their negligence shoulde become desolate and that iniquitie shoulde abound that is by reason of Mammon master of iniquitie Also he saide that there were in the Church of Christ Idols which shoulde destroy Ierusalem and make the Temple desolate but were cloaked by hypocrisie further that there bee many which denie Christ for that they kéepe silence neither doe they heare Christ whome all the worlde shoulde know and should confesse his veritie before men which also wittingly doe detaine the veritie and Iustice of God Hee taught openly that in the Pope Cardinals Bishops Prelates Priestes and other religious men was no trueth but that onely he and such as held with him taught the true way of saluation Mathias Parisiensis a Bohemian borne who about the yeare of our Lorde 1370. wrote a large booke of Antichrist and proueth him already come and noteth the Pope to be the same In this booke he doth greatly eniue againste the wickednesse of the cleargie and against the neglecting of their dutie in gouerning the Church The Locustes mentioned in the Apocalyps hee saith be the hypocrites raigning in the Church The workes of Antichrist he saith be these the fables and inuentions of men raigning in the Church the Images and fayned reliques that are worshipped euery where Item that men doe worship euery one his proper sainct and sauiour beside Christ so that euery man and citie almost hath his diuers and peculiar Christ He taught and affirmed moreouer that godlynesse and true worship of God are not bounde to place persons or times to bee hearde more in this place then in an other at this time more then at an other c. Hee was greatly and much offended with monks and friers for neglecting or rather burying the worde of Christ and in stéed thereof for celebrating and setting vp their owne rules and Canons affirming it to be much hurtfull to true Godlinesse for that Priestes Monkes and Nunnes do account themselues onely spirituall and all other to be lay and secular attributing onely to themselues the opinion of holynesse and contemning all other men with all their politicke administration and office as prophane in comparison of their owne He further writeth that Antichrist hath seduced al vniuersities and Colleges of learned men so that they teach no sincere doctrine neither giue any light to the Christians with their teaching Finally he forewarneth that it will come to passe that God yet once againe will raise vp godly teachers who being feruent in the spirite and zeale of Helias shall disclose and refute the errours of Antichrist alleadgeth the sayings and writings of the vniuersitie of Paris also the writings of Guliel de sanct Amour Henricus de Hassia an excellent learned and famous man He wrote an Epistle vnto Iacobus Carisiensis Bishop of Normacia inserted in his booke de erroribus Christianorum In the same Epistle the authour doth greatly accuse the spirituall men of euery order yea the most holiest of all other the Pope himselfe of many and great vices Hee saide that the Ecclesiasticall gouernours in the primatiue Church were compared to the Sunne shining in the day time and the politicall gouernours to the Moone shyning in the night But the spirituall men he said that nowe are doe neither shine in the day time nor yet in the night time but rather with their darkenesse doe obscure both day night that is with their filthy liuing ignoraunce impietie Hee citeth also out of the prophesie of Hildegardis these words Therefore doth the deuill in himselfe speake of you Priests daintie bankets and feasts wherein is all voluptuousnes doe I finde amongst these men In so much that mine eyes mine eares my belly my vaynes bee euen filled with the froth of them and my brestes stande astrout with the riches of them c. Lastly saith he they euery day more and more as lucyfer doe séeke to clymbe higher and higher till that euery day with him more and more they fall déeper and déeper Hee liued Anno. 1371. Nilus was Archbishop of Thessolonica and lyued 1380. He wrote a long worke against the Latins that is against such as tooke part helde with the Churche of Rome His booke first being written in Gréek was after translated into Latin and lately nowe into English in this our time In the first Chap. of his booke he layeth all the blame and fault of the discention and schisme betwene the East and the West Church vppon the Pope Hee affirmed that the Pope onely woulde commaunde what him lusted were it neuer so contrarie to all the olde and auncient Cannons That hee would heare and followe no mans aduise that hee would not permit any free Councels to be assembled c. In the second Chapt. of his booke hee purposedly maketh a verie learned disputation for first he declareth that he had no whit at all by Gods commaundement but onely by humaine Lawe any dignitie more then others Bishops which dignitie the Councels the fathers and Emperours haue graunted vnto him neither did they graunt the same for any other consideration more or greater ordinaunce then for that the same citie then had the Empery of all the whole world and not at al for that that Peter was there or not there c. 133 In the yeare 1383. Iohn wikliefe liued in England who hauing of long time made profession of diuinitie at Oxenforde a citte and vniuersitie in Englande and hee séeing that true diuinitie was vilely corrupted with much filthinesse of questions and inuentions set forth by the Pope he coulde not but lament in his hearte and determined to remedy such a disorder He sawe well that hee coulde not without great trouble remoue away abuses and that those that had so long time growen in the hearts of men could not easilie be rooted out on a sodaine And therefore he thought good to deale there with by little and little First he made this assaye against the aduersaries of the trueth that is he disputed against them of small matters that by that meane he might open an entrie to great things and amongest other hee had to deale with a certain monke named Iohn kenyngham Of these small beginnings they came to higher matters Hee at the last disputed concerninge the sacrament of the supper Therein this good man had great resistaunce affirming openlye in scholes that his principall intent was to take away idolatrie that raigned in the Church concerning this matter But marke what mischiefe happened a man coulde not so soone touth this wounde without causing great sorrowe to the worlde The monkes and especially the begging fort were in a furie the Bishops would haue knowledge of this matter He alleaged the authoritie of the auncient Doctours of the Church in those poyntes wherein they agréed with the holy scriptures declaring that there is no trueth but that which is contayned in them As for the decretistes he vtterly reiected them He stedfastly mainteined that in the sacrament
that he had subscribed to the condemnation of Iohn hus and had sayed many things against that good man and against Wiclief who hee saide had openly manifested by wordes the detestable liues of the Bishops and prelates had touched them to the quicke in their books hauing iustly writen and spoken of their misdéedes and peruerse traditions Wherfore he being now by the grace and goodnes of God brought to the same chaire againe he vtterly repented of that horrible sinne and declared that the subscription that he had made was voyde for they had verie wrongfully burned that holy man In the end he being willed to recant then immediately or else he shoulde be vsed as the other was he chose rather to dye And he was condemned to be burned hauing put on him a crown of paper like as Iohn Hus had wher on were painted diuels round about And he saide that Iesus Christe for the loue of him a poore sinner had borne a greater paine and that for the good will that he had shewed him he also woulde go willingly to execution and going he song with prayers himnes and calling vppon God And when the woode was set about him hee cryed with a loude voyce O Lorde into thy handes I cōmende my spirite if you would sée further of him looke Crespin in his booke of martyrs The Bohemians vnderstanding what was done at Constance against the doctours they sacked and spoyled the conuents and monasteries of that countrie and set them on fire and then they withdrewe them selues frō the subiection of the Pope of Rome Looke Naucl. 137 The Realme of Fraunce also at that time was not destitute of true doctours who faithfully executed their charge in declaring the light and the day of the Lord amongst whom Nicholas Clemangis a doctour of Paris and Archdeacon of Bayonna in the yeare 1417. hath left a certaine testimony in wryting touching the corrupt estate of the church shewing forth the fountaine of all mischiefes oppressions and calamities that the Church hath endured and that still it shall abide thorough the horrible violence crueltie tyrannie and insatiable rigour of him who calleth himselfe the heade on the the earth and of his members He saide that the sectes and seditions raysed vp against the Churches by the furies of hel do declare what peace fraternitie they haue amongst them And that the infernall and schismaticall hydra beginning at him that calleth himselfe heade of the Church and budding very abundantly and spreading the rootes by the furies hath infected al the colleges and assemblies thorough the séede of the Viper To conclude I knowe not how in so few words I shoulde comprehende in what a straunge sort hee speaketh of this fountaine and the horrible confusion of the Church of Rome He therefore that will sée more of the wrytings of the saide Nicholas Clemangis which are worthy to bee reade of all faithfull Christians let him looke in the last edition of Iohn Crespin his booke of martyrs fol. 60. Wherupon I say we must note that albeit God doth sufficiently declare vnto vs by his holy word the meane howe to beware of rauening Wolues clad in shéepes rayment and howe we may know them as well by their doctrine as by their works neuerthelesse he hath alwayes raysed vp some good men for to warne his shéepe the more to take héede of false pastours 138 There is no order nor condition of which god doth not know how to draw some to send them into the field to battaile to encounter with false pastours which would so stoutly earnestly maintein superstitions abhominable traditions repugning against his holy worde And amongst others of that time 1418. the history of one excellent Lord of Englande is worthy to bee recorded with the worthyest of the world to wit of Iohn Oldeastel Lorde Cobham knight of the order one of the péeres of England He was one of the chiefest doctours of his time who taught the courtiers that they shoulde serue Christ better then they did He was adorned with excellent vertues and for his noble and vertuous déedes he was promoted to great dignities and honours He had this gifte most excellent that hee cared not greatly for any glorie and honour of the world the which doth soone fade away but hee rather acrounted it all his diguity and felicitie that he might vndertake to doe seruice to the Prince of princes which is Iesus Christ the sonne of God The instructions of Wiclief stoode him in great steade He had such an vnderstanding of the true religion and Godlinesse that he made no difficultie to receiue vnder his protection al those the maintayned the good doctrine and were in daunger therefore Hee sustayned dyuers times great assaultes and daungerous and chiefely the Machinations and secreat practises of wicked Byshops King Henrie the fifte loued him greatly albeit that he knewe the most part of his dealing but at the last hee yelded to the Bishoppes thorough their false reportes and forsooke this noble knight as the furious appetite of the Archbishops and his complices required He was once or twice cyted by the Archbishop He of long time regarded not his curses and excomunications The king sent vnto him an Herault and immediately hee obeyed and went vnto the king He presented vnto him his confession written in which he reciteth by order the articles of the créede and vpon euery article a briese exposition The king wolde not receyue this confession other artycles be founde which he presented to the Archbishop contaning in somme foure poynts where of the one is that he beleueth that in the sacrament of the supper we receyue the body of Christ vnder the kindes forme of bread and wine the same body that was borne of the virgin Marie was crucified dead and buried and lastly rose againe the third day after his death and was exalted to the right hand of the father immortal and tryumpheth now for euer with him being partaker of his eternall glorie And as concernyng the sacrament that they call penitence or penaunce he hath written therof worde for worde his faith saying thus I beléeue that it is very necessarie for euery one that aspireth vnto saluation to wit that hee must repent of his life passed by a true confession and contrition vnsained that in such sort as is set forth in the holy scriptures otherwise there is no hope of saluation Concerning their thirde sacrament he saide touching images that it doth not appertaine to a true fayth true it is the since Christian faith was brought into the world they also were put in exercyse thorow permission to serue for a kalender as they call yt to the ignorant to the ende that by the view thereof they mighte the more easily see the passions holy examples as well of Christ as of his faythfull and holy seruantes but sythens that there is such abuse of that representation and that men do attrybute vnto the images of Saints that which is
due alone vnto him whom al the saintes must honour and reuerence and do put their trust in them which ought to be transserred to God onely and more ouer séeing they are so affectioned towards those images that they like better of and be more deuoute to one them then to another mine opinion is said he the of such do commit Idolatry and a deadly sinne against God vnto whom doth belong all honour glorie and praise Lastly hee saide that hee was thus perswaded that there dwelled none here below vpon earth but was in a pilgrimage either to goe vnto life or els to tende vnto torments That whoso doth so order his life that hee transgresseth the commaundements ordinances of God whither that he knoweth them not or will not knowe them hee must not hope for saluation albeit that hee raunge abroade to all the corners of ths worlde Contrariwise hee that shall kéepe the holy ordinances of God cannot perishe although hee neuer make voyage nor pilgrimage in his life vnto any place whither disordered men haue vsed to goe on pilgrimage There be also founde of his other principall articles as of the two natures in Christ diuine humaine and that like as his diuinitie was here béelowe on earth hidden and couered vnder humanity so in the sacrament of the Eucharistie there is bread and the bodie giuen vs to wit the breade which we sée and the bodie of Christ which wee sée not thus expressed hee his Faith touching the Sacrament c. Also that it is not necessarie for the obtayning of saluation to confesse his sinnes to his owne Curate or any other priest whilest he liueth Also hee denyed not onely the worshipping of Images but also that which we call the holy Crosse Furthermore he saide concerning the power of the keyes and touching the Pope Archbishoppes Bishops and other Prelates that the Pope is very Antichrist and that these Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates be his members and the fryers the tayle of Antichrist like as the Pope is the heade to whome no man ought to obey that is to say to the Pope Archbishops Bishoppes and other Prelats except they be followers of Christ and Peter in life and manners and in conuersation and that hee which is the best lyuer most pure in conuersation is the successour of Peter not otherwise It is reported moreouer that the saide Lorde Oldcastel saide with a loude voyce stretching his handes abroade and perswading those that were present These who iudge and woulde condemneme will beguile you all and leade both you themselues into hell and therefore beware of them To make short sentence of death was pronounced against him not withstanding he forbode a while after as it were banished and was sent away by a wile And at the last hee being taken againe and remayning constant without denying the trueth which he saw conteined in the holy scriptures was condemned to be burned And thus this valiant Doctour and Martyr fynished the course of his life and recommending his soule vnto God and praying for his ennimies after that hee had exhorted the people to applie themselues vnto the true faith and pure religion yelded vp his spirite vnto the Lord. He that woulde sée of him more at large let him read the booke of Martyrs 139 In the same time also that is 1418. 19. 20. and so consequently the Lord shewed sufficiently that the bloude of Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prague and of other good doctours and Martyrs of the Church fell not to the grounde for to be swallowed vp and come to nothing as some pretended but it did greatly fructifie with an incredible commoditie not onely in Englande and in Bohemia but also in Germanie and Fraunce and generally in other realmes countries and prouinces For God hath much more since that time shewed a clearer chaunge of thinges causing tongue to be renewed as messengers and arts to bee as forerunners to Dame veritie who immediately came forth with the brightnesse of the most cleare sunne that is the preaching of the Gospell wherein many times they haue excelled being fortified with all necessaries against darknesse Many haue dealt verie valiantly and haue not onely brought againe diuinitie to his naturall and first puritie but haue also endured martyrdome for a more ample witnessing thereof Amongst others one named Grunfelder a priest called to the order of Iesus Christ was burned in the citie of Rinsbourg in the yeare of our Lorde 1420. William Tayler an Englishe man a master in artes was also martyred The princial cause of the furie raysed vp against him was because hee had composed a booke against calling vpon or praying to saincts For that cause hee was burned in the citie of London in the yeare 1422. hee abode the fire verie constantly Henry Radtgeber of the order of Popish priests first did valyantly fight and endured a cruell death for the profession of the Gospel in the foresaide citie of Rinsbourg this was in the yeare 1423. Iohn Drandorfe of a noble house in the countrey of Misne was executed at Wormes in the yere following 1424. Peter Toraw was afterwarde martyred in the Citie of Spira anno 1426. Iohn Bale an English writer speaketh hereof in his booke of the famous men of England 140 In the yeare 1425. there was a Priest called William Wight an English man who hauing vsed to reade the sermons of Wicliefe chaunged his life wholly and acknowledging the filthinesse of his former life he forsooke his benefice whereby he had receiued large reuenewes After that hee following the holy ordinaunce of God tooke a wife Being maryed he applied himselfe to studie and teaching either publikely or priuately labouring to profite all men At the laste hee was taken in the citie of Norwich and there they layed against him thirtie articles for the which hee was cruelly burned by the procuring of the Bishop and this was in the yeare 1428. His wife following the example of her husband ceassed not according to her facultie for to instructe euery bodie and for this cause she was very hardly intreated by the saide Bishop Also in the yeare 1430. Richarde Houenden an English man and a Citizen of London could by no meanes bee withdrawen from the trueth for any perswasions that coulde bée alleaged and therefore he was condemned to be burned néere vnto the tower of London 141 Many good personages of dyuers Realmes haue greatly beene afflicted and persecuted in the yeares following because they spake and mainteined the pure trueth and haue spilte euen the vttermost drop of their bloude God notwithstanding assisted them the they might make the aduersaries of the puritie of his holy and diuine seruice the more ashamed In the Realme of Bohemia Paul Crau in the yeare 1431. was deliuered to the seculer power by a Bishoppe for to bee burned and that because hee blodly withstoode the wicked opinions of the people touching the Eucharistie inuocation of sainctes auricular confession and
Firmicane the disciple of Arnobius 84 Eusebius Bishop of Cesaria in Palestine Reththius Bishop of Authun Methodius Athanasius Bishoppe of the citie of Alexandria 85 Eustache Bishop of Antioch Paphnutius of Egipt Maximus Macarius Bishop of Ierusalem Spiridion Bishop of Tremithe in Cyprus Nicholas Bishop of Mirrha in Lycia 86 Theodorike Bishoppe of Heraclia in Thrace Eusebius Bishop of Emesus Hillarie Bishop of Poityers in the Dukedome of Aquitaine in Fraunce 87 Liberius Bishop of Rome 88 Basile Bishoppe of Cesarea 89 Damasus borne in Spain Bishop of Rome succeeded after Liberius Anthon. 90 Vulphilas Bishop of Gothes in Sarmathia 91 Ambrose Bishop of Milaine 92 Vigilantius Bishoppe of Barcelon in Spaine 93 Apollinare of Laodicea Bishop of Syria 94 Hierome the sonne of one named Eusebius of the citie of Stridon 95 Chrisostome borne at Antioch and the disciple of Liberius Euagrius Theodolus Maximius were Bishops 96 Augustine Bishop of Hippo was diuinely raysed vp for to confute as well the errours of the Manichees as of the Pelagians and others 97 Possidonius of the countrie of Affrike bishoppe of Calme Celestin bishop of Rome Palades the grecian and Patricius were in Scotlād and in Ireland for to preach the faith Germaine Bishoppe of Auxerre Cirillus Bishop of Alexandrie 98 Sedulius Sozomenus Socrates Theodoritus Cassiodore 99 Eucherius Bishop of Lyons 100 Victor Bishop of a cytie in Numidia which is in Affricke called in latin Cartena Polichronius bishop of Ierusalem Archadius Probus Paschaius 101 Laetus bishop Eugenius bishop of Carthage 102 Proterius bishop of Alexandrie Peter of Rauenna Gennadius an elder of the church of Marseille Prosper Saluien Sidonius Germaine bishop of Capua Vaast bishop of Arras Fulgentius bishop of Ruspe in Affrike Autius bishop of Vienna Solemus bishop of Chartres Boetius a learned man Epiphanius Bishop of Phania 103 GElasius of Affrick bishop of Rome 104 Hormisda borne in Frese land in the citie of Campania gouerned the Church of Rome 105 Arator Gregorie bishop of Angres 106 Leander bishoppe of Seuille Serenus bishop of Marseillus 107 Isidorus the younger byshop of Hispalis Beda an English man 108 Theodorus Bishoppe of Rauenna Leger bishop of Authun 109 Willebroc bishop of Frisons 110 Boniface Archbishop of Mayence Burcardus Guntarius bishop 111 Alcuin Beda his scholar Felix bishop in Aquitain 112 Ansegisus who made 4. bookes of the decrees of Charlemaigne and of Lewis his sonne 113 Haymo the third Bishop of Albastat the disciple of Alcuinus Rabanus Strabus who collected out of the writings of the fathers and of the doctours the ordinarie glose 114 Bertrand a priest a learned man and well instructed in the true godlines 115 Vldriche bishop of Auspurge in Germanie which greatly resisted against the decrees of Pope Nicholas 116 Iohannes Scotus not Ihon the fiyer a learned man who wrote properly like as the foresaide Bertrande did concerning the bodie and bloud of Christ in the supper 117 Ratherius Bishop of Verone Aldeber of Bohemia Bishop of Prague 118 Burchardus bishoppe of Wormes who compyled the auncient canons 119 Berengarius borne at Toures Archdeacon of Anger 's mainteyned the opinion of the saide Bertrand and Iohannes Scotus 120 Sigebert who made a chronicle Hugo of the Saxon nation 121 Bernard of the countrey of Burgonia 122 Iohn of Saresburie Byshop of Charters stoode in defraunce against the wickednesse of the Popes and of the Cleargie 123 Arnolde bishop of Byxta 124 Waldo of Lyons of whō the Waldenses tooke their name like as of Luther came the Lutherians 125 Peter de vinca Chauncelor to the Emperour Fridericke the second did write many letters in the name of the Emperour complaining therein of the vnsatiable couetousnesse of the Pope 126 William de sainct Amour a Doctour of Paris a channon of Beauuais in his sermons cryed out against the hypocrisie of the prelates and other such like matters 128 Laurence an Englishman a doctour of Paris wrote a certaine booke against the monks the contents of which booke was that men should take heede of false prophets 129 Peter Cassiodorus an Italian well instructed in the worde of God 130 Dulcine of Nauarre who reproued the vices of the Churchmen 131 Arnoldus de villa nova who saide that in the sacrifice of the Altar the Priest did offer nothing vnto God 132 Wickliefe who seing true diuinitie to bee corrupted with a great many of rude questions and humaine inuentions was moued to remedie such a disorder 133 Sautree a priest inflamed with and pure religion 134 Iohn Hus of Bohemia 135 Hierome of Prague a Bohemian who was at the councel of Constance wheras was also Iohn Hus. 136 Clemangis a doctour of Paris Archdeacon of Baion wrote touching the corrupt estate of the church 137 Iohn Oldcastel knight of the order and one of the peeres of Englande who taught the courtiers a better manner of seruing Christ Iesus then they vsed 138 Grunelder of the order of priests Taylour an English man Radtgeber Drandorf Toraw All these were martyred for the maintenaunce of the trueth of the worde of God 139 Wyght an Englishman Richarde Houenden an Englishman martyred for the trueth of the gospell 140 Paul Crau of Bohemia Rhedon of the order Car melites in the kingdome of Fraunce Roger Dule Gentleman 141 Sauanarola al these were burned for mainteining the trueth 142 Luther necessarily raysed vp to reforme the church Zuinglius minister of the church of Zurich 143 Occolampadius minister of Basile 144 Bucer professour of diuinitie in England 145 Melancthon professour of Diuinitie at Wittenberge 146 Peter Martyr professour of diuinitie at Zurich Musculus at Berne Marlorate minister of the Church at Roan 147 Caluin minister of the Church at Geneua 148 FINIS