thy selfe to be the seruaunt of the sheepe and not theyr Lorde for I haue not geuen the sheepe for the shepheard but the shepheard for the sheepe He that sitteth downe is greater then he that doth minister and serue vnto hym Whiche thinge was well knowen of hym which truely sayde Wee are your seruauntes for Christes cause But for what purpose haue I geuen thee vnto y e house of Israell That thou shouldest onely minister the Sacramentes consecrate wood stoones churchyardes this I take God to witnesse with great sighes and grones I write vnto you Pastouâ—s seruauntes to the congregation for Christes cause and not maisters pouring out before you the griefe of my hart No truely What then First followeth the office of the byshop Thou shalt heare the word of God out of my mouth This is but a short lesson but suche as all the world cannot comprehende without they bee inwardly taught of GOD. And what els meaneth this The true office of pastors well described out of Ezechiell Out of my mouth thou shalt heare the word but that thou shalt be taught of God Therfore as many as are not taught of God althoughe they be neuer so well exercised in the Scriptures by manns helpe yet are they not watchmen geuen by God and muche â—â—ue they which do not vnderstand and know the Scriptures And therfore such as these be least they should keep silence and say nothing are alwayes harping vpon the traditioÌ„s and doctrines of men that is lyes for hee that speaketh of himselfe speaketh lyes Of this it is written 1. Tim. 1. They would be doctours of the lawe not vnderstandyng what they speake neyther of whome they speake Such of necessitie they must all be who speake that with theyr mouth which they doe not beleue because they are not inwardly taught of God neither are perswaded in their harts that it is true and therefore they are to be accompted as sheepe although they boaâ—â—e themselues to be shepheardes But contrariwise touchyng the true and learned Pastors geuen by God it may be truly said we speake that which we know 1 Iohn 1. The propertie of true pastors and that whiche we haue seene euen with the infallible eyes of our fayth we doe witnesse and these are neyther deceyued neither do deceiue Moreouer the deceiuers proceede to worse and worse erring themselues and bringing others also to errour and because they are of the worlde the worlde doth willingly heare them 1. Iohn 4. They are of the worlde saith S. Iohn and therefore they speake those thinges whiche are of the worlde and the world geueth eare vnto them Behold reuerent father this is the touchstone of oure daily preaching Hath not the world geuen eare vnto theÌ„ now a long tyme with great pleasure and delite But the flesh could neuer suffer y e preaching of the crosse nor yet the wisedome of the flesh which is enemy vnto God neyther is subiect vnto hys law nor cannot be And why then are they accused to be heretickes and Schismatickes A true note of sincere doctrine whiche will not seek to please men but onely to theyr edifying beyng mindfull of that place of Scripture God hath dispearsed the bones of them whiche please men saying vnto them speake vnto vs pleasaunt thinges But nowe setting these matters passe wee will come vnto the second poynt Esay 30. wherein you aske how a man should preach better Forsooth if wee had heard of him whoÌ„ the father spake saying This is my dearly beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare hym An information to preachers to preach rightly Who also speaking of hymself said it was meete that Christ should suffer and rise agayne the third daye from death and that in his name repentaunce and remission of sinnes should be preached vnto all people What other thing is that theÌ„ the same which the other Euangelists do write Goe ye into the whole world preach the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is Baptised Math. 28. shal be saued What can be more pleasaunt sweete or acceptable vnto afflicted consciences being almost in despayre then this most ioyfull tidinges But here whether Christ haue bene a long time heard I know not for that I haue not heard all the preachers of England and if I heard them yet till it was within thys yeare or two I could not sufficiently iudge of them But this I dare be bolde to affirme that as manye as I haue heard of late preach I speake eueÌ„ of the most famous they haue preached suche repentaunce that if I had heard suche preachers of repentaunce in tymes past I shoulde vtterly haue bene in despayre The preaching after the popes church is all to beate downe and not to lyft vp And to speak of one of these famous men not vttering hys name after he had sharpely inueyed against vyce wherein he pleased euery godly man for so much as it could not be sufficiently cryed out vpon hee concluded behold sayd he thou hast lyen rotten in thyne own lustes by the space of these 60. yeares euen as a beast in hys own doung and wilt thou presume in one yeare to go forward toward beauen and that in thyne age asmuch as thou wentest backwardes from heauen towardes hell 60. yeares Is not this thinke you a goodly argument Is this the preaching of repentaunce in the name of Iesus By this one you may see what all the rest are or rather to tread downe Christ with Antichristes doctrine for what other thing did he speake in effect theÌ„ that Christ dyed in vayne for thee He will not be thy Iesus or sauior thou must make satisfaction for thy selfe or els thou shalt perish eternally Then doth S. Iohn lye which sayth Beholde the Lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And in other place Marke the maner of the common preaching of the papistes 1. Iohn 1. His bloud hath cleansed vs from all our sins And agayne He is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world Besides an infinit nuÌ„ber of other places What other thing is this then that which was spoken by the holy Ghost by the mouth of Peter saying There shall be false teachers that shall deny the Lord Iesus which hath redemed them And what followeth vppon such doctrine of Deuils speaking lyes thorough hipocrisie a conscience dispayring and without all hope and so geueÌ„ ouer vnto al wicked lustes 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 popes 〈…〉 according to the saying oâ— S. Paule After that they be come to this poynt that they sorow no more they geue theÌ„selues ouer vnto wantonnes to commit all kinde of filthines euen with a greedy desire For seeing that it is impossible for them to make satisfaction to GOD either they murmure agaynst God or els they doe not beleue hym to be so cruell as they do preach and declare him to be The want of paper wyll not suffer
that will saye the contrary that all that is contained in the holy Communion set out by the most innocent and godly Prince king Edward the 6. in his high court of Parliament is conformable to that order which our Sauiour Christ did both obserue and commaund to be obserued which his Apostles primatiue church vsed many yeares whereas the Masse in many things not onely hath no foundation of Christe his Apostles nor the primatiue Church but is manifestly contrary to the same and coÌ„taineth many horrible abuses in it And although many either vnlearned or malitious do report that M. Peter Martyr is vnlearned yet if the Queeneâ— highnes wil graunt thereunto I with the sayde M. Peter Martyr and other 4. or 5. whiche I shall chuse will by Gods grace take vppon vs to defende not onely the common praiers of the Church the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites ceremonies but also al the doctrine and religion set out by our said soueraigne Lord king Edward the 6. to be more pure and according to Gods worde then any other that hath bene vsed in England these 1000. yeares so that Gods word may be iudge that the reasons and proufes of both parties may be sette out in wryting to the intent as well that all the worlde maye examine and iudge thereon as that no man shall start backe from his wrytinge And where they boast of the faith that hath bene in the Churche these 1500. yeres we will ioyne with them in this poynt and that the same doctrine and vsage is to be followed whiche was in the Church .1500 yeres past and we shall prooue that the order of the Churche let out at this present in this Realme by Acte of Parlament is the same that was vsed in the Church .1500 yeres past so shall they be neuer able to prooue theirs The same Thursday beinge the 7. of Septemb. Lorde Mountacute chiefe Iustice and Lorde chiefe Baron were deliuered out of the Tower The 13. of September the reuerende father M. Hughe Latimer was committed to the Tower The 14. of Septemb. the bishop of Caunterburye was committed to the Tower The 26. of September one Maister Graye of Cambridge called before hym one M. Garth for that he would not suffer a boy of Peter house to helpe hym saye Masse in Penbroke hal which was before any law was established for that behalfe The Queene came to the Tower of London vpon the Thursday being the 28. of September Amongest these Pageantes stood a certaine man vpon the top of the Eagle vpon Paules steeple with a flagge in his hand and vpon the Saterday following shee rode from the Tower thorough the Citie of London where were made many Pageants to receiue her and so was triumphantly brought to Westminster to White hall Uppon the Sonday being the first day of October the Queenes highnesse went from White hall to Westminster Abbey accompanied wyth the most part of the Nobility of this Realme namelye these The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Shrewsburie the Marques of Winchester the Earls of Darby Bedford Worcester Cumberland Westmerland Oxford Sussex Deuonshire Penbroke the Lord Dacres of the North Lord Ferris Lorde Cobham Lord Aburgeiny Lord Wentwoorth Lord Scroupe Lord Rich Lord Uaus Lorde Hawarde Lord Conias Lord Morley Lorde Paget and the Lorde Willowbye with many other Nobles and all the Embassadours of diuers countreys the Maior of London wyth all the Aldermen Also out of the Abbey to receiue her comming came three siluer Crosses and to the number of four score or neare vppon Q. Mary crowned Doctor sayes Sermon Generall pardon at the Queens CoronatioÌ„ â—xempted 〈◊〉 of the Pardon of singing men all in very rich gorgeous coapes Amongest whom were the Deane of Westminster and diuers of her Chaplaines which bare euerye one some ensigne in their handes and after them followed 10. Byshops mytred all and their Croyser staues in theyr handes and rich Copes vpon them euery one And in this order they returned froÌ„ Westminster hal before the Quene to the Abbey where she was crowned by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lorde Chancellor of England At the time of the Coronation Doctour Day Bishop of Chichester made a sermon to the Queenes maiestie and to the rest of the nobilitie Also there was a generall Pardon proclaimed wythin the Abbey at the sayd time of her Coronation out of which Proclamation all the prisonners of the Tower and of the Flete were excepted and 62. more Wherof M. Whitchurch and M. Grafton were two The thirde of October the Uicechauncellour of Cambridge did chalenge one M. Pierson for that hee ministred still the Communion in his owne Parish and did receyue straungers of other Parishes to the same and woulde not say masse Whereupon within 2. dayes after he was cleane discharged from farther ministring in his Cure Uppon the Wedensday following Q. Mary rideth to the Parliament house Sergeant Pollard speaker in the Parliament The Earle of Huntington deliuered out of the Tower M. Saunders for preaching agaynst the Masse committed to the Marshalsey the Archb. of Yorke was committed to the Tower Uppon Thursdaye being the 5. of October 1553. the Queene road to the Parliament in her roabes and all the nobilitie with her and when they were set in the Parliament house the Bishop of Winchester made to them a solemne Oration and Sergeant Pollarde was chosen speaker of the Parliament The same day the Bishops of Lincolne Harford and Westchester were discharged from the Parliament and Conuocation Also the 10. daye of October the Earle of Huntington was deliuered out of the Tower Upon the Sonday after being the 15. of Oct. M. Laurence Saunders preached at Alhallowes in Breadstreete in y e morning where he declared the abhomination of the masse with diuers other matters very notably and godly Wherof more shal be heard by the Lordes leaue heereafter when we come to his story In which his doing as he shewed himselfe to be Gods faithful minister so is he sure not to be defrauded of gods faithful promise who sayth Omnis qui confitebitur me coram hominibus confitebor ego illum coram patre meo qui est in coelis Math. 10. But about noone of the same day he was sent for by the bishop of London and from thence committed to the Marshalsee Upon the Sonday folowing being the 20. of October Doctor Weston preached at Paules Crosse. D. Westons popish Sermon at Paules Who in the beginning of his Sermone willed the people to praye for the soules departed on this wise You shall pray for all them y t be departed that be neither in heaueÌ„ nor hell but in a place not yet sufficiently purged to come to heaueÌ„ that they may be releued by your deuout prayers He named the Lordes table an oyster board He saide that the Catechisme in Latin lately sette out was abhominable heresie likened the setters
late mariage of the Ladie Anne of Cleue who in the beginning of the yere of our Lord. 1540. was maried to the king as also greued partly at the dissolution of the Monasteries The mariage of Queene Anne Cleue and fearing the growing of the Gospell sought al occasions how to interrupt these happy beginnings and to traine the king to their owne purpose Now what occasion this wilye Winchester found out to worke vpon ye shall heare in order as followeth It happened the same time that the Lorde Cromwell for the better establishing of sincere religion in this realm deuised a mariage for y e king to be concluded betwene him the Lady Anne of Cleue The occasiâ—â— which Winchester did worke by This Lady Anne of Cleue was maryed to the king 〈◊〉 1540. whose other sister was already maried vnto the duke of Saxony By this mariage it was supposed that a perpetual league amitie and ally shold be nourished between this realm and the princes of Germany so therby godly religion might be made more strong on both parts against the bishop of Rome and his tyrannical religion But the diuel euer enuying the prosperity of the gospell layd a stumbling blocke in that cleare way for the king to stumble at For when the parentes of the noble lady were commoned withall for the furtherance of y e sayd mariage among others of her frends whose good wil was required y e duke of Saxony her brother in law misliked y e mariage partly for that he wold haue had her bestowed vpon some prince of Germany more nigh vnto her sister partly for other causes which he thoght reasonable Wherupon it followeth that the slacknes of the Duke in that behalfe being espyed crafty Winchester taking good holdfast theron so alienated the kinges mind from the amity that semed now to begin and grow betwene the Duke and the king that by the occasion thereof he brought the king at length cleane out of credit with that religioÌ„ and doctrine which the duke had then mayntained many yeares before Thus wily Winchester with his crafty fetches partly vpon this occasion aforesayd partly also by other pestilent perswations creping into the kinges eares ceased not to seeke all meanes how to worke his feat to ouerthrow Religion first bringing him in hatred with the Germane Princes The king brought out of credite with the doctrine of the Germaynâ— Princes then putting him in feare of the Emperor of the French king of the Pope of the king of Scottes and other forraigne powers to rise agaynst him but especially of Ciuil tumultes commotions here within this realme which aboue all thinges he most dreaded by reason of innouation of religioÌ„ and dissoluing of Abbies and for abolishing of rites and other customes of the Church sticking so fast in the mindes of the people that it was to be feared least theyr hartes were or woulde be shortly styrred vp agaynst him The wicked councell of Steph. Gardiner and other about the king vnlesse some spedy remedy were to the contrary prouided declaring moreouer what a dauÌ„gerous matter in a common wealth it is to attempt new alterations of any thing but especially of Religion Which being so he exhorted the king for his owne safegard and publicke quiet and tranquility of his realme to see betime how and by what pollicy these so manifold mischiefes might be preueÌ„ted Agaynst which no other way nor shift could better be deuised then if he would shew himself sharp and seuere agaynst these new Sectaryes Anabaptistes SacrameÌ„taries as they called them would also set forth such Articles confirming the auncient Catholick fayth as wherby he might recouer agayne his credence with Christen Princes and whereby all the world besides might see and iudge him to be a right and perfite Catholicke By these such like crafty suggestions The king abused by wicked couÌ„cell the king being to much seduced and abused began to withdraw his defeÌ„ce from the reformation of true Religion supposing thereby to procure to himselfe more safety both in his owne realme and also to auoide such daungers which otherwise might happen by other Princes especially seing of late he had refused to come to the generall Councell at Uincence being thereto inuited both by the Emperor other forraigne poteÌ„tates as ye haue heard before And therfore although he had reiected the Pope out of this Realme yet because he woulde declare himselfe neuerthelesse to be a good Catholicke sonne of the mother Church and a withstander of new innouations and heresies as the blinde opinion of the world did then esteme them first he stretched out his hand to the condemning and burning of Lambert Anno. 1540. then after he gaue out those Iniunctions aboue prefixed now further to encrease this opinion with all men The Popes crafty factorâ— in England in the yeare next folowing which was of the Lorde 540. through the deuise and practise of certayne of the Popes factors about him he suÌ„moned a solemne ParliameÌ„t to be holden at Westminster the 28. day of Aprill of all the states and Burgeses of the Realme Also a Synode or conuocation of all the Archbishops Bishops and other learned of the Clergy of thys Realme to be in like maner assembled The Acte of the vi Articles In which ParliameÌ„t Synode or conuocation certein Articles maters and questions touching religioÌ„ were decreed by certein prelates The 6. Articles to the nuÌ„ber especially of 6. commonly called the 6. Articles or the whip with 6. stringes to be had receiued among the kings subiects in pretence of vnity But what vnity therof folowed y e groning harts of a great number and also the cruell death of diuers both in the dayes of K. Henry of Queene Mary can so well declare as I pray God neuer the lyke be felt hereafter The doctrine of these wicked articles in the bloudy act conteined although it be worthy of no memory amongest christen men but rather deserueth to be buried in perpetuall obliuion yet for that the office of history compelleth vs therunto for the more light of posterity to come faythfully and truly to comprise thinges done in the church as well one as another this shal be briefely to recapitulate y e suÌ„me effect of the foresayd 6. articles in order as they were geuen out and hereunder do folow The first Article THe first Article in this present Parliament accorded and agreed vpon was this that in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aultar by the strength and efficacy of Christes mighty worde it being spoken by the priest is present really vnder the forme of bread and wine the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ conceiued of the virgine Mary and that after the coÌ„secration there remayneth no substaunce of bread or Wyne or any other substance but the substance of Christ God and man The 2. Article Secondly that the communion in both
rooted out Scriptures reduced to the knowledge of the vulgarr tongue and the state of the Church and religion redressed Concerning all whyche things in the processe of thys volume heere folowing wee will endeuour Christe willing particularly and in order to discourse after that first we shall comprehende a fewe matters which within the beginning of hys raigne are to be noted and collected Where leauing of to write of Empson and Dudley who in the time of king Henry 7. being great doers in executing the penall lawes ouer the people at that time and purchasing thereby more malyce then lands with that whych they had gotten were shortly after the entring of this king beheaded the one a Knight the other an Esquier leauing also to intermeddle w t hys wars triumphes and other temporal affaires we meane in this volume principally to bestowe our trauaile in declaration of matters concerning moste chiefly the state of the Church and of religion as well in this Church of England as also of the whole Church of Rome Wherein first commeth to our handes a turbulent tragedie and a fierce contention which long before had troubled the Churche and nowe thys present yeare 1509. was renewed afresh betweene two certaine orders of begging friers to wit the Dominike friers and the Franciscanes about the Conception of the virgine Marye the mother of Christe The Franciscanes were they which did holde of S. Fraunces Franciscane Friers followed the rule of his testament commonly called Gray friers or Minorites Their opiniō was this that the virgine Mary preuented by the grace of the holy Ghost was so sanctified Dominicke Fryers that shee was neuer subiecte one moment in her conception to Original sinne The Dominike Friers were they which holding of Dominike were commonly called Blacke friers or preaching friers Theyr opinion was that the virgine Mary was conceiued as all other children of Adam be so that thys priuiledge onely belongeth to Christe to be conceiued wythout Originall sinne notwithstanding the sayd blessed virgin was sanctified in her mothers wombe and purged from her Original sinne so as was Iohn Baptist Ieremie or any other priuileged person This friuolous questiō kindling and gendring betweene these two sectes of friers brast out in suche a flame of partes and sides taking that it occupyed the heades and wits scholes and vniuersities almost through the whole Church some holding one parte wyth Scotus A troublous dissention in the Church for the conception of the Virgin Mary some the other parte with Thom. Aquine The Minorites holding with Scotus their maister disputed and concluded that she was conceiued without al spot or note of Original sinne and therupon caused the feast and seruice of the conception of S. Mary the virgine to be celebrate and solemnised in the Church Contrary the Dominike Friers taking side wyth Aquinas Whether the Virgin Mary was conceaued without originall sinne preached that it was heresie to affirme that the blessed virgine was conceiued without the guilte of Originall sinne and that they which did celebrate the feast of her Conception or sayd any Masses thereof did sinne greeuously and mortally In the meane time as thys fantasie waxed hote in the church the one side preaching against the other came pope Sixtus 4. Anno 1476. who ioyning side wyth the Minorites or Franciscanes first sent forth his decree by authoritie Apostolique willing ordaining and commaunding all men to solemnise thys new found feast of the conception in holy Church for euermore offering to al men and women A new foūd feast of the conception of the virgin Mary which deuoutly frequenting the church wold heare masse and seruice from the first euensong of the sayde feast to the Octaues of the same as many dayes of pardone as Pope Urbane the 4. and Pope Mactin the 5. did graunt for hearing the seruice of Corpus Christi day c. and thys Decree was geuen and dated at Rome An. 1476. Moreouer the same Pope to the entent that the deuotion of the people myght bee the more encouraged to the celebration of thys Conception hee added a clause more to the Aue Maria A new Aue Maria of the Popes making graunting great indulgence and release of sinnes to all such as woulde inuocate the blessed Uirgine wyth the same addition saying thus Aue Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus Christus benedicta sit Anna mater tua de qua sine macula tua processit caro virginea Amen That is Haile Marie full of grace the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Iesus Christ The Pope addeth to the wordes of the scripture and blessed is Anna thy mother of whome thy virgines flesh hath proceeded wythout blot of originall sinne Amen Wherin thou maist note gentle reader for thy learning three things First how the Pope turneth that vnproperly into a prayer whiche properly was sent of God for a message or tidinges Secondly howe the Pope addeth to the wordes of the Scripture 3. absurdities to be noted in this decree of the pope contrary to the expresse precept of the Lorde Thirdly howe the Pope exempteth Marye the blessed virgine not onely from the seede of Abraham and Adam but also frō the condition of a mortall creature For if there be in her no originall sinne then she beareth not the Image of Adam neither doth shee descende of that seede of whose sede euil proceedeth vpon al men and women to cōdemnation as S. Paul doth teach Rom. 5. Wherfore if she descende of that seede Rom. 5. then the infection of Originall euill must necessarily proceede vnto her If she descend not therof then commeth she not of the seede of Abraham nor of the seede of Dauid c. Againe seeing that death is the effect and stipende of sinne by the doctrine of S. Paule Roma 6. then had her flesh iniurye by the lawe as Christe hym selfe had to suffer the malediction and punishment of death Rom. 6. and so should neuer haue died if originall sinne had no place in her c. But to returne vnto our storie Thys constitution of the Pope being set foorth for the conception of the blessed virgin which was the yeare of our Lorde 1476. it was not long after but the sayde Pope Sixtus perceiuing that the Dominike friers with their complices wold not conforme themselues hereunto The tenour of the popes Bull for the conception of the virgin to be without original sinne directed foorth by the authority Apostolicall a Bul in effect as foloweth Sane cum sancta Romana ecclesia de intemeratae semperque virginis c In English Whereas the holy Churche of Rome hath ordained a speciall and proper seruice for the publique solemnising of the feast of the conception of the blessed virgin Mary certaine orders of the Blacke friers in their publique sermons to the
Christ of the strength of the law of the horrour of sinne of difference betwene the lawe and the Gospel of the true liberty of conscience c. no mētion or very litle was heard Wherefore in this so blinde time of darknes it was muche needefull and requisite that the Lord of his mercy shoulde looke vpon his churche send downe hys gratious reformation which also he did For shortly vpon the same thorowe the gratious excitation of God came Martine Luther of whome the order of story nowe requireth that we should and will intreat Christ willingly after the storie of Richard Hunne and a fewe other things premised for the better opening of the storie to folowe Mention was made sufficiently before of the doings of Pope Iulius Anno. 1510. and of hys warlike affaires for the whych he was condemned and not vniustly in the coūcell of Turone in Fraunce Pope Iulius plaieth the warrior Anno 1510. and yet all thys coulde not asswage the furious affection of this pope but the same yere he inuaded the Citie of Mutina and Mirandula in Italie Anno. 1512. and tooke them by force of warre Which Pope Iulius not long after The Pope ouercome in Battaile in the yeare of our Lorde 1512. refusing peace offered by Maximilian the Emperour was encountered by Lewes the French king about Rauenna vpon Easter day where he was vanquished and had of his army slaine to the number of xvj thousande Ex Chron. Carion And the yere next folowing Anno 1513. this Apostolical warriour Anno. 1513. which had resigned his keyes vnto the riuer of Tybris before made an end together both of fighting and liuing The death of Pope Iulius after he had raigned and fought x. yeeres Atter whome succeded next in the sea of Rome Pope Leo the 10. About the compasse of which time Pope Leo x great mutatiōs and stirres began to worke as well in states temporall as especially in the state of the Church Pope Leo 10. in Rome An. 1513. reigned 9. The state succession of Princes Charles 5. Emperour in Germanie An. 1519. reigned 39. Fraunces K. of France An. 1515. reigned 32. Henry 8. K. of England An. 1509. reigned 38. Iames 5. K. of Scotland An. 1514. reigned  In the time of which Pope Emperour and kinges of England and of France great alterations troubles and turnes of religion were wrought into the Churche by the mighty operation of Gods hand in Italy Fraunce Germanie Englande and all Europe suche as haue not bene seene although muche groned for many hundreth yeares before as in further discourse of this historie Christe willing more manifestly shall appeare But before wee come to these alterations taking the time as it lieth before vs wee will first speake of Richarde Hunne and certaine other godly minded persons heere in Englande afflicted for the woorde of Christes Gospell in great multitude as they be found and taken out of the Registers of Fitziames Bishop of London by the faithfull helpe and industry of R. Carket citizen of London The historie of diuers good men and women persecuted for religion in the Citie and Dioces of the Bishop of London briefly extracted out of the Registers of Richard Fitziames AMongest and besides the great number of the faithful martyrs and professours of Christe that constantly in the strength of the holy Ghost gaue their liues for the testimonie of his truthe Ex Registro Fitziames I finde recorded in the Register of London betwene the yeares of our Lorde 1509. and 1527. the names of diuers other persons both men and women who in the fulnes of that darke and mystie times of ignoraunce had also some portion of Gods good spirite whiche induced them to the knowledge of his trueth and Gospel and were diuersly troubled persecuted and imprisoned for the same notwithstanding by the proud cruell and bloudy rage of the Catholique seat and through the weaknes and frailtie of their owne nature not then fully strengthned in God it was againe in them for the time The professiō of the Protestantes no new doctrine suppressed and kept vnder as appeareth by their seueral abiuratiōs made before Richard Fitziames then bishop of London in hys time a most cruell persecutor of Christes church or els before his vicar general deputed for y e same And for asmuch as many of the aduersaries of Gods trueth haue of late dayes disdainefully and braggingly cried out and made demaunds in their publique assemblies and yet do asking where this our church and religion was wythin these 50. or 60. yeares I haue thought it not altogether vaine somewhat to stop such lying crakers both by mentioning theyr names and likewyse opening some of the chiefe and principal matters for which they wer so vnmercifully afflicted and molested thereby to geue to vnderstand as wel the continuaunce and consent of the true church of Christe in that age touching the chiefe poynts of our faith though not in like perfection of knowledge and cōstancie in all as also by the way something to touch what fond and friuolous matters the ignoraunt Prelates shamed not in that time of blindnesse to obiect against the poore simple people accounting them as heynous and great offences yea such as deserued death both of body and soule But least I shauld seeme too prolixe and tedious heerein I will nowe briefly proceede wyth the storie and first begin wyth theyr names whych are these Anno. 1510. Ioanne Baker William Pottyer Iohn Forge Thomas Goodred Thomas Walker alias Talbot Thomas Forge Alyce Forge Iohn Forge theyr son William Couper Lewes Iohn Ioanne Iohn Ihon Webbe alias Baker Anno. 1512. Iohn Houshold Robert Rascal Anno. 1517. Elizabeth Stanford George Browne Anno. 1518. Iohn Wykes Richard Butler Anno. 1511. Iohn Caluerton Anno. 1521 Iohn Woodrofe Richard Woolman Roger Hyllyar Anno. 1521. Alyce Couper Anno. 1523. Thomas Austye Ioanne Austye Thomas Graunt Iohn Garter Anno. 1526. Christofer Rauins Dionise Rauins Anno. 1527. Thomas Vincent Richard Butler Iohn Samme William Kyng Robert Durdant Henry Woolman Edmond Spilman Iohn Higges aliâs Noke aliâs Iohnsonne Henry Chambers Iohn Hynggyns Thomas Egleston Here foloweth the particular examination of all these heere aboue named To these were diuers and sundry particular Articles besides the common and generall sort accustomably vsed in such cases priuately obiected euen such as they were then accused of either by their curate or other their neighbours And because I thinke it somewhat superfluous to make any large recitall of all and euery part of their seuerall processe I minde therefore briefly only to touch so many of their articles as may be sufficient to induce the Christian Reader to iudge the sooner of the rest being I assure you of no greater importance then these that folow Except that sometime they were charged most slanderously with horrible and blasphemous lies against the maiestie and truth of God which as they vtterly
of Peter the one in his first Epistle the other in the latter and so be you contented with this present answer rashed vp in haste Fare ye hartily wel And comfort my William the good aged father by the grace of God which is in you Commende me to Iohn Eggenberge From Zuricke the 1. day of September An. 1527. FRom the first beginning of this whole booke and historie hitherto good reader thou hast hearde of many and sundry troubles much businesse in the church of Christe concerning the reformation of diuers abuses and great errors crept into the same namely in the Churche of Rome as appeareth by the doings of them in diuers and sundry places wherof mention hath bene made heretofore in this said historie For what godly man hath there bene wythin the space of these 500. yeares The corruption of the Sea of Rome continually cryed out against either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disprooued the misordred doings and corrupt examples of the See and Bishop of Rome from time to time vnto the cōming of this Luther Wherin this appeareth to me may also appeare no lesse to al godly disposed mē to be noted not without great admiration that seeing this foresaid Romish Bishop hath had great ennemies and gainsaiers continually from time to time both speaking working preaching and wryting against him yet notwithstanding neuer any could preuail before the comming of this man The cause whereof although it be secretely knowen vnto God and vnknowen vnto men yet so farre as men by cōiectures may suppose it may thus not vnlikely be thought That whereas other men before him speaking against the pomp pride whoredom and auarice of the Bishop of Rome charged him only or most specially with examples and maners of life Luther went further with hym charging him not wyth life but with his learning not with doings but with his doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote not seeking the man but shaking his seate yea charging him with plaine heresie The Pope charged with heresie by Luther as preiudicial and resisting plainly against the bloud of Christ cōtrary to the true sense and direct vnderstanding of the sacred testament of Gods holy woord For whereas the foundation of our faith grounded vpon the holy scripture teacheth leadeth vs to be iustified onely by the worthines of Christ the onely price of his bloud The foundation of the Popes doctrine contrarye to Christen faith the Pope proceeding with a contrary doctrine teacheth vs otherwyse to seeke our saluation not by Christ alone but by the way of mennes meriting and deseruing by works Wherupon rose diuers sorts of orders religious sects amongst men some professing one thing and some an other euery man seeking his owne vnrighteousnes but few seking the righteousnes of him which is set vp of God to be our righteousnes redemption and iustification Martin Luther therefore vrging reducing things to the foundation and touchstone of the Scripture Iustification by faith reuiued by Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darknes Whereupon it can not be expressed what ioy comforte and consolation came to the hearts of men some lying in darknes and ignoraunce some wallowing in sinne some being in despaire some macerating them selues by woorkes and some presuming vppon their owne righteousnesse to beholde that glorious benefite of the greate libertie and free iustification set vp in Christ Iesus And briefly to speake the more glorious the benefite of this doctrine appeared to the world after long ignoraunce the greater persecution followed vppon the same And where the elect of God tooke most occasion of comfort and of saluation thereof the aduersaries tooke moste matter of vexation disturbance As commonly we see the true woord of God to bring with it euer dissention and perturbation and therefore truely it was sayde of Christ That he came not to send peace on earth but the swoorde Math. 10. And this was the cause why that after the doctrine and preaching of Luther so great troubles and persecutions followed in all quarters of the world Great persecution after the doctrine of Luther wherby rose great disquietnesse among the Prelates and many lawes and decrees were made to ouerthrowe the same by cruell handling of many good and Christian men Thus while authoritie armed wyth lawes and rigour did striue againste simple veritie lamentable it was to heare howe many poore men were troubled and went to wracke some tost from place to place some exiled out of the land for fear some caused to abiure some driuen to caues in woodes some racked wyth torment and some pursued to deathe wyth fagot and fire Of whom we haue nowe Christ willing in this hystorie following to entreat first begynning with certaine that suffered in Germanie then to returne to our owne stories and Martyrs here in England Henry Voes and Iohn Esch Friers Augustines IN the yeare of our Lorde 1523. two young menne were burnt at Bruxelles the one named Henry Uoes Two Fryers burned at Bruxelles being of the age of 24. yeares and the other Iohn Esch whych before had bene of the order of the Augustine Friers They were disgraded the first day of Iulie and spoiled of theyr friers weede at the suite of Egmondanus the Popes Inquisitour and the diuines of Louaine Egmondanus and Hochestratus doctors of Louain persecuters for that they would not retracte and deny their doctrine of the Gospell which the Papistes call Lutheranisme Theyr examiners were Hochestratus and other who demaunded of them what they did beleeue They sayde the bookes of the olde Testament and the newe wherein were contained the Articles of the Creede Then were they asked whether they beleued the decrees of the Councels and of the Fathers They sayde such as were agreeing to the Scripture Their examination they beleeued After thys they proceeded further asking whether they thought it any deadly sinne to transgresse the decrees of the fathers and of the bishop of Rome That said they is to be attributed onely to the precepts of God to binde the conscience of man or to loose it Wherein when they cōstantly persisted and would not turne they were condemned and iudged to be burned Then they beganne to geue thanks to God their heauenly father which had deliuered them through his great goodnes from the false and abhominable priesthoode had made of them priests of his holy order receiuing thē vnto him as a sacrifice of sweete odor Then there was a bill written which was deliuered vnto them to read opēly before the people to declare what faith and doctrine they helde The cause of their accusation Martirdōe The greatest error that they were accused of was that men ought to trust only in God for so much as men are liers and deceitful in all their words and deedes and therefore there ought no trust or
Franciscan Fryers of Paris caused him to be apprehēded layd in prison and so iudgement passed vpon hym that he shoulde be hanged but he to saue hys lyfe was contented to recant and so did The Fryers hearing of his recantation commended him saying if he continued so he should be saued and so calling vpon the officers caused them to make haste to the gallowes to hang hym vp while he was yet in a good way said they least he fall again And so was this marchaunt The iudgements of God notwithstanding hys recantation hanged for iesting against the Fryers Ex. Pantal. lib. 7. To this marchaunt may also be adioyned y e brother of Tamer who when hee had before professed the truth of the gospell and afterward by the counsel and instruction of hys brother was remooued from the same fell in desperation and such sorrow of mind that he hanged himselfe Ex Ioan. Manlio in dictis Phil. Melanct.  Tho. Galbergne a Couerlet maker At Tourney Ann. 1554. This Tho. had copied out certayn spiritual songes out of a book in Geneua whiche he brought wyth hym to Tourna lent y e same to one of hys felowes This booke beyng espied Thomas Galbergne martyr he was called for of the Iustice examyned of the book which he sayd contayned nothyng but y t was agreing to the scripture that he would stand by Then he was had to y e Castle and after xix dayes was brought to the towne house and there adiudged to the fire Whereūto he went chearfully singing psalmes As hee was in y e flame the Warden of the fryers stood crying Turne Thomas Thomas yet it is tyme remember hym y t came at the last houre To whom he cryed out of the flame with a loud voyce and I trust to be one of that sort and so calling vpon the name of the Lord gaue vp hys spirite Ex Crisp. lib. 4. Nicholas Paule martyr Adde also to this one Nicholas Paul beheaded at Gaunt These two should haue bene placed amōg the Dutch Martyrs in the table before Latrunculator or vnder Marshal or examiner of Dolphenie The Lieutenant His Attourney His Scribe Rich. Feurus a goldsmith At Lyons An. 1554. Feurus a Goldesmith borne at Rhoan first being in Englād Richard Feurus martyr and in London there receiued the taste and knowledge of Gods word as in hys owne Epistle hee recordeth Then he went to Geneua where he remayned 9. or 10. yeares From thēce returning to Lions there was apprehended and condemned Then he appealed to the hye court of Paris through the motion of his friends Where in the waye as hee was led to Paris he was met by certain whome he knew not and by them taken frō hys keepers and so set at libertie which was ann 1551 After the continuing at Geneua about y e space of iii. yeares he came vppon busines to the prouince of Dolphenie and there as he found faulte wyth the grace sayd in Latine he wak detected and taken in hys Inne in the night by the vndermarshall or him which had the examination of malefactours The next day he was sent to the Iustice from him to the bishop Who ridding their handes of him then was he brought to the Lieuetenaunt who sent his aduocate w t a notary to him in the prison The examination of Richard Feurus to examine hym of his fayth The whole processe of his examinatiōs w t his aduersaryes and the fryers in his story described is long y e principal contents come to this effect Inquisitour This Inquisitor was the Aduocate which the Lieutenant sent with the Notarie Doest thou beleue the Church of Rome The Martyr No I do beleue the Catholicke and vniuersall Church Inquisitour What Catholicke church is that The Martyr The congregation or communion of Christans Inquisitour The church What congregation is that or of whom doth it consist The Martyr It consisteth in the number of Gods elect whō God hath chosen to be the members of his sonne Iesus Christ of whome he is also the head Inquisitour Where is the congregation or how is it knowē The Martyr It is dispersed through the vniuersall world in diuers regions and is knowne by the spirituall direction wherwith it is gouerned that is to say both by thy word of God and by the right institution of Christes Sacramentes Inquisitor Do ye thinke the Church that is at Geneua Lausanna Berne and suche other places to be a more true Church then the holy church of Rome The Martyr Yea verily for these haue the notes of the true Church Inquisitour Difference betweene the church of Rome and the church of Christ. What difference then make you betweene those Churches and the Church of Rome The Marytr Muche for the Churche of Rome is gouerned onely with traditions of men but those are ruled only by the word of God Inquisitor Where learned you this doctrine first The Martyr In England at London Inquisitour How long haue ye bene at Geneua The Martyr About 9. or 10. yeares Inquisitor Doest thou not beleue the virgine Mary to be a mediatrix and aduocate to God for sinners The virgin Mary no aduocate The Martyr I beleue as in the worde of God is testified Iesus Christ to be onely mediator and aduocate for all sinners Albeit the virgine Mary be a blessed womā yet the office of an aduocate belongeth not vnto her Inquisitor The Sayntes that be in Paradice haue they no power to pray for vs Whether saintes doe praye The Martyr The church of Rome is not the church of christ No but I iudge thē to be blessed to be contēted with y e grace glory whiche they haue that is that they be counted the members of the sonne of God Inquisitor And what then iudge you of them which follow the religion of the Church of Rome think you them to be Christians The Martyr No for that churche is not gouerned with y e spirite of God but rather fighteth agaynst the same Inquisitor Do you then esteme all them which seperate them selues from the Churche of Rome to be Christians The Martyr Galat. 6. I haue not to aunswere for others but onely for my selfe Euery man sayth S. Paule shall beare hys owne burden And thus the aduocate when he had asked hym whether he would put his hand to that he had sayd and had obtayned the same departed to dinner At the next examination was brought vnto him a Franciscan fryer who first entring with hym touthing the wordes y t he spake in hys Inne asked him why that grace might not be said in Latine Because sayd he by the worde of God Christians are commaunded to pray with hart and with spirite and with that tongue which is most vnderstanded and serueth best to the edification of the hearers Then the Fryer bringing forth his Benedicite Agimus tibi gratias c. Laus Deo pax viuis requies defunctis
they could to make him reuolte they helped the hangman to beare him all broken and dismembred as hee was vnto the heape of wood where they tyed him to a chayne of yron which was let downe vppon the fagottes Romian seing himself to be alone lying vpon the wood began to pray to God Whereat y e fryers being moued ranne to him agayne to cause hym to say Aue Maria. Which when he would not do Crueltie of Friers they were so furious that they plucked tare hys beard In all these anguishes the meeke saynt of God had recourse still to God in hys prayers beseeching him to geue him pacieÌ„ce TheÌ„ left they him lying as dead But so soone as they descended down from the wood he began to pray to God agayne in such sort as one would haue thought that he had felt no hurt Then an other greate Fryer supposing to doe more wyth hym then the rest came vp to the wood vnto hym to admonish him Romian thought at first that he had bene a faythfull Christian by his gentle speach but afterward when he vrged him to pray to the virgyn Mary he desred him to depart and let him alone in peace As soone as he was departed Romiane lifted vp hys head and hys eyes on hye praying God to assyste him in his great temptation Then a certayn father a Warden to bring the people in more hatred cryed out and sayd he blasphemeth A slaundering Fryer hee blasphemeth he speaketh agaynst the blessed virgin Mary Wherat Barbosi cryed stop hys mouth let hym be gagged The people cried to the fire let him be burned Then the hangman set fire to the straw Crucifice Câ—ucifige 〈◊〉 The cruell death and mâ—â—tyrdome of blessed Romian and little stickes that were about which incontinent were set on fire Romian still remayned hanging in the ayre till he dyed and was burned all his nether partes well neare when he was seene to lift vp his head to heauen mouing his lips without any cry and so thys blessed saint rendred his spirite to God Of this assemble there were diuers iudgements sondry bruites Some sayde that if good men had bene about him it had gone better with him that those priests monks which were about him were whoremaisters infamous Other sayd that he had wrong and that an hundreth of that company there were which more deserued death then he especially among theÌ„ which condeÌ„ned him Other went away marueling disputing of his death and doctrine And thus was the course finished of this valiaunt thrise blessed martyr and seruaunt of the Lord Iesus the sonne of God Ex Crisp. lib. 6 pag. 902. The Conuent of the Iacobin Friers at Dyion A Priest of Dyion Fraunces Ciuaux At Dyion Ann. 1558. Frances Ciuaux martyr Thys Fraunces Ciuaux was Secretarye to the Frenche Ambassadour here in England in Queene Maries time Who afterward beeing desirous to heare y e worde of God went to Geneua Also he was placed to be Secretary to the Senate or counsayle of Geneua wher he continued about the space of a yeare Hauing then certaine busines hee came to Dyion There was the same tyme a priest that preached at Dyion such doctrine where at the sayd Fraunces being worthely offended came friendly vnto the priest and reasoned with him touching his doctrine shewing by the Scriptures how and where he had erred The priest excused himselfe that he was not so well instructed to dispute but he would bring hym y e next day to a certayne learned man whom he knew there in the towne and desired the sayd Fraunces to go with him to breakfast where he would be glad to heare them two in conference together Whereunto when Fraunces had consented the priest incontineÌ„t went to the Iacobine Friers where the matter was thus contriued A priuy Iudas that at the breakefast time Frances there vnawares should be apprehended When the next day came y e priest brought FrauÌ„ces according to his appoyntmeÌ„t to a Iacobine frier who pretending much fayre friendship vnto him as one glad desirous of his coÌ„pany besought hym to take a breakefast with him the next morowe and there they woulde enter conference together Wyth this also Fraunces was content to prepare hymselfe the better to that conflict sat vp almost all the night writing with his fellow The next morow as Fraunces with his fellowe were preparing themselues toward the breakfast the Iacobin in y e meane time went to the Iustice of the towne to admonishe him to be ready at the time and place appoynted Thus as the Iacobin was standing at the Iustices doore the companion of Fraunces seeing the Fryer there stand began to mistrust with himselfe tolde Fraunces Frances admonished by hys dreame willing him to beware the Fryer Moreouer the same night Fraunces had in his dreame y t the sayde Fryer shoulde commit him to the Iustice. But hee either not caring for his dreames or els not much passing for the daunger committed hymselfe to the handes of God and went As they were together disputing in the Couent of the Iacobines Fraunces thus betrayed of the priest was apprehended by the Officers caried to Prison and within seuen dayes after being Saterday before the Natiuity of the Lord was brought to the place of execution where first he was strangled and then burned Ex scripto testimonio Senatus Geneuesis And as touching the felow companion of this Fraunces aboue mentioned he was also apprehended with hym and put in prison but because he was but a young nouice and yet not fully confirmed he recanted and was deliuered Priestes of Rochelle Manroy a priest The Lieuetenaunt of Rochelle The Cardinall of Lorraine Magistri S. Andre Peter Arondeau At Paris Ann. 1559. The town of Rochelle Peter Arondeau martyr as it is a place of great commoditie because of the Sea so was it not inferiour to other good Townes in Fraunce for nourishing and suporting the holy assembles of the Lorde Unto the whiche towne about the yeare of our Lorde 1559. resorted one Peter Arondeau a maÌ„ of base condition with a little packet of mercery ware there to sel who there being knowen to adioyne hymselfe to the church and congregatioÌ„ of y e faithfull was demaunded of certayne Ministers of Antichrist whether he would goe to heare Masse or no. The Masse He sayd that he had bene there to oste to hys great grief and that since the tyme that the Lorde had taken the vayle from hys eyes he knewe the Masse to be abhominable forged in the shop of the enemy of all mankinde They to whome hee thus aunswered were Priestes amongest whom was one named Monroy who taking the other there present for witnesses brought hym straight to the Lieuetenaunt The depositioÌ„ being taken and information made it was decreed incontinent y t his body shuld be attached And althogh by one of hys friendes hee was admonished to saue himself to
me to write any more and I had rather to speak it in priuate talke vnto your selfe Wherunto if you would admit me I trust you should not repent you thereof and vnto me Christ I take to my witnes it would be a great comfort in whom I wish you with all your flocke hartily well to feare Your prisoner and humble beadman vnto God for you Tho. Bilney Thus haue you the letters the abiuration and articles of Thomas Bilney Bilney cast 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 After which abiuration made about y t yeare of our Lord. 1529. the sayd Bilney tooke such repentaunce sorrow that he was neare the poynt of vtter dispayre as by y e wordes of M. Latimer is credibly testified whose wordes for my better discharge I thought here to annex written in his seuenth Sermon preached before K. Edward which be these I knew a man my selfe Bilney litle Bilney y t blessed Martyr of God who what time he had borne his fagot was come again to Cambridge had such conflictes within himselfe beholding this Image of death that his friendes were afrayde to let him be alone They were fayne to be with him day and night and comfort him as they could but no comfortes would serue And as for the comfortable places of Scripture to bringe theÌ„ vnto him it was as though a man should runne him thorough the hart with a sword Yet for all this he was reuiued and tooke his death paciently and dyed well agaynst the tyrannicall sea of Rome Haec Latim Serm. 7. Agayn the sayd M. Latimer speaking of Bilney in an other of his sermons preached in Lincolnshyre hath these wordes following That same M. Bilney whiche was burnt here in England for gods words sake was induced and perswaded by his frendes to beare a fagot at the tyme when the Cardinall was aloft and bare the swinge Now when the same Bilney came to Cambridge again a whole yeare after he was in such an anguish and agony that nothing did him good neyther eating nor drinking nor anye other communication of Gods worde for he thought that al the whole Scriptures were agaynst him and sounded to his condemnation So that I many a time commoned w t him or I was familiarly acquaynted with him but all thinges whatsoeuer any man could allege to his comforte seemed vnto him to make agaynst him Yet for all that afterward he came againe God indued him with such strength and perfectnes of fayth that he not onely confessed hys faith in y e Gospell of our Sauiour Iesu Christ but also suffered his body to be burned for that same Gospels sake which we now preach in England c. Haec ille Ser. 8. fol. 132 Furthermore in the first sermon of the said M. Latimer before the Dutches of Suffolk fol. 5. he yet speaking more of Bilney inferreth as followeth Here I haue sayth hee occasion to tell you a story which happened at Cambridge M. Bilney or rather S. Bilney y t suffered death for gods words sake Latimer called 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—uerted â—y Bilney the same Bilney was the instrument wherby God called me to knowledge For I may thanke him next to God for that knowledge that I haue in y e word of god For I was an obstinate papist as any was in Englande insomuch that when I should be made bacheler of Diuinitie my whole Oration went against Phillip Melancthon and agaynst his opinions Bilney heard me at that tyme and perceaued that I was zelous without knowlege and came to me afterward in my study and desired me for gods sake to heare his confession I dyd so and to say y e trueth by his confession I learned more then afore in many yeres So from that tyme forward I began to smell the word of God and forsake the Schoole doctors and such fooleries c. And much more he hath of the same matter which ye may see hereafter in the lyfe of M Latimer By this it appeareth howe vehemently this good man was pearced with sorow and remorse for his abiuration y e space almost of 2. yeares Bilney returneth agayne from his abiuration that is from the yeare 1529. to the yeare 1531. It followed then that he by Gods grace good counsayle came at length to some quiet of conscience being fully resolued to geue ouer his life for the confession of that truth which before he had renounced And thus being fully determined in hys minde and setting hys time he tooke his leaue in Trinitie hall at ten of the clocke at nyght of certayne of hys frendes and sayd that he would go to Ierusalem alluding belike to the words examples of christ in the Gospel going vp to Ierusalem Nam faâ—â—cius eâ—ats 〈◊〉 Hâ—â—â—osolyâ—â— Bilney â—â—â—eth vpoâ— Hâ—eâ—usaâ—â—â— what time he was appoynted to suffer his passion And so Bilney meanyng to geue ouer hys life for the testimony of Christes Gospell told his frends y t he woulde goe vp to Ierusalem and so would see theÌ„ no more immediately departed to Northfolk there preached first priuely in housholdes to coÌ„firm the brethren and sisterne and also to confirme the anchres whom he had conuerted to Christ. Then preached he opeÌ„ly in y e fieldes confessing his fact and preaching publickely y t doctrine which he before had abiured to be the very trueth willed all men to beware by hym and neuer to trust to theyr fleshly frends in causes of religion And so setting forward in his iourny toward the celestiall Ierusalem hee departed from thence to the Anchres in Norwiche there gaue her a new testament of Tindals translation and the obedience of a Christian man whereupon hee was apprehended and caryed to prison there to remayne till y t blynde bishop Nixe sent vp for a writte to burne hym In the meane season the Fryers and religious men with the residue of theyr Doctours Ciuill and Canon resorted to him 4. Orden of Fryers against Bilney busily labouring to perswade hym not to die in those opinions saying he shoulde be damned body and soule if he so continued Among whome first were sent to him of the byshop Doct. Call minister as they call him or Prouinciall of the graye Fryers and Doct. Stokes an Augustine Fryer Doct. Call and Doct. Stokes sent to dispute with Bilney Doct. Call called by Bilney who lay with hym in prison in disputation till the writte came that he should be burned Doctor Call by the word of God through the meanes of Bilneys doctrine good life wherof he had good experience was somewhat reclaymed to the Gospelles side Doct. Stokes remayned obdurate and doth yet to this day whose heart also the Lorde if it be hys will reforme open the eyes of his old age that he may forsake the former blyndnes of his youth An other great doer agaynst him was one Fryer Byrd with one eye Prouinciall of the white Friers This Byrde was a Suffragane in Couentry and after
pleasure I must disburse money to pay for thē or els I cannot haue them so I will assure you to haue euery booke of them that is printed vnsolde The Bishop thinking he had God by the toe sayd do your diligence gētle Maister Packington get thē for me I wil pay whatsoeuer they cost Augustine Packington the Byshop of Londons marchaunt for I entend to burne destroy them all at Paules Crosse. This Augustine Packington went vnto William Tyndall and declared the whole matter and so vppon compact made betweene them the Bishop of London had the bookes Packington had the thankes Tindall had the money After this Tindall corrected the same new Testaments agayn and caused them to be newly imprinted so that they came thicke and threefolde ouer into England When the Bishop perceaued that hee sent for Packington and sayde to him how commeth this y t there are so many new Testamentes abroad you promised me that you would buy them all Then aunswered Packington surely I bought all that was to be had but I perceiue the haue printed more since I see it will neuer be better so long as they haue letters and stamps wherfore you were best to buy the stamps too so you shal be sure At whiche aunswere the Bishop smiled and so the matter ended In short space after it fortuned y t George Constantine was apprehended by syr Thomas More George Constantine which was then Chauncellour of England suspected of certayne heresies during the time that hee was in the custodye of M. More After diuers communications amongest other thinges M. More asked of hym saying Cōstantine I would haue thee playne with me in one thing that I will aske and I promise thee I will shew thee fauour in all other thyngs wherof thou art accused There is beyond the Sea Tyndall Ioye and a great meany of you I knowe they can not liue w tout helpe There are some that help and succour them with money and thou beyng one of them haddest thy part therof and therfore knowest from whence it came I pray thee tell me who be they that helpe them thus My Lord quoth Constantine I will tell you truely it is the Bishop of London that hath holpen vs for he hath bestowed among vs a great deale of mony vppon new Testamentes to burne them and that hath bene and yet is our only succour and comfort Now by my truth quoth More I thinke euen the same for so much I told the Bishop before he went about it Of this Georg Constantine moreouer it is reported by Syr Tho. More that he being taken and in holde Out of Mores preface agaynst Tyndall seemed wel content to renounce hys former doctrine not onely to disclose certayne other of hys fellowes but also studyed deuised how those books which he himselfe and other of his fellowes had brought and shipped might come to the Bishops hands to be burned and shewed to the foresayd Syr Tho. More Chauncellour the shipmans name that had them and the markes of the fardels George Constantine a discloser of his fellowes by the whiche the bookes afterward were taken burned Besides this hee is reported also to haue disclosed diuers of his companiōs of whome some were abiured after some had abiured before as Rich. Necton who was committed to Newgate vpon the same and is thought there to haue dyed in prison or els had not escaped theyr handes but should haue suffered burning if the reporte of M. More be to be credited More in hys preface agaynst Tindall Notwithstanding the same Constantine afterward by the helpe of some of hys frendes George Constantine a troubler of Ferrat Bishop of S. Dauids escaped out of prison ouer the seas and after that in the time of king Edward was one of them that troubled the good Bishop of S. Dauids which after in Queene Maryes tyme was Burned But of Constantine enough Mention was made in the leafe before pag. 1040. how the Byshops had procured of the king a proclamation to be set forth in the yeare of our Lorde 990. for the abolishing of diuers bookes aforenamed and also for y e withstanding of al such as taught or preached any thing agaynst the dignitie and ordinaunces of the Church of Rome Upon this proclamation insued great persecution and trouble against y e poore innocēt flock of Christ as here following you may see with the sayd proclamation also prefixed before y e same the tenour whereof is this * A proclamation for resisting and withstanding of most damnable heresies sowen within this realme by the disciples of Luther and other heretikes peruerters of Christes religion THe king our soueraigne Lord of his most vertuous and gratious disposition This proclamation was made throughout all England the yeare of our Lorde 1519. and the 21. yeare of K. Henry 8. considering that this noble realme of England hath of long tyme continued in the true Catholicke fayth of Christes religion and that his noble progenitours kinges of thys hys sayd realme haue before thys tyme made and enacted many deuout lawes statutes and ordinaunces for the mayntenaunce and defence of the sayde fayth agaynst the malicious and wicked sectes of heretickes and Lollardes who by peruersion of holye Scripture do induce the erroneous opinions sow sedition amōg Christen people and finally disturbe the peace and tranquillitie of Christē realmes as late happened in some parties of Germany where by the procurement and sedition of Martin Luther and other heretickes wer slayn an infinite number of Christen people cōsidering also that as well by the corruption malice of indiscrete preachers sautors of the sayd erroneous sects as by certayn hereticall and blasphemous bookes lately made and priuily sent into this realme by the disciples fautors adherents of the sayd Martin Luther other heretickes the kings subiects are like to be corrupted vnlesse his highnes as the defēsor of the faith do put to his most gracious helpe authoritie royal to the due speedy reformation thereof his highnes therfore lyke a most gracious Prince of his blessed vertuous disposition for the incomparable zeale which he hath to Christes religion faith for the singular loue affection that he beareth to all his good subiects of this his realme specially to the saluation of their soules according to his office duetye in that behalfe willeth and intendeth to prouide with all cōuenient expedition that this his noble realme may be preserued frō the said pestiferous cursed seditious errours And for as much as his highnes is credibly informed that some of the said errours be already sowen spread within this his realme partly by the corruption of indiscreete preachers partlye by erroneous bookes compiled printed written as well in the English tongue as in latine other languages repleat with most venemous heresies blasphemies slaunders intollerable to the cleane eares of any good
it may be to the health and saluation of thy soule and to the extirpation feare terrour and conuersion of al other heretickes vnto the vnitie of the Catholike faith This our finall decree by this our sentence definitiue we haue caused to be published in forme aforesaid Monday the xx of Nouember 1531. In the Queere of the Cathedrall Church of S. Paul before the saide Iohn Byshop of London iudicially sitting Anno. 1531. being assisted with Iohn Abbot of Westminster and Robert Abbot of Waltham Nicholas Prior of Christes Church in London these honorable Lordes being also present Henry Earle of Essex Richard Gray brother of the Marques of Somerset Iohn Lambert Maior of London Richard Gresham and Edward Altam Shrieffes the which Maior and Shriues were required to be there present by the Byshop of Londons letters hereafter written Of this statute read before and by vertue of a statute of king Henry the fourth king of Englande also in the presence of diuers Chanons the Chauncellour Officiall and Archdeacon of London with the Byshops Chaplaines and a great number both of the Clergie and Laitie Mathew Grefton the Register beyng also there present M. Rich. Bayfild aliâs Somersam was brought forth by Thomas Turnor the Aparator hys keeper M. Rich. Bayfild agayne brought before the â—yshop in whose presence the transumpt of the Apostolicke Bull of Pope Leo the x. vpon the condemnation of Martine Luther and his adherentes was brought foorth and shewed sealed with the seale of Thomas Wolsey late Legate de Latere and subscribed with the signe and name of M. Robert Tunnes publike Notary and also the decree vpon the condemnation of certain bookes brought in by him sealed with the seale of the Archbyshop of Canterbury and subscribed by three Notaries Then the Byshop of London repeated in effecte before him his abiuration which he had before made and other hys demerites committed and done beside his abiuration and the sayde Baifield saide that he was not culpable in the articles that were obiected against hym and desired that the heresies contained in the bookes whiche he brought ouer might be declared in open audience Then the Byshop after certeine talke had with the saide Bayfield as touching the desert of his cause asked hym whether he could shewe any cause why he should not be deliuered ouer vnto the seculer power and be pronounced as a relaps and suffer punishment as a relaps The sayd Baifield declared or propouÌ„ded no cause but said y t he brought ouer those bookes for lacke of money and not to sowe any heresies And incontinent the sayd Bayfield with a vehement spirite as it appeared sayde vnto the Byshop of Lond. the life of you of the spiritualtie is so euill that yee be heretickes and ye doe not onely liue euill The saying of Rich. Bayfilde to the Byshop of London but doe maintaine euill liuing and also do let that what true lyuing is may not be knowen saide that their liuing is agaynst Christes Gospell and that their beliefe was neuer taken of Christes Church Then the sayde Byshop after long deliberation had for so much as the sayd Rich. Bayfield he sayd could shew no cause why he should not be declared as relaps he read the decree and sentence against him by the which amongest other thinges he condemned him as an heretike and pronounced him to be punished with the punishment due vnto such as fall againe into heresie and by his wordes did disgrade him Sentence against Rich. Bayfilde and also declared that hee shoulde be actually disgraded as is more at large conteined in the long sentence The foresayd sentence being so read by the Byshop of London he proceeded immediatly to the actual solemne disgradyng of the sayd Richard Bayfild aliâs Somersam and there solemnely and actually disgraded him before the people the which thing being done he dismissed him by the sentence aforesayd from the Ecclesiasticall Court Wherupon the secular power being there present receiued him vnto their iurisdiction without any writte in that behalfe obtained but only by vertue of the Byshops letters by the statute of kyng Henry the .4 in that behalfe prouided and directed vnto them vnder the Bishops seale The tenour oâ— which letters here after folow * The Letters of requirie directed to the Maior and Shiriffes of the Citie of London that they should be present that day when the sentence should be giuen to receiue the heretike as they called him that was condemned IHon by the permission of God Byshop of London vnto our dearely beloued in Christ The letterâ— of â—â—quiry to the 〈◊〉 and Shiriffes of London the right honourable Lord Maior of the Citie of London and the Shiriffes of the same health grace and benediction Whereas we haue already by our Vicar general proceeded in a certaine cause of heresie and relaps into the same against one Richayd Bayfilde alias Somersam and intende vpon Monday next beeing the xx day of this present moneth of Nouember to giue a sentence definitiue against the saide Richard Bayfild alias Somersam and to leaue and deliuer him ouer vnto the secular power We require you the Lord Maior and Shiriffes aforesaid the Kinges Maiesties Vicegerentes euen in the bowels of Iesu Christ that according to the forme and effect of the statute of our most noble and famous prince in Christ our Lord the Lord Henry the fourth by the grace of God late King of England that you will be personally present in the Queere of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paule with your fauourable ayde and assistance in this behalfe the day that the sentence shall be giuen and to receiue the said Richard Bayfild aliâs Somersam after his sentence so giuen to discharge vs and our Officers and to doe further according to the tenour and effect of the saide statute as farre as shal be required of you according to the Canonical Sanctions and the laudable custome of the famous kingdome of England in this behalfe accustomed In witnesse whereof wee haue set our seale vnto this present Dated the 19 day of Nouember An. 1531. and in the first yeare of our consecration On Monday the xx day of Nouember in the yeare aforesaid in the Queere of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paule the byshop of London calling vnto him Iohn Abbot of Westminster Robert Abbot of Waltam Nicholas Prior of Christes Church of the Citie of London maister Iohn Coxe Auditor and Uicare generall to the Archebyshop of Canterbury Peter Ligham Official of the Court of Caunterbury Thomas Baghe Chauncellour of the Church of S. Paules William Clief Archdeacon of London Iohn Incent Chanon residentary of the same William Brytton Robert Birch and Hugh Aprice Doctours of both lawes in the presence of vs Mathew Grefton Register Antony Hussy Richard Martin and Thomas Shadwall publicke Notaries and Scribes appoynted in this behalfe briefly rehearsed the aunsweres of the same Bayfild in effect and his abiuration other
God to deliuer him for he gate out in a darcke night so was caught no more but dyed within a short time after In this yeare also as we do vnderstaÌ„d by diuers notes of old Registers and otherwise Roy burned in Portâ—â—gâ—lâ— Frier Roy was burned in Portugale but what his examination or articles or order of his death was we can haue no vnderstaÌ„ding but what his doctrine was it may be easely iudged by the testimonies which he left here in England In y e beginning of this yeare which we are now about through the complaynt of the Clergy made to the king the translation of the new Testament with a great number of other bookes were forbiddeÌ„ For the Bishoppes comming into Starre chamber the 25· day of May and communing with the kinges Counsell after many pretences and long debating alledged that the translation of Tindall and Ioy were not truely translated and moreouer that in theÌ„ were Prologues and Prefaces The translation of the newe testament inhibited by the Bâ—â—hops The bishops coÌ„maunded by the kyng to set forth a new translatyoÌ„ of the newe testament that smelled of heresy and railed agaynst the Bishops wherefore all such bookes were prohibited and commaundement geuen by the king to the byshops that they calling to them the best learned men of the Uniuersities should cause a new translation to be made so that the people might not be ignoraÌ„t in the law of God Notwithstanding this commaundement the byshops did nothing at all to the setting forth of any new translation which caused the people much to study Tyndals translation by reason whereof many thinges came to light as ye shall hereafter heare This yeare also in the moneth of May the Byshop of London caused all the new Testaments of Tindals translation and many other bookes which he had bought to be brought â—nto Paules Churchyard and there openly to be burned ¶ Iames Bainham Lawyer and Martyr IAmes Bainham Gentleman sonne to one M. BainhaÌ„ a knight of Glocestershyre Iames Bayâ—â—â—m Mâ—â—tyr being vertuously brought vp by his parents in the studies of good letters had knowledge both of the Latine the Greeke tongue After that he gaue himselfe to the study of the lawe beinge a man of vertuous disposition godly conuersation mightely addicted to prayer an earnest reader of y e Scriptures a great mainteiner of the godly a visitor of the prisoners liberall to scholers very mercifull to his clients vsing equity and iustice to the poore very diligent in geuing counsell to all the needy widowes fatherles and afflicted without mony or reward briefely a singular example to al Lawyers This M. Bainham as is aboue noted maryed the wife of Symon Fishe aforesayd for the which he was the more suspected and at last was accused to Syr Tho. More Chauncellor of England and arrested with a Sergeant at Armes and caryed out of the middle Temple to the Chauncellors house at Chelsey where he continued in free prison a while till the time that Syr Tho. More sawe hee could not preuayle in peruerting of him to his secte Then he cast him in prison in his owne house and whipped hym at the tree in his garden called the tree of troath and after sent him to the Tower to be racked and so he was Syr Tho. More being present himselfe till in a maner hee had lamed him because he would not accuse the Gentlemen of the Temple of his acquayntaunce nor woulde not shewe where his bookes lay and because his wife denyed them to be at his house she was sent to the Fleet their goodes confiscate After they had thus practised agaynst hym what they coulde by tortures and tormentes then was he brought before Iohn Stokesly Bishop of London the 15. of DeceÌ„ber an 1531. in the sayd towne of Chelsey and there examined vpon these Articles and interrogatories ensuing FIrst whether he beleued there were anye Purgatory of soules hence departed Interrogatoryes ministred to Baynham Wherunto he made aunswere as foloweth If we walke in light euen as he is in light we haue society together with him and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne hath clensed vs from all sinne If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. If we confesse our sinne he is fathfull and iust and will forgeue vs our sinnes and will purge vs from all our iniquityes 2. Secondly whether the Sayntes hence departed are to to be honored and prayed vnto to pray for vs. Aunswere To which he aunswered on this wise My litle children I write this vnto you that you sinne not If any man do sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not onely for our sinnes but also the sinnes of the whole world And further vpon occasion of these wordes Omnes sancti Dei orate pro nobis being demaunded what he ment by these wordes Omnes sancti he aunswered that he meant them by those that were aliue as S. Paule did by the Corinthians and not by those that be dead Omnes sancti dei for he prayed not to them he sayde because he thought that they which be dead cannot pray for him Item when the whole church is gathered together they vse to pray one for an other or desire one to pray for an other with one hart and that the will of the Lord may be fulfilled and not ours and I pray sayd he as our Sauior Christ prayd at his last houre Father take this cuppe froÌ„ me if it be possible yet thy will be fulfilled 3 Thirdly he was demaunded whether he thought that any soules departed were yet in heauen or no. To this he answered and sayd That he beleued that they be thete as it pleaseth god to haue them that is to say Aunswere Soâ—les departed in the faith of Abraham and that herein he would commit himselfe to the Church 4. Fourthlye it was demaunded of him whether hee thought it necessary to saluation for a man to confesse his sinnes to a Priest Whereunto his aunswere was this Aunswere That it was lawfull for one to confesse and knowledge his sinnes to another As for any other confession he knew none Confession and remission of sinnes And further he sayd that if he came to a Sermon or any other where where as the worde of God is preached and there take repentance for his sinnes he beleued his sinnes forthwith to be forgeuen of God that he needed not to go to any confession 5. Fiftely that he should say and affirme that the truth of holy Scripture hath bene hid and appeared not these 800. yeares neither was knowne before now To this he sayde That he ment no otherwise but that the truth of holy Scripture was neuer these 800 yeares past Aunswere so plainly and expressely declared vnto the people as it hath bene within these 6. yeares 6. He
to learne howe to make their confession with a contrite hart vnto God and how to hope for forgeuensse and also in what maner they should aske forgeuenes of their neighbor whom they haue offended c. Item for sayeng that Luther was a good man A welspring where Wickliffs bones were burned Item that he reported through the credence and report of M. Patmore Parson of Hadham y t where Wickliffes bones were brent sprang vp a well or welspring Ioh. Haymond Milwright 1531. His Articles For speaking and holding against pilgrimage and images and against prescribed fasting dayes That Priests and religious men notwithstanding their vowes made may lawfully forsake their vowes and mary Item for hauing bookes of Luther and Tyndall Rob. Lamb a Harper 1531. Hys Article for that he standing accursed two yeares together and not fearing y e censures of the Popes church went about with a song in the cōmendation of Martine Luther Against kneling to the crosse Ioh. Hewes Draper 1531. Hys Articles For speaking against Purgatory and Thomas Becket Item at the towne of Farnsham he seeing Edward Frensham kneeling in the street to a crosse caried before a corse asked to whome he kneeled He sayd to his maker Much Baudery in Pilgrymage Thou art a foole said he it is not thy maker it is but a peece of copper or wood c. Item for these words Maisters ye vse to go on pilgrimage it were better first that yee looke vpon youre poore neighbours which lacke succour c. Also for sayeng that he heard the Uicar of Croidon thus preache openly That there is as much bawdry kept by going in Pilgrimage to Wilsedone or Mousswell as in the stewes side c. Tho. Patmore Draper 1531. This Patmore was brother to mayster Patmore Parson of Hadham who was prisoned in the Lollards tower for marying a Priest and in the same prison continued three yeare This Patmore was accused by diuers witnesses vpon these Articles That he had as lene pray to yonder hunter pointing to a mā painted there in a stayned cloth for a peece of flesh as to pray to stockes that stand in walles meaning Images Item that men should not praye to Saints but to God only for why shuld we pray to Saints said he they are but blockes and stockes The truth of Scripture a long time kepte from vs. Item that the truth of Scripture hath bene kept from vs a long time and hath not appeared till nowe Item comming by a tree wherein stoode an image he tooke away the waxe which hanged there offered Item that he regarded not the place whether it was halowed or no where he should be buryed after he was dead Also in talke with the Curate of S. Peters he defended that Priests might mary  This Patmore had long hold wyth the Byshop of London First he would not sweare infamia nō praecedente Then he would appeale to the King but all would not serue He was so wrapt in the Byshops nets that he could not get out but at last he was forced to abiure and fined to the King an C. pound A note Note in the communication betwene this Patmore and the priest of S. Peters that where as the priest obiected against him as is in y e register that priests haue liued vnmaried The Papists say falsely that priestes haue bene vnmaried these 1500. yeares without wiues these 1500. yeres in the Church he all other such priestes therin say falsly and deceiue the people as by story is proued in this volume that priests here in England had wiues by the law within these 500. yeres lesse Simon Smith maister of Arte of Gunwell hall in Cābridge and Benore his wife 1531. This Simon Smith and Benoro his wife were the parties whome M. Patmore Parson of Hadham aboue mentioned did mary was condemned for the same to perpetuall prison For the which mariage both the sayde Simon and Benore his wife were called to examination before the Byshop and hee caused to make the whole discourse of all his doings how where he maried Then after his mariage how long he taried whether he wente beyond Sea where he was and wyth whome After his returne whether he resorted how he liued what mercery ware he occupied what fayres he frequented where he left his wyfe how he caried her ouer and brought her home agayne and how she was founde c. All this they made him confesse put it in their register And though they coulde fasten no other crime of heresie vpon him but onely his mariage yet calling both him and her being greate with child to examination they caused them both to abiure suffer penaunce Tho. Patmore Patson of Hadham 1531. This Thomas Patmore being learned and godly was preferred to the Parsonage of Hadham in Hertfordshire by Richard Fitz Iames Byshop of London and there continued instructing and teaching his flocke during the time of the sayde Fitz Iames and also of Tunstall his successor by the space of sixteene yeares or more behauing himselfe in life and conuersation without any publike blame or reproch vntil that Iohn Stokesley was preferred vnto the sayd Byshopricke Who Priestes mariage not very long after his enstalling either for malice not greatly lyking of the said Patmore or else desirous to preferre some other vnto the benefice as it is supposed and alleaged by his brethren in sundry supplications exhibited vnto the King as also vnto Queene Anne then Marchionesse of Pembroke caused him to be attached and brought before him and then keepyng him prisoner in his owne Pallace a certayne tyme afterwardes committed hym to Lollards tower where hee kepte him most extreamely aboue two yeares without fire or candle or any other reliefe but such as his frends sent him not suffering any of them notwithstanding to come vnto him no not in his sicknes Howbeit sundry times in the meane while he called him iudicially eyther before himselfe or else his vicare generall Foxford that great persecutor charging him with these sundry Articles viz. as first whether he had bene at Wittenberge 2. and had seene or talked with Luther 3. or with any english man abiding there 4. who went with hym or attended vpon him thether 5. also what bookes he bought there either Lattin or English 6. and whether he had read or studied any workes of Luther Oecolampadius Pomeran or Melancton Besides these he ministred also other Articles vnto him touching the mariage of Maister Symon Smith before mentioned wyth one Ioane Bennore charging hym that he both knewe of and also consented vnto theyr mariage the one being a Priest and his Curate and the other hys maydeseruant and that he had perswaded hys sayde maydeseruant to marry with hys sayde Curate alleadging vnto her that though it were not lawfull in Englande for Priestes to marry yet it was in other Countreys beyonde Seas And that after theyr sayd marriage he knowing the same did yet
men of his Realme were sore agreeued with the cruell demainour of the Prelates Ordinaries which touched theyr bodies and goodes so neare that they of necessitie were inforced to make their humble sute by their speaker vnto hys grace to take such order and redresse in the case as to his high wisedome myghte seeme most conuenient c. Unto this request of the commons although the King at that time gaue no present graunt but suspended them with a delay yet notwythstanding this sufficiently declared the grudging mindes of the temporal men against the spiritualtie lacking nothing but Gods helping hande to woorke in the kings heart for reformation of suche things whych all they did see to be out of frame Neyther did the Lordes diuine prouidence faile in time of neede Gods helping hand in time of neede but eftsones ministred a ready remedy in time expedient He saw the pride and cruelty of the spirituall clergy grown to such an height as was intollerable He sawe againe and heard the groning hearts the bitter afflictions of hys oppressed flocke his truth decaied his religion prophaned the glorie of his sonne defaced his church lamentably wasted wherfore it was high time for his high Maiestie to looke vppon the matter as he did in deede by a straunge wonderous meanes whych was through the kings diuorsement from Lady Katherine Dowager and marying with lady Anne Bullen in this present yeare which was the first occasion and beginning of all this publike reformation which hath followed since in this Churche of England to thys present day according as ye shall heare The mariage betwene king Henry VIII and Queene Anne Bullen and Queene Katherine diuorced IN the first entrie of this kings raigne yee hearde before pag. 800. howe after the death of Prince Arthur Queene Annâ— maryed and Lady Katherine diâ—orced the Ladie Katherine Princes Dowager and wife to Prince Arthur by the consent bothe of her father and of his and also by the aduise of the nobles of thys realme to the ende her downe might remaine stil within the realme was espoused after the decease of her husbande to hys nexte brother which was this king Henrie K. Henry maryeth his brothers wife This mariage seemed very straunge and hard for one brother to marie the wife of an other But what can be in thys earth so harde or difficulte wherewyth the Pope the omnipotent Uicare of Christe can not by fauour dispense if it please him The pope which then ruled at Rome was Pope Iulius the second by whose dispensation The Pope dispenseth for the brother to mary the brothers wife thys mariage which neither sense or nature wold admit nor Gods lawe woulde beare was concluded approoued and ratified and so continued as lawfull without any dout or scruple the space neare of 20. yeares till about the time that a certaine doubt began first to be mooued by the Spanyards themselues of the Emperours counsaile An. 1523. at what time Charles the Emperour being here in England promised to marye the Lady Mary daughter to the Kynge of England with the which promise the Spanyardes themselues were not well contented The Spaniardeâ— first doubted of the kings mariage obiecting this among many other causes that the saide Ladie Marie was begotten of the king of England by his brothers wife Wherupon the Emperour forsaking that mariage did couple himself with Lady Isabel daughter to king Emanuell of Portugall Which Mariage was done in the yere of our Lorde 1526. After thys Mariage of the Emperour the next yeare following King Henrie being disappoynted thus of the Emperour entred talke or rather was laboured too by the French Ambassadours for the sayde Lady Mary to be maried to the Frenche kinges sonne Duke of Orliance Upon the talke whereof after long debating at length the matter was put of by a certaine doubt of the President of Paris casting the like obiection as the Spanyardes had done before that was The secoÌ„d doubt whether the Lady Mary was rightly borne whether the Maryage betwene the king the mother of this Lady Mary which had bene his brothers wife before were good or no. And so the mariage twise vnluckely attempted in like sorte brake of againe and was reiected whych happened in the yere of our Lord. 1527. The king vpon the occasion hereof casting many things in his minde began to consider the cause more depely first with himselfe after with certaine of hys nearest counsaile Two perplexityes in the kings minde wherein two things there were which chiefly pricked hys minde wherof the one touched his conscience the other coÌ„cerned the state of his Realme For if that Mariage wyth his brothers wife stode vnlawfull by the law of God then neither was his conscience cleare in reteining the mother nor yet the state of the realme firme by succession of the daughter Cardinall Wolsey a helper to the kinges diuorce It happened the same tyme that the Cardinall which was then nearest about the king had falleÌ„ out with the Emperour for not helping him to y e Papacy as ye before haue heard for the which cause he helped to set the matter forward by all practise he might Thus the king perplexed in his conscience and carefull for y e common wealth and partly also incited by the Cardinall coulde not so rest but inquired further to feel what the word of God learning woulde say vnto it Neither was the case so hard after it began once to come in publicke question but that by the worde of God and the iudgements of the best learned clerkes and also by the censure of the chiefe Uniuersities of all Christendome to the number of .x. and moe it was soone discussed to be vnlawfull All these censures The iudgements of 10. or 12. Vniuersityes agaynst the kinges maryage Orleance Paris Tolouse Angiewe Bononye Padua The facultye of Paris Bytures Oxforde Cambridge bookes and writinges of so manye Doctors Clerks and Uniuersities sent from all quarters of Christendome to the king albeit they might suffice to haue full resolued and did in deede resolue the kinges conscieÌ„ce touching this scruple of his mariage yet would not he streight way vse that aduauntage whiche learning dyd geue him vnles hee had withall the assent as well of the Pope as also the Emperour wherein he perceaued no litle difficultie For the Pope he thought seing the mariage was authorised before by the dispensation of his predecessour would hardly turne hys keyes about to vndoe that which the Pope before him had locked much lesse would he suffer those keyes to be foyled or to come in anye doubt which was like to come if that mariage were prooued vndispensable by Gods woorde which his predecessour thorough his plenary power had licenced before Againe the Emperour he thought would be no lesse hard for his part on the other side for as much as the sayd Lady Katherine was the Emperours neare aunt and a Spaniarde
borne Yet neuertheles his purpose was to prooue and feele what they both would say vnto it therefore sent Steuen Gardiner to Rome to way with Pope Clement To the Emperour was sent Syr Nicolas Heruy knight ambassador in the Court of Gaunt Firste Pope Clement not weying belike the full importaunce and sequele of the matter Campeius the Popes Legate sent Cardinal Campeius as is sayde into Englande ioyned with the Cardinal of Yorke At the comming of which Legates The kinges perswasion to the Legate the King first opening vnto them the griefe of hys conscience seemed wyth great reasons and persuasions sufficiently to haue drawne the good will of those two Legates to his side Who also of their owne accord pretended no lesse but to shew a willing inclination to further the kinges cause But yet the mouthes of the common people and in especial of women and such other as fauoured the Queene and talked their pleasure Euill language of the people about the kinges diuorce were not stopped Wherefore to satisfie the blinde surmises and foolishe communication of these also who seeing the comming of the Cardinalles cast out suche leaude wordes that the king woulde for his owne pleasure haue an other wife with like vnseeming talke he therefore willing that al men should know the truth of his procedings caused all his Nobilitie Iudges and Counsaillors wyth diuers other persons to resort to his Pallace of Bridewel the 8. day of Nouemb. An. 1529. where he openly speaking in his great chāber had these words in effect as followeth The kings Oration to his subiects OVr trustie welbeloued subiects both you of the nobility you of the meaner sort it is not vnknowē both how that we both by Gods prouision and true and lawfull inheritaunce haue raigned ouer this realme of England almost the terme of 20. yeares During whiche time we haue so ordered vs thanked be God that no outward enemy hath oppressed you nor taken anye thing from vs nor we haue inuaded no realme but we haue had victory honor so that we think that you nor none of your predecessors neuer liued more quietly more wealthely nor in more estimation vnder any of our noble progenitors But when we remēber our mortality and that we must die then we think that all our doings in our life time are clearely defaced worthy of no memory if we leaue you in trouble at the time of oure deathe for if our true heir be not known at the time of our death see what mischiefe and trouble shall succeede to you and to your children The experience thereof some of you haue seene after the death of our noble grandfather king Edward 4. and some haue heard what mischief and manslaughter continued in this realme betwene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster by the which dissention this realme was like to haue bene clearely destroyed And although it hath pleased almighty God to send vs a faire daughter of a noble woman and of me begotten to our greate comfort and ioy yet it hath bene tolde vs by diuers great Clearks that neither she is our lawfull daughter nor her mother our lawfull wife but that we liue together abhominably and detestably in open adulterie in somuch that when our Ambassade was last in France and motion was made that the Duke of Orleance should marry our sayde daughter one of the chiefe Counsailours to the French king sayd It were well done to know whether she be the king of Englands lawfull daughter or not for well knowen it is that he begot her on his brothers wife which is directly againste Gods law and his precept Thinke you my Lords that these words touch not my body and soule Thinke you that these doings doe not daily and hourely trouble my cōscience and vexe my spirits Yes we doubt not but and if it were your cause euery man wold seeke remedy when the pearil of your soule and the losse of your inheritance is openly laide to you For this onely cause I protest before God and in the word of a Prince I haue asked councell of the greatest Clearkes in Christendome and for this cause I haue sent for this Legate as a manne indifferent onely to knowe the truth and so to settle my conscience and for none other cause as God can iudge And as touching the Queene if it be adiudged by the law of God that she is my lawfull wife there was neuer thing more pleasant nor more acceptable to me in my life both for the discharge and clearing of my conscience and also for the good qualities and conditions the which I know to be in her For I assure you all that beside her noble parentage of the which shee is descended as you well know she is a woman of most gentlenesse of moste humilitie and buxumnesse yea and of all good qualities appertaining to nobilitie she is without comparison as I this 20. yeares almoste haue had the true experiment so that if I were to mary againe if the marriage might be good I would surely chose her aboue all other women But if it be determined by iudgement that our mariage was against Gods law and clearely voyde then I shall not onely sorowe the departing from so good a Ladie and louing companion but much more lamēt and bewaile my infortunate chance that I haue so long liued in adultery to Gods great displeasure and haue no true heire of my body to inherite thys Realme These be the sores that vexe my minde these be the pāgs that trouble my conscience and for these greeues I seeke a remedy Therefore I require of you all as our trust and confidence is in you to declare to our subiects our minde and entent according to our true meaning and desire them to pray with vs that the very truth may be knowen for the discharge of our conscience and sauing of our soule and for the declaration hereof I haue assembled you together and now you may depart Shortly after this Oration of the king wherewith he stirred the harts of a number then the two Legates being requested of the king for discharge of his conscience The legates talke with the Queene to iudge and determine vpon the cause went to the Queene lying then in the place of Bridewell and declared to her how they were deputed iudges indifferent betwene y e king and her to heare and determine whether the mariage betwene them stoode with Gods law nor not When she vnderstoode the cause of their comming being thereat some thing astonied at y e first after a litle pausing with her selfe Ex Edw. Hallo thus she began answering for her selfe ALas my Lorde said she is it nowe a question whether I be the kings lawfull wife or no when I haue bene maried to hym almost 20. yeres and in the meane season neuer question was made before Diuers Prelates yet being aliue and Lords also Queene Katherines aunswere to the Cardinalles
Katherine his wife Quene Katherine carnally knoweÌ„ by the kings brother it appeareth in a certaine booke of Recordes which we haue to shew touching this mariage that the same time when Prince Arthur was firste maryed with this Ladye Katherine daughter to Ferdinando certaine Ambassadours of Ferdinando his Counsaile were then sent hether into England for the sayde purpose to see and to testifie concerning the ful consummation of the said matrimoniall coniunction Which Counsaillers here resident being solemnely sworne not onely did affirm to both their parentes that the Matrimonie was consummate by that acte but also did send ouer into Spaine to her father such demonstrations of their mutuall coniunction as here I wil not name sparing the reuereÌ„ce of chast eares which demonstrations otherwise in those Records being named and testified do sufficiently put the matter out of all doute and question Besides that in the same recordes appeareth that both he and she not onely were of such yeares as were mete and able to explete the coÌ„summation hereof but also they were and did lie together both here and in Wales by the space of 3. quarters of a yeare Out of a written booke of Recordes containing certaine conferences betwixte the Cardinall and Queenes Katherines Amner about this matter remaining in our custodie to be seene Thus when the Diuines on her side were beaten from that ground Three reasons for Queene Katherine then they fell to perswasions of Natural reasons how this should not be vndone for three causes One was because if it shoulde be broken the onely childe of the king should be a Bastard which were a great mischiefe to the realme SecoÌ„dly the separation shuld be cause of great vnkindnes betwene her kinred and this Realme And the third cause was that the continuance of so long space had made the Mariage honest These perswasions with many other were set forth by the Queenes Counsaile and in especial by the Bishop of Rochester which stoode stiffe in her cause Fisher Bish. of Rochester a great doer for Queene Catherine But yet Gods precept was not aunswered wherefore they left that ground and fel to pleading that the court of Rome had dispenced with that Mariage To this some Lawyers sayde that no earthly person is able to dispence with the positiue law of God When the Legates hard the opinions of the Diuines and saw wherunto the end of this question would tend The searching of the kinges mariâ—ge brought moe thinges to lighte for asmuch as men began so to dispute of the authoritie of the Court of Rome especially because the Cardinal of York perceiued the king to cast fauour to the Lady Anne whom he knew to be a Lutheran they thought best to wind them selues out of that brake by time so Cardinall Campeius dissembling the matter conueyed himselfe home to Rome againe as is partly aboue touched pag. 187. The Kinge seeing himself thus to be differred and deluded by the Cardinals Cardinall Campeius sâ—ippeth froÌ„ the king tooke it to no litle griefe whereupon the fall of the Cardinall of Yorke folowed not long after This was in the yeare of our Lord 1530. Shortly after it happened the same yeare that the king by hys Ambassadours was aduertised that the Emperoure and the Pope were both together at Bononie Wherfore he directed Sir Tho. Bullein late created Earle of Wiltshire and Doctor Stokesley afterward Bishop of London and Doctor Lee afterward bishop of York with his message to the popes Court where also the Emperor was Pope Clement vnderstanding the kinges case and request The king â—endeth to the Emperour and the Pope and fearing what might follow after if learning and Scripture here should take place against the authority of their dispensations and moreouer doubting the Emperours displeasure bare him selfe strange of from the matter answearing the Ambassadors with this delay that he presently would not define in the case The Popes aunswere to the king but would heare the full matter disputed when he came to Rome and according to right he would do iustice Although the king ought no suche seruice to the Pope to staÌ„d to his arbitremeÌ„t either in this case or in any other hauing both the Scripture to lead him The king gaue more to the Pope then he needed and his law in his owne hands to warrant him yet for quietnes sake and for that he wold not rashly breake order which rather was a disorder in deede he bare so long as conuenieÌ„tly he might At length after long delaies and much dissembling when he saw no hope of redresse he began somwhat to quicken to looke about him what was best both for his owne conscience and the stablishment of his realme to do No man here doubteth Gods prouideÌ„ce working meruelously in this matter but that al this was wrought not by mans deuise but by the secrete purpose of the Lord himselfe to bryng to passe further thinges as afterwarde followed whiche his diuine prouidence was disposed to work For els as touching the y e kings intent purpose he neuer meant nor mynded any such thing as to seek the ruine of the pope but rather sought all meanes coÌ„trary how both to stablish the Sea of Rome also to obteyne y e good will of the same Sea and Court of Rome if it might haue bene gotten And therefore intending to sue his diuorse froÌ„ Rome at the first beginning his deuise was by Stephen Gardiner his Ambassadour at Rome to exalt the Cardinall of York Vid. supr pag. 990. as is before shewed pag. 990. to be made pope and vniuersall Bishop to the end that he ruling that Apostolicke sea the matter of his vnlawfull maryage whiche so troubled his conscience might come to a quiet conclusion without anye further rumor of the world Which purpose of his if it had taken effect as he had deuised it and the englsh Cardinall had once bene made Pope no doubt but the authoritie of that sea had neuer bene exterminate out of England But God being more mercifull vnto vs tooke a better way then so For both without and contrarye to the kinges expectation he so brought to passe that neyther the Cardinall of Yorke was Pope which shuld haue bene an infinite cost to the king and yet neuertheles the king sped of his purpose too Man purposethâ— but God disposeth and that much better then he looked for For he was ridde by lawfull diuorcement not onely from that vnlawfull mariage which clogged his conscieÌ„ce but also from the miserable yoke of the popes vsurped dominion whiche clogged the whole realme and all at one time Thus Gods holy prouidence ruling the matter as I sayd when the king could get no faourable graunt of the Pope touching his cause being so good and honest he was enforced to take the redresse of his right into his own handes and seeing this * Gordiâ—m was a Citty in Asia where there was
kyng was contented through the persuasions of some so to doe For els as touchyng God and conscience what great neede was of any diuorce where before GOD no Mariage was to be accounted but rather an incestuous detestable adultery as the Act of ParliameÌ„t doth terme it But to our matter agayne After the dissolutioÌ„ of this first Mariage made betwen the king the Lady Princesse Dowager she neuerthelesse bearyng a stout mynde would not yet releÌ„t neither to the determination of the Uniuersities nor to the ceÌ„sure of the Clergy nor of the whole Realme but folowyng the couÌ„saile rather of a few Spanyardes to molest the kyng the realme by sute meanes made to the Pope procured certaine writynges first of monition and aggrauation theÌ„ of excommunication and interdiction to be sent downe from Rome Writinges set vp at Dunkirke against the king wherein the Pope had interdicted both the kyng the whole Realme But the Popes Cursor beyng not the hardyest maÌ„ belike that euer shewed his head thought it much more sure for him to discharge his Popishe carâ—age without the kynges reach so keepyng himselfe aloofe of like a prety man set vp his writynges in the Towne of Dunkirke in Flaunders In the which towne first vpon the Northdoore of the Church was set vp a monition Ioh. Butler of Calis tooke downe the writte at Dunkirke against the King that the kyng of EnglaÌ„d should surcease the sute of diuorce the which Iohn Butler Clerke theÌ„ Commissary of Calice by commaundement tooke downe in a night After that before Whitsonweeke there was set vp in the same place an excoÌ„munication aggrauation regranation interdiction For the which also the sayd Butler by commauÌ„dement was sent to Dunkirke to take it downe K. Henry the realme indicted by the Pope And because the couÌ„sell of Calice would be certified of his diligence therein they sent a seruauÌ„t of the Lord Lisle theÌ„ Deputie of Calice whose name was Cranuell and vpon Wensday in Whitsonweke at vij of the clocke in the mornyng he tooke it downe whole and brought it with hym deliuered the same to the Lord Deputie aforesaid Which was about the yeare .1533 This beyng knowne certified vnto the kyng he was motioned by his counsell that such as were about her and moued her thereto should be put froÌ„ her And therfore the Duke of Suffolke was sent to Bugden beside HuntyngdoÌ„ where y e sayd Lady Katherine lay who perceiuyng her stomacke to coÌ„tinue froward still in auÌ„sweryng him with high wordes The Lady Catherines court discharged sodenly so in a fury to part froÌ„ him into her priuy chamber shut the doore brake vp the doore of her Court discharged a great sort of her houshold seruauÌ„ts yet left her a conuenieÌ„t number to serue her like a Princesse They that remayned still were sworne to serue her as Princesse onely and not as Queene Of whome some sayd they were once sworne to serue her as Queene and otherwise would not serue and so were dismissed The other which were sworne to serue her as Princesse she vtterly refused for her seruants and so she remayned wyth the fewer liuing after this about the space of two yeares ¶ The abolishing of the Pope out of England THese thinges thus finished and dispatched concerning the mariage of Queene Anne and diuorce of Lady Katherine Dowager Anno. 1534. next followeth the yeare 1534. In the which was assembled the hye Court of ParliameÌ„t againe after many prorogations vpon the third day of February wherein was made an Acte of succession for the more suretie of the crowne to the which euery person being of lawfull age Preaching against the Pope should be sworne During this Parliament time euery Sonday preached at Paules crosse a Byshop which declared the Pope not to be head of the Church After this Commissions were sent ouer all England to take the othe of all men and women to the Act of succession Ex Edw. â—allo At which few repined except D. Iohn Fisher bishop of Rochester sir Tho. More late Lord Chancellor and D. Nicholas Wilson parson of S. Thomas Apostles in LoÌ„don Wherfore these 3. persons after long exhortatioÌ„ to theÌ„ made by y e Byshop of Canterbury at Lambeth The Byshop of Rochester Sir Tho. More sent to the tower Fysher byshop of Rochester Sir Tho. More refuse to be sworne refusing to be sworne were sent to the Tower where they rrmained were oftentimes motioned to be sworne but the Bishop and sir Tho. More excused theÌ„ by their writings in which they sayd that they had written before the sayd Lady Katherine to be Queene therfore could not well go froÌ„ that which they had written Likewise the Doctor excused that he in preaching had called her Queene and therefore now coulde not withsay it againe Howbeit at length he was well contented to dissemble y e matter so escaped but the other two stoode agaynst all the Realme in their opinion From the moneth of Marche this Parliament farthermore was proroged to the iij. day of Nouemb. abouesaid At what time amongst other diuers statutes most graciously and by the blessed wil of God it was enacted that the Pope and all his colledge of Cardinals with his pardoÌ„s Indulgences which so long had clogged this Realme of England to the miserable slaughter of so many good men which neuer could be remoued away before was now abolished eradicate exploded out of this land sent home againe to their owne countrey of Rome from whence they came God be euerlastingly praysed therefore Amen ¶ An Acte concerning the Kings highnes to be the supreme head of the Church of England and to haue authoritie to reforme and redresse all errours heresies and abuses in the same Cap. 1. ALbeit the Kings Maiesty iustly and rightfully is and ought to be the supreme head of the Church of England and so is recognised by the Clergy of this Realme in their Conuocations yet neuerthelesse for corroboration confirmation thereof and for encrease of vertue in Christes Religion within this Realme of England and to represse extirpe all errours heresies and other enormities abuses heretofore vsed in the same be it enacted by authoritie of this preseÌ„t ParliameÌ„t y t the king our soueraigne Lord his heires successours Kings of this Realme shal be taken accepted reputed y e only supreme head in earth of y e Church of England called Anglicana ecclesia and shall haue enioy annexed and vnited to the Imperial crowne of this realme as wel y e title style therof as all honours dignities preeminences iurisdictioÌ„s priuiledges authorities immunites profites and commodities to the sayd dignitie of supreme head of the same Church belonging apperteining and y t our sayd soueraigne Lord his heires successours Kings of this Realme shal haue full power and authority from time to time to visite represse
thus Steph. Winchester takyng his leane biddyng the Pope farewell endeth with a freÌ„dely exhortatioÌ„ Steph. Wint. taketh his vale of the Pope but not his ultimum vale willyng him to be wise circumspect not to striue stubburnely agaynst the truth The light of the Gospell sayth he so spreadeth his beames in all mens eyes y t the works of the Gospell be knowne the mysteries of Christes doctrine are opened both learned and vnlearned men women beyng Englishmen borne do see perceiue that they haue nothyng to doe with Rome nor with the Byshop of Rome but that euery Prince in his owne dominion is to be taken and accepted as a Uicare of God Uicegerent of Christ in his owne bouÌ„des And therfore seyng this order is taken of God The office of teaching The office of of Ruling that one in the Church should beare the office of teachyng an other should beare y e office of rulyng which office is onely limited to princes he exhorteth him to consider the truth and to folow the same wherein consisteth our true and speciall obedience c. To this booke of Stephen Winchester De obedientia we will adioyne for good felowshyp y e Preface also of Edmund Boner ArchdeacoÌ„ then of Leycester prefixed before the same to the enteÌ„t that the reader seyng the iudgemeÌ„tes of these men as they were then agayne the sodeine mutation afterward of the sayd parties to the coÌ„trary opinioÌ„ may learne thereby what vayne glory and pompe of this world caÌ„ worke in the frayle nature of man where Gods grace lacketh to susteine The Preface of Boner before the sayd booke of Winchester De obedientia proceedeth thus in effect as foloweth ¶ The Preface of Edmund Boner Archdeacon of Leycester prefixed before Stephen Gardiners booke De obedientia FOr asmuch as some there be no doubt as the iudgements of men be alwaies variable which thinke the controuersie which is betweene the Kings roiall Maiestie Boners preface beâ—ore Winchesters booke of obedience and the Bishop of Rome consisteth in this point for that his Maiestie hath taken the most excellent and most vertuous Lady Anne to wife which in very deede is farre otherwise and nothing so to the intente therefore that all true harty fauourers of the Gospell of Christ Queene Anne which hate not but loue the truth may the more fully vnderstand the chiefe point of the controuersie and because they shall not be ignoraunt what is the whole voice and resolute determination of the best and greatest learned Bishops with all the nobles and commons of England not only in that cause of Matrimony but also in defending the doctrine of the Gospell The doctrine of the Gospell heere shall be published the Oration of the Bishop of Winchester a man excellently learned in all kinde of learning entituled DE VERA OBEDIENTIA that is See how these clawbackes can clung togeather in truth and in false hood and al to fashioÌ„ theÌ„selues to the world and the time present concerning true obedience But as touching this Bishops worthy praises there shall be nothing spoken of me at this time not only because they are infinite but because they are farre better knowne to all Christendome then becommeth me heere to make rehearsall And as for the Oration it selfe which as it is most learned so it is most elegant to what purpose should I make any words of it seeing it praiseth it selfe inough and seeing good wine needeth no tauerne bushe to vtter it But yet in this Oration whosoeuer thou art most gentle Reader thou shalt beside other matters see it notably and learnedly handled of what importaunce and how inuincible the power and excellencie of Gods truth is which as it may now and then be pressed of the enemies so it can not possibly be oppressed and darkened after such sorte but it sheweth it selfe againe at length Mens traditons The contents of Winchesters booke De vera obedientia The kinges mariage with Queene Anne more glorious and more welcome Thou shalt see also touching obedience that it is subiect to truth and what is to be iudged true obedience Besides this of mens traditions which for the most parte be most repugnaunt against the truth of Gods law And there by the way he speaketh of the Kings said highnes mariage which by the ripe iudgemente authoritie and priuiledge of the most and principall Vniuersities of the world and then with the consent of the whole Church of England Supreme head he contracted with the most excellent and most noble Lady Queene Anne After that touching the Kings Maiesties title as perteining to the supreme head of the Church of England Lastly of all The Bishop of Roomes pretensed supremacy of the false pretenced supremacie of the Bishop of Rome in the Realme of England most iustly abrogated and how all other Byshops being felowlike to him in their function yea and in some points aboue him within their owne prouinces were before time bound to the King by their othe But be thou most surely perswaded of this good Reader that the Bishop of Rome if there were no cause else but onely this mariage Boâ—ner knewe well what morsell would best please his father of Rome that mony bribes would soone stoppe his mouthe would easely content himselfe specially hauing some good morsell or other geuen him to chaw vpon But when he seeth so mighty a King being a right vertuous and a great learned Prince so sincerely and so hartely fauour the Gospell of Christ and perceiueth the yearely and great pray ye so large a pray that it came to as much almost as all the Kings reuenues snapped out of hys hands and that he can no longer exercise his tyranny in the Kings Maiesâ—ies Realme * Seeing thou knewest the Pope to be such a cruell tirant why then wouldest thou against thy knowledge become his slaughter man alas heeretofore too cruell and bitter nor make lawes as he hath done many to the contumelie and reproch of the Maiestie of God which is euident that he hath done in time past vnder the title of the Catholicke Church and the authoritie of Peter and Paule when notwithstanding he was a very rauening Wolfe dressed in sheepes clothing calling himselfe the seruaunt of seruaunts to the great damage of the Christen common wealth heere heere began all the mischiefe thereof rose these discords these deadly malices and so great and terrible bustling For if it were not thus could any man beleeue that this Iuppiter of Olympus which falsely hath arrogated vnto himselfe an absolute power without controlment woulde haue wrought so diligently by all meanes possible to stirre vp all other Kings and Princes so traiterously against this so good and godly and so true a Gospellike Prince as he hath done Neyther let it moue thee gentle Reader that Winchester did not before now apply to this opinion for he himselfe in this Oration sheweth
agaynst y e proud vsurpation of the Bishop of Rome The Byshops of England then good Lutherans then these men haue done If they dissembled otherwise then they meant who coulde euer dissemble so deepely speaking so pithily If they meant as they spake who coulde euer turne head to tayle so sodenly so shortly as these men did But because these thinges we write for edification of other rather then for commendation of them let vs marke therefore theyr reasons and let the persons goe And although the sayd proufes and argumentes heretofore alledged might suffice to the full discussion of this matter agaynst y e Popes vsurped primacy yet because many do yet remayne which wil not be satisfied to refel therfore confute this popishe article of the popes vayne and proud primacie with as much matter and furniture of reasons allegations as the writinges and testimonies of these Bishops and others do minister vnto vs we mynde the Lord willing to annexe to thâ—se former confirmatioÌ„s of the bishops aforesayd The epistle of Tonstall Stokesly to Cardinal Poole an other supplement also of a certayne Epistle sent by Bishop Tonstall and by Iohn Stokesley byshop of London to Cardinall Poole for a more ample confutation of the vsurped power Concerning the argument of whiche Epistle here is first to be vnderstanded that about thys time or not much ouer Cardinall Poole brother to the Lord Montagew was attaynted of high treasoÌ„ and fled away vnto Rome where within a short time after he was made Cardinall of S. Mary Cosmeden of whoÌ„ more is to be spoken hereafter the Lord so permitting when we come to the tyme of Queene Mary In the meane tyme hee remayning at Rome there was directed vnto hym a certayne Epistle exhortatory by Stokesley Byshop of London and Tonstal Byshop of Duresme perswading hym to relinquishe and abandon the supremacy of the Pope and to conforme himselfe to the religion of his king The copy of which his Epistle for the reasons and argumentes therein conteined about the same matter we thought here not vnworthely to be put in or vnprofitable to be read The tenour wherof here followeth * The true copy of a certayne letter written by Cutbert Tonstall Byshop of Duresme and Iohn Stokesley Byshop of London to Cardinall Poole prouing the Byshop of Rome to haue no speciall superioritie aboue other Byshoppes This letter was testified by Cutbert Tonstall to Mathew Archb. of Canterbury and others to be his owne about 14. dayes before his death Read his trayterous Oration to 〈◊〉 Emperour in his booke intituled De Ecclesiae Concordia mouing him to seeke the destruction of king HeÌ„ry and the whole realme of England FOr the good will that we haue borne vnto you in times past as long as you continued the kinges true subiect we cannot a little lament mourne that you neyther regarding the inestimable kindnes of the kings highnes heretofore shewed vnto you in your bringing vp nor the honor of the house that you be come of nor the wealth of the countrey that you were borne in should so decline from your duety to your prince that you shuld be seduced by fayre words and vaine promises of the Bishop of Rome to winde with him going about by all meanes to him possible to pull downe and put vnder foote your naturall Prince Maister to the destruction of the countrey that hath brought you vp and for a vayne glory of a red Hat to make your selfe an instrument to set forth his malice who hath styrred by all meanes that he could all such ChristiaÌ„ Princes as would geue eares vnto him to depose the kinges hignes from his Kingdome and to offer it as a pray for them that should execute his malice and to styrre if hee could his subiectes agaynst him in styrring and nourishing rebellions in his realme where the office duety of all good ChristiaÌ„ men and namely of vs that be priestes should be to bring all commotion to tranquillity all trouble to quietnes all discord to concord and in doing contrary we do shew our selues to be but the ministers of Satan and not of Christ who ordeined all vs that bee priestes to vse in all places the legatioÌ„ of peace not of discord But since that can not be vndone that is done second it is to make amendes and to followe the doing of the prodigall sonne spoken of in the Gospell who returned home to his father was well accepted as no doubt you might be if you will say as he said in knowledging your folly Luke 15. and doe as he did in returning home agayne from your wandring abroad in seruice of him who little careth what come of you so that their purpose by you bee serued And if you be moued by your conscience that you can not take the king your mayster as supreme head of the Church of England because the Bishop of Rome hath heretofore many yeares vsurped that name vniuersally ouer all the Church Math. 18. vnder pretence of the Gospell of S Mathew The place of Mathew 〈◊〉 Petrus expounded saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Surely the text many of the most holy auncient expositors wholy doe take to be ment of the fayth then first confessed by the mouth of Peter vppon whiche fayth confessing Christ to be the sonne of God 1. Cor. 3. the church is builded Christe being the very lowest foundation stone whereupon both the Apostles themselues Luke 22. The place of Luke expounded and also the whole fayth of the Churche of Christ by them preached through the world is founded and builded and other foundation none can be but that onely as S. Paule sayth No other foundation can any man lay besides that which is layd which is Christ Iesus And where you thinke that the Gospell of Luke proueth the same authority of the Bishoppe of Rome saying Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth shoulde not fayle and thou beynge once conuerted confirme thy brethren Surely that speaketh onely of the fall of Peter knowne to Christ by his godly prescience whereof he gaue an inkling that after the time of his fal he should not despayre but returne agayne and confirme his brethren as he euer being most feruent of them was wont to do The place doth playnely open it selfe that it can not be otherwise taken but thys to be the very meaning of it and not to be spoken but to Peter The place of Iohn 21. expouÌ„ded For els his successours must first fayle in the fayth and then conuert and so confirme theyr brethren And where as you thinke that this place of the Gospell of Iohn Feede my sheepe was spokeÌ„ onely to Peter and that those woordes make him shepheard ouer all and aboue all 1. Pet. 5. S. Peter himselfe testifieth the contrary in his canonicall Epistle where he sayth to all priestes Feede the flocke
when he sawe and discerned all this For as I vnderstand Copes Dâ—alogues suspected not to be his owne M. Cope being yet at this present scarse come to the age of xl yeares he could not be then aboue nine yeare olde the other suffering ann 1535. in the which age in my minde M. Cope had small discretion to iudge either of any such angelical proportion of mans personage or of his diuine qualities and heroical celsitude of his mind as yet he remembreth in his Dialogues Which thing among many other probabilities maketh me vehemently to suspect y t these Dialogues printed in Aâ—twerp ann 1566. were brought ouer by M. Cope there to be printed but were penned framed by an other Pseudocopus whatsoeuer or in what Fleete so euer he was vnlesse my marks do greatly faile me But as the case is of no great weight so I let it passe returning to other matters of more importance Shortly after the ouerthrow of the Pope consequently began by litle and litle to follow the ruine of Abbeyes religious houses in Englande in a right order methode by Gods diuine prouidence For neither coulde the fall of Monasteries haue followed after vnlesse that suppression of the Pope had gone before neither could any true reformation of the church haue bene attempted vnles y e subuersion of those superstitious houses had ben ioyned withal Whereupon the same yere in the moneth of October the king hauing then Tho. Cromwell of his Counsel Suppression of Abbeyes first beginneth in England sent Doct. Lee to visite the Abbeys Priories and Nunryes in all England to set at libertie all such religious persons as desired to be tree all other that were vnder the age of 24. yeares Prouiding withal y t such Monkes Chanons Fryers as were dimissed Religious men vnder age let out of monasteryes should haue giuen theÌ„ by the Abbot or Prior in steede of their habite a secular Priestes gowne and xl shillings of money likewise the Nunnes to haue such apparel as secular women did then coÌ„monly vse and suffered to goe where they would At which time also from the sayde Abbeyes and Monasteries were taken their chiefe iewels and reliques The king first beginneth with the iâ—els of Abbeyes WHen the king had thus established his supremacie all things were well quieted within the Realme he like a wise prince Anno. 1536. hauing wise counsaile about him forecasting with himselfe what forreine daungers might fall vnto him by other countries about whiche all were yet in subiection to the Bishoppe of Rome saue onely a fewe Germane princes and misdouting the malice of the pope to prouide therefore by time for perilles that might ensue thought good to keepe in by all meanes possible with other Princes And first to entertaine the fauour of the French king who had ben sicke a litle before A solemne procession in LondoÌ„ for ioy of the French kings health and now was lately recouered to health in signification of publique ioy and frendship the king coÌ„manded a solemne and famous procession to be ordeined through the city of London with the Waits and children of Grammer schooles with the maisters and vshers in their array Then folowed the orders of the friers and Chanons and the Priours with their pompe of Copes Crosses Candlestickes and vergers before them After these folowed the next pagean of Clerkes priestes of London all in Copes likewise Then the monkes of Westminster and other Abeys with their glorious gardeuiance of Crosses Candlestickes and Uergers before them in like sort Last of all came the queere of Pauls with their residensaries the Bishop of London and the Abbots folowing after in their Pontificalibus After these courses of the Clergie went the companies of the citie with y e lord Maior AldermeÌ„ in their best apparel after their degrees And least it might be thought this Procession of the church of LoÌ„don to make but a small or beggerly shewe the furniture of the gay Copes there worne was counted to the number of 714. Moreouer to fill vp the ioy of this procession and for the more high seruice to almightie God beside the singing queeres chaunting of the priestes there lacked no minstrels withal to pipe at the processions Briefly here lacked nothing els but only y e ordinaÌ„ce to shoot of also A pyping procession But because that is vsed in the Processions at Rome therefore for difference sake the same is reserued onely for the Popes owne Processions and for none other in the moneth of October This grand processon was appointed for a triumphe or a thankes giuing for the late recouerye of the Frenche kinges health as is aforesayd Ouer and besides this the king to nourish and reteine amitie with kings and princes Ambassadours sent to sundry kinges least the Pope being exiled now out of England should incite them to warre against him directed sundry Ambassadours and messengers with letters and instructions To the Emperour was sent syr Tho. Wyat to the French king syr Fraunces Brian and Doct. Edw. Foxe who was also sent to the Princes of Germanie to the Scottes king was sent sir Raffe Sadler gentleman of the kinges priuie chamber In Scotlande the same time were cast abroade diuers railing ballets and slaunderous rimes against the king of England for casting of the Ladye Dowager and for abolishing the Pope Syr Raffe Sadler ambassadour to the Scottes king for the which cause the foresaid Sir Raffe Sadler being sent into Scotland with lessons and instructions howe to addresse himselfe accordingly after he had obteyned accesse vnto the king and audience to be hearde first declareth the effectuous harty coÌ„mendations from the kinges maiestie his graces vncle and withal deliuered his letters of credence Which done after a fewe wordes of courtly entertainement as occasion serued him to speake the sayde Syr Raffe Saddler obteining audience thus beganne in the king his maisters behalfe to declare as followeth * The Oration of the kynges ambassadour WHeras there is nothing after the glory of almighty God The Oration of Sir Raffe Sadler to the Scottish king in this world so much to be tendred by kings Princes or any honest persons or so highly to be regarded and defended as their honor estimatioÌ„ good fame name which whosoeuer neglecteth is to be esteemed vnnatural and vnlesse a man labor to auoide and extinguish the false reportes slanders and diffamations made of him by malitious persons he may wel be suspected in coÌ„science to coÌ„demne himselfe the king your vncle considering y e same and hearing of sundry ballets criminations and famous libels made and vntruly forged and deuised in Scotland against his grace by your graces subiectes not only vpon trust to find with your grace such natural affection frendship and amitie as the nerenes of bloud betweene vncle nephew necessitude of reuerence proximitie both of kinne of dominions together doth require but
to be a farre vnequall recompence and satisfaction for a thinge whiche ought of right and iustice to be ministred vnto him that a king therefore should reuocate and vndoe the actes and statutes passed by a whole Realm contrary to hys owne honour and weale of hys subiectes c. Where is moreouer to be vnderstanded The crafty packing of the Papistes how that the Pope with all hys papistes and the French king also and peraduenture Stephen Gardiner too the kynges owne Ambassadour had euer a speciall eye to disproue and disapoynt y e kings successioÌ„ by Queene Anne whoÌ„ they knew all to be a great enemye vnto the pope thinking thereby that if that succession were diminished the popes kingdome might soone be restored agayn in England But yet for all their vniust and craftie packing they were throughe Gods prouideÌ„ce frustrate of their desired purpose For although they so brought to passe the next yeare folowing to adâ—â—lle the order of that succession by a contrary Parlament The Papistes frustrate of their purpose yet neither did they so adnihilate it but that both K. Edwarde followed yea and also the same succession afterward by the said king and other parlaments was restored againe and yet God be praised hath hetherto raigned doth yet florish in the Realme of England Nowe as wee haue declared the Kings doings in the Realme of Scotland and of Fraunce proceding further in the kings proceedings wyth other Princes let vs see how the king defended himselfe and his cause before the Emperor sending his ambassador vnto him vsing these wordes before his maiestie as here foloweth The Oration of the kings Ambassadour before the Emperour in defence of his cause SIr the king my maister taking and reputing you as his perfect frende confederate and allye and not doubting but you remembring the mutual kindnes betwene you in times past The Oration of the Ambassadour to the Emperour wil shew yourself in all ocurrents to be of such minde and disposition as iustice truthe and equitie doeth require hath willed me by his letters to open and declare vnto you what he hathe done and in what wise hee hathe proceeded concerning suche Marriage as by many yeares was supposed to haue bene betwene your Aunte and hys grace Diuisions consisting in 2. partes In which matter being two principall poyntes specially to be regarded considered that is to say the iustice of the cause and the order of the processe therein hys highnes hath so vsed hym in both as no man may right wisely complaine of the same First as touching the iustnes of the cause that is to say of that Mariage betwene him and your sayde Aunte to be nought The iustnes of the kinges cause and of no moment ne effect but against the law of God nature and man and indispensable by the Pope and in no wise vailable his highnes hath done therein asmuch as becommeth him for discharge of hys coÌ„science and hath found so certain so euideÌ„t so manifest so open and approued truth as wherunto his maiesty ought of good congruence to geue place which by al other ought to be allowed and receiued not as a matter doutful disputable or depending in question and ambiguitie but as a plaine determined and discussed verity of the true vnderstanding of gods word and lawe which all Christian men must follow and obey and before all other worldly respects prefer and execute In attaining the knowledge whereof if hys highnes had vsed only his owne particular iudgement sentence or the minde only opinion of his owne natural subiects althoughe the same might in his conscience haue suffised woulde not muche haue repugned if some other had made difficulty to assent to him in the same till further discussion had bene made thereupon But now forasmuch as besides hys owne certaine vnderstanding and the agreement of thys whole Cleargie to the same in both Prouinces of hys realme his maiestie hath also for him the determinatioÌ„s of the moste famous vniuersities of Christendome Vniuersities staÌ„ding with the kinges cause and most indifferent to pronounce and geue iudgement in this case and among them the Uniuersitie of Bonony all feare of the Pope set apart concluding against his power and also Padua the Uenetians threates not regarded geuynge their sentence for the truth euident words of Gods law there should no man as seemeth to him gainsay or wythstand either in word or dede the truth thus opened but for his honor and duetie to the obseruation of Gods law willingly embrace and receiue the same According whereunto his grace perceiueth also aswell in his Realme as els where a notable consent and agreement amongest all Diuines and suche as haue studied for knowledge of Gods lawe without contradiction of anye number vnlesse it be such applying their minde to y e maintenaunce of worldly affections do either in defence of such lawes as they haue studied eyther for satisfaction of theyr priuate appetite forbeare to agree vnto y e same The number of whoÌ„ is so smal as in the discerning of truth it ought not to be regarded in a case so plainly described and determined by Gods word as thys is And if percase your Maiestie heere not regarding the number but the matter shall seme to consider in thys case not so much who speaketh as what is spoken to aunswer thereunto I say Syr the king my maister is of the same mind for his own satisfactioÌ„ taketh hymselfe to be in the right Both the number and matter maketh with the king not because so many sayeth it but because hee being learned knoweth the matter to be right Neuertheles reason would and enforceth also that straungers to the cause and not parties therein should be induced to beleue that to be truth that such a number of Clearkes doe so constantly affirme specially not being otherwise learned to be iudges of theyr sayings as your maiestie is not And if you were then could your highnesse shew such reasons authorities and grounds as cannot be taken away and be so firm and stable as they ought not of Christen men in any part to be impugned like as hath bene partly heeretofore shewed by his sondry ambassadours to your Imperiall maiestie and shuld eftsoones be done were it not too great an iniury to y t is already passed in the Realme to dispute the same againe in any other countrey which being contrarious to the lawes and ordinances of his realme he trusteth your prudeÌ„cie will not require but take that is past for a thing done and iustly done and as for Gods part to leaue hys conscience to himself qui Domino sua stat aut cadit and for y e world to passe ouer as a frend that whych nothing toucheth you and not to maruell though the said king my master regarding the wealth of his soule principally with the commodity of his person and so great benefit quiet of his realm haue percase
countrey adding moreouer vnto hys sayings of their owne heades more then euer he spake and so accused him secretely to the Chauncelour and other of the Bishops Officers It followed not long after this that there was a sitting of the bishops Chancellour appoynted Tindall called before the Bishops Chauncellour and warning was giuen to the priests to appeare amongest whom M. Tindall was also warned to be there And whether hee had any misdoubte by their threatnings or knowledge geuen hym that they woulde lay some thyngs to hys charge it is vncertaine but certaine this is as hee hym selfe declared that he doubted their priuie accusations so y t he by the way in going thetherwards cried in his mind hartily to God to geue him strength fast to stande in the truth of his word Then when the time came of his appearance before the Chancellour he threatned him greuously reuiling and rating him as though he had ben a dog laide to his charge many thinges Tindal could not haue his accusers brought out whereof no accuser yet coulde be broughte foorth as commonly their maner is not to bring foorth the accuser notwithstanding that the Priests of the countrey the same time were there present And thus M. Tindal after those examinatioÌ„s escaping out of their hands departed home and returned to his maister againe There dwelt not farre off a certaine Doctour that hadde bene an olde Chauncellour before to a Byshop One good olde Doctor amongst mâ—ny nought who had bene of olde familiar acquaintance with M. Tyndall and also fauoured him well Unto whome M. Tyndall went and opened his minde vpon diuers questions of the scripture The Pope Antichrist for to him he durst be bold to disclose his heart Unto whom the Doctor sayd doe you not knowe that the Pope is very Antichrist whome the Scripture speaketh of But beware what you say for if you shall be perceiued to be of that opinion it will cost you your life and sayd moreouer I haue bene an officer of his But I haue geuen it vp and defie him and all his workes It was not long after but M. Tindal happened to be in the companie of a certaine diuine recounted for a lerned man and in commoning and disputing with him he droue him to that issue The blasphemy of a blind doctour The popes lawe preferred before Gods lawe that the sayde great Doctor burst out into these blasphemous wordes and sayde wee were better to be without Gods lawe then the Popes M. Tyndall hearing thys ful of godly zeale and not bearing that blasphemous sayâ—ng replied againe sayde I deâ—ie the Pope and all his lawes and further added that iâ— God spared hym life ere many yeares he would cause a boy that driueth the plough to know more of the Scripture then he did After this the grudge of the priests increasing still more and more against Tyndall they neuer ceased barking and rating at him and laide many sore thinges to hys charge saying that he was an hereticke in Sophistry an hereticke in Logicke an hereticke in Diuinitie and sayde moreouer to him that he bare himselfe bolde of the Gentlemen there in that country but notwithstanding shortly he should be otherwise talked withal To whom M. Tyndall answearing againe thus said that he was contented they shoulde bring him into any countrey in all England geuing hym x. li a yere to liue with and binding him to no more but to teache children and to preache To be short M. Tyndal being so molested and vexed in the countrey by the Priests was constrained to leaue that country and to seke an other place Tindall departeth from M. Welche and so comming to M. Welche he desired him of hys good will that hee myght depart from him saying on this wise to him Syr I perceiue I shall not be suffered to tary long heere in this countrey neither shall you be able though you woulde to keepe me out of the hands of the spiritualtie also what displeasure might grow therby to you by keeping me God knoweth for the which I shoulde be right sorie So that in fine M. Tindall with the good will of his maister Tindall coÌ„meth to London departed eftsoones came vp to London and there preached a while according as he had done in the country before and specially about the towne of Bristowe and also in the sayde towne in the common place called S. Austines Greene. At length he bethinking him selfe of Cutbert Tonstall then Byshop of London and especially for the great commendation of Erasmus An oration of Isocrates translated out of Greeke into Englishe by W. Tindall who in his annotations so extolleth him for his learning thus cast with himselfe that if hee might attaine vnto his seruice hee were a happy man And so comming to Syr Henry Gilford the kings controller and bringing with him an Oration of Isocrates which he had then traÌ„slated out of Greke into English he desired him to speake to the sayde B. of London for him Which he also did and willed him moreouer to wryte an Epistle to the Byshop and to go him self with him Tindall sueth to bishop Tonstall to be his Chaplaine Which he did likewise and deliuered his Epistle to a seruaunte of his named William Hebilthwaite a man of his olde acquaintaunce But God who secretely disposeth the course of things saw that was not the best for Tyndals purpose nor for the profite of hys Churche and therefore gaue him to finde little fauor in the Bishops sight Tonstal refuseth M. Tindall The answer of whom was thys that hys house was full he had mo then he could wel finde and aduised him to seeke in London abroade where hee saide hee coulde lacke no seruice c. and so remained hee in London the space almoste of a yeare beholding and marking wyth him selfe the course of the world and especially the demeanour of the preachers howe they boasted them selues and set vp their authoritie and kingdome beholding also the pompe of the Prelates wyth other thynges moe whiche greatly misliked him In so muche that he vnderstoode not onely there to be no rowme in the Bishops house for hym to translate the new Testament but also that there was no place to do it in al England And therfore finding no place for his purpose within the realme Tindall departeth 〈◊〉 Germany and hauing some ayde and prouision by Gods prouidence ministred vnto hym by Humphrey Mummoth aboue recited as you may see before pag. 1076. and certain other good men hee tooke hys leaue of the realme departed into Germanie Where the good man being inflamed with a tender care and zeale of his countrey refused no trauell nor diligence howe by all meanes possible to reduce his brethren and couÌ„treymen of England to y e same tast and vnderstanding of Gods holy word and veritie which the Lord had endued him withal Whereupon he considering in his minde and partely
also conferring with Iohn Frith The causeâ— mouing Tindall to translate the Scripture into the Englishe tongue thought wyth him selfe no way more to conduce therunto then if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar speach that the poore people might also reade and see the simple plaine woord of God For first hee wisely casting in hys minde perceiued by experience how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any truth except the Scripture were so plainly layde before theyr eyes in theyr mother tongue that they myght see the processe order and meaning of the text For els what so euer truth shuld be taught them these enemies of the truth would quenche it againe either wyth apparant reasons of Sophistrie and traditions of their own making founded without all ground of Scripture either els iuggling with the text expouÌ„ding it in such a sense as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order meaning thereof were seene Againe right wel he perceiued and considered this only or most chiefly to be y e cause of all mischief in the church Hiding of Scripture the cause of mischiefe that the Scriptures of God were hidden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doings and idolatries maintained by the Pharisaicall Clergie could not be espied and therefore al theyr labour was wyth might maine to keepe it downe so that eyther it should not be red at all or if it were they would darken the right sense with y e misâ— of theyr Sophistrie and so entangle them whych rebuked or despised theyr abhominations wyth arguments of philosophie and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedom and with wresting the scripturâ— vnto their owne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meanyng of the texte woulde so delude them in descanting vppon it with Allegories and amaze them expounding it in many senses layed before the vnlearned lay people that though thou felt in thy hart were sure that all were false that they said yet couldest not thou solue their subtle ridles For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubt styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue The newe testament and the 5. bookes of Moyses translated with Tindalls prologues for the publicke vtility and profit of the simple vulgar people of the country first setting in hand with the newe Testament whiche he first translated about the yeare of our Lord 1527. After that he tooke in hand to translate the olde Testament finishing the fiue bookes of Moyses with sondry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before euery one most worthy to be read and read againe of all good Christians as the lyke also he did vpon the new Testament Hee wrote also diuers other woorkes vnder sundry titles among the which is that most worthy monument of his intituled The obedience of a Christian man wherin with singulare dexteritie he instructeth all men in the office and duetie of Christian obedience wyth diuers other treatises as The wicked Mammon The practise of Prelates wyth expositions vppon certaine partes of the Scripture and other Bookes also aunswearing to Syr Thom. More and other aduersaries of the truthe no lesse delectable then also most fruitfull to be read which partly before beyng vnknowen vnto many partly also being almost abolished and worne out by time the Printer heereof good Reader for conseruing and restoring such singulare treasures hath collected and set foorth in Print the same in one generall volume all and whole together as also the woorkes of Iohn Frith Barnes and other as are to be seene most special and profitable for thy reading These bookes of W. Tyndal being compiled published sent ouer into England it cannot be spoken what a dore of light they opened to the eies of the whole English nation which before were many yeres shut vp in darkenesse At his first departing out of y e realme he toke his iorny into y e further parts of Germany as into Saxony Tindal weâ—â— into Saxony where he had conference w t Luther and other learned meÌ„ in those quarters Where after y t he had continued a certen season he came down from thence into the netherlands Tindal came to Antwerpe had his most abiding in the town of Antwerp vntil y e time of hys appreheÌ„sioÌ„ wherof more shal be said god willing hereafter Amongst his other bokes which he compiled one work he made also for the declaration of the sacrament as it was then called of the alter the which he kept by him considering how the people were not as yet fully persuaded in other matters tending to superstitious ceremonies grose idolatry Wherefore he thought as yet time was not come to put forth that work but rather that it should hinder the people from other instructions supposing that it woulde seeme to them odious to heare any such thing spoken or set foorth at that time sounding againste their great Goddesse Diana that is againste their Masse being had euery where in great estimation as was the Goddesse Diana amongest the Ephesians whom they thought to come from heauen Wherfore M. Tindall being a man both prudent in his doings and no lesse zealous in the setting foorth of Gods holy truth Tindal bearing with â—yme after such sort as it might take most effect wyth the people did forbeare the putting forth of that work not doubting but by Gods mercifull grace a time shuld come to haue that abhomination openly declared as it is at this present day the Lorde almighty be alwaies praised therefore Amen These godly bookes of Tindall and specially the newe Testament of his translation after that they begaÌ„ to come into mens handes and to spread abroad as they wroughte great and singuler profite to the godly Darckenes hateth light so the vngodly enuying and disdaining that the people should be any thing wiser then they againe fearing least by the shining beames of truth their false hypocrisie workes of darkenesse should be discerned began to stirre with no small ado like as at the birth of Christ Herode al Ierusalem was troubled with him Sathan an enemye to all good purposes especially to the Gospell But especially Sathan the prince of darkenes maligning y e happy course and successe of the Gospel set to his might also how to empeache and hinder y e blessed trauailes of that man as by this and also by sondry other wayes may appeare For at what time Tindall had translated the fift booke of Moises called Deuteronomium minding to Printe the same at Hamborough hee sailed thereward where by the way vpon the coast of Holland he suffred shipwracke by the which he loste all his bookes wrytings and copies and so was compelled to begin al againe a new to his hinderaÌ„ce and doubling of his labors Thus hauing lost by that ship both money his copies and time he
Such was the power of his doctrine and sinceritie of his life M. Tindall conuerted his keeper that during the time of his imprisonment whiche endured a yeare and a halfe it is sayde hee conuerted hys keeper his daughter and other of his household Also the rest that were with him conuersaunt in the Castle reported of him that if he were not a good christen man they could not tell whome to trust The Procuror generall the Emperours Attourney being there Commendation of M. Tindall 〈…〉 were about him left this testimonie of him that he was Homo doctus pius bonus that is a learned a good and a godly man The same mornyng in which he was had to the fire he deliuered a letter to the keeper of the castle which y e keeper himselfe brought to the house of y e foresayd Pointz in Autwerpe shortly after which letter with his examinatiōs other his disputations I would might haue come to our handes all which I vnderstād did remaine yet perhaps doe in the handes of the keepers daughter For so it is of him reported that as he was in the Castle prisoner there was much writyng and great disputation to and fro betwene him and them of the Uniuersitie of Louaine which was not past ix or x. myles from the place where he was prisoner in such sorte that they all had enough to do and more then they could well weld to aunswere the authorities and testimonies of the Scripture whereupō he most pithely grounded his doctrine Of Iudas that betrayed Christ it is written that he returned the money agayne to the Phariseis Gods Iudgment vpon Philippes the betrayer of Tindall afterward did hang him selfe So Philippes this miserable traytor after he had bene receaued of Tyndal borrowed money of him yet betrayed him and pursued him to death albeit he reioyced a while after y t he had done yet y e saying so goeth that he not long tyme after enioyed the price of innocent bloud but was consumed at last with lyce The worthy vertues and doings of this blessed Martyr who for his paynefull trauailes and singular zeale to his countrey may be called in these our dayes an Apostle of Englād it were long to recite Amongest many other this because it seemeth to me worthy of remembraunce I thought not in silence to ouerpasse which hath vnto me credibly bene testified by certaine graue Marchauntes some of thē also such as were present the same tyme at the fact and men yet alyue The story wherof is this There was at Antwerpe on a tyme amongest a company of Marchauntes as they were at supper a certaine iuggler which through his diabolicall inchaūtementes or Art Magicall would fetch all kyndes of viandes wyne from any place they would and set it vpon the table incōtinent before them with many other such lyke thynges The same of this iuggler beyng much talked of it chaunced that as M. Tyndall heard of it he desired certaine of the Marchants that he might also be present at supper to see him play his partes To be briefe the supper was appointed and the Marchauntes with Tyndall were there present Then the iuggler being required to play his feates and to shewe his cunning after his wonted boldnes began to vtter all that he could do but all was in vaine At the last The power of Gods saintes against the deuil with hys labour sweating and toyling when he sawe that nothyng would go forward but that all his enchauntmentes were voyde he was compelled openly to confesse that there was some man present at supper which disturbed and letted all his doings So that a man euen in the Martyrs of these our dayes can not lacke the miracles of true faith if miracles were now to be desired As concerning y e workes and bookes of Tyndall which extend to a great number thou wast tolde before louyng reader howe the Printer heereof mindeth by the Lordes leaue W. Tyndals workes looked for to be all set out in one volum◠to collect them all in one Uolume together and put them out in print Wherefore it shall not greatly at thys time be needefull to make any seuerall rehearsall of them And as touching his translation of the new Testament because his enemies did so much carpe at it pretending it to be so full of heresies to aunswere therfore to their sclanderous tongs and lieng lippes thou shalt heare and vnderstand what faithfull dealing and sincere conscience he vsed in the same by the testimonie allegation of his own words The faithfull dealing of Tindall in translating the newe testament written in his Epistle to Iohn Frith as foloweth I call God to record against the day we shall appeare before our Lord Iesus to geue a reckening of our doings y t I neuer altered one sillable of Gods word against my cōscience nor would do this day if all that is in earth whether it be honour pleasure or riches might be geuē me c. And as ye haue heard Tyndals owne words thus protesting for himselfe now let vs heare likewise the faithfull testimonie of Iohn Frith for Tindall his deare companion and brother thus declaring in his aunswere to mayster More as followeth The testimony of Iohn Frith in his booke of the Sacrament concerning William Tyndall The testimony of Iohn Frith for Tindall ANd Tyndall I trust liueth well content with suche a poore Apostles life as God gaue his sonne Christ and his faithfull Ministers in this world which is not sure of so many mites as ye be yearely of poundes although I am sure that for his learning and iudgement in Scripture he were more worthy to be promoted then all the Bishops in Englande The wordes of Tindall written to Iohn Frith I receaued a letter from him whiche was written since Christmas wherein among other matters he writeth this I call God to record against the daye wee shall appeare before our Lord Iesus to geue a reckening of our doings that I neuer altered one sillable of Gods word against my conscience nor woulde do this day if all that is in earth whether it be honour pleasure or riches might be geuen me Moreouer I take God to witnesse to my conscience that I desire of God to my selfe in this world no more then that without which I can not keepe his lawes c. Iudge Christian Reader whether these words be not spoken of a faithfull cleare innocent hart And as for his behauiour is such that I am sure no man can reproue him of any sinne howbeit no man is innocent before God which beholdeth the hart This much out of Frith And thus being about to conclude and finishe wyth the life and story of William Tindall Ex lib. Tind praxit Praelatorum it shall be requisite now that the Reader do heare some thing likewise of his supplication made to the King and nobles of the Realme as they are yet
them that immortally hate vs what coulde we wish them so euill but they haue deserued much worse We wish them this hurt alone that God send them a better minde God be thanked we haue made all their seditious ententes sooner to shew their great malice towardes vs then to do vs much hurt yet they haue well taught vs euermore to take good heede of our ennemyes Undoubtedly it were good going to Mantua and to leaue their whelpes amongst the lambes of our flocke When we be weary of our wealth wee will euen doe then as they would haue vs now do No no as long as we shal see his heart so good towardes vs we trust vppon hys warning we shall well prouide to withstand hys cruell malice No let him now spende his deceites when they can hurt none but such as would deceiue and are deceiued They haue by sundry waies made vs priuy howe much we be bound to them It went nigh their hearts to see the iudgement of Iulye of Clement the 7. of Paule the 3. nothing to be regarded w t vs. The Popes â—urâ—es not feared in England They be afraide if wee shoulde sustaine no hurt because wee iustly reiected their primacie that other Princes woulde begin to doe lykewyse and to shake of their shoulders the heauy burthens that they so long haue borne againste Scripture all right and reason They be sory to see the way stopped y t now their tiranny auarice and pride caÌ„ haue no passage into England which was wont to walk to triumph to tosse to trouble al men They can scarse suffer priuiledges that is to say licence to spoyle our Citizens geuen them by our forefathers and brought in by errorful custome to be taken froÌ„ them They thinke it vnlawful that we require things lawful of them that will be vnder no lawes They thinke wee doe them wrong The Popes trumpery dispatched out of England because we will not suffer them to do vs wrong any longer They see their marchandise to be banished to be forbidden They see that we will buy no longer chalke for cheese They see they haue lost a faire flese vengeable sorie that they can dispatch no more pardons dispensations tot quots with the rest of their baggage and tromperie England is no more a babe There is no man here but now he knoweth that they doe foolishly that giue golde for leade more weight of that then they receiue of this Golde geueÌ„ 〈◊〉 leade They passe not though Peter Paules faces be grauen in the lead to make fooles faine No we be sorie that they shoulde abuse holy Saints visages to the begiling of the world Surely except God take away our right wittes not only his authority shal be driueÌ„ out for euer God grauÌ„t but his name also shortly shall be forgotten in England Wee will from henceforth aske counsel of him and his when we lust to be deceiued when we couet to be in error when we desire to offend God trouth and honesty If a man may gesse the whole worke by the foundation The Popes 〈…〉 where deceits beginneth the worke can any other then deceits be builded vpoÌ„ thys foundation What can you looke for in thys Mantuan councel â—he Pope 〈◊〉 a fewe â—â—nges wel â—t many 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 better 〈◊〉 other then the oppression of truth true religion If there be any thing well done thinke as euery maÌ„ doth bishops of Rome to be accustomed to do a few things wel that many euill may the better be taken at theyr handes They when they lust can yeelde some part of theyr ryghte They are content that some of their decrees some of their errours abuses be reprehended but they are neuer more to be sâ—ared then when they shewe themselues most geÌ„tle For if they graunt a few they aske many if they leaue a litle they will be sure of a great deale Scarse a man he may know how to handle himself that he take no hurt at their hands yea when they blesse him which seldome doe good but for an intent to do euil Certainly come who so will to these shops of deceits to these taires of frauds we wil loose no parte of our right in comming at his call The pope ought to be called and not to call that ought to be called and not to fall We wil neither come at Mantua nor send thether for this matter c. And so the king proceeding in the sayde hys Protestation declareth moreouer how the Pope after he had summoned his Councell first to be kept at Mantua the 23. of May An. 1537. shortly after directed out an other Bull to prorogate the same Councell to the month of Nouember pretending for his excuse y t the Duke of Mantua woulde not suffer him to keepe any Councel there The Pope againe prorogeth his Councell vnles he maintained a number of warriors for defence of the town And therfore in his latter bull he prorogeth this assemble commaunding Patriarkes Archbishops Byshops Abbots and other of the spiritualtie by the vertue of obedience and vnder paine of cursing to be present but sheweth no place at all where he would be nor whether they shoulde come And in very deede no great matter though no place were named For as good couÌ„cel no where to be called as where it could not be And aswell no place serued him that intended no Councell as all places And to say truth much better no place to be named then to name suche as he purposed not to come too for so shoulde hee breake no promise which maketh none And so going forward in his oration toward the latter ende he thus inferreth by his wordes of Protestation saying No we will the Pope and his adherents to vnderstand that that we oft haue sayd and now say and euer will say Princes as theâ— gaue the Pope primacye 〈◊〉 they take 〈…〉 him agayne He nor his hath no authoritie no iurisdiction in England Wee giue him no more then hee hath that is neuer a deale That which he hath vsurped against Gods lawe extorted by violeÌ„ce we by good right take from him again But he his wil say we gaue them a primacie We heare them well We gaue it you in dede If you haue authority vpon vs as long as our coÌ„sent giueth it you and you euermore wil make your plee vpon our consent then let it haue euen an ende where it began we coÌ„sent no longer your authoritie must nedes be gone If we being deceiued by fals pretense of euil alledged scriptures gaue to you y t ye ought to haue refused why may we not our error nowe perceiued your deceite espied take it againe We princes wrote our selues to be inferours to popes As long as wee thought so we obeyed them as our superiors Now we write not as we did and therefore they haue no great cause to maruill if we hereafter doe not as we did both the lawes
after whose birth Queene Iane his mother the second daye after dyed in childbed left the king agayne a widower which so continued the space of two yeres together Upon the death of whiche Queene Iane Prince Edward borne and vppon the birth of prince Edward her sonne these two verses were made which follow Phoenix Iana iacet nato Phoenice Queene Iane dyed in childe-bed dolendum Secula Phoenices nulla tulisse duas Here is by the waye to be vnderstand that during all this season since the time that the king of Englande had reiected the pope out of the Realme both the Emperour These verses were thought to be made by M. Armigyl Wade y e French king and the king of Scottes with other forreine potentates which were yet in subiection vnder the Pope bare no him do great good fauour inwardly what soeuer outwardly they pretended Neither was here lacking pryuy setters on nor secret working among themselues how to compasse vngracious mischiefes if God by cōtrary occasions had not stopped their intended deuises For first y e Pope had sent Cardinall Poole to the French king to stir him to warre agaynst the realme of England Secondly where as the Frenche king The Pope stirreth warre agaynst England by Cardinall Poole The Emperour the French king and the king of Scottes set agaynst the king of England by treaty of perpetuall peace was bound yearly to paye to the king of England at the first dayes of May and Nouember about xcv thousand crownes of the summe and odde mony and ouer that 10000. crownes at y e sayd ij termes for recōpēce of salt due as the treates therof did purporte that pension remayned now vnpayed iiij yeares and more Furthermore the Emperour and the Frenche K. both reteined Grancetor a traiterous rebell against the king condemned by Act of Parliament with certayn other traitors moe and yet would not deliuer him to the king at his earnest suite and request The Frenche king also digressing from his promise and treaty made alliance wyth the Bishop of Rome Clement in marying the Dolphine to hys Niece called Katherine de Medicis The sayd Frenche kyng moreouer contrary to his contracte made married his daughter to the king of Scottes All which were preiudiciall and put the kinge no doubt in some feare and perplexity though otherwise a stout and valiant Prince to see the Pope the Emperour the French king and king of Scottes so bent against him And yet all this notwithstanding the Lord stil defended the iustnes of his cause against them all For although the French king was so sette on by the Pope and so linked in mariage with the Scots and sacked nothing now but only occasion to inuade the realme of England yet notwythstanding he hearing now of the birth of Prince Edwarde the kinges sonne by Queene Iane and vnderstandinge also by the death of the sayde Queene Iane that the Kyng was a widower and perceiuing moreouer talk to be that the king would ioyne in mariage with the Germains began to waxe more calme and colde and to geue much more gentle wordes and to demeane him selfe more curtuously labouring to mary the Queene of Nauare hys sister to the king The Ambassadors resident then in France for the king were Ste. Gardiner with Docto◠Thirleby c. Whyche Steuen Gard. what he wrought secreately for the Popes deuotion I haue not expressely to charge him Whether he so did or what he did the Lord knoweth all But thys is certaine that when D. Boner Archedeacon then of Leicester was sente into Fraunce by the Kinge throughe the meanes of the Lord Cromwell to succeede Steuen Gardinar in Ambassie which was about the yeare of our Lord 1538. he found such dealing in the sayd Bishop of Winchester as was not greatly to be trusted beside the vnkynde partes of the sayde Byshop againste the foresayde Boner Anno. 1538. comming then from the King and Lorde Cromwell as was not to be liked Long it is to recite from the beginning few men peruenture woulde beleeue Doct. Boner the kyngs Ambassadour in Fraunce the brawling matters the priuie complaints the contentious quarels and bitter dissentiōs betwene these two and especially what despightful contumelies D. Boner receiued at the hands of Winchester For vnderstande good Reader that this doctor Boner all this while remained yet as he seemed a good man Doct. Boner in the beginning a fauourer of the truth and a Lutherane and was a great furtherer of the kinges proceedings and a fauourer of Luthers doctrine and was aduanced only by the Lorde Cromwel Whose promotions here to reherse first he was Archdeacon of Leycester persone of Bledon of Dereham Cheswike and Cheriburton Then was made Byshop of Hereford and at last preferred to be Bish. of London The chiefe of which preferments and dignities were conferred vnto him only by the meanes and fauour of the L. Cromwel L. Cromwel the onely setter vp of Doct. Boner who was then his chiefe and only patrone and setter vp as the said Boner himselfe in al his letters doth manifestly protest and declare The Copies of which his letters I could heere produce and exhibite but for prolonging my story with superfluous matter Yet that the worlde and all posteritie may see how the comming vp of D. Boner was onely by the Gospell howsoeuer he was after vnkind vnto the Gospell this one letter of his Doct. Boners cōming vp was by the Gospell which I wil heere inferre written to the Lorde Cromwel out of Fraunce may stand for a perpetuall testimonie the tenour whereof here ensueth * A letter of Doctor Boner the kings Ambassadour resident in Fraunce sent to the Lord Cromwell declaring the order of his promotions and comming vp MY very singular especiall good Lord as one most bounden I most humbly commende mee vnto your honourable good Lordship Out of Boners owne hand writing And wheras in times passed in hath liked the same without any my desertes or merites euen only of your singular exceding goodnes to bestowe a great deale of loue beneuolence and good affection vpon me so poore a man and of so small qualities expressing in deede sondry wayes the good effectes therof to my great preferment I was very much bounde thereby vnto your honourable good Lordshippe and thought it alway my duetie as in deede it was both to beare my true hart againe vnto your Lordship D. Boner cōfesseth himselfe much bound to the L. Crōwell and also remembring suche kindnes to doe vnto the same all such seruice pleasure as might then lie in my smal power to do But where of your infinite inestimable goodnes it hath further liked you of late first to aduance me vnto the office of Legation from such a Prince as my soueraigne Lorde is vnto the Emperour and French king and next after to procure and obtayne mine aduauncement to so honourable a promotion as the Byshoprike of Hereford
the truth which he defended before in his booke De obedientia to papistry Steuen Gardiner reuolteth to Papistry ioining part and side with suche as were knowne papists so he seemeth likewyse to beare a like secret grudge against the Lord Cromwell and all such whomsoeuer he fauoured Thirdly as concerning the forenamed D. Edmund Boner the author of this declaration heere is to be seene and noted that he all this while appeared a good man and diligent friend to the truth and that he was fauoured of the Lord Cromwell for the same Fourthly that the said D. Boner was not onely fauoured of the Lord Cromwell but also by him was aduaunced first to the office of Legation D. Boners comming vp onely by the Gospell then to the Bishoprike of Hereford and lastly to the Bishoprike of London whome the said D. Boner in his letters agniseth and confesseth to be his only Patron and singular Mecaenas Which being so we haue in this said D. Boner greatly to meruayle what should be the cause that he seing all his setting vp making and preferring came only by the Gospell and by theÌ„ of the Gospels side he being then so hated of Steuen Gardiner and such as he was being also at that time such a furtherer and defender of the Gospell as appeared both by his Preface before Gardinars booke De obedientia and by his writings to the Lord Cromwell also by helping forward the printed Bibles at Paris could euer be a man so vngratefull vnkind afterward to ioyne part with the said Steuen Gardiner against the Gospell without y t which Gospel he had neuer come to be bishop neither of Hereford nor yet of London and now to abuse y e same bishopricke of London to persecute y t so vehemently which before so openly he defended Wherin y e same may well be said to him in this case y t he himselfe was reported once to say to the french King in the cause of Grancetor to witte that he had done therein against his honour against iustice against reason against honesty Boners owne wordes retorted against himselfe against freÌ„dship against his own promise and his othe so often made against his owne doctrine and iudgement which then he professed against all truth against the treates and leagues betwene him and his setters vp and against all together and to conclude against the saluation of his owne soule But to referre this to the booke of his accomptes who shall iudge one day all things vprightly let vs proceede further in y e coÌ„tinue of this D. Boners legation Who being now Ambassadour in the court of Fraunce as he haue heard had geuen in commission from the king to entreate with the French King for sondry pointes as for the printing of the new Testament in English Printing the newe testament in English and the Byble at Paris and the Bible at Paris also for slanderous preachers and malicious speakers against the King for goods of merchaunts taken and spoiled for the kings pension to be paid for the matters of the Duke of Suffolke for certaine prisoners in Fraunce Item for Grancetor the traitour and certain other rebels to be sent into England c. Touching all which affayres the sayd D. Boner did employ his diligence trauaile to the good satisfaction and contentment of the kings minde The diligeÌ„ce trust of D. Boner in legatyon and discharge of his duetie in such sort as no default could be found in him saue only that the French King one time tooke displeasure with him for that the said Boner beyng now made bishop of Hereford and bearing himself somewhat more seriously and boldly before the king in the cause of Grancetor the traytour wherein he was willed by the aduertisement of the Kings pleasure The wordes of D. Boner 〈◊〉 to the French king to wade more deepely and instantly vsed these words to the French King as y e french king himself did afterward report them saieng that he had done in deliueraÌ„ce of that foresaid Grancetor being an Englishman The French king disâ—lesed with â—ishop Boner Bish. Boner 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to the king his mâ—â—ster 3. thinges agaynst God agaynst his honor agaynst iustice agaynst reason agaynst honesty against friendship against all law against the treates leagues betwene him and his brother the King of England yea and against all together c. These words of Bishop Boner although he denieth to haue spoken them in that forme and qualitie yet howsoeuer they were spoken did stirre vp the stomack of the French King to conceiue high displeasure agaynst him in so much that he answering the Lord Ambassadour againe bad him write these three things vnto his maister First among other thinges that his Embassadour was a greate foole Secondarily that he caused to be done better iustice there in his Realme in one houre then they did in Englande in a whole yeare Thirdly that if it were not for the loue of his maister he should haue an hundreth strokes with an Haulbard c. And furthermore the sayde Frenche King beside thys sending a speciall messenger with his letters to the king of England willed him to reuoke and cal this Ambassadour home and to send him an other The cause why the french King tooke these wordes of Bishop Boner so to stomacke as the L. Chauncelour said was this for that the Kings of Fraunce standing chiefly and in maner only vpon theyr honour can suffer that in no case to be touched Otherwise in those wordes if they had bene well taken was not so much blame perchaunce as boldnes being spoken somwhat vehemently in his maisters behalfe Bishop coÌ„moÌ„ly boldder in Princes matters then in the cause of Christ. But this one thing seemeth to me much blameworthy both in this Byshop and many other that they in earthly matters and to please terrene Kings will put forth themselues to such a boldnes and forwardnes and in Christes cause the King of all kings whose cause they should onely attend vppon and tender they are so remisse cold and cowardly To these letters of the French King the King of England sent aunswer againe by other letters in which he reuoked and called home againe bishop Boner geuing vnto him about the same time the Bishopricke of London and sente in supply of his place Sir Iohn Wallop a greate frend to Steuen Gardiner Whiche was in February about the beginning of the yeare of our Lord 1540. Heere now followeth the othe of Boner to the King when hee was made Byshop of London ¶ The othe of Doctor Edmund Boner when hee was made Byshop of London agaynst the Pope of Rome YE shall neuer consent nor agree that the Byshop of Rome shall practise D. Boners othe against the Pope exercise or haue any maner of authority iurisdiction or power within this Realme or any other the Kings dominion but that you shall resist the same at all times to the vttermost
In the yere of our Lord god 1536. and of the most noble reigne of our soueraine Lord Henry the eight king of England and of Fraunce Other Iniunctions defendour of the fayth Lord of Ireland and in earth supreme head of the Church of England the xxviij c. I Thomas Cromwell Knight Lorde Cromwell keeper of the priuie Seale of our sayd soueraigne Lorde the King and vicegerent to the same for and coÌ„cerning all his iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall within this Realme to the glory of Almightie God to the Kings highnes honour the publike weale of this Realme and increase of vertue in the same haue appointed and assigned these Iniunctions ensuing to be kept and obserued of the Deane Persons Uicares Curates and Stipendaries resident or hauing cure of soules or anye other spirituall administration within this Deanry vnder the paynes heereafter limited and appointed The first is that the Deane Persons Uicares and other hauing cure of soule any where within this Deanrye shall faithfully keepe and obserue and as farre as in them may lye shall cause to be kept and obserued of all other all and singular lawes and statutes of this Realme Confirmatâ—on of the kings supremacye made for the abolishing and extirpatioÌ„ of the bishop of Romes pretensed and vsurped power and iurisdiction within thys Realme and for the stablishment and confirmation of the Kings authoritie and iurisdiction within the same as of the supreame head of the Church of Englande shall to the vttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open by the space of one quarter of a yeare nowe nexte ensuing once euery Sonday and after at the leastwise twise euery quarter of a yeare in their SermoÌ„s and other collations Agaynst the Popes primacye that the Byshop of Romes vsurped power and iurisdictioÌ„ hauing no establishmeÌ„t nor grouÌ„d by the lawe of God was of most iust causes taken away and abolished and that therefore they owe vnto him no maner of obedience or subiection and that the Kinges power is within his dominioÌ„ the highest potentate power vnder God to whome all men within the same dominion by Gods commaundement owe most loyaltie and obedience afore and aboue all other potentates in earth Item whereas certeine Articles were lately deuised and put forth by the Kings highnesse authoritie and condiscended vpoÌ„ by the Prelates and clergy of this his Realme in conuocation whereof part were necessary to be holden and beleued for our saluation and y e other part do conserne and touch certeine laudable ceremonies rites and vsages of the Churche meete and conuenient to be kepte and vsed for a decent and politike order in the same the sayde Deane Parsons Uicares and other Curates shall so open and declare in their sermons and other collations the said Articles vnto them that be vnder their cure that they may plainely know and discerne which of theÌ„ be necessarie to be beleued and obserued for their saluation and whiche be not necessary but only do concerne the decent and politike order of the said Church according to suche coÌ„mandement admonition as hath bene giuen vnto them heretofore by the authority of the kings highnes in that behalfe Moreouer that they shall declare vnto all such as be vnder their cure The kinges Articles to be 〈◊〉 to the people the Articles likewise deuised put forth and authorised of late for and concerning the abrogation of certayne superstitious holydaies according to the effecte and purport of the same Articles and persuade their parishioners to keepe and obserue the same inuiolably as things wholesome prouided decreed and established by common consent and publike authoritie for the weale coÌ„moditie and profite of all this Realme Besides this to the entent that all superstition and hypocrisie crept into diuers mens hartes may vanish away they shall not set forth nor extoll any images Images abolished reliques or miracles for any superstitioÌ„ or lucre nor allure the people by any intreatemeÌ„ts to the pilgrimages of any Saints otherwise then is permitted in the Articles lately put foorth by the authority of the Kings Maiesty and condescended vpon by the Prelates and Clergy of this his Realme in Conuocation as though it were proper or peculiar to that Saint to geue this commoditie or that seing all goodnes health and grace ought to be both loked and asked for only of God as of the very author of the same and of none other for without him it can not be geuen but they shall exhort as well their parishioners as other pilgrimes that they do rather apply themselues to the keeping of Gods commandements Pilgrimages forbidden and fulfilling of his works of charitie perswading them that they shall please God more by the true exercising of their bodily labor trauaile or occupatioÌ„ and prouiding for their families then if they went aboute to the said pilgrimages and it shall profit more their soule health if they do bestow y t on the poore needy which they would haue bestowed vpon the sayd images or reliques Also in the same their Sermons and other collations the Parsons Uicares and other Curates aforesayd shall diligently admonish the fathers and mothers Prayers in the mother tongue maisters gouernours of youth being within their cure to teache or cause to be taught their children and seruaunts euen from their infancy the Pater noster the Articles of our faith and the ten commaundements in their mother tongue and the same so taught shall cause the sayd youth oft to repeate vnderstaÌ„d And to the intent this may be the more easily done the said Curates shall in their sermons deliberately and plainely recite of the sayd Pater noster Articles or commaundements one clause or article one day and an other another day till the whole be taught and learned by little little and shall deliuer y e same in writing or shew where printed bookes conteining the same be to be solde to them that can read or will desire the same and therto that y e said fathers and mothers maisters gouernours doe bestowe their children and seruauntes euen from their childhoode either to learning or to some honest exercise occupation or husbandry exhorting counsayling and by all the waies and meanes they may as well in their saide sermons and collations as otherwaies the said fathers mothers maisters and other gouernours beeing vnder their cure and charge diligeÌ„tly to prouide and foresee that the said youth be in no maner wise kept or brought vp in idlenes least at any time afterward For bringing vp of youth in some arte or occupatioÌ„ they be driuen for lacke of some misterie or occupation to liue by to fall to begging stealing or some other vnthriftines forasmuch as we may dayly see through slouth idlenes diuers valiant men fall some to begging and some to theft murder which after brought to calamitie misery impute a great
seduced by a common errour and abuse crept into the Church thorough the sufferance and auarice of such as felt profite by the same Item if ye do or shall know any within your parish or elsewhere that is a letter of the word of God to be read in english or sincerely preached The worde of God to be preached without stop or interruption or of the executioÌ„ of these iniunctions or a fautor of the Bishop of Romes pretensed power now by the lawes of this Realme iustly reiected and extirped ye shall detect the same to the Kings highnes or his honourable Counsayle or to his vicegerent aforesayd or to the iustice of peace next adioyning Item that you and euery Parson Uicar or Curate within this diocesse shall for euery Church keep one booke of Register Register booke for euery parish wherein ye shall write the day and yeare of euery wedding christening burieng made within your parish for your time so for euery man succeding you likewise also therin set euery persons name that shall be so wedded christined or buried for the safe keeping of the same booke the parish shall be bounde to prouide of theyr common charges one sure coffer with ij lockes and keies whereof the one to remaine with you and the other wyth the Wardens of euery such parish wherein the sayd booke shall be layd vp Which booke ye shall euery Sonday take foorth and in the presence of the saide Wardens or one of them write and record in the same al the weddings christnings and buriengs made the whole weeke before and that done to lay vp the sayd booke in the sayde coffer as afore and for euery time the same shall be omitted the partie that shall be in the fault thereof shall forfaite to the sayd Church three shillings foure pence to be employed on the reparation of the same Church Item that ye shall once euery quarter of a yeare reade these and the other former iniunctions geuen vnto you by authoritie of the Kings highnes openly and deliberately before al your parishners to the entent that both you may be the better admonished of your duetie and your said parishners the more incited to ensue the same for their part Item for as much as by a lawe established euery mâ—n is bound to pay his tithes no man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curates deteine their tithes Tythes to be payed so redub one wrong with another or be his owne iudge but shall truly pay y e same as hath ben accustomed to their persons curates without any restraint or diminutioÌ„ such lacke and default as they can iustly find in theyr parsons and curates to call for reformation therof at theyr Ordinaryes other superiors handes who vpon complaint due proofe therof shall reforme the same accordingly Item that no Person shall from henceforth alter or chaunge the order and maner of any fasting day that is coÌ„mauÌ„ded indicted by y e church nor of diuine prayer nor of seruice othâ—rwise theÌ„ is specified in y e sayd iniuÌ„ctioÌ„s vntill such time as the same shall be so ordered transposed by y e kings highnes authority 〈◊〉 day abrogate the Euens of such saynts whose holidayes be abrogated only excepted which shal be declared henceforth to be no fasting dayes except also the commemoratioÌ„ of Tho. Becket sometime Archbishop of Canterbury which shal be cleane omitted and in stead thereof the feriall seruice vsed Item that the knoling of the Aues after seruice certayne other times which hath bene brought in begon by the pretence of y e B. of Romes pardon Knoling of Auees forbidden henceforth be left omitted lest the people do hereafter trust to haue pardon for the saying of their Aues betwene the sayd knolyng as they haue done in times past IteÌ„ where in times pâ—st men haue vsed in diuers plates in theyr Processions to sing Ora pro nobis to so manye saintes Suffrages of Saintes relected that they had no time to sing the good Suffrages folowing as Parce nobis Domine and Libera nos Domine it must be taught and preached y e better it were to omit Ora pro nobis and to sing the other suffrages being most necessary and effectuall All which and singuler Iniunctions I minister vnto you and to your parishners by the kings highnes authority to me committed in this part which I charge commaund you by the same authority to obserue and keep vpon paine of depriuation sequestration of your fruits or such other cohercion as to the king or his vicegerent for this time being shal be sene conuenient By these Articles and IniunctioÌ„s thus comming forth one after an other for the necessary instruction of the people The king better deseruing the name of supreme gouernour theÌ„ the Pope it may appeare how well the king deserued then the title of his supreme gouernment geuen vnto him ouer the church of England by the which title and authority he did more good for the redressing and aduauncing of Christes Church and religion here in England in these three yeres then the Pope the great Uicar of Christ w t all his bishops and Prelates had done the space of iij. hundreth yeares before Such a vigilant care was then in the king and in his counsell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse religion to reforme errors to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignoraunce and to reduce the misleadings of christes flock drowned in blinde popery superstition customes idolatry to some better forme of more perfect reformatioÌ„ Wher vnto he prouided not only these articles precepts and iniunctions aboue specified to informe the rude people but also procured the Bishoppes to helpe forward in the same cause of decayed doctrine Read afore pag. 1024. with their diligent preaching teaching of the people according as ye heard before pag. 1024. how that in the yeare 1534. during all the whole time of the parliament there was appoynted euery sonday a Bishop to preach at Paules Crosse agaynst the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome Amongest which bishops Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne the kinges confessor and a great persecutor of y e poore flock of Christ as is before sufficiently recorded Read afore pag. 952. pag. 952. made a Sermon before the king vpon good Friday this present yere 1538. at Grenewich seriously and effectuously preaching on the kinges behalfe against the vsurped supremacy of the bishop of Rome the contentes of whose sermoÌ„ wholy to expresse were here to long tedious So much as may suffice for our purpose I thought should remayne to the posterity beginning at his Theame whiche then he tooke in hand to entreat vpon writteÌ„ in the 13. cha to the Hebrues as foloweth ¶ The Sermon of Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne on good Friday before the king at Grenewich an 1538. THe wordes of the Apostle are these Habemus altare de
the Popes authority may be stopped by a Duke what authority then hath he ouer kinges and Emperours what place shal be left him where he may keepe hys generall Councell Agayne if Princes haue geuen him this authoritye to call a councell is it not necessary that they geue him also al those thinges without the which he can not exercise that his power Shall he call men and will ye let him to finde no place to call them vnto Truely he is not woont to appoynt one of his owne cityes a place to keep the Councell in No the good man is so faythfull and frendly toward other that seldome he desireth Princes to be his gestes And admitte he shoulde call vs to one of his Cittyes shoulde we safely walke within the walles of such our enemies towne Were it meete for vs there to discusse controuersies of Religion or to keepe vs out of our enemies trappes meete to study for the defence of such doctrine as we professe Example that the Pope hath no power vpon places in other mens dominioÌ„s or rather how we might in such a throng of perilles be in safegard of our life Well in this one arte the Bishop of Rome hath declared that he hath none authority vpon places in other mens dominions and therefore if he promise a CouÌ„sel in any of those he promiseth that that is in an other man to performe and so may he deceiue vs agayne Now if he cal vs to one of his owne townes DileÌ„ma against the Pope we be afrayd to be at such an hostes table We say better to ryse an hungred then to go thence with our bellye 's full But they say the place is found we need no more to seek where the CouÌ„cell shal be kept As who sayth Vincence a citye vnder the dominion of the Venetians that that chaunced at Mantua may not also chaunce at Uincence and as though it were very like that the Uenecians men of suche wisedome should not both foresee and feare also that the wise Duke of Mantua semed to feare Certes when we thinke vppon the state that the Uenecians be in now it seemeth no very likely thing that they will eyther leaue Uincence theyr Cittye to so many Nations wythout some great garrison of souldiours or els that they beyng els where so sore charged already wil now nourish an army there And if they would doâ—h not Paule himselfe grauÌ„t that it should be an euill President an euill example to haue an armed Councell Howe so euer it shall be we most hartily desire you that ye will vouchsafe to read those thinges that we wrote this last yeare touching the Mantuan Councell For we nothing doubt but you of your equity will stand on our side agaynst theyr subtlety and fraudes and iudge except we be deceiued that we in this busines neither gaue so much to our affectioÌ„s neither without great and most iust causes refused theyr Councelles theyr Censures and Decrees Whether these our writinges please all men or no we thinke we ought not to passe much No if that which indifferently is written of vs may please indiffereÌ„t readers our desire is accomplished The false and mistaking of thinges by men parciall shall moue vs nothing or els very litle If we haue sayd ought agaynst the deceites of the Byshop of Rome that may seeme spoken too sharpely we pray you impute it to the hatred we beare vnto vices and not to any euill will that we beare him No that he and all his may perceiue that we are rather at strife with his vices then with him and his our prayer is that it may please God at the last to open theyr eies to make soft their hard hartes and that they once may with vs theyr owne glory set apart study to set forth the euerlasting glory of the euerlasting God Thus mighty Emperour fare you most hartily well and ye Christen Princes the pillers and stay of Christendome fare ye hartily well Also all ye what people so euer ye are which do desire that the gospell and glory of Christ may florish fare ye hartily well As the Lorde of his goodnes hath raised vp Thomas Cromwel to be a frend and patrone to the Gospell so on the contrary side Sathan which is aduersary and enemy to all good thinges had his organe also which was Steuen Gardiner by all wyles and subtile means to impeach and to put backe the same Who after he had brought his purpose to passe in burning good Iohn Lambert as ye haue hearde proceeding still in his craftes and wyles and thinking vnder the name of heresies sectes Anabaptistes sacramentaris to exterminate al good bookes and faithful professours of Gods word out of England so wrought with the king that the next yeare following which was of our Lord. 1539. he gaue out these Iniunctions y e copy and contentes wherof I though here also not to be pretermitted and are these * Certayne other Iniunctions set forth by the authority of the King agaynst English bookes sectes and Sacramentaries also with putting downe the day of Thomas Becket FIrst that none without special licence of y e king transporte or bring from outward parties into England Anno. 1539. any manner of Englishe bookes neither yet sell geue vtter or publishe any suche vpon payne to forfeyte all their goode and cattelles and their bodies to be imprisoned so long as it shal please the kinges maiestie Item that none shal print or bring ouer any English bookes with annotations or Prologues vnles such books before he examined by the kings priuy Counsell or others appoynted by his highnesse and yet not to put therto these wordes Cum priuilegio Regali w tout adding Ad imprimendum solum neither yet to print it without the kinges priuiledge be printed therewith in the English tongue No bookes to be translated without the name of the translator that all men may read it Neyther shall they print any translated booke without the playne name of the translator be in it or els the printer to be made the translatour and to suffer the fine and punishment therof at the kinges pleasure Item that none of the occupation of Printing shall within the Realme print vtter sell or cause to be published any Englishe bookes of Scripture Englishe bokes of scripture forbidden to be printed vnlesse the same be first viewed examined and admitted by the kings highnesse or one of his priuy Counsell or one Byshop withâ—â— the Realme whose name shall therin be expressed vpon payne of the kinges most high displeasure the losse of their goods and cattels and prisonment so loÌ„g as it shall please the king Item those that be in any errours as Sacramentaries Agaynst Sacramentaryes Anabaptistes or any other or any that sell books hauing such opinions in them being once knowne both the bookes and such persons shal be detected and disclosed immediately vnto the kinges Maiesty or one of hys priuye
and 5. articles of vowes priests maryage the antiquitie of the iij. former Articles aboue mentioned to witte of trāsubstātiation of the halfe cōmunion and of priuate Masses so now commyng to the Article of vowes and of Priestes mariage the reader will looke perchaunce to be satisfied in this likewise as in the other before to be certified from what cōtinuaunce of tyme these vowes vnmaried lyfe of Priests haue continued Read afore pag. 195. Read afore pag. 175. Wherin although sufficient hath bene sayd before in the former processe of this history as in the life of Anselmus pag. 195. also of Pope Hildebrād pag. 175. c. yet for the better establishing of y e readers mynde agaynst this wicked article of Priests mariage it shal be no great labour lost here briefly to recapitulate in the tractatiō of this matter either what before hath bene sayd or what more is to be added And to the entent that the world may see and iudge the sayd lawe and decree of Priests single sole life to be a doctrine of no auncient standing heere within this Realme but only since the time of Anselmus Priests mariage first forbidden by Anselmus in England Ex Henr. Huntingt lib. 7. De historia Anglorum I will first alledge for me the wordes of Henr. Huntyngton lib. 7. De historia Anglorum heere following Eodem anno ad festum Michaelis tenuit Anselmus Archiepiscopus Concilium apud Londonias In quo prohibuit sacerdotibus Anglorum vxores antea non prohibitas Quod quibusdam mundissimum visum est quibusdam periculosum ne dum mundicias viribus maiores appeterent in immundicias horribiles ad Christiani nominis summum dedecus inciderent c. That is The same yeare at the feast of S. Michaell Anselme the Archbyshop of Canterbury held a Synode at London The wordes of Huntington In the which Synode he forefended Priestes heere in Englande to haue wiues which they were not inhibited before to haue Which constitution seemed to some persons very pure and chaste To othersome againe it seemed very dangerous Priests not restrayned from wiues before Anselmus time least while that men should take vpon them such chastitie more then they should be able to beare by that occasion they might happily fall into horrible filthines whiche shoulde redound to the exceeding slaunder of christian profession c. Albeit I deny not but before the time also of Anselmus both Odo and after him Dunstane Archb. of Canterbury and Ethelwold B. of Winchester and Oswold B. of Worcester in the dayes of King Edgar anno 963. as they were all Monkes themselues so were they great doers against the marriage of priests placing in Monkes in Churches and Colledges Read afoae pag. 153. and putting out the married Priests as ye may read before pag. 153. Yet notwithstāding neither was that in many Churches and also the priests then married were not constrayned to leaue their wyues nor theyr roumes but onely at their owne choyce For so writeth Malmesbury in vita Dunstani Itaque clerici multarum Ecclesiarum Malmesb. in vita Dunstani data optione vt aut amictum mutarent aut locis valedicerent cessere c. That is Therefore diuers sondry clerkes of many Churches being put to their choice whether to chaunge their weede or to part from their places wente their waies c. So also Elfricus after them of whome mention was made before was somewhat busie in setting forward the single life of Priestes Priestes first restrayned from their wiues generall in England and Lanfrancus lykewise But yet this restreynt of Priestes lawfull marriage was neuer publickely established for a lawe heere in the Church of England before the cōming of Anselme in the daies of William Rufus king Henry 1. writing in these words Boldly I commaunde by the authoritie which I haue by my Archbishoprike Read afore pag. 196. not only within my Archbishoprike but also throughout England that all Priests that keepe women shall be depriued of their Churches and al ecclesiasticall benefices c. As ye may reade more at large before page 196. whiche was much about the same time whē as Hildebrand also at Rome begā to attempt the same matter as before hath ben shewed also besides him were other Popes mo as Innocent the 3. Pope Nicholas the 2. and Calixtus the 2. by whome the acte against Priests mariage was brought at length to his ful perfectiō and so hath cōtinued euer since Long it were and tedious to recite here all such constitutions of Councels prouinciall and generall namely of y e councel of Carthage of Toledo which seemed to worke something in that behalf against the matrimony of priests Againe longer it were to number vp the names of al such bishops and priests which notwithstāding haue bin maried since that time in diuers countreys as more amplye shall be shewed the Lord willing in the sequele hereof In the meane season as touching the age time of this diuelish prohibition for priests to haue their wiues thys is to be found by credible proofes and conferring of histories that in the yeare of our Sauiour 1067. at what time Pope Hildebrand began first to occupy the Papall chayre Ex actis Synodi Mediolanensis this othe began first to be taken of Archbishops and Byshops that they should suffer none to enter into the ministerie or into any ecclesiasticall function hauing a wife and lykewise the Clergie to be bound to promise the same And this was as I said about the yeare of our Lorde 1067. well approued and testified by course of hystories S. Paule prophesieth of forbidding of mariage Whereby appeareth the prophesie of S. Paule truely to be verified speaking of these latter times 1. Tim. 4. Where he writeth in these wordes The spirit speaketh playnely that in the latter times there shall some depart from the faith harkening vnto spirits of errour and to doctrines of deuils forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstayne from meates whiche the Lord hath created to be taken with thankesgeuing c. In this prophesie of S. Paule ij things are to be obserued First the matter which he prophesieth of that is the forbidding of mariage S. Paules prophesie foūd true for the count of tymes and forbidding of meates whiche God generally hath left free to all men The second thyng in this prophesie to be noted is the time whē this prophesie shall fall that is in the latter times of the worlde So that this concurreth right well with these yeares of Pope Hildebrand aforesayde beeing a thousande yeares complete after the Ascension of our Sauiour so that they may well be called the latter times This prophesie of S. Paule thus standing as it doth firme and certain that is that forbidding of mariage must happen in the latter times of the world then must it nedes consequently follow therby that
But onely vnto Bishops and in theyr defaulte to the Archbishops Whereof read more pag. 194. So wilfull was the blinde zeale of this Prelate agaynst all reason against nature it selfe against the example of his forcelders against publique custome of his owne tyme against the doctrine of the Apostles the constitution of Councels against all honestie and all Gods forbode that he neither at the contemplation of the king nor at the crying out and publike dolour of so many priests nor yet moued with the letters of Pope Paschalis himself who puttyng him in remembrance of so many priests sonnes willed him to consider the necessitie of the tyme pag. 196. would yet nothing relent from his stubborne purpose vnto his latter ende In whom as many great crimes may iustly be noted so of all other this is most principally in him to be reprehended for that he seeyng and perceauing what Sodomiticall feditie and abhomination with other inconueniences did spring incontinently vpon this his Diabolicall doctrine yet for all that would not giue ouer his pestilent purpose For so the storie recordeth that when Anselme had established his Synodoll constitution 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—ibition â—atrimoâ—â—â—â—llowed 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—omitry in seperating priests from their wyues which was anno 1103. not long after rumours and complaints were brought to him of the execrable vice of Sodomitrie which then beganne speciallie to raigne in the Clergie after this inhibition of matrimonie Whereupon Anselme was constrained to call an other Councell at Paules within London to prouide for this mischiefe In which Councell this Act was made Sodomiticum flagitium facientes eos in hac voluntate iuuantes graui an athemate daÌ„namus donec poenitentia confessione absolutionem mereantur c. All them that commit the vngracious sinne of Sodomitrie An acte of Aâ—â—elme against Sodomitrye and them also which assist them in this their wicked purpose with greeuous curse we doe condemne till such tyme as they shall deserue absolution by penaunce and confession c. Thus ye haue heard what abhominable wickednesse ensued after that priests were debarred from mariage and whatfore punishment was deuised by this maidenly prelate for extirping that sinful wickednes in the abolishing whereof more wiselie he should haue remooued away the occasion whereof he was the authour himselfe then by penaltie to suppresse it which he could neuer do Now let vs heare further what folowed in that worthy Councell The penalty prouided agaynst Sodomitry Qui vero in hoc crimine publicatus fuerit statutum est siquidem fuerit persona religìosi ordinis vt ad nullum amplius gradum promoueatur si quem habet ab illo deponatur Si autem laicus vt in toto Regno Angliae legali sua condignitate priuetur Et ne huius criminis absolutionem ijs qui se sub regula viuere vouerunt aliquis nisi Episcopus deinceps facere praesumat Statutum quoque est vt per totam Angliam in omnibus Ecclesijs in omnibus diebus Dominicis excommunicatio praefata publicetur ac renouetur c. Which is as much to say in English It is enacted that whosoeuer shall be publikely knowen to be guiltie hereof Eâ— epist. Anselm Rog. Houedâ—â— if he be a religious person he shal from thence forth be promoted to no degree of honour and that degree which he hath alreadie shall be taken from him If he be a lay person he shall be depriued of all his freedome within the whole realme of England And that none vnder a bishop shal presume to assoyle such as haue bene Monkes professed of that trespasse It is also enacted that euery sonday in the yeare and in euery parish church in England this generall curse aforesayd shall be published and renewed c. Ex Rog. Houed Epist. Anselm 278. Is not here trowe you good diuision of Iustice that lawfull wedlocke of priests can find no grace nor pardon yea is made now heresie where adulterie horrible Sodomitrie is washed away with a little confession And see yet what foloweth more The curse against cursed Sodomitry 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 After that this penall curse shuld now go abroad and be published in churches the monkes perceiuing this matter to touch them somewhat neare whispered in Anselmus care perswading him that y e publication of that Acte might growe to great danger and inconuenience in opening the vice which before was not knowen 〈◊〉 Ioan 〈◊〉 in such sort that in short tyme after that curse was called in againe And so cursed Sodomitrie adulterie passed free without punishment 〈…〉 vice 〈◊〉 free or word spoken against it where contrary godly matrimonie could find no mercy Now what reasons and arguments this Anselme sucked out of the Court of Rome to prooue the matrimonie of priests vnlawfull were it not for combring the Reader with tediousnes here would be shewed Briefly the chiefe grounds of all his long disputation 〈◊〉 OstendiculuÌ„ 〈◊〉 in his booke entituled Offendiculum Sacerdotum betweene the maister and scholer come to this effect Argument Priests of the old law during the tyme of their ministration absteined from their wyues Ergo Priests in the tyme of the Gospel which euery day minister at the aulter must neuer haue any wiues The reasons and argumentes of Anselme against the marriage of Priestes Another Argument Moses when he should sanctifie the people goyng vp to the hyll commaunded them to sequester themselues from their wiues three dayes Ergo Priests that must be sanctified to the Lord always ought to liue chaste alwaies without wiues Another Argument Dauid before he should eat of the shewbread was asked whether he and his company had bene without the company of their wyues three dayes Ergo Priests that be continually attending vpon the table and sacraments of the Lord ought neuer to haue company with any such Another Argument Oza which put his hand to the Arke 2. King 6. was slaine therefore as it is thought because he lay with his wife the night before Ergo Priests whose hands be alwayes occupied about the Lordes seruice must be pure from company of wife or any woman Another Argument Nadab and Abiud which sacrificed with strange fire were deuoured therefore Num. 4. because they companied with their wiues the same night Ergo Priests and sacrificers must haue no wyues to company with all Another Argument The priests of the Gentiles in old tyme when they sacrificed to their idoles are sayd to lye from their wiues Ergo much more the priests that sacrifice to the liuyng God ought so to do Another Argument Christ was borne of a Uirgin Christ liued euer a virgin and commaundeth them that will serue him Iohn 12. to folow him Qui mihi ministrat me sequatur id est Si vis mihi ministrare me castè viuendo imitare Ergo Priests that haue wyues are not meete to serue hym 1. Cor. 7. Let euery man haue his owne wyfe
but by y e word Clericus as by diuers places as well in the printed bookes as in old Registers and writings of the Lawyers as well in the common law as Statute law remayneth of Recorde very euident to be seene Some special notes wherof as well for the ease of the Reader in the search of the same as also for the further satisfying of some who peraduenture shall want the bookes I thought good here to exhibite in forme and tenour as foloweth Certaine notes how this word Clericus is taken in the Lawe bookes Stat. de Mâ—rlebri An. 52. 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 â—7 SI Clericus aliquis pro reatu vel crimine aliquo quod ad CoronaÌ„ pertineat arestatus fuerit postmodum per praeceptum domini regis in BalliuÌ„ traditus vel replegiatus extiterit ita quòd hi quibus traditus fuerit in Ballium eum habeant coram Iusticiarijs non amercientur de caetero illi quibus traditus fuerit in Ballium nec alij plegij sui si corpus suum habeaÌ„t coram Iusticiarijs licet coram eis propter priuilegium clericale respondere noluerit vel non potuerit propter Ordinarios suos An other Note Rex antecessores sui a tempore cuius contrarij memoria non existit vsi sunt quòd Clerici suis immorantes obsequijs dum obsequijs illis intenderint 〈…〉 2. in 〈…〉 8. ad residentiam in suis beneficijs faciendam minime compellantur nec debet dici tendere in praeiudicium Ecclesiasticae libertatis quòd pro Rege republica necessarium inuenitur An other Note Clericus ad Ecclesiam confugiens pro felonia pro immunitate Ecclesiastica obtinenda si asserit se esse Clericum regnuÌ„ non compellatur abiurare sed legi regni se reddens gaudebit Ecclesiastica libertate iuxta laudabilem consuetudinem regni hactenus vsitatam An other Note Appellatori in forma debita tanquam Clerico per Ordinarium petito libertatis Ecclesiasticae beneficium non negabitur In cap. 16. In the Statute intituled Articuli Cleri made onely for the benefite of the Clergie An. R. Edwardi R 2. nono are diuers notes to like effect But what nedeth many arguments for the proufe hereof The Statutes and law bookes of this Realme are very full of them in diuers and many places besides the presidents for the forme of geuing of benefices whereof none are capable but such as are spiritual men of the Clergie wherein they are not called or termed by any other title or terme in the Latin tong â—â—ericus in 〈◊〉 law 〈◊〉 taken for a Priest then Clerici for the most part not in the kyngs owne graunt or the Lord Chauncellours or any other subiectes of his as very well appeareth both by diuers olde wrytten Presidents whych haue bene shewed vnto me also by the formes of presentations collected set foorth for the instruction of such as are ignoraunt or not very perfite in the order of them in a Printed booke called The booke of sundrie Instrumentes In whyche fourme in the sayd booke the words in the kings graunt be these Rex Reuerendissimo in Christo. c. ad Ecclesiam Parochialem de N. vestrae diocaesis modo per mortem vltimi incumbentis ibidem vacantem ad nostram donationem pleno iure spectantem dilectum Capellanum nostrum A.B. ClericuÌ„ intuitu charitatis vobis praesentamus mandamus vti dictum A. Capellanum nostrum ad praefatam Ecclesiam admittere eumque Rectorem eiusdem instituere cum suis iuribus c. But if the presentation be from a Knight an Esquier or a Gentleman then these words Capellanum nostrum are alwayes left out as in the sayd booke apeareth in this sort Reuerendo in Christo patri c. A.B. de N. ad Ecclesiam de N predictam vestrae dioc modo per mortem T.D. vltimi incumbentis ibidem vacantem ad meam praesentationem pleno iure spectantem dilectum mihi in Christo Iacobum P. Clericum vestrae paternitati praesento humiliter rogans quatenus prefatum I. ad dictam Ecclesiam admittere ipsumque in Rectorem eiusdem Ecclesiae institui induci facere velitis cum suis Iuribus pertinentijs vniuersis c. As in the saide booke is more at large to be sene or perused Thus I doubt not louing reader but by these so plaine Euidences aboue prefixed thou hast sufficiently to vnderstand that thys violent restrainte of Priestes lawful Mariage wythin this Realme of England is of no suche long reach and antiquitie as hath bene thought of many and al by reason of ignoraÌ„ce of hystories and course of times So that briefly as in a Summary Table to comprehende that whole effect hereof First about the yeare of our Lord. 946. to the profession of single life 〈◊〉 46. and displacing of mariage began to come into exaÌ„ple here in England Pâ—iestes marâ—â—ge how 〈◊〉 when it 〈◊〉 first 〈◊〉 excluded out of â—â—â—rches by reason of s. Benets monks which then began to encrease hereabout the time of King Edgar and especially by the meanes of Oswald bishop of Yorke Odo and Dunstane Archbishops of Canterburie and Ethelwolde Bishop of Wint. so that in diuers Cathedral churches and bishops Seas monkes with theyr professed singlenes of life crept in maried Ministers which were then called secular Priestes with their wiues out of sondry Churches were dispossessed not from wyues but onely from their places and yet not in all Churches but onely in certaine wherof read before page 198. â— 1067. Not long after that about the time of Pope Nicolas 2. An. 1060. of Alexander and Hildebrande came into y e sea of Canterbury an other Monke called Lanfranke who also being a promoter of thys professed chastitie made the Decree more generall that all Prebendaries being maried in anye Churches shoulde be displaced yet the Priestes in Townes and villages shoulde not be compelled to leaue theyr maried wiues vnlesse they would Last of all folowed monkish Anselme an 1106. by whoÌ„ was made this law of Winchester aforesayd that Priests Archdeacons Deacons subdeacons whiche had wyues spiritual liuing shoulde be put from them both ¶ 1166. and also that none after shuld be admitted to their orders but shuld first professe single life that is to liue without wiues And thus much concerning priestes mariage forbidden Let vs adde moreouer to these euidences aboue rehearsed for more confirmation of the ancient vse and liberty of priests mariage an other testimonie or two out of like ancient records with like plaine wordes declaring vnto vs howe the matrimony of Priests before the time of Lanckfranke aforesaid was no straunge example in the Church and first we wil inferre the words of an old Martyrologe pertaining to the Recordes of Canterburie The wordes of whych Martyrologe be these Ex antiq Martyrilogio Ecclesiae Cant. LAnfrancus Archiep. reddidit Ecclesiae S. Andreae Liuingus
therein was conteined if they were within anye part of the realme then straightly to charge them to make payment of those sums within fiftene dayes or els to abide the hazard of hys displeasure The seruant so well performed his maisters coÌ„mandement that in very short tyme they made payment of the whole summe and if it had lyked Frescobald so to haue demanded they should haue answered to the vttermost such commoditie as the vse of his money in so many yeres would haue giuen him profit but he conteÌ„ted with his principall would demaund no further Modestie in an Italian By which meanes he gate both harty loue and great estimation and the more for that he was so deare to the Lord Cromwell and so highly esteemed of him And during all this tyme Frescobald continually lodged in the house of the lord Cromwel who euer gaue hym such entertainment as he had right well deserued The Ducates after the Italian count came much neare to our Englishe crownes and oftentimes mooued him to abide in England offering him the lone of 60000. Ducates for the space of 4. yeare if he would continue and make his banke in LondoÌ„ But Frescobald who desired to returne into his country and there quietly to continue the rest of his lyfe with the great fauor of the Lord Cromwell after many thankes for his high and noble entertainment departed towardes hys desired home where richly arriuing he gaue himselfe quietly to lyue But this wealth he small time enioyed for in the first yeare of his returne he dyed So plentifull was the life of this man in such fruites full of singular gratitude and curtesie that to rehearse all An other examample of the kinde and lowly minde of the Lord Cromwell it would require too long a tractation Yet one example amongst many other I may not ouerpasse whereby we may euideÌ„tly consider or rather maruell at the lowly mind of such a person in so high a state and place of honor For as he comming with other of the Lordes of the Counsayle and Commissioners to the house of Shene about the examination of certaine Monkes which there denied y e kings supremacie after the examination done was there sittyng at dinner it chaunced him to spie a farre off a certain poore man which there serued to sweepe their Sels and cloister and to ring the bels Whome when the Lord Cromwell had well aduised he sent for the poore man to come vnto him and before all the table most louingly and friendly calling him by his name tooke him by the hand and asked how he did with many other good wordes and turnyng therewith to the Lordes My Lordes quoth he see you this poore man This mans father hath bene a great frend to mee in my necessitie and hath giuen me many a meals meat Then said he vnto the poore man come vnto me and I will prouide for thee and thou shalt not lacke so long as I liue Such as were there present and saw and heard the same report it to be true In this worthy and noble person besides diuers other eminent vertues Three thinges in the L. CroÌ„well 1. Zeale 2. Wisedome 3. Authoritye iij. things especially are to be considered to wit flourishing authoritie excelling wisedome and feruent zeale to Christ and to his Gospell First as touchyng his feruent zeale in setting forward the sinceritie of Christen faith sufficient is to be seene before by the iniunctions proclamations and articles aboue specified that more can not almost be wished in a noble man and scarse the lyke hath bene seene in any Secondlye for his wisedome and pollicie no lesse singular ioyned with his christen zeale he brought great things to passe The wisedome policy of the L. Cromwell as well on this side the sea as in the other partes beyond But especially his working was to nourish peace abroad with forreine realmes as may well by the kings letters and instructions sent by his meanes to his Ambassadors resident both with the Emperour the French king and the king of Scots and also with y e Pope appeare In all whose courtes such watch and espiall he had that nothing there was done nor pretended whereof he before had not intelligence Neither was there anye sparke of mischiefe kindling neuer so little against y e kyng and the realme The L. Crom. a continual nourisher of peace which he by wit and pollicie did not queÌ„ch and keepe downe And where pollicie would not serue to obteine peace yet by mony he bought it out so that during all the tyme of Cromwels prosperity the king neuer had warre with any forreine nation notwithstandyng that both the Pope the Emperour the kings of Fraunce and Scotland were mightily bent and incensed agaynst hym Thus as the prudent pollicie of this man was euer circumspect abroad The authority of the L. Cromwel employed to the publicke commodity of the realme to stay the Realm from foreine warres so his authoritie was no lesse occupied in keeping good order and rule at home First in hampering the popish prelates and disappointing their subtile deuises secondly in brideling and keping other vnruly subiects vnder subiection and discipline of the lawes Wherby as he was a succour and refuge to all godly persons so was he a terror to the euill doers so that not the presence of him onely but also the hearing of the comming of Cromwell brake many fraies and much euill rule as well appeared by a certeine notorious fray or riot appointed to be fought by a company of ruffins in the streete of London called Pater noster rowe Where cartes were set on both sides of purpose prepared to enclose them that none might breake in to part them It happened that as this desperate skirmish should begin A skirmish or fray in Pater noster rowe stopped by the comming of the L. Cromwell the Lord Cromwell comming the same time from the Court through Paules churchyard and entering into Chepe had intelligence of the great fray toward and because of the carts he could not come at them but was forced to go about the little conduit and so come vpon them through Pannier Alley Thus as the conflict began to waxe hote and the people were standing by in great expectation to see them fight sodenly at the noice of the Lord Cromwels commyng the campe brake vp and the Ruffins to go neither could the cartes kepe in those so couragious campers but well was he that first could be gone And so ceased this tumultuous outrage without any other parting only through the authoritie of the Lord Cromwels name A story betwene the L. Cromwel and a Ruffin One example more of the like affinitie commeth here in mynd which ought not to be omitted concernyng a certaine seruing man of the like ruffenly order who thinking to discâ—uer himselfe from the common vsage of all other men in strange newfanglenes of fashions by himselfe as many
there be whom nothing doth please which is dailie seene and receiued vsed to go with his haire hangyng about his eares downe vnto his shoulders after a strange monstrous maner counterfeiting belyke the wyld Irish men or els Crinitus Ioppas which Uirgil speaketh of as one wearie of his owne English fashion or else as one ashamed to be seene lyke a man would rather go like a woman or lyke to one of the Gorgon sisters but most of all lyke to hymselfe that is lyke to a Ruffin that could not tell how to go As this Ruffin ruffling thus with his locks was walkyng in the streetes as chance was who should meet him but the Lord Cromwell The Ruffin with the long heare who beholding the deforme and vnseemly maner of his disguised goyng full of much vanitie and hurtfull example called the man to question with him whose seruaunt he was which being declared then was demanded whether his maister or any of his felows vsed so to go with such haire about their shoulders as he did or no Which when he denied and was not able to yeld any reason for refuge of that his monstruous disguising at leÌ„gth he fell to this excuse that he had made a vow To this the Lord Cromwell answered agayne that for so much as he had made himself a votarie he would not force him to breake his vowe but vntill his vow should be expired he should lye the meane tyme in prison and so seâ—te him immediately to the Marshalsey where he endured till at length this intonsus Cato beyng perswaded by hys maister to cut his haire by sute and petition of frends hee was brought agayne to the Lord Cromwell with his hed polled according to the accustomed sort of his other fellowes and so was dismissed Hereunto also pertaineth the example of frier Bartley Frier Bartley casteâ—â— away 〈…〉 who wearing still his friers coule after the suppression of religious houses Cromwell commyng thorough Paules churchyard and espieng him in Rheines his shop yea said he will not that coule of yours be left of yet And if I heare by one a clocke that this apparel be not changed thou shalt be hanged immediatly for example to al other And so putting his coule away he neuer durst weare it after If the same Lorde Cromwell which could not abyde this seruyng man so disfigured in his haire were now in these our dayes aliue with the same authoritie which then he had and saw these new fangled fashions of attire vsed here amongst vs both of men and women I suppose verily that neither these monstruous ruffes nor these prodigious hose and prodigall or rather hyperbolicall barbarous breeches which seeme rather lyke barels then breeches would haue any place in England In which vnmeasurable excesse of vesture this I haue to maruell first how these seruing men which commonly haue nothyng els but their wages and that so slender and bare caÌ„ maintaine such slops so huge and so sumptuous 〈…〉 of England 〈◊〉 a Cromwell which coÌ„monly stand them in more then their three yeares wages doe come vnto Secondly I maruell that their maisters and Lordes who shall yeld to God account of their seruaunts doings do not search and trie out their seruants walkes how they come by these expenses wherewith to vpholde this brauerie seing their stipendary wages and all reuenues els they haue will not extend thereunto Thirdlye this most of all is to be marueiled that magistrates which haue in their hands the ordring and guiding of good laws do not prouide more seuerely for the needfull reformation of these enormities But here we may well see truly this may say that England once had a Cromwell Long it were to recite what innumerable benefits this worthy Counsellour by his prudent pollicie his graue authoritie and perfect zeale wrought and brought to passe in the publicke Realme and especially in the Church of England what good orders he established what wickednes and vices he suppressed what corruptions he reformed what abuses he broght to light what crafty iuglings what idolatrous deceptions and superstitious illusioÌ„s he detected and abolished out of the Church What posteritie will euer thinke the Church of the Pope pretendyng such religion to haue bene so wicked 〈…〉 in the Church 〈◊〉 and reformed by Cromwell The Rooâ—e of Grace 〈…〉 his eyes so long to abuse the peoples eyes with an old rotten stocke called the Roode of grace wherein a man should stand inclosed with an hundreth wyers within the roode to make the Image goggle with the eyes to nod with his head to hang the lippe to mooue and shake his iawes according as the valew was of the gift which was offred If it were a small piece of siluer he would hang a frowning lippe if it were a piece of gold then should his iawes go merily Thus miserablye was the people of Christ abused their soules seduced their senses beguiled and their purses spoiled till this Idolatrous forgerie at last by Cromwels meanes was disclosed The bloud of Hales and the image with all his engines shewed openly at Paules crosse and there torne in pieces by the people The like was done by the bloud of Hales which in like maner by Cromwell was brought to Paules crosse there prooued to be the bloud of a ducke Who would haue iudged but that the mayd of Kent had bene an holy woman and a prophetesse inspired had not Cromwell and Cranmer tried her at Paules crosse to bee a strong whore What should I speake of Daruel Gartheren of the rood of Chester of Thom. Becket our Lady of Walsingham The â—oly 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 with an infinite multitude more of the like affinitie All which stockes and blockes of cursed idolatrie Cromwell stirred vp by the prouidence of God remooued out of the peoples way that they might walke more safely in the sincere seruice of almighty God While the Lord Cromwell was thus blessedly occupied in profiting the common wealth 〈…〉 out of the way and purging y e church of Christ it happened to him as commonly it doth to all good men that where any excellency of vertue appeareth there enuy creepeth in and where true pietie seeketh most after Christ there some persecution followeth withall Thus I say as he was labouring in the commoÌ„ welth and doyng good to the poore afflicted saintes helping them out of trouble the malice of his enimies so wrought continually hunting for matter against him that they neuer ceased till in the end thâ—y by false traines and crafty surmises brought him out of the kings fauour The chiefe and principall enimie against him was Steuen Gardiner bishop of Winchester who euer disdayning and enuieng the state and felicitie of the Lord Cromwell Steph. Gardiner chiefe enemy to the L. CroÌ„well and now taking his occasion by the mariage of lady Anne of Cleue beyng a stranger and forreiner put in the Kings eares what a perfect thing it were for the quiet of
discoursing how hardly and sore those poore meÌ„ were haÌ„dled that were committed to ward and close prison and that all men feared what through the malice of their Papisticall enemies and the great rigour and ignoraunt zeale of those that were in authoritie they should shortly for their faith and consciences being true men and suche as reuerently feared God be put to death but chiefly her husband who was yet more extremely handled then any other So that vnlesse his honour voutchsaued to be a meane to the Kings maiestie that they with their causes might be sente ouer into England they were but dead men Whereupon the said Lord Cromwell wrote speedely his letters vnto the Commissioners declaring the kings maiesties pleasure and commaundement was that the arrant traitour and hereticke Brooke The Lord Cromwels Letters to the Commissioners at Calice with a dosen or twentye complices should with their accusers be immediately sent ouer that heere in EnglaÌ„d they might receiue their iudgement and there at Calice to the great terrour of like offenders hereafter suffer according to their demerites Now by the tyme that the sayd Commissioners had receiued these letters they had made out precepts for 8. or 9. score honest men more to be cast in prison But these letters so appalled them that they stayde and afterwarde sent no moe to ward But making then as diligent inquisition as was possible to haue found some worthy matter againste those before named whereby there might haue bene some colour both of the Counsels greeuous complaintes and of the CoÌ„missioners rigorous dealing wheÌ„ no such thing could fall out because they would be assured y t they should not go vnpunished they first banished theÌ„ the towne and Marches of Calice with a Trumpet blowne vnder paine of death for a hundred yeare and a day if that one day had bene left out all had bene marde and then sent them backe to prison staying them there vpon hope that the L. Cromwell should come into captiuitie sooner then he dyd Tâ—e 13. prisâ—â—ers of Calice sent to London But at last to wit on May day they sente the xiij prisoners through the market the sayd Brooke going before wyth yrons on his legges as the chiefe captaine the rest following him two and two without yrons vnto shipbord then were they all coupled in yrons two two together Where because they were loth to go vnder the hatches Sir Iohn Gage with a staffe smote some of them cruelly 〈◊〉 cruelty 〈◊〉 popishe pâ—â—â—ecutor Whereupon Anthony Pickering sayd vnto him Syr I besech you yet be as good vnto vs as you would be to your horses or dogs let vs haue a litle aire that we be not smothered Yet that request could not be obtained but the hatches were put downe close and they garded and kept with a great company of men and so sailing forwarde by Gods mercifull prouidence were within 24. houres at ancker before the Tower of London And when the Lord Cromwell vnderstoode they were come he commaunded their yrons to be smit off at the Tower wharfe and the prisoners to be brought vnto him When he saw them he smiled vpon them stedfastly beholding each of them and then sayde Sirs you must take payne for a time Go your way to the Fleete and submit your selues prisoners there 〈◊〉 xiii priâ—â—â—ers put in the Fleet. and shortly you shall knowe more so in deede they did for that euening he sente them word they shoulde be of good cheere for if God sent him life they should shortly go home with as much honesty as they came with shame Whilest these xiij persecuted men lay in the Fleete and W. Steuens in the Tower to wit the xix day of Iuly an 1541. the foresaid Lord Cromwell for treason layd agaynst him was at Tower hill beheaded as is before specified in his story who made there a very Christian end Then had the poore Calice men great cause to feare if they had not altogether depeÌ„ded on the mercifull prouideÌ„ce of their heauenly father whose blessed will they knewe directed all things But he in the middest of their deepe troubles and miseries so comforted them that euen as the daungers and troubles increased so likewise did their consolation ioy in him so farre forth as Mathew de Hound one of those xiij who was in trouble onely for that he heard Copen de Hall reade a Chapter of the new Testament Mathew de Hounde a blessed martyr of God burned in Flaunders and was as deepe in punishment and in banishmente from his wife children and countrey as the rest got in shorte time suche instruction that hauing therewith a soule and conscience fraughted ful of godly zeale vnto Gods glory and the true doctrine of Christ within a few monethes after his deliueraunce out of the Fleete for inueying constantly against the wicked honouring of images praying vnto Saints departed was cruelly in a most coÌ„stant faith and patience burned in Flaunders Now therfore when all hope in man was past the right honourable L. Audeley lord Chancellor of EnglaÌ„d without further examination The Lord Audly good the perâ—â—â—uted members of Christ. discharged first the sayd 13. that were in the Fleete and at length two yeares after he deliuered W. Steuens also by the Kings owne motion out of the Tower saying at y e discharging of those 13. sirs pray for the Kings Maiestie his pleasure is y t you shall all bee presently discharged And though your liuings be taken from you yet despaire not God wil not see you lacke But for Gods sake sirs beware how you deale with popishe Priests for so God saue my soule some of them be knaues all Sirs said he I am commaunded by the counsayle to tell you The common saying of the Lord Audly concerning Popishe priestes that you are discharged by vertue of the kings generall pardon but that pardon excepteth and forbiddeth all sacramentaries and the most part or all of you are called sacramentaries Therefore I can not see how that pardon doth you any pleasure But pray for the Kings highnesse for his graces pleasure is that I should dismisse you and so I do and pitie you all Farewell sirs So geuing God most hartie thankes for his mightye and mercifull deliuering of them they departed dismissed as you haue heard Callice men dismissed being in deede in very poore estate but not in so miserable state as all those eight Counsailours of Calice were within one yere and a halfe after For wheras the other three Counsailers which semed more fauourable to them to wit the Lord Gray sir George Carow and sir Rich. Grinefield which purged the towne of those sclaunders that vntruely were raysed vpon it Example how God prospereth the fauourers and friendes to his Gospell and therfore for a time were in their princes high displeasure within y e yeare were al three in greater fauour then euer they were before and that not without
of y e canon law as well Prouinciall as Synodall so according to their discretions to set establish an order of ecclesiasticall lawes suche as should be thought by the king and them cōuenient to be receiued and vsed within this realm Which statute as it is most needfull for the gouernement of the Church of England so would God it had bene brought to perfection In this yere touching matters of histories we read no great thing worthy of memory Anno. 1545. but onely of two persons Ioh Athee I. Haywood Of which two we find first I. Athee to be indicted by the kings writ Iohn A the recanted for certayne words agaynst y e sacramēt which words in the indictmēt are specified to be these that he would not beleue in y e thing whiche y e knaue priest made neither in that which Longs wife selleth but onely in God y t is in heauen And when it was told him that God through his word could make it flesh bloud he answered so he might do if he would turne it into a chickins leg meaning the sacrament of the aulter The same yere also folowed y e recantation of Io. Heywood The recantation of Iohn Heywood who although he was tached for treasō for denying the kings supremacy yet vsing y e clemency of y e king vpon his better reformatiō amēdment made an open solēne recantation in y e face of all the people abandoning renoūcing the Popes vsurped supremacy cōfessing of the king to be chiefe supreme head gouernor of this church of England al forein authority iurisdictiō being excluded The tenor effect of whose recantation here foloweth * The recantation of Iohn Haywood I Am come hyther at this time good people willing and of mine own disirous sute Anno. 1544. to shew and declare vnto you briefely First of all the great and inestimable clemency and mercifulnesse of our moste soueraigne and redoubted Prince the kinges Maiesty the which his highnesse hath most graciously vsed towardes me a wretch moste iustlye and worthely condempned to dye for my manifolde and outragious offences haynously and trayterously committed agaynst his maiestye and his lawes For wheras your maiestyes supremacy hath so often bene opened vnto me both by writing and speaking if I had grace either to open mine eies to see it or mine eares to heare it to be surely and certaynely grounded and established vpon the very true worde of God Yet for lacke of grace I haue moste wilfully and obstinately suffered my selfe to fall to suche blindnes y t I haue not onely thought y t the bysh of Rome hath bene and ought to be taken the chiefe and supreame head of the vniuersall Church of Christ heare in earth but also like no true subiect conceiled and fauored such as I haue knowne or thought to be of the opinion For the which moste detestable treasons and vntruthes I heare most humbly and with all my hart first of all aske the kinges maiesty forgeuenesse and secondarily of the world beseeching all these that either now doe or hereafter shall heare of these my great transgressions to take this mine example for an instruction for them to call for grace that they therby be stayd from falling at any time in such miserable blindnesse and folly Moreouer here afore God and you good Christian people I do vtterly withall my hart recāt reuoke all mine aforesayd erronious and trayterous opinions And as my conscience now doth force I protest that euē wyth my hart I firmely thinke and vndoubtedly beleue that the Byshop of Rome neyther now hath nor at any time hath had or can haue by any law of God or man any more authoritye without the precincte of his owne countrye about him then any other Bishop hath within his owne dioces Wherby I assuredly take the abolishing of the pretensed and vsurped power or authority of the Byshop of Rome out of this Realme to be done iustly and truely by the law of God And also I take our soueraigne Lord the kinges highnesse to be supreme head immediatly next vnder Christ of the Church of England and Ireland and all other his graces dominions both of the spiritualty temporalty And I confesse not onely that his maiesty so is by the law of God but also his progenitours kinges of thys Realme so hath bene and his highnesse heyres and sucessors kinges of this Realme so shall be Thus haue I shewed you my minde as well as I can but neither so well as I would nor so full as I should namely cōcerning the multitude of mercy which my most gracious prince hath shewed toward me not onely for sauing my body after worthy cōdēnatiō to death as is aforesayd but also for sauing my soule frō perishing if my body had perished before the receiuing of such wholesome councell as I had at his highnes most charitable assignement And of this confession declared vnto you I say as farre forth as I can I hartely pray you all to beare me record and most entyrely to pray almighty God for the long and most prosperous estate of our soueraigne Lord the kinges Maiesty in all his affayres and procedings By me Iohn Heywood Memorandū quod supra scripta assertio siue recātatio fuit facta publice emissa per prenominatum Iohannem Heiwood die dominica Sexto viz. die Iulij An. Millessimo Quingentessimo Quadragesimo quarto apud crucem paulinam tempore Concionis ibidem In this yeare of our Lord. 1545. as there was no other thing done in England worthy to be noted so now the order of story here requireth by the course of yeares next to infer the discourse of the troubles and persecutions which happened in Scotland agaynst M. George Wysard and diuers other good men of the same country about the same yeare of our Lord. 1545. and somewhat before But because now we are come to the latter ende almost of K. Henryes raygne we will make an ende the Lord willing with a few other English storyes perteyning to that time that finished so to set vpon those matters of Scotland ioyning them whole together The tractation whereof thou shalt see good reader in the latter end and closing vppe of this kinges raigne * Kerby and Roger Clarke of Suffolke Martyrs COmming now to the yeare of our Lord. Ann. 1546. 1546. first passing ouer the Priest whose name was Saxye which was hanged in the Porters lodge of Stephen Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchester and that as it is supposed not without the consent of the sayd Bishop and the secret conspiracy of that bloudy generation to passe ouer also one Henry with his seruaunt burned at Colchester I will now proceede to the story of Kerby and Roger Clarke of Mendessham who were apprehended at Ipswiche ann 1546. the saterday before Gang monday and brought before the Lord Wentworth with other Commissioners appointed there to sit vpon theyr examinations
a false Prophet So when mayster Doctour had ended his collation he sayde vnto Kerby Thou good man doest not thou beleue that the blessed sacrament of the aultar is the very flesh and bloud of Christ and no bread euen as he was borne of the virgine Mary Kerbyes confessiō of the Sacrament Kerby aunswering boldly sayd I do not so beleue How doest thou beleue sayd the Doctour Kerby sayd I do beleue that in the Sacrament that Iesus Christ instituted at his last supper on Maundye Thursdaye to his Disciples which ought of vs likewise to be done is the death and passion and his bloud shedding for the redemption of the world to be remembred and as I sayde before yet bread and more then bread for that it is cōsecrated to a holy vse Then was mayster Doctor in his dumpes and spake not one word more to Kerby after Then sayd the vnder Shiriffe to Kerby hast thou any thing more to say Yea syr sayde he if you wyll geue me leaue Say on sayd the Shiriffe Then Kerby taking his night cappe from hys head put it vnder his arme as though it should haue done him seruice agayne but remembring him selfe The Lord Wētworth wept at Kerbyes burning he cast it from him and lifting vp his handes he sayd the Hymne Te Deum and the beliefe with other prayers in the English tongue The Lord Wentworth whilest Kerby was thus doing did shroude him selfe behinde one of the postes of the Gallery and wept and so did many other Then said Kerby I haue done you may execute your office good Maister Shiriffe ¶ The burning and Martyrdome of Kerby On the Gang Monday an 1546. about tenne of the clocke Roger Clarke of Mendelsham brought to the stake at Burye Roger Clarke of Mendelsham was brought out of prison and went on foote to the gate called Southgate in Bury and by the way the Procession mette with them but he went on and would not bow cap nor kne but with most vehement words rebuked that idolatry and superstition Roger Clarke geueth no reuerence to the procession the Officers being much offended And without the gate where as was the place of execution the stake beyng ready and the wood lying-by he came and kneeled down and sayd Magnificat in the English tongue making as it were a Paraphrase vppon the same Wherein he declared how that the blessed virgine Mary who might as well reioyce in purenes as any other yet humbled her selfe to her Sauiour Iohn 1. And what sayst thou Iohn Baptist sayd he the greatest of all mens children Behold the Lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the world And thus with loude voyce he cried vnto the people while he was in fastning to the stake then the fire was set to him wheras he suffered paines vnmercifully The painfull burning and Martyrdome of Roger Clarke of Mendelsham for the wood was greene and would not burne so that he was choked with smoke and moreouer being set in a pitch barrel with some pitch sticking stil by the sides was therwith sore payned till he had got hys feet out of the barrell And at length one standing by tooke a fagotte sticke and striking at the ring of yron about hys necke so pashed him and stroke him belike vpon the head that he shronk downe on the one side into the fire so was dissolued In the beginning of this story of Kerby and Roger mention was made of a certayne Bill put vpon the towne house doore and brought the nexte day to the Lord Wentworth the wordes of which Bill were these ¶ The Byll set vpon the Townehouse dore in Ipswich IVstè iudicate filij hominum yet when ye shall iudge minister your iustice with mercy The wordes of the bill set vp on the Townhouse doore A fearfull thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God be ye learned therfore in true knowledge ye y t iudge the earth least the Lord be agry with you The bloud of the righteous shall be required at your handes What though the veile hanged before Moses face yet at Christes death it fell downe The stones will speak if these should hold theyr peace therfore harden not your hartes agaynst the verity For fearefully shall the Lord appeare in the day of vēgeance to the troubled in conscience No excuse shall there be of ignorance but euery fat shall stand on his owne bottome Therfore haue remorse to your conscience feare him that may kill both body and soule Beware of innocent bloud shedding take heed of iustice ignorantly ministred worke discreetly as the Scripture doth commaund looke to it that ye make not y e trueth to be forsaken We beseech God to saue our king king Henry the 8. that he be not lead into temptation So be it This yeare also it was ordeined decreed solemnly geuen out in Proclamation by the kings name authority and his Counsell that the english Procession should be vsed throughout al England according as it was set forth by his sayd counsell and none other to be vsed throughout the whole Realme About the latter end of this yeare .1545 in the Moneth of Nouember after that the king had subdued the Scots and afterward ioyning together with the Emperour The Scottes subdued had inuaded France and had got from them the town of Bollayn he summoned his high Court of Parliament In the which was graunted vnto him besides other subsidies of mony Bollayne wonne all Colledges Chaūtries free chappels hospitals fraternities brotherhoodes guildes perpetuities of stipēdary priestes to be disposed at his wil pleasure Whervpon in the moneth of Decem. folowing Stat. an 37. Reg. Hen. 8. the king after the wonted maner came into the parliamēt house to geue his roiall assent to such actes as were there passed where after an eloquent Oration made to him by the Speaker Colledges and Chauntreis geuen to the king he answering agayne vnto the same not by the L. Chancellour as the maner was but by himselfe vttred forth this oration word for word as it is reported and left in story A Parliament In the contentes of whiche Oration first eloquently and louingly he declared his gratefull hart to his louyng subiectes for theyr grauntes and subuentions offered vnto him In the second part with no lesse vehemency he exhorteth them to concord peace and vnity Whereunto if he had also ioyned the third part that is as in wordes he exhorted to vnity so had begon in deed first himselfe to take away the occasion of deuision disobedience disturbance frō his subiectes that is had remoued the stūbling blocke of the 6. articles out of the peoples way The Third part◠〈…〉 Oration 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 which set brother agaynst brother neighbour agaynst neighbor the superior agaynst subiect the wolues to deuour the poore flocke of Christ then had he not onely spoken but also done like a
purpose of this Bishop of suche like bloudy aduersaries practising thus against the Queene proceeding of gods gospel as ye haue heard putteth me in remembraÌ„ce of such an other like story of his wicked working in like manner a litle before but much more pernitious pestilent to the publick church of Iesus Christ then this was daungerous to the priuate estate of the Queene Whyche storie likewise I thought heere as in conuenient place to be adioyned notified to be knowen to all posteritie according as I haue it faithfully recorded and storied by hym which heard it of the Archbishop Cranmers own mouth declared in order and forme as foloweth * A discourse touching a certaine pollicie vsed by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester in staying king Henrie the 8. from redressing of certaine abuses of ceremonies in the church being Ambassadour beyonde the seas Also the communication of king Henrye the 8 had wyth the ambassador of France at Hampton Court concerning the reformation of religion as wel in France as in Englande Anno 1546. Mens August IT chanced in the time of K. Henrie the 8. when his highnes did lastly not many yeres before his death conclude a league betwene the Emperor the French king and himselfe that the B. of Winchester SteueÌ„ Gardiner by name was sent in Ambassage beyonde the seas for that purpose In whose absence the Archbishop of CaÌ„terbury Thomas Cranmer attending vpon the kings Court sought occasion somwhat to further the reformation of the corrupt religion not yet fully restored vnto a perfection SteueÌ„ Gardiner Ambassadour For lyke as the sayd Archb. was alwaies diligent and forward to prefer and aduaunce the sincere doctrine of the Gospel so was that other byshop a contrary instrument coÌ„tinually spurning against the same in whatsoeuer coast of the worlde he remained For euen now he being beyond y e seas in y e temporal affaires of y e realme forgate not but fouÌ„d the meanes as a most valiant champion of the B. of Rome to stop and hinder aswel the good diligence of the sayd Archbishop Winchester a great hindâ—rer of the course of the Gospell as the godly disposition of the kings Maiestie in that behalfe whych thus chaunced Whilest the sayde B. of Winchester was nowe remaining beyond the seas about the affaires aforsaide y e kings maiesty and the saide Archbishop hauing conference together for reformatioÌ„ of some superstitious enormities in the Church amongst other things the king determined forthwith to pull downe the Roodes in euery churche The kinges conference with D. Cranmer about reformation of the Ghurch Rood loftes Ringing on Alhallow night and to suppresse the accustomed ringing on Alhalow night wyth a few such like vaine ceremonies And therefore when the said Archb. taking his leaue of the king to go into Kent his dioces his highnes willed him to remember that he shuld cause 2. letters to be deuised for me quoth the King to be signed the one to be directed vnto you my Lorde and the other vnto the Archbishop of Yorke wherein I will commaund you both to send forth your precepts vnto all other Byshops wythin your prouinces Lettets of reformation to be sent by the king to see those enormities and Ceremonies reformed vndelaidly that we haue communed off So vppon this the kings pleasure knowen when the Archbishop of Canterburye was then come into Kent hee caused his Secretarye to conceiue and write these Letters according to the kings minde and being made in a readinesse sent them to the Courte to Syr Anthony Denie for hym to get them signed by the king when maister Denie had mooued the king thereunto the king made answere I am now otherwayes resolued for you shal send my Lorde of Canterburye worde that sithence I spake with hym about these matters I haue receiued letters from my Lord of Winchester nowe being on the other side of the Sea about the conclusion of a league betweene vs The kinges minde altered by Wint. the Emperor and the Frenche king he wryteth plainely vnto vs that the league wil not prosper nor go forward if we make any other innouation change or alteration either in Religion or ceremonies Reformation of Religion stopped by Steuen Gardiner then heretofore hath ben already commensed and done Wherefore my Lorde of Canterburye must take patience heerein and forbeare vntill we may espye a more apt and conuenient time for that purpose Which matter of reformation began to be reuiued again at what time the great Ambassador from the French king came to the kings Maiestie at Hampton Courte not long before his death Anno. 1546. Where then no Gentleman was permitted to waite vpon his Lord and maister This Ambassadour was admirall of Fraunce whose name was Mounsieur de Annebault he came to Hampton Court the 20. day of Aug. an 1546. The matter of reformation againe renued a little before the kinges death The kinges bancket for the French Ambassadour wythout a veluet coate and a chaine of golde And for that entertainment of the Ambassadour were builded in the parke there 3. very notable great and sumptuous banketting houses At the which it was purposed that the sayd Ambassadour should haue bene 3. sundry nightes very richly banketted But as it chaunced the French kings great affaires were then sodenly such that thys Ambassadoure was sent for home in post hast before he had receiued halfe the noble entertainement that was prepared for him so that he hadde but the fruition of the first banketting house Now what princelike order was there vsed in the furniture of y e banket as well in placing of the noble estates namely the kings Maiestie and the French Ambassadour w t the noble men both of England and Fraunce on the one parte and of the Queenes highnesse and the Ladye Anne of Cleeue with other noble women Ladyes of the other part as also touching the great sumptuous preparation of both costly and fine dishes there out of number spent it is not our purpose heere presently to entreate thereof but onely to consider the note of the conference and communication had the first night after the sayd baÌ„ket was finished Secrete communicatioÌ„ betwene the king the French Ambassadour and the Archb. of Cant. betweene the kings Maiestie the sayde Ambassadour and the Archbishop of Canterburye the kings highnesse standing openly in the banketting house in the open face of all the people and leaning one arme vpon the shoulder of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other arme vppon the shoulder of the Ambassadour touching the establishing of godly religion betweene those two Princes in both theyr realmes As by the report of the sayd Arch. vnto hys secretarie vppon occasion of his seruice to be done in king Edwards visitation then being register in the same visitation The testimony and credite of the story relation was made on that behalfe in thys sorte When the sayd visitation was put
in a readines before the Commissioners should proceede in their viage the said Archb. sent for the sayde Register his man vnto Hampton Courte and willed him in any wise to make notes of certaine things in the sayde visitation whereof hee gaue vnto hym instruction The name of this Register was M. Morice secretarye sometymes to the Archb. Thomas Cranmer hauing then further talke with hym touching the good effect and successe of the sayde visitation Upon which occasion the Register sayde vnto hys maister the Archbyshop I doe remember that you not long agoe caused me to conceiue and write letters which king Henry the 8. shuld haue signed and directed vnto your grace and the Archbishoppe of Yorke for the reformation of certayne enormities in the churches as taking down of the roodes and forbidding of ringing on Alhalow night and such like vaine ceremonies Whiche letters your grace sent to the Courte to be signed by the kinges Maiestie but as yet I thinke that there was neuer any thing done therein Why quoth the Archbishop againe neuer hearde you how those letters were suppressed and stopped Wherunto the Archbyshops seruaunt aunswering againe as it was sayde hee my duetie to wryte those letters so was it not my part to be inquisitiue what became thereupon Marye quoth the Archbishop my Lord of Winchester then beyng beyond the seas about a coÌ„clusion of a league betwene the Emperour the Frenche king the king our maister and fearing y t some reformation should here passe in the realme touchinge Religion in hys absence againste hys appetite wrote to the kinges Maiestie bearing hym in hande Marke the mischeâ—â—â—â— fetches of this olde Foxe Wâ—â—chester that the league then towardes woulde not prosper nor go forwardes on his Maiesties behalfe if he made any other innouation or alteration in Religion or Ceremonies in the Church then was already done which hys aduertisement herein caused the king to staye the signing of those letters as Syr Anthonie Denie wrote to me by the Kinges commaundement Then said his seruaunt againe vnto hym Forasmuche as the kings good intent tooke no place then nowe youre grace may goe forward in those matters the oportunity of the time much better seruing thereunto then in king Henries daies Not so quoth the Archbyshop It was better to attempt such reformation in king Henry the viij his dayes then at thys time the King beinge in hys infancie For if the kings father had set foorth any thyng for the reformation of abuses who was he that durste gainesay it Marye we are now in doubt how men will take the change or alteration of abuses in the Church and therefore the Counsaile hath forborne specially to speake thereof and of other thyngs whych gladly they woulde haue reformed in thys visitation referring all those suche like matters vnto the discretions of the visitours But if King Henrye the viij had liued vnto this day w t the french king it had bene past my L. of Winchesters power to haue vâ—sured the kynges highnes as he did when he was about the same league I am sure you were at Hampton Courte quoth the Archb. when the French kings ambassador was entertained there at those solemne banketting houses not long beâ—â—re the kings death namely when after the bankette was done the first night the king leaning vpoÌ„ the Ambassador and vpon me if I should tel what communicatioÌ„ betwene the kings highnes and the said Ambassador was had concerning the establishing of sincere Religion then a manne would hardly haue beleued it Nor I my selfe had thought the kings highnes had ben so forward in those matters as then appeared I may tell you it passed the pulling downe of Roodes and suppressing the ringing of bels I take it y t few in England would haue beleued that the kings Maiestie and the French king had bene at thys poynt The purpoâ—â— of K. Henâ—â— and of the French king little before their 〈◊〉 not only within halfe a yeare after to haue chaunged the masse in both the realmes into a communion as we now vse it but also vtterly to haue extirped and banished the Byshop of Rome and his vsurped power out of both their realms and dominions Yea they were so throughly and firmely resolued in that behalfe that they ment also to exhort the Emperour to doe the like in Flanders and other his Countreis and Seniories or els to breake of from him And heerein the kyngs highnes willed mee quoth the Archbishop to pen a forme thereof to be sent to the Frenche king to consider of But the deepe most secrete prouidence of almighty God owing to this realme a sharpe scourge for our iniquities preuented for a time this theyr most godly deuise and intent by taking to his mercy both these Princes A briefe narration of the trouble of Syr George Blage. HEere woulde also something be sayde of Syr George Blage one of y e kings priuy chamber 〈◊〉 Georgâ— Blage false 〈◊〉 who being falslye accused by syr Hugh Cauerley knighte and M. Littleton was sent for by Wrisley L. Chauncellour the sonday before Anne Askew suffered the next day was caried to Newgate from thence to Guild Hal 〈◊〉 Georgâ— Bâ—age seat to Newgaâ—◠〈…〉 cause 〈…〉 where he was coÌ„demned the same day appoynted to be burned the wensday folowing The words which his accusers laid vnto him were these What if a mouse should eat the bread then by my coÌ„sent they should hang vp the mouse Wheras in dede these words he neuer spake as to hys liues ende hee protested But y e truth as he sayd was this that they craftely to vndermine him walking w t him in Pauls church after a sermon of D. Crome asked if he were at the Sermon and he said yea I heard say saith M. Litleton that he sayd in his sermoÌ„ that the masse profiteth neither for the quick nor for the dead No saide M. Blage wherefore then belike for a gentleman when he rideth a hunting to kepe his horse froÌ„ stumbling so they departing immediately after he was apprehended as is shewed and condemned to be burned when this was heard among them of the priuye chamber the king hearing theÌ„ whispering together whych he could neuer abide commaunded them to tell hym the matter Whereupon the matter being opened and sute made to the king especially by the good Earle of Bedford then L. priuie Seale the king being sore offended with their doings that they would come so nere him euen into his priuie chamber without hys knowledge sent for Wrisley commaunding him eftsoones to draw out hys pardon himself M. Blage pardoned by 〈◊〉 â—ing and so was he set at libertye Who coÌ„ming after to the kings presence ah my pig sayth the king to him for so he was wont to call him Yea sayd he if your maiestie had not bene better to me then your Bishops were The kinges 〈◊〉 almost 〈◊〉 .. your pig had bene rosted
were now by iust authoritie fully abolished throughout this realme of England and the right vse of the Sacrament of the most precious body bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ truely restored in stead of the same But neuertheles as at no tyme any thing can be so well done of the godly but that the wicked will find some meanes subtilly to deface the same so likewyse at this present through the peruerse obstinacy dissembling frowardnes of many the inferior priests and ministers of the cathedrall and other churches of this realme Priuy hinderers of the Gospell there did aryse a meruailous schisme and varietie of fashions in celebratyng the common seruice and administration of the Sacraments Diuision among the Priestes about the kinges proceedinges and other rites and ceremonies of y e church For some zealously allowyng the kyngs proceedings dyd gladly follow the order thereof and others though not so willingly admittyng them did yet dissemblingly and patchingly vse some part of them but many carelesly coÌ„temnyng all would still exercise their old wonted popery Wherof the kyng and his Counsell hauyng good intelligence and fearyng the great inconueniences daungers that might happen through this diuision and beyng therwithall loth at the first to vse any great seuerity towards hys subiects but rather desirous by some quiet and godly order to bring them to some conformitie did by theyr prudent aduises againe appoynt the Archbishop of Caunterbury with certaine of the best learned and discrete bishops and other learned men diligently to consider and ponder the premisses and thereupon hauyng as well an eye and respect vnto the most sincere and pure Christian religion taught by the holy scriptures as also to the vsages of the primatiue church to draw and make one conuenient and meete order rite and fashion of common prayer administration of the Sacraments to be had and vsed within this his realme of England One vniforme order of commoÌ„ prayer and the dominions of y e same Who after most godly and learned conferences thorough the ayd of the holy Ghost with one vniforme agreement did coÌ„clude set forth and deliuer vnto the kings highnes a booke in English intituled A booke of the common prayer and administration of the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church after the vse of the Church of England The whith his highnes receiuing with great comfort and quietnesse of mynd did forthwith exhibite vnto the Lords and Commons of the parliament then assembled at Westminster about the 4. of Nouember in the second yeare of his raigne and in the yeare of our Lord 1548. and continuyng vnto the 14. day of March then next ensuyng Whereupon the Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons of the sayd Parliament assembled well and throughly consideryng as well the most godly trauayle of the kings highnes of the Lord Protector Anno 1548. and other of his maiesties Counsaile in gatheryng together the said Archbishop bishops and other learned men as the godly praiers orders rites and ceremonies in the sayd booke mentioned with the consideratioÌ„ of altering those things which were altered and retainyng those thyngs which were retayned in the same booke as also the honour of God and great quietnes which by the grace of God should ensue vpon that one and vniforme rite and order in such common prayer rites and externe ceremonies to be vsed throughout England Wales Calice and the marches of the same dyd first geue vnto hys highnesse most lowly and hearty thankes for the same Statut. 〈◊〉 3. Reg. Edâ— cap. â— and then most humbly prayed hym that it myght be ordeyned and enacted by hys Maiesty w t the assent of the sayd Lords and Commons in that parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same that not only all and singular person and persons that had thertofore offended concernyng the premisses others then such as were then remainyng in Ward in the Tower of London or in the Fleete myght be pardoned thereof but also that all and singular ministers in any Cathedrall or parish Churches or other places within the Realme of EnglaÌ„d Wales Calice and the Marches of the same or other the kings dominions should from and after the feast of Pentecost next commyng be bounden to say and vse the Mattins Euensong celebration of the Lords supper and administration of ech of the Sacraments Petition 〈◊〉 the Lorde◠〈◊〉 in the Paâ—â—liament to the king and all other common and open prayer in such order forme as was mentioned in the sayd booke and none other or otherwise And albeit that they were so godly and good that they gaue occasion vnto euery honest and conformable man most willyngly to embrace them yet least any obstinate persons who willingly would disturbe so godly an order and quiete in this realme should not go vnpunished they further requested that it might be ordeined and enacted by the authoritie aforesayd that if any maner of Person Uicar or other what so euer minister that ought or should say or sing common prayer mencioned in the sayd booke or minister the Sacraments should after the sayd feast of Pentecost then next commyng refuse to vse the sayd common praier or to minister the Sacraments in such cathedrall or parish churches or other places as he shoulde vse or minister the same in such order fourme as they were mentioned set foorth in the sayd booke or should vse wilfully obstinately standyng in the same any other rite ceremonie order fourme or maner of masse openly or priuily or Mattinnes Euensong administration of the Sacraments or other open prayer then was mentioned and set foorth in the sayd booke or should preache declare or speake any thyng in the derogation or deprauyng of the sayde booke or any thyng therein conteyned or of any parte thereof and should be thereof lawfully conuicted accordyng to the lawes of this Realme by verdite of twelue men or by his owne confession or by the notorious euidence of the fact should loose and forfayte vnto the Kynges hyghnesse hys heyres successours for hys first offence one whole yeres profite of such one of his benefices or spirituall promotioÌ„s as it should please the kings highnes to assigne appoint and also for the same offence should suffer imprisonmeÌ„t by the space of sixe monthes without bayle or mainprise Anno 1549. But if any such person after his first conuiction Penaltye should eftsoneâ— offend agayne and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he should for his second offence suffer imprisonment by y e space of one whol yeare should also be depriued Ipso facto of all his spirituall promotions for euer so that it should be lawfull for the patrons Doners therof to geue the same agayne vnto any other learned man in like maner as if y â— sayd partie so offending were dead And if any the sayd person or persons shoulde agayne the thyrd tyme
your Prince and King by almightye God if any wise we coulde aduaunce Gods honour more then we doe we would doe it and see that ye become subiectes to Gods ordinances obeying vs your Prince and learne of them which haue authoritie to teache you whiche haue power to rule you and will execute our iustice if we be prouoked Learne not of them whose fruits be nothing but wilfulnes disobedience obstinacie dissimulation and destruction of the realme For the masse we assure you no small studie nor trauell hath bene spent by al the learned Clergy therein 4. The Masse and to auoyde all contention it is brought euen to the verye vse as Christ left it as the apostles vsed it as holy fathers deliuered it in dede somwhat altred from y t the Popes of Rome for their lucre brought to it And although ye may hear the contrary of some Popish euil men yet our maiestie which for our honour may not be blemished nor stained assureth you that they deceiue you abuse you and blowe these opinions into your heads for to finish their owne purposes And so likewise iudge you of confirmation of children and let them answeare you this one question Thinke they that a child christened Confirmation is damned because it dieth before bishopping They be confirmed at the time of discretion to learne that they professed in the lacke therof by Baptisme taught in age that which they receiued in infancie Baptisme 〈◊〉 without any Bishoping and yet no doubt but they be saued by Baptisme not by confirmation made Christes by Christening and taught howe to continue by Confirmation Wherfore in the whole marke good subiects how our doctrine is founded vpō true learning and theirs vpon shamelesse errors To cōclude beside our gentle maner of information to you what soeuer is contained in our booke either for baptisme sacrament Masse Confirmation and seruice in the church is by our parlament established by the whole clergie agreed yea by the bishops of the realme deuised further by Gods word confirmed And how dare ye trust yea how dare ye geue care without trembling to any singuler person to disallow a Parliament a subiect to perswade against our maiestie a man of his single arrogancie against the determination of the Bishops and all the clergie anye inuented argument against the word of God But nowe you our subiects we resort to a greater matter of your blindnes of your vnkindnes a great vnnaturalnes such an euill that if we thought it had not begon of ignorance and continued by persuasion of certaine traitors amongst you which we thinke few in number but in their doings busie Anno 1549. we coulde not be perswaded but to vse our sword and doe iustice and as we be ordained by God that is to redresse your errors by auengmēt but loue and zeale yet ouercommeth our iust anger but howe long that will be God knoweth in whose hand our hart is and rather for your owne causes being our Christened subiectes we would ye were perswaded then vanquished informed then forced taught then ouerthrowen quietly pacified then rigorously persecuted The rebells require the 6. Articles Ye require to haue the statute of the 6. articles reuiued and knowe ye what ye require or knowe yee what ease ye haue with the losse of them They were lawes made but quickly repented too bloudy they were to be borne of oure people and yet at the first in deede made of some necessitie Oh subiects how are ye trapped by subtile persons we of pitie because they were bloudy tooke them away and you nowe of ignorance will aske them againe You knowe full well that they helped vs to extende rigour and gaue vs cause to draw our sword very often they were as a whetstone to our sworde for your causes we left to vse them And since our mercie mooued vs to wryte our lawes wyth milke equitie how be ye blinded to aske them in bloud But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you witte the same hath bene adnulled by our parlament The 6. Articles taken away by Parliament with great reioyce of our subiects and not now to be called by subiectes in question Dare then any of you with the name of a subiecte stand against an acte of parliament a lawe of the whole realme What is our power if lawes shoulde be thus neglected Yea what is your suretie if lawes be not kept Assure you most surely y t we of no earthly thing vnder y e heauē make such a reputation as we doe of this one thyng to haue our lawe obeyed and this cause of God which we haue taken in hande to be thorowly maintained from the which we will neuer remooue a heares breadth A notaple zeale and a princely word of a king nor geue place to any creature liuing much lesse to any subiecte but therein will spende our owne royall person oure crowne treasure realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our highe honour For heerein in deede resteth our honoure heerein standeth our kingdome heerein doe all kinges knowledge vs a king And shall any of you dare breathe or thinke against our honor our kingdome or crowne In the end of thys your request as we be geuen to vnderstand ye would haue them stand in force vntill our full age The kinges age To this we thinke if ye knew what ye spake ye wold neuer haue vttered y e motion nor euer geuen breath to such a thoughte For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your king nowe as we shal be or shall ye be subiects hereafter and now are ye not Haue not we the right we shal haue If ye woulde suspend and hang our doings in doubt vntill our full age ye must first know as a king we haue no differēce of yeres nor time but as a naturall man and creature of God wee haue youth by his suffrance shall haue age we are your rightful king your liege Lord your king annoynted your king crowned the soueraign king of England not by our age but by Gods ordinance not only when we shal be 21. of yeares A king possesseth his crowne not by yeares but by Gods ordinaunce but when we were of 10. yeares We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloud and discente from our father king Henry the eight You are our subiects because we be your king and rule we will because God hath willed It is as great a fault in vs not to rule as in a subiect not to obey If it be considered they which moue this matter if they durst vtter them selues would deny our kingdome But our good subiects know their prince and will encrease not diminish his honor enlarge not abate hys power knowledge not defer his kingdome to certaine yeares al is one to speake against our crowne
and to deny our kingdome as to require that our lawes may be brokeÌ„ vnto 21. yeres Be we not your crowned anoynted and established king wherein then be we of lesse maiestie of lesse authoritie or lesse state then our progenitors kings of this realme except your vnkindnes our vnnaturalnes wil diminish our estimation We haue hitherto since the death of our father by the good aduise and counsaile of our deare and entirely beloued vncle kept our state maintained our realme preserued our honour defended our people from all enemies we haue hitherto bene feared and dreade of our ennemies yea of princes kings and nations yea heerein we be nothing inferiors to any our progenitours which grace we knowledge to be geuen vs from God and how els but by good obedience of our people good counsaile of our magistrates due execution of our lawes By authoritye of oure kingdom England hitherto hath gained honour during our raigne it hath wonne of the enemie and not lost It hath bene maruailed that we â—f so yong yeres haue raigned so nobly so royally so quietly Younge yeares by 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 And howe chanceth it that you our subiectes of that our countrey of Deuonshire will geue the first occasion to slander this our realme of Englande to geue courage to the ennemye to note our Realme of the euil of rebellion to make it a pray to our old enemies to diminish our honour which God hath geuen our father leaft our good vncle and Counsail preserued vnto vs What greater euill could ye commit then euen now when our forraine enemie in Scotland and vppon the sea seeketh to inuade vs to arise in thys manner againste our lawe to prouoke our wrath to aske our vengeance and to geue vs an occasion to spende that force vpon you whyche we meant to bestow vpon our enemies to beginne to slay you with that sworde which we drewe foorth agaynste the Scots and other enemies to make a conquest of our owne people whych otherwise shoulde haue bene of the whole Realme of Scotland Thus â—arre yee see we haue descended from oure highe maiestie for loue to consider you in your base and simple ignorance and haue bene coÌ„tent to send you an instruction like a fatherly Prince who of iustice might haue sent you your destructioÌ„ like a king to rebels now let you know that as you see our mercy abuÌ„dant so if ye prouoke vs further wee sweare to you by the liuing God by whome wee raigne ye shal fele the power of y e same God in our sword which how mighty it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuate man can iudge how mortall it is no English heart dare thinke But surely surely as your Lord and Prince your onely king and maister we say to you repent your selues take our mercy without delay or els we wil foorth with extend our princely power execute our sharpe sword against you as against very Infidels and Turkes and rather aduenture our owne roial person state and power then the same shall not be executed And if you wil prooue the example of our mercy learne of certaine which lately did arise pretending some griefâ—s and yet acknowledging their offeÌ„ces haue not only receiued most humbly their pardon but feele also by our order to whom al publike order only pertaineth redresse deuised for their griefs In the end we admonish you of your dueties to God whom ye shal answere in the day of the Lord and of your dueties toward vs whom ye shal answere by our order take our mercy whilest God so enclineth vs least when yee shall be constrained to aske wee shall be too much hardened in heart to grauÌ„t it you and where ye shall nowe heare of mercy mercy and life ye shall then heare of iustice iustice and death Geuen at Richmond the 8. day of Iuly the third yeare of our raigne Besides the Articles of these Deuonshire men aboue meÌ„tioned the sayd rebels sent vp also not long after a supplication to the king wherunto answere again was made by the kings learned Counsaile which here to make short leisure serueth not to rehearse Ouer and besides to behold the malitious working of those popish Priests to kindle more the sparke of sedition in the peoples hearts what bruites and rumours did they raise vp against the king and his Counsaile makinge the vulgare multitude to beleeue that they should be made to pay first for their sheepe then for their geese and pigges also and suche other thinges like and what soeuer they had in store or should put in their mouths they must fine therfore to the king Of all which matter neuer a worde was eyther thought or meant But this seemed matter fitte for such priests whereby to set the Prince and hys subiects together by the eares Against this seditious company of rebels was apoynted and sent by the king and his counsaile Syr Iohn Russel knight Lord priuy Seale as Lieutenant general of the kings armie of whome chiefly depended the charge and achiuaunce of that voyage in the West partes To hym also were adioyned as in parte of ordinary counsail in those affaires vnder him syr William Harbert syr Iohn Pawlet Syr Hugh Pawlet Syr Thom. Specke wyth the Lorde Gray and other besides Thus the sayde Lorde priuie Seale accompanied wyth the Lord Gray aduauncing his power against the rebels although in number of soldiers not equally furnished like to the other yet throughe the gratious assistaunce of the Lordes helpe fighting in his cause and geuing the aduenture against the enemie about the latter end of Iuly Anno 1549. gaue them the repulse Who notwythstanding recouering them selues againe wyth suche stomackes as they had encountred the seconde time with the foresayde Lorde priuie Seale about the beginning of August following of whom through the Lords mighty power they with their whole cause of false religion were vtterly vanquished and ouerthrowen In the which victorie a great woorke of Gods mightye power vndoubtedly did appeare For althoughe the number of the rebels did surmounte in great quantitie the power and strength of the Lorde priuie Seale and theyr stomackes were so fiercely set vpon al desperate aduentures and though the power of Sir W. Harbert being the same time at Bristow was not yet presently come which shuld haue ioyned with the Lorde priuie Seale yet all thys notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lorde so wrought on the kings behalfe more then any industry of man which in al respects in handling that matter was very raw and farre behinde that the victorie fell to the kings parte vnder the valiant guiding of the aforesayd L. priuie Seale so that the popishe rebels not onely lost the fielde The great goodnes of God in the 〈…〉 the â—â—bells but a great parte of them also lost their liues lying there slain miserably in the chase to the compasse of 2. miles space Where also were taken and apprehended the chiefetaines
letter of execution from the Kinge and the Counsaile the foresayde Duke and Uncle to the Kyng beinge founde no traitour onely being caste by the Acte of Fellonye was deliuered vnto the Sheriffes and so brought to the place of execution Touching which execution a few words here woulde be bestowed in describing the wonderful order and maner thereof according as it hath faithfully ben suggested to vs vppon the credite of a certaine noble Personage who not onely was there present at the deede doing but also in a maner next vnto him vpon the scaffolde beholding the order of all things with his eies and with his penne also reporting the same in order and maner as here foloweth In the yeare of our Lorde 1552. the 22. day of Ianuary in the sixte yeare of the raigne of king Edward the sixte he being yet vnder age and gouernaunce of Tutours the noble Duke of Somersette vncle to kynge Edwarde was brought out of the tower of London and accordinge to the maner deliuered to the Sheriffes of the Citie and compassed round about w t a great number of armed men both of the garde and others he was brought vnto the scaffolde on Tower hill where as hee nothing chaunging neyther voyce nor countenance but in a maner with the same gesture whych he commonly vsed at home kneeling downe vppon both his knees and lifting vpp his handes commended himselfe vnto God After that he had ended a fewe short prayers standing vp againe and turning him selfe towarde the East side of the Scaffold nothing at all abashed as it seemed vnto me standing about the middest of the Scaffold and diligently marking all things neither with the sight of the axe The cheaâ—â—â—full counteâ—nance of 〈◊〉 Duke of Somerset his death neyther yet of the hangman or of present death but wyth the like alacritie and chearefulnesse of minde and countenance as before times he was accustomed to heare the causes and Supplication of other and especially the poore towardes whom as it were with a certaine fatherly loue to his children he alwaies shewed himselfe moste attentiue he vttered these wordes to the people Dearly beloued frendes The worâ— of the Duke of Somerset peopâ—â— the peopâ—â— at his deaâ—â— I am broughte hither to suffer death albeit that I neuer offended against the king nether by word nor dede and haue bene alwaies as faithful true vnto this Realme as any man hath bene But for somuch as I am by a lawe condemned to die I do acknowledge my selfe as well as others to bee subiecte thereunto Wherefore to testifie my obedience whiche I owe vnto the lawes I am come hither to suffer death wherunto I willingly offer my selfe with most hearty thankes vnto God that hath geuen me this time of repentaunce who myght thorowe sodaine death haue taken away my life that neyther I should haue acknowledged him nor my selfe Moreouer dearly beloued frendes there is yet somewhat that I must put you in minde of as touchinge Christian religion which so long as I was in authoritie I alwayes diligently sette foorth and furthered to my power Neither I repent me of my doinges but reioyce therein sith that now the state of Christian religion commeth most neare vnto the forme and order of the Primitiue Churche The 〈◊〉 the Dukâ— Somerseâ— setting forth truâ— religion Which thing I esteeme as a great benefite geuen of God both vnto you and me most hartily exhorting you all that this which is most purely set forth vnto you you wil with like thankfulnesse accept and embrace and set out the same in your liuing Which thing if you do not wythout doubt greater mischiefe and calamitie wil folow When he had spoken these wordes A sodeinâ— noyse and feare of people 〈◊〉 the deatâ— the Duâ—â— Somersâ—â— sodainely there was a terrible noise heard whereupon there came a great feare on al men This noise was as it had bene the noise of some great storm or tempest which vnto some semed to be heard from aboue like as if a great deale of gunpouder being inclosed in an armorie and hauing caught fire had violently broken out But vnto some againe it seemed as though it had ben a great multitude of horsemen running together or comming vppon them Suche a noyse was then in the eares of all men albeit they saw nothing Whereby it hapned that all the people being amased wythout any euident cause wythout any violence or stroke striken or any man seene they ran away some into y e ditches and puddles and some into the houses thereabout other some being afraide with the horrour and noyse fell downe groueling vnto the ground w t their polaxes and halbards most part of them cried oute Iesus saue vs Iesus saue vs. Those whyche tarried still in their places for feare knewe not where they were And I my selfe which was there present among the rest being also afraid in this hurly burly stoode stil altogether amased looking when any man woulde knocke me in the head It hapned heere as the Euangelists write it dyd vnto Christ when as the officers of the high Priestes and Phariseis comming wyth weapons to take him being astonied ran backwardes and fell to the ground In the meane time The lyke story you shall reaâ— Caius Mâ—â—rius in Vâ—â—lerius Mâ—â—â—imus the booke chapter whilest these things were thus in doing the people by chance spied one sir Anthony Broune riding vnto the scaffold which was the occasion of a new noise For when they saw him comming they coniectured that which was not true but notwithstanding which they all wished for that the king by that messenger had sent hys vncle pardone and therfore with great reioysing casting vp their cappes they cried out Pardon pardone is come God saue the king Thus this good Duke although hee was destitute of all mans helpe The greaâ— fauour of the peopâ—â— to the 〈◊〉 of Somerâ—set yet he sawe before hys departure in how great loue fauour he was with all men And truely I doe not thinke that in so great slaughter of Dukes as hath bene in England within these few yeares there was so many weeping eyes at one time and not w tout cause For all men did see in the decay of this Duke the publike ruine of al england except such as in dede did perceiue nothing But now to returne from whence we haue strayed the Duke in the meane time standing stil in y e same place modestly and with a graue couÌ„tenance made a signe to the people w t his hand that they woulde kepe themselues quiet Which thing being done silence obtained he spake vnto them in this maner Dearely beloued frendes The word of the Duâ—â— agayne to the peoplâ— there is no such matter heere in hande as you vainely hope or beleeue It seemeth thus good vnto almighty God whose ordinance it is meete and necessary that we all be obedient vnto Wherefore I pray you all to be
si gens inimica volet Pontifices fati quasi Cayphas omina dantes Nolebant at grex cacolucos voluit Elegere pij connubia talia nolle Velle quidem demens haeresis illa fuit Consilium multo praestantius octo mariti Quinque cathenatis ob malefacta dabant Noluit hos iungi thalamos Northumbrius heros O consultores qui voluere malos Noluit haud aequo confligens marte Viatus Solaque quae voluit turba Papalis erat Nolebat Graius neque terra Britanna volebat Nos quoniam Dominus sic voluit tulimus Sed tulimus pariter fata infoelicia quando Infoelix Maria est nupta Philippe tibi * Other verses aunswering likewise NVbat vt Hispano Regina Maria Philippo Dic age Whyte mihi quos voluisse vides Noluit aut voluit quid inanis turba refert nil Velle nolle Dei est quid volet ille refert Hoc quoniam voluit inquis Dominus voluistis Quid voluit quoniam nescis inepte scias Scilicet hoc voluit vates vt vanus augur Et mendax Whitus pseudopropheta foret Regi non regi nupsit non nupserat Angla est NoÌ„ Angla est grauida est noÌ„ grauida est grauius est Parturit atque parit sic vos voluistis ouantes Nil tamen illa parit hoc voluit Dominus Duxerat ad paucos menses mox deserit idem Sponsa est mox vidua est hoc voluit Dominus Irrita frustrentur semper sic vota malorum Perniciem patriae qui voluere suae Sit nomen Domini benedictum â— Phillip â—â—mmeth to â—indsore The Armed 〈◊〉 England 〈◊〉 down 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of After the consummation of which mariage they both remoued froÌ„ Winchester to sondry other places and by easy iourneyes came to Windsore Castle where he was stalled in the order of the Garter vppon Sonday being the xij of August At which tyme an Herald tooke downe the armes of England at Windsore and in the place of them woulde haue set the armes of Spaine but he was commaunded to set them vp againe by certayne Lordes From thence they both remoued to Richmond Spayne set vp K. Phillip commeth to London and froÌ„ thence by water came to London and landed at y e Bishop of Winchesters house through which they passed both into Southwark parke so to Southwarke house called Suffolk place where they lay that night being the 18. of August And y e next day being Saterday and the xix of August the king and Queenes maiesties rode from Suffolk place accompanied with a great number August 19. as wel of noble men as gentlemen through the City of London to White Hall and at LondoÌ„ bridge as he entred at the draw bridge was a vayne great spectacle set vp Vayne pageants of London two Images representyng 2. Gyantes one named Corineus and the other Gogmagoge holding betweene them certain Latin verses which for the vayne ostentation of flattery I ouerpasse And as they passed ouer the bridge there was a number of ordinaunce shot at the Tower such as by old mens report the like hath not bene heard or seene these hundreth yeares From London Bridge they passed to the Conduit in Gracious streete whiche was finely painted and among other thinges the ix worthies whereof king Henry the 8. was one He was paynted in harnesse hauing in one hand a sworde and in the other hand a booke wherupon was written Verbum Dei Winchester cannot abide the booke called Verbum Dei deliuering the same booke as it were to his sonne 〈◊〉 Edward who was paynted in a corner by him But hereupon was no small matter made for the Bishop of winchester Lord Chauncellour seÌ„t for the painter and not onely called him knaue for paynting a booke in K. Henries hand and specially for writing therupon Verbum Dei but also rancke Traytour and Uillaine saying to hym that he should rather haue put the book into the Queenes hand who was also paynted there for that she had reformed the church and religion The paynter sent for to the B. of Winchester with other things according to the pure and sincere word of God in deede The Paynter answered and sayd that if he had knoweÌ„ that that had bene the matter wherfore his Lordship sent for him he coulde haue remedied it and not haue troubled his Lordship The paynters aunswere The bishop answered said that it was the Queenes maiesties will and commaundement that he shoulde send for him and so commaunding him to wype out the booke and Verbum Dei too he sent him home So the Paynter departed but fearing least he should leaue some parte eyther of the booke or of Verbum Dei in king Henries hand hee wiped away a piece of his fingers withall Here I passe ouer and cut of other gaudes Pageantes of pastime shewed vnto him in passing through London with the flattering verses set vp in Latine wherein were blased out in one place the fiue philips as the fiue worthies of the worlde Philip of Macedonia Philip y e Emperor Philippus Audax Philippus Bonus Philip Prince of Spayne and king of England In an other Poetry K. Philip was resembled by an Image representing Orpheus V. Phillips and all Englishe people resembled to brute sauage beastes following after Orpheus harpe and daunsing after king Philips pipe Not that I reprehend the arte of the Latine verses which was fine and cunning but that I passe ouer y e matter hauing other grauer thinges in hand and therefore passe ouer also the sight at Paules church side of him that came downe vpon a rope tyed to the batilmentes with his head before neyther staying himselfe with hand or foote which shortly after cost him his life But one thing by the way I cannot let passe touchyng the young florishing Roode newly set vp agaynst this present tim◠〈◊〉 welcome king Phillip into Paules Churche The setting vp of which Roode was this and may make as good a Pageant as the best An 2. Mariae Boner in his royaltie and all his Prebendaries about him in Paules Quiere the Roode layde a long vpon the pauement The erecting vp of the Roode at Paules and also all the doores of Paules being shut the Bishop with other sayde and song diuers prayers by the Rood that being done they annoynted the Roode with oyle in diuers places and after the annoynting crept vnto it and kissed it After that they tooke the sayd Roode and weyed hym vppe and set him in his olde accustomed place B. Boners God the Roode of Paules set vp with â—e Deum and all the while they were doing thereof the whole Quiere sang Te Deum and when that was ended they rang the Belles not only for ioy but also for the notable and great fact they had done therein Not long after this a mery fellow came into Paules and spyed the Roode with Mary and Iohn new set vppe whereto among a
his comming and what were his desires and requestes In the which meane time the Court gate was kept shut vntill he had made an end of his Oration The tenour and wordes wherof here foloweth ¶ The tenour of Cardinall Pooles Oration made in the Parliament house â—â—rdinall â—â—oles O. 〈◊〉 in Parliament house MY Lordes all and you that are the Commons of thys present Parliament assembled which in effecte is nothing els but the state and body of the whole realm as the cause of my repayre hither hath bene most wisely grauely declared by my Lord Chancellor so before that I enter to the particularities of my Commission I haue somewhat touching my selfe and to geue most humble and harty thankes to the king and Queenes Maiesties and after them to you all which of a man exiled and banished from this CoÌ„mon wealth hath restored me to be a meÌ„ber of the lame of a man hauing no place neither here or els wher within this Realme haue admitted me in place where to speake and to be heard This I protest vnto you all that though I was exiled my natiue couÌ„try without iust cause as God knoweth yet the ingratitude could not pull from me the affection and desire that I had to profite doe you good If the offer of my seruice might haue bene receiued it was neuer to seek and where that could not be taken you neuer fayled of my prayer nor neuer shall But leauing the rehearsall thereof and comming more neare to the matter of my Commission I signify vnto you all that my principall trauell is for the restitution of thys noble realme to the auncient nobility and to declare vnto you that the Sea Apostolicke from whence I come hath a speciall More for the vauntage that was hoped by it then for any great loue respect to this realme aboue all other not without cause seing that God himselfe as it were by prouideÌ„ce hath geuen this realme prerogatiue of Nobility aboue other which to make more playne vnto you it is to be considered that this Iland first of all Ilandes receyued the light of Christes religion For as stories testifye England of all Ilandes receaued first the faith of Christ. it was prima prouinciarum quae amplexa est fidem Christi For the Britaines being first inhabitauntes of thys Realme notwithstanding the subiection of Emperours and heathen Princes did receiue Christes fayth from the Apostolicke Sea vniuersally and not in partes as other Countryes nor by one and one as Clockes increase theyr houres by distinction of times but altogether at once as it were in a moment But after that theyr ill merites or forgetfulnes of God had deserued expulsion and that StrauÌ„gers being Infidels had possessed this land yet God of his goodnes not leauing where he once loued so illuminated the hartes of the Saxons being Heathen menne that they forsooke the darckenes of heathen errors and embraced the light of Christes religion So that within small space idolatry and Heathen superstition was vtterly abandoned in this Iland This was a great prerogatiue of Nobilitye whereof though the benefite therof be to be ascribed to God yet the meane occasion of the same came froÌ„ the * That the fayth of the Britaine 's came first from Rome neyther doth it stand with the circuÌ„staunce of our storyes neyther if it so did yet that faith and doctrine of the Romanistes was not such then as it is now Read before Of this Offa read before Of Alcuinus read before church of Rome In the faith of which Church we haue euer since continued and consented with the rest of the world in vnity of religion And to shew further the feruent deuotion of the inhabitantes of this Iland towards the Church of Rome we read that diuers princes in the Saxons time w t great trauel expenses went personally to Rome as Offa Adulphus which thought it not enough to shew themselues obedient to the said Sea vnlesse that in theyr owne persons they had gone to that same place from whence they had receiued so great a grace and benefite In this time of Carolus Magnus who first founded the Uniuersity of Paris he sent into England for Alcuinus a great learned man which first broughte learning to that Uniuersity Wherby it seemeth that the greatest part of the world set the light of the religion from England Adrian the fourth being an EnglishmaÌ„ coÌ„uerted Norway from infidelity which Adrian afterwards vpoÌ„ great affection and loue that he bare to this Realme being hys natiue couÌ„try gaue to Henry the second king of England the righte and segniory of the dominion of Ireland which perteyned to the Sea of Rome I will not rehearse the manifolde benefites that thys Realme hath receiued froÌ„ the Apostolicke Sea nor how ready y e same hath bene to releiue vs in all our necessities Nay rather what riches and treasures the Sea of Rome hath suckt out of England it is incredible Nor I will not rehearse the manifold miseryes calamities that this realme hath suffered by swaruing from that vnity And euen as in this realme so in all other couÌ„tries which refusing the vnity of the Catholick sayth haue folowed fantastical doctrine the like plagues haue happened Let Asia and the Empyre of Greece be a spectacle vnto the world who by sweruing from the vnity of the Churche of Rome are brought into captiuity subiectioÌ„ of the Turk * The cause of their subiectoÌ„ to the Turke cannot be proued to come by swaruing from the vnitie of the church of Rome for they were neuer fully ioyned vnto it And as touching the subiection of Asia and Grecia to the Turkes read in the story of the Turkes before All stories be full of like examples And to come vnto the latter time looke vpon our neighbours of Germany who by swaruing from this vnity are miserably afflicted with diuersity of sectes and diuided in factions What shall I rehearse vnto you the tumultes effusioÌ„ of bloud y t hath happened there of late dayes Or trouble you with the rehearsall of those plagues that haue happened since this innouation of religion where you haue felt the bitternes and I haue heard the report Of all whiche matters I can say no more but such was the misery of the time And see how far forth this fury went For those that liue vnder the * And why theÌ„ do ye more cruell then the Turke persecute other for their conscience Turk may freely liue after theyr conscieÌ„ce and so was it not lawfull here If men examine well vpon what grounds these innouations began they shall wel finde that the rooâ— of this as of many other mischiefes was auarice and that the lust carnall affection of one man confounded al lawes both diuine and humaine And notwithstanding all these deuises and policies practised within this realme against y e church of Rome they needed not to haue lost you
broughte in the Bishop of Rome and sette him in his olde authoritie beginneth to set vp abbeis againe hath made the mariage of priestes vnlawfull hath tourned the English seruice into Latine againe hath set vp the Masse againe w t like baggage and pulled downe the holy Communion and all this is done by consente of Parliament If the Acts of Parliament made in king Henries time in K. Edwards had theyr foundatioÌ„ vpon Gods word where vpon all positiue lawe ought to be grounded then these which are stablished in the Quenes time being cleane contrary to the others as they are not warranted by gods woorde so are they wicked and therfore to be both spoken and wrytten against of all menne as well of priuate as of publique persons If your Actes my Lord Chancellour which you haâ—e lately coyned I call them yours because ye only beare the swinge deuise and decree what yee list all other men are forced to followe be good and according to Gods woord then the former Actes were naught whych thing ye seeme to say in vtterly taking of them away and setting vp of the contrary if the former were nought why then did ye consent vnto them and confirme them to be good by your voluntarie and aduised wryting as it appeareth and will to the worldes ende in your Booke de vera Obedientia where you prooue the Queene a Bastard and the bishop of Rome to be an vsurper and to haue no authoritie in the Realme of Englande Yee must needes confesse that the moste parte of your Actes of Parliament in these latter dayes haue bene according to the fantasies of a fewe King Henry in his time established by Parliament in a manner what he listed and many thinges that might well haue bene amended In Kinge Edwardes dayes the Duke of Somersette and Northumberlande bare a great stroke in thyngs and did not all things syncerely Euen so since the Quene that nowe is came to the gouernement of the realme al things are ordered by your deuise and head and the whole Parliament house is ledde as you list by reason whereof they are compelled to condescende to thinges both contrarye to Gods manifest woorde and also contrary to theyr owne consciences so great is your crueltie For to bryng youre wicked purposes to passe and to establish your Antichristian kingdome whych I truste the Lorde wyth the breathe of hys mouthe will spedely blowe ouer yee haue called three Parliamentes in one yeare and an halfe that what you coulde not compasse by subtill perswasion ye might bring to passe by tyrannical threatning for if yee hadde not vsed cruell force in your doinges yee had neuer broughte to passe suche thinges as this daye yee haue to the vtter defacing and abolishing of Gods true religion and to the casting away and destruction of your naturall Countrey so much as in you lieth And as it is moste true that Actes of Parliament haue in these latter dayes bene ruled by the fantasies of a fewe and the whole Parliament house contrary to their minds was compelled to consent to such things as a few had conceiued So it muste needes be graunted that the Papistes at all times were moste readie to apply them selues to the present worlde and like menne pleasers to follow the fantasies of suche as were in authoritie and turne with the estate which way so euer it tourned Yea if the estate should chaunge ten times in one yeare they woulde euer be ready at hande to chaunge with it and so folowe the crie and rather vtterly to forsake God and be of no religion then that they would forgoe lust or liuing for God or for religion King Henrie by Parliamente accordinge to Goddes woorde putte downe the Pope the Clergie consented and all men openly by othe refused this vsurped supremacie knowing by Gods worde Christ to be head of the churchâ— and euery Kinge in hys Realme to haue vnder and nexte vnto Christe the chiefe Soueraigntie King Edward also by Parliament according to Gods woorde sette the marriage of Priestes at libertie abolished the Popish and idolatrous masse chaunged the Latin seruice and sette vp the holy Communion the whole Cleargie consented heereunto many of them set it foorth by then preaching and all they by practising confirmed the same Notwythstanding now when the state is altered and the lawes chaunged the Papisticall cleargie wyth other like worldlinges as menne neither fearing God neyther flying worldly shame neither yet regardinge their consciences othes or honestie like wauering weather Cockes tourn rouÌ„d about putting on harlots foreheades sing a newe song and crie wyth an impudent mouth Come a-againe come againe to the catholicke churche meaning the Antichristian church of Rome which is the Synagogue of Sathan and the very sincke of all superstition heresie and Idolatrie Of what force I pray you may a man think these Parliamentes to be which scantly can stand a yere in strength Or what credite is to be geuen to these law makers which are not ashamed to establish contrary lawes and to condempne that for euill which before the thing in it selfe and the circumstances remaining al one they affirmed and decreed to be good Truelye yee are so readye contrarye to all ryghte to chaunge and turne for the pleasure of manne that at the lengthe I feare GOD wyll vse you lyke chaungelings Anno 1554. Aprill and both tourne you foorth of his kingdom and out of your owne countrey Yee charge the Gospell preachers with the vndoyng of thys realme nay it is the turning papists whych haue not onely sette a sale theyr Countrey like Traitours but also troubled the simple people so that they canne not tell what they may beleeue For that which they affirmed and preached to be newe doctrine in King Edwardes dayes nowe they crie against it as it were moste abhominable heresye This fault I trust yee shall neuer finde at our hands Therefore to conclude that whiche I purposed for somuche as the Actes of Parliament of these latter times are one contrary to an other and those which yee nowe haue stablished in your time are contrary to Gods most manifest woorde as is the vsurped supremacie of the Byshoppe of Rome the Idolatrous Masse the Latine Seruice the prohibiting of lawfull marriage which Sainte Paul calleth the Doctrine of Deuilles wyth many suche other I say it is not onely lawfull for any priuate man which bringeth Gods woorde for hym and the authoritie of the primatiue and best Churche to speake and wryte against such vnlawfull lawes but it is hys duetie and he is bounde in very conscience to doe it Which thyng I haue prooued by diuers examples before and nowe will adde too but one other which is wrytten in the fifth of the Actes where it appeareth that the high Priestes the Elders Scribes and Pharisies decreed in their Councell and gaue the same coÌ„maundement to the Apostles that they should not preache in the name of Christe as yee haue also forbidden
I most hartely thanke you for that ye haue so tender a care ouer me And although I knowe that there is neither iustice nor truth to be looked for at my aduersaries handes but rather imprisonment and cruell death yet know I my cause to be so good and righteous and the truth so strong vpon my side that I will by Gods grace go and appeare before them and to their beardes resist their false doings Then sayd his frendes M. Doctour we thinke it not best so to do You haue sufficieÌ„tly done your duety and testified the truth both by your godly Sermons and also in resisting the Parson of Aldam with other that came hytherto bring in againe the popish Masse And for as much as our Sauiour Christ willeth and biddeth vs that when they persecute vs in one City we should flie into another Math. 10. we thinke in flying at this time ye should do best keeping your selfe against another time wheÌ„ the Church shall haue great neede of such diligent teachers and godly Pastors Oh quoth Doct. Taylour what will ye haue me to do I am now olde and haue already liued too long to see these terrible and most wicked dayes Flye you and do as your conscience leadeth you D. Taylour reâ—â—â—eth to â—ye I am fully determined with Gods grace to go to the Bishop to his beard to tell him that he doth nought God shall well hereafter raise vp teachers of his people whiche shall with much more diligence and fruite teach them then I haue done For God will not forsake his Church though now for a time he trieth and correcteth vs and not without a iust cause As for me I beleeue before God I shall neuer be able to do God so good seruice as I may do now nor I shall neuer haue so glorious a calling as I now haue nor so great mercy of God profered me as is now at this present For what Christian man woulde not gladly dye against the Pope and his adherents I know that the Papacie is the kingdome of Antichrist altogether full of lyes altogether full of falsehode so that all their doctrine euen from Christes Crosse be my speede and S. Nicholas The Papacy a â—ingdome 〈◊〉 lyes vnto the end of their Apocalyps is nothing but Idolatry superstition errours hypocrisie and lyes Wherefore I beseech you and all other my frendes to pray for me I doubt not but God will geue me streÌ„gth and his holy spirit y t all mine aduersaries shal haue shame of their doings When his frends saw him so constaunt and fully determined to go they with weeping eyes commended him vnto God and he within a day or two prepared himselfe to his iourney leauing his cure with a godly olde Priest named Syr Richard Yeoman who afterward for Gods truth was burnt at Norwich Syr Rich. Yeoman D. Taylours Curate and Martir of Christ Iohn Alcocke of Hadley trobled for Gods truth and dyed in prison D. Taylours iourney There was also in Hadley one Alcocke a very godly man well learned in the holy Scriptures who after Sir Richard Yeoman was driuen away vsed dayly to reade a chapter and to say the English Letany in Hadley Church But him they fet vp to London and cast him in prison in Newgate where after a yeare imprisonment he died But let vs returne to Doctour Taylour agayne who being accompanied with a seruaunt of his owne named Iohn Hull tooke his iourney towardes London By the way this Iohn Hull laboured to counsell and perswade him very earnestly to flie and not to come to the Byshop and profered himselfe to go with him to serue him and in all perils to venter his liâ—e for him and with him Iohn Hull a faythfull seruaunt to D. Taylour But in no wise would Doctour Taylour consent or agree thereunto but sayd Oh Iohn shall I geue place to this thy counsell worldly perswasion and leaue my flock in this daunger Remember the good shepeheard Christ whiche not alonely fed his flocke but also died for hys flocke Him must I follow and with Gods grace will do Therefore good Iohn pray for me and if thou seest me weake at any time D. Taylour agayne adâ—â—ed to flye but he refused so to do The first meeting betweene Winchest and D. Tailour A great abuse in Englande and 3. mischiefes comming thereof The first mischiefe The second mischiefe comfort me and discourage me not in this my godly enterprise and purpose Thus they came vp to London and shortly after Doctour Taylour presented himselfe to the Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner then Lord Chauncellour of England For this hath bene one great abuse in Englande these many yeares that such offices as haue ben of most importance and waight haue commonly bene committed to Bishops and other spirituall men whereby three diuelish mischiefes and inconueniences haue happened in this Realme to the great dishonour of God and vtter neglecting of the flocke of Christ the which three be these First they haue had small leysure to attende to theyr pastorall cures which thereby haue bene vtterly neglected and left vndone Secondly it hath also puft vp many Byshops and other spirituall persons into such hautines and pryde that they haue thought no noble man in the Realme worthy to be their equall and fellow Thirdly where they by this meanes knew the very secretes of Princes The third mischiefe they being in such high offices haue caused the same to be knowne in Rome afore the kings could accomplish and bring their ententes to passe in England By this meanes hath the Papacy bene so maintained and things ordered after their wils and pleasures that much mischiefe hath happened in this Realme and others sometime to the destruction of Princes and sometime to the vtter vndoing of many common wealthes Now when Gardiner saw Doctour Taylour he according to his common custome all â—o reuiled him calling him knaue Traytor hereticke with many other villanous reproches which all Doctour Taylour heard patiently and at the last sayd vnto him D. Taylours patience and â—agnaniâ—itie My Lord quoth he I am neither Traytour nor hereticke but a true subiect and a faithfull Christian man and am come according to your coÌ„mandement to know what is the cause that your Lordship hath sent for me Then sayde the Bishop art thou come thou villaine How darest thou looke me in the face for shame Knowest thou not who I am Yes quoth Doctor Taylor I knowe who yee are Steuen Gardiners Lordly lookes Ye are Doctor Steuen Gardinar Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chauncellour yet but a mortall man I trow But if I shoulde be afrayde of your Lordly lookes why feare you not God the Lord of vs all Howe dare yee for shame looke any Christian man in the face The notable answere of Doctor Taylour to the Bishop of Winchester seeing ye haue forsaken the trueth denyed our sauioure Christ and hys word done
and faithfull wife and children and also well quieted in the peaceable possession of that pleasaunt Euphrates I do confesse it but the Lord who worketh all thyngs for the best to them that loue him would not there leaue me but did take my deare and beloued wife from me whose death was a paynefull crosse to my flesh Also I thought my selfe nowe of late well placed vnder my most louing and most gentle mayster Laurence Saunders in the cure of Langhton G. Marsh Curate to Laurence Saunders But the Lord of his great mercy woulde not suffer me there long to continue although for the small tyme I was in his vineyard I was not all an idle workman But he hath prouided me I perceiue it to taste of a farre other cuppe The glory of the Church standeth not in outward shewes for by violence hath he yet once agayne driuen me out of that glorious Babilon that I should not taste to much of her wanton pleasures but wyth his most dearely beloued Disciples to haue my inward reioysing in the Crosse of his sonne Iesus Christe the glorye of whose Church I see it well standeth not in the harmonious souÌ„d of Bells and Organes nor yet in the glistring of Mitors Copes neither in the shining of gilte Images and lightes as the blynde Papistes do iudge it but in continuall labours and dayly afflictions for his names sake God at this present here in Englande hath his fanne in hys hand and after hys great haruest whereinto these yeares past he hath sent his labourers is now sifting the corne froÌ„ the chaffe and purging his floore and ready to gather the wheate into hys garnar and to burne the chaffe with vnquenchable fire Take heede and beware of the leuen of the scribes and of the Saduces I meane the erroneous doctrine of the papistes whiche with their gloses depraue the Scriptures For as the Apostle S. Peter doth teach vs There shal be false teachers amongst vs whiche priuily shall bring in damnable sectes And sayth that many shall follow theyr damnable wayes by whom the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of and that through couetousnes they shall with fayned wordes make marchaundise of vs. And Christ earnestly warneth vs to beware of false Prophetes which come to vs in sheepes clothing but inwardly are rauening Wolues by their fruites ye shall know them The fruites of the Prophetes is theyr doctrine In this place are we Christians taught that wee shuld try the preachers other that come vnder colour to set forth true Religion vnto vs according to the saying of S. Paule Try all thinges and chose that whiche is good Also the Euangelist S. Iohn sayth Beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether they be of God or not for many false Prophetes sayth he are gone out into the world Therefore if thou wilt knowe the true Prophetes froÌ„ the false try theyr doctrine at the true touchstone whiche is the worde of God and as the godly Thessalonians did search ye the scriptures whether those thinges which be preached vnto you be eueÌ„ so or not for els by the outward conuersatioÌ„ of theÌ„ ye may easely be deceiued DesuÌ„t fortassis aliqua ¶ A letter exhortatory of George Marshe to the faythfull professours of Langhton GRace be vnto you and peace be multiplied in y e knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord. A letter of G. Marsh â—o men of Langhton Amen I thought it my duety to write vnto you my beloued in y e Lord at Langhton to stirre vp your mindes to call to your remeÌ„brance the wordes which haue bene told you before and to exhort you as that good man full of y e holy Ghost Barnabas did the Antiochians that with purpose of hart ye continually cleaue vnto the Lord that ye staÌ„d fast Actes 11. and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospel wherof God be thaÌ„ked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you by your late pastor M. Saunders other faithfull ministers of Iesus Christ which now when persecution ariseth because of y e word Luke 3. Rom. 1. do not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truth being ashamed of the Gospell wherof they haue bene preachers but are willing and ready for your sakes which are Christes misticall body to forsake not onely the chiefe and principall delites of this lyfe I do meane theyr natiue countryes frendes lyuinges c. but also to fulfill theyr ministery vnto y e vtmost that is to witte with their painefull imprisonmentes and bloudsheddinges if need shall require to confirme seale Christes Gospell Acteâ— 12. wherof they haue bene Ministers and as S. Paul sayth they are ready not onely to be cast into prison but also to be killed for the name of the Lord Iesu. Whether these being that good salt of the earth that is true ministers of Gods worde Math. 5. by whose doctrine beyng receiued through fayth men are made sauory vnto God which themselues lose not theyr saltnes True salte 〈…〉 the â—â—â—rupt and â—â—sauory â—â—lt now when they be prooued with the boysterous stormes of aduersity and persecutioÌ„ or others being that vnsauery salt which hath lost his saltnes that is to witte those vngodly ministers which do fall from the word of God into the dreames and traditions of Antichrist whether of these I say be more to be credited and beleued let all men iudge Wherfore my dearely beloued receiue y e word of God with meekenes y t is graffed in you whiche is able to saue your soules Iames. 2. And see that ye be not forgetfull hearers deceiuing yourselues with sophistry but doers of the word whom Christ doth liken to a wise maÌ„ Math. 7. which buildeth his house on a rocke that when the great rayn discendeth and the flouddes come and beate vpon the house it fel not because it was grounded vpon a rocke this is to witte that when Sathan with all his legion of deuils with all theyr subtill suggestions and the world with all y e mighty princes therof 〈◊〉 2. with their crafty counsels doe furiously rage against vs we faint not but abide constant in the truth being grounded vpon a most sure rock which is Christ and the doctrine of the Gospell against which the gates of hel that is 〈◊〉 16. the power of Sathan cannot preuayle And be ye followers of Christ and the Apostles and receaue the word in much affliction as the godly Thessalonians did Thes 1. 〈◊〉 receaâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 be for the true followers of Christ and the Apostles be they which receiue the word of God They onely receiue the word of god which both beleue it also frame their liues after it be ready to suffer all maner of aduersitie for the name of the Lord as Christ all y e Apostles did and as all that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must doe for there
Harpsfield THe bishop after many perswasions to cause him to recant willed him to depart as then and to come againe on Saterday at 8. of the clocke in the morning 〈…〉 the Popes lawe Thomas Wattes priâ—â—tely appeareth againe before the Byshop Where the Bishop being absent D. Nicholas Harpesfielde as then being his deputie did sit and earnestly exhorted him to deny his opinions To whome in the ende he answeared Wel ye haue a law to condemne me and I submit my selfe to the law but not to the lawes of the Church as you call it And farther I doe affirme and will stande to mine answeres that I haue made Wherupon D. Harpsfield willed him to appeare there againe vpon friday being the 10. day of the same month of May. Uppon which day the bishop priuately sent for the sayd Thomas Wattes into his chamber and there wyth many faire promises tempted and tried him whether hee would reuoke hys errours as he then termed them But Wattes aunsweared hym in this sorte I will not beleeue your Church neither the Romish Churche and therefore you doe but labour in vaine thus to trauaile with me He was here vpon againe dismissed for that time Wattes aunswere to the Byshop vntil friday the 17. day of May and then commaunded to appeare in the Consistorie whych commandement he obeyed hauing the accustomed former Articles ministred vnto him made then such answeres as before Thomas Wattes brought againe to the consistorie THus being tost to and fro from day to day and houre to houre he was at the last the 18. day of the month of May The 〈…〉 of Thomas Wattes brought into the consistorie where firste was made a briefe recitall of all the former processe and there the sayd Wattes being by the byshop and others willed to deny his profession made this final answer God kepe me from the doctrine that ye wold haue me to come vnto which ye haue now declared And I beseech God y t I may perseuer in that that I haue done for I wil stand to mine answers The Byshop perceiuing his faire flattering promises nothing to preuaile hauing no great store of other reasons to perswade with put forth his last and strongest argument of condemnation Sentence of condemnation agaynst Thomas Wattes Which being ended he was deliuered to the sheriffes of London by them was sent to Newgate where he remained vntil the 9. day of Iune or as some record to the 22. of May at what time he was caried vnto Chelmesforde and there was brought to Scots house keeping then an Inne at Chelmesforde where as they were eating meat with Hauks and the rest that came downe to their burning they prayed together both afore and after their meate Then Wats went and praied priuately to himself and afterward came to his wife and his 6. childreÌ„ being there and said these words in effect Wife and my good children I must now depart from you The 〈◊〉 of Thomas Wattes to his wife 〈◊〉 children Therfore hence forth know I you no more but as the Lord hath geuen you vnto me so I geue you againe vnto the Lord whom I charge you see you do obey and feare him and beware yee turne not to this abhominable papistrie against the which I shall anone by Gods grace geue my bloude Let not the murthering of Gods Saintes cause you to relent but take occasion thereby to be the stronger in the Lords quarel and I doubt not but he wil be a mercifull father vnto you All these and suche like woordes spake he vnto them and they vnto him of whome two as it is sayd offered to be burnt wyth him In the ende he badde them farewell and kissed them all and was caried to the fire The burning of Thomas Wattes Martyr At the stake after he had kissed it he spake to my Lord Rich these or the like words My Lord sayth he beware The wordes of Thomas Wattes to the L. Rich. beware for you doe against your owne conscience herein and without you repent the Lord wil reuenge it For you are the cause of this my death Concerning the childebed of Queene Mary as it was rumoured among the people LOng perswasion had bene in England with great expectation for the space of halfe a yeare or more The Childbirth of Q. Mary that the Queene was conceiued w t childe This report was made by the Queenes Phisitions other nie about the Court so that diuers were punished for saying the contrary And commaundement was geuen that in all churches supplication and prayers should be made for the Queenes good deliuerie the certificate whereof ye may read before in the letter of the Counsel sent to Boner pag. 1405. And also the same moreouer may appeare by prouision made before in the Act of Parliament for the childe pag. 1410. And now for somuch as in y e beginning of this month of Iune about Whitsontide Rockers and Nurses prouided for Queene Maryes childe the time was thought to be nie that this young Maister should come into the world and that midwiues rockers nurses with the cradle all were prepared and in a readines sodeÌ„ly vpon what cause or occasion it is vncertaine a certaine vaine rumour was blowne in London of the prosperous deliuerance of the Queene and the birth of the childe In so muche that the Bels were rong Bonfiers and processions made not only in the Citie of London Processions and bonfiers in LondoÌ„ for ioy of the young Prince and in most other partes of the realme but also in the towne of Antwarpe gunnes were shot off vppon the riuer by the English shippes and the Mariners thereof rewarded wyth an hundred pistolettes or Italian crownes by the Ladie Regent who was the Queene of Hungarie Triumph at Antwarpe for the same Such great reioysing and triumph was for the Queenes deliuerie that there was a Prince borne Yea diuers Preachers namely one the Parson of S. Anne within Aldergate after Procession and Te Deum song tooke vpon him to describe the proportion of y e child how faire howe beautifull and great a Prince it was as the like had not bene seene In the middest of this great adoe there was a simple man this I speake but vppon information dwelling w tin 4. miles of Barwicke that neuer had bene before halfe way to London whiche sayde concerning the Bonfiers made for Queene Maries childe Here is a ioyful triuÌ„ph but at length al wil not proue worth a messe of potage Q. Maryes childe would not come as in dede it came to passe For in y e end al proued clean coÌ„trary the ioy and expectations of meÌ„ were much deceiued For the people were certified y t the Queene neither was as then deliuered nor after was in hope to haue any child At thys time many talked diuersly some sayd thys rumour of the Queenes conception was spread for a poâ—icie
with an exhortation that Bradford would recant his doctrine After the Lorde Chauncellor had ended his long Oration Bradforde began to speake thus As yesterday I besought your honours to set in your sight the Maiesty and presence of God to followe him which seeketh not to subuert the simple by subtle questions so I humbly beseech euery one of you to do this day M. Bradfordes aunâ—swâ—re to Winchester for that you know well enough that guiltles bloud wil cry for vengeance And this I pray not your Lordships to do as one that taketh vpon me to condemne you vtterly herein but that ye might bee more admonished to do that which none doth so muche as he should doe For our nature is so much corrupt that wee are very obliuioâ—s and forgetâ—ull of God Agayne as yesterday I pretended mine othe and othes agaynst the Byshop of Rome that I shoulde neuer conâ—ent to the practysing of anye iurisdiction for him or on his behalfe in the realme of England so do I agayn this day least I should be periured And last of all as yesterday the aunsweres I made were by protestation and sauing mine othe so I would your honors should knowe that mine aunsweres shall be this day and this I do that when death which I look for at your hands shall come I may not be troubled with the guiltines of periury L. Chaunc At which wordes the Lord Chauncellour was wroth and sayd that they had geuen him respite to deliberate till this day whether he would recant his errours of the blessed Sacrament which yesterday quoth he before vs you vttered Brad. My Lord you gaue me no time of any such deliberation neither did I speake anye thing of the Sacrament which you did disalow For when I had declared a preseÌ„ce of Christ to be there to fayth you went froÌ„ that matter to purge your selfe that you were not cruell and so went to dynner L. Chaunc What I perceiue we must beginne all agayne with thee Did not I yesterday tell thee playnely that thou madâ—st a coÌ„science where none should be Did not I make it playne that the oth against the Bishop of Rome was an â—â—â—awfull oth Brad. No in deed my Lord You sayd so but you proued it not yet nor neuer can do L. Chaunc Oh Lord God what a felowe art thou Thou wouldest go about to bring into the peoples heades that we all the Lordes of the parliament house the Knyghtes and Burgesses and all the whole realme be periured Oh what an heresy is this here good people you may see what a senceles heretick this fellow is If I should make an oth I would neuer help my brother nor lend him mony in his need Winchesters 〈…〉 no poynt 〈◊〉 were this a good aunswere to tell my neighbour desiring my helpe that I had made an oth to the contrary O that I could not do it Brad. Oh my Lord discerne betwixt othes that be against charity and fayth and othes that be according to fayth and charity as this is agaynst the byshop of Rome Chaun Here the Lord Chauncellor made much ado and a long time was speÌ„t about othes which were good which were euill he captiously asking often of Bradford a direct aunswere concerning othes which Bradford woulde not geue simply but with a distinction Wherat the Chauncellor was much offended but Bradforde still kept him at the bay that the oth agaynst the Bishop of Rome was a lawful oth vsing thereto the Lord Chauncellors owne booke de vera Obedientia for confirmation At the length they came to this issue who shoulde bee Iudge of the lawfulnes of the othe and Bradford sayd the word of God according to Christs word Ioh. 12. My word shall iudge and according to the testimony of Esay and Mithe that Goddes worde comming out of Ierusalem shall geue sentence among the Gentiles By this word quoth Bradford my Lord I will proue the othe agaynst the byshop of Romes authority to be a good a godly and a lawfull othe So that the Lord Chauncellor left his holde and as the other day he pretended a deniall of the queenes authority and obedience to her highnes so did he now But Bradford as the day before proued that obedieÌ„ce in this poynt to the Queenes highnesse if she should demaund an othe to the Bishop of Rome being denied was not a * generall deniall of her authority and of obedience to her no more quoth he theÌ„ the sale gift or lease of a piece of a mans inheritaunce proueth it a sale gift or lease of the whole inheritaunce And thus much ado was made about this matter The Lord Chauncellour talking much and vsing many examples of debt of going out of the Towne to morow by oth and yet tarying till Friday and suche like Whiche trifling talke Bradford did touch saying that it was a wonder his honor weyed conscience no more in this and would be so earnest in vowes of Priestes Mariages made to bishops and be careles for solemne othes made to God to Princes Summa this was the end The Lord Chauncellor sayd the Queene might dispense with it and didde so to all the whole Realme But Bradford sayd that the queenes highnes could do no more but remitte her right as for the othe made to God she could neuer remit forasmuch as it was made vnto God L. Chaunc At which wordes the Lord Chauncellour chased wonderfully and sayd that in playne sence I sclaundered the Realme of periury And therefore quoth he to the people you may see how thys felow taketh vpon him to haue more knowledge and conscience M. Bradford imprisoned without a cause then all the wise meÌ„ of England and yet he hath no conscience at all Brad. Well my Lorde let all the standers by see who hath conscience I haue bene a yere and an halfe in prison Now before al this people declare wherfore I was imprisoned or what cause you had to punish me You sayd y e other day in your owne house my Lord of London witnessing with you that I tooke vpon me to speake to the people vndesired There he sitteth by you I meane my Lorde of Bathe which desired me himselfe for the passioÌ„ of Christ M. Bradford neaâ—e slayne in the pulpit with the dagger throwen against M. Bourne I would speake to the people Upon whose words I commyng into the Pulpite had like to haue bene slayne with a dagger which was hurled at him I thinke for it touched my sleeue He then prayd me I would not leaue him I promised him as loÌ„g as I liued I would take hurt before him that day and so went out of the pulpit and entreated with the people at length brought him my selfe into an house Besides this in the afternoone I preached in Bowe church and there going vp into the Pulpit one willed me not to reproue y e people M. Bradford ieoparded his lyfe
peoples eyes but to go vpwardes that you can neuer do and this is the true tryall Brad. Anno 1555. â—â—ly Yee must and will I am assured geue me leaue to follow the scriptures and examples of good men Harps Yea. Brad. Well theÌ„ Stephen was accused and condemned as I am that he had taught new and false doctrine before the fathers of the Church then as they were taken Stephen for his purgation improoueth their accusation But how doth he it by going vpwardes no but by coÌ„ming downwardes beginning at AbrahaÌ„ and continuing still till Esayas tyme and the peoples captiuitie From whence he maketh a great leape vntill y t time he was in whiche was I thinke vpon a 400. yeares called them by their right names helhoundes rather then heauen hounds On this sort will I proue my fayth that can you neuer do yours Harpsfield Yea sir if we did knowe that you had the holye Ghost then could we beleue you Here Bradford woulde haue answered that Steuens enemies would not beleue he had the holy Ghost and therefore they did as they dyd but as he was in speaking M. Harps arose vp the keeper and others that stode by began to talk gently praying Bradford to take heede to that maister Archdeacon spake who still sayd that Bradford was out of the church Bradford Syr I am most certaine that I am in Christes Church and I can shew a demonstration of my Religion from time to time continually God our father for the name and bloud of his Christ be merciful vnto vs and vnto al his people and deliuer them from false teachers and blinde guydes through whome alas I feare mee much hurt will come to this realme of England God our Father blesse vs and keepe vs in hys truth and poore Churche for euer Amen Then the Archdeacon departed saying that he would come againe the next morning ¶ The next dayes talke betweene Doctour Harpsfield and Maister Bradford VPon the xvi of February in the morning the Archdeacon and the other two with him came again â—rchdeacon â—arpsfield â—â—meth 〈◊〉 to M. â—â—adford and after a few by wordes spoken they sate downe Harps Maister Archdeacon began a very long Oration first repeting what they had said and how farre they had gone ouer night and therw t did begin to proue vpwards succession of Bishops here in England for 800. yeares in Fraunce at Lyons for 1200. yeares M. Harpsâ—â—eld agayne 〈◊〉 his â—hurch by 〈…〉 in Spayne at Hispalen for 800. yeares In Italy at Milan for 1200. yeares labouring by this to proue his Church He vsed also succession of Bishops in the East Church for the more confirmation of his wordes and so concluded with an exhortation and an interrogation the exhortation that Bradford would obey this church the interrogatioÌ„ whether Brad-could shew any such succession for the demonstratioÌ„ of his Church for so he called it which followed â—radfordes 〈…〉 M. Harpsâ—â—â—â—des 〈◊〉 Bradford Unto this his long Oration Bradford made this short answere my memory is euill so that I cannot aunswere particularly your Oration Therfore I wil generally do it thinking because your Oration is rather to perswade then to proue that a small aunswere will serue If Christ or his Apostles being here on earth had bene required by the Prelates of the churche then to haue made a demonstration of that churche by succession of such high Priestes as had approued the doctrine which he taught I think that Christ would haue done as I do that is haue alledged y t which vpholdeth the church euen the veritie y e word of God taught beleeued not by the high Priests which of long time had persecuted it but by the Prophetes and other good simple men which perchaunce were counted for heretickes of the Church which Church was not tied to succession but to the word of god And this to thinke S. Peter geueth me occasion when he sayth that as it went in the Churche before Christes comming so shall it go in the Church after his comming but then the pillers of the church were persecutors of the true Church therfore the like we must looke for now Harps I can gather and proue succession in Ierusalem of the high Priestes from Aarons tyme. Bradford I graunt but not such succession as allowed the trueth Harps Why did they not allow Moses law Bradford Yes and keepe it as touchyng the bookes therof as you doe the Bible and holye Scriptures But the true interpretation and meaning of it they did corrupt as you haue done doe and therefore the persecution which they sturred vpp against the Prophetes and Christ was not for the lawe but for the interpretation of it For they taught as you do now The Iewes corrupt the law as the Papists doe the Scriptures A comparison betweene thâ— old Phariseys our new Papistes that we must fetch the interpretation of the scriptures at your handes But to make an end death I looke dayly for yea hourely and I think my time be but very short Therfore I had need to spend as much tyme with God as I can whilest I haue it for his helpe comfort and therfore I pray you beare with me that I do not now particularly and in moe wordes aunswere your loÌ„g talk If I saw death not so neare me as it is I would then weigh euerye peece of your Oration if you woulde geue me the summe of it and I would answere accordingly but because I dare not nor I will not leaue of looking preparing for that which is at hand I shal desire you to hold me excused because I do as I do and hartely thanke you for youre gentle good will I shall hartily praye God our father to geue you the same light and life I do wish to my selfe so Bradford began to arise vp Harps But then began Maister Archdeacon to tell hym that he was in very perilous case Bolde confideÌ„ce and hope of Gods word and promise semeth strange among them which are not exercised in mortification and that he was sory to see him so setled As for death whether it be nigh or farre of I know not neither forceth it so that you did die well Brad. I doubt not in this case but y t I shall dye well for as I hope and am certaine my death shall please the Lord so I trust I shall dye chearfully to y e comfort of his childreÌ„ Harps But what if you be deceiued Bradford What if you shoulde say the sunne did not shyne now and the Sunne did shine through the windowe where they sat Harps Well I am sory to see you so secure and carlesse Bradford In deed I am more carnally secure and carelesse then I shuld be God make me more vigilant But in this case I cannot be so secure for I am most assured I am in y e trueth Harpsfield That are ye not for you are out of the
By this he would proue that Christe was then in heauen and in earth also naturally and bodily Shet This place and other must needes be vnderstand for the vnitie of persons in that Christe was God man and yet the matter must be referred to the Godhead or els ye must fall into great errour Commis That is not so for it was spoken of the manhoode of Christ for as much as he sayth the sonne of man whiche is in heauen Shet If yee will needes vnderstande it to be spoken of Christes manhoode The Coâ—â—missary brought 〈◊〉 an other 〈◊〉 conueniâ—â—â— then must ye fall into the error of the Anabaptistes which deny that Christ took fleshe of y e virgin Mary for if there be no bodye ascended vpp but that whiche came downe where is then his incarnation for then he brought his body downe with him Commis Loe how ye seeke an errour in me and yet see not how ye erre your selfe For it cannot be spoken of the Godhead except ye graunt that God is passible for God cannot come downe because he is not passible Shet If that were a good argumente that God could not come down because he is not passible then it might be said by the like argument that God coulde not sit and then heauen is not his seate and then say as some do that God hath no right hand for Christ to sit at Commis Then the Commissary affirmed playnly that it was true God hath no right hand in deede Shet Oh what a spoyle of Christes Religion will thys be that because we cannot tell howe God came downe therfore we shall say that he came not down at all and because we cannot tell what maner of hand he hathe to saye that he hath no hand at all and then he cannot reache the vtmost part of the sea O miserie at length it will come to passe that God cannot sit and then howe can heauen bee his seate and if heauen be not his seate then there is no heauen and then at length I doubt ye wil say there is no God or els no other God but such as the heathens Gods are which cannot goe nor feele Commis Why doth not the scripture saye that God is a spirite and what hand can a spirite haue Shet Truth it is God is a spirit and therfore is worshipped in spirit and truth and as he is a spirite so hath hee a spirituall power so hathe hee a spirituall seate a spirituall hand 〈◊〉 hand â—pirituall and a spirituall sword which we shall feele if we go this way to worke as we beginne Because wee knowe not what hand God hath therfore if we say he hath none then it may as well be sayd there is no Christ. Then the Commissary sayd hee woulde talke no more w t me so departed and also the Commissarye was compelled to graunt that Christes testament was broken and his institution was chaunged from that hee left it but hee sayd they had power so to doe * My first aunswearing after their law was stablished BEcause I know ye will desire to heare from mee some certaintie oâ— my estate â—â—luation the first â—â—â—minatiâ—â— of Sheâ—â—den â—fter law was 〈…〉 see the â—ommissioÌ„ I was called before the SuffragaÌ„ and seuen or eight of the chiefe priestes examined of certayne Articles and then I required to see theyr CoÌ„mission They shewed it to me and sayde There it is and the Kinge and Queenes letters also Then I desired to haue it read and so in readyng I perceaued that on some notable suspition hee might examine vppon two articles whether Chrystes reall presence were in the Sacrament and whether the churche of England be of Christes Catholicke Churche To that I aunsweared that I had bene a prisoner 3. quarters of a yeare and as I thought wrongfully reason would therefore that I should aunsweare to those thinges wherefore I was prisoner Suff. The Suffragan sayd his Commission was I must aunswere directly yea or nay Shet This Commission sayde I was not generall to examine whome he will but on iust suspicion Suff He sayd I was suspected and presented to hym Shet Then I required that the accusation might be shewed Suff. He sayd he was not bound to shew it but he commaunded me in the king and Queenes name to aunswer directly Shet And I as a subiect do require of you iustice for that I haue done I aske no fauour Suff. He sayde I was suspected Shet I bad him proue that suspicion or what cause he had to suspect Suff. Thou was cast into prison for that cause Shet That was a pretty suspicion because I had suffered imprisonment contrary to Gods law and the realme that therefore I must now for a mendes be examined of suspition without cause to hyde all the wrong done to me before For when I was cast into prison there was no law but I might speake as I did therefore in that poynte I could be no more suspect then you which preached y e same yourself not long before Suff. That was no matter to thee what I preached Shet Well yet in the king and Queenes name I must aunswere directly and therefore I require as a subiecte y t ye do not extend beyond your Commission but proue me suspect more then you your selfe Milles. Then sayd M. Milles I had written to my mother and he did see the letter wherin I perswaded my mother to my opinions Shet In that I did but my duetye to certifie her I was not prison for any euill And that was before the lawe also and therefore no more suspicion was in mee then was in them which taught the like Mill. Well yee are required here to aunswere directlye yea or no. Shet First then I require of you to proue this suspicion and thus we tossed to and fro At last the byshop sayde hee himselfe did suspect me I asked wherby Suff. Wâ—ll sayd he I my selfe did suspect thee and it is no matter wherby Shet But your Commission doth not serue you so to doe without iust suspicion Suff. Well yet did I suspect you Shet It is not meete for you to bee my accuser and my Iudge also for that was too much for one man And thus manye woordes were multiplied and they were muche greeued Milles. If you were a Christian man you would not be ashamed of your fayth being required Shet I am not ashamed in deede I thanke God Vpon this it appeareth the letters were written to the B. of Winchester by whom he was sente for after and examined if any man do come to me either to teache or to learne I would declare it but for asmuch as I perceaue you come neither to to teache nor to learne I holde it beste to aunswere you Milles. If you will not then will we certifie the kinges Councell Sheter I am therwith content that you shoulde certifie y t I had suffered thrâ—e quarters prison
the same constancie as dyd the other and therfore were both deliuered vnto the sheriffes who were there present but afterwards were conueyed to the places aboue named there moste ioyfully gaue their houses to bee burned in the fire and their soules into the handes of Almighty God by Iesus Christ who hath assured them to a better hope of life This Diricke was a man whome the Lorde had blessed as well with temporall riches as with hys spirituall treasures which riches yet were no clogge or let vnto hys true professing of Christe the Lord by his grace so woorking in him of the which there was such hauocke made by the greedye raueners of that time that hys poore wyfe and children had little or none thereof During his imprisonment although he was well stricken in yeares and as it were past the time of learning yet he so spente his time that being at hys firste apprehension vtterly ignoraunt of any letter of the booke he coulde before his death read perfectly any Printed English Whos 's diligence and zeale is worthy no small commendation and therefore I thought it good not to lette it passe ouer in silence for the good encouragement and example of others Moreouer at his comming into the towne of Lewes to be burned the people called vpon him beseeching God to strengthen him in the faith of Iesus Christe Hee thanked them and prayed vnto God that of hys mercye hee woulde strengthen them in the lyke Faith And when hee came to the signe of the Starre the people drew neare vnto hym where the Sheriffe sayde that he had founde him a faithfull man in all hys aunsweres And as he came to the stake hee kneeled downe and made hys prayers and the Sheriffe made haste Then hys Booke was throwne into the barrell and when he had stript him selfe as a ioyfull member of God he went into the barrell him selfe And as soone as euer hee came in he tooke vp the booke and threw it among the people and then the Sheriffe commaunded in the Kynge and Queenes name in paine of death to throw in the booke againe And immediately that faithful member spake with a ioyfull voyce saying Deare brethren and sisterne witnes to you all that I am come to seale with my bloude Christes Gospell for because I know that it is true it is not vnknowen vnto all you but that it hath bene truely preached heere in Lewes and in all places of Englande and nowe it is not And for because that I wil not deny heere Gods Gospel and be obedient to mans lawes I am condemned to die Dear brethren and sisterne as many of you as doe beleeue vpon the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste vnto euerlasting life see you do the woorkes appertaining to the same And as many of you as doe beleeue vppon the Pope of Rome or any of his lawes which he sets foorth in these daies you do beleeue to your vtter condēnation and except the great mercy of God you shall burne in hell perpetually The Martyrdome of Diricke Caruer And then spake hee againe to all the people there present with a loude voyce saying deare brethren Horrible prouoking of Gods iudgement and all you whom I haue offended in woordes or in deede I aske you for the Lordes sake to forgeue mee and I heartely forgeue all you which haue offended me in thought word or dede And he sayd further in his praier Oh Lord my God thou hast wrytten Hee that wil not forsake wife children house Dirickes prayer at his death and all that euer he hath and take vp thy crosse and folow thee is not woorthy of thee But thou Lorde knowest that I haue forsaken all to come vnto thee Lord haue mercy vppon me for vnto thee I commend my spirit and my soule doth reioyce in thee These were the last wordes of that Faythfull member of Christe before the fire was put to hym And afterward that the fire came to him he cried Oh Lorde haue mercy vpon me and spronge vp in the fire calling vppon the name of Iesus and so ended Thomas Iueson Martyr AT Chichester Tho. Iueson of Euerson apprehended with Diricke and other suffered at Chichester about the same moneth was burned one Thomas Iueson of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey Carpenter whose apprehension examination and condemnation for as much as it was at one time and in one forme with Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder I doe here omit referring the reader to their hystorie processe before mentioned sauing onely this his seuerall confession and priuate answers made before B. Boner at hys last examination in the Consistorie I thought not to pretermit who being examined vppon the foresayd Articles answered as followeth The aunsweres of Thomas Iueson to the obiections of Boner bishop of London in a chamber at his house in the moneth of Iuly 1. FIrst that he beleued that there is but one Catholike Aunsweres of Thomas Iueson vniuersall and whole Church of Christ thorough the whole worlde which hathe and holdeth the true faith and all the necessarye Articles of Christen beliefe all the Sacraments of Christe with the true vse and administration of the same 2. Item that he is necessarily bounden to beleeue geue credite in all the sayd faith Articles of the beliefe religion and the Sacraments of Christe and the administration of the same 3. Item that that faithe religion and administration of Sacraments which now is beleeued vsed taught and set forth in this our church of England is not agreeing wyth the truth and faith of Christ nor with the faith of the sayde Catholicke and vniuersall Church of Christ. 4. Item concerning the Sacrament of the aultar he beleueth that it is a very Idol and detestable before God as it is now ministred 5. Item that the Masse is nought and not of the institution of Christ but y t it is of mans inuention and demaunded whether any thing vsed in the Masse be good he sayde that he would answere no further 6. Item that hee had not receiued the Sacrament of the aultar since it hath ben ministred as now it is in England neither was confessed at any time within this seuen yeres nor he hath not heard Masse by the same space 7. Item that auricular confession is not necessarye to be made to a priest for that he cānot forgeue nor absolue him from sinnes 8. Item concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme that it is a signe and token of Christe as circumcision was and none otherwise and he beleeueth that his sinnes are * He meaneth not by the mere vertue of the element Two Sacramentes not washed away thereby but his body onely washed for his sinnes be washed away onely by Christes bloud 9. Item that there be in the Catholike Church of Christ onely two Sacraments that is to saye the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord and no
they came not emptie handed willed them to be called in CroÌ„well there shewing his obedieÌ„ce offering his iolye iunkets Cromwels presentes to the Pope Cromwell a suter for Boston Pardons suche as Kings and Princes only sayd he in the realme of EnglaaÌ„d vse to feede vpon desired y e same to be accepted in beneuolent part which he and his coÌ„panions as poore suters vnto his holines had there brought and presented as nouelties meete for his recreation c. Pope Iulius seing the straungenes of the dishes commaunded by and by his Cardinall to take the assay Who in tasting thereof liked it so wel and so likewise the Pope after him that knowing of them what their sutes were and requiring them to make knowen the making of that meate he incontinent without any more adoe stamped both their pardons Boston pardons obtayned at Rome as well the greater as the lesser And thus was the iolye pardons of the Towne of Boston obteyned as you haue heard for the maintenaunce of their decayed porte The copie of which Pardons which I haue in my handes briefly comprehended commeth to this effect That all the brethren and sisters of the gylde of our Lady in S. Botulphes church at Boston The effect and contentes of Boston pardons should haue free licence to choose for their confessor or ghostly father whome they woulde eyther seculare Prieste or religious person to assoyle them plenarely from all their sinnes except only in cases reserued to the Pope Also should haue licence to carry about with them an aultar stone whereby they might haue a Priest to say them Masse or other diuine seruice where they would without preiudice of any other Church or Chappell though it were also before the day yea and at three of the clocke after midnight in the Sommer tyme. Furthermore that all suche breethren and sisters of the sayd gilde which should resort to y e chappel of our Lady in S. Botulphes Church at the feast of Easter Whitsontide Corpus Christi the Natiuitie or Assumption of our Lady or in y e Octaues of them the feast of S. Michaell and first Sonday in Lent should haue Pardon no lesse then if they themselues personally had visited the Stations of Rome Prouided that euery such person man or woman entring into the same gilde at his first entraunce should giue to the finding of vij Priests xij Queresters xiij beademen and to the lightes of y e same brotherhoode a Grammer schole vj. shillings viij pence and for euery yeare after xij pence And these premisses being before graunted by Pope Innocentius and Pope Iulius 2. this Pope Clement also confirmed graunting moreouer that whatsoeuer brother or sister of the same gylde thorough pouertie sickenes or any other let could not resort personally to the saide chappell notwithstanding he should be dispensed withall as well for that as for all other vowes irregularities censures Canonicall whatsoeuer only the vowe of going the Stations of Rome and going to S. Iames of Compostella excepted c. He also graunted vnto them power to receaue full remission A poena culpa once in theyr lyfe or in the houre of death Item that hauing their aultar stone they mighte haue Masse sayd in any place though it were vnhallowed Also in the time of interdict to haue Masse or any Sacramente ministred and also being departed that they might be buried in Christen buriall notwithstanding the interdict Extending moreouer his graunt that to all such breethren and sisters in resorting to the foresayd Chappell of our Lady vpon the Natiuitie or Assumption of our Lady giuing supportation to the sayd Chappel at euery such Festiuall daye to haue full remission of all their sinnes Or if they for any impediment could not be present at the Chappell aforesayd yet if they came to their owne Parish Churche and there sayd one Pater noster and Aue Maria they should enioy the same remission aboue specified or whosoeuer came euery Friday to the same Chappell should haue as much remission as if he went to the Chappell of our Lady called Scala coeli Furthermore that whatsoeuer ChristeÌ„ people of what estate or coÌ„dition soeuer either spirituall or teÌ„poral would ayde support the chamberlaines or substitutes of y e foresayd gylde should haue fiue hundreth yeares of pardon Item to all brothers and sisters of the same gylde was graunted free libertie to eate in time of Lent or other Fasting dayes egges milke butter cheese and also fleshe by the counsaile of their ghostly father and phisition without any scruple of conscience Item that all partakers of the same gylde and beyng supporters thereof which once a quarter or euery Friday or Saterday either in the said Chappell in S. Botulphes Church or any other Chappell of their deuotion shall say a Pater noster Aue Maria and Creede or shall say or cause to be sayde Masses for soules departed in paynes of Purgatory shall not onely haue the full remission due to them which visite the Chappell of Scala Coeli or of S. Iohn Lateran but also the soules in Purgatory shall enioy full remission and be released of all their paynes Item that all the soules departed of the brothers and sisters of the sayde gylde also the soules of their fathers and mothers shall be partakers of all the prayers suffragies almoses fastings masses and mattens pilgrimages and of all other good deedes of all the holy Churche militant for euer c. These indulgencies pardons grauntes and relaxations were geuen and graunted by Pope Nicholas the fift Pope Pius 2. Pope Sixtus and Pope Iulius the second of which Pope Iulius it seemeth that Cromwell obteyned this Pardon aforesaide about the yeare of oure Lorde 1510. Which Pardon againe afterward through the request of King Henry an 1526. was confirmed by Pope Clement the seuenth And thus much concerning the pardon of Boston renued by the meanes of Thomas Cromwell of Pope Iulius the second All this while it appeareth that Cromwell had yet no sound taste nor iudgement of Religion but was wylde youthfull without sence or regard of God and his worde as he himselfe was wont ofttimes to declare vnto Cranmer Archbishop of Cant. shewing what a ruffine he was in his yong dayes Cromwell was in th◠〈◊〉 of the Duke of Bâ—â—rbon besâ—â—ging Rome and how he was in the warres of duke Bourbon at the siege of Rome also what a great doer he was with Geffray Chambers in publishing and settyng forth the pardon of Boston euery where in Churches as he went and so continued till at length by learnyng the texte of the newe Testament without booke of Erasmus translation in his going and comming from Rome as is aforesayd he began to be touched and called to better vnderstanding In this meane tyme Thomas Woolsey Cardinall of Yorke began to beare a great port in England Cromwell â—â—ceiued into the Cardinalls serâ—â—ce and almost
to rule all vnder the King or rather with the King so that the freshest wittes and of best towardnes most commonly sought vnto him Among whome was also Thomas Cromwell to his seruice aduaunced where he continued a certayne space of yeares Cromwell solliciter to the Cardinall Cromwell More and Gardiner companions in the Cardinalls house growing vp in office and authoritie till at length he was preferred to be sollicitour to the Cardinall There was also about the same tyme or not much different in the houshold of the sayd Cardinall Tho. More afterward knight and Chauncelour of England SteueÌ„ Gardiner Byshop after of Wint. and of the Kings CouÌ„saile All these three were brought vp in one houshold and all of one standing almost together Whose ages as they were not greatly discrepant nor their wittes much vnequall so neither was their fortune and aduauncementes greatly diuers A comparison betwene Cromwell More and Gardiner albeit their dispositions and studies were most contrary And though peraduenture in More and in Gardiner there was more arte of letters and skill of learning yet notw tstanding there was in this maÌ„ a more heauenly light of minde more prompt perfect iudgement eloquence equall and as may be supposed in thys man more pregnant and finally in him was wrought a more heroicall and princely dispositioÌ„ borne to greater affayres in the common wealth and to the singular helpe of many It happened that in this meane season â— Cromwell was placed in this office to be sollicitour to the Cardinall the said Cardinal had then in hand the building of certeine Colledges Small Monasteryes suppressed by the Cardinall namely his Colledge in Oxforde called then Frideswide now Christes Churche By reason whereof certayne small monasteries and priories in diuers places of the realme were by the saide Cardinall suppressed and the lands seased to the Cardinals haÌ„ds The doing wherof was committed to the charge of Thomas Cromwell In the expedition whereof he shewed himselfe very forward Cromwell first set a worke by the Cardinall to supâ—resse religious houses and industrious in such sort as in y e handling thereof he procured to himselfe much grudge with diuers of the superstitious sorte and with some also of noble calling about the King And thus was Cromwell first set a worke by the Cardinall to suppresse religious houses Which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525. As this passed on it was not long but the Cardinall whiche had gotten vp so high began to come downe as fast first from the Chauncellorship in whiche roome was placed Sir Tho. More as is aforesayd then he fell into a Premunire So that his houshold being dissolued Tho. Cromwell amongst other laboured also to be reteyned into the Kings seruice Syr Christopher Hales helper of Cromwell to the king Cromwell commended to the king by Sir Christopher Hales M. of the Rolles Cromwell complayned of to the king There was at the same tyme one Syr Christopher Hales Knight Maister of the Rolles who notwithstanding was then a mightie Papist yet bare he suche fauour and good liking to Cromwell that he commended him to the King as a man most fitte for his purpose hauing then to do against the Pope But heere before is to be vnderstand that Cromwel had greatly bene complained of and diffamed by certeine of authority about the King for hys rude maner and homely dealing in defacing the Monkes houses in handling of their aultars c. Wherfore y e king hearing of the name of Cromwell began to detest y t mention of him neither lacked there some standers by who w t reuiling words ceased not to encrease and inflame y e kings hatred against him What their names were it shall not neede heere to recite Among other there present at the same hearing was the Lorde Russell Earle of Bedforde whose life Cromwell before had preserued at Bononye through politicke conueyance at what time the said Earle comming secretly in the kings affaires The Lord 〈◊〉 Earle of Bedforde through the â—olicy of Cromwell escaped at Bononie The Lorde Russel commendeth Cromwell to the king was there espyed and therefore being in great daunger to be taken through the meanes and pollicie of Cromwell escaped This Lord Russell therefore not forgetting the olde benefites past with like grauitie willing againe to requite that he had receaued in a vehement boldnes stoode forth to take vpon him the defence of Thomas Cromwel vttering before the king many commendable words in the behalfe of him and declaring withall how by his singulare deuice and policie he had done for him at Bononie beyng there in the Kings affaires in extreame perill And for as much as now his Maiestie had to do with the Pope his great enemy there was he thought in all England none so apt for the kynges purpose which could say or do more in that matter then could Thomas Cromwell and partly gaue the kyng to vnderstand wherein The kyng hearyng this specially markyng the latter end of his talke was conteÌ„ted and willyng to talke with him to heare and know what he could say This was not so priuily done but Cromwell had knowledge incontinent that the kyng would talke with him whereupon therfore prouidyng before hand for matter had in a readynesse the copie of the Byshops othe which they vse coÌ„monly to make to the Pope at their consecration and so beyng called for was brought to the king in his garden at Westminster which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1530. Cromwell after most loyall obeysauÌ„ce doyng his duetie to the kyng accordyng as he was demaunded Cromwell brought to talke with the king made his declaration in all pointes this especially making manifest vnto his highnes how his Princely authoritie was abused within his own Realme by the Pope his Clergy who beyng sworne vnto him were afterward dispensed from the same sworne a new vnto the Pope so that he was but as halfe kyng and they but halfe his subiectes in his owne land which sayd he was derogatorie to his crowne Cromwels wordes to the king concerning the premunire of the Clergy and vtterly preiudiciall to the common lawes of his Realme Declaryng therupoÌ„ how his Maiestie might accumulate to himselfe great riches so much as all y e Clergy in his Realme was worth if it so pleased him to take the occasion now offered The kyng geuyng good eare to this and likyng right well his aduice required if he could auouch that which he spake All this he could he sayd auouch to be certaine so well as that he had the copie of their owne othe to the Pope there present to shewe and that no lesse also he could manifestly proue if his highnesse would geue him leaue therewith shewed the Byshops othe vnto the kyng The kyng folowyng the veyne of his counsayle tooke his ryng of his finger first admittyng him into his seruice Cromwell sent by