these I heart them whilst they sate in Christs chaire but after the workes they now doe I will not doe by Gods â—elpe for they faine would hide and contrary the trueth which before they taught plainly and truely and some of them haue confessed they doe it because they are constrained by paine to leaue the truth so they blaspheame God rather then suffer a little though Christ shed his heart bloud for vs. Bishop That which thou callest truth is slander to holy Church and though Wicliffe were a great Clerke and a perfect liuer yet holy Church hath damned many of his Doctrines and well worthy but Phillip Rampington Bishop of Lincolne wil not hold the learning that he taught nor no Bishop pursueth more sharpely them that hold thy way then he doth Thorpe Many wonder at him and speake him mickle shame and hold him a cursed eâ—nemie of the trueth Bishop Then the Bishop read a Certificate that the bailiffes of Shrewesbury sent to him vnder their Seale the third Sunday after Easâ—er 1407. William Thorpe preaching in Saint Chaddes Church in his Sermon said that the Sacrament after conâ—ecration was materiall bread and that Images should not be worshipped and that men should not goe on Pilgrimages that Priests haue no title to Tythes and that it is not lawfull to sweare Then he said is this wholsome learning to be amongst the people Thorpe I am sory and ashamed of them I neuer taught such Doctrine Bishop I will beléeue those worshipfull men before thée thou hast troubled them and they pray mee that if thou suffer for thy heresies that thou most be executed there that such other â—oâ—els for feare may be reconciled and they that stand in Faith of holy Church more stablished by my thirft this feruent requâ—st shall bâ— thought on Thorpe I thanke God for all this I was not afraid but my heart reioyced and still doth for I then thought and yet thinke that grace shall come to all the Church of God herethorow and I said I doubt not but I can proue that they which are fained to bee out of holy Church at Shrewsbury and other places are in true Faith of holy Church for they dread to offend God and loue to please him iâ— true and faithfull keeping his commaundements and they that are said to be in faith of holy Church there and in other places are proud eâ—â—ious coâ—etous lecheroâ—s and foule in words and deeds and know not nor will know the right Faith of holy Church their customable swearing and shamefull workes witnesse it And sir where you say I haue troubled the Communaltie with Preaching it is not to be wondred at of wise men seeing all the Communaltie of Ierusalem was troubled at Christ all the Synagogue of Nazaret moued against him that they led him to a mountaine and would haue cast him downe headlong Bishop Thou and such lâ—sâ—ls presume to Preach without licence of any Bishop Thorpe It is euery Priests duetie to Preach busily freely and truely the word of God and they should take the Order of Priesthood chiefly to make Gods word knâ—wne to the people and approuing the truth of the word by his vertuous workes and for this purpose chiefly Bishops and Prelates should take their Prelacie and for this cause Bishops should giue their Orders and should accept none to be Priest except he were well disposed and well learned to Preach Wherefore by the example and Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and Prophets wée are bound vnder full great paine so to doe Bishop Leâ—â—de losell why makest thou mée such vaine reasons asketh not Saint Paul How should Priests Preach except they be sent And I sent thée not to Preach And saith not Saiâ—t Paul Subiects ought to obey their Soueraignes and not only the good and vertuous but tyrants and vicious Thorpe None of you will grant vs any such licence but we must oblige vs to youâ— by vnlawfull Othes not to passe the bonds you will limmit vs and we darâ— not so oblige our selues Wherefore though we haue no such licenses we dare not leaue the â—ffice of Preaching for so muâ—h as we haue taken vpon vs the Office of Priesthood trusting God will bo our sufficient letters and witnesse if we occupie vs faithfully to dâ—e our Office iustly yea the hearers shall be our Letters for the truth where it is sâ—wne cannot be vnwitnessed as Saint Paul saith Wee neede no Letters of commendations aâ— some doe which Preach for couetousnesse and mens praisings Touching obedience to superiours good superiours with sound Doctrine and holy couersation to them wée must willingly and gladly obey consenting to their charitable biddings and working after their fruitfull workes of these Saint Paul speaketh Bee mindfull of your Soueraignes that speake to you in the word of God and follow the faith of them whose conuersation you know to be vertuous These Soueraignes make feruent prayers that they and their Subiects may liue in the feare and loue of God and liue so vertuously that they that will liue well may take example by them but Subiects ought not to obey Tyrants whose biddings and workes are vicious that they ought to be hated and left But if they menace oppressions and punishings Saint Peter biddeth the seruants of such Tyrants to Obey meekely suffering patiently their malicious cruelty but hée councelleth not any seruant or subiect to obey any Lord Prince or Soueraigne in any thing not pleasing to God Bishop If a Soueraigne bid a Subiect doe the thing that is vicious the Soueraigne is to blame but the Subiect deserueth méede of God for obedience pleaseth God more then Sacrifice Thorpe Samuel told Saul that God was more pleased with the obedience of his commandement then with Sacrifices but Dauid S. Paul and S. Gregory accordeth therto that they that doe euil are not only worthy condemnation but they that consent thereto Bishop All these aâ—â—agings are nothing else buâ— proud presumptions for hereby yoâ— inforce you are iust and ought not to â—bey the Prelates and of your owne authoritiâ— you will Preach and doe what you list Thorpe Presenteth not euery Priest the Office of the Apostles and Disciples 〈◊〉 Christ He said yea the tenth of Mathew and the last of Mathew witnesseth Christ sent his Apostles to Preach And in the tenth of Luke He sent his 72. Disciples to Preach in euery place that Christ was come to And Saint Gregory saith He that taketh vppon him the Office of Priesthoode taketh on him the Office of Preaching and that the Priest stirreth God to great wrath whose mouth is not heard to Preach and Ezekiel saith The Priest that preacheth not busily to the people shall bee partaker of their damnation that perish by their default And though the people bee saued by other means yet if the Priest Preach not he is a manâ—â—â—per bâ—cause they hold from the people the word of God the life of their soules Saint Isidore saith Priests shall be damned
authority of thy word to be knit and made one in truth faith and stedfast hope in perfect charitie Amen ¶ Another Treatise of the said WILLIAM THORPE CHrist in Saint Matthew likeneth them that heare his word and kéepe it to a wise man that buildeth his house vppon a stone this house is mans Soule in which Christ desireth to dwâ—ll if it bee stablished in Christes liuing and teaching adorned with his faire Uertues and chiefly Charitie without â—edling of any â—rrour vppon none other ground none may make any building or house but vpon the teaching and liuing of Christ as Saint Paule teacheth to the Corinthians and to comfort these Saint Paul writeth to the people of Ephesus Now ye are not strangers guests nor comelings but Citizens and of the houshold of God builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets in which foundation euery building that is builded it increasâ—th to a holy Temple This is the stable Stone Christ fast holding together two wals for through him â—he Father is pitious and mercifully ioyned and made one together to mankinde and through dread so offend God and feruent loue to please him men bee inseparably made one to God â—nd â—â—â—ended surely vnder his protection This stone Christ was figured by the square Stones of the Temple for wheresoeuer a square stone is laid it abideth stedfâ—st so Christ and euery faithfull member of his Church by example of him abideth â—â—ably in true Faith and in all heauenly vertues in all aduersities that they suffer in this valley of â—eares When these â—quared stones were laid in the wals and Pillars of Gods Temple no noyse or stroke of the workemen was heard this â—lence signifieth Christ and his faithfull members which haue béene are and euer shall bee meeke and patient in euery aduersâ—tie and no sound of grudgiâ—g perceiued in them This Stone and ground of all vertues proud beggers reproued Christ suffered it most méekely in his owne person to giue example of méekenesse to his faithfull followers This world is now so full of proud beggers called Priests but are farre from such as Christ approueth Priests â— For from the highest to the lowest they doe all to please the World and the Flesh since I had discretion all the Popes Cardinals Bishoppes and all the contagious flocke of the Priest-hoode haue increased damnably 〈◊〉 sinne to sinne â—â—oud Hereticks couetous Symoners desouled Adulterers abusing the Sacramâ—ntes especially the Sacrament of the Altar the highest Priests occupie vnlawfully Temporall Lordships for fauour and gaine they sell Benefices to vnworthy and vnable persons Their Somnâ—rs sell sinne suffering men and women so lye in diuerse vices The Priestes sell the Sacramentes full deare to the people and thus the Priest-hoode is blowne vp into pride and vaine-glory of their dignitie that they disdaine to follow Christ in meekenesse holinesse and busie Preaching of his worde and to take their liuing at the peoples hands as pure almes and if they Preach not to labour for their liuing And they inforce that all holy Scripture should bee expounded according to their manners Therefore all Kings and Rulers that knowe the trueth of this Testimony of Priesthoode and will not inforce themselues to withstand these enemies and Traitors of Christ and his Church all these striue with Antichrist against Iesus and they shall beare the indignation of God Almightie without end if in conuenient time they amend them not and repent doing due mourning and sorrow For through the presumptuousnesse and negligence of the Prelates wicked men are wrongfully named Hermits and haue leaue to defraude the poore and liue by their false winnings and begging in sloth and other vices and the copper nosed Prelates are suffered to liue in pride and hypocrisie and to defile themselues bodily and Ghostly Also by the sufferance of these Prelates there bee vaine brotherhoodes and Priesthoodes full of pride they are cause of much dissention and exercise themselues in eating and drinking vnmeasurably and out of time and they are of one cloathing and holde together and in all vnlawfull doings they are Partners medlers and Councellers Also Prelates admit Pardoners and strange beggers with flatterings to beguile the people against true beliefe and to increase diuerse vices in them and thus the viciousnesse of Prelates haue beene are and shall bée cause of Warres within this Realme and without and cause of Pestilence of men and murren of beastes and barrennesse of earth and all other mischiefes vntill the Lords and Commons able them with grace accordring to Gods will to redresse this foresaid Priesthood vnto the innocent â—eaching and liuing of Christ and his Apostles Therefore all that know the viciousnesse that now raigneth cursedly in these Priestes and in their learning let them pray for the health of his Church and abstaine from these indurate enemies of Christ and his people and from all their Sacraments which are fleshly and false Saint Ciprian and other great Doctors witnesse That not onely vitious Priests but they which fauour and consent to them shall perish with them as they perished that consented to Dathan and Abiram for nothing were more confusion to them then refusing their Sacraments which are most vnlawfull and none needs to â—eace to dye without taking any Sacrament of these Christs enemies since Christ himselfe will not faile to minister all healthfull Sacramentes to all them that are in true Faith Hope and Charitie But some madde fooles to eschewe slaunders will bee shrieued once a years of their propper Priest though they knowe him defouled with slaunderous vices no doubt these are culpable of great sinne since Saint Paule witnesseth that Not onely they that doe euill are worthy of damnation but they that consent to euill doers And the vicious Priestes despise and cast from them heauenly wisdome that is giuen of the Holy Ghost Therefore the Lord throweth such dispisers from him so that they doe no Priesthoode vnto â—im Therefore they that tooke or consent that any other should take any Sacrament of any sâ—ch Priest sinneth against the Trinitie and are vnable to any Sacrament of health And that this Sentence is â—rue and in the hope of the remission of all my sins trusting stedfastly in the mercie of God I offâ—â— to him my Soule and to proue that this is true I suffer méekely and gladly my wrâ—tched body to be tormented to his praise and the edification of the Church And I wretched caiâ—â—â—e shall now through the spirituall grace of God make him a pleasant Sacrifice with my most sinfull body I beseech all that reade or heare this my Testament that they iâ—deauour by all meanes to vnderstand truely and kéepe faithfully the commaundements of God and to pray deuoutly to â—he blessed Trinitie that I may haue grâ—ce and wisdome from aboue to ende my life for his cause in a true and liuâ—ly faith stedfast hope and perfect charitie A Handicrafts man dyed constantly in the opinion that it was not the
to Scotland he was not able to suffer the filthinesse and blindnesse of the Countrey he was accused of Heresie and after disputed constantty with the Cardinall and his Band he confessed Christ to be his onely Aduocate excluding the merits of Saints acknowledged frée â—ustification by the merits of Christ and denied Purgatory At last he was condemned and the same day after dinner burned The King being but a Child by the Testimonie of his bloud hee left the verity oâ— of God fixed in the hearts of many William Tindal in his Apology against Moore maketh mention of Thomas Hitten a preacher at Maidstone in Kent whom the Bishops of Canterbury and Rochester kept long in prison and tormented him with diuers torments yet he continued constant and at the lasâ— they burned him at Maidestone for the constant testimony oâ— Iesus Christ and of his frée grace and saluation Thomas Bilâ—ey of the Uniuerâ—itie of Cambridge a man of excellent constancy Cambridge taking roote in him after long barrennes did begin to flourish He conuerted many of his fellowes to the Gospell amongst whom was Thomas Arthur and Maister Hugh Latimer who was Crosse-kéeper of Cambridge bringing it on procession daies at last he forsooke the Uniuersitie and went to diuers places preaching associated with Arthur the authoritie of Cardinall Woolsey was then great but his pride â—reater which declared the vanity of his life and of the liues of the Bishops and Clergy Bilney with others maruelling at the incredible insolency of the Clergy which they could no longer suffer they began to preach against this dignity and against the Pope Then the Cardinall which did not greatly feare any power of Kings but onelie feared the Gospell of Christ to be preached least it should detect their Hypocrisie and deceits Whereupon he caused the said Bilney and Arthur to bee cast into prison then they were brought before the Cardinall and â— number of Bishops into the Charter-house of Westminster then the Cardinall required of them wherefore they had taught the people the opinions of Luther which are condemned and whether he had not once made an oath not to preach or defend any of Luthers opinions but to impugne the same He said He had made such an Oath but not lawfullie After hee was sworne to make true answere and not to reueale his examinations 1 It was laid against him that he preached though Preachers bee restrained now adaies yet he had warranty by the Word of God where he said Goe iâ—to all the world and preach the Gospell By which authority euery man that hath the gift may preach and the Pope nor any other can make any law to the contrary which he confessed 2 That he said when crosses were set vp against Walls in London that men should not pisse there When there were but few men did reuerence them but when in euerie corner there was a Crosse of necessitie men pissed vppon the Crosses So that when there were but few Lawes in the Church then men were afraid to offend them after ward they made many lawes whereof some are pecuniall as they call them and them they doe obserue those that are not pecuniall they call palea and regard them not To this or the like effect he confessed he spake 3 If I should suffer persecution for the Gospell yet there are seuen thousand more that would preach the Gospell as I doe now therefore good people thinke not much if these tyrants put a man to death for preaching the Gospell This Article he confessed 5 That euery Christian man is a Priest so offer vp sacrifice of prayer and if they murmured against Priesthood they murmured against themselues and that we should not pray to Saints nor worship Images 6 That he should preach at Cambridge that a Bachelor of Diuinity or any other knowing the Gospell should be let from preaching by no man and if any Bishop did accurse them for so doing their curses should returne to themselues All these hee confessed Master Luther did recant and submit himselfe vnto the punishment and iudgement of the Church but these Interrogatories were ministred vnto Master Bilney Whether hee beléeued the assertions of Luther impugned by the Bishop of Rochester were detestable Whether generall Councells and Constitutions where or ought to be obserued of all men euen for conscience whether the Popes Keyes were noâ— profitable or against Gods word whether the Catholikâ— Church may erre or whether it may bee demonstrated or poynted out or else whether it is a spirituall Church knowne to God whether Images of Saints ought to bee worshipped of all true Christianâ— whether a man may beléeue that there is not yet any Iudgement giuen vppon the souâ—es departed whether a man may beléeue that our Lady remained not alwayes a Uirgine whether Holy dayes and fasting dayes may without 〈◊〉 bee broken by any priuate man whether we are bound to be obedient to Bishoppes and Kings as vnto Parents whether the Church doo godly in praying to Saints whether all true Christians bee Priests and haue the Keyes of binding and loosing whether faith may bee without workes and charity whether it is more agreable vnto faith that the people should pray in their owne tongue or in a learned and vnknowne tongue whether children should be taught the Lords prayer without the salutation of the Uirgine whether beades be to be denied or no whether Scriptures ought to bee translated into English or no whether Organs and all maner of songs ought to bee in the Churches whether a Bishoppe haue any Temporall power whether it bee a godly Constitution that no man should preach in an others Dioces without lycence of the Bishop whether vowes of priuate men commeth of the spirit of God whether we should pray for the dead or that there is a Purgatory whether Morall philosophy helpe the vnderstanding of the Scriptures whether the Popes pardons are to be â—eiected whether there may bee any Morall verâ—ues without the gracâ— of Christ whether Saluation and damnation come of necessity and nothing to bee in our owne wills whether Images ought to be taken out of the Churches whether preachers should exhort men to Pilgrimage or to the worshipping of reliques hee in a maner confesseth them all Hee answereth that he did beléeue the assertions of Luther and that men were not bound to beléeue Councells and Constitutions and St. Augustine in his timâ— marnailed that we could liue in safety amongst so many snares of Constitutions when Adam and Eue could not obserue one Fourthly he sayd that the Catholike Church cannot erre in fayth for it is the whole Congregation of the Elect knowne onely to God otherwise no man could be assured of his owne or anothers saluation for it is written no man knoweth whether â—e be worthy of hatred or loue yet I may truely say of the generall Councell congregated by the holy Ghost Behold here the Catholike Church denominating the whole by the most worthy part and hee affirmed
Dignity he may well bee said twice marâ—ired first for diuers iniuries and mollestations which he suffered most vnworthily of his enemies in King Edwards time after the fall of the Duke of Somerset and of his martydome in Queene Maries time His Aduersaries in King Edwards time were â—ames Constantine his Register to whom he gaue the Office by Patent and a Doctor of the Law and Canon of the Cathedrall Church of S. Dauids and a Chanter of the same They did exhibit to the Kings Councell certain Articles to the insent to blemish the Bishops credit and vtterly as they thought and made their boasts to pull him from his Bishopricke and bring him in a premunire The cheefe effect of their Articles which were fifty sixe was that he did not in his Proceâ— that he made write the King supreame head of the Church and that he tollerated other superstitions and Idolatries After these wrangling Articles were giuen vp then the Bishop was called to answere the hearing whereof was committed vnto Sir Iohn Mason Knight and Doctor Woâ—ton Then they had a Commission into the Country where they examined sixscore and seauen witnesses and during the time of the examination of these witnesses the said Bishop was stayed at London because his aduersaries said if the Bishop should go into his Dioces he would let them of their proues During which trouble King Edward died and in Quéene Maries time another named Henry was made Bishop of S. Dauids who sent for the said Robert Farrar and committed him to prison and afterward declared vnto the saide Robert the great clemency that the King and Quéenes Highnesse pleasure was to bee offered vnto him if he would submit himselfe vnto the Lawes of this Realme and conforme himselfe vnto the vnity of the Catholike Church and séeing the said Robert made him no answere he ministred vnto him these Articles First whether he beleeue the marriage of Priests to be lawfull by the lawe of God and holy Church Secondly whether hee beleeued the very body and blood of Christ is really and substantially in the Sacrament without the substance of bread and wine Bishop Farrar would not answer vntill he saw a lawfull Commission so he was committed againe then he was called againe after and would answer no otherwise then as before whereupon he was pronounced Contuâ—nax and for punishment thereof to be counted Pro confesso and committed him againe The next day of appearance the said Bishop Farrar craued time to answere and at the time did answer Then the foresaid pretensed Bishop gaue him a writing of certaine Articles to subscribe vnto adding to the Articles before that the Masse was a propitiatorie Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and that the generall Councels neuer erred neither 〈◊〉 erre that a man is not iustified by Faith only but by Charity also and that the Catholike Church onely hath authoritie of interpreting of the Scriptures and to compound Controuersies and also to appoint such things as appertaine to publike discipline and that the Church is visible as a citty vpon a hill knowne vnto all men and not obscure and vnknowne as the hereticks of our age doe teach To these Articles he refused to subscribe affirming that they were inuented by man and pertaine nothing to the Catholick Faith Then he assigned him a day to assigne them affirmatiuely or negatiuely which he would not doâ— but appeaâ—ed vnto the Cardinall notwithstanding they gaue sentence against him When they had put the priestly vestures on him to disgrade him hee called them ragges and relicks of Rome When he was brought to exâ—cution in the Ciâ—ie of Carmarden he was burned with Turffes and Soddes which was to him a more greeuous torment but praised be God he suffered it patiently The next moneth a godly man named Rawlins White was burned in Cardiffe in Wales THOMAS TOMKINS THomas Tomkins of Shordich in London Weauer was brought before Boner for all hitherto were condemned by Steuen Gardiner Lord Chancelor but hee being weary put off the rest vnto Boner of whom this Tomkins was the first who when by no meanes hee could bee driuen from the â—ruth Boner caused a burning Candle to be brought to him Then said he come on naughty knane if thou likest the torments of the fire so well I will make thee feele in this flame what it is to be burned then if thou be wise thou wilt change thy minde Then he commanded his right hand to be put into the fire but he indured the burning yet was not Bonet therewith contented but neuer rested vntill he had consumed the whole body to ashes in Smithfield He was condemned vpon these points First that his beleefe â— that the body of Christ is not truely and verily in the Sacrament of the Altar but onely in heauen and so in heauen that it cannot be really in the Sacrament and although the Church aâ— low the Masse a wholesome and profitable sacrifice yet my beliefe is that the Masse is full of Superstition and Idolatry and vnprofitable for my soule and the Sacrament of Baptisme ought to â—ee onely in the vulgar tongue and without such ceremonies as are vsed in the Latine Church and being exhorted to leaue his opinions Hee answered hee was brought vp in ignorance vntill now of late yeares and now I know the truth wherein I will continue vnto death and he said my Lord you would haue me forsake the truth and fall into error and heresie Then hee was condemned and deliuered vnto the Sheriffe who carried him to Newgate where hee remained most ioifull and constant vntill hee was conuayed to Smithfield and there sealed vp his Faith in the flaming fire The constant suffering of Higbed and Causon THese two were descended of worshipfull stocke in Essex which of all Shires was most fruitfull of Martyrs the one called Thomas Higbed of Horneden Hill the other Thomas Causon of Thunderst they were both in flourishing estate in riches and much more flourishing in godlines They were diuers times examined before Bonner and defended the truth valiantly and he and his fellowes did much labour to make them to recant but could not preuaile The substance of all their Arguments appeareth in a Confession that they wrote with their owne hands which was read in the Court of Paules before the Mayor and Sheriffes and all the people not without great sure before it could be licenced to be read First we beleeue and professe in Baptisme to forsake the Diuel all his works and all the vanities of the world and the lusts of the 〈◊〉 2 We beleeue the Articles of our Faith and that wee are bound to walke in Gods Commandements all the daies of our life 3 We beléeue the Lords Prayer containeth all things necessarie for soule and body and that we are thereby taught onely to pray to our heauenly Father and is no Saint nor Angell 4 We beléeue there is a Catholick Church euen the Communion of Saints builded vpon
and not the flesh and bloud of Christ naturally and that there is no sacrifice nor saluation to a Christian in the Masse except it were said and vsed in the mother tongue and likewise also that the ceremonies of the Church are not profitable for a Christian. And as touching Auricular confession he said it was necessary to goe to a good Priest for counsaile but the absolution and laying handes on a mans head by the Priest as it is now vsed is not profitable and that the faith and doctrine now taught is not agreeable to GODS word and that Hooper Cardmaker and others of their opinion which were late burned were good Christians and did preach the doctrine of Christ. Iohn Launder was coudemned by the said Bonner for affirming that whosoeuer doth teach or vse any other Sacraments then the Lords Supper and Baptisme or any other ceremonies he beleeueth that they were not of the Catholique Church but abhorreth them and that he himselfe is a member of the true Catholique Church he denied the reall presence in the Sacrament but he beleeueth that when he receiueth the materiall Bread and Wine it is in remembrance of Christs death and that he eates Christs body and bloud by faith and no otherwise and that the Masse is naught and abominable and directeth against Gods word and that the gloria in excelsis the Creed Sanctum Pater noster Agnus and other parts of the masse be of themselues good yet being vsed amongst other things are naught also and that auricular confession is not necessary to be made to a Priest but to God and that none but Christ hath authoritie to absolue sinnes Derick being asked whether he would recant your doctrine quoth he is poyson and sorcerie if Christ were here you would put him to a worse death then he was put to before You say you can make a God you can make a Pudding as well your ceremonies in the Church are beggerie and poyson and auricular confession is poyson and against Gods word so they were condemned and burned Derick was rich but the raâ—eners made such hauocke thereof that his poore wife and children had little or none thereof he was olde and past learning yet when he was put into prison being ignorant of any letter in his booke he could before his death reade perfectly When he was burned they threw his booke into a barrell that he was burned in to be burned with him but he threw it amongst the people and the Sherife commanded vpon paine of death in the King and Quéenes name to throw it into the fire againe then he said Deare brethren and sisters as many as beleeue in the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost vnto euerlasting life see you doe thereafter and you that beleeue in the Pope or any of his lawes you beleeue to your vtter destruction for except the great mercy of God you shall burne in hell continually The Sherife said if thou dost not beleeue in the Pope thou art damned therefore speake to thy God that he may deliuer thee now or else to strike me downe to the example of this people but he said vnto him The Lord forgiue you that which you haue said THOMAS IVESON THis Iueson was condemned by the said Bonner for saying the Sacrament of the Altar is a very Idoll and detestable before GOD as it is now-a-dayes ministred and that the Masse is naught and that auricular confession is not necessary for that a Priest cannot forgiue sinnes that baptisme is a token of Christ as circumcision he beléeueth his sinnes are not washed away therby but only his body washed and his sinnes washed only in Christs bloud and that there is but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper which now are not rightly vsed in England that all the ceremonies now vsed in the Church are superfluous and superstitioâ—s and being earnestly labored withall to recant said he would not forsake his beléefe for all the goods in London I doe appeale to Gods mercie and will be none of your Church and if there came an Angell from heauen to teach me other doctrine then that which I haue now I would not beleeue him whereupon he was burned IOHN ALEWORTH HEe died in prison at Reading for the testimonie of the truth whom the Catholike Prelats as their vse is did exclude out of Catholike buriall IAMES ABBES THis Abbes beâ—ng examined by the Bishop of Norwich he relented at their naughty perswasions now when he was dismissed and should go from the Bishop he gaue him some money but after he was pittiously vexed in conscience he went againe to the Bishop and threw him his said money which he had receiued and said it repented him that euer he had consented to their wicked perswasions then the Bishop and his Chaplains laboured a fresh to win him againe but in vaine and so he was burned at Berry Iohn Denley Gentleman Iohn Newman Patricke Pachington AS Edmund Tyrell a Iustice of Peace in Essex came from the burning of certaine godly Martyrs he meâ— with Iohn Denley and Iohn Newman both of Maidstone in Kent and vpon the sight of them as he bragged he suspected and searched them and finding the confessions of their faith written about them hee sent them to the Quéens Commissioners who sent them to Bonner the effect of the writing followeth In the Sacrament Christs bodie is figuratiuely in the Bread and Wine spiritually he is in them that worthily eate and drinke the Bread and Wine but really carnally and corporally he is in heauen from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Then Bonner ministred articles vnto them and vnto Patrick Pachington who all answered alike to this effect following The Catholike Church is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ being the head corner stone it is the Congregation of the faithfull dispersed through the whole world and two or three gathered together in Christs name are the members thereof This Church doeth preach GODS holy word and minister the blessed Sacraments truely the Church of England vsing the Faith and Religion which now is vsed is no member thereof but is the Church of Aâ—tichrist the Bishop of Rome being the head thereof for they haue altered the Testament of GOD and set vp a Testament of their own deuising ful of blasphemy and lies Christs Testament being that we should haue all things done for the edifying of the Church The Masse now vsed is most abominable idolatrie and intollerable blasphemie Christ ordained his Sacraments to be eaten together in remembrance of his death vntill heâ— come and not to bee worshipped and to make an Idoll of them for GOD will not be worshipped in his creatures but we must remember to praise him for his creatures what is kneeling holding vp your handes knocking of the breast putting off the cap and making curtsie with other superstition to the bread but Idolatrie You obiect you worship not the Bread and Wine
man but consent of deeds Rid. If it were a trifling ceremonie or indifferent for the continuance of common quietnes I could be content to beare it But the Masse tendeth openly to the ouerthrow of Christs institution I ought by no meanes in word or deed consent thereto That of the Fathers is ment of them that suppose they be defiled if any secret vice be either in the Ministers or in the Communicants with them and is not ment of them which abhor Superstition and wicked traditions of men and will not suffer them to be in steede of the Gospell Lat. The Mary bones of the Masse are detestable and by no meanes to be borne with all it cannot be amended but by abolishing it for euer for if you take away â—blation and adoration which hang vpon Consecration and transubstantiation the Papists will not set a button by the Masse onely for the gaine that followeth therin for if our English Communion were a gainefull vnto them as the Masse they would striue no more for the Masse Anto If you refuse to goe to Masse you forsake the Church for the Masse is the Sacrament of vnitie without the Arke there is no saluation the Church is the Arke and Peters ship Augustine saith he shall not haue God his Father which acknowledgeth not the Church his mother And he also saith be thy life neuer so well spent out of the Church thou shalt not inherit the Kingdome of heauen Ridley The Catholick Church is the Communion of Saints the Citie of GOD the spouse of Christ the body of Christ the pillar of truth this Church I honour in the Lord but the rule of this Church is the word of God as many as walke according to this rule peace bee vpon them and vpon Israel that pertaineth to God the guide of this Church is the Holy Ghost the marks of this Church are these The preaching of Gods word due administration of the Sacraments Charitie and obseruing of Ecclesiasticall Discipline according to the word of God these are the heauenly Ierusalem which consisteth of those which are borne aboue This is the mother of vs all I will liue and die the child of this Church forth of this there is no saluation it is onely knowne by the Scriptures which is the true Church indeed the bread which we breake according to the institution of Christ is the Sacrament of the vnity of Christs mysticall body for we being many are one bread and one body because we are partakers of one bread but in the Masse the Lords institution is not obserued for there we are not all partakers of one bread but one deuoureth it all Lat Yea what fellowship hath Christ with Antichrist it is not lawful to beare the yoke with Papists Seperat your selues from them saith the Lord it is one thing to be the Church indéed and another thing to counterfet the Church not all that he couered with the Title of the Church are the Church indéed When S. Paul saith Seperate your selues from them He addeth if any man follow other doctrine he is puffed vp and knoweth nothing For it is ignorance to know many things and not Christ but if thou knowest Christ thou knowest enough though thou know no more Therefore he would know nothing but Christ and him crucified as many as be Papists and Masse-mongers may well bee said to know nothing for they know not Christ they take much away from the merite of Christ. Anto. That Church which you describe is inuisible but Christs Church is visible and knowne For hee saith tell it to the Church which is in vaine to goe to the Church if a man cannot tell which it is Rid. If we cannot see the true Church that is not the fault of the Church but either of our owne blindnes or of Satans darknes but the word is a Candle vnto vs and a light vnto our steps to shâ—w the true Church Anto. The Church of Christ is vniuersall dispersed through the whole world the great house of GOD good and euill mingled together Goates Shéepe Corne and Chaffe it is the net which gathereth all kinde of Fishes it cannot erre for CHRIST IESVS hath promised it his good Spirit to leade it in all truth and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it he will be with it to the end of the world What it shall binde or lose in earth shall bee ratified in Heauen it is the truth Augustine saith I beleeue the Gospell because the Church biddeth me beleeue it this Church alloweth the Masse therefore it must be followed RidI The Church is taken three manner of waies in the Scripture sometime for the whole multitude of the professors of Christ but as euery one is not a Iew which is a Iew outwardly nor all that be of Israel are counted the seede So euery one that is a Christian outwardly is not so indeede For hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his The Church that Christ Iesus is head of stands onely of liuing Stones Christians in heart and truth and not in worde onely The multitude of the good are the true Church the multitude of the euill is the malignant Church and Synagogue of Satan These be the three takings of the Church and though there be seldom mention in Scriptures in this interpretation yâ—t in the greatest assemblies of the world this Church hath borne the greatest swing But if any will affirme that vniuersalitie doth so appertaine vnto the church that Christs promises to the Church must needes bee vnderstood of that where was that vniuersall Church in the times of the Patriarks and Prophets Of Noah Abraham and Moses when they would haue stoned him of Helias of Ieremy in the times of Christ and the dispersion of the Apostles in the time of Arius When Constantius was Emperour â—and Felix Bishop of Rome succeeded Lyberius Lyra vpon Mathew saith the Church doth not stand in men by reason of their power and dignitie whether it be Ecclesiasticall or Seculer for Princes and Popes and other inferiours haue fallen away from GOD Therefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whom is true knowledge and Confession of the Faith and truth euill men are in the Church in name but not in deed Latimer Touching the vehement saying of Saint Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but for the Church Melancton vpon this saith the Church is not a Iudge but a witnes there were some that lightly esteemed the Iudgement of the Church and preaching and reiected the outward word and stucke onely to there inward reuelations This droue Saint Augustine into that vehemencie in which he seemeth to them that vnderstand not his meaning to prefer the Church before the Gospel and that it had authoritie ouer the same but that godly man neuer thought so Anto Generall Councels represent the vniuerfall Church and Christ hath promised to be in the middest where two or three be gathered together in his name
Therefore much more where there is so great a multitude but in generall Councels Masse hath been approued and vsed therefore it is good Ridley It is true that where so many be gathered together in Christs name it is not credible but two or three be gathered together in his name but if there be an hundreth good two hâ—ndreth bad being the Decrees Ordinances goe according to most voices what can the lesse number of voices preuaile It is a common prouerbe often the greater part ouercommeth the better but it is impossible that any such Councell of good men allowed such a Masse as ours was of late in a strange tongue and stuffed with so many absurdities errors and superstitions for as there is no agreement betwixt light and darknes Christ and Beliall so superstition and sincere religion will-worship and pure worship in spirit and truth can neuer agree together Latimer Touching generall Councels I refer you to your owne experience in our Parliaments and Conuocations the most part in my time did bring forth the six Articles because then the King would so haue it After the most part did repeale the same because our good Iosias would so haue it The same Articles now again the most part hath restored because the Queene will haue it after this sort most commonly are mens proceedings Anto. If in generall Councels men should not folow most voâ—ces then should the church haue no certaine rule to determin waighty matters but it is not to be beléeued that Christ would leaue the Church destitute of so necessary a help Rid. Christ the most louing spouse of his espouse the Church did giue vnto it abundantly all things necessary to saluation but so that the Church should kéep her selfe within the obedience of his commandements and not to séek any thing as necessary to saluation which he teacheth not and for determination of all controuersies in Religion Christ hath left vnto the Church Moses and the Prophets which he willeth the church to aske councell of and all the New Testament that which is hard in Moses and the Prophets is reuealed in them so that wee haue no need to say who shall clime vp to heauen or who shall goe downe into the deepe to tell vs what is needfull to be done Christ hath done both and commanded 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the word of Faith and if we walke diligently therein by his spirit we shall 〈…〉 out the truth and obtaine euerlasting life As in Esay 8. Shall men-aske 〈…〉 of the dead for the liuing Let them goe vnto the Law the Testament 〈…〉 Christ Ioh. 5. biddeth vs Search the Scriptures And Hierom saith Ignorance 〈…〉 scriptures is mother of errors vpon the 25. of Mathew and in another place he saith the knowledge of the scriptures is the food of euerlasting life and we read not that Christ in any place hath â—aid so great a burden vpon the members of his Church that he hath commanded them to go vnto the vniuersal Church it is true that Christ gaue vnto his Church some Apostles and some Prophets some Euangelists some Shepheards and Teachers to the edifying of the Saints vntill we all come vnto the vnity of Faith But that all out of all parts of the world should méet together in Councell to define the Articles of faith it is not commanded of Christ. Lat. There is diuersitie betwixt things pertaining to God or Faith and politick and ciuill matters for in the first we must stand only to the scriptures which are able to make vs perfect vnto saluation if by study and prayer we vnderstand them and the most prudent men of the world are least apt to vnderstand them but in ciuill matters being wee know not otherwise how to maintaine common peace and quiet they doe ordaine that the most part shall take place Anto. It is perilous to attempt any new thing in the Church vnto which the example of the Prophets of Christ and of the Apostles are contrarie for in their time all things were most corrupt the people were miserably giuen to superstition the Priests despised the law of God yet we neuer read that the Prophets made any schismes and Christ haunted the Temples and taught in them daily Peter and Iohn went into the Temple at the ninth houre of prayer Paule after the reading of the law desired to say some thing vnto the people neyther Christ nor his Apostles did refuse to pray with others to sacrifice or be partaker of Moses law Ridley The Prophets Christ nor the Apostles did not communicate with the people in any kind of worshipping forbidden by the law or repugmant to the word Saint Augâ—stine in his Epistle Ad Ianuarium speaking of the ceremonies of the Iewes he saith They were burdens of the law which were deliuered by the word of God and not by the presumptions of men but now the ceremonies are of men and contrary to the word of God and therefore not to be borne In the story of Tobias when all other went to the golden calues of Ieroboam to worship hee alone went to the Temple of the Lord to worship In the third of Kings the man of God threatned terrible plagues to the Priest of Bethell and to the Altar which Ieroboam had made which came to passe by King Iosias The Prophets vehemently rebuked the people still for going a whoreing with their Hill-Altars and this was the chiefe cause wherefore the false Prophets ceased not to maligne the true Prophets therefore they beate them and banished them How otherwise can you vnderstand the saying of S. Paul What concord hath Christ with Beliall the beleeuer with the Infidel the temple of God with Idols for we are said to be Gods temple because God dwelleth in vs wherfore we are bidden to come out seperat our selues from them and to touch no vncleane thing and God will receiue vs and be our Father and we shall be his Sonnes and Daughters In the 12. of Iudith she would not defile her selfe with the meats of the wicked The Machabees died manfully in the defence of the Law S. Augustine saith If we praise the Machabees for their stoutnesse for the Law of Moses how much more ought we to suffer all things for our baptisme and the Lords supper which the Masse vtterly abolisheth and corrupteth Anto. I perceiue you are so obstinatly wedded vnto your owne opinion that no wholsome counsels can draw you to a better mind therefore you must be handled by the lawes and be either compelled thereto or suffer the punishment of the Law he that refuseth to obey the lawes of the realme is an enemy to his Country This is the readiest way to stir vp ciuill wars it is better you should beare your owne â—â—nne then the common quiet to bee disturbed how can you say you will bee the Quéenes subiects when you openly professe you will not kéepe her lawes Ridl It is true he that will not obey the Gospell must be
against the aduersary part as is before recited wherefore he was called to account before Gardner and examined by him and then hée was remoued to Bonner and other Commissioners with whom he had diuers conflicts as in his examinations hereafter following may appeare when he had lien a yeere and a halfe in the Marshalsey being twice examined but no point of Religion handled then hee was committed to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house where he found a married Priest of Essex named Thomas Whittle This Minister greatly lamented his owne infirmitie for that through imprisonment hee was constrained by writing to yeelde to the Bishop of London and was set at liberty and after felt such an hell in his conscience that hee could scarce refraine from destroying himselfe and could not bee at quiet vntill he hauing got the Bishops register to see his Bill hee tore it in peeces and after he was as ioifull a man as any could be When Boner heard thereof be sent for him and buffeted him and plucked off a peece of his Beard but now he is ioyfull vnder the crosse He was thirtéene or fourtéene times in priuate and publikely examined his answeres that concerne any point of Religion heere follow The third examination Boner YOu must be of the Church for there is but one Church Phil. I am sure I am in the Church I know by the Scriptures that there is but one Doue one Spouse one beloued congregation out of the which there is no saluation This Church is builded vpon the word of God Bon. You are not in the same Faith in which you were baptized Phil. I was baptized into the Faith of Christ which I now hold Bon. You were twenty yeares agone of another Faith Phil. I was then of no Faith a wicked liuer neither hote nor cold Bon. Doe you not think we are of a true Faith Phil. I am sure Gods word throughly with the primitiue Church and all ancient writers doe agree with this Faith that I am â—ff Bon. I maruell you are so merry in prison singing and reioycing in your naughtines you should rather lament Phil. The mirth we make is but singing of Psalmes as S. Paul willeth vs to be merry in the Lord singing together in Hymnes and Psalmes wee are in a darke comfortles place therefore it becommeth vs to be merry as Salomon saith least sorrowfulnes eate vp our hearts Then I was carried to the Cole-house where I with my six fellowes rouse together in the straw as cheerefully we thank God as others doe in their Doune beds The fourth Examination Worcest BEfore he beginneth to speak it is best for him to call to God for grace to open his heart that he may conceaue the truth Phil. Then I fell vpon my knees and said Almighty God the giuer of wisedom I beséech thée of thine infinit goodnes in Christ to giue me most vile sinner the spirit of wisedome to speake and make answer in thy cause to the content of the hearers and to my better vnderstanding if I be deceiued in any thing Boner May my Lord of VVorcester you did not well to exhort him to prayer for they haue a singular pride heerein they are heerein like certaine hereticks that Pliny maketh mention off they did â—ing dayly praises to God before the dawning of the day Phil. God make me and you such hereticks for they were right Christians with whom the tyrants of the world were offended for their well doing Col. Where can you proue that the Church of Rome hath erred at any time Eusebius saith the Church was established at Rome by Peter and Paul and Peter was Bishop there 25. yeares Phil. I know Eusebius saith so but if you compare him with Saint Paul to the Galathians it will appeare manifestly to the contrarie He liued not past fiue and thirty yeares after he was called to be an Apostle and S. Paul maketh mention of his abiding aboue eighteene yeares and I am able to proue by Eusebius and others that the Church of Rome hath manifestly erred because shee agreeth not with that which the primitiue Church did vse according to the Gospel in their time as they write there need no other proofe but compare the one with the other Bon. Ought we to dispute with you of our Faith Iustinian in the Law hath a Title De fide Catholica to the contrarie Phil. That is true but our Faith must not depend vpon the ciuill Law Ambrose saith not the Law but the Gospell hath gathered the Church together Worcest You are to blame you cannot be content to be of the Church which hath euer been of that Faith full of Antiquitie Phil. I haue been at Rome where I saw your Lordship Worcest I am sory you haue been there for the wickednes which you saw there peraduenture causeth you to doe as you doe Phil. I am taught otherwise by the Gospell not altogether to refuse the Minister for his euill liuing so that hee bring forth Doctrine according to Gods word Worcest Doe you thinke the vniuersall Church may be deceiued Phil. Saint Paul prophesieth that there shall be an vniuersall falling away from the Faith in the later times Col. That is not ment of Faith but of th' empire the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so signifieth Phil. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly a departing from the Faith and thereof commeth Apostata which signifieth one that departeth from the Faith Worcest I am sory you should be against the Christian world Phil. The world commonly and such as be called Christians for the multitude hated the truth and be enemies vnto the same Worcest Doe you thinke the vniuersall Church hath erred and you onely to be of the truth Phil. The Church that you bee of was neuer vniuersall for two parts of the world Asia and Africa neuer consented to the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome not to this day neither follow his Decrees Glo. Yes in Florentines Councell they did agree Phil. It was so said by false report after they were gone home it was not so indeed as the sequell of them all hitherto doth proue the contrary Glo. By whom will you bee iudged in matters of controuersie which happen dayly Phil. By the Word of God For Christ saith in S. Iohn the word that hee spoke shall be Iudge in the latter day Glo. What if you take the word one way and I another way who shall bee Iudge Phil. The Doctors of the Primitiue Church Glo. What if you take the Doctors in one sence and I in another Phil. Then let that be taken which most agreeth to Gods Word Worcest It is wonder how he standeth with a few against a great number Phil. We haue almost as many as you We haue Asia Africa Germany Denmarke and a great part of France dayly the number of the Gospel doth increase and a multitude doth dayly come out of France through persecution that the cities of Germany are scarce able to
Lord he renounced the false coloured Religion of the Romish Sea wherein many a good man hath beene drowned he was burned at Northampton Thrée in the Castle of Cicester being in like bonds for the like cause of Christs Gospell died in Prison and were buried in the fields who had béene burned if the cruell handling of Papists had not made them away before John Clarke Dunstone Chittenden vncondemned William Foster of Stone Allice Potkins of Staplehurst Iohn Archer of Cranbroke VVeauer THe first of Nouember these fiue were macerate and pined to death by famine in the Castle of Canterbury they answered all to this effect that they beleeue the Articles of the Creed but they beleeue no more Sacraments but two that praiers to Saints or soules in purgatory profit not that faith only iustifieth they denied the Popish ceremonies in the Church that it was as good to carry a Dungfork as Candles on Candlemas day and that it is as necessary to carry the Gallowes about if ones father were hanged as to cary the Crosse that they could not come to Church with a safe conscience There was fifteene of them in prison and it seemeth the Bishops and Priests had appointed to starue them al had not a Certificate of the manner of their cruell handling bin throwne out of the Castle window wherby their doings were made manifest so the other ten were burned as after appeareth In the Months of September Nouember and December there was a great persecution in Couentry and Lichfield the cruell Bishop Radulph Bane and his cruell Chancellor Doctor Draycot and nine Priests and a number of others were compelled to recant and one Hoke was burned at Chester as thou mayst see in the Booke at large THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF the Acts of the Church TOuching the processe and whole discourse concerning the condemning taking vp and burning the bones and bookes of Bucer Paulus Phagius by the commaundement of Cardinall Poole with all the rites and ceremonies therunto appertaining with all the ridiculous procéeding of the Commissioners whilst they were at Cambridge and also the Oration of M. Acworth Orator of the Uniuersitie at the restitution of Martine Bucer and Paulus Phagius in Quéene Elizabeths time and also the dispitefull handling and madnesse of the Papists towards Peter Martires Wife at Oxford taking her vp from her grauâ— at the commandement of Cardinall Poole and after buried in a Dunghil Concerning the processe of these things I refer thee if thou béest disposed to sée them to the booke at large The 18. of Ianuary the ten that remained of the aforesaid fiftéene that were in prison in the Castle of Canterbury whereof fiue of them were starued the â—ther ten were burned for the same points of Religion in effect as the other fiue held as before is expressed the names of these ten follow Iohn Philpot of Tenderden William Waterer of Bedingdy Stephen Kempe of Norgate William Hay of Hith Thomas Hudson of Sellenge Mathew Bradbridge of Tenderden Thomas Stephens of Bedingham Nicholas Finall of Tenderden VVilliam Lowicke of Cranbroke VVilliam Prowting of Thorneham The 8. of February a most bloody Commission was giuen forth by King Philip and Quéene Marie to prosecute the poore members of Christ. Whereupon twenty two were apprehended in Essex and brought vp to London at once to Bonner all of them tyed to a rope by two and two and so lead in a rope through the stréetes to Bonner Now the Bishops and Councell perceiuing the number and fearing to put them to death being so many together least I some disturbance might rise vpon the same they bad them make their submission and confession as they would themselues that they might make a colour of recantation wherupon they were discharged for their names I referre thée to the Booke at large Thomas Loseby Henry Ramsey Tho Thyrtell Margaret Hyde Agnes Stanley THe twelfth of Aprill these were burned at one fire in Smithfield Bonner framed now Articles vnto them and confessing these points of his Articles they were condemned 1 For speaking against the Faith Religion and Ecclesiasticall seruice especially concerning the Masse and the seauen Sacraments saying they agréed not wâ—th Gods word 2 For being perswaded that the English seruice in King Edwards time was godly and Catholike 3 That they did not thinke themselues bound to come to Church to heare the Mattins Masse and Euening song 4. That they did not thinke themselues bound to go a Procession nor to beare Tapers and Candles at Candlemas nor take Ashes vpon Ashwednesday nor beare Palmes vpon Palme-sunday nor to créepe to the Crosse vpon daies accustomed not to receiue and kisse the Paxe at Masse time not to receiue holy water or holy bread nor to except or allow the Ceremonies and vsages of the Church as they are vsed in this Realme 5 For thinking they were not bound to confesse their sinnes vnto a Priest nor to receiue absolution at his hand nor to receiue the Sacrament of the Altar 6 For thinking prayers to Saints or prayers for the dead are not lawdable profitable not allowed by Gods Word and that the soules departed goe straight waies to Heauen or Hell so that there is no Purgatory 7 For thinking all those that were burned in King Henry the eights time and in Quéene Maries time as Heretickes were no Heretickes but faithfull and good people and for approuing their opinions and misâ—iking their condemnations 8 For thinking the Sacrament of the Altar to bee an Idoll and to reserue it to be honoured to be Idolatry and likewise of the Masse and â—lâ—uation of the Sacrament After this they were conuented againe before the Bishop in the Conâ—â—story where these being asked what they had to say against iudgement Thomas Losâ—by said God giue me strength to stand against you and your 〈◊〉 your Lawâ—s a deâ—ouring Law I perceiue there is no way with me but death except I will beléeue in that Idoll the Masse Thomas Thirtle said If you make me an Heretick then you make Christ and al the twelue Apostles Hereticks for I am in the true faith and I will stand to it for I know I shall haue eternall life Râ—msey said my opinion is the very truth which I will not goe from There are two Churches and we the Martyrs of Christ are the true Church and yee be not Margaret Hide affirmed shee was in that true Faith and would neuer forsake it Agnes Stanly said if euery haire of her head were neuer so much worth I had rather they were reburned then I will for sake my true faith Then they were put off vntill the afternoone then as Loseby his answere was reading mention being made of the Sacrament Boner put off his Cap and Loseby put on his hat and he said I trust I haue the Spirit of truth which you detest for the wisedome of God is foolishnesse vnto you whereupon they had iudgement Margaret Hide saide My Lord I will not depart from my sayings till I be
he affirmed that he had beene twice at Rome and there hee had seene that which he had many times heard of before that the Pope was the verie Antichrist for he saw him carried vpon mens shoulders and the false named Sacrament borne before him yet was there more reuerence giuen vnto him then vnto it which they accounted their God Then Bonner rose vp making as though â—e would haâ—e torne his garments saying Hast thou seene our holy father and doest thou blaspheme him thus and flying vpon him hee plucked off a piece of his beard and after made speedy hast to his death He wrote this Letter to confirme the brethren the same day that hee was condemned The comfort of the holy Ghost make you able to giue consolation to others in these dangerous dayes when Sathan is let loose to the triall of the chosen to sift the wheate from the Chaffe whosoeuer denyeth Christ before men hee will deny him before his Father and the Angels and to saue the life corporall is to lose the life eternall and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not raigne with Christ Therefore I haue giuen ouer the flesh with the fight of my Soule and the Spirit hath the victory The flesh ere it bee long shall leaue off to sinne the spirit shall raigne eternally I haue chosen death to confirme the truth which I haue taught What can I doe more pray that I may continue vnto the end I haue in all my assaults felt the present ayde of my GOD bee not ashamed of Christs Gospell nor of the bonds that I haue suffered for the same The holy ones haue beene scaled with the same marke It is no time for the losse of one man for the campe to turne back vp with mens harts and blow downe the dawbed walles of heresies let one take the banner and another the Trumpet and I meane not to make corporall resistance but pray and you shal haue Elias his defence and Helizeus his company to fight for you the cause is the Lords Pray for me and salute one an other with an holy kisse the peace of God râ—st with you all Amen Margery Mearing said that the Masse was abhominable in the sight of GOD and all Christian people and that it is the plaine câ—p of fornication and the whore oâ— Babylon and shee beleeued that there was no such Sacrament as the Sacramâ—nt of the Altar in the Catholike Church and she said she vtterly abhorred the authoritie of the Pope with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichrists Church and that â—he neuer meant to come vnto the Church during these Idolatrous dayes And being demaunded whether shee would stand to these answers I will quoth shee stand to them vnto the death for the very Angells in heauen doe laugh you to scorne to seâ— your abomination that you vse in the Church wherupon shee was condemned They were burned both together in Smithfield where they most ioyfully and willingly gaue their liâ—es for the profession of the Gospell of Christ. Master Rowgh had excommunicated this Margerie Mearing but the Sonday before he was taken yet hee being in prison in the Gate-house at Westminster where none of his friends could come vnto him to visit him she gother a Basket and put a cleane Shirt in it and fayning her selfe to be his sister got into the prison vnto him and did him no small comfort then shee went to one Sergeants house who betrayed Master Rowgh and asked whet her Iudas that betrayed Christ dwelt not there and she seeing Cluny come vnto her house she went home and asked him whom he sought he said for you you must go with me she said she would go with him the Bishop cast her into prison and the wednesday after she was burned with Master Rowgh Cutbert Simpson Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuenish SImpson was Deacon of the said godly Congregation in London he was faithfull and zealous vnto Christ and his true flocke the Friday at night before M. Rough the Minister of the Congregation was taken he dreamed that he saw two of the Gard leading Cutbert Simpson that he had a book about him wherin was the names of all them which were of the Congregation so he told his Wife and made her light a Candle and fell to reading and falling asleepe again he dreamed the like dreame Then he said to his Wife that his brother Cutbert was gone and as Maister Rough was ready to go to see Maister Cutbert he came in with the Booke containing the names and accounts of the Congregation then M. Rough told him his dreame and bade him carrie the booke no more about him so he left the booke with M. Rowghs wife the next night M. Rowgh dreamed that be himselfe was carried vnto the Bishop and that the Bishop plucked off his beard and cast it into the fire saying Now I may say I haue had a piece of an hereticke burned in my house and so accordingly it came to passe for shortly after they were both taken at the Saracens head in Islington as before Here followeth the storie of his sufferings vpon the racke and otherwise for the Congregations sake as he wrote it with his own hand I was called before the Constable of the Tower and the Recorder of London they commanded me to tell them whom I willed to come to the English seruice I answered I would declare nothing whereupon I was set in a racke of Iron three houres then they asked if I would tell them I answered as before the Sonday after they examined me againe and I answered them as before then they bound my two fore-fingers together and put a small arrow betwixt them and drew it thorow so fast that the bloud followed and the arrow brake then they racked mee twice and so I was carried vnto my lodging againe Ten dayes after the Lieutenant asked me if I would not confesse I answered I had said as much as I wold fiue wéeks after he sent me vnto the high Priest where I was greatly assaulted at whose handes I receiued the Popes curse for bearing witnesse of the resurrection Bonner in his Consistorie gaue this testimony of Cutbert Sampson ye sée said he what a personable man he is and concerning his patience I say vnto you that if he were not an hereticke he is a man of the greatest patience that euer came before me he hath béene thrice racked in one day in the Tower and in my house hee hath felt some sorrow yet did I neuer see his patience broken They all thrée answered Bonner that the Church is grounded vpon the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the head corner stone and in that Church there is the true faith and religion of Christ that there is but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper they said that they haue and will speake against the sacrifice of the Masse the Sacrament of the Altar and the authoritie of the Sea of Rome and Iohn Deuenish
perswaded her to leaue her wicked opinion of the Sacrament but she answered that it was nothing but bread and wine that they might be ashamed to say that a péece of bread should be turned by a man into the naturall body of Christ which bread doth sennew and Mice oftentimes do eate it and it doth mould and is burned Gods owne body will not be so handled or kept in prison or Boxes let it be your GOD it shall not be mine for my Sauiour sitteth at the right hand of God and doth pray for me and to make it the very body of Christ and to worship it is foolish and deuillish deceit Then an old Frier asâ—ed her what she said of the holy Pope I say quoth she he is Antichrist and the Deuill then they all laughed â—ay said she you had more néed to weep then laugh in that you are Chaplaines vnto that whâ—re of Babylon I defie him and all his falshood you damne soules when you teach the people to worship Idolls and to worship a false God of your owne making of a peece of Bread and that the Pope is Gods Uicar and can forgiue sinnes and that there is a Purgatory when Gods Sonne hath by his Passion purged all and say you make God and sacrifice him when Christs body was a Sacrifice once for all you teach the people to number their sinnes in your eares and say they bee damned â—f they doe not confesse all when GOD saith Who can number his sinnes You promise them Trentalls and Dirges and Masses for Soules and sell your prayers for Money and make them buy pardons and trust in such foolish inuâ—ntions you teach vs to pray vpon Beads and to pray vnto Saints you make Holy bread and holy water to fray Deuils and you do make a thousand moe abhominations yet you say you came to saue my soule no no one hath saued me farewell with your saluation In Saint Peters Church shee beheld a cunning Duch-man how he made new Noses to certaine Images which were disfigured in King EDVVARDS time What a mad man art thou said she to make new noses which within a few daies shall all loose their heads thou thine Images are acccursed hee called her whore nay said the thine Images are whoores and thou art a whoore-hunter For God saith you goe a whoring after strange Gods Then she was clapped fast and after had no liberty and not long after she was condemned Then she said I thanke God this day I haue found that which I haue long sought and being then exhorted to recant she said I will neuer lose eternall life for this short life I will not turne from my heauenly husband to my earthly husband from the fellowship of Angels to mortall Children God is my Father God is my Mother God is my Sister my Brother my Kinsman God is my Friend most faithfull shee was burned at Execester Iohn Sharpe Thomas Hall Thomas Benion THese were burned in the towne of Bristow for saying that the Sacrament of the Altar was the greatest and most abhominable Idol that euer was and Thomas Benion denied fiue of their Sacraments and affirmed two that is the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptisme they died godly constantly and patiently Iohn Corneford of Wortham Christopher Browne of Maidstone Iohn Herst of Ashford Alice Snoth Katherine Knight alias Tinley THese were the last that suffered in Quéen Maries raigne They were burned at Canterbury but six daies before the death of Queene Mary The Arch-deacon of Canterbury being at London and vnderstanding the danger of the Quéene made post-hast home to dispatch these They were condemned for not beleeuing the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Altar vnlesse it be receiued and for confessing that an euill man doth not receiue Christs body and that it is Idolatry to créepe to the crosse and that we should not pray vnto our Lady and other Saints when there sentence should beâ— read against them Iohn Cornefield excommunicated the Papists in these words as follow In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ the Son of the most mighty God and by the power of his holy Spirit and of the authority of his holy Cathothick and Apostolick Church wee doe giue here into the hands of Sathan to bee destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers and hereticks that doâ— maintaine any error against his most holy word or doe condemne his most holy truth for heresie to the maintâ—nance of any false Church or fained religion so that by this thy iust Iudgement O most mighty God against thy Aduersaries thy true religion may be knowne to thy great glory and our comfort and to the edifying of all our Nation good Lord so be it This procéeded as it seemed from an inward faith and harty zeale to Gods truth and it tooke such effect against the enemies that within six daies Queene Mary died and all tyranny with her These godly Martyrs in their prayers which they made at their martyrdom desired God that their bloud might be the last that should be shed and so it was Katherine Tinley was the mother of one Robert Tinley dwelling in Maidestone The Story of Nicholas Burton Marchant of London dwelling in little S. Bartholomew THe fift of Nouember he being in the Citie of Cadix in the parts of Aâ—doâ—azia in Spaine about his marchandize there came one of the inquisition vnto his lodging who fained to hâ—ue a Letter to deliuer vnto his hands when he came vnto him he inuented another lye and said that he would take lading vnto London in his ships delaying the time vntill the Alquisyell or Sergeants of the inquiâ—ition might apprehend them and seeking to know his ships that they might attache them when they had arrested him he boldly asked them what cause they had against him and he would answere them They carried him vnto a filthy common prison of the towne of Cadix where he remained in Irons amongst theeues thirteene daies all which time he instructed the poore prisoners in the word of God that he had reclaimed sundry of them from superstitions to embrace the Word of God which being known they conuayed him thence vnto the Citie of Siuill into a more cruell prison called Triane where the Fathers of the inquisition proceeded against him secretly that neuer after he could be suffered to speake or write vnto any of his Nation And the twentith day of December they brought him with a great number of other prisoners into the Citie of Siuil into a place where the Inquisiâ—ion sate in Iudgement they put on him a Canuas coat wheron was painted in diuers parts the figure of a huge Diuell tormenting a soule in fire and on his head a long cap of the same worke his tongue was forced out of his mouth with a clouen sticke fastened vpon it that he should not vtter his Faith and conscience vnto the people and so he was set with
Touching his inward or spirituall seat S. Paule 2. Thess. 2. 24. saith He sitteth as God in the Temple of God Antichrist signifieth an aduersary of Christ and if it had bin meant of the Turke or any other aduersary that did not professe Christianitie he might easily be seene without so many reuelations but hee is according to the description of a false Prophet Mat. 7. 15. a most grieuous Wolfe to Christs Lambs and yet so couered with a sheeps skin that it is impossible to know him without the spirit of God Outwardly he seemeth to be a good tree but his fruit is nothing but thornes and thistles to destroy Gods children Matth. 24. 24. Christ calleth them false Christs and false Prophets prophecying that they shall do such wonders that if it were possible they should deceiue the elect so thou seest the Antichrist which is prophecied of must be a professor of Christ as the Pope is which calleth himselfe the Catholique Church but he is the onely aduersary thereof as this book will teach thee by experience Touching the third point to know him by his doctrines 1. Tim. 4. 1 They shall depart from the faith and follow doctrines of diuels and speake lies through hypocrisie they shall haue their consciences seared with an hote iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstain from meats and they teach the same superstitious doctrins that S. Paule warneth vs from Coloss. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of an holy-day or a new Moone nor Sabboths nor make you forsake Christ the head in worshipping Angels neither let them burden you with traditions as touch not tast not handle not which things haue a shew of wisedome in that the professors be voluntary religious and humble their mindes and spare not their bodies nor haue their bodies in any estimation but all is nothing but to fulfill a fleshly religion and Iude in his twelfth verse compareth them to clouds which in a drieth seem to bring raine but doe not for though they make great promises of feeding of soules yet there is no true hope of remission of sins nor assurance of eternall happinesse in their doctrines And in 2. Pet. 2. 17. he calleth them Wells not with a little water but quite without water for although by name they professe the Trinity yet their doctrins of euery person of the Trinitie and of al other points of religion are contrary to wholsome doctrine they maintaine their doctrines though falsely vnder the names of the Scriptures the Catholique Church and the auncient fathers this is the golden cup that the Church of Antichrist holdeth in her hand Reuel 17. 4. but it is full of abominations and filthines of her fornications so if thou marke this booke it is easie to know Antichrist by the falsenesse and wickednesse of all his doctrines yet coloured ouer with glorious shewes of truth and wholsomnesse yea although thou haddest no other meanes to discerne him by Touching the fourth point of the conditions of Antichrist Iude in the eleuenth verse saith They follow the way of Caine all the persecutions of Gods children before times were but types and prophecies of the Papists in killing their brethren as Caine did because they please God better then they The abominable desolations of Nabuchadnezzar and of Titus and Vespasian of the materiall Temples were but prophecies of the Papists abominable desolations of Gods Saints For this cause Antichrist is called in the Reuelation a great redde Dragon a Serpent and a cruell Beast S. Iohn Reuel 17. 6. foresaw the Church of Antichrist drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus Christ. And although he had seen all the persecutions that were before or in his time yet he wondred at the bloud that he foresaw that the Papists should shed with a great maruaile Iude in his 12. verse saith They are cast away in the deceit of Baalams wages for as Baalam though he knew the Israelites to bee the blessed of God yet he would haue cursed them for lucre sake if God would haue suffered him so the Papists maintaine doctrines which they know to be false and commit all their murders of Gods children only to maintaine their Kitchin pleasures honour glorie riches and other worldly respects as it shall plainly appear vnto thee in this Booke In 2. Pet. 2. 14. Their eyes are full of adultery and they cannot cease to sinne beguiling vnstable soules This Booke will shew thee how inspeakeably wicked they are according to this prophecie they are spiritually called Sodom because in that case they exceede in wickednesse the Sodomites These and many other wicked conditions of theirs are plentifully prophecied of in the Scriptures and thou shalt see the true performances of the prophecies in this book w ch wicked conditions shall plainly shew the Pope to be Antichrist Touching the height of Antichrists Kingdome Reuel 17. 3. the Church of Antichrist is said to sit vpon a skarlet coloured beast ful of names of blasphemy which is the Pope who is a bloudy beast to Gods children takes all Gods names blasphemously to himself and vers 4. he his Church are arrayed with purple skarlet and deckt with gold precious stones pearls and how gloriously the Pope and his Church hath bin set forth how rich they haue bin according to this prophecy this book wil shew thee In 2. Thess. 2. 14 He sitteth as God in the Temple of God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God C. Caesar Caligula the Emperor which vsed to sit in the Temples of the Idols to be honored as God caused his picture to be set vp to be worshipt in all Temples and in the Temple of Ierusalem yet was he not such an abominable Idol as the Pope maketh himselfe to be he is the Gaoler of Purgatory and thither comes as he saith all the soules of Christians except som few to whom for building some religious houses and for being otherwise a speciall maintainer of his kingdome hee giueth a speciall prerogatiue immediatly to go to heauen these soules his prisoners hee punisheth how and as long as he list and at his pleasure he throweth any of them into hell or sendeth any of them into heauen Of the reuenues of this Gaole hath all the Popes riches honour superioritie aboue Emperors and Kings proceeded he hath taken from Christ the honor of pardoning sins to himselfe God made man of clay but the Pope and all his shauelings can daily make God of a piece of bread In these and many other respects as this booke will teach thee doth the Pope exalt himself as God according to this prophecie and he exalts himselfe aboue all kings which are called Gods and at his pleasure with excommunications can cast them out of heauen and out of their kingdoms as himselfe saith he hath trode vpon Emperours made them kisse his feet hold his stirrups and leade his horse He
embracinge the crosse and reioycing therein Matthew conuerted Ethiopia and Egypt Hercan the King sent one to run him through with a speare Matthias preached to the Iewes and they stoned and beheaded him Phillip preached to the barbarous Nations who crucified and stoned him at Hirapolis of Phrygia where hee and his Daughters with him were burned The Iewes required Iames to stand vppon the Battlement of the Temple and disswade the people from Christ but hee preached him there and was throwne downe headlong and stoned where hee was buried at which time the Iewes put many other to death for the testimony of Christ. The first Persecution by Nero Domitius NEro Domitius caused the first persecution hee regarded neither sect condition of life or age the streets were spread with dead bodies of Christians hee indeuored vtterly to abolish the name of Christians in this persecution Peter was crucified who required his head to be hanged downward as vnworthy to dye like Christ the cause was thought to bee because Symon Magus pretending to flye from the Mount Capitolinus to Heauen by Peters prayers was brought downe headlong and his ioynts beeing broken hee dyed at that time Peters wife suffred and the same day twelue-month Paule suffred The Second Persecution by Domitian THe Church had some rest vnder Vespatian but Domitian mooued the second persecution he killed all the Nephewes of Iuda called the Lords brothers and slew all hee could find of the stocke of Dauid as Vespatian did before him least any of that stocke should inioy the kingdome in his time Symon Bishop of Ierusalem after other torments was crucified and Iustus succéeded in his Bishopricke Hee banished Iohn to Pathmos and vnder Pertinax hee was released and came to Ephesus and continued there vnto the time of Trayanus Gouerned the Church of Asia and wrote his gospell there Flauia Daughter to Flauius Clemens a Consull of Rome suffred for Christs name and with many other was banished out of Rome to Pontia Some of the stocke of Dauid were brought to Domitian to bee slaine who séeing they were poore and vnderstanding by them that Christs Kingdome should bee heauenly and not worldly he let them go and stayed persecutions they after gouerned Churches and liued in peace vnto the time of Traianus in the time of which persecution no kind of torment was omitted that might empaire the credit of the Christians they would not suffer their bodies to bee buried and yet the Church dayly increased Euaristas Bishop of Rome next to Clement succéeded in the third yéere of Traianus and suffred nine yéeres after Alexander succéeded him and conuerted many of the Senators of Rome to the faith he raysed the son of Hermes from death to life and made his mayd being blind to sée which Adrianus the Emperour hearing of him sent word to the Gouernor of Rome to apprehend him and his two Deacons Euentus aâ—d Theodorus and the said Hermes and Quirinus a Tribune whose daughter Albina hee cured which Cure moued him to bee baptized and suffer for the faith of Christ and Aurelianus tooke Alexander with Hermes his wife Children and whole houshold 1250. put them in prison and burned them all in a furnace and martired the said Theodorus for rebuking him thereof and Quirinus had his tongue cut out then his hands and â—eete cut off after was beheaded and east to the Dogges The third Persecution THere was but one yeare betweene the second and the third persecution by the Emperour Traianus which was so grieuous that Plinius Secundus an Infidell wrote to the Emperour that so many thousands were put to death without cause sauing that they gathered themselues together before day to sing Hymmes to a God which they called Christ he reasoned why that sin should be punished more then all other sins and that he had put two Christian maides vpon the racke to proue if they could haue extorted confession of further crime but could not wherevpon the persecutions were greatly alayed Symeon sonne of Cleophas Bishop of Ierusalem was accused by the Iewes to be a Christian and of the stocke of Dauid wherefore Attalus commanded him to be scourged many dayes together beeing an hundred and twenty yeares old his constancy was greatly admired he was crucified Because Phocas Bishop of Pontus refused to sacrifice to Neptune Traianus cast him into a hotâ—e furnace and after into a scalding â—ath Sulpitius and Seruilia with there wiues whom Salma conuerted to the faith were also then martired Salma was beheaded and Lepidus in the Mount Auentine with whom suffred Seraphia a Uirgen of Antioch in this time Nereus and Achilleus suffred at Rome and one Sagaris who was martired in Asia In this time Ignatius suffred hee was sent from Siria to Rome comming to Asia hee confirmed the Churches and comming to Smirna where Policarpus was he wrote diuers Epistles to Ephesus to Magnesia and to Trallâ—â— hee was aiudged to be deuoured of Beasts and hearing the Lions roare I am the wheate of Christ said he and shall be ground with the teeth of wild beasts that I may be pure bread at this time many thousands died for the faith amongst them one Publius Bishop of Athens Hadrian the Emperour succéeded Traianus who slew Zenon a Noble man of Rome and 10023 for Christ. Borgomensis Lib 8. makes mention of ten thousand in Hadrians dayes to bee crucified in Mount Ararat crowned with thornes their sides pearced with Darts after the example of the Lords passion Eustachius a Captaine who was sent against the Barbarians and subdued them Hadrian met him honourably and doing sacrifice to Apollo for the victory willed Eustachius to doe so also which hee refusing hee was brought to Rome and with his wife and children suffred marterdome Faustinâ— us and Iobita Cittizens of Brixia suffred marterdome with grieuous torments Caelocerius seeing their great paâ—ience cryed out vere magnus deus Christianorum wherevpon he was apprehended and suffred with them Anthia a godly woman committed Eleutherius her sonne vnto Anicetus Bishop of Rome who after was Bishop of Apulia she with her sonn was beheaded and Iustus and Pastor two brethren suffred vnder Adrian at Complutum in Spaine About the same time Simpronissa the wife of Gerulus the Marter suffred with her seauen children beeing first often scourged then hanged by the haire of the head then a stone fastned about her necke she was cast into the Riuer after her children were martired wâ—th diuers punishments they were tied to seauen staâ—es so racked with a pully thrusting thorough one in the necke another in the brest another in the heart another about the nauell another cut in euery ioynt another runne thorough with a speare the last cut a sunder in the middle then were they cast into a déepe pit which the Idolatrous Priests intituled Ad septem Biathanatos Getulius also a preacher at Tiber with Cerdelis Amantius and Prinitiuus were condemned to the fire at Hadrians commandment Sophia with her
more painefull manner then I which fell out accordingly for Laurence hauing distributed the goods of the poore by the charge of the bishop the Emperour hearing thereof commaunded him to render the Treasure to him but after thrée daies respite in sleede thereof hee presented vnto him a sort of poore Christians as the Treasure of the Church whereupon hee commaunded Laurence to bee broyled on a gridyron where after hee had suffered a great space hee said this side is rosted enough turne vp Tyrant try whether rosted or raw be bettermeate A Souldier of Rome was conuerted to the Faith by the constant proâ—â—â—â—ion of this Laurence and desired to be baptized of him but the Iudge called him and scourged and be headed him At this time suffered Dionisius Bishop of Alexandria he was banished and scourged then remoued to a more strait place one Gaius one Petrus and one Paulus were afflicted with him notwithstanding Maximus Dioscorus Demetrius and Lucius visited the brethren also Eusebius suffered affliction for the truth who after was Bishop of â—aodicia Faustus long after being an oldman was beheaded but Dionisius suruiued all these troubles and in great age departed in peace after he had gouerned the Church of Alexandria 17. yeares and taught Schoole there 16. yeares and Maximus succeeded him In the same time Priscus Marcus and Alexander who stepyed to the Iudge and declared themselues Christians with a woman were giuen to wilde beasts In Carthage were 300. martyred in a Lime kill for refusing because they would not Sacrifice to lupiter Maxima Donatilla and Secunda three Uirgins after cruell torments were giuen to beasts which refused to touch them then they were beheaded also one Pontius after diuerse torments was giuen to beasts who refusing to touch him he was burned at which time Claudius his Iudge with Anabius his assistant were taken with wicked Spirits and bit off their owne tongues and died The same time Zeno Bishop of Uerona was Martyred one Phillippus President of Alexandria came downe with his Wife two Sons and his Daughter Eugenia she with two Eâ—nuches Prothus and Hiacintus were conuerted to Christianitie she put on the apparell of a man to aâ—â—ide trouble and to heare Helenus Bishop and named herselfe Eugenius Malena a Marton of Alexandria fell in louâ— with her end séeing that by no meanes she could obtaine her sute she made an outcry saying that Eugenius went about to deâ—lowre her and accused her to Phillippus so shee was forced to manifest her selfe to her Father after she wonne him and other of her kindred to the Faith her Father was after Martyred after shee returned to Rome with her Eunuches and conuerted Basilla who was beheaded after sundry torments In the sixt yeare of Valerianus Victor and Victorinus with Claudianus and Bossa his wife after thrée yeares imprisonment and diuerse torments were put to death Fructuosus Bishop of Tarraconia with his two Deacons Augurius and Eulogius at their execution their hands bound behinde them vnloosed and the fire flewe from them vntill they had prayed at which time a certaine Souldier did sée the Heauens open and the Martyres entred in which sight he shewed to the Daughter of Emilianus the President This Emperour Valerianus after he had raigned with his Sonne about sixe yeares and afflicted the Christians two yeares was taken of Sapres King of the Persians who made him alwaies his footstoole to get vppon his horse till hee dyed At the same time amongst the Romaines there happenned 30. Earthquakes together whereupon the Persecution was moderated yet some â—uffered as Marinus a Noble-man he was accused to be a Christian of him that should succeede him the Iudge gaue him three dayes to aduise himselfe but being incouraged by Theodiâ—tus Bishop of Cesaria hee presented himselfe to the Iudge by whose Sentence he was beheaded Galienus succeeded Valerianus and Claudius succeeded him Vincentius maketh mention of 262. Martyres that suffered vnder him Quintilianus succeeded him after Aurelianus vnder whom was moued the ninth Persecution ¶ The ninth Persecution AS Aurelianus was subscribing the Edict against Christians he was terrified with â—â—ghtning and about the 6. yeare of his raigne was slaine yet Vincentius and Orosius reckon vp a great number of Martyres which suffered vnder him in Fraunce and Italy Publius Annins Tacitus succeeded Aurelianus and raigned 6. moneths his brother Florianus succéeded him 60. daies Marcus Aurelius succéeded him surnamed Probus he moued no Persecution after he had raigned 6 yeares 4. Moneths because by reason of Peace he had no worke for his Souldiers therefore he was slaine Carus with his two Sonnes Carinus and Numerianus succéeded him 3. yeares Numerianus kilâ—â— Cerillus for not suffering him to enter into the congregation of the Christians he being their Bishop he was slaine of his Father Dioclesian succeeded vntill the 19. yeare of his raigne the Church was quiet which quietâ—â—sse had indured 44. yeares the Church grew mightily and the chiefe of them in fauour with the Emperour were Derotheus and Gorgotheus and diuerse moe The Church began to were wanton with Peace and to build large Churches but their desolutenes broght on them the tenth persecution ¶ The tenth Persecution VVHilst Dioclesian abstained from Persecuting he obtained diuerse victories and being proud thereof he would be worshipped as a God calling himselfe brother of the Sunne and Moone inioyned the people to kisse his feete and in the 19. yeare of his raigne he moued Persecution he commaunded the Churches of Christians to be destroyed and the Scriptures to be burned put Christians from Magistracie and constrained them with torments to offer to Idols After the Proclamation of the Edict a Noble-man a Christian openly rent it in pieces for which act he was put to most bitter death Dioclesian began with his Campe willed the Christians to lay away their weapons and giue ouer their charges which they did willingly At Tyre there were Christians giuen to cruell beasts preserued miraculâ—usly though they were kept hungry of purpose they raged against those that brought the Christians and deuoured them they could catch therefore they were beheaded and cast into the Sea At that time was Martyred the Bishop of Sidon but Siluanus Bishop of Gazenâ—â—s with 39. others were slaine in the Mettie-mines thon Pamphilius an Elder and the glory of the Church of Cesaria whom Eusebius writeth of was Martyred All the Bishops and Teachers in Syria were imprisoned Tyrannion throwne to fishes Arnobius a Physition slaine with brickbats some drowned themselues rather then they would worship Idols Siluanus Bishop of Emissa with others were throwne to wilde beasts In Mesopotamia the Christians were hanged by the feete and choked with smoke in Cappadocia their legs were broken in Cilicia Taragus Probus and Andronious Martyred the Persecution was so outragious that they refrained not from the slaughter of the Emperours children the chiefest Princes of his Court amongst whom was one Peter of the Houshold whom the King did loue as his owne
it reioyced and the next day suffered with an 100. more Pusices séeing an old Father shrinke in the sight of the Martyrâ— said shut thine eies be strong and shortly thou shalt sée God wherefore the King caused an hole to be made in his necke and thereout pulled his tongue and so he was put to death and his Daughter a Uirgine died with him in Christs cause the number of them that were martyred in Persia was 15000. This comming to Constantines eares mooued him he graunted Sapores his Ambassadors all they requested thinking thereby to mooue him to fauour the Christians and wrote to them to take compassion on the Innocents and shewed how the hand of God had béene against Tyrants of the Church Beniamin for preaching Christ was thrust vnder the nailes with twenty sharpe prickes when hee laughed at it a sharpe Réede was thrust into his yard and a long thorny stalke vp into his body vntill hee died Under Iulianus Apostata Emilianus was burned Domitius was slaine in his Caue Theodorus singing a Psalme was tormented from morning to night hardly escaped with life and being asked how hee could abide the torments said at first I felt some paine but after there stood a young man by me who so refreshed me that it greeued me more when I was let down from the Ingine then before The Arethusians of Syria tooke a company of Uirgines Christians whom first they set sorth naked to bee scorned of the multitude then shaued them then couered them with draffe and caused them to bee deuoured of Swine their cruelty was the greater because Constantine restrained them from defiling Uirgines and destroyed the Temple of Venus Marcus Arethusius because at the commaundement of Constantine he pulled down a Temple of Idols and builded a Church for Christians in the place they stripped him naked and beat him gréeuously then put him in a filthy sincke then they caused Boyes to thrust him in with sharpe stickes then they annointed him with Hony and Broath and hung him in the Sunne as meat for Waspes and Flyes then they required somewhat towards the building of the Temple againe he answered it were as great impiety to conferre one halfe-peny to a matter of impiety as a great summe Constantine raigned about thirty yeares he was borne in Brittaine his Mothers name was Helena Daughter of King Coilus hee trauailed greatly for the peace of Christians he set peace amongst the Byshops at dissention hee made prouision for Preachers and caused all to bee restored vnto the Christians that was taken from them by Persecutors He wrote to his chéefe Captaine that Ministers should be fréed from all publique duties and burthens He wrote to Eusebius for the edifying of new Churches and after he had gathered the Nicene Councel for the vnity of the Church he writeth to Alexander and Arius for the same intent He inioyned a Prayer to his Souldiers in stead of Catechisme We knowledge thee onely to be our GOD we confesse thee onely to bee our King we call vpon thée our onely helper by thée we obtaine our victories by thee we vanquish our enemies to thee be attributed whatsoeuer commodities we presently enioy by thee we hope for good thinges to come vnto thee we direct all our sutes and petitions most humbly befeeching thee to keepe Constantinus our Emperour and his Noble Children to continue in long liâ—e and to giue them victory ouer their enemies through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen He graunted great immunities vnto the Ministers that they might appeale from the ciuill Iudge to their Byshop whose sentence was of as great value as if the Emperor had pronounced it He prouided maintenance for liberall Sciences and Arts for the Prosessors there Wiues and Children and gaue them great immunities He wrote to Eusebius Byshop of Nicomedia to procure fifty Uolumes of Parchment well bound and cause to bee written out of the Scripture therein in a leageable hand such things as were profitable for the instruction of the Church allowed him two Ministers for the businesse he was a Father to the Church and inforced himselfe euery way to set forth the Gospell and to suppresse the contrary The end of the tenth Persecution THE SECOND BOOKE Containing the next 300. yeares BY these Persecutions hitherto we may vnderstand that what the fury of Sathan and rage of men could deuise to do by death or torments all was to the vtmost attempted to extinguish the Name and Religion of Christ yet notwithstanding the wisedome of the world and the strength of men Christ hath the vpper hand as thou seest Now because the tying vp of Sathan giueth the Church rest we will leaue the affaires of the Uniuersall Church and prosecute the Histories of our Country of England and Scotland beginning with King Lucius with whom the Faith began first in this Realme The Papists doe earnestly contend that the Faith of Christ was first brought and receiued into England from Rome both in the time of Eleutherius their Byshop in the yeare 180. and also in the time of Augustine whom Gregory sent hither in the yeare 600. but it is proued otherwise by these seauen Arguments 1 Gildas affirmeth that Brittain receiued the Gospel in the time of Tyberius the Emperor vnder whom Christ suffered saith farther that Ioseph of Arimathia was sent of Philip the Apostle from France to Brittaine in the yeare 63. and remained héere all his time and founded the Faith amongst the Brittaines 2 Tertullian liuing about the time of Elutherius testifieth how the Gospell was dispersed by the Apostles reckoneth Brittany amongst the Countries conuerted by them 3 Origen before the daies of Elutherius said the Brittaines consented to Christianity 4 Bede affirmeth that 1000. yeares after Christ Easter was kept in Brittaine after the manner of the East Church on the fouretéenth day after the full Moone what day soeuer it was and not on sunday as we doe whereby is gathered the first Preacher came from the East rather then from Rome 5 Nicephorus Lib. 2. Cap. 4. saith Simon Zelotes spread the Gospell in Brittany 6 Petrus Cluniensis saith that the Scots in his time celebrated Easter after the manner of the Gréekes and as the Brittaines were not vnder the Romain order nor vnder their Legate in the time of Gregory nor would admit any primasie of the Byshop of Rome aboue them 7 By the Epistle of Elutherius to Lucius it appeareth that Lucius had receiued the Faith before he wrote to Elutherius for the Romaine Lawes Elutherius might help some-thing to conuert the King and to increase the Faith but was not the first that planted it but if it were so it maketh nothing for them for he challenged no such Supremacy as they doe and was farre from their errours and superstitions The Chroniles write that about the yeare 180. King Lucius Sonne of Coylus which builded Colchester hearing of the myracles of Christians in his time writ to Elutherius Bishop of
Rome to receiue the Faith the good Bishop sent him certaine Preachers which conuerted the King of the Brittaines and baptized them there were the twenty eight Priests called Flamines which they turned to twentie eight Bishoppes and thrée Arch-Flamins to thrée Arch-bishops to wit London Yorke and Glamargan by Wales Thus all the Realme setled in good order Lucius sent againe to Elutherius for the Romaine Lawes thereby likewise to gouerne the Realme Unto whom Elutherius wrote againe we may reprooue the Law of the Romaines but the Law of GOD wee cannot reprooue you haue with you both partes of the Scriptures out of them by Gods grace with the councell of your Realme take yea Law and rule your kingdome of Brittaine for you are Gods Uicar in your kingdome The Faith thus receiued of the Brittaines continued and flourished 216 yeares vntill the comming of the Saxons who then were Pagans whilst Brittaine had thus receiued the Faith the Emperors of Rome were Infidels wherefore much trouble wos sought against them as it was against all parts of Christendome Lucius after he had raigned about 77. yeares died without issue whereupon followed great misery and ruine to the Realme for sometime the idolatrous Romaines and sometimes the Brittaines raigned as violence and victory would serue one King murdering another vntill at length the Saxons depriued them both Some write but falsely that King Lucius after he was baptized forsooke his kingly Honor and the Land and became a Preacher in France and Germany and other places and was made Doctor and Rector of the Church of Cureac where hee was martyred but this fansie is contrary to all our English Stories which doe agrée that he hauing founded many Churches and giuen great liberalities to the same deceased in great tranquility in his owne Land and was buried at Glocester Betwéene the time of King Lucius and the entring of the Saxons there raigned after Lucius Seuerus a Romaine after him Bassianus a Romaine after him Cerausius a Brittaine after him Alectus a Romaine after him Asclepiodotus a Brittaine after him Coilus a Brittaine after him Constantius a Romain after him Constantinus a Brittain by Helena his Mother the Daughter of King Coilus and Wife of Constantius Constantine first made the wals of London and Colchester when the Romaines ruled it it was ruled by Infidels and when the Brittains ruled by Christians yet no persecution was raised in it vntill the tenth persecution which was so cruell that all our English Chronicles report that all Christianity almost in the whole land was destroyed Churches subuerted and the Scriptures burned as before is shewed It is worthy to be noted that Constantine that worthy Emperor was not onely a Brittaine borne but his Mother Helena Daughter of King Coilus a Brittaine but also by the helpe of the Brittaines Army which Constantine tooke with him with great victories he obtained the peace of the Uniuersall Church hauing thrée legions with him out of this Realme of chosen Souldiers After Maximinian tooke all the power that was left of fighting Men to subdue France and after sent for 100000. Souldiours more at once at which time Conanus his Partner sent for 11000. Uirgines out of Brittaine which were drowned and spoyled by the way by Infidels because they would not pollute themselues with them Thus Brittaine being destitute of strength had béene oppressed by Guanus and Melga had not Guethlâ—â—us Arch-bishop of London and Constantinus Brother to Aldranus defended the Realme and State of Religion Then came Vortigerne who murdred Constance his Prince and inuaâ—ed the Crowne and fearing Constance his two brothers he sent for ayde of the Saxons and married with the Daughter of Hengist but not long after he was dispossessed of his kingdome by the said Hengist and the Saxons beeing all Infidels and the Brittaines were driuen out of the Country Two hundred seuenty one of their Nobles at one méeting at Almesbury being subtilly slain by the Saxons or at a place cald Stonehenge by the Monument of which Stones there hanging it séemeth the Noble Brittaines were there buried I passe ouer the fabulous Story of the Welchmen of bringing these Stones from Ireland by Merlin Some Stories record they were slaine being bid to a banket Thus came the Angles and Saxons fiâ—st into this Realme being yet Infidels about the yeare 469. they were diuers times driuen out by Aurelius Ambrosius and his Brother Vter but they returned againe and at length possessed all and droue the Brittains into Wales Hengistus raigned 43. years and dyed in Kent Galfridus saith he was taken in the warre of Aurelius Ambrosius and beheaded in the 39. yeare of his raigne His Sonne Offa succeeded him twenty foure yeares Octa and Imericus his sons succéeded him 53. yeares and were slaine by Vter Pendragon The Saxons deuided the Realme into sâ—auen Kingdomes to the first Kent to the second Sussex and Surrey the third West-sex the fourth Eastâ—sex the fifth Cambridgeshire Norffolke and Suffolke the sixt the Countries of Lincolne Leicester Huntingdon Northampton Oxford Darby Warwicke the seauenth was King of Northumberland they continued so a while with great Warres amongst themselues at length all came to the possession of the West-Saxons This â—ingdome began in the yeare 522. and continued vntill about the comming of William the Conqueror which was 554. yeares Saint Paules Church in London was builded by Ethelbert King of Kent and Sigebert King of Essex when Ethelbert turned vnto the Faith Malmsburie writeth that Mauricius the Kinges Chancellour then Byshoppe of London did first begin this famous building of Paules and after Richard his Successour bestowed all the rents of his Byshoppricke vpon the same and it may be the first Church was ouerthrowne by the Danes and re-edified by these Byshops These Kings of the Brittaines raigned in Wales and Cornewall Vortiger Vortimer Vortiger againe Aurelius Ambrosius Vter Pendragon Arthur Constantius 3. Aurelius Conanus Vortiperius Malgo Carecius The sinnes of the Brittaines was the cause of the iust iudgement of God against them as out of an old Authour and partly out of Gildas doth appeare These bee the words of the Authour There following Constantinus and others aboue named out of the Realme all the Nobility when the rascall sort had gotten their places and through aboundance of riches were surprised with pride they fell into so great Fornication as neuer was heard of and vnto all manner of wickednesse that mans Nature is inclined vnto hating the truth louing lyes regarding euill in stead of goodnesse receiuing the Deuill in stead of an Angell of light choose such for their Kings as were most cruell and if any seemed to bee humble and fauour the truth they hated and backbited him as a destroyer of Brittaine and not onely the seculer men did thus but also the Byshoppes and Teachers therefore it was no maruell that such a people should loose their Country which they had so defiled As there were many wicked Kinges among the Saxons so there were some
very good but none almost froÌ„ the first to the last which was not either slain in war or murdred in peace or constrained to make himselfe a Monk whether it were the iust iudgment of God because they had violently dispossessed the Brittains they were not only vexed of the Danes conquered of the Normans but more cruelly deuoured themselues Ethelbert King of Cambridgeshire Norffolke and Suffolke came peaceably to King Offa for dispousage of Athilrid his Daughter and by the Councel of King Offa his Wife was secretly beheaded Wherevpon Offa through repentance made the first peter-pence to be giuen to S. Peters Church at Rome One Lothbrooke a Dane of the Kings blood being a hauking by the Sea-side in a little Boat was cast by weather vpon the Coast of Norffolke and being brought to King Edmund he retained him in great fauour at length he was priuily murdered by one Bericke which being knowne Bericke was sent away in Lothbrookes Boate without tackling and was driuen into Denmarke and being séene in Lothbrookes Boate and examined of Lothbrooke he falsely said the King had killed him Wherevpon Iugner and Hubba Lothbrookes Sonnes gathering an Army of Danes inuauaded first Northumberland then Norffolke and sent to King Edmund to deuide his Treasures to him and be subiect to him else he would dispossesse him of his â—ingdome he answered he would not be subiect to a Pagan Duke vnlesse before hee become a Christian then the Danes besiedged his house but he fled and pitched a fielde with them but the Danes preuailing he fled to the Castle of Halesdon where they tooke him and bound him to a stake and shot him to death Seauen or eight Kings are highly commended in the Histories for leauing there Kingdomes and becomming Moonkes but they are more to be discommended for leauing their calling wherein they might so much benefite the Church There were foure Persecutions in England before Austen came into England the first vnder Dioclesian the second by the inuading of Gnarius and Melga one captaine of the Hunnes the other of the Picts after they had slaughtered 11000. Uirgines as before made a rode into Brittaine hearing it wanted strength and murdered Christians and spoiled Churches without mercy the third by the Saxons who destroyed Christs Saints and the Churches vntill Aurelius Ambrosius restored again the Churches the fourth Gurmundus King of the Affricans ioyned with the Saxons and wrought much grieuance to the Christians of the Land which persecution remained to the time of Ethelbert the fift King of Kent In the tâ—me of Ethelbert the faith was receiued of the Saxons by this meanes Gregory Bishop of Rome seeing Brittaine Children to be sould in Rome very beautifull vnderstanding what Country they were of pittied that the Country which was so beautifull and angellicall so to be subiect to the prince of darkenes Wherefore he sent thither Austen with about forty Preachers with him and when they were apaled and would haue turned backe again Gregory emboldned and comforted them with his Letter so they came to the I le of â—henet in Kent Ethelbert as before was King of Kent he had married one Berda a French Woman vpon condition shee should vse the Christian Religion with one Lebardus her Byshop Austen sent to the King signifying hee was come from Rome bringing with him glad tydings to him and all his people of life and saluation if he would so willingly hearken vnto it as he was gladly come to preach it vnto him The King hauing heard of this Religion by his Wife came to the place where Austen was Austen against his comming erected a Banner of the Crucifire such then was the grosenesse of the time and preached to him the word of God the King promised they should haue all things necessary and none should molest them and gaue them frée leaue to preach to his subiects and conuert whom they might to the Faith When they had this comfort of the King they went with procession to Canterbury singing Alleluia with the Letany that was vsed at Rome in the great plague We beséech thée O Lord in all thy mercies that thy fury and anger may cease from this Citty and from thy holy house for we haue sinned Alleluia they continued in the same Citty preaching and baptizing in the old Church of S. Martine where the Quéene was wont to resort vntill the King was conuerted at length the King séeing their myracles and their godly conuersation he heard them gladly and was conuerted in the thirty sixe yeare of his raigne Anno 586. After him innumerable daily were adioyned vnto the Church whom the King did specially imbrase but compelled none then the King gaue Austen a place for his Byshops Sea at Christs Church in Canterbury and builded the Abbey there where after Austen and all the Kings of Kent were buried which now is called S. Austine Then Austen by the commandement of Gregory went into France to the Bishop of Arelatensis to be consecrated Arch-byshop and so was then Austen sent to Gregory so declare how they had sped and to be resolued of diuers questions how Bishops should behaue themselues towards their Clarke of offerings and Ceremonies and what punishment for stealing Church goods and such like to no great purpose therefore if thou béest disposed to sée them I referre thee to the Booke at large Gregory after he had sent resolutions to these questions sendeth moreouer more Coadiutors as Melitus Iustus Paulinus and Ruffianus with Books and implements necessary for the English Church and in reward of Austines paines he sent him a Pal onely to be vsed at the solemnity of the Masse and granteth two Metropolitane Seas London and Yorke but granted to Austen during his life to be cheefe Arch-bishop of all the Land and that they should not destroy the idolatrous Temples but conuert them to Christian vses and that Austine should not be proud of the myracles that God wrought by him that he should remember they were not done for him but for their conuersion whose saluation God sought thereby Then he wrote to King Ethelbert first hee praysed GOD then the King by whom it pleased God to worke such goodnesse of the people then exhorted him to perseuer in his profession and to be zealous therein to conuert the multitude and destroy Idolatry and to gouerne them in holinesse of conuersation according to the Emperor Constantinus the Great comforting him with the promises of life and reward to come Austine receiuing his Pall as aboue said and of a Monke being made an Arch-Byshop hee made two Metropolitanes as Gregorie commaunded then Austine assembled the Byshops and Doctors of Brittaine in this assembly hee charged the Byshoppes that they should preach the Word of GOD with him also that they should reforme certaine rites and vsages in the Church especially for keeping of Easter and baptizing after the manner of Rome the Scots and Brittaines would not agree thereto refusing to leaue the custome which
the Priests and Canons of the Cathedrall Church of Yorke become Monkes within the Churchyard he erected another Church of our Lady replenishing it with Monkes and there he kept his seat and was euer conuersant whereby the other Church was desolate and all the people gathered where the Bishop was so they were faine for shame and contempt either to relinquish the house or become Monkes so did Ethelwolfe driue out the Canons and Priests out of the Monasterie of Hide in Winchester and placed his Monkes so in Oxford and Mildune and diuerse places more seculer Priests and their wiues were expelled â—o giue place to Monkes The Monkes of the primitiue time did differ from the Monkes of the middle time and from our Monkes of the latter age The name and order of Monkes began 300. yeares after Christ Basilius Magnus was one of the first institutors and commenders of that Superstition Cassianus maketh mention of a certaine Monastery in Thebaid wherein were 5000. Monkes vnder the gouernment of one Abbot and héere also in England mention is made before of Bangor wherein were 2200. Monkes vnder one mans ruling in the yeare 596. but these were such as either by tyranny of persecution were driuen into desart places or else of their owne deâ—â—tion ioyned with Superstition for the loue they had to Spirituall contemplation and hatred of the wicked world withdrew themselues from all company hauing all things common these were Lay-men leading a stricter kinde of life then others as Saint Augustine Lerome and others testifie one thing pertaineth to the Monkes and another thing to the Clergie the Clergie fed the flocke and the monkes are fed It appeareth also by the forth Canon of the Councell of Calcedon that Monkes should not meddle with matters of the Church And Leo in his 62. Epistle doth forbid Monkes and lay-men to bée admitted to preach They differed from the Monkes of the middle age in thrée points First they were bound to no strict apparell or dyet or any thing else Secondly they were but Lay-men onely being of a stricter life then the rest and had nothing to doe in Ecclesiasticall matters vntill Pope Boniface the 4. gaue them authoritie Thirdly though many of the Monkes of the first age liued single from wiues yet some of them were maried and none of them were forbidden from mariage Athanasius in his Epistle ad Pracontium saith hee knew Monkes and Bishops maried men and fathers of children Yet though the former Monkes were better then the latter yet amongst them superstition beganne to créepe into the Church by the subtiltie of Satan and all for the ignorance of frée iustification by Faith in Christ as for example One Abbot Moses testifieth of himselfe that hee so afflicted himselfe with fasting and watching that hee felt no appetite to meate and could not sleepe that hee prayed to God to giue him a little sléepe some péece of the night This Cassianus doth testifie Cap. 7. Cola. â— Hée saith also of an olde Hermite that made a vowe hée would neuer eate without some guest sometimes fasted thrée or foure dayes for lacke of guestes One Mucius to declare his obedience to the Abbot did not sticke at the commaundement of the Abbot to cast his sonne into the water not knowing whetherany were there to saue him from drowning preferring the Abbots commaundement before the commaundement of God And Basilius Magnus and Nazeanzenus with immoderate austeritie did so plucke downe themselues that when they were called to bee Bishoppes they were not able to sustaine the laboure thereof After these Monks followed Monkes of the middle Age who increased both in number and Superstition from their dennes in Wildernesses the approched to great townes where they had solemnâ— Monasteries founded by Kings Queenes Kings Daughters and rich Consuls for the remedie of their Soules remission and the redemption of their sinnes the good of their Fathers posâ—erities of their Country and the Honour of our Lady and lightly it was for some murder or great sinne In which monasteries they abounded in wealth and riches and did swimâ—e in Superstition and Pharisaicall hypocrisie being yoaked in all their doings to certaine obseruations in watching in sleeping in rising in praying in walking in talking in looking in tasting in touching in gestures and in their Uestures and the number of their Sects were diuerse some after Basilius rule went in wâ—iteâ— some after Benicts rule went in blacke some after Hieromes rule their white cloth girt with leather girdles some Gregorians copper coloured some Gray monkes some ware a coate of male vpon their hare bodies with a blacke cloke thereupon some had white rochets vpon a blacke cote some cloke coule and cap all blewe some Charter monkes wearing heire-cloth next their body some Flagillants went in long linnen shirts with an open place in the backe where they beate themselues with scourges on the bare shinne euery day before the people till the bloud ranne downe saying it was reuealed by an Angell that in scourging themselues so within thirtie daies and twelue houres they should be made so pure from sinne as they were when they first receiued bapâ—isme some Iesuits with a white girdle and a russet coule with enumerable more Orders they were so subiect to seruile rules that no part of Christian libertie remained amongst them and so drowned in Superstition that they lost Christs religion and the sence of mâ—n King Edgar reduced England into a full and perfect Monarchie hee would suffer no man of what degree soeuer he were to daâ—ly out his lawes without punishment in all his time there was neither priuie picker nor open theefe for if any were a â—heefe he was sure to leese his life He coused Ludwallus Prince of Wales to pay him yearely for tribute 300. wolues whereby within foure yeares a wolfe could scarce be found in England and Wales He had in readinesse 3600. ships of warre and in the Sommer 1200. kept the East Seas so many the West Seas and so many the South Seas in the winter he 〈…〉 Progresse ouer the Land to sée how his Lawes were kept that the poore should not be opprest by the mightie In the 13. yeare of his raigne eight Kings that were vnder him of which the King of Scots was one came to him to Chester and did him Homage next day in a royaltie he caused the eight kings euery one rowing with an Oare to cary him in a boâ—e vp and downe the riuer to the Church of Saint Iohn and vnto his Palace againe in token that he was Lord of so many Prouinces He sent one Ethelwold an Earle of his priuie Counsell to sée Elfrida daughter of the Duke of Somerset whose beautie was commended vnto him who tolde the King all things contrary and after maried her the King came to see her her husband had prayed her to put on her worst apparell and disgrace her selfe as much as shee could but she set her selfe forth as gloriously as she
receiued with much sauour through the helpe of Phillip the french king The Emperour hearing thereof came with great power to Italy where he destroyed great cities and came to Rome required the Citizens that the cause betwixt the 〈◊〉 Popes might be decided and hee that had the bestright to be taken for Pope and then he would restore to them that which he had taken Alexander doubting his part and the wils of the Citizens hauing ships prepared fetâ—hed a course about to Uenis The Emperour required the Uenetians to send him but they would not wherefore Fredericus sent thither his Sonnâ— Otho with men and ships well appointed charging him to attempt nothing before his comming notwithstanding he ioyned with the Uenetians in battell and was ouercome taken and brought into the Citie The farther to redeeme his Sonne was compelled to submit himselfe to the hope and intreat peace To the Emperour comming to Uenis at S. Markes Church where the Pope was there to take his absolution was hid to knéels downe at the popes féete the proud Pope set his foote vpon the Emperours neck and said Super aspidem basilicum ambulabis concultabis leonem et Draconem â—e anâ—iâ—â—red Non tibi sed Petro. The Pope againe Et mihi Petro. The Emperour fearing more quarreling held his peace and peace was made betwixt them First that hée should receiue Alexander for true Pope then that he should restore to the Church of Rome all that he tooke from it thus he obtained his sonne Alexander was Pope â—1 yeares he kept sondry Councels at â—urd and Latâ—ran whâ—re he confirmed the proceedings of Hildebrand and other his predecessors In this time spung vp the Doctrine of the Waldenses which was of one Waldus a chiefe Senator of Lionâ— in France The aforesaid Gratianus master of Decrees and Petrus Lumbardus at this time did much maintaine proud Prelacie after whom followed two as euill or worse Franciscus and Dominicus maintaining as much blinde hypocrisie Iâ— pleased God to raise vp the Waldenses against their Doctrine of Pride and hypocrisie Thus we neuer see any great corrupâ—iâ—n in the Churcâ— but sâ—me sparke of the true lighâ— of the Gospell by Gods prouidence doth remaine howsoeuer their aduersariâ—◠〈◊〉 them yet by the Iudiciall â—â—aying their Articles thou shalt finde that they maintained nothing else but the same doctrine whâ—â—h we now defend yet I suppose the Papist did gather thâ—m and wrest them otherwiâ—e then they were ment as they did them of Wiclife and Hâ—s It chanced that certaine of the chiefe of the citie of Lions went a walking with the aforesaid Waldus of whome came the Waldenses was one one of them fâ—ll downe suddainly dead the sight whereof smoâ—e this Waldus with a â—eepe and inward repentance with a carefull study to reforme his life First he began to giue large almes to the needy Secondly to instruct his family and himselfe with the knowledge of Gods word Thirdly to exhort all that resorted to him to repâ—ntance and vâ—râ—uous life by his almes and diligent teaching more resorted to him dayly to whom he gaue certaine rudiments of the Scripture The Bishops and Prelates seeing him so meddle with Scripture and to haue such a resort about him though it were but in his owne house moued with great malice against him threatned to excommunicate him if he did not leaue so to doe He neglecting the threatnings of the wicked said God must be obeyed more then man and was the more diligent to set forth the Doctrine of Christ against the errours of Antichrist When they saw their excommunication dispised they ceased not with prison with sword and banishment to prosecute till they had driuen the said Waldus and all his fauourers out of the city Here followeth their Articles they held 1 That the holy Scripture is to be beleeued in matters pertaining to saluation and no man besides 2 All things contained in holy Scripture necessary to saluation and nothing to bee admitted in Religion but what onely is commaunded in the word of God 3 To be but one onely Mediator other saints to be made in no wise Mediators to be inuocated 4 That there is no Purgatory but all men either by Christ are Iustified or without Christ condemned besides these two neither thre nor foure places 5 That all Masses sunge for the deads are wicked and to be abrogated 6 All mens traditions to be reiected at least not to be reputed necessary to saluation therefore singing and superflueus chaunting in the Chaunâ—ell to be left constraiâ—ied and prefixed â—aste bound to dayes and times differences of meats varieties of â—egres and orders of Priests Fryers Monkes Nunnes superâ—luous holy dayes so many bene dictions and hallowing of creatures vowes Pilgrimages with all the rablement of Ceremonies brought in by men to be abolished 7 The supremacie of the Pope vsurping aboue all Churches and especially aboue all pollitiâ—ue Realmes and Gouernments or for him to occupie and vsurpe the Iurisdiction of both swords to be denyed neither that any other degree is to be receiued in the Church but only Priests Deacons and Bishops 8 The Communion of both kinds to be necessary to all people according to the institution of Christ. 9 I â—â—â—m the Church of Rome to be the very Babilon spoken of in the Reuelation and the Pope to be the fountaine of all error and the very Antichrist 10 They reiect the Popes pardons and indulgences 11 The mariage of Priâ—sts and ecclesiasticall persons to be Godly and necessary in the Church 12 Such as heare the word of God and haue a good Faith to bee â—he right Church of Christ and to this Church the Keyâ—s of the Church to be giuen to driue away wolues and to institute true Pastors to preach the word and institute the Sacraments these were their principall Articles Being exiled they dispersed in diuerse places of whom many remained long after in Bohemia Eâ—eas Syluius in the Bohemian Histories writeth that these Articles they held The Bishop of Rome to be equall with other Bishops no difference of degrées amongst Priests no Priest to bee reputed for the dignitie of his Order but for the worthynesse of his life No Purgatory as before in vaine to pray for the dead a thing onely â—ound out for the luâ—â—ee of Priests The Image of God as of the Trinitie and of Saints to be abolished The hallowing of â—â—ater and palmes a ridicâ—e The religious of begging Friers to be found out by the Diuell That Priests shoâ—lâ— not incroâ—h riches but bee content with their Tythes and mens deuotions The preaching of the Word to be frée to all men called thereunto No deadly sinne to be tollerated for what respect soeuer of greater commodity to ensue thereby Confirmation of Bishops with oyle and extreame vâ—â—tion none oâ— the Sacraments Auriculâ—r confession but a toy Baptisme to bee ministred onely with pure water without mixture of holy oyle The Maiestie of God not to bee restrained
more within Temples Monastâ—ries or Chappels then any where els Priests apparell ornaments of Altars Uestments Corporaces Chalices patenes and other Church-plate to serue in no steed It maketh no matter in what place the Priest consecrateth the Sacrament and that it is sufficient to vse only the Sacramental words without other superstitious ceremonies Prayers to Saints vaine they not able to helpe In saying and singing the houres and Mattens of the day the time lost A man ought to cease from his labour no day but Sunday The Feasts of Saints to be reiected coacted feasts haue no merite The truth oâ— these Articles be the lesse to be doubted being set out by a Popes pen. They being accused slaunderously by one Doctor Augustine vnto the Bohemian King gaue vp their confession with an Apology of their Faith They held Thomas Aquinas author of Purgatory Concerning the Supper of the Lord their Faith was it was to be eaten and not to be shewed and worshipped That it was for a memorial and not for a Sacrifice to serue for the present not to be reserued to be receiued at the table not to be caried out of doores according to the vse of the primitiue Church when they vsed to communicate sitting this they proued by Cronicles â— and by Origen vpon the third of Moses Doctor Austin asked them whether it were not the same Christ in the Sacrament which is in heauen else how can it be said there is but one Faith and one Christ then why he should not bee worshipped in the Sacrament as well as in Heauen They answered to this effect that the same Christ that is in Heauen is in the Sacrament but after diuerse manners in Heauen he is corporally locally with the full proportion and quantitie of the same body wherewith hee ascended and to be séene in the Sacrament he is but sacramentally to be remembred not to bee séene our bodies receiue the signe our spirit the thing signified They asked him againe whether Christ was not aswell in them that receiue the Sacrament as in the Sacrament before it was receiued and why it should not be worshipped as well in the brest of the receiuer as before it is receiued seeing â—e is in a more perfect manner in â—an then in the Sacrament in it he is but for a time not for the sacrament sâ—ke but fâ—r mans sake In man he is for his owne sake not for a time but for euer as it is written Quâ— manducat hunc panem viuat in aeternum Then they asked whether he was there wholly God and man which if hee grant it it is contrary to Nature and Faith that any creature should be changed into the Creator If he say it is changed into his body and soule and not into the Godhead then hâ—e separates the natures of Christ if hee say into the body alone and not the soule then hée separateth the Natures of the true manhoode and so cannot be the same Christ that was betrayed for vs so to what part soeuer he should answere he could not defend transubstantiation without great inconueniâ—â—ce of all sides It appeareth in a certaine Libell of Inquisition that vpon their kneâ—s with great reuerence they vsed to pray euery morning and euery euening and that they vsed to say grace before meate and after and after meate to edifie one another with some instruction They were so diligent and painefull in teaching that Reynerius an old Inquisitor against them writeth that one of them to bring another vnto the faith in the night and in winter swamme ouer the Riuer Ibis to come to him to teach him and they were so perfect in the Scripture that he heard an vnlettered man that could say the booke of Iob word by word without booke with others which had the New Testament perfectly by hart Hee writeth moreouer that none durst stop them for the number of their fauourers saying I haue often béen at their examination and there were numbred forty Churches of their opinions in sâ—much that in one parish of Cammaâ—h were ten open schooles of them and when he had spoken what he could against them he is driuen to confesse that they both liue iustly before men and beléeue all things welâ— of God and hold all the Articles contained in the Creede onely they blaspheme the Church of Rome and hate it Touching theâ—r persecution which commonly followeth true preaching they being scattered from Lions that the sound of their doctrine might gee abroad â—n the world some went as it is said into Bohemia many into other prouinces of France some into Lombardy and other places but these could not be suffered to liue at rest as may appeare by the consultations made by the Lawyers Bishops of France against them writ aboue three hundred yeares agone remaining yet in writing whereby it appeareth there were a great many in France Besides there was a Counsell kept in Tolâ—se about 355. yeares agone and all against these Waldenses they also were condemned in another Counsell at Rome before that What persecutions they had in France by three Archbishops appeareth by their writings who is such a stranger that knoweth not the condemnation of the Waldenses done so many yeeres agone so famous so publique followed vpon with so great labour expences and trauell and sealed with so many of their deaths so solemnely being condemned and openly punished wherâ— by we may know persecution to be no new thing in the church of Christ when Antichrist three hundred yéeres agone did rage against the Waldenses But there was neuer more trouble then was against them of late in the yeare â—545 in France by the French King which followeth in this booke when we come to the yeare wherein it was done where it shall be set forth more at large In which persecution is declared that in one towne Cabria by Miuerias were slayne eight hundred persons at once not respecting women children nor any age and forty women most of them great with child were thrust into a Barne the windowes kept with pikes were fired and consumed besides in a Caue not farre from Mussin were fiue and twenty persons fired and destroyed the same time the same tyrant at Merindolum seeing all the rest were fled away finding one yong man caused him to be tyed to an Oliue tree and destroyed with torments most cruel the foresaid Reynerius speaketh of a Glouer one of them in the towne of Cheron that in his time was brought to execution There is an old Monument of processes wherein appeareth 443. brought to examination in Pomarina Marchia and places there abâ—ut in the yeere 1391. thus much of the original doctrine and lamentable persecutions of the Waldenses who as it is said began about the time of Pope Alexander Now for as much as Thomas Becket happened in this Popes time let vs somewhat story of him THE HISTORY OF THOMAS BECKET Arch-bishop of Canterbury KIng Henry the second K. of England conuenting his Nobles
Kings nose at the comming of his Sonne giuing a monstration that he was Author of his death His Children after his death worthily rewarded for their vnnaturalnesse lost all they had beyond the Sea which their Father had gotten Alexander Pope decréed that no Arch-bishop should receiue the Pall vnlessâ— hée first sware obedience to the Pope These be the words in Englâ—sh of the giuing of the Pall. To the honour of Almighty God and of blessed Mary the Uirgin and of blessed S. Peter and S. Paul and of our Lord Pope and of the holy Church of Rome and of the Church committed to your charge we giue you the Pall taken from the body of Saint Peter as a fulnesse of the Pontificall Office which you may weare within your own Church vpon certain daies expressed in the priuiledgeâ— of the said Church granted by the Sea Apostolike This Pall ought to bee asked with great instance and within thrée moneths without which Pall he is not Arch-bishop but may be deposed The same Pall must be burned with him when hee dyeth and when it is giuen some priuiledge must be giuen with it or the old renewed the Arch bishops pay swéetly for it Euery Bishop must sweare to be obedient to Saint Peter the Apostolike Church of Rome and to the Pope to doe nothing whereby either of them or any member of them may be impaired nor helpe counsell or consent vnto any so doing not to vtter their councell any way sent to them to any body to their hurt to retaâ—ne and maintaine the Papacy and the Regalities of S. Peter against all men honorably to intreat the Popes Legats going and comming and helpe them in all necessities to be ready to come to a Sinod being called without any lawfull let to visite the Pallace of the Apostles euery third yeare by himselfe or a Messenger except otherwise licensed by the Pope not to sell giue or lease out any the possessions of his Church without the Popes license So God helpe him and the Holy Ghost By this Oath the Byshop could do nothing but what the Pope would in generall councels which was the corruption of them Besides this it was decreed in the said councell of Rome by 310. Byshops by Pope Alexander that none should haue spirituall promotion except he were of full age and borne in wedlocke that no Parish-Church should be voyd aboue sixe moneths that none within orders should meddle with temporal businesses that priests shall haue but one Benefice that Bishops be charged to find the Priest a liuing vntill he be promoted That open Usurers shall not communicate at Easter nor be buried within the Church yard That nothing shall be taken for ministring Sacraments or burying Item that euery Cathedrall Church should haue a Maister to teach Children fréely without taking any thing for the same In this Councell the vow of Chastity was laid vpon Priests Thomas Becket and Bernard were canonized for Saints In this yeare Richard the eldest Sonne of Henry the second succeeded his Father at which time Clement sat Pope succéeding Gregory who died a little before for sorrow for losse of the Holy Crosse by the Popes meanes He and Fredericke the Emperor and Phillip the French King went with their Armies to Palestina atchieuing the recouery of the Holy Land Richard in this iourney gat Cyprus Acon Ptolemayda Surrah For preparation for this iourney hee sold Lordships Castles Offices Liberties Priuiledges Byshopprickes c. He said he would sell London if he could finde one able to buy it Many Bishops purchased to their Bishopprickes diuers Lordships The Bishop of Winchâ—ster purchased Werregraue Meues The Bishop of Duresme Hadberge with all their appurtenances for 500. markes and purchased the whole Prouince of the King for his owne and himselfe to be made Earle of the same In this Kings daies there fell a great dissention in the Church of Yorke betwixt the Arch-bishop of Yorke and the Deane because euening Song was begunne before the Arch-bishoppe came his Grace comming into the Quire was angry because they tarryed not for him and commaunded the Quire to stay the Deanâ— and Treasurer willed them to fing on the Quire left and recanted and begun againe The Treasurer not to take the foyle caused the lights to be put out so the euening Song ceased for the Popish euening Song is blind without light though the Sunne shine neuer so bright His Grace suspended the whole Church from Diuine seruice vntill the parties had made him amends The next day being Ascention day the Deane and Treasurer would make no sarâ—sfaction the people would haue fallen vpon them if his Grace had not let them The Deane was faine to flye to his House and the Treasurour to Saint Williams Tombe for succour The Byshop excommunicated them and the Church was suspended from Seruice that day Thus much of the Heroicall câ—mbat betwixt these Ecclesiasticall persons King Richard in his iourney aforesaid talked with Abbot Ioachim of his Uisions and Prophesies especially of Antichrist hee expounded vnto him the place in the Reuâ—lation There be seuen Kings fiue are fallen one is now another not yet com He said they were seuen Persecutors of the Church Herod Nero Domitianus Maxentius Mahomet Turka the last which is not yet come was Antichrist which is already borne at Rome and should bee there exalted into the Apostolike Sea as the Apostle faith He is an Aduersary and exhalteth himselfe aboue all that is called GOD then the wicked man shall bee reuealed and the Lord shall consume him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Why said the King I thought Antichrist should haue béene borne in Antiâ—ch or Babylon and of the Tribe of Dan and ruled in Ierusalem thrée yeares and a halfe and disputed against Enoch and Elias and put them to death and then died himselfe and that sixty daies of repentance should be giuen to them that were seduced by his preaching When King Richard went his iourney he committed the Custody of his Realme principally to the Byshop of Duresme and the Bishop of Ely and to two Lay men The two Byshops fell at variance for superiority at length this order was taken by the King that Duresme should haue vâ—der his custody from Humber is the Scottish Seas Ely was ordained Chancellor hauing vnder his gouernment from the said stood of Humber all the South parts besides but Ely beeing more ambitious so practised with the King and his Ambassadors sending his Letters to the Pope obtained the authority Legatiue vpon the whole Realm of England and became so ambitious and proud that all the Realme cryed out of him he beeing intollerable vnto the Cleargy and Layty He assembled a generall Councell at London in colour for Religion but it was for his owne pompe and oppression of the Clergy and Layty wonderfully oppressing the Commons Hee vsed â—o ride with thousand Horses Noble-mens Sonnes were glad to be his
twentie yeares he was deposed and being in prison was striken in with a hot Spit After whom succeeded Edward the third in whose raigne Calis was first wonne and after the French King taken Prisoner and brought into England and ransomed for 3000000. Florens At which time happened the great conflict betwixt the Townes-men of Oxford and the Uniuersitie whereof a remembrance remaineth to this day In whose raigne two Friers Minorites were burned in Auignion and in his raigne was Maister Iohn Wiclife Reader of Diuinity in Oxford THE FIFT PART OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL History containing the Actes of Martyrs ALthough the Holy Ghost raised vp many before Wickliffe to vanquish the great errors which daily did preuaile in the world as Berengarius Bruno of Aniow Oklens the second Valden Marsilius of Padoâ— Iohn of Gandauo Okchammus with diuers others of that schoole yet because they were not very famous nor notable we will begin at Wickliffe at whose time the furious fire of persecution seemed to take his originall In those great and troubelous times and horrible darknes of ignorance what time there séemed in a manner to bee no one so little sparke of pure doctrine remaining this foresaid Wickliffe by Gods prouidence sprang vp throgh whom the Lord would first waken and raise vp againe the world which was ouermuch drowned in the déepe streames of humane traditions when hee had long time professed Diuinitie in Oxford and perceiuing the true doctrine of Christs Gospel to bee adulterate with so many filthy inuentions of Bishops sects of Monkes and dark errors first he began to touch the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in which he tooke much paines protesting in open schoole that it was his purpose to call back the Church from her Idolatry in this point but this sore could not bee touched without the great griefe of the whole world first the whole glut of Mâ—nkes and Fryers were mad with him fighting for their altars panches and bellies after them the Priests after them the Bishops took the matter in hand at last when there power seemed not sufficient to withstand the truth which then was breaking out they ran whollâ— to the thunder-bolts of the Bishop of Rome against them all this valiant Wickliffe happely maintained the cause of the Sacrament prouing it by Scriptures and the ancient Doetors hee refused the Doctors since the thousand yeares after Christ saying that after these yeares Satan was loosed and the life of man hath been most subiect to errors and that the simple and plaine truth doth appeare and consist in the Scriptures when all humane traditions must be referred he proued most stoutly in the Sacrament the substance with bread the accident not to be present As long as King Edward the third liued he was well enough defended by him against all there woluish cruelty yet in the last yeare of his raigne hee was taken by the Bishop of Canterbury at the instigation of the Pope and put to silence in presence of the Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Henry Piercy yet after by the fauour of certaine Noble-men he kept not long silence but King Edward being dead Pope Gregory neuer ceased to moue King Richards minde by his Letters Bishops and Bulles to persecute Wickliffe and his adherents by this meanes the examination of Wickliffe being at hand before the Bishops of Canterbury and London a certaine Noble man called Lewis Clifford comming in amongst the Bishops commanded them that they should not proceede with any definâ—tiue sentence against Wickliffe wherewith they were so amazed and their combes so cut that they had not a word in their mouthes to answere and when the Bishops and Wickliffe were come together in the Archbishops Chappell at Lambeth the Citizens and common people of London by force brake in vpon them and disturbing the Session were not afraid to intreat in the cause of Wickliffe by which meanes he escaped after hee had made a short protestation to be a true Christian and to professe and defend the law of Christ as long as hee breathed and if hee should erre hee would aske God forgiuenes and submit himselfe to the correction of our holy Mother the Church and that hee wouâ—d set forth in writing the Articles hee was now accused for the which to death hee would defend which all Christians especially the Pope and all Priests â—ught to defend for vnderstand the conclusions after the sence of the Scriptures and holy Doctors and I am ready to expound them if they seeme contrarie to the faith The first conclusion of IOHN WICKLIFFE exhibited in the Conuocation of certaine Bishops at Lambeth 1 THat none but Christ was ordained and not Peter and all his off-spring politiquely to rule ouer the world for euer for in the 1 Cor. 15. Then shall the end come when he shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God his Father when hee shall haue made voide all princely dominion it seemeth probable that they defraud her of her reward and vniustly defer to take vengeance vpon the body of the diuell which he hath deserued 2 The substance of the second was that by no power any writing was to be canonized contemning the Scripture this was spoke to one that commended mans writing and contemned the Scripture 3 That euery man in grace iustifying hath not onely right to all things but aboue all the good things of God as appeareth by the 24. of Mathew verily hee shall make him ruler ouer all his goods and in the eight to the Romans God spared not his Sonne but gaue him for vs how then did hee not giue vs all things with him this allureth vs to loue God that hath chosen vs to so many great and true riches 4 None can giue any temporall Dominion or gift but as the Minister of God the Apostle saith Iesus Christ was a Minister let not his Uicar then which should be a seruant of seruants be ashamed to vse the ministerie of the Church for his pride of seculer Dominion with his worldly stile seemeth blasphemie and the aduancement of Antichrist especially where they repute the Scriptures as cockle and the determination of all controuersies of Scripture in themselues 5 As sure as God is the Temporall Lords may lawfully and meritoriously take away the riches from the Church when they doe offend yet I say that it is not lawfull to doe it by the authoritie of the Church and for lacke of some spirituall gouernour and in case when the Ecclesiasticall Minister being strayed from the Catholique faith is to be corected and punished 6 The Uicar of Christ is not able by his Buls of himselfe not by the consent of his colledge to make a man the more able or disable a man that ought to procéed of God but he onely in the Name of God to notifie to the Church whom God hath enabled else he is as presumptuous as Lucifer for in the 1. Cor. 3. All our sufficiency commeth of God 7
and valiant Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of Scripture all such who by wilfuâ—l beggery blasphemed Christs Religion neither was he conâ—ict of heresie or burned by our prelates after his buriall God forbid our Prelates should condemne a man of such honesty for an heretick who amongst all the rest of our Uniuersitie had written in Logick Philosophy Diuinity Morality and the Speculatiue arte without pâ—are In witnes whereof we seale this testimonial with our common Seale 5. October 1406. Iohn Hus hauing read ouer Wickliffes Bookes concludeth by many infallible presumptions and reasons that hee was no Heretick but in the number of the saued and that it was a foolish consequent because the number of Prelates and Clergy in England France and Boheme doe count him for an Heretick that therefore he is one like is the reason for burning of his bookes for in the first Chapter of the Booke of Machabees they burned the Bookes of the Lord and tore them and whosoeuer was found to haue or vse them was put to death by the Kings commandement if this argued the wickednes of the bookes then the Law of God was wicked so likewise of the burning of S. Gregories bookes and of diuers other good men it followeth not because the Scribes and Pharisies condemned Christ as an Heretick that therefore he was one so Iohn Chrysostome was twice condemned an Hereticke by the Bishops and Clergy Besides the Articles afore there were other Articles gathered out of his Bookes which his malicious aduersaries peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibit to the Councell of Constance They sinne in Simony that be hired by temporal liuings to pray for others The prayer of the Reprobate preuaileth for no man Hallowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders bee reserued to the Pope and Bishops onely for temporall lucre Graduation and Doctor-ships in Uniuersities and Colledges as they bee vsed conduce nothing to the Church The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antichrist Such as founded Monasteries offend and all such as enter into them be members of the Diuell A Deacon or Priest may teach Gods word without the authority of the apostolike Sea They that enter into Monasticall Order or Religion are vnable to keep Gods commandements or to come to heauen except they returne The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan neither is the Pope the immediate vicar of Christ nor of the Apostles The decretals of the popes be Apocripha and seduce from the faith of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles It is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the Church of Rome to be supreme â—ead ouer all Churches It is but folly to beleeue the Popes pardons All othes made for any contract or ciuill bargaine betwixt man and man bée vnlawfull Benedick Francis Dominick Bernard and al other that haue béen patrons of priuat religions except they haue repented with such as entred into the same be in damnable state and from the pope vnto the lowest nouis they are all hereticks Thus you haue the whole summe of Wickliffes Articles albeit not as hee vttered them but as his froward aduersaries collected them out of his writings if some of them séeme hard or strange thinke it rather to be imputed to their euill will then to his good meaning as it might appeare if his bookes had now been extant but this is certaine howsoeuer his Articles were taken of the euill disposed with all good men he was highly fauoured and had in such estimation for his profound knowledge and great learning that all forren Nations were moued with his authoritie especially the Bohemians had him insuch reuerence that Iohn Hus the greatest doer in the Uniuersitie of Prage tooke profit of his Doctrine and openly defended his Articles Wickliffes Doctrine came into Bohemia by reason of a Student of Bohemia that was at Oxford being of Noble stock who returning to Prage carried certaine bookes of Wickliffes with him De realibus vniuersalibus De ciuili iure et Diuino De Ecclesia De questionibus varâ—â—s contra clerum c. a Noble man of Prage builded a Church called Bethelem giuing lands to it and finding two preachers euery day to preach to the people of the which Iohn Hus was one hee beeing familiar with the yong man reading and perusing these bookes tooke such pleasure and fruit thereby that he defended and commended them in schooles and sermons commending him for a good man wishing when he died to be there placed where his soule was We think it worth labour to shew certaine prophesies whereby so many persâ—cutions were figured and first the aforesaid Abbot Ioachim told King Richard as hée went to Ierusalem that the last of the seuen Kings spoken of in the Reuelation was Antichrist and that at that present hee should be bred at Rome and be exalted into the apostolick Sea according to the Apostle hee is exalted aboue all that is called God hee was in the yeare 1290. And in the Prophesie of Hildegardis afore mentioned she saith in the yeare 1200. the Doctrine of the Apostles and Iustice which God appointed to spirituall Christians beganne to war flack and doubtfull but this womanly time shall not so long continue as it hath done Bishop Fluensius doubted not openly to preach that Antichrist was borne in his daies Biâ—h Gerardus in the yeare of our Lord 1239. in his Book of the preseruation of Gods seruants doth coniecture Antichrist to be at hand by the rarity of prophesie and the gift of curing Hierome Sauanorol 69. yeares before prophesied that Italy shall be plagued by the scourge of God for the manifold sinnes thereof amongst the Princes as well Ecclesiasticall as secular and when the Cities of Rome and Florence are ouerthrowne then shall the Church bee renewed which shall happen very shortly and the Turkes and the Mauritanians shall bee conuerted vnto the knowledge of Christ and that one should passe the Alpes like vnto Cyrus and hee shall subuert all Italy I thinke it lacketh not his prophesie which happened in the yeare of our Lord 1501. that throughout all Germany there was scene vpon mens garments Crosses crownes of thornes similitude of Nailes and drops of bloud fâ—ll from heauen and oftentimes they fell within the houses insomuch that many women wore the same long time vpon their railes One Iohn a Franciscane Fryer in the yeare of our Lord 1346. fore-shewed that the Ecclesiasticall order should suffer much through the Ambitious auarice and pride of the Pope wherevpon Pope Clement the sixt cast him in the prison One Manfredus a Dominick Frier fore-shewed that Antichrist should rise vp in his time after the yeare of our Lord 1300. and should fully rage ouer the godly and that there should be persecution in the Church and hee said that the Cloyster Monkes did falsifie the Doctrine of Christ that the sacrifice of the Altar
was not profitable to the quick nor dead and that there was no knowledge iâ— the consolations of the Pope but onely of mens workes at last Frederick King of Cicill sent him to the Pope where he died vpon the Sea by the way Peter Iohn Aquine a Franciscane Frier prophecied that in the later daies the law of Liberty should appeare Pope Clement 4. pronounced him an hereticke after his death and caused his bones to be digged vp and burned There was so many Christian Martyrs in all parts of the world whereof a great number were câ—mpassed in with craft and deceit some were poisoned others tormented with torments many oppressed with priuate and vnknowne deaths others dyed in prison some by famine some by other meanes were openly and priuately destroyed that it is scarsely possible to attaine to the knowledge of a small number of them or if I happen to attaine to the knowledge of the names of them yet I can not finde out the manner of the execution of them and their causes no one man is able to doe it but by the example of some of them you may â—asily Iudge what hath happened to all for the cruelty of Bishops haue been alike against them and the forme of their Iudgements all one the reason of their condemnation agreeing and the order and kinde of their death It was fiue hundred yeeres since Satan was set at libertie this Story were wonderfully to be enlarged if all that were put to death by the Primates of the Church should be recited for in Narbone 140. chose rather to suffer the fire then giue any credit to decretals and in the yeare 1210. at Paris were foure and twenty put to death and in the yeare after foure hundred burned and fourescore beheaded the Prince Armericus hanged and the Lady of Castele stoned to death At Erphurd Begardus was burned 1218. and a Deacon burned at Oxford 1222 aâ—d in the County of Cambray diuers more were burned by the Dominicans The Pope commendeth a King in Boetius that for one that the Pope had slaine he had slaine foure hundred cutting away the genitals there were many burned in France 1392. not long before Wickliffe Eckhardus a Dominick Fryer was condemned at Hedelberge I passe ouer the Aluenses that were burned in K. Iohns time and I passe ouer the Hermite that disputed in Paules Church that the Sacrament then vsed was not ordained by Christ of this number were two Gray-Friers that were burned at London Certaine Conclusions were put vp vnto the Parliament house first when the Church of England began first to dote in temporalties according to her Mother in law the Church of Rome and Churches were appropriated Faith Hope and Charitie began to vanish away because pride with her Genealogy of mortall and deadly sinne did challenge the title of truth 2 Our priesthood that tooke originall from Rome is not that which Christ ordained to his Disciples because it is done by signes and pontificiall ceremonies and benedictions of no effect hauing no ground in Scripture neither see wee the Holy Ghost giuen by any such ceremonies it is a dolorous mockery to sée Bishops play with the Holy Ghost by giuing of crownes when they giue orders in steed of white hearts the marke of Antechrist brought in to cloâ—e their idlenes 3 The law of Chastitie inioined vnto Priests which was to the preiudice of women induceth Sodomy into the Church by reason the delicate fare of the Clergy will haue a naturall purgation or worse and the secret proofe of them is they doe delight in women the primate religions must be disanulled the originall of that sinne 4 The fained mâ—racles of the Sacrament of bread induceth almost all to Idolatry because they thinke the body which is neuer out of heauen is included in the little bread which they shew the people the Feast of Corpus Christi and the seruice thereof inuented by Thomas Aquinas fained and full of false myracles for hee would haue made a myracle of an Hens Egge these lies openly preached turne to the approbry of him that is alwaies true The Orcismes or blessings ouer the Wine Bread Water Oyle Salt Incence the Altar Stone about the Church walles ouer the Uestment Chalice Myter Crosse and Pilgrim-staues are the practices of Negromancers for by it the Creatures are honored to be of more vertue then by nature they are and we sée no change in any creature exercised except it be by false faith which is the principall point of diuellish Art if the coniuring of Holy Water were true it would bee an excellent Medicine for all kinde of sicknesses and sores the contrarie whereof dayly experience teacheth 6 One man to be a King and a Priest a Prelate and a Temporall Iudge maketh the Kingdome out of order the Temporaltie and Spiritualtie are two parts of the Church to be called Amphradite or Ambidextri are good names for such men of double States we shew this to the Parliament that it bee enacted that the Clergy should onely occupy themselues with their owne charge and not meddle with others charge 7 Prayers made for the soules of the dead is a false foundation of Almes wherin all the almes houses in England are falsely founded meritorious prayers ought to proceed of Charitie but the gift is the cause of their prayers which is Simony againe a prayer made for one in hell is vnpleasant to God and it is most like the Founders of such Almes houses for their wicked indowings are most of them passed the broad way euery prayer of effect proceedeth of Charitie and comprehendeth generally all such as God would haue saued these strong Priests are able to labour and serue the Realme let them not be retained in idlenes for it hath been proued in a Booke to the King that a hundred almes-houses are sufficient for the whole Realme 8 Pilgrimages prayers and offerings to blind Crosses or Roods and deaâ—e Images are Idoâ—atry and farre from almes though these be forbidden yet they are thought Bookes of error to the common people and the common Image of the Trinitie is especially abhominable but God commands almes to be giuen to the poore and not to Idols the seruice of the Crosse celebrated twice euery yeare is full of idolatry for if the nailes and the speare ought so profoundly to be honored then were Iudas his lips a maruellous good relike if one could get them Thou Pilgrime when thou offerest vnto the bones of Saints whether doest thou relieue their soules being in ioy 9 Auricular Confession and the fained power of Absolution setteth vp the Priest of Priests and giueth them opportunitie of other secret talkes Lords and Ladies doe witnes that for feare of their Confessors they dare not speake the truth and in time of confession is opportunity ministred to play the Bawdes and make other secret conuentions to deadly sinne they say they are Commissaries from God to Iudge and discerne all sinnes to pardon what they
preaching sundry things wherevpon the said Ierome was condemned and deliuered to the seculer power to be burned In the seuentéenth and eighteenth Sessions there was great proces giuen out against Duke Frederick accusing him for sacriledge and excommunicating him for not obaying the admonition of the Councell concerning the vsurpation of the possessions of the Bishop of Austridge as aforesaid In the one and thirtieth Session Letters were directed to a certaine Earle in Italy for laying violent hands vpon the Bishop of Asce and imprisoning him commanding him to set him at liberty vnder paine of interdiction and excommunication and an other Decree was set forth for the restoring of the Liberties of the Church of Baron In the nine and thirtith Session it was ordered that euery Pope should sweare to beleeue and hold the Catholick Faith after the traditions of the Apostles generall Councels and holy Fathers namely of the eight generall Counsels Ephisme Calcedone two of Nice and foure of Constantinople also the Councels of Lateran Lyons and Uiâ—nna to obserue preach and defend him to death and by all meanes to prosecute the right of the Sacraments canonically deliuered to the Catholick Church and writing his Oath he should offer it before witnesses vpon some Altar On Saint Martins Euen a new Pope was chosen therefore they called him Martin and hee was brought to the Emperour and Councell into the Church of Constance and there authorized for Pope and was brought thence most honorably with sumptuous procession vnto the Monasterie of Saint Augustine to bee crowned The Emperour on foote leading his horse on the right hand and the Marquesse of Brandenburge Prince Elector leading his Horse on the left hand When this Councell should be ended the Pope sent a Cardinall with proclamation to dismisse the Councell and to giue euery man leaue to depart and to shew the Popes indulgence which he had granted to all and euery person present at that Councell that they should haue full absolution during his life so that hee procured his absolution in writing within two monethes also an other iudulgence was granted of plenarie remission of sinnes at the houre of death and was not onely for their Maisters but for their houshould vpon condition that from notification thereof they should fast euery Friday one whole yeare for the absolution of their life time and for their absolution at the houre of death to fast the same Friday one other yeere if they had no lawfull impediment and after the second yeere they should fast to their liues end euery Friday or else doe some other good worke There were at this Councell three hundred forty and six Arch-bishops and Bishops fiue hundred threescore and foure Abbots and Doctors sixteene thousand seculer Princes Dukes Earles Knights Esquires foure hundred and fifty common women six hundred Barbers three hundred and twenty Minstrels Cookes and Iesters there was 60500. forrenners at that Councell from Easter to Whitsontide the chiefe thing to be noted in this Councell was that the Popes authority is vnder the Councell The History of IOHN HVS IOhn Hus being a preacher at Prage in the temple of Bethelem those rather to teach the Gospell of Christ then the humane traditions of Bishops their sprung vp certaine which accused him as an heretick to the Bishop of Rome the Pope committed the matter to the Cardinall of Columna who appointed a day hee should appeare at Rome The King and Nobilitie of Boheme sent to the Pope to acquit him from his appearance and if they suspected the Kingdome to be infected with any heresie they should send an Ambassadour to correct the heresie and the King would beare the charge and likewise assist the Legate with all his authoritie to punish such as shall bee sound with erronoous Doctrine and Iohn Hus sent his meete procurators vnto the Court of Rome and with firme and strong reasons did prooue his Innocencie but when the Cardinall would admit no defence his procurators appealed to the Pope notwithstanding the Cardinall excommunicated him as an obstinate heretick because he came not at his day and the matter was referred to two other Cardinals who after they had delayed the matter a yeere and a halfe confirmed the Iudgement of the first Cardinall and some of his procurators were committed and grecuously punished for being so earnest for him But the generall Councell being assembled as aforesaid The Emperour sent certaine of his Gentlemen to bring Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie vnto the Councell to purge himselfe of the blame which was laid against him and granted him a safe conduct that hee might come freely to Constance and returne home without fraud or interruption he seeing so many faire promises and his safe conduct sent vnto the Emperour that he would come vnto the Councell but before he went hee caused certaine writings to bee set vpon the gates of the Cathedrall Churches Parish Churches Cloister and Abbies signifying hee would goâ— to the Councell and that if any that haue suspition of his Doctrine that hee should declare it before the Lord Conrade or the Bishop of Prage or if hee had rather at the generall Councell for there he would render an account of his Faith before them all the Bishop of Nazareth the inquisitor for heresie made his certificate vnder his hand and Seale with a testimoniall vnto Maister Iohn Hus that hee had oftentimes beene before him and had conferred with him and yet could neuer finde any heresie in him and so did the Bishop of Prage set vp Letters in euery Citie as he passed to Constance that hee was going to the Councell to descud his faâ—th and if any could lay any thing to him as touching his Faith let him come thither many resorted vnto him all the way as hee went and hee was gently â—â—reateâ— especially of the Citizans and Burgesses and sometimes of the Curates and if there were noise of his comming the streets were euer full to see him In Norrenberge many Curats came to him desiring talk with him secretly hee said he had rather shew his opinion openly before all men so after dinner vntill night he spake before the Priests and Senators and Citizens that all had him in great reuerence saue one Doctor which was a Charter-house Monke who impraued all that hâ—â— had said then after he was come to Constance Master Clum and M. Latzembodge which came with him went to the Pope and certified him Iohn Hus was come to Constance that he had the Emperors safe conduct desiring him to grant him libertie likewise to remaine there without trouble which the Pope promised hee would in the meane time Maister Pallets Iohn Hus his great Aduersarie was come to Constance but his Companion Zuoyma Husses other Aduersarie died of an impostume by the way then this Pallets associated himselfe with one Causis a Bohâ—mian which afore-time had vndertooke to finde a Mine of gold for the King and hauing receiued much money of the King towards the
proposition is mine and confirmed by the saying of Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn 2 Saint Paul was neuer a member of the Diuell though he did many things like the malignant Church nor Saint Peter though he horribly sinned in periury and denying his Master Answere It was by Gods permission that they might more stedfastly rise againe and be confirmed I answere according to S. Augustine that it is expedient that the Elect should offend there be two separations from the Church the Elect are diuided from the Church but not to perdition the second is to perdition by the which certaine Heretieks are through there deadly sinne diuided from the Church 3 No member of the Church doth at any time fall away from the body because the Charitie of Predestination which is the bond of the same doth neuer fall Answere this is proued by 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 8. All things turne to good to them that loue God Also I am certaine that neither death nor life can seperate vs from the loue of God c. 4 The Prâ—destinate although he be not in the state of Grace according to present Iustice yet he is alwaies a member of the Church Answere I declared in my booke that there be diuers manners of being in the Church there be some in the Church according to a mishapen Faith and some according to Predestination which are now in sinne but shall returne to grace 5 No degree of dignitie nor election of man nor any sensible signe can make a man a member of the Church Answere I say Predestination maketh vs members of the Church and prepareth for vs grace heere and glory in the world to come and not degree of dignitie nor the election of a man nor sensible signe for Iudas though Christ elected him an Apostle and gaue him Temporall Graces and that he was so reputed of men yet was he a Woolfe in a sheeps-skin as Saint Augustine saith 6 A Reprobate man is neuer no member of the Church Answere It is in my Booke with sufficient long probation of the Psalme 26. and the 5. Ephes. and by Saint Bernards saying the Church of Christ is more plainely his body then the body that was crucified the Church is the flower of the Lord in which is corne and chaffe the Elect and Reprobate 7 Iudas was no true Disciple of Christ Answere This I confesse S. Augustine in his Booke of penance where he expounds 1. Iohn 2. They came out from vs but were not of vs Christ knew from the beginning who should beleeue and him that should betray him and said none commeth to mee except it be giuen him of my Father from that time many departed from him though they were called by the Gospell they were no true Disciples because they did not continue in the word of Christ as it is said if you remaine in my word you bee my Disciples it is euident that Iudas could not be the Disciple of Christ by meanes of his couetousnes For Christ saith except a man forsake that hee hath he cannot be my Disciple therefore because Iudas was a Theefe Iohn 12. and a Diuell Iohn 6. It is euident that Iudas was no true but a fained Disciple Saint Augustine vpon Saint Iohn that Christs sheepe heare his voice saith what manner of hearers were his sheepe Iudas heard him but was a Woolfe yet he followed the shepheard but being clothed in a sheep-skin he laid waite for the shepheard 8 The predestinate whether they bee in the state of grace or no according to there present Iustice is the same Church which hath neither wrinkle nor spot but is holy and vndefiled which Christ calleth his owne Answer In the fift to the Ephesians Christ so loued his Church that he offered himselfe for it I pray you then is there any faithfull man that doubteth that the Church doth not signifie all the Elect the glorious spouse of Christ holy and without spot This is an Article of faith which we ought firmely to beleeue 9 Peter neuer was nor is the vniuersall head of the Church Answere All men agree that Peter receiued of Christ which is the Rock of the Church humility stedfastnesse and blessednes When Christ said vpon this Rock I will build my church he did not meane that he would build euery Militant Church vpon Peter but vpon Christ which is the Rock from whom Peter receiued his Faith for he is the head and foundation of euery Church and not Peter 10 If he that is called the Uicar of Christ follow Christ in his life then he is his true Uicar otherwise he is the messenger of Antichrist the enemy of Peter and Christ and the Uicar of Iudas Answere For this cause Saint Bernard in his fourth Booke did write vnto Pope Eâ—genius thou delightest to walke in great pride being gorgeously arrayed what fruit doth the flooke receiue by thee If I durst say it these be rather the pastures of the Diuels then of sheepe Saint Peter and Saint Paul did not so thou séemest to succéede Constantine and not Peter It followeth in my Booke if thy life be contrary to Peters or giuen to auarice then he is the Uicar of Iudas which loued the reward of iniquity and sold the Lord As soone as they reade the same the Rulers of the Councell looked one vpon another and making mockes and moes nodded their heads at him 11 Priests that vse Symony and liue desolutely haue an vntrue opinion of seuen Sacraments as Bastards and not Children not knowing the Oâ—â—ice of the Keyes of Censures neither of the rights of Cerimonies and seruice of the Church nor of worship of Relikes nor of Orders of the Church nor of indulgences and pardons Answere It is in this manner in my Booke the authoritie is abused by such as sell Orders and get riches by Symony making markets of holy Sacraments liuing voluptuously desolutely a filthy villanous kind of life They pollute the Ecclesiasticall estate and though they professe they know God they deny him indéede and beléeue not in him but as vnbeléeuing Bastards hold a contrary opinion as aforesaid to whom Malachy in his first Chapter saith Vnto you Priests be it spoken which despise my name 12 The papall dignity hath his originall from the Emperors of Rome Answer This is proued by the 96. distinction for Constantine granted this priuiledge to the Byshop of Rome and others after confirmed the same that as Augustus is counted the most high King aboue all others so the Bishop of Rome shall be called the principall Father aboue other Bishops then a Cardinall said in Constantines time there was a generall councell at Nice in which the highest place in the Church was giuen to the Byshop of Rome why did you not then say it tooke his dignity rather from the Councell 13 No Man with reason without reuelation can affirme that hee or any other is head of any particular Church Answere I confesse it but it followeth that he ought to hope
through his good liuing that he is a member of the Spouse of Christ. 14 No man ought to beleeue that the Pope is head of any Church Answere confesse it for the Church was deceiued by Agnes a Woman Pope as it appâ—areth by Saint Augustine and it so being deceiued Christian Faith should bee depraued 15 The Popes power as Uicar is nothing worth if he liue not according to Christ and follow the manners of Peter Iohn Hus confessed this and said before the Councell I vnderstand the power of such a Pope as doth not represent the manners of Christ is void 16 The Pope is most holy not because he supplieth the place of Peter but because he hath great reuenues my words be mutilated Thus it is written he is not holie because he is Uicar of Peter nor for his great possessions but if he follow Christ in humilitâ— patience labour and perfect loue 17 The Cardinals are not the true Successors of the Apostles if they liue not after the fashion of the Apostles keeping the ordinances of Christ. Answere I confesse it for if they enter not in at the doore which is Christ they be Theeues and Robbers 18 An Hereticke ought not to be committed to the secular power to be put to death it is sufficient that he suffer the Ecclesiasticall censure Answer These are my words that they might be ashamed of their false iudgement for Christ would not condemne such to bodily death The first point appeareth in the 12. of Luke The second by the Woman taken in Adultery and in the 18. Chapter of Mathew If thy Brother haue offended thee c. therefore an Hereticke ought first to be instructed with Christian loue by reasons drawne out of holy Scriptures as Saint Augustine and others haue done disputing against Heretickes but if for all this they will not leaue their errors they ought to suffer corporall punishments The Iudges had read in Iohn Husses Booke where hee greeuously inueyed against them which deliuered an Heretike vnto the Secular power not being conuicted of Heresie and compared them vnto the High-Priests Scribes and Pharises which told Pilate it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death and deliuered Christ vnto him but Christ told Pilate they were greater murderers then he which deliuered him vnto him then the Cardinals and Bishops made a great noyse saying Who are they that thou dost asimule vnto the Pharisies And he said All that deliuer any that is innocent vnto the ciuill sword 19 The Nobles of the World ought to compell the Ministers of the Church to kéepe the Commaundements of Christ. Answere These be my words the Militant Church consisteth of these parts Ministers of the Church which should kéepe purely the Ordinances of Christ and the Nobles of the World which should compell them to keepe his Commaundements and of the common people seruing to both parties 20 The Ecclesiasticall obedience as the Priests and Monkes haue deuised it hath no authority in the Scripture Answer I confesse it there be three obediences the Spirituall Secular and Ecclesiasticall the Spirituall which is onely according to the ordinances of God in which Christ and his Apostles liued and all Christians ought to liue in the Secular obedience is due according to ciuill ordinance the Ecclesiasticall obedience is such as the Priests haue inuented without any expresse authority of Scripture 21 He that is excommunicate of the Pope and apealeth vnto Christ the curses of the Pope cannot annoy him Answere I acknowledge not this but I did make complaint in my Booke that they had done mee and such as fauoured mee great wrong and they would not heare me in the Popes Court and after the death of one Pope I apealed to his successors and it profited not and to apeals to the Councell it were to long therfore at laâ—â— I apealed to the head of the Church Christ Iesus Then said a Cardinall wilt thou presume aboue Saint Paul who apealed to the Emperor and not to Iesus and they mocked him the tenor of his apeale was nothing but an earnest Prayer to Christ to be his refuge and helpe when all kelâ—es fayled and that he did appeale before God for his greefe from the wicked sentence and excommunication determined by the Byâ—â—ops Scribes and Pharisies as Iohn Chrysostome did twice from the Councel of the Bishops And Andrew Bishop of Prage and Robert Bishop of Lincolne apealed vnto Christ who is not defiled with cruelty nor corrupted with gifts nor deceiued by false witnesses 22 A vitious man liueth naughtily and a vertuous man liueth godly Answere My words are these All humane workes are deuided into two parts they be either vertuous or vitâ—aus therefore if a man bee vertuous that he doth he doth vertuously and if a man be naught that which he doth is naught for as vice infecteth all the deeds of the Subiect so vertue quickens all the doings of the vertuous whiâ—h is proued by many places in the Scriptures 23 The Minister of Christ liuing according to his Lawes and hauing knowledge of the Scriptures and an earnest desire to edifie the people ought to preach notwithstanding the excommunication of the Pope and such a Minister ought not to obay any forbidding of him to preach I Answer We ought rather to obay God thâ—n man for a Minister to preach and a rich man to giue Almes are duties commaunded of God and if the Pope or any other commaund a Minister not to preach and a rich man not to giue Almes they ought not to obay him I cal that an vniust excommunication which is giuen contrary to Gods law for such a one a Preacher ought not to leaue preaching nor feare damnation then they obiâ—cted that he had said that such excommunications were blessings euen so say I now againe as the Prophet saith They shall curse but thou O Lord shalt blesse 24 Euery man admitted to the Ministry hath thereby authority to preach and ought so to doâ— notwithstanding the excommunication or forbidding of the Pope or any other Answere I doe confesse this and that no Christian ought to doubt but he that is sufficientlie instructed in learning to instruct the ignorant and to tell the vnruly of their sinnes then for to do any other worke of mercy 25 Ecclesiastical Censures are Antichristian such as the Cleargy hath inuented for their owne preferment to defend their malice and multiply their couetousnesse It is not thus in my Booke but I confesse it in substance 26 There ought to be no interdictment vnto the people Answer For Christ the High Bishop neither for the iniury done vnto Iohn Baptist nor for any other iniurie did make any interdictment I complained that for one mans fault a whole Land shall be interdicted and all the good cease to praise God but Christ notwithstanding Iohn Baptist was imprisoned then whom there was no greater amongst the Children of men did not giue any curse no not when Herod beheaded him neither
when himselfe was spoyled beaten and blasphemed he did not curse but praied for them and taught his Disciples to do the same and Peter exhorteth to follow Christ. Who when he was cursed cursed not againe And S. Paul saith in the 12. to the Romanes Blesse them that persecute you These are the Articles which are alleadged out of his Booke of the Church Seauen Articles gathered out of his Booke against Stephen Pallets 1 THE first Article If the Pope Bishop or Prelate be in deadly sinne he is then no Pope Bishop or Prelate Answere I grant thereunto and I send you to Saint Augustine Ierome Chrysostome Gregory Cyprian and Barnard who say moreouer that he that is in deadly sinne is no Christian how much lesse Pope Bishop or Prelate of whom it is said in the eight of Amos They haue ruled but not through me they became Princes and I knew them not but I graunt a wicked Pope Bishop or Priest is an vnworthy Minister of the Sacrament by whom God doth baptise consecrate or otherwise worke to the profit of his Church God saith by Samuell to Saul because thou hast cast off my word I haue cast thee off from being a King much more a Pope sinning 2 The Grace of Predestination is the bond whereby the body of the Church and euery member thereof are firmely knit vnto the Head Answere This Article is mine and it is proued out of the eight to the Romanes Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ And the tenth of Iohn My Sheepe heare my voyce I know them and giue them eternall life they shall not perish nor any shall take them out of my hands This is the knot of the body of the Church and the spirituall head vnderstandding the Church of the predestinated 3 If the Pope be a Reprobate then as Iudas he is a Deuill a Théefe and the Son of perdition and not the head of the Militant Church nor member thereof I answer If he were a member of the Church then should he be a member of Christ and then he should cleaue vnto Christ by grace of Predestination and present Iustice and should be one spirit with God as in the 1. Cor. 6. Know you not that our bodies are the members of Christ. 4 That an euill Pope or Prelate is no Pastor Answer The Text of my Booke is if he be euill he is a hireling of whom Christ saith He is no Shepheard nor the sheepe his he seeth a Wolfe and forsaketh his sheepe so doth euery Reprobate therefore no true Pastor 5 The Pope is not nor ought not by his Office to be called most holy I Answere When as the King according to S. Augustines mind representeth the Deity of Christ and the Priest representeth only his humanity therefore the King of Romaines by reason of his Office ought rather to be called most holy These thinges are more at large discided in my Booke saith Iohn Hus but I can finde no foundation whereby I should call the Pope most holy when it is only spoken of Christ. 6 If the Pope liue contrary to Christ though he be lawfully chosen according to humane election yet he commeth in another way then by Christ. Answere The text is thus if the Pope liue contrary to Christ in Pride and Auarice doth he not then come in another way then by the lowly and méeke doore of Christ. Iudas was lawfully chosen by Christ yet bee came in another way and as Christ saith in the sixt of Iohn Was a Theese a Deuill and the Sonne of perdition and whosoeuer doth enter into a Bishopprick or any other place not with intent to labour in the Church but to liue voluptuously and richly and to aduance himselfe with all kind of pride he commeth in another way and not by Christ and is a Théefe 7 The condemnation of the forty fiue Articles of Wickliffe made by the Doctors as wicked and vnreasonable and the cause by them alleadged is fained and vntrue Answere So it is to say that euery one of them is hereticall erronious and offensiue then he said to Cardinall Cambray O Maister Doctor where is your proofe Then the Cardinall said Iohn Hus thou diddest say thou wouldst defend none of Iohn Wickliffes errors I will not if they be errors but in my conscience I could not consent to the condemnation being I saw no Scripture against them There remaineth sixe Articles of the thirty nine out of a Booke wrote against STANISLAVS de Zuoyma 1 THe first Article A Minister is not the Successour of Christ by his humane election be it neuer so rightly done but in that he doth more aboundantly worke to the profit of the Church hee hath thereby more aboundant power giuen him of God Answere It standeth in the hands of wicked Electors to chuse a Woman into Ecclesiasticall office as it appeareth by the election of Agnes which was called Iohn who occupied the Popes place and dignity two yeares and more and they may chuse a théefe a murderer a deuill and an Antichrist or such a one as God alloweth not of so whatsoeuer the election is we ought to giue credit to the works of him that is chosen therefore Christ saith in the tenth of Iohn Giue credite vnto workes 2 The Pope being a Reprobate is not head of the Church Answere I would know of the Doctor how this is contrary to Faith Did not Christ dispute against the Faith when he demanded of the Scribes and Pharisies Math. 12. You off-spring of Vipers how can you speak good things when your selues are wicked I demand of the Scribes if the Pope be a Reprobate and the stock of Uipers how is he head of the holy Church for it is more possible that a Reprobate may speake good things being he may be in the state of grace according to present Iustice then to â—e the head of the holy Church In the fift of Iohn Christ saith How can you beleeue which seeke glory amongst your selues and seeketh not the glory that commeth of God And I demand how the Pope can be head of the Church which is a Reprobate and receiueth the glory of the world and séeketh not for the glory that commeth of God for it is more possible he should beléeue so doing then be head of the Church 3 There is no apparance that there ought to be one head in the spiritualty to rule the Church Answere I grant it Christ sitteth at the right hand of God doth necessarily rule the Militant Church as head and there is no sparke of apparance that there should be one head in the spiritualty ruling the Church that should alwaies be conuersant with it except some Infidell would heretically affirme that the Militant Church should haue here a permanent and continuall Citty and not to seek after that which is to come And it is euident in my booke how vnconsequent a similitude it is for a Reprobate Pope to be head of the Militant Church and a Reprobate
whereof whosoeuer shall drinke shall not thirst euerlastingly That the Bohemians haue done as they ought in that they haue sought the Fountaines of this water at the Councell and now at length giuen eare to their Mother now ought hatred to cease Armor be laid aside and warre reiected the Fathers would louingly heare them in their owne cause requiring them that they would willingly receiue the Councels of the sacred Synod whereunto all faithfull Christians ought to consent and agree if they will be partakers of eternall life This Oration was commended of the Fathers The Bohemians answered they had neither contemned the Church nor Councels and that they are come to manifest their innocency before the whole Church and required open audience where the Laity may bee present their request was graunted them and being demanded in what points they did differ from the Church of Rome they propounded foure Articles 1 First all such as would be saued ought of necessity to receiue Communion vnder both kinds of Bread and Wine 2 All ciuill rule and dominion to be forbidden to the Cleargy by the Law of God 3 That the preaching of the Word of God is free for all men and in all places 4 Open crimes are in no wise to bee suffered for the auoiding of greater euill One affirmed hee heard sundry things of the Bohemians offensiue to Chrstian eares one of them was that they should preach that the inuention of begging Friers was diabolicall Then Procopius said it is not vntrue for if neither Moses nor the Partriarcks before him nor after him the Prophets nor in the new Lawe Christ nor his Apostles did institute the orders of begging Friers who doubteth but the Diuels inuented them and that they are the worke of darknesse all the Councell derided him and Cardinall Iulianus laboured to prooue that not onely the Decrees of the Patriarcks Prophets Christ and his Apostles but also the Decrees which the Church should ordaine to be the workes of God yet the order of begging Fryers may seeme to be taken out of some part of the Gospell the Bohemians chose foure Ministers to dispute for them and the Councell chose foure the disputation continued fifty daies many things were alledged on both parts which we will discourse more at large when we come to the Councell of Basill The History of the most valiant and worthy Martyr of Christ S r Iohn Old-Castle Knight Lord Cobham AFter the true seruant of Christ Iohn Wickliffe six and twenty yeares most valiantly had battelled with the great Antichrist of Europe and his disguised hosts of annointed hypocrites to restore the Church againe to the puritie of the Gospell and was departed hence in Christ Anno 1387. he left a number of godly Disciples against whom Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury was as fierce as euer Pharaoh Antiochus Herod and Cayphas and hauing called a Councell about the matter they concluded it was not possible for them to make whole Christs coate without seame meaning thereby their patched Popish Synagoue vnlesse certaine great men were wrought out of the way which were chiefe maintainers of the Disciples of Wickliffe amongst whom the Lord Cobham was complained of for a mighty maintainer of suspected preachers in London Rochester Hereford that he not onely sent them thither but maintained them with force and armes and that hee beleeued otherwise of the Sacrament of the Altar of penance of pilgrimages of Image worshipping and of Ecclesiasticall power then the Church of Rome taught and it was concluded that proces should goe against him but first they would know the Kings minde wherevpon the Archbishop with his Bishops and a great part of the Clergy went to the King and gréeuously complained against the Lord Cobham the king desired them in respect of his Noble stock they should fauorably deale with him and that if it were possible they should reduce him to the vnity of the Church without rigour and promised he would seriously common the matter with him Anon the King sent for the Lord Cobham and secretly admonished him to submit himselfe to his mother the holy Church he answered I am ready to obey to you most worthy Prince for I know you an appointed minister of God but touching the Pope and spiritualtie I owe them neither sute nor seruice for I knowe by the Scripture he is great Antichrist the sonne of perdition the aduersary of God the abhomination standing in the Holy Place when the King heard this he would talk no more with him and when the Archbishop resorted to him againe he gauâ— him full authoritie to cite him examine him and punish him then the Arch-bishop sent his chiefe somner to his house with citation when he came thither he durst not enter his gates without licence but returned without doing his message then the Archbishop got one Iohn Butler doore kâ—eper of the Kings Priuy Chamber to go with his Somner who went to the Lord Cobham shewing him it was the Kings pleasure that he should obey the said citation he answered that in no case he would consent to those most diuelish practises of the Priests after hee sent another citation to bee hanged vpon the Cathedrall Church doore of Rochester and because hee appeared not excommunicated him and when he heard that he derided his proceedings hee threatned the seculer power with curses and interdictions if they did not assist him against that seditious Apostata Scismatick and Heretick troubler of a publike peace enemy of the Realme and aduersarie of holy Church then he writ a Christian profession of his Faith and signed sealed it wherin he answered foure of the chiefest articleâ— that the Archbishop laid against him then he took a copy thereof and went to the King it agréed in all points with the Apostles Créede and moreouer that Christ is the onely head of the Church and that all that haue béen or shall be saued are members of his holy Church that it is seuered into thrée estates Priesthood Knight-hood and Commons and that it is Gods will that one should ayde and not destroy the other the priests secluded from all worldlinesse should conforme their liues vnto the example of Christ and his Apostles euermore occupied in teaching and preaching the Scriptures purely in giuing wholesome Councell of good liuing vnto the other two degrees of men more modest also more louing and lowly in spirit should they be then any other sort of people in Knight-hood are all they that beare sword by Law of office these should defend Gods lawes so that the Gospel were purely taught reforming their liues according to the same and secluding all false preachers they ought rather to hazard their liues then suffer wicked decrees to blemish the word of God and let the frée passage thereof whereof heresies and scismes sprung for they spring of nothing else as I suppose which Constitutions craftily creepe in by hypocriticall lies for aduantage they ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressors
If the sacramentall words be vttered there remaineth no bread but it is the onely bodie of Christ. Then he said to one Master Whithead you said once to me that the sacred Host was not Chrsts bodie I proued there was his bodie though Seculars and Friers could not therein agree but held one against another in that opinion Then said many together with great noise We say all it is Gods bodie â—nd diuers with great anger asked him if it were bread after the consecration Then he looking earnestly vpon the Archbishop he said Sir I beleeue surely that it is Christs bodie in forme of bread Do not you do so Archb. Yes marrie doe I. And the Doctors asked him if it were only Christs bodie after consecration and no bread Cob. It is both Christs bodie and bread as Christ on earth was both God and man and the inuisible Godhead was hidden in the manhood as one of your owne Doctors Eutiches saith As the selfe same Sacraments doe passe by the operation of the holy Ghost into a diuine nature and notwithstanding keepe the propertie still of their former nature so that principall mysterie declareth to remaine one true and perfit Christ. Then they smiled one vpon another that the people might iudge him taken in an heresie and diuers said with a great bragge it is a foule heresie Archb. What bread is it And the Doctors inquired of him whether it were materiall or not Cob. The Scripture maketh no mention of materiall bread therefore my faith hath nothing to doe therewith but I say and beleeue that it is Christs bodie and bread Christ saith in the sixt of Iohn I am the liuing bread and not the dead bread Then all with one voyce said it is an heresie And one of the Bishops said it is an error manifest to say it is bread after the Sacramentall wordes once spoken but Christs bodie onely He said I am sure S. Paul was as wise and more learned then you be and in 1. Cor. 10. calleth it bread and not Christs bodie but a meanes whereby we receiue Christs bodie They said Paul must bee otherwise expounded for it is an heresie to say it is bread after the consecration Hee asked how they could make that good They answered it is against the determination of holy Church Archb. Wee sent you a writing concerning the faith of this blessed Sacrament cleerely determined by the Church of Rome our mother and by the holy Doctors Cobh. I know none holier then Christ and his Apostles and that determination is none of theirs for it standeth not with the Scriptures but is cleane contrary It hath beene the Churches but since shee receiued the great poyson of worldly possessions and not before Then they asked him if hee beleeued not the determination of the Church Hee answered no for it is no God In is but thrice mentâ—oned in the Creed in God the Father and in God the Sonne and in God the holy Ghost the birth death buriall resurrection and ascension hath none In for beleefe but in him Neither hath the Church the Sacraments the forgiuenesse of sinnes or resurrection or eternall life any other In then in the holy Ghost Then one of the Lawyers said But what is your beleefe concerning holy Church I beleeue the Scriptures bee true all that is grounded vpon them I beleeue and I know it is Gods pleasure I should so doe but your Lordly lawes and idle determinations I doe not beleeue for you are none of Christs Church as your déeds shew but very Antichrists obstinately set against his law and will your lawes are nothing for Christs glorie but for your owne vaine-glorie and abhominable couetousnesse They said in great â—ume this was an exceeding heresâ—e not to beleeue the determination of holy Church Archb. Then he asked him what he thought holy Church Cobh. Holy Church is the number of them which shall be saued of whom Christ is head Archb. Can you tell who is of this Church Cobh. Yea truely can I. Then a Prior said it is doubt to you who is thereof for Christ said noli iudicare if you must not iudge your neighbors much lesse your superiors He answered Christ saith in the same Chapter As the ill tree is knowne by his ill fruits so a false Prophet by his workes And he saith in Iohn Beleeue the outward doings And againe in Iohn Iustum Iudicium iudicate When wee know the thing is true we may iudge And Dauid saith Recte iudicate filii hominum As for your superioritie were you of Christ you would be meeke Ministers and not proud superiours Then Doctor Walden said You make no differences of iudgements so swift Iudges alwaies are the learned Schollars of Wickliffe He answered your iudgements are preposterous as the Prophet Esay saith yee iudge ill good and good ill therefore your wayes are not Gods wayes nor Gods wayes your wayes Afore that vertuous man Wickliffe whom you disdaine I will say before God and man before I knew the despised doctrine of his I neuer abstained fâ—om sinne but since I trust I haue done otherwise so much grace could I neuer finde in all your glorious instructions Doctor Walden answered It were not well with mee if so many learned and vertuous men teaching the Scriptures and the examples of the Fathers so plenteous if I had no grace to amend vntill I heard the Diuell preach Hierome saith hee which séeketh such suspected masters shall not finde the mid-day but the mid-day Diuell He answered the Pharises your fathers ascribed Christs miracles to Belzebub and his doctrine to the Diuell and you their naturall children haue still the same iudgement of his faithfull followers they that reproue your vicious liuing must needs be hereticks and when you cannot proue it by Scriptures then your Doctors must proue it Then said he to them all to iudge you we néede goe no further then your acts Where finde you in Gods law that you should thus sit in iudgement and sentence euery man to death as you doe here daily You haue no ground in Scripture but in Annas and Cayphas which sat thus vpon Christ and vppon his Apostles after his ascention you learned it not of Peter and Iohn A Lawyer said yes sir Christ iudged Iudas Hee answered no Christ iudged him not hee iudged himselfe Christ said indéed vnto him woe vnto him for that couetous act of his as he doth yet still to many of you for since the venom was shed in the Church you neuer followed Christ neither were perfit in his law Archb. What meane you by that venom Cobh. Your possessions and Lordships for there cried an Angell in the ayre as your owne Chronicles mention Wo wo wo this day is venome shed into the Church Before that time almost all the Bishops were Martyrs and few since but since that time one hath put down another one hath poysoned another one hath cursed another and one hath slaine another and done much more mischiefes as
and Ludney within the space of three or foure yeares 120. men and women which sustained great vexation for the profession of Christs Faith whose names are recited in the booke at large the Articles that were generally obiected against them were That auriculer confession is not to bee made vnto a Priest but vnto God because no Priest hath no power to absolue a sinner That no Priest can make the body of Christ in the Sacrament and that material bread remaineth after consecation That euery true Christian man is a Priest to God That none is bound vnder paine of damnation to Lent or other dayes prohibited That the Pope is Antichrist and his Prelates Antichrists disciples and that the Pope hath no power to binde and lose on earth and that it is lawfull to doe any worke except sinne vpon the holy daies That Priests may haue wiues lawfully That the Communications of the Prelates are not to be regarded That it is not lawfull to sweare in priuate causes That men ought no goe on Pilgrimage nor giue honour vnto Images of the Crosse of our Lady or other Saints That holy water hath no more vertue then other water That the death of Thomas Becket was neither holy nor meritorious That relickes as dead mens bones ought not to be worshipped or digged out of graues or set vp in Shrines That prayers made in all places are acceptable to God That men ought not to pray to any Saints but onely to God That bels and ringing in the Church were ordained to fill the Priests purses That it is no sinne to withstand the Ecclesiasticall precepts That the Catholicke Church is only the Congregation of the elect they did so agree in vniforme faith that whatsoeuer one did hold all did maintaine William White being a follower of Iohn Wickliffe yet laboured continually vnto the glory of his spoute Christ by reading writing and preaching The principall points of his Doctrine were these which he was forced to recant at Canterbury That men should seeke for forgiuenesse of sins only at Gods hands that the wicked liuing of the Pope and his holinesse is nothing else but a diuelish estate and heauie yoke of Antichrist therfore an enemy to Christs truth that men ought not to worship Images or other Idolatrous paintings nor the holy men which are deade That the Romish Church is the figtree that Christ cursed because it brought forth no fruit of the true belief That such as weare Coules or are annointed and shorne are the Lance-knights and soldiers of Lucifer and that all of them because their lamps are not burning shal be shut out when the Lord Christ shall come after his said recantation he was much more stronger in Christ and confessed his errour and offence and busying himselfe in preaching and conuerting the people to the doctrine of Christ in Norfolke he was apprehended by vertue of the Kings letters aforesaid and brought before the Bishop of Norwich by whom hee was contemned of 30. Articles and burned the said yeare in Norwich who was of so deuout and holy life that all the people had him in great reuerence One Margery wright confessed if any Saints were to be prayd vnto she would rather pray vnto him then any other when he was come to the stake thinking to open his mouth to exhort the people one of the Bishops seruants strooke him in the mouth Thus he receiued the Crowne of Marterdome to the grife of all good men in Norfolke his wife following his steps by â—er teaching confirmed many in the trueth Wherefore shee suffered much trouble and punishment that yeare By the saide Bishoppe the same yeare also was burned father Abraham of â—olchester and Iohn Waddon Priest for the like Article Amongst them that were arrested and caused to abiure in this yeare as aforesaid was Thomas Pie and Iohn Mendham of Aldborâ—ough who being conuicted vpon diuerse Articles before mentioned were ioyned penance sixe whippings about the 〈◊〉 Church of Alborrough before a solemne Procession sixe seuerall Sundaies and three whippings three seueral Market daies about the Market Place of 〈…〉 heads necks legs and feete bare their bodies onely couered with their 〈◊〉 and breeches either of them carying a taper in his hand of a pound waighâ— which tâ—pe the last Sunday after the Penance 〈◊〉 they should deuoutly offeâ— vnto the high Altar of the Church of Alborrough at the time of the â—ffeâ—tory of the high Masse and that going about the Market plâ—ce aforesaid they shal make foure stays euery one to receiue deuoutly thrée whips and if they would not obey this monition they were to be cited to appeare before the Bishop to shew cause why they should not bee excommunicated and to receiue such punishment as Iustice shall prouide in that behalfe this was their 〈…〉 of penance howbeit some were often more cruelly handled and after banished out of the Dioces and others were more straâ—ly vsed by lâ—ng imprisonment whereof we will briefly rehearse one or two for example Iohn Beuerley alias Batâ—ile a labourer hauing lyeâ— long in Irons and hauing nothing proued against him the Commissary made him sweare that euery yeare after he would confesse is slune once a yeare vnto his Curate and receiue the Sacrament at Easter and for his penance the Friday and Saturday next following hee should fast brâ—ad and water and vpon the Saturday be whipped from the Bishops Palace 〈◊〉 Norwich about all the streets and the Market place hauing in his hand a waxe candle of two pence to offer to the Image of the Trinitie after he had done his penance and because he had eaten flesh on Easter day and was not shriuen in Lent nor receiued on Easter day the Iudge inioyned him he should fast Tuesday Wednesday and Friday in Whitsun weeke hauing but one meale a day of Fish and other white meates and depart out of the Dioces and neuer come there againe Iohn Skilley of Flixton Miller was forced to abiure for holding the Articles aforesaid and for receiuing certaine godly men into his house had a most sharpe penance seauen yeares imprisonment in the Monastery of Langly and to fast with bread water euery Friday and to appeare euery Wednesday in the beginning of Lent and euery Munday and Thursday for two yeares after the seauen yeares before the Bishop his successor and Commissary in the Cathedrall Church of Norwich together with other penitâ—ntiaries to doe open penance for his offence diuerse others the same yeare were forced to abiuration and penance In this next yeare in the same Register were sixteene or seauenteene that were examined and did penance likewise amongst whom was Iohn Baker otherwise called Vsher Tunstall who for hauing a booke with the Pater noster Aue and Creede in English and for other Articles of Fasting Confession and inuocation was constrained to abiure and doe such penance as others did before him Another was Margerie Baâ—kster wife of Willam Backster against whom one Ioane Cliffe and
the Priest and would 〈◊〉 no â—euerence He said he did well therein Item that he said he doubted whether in the Sacrament of the Altar were the very body of Christ or no. This Article he confessed to be true Item that he beleeued that a man ought not to confesse his sinnes to a Priest This Article he also confessed After he was conuicted and enioyned for penance three whippings about the Cloyster of the Cathedrall Church of Norwich before a solemne Procession barefooted and bare headed as the aforesaid ponitentiaries and to be kept in prison vntill the Bishop came into the Dioces least he should enuenoms the flocke Thus you haue the troubles which in the aforesaid foure yeares hapned in Norfolke and Suffolke hauing shewed certaine notable examples sufficient to declare the rest for their opinions neither their penance did differ otherwise then by these examples may bee seene Thomas Bagley Priest Uicar of Malden being a valiant Disciple and adherent of Wickliffe was condemned by the Bishops of Heresie at London about the middest of Lent and was disgeaded and burned in Smithfâ—eld The same years was Paul Craws a Bohemian taken at Saint Andrewes by the Bishop and deliuered to the Seculer power to be burned for holding contrary opinions touching the Sacrament of the Altar the worshipping of Saints auriculer confession with other of Wickliffes opinions Thomas Rhedon a Frenchman a Carmelits Frier which take their name of Mount Carmelus came with the Uenitian Embassadors into Italy trusting that hee should finde there some by whose good life hee might bée edified but the successe of the matter did frustrate his hope for hee found nothing but hypocritie and golde and siluer in stead of heauenly gifts pompe and pride raigned in place of godlinesse in stéed of learning and studie floâ—hâ—ulnesse and superstition and for Apostlolike simplicity tyranny and hautinesse they did so passe all measure and patiencs that hee could by no meanes refraine his tongue in so great corruption of the Church and by continual preaching got great enuie and hatred The Rulers began to consult together by what meanes they might circumuent this mans life for it is a continuall custome amongst the Prelates that if any man displease them and speake any thing which is hurtfull so their lucre by and by they frame Articles of some heresie against him ouerwhelme him with suspition seeke to intangle him with questions and so condemne him and destroy him This is their godlâ—nesse and peaceable order they gathered these Articles against him That the Church lacketh reformation That it shall be punished and reformed That 〈◊〉 Iewes Turkes and Moores shall be conuerted vnto Christ in the latter daies And that abhominations are vsed at Rome That the vniust excommunication of the Pope is not to be feared and those which doe not obserue the same doe not sinne Eugenius was Pope then this good man Thomas Rheden was taken and brought before him and from thence to prison and after sundry greeuous torments was brought before the Iudges and was condemned to be burned foure yeares after he came to Rome In this yeare the maruellous inuention of Printing was first found out by one Iohn Guttenbergh in Strawsborrow and afterwards by him made perfect in Ments our dayes declare how profitable this hath beene vnto all the world if wee consider that thereby ignorance is vtterly banished the truth declared and the Pope and Antichrist vtterly subuerted which could neuer haue been if this most worthy Science had not been found out for before Bookes were so scarce and at such excesse price that few could thereby attaine to knowledge heerein the prophesie of the Sybils is fulfilled that Flaxe and Lime should ouerthrow Antichrist Reynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester was for his godlinesse and profession of the Gospell afflicted and tormented and made to recant and after put to death in prison he was brought before Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth in which Conuocation the Duke of Buckingham was present whereas besides many other Articles the presence of bread in the Sacrament was laid vnto Pecock insomuch that the Sacrament the knot of amitie ordained by Christ to the great comfort of the Church through the enuy of Sathan it turned into a matter of most greeuous discord that no matter hath continued so many yeares more pernitious to mans saluation Hee declared many things worthy of a good Diuine they laboured for their dignitie and gaine and so much the more earnestly because they had gotten an Aduersarie whose authoritie the higher it was in the Church iâ— would bring the greater ruine of their tyranny and estimation among the people First the matter was attempted by priuate Coloquies after by a terrible Iudgement threatning present death with threatning exhortations mingled with flattering promises granting him further time to consult that the delay of death might make his life the sweeter They gaue him hope of his life and Dignitie if hee would recant till at length his minde began to quaile by and by a recantation was made by the Bishoppes the effect whereof followeth Which when he declared vnto the people hee did so pronounce that hee was carried againe to prison from whence hee could not bee deliuered but by death The Articles that were mentioned in the Recantation to bee recanted were that first it is not necessarie to beleeue that CHRIST after his death descended into Hell that it is not necessarie to Saluation to beleeue in the Catholicke Church nor to beleeue the Communion of Saints neither the body materiall in the Sacrament and that the vniuersall Church may eâ—re in matters pertaining vnto Faith and that it is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the generall Councell Wee shewed before in the latter end of the Councell of Basil how Eugenius was deposed and Foelix Duke of Sauoy elected Pope Wherevpon arose great discords Eugenius sent his Orators into Germany to perswade them to infringe the Councell of Basil and the Dolphin of France set on by the said Eugenius led an armie of fiue and twenty thousand men into Alsatia and laide siege vnto Basil to disturbe the Councell hauing there a great conflict with the Germaines with great slaughter whereby the Councell could not bee kept any longer in Germany but in France through the pragmaticall sanction of the French King After Eugenius brought to passe by the Emperour and his Orators of which Aeneas Siluius was one that they were content to giue ouer the Councell of Basil. Frederick of Austridge not beeing yet Emperour but labouring for the Empire brought to passe that Foelix which was chosen Pope in the Councell of Basil was content to resigne his papacie vnto Nicholas the eight successor to Eugenius of the which Nicholas the said Frederick was confirmed Emperour at Rome and there crowned in the yeere one thousand foure hundred fifty and one This Pope to gather great summes of Mony appointed a Iubile in the yeare of our Lord 1450. there
it is easie to know the tree by the fruit not by the blossomes often repeating in his Oration that this admonition was giuen of singular good will and great clemâ—ncie in the shutting vp of his Oration he added menasings that if he would abide in his purposed intent the Emperour would exterminate him his Empire Luther answered to this effect That the Councell of Constance had erred in condemning this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the communion of the predestinat and that we ought rather to obey God then man There is an offence of faith and an offence of charitie the slander of charity consisteth in manners and life the offence of faith and doctrine consisteth in the word of God and they commit this offence which make not Christ the corner stone And if Christs sheepe were fed with the pure pasture of the Gospell and the faith of Christ sincerely preached and if there were good Eclesiasticall Magistrates who duely executed their office wee should not néede to charge the Church with mens traditions And that hee knew and taught that wee ought to obay the higher powers how peruâ—rsly soeuer they liued so that they inforce vs not to deny the word of God Then they admonished him to submit himselfe to the Emperour and the Empires Iudgment hee answered hee was well content so that this were done with authority of the word of God and that he would not giue place except they taught sound Doctrine by the word of God and that St. Augustine writeth hee had learned to giue honor onely to the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and touching other Doctors though they excell in holinâ—sse and learning hee would not credit them vnlesse they pronouced truth and St. Paule saith proue all things follow that which is good and againe if an Angell teach otherwise let him bee accursed finally hee meekely besought them not to vrge his conscience captiued in the bands of the word of God to deny that excellent word After the Arch-bishop sent for Luther to his Chamber and tould him for the most part that at all times holy Scriptures haue ingendred errors and went about to ouerthrow this proposition that the Catholike Church is the communion of Saints presuming of cockle to make wheate and of bodily excrements to compact members Martin Luther and one Ierome Schuâ—ffe his companion reproued their follies Hee was oftentimes assayled to reforme the censure of his bookes vnto the Emperour and Empire or to the Generall Councell which he was content to doe so they would iudge them according to the word of God otherwise not aleaging the words of the Prophet trust you not in Princes nor in the children of men wherein is no health also cursed be hee that trusteth in men and when newes came hee should returne home hee sayd euen as it hath pleased God so it is come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed and sayd hee thanked the Emperour and Princes that they had giuen him gracious audience and graunted him safe conduct to come and returne and said hee desired in his heart they were reformed according to the sacred word of God and sayd hee was content to suffer any thing in himselfe for the Emperour but only the word of God he would constantly confesse vnto the latter end About a yeare after this Luther dyed when hee had liued almost thrée score and thrée yeares and had béene Doctor thrée and thirty yeares hee sayd at his death O heauenly eternall and mercifull Father thou hast manifested in mee thy deare Sonne Christ I haue taught and knowne him I loue him as my life health and redemption whom the wicked persecuted maligned and iniured drawe my soule to thée and saâ—d thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redéemed me God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely Sonne that all that beleeue in him should haue eternall life and so he dyed whose death was much lamented In the yeare 1516. the aforesaid French King receaued from Pope Leo a Iubile and pardons to be sould and so in England vnder the pretence of warre against the Turke they perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue tenne shillings should deliuer his soule from the paine of Purgatory but if it lacked any thing of tenne shillings it would profit them nothing at that time Martin Luther was in Germany who vehemently inueyed against these indulgences agaâ—nst whom Iohn Eckius put forth himselfe they disputed before the people at last eyther of their arguments were sent to Paris to bee iudged by the Sorbonists the iudgment was long protracted In the meane time Pope Leo condemned Luther for Heresie and excommunicated him he appealed to the next Councell Pope Leo commanded Luthers bookes to bee burned openly Luther also burned the Popes decrees and Decretalls in the Uniuersity of Wittenberge In the yeere 1517. the Pope hauing creaâ—ed one and thirty Cardinalls thunder and lightening so strake the Church where the Cardinalls were created that it stroke the little child Iesus out of the lappe of his mother and the keyes out of St. Peters hands being Images in the Church of Rome In the yeare 1519. newes was brought to Pope Leo at supper that the Frenchmen were driuen out of Italy hee reioycing said God hath giuen me thrée things I returned from banishment with glory to Florence I haue deserued to bee called Apostolike and thereby I haue driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy as soone as he had spoken hee was stricken with a suddaine feuer and dyed shortly after What Godly man hath there euer beene for this fiue hundred yeares either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disproued the misordered and corrupt examples of the Sea and Bishop of Rome from time to time vntill the comming of Luther yet none euer could preuaile before the comming of this man the cause to bee supposed is this other men spake but against the pompe pride whoredome and auarice of the Pope Luther went further with him charged him with his Doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote charging him with plaine Heresie as resisting against the blood of Christ for whereas the Gospell leadeth vs to bee iustified onely by the worthinesse of Christ and his bloud the Pope teacheth vs to séeke our saluation by mans merits and deseruings by workes whereupon rose all the Religious sects some professing one thing some another euery man seeking his owne righteousnes but Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darkenesse to behold that glorious benefit of the great liberty frée iustification set vp in Christ Iesus but the more glorious this benefit appeared to the world the greater persecution followed the same and where the Elect tooke most comfort of saluation the aduersaries tooke most vexation according as Christ sayd I came not to send peace but a sword therefore so great persecutions in all the world followed after Luther but in no
by the Scriptures that the faithfull haue the Iâ—dgment of their soules as soone as they die and are in Heauen and that we are bound to obay Magistrates as Parents and that the people should haue the Lords prayer and the Créed in their owne tongue that their denotion might bee furthered by their vnderstanding of it and might be more expert in their faith I hauâ— heard many say they neuer heard any speake of their resurrection and by the knowledge thereof became more ready to goodnes and fearefull to doe euill and he would wish that the Scripture were in our owne tongâ—e for St. Paule sath hee would rather haue fiue words in a tongue that is knowne c. that the Church may be edified and Châ—isostome bad his hearers looke vpon bookes that they may the better remember that which they had heard and Bead translated the gospell of St. Iohn into English and where it is obiected it is daungerous for Heresâ—e hee said good Pastors might easily helpe the matter by adding the interpretation of the hard places in the margent touching pardons he said it were better that they should bee restrainâ—d then any longer to be vsed as they haue béene to the iniury of Christs passion Further these things were deposed against him that he should preach at Ipswich Christ is our Meadiator betwixt vs and the Father why then should wee séeke to any Saint for remedy and to make petition to Saints is great iniury and blasphemie to Christ and that man is so imperfect of himselfe that hee cannot merit by his owne deedes that it was great iniury vnto our Sauiour Christ to teach that to bâ— buried in Saint Francis Coull should remit foure parts of penance what is then left to Christ which taketh away the sinnes of the world This I will iustifie to bee great blasphemie And that it was great folly to goâ— in pilgrimage and that preachers in times past haue been Antichrists and now it hath pleased God somewhat to shew their errors and that the myracles done in Walsingham Canterbury and Ipswich were done by the Diuell by the sufferance of God to blind the people and that the pope hath not the Keyes that Peter had except hee follow Peter in liuing and that it was deposed against him that hee was twice pulled out of the Pulpit by the Fryers in the Dioces of Norwich And that hee â—xhorted the people to put away their Gods of Siluer and Gold and leaue offering vnto them because it hath often béen knowne that those things offered haue after been giuen to Whoores of the Stewes And that Iewes and Sarazens would haue becâ—me Christians long agoe had it not bin for the Idolatry of the Christians in offering Candles Wax and mony to stockes and stones In a Dialogue betwixt him and Fryer Iohn Brusierd hee proueth thrée points Firsâ— that there is but one Mediator of God and Men which is Christ Then our Lady S. Peter and other Saints be no Mediators and whatsoeuer wee aske the Father in Christs Name we shall haue and God saith not in any other name therfore let vs aske in his name least at the day of Iudgement it be said to vs hetherto haue you asked nothing in my name To which the Fryâ—r answered I would Maister Bilney that you would search the first Origen of the Rogation daies which were ordained by Pope Gregory with Fastings Prayers and holy Processions against the Pestilence by the infeâ—tion of the ayre in which time of Procession an Image like our Lady Painted by S. Luke went before them About which Image Angels did sing Regina coeli letare To the which the Pope ioined Ora pro nobis Domine c. Therefore beeing the Angels did honour the Image of the Uirgine And Pope Gregory with all the Clergy did pray to her It appeareth maniâ—estly we ought to pray to Saints that they may say like for vs which the Disciples said in the Gospell serue them and send them away because they cry after vs. Secondly he proueth the Pope to be Antichrist in that he exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God For the Pope imposeth but a small punishment vpon them that break any of the â—en Commandements But he that shall violate the popes constitutions he is guilty of death What is this but the Pope to sit and to raigne in the Temple of God that is mans conscience as God and the popish miracles are not of God but illusions of Satan who as the Scriptâ—res witnes haue been loosed this fiue hundred yeares As it is written that Satan should bee loosed after a thousand yeares and they are illusions because they make them put thâ—ir Faith in our Lady and othâ—r Saints and not in God alone The third is that no Saint though his suffering were neuer so great and his life most pure deserued any thing for vs with God as you may sée by the answer of the wise Uirgins vnto the foolish Uirgins when they craued oyle of them No say they least peraduenture we haue not sufficient for our selues and you get you rather to them that sell and buy where be then the merits of Saints whereby they may deserue for themselues and others After he was brought againe before the Bishops at the Charter-house afore said where he was admonished to abiure and recant who answered he would stand to his Conscience but being many times sent for and perswaded he did abiure But God not willing to loose such a worthy instrument of his Church raised him againe after his fall as hâ—re followeth to be seene These Articles were obiected against GEFFREY LON for which he was abiured FIrst for hauing and dispersing abroad bookes of Luther for affirming and beleeuing that Faith onely iustifieth and that men be not boâ—nd to obserue the constitutions of the Church That we should pray onely to God not to Saints That pilgrimages are not profitable to mans soule That we should not offer nor set vp lights to Images That no man is bound to keep the Fasts of the Church That Popes pardons profit not a man and Thomas Garnet Master of Art Curat of all Hallowes in Hony Lane for hauing and distributing Luthers Bookes and them of that sect For affirming Faith onely iustifieth That Pardons profit neither the dead nor liuing That the Constitutions of the Church binde vs not for calling Bishops Pharisies That fasting daies are not to bee obserued That euery man that is able may preach the Word and no Law to the contrarie for thesâ— and such like he was abiured before Cutbert Bishop of London But the aforesaid Bilney notwithstanding his recantation Hee abated not any part of his desire study to preach but was the more vehement against the Bishops corrupt life but whilst he was occupied in that godly enterprise to allure all men to saluation Thomas Moore and Richard Nickes the blind Bishop of Norwich who was as blind in body as Soule they laid hands on him and
false in that he presently declareth what manner of women Bishops wiues ought to be S. Paul reckoneth matrimony amongst the principall vertues of a Priest and these men call it in the Canons the poluting of the flâ—sh God instituted matrimony Christ sanctified it with his presence and the turning water into wine and would haue it the Image of his loue to the Church They aleadge the Leuiticall Priests which as often as they came to minister were bound to be apart from their wiues being our sacraments be more excellent then theirs and daily vsed it would be very vncomely that they should be handled by married men The Priests of the old Law were forbidden all outward vncleannesse of the flâ—sh when they ministred to signifie the holines of Christ whom they did prefigure but our holines consâ—steth of the inward cleannesse of the spirit and S. Paul is witnesse that the Apostles did both keep their wiues carry them about with them 3 Touching that he should say that the Scottish nation and their Cleargy be altogether blinded no man will deny that people to be blind that neither heare Christ nor his Apostles such is the people of Scotland in that they cal the Pope supreme head of the Church whith belongeth onely to Christ and contrary to the word they forbid Priests to marry in the tenth of Iohn Christ is the doore they affirme they must enter by the Uirgine Mary and S. Peter Christ would haue vs worship him in Spirit and truth The Scots build Temples and Chappels for Idols in which they commit Fornication In the tenth to the Hebrews Christ By one sacrifice hath made those perfect for euer which are sanctified And to this effect Christ said on the Crosse It is finished shewing that by his death all Sacrifices for sinne ended yet the Scottish Church-men daily offer Christ for sins both of them aliue and them that be dead God commaundeth not to worship any Grauen Images the Scots fall flat to them and offer them Incense Paul teacheth that Christ is our wisdome righteousnes satisfaction and redemption the Scots prefer the traditions of men before the law of God they stablish righteousnes in their own works and Sanctification in holy water and other outward things and Redemption in péeces of Lead which they buy of their great Antichrist Touching the possessions temporall and iurisdiction in temporalities in the 18. Chapter of Numbers God said to Aaron Thou shalt haue no portion amongst theÌ„ I am thy portion and heritage thou and the Leuits shall haue all the tithes of Israell for their ministry but what heritage is prâ—uided for them I doe not say but they may possesse but all temporall iurisdiction should be taken from them when twice there rose a contention which of Christs disciples should be greatest he told them they should not haue dominion one ouer another like the Kings of the Nations Christ in the 12. of Luke answered him that desired him to deuide his Brothers inheritance vnto him Who made me a Iudge And in the 8. of Iohn he refused to giue iudgement vpon the Adulteresse whereby it appeareth Christ reiected the office of a Iudge as a thing not agréeable to his office When Moses tooke vpon him the ciuill gouernment and the priest-hood he was commaunded to resigne the Priest-hood to Aaron for it was against nature one man should suffice both charges and as long as the face of the true Church did continue no Priest did vsurpe the right of the sword S. Ambrose saith Emperors rather desired the Office of Priest-hood then Priests any Empire then sumptuous Palaces belonged to Emperors and Churches to Priests And S. Barnard saith Peter could not giue that which he had not but he gaue to his successors that which he had carefulnesse ouer the Congregation for this cause the kingdom of heauen is giuen vnto you why do you inuade other mens bounds They were ignorant of all iudgement that did fat with their possessions these belly-beasts all they which do indow such filthy sinkes with their reuenues they follow the steps of Iezabell for what do they daily but bleat and bow before their Images burning Incense aud falling flat before the altars as the Prophets of Baall did and if Daniell and Elias were Hereticks when they would destroy the Priests of Baall so am I We do but desire that their riches wickedly bestowed vpon them might be taken from them but Elias was more rigorous for he cast the Prophets of Baall into the brooke Kidron The Pope cannot make lawes according to his owne mind and will and say they are spirituall and pertaine to the soule and are necessary to eternall life for the word of God giueth them no such authority in the 23. of Iosua Thou shalt not swarue from my law to the right hand nor to the left And in the 12. of Deuteronomy Thou shalt neither adde to nor take from my Commaundements Therefore in the second of Malachy The Priest shall maintaine wisdome and the law shal they require at his hands And where he speaketh of hearing them he putteth this condition that they answere according to the Law of the Lord then these are couenant-breakers that binde the consciences of men with new lawes And in the 33. of Ezekiell Thou shalt heare the word out of my mouth and declare it vnto my people So he could not speake any thing of himselfe and God by Ieremie calleth it Chaffe whatsoeuer doth not procéede from himselfe The Prophets speake nothing but the words of God therefore they so often vsed these wordes The word of the Lord the burden of the Lord the vision of the Lord thus saith the Lord The Apostles must not teach their owne deuises but that which God commaunded them Paul in the second to the Collosians denieth he hath any dominion ouer their Faith though their Apostle And in the â—â—nth to the Romains Faith commeth by hearing the word of God and not by hearing the dreames of the Pope Christ himselfe saith for our example My doctrin is not mine but his that sent me to teach Ministers what to do The power of the Church is not such that it may teach new Doctrines frame new Articles of Faith and new lawes but is subiect to the word of the Lord included in the same They defended their Constitutions by these reasons if it were lawfull to the Apostles to make a decree besides the commaundement of Christ that the people should abstain froÌ„ things offered to Idols blood it is lawful for their successors as oft as néede requireth to do the same but the Apostles made no new decree but to warne them how to rule themselues amongst their Brethren least they should abuse their liberty to the offence of others and contrary Peter in the same councel pronounceth God to be tempted if any yoake be laid vpon the necke of the Disciples and S. Iames saith the Gentiles that are conuerted vnto God are not
Supper he could but he then minded no miracle but to suffer for sinne Was not Christ at the Table and aliue when he said so and suffered not vntill the next day he took bread brake bread gaue bread and they eate bread and all this while he was aliue with them or else they were deceiued Feck You ground your Faith on them that say and vnsay and not vpon the Church Iane. I ground my Faith on Gods word and not on the Church for the Faith of the Church must be tryed by Gods word and not Gods word by the Church shall I beléeue the Church that taketh from me the halfe of the Lords supper and sâ—e deny the Lay-men part of their saluation and I say that is not the spouse of Christ but the spouse of Diuell hee will adde plagues to that Church and will take from it their part out of the booke of life doe they learne that of Paule when bee ministred to the Corinthians in both kinds Feck That was done to avoyde an heresie Iane. Shall the Church alter Gods will for a good intent how did King Saule Then Feckham tooke his leaue and sayd he was sorry for her and sayd hee was sure they two should neuer méete Iane that is true if God turne not your heart you are in an ill case I pray God send you his spirit hee bath giuen you a great gift of vtterance if it please him to open your eyes She wrote a letter to her father to comfort him and to shew how ioyfull shee was to die and she wrote another letter to one Master Harding who was late Chaplaine to her Father and fell from the truth of Gods word and rebuked him that hee put his hand to the plowâ— and looked backe and lost the comfortable promises that Christ maketh to them that forsake themselâ—es to follow him thou didâ—st séeme to bee a liuely member of Christ but now an impe of the Diuell once tho beautifull Temple of God now the filthy kennell of Sathan once the vnspotten spouse of Christ now the vnshamefast Paramâ—â—â—re of Antichrist once my faithfull brother now an Apostata once a floute Christian souldier now a cowardly run-away thou séede of Sathan and not of Iuda the Diuell the world and desire of life hath made thée of a Christian an Infidell thou hast taught others to be stroâ—g and thy selfe dost shamefully shrinke thou hast taught others not to tâ—cale and thy selfe hast committed most haynous sacriledge and robbest Christ of his right members and of thine own body and soule thou chosest rather to liue miserably with shame in the world then to die gloriously to â—aygne with Christ in whâ—m in death is life how darest thou refuse the true God and worship the inuention of man the goulden Calfe the Whore of Babilon the Romish Religion the abâ—ominable Idoll the most wicked Masse wilt thou teare againe the pretioâ—s body of our Sauiour with thy fleshly teeth and she exhorted him that the â—ft falling of thâ—se Heauenly showers might pearce his stony heart and the two edged word of Gods word seare asunder the sinnewes of wordly respects that thou mayst once againe forsake thy selfe and imbrace Christ. The night before she suffered the sent a new Testament to her sister Katherin and wrote a letter to her in the end thereof that though it were not outwardly trimmed with gould yet inwardly it was more worth then precious stones It was the last will that Christ bequeathed to vs wretches it will bâ—ing you to eternall life teach you to liue and learne you to die you shall gaine more by it then by the possession of your wofull fathers lands thinke not that your yong yearâ—s will lengthen your life for soone if God call goeth the yong as the old deny the world despise the Diuel and the flesh reioice in Christ as I do I exhort you that you neuer swarue from the Christian faith neither for hope of life nor feare of death if you deny Christ hee will deny you and shorten your dayes put your whole trust in God she made a prayer full of faith which thou mayest sée in the booke at large When she camâ— vpon the Scaffold she protested her innocency in the cause shee was to die for and prayed them to beare her witnesse that she dyed a true Christian woman and that she looked to bee saued by no meanes but by the mercy of God in Christ and my negligence of the word of God and louing of the world brought this punishment vpon me and I thanke God that hee hath giuen me a time of repentance then she prayed them whilest she was aliue to assist her with their prayers then she sayd the one and fiftiâ—h Psalme in deuout maner then she made her selfe ready and gaue her things to her Maides and caused a handkerchife to be tyed about her face the hang-man asked her forgiuenesse and shee forgaue him most willingly and prayed him to dispatch her quickly then she laid her head vpon the blocke and said Into thy hands I commend my spirit and so finished her life With her also was beheaded the Lord Gilford her husband Iudge Morgan who gaue the sentence of condemnation against her shortly after fell madde and continually cried to haue the Lady Iane taken from him and so ended his life Not long after her death was the Duke of Suffolke her father beheaded at the Tower-hill about which time also were condemned many Gentlemen and Yeomen whereof some were executed at London and some in the countrey and Thomas Gray brother to the said Duke was executed The foure and twentieth of Februarie Bonner sent a Commission to al Pastors and Curats of his Diocesse to take the names of all such as would not come the Lent following to auricular confession and to the receiuing at Easter The fourth of March following the Queene sent certaine Articles to Bonner to â—e speedily put in execution that the Canons in King Henries time should be vsed in England that none exact any oath of any Ecelesiasticall person touching the supremacie that none defamed with heresie he admitted to ecclesiastical benefice or office that Bishops and other officers diligently trauell about for repressing of heresies vnlawfull books and ballads and that Schoole-masters and Preachers teach no euil doctrine that they depriue all married Priests except they renounce their wiues but if they returne to their wiues to bee diuorced both from wife and benefice that for want of Priests the parishiâ—ners goe to the next parish to seruice or one Curate serue diuers places That processions in Latine bee vsed after the old order for the obseruing of Holy daies and Fasting daies that the ceremonies of the Church be restored that Ministers which were ordered in King Edwards time should be new ordered that the parishioners bee compelled to come to their seuerall Churches that Schoolmaisters be examined and if they be suspected to place Catholick men in their roome and
Testament desperatly he cast himselfe into a shallow Riuer and was drowned in the yeare 1555. IOHN AWCOCKE THis yeare the second of Aprill one Iohn Awcocke died in prison who was buried in the fields as the manner of the Papists was for they deâ—ied them Christian buriall to such as died out of their Antichristian Church Pope IVLIVS the third THis yeare about the end of March died Pope Iulius the third whose deeds to declare it were not so much tedious to the Reader as horrible to good eares Iohannes de Casa was Deane of this Popes chamber Archbishop of Beneuentanus and chiefe Legat to the Uenetians who well declaring the fruit of that filthy Sea did not only play the filthy Sodomite himselfe but in Italian meetre set forth the praise of that beastly iniquitie and yet his booke was printed at Uenice by one Troyanus Nauus and the Pope suffered this beastlines vnder his nose in his chamber which could not abide the doctrine of Christ. This Pope delighted greatly in Porke flesh and Peacocks by the aduice of his Physitians his Steward ordered that he should set no Porke flesh before him missing it where said he is my Porke the Steward answered his Physitian had forbidden any Porke to be serued the Pope in a great rage said Bring mee my Porke in despite of God Another time he commaunded a Peacocke at the Table to be kept colde for his Supper when Supper came amongst hote Peacocks he saw not his colde Peacocke the Pope after his wonted manner began horribly to blaspheme God one of his Cardinals said Let not your Holinesse I pray you be moued in so small a matter Then said he if God were so angry for one apple that he cast our parents out of Paradice why may not I being his Uicar he angry for a Peacocke which is a greater matter This was he vnder whom Popery was restored in England in Quéene Maries time and the affection that was borne vnto him heere may be séene by the Dirgs Hearses and Funerals commaunded to bee had and celebrated in all Churches by the Quéene and her Councell At his death a woman séeing a Herse and other preparation in Saint Magnus Church at the Bridge foot in London asked what it meant it was told her it was for the Pope and that she must pray for him nay quoth she that I will not for he needeth not my prayers seeing hee could forgiue vs all our sinnes I am sure he is cleane himselfe by and by she was carried vnto the Cage at London Bridge and bade to coole her selfe there GEORGE MARSH THis Marsh was an earnest letter forth of true Religion to the defacement of Antichrists doctrine in the parish of Deane and elswhere in Lancasâ—ire and he most faithfully acknowledged the same in Quéene Maries time whereupon he was apprehended and kept in straight prison within the Bishoppe of Chesters house foure moneths not permitting him to haue comfort of his frinds but the Porter was charged to marke them that asked for him and to take their names and deliuer them to the Bishop shortly after he came thither the Bishop sent for him and communed with him a long time in his Hall alone and could find no fault with him but that he allowed not transubstantiation nor the abuse of the Masse nor that the Lay people should receiue vnder one kinde with which points the Byshop went about to perswade him but all was in vaine then hee sent him to Prison againe Afterward diuers were sent vnto him to perswade him to submit himselfe vnto the Church of Rome and to acknowledge the Pope to be the haâ—d thereof and to interpret the Scriptures no otherwise then that Church doth George answered hee doth acknowledge one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church without which is no saluation and this Church is but one because it hath and beléeueth in but one God and him only worshippeth and one Christ and in him only trusteth for saluation and it is ruled onely by one Spirit one Word and one Faith and that it is vniuersall because it hath béene from the beginning of the world and shall be vnto the end of the world hauing in it some of al Nations kindreds and languages degrees â—â—ates and conditions of men This Church is builded only vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ being the Head-corner-stone and not on the Romish Lawes and Decrees the Pope being not the supreame head and that it was before any succession of Bishops general Councels or Romish Decrees neither was bound to any time or place ordinary succession generall Councels or Tradition of Fathers neither had any supremacie ouer Empires and Kingdomes But that it was a little 〈◊〉 flocke dispersed abroad as sheepe without a Shepheard in the middest of Wolues or as a flocke of fatherlesse Children assisted succoured and defended onely by Christ Iesus their supreme head from all assaults errours troubles and persecutions wherewith shee is euer compassed about He proued by the floud of Noah the destruction of Sodome The Israelites departing out of Egypt by the parables of the sower by the Kings sons marriage of the great Supper and by other sentences of the Scriptures that this Church was of no estimation and little in comparison of the Church of hypocrites and wicked worldlings After the Bishop caused him to bee brought to the Chappell of the Cathedrall Church of Chester where the Bishop with diuers others were set After he had taken his oath for a true answering the Chancelor charged him that he had preached heretically and blasphemously in diuers places against the Popes authority and Catholick Church of Rome the blessed Masse the Sacrament of the Altar and many other Articles Hee answered that â—e neither heretically nor blasphemonsly spake against any of the said Articles but simply and â—â—uely as occasion serued according to his conscience maintaining the truth touching the said Articles as it was taught in King Edward the sixth his time whereupon they condemned him at the next appearance And when he would haue perswaded them otherwise by the word of God the Bishop told him he ought not to dispute with hereticks Then he prayed the people to beare him witnesse he held no other opinions then were by Law most godly established and publikely taught in King Edwards time wherein he would liue and die As he came on the way towards the place of execution some folke proffered him moâ—ey and looked that he should haue had a little purse in his hand as the manner of 〈◊〉 was at their going to execution to gather money to giue to a Priest to say trentalls of Masses for them after their death whereby they might be saued but Marsh said he would not be troubled with money and hade them giue it to the prisoners and poore people When he came to the â—â—re his pardon was offered him he answered being it tended to plucke him from God he could not receiue it
and feare and beware that you turne not to this abhominable papistry against the which I shalll anoâ—e by Gods grace giue my bloud Let not the murthering of Gods Saints be any cause for you to relent but take occasion thereby to be stronger in the Lords quarrell and I doubt not but hee will bee a mercifull father vnto you and then I kissed them all and was carried vnto the fire When he came to the stake hee kissed it and then hee said so my Lord Rich beware beware for you doe against your conscience herein and without you repent the Lord will reuenge it for you are the cause of my death Thomas Osmond Fuller William Bamford alias Butler Nicholas Chamberlain Iohn Ardley and Iohn Simpson THese were sent out of Essex vnto Boner to be examined they had the same Articles ministred vnto them and agreed all in the same answeres in substance that Thomas Wats next aforesaid made and when by no meanes they could be perswaded from their constancie being many times sent for they were at last condemned and burned in seuerall places in Essex Chamberlain at Colchester Thomas Osmond at Maning-tree William Bramford at Harwidge Iohn Ardley told Boner my Lord neither you nor any of your Religion is of the Catholick Church for you are of a false Faith and shall bee deceiued at length beare as good a face as you can you will kill the innocent bloud and you haue killed many and oâ— gee about to kill more if euery hayre of my head were a man I would suffer death in the Faith that I am in At â—he Examination of Simpson and Ardley there were a great multitâ—de of people assembled in the Church of Paules round about the Consistory The Bishop being angry with their bold answeres cryed alowd haue him away haue him away Whâ—n the people in the Church heard these words thinking the prisoners had their iudgements they seuered themselues to make way which caused such a noise in the Church that they in the Consistory were amazed The Bishop asked what was the matter The standers by said there was like to be some tumulâ— for they were together by the eares The Bishop with the rest of the Court ranne away to the doore that goeth into the Bishops house but the rest being lighter footed then the Bishop recouered the doore first and throâ—ging hastily to get in kept the Bishop out and cried saue my Lord saue my Lord whereby they gaue the standers by good matter to laugh at whereby thâ—se were a little while stopped of 〈◊〉 Iudgement but not long after they were called to the fire Iohn Simpson suffered at Rochford and Iohn Ardley at Rayby IOHN BRADFORD HE was borne at Manchester in Lanâ—aster On the 13. day of August in the first yeare of Quâ—ene Mary Master Bourne Bishop of Bathe made a beastly Sermon at Paules Crosse to set vp popery as before is said Boner being present the people were ready to pull him out of the Pulpit and a Dagger was hurled at him and being put from ending his Sermon he intreated Bradford being with him to speake and appease the people when hee came into the place of the Preacher all the people cryed Bradford Bradford God saue thee Bradford And after they heard his godly exhortation they left off their raging Bourne thought himselfe not yet sure of his life vntill hee was safely housed thâ—ugh the Sheriffe and Mayor were ready to help him Wherefore hee desired Bradford not to depart from him vntill hee was in safety and â—radford went at his backe shaddowing him with his Gowne Amongst whom one Gâ—ntleman said Ah Bradford Bradford thou sauest him that will helpe to burne thee I giue thee his life for if it were not for thee I would runne him through with my sword within three dares after Bradford was sent for to the Tower and there the Councell charged him with sedition for this matter and committed him to the Tower and from the Tower to the Kings Bench in Southwarke and after his condemnation vnto the Counter in the Poultry whilst hee remained in these two prisons he preached twice a day continually almost two yeares After he was brought with Bishop Farrax as aâ—oresaid before the Lord Chancellor and the Queenes Commissioners after the Lord Chancellor had laid vnto his charge the aforesaid sedition at Paules and Boner had bore witnes against him and Bradford had shewed his innocency and affirmed that notwithstanding Boners seeing and saying yet the truth I haue told as at the day of Iudgement wiâ—l appeare in the meane time because I cannot be beleeued I am ready to suffer what God will licence you to doe to me Chan. To leaue this matter wilt thou returne againe and doe as wee haue done and thou shalt receiue the Queenes mercy and pardon Brad. My Lord I desire mercy with Gods mercy but mercy with Gods wrath God keepe me from Well said he if thou wilt not receiue mercy offred vnto thée know for a truth that the Queene is minded to make a purgation of all such as thou art Bradford answered I would be glad of the Queenes mercy to liue as a subiect without a clogge of Conscience otherwise the Lords mercy is better to me then life and I commit my life into his hands that will keep it that none can take it away without his pleasure There are twelue houres in the day as long as they last no man shall haue power thereon therefore his good will be done Life in his displeasure is worse then death and death in his true fauour is true life And after he had béen thrée times called before the Lord Chancellor at all which times there was no arguments of diuinitie but about transubstantiation For denying whereof and affirming that the wicked doe not receiue Christ though they receiue the Sacrament he was condemned after this the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Chichester came to him and argued this point and after them two Spanish Friers and diuers others at other times The summe of his Doctrine herein followeth Reasons against Transubstantiation gathered by IOHN BRADFORD 1 TErtullian saith that which is former is true that which is later is false Transubstantiation is a late Doctrine for it was not generally definâ—d vntill the Councell of Laterane about the yeare one thousand two hundred and fifteene vnder Innocent 3. before it was free to beleeue it or not beleeue it Ergo the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false 2 That the words of Christs Supper be figuratiue the Circumstances of the Scripture the proportion of the Sacraments the sentences of all holy Fathers For a thousand yeares after Christ doe all teach It followeth there is no Transubstantiation 3 The Scriptures doe witnes that the Lord gaue bread to his Disciples and called it his body He took bread in his hands hee gaue thankes ouer bread he brake bread and gaue bread to his Disciples As Ireneus Tertullian Origene Cyprian Epiphanius
Augustine and all the Fathers of antiquitie doe affirme but in asmuch as the substance of bread and wine is another manner of thing then the substance of the body and bloud of Christ it is plaine there is no Transubstantiation 4 The bread is no more transubstantiated then the wine CHRIST calleth that the fruit of the Uine saying I will drinke no more of the fruit of the Vine Therefore by Christes wordes it was not Bloud but Wine therefore it followeth there is no Transubstantiation Chrysostom vpon Mathew and Cyprian doe confirme this reason 5 The bread is called as well Christs mysticall body as his naturall body for the same spirit that saith the bread is my body saith also wee being many are one body but it is not the mysticall body by transubstantiation no more is it his naturall body by transubstantiation 6 The words ouer the Cup are not so effectuall as to transubstantiate it intâ— the New Testament Therfore the words spoken ouer the bread are not so mighty to make Transubstantiation 7 The Doctrine of Transubstantiation doth not agree with the Apostolick and mother Churches which receiued there Doctrine of the Apostles who receiued it of Christ and Christ of God as of Gréece of Corinthus of Philippos Collosia Thessalonica Ephesus which neuer taught Transubstantiation yea it agreeth not with the Doctrine of the Church of Rome taught in times past for Gelasius the Pope doth manifestly confute the errour of transubstantiation and reproueth them of sacriledge which diuide the mysterie and keep the Cup from the lay people Therefore the Doctrine of transubstantiation agreeth not with the truth Communication betwixt the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Chichester with BRADFORD in prison York HOw know you the word of God but by the Church Brad. The Church is a meane to bring a man to the more spéedy knowledge of the Scriptures as the woman of Samaria was a meane that the Samaritaâ—s knew Christ but when as they had heard him speake they said now wee know that he is Christ not because of thy words but because we our selues haue heard him so after we come to the hearing and reading of the Scriptures shewed vnto vs by the Church we beleeue them and know them as Christs sheepe not because the Church saith they be the Scriptures but because they be so wee being assured thereof by the spirit which wrote and spake them Yorke In the Apostles time the word was not written Brad. True if you meane it for some bookes of the New Testament but for the Old Testament Peter telleth vs it is a more sure word of Prophesie not that it is so simply but in respect of the Apostles which being aliue and compassed with infirmities by reason whereof men might perchance haue found fault with their preaching they attributed vnto the Prophets more firmenes as wherewith no fault could be â—â—und albeit in verity no lesse obedience and faith ought to be giuen vnto the one then the other both proceeding of one Spirit of truth York Ireneus and others doe magnifie much and alledge the Câ—urch and not the Scriptures against the heretickes Brad. They had to doe with such-hereticks as did deny the Scriptures and yâ—t did magnifie the Apostles so that they were inforced to vse the authoritie of those Churches wherein the Apostles had taught and which did still retaine the same Doctrine then the alledging of the Church cannot be principally vsed against me which am so farre from denying the Scriptures that I appeale vnto them vtterly as to the onely Iudge Yorke A pretty matter that you will take vpon to Iudge the Church where hath your Church been hitherto for the Church of Christ is Catholick and visible hitherto Brad. I doe not Iudge the Church when I discerne it from the congregation which is not the Church and I neuer denied the Church to bâ— Catholick and viâ—â—ble although at some times it is more visible then at other times Chichest Where was your Church forty yeares agone which allowed your Doctrine I said I would tell him if he would tell mee where the Church was in Helias his time when Helias said he was left alone he said that is no answere Brad. If you had the same eyes wherewith a man might haue espied the Church then you would not say it was no answer The fault why the Church is not sâ—â—ne of you is not because the Church is not visible but because your eyes are not cléere â—â—ough to sée it Chich. You are much deceiued in making this collation betwixt the Church then and now Yorke said it was very well spoken for Christ said I will build my Church and not I do or haue built it Brad. Peter teacheth me to make this collation saying As amongst the people there were false Prophets which were most in estimation before Christs comming so shall there be false teachers amongst the people after Christs comming and verie many shall follow them and as for your future tense you wil not conclude Christs Church not to haue béene before but rather that there is no builder in the Church but by Christ onely in that he saith I will build my Church for Paul and Apollo be but waterers York He taketh vpon him to iudge the Church a man shall neuer come to certainty that doth so Brad. I speake simply that which I thinke and desire reasons to answere my Obiections assuredly you did well to depart from the Romish Church but you haue done wickedly to coupple your selues to it againe for you can neuer proue it which you call the mother Church to be Christs Church Chichest You were but a Childe then I was but a young man come from the Uniuersitie and went with the World but it was alwaies against my conscience Brad. I thinke you haue done euill for ye are come and haue brought others to that wicked man which sitteth in the Temple of God which is the Church for it cannot be vnderstood of Mahomer or any out of the Church but of such as beare rule in the Church Yorke Sée how you build your Faith vpon the most obscure places of the Scripture to deceiue your selfe as though you were in the Church which are not Brad. Well my Lord though I might by truth iudge you and others yet will not I vtterly exclude you out of the Church but I am not out of the Communion of the Church for it consisteth in Faith York Loe how you make your Church inuisible for you would haue the Communion of it to consist in Faith Brad. To haue Communion of the Church néedeth not visiblenesie of it for Communion consisteth in Faith and not in exterior Ceremonies as appeareth by Paul which would haue one Faith and by Ireneus to Victor saying disagréeing of fasting should not breake the agréeing of Faith Chichest That place hath often wounded my conscience because we disseuered our selues from the Sea of Rome Brad. God forgiue you for you haue done
euill to bring England thither againe Yorke He read a Paper of Common places how many things held Saint Augustine in the Church consent of people and Nations authority confirmed with Miracles nourished with hope increased with Charity established with antiquity the succession of Priests from Peters Seat to this present Bishop lastlie the verie Name of a Catholique doth hold me in Paint me but your Church thus Brad. This maketh as much for me as for you but all this if they had béene so firme as you would make them might haue béene alledged against Christ and his â—postles for there was the Law and the Ceremonies consented on by the whole people confirmed with Miracles Antiquity and continuall succession of Bishops from Aaron Cich You make to much of the State of the Church before Chrsâ—s comming Brad. Therein I do but as Peter teacheth and Paul very often you would gladly haue your Church héere very glorious and as a most pleasant Lady but as Christ saith so may the Church say Blessed are they that are not offended at me Yorke You thinke none is of the Church but such as suffer persecution Brad. Paul saith All that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution sometime Christs Church hath rest heere but commonly it is not so especially towards the end her forme will be more vnséemly York Where is your Church that hath consent of people and Nations as S. Augustine saith Brad. Euen all people and Nations that bee Gods people haue consented with me and them in the Doctrine of Faith Yorke Saint Augustine speaketh of succession from Peters Seat Brad. That seat then was nothing so much corrupt as it is now York Well you alwaies iudge the Church Brad. No my Lord Christs shéepe discerne Christs voyce but they iudge it not so they discerne the Church but not Iudge her yet full well may wee iudge the Romish Church for she obeyeth not Christs voyce and Christs true Church doth He asked me wherein I said in Latine Seruice and robbing the Laity of Christs Cup in the Sacrament and many other things in which it committeth most horrible sacriledge Yorke Latine Seruice was appointed to be sung and had in the Quire where onely were those that vnderstood Latine The people sitting in the body of the Church praying their owne priuate prapers and this may well be yet séene by making of the Chancell and the Quire so that the people could not come in or heare them Brad. In Chrysostomes time and S. Ieromes time all the Church did answere with a loud voyce Amen Whereby we may sée that the prayers were made so that the people both heard and vnderstood them York We léese our labour you seeke to put away all things that are told you for your good your Church no man can know I said yes that you may He said I pray whereby Brad. Chrysostome saith onely by the Scriptures and this he speaketh very oftentimes as you know York That is or Chrysostome In opere imperfecto which may bee doubted of the thing which the Church may be best knowne by is succession of Bishops Brad. Lira well writeth vpon Mathew that Ecclesia non consistit in homiâ—â—bus ratione potestatis secularis aut ecclesiasticae sed in hominibus in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis And Hilarius writeth to Auxentius that the church is rather hid in Caues then eminent in chiefe seats then after they had been there thrée houres they were called away Iohn Leafe burned with Maister Bradford THis Iohn was an Apprentice with a Chandler in Christ-Church in London eighteene yeares old borne in Kirkley Mâ—â—eside in the County of Yorke hee was examined before Bonner he said that after the words of consecration in the Sacrament of the Altar ouer the Bread and Wine there was not the true and naturall body and blood of Christ in substance and as it is now vsed and beleeued in the Realm of England it is abhominable Idolatry And he beleeued that after consecration it remaineth Bread and Wine as it was before and it is receiued in the remembrance of the death and passion of Christ and so spiritually in Faith they receiue Christs body and blood And he affirmeth that Auriculer confession is not necessary to be made vnto a Priest and it is no point of soules health to beléeue that the Priest hath any authority by the Scriptures to remit sins And being asked if he had béene Maister Rogers his Scholler he graunted it so to be and he did beléeue the Doctrine of the said Rogers and the Doctrine of Byshop Hooper Cardmaker and others of their opinion which of late were burned for Christ and that he will die in that Doctrine and the Bishoppe moouing of him to vnitie of the Church He said My Lord you call mine opinion Heresie it is the true light of the Word of GOD and hee would neuer forsake his well grounded opinion whilst breath was in his bodie Whereupon he was condemned When these two came to the stake in Smithfield to be burned Maister Bradford lay prostrate on the one side of the stake and the young man on the other praying a space vntill the Sheriffes man bad Maister Bradford arise then they both rose Maister Bradford desired the Sheriffe that his man might haue his apparell which he granted him When he was vnready he said O England England repent thee of thy sinnes beware of Idolatry beware of false Antichrists that they deceiue thée not Then the Sheriffe bad tye his hands if he would not be quiet He said I am quiet God forgiue you this One of the Officers that made the Fire said If you haue no more learning then that you are but a foole and were best to hold your peace Then Maister Bradford answered no more but asked the world forgiuenesse and forgaue all the world and prayed the people to pray for him and â—id the young man be of good comfort for we shall haue a merry Supper with the Lord this night then he imbraced the Réeds and said Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternall saluation and few there be that finde it In the Booke at large thou maist sée many godly Letters of his This Maister Woodroffe Sheriffe as he would not suffer Maister Bradford to speake but bad his hands to be tyed so or worse he serued Maister Rogers and all that were burned where the other Sheriffe would weepe at their burning he would laugh at it and would restraine and beat the people who were desirous to take them by the hand In fine the foresaid Maister Woodroffe after the burning of Maister Bradford as soone as he came home was taken lame both arme and legge so that after hee could neuer stirre out of his house nor scarse mooue himselfe WILLIAM MINGE THe next day after Bradfords death William Minge Priest died in Maidstone Iayle being in bonds for Religion and had suffered martyrdome
receiue them Therefore your Lordship may be sure the word of God will one day take place doe what you can to the contrarie The fift Examination Couen DOe you not beléeue your Créed I beléeue in the Catholick Church Phil. Yes but I cannot vnderstand Rome to be the same nor the like to it S. Asse S. Peter builded the Catholick Church at Rome And Christ saith thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church and the succession of Bishops can be proued in Rome from time to time as it can be of no other place so well which is a manifest proofe of the Catholick Church as diuers Doctors doâ— write Phil. You cannot proue the Rock that Christ would build his Church on to bee Rome and though you can proue the succession of Bishops it is not sufficient to proue Rome the Catholick Church vnlesse you can proue the succession of Peters Faith where vpon the Catholick Church is builded to continue in his successors at Rome and at this present to remaine there Couen What meaneth this word Catholick Phil. The Catholick Faith or Catholick Church is not that which is most vniuersall or of men receiued wherby you dâ—e infer your Faith to hang vpon the multitude which is not so We iudge saith S. Augustine the Catholick Faith of that which hath been is and shall be so that if you can proue your Catholick Church and Faith hath been taught from the beginning and is and shall be then may you count your selues Catholicks otherwise not Catholick in Gréeke is compounded of â— which signifieth according and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a summe or principle or whole so that Catholick Church or Faith is as much to say as the first hole sound chéefest faith Boner Doe you thinke the Catholick Church hath erred vntill within these few yeares some haue swarued from the same Phil. I doe not thinke the Catholick Church hath erred but I require you to proue the Church of Rome the Catholick Church Curtop Ireneus who was within a hundred yeares after Christ came to Victor Bishop of Rome to aske his aduice about excommunication of certaine hereticks which he would not haue done if hee had not taken him to bee supreme head and Couentry bad him marke this Argument Phil. This fact of Ireneus proueth no more for the supremacie then mine hath done for I haue béen at Rome as well as he and could haue spoken with the Pope and if I would yet would there were none in England fauoured his supremacie more then I And it is not like that Ireneus or the primatiue church so take him for I can shew 7. generall Councels after Ireneus time wherin he was neuer so taken in many hundred yâ—eres after Christ These be the Councels the Nicentine Ephesine the first second Calcedone Constantinopolitane Carthagenense Auilence Couen Wherefore will you not admit the Church of Rome to be the Catholick Church Phil. Because it followeth not nor agréeth with the Primitiue Church no more then an Apple is like a Nut it were too long to name all the disagréements I will name but two The Supremacie and Transubstantiation Curtop Although transubstantiation were decréed for an Article of the Faith not aboue 300. yeares yet it was alwaies beléeued Boner said that was well said Phil. It is true it was but lately planted by the Bishop of Rome and you cannot shew any ancient writer that the primitiue Church did beleeue any such thing with that Master Curtop shrunke away Couen Can you disproue the Church of Rome not to be the Catholick Church Phil. Yes that I can but I desire rather to heare you proue it First it doth not agree with the Primitiue Church neither in Doctrine nor in the vse of Sacraments And as you describe Catholick to be vniuersall the Church of Rome was neuer vniuersall For the world being diuided into three parts Asia Africa Europe Two parts Asia and Africa professing Christ as well as wee did neuer consent to the Church of Rome and the most part of Europe doth not agrée nor allow the Church of Rome As Germany Denmarke the Kingdome of Pole a great part of France England and Zeland which is a manifest probation that your Church is not vniuerfall Doctor Sauer I am sory to sée you commune with so many learned men and are no more conformable vnto them then you be Phil. I will be conformable vnto them that be conformable to Christ his word I pray Master Doctor be not so conformable to please men more then God contrarie to your learning for worldly estimation you are led away from the truth for promotion sake as many Doctors be now adaies Sauer Saint Cyprian an ancient Writer doth allow the Bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the Church Phil. I am sure he doth not for he writing to Cornelius Bishop of Rome called him his companion and fellow Bishop and calleth him not Pope nor any other vsurped termes which are now ascribed vnto the Bishop of Rome Then they brought forth Cyprian and turned vnto the third Epistle where hee saith it goeth not well with the Church when the High Priest is not obayed which supplieth the steed of Christ after Gods word and the consent of the Bishops and the agreement of the people Sauer How can you auoid this place which maketh so plaine for the Bishop of Rome his Supremacie Phil. It maketh not so plaine First heare you may see that he calleth Cornelius his fellow Bishop as he doth also in other places you do misconstrue that same to make the high Priest onely for the Bishop of Rome and otherwise then it was in his time for there were by the Nicenâ— Councell foure Patriaches appointed The Patriarke of Ierusalem and the Patriarke of Constantinople The Patriarke of Alexandria and the Patriarke of Rome of which foure the Patriarch of Rome was lowest placed in the Councell and so continued many yeares for the time of seuen or eight generall Conncels Therefore Cyprian writeth vnto Cornelius Patriarck of Rome because certaine hereticks as the Nâ—uatians which were excommunicated by him went from his Dioces to the Patriarcks of Rome or of Constantinople and there were receiued in the Communion of there congregation in derogation of good discipline and maintaining of schismes in that obedience is not giuen vnto the Priest of GOD being in Christs steede not meaning the Patriarck of Rome onely but euery Patriarck in his precinet who had euery one of them a Cathedrall Church of learned Priests in hearing of whom by a Conuocation of all his fellow Bishops with the consent of the people all heresies were determined by the Word of GOD and this is the meaning of Cyprian Sauer I wonder you will stand so stedfast in your errour to your owne destruction Phil. I am sure we are in no errour by the promise of Christ to the faithfull that he will giue them such a spirit of wisedome that
it to his betters yet he went to Maister Philpot at ten of the clocke and tooke off his Irons and gaue his man that which he tooke from him He gaue God thanks when newes came he should be burned the next day when the Sheriffe called him to goâ— to execution he came downe most ioyfullie when he came to Smithfield the way was soule so two of the Officers tooke him vp and carried him vnto the stake Then he said merrily what will you make me a Pope then he kissed the stake and said Shall I disdain to suffer at this stake séeing my Redéemer suffered vile death vpon the Crosse for me in the midst of the flames hee yéelded vp his soule vnto Almighty God and like a Lamb gaue vp his breath Thomas Whittle Priest Bartelet Greene Gentleman Iohn Tudson and Thomas Went Artificers Thomas Browne Isabell Foster wife Ioane Warren alias Lashford Maid THe Papists hauing this last years murdred the learned and princiâ—all members of Christs Church whereof there were now very few which either were not consumed with fire or compelled to flie their Countrey they continued this yeare likewise no lesse cruelty towards the inferior sort of people whereof these seuen were burned in Smithfield the 27. day of Ianuary at one fire and they were condemned all in one day vpon one manner of Articles the speciall points were for denying the Sacrament of the Altar and the Masse This Thomas Whittle was the Priest that Philpot maketh mention of where you may sée how he recanted and then became desperate and could not be at quiet in conscience vntill he had gotten to sée the Bill againe which he had subscribed and torne off his name wherefore Boner buffeted him and plucked off a peece of his beard but after he had torne it he was in great peace of conscience and stood out manfully for the faith and sealed to the truth with his martyrdome In an Epistle of his he calleth the Bishops and Priests the sworne Souldiours of Sathan the arch-enemies in whom so liuely appeare the very visage and shape of Sathan that a man may well affirme them to be Diuels incarnate as I by experience do speak wherefore who so shall for conscience matterscome into their hands had neede of the wilinesse of the Serpenâ—â—e saue his head and to take heed how hee consenteth to their wicked writings sore did they assault me and craftily tempt mee to their wicked wayes Bartlet Greene was borne in the Parish of Bassinghall in London being a Student in Oxford at the first he was an vtter enemy to the truth vntill God of his mercy opened his eyes by comming vnto the Lectures of Peter Martire Reader of the Uniuersity Lecture in the said Uniuersity wherof when he had once tasted it came vnto him as the Fountaine of liuing Water so that he neuer thirsted any more but had a Well springing vnto eternall life and though he were called by his Friends from the Uniuersity vnto the Temple in London to study the Common Lawes yet bee continued in his earnest study and profession of the Gospell He writing a Letter vnto one Goodman who was fledde beyond the Sea for Religion containing a report of certaine Articles of questions which were cast abroad in London and an answere to a Letter that Goodman wrote vnto him in which he required to haue the certainty whether the Quéene were dead as it was reported beyond-sea Whereupon Greene answered that she was not dead The bearer of this letter and many other letters from others was apprehended by the way and the letters brought to the Councell These words The Queene is not yet dead seemed heynous to some of the Councell yea they would haue made treason of them if they could by Law but when they could not make it treason they examined him vpon poynts of Religion and after they had long detained him in prison as well in the Lower as elsewhere they sent him at last to Bonner to be dealt withall according to the Ecclesiasticall Lawes And being presented to Bonner his Arch-deacon and diuers others sitting at the Table with him who demanded of him the cause of his imprisoning which when he had shewed him he asked him if he had not since written or spoken against the naturall presence in the Sacrament Then he desired to be charged according to the order of the Law to heare his accusers Then Doctor Chadsey was sent for who reported that before him M. Mosly and the Lieuetenant of the Tower hee spake against the reall presence and the Sacrifice of the Masse and affirmed our Church to be the Church of Antichrist which he confessed and said he would continue therein and maintaine it Then M. Welâ—h arose and desired to talke with mee alone and hauing taken mee into another Chamber he said he was sorry for my troubles and would be glad to see me at liberty and he maruailed that I being a yong man should stand against all the learned men of the Realme against the determination of the Catholique Church from Christs time I promise you quoth he I haue read all Peter Martyrs and Cranmers and all the rest of their Bookes and haue conferred them with the contrary as Roffensis and the Bishop of Winchester and the rest and could not perceiue but that there was one continuall truth which from the beginning had beene maintained and those that any time seuered from this vnity were answered and answered againe This was the summe of his talke which lacked neither wit nor eloquence I answered I am yong and lacke both wit and learning but God is not bound to time wit or knowledge but rather chuseth the weake things of the world to confound the strong neither can men appoint bounds to Gods mercy For he saith I will haue compassion on whom I will Hee hath no respect of persons whether old or yong rich or poore wise or foolish Fisher or Basket-maker God giueth knowledge of his truth through his free grace to whom he listeth Iames. 1. And I beleeue Christ hath his vniuersall Church his Spouse scattered through many Realmes where hee list the Spirit inspireth where it will he is no more adicted to any one place then to the person and quality of any one man of this Church I know I am a member trusting to bee saued by the faith that is taught therein But how this Church is knowne is the end of all Controuersies the true markes of this Church is the true preaching of his Word ministring of his Sacraments these markes were sealed by the Apostles and confirmed by the ancient Fathers vntill the wickednesse of Men and the Diuell these markes were sore worne and almost taken away but God hath â—enued the Print that his Church may bee knowne in many places I would all that were of contrary opinion would seeke the knowledge of the truth with prayer and teares as I haue done Now I am brought before a many of Bishops and
that he was commended by the Ambassadors to the king for his singular wisedome grauitie and learning that he wonne such great credit that he was alone sent Ambassador to the Emperour to debate this businesse but the Emperour refused to determine the matter but remitted the whole question to the Popes court after he was sent to Rome Ambassadour to the Pope where he behaued himselfe with â—o lesse diligence that he compelled the Popes chiefe diuines by arguments to grant the mariage to be against the law but yet by the dispensation of the Pope it might be made lawfull Warram Archbishop of Canterbury dying he was sent for by king Henrie and made Archbishop of Canterbury then came in the question of the Popes supremacy and all the weight of the businesse was chiefly laid vpon Cranmers shoulders he therefore alone receiued answered and confuted all the obiections of the Papists he proued that the Popes Lordship was not brought in by any authoritie of Scriptures but by ambitious tyranny and that the chiefest power on earth belonged to the Emperor to kings and Potentates to whom the Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests by Gods commandement were no lesse subiect then other men and therefore it were best by the consent of the king and other estates the ambitious Lordship of the Pope being driuen out of England should keepe it selfe within his owne Italy as a riuer is kept within his bankes which was performed by act of Parliament then by little and little he reformed the Church into a more wholesome discipline of Christ and laboured to banish the Popes errours heresies and corruptions and he obtained of the king that certaine learned men should make a booke of Ecclesiasticall institutions which was called the Bishops Booke then the abolishing of Monasteries began to be talked of the kings desire was that all the Abbey lands should come vnto his coffers the Archbishop and others would haue them imployed to other good vses whereby the king being bent against Cranmer especially by the instigation of Gardiner Bishop of Winchester which sought all occasions to hinder the Gospel he set forth the 6. Articles by full consent of Parliament which contained the summe of Popish religion What slaughter by the space of 8. yeares these Articles made is already declared but after he forgoing his anger with the Archbishop séeing he stood against him in conscience not in stubburnesse he began to fauour him and thought to haue taken away the 6. Articles and reformed other matters if he had liued but Cranmer and the Lord protector brought it to passe in king Edwards dayes his story how he was vsed in Quéene Maries reign is mentioned before and his disputations at Oxeford and how he was condemned there and left in prison vntill this time And because the sentence was voyde in law because it was giuen by persons excommunicated for they were not then absolued by the Pope nor his authoritie receiued in the realme therefore there was a new commission sent from the Pope for the conuiction of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley and the Bishop of Glocester was appointed the Popes delegate and after they had condemned Latimer and Ridley as before is said The said Legate and his company being set in Saint Maries Church apparelled in his Pontificalibus as if the Pope in person had bene there the Bishop of Canterbury was brought before them putting off his cappe he did obeysance to the king and quéenes proctors then looking in the Legats face he put on his bonnet againe making no obedience toward him wherefore the Bishop sayd vnto him that it might beséeme him well waying the authoritie which he did represent to doe his duety to him he answered hee had sworne neuer to admit the Pope into this Realme and therefore he would commit nothing by signe or token which might argue his consent to the reâ—eiuing of him and that he did it not to any contempt of his person Then the Legate made an eloquent oration to put him in remembrance that from a meane gentleman he was raised to bee a Princes Ambassadour and further to be Archbishop and Primate of the Realmealmost 30 yeares and sâ— farre in trust with the king that he made him president of his councel and after left him in speciall trust for the gouernement of the young Prince during his minoritie such blessing God had giuen him whilest he continued in the Catholicke faith He exhorted him on the other side to consider how he was now fallen from his dignities and officices and in high displeasure of the King and Quéene iudged to die for high treason and all these things to haue happened vnto him only because he had seuered himself from the Sea of Rome and was become a father of new deuised religion and although your estate is so miserable that the meanest in this assembly will not change his condition and calling with you yet further he was like to fall by the iust iudgement of God into hell and euerlasting damnation if he did not repent of his errours and schismes whilest he had time of repentance whereunto he exhorted him earnestly repeating many places of Christs mercies to them that repent and shewed that to returne to the Church was the oâ—ely way to saue both body and soule and I doubt not but the King and Quéene will perdon your condemnation of treason if you will returne vnto the Church and forsake your opinions which I desire you to do Then Cranmer desired license to speake which was gently granted him first he made protestation that hee did not answere to him as to a lawfull Iudge because he was deputed for the Pope but to giue a reason of his faith which God hath commanded him to doe to euery one that shall demand a reason thereof Then he said My Lord you haue learnedly put me in remembrance of many things touching my selfe which I will not answere I acknowledge Gods goodnesse vnto me and thanke him as heartily for this estate that now I am in as euer I did for the time of my prosperity shewing that his greatest griefe was to sée the Popes Iurisdiction restored to England againe Alas what hath the Pope to do in England whose lawes are so farre different from the Lawes of this realme that whosoeuer sweareth to both must néedes incurre periury in the one And I am heartily sorry to thinke that her grace the day before her Coronation tooke an oath to obserue the lawes of this realme and also tooke an oath to the Bishop of Rome promising to maintaine that Sea which was impossible but shee must néeds be forsworne in the one And as for the matter of Heresie wherewith you charge mee I call God to witnesse I know none which I maintaine but if it be heresie to deny the Popes authority and the religion which the sea of Rome hath published vnto the world these latter yeares then all the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church the Apostles and Christ himselfe
taught heresie And hee desired all them present to beare him witnesse that he tooke the Traditions and Religion of the Pope to bée most erronious false and against the doctrine of holy Scriptures which hee had often proued by preaching and writing and the Pope to bee very Antichrist so often preached by the Apostles and Prophets in whom most euidently doth concurre all the signes and tokens whereby hee was painted vnto the world to bee knowne by for hee aduanceth himselfe aboue all Emperours and Kings of the world whom he affirmeth to hold of him and to be at his commandement and the stories make mention of his intollerable pride and tyranny vsed to them as no King would haue done to his subiects nor a good maister to his seruants setting his féet vpon Emperours necks and making others to hold his stirrops and remoued others from their Empires hath not onely occupied the highest places in the world aboue Kings but hath presumed to fit in the seat of Almighty God which is the conscience of man to kéepe the possession thereof he hath promised forgiuenesse of sins he hath brought in Gods of his own framing and inuented a new religion full of lucre quite contrary to the Scriptures only for maintaining of his kingdome displacing Christ from his glory holding his people in miserable seruitude of blindnesse to the losse of a number of soules which God at the latter day shall exact at his hands boasting in his Canons decrées that he can dispense against Peter Paul the old Testament New that in his fulnesse of power he can do as much as God If any man can be aduanced aboue him let him be iudged Antichrist This enemy of God and our redemption is so euidently painted out in the Scriptuers with such manifest tokens which all sée clearely appeare in him that except a man will shut his eyes and heart against the light hee cannot but know him therefore I will neuer giue my consent to the receiuing of him into the Church of England and my Lord sand you that be here examine your own consciences you are sworne against him you are learned and can iudge the truth I pray God you be not wilfully blind I haue discharged my conscience to the world I will write my mind to her grace which letter you may sée in the book at large Storie and Martine diuers times interrupted him saying he spake blasphemy and would faine haue the Bishop put him to silence who notwithstanding suffered him to end his spéech Then they charged him that he was sworne vnto the Pope when he was made Archbishop but he denied it and said It appeareth that he did not by the record of the countrey which one of them confessed Many maruelled that in so perilous a time he had so sincerely proceeded choosing rather to venture the losse of his life and all his glorious pompe then to do any thing that might spill his conscience Then they obiected that he was married which he confessed Doctor Martine said his children were bond-men to the Sea of Canterbury At which he smiled saying If a benificed Priest had a Concubine and had bastards by her they are not bond-men to the benifice I trust you wil make my childrens cause no worse Then D. Martine demanded of him who was the supreme head of the Church he said Christ Martine said you made K. Henry supreme head of the Church He said of the people of England Ecclesiasticall Temporal and not of the Church for Christ is the onely head of the Church and of the Faith and Religion of the same The Articles of religion touching the Sacrament denying transubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Masse and the reall presence he affirmed as he taught in his Booke Then they cited him to appeare 80 daies after at Rome and then sent him to prison where thou maist sée their visored face of Iustice as though the Court of Rome would condemne no man before hee answered for himselfe but the same time the Pope sent letters executory vnto the King and Queene to disgrade and depriue him which was done before twenty dayes were done And though he were kept in prison at the end of the 80 dayes hee was decreed Contumax and thereupon condemned Upon S. Valentines day next after the Archbishop was disgraded and condemned by Bonner Thurlby Bishop of Ely who sometimes was Cranmers Chaplaine and preferred by him at which time Bonner which a long time had borne great malice towards him and reioyced greatly see this day wherein he might triumph ouer him at his pleasure made an Oration to the people in this sort This is the man who hath euer despised the Popes holinesse and now is to be iudged by him this is the man that hath pulled downe so many Churches and now is come to be iudged in a Church this is the man that contemned y â— blessed Sacrament of the Altar and now is come to be condemned before the said Sacrament hanging ouer the Altar this is the man that like Lucifer sate in the place of Christ vpon an Altar to iudge others and now is come before the Altar to bee iudged himselfe Thus he continued halfe an houre heaping vp a number of lies together beginning euery one with This is the man so lothsomly that he made euery man weary When they had disgraded him they stript him of his gowne put vpon him a poore yeoman Bedles gowne thrid-bare and as ill-fauouredly made as could be and a Townsmans cap vpon his head and so deliuered him to the secular power in this filthie gowne he was carried vnto prison The Queene Bishops hauing kept the Archbishop now almost three yeares in prison seeing by no means they could preuaile with him all this while to turn him from his religion they suborned certaine men which should by intreaty and faire promises or any other means allure him to recantation so the wily Papists flocked about him labouring to draw him from his former sentence to recantation especially Henry Sidall and Frier Iohn a Spaniard they shewed him how acceptable it would be to the Kings Queene and how gainfull it would be both bodily spiritually they added that the Councell Noble-men bare him good wil promising him both his life ancient dignity saying the matter was but small the setting of his hand to a few words but if hee refused there was no hope of pardon for the Queene was purposed that shee would haue Cranmer a Catholique or else no Cranmer at all By these and such like prouocations they at last wâ—nne him to subscribe It may bee supposed that it was for hope of life and better dayes to come But it appeareth by a Letter of his to a Lawyer that the most cause why hee desired his life to bee delayed was that hee might make an end of a Booke against Marcus Antonius a Papist which hee had begun but it is manifest
bread and that which you call heresie I trust to serue my Lord God in And touching the Romish Sea she said I forsake all his abominations and from them all good Lord deliuer vs they died more ioyfully in the fire then some that burned them did in their beds Iohn Harpole and Ioane Beach widdow THese two were burned at Rochester for their constant perseuering in Christs truth about the first of Aprill A blinde boy and another suffered martyrdome at Glocester one of them was the blinde boy which came vnto Bishop Hooper whom the said vertuous Bishop confirmed in the Lord and the doctrine of his word as is before mentioned whose examinations are not come vnto our hands Thomas Spicer Iohn Deny and William Pole THese were broâ—ght before Dunnings Chancellor of Norwich and Minges his Register the Chancellor perswaded what he could to bring them from the truth and being he could not preuaile he burst out in teares intreating them to turne againe vnto the holy mother Church As he was thus labouring them and seemed vnwilling to giue iudgement the Register said in what doe you make such ados they be at that point they will be therefore reade sentence and dispatch the knaues whereupon he condemned them with teares and the next day being the one and twentieth of May they were burned at Beckles by Sir Iohn Silliard high Sherife without any writ from my Lord Chancellor As the fire burned about them they praised God with such an audible voyce that it was wonderfull to all those that stood by One Robert Bacon and enemie to the truth willed the tormentors to throw on â—aggots to stop the knaues breaths but they confessed the truth and gaue their liues for the testimony thereof very gloriously and ioyfully Thomas Spicer was a labourer dwelling at Wenson in Suâ—â—olke The persecution of the townes of VVenson and Mendleson in Suffolke AT the commandement of Sir Iohn Silliard High Sherife and Sir Iohn Tyrrill Knights these whose names follow were persecuted out of the said towns From Wenson Alice Twayts two of her seruants Humfrey Smith and his wife William Kachpoole and his wife Iohn Mauling and his wife Nicholas Burlingham and his wife and one Rought and his wife From Mendleson Simon Harlstone and Katharine his wife with fiue children William Whiting and Katharine his wife Thomas Dobson and his wife Thomas Hubbard and his wife Iohn Poncon Thomas Woodward the elder one Rennolds wife and a poore widdow and one mother Semons maide besides those that were constrained against their consciences by the help of Iohn Brodish the Parish priest the points of religion that they held for which they were persecuted were these 1 They held the word of God to be sufficient doctrine vnto saluation 2 They denied the Popes authority said their Church was Antichrist and Christs aduersary they refused the abused Sacraments defied the masse and all Popish seruice and ceremonies saying they robbed God of his honour and Christ of his death and glorie and would not come to Church except it were to the defacing of that they did there 3 That Ministers of Gods Church might lawfully marry 4 That the Quéene was chiefe head and wicked Rulers were a great plagus of God sent for sinne 5 They denied mans frée-will and the Popes Church did erre and many other in that point with them rebuking their false confidence to be iustified by works and mans righteousnesse when they were rebuked for talking so freely they would answere they acknowledge confesse and beleeue and therefore they must speake they acknowledged that tribulations were Gods prouidences and that his iudgements were right to punish them and others for their sinnes and that their troubles were of his faithfulnesse and mercy and that one haire of their heads should not perish before the time but all things should worke to the best to them that loue God and that Christ was their only life and righteousnesse and that only by faith in him and for his sake all good things were freely giuen them as also forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting Many of these persecuted were of great substance and had possessions of their owne William Slech died the thirtieth of May 1556. being imprisoned for the doctrine of the Gospell and the profession of the truth in the Kings bench and was buried in the back-side of the same prison because the Papists thought him not worthy to be laide in their Pope-holy Churchyards Thomas Harland MillWright Iohn Osward Thomas Reed and Thomas Auington T They were long prisoners in the Kings Bench for the confession of the truth and were burned together at one fire the sixt of Iune in Lewes in South-sex Thomas Wood Minister and Thomas Miles were burned likewise at Lewes in South-sex the twentieth of Iune for resisting the erroneous and hereticall doctrine of the papisticall and falâ—â—y pretended Catholiks William Adherall Minister and Iohn Clement-Wheele-wright THese died in the Kings Bench the three and twentieth of Iune and were buried in the backside being imprisoned for the profession of the truth A Merchants seruant the next day was burned at Leicester for the like godlines by the cruell persecution of the Papists About this time there were thirtéene burned in one fire at Stratford the Bow by London eleuen of them being men and two of them women whose dwellings were in sundry places in 〈◊〉 and whose names fâ—llow Henry Adlington Lawrence Parman Henry Wye William Hallywell Thomas Bowier George Searle Edmond Hurst Lion Cawch Ralph Iackson Iohn Perifall Iohn Roth Elizabeth Peper and Agnes George Their points of Religion doth better appeare by a Certificate vnder all their hands which I haue here inserted then by their examination which followeth Be it knowne vnto all to whom this our Certificate shall be feene that whereas vpon Saturday the thirteenth of Iune sixteene of vs were condemned to dye by the Bishop of London for the sincere truth of Christs verity which truth hath bin continually defaced from the beginning by the wicked aduersaries as it is slandered now by the Diuell and his Imps which constraineth vs to manifest our beleefe and the articles wherefore we were condemned for auoyding the slanders that might happen by occasion of the flanderous Sermon lately preached at Pauls Crosse by Doctor Fecknam Deane of Paules where he defamed vs to be of sixteene sundry opinions 1 We beleeue by Baptisme we were made members of Christs Church and although wee erred for a time yet the roote of Faith was preserued in vs by the Holy Ghost which maketh vs certaine of the same and we doe and will persist by Gods assistance vnto the end And though the Minister were of the malignant Church yet he did not hurt vs because he baptized vs in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost there was the word and the element Godfathers and Godmothers renouncing for vs the Diuell and all his workes and confessing the Articles of the
Christian Faith 2 There are but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper in these are contained the two Testaments the effect of the Law is Repentance and the effect of the Gospell is remission of sinnes 3 There is a visible Church wherein the word of God is preached and the Sacraments truely ministred Uisible to the wicked world although it bee not credited and by death of Saints confirmed as in the time of Elias as well as now 4 The Sea of Rome is the Sea of Antichrist The Congregation of the wicked whereof the Pope is head vnder the Diuell 5 God is neither spiritually nor corporally in the Sacrament of the Altar and there is no other substance but bread and Wine 2 The Masse is not onely a prophanation of the Lords Supper but a most blasphemous Idoll We affirmed to beleeue all that the Bishop or any could proue by Scriptures but he said he would not stand to proue it with hereticks but said they themselues were the holy Church and that we ought to beleeue them or else to be cut off like withered branches When they were brought to Stratford the Bow they were deuided into two parts and put into two chambers then the Sherife came to the one part and tolde them that the other had recanted and were saued and exhorted them to doe the like and not cast away themselues they answered their faith was not builded on man but Christ crucified When he could doe no good with them he went to the other place and told them their Fellowes had recanted and were saued and counselled them to doe the like and not willingly to kill themselues vnto whom they answered as their fellowes had done When he saw he could not preuaile he lead them to the fire they ioyfully kissed the stake the eleauen men were tyed to foure stakes and the two Women loose in the middest and so they were burned all in one fire with such loue one to another and constancy in our Sauiour Christ that it was wonderfull Thomas Free-man William Stannard and William Adames THese were also condemned to dye with the other at the same time and béeing in the hands of the secular power Cardinall Poole sent his dispensation for their liues and by that meanes they were kept from martâ—rdome The fourteenth of Iune Iohn Colstoke of Wellington in Liechfield Dioces for holding against the real presence and auricular confession was compelled to recant and to beare a faggot before the Crosse bare-headed hauing in one hand a Taper and in the other a paire of Beads The seuentéenth of Iune Thomas Barnes and Ellice Birth were accused that one wished to the other in the beginning of Queene Maries raigne his dagger in the belly of him that sung to the Organs â—he denied not but he spake these words and that he then thought the masse abominable and though he submitted himselfe hee was condemned to beare a faggot with beads and his taper before the crosse The seuen and twentieth of Iune Thomas Paret Martin Hunt and Iohn Norrice died in the Kings Bench and were buried in the back-side they were imprisoned for the profession of the truth Robert Bernard Adam Foster and Robert Lawson THe 30. of Iune Hopton B of Norwich called Robert Bernard Heretick because he said he would neuer be confessed of a Priest he answered it gréeueth me not to be called hereticke at your hand for so your forefathers called the Prophets and Confessors long agoe then the B â—ad him follow him and went and knéeled before the Sacrament of the Altar and as he was at his prayers he looked back and asked Barnard why he did not as he did He answered I cannot tell why you should doe so the Bishop asked him whom sée you yonder pointing to the Pixe hanging ouer the Altar Do you not see your maker there He said No I see nothing but a few cloaths hang together in a heape then the Bishop commaunded him to the Iayle and â—ad put Irons enough vpon him After one of the Guard had him to a Tauerne where many Priests were when they could not perswade him they threatned hâ—m with whipping and stocking and when they could peruert him by no meanes then they carried him to the Bishop who immediatly condemned him Hee was a labourer dwelling in Fâ—anâ—den in Suffolke Adam Foster was a Husbandman dwelling in Mendlesam in Suffollke Hee was apprehended by Thomas Mouse and George Reuet Constables at the commandâ—ment of Sir Iohn Terill because he would not heare Masse He was cast into Aye dungeon from whence he was sent to Norwich and condemned by the aforesaid Bishop Mouse presently after fell sicke and pined away to death the â—ther came to the like end not long after Robert Lawson a Linnen Weauer was likewise apprehended at the commandement of Sir Iohn Terill and sent to Aye Dungeon because hee would not come to Church nor receiue their Popish Idoll When they were carried to their deathes they most triumphantly ended their liues in the fixe Iohn Careles of Couentry Weauer ABout this time he died in the Kings Bench hauing beene long imprisoned there hee was examined before Doctor Martine one of the Masters of the Chancerie a iolly stirrer in those matters in which examination I finde no matters of religion but that he answereth a popish opinion of election that wee are elected in respect of our good workes and so long elected as we doe them and no longer but he beleeued that God of his infinite goodnesse through Iesus Christ did elect and appoint in him before the foundation of the earth was laid a Church or Congregation which he doth continually guide and gouerne by his grace and holy spirit so that not one of them shall euer finally perish and that God hath eâ—ernally predestinated me to eternall life in Iesus Christ. I am most certaine and likewise sure that his holy spirit wherewith I am sealed will so preserue me from all heresies and euill opinions that I shall die in none at all I doe beleeue that Christ did effectually die for al those that repent and beleeue for none other At his first comming into prison his conscience was ouer much oppressed with the consideration of his sinnes vntill he had a comfortable letter of Philpot concerning the mercie of Christ to them that repent and although a sorrowfull spirit be a sacrifice acceptable to God and the earnest pennie of election yet the end of it must be comfort and ioy of the holy Ghost in assurance of the remission of sinnes therfore he â—iddeth him be carelesse according to his name in assurance of the remission of sinnes in Christ. Wherefore Carles thanketh God heartily and confesseth that Philpots sweete exhortations had brought much glad tidings vnto his tyred soule and that it was greatly refreshed with the sweet sauor of his precious Nard I will now according to your louing request cast away all care reioice with you and pray God for you
day night for now my foule is turned vnto her old rest again hath taken a swéet naâ— in Christs lap I haue cast my care vpon the Lord which will care for mee and will be careles according vnto my name as soon as I had read your comfortable Letter my sorrowes vanished away as smoke in the wind I am sure the spirit of God was aâ—thor of it Good M. Philpot thou art a principal Pot indéed filled with most precious liquor Oh pot most happy of the high Potter ordained to honour which doest containe such heauenly treasure in the earthen vessell Oh pot most happy in whom Christ hath turned water into wine and that of the best whereof the Master of the Feast hath fiâ—led my cup so full that it hath made mee drunken in the ioy of the spirit When martyrdome shall breake thee oh vessell of honour the fragrant sauour of the precious ointments will much reioyce the heaâ—y hearts of Christs true members Iohn Gwinne Askin Iulines Palmer THe 16. of Iuly these thrée godly and constant martyrs were burned at Newbery in Barkshire Iulines Palmer had been student in Magdalen Colledge in Oxford and was Schoolemaister of Redding all King Edwards daies hee was an obstinate Papist abhorring all godly prayer and sincere preaching and was abhorred and put out of the Colledge for the same yet after in Quéene Maries time suffered a most cruel death at the Papists hands He was born in Couentry his father had sometimes béene Mayor of the Citty When Quéene Mary came to her raign he was receiued into the fellowship of the Colledge again but his mind was â—o far altered that hee would not come to prayers for feare of suspition but when he should kéepe his bowing measures at the Confiteor in turning vpward downeward and knocke his breast with Idolatrous adoration at the lifting vp of the Sacrament his heart rose against it that hee would get him out of the Church wherefore he left the Colledge and became Schoolemaister in Redding and béeing vexed with the consideration of the cruelty that was then shewed to the Christians he made a testimony of his Faith and deliuered it to Doctor Geffery in his visitation who reading the same put him in Prison and within a fortnight after burned him as before where he yéelded vp as ioyfull a Soule to God as euer any did Katherine Cauches mother and Paratine and Guillimiue her Daughters THE said Katherine was a Widdow they were of the Isle of Garnesey the 10. of Iuly they were there burned for herâ—ticks for professing the truth Paratiue being great with childe and ready to bee brought a bed the wombe of the said Paratine being buâ—ned there issued from her a goodly man Child which by the officer was taken vp and after most spitefull manner throwne into the fire and most cruelly burned with her seely mother The cause was thiâ— a woman had stollen a cup and pawned it to this Katherine for six pence she perceiuing whose cup it was thought to haue carried it home In the meane time the owner of the cup missed it and charged ber with it that stole it who confessed it and brought the owner of the cup to the Widdow who deliuered him the Cup shortly after the Bayliffâ—s hearing thereof searched her house they finding one Platter which had no marke and another that had the mark scraped out Whereupon they brought her and her two Daughters to the Iustices who committed them vnto prison and the Bayliffs seized vpon all their goods and when they could proue nothing against them the Bayliffs accused them of heresie and caused them to be committed againe and the Bayliffs wrote to Iaques Amy Deane of the I le aforesaid to desire him to proceed against them in the cause of heresie whereupon the said Deane assisted by the Curats there did make an inquirie of the said widdow and her daughters and condemned them for hereticks the widdow and her daughters neuer hearing therof and deliuered it to the Bayliffs and Iurats whereupon when the Bayliffs did know that the said Deane and Curats had not examined the woman they would not sit in iudgement that day but ordained that the women should first be examined of their Faith before the Deane and Curats wherefore the women were presented before the said Deane and Curats who answered that they would obeâ— the Ordinances of the King and Queene and the commandements of the Church notwithstanding they were condemned and thereupon burned and the Bayliffs had all their goods as before but in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the Gernâ—â—y men and one Matthew Cauches brother to â—he said two Sisters presented a supplication to the Quéenes Commissioners touching that matter who sitting vpon the cause found the matter probable and commitâ—ed the Deane to prison and dispossessed him of all his liuings and possessions Thomas Dungate Iohn Forman Mother Tree THe 18 of Iuly these gaue themselues to the fire for righteousnes sake patiently abiding what the rage of man could say or doe against them they were burned at Grinsted in Sussex Ioane Wast was of the Parish of Alhallowes in Darby shee was condemned by Radulph Bane Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield his Chancellor and others for that she did hold the Sacrament of the Popish Altar to be but a representation of Christs body and materiall bread and wine and not his naturall body vnlesse it were receiued and that it ought not to be reserued from time to time ouer the Altar but immediatly to be receiued She was burned at the aforesaid Darby when she suffered she made her prayer to the Lord Iesâ—s to assist and strengthen her and being bound to the stake with flames about her she suffered with ioy and triumph as though she had rather béene going to a banket then to yéeld vp her life Edward Sharp was an aged man borne in Wilshire he was condemned the 8. of September where hee constantly and manfully persisted in the iust quarrell of Christs Gospell for misliking renouncing the ordinances of the Romish Church He was tryed as pure gold and made a liuely sacrifice in the fire Iohn Hart Tho Rauensdale and two whose names we haue not the one a Shomaker the other a Coriar THese foure were burned at Mayfield in Sussex the 24. of September being at the place where they should suffer after they had made their Prayer they constantly and ioyfully ended their liues for the testimony of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ. The next day a yong man a Carpenter whose name we know not was burned for the Testimony of Christ at Bristow he died with much ioy constancy and triumph Thomas Horne and a woman THe 25. of September thâ—se two godly Martirs were consumed by the fire at Watton Underhedge in Glocestershire who died very gloriously in a constant Faith to the terror of the wicked and comfort of the godly A Shoemaker was a true Witnesse and Disciple of the
by entring into any priuate Religion 10 That those that haue instituted priuate Religions or haue indâ—wed them with possessions or the begging Fryers that haue no possessions haue grieuously offended 11 That those of Priuate Religions are not of the Christian Religion 12 That Fryers are bound to get their liuings by labour and not by begging 13 That he is accursed that giueth Almes to begging Fryers When these Articles were condemned it was commanded that the condemnation should bee published through the whole vniuersitie the Chancellor hindred as much as hee could and when there must needs be Sermons made he committed the preaching to the fauourers of Wickliffe of which Repington was one who said in his Sermon hee that commends the Pope or Bishops aboue Temporall Lords doe against the Scripture and that Maister Wickliffe was a true Catholick Doctor that hee taught no otherwise of the Sacrament of the Altar then according to the intent of the Uniuersall Church his opinion therof most true and concluded he would kéep silence touching the Sacrament vntill God had better â—nlightned the Clergy The Archbishop hearing hereof sent for the Commissary and the Proctors of the Uniuersitie and one Maister Brightwell and accused them as fauourers of Wickliffe and forced them to confesse his Articles hereticall and erroneous the Commissarie fell on his knees and desired pardon which was granted vpon condition he should make inquirie and put to silence all that he found fauouring Wickliffe Harford Repington Ashton and Bedman and that hee should publish in the head Church of the Uniuersitie the condemnation of Wickliffes conclusâ—ons and that hee should put all his adherents he found to purgation or cause them to abiure he answered he durst not doe it for death what said the Bishop is Oxford a nestler of heresies that the Catholick truth cannot be published Oxford was the first Uniuersitie that maintained the truth that is now spread farrâ— and néere the next day the Bishop shewed the matter to the Kings Councell who sent commandement with all diligence to execute the Arch-bishops iniunction One Henry Crompe a Cistertian Monke which after was accused of Heresie now was suspended by the said Commissarie for calling the Heretickes Lolards he complained to the Archbishop who sent for the Commissarie and Proctors in the Kings and Councels name where he receiued a new commandement to punish the Wickliffes then Philip Repington and Nickolas Harford beeing priuily warned by the Uice-chancellor they fled to the Duke of Lancaster but they were apprehended and sent by him to the Archbishop Wickliffe was exiled and after returned againe to his parish of Lutterworth where he died the prouidence of God is to be noted in this man and many other whom the Lord prâ—serued in such rages of enemies from all their hands vntilll his old age whom the Lord will keepe nothing can hurt All his bookes were condemned and forbidden to be read by the Councell of Constance and by the Dâ—crée thereof forty yéeres after his death by the commandement of the Bishop his bones were digged vp and burned the ashes powred into the Riuer he had written diuers works which in the yéere 1410. were burned at Oxford the Abbot of Shrewsbury being Commissary sent to ouersée the matter his bookes were likewise burned in Boheme by the Archb of Prage he burned 200. of his books richly adorned with bosses of Gold and rich couerings In the yeare 1384. he wrot an Epistle to Pope Vrban the sixt that the Gospell of Christ was the whole body of the Law and that Christ was very God and very man and that the Pope Christs Uicar was bound most of all other vnto the Gospel for the greatnes of Christs Disciples consisteth not in worldly honour but in néere â—ollowing the life and manners of Christ Christ was a most poore man casting off all worldly rule and honour therefore none ought to follow the Pope nor other holy man but as they follow Christ for Peter and the sonnes of Zebedy in desiring worldly honours offended and therein they are not to be followed therefore the pope ought to leaue his temporall dominion to the seculer power and therevnto exhort his whole Clergy There was none so great enemies to him as the Clergy yet he had many good frends both of the meaner sort the Nobility amongst whom these men are numbred Iohn Clenton Lewis Clifford Richard Sturius Thomas Latimer William Neuil Iohn Mountegew who plucked downe all the Images in his Church the Earle of Salesbury when hee died refused the Sacrament of the Altar and confession and one Iohn of Northampton Mayor of London who vsed such seuere punishment against the fornicators and adulterers that they were ashamed of their offences others afeard to offend the Lord Cobham who confessed he neuer hated sinne with his heart before he was instructed by Wickliffe all these were Noble men and there was no want of the meaner sort of such as did with all their diligence defend his Doctrine especially Oxford men who were most shamefully forced to recantation and most cruelly iudged to the fire One Iohn Ashton Maister of Arte beeing examined confessed that the bread by the sacramentall words was the very same body of Christ in number which was borne of the Uâ—rgin Mary yet because hee did not answere simply according to the tradition of Rome as touching the subiect and accident of transmuting the substance of the bread he was committed to the secular powers and cast into prison where he died many other notable Clarkes some were burned some died in prison but all were afflicted as William Swinderby Iohn Puruey Henry Crompe Richard White William Thorpe Raynold Peacock Bishop of Saint Asaph and after of Chichester Lawrence Redman Dauid Sawtry Iohn Ashwarbie Uicar of S. Maries in Oxford William Iames Thomas Brightwell VVilliam Hawlam Raffe Greâ—hurst Iohn Scut Philip Noris which being excommunicated by the Pope appealed to a generall councell Peter Paine who flying from Oxford into Bohemia stoutly contended against the Sophisters about both â—indes of the Sacrament and was one of the fourteene that was sent to the Councell of Basil and disputed three daies touching the Ciuill Dominion of the Clergy Also the Lord Cobham thus much touching the adherents of Wickliffe The Uice-chancellor of Oxford with the whole congregation of the Maisters made a publike testimonie of the learning and good life of Iohn Wickliffe that his conditions throughout his whole life were sincere and commendable whose honest manners and conditions profoundnes of learning and most redolâ—nt renowne and fame we desire the more earnestly to be notified to all the faithfull for that wee vnderstand his maturitie and ripenes of conuersation his diligent labours to tend to the praise of God the help and safegard of others and the profit of the Church there was neuer note or spot of suspition raised of him in answering reading preaching and determining he behaued himselfe laudably and as a stout