regem me esse grata tuta Nam omnia vt paucis absoluam in tuo ingenio fide reposuimus Nihil super est aliud scribenduÌ„ nisi quod supplex orem vt omnes actiones tuas secundet Deus opt maximusque ex corde vale Ex edibus meis Westmonest vij Febr. Tuae salutis amplitudinis cupidissimus T. Ebor. After this letter of the Cardinall Steuen Gardiner the Cardinalls trusty factor consequently heere ensueth an other letter of the kynge to the foresayde Stephen Gardiner and other his Oratours at Rome conteining suche instructions and documentes as they shoulde practise with the Cardinalles of Rome in canuesynge for the sayde Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke to be elected Pope if Pope Clement were dead Or if he were not dead yet at least to instructe them what to doe when hee should die The contents of the letter albeit they include no great matter worthy our knowledge nor greatly necessary for our story yet for the ridiculous maner of the handling and the curious secretariship therof ful of glorious affectation I thought it not heere vnmeete for the studies and appetites of some to exemplify the same or at least to make the reader some pastime by the way in beholding the glorious stile of this vaine glorious Cardinal being sute like to his glorious life The copie of the letter bearing the name of the king but in deede sauouring altogether of the Cardinals deuise and swelling vaine doth thus procede in forme and stile as followeth ¶ Instructions sent by the kings highnesse to his trustie Counsailours and seruaunts Marke the 〈◊〉 you shall see that it is all one with the Cardinals former letter whiâ—ch he sayeth he wâ—â—te with his â—wne hand M. Stephen Gardiner Doctor of both lawes Syr Fraunces Bryan Syr Gregory de Cassalis Knights and M. Peter Vanne the kings Secretarie for the Italian toung his ambassadours in the Court of Rome for the election of the Cardinal of Yorke to the Papacie if Pope Clement were dead FIrst where as a good season since the depeache of M. Stephen Gardiner an Ambassiate towardes the Courte of Rome the kings highnes by sondry wayes hath bene aduertised of the death of our holy father the Pope Clement of that name the 7. whose soule Iesu pardon Instructions in the kinges name to his Legates at Rome by meane wherof the charge heretofore committed by his grace vnto his Orators to haue ben now executed with the sayd late Pope can not at his hands take effect his highnesse pondering and profoundly considering the present state of Christendom miserably and piteously afflicted wyth the intestine warres dissentions and discords reigning amongst the Princes of the same and how the dignity of the sea Apostolicke by such troble and persecution as hath bene inferred therunto these yeares passed is not a little diminished and empaired like to come to total ruine if by the helpe assistance of good and vertuous Princes The totall ruine of the Apostolicke Papacye God send it the ambition of those which studye the exterminion thereof be not in time repressed considering furthermore that as well to conduce rest and tranquillitie in Christendome as to restore repaire and reintegrate the state authoritye and reputation of the sayd sea Apostolicke nothing is more requisite necessary then that such a head and common father be now at this time of vacation of the dignitie Papal prouided and elected to succede in the same as both may can and will puruey to the restauration of the said Sea and that hath and may haue the assistance of such vertuous and puissant Princes as teÌ„der the defence maintenance and encrease of the dignitie aforesayde and that may meete with the inordinate ambition of the Emperour who nothing more studyeth then for his owne exaltation to suppresse the Church Sea Apostolicke remembring also the high importance of the kinges great and weighty cause of matrimony committed to the charge of his sayd Orators He meaneth them 〈◊〉 betwene kyng 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Katheâ—â—ne his brother Arthuâ— wyfe whâ—ther it wâ—â— lawfull 〈◊〉 and how manifolde dangers and irreparable damages depend vpon the tracte delay or disappoyntment thereof which by no way or meane can be conduced to the kings purpose and desire by the authority of the Church but onely by speciall assured and perfect fauour of the head of the same Churche his highnes also being as loth as any liuing Prince or person may be to recurre vnto other refuge succour or remedy in his sayde cause then to the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke if his grace may there finde the fauour and benignitie that to his merites towardes the same be correspondent of which fauour his highnesse shoulde be clearely depriued and frustrate in case the election of the future Pope should passe vpon any person of whom his grace were not perfectly assured his highnes for the respects and considerations before specified perceiuing his good brother and perpetuall alye the Frenche king in the sayde intention to be vnite knitte and in all actions and doings of importaunce assuredly combined vnto his grace proceeding together in one wil minde purpose and conformitie hath by good and mature deliberation studied deuised and excogitate with himselfe who were might be the most able meete and conuenient person hauing the qualities before specified to be aduaunced at this time vnto the sayde dignitie Papall And finally when his grace hath well reuolued with himselfe all the respects and considerations aforesayde noting also al things meete to be regarded in euery of the Cardinals of the Church of Rome both present now in the Court there and absent from the same it can not be found that there is any person sufficiently furnisâ—ed with the requisites before specified but only the most reuâ—rend father in God and his most trusty Counsellour the Lord Legate Cardinall Archbishop of Yorke Primate Chauncellour of this Realme Who being well knowen to haue as feruent zeale studie minde and desire to the vniuersall weale repose and tranquillitie of Christendome to the reintegration restauration of the dignity authority reputation See how this Prelate is all in his exaltation rightes of the Churche and sea Apostolicke to the surety weale and exaltation of the kings highnes the French king other their confederates and finally to the perfection of the kings sayde great and waightie cause whereupon dependeth the surety of his royall persone successioÌ„ Realme people dominions as any person liuing can or may haue that the sayd most reuereÌ„d father hath the fast assured fauor herein of the sayd FreÌ„ch king who of his owne mere motion hath frankly and liberally offred vnto hym all that by himself his frendes his power his agentes or otherwise hee may or can possible doe for his auancement to the sayd dignitie Papal is the person who for his singular vertue his entire deuotion to peace and restauration of
his acquaintance wyth M. Tindall Whereunto he sayde that he denied not but that foure yeares then past The purgatiâ—n and answere of Humfrey Mummuth to the artycles he had heard the said Tindal preach two or three sermons at S. Dunstons in the West and afterward meeting with the said Tindall had certaine communication with hym coÌ„cerning his liuing who then told him that he had none at all but trusted to be in the Bishop of London his seruice for then he laboured to be his chaplayne But being refused of the Bishop so came agayne to the sayd Mummuth this examinate and besought him to helpe hym Who the same tyme tooke hym into hys house for halfe a yeare Tindal refused of Byshop Stokesley to be his Chaplein where the said Tindall liued as he sayd like a good priest studieng both night day He would eat but soddeÌ„ meate by his good will nor drink but small single beere He was neuer seene in that house to weare lynnen about him al the space of his beyng there Whereupon the sayd Mummuth had the better liking of hym so that he promised him ten pound as he then sayd for his father and mothers soules The temperate conuersation of W. Tyndall and all Christen soules which money afterward he sent him ouer to Hamborow according to his promise And yet not to him alone he gaue this exhibition but to diuers other moe likewise which were no heretikes as to D. Royston the Bishop of Londons Chaplayne he exhibited fortie or fiftie pounds to D. Wodiall Prouinciall of the Frier Austens as much or more to D. Watson the Kings Chaplayne also to other scholars and diuers Priests besides other charges bestowed vpon Religious houses as vpon the Nunry of Dendey aboue fiftie poundes sterling bestowed c. And as touching his bookes as Enchiridion the Pater noster De libertate Christiana an Englishe Testamente of whome some W. Tindall left with him some he sent vnto hym some were brought into hys house by whome he could not tell these bookes he said did lye opeÌ„ in his house the space of two yeares together he suspecting no harme to be in them And moreouer the same bookes beyng desired of sondry persons as of the Abbesse of Denney a Frier of Grenewich the Father Confessour of Syon he let them haue them and yet he neuer heard Frier Priest or lay maÌ„ finde any fault with the sayd bookes Likewise to D. Watson to D. Stockehouse Maister Martin Parson of Totingbecke he committed the perusing of the bookes of Pater noster and De libertate Christiana which found no great fault in them but onely in the booke De libertate Christiana they sayd there were thynges somewhat hard except the Reader were wise Thus he excusing himselfe and moreouer coÌ„plainyng of y e losse of his credite by his imprisonment in the Tower and of the detrimentes of his occupying who was wont yearely to shyp ouer v. hundreth clothes to straungers set many Clothiars a worke in Suffolke and in other places of whoÌ„ he bought all their clothes which almost were now all vndone by this reason at length was set at libertie beyng forced to abiure and after was made Knight by the kyng and Shriffe of London Of this Humfrey Mummuth we read of a notable example of Christian patience A notable exaÌ„ple of Christian pacience in an Alderman M. George Stafford reader in Cambridge in the Sermons of M. Latimer which the sayd Latimer heard in Cambridge of M. George Stafford reader of the Diuinitie Lecture in that Uniuersitie Who expoundyng the place S. Paule to the Romaines that we shall ouercome our enemy with well doyng so heape whote coales vpon his head c. brought in an exaÌ„ple saying that he knew in London a great rich Marchaunt meanyng this Humfrey Mummuth which had a very poore neighbour yet for all his pouertie he loued him very well and lent him money at his neede and let him come to his table whensoeuer he would It was euen at that tyme when D. Colet was in trouble and should haue bene burnt if God had not turned the kyngs hart to the contrary Now the richman began to bee a Scripture man he began to smell the Gospell The poore man was a Papist still It chaunced on a tyme when the rich maÌ„ talked of the Gospell sittyng at his table where he reproued Popery and such kynde of thynges The poore man beyng there present tooke a great displeasure agaynst the rich man in somuch that hee would come no more to his house he would borow no more money of him as he was wont to doe before tymes yea and conceiued such hatred and malice agaynst him that he went and accused him before the Byshops Now the riche man not knowyng of any such displeasure offered many tymes to talke with him and to set him at quyet It would not be Ex concione Doct. Hugo Latimeri The poore man had such a stomacke that hee would not vouchsafe to speake with him If he mete the rich man in the streate he would goe out of his way One tyme it happened that hee mete him so in a narrow streate that he could not auoyde but come neare him yet for all that this poore man I say had such a stomacke agaynst the riche man that he was mynded to goe foreward and not to speake with hym The riche man perceiuyng that caught hym by the hand and asked him saying Neighbour Agree with thine enemie while thou art in the way with him Math. 5. what is come into your hart to take such displeasure with me What haue I done agaynst you tell me and I will be ready at all tymes to make you amendes Finally he spake so gently so charitably so louyngly and frendly that it wrought so in the poore mans hart that by and by he fell downe vppon his knees and asked him forgeuenesse The riche man forgaue him and so tooke him agayne to his fauour and they loued as well as euer they dyd afore ¶ The history of Thomas Hitten Persecuters Martyrs The Causes Wil. Warham Archbyshop of Canterbury Fisher Byshop of Rochester Thomas Hytten At Maydstone An. 1530. TOuchyng the memoriall of Thomas Hytten remayneth nothyng in writtyng Tho. Hitten Martyr but onely his name saue that William Tyndall in his Apologie agaynste More and also in another booke entituled The Practise of Prelates doth once or twise make meÌ„tion of him by way of digression He was sayth he a Preacher at Maydstone whom the Byshoppe of Canterbury William WarhaÌ„ and Fisher Byshoppe of Rochester after they had longe kepte and tormented him in prison with sundry torments and that notwithstanding he continued constant at the last they burned him at Maydstone for the constant and manifest testimonie of Iesu Christ and of his free grace and saluation In the yeare of our Lord 1530. ¶ The burnyng of Thomas Hytten Persecuters Martyrs The Causes
it may be to the health and saluation of thy soule and to the extirpation feare terrour and conuersion of al other heretickes vnto the vnitie of the Catholike faith This our finall decree by this our sentence definitiue we haue caused to be published in forme aforesaid Monday the xx of Nouember 1531. In the Queere of the Cathedrall Church of S. Paul before the saide Iohn Byshop of London iudicially sitting Anno. 1531. being assisted with Iohn Abbot of Westminster and Robert Abbot of Waltham Nicholas Prior of Christes Church in London these honorable Lordes being also present Henry Earle of Essex Richard Gray brother of the Marques of Somerset Iohn Lambert Maior of London Richard Gresham and Edward Altam Shrieffes the which Maior and Shriues were required to be there present by the Byshop of Londons letters hereafter written Of this statute read before and by vertue of a statute of king Henry the fourth king of Englande also in the presence of diuers Chanons the Chauncellour Officiall and Archdeacon of London with the Byshops Chaplaines and a great number both of the Clergie and Laitie Mathew Grefton the Register beyng also there present M. Rich. Bayfild aliâs Somersam was brought forth by Thomas Turnor the Aparator hys keeper M. Rich. Bayfild agayne brought before the â—yshop in whose presence the transumpt of the Apostolicke Bull of Pope Leo the x. vpon the condemnation of Martine Luther and his adherentes was brought foorth and shewed sealed with the seale of Thomas Wolsey late Legate de Latere and subscribed with the signe and name of M. Robert Tunnes publike Notary and also the decree vpon the condemnation of certain bookes brought in by him sealed with the seale of the Archbyshop of Canterbury and subscribed by three Notaries Then the Byshop of London repeated in effecte before him his abiuration which he had before made and other hys demerites committed and done beside his abiuration and the sayde Baifield saide that he was not culpable in the articles that were obiected against hym and desired that the heresies contained in the bookes whiche he brought ouer might be declared in open audience Then the Byshop after certeine talke had with the saide Bayfield as touching the desert of his cause asked hym whether he could shewe any cause why he should not be deliuered ouer vnto the seculer power and be pronounced as a relaps and suffer punishment as a relaps The sayd Baifield declared or propouÌ„ded no cause but said y t he brought ouer those bookes for lacke of money and not to sowe any heresies And incontinent the sayd Bayfield with a vehement spirite as it appeared sayde vnto the Byshop of Lond. the life of you of the spiritualtie is so euill that yee be heretickes and ye doe not onely liue euill The saying of Rich. Bayfilde to the Byshop of London but doe maintaine euill liuing and also do let that what true lyuing is may not be knowen saide that their liuing is agaynst Christes Gospell and that their beliefe was neuer taken of Christes Church Then the sayde Byshop after long deliberation had for so much as the sayd Rich. Bayfield he sayd could shew no cause why he should not be declared as relaps he read the decree and sentence against him by the which amongest other thinges he condemned him as an heretike and pronounced him to be punished with the punishment due vnto such as fall againe into heresie and by his wordes did disgrade him Sentence against Rich. Bayfilde and also declared that hee shoulde be actually disgraded as is more at large conteined in the long sentence The foresayd sentence being so read by the Byshop of London he proceeded immediatly to the actual solemne disgradyng of the sayd Richard Bayfild aliâs Somersam and there solemnely and actually disgraded him before the people the which thing being done he dismissed him by the sentence aforesayd from the Ecclesiasticall Court Wherupon the secular power being there present receiued him vnto their iurisdiction without any writte in that behalfe obtained but only by vertue of the Byshops letters by the statute of kyng Henry the .4 in that behalfe prouided and directed vnto them vnder the Bishops seale The tenour oâ— which letters here after folow * The Letters of requirie directed to the Maior and Shiriffes of the Citie of London that they should be present that day when the sentence should be giuen to receiue the heretike as they called him that was condemned IHon by the permission of God Byshop of London vnto our dearely beloued in Christ The letterâ— of â—â—quiry to the 〈◊〉 and Shiriffes of London the right honourable Lord Maior of the Citie of London and the Shiriffes of the same health grace and benediction Whereas we haue already by our Vicar general proceeded in a certaine cause of heresie and relaps into the same against one Richayd Bayfilde alias Somersam and intende vpon Monday next beeing the xx day of this present moneth of Nouember to giue a sentence definitiue against the saide Richard Bayfild alias Somersam and to leaue and deliuer him ouer vnto the secular power We require you the Lord Maior and Shiriffes aforesaid the Kinges Maiesties Vicegerentes euen in the bowels of Iesu Christ that according to the forme and effect of the statute of our most noble and famous prince in Christ our Lord the Lord Henry the fourth by the grace of God late King of England that you will be personally present in the Queere of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paule with your fauourable ayde and assistance in this behalfe the day that the sentence shall be giuen and to receiue the said Richard Bayfild aliâs Somersam after his sentence so giuen to discharge vs and our Officers and to doe further according to the tenour and effect of the saide statute as farre as shal be required of you according to the Canonical Sanctions and the laudable custome of the famous kingdome of England in this behalfe accustomed In witnesse whereof wee haue set our seale vnto this present Dated the 19 day of Nouember An. 1531. and in the first yeare of our consecration On Monday the xx day of Nouember in the yeare aforesaid in the Queere of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paule the byshop of London calling vnto him Iohn Abbot of Westminster Robert Abbot of Waltam Nicholas Prior of Christes Church of the Citie of London maister Iohn Coxe Auditor and Uicare generall to the Archebyshop of Canterbury Peter Ligham Official of the Court of Caunterbury Thomas Baghe Chauncellour of the Church of S. Paules William Clief Archdeacon of London Iohn Incent Chanon residentary of the same William Brytton Robert Birch and Hugh Aprice Doctours of both lawes in the presence of vs Mathew Grefton Register Antony Hussy Richard Martin and Thomas Shadwall publicke Notaries and Scribes appoynted in this behalfe briefly rehearsed the aunsweres of the same Bayfild in effect and his abiuration other
of your power and that from hencefoorth ye shall accept repute and take the Kings Maiestie to be the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England and that to your cunning witte and vttermost of your power without guile fraude or other vndue meane ye shall obserue keepe mainteine and defend the whole effects and contents of all and singular Actes and Statutes made and to be made within this Realme in derogation extirpation and extinguishment of the Byshop of Rome and his authoritie and all other Actes and Statutes made and to be made in reformation and corroboration of the Kings power of supreme head in earth of the Church of England and this ye shall do agaynst all maner of persons of what estate dignitie degree or condition they be and in no wise do nor attempt nor to your power suffer to be done or attempted directly or indirectly any thing or things priuely or apertly to the let hinderance dammage or derogation thereof or of any part thereof by any maner of meanes or for any maner of pretense And in case any othe bee made or hath bene made by you to any person or persons in maintenance or fauour of the Bishop of Rome or his authority iurisdiction or power ye repute the same as vaine and adnihilate so helpe you God c. In fidem praemissorum ego Edmundus Boner electus confirmatus Londonensis Episcopus huic praesenti chartae subscripsi ¶ Ecclesiasticall matters an 1538. It will be iudged that I haue lingred peraduenture too much in these outward affaires of Princes and Ambassadours Anno 1538. Wherefore leauing with these by matters perteynyng to the Ciuill state a while I mynde the Lord willyng to put my story in order agayne of such occurreÌ„ts as belong vnto the Church first shewyng such Iniunctions and Articles as were deuised and set forth by the kyng for the behoofe of his subiectes Wherein first is to be vnderstaÌ„ded that the kyng when he had taken the title of supremacie from the Byshop of Rome and had translated the same to himselfe and was now a full Prince in his owne realme although he wel perceiued The king and his counsaile bearing with the weakenes of the people by y e wisedome and aduise of the Lord Cromwell and other of his CouÌ„saile that the corrupt state of the Church had neede of reformatioÌ„ in many thyngs yet because he saw how stubburne and vntoward the hartes of many Papistes were to be brought from their old persuasions and customes and what businesse he had with them onely about the matter of the Popes title he durst not by and by reforme all at once which notwithstaÌ„dyng had bene to be wished but leadyng them fayre and softely as he might proceeded by litle and litle to bryng greater purposes to perfectioÌ„ which he no doubt would haue done The booke of articles deuised by the king for queitnes of the people c. if the Lord Cromwell had lyued and therfore first he began with a litle booke of Articles partly aboue touched bearyng this title Articles deuised by the Kynges highnesse to stable Christen quietnesse and vnitie among the people c. * Articles deuised by the kyng IN the contentes of which booke first be set forth the Articles of our ChristiaÌ„ Creede which are necessarely and expressely to be beleued of all men Of 3. SacrameÌ„ts Then with the kynges Preface goyng before foloweth the declaration of iij. Sacramentes to witte of Baptisme of Penaunce and of the Sacrament of the Aultar In the tractation wherof he altereth nothyng from the old trade receaued heretofore froÌ„ the Church of Rome Further then procâ—edyng to the order and cause of our iustificatioÌ„ he declareth that the onely mercy and grace of the father promised freely vnto vs for his sonnes sake Iesu Christ and the merites of his Passion and bloud Of iustification be the onely sufficient and worthy causes of our iustification yet good workes with inward contrition hope and charitie and all other spirituall graces and motions be necessarily required and must needes coÌ„curre also in remission of our sinnes that is our iustification and afterward we beyng iustified must also haue good workes of charitie and obedieÌ„ce towardes God in the obseruyng and fulfillyng outwardly of his lawes and commaundementes c. As touching Images Of Images he willeth all Byshops preachers to teach the people in such sorte as they may know how they may vse them safely in Churches and not abuse them to Idolatry as thus that they be represeÌ„ters of vertue and good example and also by occasioÌ„ may be styrrers of meÌ„s myndes and make them to remember themselues and to lameÌ„t their sinnes and so farre he permitteth them to stand in Churches But otherwise for auoydyng of Idolatrie he chargeth all Byshops preachers diligently to instruct the people that they coÌ„mit no Idolatry vnto them in sensyng of them in kneelyng and offeryng to theÌ„ with other like worshyppynges whiche ought not to be done but onely to God And likewise for honoryng of Saintes the Byshops and preachers be commauÌ„ded to informe the people Of honoring of Saintes how Saints hence departed ought to be reuerenced honored how not That is that they are to be praysed honored as the elect seruauÌ„ts of Christ or rather Christ to be praysed in them for their excellent vertues plaÌ„ted in them for their good example left vs teachyng vs to lyue in vertue goodnes not to feare to dye for Christ as they did also as aduauncers of our prayers in that they may but yet no confidence nor any such honour to be geuen vnto them which is onely due to God And so forth charging the sayd spirituall persons to teache their flocke that all grace and remission of sinnes and saluation can no otherwise be obteined but of God onely No mediation but by Christ. by the mediation of our Sauiour Christ who is onely a sufficient Mediatour for our sinnes and that all grace and remission of sinne must proceede onely by mediation of Christ and no other From that he commeth further to speake of rites ceremonies in Christes Church Of rites and ceremonyes as in hauyng vestimentes vsed in Gods seruice sprinklyng of holy water giuyng of holy bread bearyng of CaÌ„dles on Candlemas day taking of ashes bearyng of Palmes creepyng to the Crosse settyng vp the Sepulcher hallowing of the fonte with other like customes rites ceremonies all which old riâ—es and customes the foresayd booke doth not by and by repeale but so farre admitteth them for good and laudable as they put men in remeÌ„braunce of spirituall thynges but so that the people withall must be instructed how the sayd ceremonies conteine in them no such power to remitte sinne but onely that to be referred vnto God by whome onely our sinnes be forgeuen vs. And so concluding with Purgatory he maketh an ende of those Articles
man head not in many places at once and after was borne into this world and put in a maunger and so he growyng in age did abide in diuerse places but in one after an other sometime in Galile sometime in Samaria sometime in Iury sometyme beyond sometyme on this side of Iordan consequently he was crucified at Hierusalem there beyng enclosed buried in a graue frō whēce he did arise so that the aungels testified of him He is risen and is not here Mathew 28. and as at the tyme appointed Math. 28. after his resurrectiō he was assumpt or lifted vp into heauen from the top of the Moūt of Oliuet in the sight of his Disciples a cloude compassing him about Euen so shall he come from the same celestiall place corporally as they did see him to depart out of the one place corporally accordyng to the testimony of the aūgels Actes 1. Actes 1. So that in this we may vndoubtedly finde that Christ as touchyng his manhead can not be corporally in many diuers places at once and so to be corporally in his naturall body in heauen and also in the earth and that it is moreouer in so many partes of the world as men haue affirmed Neither doth the Scripture require that we should spoyle Christ of the propertie of mans nature The property of mans nature not to be sequestred frō Christ. which is to be in one place whō the same Scripture doth perpetually witnesse and teach to be man so to counfound the condition of his bodily nature with the nature Diuine Paul doth teach that Christ in māhead was made in all pointes lyke vnto his brethren sinne excepted how then can his body be in more places at once vnlike vnto the naturall propertie of the bodies of vs his brethren But heere doo some wittie Philosophers yea rather Sophisters then Diuines bring in to the anulling of Christes humanitie a similitude of mans soule whiche beeing one is yet so all whole in all our whole body that it is said to be all whole in euery part of the body But such should remēber that it is no conuenient similitude which is made of things different and diuerse in nature such as be the soule and body of man to proue them to haue like properties This is as if they woulde proue Christes body to be of one nature and propertie with his soule that things naturally corporal were not most diuers from creatures naturally spirituall Furthermore if so it might be that the body or fleshe of Christ Thinges corporall and thinges spirituall not to be compared were meerely spirituall and full like vnto the substance of Angels yet could it not in this wise follow that his body could be euery where or in diuers places at once Wherefore such subtilties are to be omitted and the trade of Scripture should well like vs by whiche the olde Doctors do define that the body of Iesu exalted or assumpt into heauen must be locall circumscript and in one place notwithstanding that the veritie spirituall grace fruite that commeth of it is diffused and spread abroade in all places or euery where How coulde Christ corporally depart out of this world The body of Christ is locall and in one place Iohn 13. and leaue the earth if he in y e kinds of bread and wine be not onely corporally conteined and receiued but also there reserued kept and enclosed What other thing else do these words testifie Iohn xiij But Iesus knowing that his houre was come that he should passe out of this world to his father Luke 24. c. And in like forme Luke 24. And it came to passe that as he blessed them he departed from them and was caried vp into heauen What doe they signifie if Christ went not verely out of this worlde his naturall body being surely assumpt into heauen They do therefore vndoubtedly declare that Christ being very God and very man did verely depart out of this world in his naturall body his humanitie being assumpt into heauen where it remaineth sitting in glory wyth the father Where as yet his Deitie did not leaue the world ne depart out from the earth Paule doth say Philippians 2. that of ij things he wist not which he might rather choose Phil. 2. that is to witte to abide in the flesh for preaching the Gospell or els to be dissolued from the flesh seing that to abide with Christ is much and farre better By the which Paule doth manifestly proue that they bee not presentlye with Christ which yet do abide mortall in the flesh Yet they bee with Christ in suche wise as the Scripture doth saye that the beleeuing be the Temple of Christ. And as Paule doth say 2. Cor. 13. Do you not know your selues that Iesus Christ is in you 2. Cor. 13. In which sense he also promised to be with vs vnto the end of the world Christ therefore must be otherwise in that place in which the Apostle desired to be with him being dissolued and departed from his body then he doth abide either in the supper or else in any other places of the Churches He therefore doth vndoubtedly meane heauen which is the paradise of perfect blisse and glory Where as Christ being a victour triumpher and conquerour ouer death sinne and hell and ouer all creatures doth reigne remaine corporally Thus do I trust that your grace doth see my sentence this farforth to be right Catholicke Christen and faithfull according to holy scripture to holy Fathers and to the Articles of our Christen beliefe Whiche sentence is thus Christes naturall body is so assumpt into heauen where it sitteth or remaineth in glory of the father that it can no more come from thence that is to wit from heauen returne vntill the end of the world and therefore can not the same naturall body naturally be heere in the world or in the Sacrament For then should it be departed or gone out of the world The naturall body of Christ cannot be both in heauen and in earth locally and yet be still remaining in the world It should then be both to come and alreadye come which is a contradiction and variaunt from the nature of his manhead The second part of this matter Now my sentence in the second part of thys matter is this if so be your grace shall please to knowe it The secōd part how the naturall body of Christ is in the Sacrament as I your poore and vnworthy but full true subiect woulde with all submission and instance beseech you to know it I graunt the holy sacrament to be the very and naturall body of our Sauiour and his very naturall bloud and that the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour is in the Sacrament after a certaine wise as after shall appeare For so doe the words of the supper testifie Take eate this is my body which is geuen for you And againe Drinke
to Maister Shiriffe sayd haue ye any Articles agaynst me for the which I am condemned No cause shewed why Doct. Barnes dyed And the Shriffe aunswered no. Then sayd he is there here any mā els that knoweth wherfore I dye or that by my preachyng hath takē any errour Let them now speake I will make thē aunswere And no man aunswered Then sayd he well I am condēned by the law to dye as I vnderstand by an Acte of Parliamēt but wherfore I cānot tell D. Barnes praying for his enemyes but belike for heresie for we are lyke to burne But they that haue bene the occasiō of it I pray God forgeue them as I would be forgeuen my selfe And Doct. Stephē Byshop of Winchester that now is if he haue sought or wrought this my death either by word or deede I pray God forgiue him as hartly as freely as charitably and without faynyng as euer Christ forgaue them that put him to death And if any of the Counsell or any other haue sought or wrought it through malice or ignoraūce I pray God forgiue their ignoraunce and illuminate their eyes that they may see and aske mercy for it I beseeche you all to pray for the kynges grace as I haue done euer since I was in prison and do now that God may geue him prosperitie and that he may long raigne amōg you D. Barnes prayeth for the king after him that godly Prince Edward may so raigne that he may finishe those thynges that his father hath begon I haue bene reported a preacher of sedition disobedience vnto the kyngs Maiestie but heare I say to you that you al are bound by the commaūdement of God to obey your Prince with all humilitie with all your hart yea not so much as in a looke to shew your selues disobedient vnto him that not onely for feare of the sword but also for conscience sake before God Yea and I say further if the kyng should cōmaunde you any thyng agaynst Gods law if it be in your power to resist him yet may you not do it Then spake he to the Shiriffe and sayd M. Shiriffe I require you on Gods behalfe 5. requestes of Doct. Barnes to the king to haue me cōmēded vnto the kynges grace to shewe him that I require of his grace these fiue requestes First that where his grace hath receaued into his handes all the goodes and substaunce of the Abbeyes Then the Shiriffe desired him to stop there The 1. request He aunswered Maister Shiriffe I warrant you I will speake no harme for I know it is well done y t all such superstition be cleane taken away and the kyngs grace hath well done in takyng it awaye But his grace is made a whole kyng The king of England made a whole king by poore preachers and obeyed in his Realme as a kyng which neither his father nor graūdfather neither his aunceters that raigned before him euer had that through the preachyng of vs and such other wretches as we are which alwayes haue applied our whole studies and giuen our selues for the settyng forth of the same and this is now our reward Well it maketh no matter Now he raigneth among you I pray God long may he liue and raigne among you Would to God it might please his grace to bestow the sayd goodes or some of them to the comfort of his poore subiectes which surely haue great neede of them The second that I desire his grace is that he will see that matrimonie be had in more reuerence then it is and that men for euery light cause inuented The second request of Doctor Barnes to the king cast not off theyr wiues and liue in adultery and fornication and that those that be not maried should not abhominably liue in whoredome folowing the filthy lustes of the fleshe The third that the abhominable swearers may be punished and straightly looked vpon The 3. request for the vengeance of God wil come on them for their mischieuous othes Then desired he maister Pope to haue him commended to Maister Edgar Doct. Barnes request to M. Edgar to leaue swearing and to desire him for the deare bloud of Iesu Christ that he woulde leaue that abhominable swearing which he vsed for surely except he did forsake it he woulde come to some mischieuous ende The fourth that his grace would set forth Christs true Religion The 4. request and seeing he hath begon that he would go forward and make an end for many things haue bene done but much more is to do and that it would please his grace to looke on Gods word himselfe for that it hath ben obscured with many traditions inuented of our owne braynes Now said he how many petitions haue I spoken of And the people said foure Well said he euen these foure be sufficiente whiche I desire you that the Kinges grace may be certified of and say that I most humbly desire him to looke earnestly vpon them and that his grace take heede that he be not deceiued with false preachers and teachers and euill councell for Christ sayth that such false Prophets shal come in Lambes skinnes Then desired he all men to forgeue him and if hee had sayd any euill at any time vnaduisedly whereby he had offended any man or geuen anye occasion of euill that they would forgiue it him and amende that euill they tooke of him Doct. Barnes cleareth himselfe of al heresi and to beare him witnes that he detested and abhorred all euill opinions and doctrines against the worde of God and that he died in the faith of Iesu Christ by whom he doubted not but to be saued And with those words he desired them all to pray for him and then he turned him about and put off his clothes making him ready to the fire paciently there to take his death The like confession made also Hierome and Garret professing in like maner their beliefe reciting all the articles of the Christian faith briefly declaring their myndes vpon euery article The protestatiō and confession of Hierome and Garret as the time would suffer whereby the people might vnderstand that there was no cause nor errour in their fayth wherefore iustly they ought to be condemned Protesting moreouer that they denied nothyng that was eyther in the old or new Testament set foorth by their soueraigne Lorde the King whome they prayed the Lord long to continue amongst them with his most deare sonne Prince Edward Which done Hierome addeth this exhortation in few words folowing I say vnto you good breethren that God hath bought vs all with no small price neyther with golde nor siluer The exhortation of Hierome 〈◊〉 the people or other such things of small value but with his most precious bloud Be not vnthankefull therefore to him againe but do as much as to Christian men belongeth to fulfill his commaundementes that is loue your brethren Loue
man shall neuer sleepe but euer shall liue an immortall life The which life from day to day is renued in grace and augmeÌ„ted The faithfull soule shall neuer sleepe nor yet shal euer perish or haue an ende but euer immortall shall liue with Christ. To the which life all that beleue in him shal come and rest in eternall glory Amen When the Bishoppes wyth their complices had accused this innocent man in manner and fourme aforesayde incoÌ„tinently they condeÌ„ned him to be burnt as an heretik not hauing respect to hys godly answers and true reasons which he alleaged nor yet to their owne consciences thinking verelye that they shoulde doe to God good sacrifice conformable to the sayings of S. Iohn Iohn 16. They shal excommunicate you yea and the time shal come that he which killeth you shall thinke that he hath done to God good seruice The prayer of maister George O Immortall God how long shalt thou suffer the woodnes great crudelitie of the vngodly to exercise theyr fury vpon thy seruaunts which doe further thy woorde in this worlde The prayer of M. George Wyseharte for the congregatioÌ„ of God seeing they desire to be contrary y t is to choke and destroy thy true doctrine veritie by the whych thou hast shewed thy selfe vnto the world which was all drowned in blindnesse and misknowledge of thy name O Lord wee knowe surelye that thy true seruauntes must needes suffer for thy names sake persecution affliction and troubles in this present life whiche is but a shadowe as thou haste shewed to vs by thy Prophetes and Apostles But yet we desire thee hartily that thou conserue defende and helpe thy congregation which thou haste chosen before the beginning of the worlde and geue them thy grace to heare thy word and to be thy true seruaunts in thys present life Then by by they caused the common people to voide away whose desire was alwayes to heare that innocente man to speake Then the sonnes of darkenesse pronounced their sentence definitiue not hauing respecte to the iudgement of God When all this was done and sayde the Cardinall caused his warders to passe againe wyth the meeke Lambe into the Castle vntill suche time as the fire was made ready When he was come into the Castle then there came two Gray feendes frier Scot and his mate sayinge Sir yee must make your confession vnto vs. He aunswered and said I wil make no confession vnto you Go fetch me yoÌ„der man that preached this day and I will make my confession vnto him Then they sent for the Suppriour of the Abbey who came to him withall diligence But what he sayd in thys confession I can not shewe When the fire was made readie and the gallowes at the West part of the Castle neare to the Priorie the Lorde Cardinall dreading that master George should haue bene taken away by his friendes commaunded to bende all the Ordinance of the Castle right against that parte and commaunded al his gunners to be ready and stand beside their gunnes vnto such time as he were burned All this beyng done they bounde Maister Georges handes behinde hys backe and ledde hym foorth wyth their souldiors from the Castle to the place of their wicked execution As hee came forth of the Castle gate there met him certaine beggers asking his almes for Gods sake To whome he answered I want my handes wherwith I should geue you almes but the mercifull Lorde of his benignitie and aboundaunce of grace that feedeth all men vouchsafe to geue you necessaries both vnto your bodies and soules M. Wisehart prayeth for the relief of the poore Then afterwarde met him two false fiendes I shoulde say Fryers sayinge Master George pray to our Lady that she may be mediatrix for you to her sonne To whome he answeared meekely Cease tempt me not my brethren After thys hee was lead to the fire with a roape about his necke M. Wysehart aunswereth the Fryers tempting him and a chayne of yron about his middle When that he came to the fire he sate downe vpon hys knees and rose againe and thrise he sayd these woordes O thou Sauiour of the worlde haue mercy on mee Father of heauen I commend my spirit into thy holy hands When he had made this prayer he turned him to the people and sayde these wordes The wordes and exhortation of M. Wysehart at his death to the people I beseeche you Christian brethren and sisters that yee be not offended in the woorde of God for the affliction and torments whych ye see alreadye prepared for mee But I exhorte you that ye loue the worde of God and suffer paciently and wyth a comfortable heart for the woordes sake whych is your vndoubted saluation and euerlasting comforte Moreouer I pray you shewe my brethren and sisters whych haue hearde me ofte before that they cease not nor leaue of the worde of God which I taught vnto them after the grace geueÌ„ vnto me for no persecutioÌ„s or troubles in this world which lasteth not and shew vnto them that my doctrine was no wiues fables after the constitutions made by men And if I had taught mens doctrine I had gotten greate thankes by men But for the woordes sake and true Euangel which was geuen to me by the grace of God I suffer thys day by men not sorowfully The coâ—â—stant paâ—â—â—ence of 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent that I shoulde suffer this fire for Christes sake Consider and beholde my visage yee shall not see mee chaunge my colour Thys grim fire I feare not And so I pray you for to doe if that any persecution come vnto you for the wordes sake not to feare them that slay the bodye and afterwarde haue no power to slay the soule Some haue sayde of me that I taught that the soule of man should sleepe vntil y e last day But I know surely my faith is such that my soule shall suppe w t my sauiour Christe this night ere it be 6. houres for whom I suffer this Then he praied for them which accused hym saying M. Geoâ—â—â— Wyseharâ—â— prayeth hi◠〈◊〉 forgeâ— them I beseeche thee father of heauen to forgeue them that haue of any ignoraunce or els of any euill minde forged any lies vpon me I forgeue them wyth all my heart I beseeche Christ to forgeue them that haue condemned me to death thys day ignorantly And last of all he sayd to the people on thys manner I beseeche you brethren and sisters to exhorte your Prelates to the learning of the woorde of God M. 〈◊〉 Wysehaâ—â— propheâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—â—dinall 〈◊〉 which 〈…〉 that they at the laste may be ashamed to doe euill and learne to do good And if they will not conuert themselues from their wicked error there shal hastly come vpon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschewe Many faithfull wordes
that all menne are bound to keepe the lent in the forme receiued but this I reckon that no christen man may contemne the forme receiued being suche a deuoute and profitable immitation of Christe to celebrate his faste and in that time suche as haue bene in the rest of the yeare worldlye to prepare themselues to come as they should come to the feast of Easter wherof S. Chrisostome speaketh expressely And for auoyding contempt a licence truely obteyned of the superiour serueth And so I hearde the kinges Maiesty our Soueraigne Lord declare when your grace was present And therfore he himselfe was very scrupulous in graunting of licences and to declare that himselfe contemned not the fast he was at charge to haue as your Grace knoweth the lent diet dayly prepared as it had bene for himselfe and the like hereof I heare say your Grace hath ordered for the kinges Maiestye that now is which agreeth not with certaine preaching in this matter ne the rimes set abroade Lent is among Christen men a godly feast to exercise men to forbeare and in England both godly and polliticke such as without confusion we can not forbeare as the experience shall shew if it be euer attempted which God forbid And yet lent is buried in rime and Steuen Stockefishe bequeathed not to me though my name be noted wherwith for mine owne part I cannot be angry for that is mitigated by theyr fondnes But I woulde desire of God to haue the strength of thys realme encreased with report of concord How well you remembred this leâ—â—on of anger in Queene Maryes time let others iudge which doth queÌ„ch many vayne deuices and imaginations And if all men be lyers as it is now to my vnderstanding straungely published me thinke Bale and such new men as be new liers should be most abhorred and detested so much the more daungerous as they be newe That whiche in Italye and Fraunce is a matter of combate is now found to be appropriate to all men God graunt the trueth to be desired of all menne truely But as one asked when he sawe an olde Philosopher dispute with an other what they talked on And it was aunswered how the olde man was discussing what was vertue it was replied if the old man yet dispute of vertue when will he vse it So it may be sayd in our religion If we be yet searching for it when shal we begin to put it in executioÌ„ I would make an end of my letters and cannot wherein I account my selfe faulty And though I may erre as euery man may yet I lye not for I say as I think for as much as I haue sayd and further think your grace hath no trouble troublesome but this matter of religion vnseasonably brought into the defamation of our late soueraigne Lordes actes doinges lawes I beseech your grace take my meaning and wordes in good part pardon my boldnes which groweth of the familiaritye I haue heretofore had with your grace which I cannot forget And thus enforcing my selfe to an end shall pray to almighty God to preserue your grace in much felicity wyth encrease of honor and the atchieuing of your hartes desire At Winchester the 21. of May. Your Graces humble beadman S.W. ¶ The Letter of the L. Protector answering to Winchester YOur letters dated the 21. day of May as concerning 2. bookes new set forth by one Bale and certayne sermoÌ„s preached here were with conuenient speede deliuered vnto vs. And like as in your letters to Edw. Uaughan of Portesmouth so in those to vs we perceiue that you haue a vigilant and diligeÌ„t eye and very fearefull of innouatioÌ„ which as it cannot be blamed proceeding of one which is desirous of quiet good order and continuance of the godly state of this realme So we do maruell that so soone so far of and so playnely you canne heare tell and say of so many thinges done here which in deed we being here and attendant vpoÌ„ the same cannot yet be aduertised of The world neuer was so quiet or so vnite but that priuily or openlye those iij. which you write of Printers players and Preachers woulde sette forth somewhat of theyr owne heades which the Maiestrates were vnwares of And the whiche already be banished and hath forsaken the realme as suffering the last punishmeÌ„t be boldest to set forth theyr mind And dare vse their extreme liceÌ„ce or liberty of speaking as out of the handes or rule of correction either because they be gone or because they be hidde There hath foolishe and naughty rimes and bookes bene made and set forth of the which as it appeareth you haue sene more then we and yet to our knowledge to many be brought but yet after our minde it is to sore and to cruelly done to lay al those to our charge and to aske as it were account of vs of them all In the most exact cruelty and tiranny of the Bishop of Rome yet Pasquill as we here say writeth his mind and many times agaynst the Bishops tyranny and some time toucheth other great princes which thing for the most part he doth safely not that the Bishop alloweth Pasquils rimes and verses specially agaynst himselfe but because he cannot punish the authour whom either he knoweth not or hath not In the late kings daies of famous memory who was both a learned wise and polliticke Prince a diligeÌ„t executor of his lawes And when your Lordshippe was most diligent in the same yet as your Lordship it selfe writeth and it is to manifest to be vnknowne there were that wrote such leud rimes and plaies as you speake of some agaynst the kinges proceedinges who were yet vnpunished because they were vnknowne or vngotten And wheÌ„ we do wey the matter we do very much maruel why that about iack of lentes leud balad and certayne as it was reported vnto vs Godly sermons whiche be euill in your letters ioyned together you be so earnest When agaynst D. Smithes booke being a man learned in the doctors scripture which made so playne agaynst the kinges highnesse authority And for the furtherance of the Bishops of Romes vsurped power your Lorship neither wrote nor sayd nothing And as it appeared you be so angry with his retractation which frankly w tout feare dread coÌ„pulsion or imprisonmeÌ„t onely with learning truth ouercommed he came vnto that you cannot abide his beginning although hauing the very woordes of scripture Except peraduenture you thinke that the saying of Dauid omnis homo mendax cannot be enterpreted euery man is a lier which how soeuer your Lordship taketh it at pleasure it appeared vnto vs then of him taken but godly to declare the infirmitye of man and the trueth of God and his word And we are not able to reason so clerkly with you yet we haue heard of the subtle difference of lying and telling of a lye or as it is in latin called mentiri and mendacium discere
at length and discussed with my Lord of Caunterbury the vnderstanding of gods commaundement to the Iewes 〈◊〉 euery â—hing were 〈◊〉 oracle by 〈◊〉 by that 〈◊〉 Henry 〈◊〉 then â—inchester 〈◊〉 here a 〈…〉 so as all the Clearkes in Christedome could not amend it And where as one had denyed the Image of the Trinitye to be had by reasons as be touched in your Graces letters I heard his highnesse aunswere to them at another time And when hee had himselfe specially commaunded diuers Images to be abolished yet as your Grace knoweth he both ordered and himselfe putte in execution the kneeling and creeping before the Image of the Crosse and established agreement in that truth through all this Realme whereby all argumentes to the contrary be assoyled at once I would wysh Images vsed as the booke by his highnesse sette forth doth prescribe and no otherwise I know your Grace only teÌ„pteth me with such reasons as other make vnto you and I am not fully at liberty although I am bolde enough and some will thinke to bolde to aunswere some thinges as I woulde to an other man mine equall being so much inferiour to your Grace as I am but me thinketh Saynte Paules solucion during the kinges Maiesties minoritye should serue all Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus We haue no such custome in the Church When our soueraign Lord commeth to his perfect age which God graunt I doubt not but God wil reueale that shal be necessary for the gouerning of his people in religion Wherefore then serue the Scripture for reaâ—mes to be ruled by if God neuâ—â— reueale any thing in a reâ—â—me but by the kinges owne person in his mans age And if any thing shal be done in the meane time as I thinke there shall not by your Graces direction he may when he commeth to age say in the rest as I heare say he sayd nowe of late concerning procession that in his fathers time men were wont to folow procession vpon which the kinges maiestyes saying the procession as I heard was well furnished afterwardes by your Graces Commaundement which speach hath put me in remembraunce that if the Bishops and other of the Clergy should agree to any alteration in religion to the condemnation of any thing set forth by his Father whereby his father might be noted to haue wanted knowledge or fauor to the truth what he would say I can not tell but he might vse a maruellous speach and for the excellency of his spirite it were like he would and hauing so iust a cause against Bishops as he might haue it were to be feared he would And when he had spoken theÌ„ he might by his lawes do more then any would gladly suffer of our sort at these dayes for as the allegatioÌ„ of his authority represented by your grace shal be then aunswered as youre Grace now writeth vnto me that y t your Grace onely desired truth according to Gods scripture and it may be â—heÌ„ sayd we Bishops when we haue our soueraigne Lord head in minority we fashion the matter as we lust then some young man that would haue a piece of the Bishops landes shall say the beastly Bishops haue alwayes done so and when they can no longer mayntayne one of theyr pleasures of rule and superioritye then they take another way and let that go and for the time they be here spend vp that they haue which eat you and drinke you what ye list we together with Edamus bibamus cras moriemur And if we shall alleadge for our defence the strength of Goddes trueth and the playnesse of scripture with the word of the Lord and many gay termes and say we were conuinced by scriptures such an excellent iudgement as the kinges maiesty is like to haue will neuer credite vs in it ne be abused by such a vayne answere And this is a worldly polliticke consideration and at home for the noyse abroade in the world will be more slaunderous then this is daungerous And touching the bishop of Rome the doing in this realme hitherto hath neuer done him so much displeasure as an alteration in religion during the kinges Maiestyes minority should serue for his purpose for he wanteth not wits to beate into other princes eares that where his authority is abolished there at euery chaunge of gouernors shal be change in Religion and y t hath bene amongst vs by a whole consent established shall by pretence of an other vnderstanding in scripture streight be brought in questioÌ„ Canterbury and Duresme carped of Wynchester for they will geue it no other name but a pretence howe stiffely so euer we will affirme otherwise and call it Gods worde and here it should much be noted that my Lorde of Caunterbury being the high Bishop of the Realme highly in fauour with his late Soueraigne Lord and my Lord of Duresme a manne of renowmed fame in learning and grauity both put by him in trust for theyr councell in the order of the Realme shoulde so soone forgette theyr olde knowledge in Scripture sette forth by the Kynges Maiesties book and aduise to enuey such matter of alteration All which thinges be I knowe well by your Grace and them considered And therefore it is to me incredible that euer any such thing should be in deede with effect whatsoeuer the lyghtnesse of talke shall spread abroade whyche your Grace hath by Proclamation well stayed But and ye had not and the world talked so fast as euer they did I assure your Grace I woulde neuer feare it as men feare thinges they like not vnlesse I saw it in execution for of this sort I am that in all thinges I thinke shoulde not be done in reason I feare them not wherewith to trouble mee otherwise then to take heede if I canne and to the head Gouernours as now to your Grace shewe my minde and such experience hath euery manne of me that hath commoned with me in any such matters And therfore albeit your Grace writeth wisely that ouermuch feare doth hurt and accelerateth sometime that was not intended yet it needes not to me for I haue learned that lesson already and would a great many moe had which in deede should be a great stay And thus I talke with your Grace homely with multiplication of speache not necessary as though I meant to sende you as great a packet as I receyued from you One thing necessary to aunsweare your Grace in touching your maruell howe I know sooner thinges from thence then your Grace doth there whiche ariseth not vppon any desire of knowledge on my behalfe for euill thinges be ouersoone knowne not vpoÌ„ any slacknes of your graces behalf there who is is noted very vigilaÌ„t as your graces charge requireth But thus it is euen as it was when I was in some little authoritye they that were the euill doers in such matters would hide them from me So now they haue handled it otherwise for as for
euill disposed persons being borne out of her highnes dominions in other sondry nations flyeng from the obeysaunce of the Princes and Rulers vnder whome they be borne some for heresie some for murther treason robbery and some for other horrible crimes be resorted into this her maiesties Realme and heere haue made theyr demour and yet be commoraunt and lingring partly to eschew such conding punishment as their said horrible crimes deserue and partly to dilate plant and sowe the seedes of their malicious doctrine and lewd conuersation among the good subiectes of this her said Realme of purpose to infect her good subiectes with the like in so much as besides innumerable heresies which diuers of the same beeing heretickes haue preached and taught within her highnes sayd Realme it is assuredly knowne vnto her Maiesty Causes layd agaynst straungers that not only their secret practises haue not fayled to stirre comfort and ayde dyuers her highnes subiectes to this most vnnaturall rebellion against God and her grace but also some other of them desist not still to practise with her people eftsoones to rebell her Maiestie therefore hauing as afore is sayd knowledge and intelligence heereof hath for remedie heerein determined and most straightly chargeth and commaundeth that all and euery such person or persons borne out of her highnes dominions now commoraunt or resident within this Realme of whatsoeuer Nation or Countrey beeing eyther Preacher Printer Bookeseller or other Artificer or of whatsoeuer calling else not being Denizen or Marchant knowne vsing the trade of Marchaundize or seruaunt to such Ambassadours as be liegers heere from the Princes and states ioyned in league with her grace shall within 24. dayes after this Proclamation auoyde the Realme vpon payne of most greeuous punishment by enprisonment and forfayture and confiscation of all their goodes and moueables and also to be delyuered vnto their natuâ—all Princes or Rulers agaynst whose persons or lawes they haue offended Geuing to all Mayors Sheriffes Bayliffes Constables and all other her ministers officers and good subiectes straightly also in charge if they knowe any such person not borne in the Queenes highnes dominion◠〈◊〉 before excepted that shall after the time and day limitted in â—his Proclamation tarry within thys Realme that they shall apprehende the same person or persons and commit him or them to 〈◊〉 there to remayne without bayle or mayneprise till her graces pleasure or her Counsayles be signifyed vnto them for the further ordering of the sayde person or persons And that if any of her sayde officers after the sayd 24. dayes apprehend take or knowe of any such they shall with diligence immediatly certifie her sayd Counsell thereof to the intent order may forthwith be geueÌ„ for their punishmeÌ„t according In the meane while vpoÌ„ the Proclamation before mencioned not only y e strangers in K. Edwards time receiued into the Realme for Religion Pet. Martir and Iohannes Alasco banished the realme amoÌ„g whoÌ„ was Pet. Martir Iohn Alasco vncle to the King of Poleland but many Englishmen fled some to Freeseland some to Cleueland some to high Germany where they were diuersly scattered into diuers companies congregations at Wesell at Frankford Emden Markpurgh Strausborough Basill Arow Zurich Geneua and other places where by the prouidence of God they were al susteined and there entertained with greater fauour among strangers abroad Englishmen fled out of the realm for religion The number of English exiles well neare 800. persons March 15. Lady Elizabeth and Lord Courtney vpon suspicion of Syr Thom. Wyats rising committed to the Tower then they could be in their owne countrey at home welneare to the number of 800. persons Students other together In the saide moneth of March the Lorde Courtney Earle of Deuonshire whome the Queene at her first entring deliuered out of the Tower and Lady Elizabeth also the Queenes Sister were both in suspection to haue consented to Wiats conspiracie and for the same this March were apprehended and committed to the Tower Touching the imprisonment of which Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney thou shalt note heere for thy learning good Reader a politicke point of practise in Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Wint. not vnworthy to be considered This Gardiner being alwayes a capitall enemie to the Lady Elizabeth and thinking â—owe by the occasion of maister Wyate to picke out some matter against the Lorde Courtney and so in the end to entangle the Lady Elizabeth deuised a pestilent practise of conueyance as in the story heere following may appeare The story is this The same day that Sir Tho. Wyate died A poynt 〈◊〉 practise 〈◊〉 Ste. Garâ—â—â—ner agaynâ—â— the Lady â—â—lizabeth he desired the Lieutenant to bring him to the presence of the Lord Courtney Who there before the Lieutenaunte and the Sheriffes kneeling downe vpon his knees besought the Lorde Courtney to forgeue him for that he had falsly accused both the Lady Elizabeth and him and so being brought from thence vnto the scaffold to suffer there openly in the hearing of all the people cleared the Lady Elizabeth and the Lorde Courtney to be free and innocente from all suspition of that commotion At which confession D. Westoâ— against 〈◊〉 Lady Eliâ—â—â—beth Doctor Weston there standing by cryed to the people saying Beleeue him not good people for he confessed otherwise before vnto the Counsell After the execution done of Sir Thomas Wyat which was the 11. day of Aprill word was brought immediately to the Lord Maior Sir Thomas White a little before dinner The Lorâ— Mayors iudgemeâ—â— of D. Weâ—ston how maister Wyate had cleared the Lady Elizabeth and Lorde Courtney and the wordes also which Doctor Weston spake vnto the people wherunto the Lord Maior aunswering Is this true quoth he said Weston so In sooth I neuer tooke him otherwise but for a knaue Upon this the Lord Maior sitting downe to dinner who dyned the same day at the Bridgehouse commeth in Sir Martin Bowes with the Recorder newly come from the Parliament house who hearing of the Maior and Sheriffes this report of Wiats confession both vpon the Scaffold and also in the Tower marueiled thereat declaring how there was another tale contrary to this told the same day in the Parliament house which was that Sir Thomas Wyate should desire the Lord Courtney to confesse the truth so as he had done before Upon this it followed not loÌ„g after that a certaine prentice dwelling in S. Laurence lane named Cut as he was drinking with one DenhaÌ„ a plasterer being one of Quene Maries seruaunts amongst other talke made mentioÌ„ how Sir Thomas Wyate had cleared the Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney to be no coÌ„senters to his rising Which wordes being brought to Gardiner by what meanes I know not incoÌ„tinent vpon the same Cut preâ—â—tise in Lâ—â—â—doÌ„ brouâ—â—â— before 〈◊〉 Gardineâ— Syr Andrew Iudde was sent by the sayd Bishop to y e Lord Maior commaunding him to bring the said prentise
electe and chosen what affliction and trouble shal happen vnto them for his sake not to the entent to fray them thereby but rather to prepare their mindes against the boistrous stormes of persecution As we haue a notable exāple in the Apostle S Paule vnto whome God sent Agabus who prophecied vnto him of the imprisonment and bandes that hee should suffer at Ierusalem In whom we haue also a good example of constancie stedfastnes which regarding nothing the teares of his familiar frēds nor yet the peril of his own life did through fire water go on stil to set forth the glory of God and he being deliuered frō the hands of his vngodly bloudthirsty enmies that so many times is in cōclusion fain to commit himself to the rough waters of the sea where he was a long season in great peril ieoperdy of his own life But God was alwais to the great cōfort of all that shal heare of it most ready to help succor hym First he did send him a most frendly and swete cōpanye I meane Aristarchus and Lucas so ruling the heart of the vnder captaine Iulius that he courteously intreated him Actes 17. gaue him liberty to go to his frendes and to refresh him selfe and he was beneficiall vnto him at all times In like manner was God with Ioseph and deliuered him from all his aduersities and gaue him fauoure and wisedom in the sight of Pharao king of Egypt in so much that he made him Gouernour ouer all Egypt and ouer all his houshold In like manner was hee with Ieremie and Daniel in theyr great troubles and appoynted men for them in their most troubles to relieue succour and helpe them to their singular comfort Also when Peter was in Herodes prison Peter deliuered out of prison sleeping betwene 2. soldiours bound with 2 chaines and the kepers before the dore keeping the prisone the same night that Herode had intended to haue brought him out vnto the people the day following and to haue put him vnto death to please the Iewes withal as a litle before he had killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword god sent his angel and the chaines fell off from Peters hands and the yron gate opened vnto him by his owne accorde and so was Peter wonderfully deliuered by God For it is the true liuing God that looseth al bandes and deliuereth out of prison and not that fained God S. Leonard On that true God did S. Peter call vnto him did he ascribe the glory of his deliuerance saying Nowe I know of a truth that God hath sent his Angel c. These things are written for our learning that we through patience and comforte of the scriptures might haue hope The God of patience and comfort graūt that we be like minded one towardes an other after the ensample of Christe Iesu that we all agreeing together may with one mouth glorifie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ. A poore prisoner for Christ George Marsh. An other letter of George Marshe to Robert Langley THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you good brother in Christe Robert Langley An other letter of G. Marsh to Robert Langely and others with all them that loue the Lord Iesus vnfainedly Amen After harty commendations to you w t thanks for that ye did visite me a prisoner in Christ vnacquainted with you to your costes this shal be to let you knowe that yee shall receiue from me mine examination and handling at Lathum and the cause of mine imprisonmēt according as I did promise you and this ye shal receiue by my brother or some one of the Bradshawes of Bolton w tin this seuen night willing you to shew the same to such faithfull mē about Manchester or els where as you do take to be fauorers of true religion and Christes holy word and then to deliuer it againe And wheras you did put me in comfort that if I did want any thing necessary vnto thys life you with some others would be bearers with me in this my costly and paineful affliction I geue you most hearty thankes and reioyce greatly in the Lord who stirreth vp the hearts of others to be carefull for me in this my great necessitie I thanke God as yet I doe want nothing and intende to be as little chargeable vnto others sauing my mother as I can If I do want I wil be bolde wyth you and others to send for your reliefe and helpe in my necessitie desiring you in the meane while to pray for mee and all others in the bondes of Christ that God woulde performe the thing which he hath begon in vs that we maye with boldnesse confesse Iesus Christe and fighte the good fight of faith Yours George Marsh. A letter of George Marshe to a certaine godly frende GRace be with you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and Iesus the Lord. After hearty commendations and thankes to you not only for your large token An other letter of G Marsh to to his frend but much more for your louing letters ful of consolation to me as touching my person to you vnknowen these shall be to certifie you that I reioyce greatly in the Lorde when I do perceiue how my sweete sauiour Christ doth stirre vp the mindes not only of my familiar frends in times past but also of sondry and diuers heeretofore vnto me vnknowne and vnacquainted to beare part with me in this my painfull costly imprisonment sending me things not onely necessary for thys present life but also comfortable letters incouraging exhorting me to continue grounded and stablished in the faith and not to be moued away from the hope of the Gospell wherof according to my small talent I haue bene a minister and daily I call and crie vnto the Lord in whom is al my trust and wythout whom I can do nothing that he which hath begon a good worke in me wold vouchsafe to go forth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ being surely certified in my conscience of this that he will so doe for as much as he hath geuen me that not only I shoulde beleeue on him but also suffer for his sake The Lord strengthen me with hys holy spirite that I maye be one of the number of those blessed which enduring to the ende shal be saued And whereas you say that my suffering of persecution wyth Christ is a thing to you most comfortable I make answere that in all mine aduersitye and necessitye nothing on your behalfe is greater consolation vnto me then to heare of the faith and loue of others and how they haue good remembrance of vs alwayes euen as the Apostle reporteth by the Thessalonians saying Now are ye aliue if ye stande stedfast in the Lorde For my trust in the Lord is that this my businesse shall happen to the
as before ye heard Nicholas Sheterden and Umfrey Middleton answered to the first and second articles affirmatiuely To the third concerning the Catholicke Churche after a sorte they graunted To the fourth and fift and sixt touching the reall presence and the sacrameÌ„t to be ministred in the Latin tongue and in one kind they refused vtterly to sweare Sheterden sayd he would not aunswere thereto before the cause were determined why he was imprisoned and so stil remayned prisoners before the lawes of Parliament receiued c. Middleton added moreouer and confessed that he beleued in hys owne God saying my liuyng God no dead God c. Thacker onely relented and was content to take penaunce Thus the foresayd foure vpon these aunsweres were condemned by the Byshop of Douer the 25. day of Iune an 1555. The burning of foure Martyrs And so being geuen to the seculer power they were burned at Cant. the 12. of Iuly at two seuerall stakes 〈◊〉 Châ—iâ—tian â—â—ayer of â—icholas â—heterden â—â—fore his â—eath but all in one fire together where they in the sight of God and of his Aungels and before men like true souldiours of Iesus Christ gaue a constant testimony to the truth of his holy Gospell The prayer of Nicholas Sheterden before his death O Lord my God and Sauiour whiche art Lord in heauen and earth maker of all things visible and inuisible I am the creature and worke of thy handes Lord God looke vppon me and other thy people which at this time are oppressed of the worldly minded for thy lawes sake Yea lord thy law it self is now trodeÌ„ vnder foote and mens inuentions exalted aboue it and for that cause do I and many thy creatures refuse the glory prayse and commoditie of this life and do chuse to suffer aduersitie and to be banished yea to be burnt with the bookes of thy worde for the hopes sake that it is layd vp in store For Lorde thou knowest if we would but seeme to please men in thinges contrary to thy word we might by thy permission enioy these commodities that other do as wife children goodes and frendes which al I knowledge to be thy giftes geuen to the end I should serue thee And now Lord that the worlde will not suffer me to enioye them except I offend thy lawes behold I geue vnto thee my whole spirite soule and body and loe I leaue here all the pleasures of this life and doe nowe leaue the vse of them for the hope sake of eternall life purchased in Christes bloud Sacrifice of obedience to God and promised to all them that fight on his side and are content to suffer with hym for his truth when soeuer the world and the deuill shall persecute the same O father I doe not presume vnto thee Sacrifice of thankes for redemption in mine owne righteousnes no but onely in the merites of thy deare sonne my sauiour For the whiche excellent gifte of saluation I cannot worthily prayse thee neither is any sacrifice worthy or to be accepted with thee in comparison of oure bodyes mortified and obedient vnto thy will and now Lorde Sacrifice of the body what soeuer rebellion hathe bene or is found in my members agaynst thy will yet do I here geue vnto thee my body to the death rather then I will vse anye straunge worshipping whiche I beseech the accept at my hande for a pure sacrifice let this torment be to me the last enemye destroyed euen death the ende of misery and the beginning of all ioy peace and solace and when the tyme of resurrection commeth then let me enioy agayne these members then glorified which now be spoyled and consumed by the fire O Lord Iesu receaue my spirite into thy handes Amen Letters of Nicholas Shetterden and first a letter to his mother AFter my humble and bounden duety remembred welbeloued Mother A letter of Nicholas Sheterden to his mother this shal be to wishe you increase of grace and and godly wisedome that yee may see and perceiue the craftye bewitching of Sathan our mortal enemy which as I haue diuers times declared vnto you doth not openly shewe himselfe in hys owne likenes but vnder colour of deuotion deceiueth them that keep not a dilligent eye vpon him Sathan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light but hauing confidence in mans traditions and customes of the worlde leauing the commaundementes of God and Testament of his Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord doe grow more into superstition hipocrisie then into wisedome and true holynesse For this is most true that Sathan the enemy of soules dothe by his ministers make many beleue that those thinges whiche they compell vs vnto for theyr bellye 's sake haue many godly significations although they be most contrary to Gods will as doubtlesse they be euen as did the serpent in Paradise to our first mother Eue. What sayd he hath God commaunded yee shall not eate of all the trees in the Garden The woman sayd of the fruites of the trees in the Garden we may eate but of the tree in the middest of the Garden sayd God see ye eate not least ye dye As the Serpent seduced Eue by an Aple so Priestes seduce the people by Images EueÌ„ so our Ministers now a dayes say hath God commaunded ye shall not make you anye Image or likenes of any thing Yea forsoothe Tush say they what harme can they doe May we not remember God the better wheÌ„ we see his Image or Picture For they are good bookes for the lay men but in deed they be better for the priestes because they receiue the offeringes And looke howe truely the promise of the serpent was kepte with Eue so is the perswasion of our Priests found true to vs. Images more profitable bookes for Priests then for lay men For as Adam and Eue did become like God in knowing good and euill so are we in remembring God by hys Image For Adams eyes were so open that he lost both innocencye and righteousnes and was become most miserable of all creatures and euen so we remember Christ so well by Images that we forget his commaundements and count his Testament confirmed in his bloud for starke madnesse or heresie so miserably haue wee remembred him that of all people we are most blinde Sheterden prophesieth of Gods plagues and this doth followe vpon our presumption when wee remember God by breking of hys law and therefore surely except we repent shortly God wil remember vs in his wrath reward vs with his plagues as sure as there is a God it will come to passe But I know the craftines of them herein I thanke God whiche wil say Where went he to schoole Learning against or without Gods word is vayne and to no purpose Antichrist hath turned the Church cleare vpside downe Is he wiser then our great Doctours that studyed all their life And loe they saye that it is good hay although we smell
plainly â—â—nswere that Saints should not be honoured My Lordes sayde hee there are two things worthy of note 〈◊〉 honour 〈◊〉 God is 〈…〉 4. The one is certaine the other vncertayne It is found plainly and certaine in Scripture that we should worship and honor one God according to the saying of the first Commaundement Thou shalt only worship and honour thy Lord God with all thy heart But as for praying to and honouring of Saintes there is great doubt among many whether they hear or no inuocation made vnto theÌ„ Therefore I exhorted all men equally in my doctrine that they shoulde leaue the vnsure waye and folowe that way which was taught vs by our master Christ. He is our only mediatour and maketh intercession for vs to God hys father 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 He is the doore by the which we must enter in Hee that entreth not in by this doore but climeth an other way is a theefe and murtherer Hee is the veritie and lyfe Hee that goeth out of this way there is no doubte but hee shall fall into the mire yea verely is fallen into it already This is the fashion of my doctrine the whych I haue euer followed Uerely that whyche I haue hearde and reade in the woorde of God I taught openly and in no corners And now ye shal witnes the same if your Lordships will heare me Except it stande by the worde of God I dare not be so bold to affirme any thinge These sayings he rehearsed diuers times 13 Thou false heretike haste preached plainly 13. Article saying that there is no Purgatorie and that it is a fained thinge any man after thys life to be punished in Purgatorie My Lordes as I haue oftentimes sayde heeretofore Aunswere without expresse witnesse and testimonie of the Scripture I dare affirme nothyng Purgatory not once named in Scripture I haue ofte and diuers times read ouer the Bible and yet suche a terme founde I neuer nor yet any place of Scripture applicable therunto Therfore I was ashamed euer to teache of that thyng whych I coulde not finde in the Scripture Then sayd he to master Iohn Lauder hys accuser If you haue any testimonie of the Scripture by the which ye may prooue any such place shewe it nowe before this auditorie But this dolt had not a worde to say for him selfe but was as dumbe as a beetle in that matter 14 Thou false heretike hast taught plainly against the vowes of Monkes Friers Nunnes and Priestes saying 14. Article that whosoeuer was bounde to such like vowes they vowed themselues to the estate of damnation Moreouer that it was lawful for priestes to marry wiues and not to liue sole Of soothe my Lordes I haue read in the Euangell Aunswere that there are three kindes of chaste men Some are gelded from their mothers wombe some are gelded by men Math. 13. and some haue gelded themselues for the kingdome of heauen sake Uerelye I say Three kindes of chast men The dauÌ„ger of vnchastitye these men are blessed by the Scripture of God But as many as haue not the gift of chastitie nor yet for the Euangell haue not ouercome the concupiscence of the flesh and haue vowed chastitie yee haue experience although I should holde my peace to what inconuenience they haue vowed them selues When he had sayde these wordes they were all dumbe thinking better to haue tenne Concubines then one married wife 15 Thou false heretike and runnagate sayest 15. Article thou wylte not obey our Generall nor Prouinciall Councels My Lords what your general Councels are I knowe not I was neuer exercised in them Aunswere but to the pure worde of God I gaue my labors Read here your general Councels or els geue me a booke wherin they are contained that I may reade them If they agree with the word of God They runne aâ—pase to shedde bloud I will not disagree Then the rauening wolues turned into woodnes said Wherefore let we him speake any further Reade forth the rest of the articles stay not vpoÌ„ them Among these cruell tygers there was one false hypocrite Iohn Grayfinde Scot an hastye butcher to his slaughter a seducer of the people called Ioh. Graifind Scot standing behind Ioh. Lauders backe hasting him to read the rest of y e articles not to tary vpoÌ„ his witty and godly answers For we may not abide them quoth he no more then the diuill may abide the signe of the Crosse when it is named 16 Thou heretike sayest that it is vaine to builde to the honor of God costly Churches 16. Article seeinge that God remaineth not in the Churches made with mens handes nor yet God can be in so litle space as betwixt the priests handes My Lordes Salomon sayeth If that the heauen of heauens can not comprehende thee Aunswere howe muche lesse thys house that I haue builded And Iob consenteth to y e same sentence Seeing that he is higher then the heauens therefore what canst thou build vnto him He is deper then hel 3. Reg. 8. Iob. 11. then how shalt thou know him He is longer then y e earth and broader then the sea So that God cannot be compreheÌ„ded into one place because that he is infinite These sayings notwithstanding I said neuer that Churches should be destroyed But of the contrarye I affirmed euer Whereunto Churches should serue that Churches should be sustained and vpholden that the people should be congregated into them there to hear of God And moreouer wheresoeuer is true preaching of the word of God and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments vndoubtedly there is God himselfe So that both these sayings are true together God cannot be coÌ„prehended into any place and where soeuer are two or three gathered in hys name there is he present in the middest of them Then sayde he to hys accuser If you thinke any otherwise then I say shew foorth your reasons before this auditorie Then he without al reason being dumbe and not answering one word proceeded foorth in hys articles 17 Thou false heretike contemnest fastinge and sayest 17. Article thou shouldest not fast My Lordes I finde that fasting is commended in the Scrypture therefore I were a sclaunderer of the Gospell if I contemned fastynge And not so onely Answeare True fasting he alloweth but I haue learned by experience that fastinge is good for the health of the bodye but God knoweth who fasteth the true fast 18 Thou false heretike haste preached openlye 18. Article sayinge that the soule of man shall sleepe to the latter daye of iudgement and shall not obtaine life immortall vntill that day Aunswere God full of mercy and goodnesse forgeue them that saye such things of me I wote and knowe surely by the worde of God that he which hathe begun to haue the faith of Iesu Christ and beleueth firmely in him I know surely that the soule of that
if hereby we doe enioy all good thinges it followeth that we must needes possesse haue and enioy you most reuerend Fathers who be no small part of our ioy and good thinges geuen vs of God We heretofore haue had the fruition of you by bodily presence to our inexplicable benefite praysed be that oure gracious God therfore And nowe in spirite we haue the experience of vnspeakeable cōfort by your reuerēt fatherhoodes for y t in this so glorious sort Math. 5. ye become a towne set vpon a hill a candle vpon a candlestick a specktacle vnto y e world both to the Angels vnto men So y t as we to our great cōfort do feele 1. Cor. 4. Phil. 1. you also may assuredly say with saint Paule y t the things which happē vnto vs do chance vnto y e great furtherance of the Gospell so y t our bonds in christ are manifest not onely throughout all the iudgement hall but in all wholl Europa in so much that many of the brethren in the Lord being incouraged through our bondes dare more boldly speake the word without feare And here in as you haue with s. Paule greatly to reioyce so we doe reioyce with you and we do in deed with you geue thāks for this worthy excellēt fauour of our God towards you that christ is thus magnified in you yea and hereafter shal be magnified in your bodies Phil. 1. Phil. 1. whether it be through life or death Of which thing truely wee are assured in our prayers for you and ministring of the spirite And although for your owne partes Christ is vnto you life and death aduantage and that your desire is as in deede it were better for you to be loosed and to be w t Christ yet for the Church of Christ were it much more necessary that ye shuld abide in the fleshe Yea that mercifull God euen for his Christes sake graunt that ye may abide and continue for the furtheraunce of the Churche and reioysing of fayth that the reioysing therof may be the more aboundant through Iesus Christ by your restoring Amen Amen But if it seeme better otherwise vnto the diuine wisedome y t by speedy death he hath appoynted you to glorifie him y e Lords wil be done Yea euen as we do reioyce both on your behalfes also on our own that God is magnified by life and shuld be more aboundantly glad for the continuance thereof so we shall no lesse reioyce to haue y e same wrought by death We shall geue thankes for this honour geuen vnto you reioysing that ye are accounted worthye to suffer for the name of Christ and that it is geuen to you of God not onely that ye shoulde beleue in him but also that ye should suffer for his sake And herein we shal haue to reioyce in the behalfe of the Churche of Christ whose faith may be the faster fixed vpon Gods veritie being confirmed with three such worthy witnesses Oh thankes be to God for this his vnspeakeable gift And now most reuerend Fathers that you may vnderstand the trueth of vs and our estate howe we stand in the lord I do assure your reuerences partly by y t I perceaue by such of our brethren as be here in bondes w t me partly by that I heare of them which be in other places partly by that inward experiēce which I most vnworthy wretch haue of Gods good comfort more aboundance whereof I knowe there is in others you may be assured I say by Gods grace that you shall not be frustrate of your hope of our constaunt continuance in the cheerefull confession of Gods euerlasting veritie For euen as we haue receyued the word of truth euen the Gospell of our saluation wherin we beleeuing are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce the which spirite certifieth our spirit The constant minde of a christian souldiour Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. that we are the children of God and therefore God hath sente the spirite of his Sonne into our harts crying Abba Father so after such portion as God measureth vnto vs we with the whole Church of Christ and with you reuerend fathers receiuing the same spirite of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore I haue spoken 2. Cor. 4. Psal. 116. We also beleeue and therefore speake For the which we in this dangerous bondage and other afflictions hauing euen such a fight as we haue seene in you and haue heard of you Phil. 1. are in no wise afraid of our aduersaries And forasmuch as we haue such an office euen as God hath had mercy on vs 1. Cor. 4. we go not out of kind but euē with you after our little power we labour to maintain the faith of the Gospell knowing most certainely that though we haue this treasure in earthen vessels 2. Cor 4. that the excellency of thys power might be Gods and not ours yet shall we not be dashed in pieces For the Lord will put his hand vnder vs. When we are troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift when we are in pouerty we are not vtterly without some thing when we suffer persecution we are not forsaken therein when we are cast downe yet we shall not perish but to communicate with our sweete Sauiour Christ in bearing the crosse it is appointed vnto vs that euen with him also we shall be glorified For it is a true saying If we be dead with him 2. Tim. 2. we shall also liue with him If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall also deny vs. Wherefore be we of good cheere 3. Cor. 4. alwayes bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might appeare also in our body For we know that he which raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall ioyne vs to himselfe together with you Wherefore we are not weeried but though our outward man perish yet the inwarde man is renued day by day For our tribulation which is momentane and light prepareth an exceeding and eternall weight of glory vnto vs while we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Esay 12. We testifie vnto you Reuerend fathers that we drawe these waters with ioy out of the Wels of the sauiour And I trust we shall cōtinually with you blesse the Lord Psal. 48. giue thanks to the Lord out of the wels of Israell we trust to bee merry together at that greate Supper of the Lambe whose spouse we are by faith and there to sing that song of euerlasting Haleluyah Amen Yea come Lorde Iesu. The grace of our Lord Iesu Christ be with you Amen Another letter written
to his wife wherein is to bee seene how this woorthy warriour prepared himselfe to the appoynted fight and to keepe hys standyng in Christes Campe. Laurence Saunders to his wyfe GRace and comfort in Christ Iesu our onely comfort in all extreme assaultes Amen M. Saunders letter to his wife Fayne woulde this flesh make strange of that which the spirit doth embrace Oh Lorde how loth is this loitering sluggard to passe forth in Gods pathe It fantasieth forsooth much feare of fraybugs and were it not for the force of faith which pulleth it forwarde by the reyne of Gods most sweete promise and of hope which pricketh on behinde great aduenture there were of fainting by the way But blessed and euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly father of ours who in his Christ our sufficient Sauiour hath vouched safe to shine in our harts 2. Cor. 4. that he geueth vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesu Christ and hauing this treasure in our earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power might be Gods and not oures we are according to his good will troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift we are in pouerty but yet not without that is sufficient 2. Cor. 4. we suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein we are cast downe neuertheles we perish not we beare in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the life of Iesus might also appeare in our body Wherefore by the grace of our Christ we shall not be weeried neyther be dismayed by this our probation thorough the fire of affliction as though some strange thing had hapned vnto vs but by his power we shall reioyce in as much as we are pertakers of Christes passion that when he doth appeare we may be merry and glad knowing that our tribulation which is momentane and light 2. Cor. 4. prepareth an exceeding and an eternall weyght of glory vnto vs while wee looke not on the thyngs which are seene but on the things whych are not seene They that sowe in teares Psal. 126. shall reape in ioye For he that goeth on his way weeping and scattering his good seede shall doubtles come agayne wyth ioy and bring his whole sheaues wyth him Then then shall the Lorde wipe awaye all teares from our eyes Then then shall be brought to passe that saying which is written Death is swallowed vp in victory Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory Yea thankes be to God which hath geuen vs the victory thorough our Lord Iesus Christ Amen 1. Cor. 15. In the meane season it remayneth for vs to followe S. Peters bidding Let them sayth he that are troubled according to the will of God 1. Pet. 4. commit their soules to him with well doing as a faithfull Creator and Maker He is our maker we are his handyworke and creatures whome now when he hath made he doth not leaue and forsake as the shipwright doth the shyp Actes 17. leauing it at all aduentures to be tossed in the tempest but he comforteth vs his creatures and in him we liue moue and haue our being Ye not onely that but now that he hath in his deare Christ repayred vs being before vtterly decayed and redeemed vs purging vs vnto himselfe as a peculiar people by the bloud of hys Sonne he hath put on a most tender good will and fatherly affection toward vs neuer to forget vs vnto whome by such promises he hath plighted such faith that though it were possible that the mother could forget her infant Gods promises firme and sure Esay 49. and not be tender harted to the childe of her wombe yet may not it be that his faithfull beleeuers should be forgotten of him He biddeth vs to cast our care on him and sayth that assuredly he careth for vs. And what though for a season he doth suffer vs to be turmoyled in the troublous tempestes of temptation and seemeth as in much anger to haue geuen vs ouer and forgotten vs 1. Pet. 5. let not vs for all that leaue off to put our trust in him but let vs with godly Iob conclude in our selues and say Euen though he kill mee Iob. 3. Trust vpoâ— Gods promise yet will I put my trust in him Let vs with the blessed Abraham in hope euen contrary to hope by beliefe leane vnto that our louing Lord who though for our probation he suffereth vs to be afflicted yet will he not bee alwayes chiding neyther keepeth he his anger for euer for he knoweth whereof wee bee made he remembreth that we are but dust Wherefore looke how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth Psal. 103. so great is his mercy towards them which feare him Looke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a father pitieth his owne children euen so is the Lorde mercifull vnto them that feare him Oh what great cause of reioycing haue we in our most gracious God we can not but burst foorth into the praysing of suche a bountifull benefactour and say with the same Psalmist Prayse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites Deare wife riches haue I none to leaue behynde mee wherewith to endow you after the worldly maner But that treasure of tasting how sweete Christ is vnto hungry consciences whereof I thanke my Christ I do feele part Saunders godly bequest to hiâ— wife and would feele more that I bequeath vnto you and to the rest of my beloued in Christ to retaine the same in sense of hart alwayes Pray pray I am merry Experiencâ— of the comfortes of Christ in prison and I trust I shall be merry maugre the teeth of all the deuils in hell I vtterly refuse my selfe and resigne my selfe vnto my Christ in whome I knowe I shall be strong as he seeth needefull Pray pray pray Laurence Saunders As the sayde Mayster Saunders was in prison strayte charge was geuen to the keeper M. Saunderâ— wife not suffered to speake with him in prison that no person shoulde speake with him His wife yet came to the prison gate with her yong childe in her armes to visit her husband The keeper though for his charge hee durst not suffer her to come into the prison yet did he take the little babe out of her armes and brought him vnto his father Laurence Saunders seeing him reioyced greatly saying that he reioysed more to haue such a boy then he should if two thousand pounde were geuen him And vnto the standers by which praysed the goodlines of the childe he sayde what man fearing God woulde not lose this life present rather then by prolonging it heere he should adiudge this boy to be a Bastard his wife a whoore and himselfe a whooremonger Yea if there were no other