I confessed the Masse to be blasphemye to Christes death and passion Item I confessed that in the Sacrament of the aultar Christ is not present neither spiritually nor corporally but as they vse it it is an abhominable Idoll Last of all I confessed the bishop of LondoÌ„ to be mine Ordinary After this the Bishop falling to entreating and perswasions earnestly exhorted him to reuoke his heresyes as he termed them and to refourme hymselfe vnto the Church of Rome and not to sticke so much to the literall sense of the Scriptures but to vse the interpretation of the olde Fathers To whiche Tyms aunswered I will not reforme my selfe therunto And I thank God of this day for I trust he will turne your cursinges into blessinges And furthermore asking this question he sayde And what haue you to mainteine the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament but onely the bare letter We haue quoth the bishop the catholicke church No sayd Tyms you haue the popish church of Rome for you for which you he periured and forsworne And the See of Rome is the See of Antichrist and therfore to that church I will not conforme my selfe nor once consent vnto it Then the bishop seing his constant boldnesse to be vnmoueable proceeding to his condeÌ„nation pronounced the sentence definitiue vpon him and gaue him ouer to the secular power * The condemnation of Robert Drakes After calling for Robert Drakes he vsed towardes him the like maner of exhortation that he dyd before To whom Drakes sayd As for your church of Rome I vtterly defy and deny it with all the workes thereof euen as I deny the deuill and all his workes The bishop then vsing his accustomed order of law with his like exhortations at last gaue him the like blessing that Tyms had and so charged the Shiriffe with him The condemnation of Thomas Spurge and of the other three martyrs Thomas Spurge being next demaunded if he would returne to the catholicke Church sayd as foloweth As for your church of Rome I doe vtterly deny it but to the true catholick church I am content to returne and continue in the same whereof I beleue the Church of Rome to be no part or member TheÌ„ in fine calling the rest in theyr courses and vpon the like demaundes receiuing the like aunsweres the sayd bishop gaue vnto ech of them their seueral iudgements so ridding his bloudy handes coÌ„mitted theÌ„ vnto the custody of the Shiriffes of London who sent theÌ„ vnto Newgate whither they went all most ioyfully abiding there the Lordes good time wherin they should seale this theyr fayth with the shedding of theyr bloud which they most stoutly and willingly performed the 14. daye of April as before is mentioned ⧠Letters of William Tyms ¶ To his faythfull sister in the Lord parishioner in the towne of Hockley named Agnes Glascocke THe grace mercy and peace of God our Father thorow Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour with the sweet comfort of hys holy and mighty spirit to the performance of his will to your euerlasting comfort be with you my deare sister Glascocke both now and euermore Amen My most deare and entirely beloued sister yea mother I may right well call you for the motherly care which you haue alwaies had for me I haue me most hartely commended vnto you giuing God most harty thanks for you that he hath geuen you so louing a hart to Christes poore Gospell his poore afflicted flocke for the same and as you haue full godly begonne so I beseech God to geue you power to goe forward in the same and neuer more to looke backe fearing neither fier neyther sworde and then I warrant you you haue not farre to runne And now my deare hart remember well what I haue taught you when I was present with you and also written being absent and no doubte we shall shortly meete agayne with a most ioyfull meeting I go vpon Friday next to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house which is the .20 daye of March where I thinke it will be harde for any of my friendes to speake with me Howbeit I trust I shall not long tary there but shortly after be caryed vp after my deare brethren and sisterne which are gone before me into heauen in a fiery chariot therefore now I take my leaue of you tyll we meete in heauen hye you after I haue tarryed a great while for you and seeing you be so long a making ready I will tarry no longer for you You shall find me merely singing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabboth at my iourneyes ende Therefore nowe my deare hart make good hast and loyter not by the way â—easte nighte take you and so ye be shutte out of the gate with the foolishe virgines And now my sister in witnes that I haue taught you nothing but the truth here I write my name with my bloud for a testimoniall vnto you that I will seale the simple doctrine which I haue taught you with the rest And thus fare you well and God defend you from Antichrist and all his Ministers the false Priestes Amen These words following were written with his owne bloud Continue in prayer Aske in fayth And obteyne your desyer By me William Tyms in the Kynges Bench for the Gospell of Christ. ¶ An other letter of the sayd W. Tyms wherein he doth comforte his sister Glascocke being in greate sorrowe and repentance for going to the Masse God be mercifull vnto you pardon forgeue all your sinnes send you fayth to beleeue the same that you may be partaker of his heauenly Kingdome Amen My deare sister I haue me most hartely commended vnto you as I haue lamented your falling from God by being partaker with that Idolatrous Priest so haue I since I heard of your earnest repentance very much reioysed and also praysed almighty God for his mercy shewed vnto you in that he hath not left you to your selfe but since your denyall he hath shewed his mercy on you by looking backe on you as he did on Peter and so caused you to repent as Peter did bitterly to weepe for your sinnes where as if God had lefte you to your selfe you had runne forward from one euill vnto an other till at the length your harte shoulde eyther haue bene hardened or els you shoulde haue dispayred of the mercy of God And seeing that God hath bene so mercyfull vnto you as he hath bene bee you not vnthankefull vnto him for the same For I certyfie you that your sorrowfull hart that you haue had doth declare vnto me that God hath pardoned and forgeueÌ„ all your sinnes for the bloudshedding of that immaculate lambe Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Therefore as Peter after the tyme that Christe had forgiuen him his sinne did boldly confesse Christ before all his enemies euen so my deare hart in the Lord seing that God hath so mercyfully pardoned
shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye then shall the Children of God appeare what they be euen like vnto Christ for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vnto Christes glorious body and that by the power wherby he is able to subdue vnto himselfe al thinges Then that which is now corruptible shall be made incorruptible that nowe is vile shall then bee made glorious that is now weake shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and haue the vnspeakable ioy and fruâ—tion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is Who or what then shall let vs to ieoparde to ieopard yea to spende this lyfe whiche wee haue here in Christes cause in our Lorde God his cause O thou therefore man of God thou yâ— art loden so letted like vnto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after suche things as I haue spoken of stand fast what soeuer shall befall in thy maysters cause and take this thy letting to flye for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause Of this be thou certaine they can do nothing vnto thee whiche thy father is not aware of or hath not foreseene before they can do no more theÌ„ it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church and thine owne saluation Let theÌ„ then do what they shall seeing to thee O man of God all thinges shall be forced to serue and to worke with thee vnto the best before God O be not afrayd and remember the end All this whiche I haue spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnder the banner of the crosse of Chryste and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice and to sticke to him as men of trusty seruice in hys cause euen vnto death and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause is to win it in eternal glory for euermore Therfore now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise I say vnto all that loue God our heauenly father that loue Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure that loue to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all vnto al that loue Christs spouse and bodye the true catholicke Churche of Christe yea that loue lyfe and theyr owne soules health I say vnto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters all you that be of God of all sortes ages dignities or degrees hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel Feare not them whiche kill the body for they cannot kil the soule but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light vpon the ground without your father All the heares of your head be numbed Feare them not you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes Euery one that confesseth me before men him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen But who soeuer shall deny me before men I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen The Lord graunt vs therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation that he may confesse vs agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heaueÌ„ to his glory and our euerlasting comfort ioy and saluation To our heauenly Father to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost be all glory and honour now and for euer Amen Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ mayster Latimer and B. Ridley you haue dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed with the Farewels also of B. Ridley wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English to be remembred by the leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient The death and end of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester THe next moneth after the burning of Doctor Ridley and mayster Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember Stephen Gardiner Byshop and Chauncelloure a man hated of God and all good men ended hys wretched lyfe Concerning the quallities nature and disposition of which man for somuch as somewhat hath bene declared before in the storye of kinge Edwardes raygne I shall neede therefore the lesse now to stand greatly vpon the same First this Uipers byrd crept out of the towne of Bery in Suffolke brought vp most parte of his youth in Cambridge his wit capacitie memorye and other indumentes of nature not to bee complayned of if he hadde wel vsed and rightly applyed the same wherein ther was no great want of Gods part in hym if hee had not rather hymselfe wanted to the goodnes of his gifts Through this promptnes actiuitie towardnes of hys he profited not a little in such studyes as he gaue hys head vnto as first in the law ciuil then in languages and such other like especially in those artes and faculties which had any prospect to dignitie and preferment to be hoped for Besides other ornaments or helpes of nature memory chiefly seemed in hym very beneficiall rather then dilligence of study To these giftes and quallities were ioyned agayne is great or greater vices which not so much followed hym as ouertooke him not so muche burdened hym as made hym burdenous to the whole realme Hee was of a proude stomacke and high minded in hys owne opinion and conceit flattering himselfe to much in wit crafty and subtile towarde his superiour flattering and faire spoken to hys inferiours fierce agaynst hys equall stoute and enuious namely if in iudgement and sentence he any thyng withstoode hym as appeared betweene the good Lorde CroÌ„well and hym in the raygne of kyng Henry being of like hauâ—inesse of stomacke as the Poets wryte of Pelides Cedere nescius Who although would geue no place to men yet notwtstanding I wish he woulde haue geuen place to truth according as he semed not altogether ignorant of the truth What his knowledge was therin it is euident partly to vnderstand as wel by his book De vera obedientia as also by his sermon before king Edward also by his aunsweres to the Councell the same time and
in Christ may pray that he fall not but endure to the ende and that those that fall through fearefull infirmity might speedely repent and rise agayne with Peter and also that the weake ones mighte bewayle theyr weakenes and crye with Dauid haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heale me for all my bones are vexed Of this opening of the heart by persecution spake holy Simion to Mary Christes mother when he sayde the Sworde that is the Crosse of persecution shall pearse thy Soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened For like as a king that should go to battell is cōpelled to looke in his cofers what treasure he hath and also what number and puisaunce of menne and weapons hee hath so that if he himselfe be vnready and vnarmed to bicker with hys enemye he surceaseth and taketh truice for a time euen so wee by persecutions haue our heartes opened that wee maye looke therein to see what fayth in Christ we haue and what strength to withstand the enemies and to beare the Crosse that if we be riche in these treasures we might reioyce and valiauntly go to Battell or if we want these thinges with all speede to call and crye vppon him which geueth all good giftes to those that aske them Item the crosse trieth the good people from the bad the faythfull from the worldlinges and hipocrites and also cleanseth and scoureth the faythfull hartes from all corruption and filthinesse both of the flesh and the spirit And euen as yron except it be often scoured will soone waxe rusty so except our sinnefull hartes and flesh be often scoured with the whetstone of the Crosse they will soone corrupt ouergrowe with the ruste of all filthinesse and sinne And therefore it is meete and good for vs as the wise man sayeth that as gold siluer are tryed in the fire so should the hartes of acceptable men be tried in the fornace of aduersity Abide the triall deare frendes that yee may obteyne the Crowne of life Fighte manfully in this the Lordes cause that ye may obteyne a glorious victorye here and receiue a greate rewarde in heauen hereafter As yee are called Christians and woulde be angry to be called Iewes or Turkes so declare your Christianity by folowing the steps of Christ whose name ye beare suffer with hym and for his Gospelles sake rather then to denye him or to defile your fayth and conscience with false worshipping of Romish religion Take vp your Crosse my deare hartes now when it is offered you and go vp with Christ to Ierusalem amōgest the Bishoppes Priestes and Rulers if God call you thereto and they will anone sende you to Caluery from whence dying in the cause of the Gospell wherein our good Preachers and Brethren haue geuen theyr liues your soules I warrant you through Christ Iesu shall ascend to God that gaue them and the body shall come after at the last day and so shal ye dwell with the Lord for euer in vnspeakeable ioy and blisse O blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake as Christes people in this Iewish Englande nowe doth for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen O my beloued set your mindes on this kingdome where Christ our head and king is considering that as the brute beast tooketh downewardes with the face towardes the earth so man is made contrariwise with his face looking vpward towardes the heauens because his conuersation should be in heauen and heauenlye thinges and not vpon the earth and earthly thinges and S. Paule sayth set your mindes on thinges whiche are aboue where Christ is And agayne he sayth our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour who will chaunge our vile bodyes and make them like to his glorious body Oh the glorious estate that we be called vnto The Lord preserue vs harmeles to his eternal kingdome through Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen The second thing that I note in the foresayde wordes of Peter is that he calleth persecution no straunge thinge And trueth it is for which of the Prophetes were not persecuted with Christ and his Apostles and some of them in the end cruelly killed for the truthes sake Cain killed Abell Isaac was persecuted of Ismaell Iacob was hated of Esau Ioseph was prisoned and set in the Stockes the Prophet Esay was cut in two with a Saw Ieremy was stoned Micheas was buffeted and fed with bread and water Helias was sore persecuted Eleazar and the woman with her 7. sonnes were cruelly killed What Christ and the Apostles suffered it is well knowne So that by many tribulations as Paul sayth we must enter into the kingdome of Heauen All the holy Prophetes Christ and hys Apostles suffered such afflictions not for euill doing but for preaching Gods word for rebuking the world of sinne and for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ. This is the ordinance of GOD my Frendes this is the high way to heauen by corporall death to eternall life as Christ sayth he that heareth my woordes and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into iudgement but is escaped from death to life Let vs neuer feare death which is killed by Christ but beleue in him and liue for euer as Paule sayth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the Spirit And agayne Paule sayth Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory Thankes be to God which hath geuen vs victory through Iesu Christe Besides this ye haue seene and dayly doe see the bloud of your good Preachers and Brethren which hath bene shed in the Gospelles cause in this sinnefull Sodome this bloudy Ierusalem this vnhappy City of London Lette not theyr bloud be forgotten nor the bloud of your good Bishop Ridley who like a Shepheard to your comforte exāple hath geuen his life for his sheepe good S. Paule sath remember them that haue spoken to you the word of God and looke vpon the end of theyr conuersation and folow theyr fayth The Deuill euer stirreth vp false teachers as he hath done now ouer all Englande as Peter Paule and Iude prophesied it should be to poyson and kill our soules with the false doctrine And where he fayleth of his purpose that way then mooueth he his members to persecute the seely carcases of the Saynctes because they will not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuing Christ and confesse a dead breadye Christ and honour the same as Christ God and man contrary to Gods commaūdement This is the working of Sathan who knowing hys owne iust damnation woulde all mankinde to be partakers wyth him of the same such a mortall hatred beareth he agaynst GOD and his people And therefore when this wicked Tempter coulde not kill Christe with subtle tentation to fall downe and worship him then
many promoters and vnneighborly neighbors to help them forwards By which kinde of people it is not vnlike these two godly yokefellowes were accused and taken and being once deliuered into the pitiles haÌ„dling of Boner their examinations ye may be sure were not long deferred For the 16. day of Iuly 1557. they were brought before him into hys palace at London Wher first he demaÌ„ded of the said Iames Austoo amongst other questions where he had bene confessed in Lent and whether he receiued the sacrament of the altare at Easter or not To whom he answered that in dede he had ben confessed of the curate of Aâ—halowes Barking â—e to the tower of London but that he had not receiued the sacrament of the altar for he defied it from the bottome of his heart Why quoth the Bishop doest thou not beleeue that in the sacrament of the altare there is the true body bloude of Christ. No sayd Austoo not in the Sacrament of the altar but in the Supper of the Lorde to the faithfull receiuer is the very body and bloud of Christ by faith Boner not well pleased with this talke asked then the wife how she did like the religion then vsed in this courâ—h of England Shee answered that shee beleeued that the same was not according to Gods word but false and corrupted and that they which did goe thereunto did it more for feare of the law then otherwise Then hee againe asked her if shee woulde goe to the Churche and heare Masse and pray for the prosperous estate of the king being then abroad in his affaires Whereunto she said that she defied the Masse with all her heart and that she would not come into any Churche wherein were Idols After this the Bish. obiected vnto them certaine articles to the number of 18. The tenor whereof because they touch only such common trifling matters as are already mentioned in diuers sondry places before I do here for breuitie sake omit and passe ouer geuing you yet this much to vnderstand that in the maters of faith they were as souÌ„d and answered as truly God be therfore praised as euer any did especially the woman to whom the Lord had geuen the greater knowledge and more feruentnes of spirit Notwithstanding according to the measure of grace that God gaue them they both stood most firmly vnto the truthe And therefore to conclude the 10. day of Sept. they were with Rafe Allerton of whoÌ„ ye haue heard brought againe before the bishop within his chappell at Fulham where he speaking vnto them said first on this wise Austoo doest thou knowe where thou art nowe and in what place and before whom and what thou hast to doe Yea quoth Austoo I knowe where I am For I am in an idols temple After which wordes their articles being againe red their constancie in faith perceiued Boner pronounced against either of them seuerally the sentence of coÌ„demnation and deliuering them vnto the sheriff there present did rid his hands as he thought of them but the Lorde in the ende will iudge that to whome I referre his cause It so happened vpon a night that as this Margerie Austoo was in the bishops prisone which prison I suppose was his dogge kennel for it was as is reported vnder a paire of staires by the bishops procurement there was sent a stoute champion as appeared about 12. of the clocke at nighte who suddenly opened the doore and with a knife drawen or ready prepared fell vppon her to the intent to haue cut her throte Which she by reason of the clearnes of the Moone perceiuing and calling vnto God for helpe he but who it was she knewe not geuing a grunt and fearing belike to commit so cruel a dede departed his waies without any more hurt doing The next night following they caused a great rumbeling to be made ouer her head which semed to her to haue bene some great thuÌ„der which they did for to haue feared her out of her wittes but yet thanks be to God they missed of their purpose Richard Roth. IN the godly felowship of the forenamed three Martyrs was also this Rich. Roth as is alreadye specified Who being apprehended and brought vp vnto the bish of London was by him examined the 4. day of Iuly at what time the bish did earnestly trauel to induce him to beleeue that there were 7. sacraments in Christes churche and that in the sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration duely spoken there remained the very substance of Christes body and bloud and none other Wherunto at the present he made only this aunsweare that if the scriptures did so teach him and that he might be by the same so perswaded he would so beleue otherwise not But at another examination which was the 9. day of Sept. he declared plainly that in the said sacrameÌ„t of the altar as it was then vsed there was not the very body and bloud of Christ but that it was a dead God and that the Masse was detestable and contrary to Gods holy woorde and will from the which faith and opinion he would not goe or decline The next daye being the 10. day of the same moneth of September the Bishop at his house at Fulham by waye of an article laid and obiected against him that he was a comforter and boldener of hereticks and therefore hadde wrytten a letter to that effect vnto certaine that were burned at Colchester the copie whereof ensueth A letter wrytten by Rich. Roth vnto certaine brethren and sisters in Christ condemned at Colchester and ready to be burned for the testimonie of the truth O Deare brethren and sisters how much haue you to reioyce in God that he hath geuen you such faith to ouercome thys bloud thirsty tyrants thus far and no doubt he that hathe begon that good worke in you wil fulfil it vnto the end O deâ—◠〈…〉 in Christ what a crowne of glory shall ye receiue with Christe in the kingdom of God Oh that it had bene the good will of God that I had ben ready to haue gon with you For I lie in my 〈◊〉 little ease in the day and in the night I lie in the Colehouse froÌ„ Rafe Allerton or any other and we loke euery day wheÌ„ we 〈◊〉 be condemned For he said that I shoulde be burned wythin 〈◊〉 daies before Easter but I lie still at the pooles brinke and euery man goeth in before mee but we abide paciently the lordes lâ—isure with many bandes in setters and stockes by the whiche we haue receiued great ioy in God And nowe fare you well deare brethren and sisters in this worlde but I trust to see you in the heauens face to face Oh brother Munt with your wife and my deare sister Rose how blessed are you in the Lord that God hath found you worthy to suffer for his sake with all the rest of my deare brethren sisters knowen vnknowen O be ioyful euen
leaue it to the reporte of them which in this matter know more then I here will vtter But notwithstanding al these cracks and threatnings of the king to see what the Lord can doe in making hygh kinges to stoupe euen the same day when the king was in his most rage agaynst these good men almightye God taking the cause in hand to fight for his Church so turned the matter that he made the great enemy of hys both with his mouth and with his hand to worke his own destruction with his mouth in commaunding with his hanâ— in geuing him the Lance into hys hand which the same day gaue him his deathes wound as by the sequele hereof in reading ye may vnderstand ¶ The stroke of Gods hand vpon Henry .2 French king KIng Henry being in the ParliameÌ„t house which was kept at the Fryer Augustines at Paris because the Pallace was in preparing agaynst the mariage of hys daughter and his sister and hauing heard the opinion in religioÌ„ of Anne du Bourg Counsaylour in the lawe a man eloquent and learned he caused the sayd Anne du Bourg and Loys du Faur Counsaylours to be taken prisoners by the Constable of Fraunce who apprehended them and delyuered them into the handes of the Countye of Mongommery the which caryed them to prison Agaynst whom the king being wrathfull and angry among other talke sayd to the sayd Anne du Bourg These eyes of mine shall see thee burnt And so on the 19. of Iune Commission was geuen to the Iudges to make his Proces During this meane while great feastes and banquets were preparing in the Courte for ioy and gladnes of the mariage that should be of the kinges daughter and sister agaynst the last day of Iune saue one So when the day tyme aboue prefixed was come the king employed all the morning in examining as wel the Presidentes as Counsaylours of the sayde Parliament agaynst these prisoners and other theyr companions that were charged with the same doctrine which being done they went to dinner The king after he had dyned for that he was one of the defendauntes at the Tourney which was solemnly made in S. Anthonies Streate neare to the prison where the foresayde Prisoners were committed hee entred into the Lystes and there in iusting as the manner is had broken many Staues right valiauntly as could be runnyng as well agaynste the Countye of Montgommery as other moe Whereupon he was highly commended of the lookers on And because he had done so valiauntly and was thought nowe to haue done enough hee was desired to cease with praise But he being the more inflamed with hearing of hys prayse woulde needes runne an other course wyth Montgommery who then refusing to runne agaynst the king and kneling vpon his knees for pardon not to run the king being egerly set commanded him vpon his allegeance to runne and as some affirme did also him selfe put the staffe in his hand vnto whose handes he had committed the foresayd prisoners a little before Montgommery thus being enforced whether he would or no to run agaynst the king addressed hymselfe after the best wyse to obey the kinges commaundement Whereupon he and the king met together so stoutly that in breaking theyr Speares the king was striken with the counter blowe so right in one of hys eyes by reasonne that the visour of his Helmet so sodenly fell downe at the same instaunt that the shiuers entred into hys head so that the braynes was peryshed thereupon so festred that no remedy could bee founde although Phisitions and Surgeons were sent for from all places in the Realme as also froÌ„ Brabant by king Philip but nothing auayled so that the xj day after that is the x. of Iuly 1559. he ended his life in great dolour hauing raigned xij yeares three monethes and ten dayes Some report that among other wordes he said that he feared he was strickeÌ„ for casting the poore christians wrongfully in prisoÌ„ but the Cardinal of Loraine standing by as he was alwayes at haÌ„d sayd vnto him that it was the enemy that tempted him that he should be stedfast in the fayth By this meanes the Hall which was prepared for a place of ioy and gladnes did now serue for a Chappel to keep the corps being dressed with blacke mourning cloth night and day tâ—ere was nothing heard but mournyng and lamenting for the space of xl dayes About two yeares after this which was the yeare of our Lord .1561 there were certayne Gentlemen put to death at Amboise for taking armes agaynst the house of Guise Touching which Gentlemen this is to be noted that as one of theÌ„ should be brought to the place of executioÌ„ where the other lay dead before him he thrust his handes into the bloud of two of his companions which were there beheaded and then lifting them vp to heauen cryed with a loud voyce Lord behold the bloud of thy childreÌ„ thou wilt in time and place reuenge it Not long after the same the Chancellor Oliuier who was condemner of theÌ„ at the instigatioÌ„ and pursuit of the Cardinall of Loraine through great remorse of coÌ„science fell sicke and in a frensy casting out sighes vncessauntly afflicting himselfe after a fearefull and strauÌ„ge fashion for his vnrighteous sentence and more then barbarous cruelty shriked vpon a sodeyne with an horrible cry sayd O Cardinall thou wilt make vs all to be damned And within a very few dayes after he dyed Fraunces the second of that name king of Fraunce at the perswasion of the Cardinall of Loraine of certeyne others caused an asseÌ„bly of the Estates of the realm in the towne of Orleans among other things to mainteine the Papall See to the ouerthrow of those which would lyue after the sincerity of the gospel but being fallen sick shortly after in the foresayd place of a feuer through an Impostume in his left eare he dyed the fourth of Decemb. 1561. hauing raigned but one yeare and about fiue monethes It was sayd of this king Fraunces as the authour aboue mentioned reporteth that when he was drawyng toward his end the Cardinal of Loraine made him to say and pronounce these words which folow Lord forgeue me my trespasses and impute not vnto me the faultes which my ministers haue done vnder my name and authority Neither is it vnworthy of obseruation that after the father happened in much like sort by gods mighty iudgement vpon Carol. 9. his second sonne brother to Frances aboue mentioned in these our latter dayes who after the horrible and bloudy murder of the Admyrall other true professors of Christes Gospell both men womeÌ„ and children to the nuÌ„ber of many thousandes of diuers Cityes in so much that the prisoÌ„s streetes are said to be coloured with bloud smoking after such a cruell sort as in our time or country the like hath not hitherto bene sene by the terrible
these words And setteth it in a secret place for no man durst then commit idolatry openly So that conferring the places it doth euidently appeare that images both for vse of religion and in place of perill for idolatry are forbidden God knowyng the inclination of man to Idolatry sheweth the reason why he made this generall prohibition Ne fortè errore deceptus adores ea colas That is to say Least peraduenture thou beyng deceiued should bow downe to them and worship them This generall lawe is generally to be obserued notwithstanding that peraduenture a great number cannot be hurt by them which may appeare by the example followyng God forbade the people to ioyne their children in mariage with strangers addyng the reason Quia seducit filium tuum â—e sequatur me That is For she will seduce thy sonne that he shall not follow me Deut. 7. Moses was not deceyuâ—d or seduced by Iethroes daughter nor Booz by Ruth beyng a woman of Moab And yet for all that the generall law was to be obserued Thou shalt ioine no mariage with them And so likewise Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. Deut. 4. God geueth a speciall charge to auoyde images Beware saith he that thou forget not the couenaunt of the Lord thy God which he made with thee so make to thy selfe any grauen image of any thing which the lord hath forbidden thee for the Lord thy God is a consumyng fire and a iealous God If thou haue children and nephews and doe dwell in the land and beyng deceiued do make to your selues any grauen image doyng euill before the Lord your God and prouoke him to anger I do this day call heauen and earth to witnesse that you shall quickly perish out of the lande which ye shall possesse ye shall not dwell in it any longer tyme but the Lord will destroy you scatter you amongst all nations c. Note what solemne obtestation God vseth and what grieuous punishments he threateneth to the breakers of the second commaundement In the tabernacle and temple of God no image was by God appointed openly to be set nor by practise afterwards vsed or permitted so long as religion was purely obserued so that the vse and execution of the lawe is a good interpreter of the true meaning of the same If by vertue of the second commaundement Images were not lawfull in the temple of the Iewes then by the same commaundement they are not lawfull in the Churches of the Christians For beyng a morall commaundement and not ceremoniall for by consent of writers only a part of the precept of obseruyng the Saboth is ceremoniall it is a perpetuall commandement and byndeth vs as well as the Iewes The Iewes by no meanes would consent to Herode Pilate or Petronius that Images should bee placed in the temple at Hierusalem but rather offred themselues to the death then to assent vnto it Who besides that they are commended by Iosephus for obseruyng the meanyng of the law would not haue endangered themselues so farre if they had thought images had bene indifferent in the teÌ„ple of God For as S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 6. Quid templo Dei cum simulachris c. Ioseph Antiq. libr. 17. cap. 8 lib. 18. cap. 5. 15. Gods Scripture doth in no place commend the vse of Images but in a great number of places doth disallowe and condemne them They are called in the booke of Wisedome the trap snare of the feete of the ignorant It is sayd the inuention of them was the beginnyng of spirituall fornication And that they were not from the beginnyng neither shall they continue to the end In the xv chap. of the same booke it is sayd Vmbra pictura labor sine fructu c. And againe they are worthy of death both that put their trust in them that make them and that loue them and that worship them The Psalmes and prophets are full of like sentences and how can we then prayse the thing which Gods spirit doth alwayes disprayse Furthermore an Image made by a father as appeareth in the same booke for the memoriall of his sonne departed was the first inuention of images and occasion of Idolatry Sap. 14. How much more then shall an image made in the memory of Christ and set vp in the place of religion occasion the same offence Euseb. Eccles. histor lib. 7. cap. 18. Images haue their beginning froÌ„ the heathen of no good ground therfore they cannot be profitable to Christians Whereunto Athanasius agreeth writing of Images agaynst the Gentils Athanas. con gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say The inuention of Images came of no good but of euill and what so euer hath an euill beginning can neuer in any thing be iudged good seing it is wholly nought S. Iohn sayth my little children beware of Images but so set them in Churches which are places dedicated to the seruice and inuocation of God and that ouer the Lordes table being the highest most honorable place where most daunger of abuse both is and euer hath bene is not to beware of them nor to flee from them but rather to embrace and receiue them Tertullian expounding the same wordes writeth thus Lib. de corona militis Filioli custodite vos ab idolis non iam ab idolatria quasi ab officio sed ab idolis i. ab ipsa effigie eorum That is to say Little Children keepe your selues from the shape it selfe or forme of them Images in the Churche either serue to edify or to destroy if they edifye then is there one kinde of â—â—ification which the scriptures neither teach nor commauÌ„d but alwayes dissalow if they destroy they are not to be vsâ—d for in the church of God all thinges ought to be done to edify 1. Cor. 14. The commaundement of God is thou shalt not laye a stumbling blocke or stone before the blinde and cursed 〈◊〉 he that maketh the blinde wander in his way The simple vnlearned people who haue bene so long vnder blinde guides are blind in matters of religion and inclined to error and idolatry Therfore to set images before them to stumble at Nam laquaei pedibus insipientium sunt that is They bee snares and â—rappes for the 〈◊〉 of the ignoraunt or to lead them out of the true waye is not onely agaynst the commandement of God but deserueth also the malediction and curse of God Sap. 14. The vse of images is to the learned confirmed in knowlege neither necessary nor profitable To the superstitious a confirmation in error To the simple weak an occasioÌ„ of fall and very offensiue and wounding of theyr consciences And therfore very daungerous For S. Paul sayth 1. Cor. 9. offending the brethren and wouÌ„ding their weake consciences they sinne agaynst Christe And Math. 18. Woe be to him by whom offense or occasion of falling coÌ„meth it were better that a milstone were tyed about hys necke
euill world according to the will of God our father to whome be praise for euer and euer Amen Oh my brethren of Hadley why are ye so soone turned from them which called you in the grace of Christ vnto an other doctrine whiche is nothing els but that there be some which trouble you and entēd to peruert the gospell of the Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. Neuerthelesse though these shoulde come vnto you that haue bene your true preachers and preache an other way of saluatiō then by Iesus Christes death and passion hold them accursed Yea if it were an Aungell came from heauen and woulde tell you that the sacrifice of Christes body vpon the crosse oute for all euer for all the sinnes of all those which shal be saued were not sufficient accursed be he If he were an aungell or what soeuer he were that would say that our seruice in English were not right Gods seruice but will better allow that moste wicked mumming that you nowe haue Those what soeuer they be except they doe repent allow the Gospell of Iesus Christ they shall neuer come into that kingdome that Christ hath prepared for those that be his Wherefore my dearly beloued brethren of Hadley remember you well what you haue bene taught heretofore of the Lorde Gods true and simple Prophetes that onely did wish your health and consolation Do not my good brethren I pray you forget the comfortable worde of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe Come vnto me all you that are troubled and loden with the daungers that yeare in these stormy dayes and heare my wordes and beleue them and you shal see the vnspeakable comfort that you shal receue The Lord is my shepheard sayth the Prophet Dauid so that I cā want nothyng He feedeth his sheepe in greene pastures and leadeth thē vnto cleare and holsome waters of comfort I am that good Shepheard sayth our Sauiour Iesus Christe for I geue my lyfe for my sheepe and I knowe my sheepe and my sheepe know me but my sheepe will not know an hyerling for hee careth not but onely for his God the belly and so seeketh the destruction of theyr soules Therefore beware of hirelinges you that count your selues the sheep of Iesus Christ. Be sure that ye know his voyce and obey it and be not deceiued through straunge voyces but goe from them and earnestly abide by your professiō that you haue made in your baptisme and shrinke not from it For if you do you shall declare your selues to be a vayne people and without vnderstanding And for this cause doth God plague his people and suffereth them to be deceiued with false Prophets wicked men I pray you note what that Prophet Esay sayth to the people of those dayes because they were slipping from the Lord theyr God which had done so maruellous workes for them as you well do know in the historyes of the Bible Heare O heauen sayeth he and harken thou earth for the Lord hath spoken I haue nourished and brought vppe children but they haue done wickedly agaynst me The Oxe hath knowne hys owner and the Asse his maysters Cribbe but Israel hath receiued no knowledge My people hath no vnderstanding Alas for this sinnefull nation a people of great iniquity a froward generation vnnaturall children They haue forsaken the Lorde they haue prouoked his wrath are gone backeward Harken also what the Prophet Hieremy sayth Be astonyed ye heauens be afrayde and ashamed at suche a thing sayeth the Lorde for my people hath done two euilles They haue forsaken me the well of the waters of life and digged them brokē pittes that can hold no water Is Israel a bond seruaunt or one of the householde of the Lord Why then is he so spoiled Why then do they roare and cry vpō him as a Lyon Understand those thinges now in these dayes that the Prophet spake of thē O my brethren of Hadley Why commeth this plague vpon vs that we haue now in these dayes and other times Harken what the Prophets say commeth not this vpon thee because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thyne owne wickednesse shall reproue thee and thy turning away shall condemne thee that thou mayst know and vnderstand how euill and hurtful a thing it is that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and not feared him sayth the Lord God of hostes the holy one of Israell that is to say he that maketh Israell holy And vnderstande by Israell the children of God and those things that were spoken to the carnall Israel are spoken vnto vs that are or should be the spirituall Israell Grace be with you all Amen Yours Iohn Alcock Prisoner for Gods word in Newgate at London * The second Epistle of Iohn Alcock MY Brethren of Hadley note well what S. Paul said in the x. chap. to the Corinth Brethren I would you should not be ignoraunt of this that our fathers were all vnder the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were baptised vnder Moyses in the cloud and in the sea dyd all eate one spirituall meate and dronke of one spirituall drinke They dronke of that spiritual rocke that foloweth them which rocke was Christ neuerthelesse in manye of them had God no delight for they were ouer smittē in the wildernesse These are examples vnto vs tha◠we should not lust after euill thinges as they lusted that is to say we should stand forth to defend the verity of God which we do right well alas were it not for losse of goodes we do so much lust after them that we will rather say there is no God then we will professe his word to be truth to the losing of our goodes And our Sauiour Christ sayth he that is not content to forsake Father and Mother Wife and children house and lande corne and cattell yea and hys owne life for my truthes sake is not meete for me And if we bee not for our Lorde God then we muste needes be meete for the Deuill and we must needes be seruauntes to one of them If we bee not ashamed of the Gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ but earnestly confesse it to the vttermost of our power thē are we sure to be confessed of our Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ and that before the Angels in heauen to be his seruants But if we will so lust to keepe our goodes and rather deny hym then to loose our goodes then doth it folow whose seruantes we are Therefore my deare brethren of Hadley beware that you doe not consent to any thing agaynst your conscience For if you do beware of Gods great wrath I exhort you therfore my beloued brethren in the Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ to stand fast in your profession and become not manifest runne awayes from the truth of our Lord God but stick earnestly to it and doubt not but our Lord God wil
of thy brothers bloud * To All whiche loue God vnfaynedly and entend to lead a godly life according to his Gospell and to perseuer in his trueth vnto the ende grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen BE not afrayd most dearely beloued in our Sauior Iesus Christ at these most perillous dayes wherein by the sufferaunce of God the Prince of darkenes is broken lose and rageth in hys members agaynst the electe of God wyth all crueltie to set vp agayne the kingdome of Antichrist agaynst whome see that ye be strong in fayth to resist his most deuilishe doctrine with the pure Gospell of God armyng your selues with pacience to abide what soeuer shal be layd to your charge for the truthes sake knowyng that thereunto ye be called not onely to beleeue in hym but also to suffer for hym Oh howe happy are ye that in the sight of God are counted worthy to suffer for the testimony of Christ Quiet therefore your selues Oh my louing brethren and reioyce in hym for whome ye suffer for vnto you do remain the vnspeakable ioyes which neither the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neither the hart of man is able to comprehende in anye wyse Be not afrayd of the bodily death for youre names are written in the booke of lyfe And the Prophetes doth recorde that in the sight of the Lorde precious is the death of hys Saynctes Watch therefore and praye that yee be not preuented in the daye of temptation Now commeth the day of your tryall wherein the waters rage and the stormy windes blowe Now shall it appeare whether ye haue builded vppon the fleeing sande or vppon the vnmoueable rocke Christe whiche is the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes whereon euery house that is builded groweth into an holy temple of the Lord by the mighty workyng of the holy Ghost Now approcheth the daye of your batttayle wherein it is required that ye shewe your selues the valiaunte souldiours of Iesus Christ wyth the armour of God that yee may be able to stand fast agaynst all the craftye assaultes of the Deuill Christ is your Captayne and yee be his souldiours whose cognisaunce is the Crosse to the whiche hee wyllingly humbled hymselfe euen vnto the death and therby spoyled hys enemies and now triumpheth hee ouer them in the glorye of hys father makyng intercession for them that here doe remayne to suffer the afflictions that are to be fulfilled in his misticall bodye It behoueth therefore euery one that will be counted his scholler to take vp his owne crosse and follow hym as ye haue hym for ensample and I assure you that hee being on your side nothing shal be able to preuayle agaynst you And that he will be with you euen to the worldes ende yee haue hys promise in the 28. of Mathew He will goe foorth wyth hys host as a conquerour to make a conquest He is the man that sitteth on the white horse crowned with immortalitie and yee brethren are his fellowship whereof he is the head He hath your hart in hys hand as a bow bent after hys godly will he shall dyrect the same accordyng to the riches of hys glory into all spirituall and heauenly cogitations He is faythfull and will not suffer you to be further assaulted then he will geue you strength to ouercome and in the most daunger he will make a waye that ye may be able to beare it Shrynke not therefore deare heartes when ye shal be called to aunswere for the hope that is in you for we haue the comforter euen the spirite of trueth whiche was sent from the heauens to teache vs. He shall speake in vs hee shall strengthen vs what is he then that shal be able to confound vs Naye what Tiranne is he that now boasteth hymselfe of hys strength to doe mischiefe whome the Lord shall not with the same spirite by the mouth of his seruauntes strike downe to hell fire Yea sodaynly will the Lord bryng downe the glory of the proud Philistians by the handes of hys seruaunt Dauid Theyr strength is in speare shield but our helpe is in the name of the Lord which made both heauen and earth He is our buckler and our wall a strong Tower of defence He is our God and we are his people Hee shall bryng the counsels of the vngodly to nought He shall take them in theyr owne nette He shall destroy them in theyr own inuentions The right hand of the Lorde shall worke this wonder His power is knowne among the children of men Theyr fathers haue felt it and are confounded In lyke maner shall they knowe that there is no counsell agaynst the Lorde when their secrets are opened to the whole worlde and are found to be agaynst the lyuing God Worke they neuer so craftily builde they neuer so strongly yet downe shall theyr rabble fall and the builders them selues shall then be scattered vpon the face of the earth as accursed of God The iust shall see this and be glad prayse the name of the Lord that so meruellously hath delte with hys seruauntes as to bryng theyr enemies vnder theyr feet Thē shall the fearfull seed of Cayne trēble and quake Thē shall the mockyng Ismaelites be cast out of the doore Then shall the proud Nembroth see hys labour lost Then shal the beast of Babilon be troden vnder foot Then shall the scribes and Pharisees for madnes fret and rage Then sha theyr paynted wisedome be knowne for extreme folly Then shall bloudy Dragon be voyd of hys pray Then shall the whore of Babilon receaue double vengeaunce Then shall they scratch theyr crownes for the fall of their Maistres harlot whom they now serue for filthy lucre whē no man will buy their wares any more Then shall the Popishe Priesthoode crye weale away with care euen when the Lord shall helpe his seruauntes which day is not farre of the daye wherein the kingdome of Antichrist shall haue an ende and neuer aryse anye more In the meane tyme abide in certayne and sure hope cleauing vnto the promises of God whiche in theyr owne tyme shal be fulfilled Acquite youre selues lyke men agaynst the enemies of GOD in all humblenes of minde strong in spirite to acknowledge one God one holy Sauioure Iesus Christ one onely euerlastyng and sufficient sacrifice for the remission of sinnes euen the precious bodye of the Lorde Iesus once offered for all and for euer Whiche now sitteth on the right hand of God and from thence shall hee come to iudge both the quicke and the dead at the last day vntil that tyme occupyeth that blessed body none other place to dwell in to be kepte in to be closed in but onelye in the heauens euen in the glorious maiestye of God personally abidyng there in the fleshe not commyng downe from thence till the last houre
denye to be lye or betraye the innocencye of that heauenlye doctrine or to bee ashamed to confesse and stande to the defence of the same seeing that Christe planted it with hys moste precious bloude and all good menne haue more esteemed the true and infallible woorde of GOD then all thys transitorye worlde or their owne mortall liues And I beleeue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophetes Christe and his Apostles to be sufficient and absolutely perfecte to instructe and teache mee and all the holy Church of our dueties towardes God the Magistrates and our neighbours Firste and principallye I do assuredly beleeue wythout any doubting that there is one Deitie or Diuine essence and infinite substaunce which is both called and is in dede God euerlasting vnbodilye vnpartible vnmeasurable in power wisedome and goodnesse the maker and preseruer of all thinges as well visible as inuisible and yet there be three distincte persones all of one Godheade or Diuine beynge and all of one power coequall consubstantiall coeternell the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste I beleeue in God the Father Almightie c. As touching God the Father of heauen I beleeue as muche as holye Scripture teacheth mee to beleeue The Father is the firste persone in Trinitie first cause of our saluation which hathe blessed vs with all maner of blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christe whych hathe chosen vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde that wee shoulde be holye and wythout blame before hym who hath predestinate vs and ordained vs to bee his childrenne of adoption thorough Christe Iesu. In hym as it is sayde we liue wee mooue and haue oure being he nourisheth feedeth and geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde I beleue that the woorde that is the Sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie did take mannes nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgine Marie So that there be in hym two natures a Diuine nature and an humaine nature in the vnitie of parson inseparable conioyned and knitte in one Christe truely God and truely man the expresse and perfecte Image of the inuisible God wherin the will of God the Father shineth apparantly and wherein man as it were in a glasse may beholde what he ought to doe that he maye please God the Father Borne of the Virgine Marie truelye sufferinge his Passion crucified deade and buryed to the entent to bring vs againe into fauoure wyth God the Father almightie and to be a sacrifice hoste and oblation not onely for originall sinne but also for all actuall sinnes of the whole generation of mankinde For all the woorkes merites deseruings doinges and obedience of man towards God althoughe they be done by the spirite of God in the grace of God yet being thus done be of no validitie worthine nor merite before God except God for his mercy and grace accoumpte them woorthye for the woorthinesse and merytes of Christ Iesus The same Christ went downe to the helles and truely rose againe the thirde day and ascended into the heauēs that he might there stil raigne and haue dominion ouer all creatures and from thence shall come c. I beleue in the holy Ghost coequall with God the Father and the Sonne and proceeding from them bothe by whose vertue strength and operation the true Catholicke Church which is the Communion and societie of Saintes is guided in all truthe veritie kept frō al errors fals doctrine the deuill all power of sinne Which Church is sanctified and halowed with the precious bloude and spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche hathe also her signe and mark that she heareth and foloweth the voice of her only and true pastour Christ and no strangers This church also is the house of God the congregation of the liuing God the piller of truth the liuely body of Christe a Church both in name and in deede I beleue the remission of sinnes by the only meanes and merites of Christes death passion who made vnto vs of God that onely sacrifice and oblation offered once for all and for euer for all them that be sanctified I beleue the resurrection of the body whereby in the last day al men shal rise again from death the soules ioyned againe to the bodies the good to euerlasting life the wicked to euerlasting pain and punishmēt And nothing may more certainly stablish confirme our faith that we shall rise againe immortal both in body soule thē the resurrection of Christ our Sauiour and first fruites of the deade Nowe that Christe our head is risen we beynge hys body and members must follow our head Death hell and sinne cannot sunder nor plucke vs from him For as the Sonne can not be deuided nor sundred from the Father nor the holy Ghost frō them bothe no more maye wee beinge the faithfull members of Christ be separated from Christ. And for a confirmation of our resurrection Christ would be seene after his resurrection in hys most glorious body his woundes being handled and felte speaking and teaching eating and drinking c. Wee looke sayeth S. Paul for Iesus Christ our Sauiour which shall trāsfigure our vile bodies conform them to his glorious body by the same power and vertue wherwith he is able to subdue all things euen like as the graine of wheate sowen in the grounde is first putrified and brought as into a thing of noughte yet after that it springeth vp freshly with a more goodly colour forme and beautie then it had before The body is sowne in corruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour and riseth in honour Thus I verely know and assuredly beleue the resurrection of oure bodies and to haue life eternall by Christ and for Christes sake Verely verely I say vnto you sayth Christ he that heareth my woorde and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped frō death to life It is Christe that died once for oure sinnes and is risen againe neuer more to die it is he that swallowed vp death hath cast it vnder his feete for euer What now can death do vnto vs Verelye nothing els but for a little time separate oure precious soules from oure wretched bodies that diuine substaunce from a masse of sinne that eternall life from a body of death and so send our soules oute of this miserable wretched and sorrowfull lyfe combred with all calamities vnto that moste blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall As concerning the holy and reuerende Sacraments of Christes Churche which be in number two the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord I beleeue them to be as S. Paul calleth them confirmations or seales of Gods promises whiche haue added to them a promise of grace and therfore they are called visible signes of inuisible grace The Sacrament of
Fynden in Darbyshyre and to M. Rob. Glouers wife by whose credible information we receiued the same Not much vnlike vsage was practised also by these catholicke children of the mother Churche vpon the body of Will the third brother WhoÌ„ after it had pleased almighty god about the same seasoÌ„ to cal out of this vale of misery the good disposed people of the Towne of Weme in Shropshyre where he dyed brought the bodye vnto the Parishe Church entending there to haue it buried But one Bernerd being then Curate of the sayd Church and is yet as I heare say to this day to stoppe the buriall therof rode to the bishop named Raufe Bayne to certify him of the matter and to haue his aduise therein In the meane time the body lying there a whole daye in the night time one Rich. Morice a Taylour woulde haue enterred him But then came Iohn Thorlyne of Weme with other moe woulde not suffer the body to be buryed expressing to vs the contrary examples of good Toby for as he was religious in buriyng the dead so this man putteth religioÌ„ in not burying the dead so that after he had layne there two dayes one night commeth the foresayd Bernerd the Curate with the Bishops letter the contentes of which letter beyng copied out word for word here foloweth * A copy of the Byshops Letter written to the Parish of Weme VNderstanding that one Glouer an heretick is dead in the parish of Weme whiche Glouer hath for all the time of my being in this country bene knowne for a rebellion agaynst our holy fath and Religion a Contemner of the holy Sacramentes and ceremonies vsed in holy Churche and hath separate himselfe froÌ„ the holy Communion of all good Christian men nor neuer required to be reconciled to our mother holy Church nor in hys last dayes did not call for his ghostly father but dyed without all rites belonging to a Christian man I thought it good not only to commaund the Curate of Weme that he shoulde not be buried in Christian mans buriall but also will and commaunde all the parish of Weme that no manne procure helpe nor speake to haue him buried in holy ground but I do charge and commaund the Church Wardens of Weme in speciall and all the parishe of the same that they assist the sayd Curate in defending and letting and procuring that he bee not buried neither in the Churche nor within the wanybles of the Churchyarde and likewise I charge those that brought the body to the place to cary it away agayne and that at theyr charge as they will aunswere at theyr perill At Ecclesch this 6. of September an 1558. By your Ordinary Radulph Couentry and Liechfield By the vertue of this foresaid letter so it fel out that they which brought the corps thither were fayne at their owne charges to carye it backe agayne But for so muche as the body was corrupted and smelt so strongly that vnneth any man might come nere it they were forced to draw it with horses vnto a bromefield and there was he buried Witnesses of the godly end of the sayde William Glouer dying in the true fayth and confession of Christe Mayster Nowell Deane of Liechfielde George Wilestone and hys wife Tho CoÌ„stantine Roger Wydouse Iohn Prynne George Torpelley c. The like example of charitable affection in these catholicke churchmen is also to be sene and noted in the burying of one mayster Edward Bourton Esquire who in the same Diocesse of Chester departing out of this worlde the verye day before Queene Elizabeth was crowned required of his frendes as they would aunswere for it that his bodye should be buryed in his Parishe Churche which was S. Chaddes in Shrousbury so that no Massemonger should be present therat Which thing being declared to the Curat of that Parish named sir Iohn Marshal the body being withall brought to the buriall vpon the same day wheÌ„ the Queene was crowned the Curate being therwith offended sayd playnely that he should not be buried in the church there Whereunto one of his frendes named George Torpelley answering againe said that God would iudge him in the last day c. Then the priest Iudge God saith he or Deuill the body shall not come there And so they buryed him in his owne garden Where he is no doubt as neare the kingdome of heauen as if he had bene buried the middest of the Church Moreouer in the sayd County of Salop I finde that one Olyuer Richardyne of the Parish of Whitchurch was burned in Hartford Weste Syr Iohn Ygone being Sheriffe the same time Whiche seemeth to be about the latter yeare of king Henry viij Whose name because it was not mentioned before I thought here to geue some litle touch of him hauing now in hande to speake of the persecution within the Diocesse of Couentry and Liechfield ¶ The Martyrdome of William Wolsey and Robert Pygot Paynter AFter the sufferyng of Mayster Robert Glouer Cornelius Bongey at Couentrye followeth next the condemnation of other two blessed Martyrs which were iudged and condemned at Eley by Iohn Fuller the Bishops Chauncellour of Eley Doctor Shaxâ—on his Susâ—ragane Robert Steward Deane of Eley Iohn Christopherson Deane of Norwich c. an 1555. October 9. the names of which martyrs were William Wolsey and Robert Pygot dwelling both in the Towne of Wisbich whiche William Wolsey being a constable dwelling and inhabiting in the Towne of Well was there brought to death by the meanes and procurement of one Richard Euerard GentlemaÌ„ a Iustice appoynted for those dayes who extremely handled the same William Wolsey and bounde him to the good abearing causing him to put in sureties vpon his good behauior vntill the next general Sessions holden within the I le of Eley and so the sayd Wolsey being dispatched of his office and brought in trouble remoued his house dwelling place comming to dwell in the Towne of Wisbiche Then being called agayne at the nexte Sessions hee was still constrayned to put in new sureties which at the leÌ„gth he refused to do so was commaunded to the Iayle at the Syse holden at Eley in lent In the Easter weeke folowing there repayred to conferre with him D. Fuller the Chauncellor with Christopherson and one D. Young who layde earnestlye to hys charge that he was out of the catholicke fayth willing him to meddle no further with the scriptures theÌ„ it did become such a lay man as he was to do The said William Wolsey staÌ„ding still a great while suffering them to say their pleasures at the last answered in this wise Good M. Doctor what did our Sauiour Christ meane when he spake these wordes written in the 23. Chapter of S. Mathewes Gospell Wo be vnto you Scribes and Phariseis ye hipocrites for ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that come to enter in Yea sayeth
he styrred vp his seruauntes the Bishops and Pharises to kill his body wherby notwithstanding the Deuill loste his title and interest whiche hee had to mans soule and man by his precious passion and death was raunsomed from the Deuil death and Hell to immortality life euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in killing of Christ he lost all and so shall he doe in vs if wee abide constaunt◠and strong in the fayth of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto the ende God graunte it for his mercyes sake in Christ. Blessed are all they that put theyr trust in him Amen Wherefore my hartely beloued brethren and sisters be of good comfort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world Therfore draw ye neare to God and he will drawe neare to you Resist the Deuill and he will as Iames sayth flee frō you Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis Touch not pitch least ye be defiled therewith Eate no Swines flesh for it is agaynst the law I meane defile not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with this false and wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitche and Swines fleshe Beware of the beastes marke least ye drinke of the cup of Gods wrath If God haue geuen you knowledge faith dissemble not therewith Denye not the knowne veritye before men least Christ deny you before his Father Come away from Babilon as Iohn biddeth you and touche no vncleane thinge but separate your selues from the company of the vngodly as Paule commaundeth you Whatsoeuer ye haue done amisse heretofore now repent amend for with the Lorde there is mercy and plenteous redemption The thirde thing and note which I gather out of the forsayd wordes of Peter is this that he sayth Reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christes Passion Our sufferinges my welbeloued are Christes sufferinges and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he reckoneth it to be done to himselfe as he sayd to Paule Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Therefore we ought to reioyce in our sufferinges as Paule writeth whiche we suffer with Christ and one with another as Peter sayeth and so to fulfill that whiche is behinde of the Passions of Christ in our flesh whiche Christ hath by his Passion fully redeemed and saued vs in his owne person how be it hys electe must suffer with hym and for him vnto the worldes ende that he may be glorified in them and they thereby corrected and cleansed from sinne in this worlde and bee made more meete Temples for the holy Ghoste and also obteyne a greate rewarde in heauen for theyr suffering for righteousnesse sake according to his promise And therfore I saye my Brethren reioyce in the Lorde alwayes and agayne I say reioyce Let vs reioyce in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to vs and we to it And why shoulde wee so greatly reioyce in the Crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because sayth Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery and glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his wordes aboue written Wherein is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this worlde but at his comming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayne and then shal they that haue sowne in teares reape in ioy as Christ sayth Blessed are they that weepe here for they shall laughe Blessed are ye when men hate you and thrust you out of theyr companye raylinge on you and abhorring your name as an euill thing for the sonne of mans sake reioyce ye in that day and be gladde for your reward is greate in Heauen Wherefore my dearely beloued through the hope of this heauenly ioy and rewarde which he that can not lye hath promised whiche ioye is so greate that no eare hath heard no eye hath sene nor the hart can thinke where we shall dwell for euer in the heauenly City the celestiall Ierusalem in the presence of God the Father Iesus Christ our Mediatour as Paul sayth and in the company of innumerable Angels and with the spirites and soules of all faythfull and iust men reioyce and be glad and seing ye be called to so great glory see that ye make your election and vocation sure by good workes and specially by sufferinge aduersitye for the Gospelles sake for it is geuen vs of GOD sayth Paule not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer and praye for me that I may ende my course with ioy Haue Brotherly loue amongest your selues whiche is a token that ye be Christes Disciples Edify and comfort one an other in the word of the Lord and the God of peace and loue be with you alwayes Amen For your liberality and kindnesse shewed vppon the Prisoners and afflicted people of GOD in thys time of persecution the Lorde wyll reward you when he commeth to reward euery man according to theyr deedes and will not leaue a cuppe of colde water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you riche in all grace that ye alwayes hauyng sufficient maye be riche vnto all manner of good woorkes The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of GOD and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother now in bondes for the Gospell Thomas Whittell * To my louing and faythfull brother Iohn Careles Prisoner in the kinges bench THe same fayth for the which Abraham was accounted iust Mary blessed whereby also all iust men liue the Lord GOD our louing father encrease and stablish in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and sweet Sauior Iesus Christ. Amen I can not worthely and sufficiently prayse GOD my hartely beloued brother for the consolation and ioy that I receiued by reason of your louing letters repenting me much that I being so long so neare you did not enterprise to styrre vppe familiarity and communication betweene vs by writing to mutuall consolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherein to reioyce where all thinges are transitory and vayne yea manne himselfe respecting this life but as Dauid sayeth the Saynctes that dwell vpon the earth and such as excell in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowshippe loue and ioye of faythfull men and children of God being as wee nowe be in double bondage the body within clay walles and the soule within these frail earthly bodies be so greate and comfortable how vnspeakeable will these ioyes be when we shall be deliuered from all corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Where we shal be present together continuallye in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his deare sonne
member as I haue bene also of so small acquintance but such is the mercifull goodnes of God so to moue your hartes with charity towards me And as he hath moued your hartes so to doe euen so I beseech God to geue you power to forsake refuse al thinges the which be displeasant in his sight to do al things which be requisite to a Christiā send you grace to go forwardes in the same as you haue godly begon neither fearing fire nor sword And my most deare hartes remember well the simple playne doctrine the which I haue taught you also writtē vnto you which was the trueth for a testimony of the same I trust that you shall shortly heare or els see that I wil seale the same with my bloud And in the meane time I desire you al to remember me in your praiers as I know you do as with Gods helpe I will doe for you that God for his deare sonne Christes sake will so finish the dayes of our pilgrimage that we may rest together with Abrahā Isaac Iacob in the euerlasting kingdome of heauē to the which I beseech the eternall God for his Christes sake to bring both you and all yours Amen By me William Tyms ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms to his sister Colfoxe and Agnes Glascocke GRace peace from God the father of al mercy through the merites of our deare sauiour Iesus Christ be perceiued felt in the harts of you my dearely beloued sisters in the Lord by the mighty working of the holy Ghost the comforter both now and euermore Amen My most dear and entyrely beloued sisters in the Lord after my most harty commendatiōs according to my most boūden duty I do as I am accustomed or at least boūd to doe that is I geue you warning of your enemies which be the Papistes and take good heed to them for they serue a crafty mayster yea and as S. Peter saith he slepeth not but goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whō he may deuour For your old familiar frendes or worldly companions when they see that you will not runne to the Idols Temple with them it will seeme a straunge thing vnto them that ye runne not to the same excesse of ryot as S. Peter sayth and therfore they will speak euill of you rayle on you and persecute you But my deare sisters let it not trouble you for it is but to try you and let it not seeme a straunge thing vnto you But when they doe so remember wherefore it is and for whose sake euen because you wil not forsake God as they doe For the hatred they beare you is for the word of God and then it is Gods cause and I tell you hee will reuenge it And therefore if ye bee rayled on and troubled for his sake thinke your selues most happy For if you suffer with the Patriarches Prophetes and Apostles then shall you be sure to be partakers of the same ioy that they are in Yea you haue heard by the worde of God howe cruelly the tyrauntes alwayes haue persecuted the true members of Christ as he himselfe hath promised that they shall do vnto the end of the word By the way I will bring to your remembraunce the holy Martyr S. Stephen who for fauouring maynteyning and defending the same doctrine that we now suffer for was called a blasphemer and stoned to death at Ierusalem And Christes Apostles were diuerslye afflicted the world ouer for the same by this viperous generation Antipas the faythfull witnes of Christ was slayne at Pergamus Iasan for receiuing of Paule and Silas with other disciples teachers of the Gospel was brought before the coūsell at Thessalonica and accused for a seditious traytor agaynst Cesar. No maruell therefore though at this daye we be vexed on the same sort mainteining the same cause fauoring the teachers therof Is there any other reward folowing the true seruantes of God now thē hath bene afore times No surely for so hath Christ promised And if they haue persecuted him needes must they persecute his members if they haue called the mayster of the house Belzebub so will they do his houshold You shall be hated of all men sayth Christ for my names sake It is no new thing my deare hartes to see the true mēbers of Christ handled as in our dayes they be as it is not vnknown to you how they be cruelly entreated blasphemed wtout any reasonable cause For heretickes must they be taken which folow not theyr traditions And then they may as wel cal christ an heretick for he neuer alowed their dirty ceremonyes He neuer went a procession with a Cope Crosse or Candlesticke He neuer censed Image nor sang Latine seruice He neuer sate in confession He neuer preached of Purgatory nor of the popes pardōs He neuer honored sayntes nor prayd for the dead He neuer said masse mattins nor euensong He neuer cōmaunded to fast Fryday nor Uigil Lent nor Aduēt He neuer halowed church nor chalice ashes nor palmes candles nor bels He neuer made holy water nor holy bread with such like But suche dumbe ceremonies not hauing the expresse cōmaūdement of God he calleth the leauen of the Phariseis and dānable hypocrisy admonishing his disciples to beware of thē He curseth al those that addeth to his word such beggerly shadowes wiping their names cleane out of the booke of life S. Paule sayth they haue no portion with Christ whiche wrap themselues agayne with such yokes of bondage Therefore my deare hartes seeing that our good God hath by the light of his holy word deliuered vs frō al such darck blind dumbe beggerly traditions of men stand fast in the libertye wherewith Christ hath made you free and wrap not your selues againe in the yoke of bondage But let vs alwayes be ready looking for the comming of oure Lord sauior Iesus Christ which as S. Peter sayth will come as a theefe in the night And as our Captayne Chryst sayth If the good man of the house knew what houre the theefe would come he would surely watche Therfore my deare harts be of good comfort although the worlde neuer rage so sore agaynst you And for youre comfort make wel the great mercy of God who according to his promise for the weaknes of our nature hath so asswaged the heate of the fire that our deare brethren which are gone before vs to the sight of all men haue found it rather to be ioy then payne And thinke you surely that God wil be as mercifull vnto you as he hath bene vnto them and say with S. Paule Who shall seperate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation or anguish or persecution eyther hunger either nakednes either perill either sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long c. Therfore my deare sisters if to saue your liues any dissembling
also to the encouragemēt of others in the same quarell to doe the like The Lorde of strength fortify vs to stand as his true soldiors in what standing soeuer he shall thinke it good to place vs. Amen ¶ In the examinatiō of Roger Bernard ye heard a litle before how he was compared by the Priestes there to Iohn Fortune called his scholer This Iohn Fortune otherwise called Cutler of Hintlesham in Suffolke was by his occupation a Blacke Smith whom they had before them in examination a litle before the 20. day of Aprill In spirit he was zelous and ardent in the Scriptures ready in Christes cause stout and valiant in his answeres maruellous no lesse patient in his wrongfull suffering then constant in his doctrine Whether he was burned or dyed in prison I cannot certenly find but rather I suppose that he was burned Certeine it is howsoeuer he was made away he neuer yelded What his aunswers and examinations were before D. Parker and the Bishop ye shall heare him although not with his owne mouth speaking yet with his owne hande you shall see written what he did saye as foloweth ¶ The examination of Iohn Fortune before Doctour Parker and Mayster Foster FIrst Doct. Parker asked me how I beleued in the Catholicke fayth And I asked him which fayth he meant whether the sayth that Steuen had or the fayth of them that put Steuē to death D. Parker being moued said what a noughty felow is this you shall see anon he will denye the blessed Sacrament of the aulter M. Foster Then sayd Mayster Foster I know you well enough You are a busy marchant How sayest thou by the blessed Masse Fort. And I stood still and made no aunswere Fost. Then sayd M. Foster why speakest thou not and make the gentleman an answere Fort. And I sayde silence is a good aunswere to a foolishe question Park Then sayd the Doctour I am sure he will denye the blessed Sacrament of the aulter also Fort. And I sayd I know none such but onely the sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. Park Then sayd he you deny the order of the seuen sacramentes And why doest thou not beleue in the Sacrament of the aulter Fort. And I sayd because it is not written in Gods booke Park Thē sayd he you will not beleue vnwrittē vereties Fort. And I sayd I will beleue that those vnwritten verities that agree with the written verities be true but those vnwritten verities that be of your owne making inuented of your owne brayne I do not beleue Fost. Well sayd M. Foster you shall be whipped and burned for this geare I trow Fort. Then sayd I if you knew how these wordes do reioyce my hart you would not haue spoken them Fost. Why thou foole doest thou reioyce in whipping Fort. Yea sayd I for it is written in the Scriptures and Christ sayth thou shalt be whipped for my names sake since the time that the sworde of tyrannye came into your handes I heard of none that was whipped Happy were I if I had the maydenhead of this persecution Away with him then sayde he for he is tenne times worse then Samuel and so was he caried to prison again ¶ The second examination of Iohn Fortune before the Bishop of Norwich WHen I came before the Bishop he asked me if I did not beleue in the Catholick church I sayd I beleue that Church wherof Christ is the head Then sayd the Bishop doest thou not beleue that the Pope is supreame head of the Churche And I sayde no Christ is the head of the true Church Bish. So do I beleue also but the Pope is Gods Uicar vpon earth and the head of the Churche and I beleue that he hath power to forgeue sinnes also Fort. Then sayd I the Pope is but a man and the Prophet Dauid sayth That no man can deliuer his brother nor make agreement for him vnto God For it cost more to redeeme their soules so that he must let that alone for euer Bysh. And the Bishop agayne fetching about a great circumstaunce sayd like as the Belweather weareth the bell and is the head of the flocke of sheepe so is the Pope our head And as the hiues of Bees haue a Mayster Bee that bringeth the bees to the hiue again so doth our head bring vs home agayne to our true Church Fort. Then I asked him whether the Pope were a spirituall man and he sayde yea And I sayde agayne they are spitefull men for in xvij moneths there were three Popes and one poysoned an other for that presumptuous seat of Antichrist Bysh. It is maliciously spoken sayd he for thou must obey the power and not the man And thus was the pope denied to be supreme head Well sayd he what sayst thou to the Ceremonyes of the Church Fort. And I aunswered All thinges that are not planted by my heauēly father shal be plucked vp by the rootes saith christ For they are not from the beginning neither shall they cōtinue to the end Bysh. They are good and godly and necessary to be vsed Fort. S. Paule called them weake and beggarly Bysh. No that is a lye Fortune I hearing that sayd that Saynt Paule writeth thus in the fourth to the Galathians You foolish Galathians sayth he who hath bewitched you that ye seeke to bee in bondage to these weak and beggarly Ceremonies Now which of you do lye you or Saynt Paule And also it is sayde that woorkes instituted and enioyned without the commaundement of GOD perteyne not to the worship of God according to the text In vayne doe men worshippe mee with mens traditions and commaundementes And Sayncte Paule sayth Wherefore doe ye cary vs away from the grace of Christ to another kind of doctrine And Christ opēly rebuked the Scribes Lawyers Phariseis Doctors Priestes Bishoppes and Hypocrites for making Gods commaundementes of none effect to support theyr owne tradition Byshop Thou lyest there is not such a worde in all the Scriptures thou noughty hereticke Thou art woorse then all other heretickes for Hooper sayd he and Bradford alow them to be good and thou doest not Away with him ¶ Here you may perceiue howe that the Catholicke church can not erre but whatsoeuer they say must needes be true And so my Lord Bishop can not lye as it may appeare to all men most playnely in the text ¶ The third examination of Iohn Fortune before the Byshop of Norwich THe next day I was brought before the sayd Bishop agayne where he made a Sermon vpon the 6. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell of Christes wordes I am the breade that came downe from heauen c. and therupon had a great bibble babble to no purpose So in the end I was called before him and he sayd to me Bish. How beleuest thou in the Sacrament of the aultar doest thou not beleue that after the consecration
there is the reall substance of the body of Christ Fort. And I aunswered him that it is the greatest plague that euer came into England Bish. Why so Fort. I sayd if I were a Bishop and you a poore man as I am I would be ashamed to aske such a question For a Bishop should be apt to teach and not to learne Bish. I am appoynted by the law to teach so are not you Fort. And I sayd Your lawe breaketh out very well for you haue burned vp the true Bishops and preachers and mainteined lyers to be in theyr steed Bish. Now you may vnderstand that he is a traytour for he denyeth the higher powers Fort. I am no traytour for S. Paule sayth All soules must obey the higher powers and I resist not the higher powers concerning my body but I must resist your euill doctrine wherwith you would infect my soule A Doct. Then sayd a Doctor my Lord you doe not well let him aunswere shortly to his articles Bish. How sayst thou make aunswere quickly to these articles Fort. S. Paule sayth Christ did one sacrifice once for all and set him downe on the right hand of his father triumphing ouer hell and death making intercession for sinnes Bish. I aske thee no suche question but make aunswere to this article Fort. If it be not GOD before the consecration it is not God after for God is without beginning and without ending Bish. Then sayd he lo what a stiffe hereticke is this He hath denyed altogether how sayest thou Is it idolatry to worship the blessed sacrament or no. Fort. God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and trueth Bish. I aske thee no such question answere me directly Fort. I answere that this is the God Mauzzim that robbeth God of his honor Bish. It is pity that the grounde beareth thee or that thou hast a toung to speak Thē sayd the scribe here are a great many more articles Bish. Then sayde the Bishop Away with him for he hath spoken to much ¶ An other examination of I. Fortune ANd when I came to mine examination agayne the bishoppe asked me if I would stand vnto mine answere that I had made before and I sayd yea for I had spoken nothing but the truth And after that he made a great circumstance vpon the Sacrament Then I desired him to stand to the text he read the Gospell on Corpus Christi day whiche sayd I am the breade which came downe from heauen beleuest thou not this And I sayd yea truely And he sayd why doest thou deny the Sacrament Because your doctrine is false sayd I. Then sayd he how can that be false which is spoken in the Scripture And I sayd Christ sayd I am the bread and you say the breade is he Therefore your doctrine is false sayd I. And he sayd doest thou not beleue that the bread is he And I sayd no. Bish. I will bring thee to it by the Scriptures Fort. Hold that fast my Lord for that is the best Argumēt that you haue yet Bish. Thou shalt be burned like an hereticke Fort. Who shall geue iudgement vpon me Bish. I will iudge an hundred such as thou art and neuer be shriuen vpon it Fort. Is there not a lawe for the spiritualty as well as for the temporaltye and Syr Clement Higham sayde yes what meanest thou by that Fort. When a man is periured by the law he is cast ouer the barre and sitteth no more in iudgement And the Byshop is a periured man and ought to sit in iudgement of no mā Bish. How prouest thou that Fort. Because you tooke an oth by king Henries dayes to resist the Pope So both spirituall and temporall are periured that here can be no true iudgement Bish. Thinkest thou to escape iudgement by that no for my Chaūcellor shall iudge thee He took no oth for he was out then of the Realme M. Hygham It is time to weede out such felowes as you be in deed Bysh. Good fellowe why beleuest not thou in the Sacrament of the aultar Fort. Because I finde it not in Gods booke nor yet in the Doctors If it were there I would beleue it with al my hart Bysh. How knowest thou it is not there Fort. Because it is contrary to the second cōmaundement and seing it is not written in Gods booke why do you thē robbe me of my life Then the Bishop hauing no more to saye commaunded the Bailiffe to take him away And thus much touching the examinations of this man Now whether he died in fire or otherwise preuented with death as I sayd before I am vncertayne In the Registers of Norwich this I do finde that his sentence of condemnation was drawne and Registred but whether it was pronounced in the said Register it is not expressed according as the vsuall maner of the Notary is so to declare in the end of the sētēce Neuertheles this is most certayne that he neuer abiured nor recanted howsoeuer it pleased the Lord by death to call him out of this world ¶ The death of Iohn Careles in the Kynges Benche ABout this time the first day of Iuly amongest diuers other prisoners which dyed the same yeare in the Kinges Bench was also one Iohn Careles of Couentry a weauer Who though he were by the secret iudgemēt of almighty God preuented by death so that he came not to the full Martyrdome of his body yet is he no lesse worthy to be counted in honor place of Christes martyrs then other that suffered most cruell torments aswell for that he was for the same truthes sake a long time imprisoned as also for his willing mind zelous affection he had thereunto if the Lord had so determined it as well may appeare by his examinatiō had before Doct. Martin Which examination because it conteineth nothing almost but wrangling interrogations and matters of contentiō wherin Doctour Martin would enter into no communication about the articles of his accusation but onely vrged him to detect his felowes it shall not be greatly materiall therfore to expresse the whole but onely to excerpt so much as perteining to the question of predestination may bring some fruit to the Reader ¶ The effect of Iohn Careles examination before Doctour Martin briefly declared FIrst Doctour Martin calling Iohn Careles to hym in his Chamber demaunded what was his name To whom when the other had answered that his name was Iohn Careles then began Doctour Martin to descant at his pleasure vpon that name saying that it would appere by his conditions by that time he had done with him that he would be a true careles man in deed And so after other by talke there spent about much needelesse matter then he asked him where he was borne Careles Forsooth sayth he at Couentry Mart. At Couentry what so farre man How camest thou hither Who sent thee to the kinges Bench to prison Carel. I was
a true Christian subiect to doe And iâ— her grace or her officers vnder her do require me to any thing contrary to Christes Religion I am ready also to do my seruice in Smithfield for not obseruing it as my bedfellow and other brethren haue done praysed be God for them Mart. By my trouth thou art a pleasaunt fellow as euer I talked with of all the Protestantes excepte it were Tomson I am sory that I must depart with thee so soone but I haue suche busynes now that I canne tarry with thee no longer Well yet thou canst not deny but you are at iarre amongest your selues in the kings Bench and it is so throughout all your congregation for you will not be a Church Careles No Maister Doctour that is not so There is a thousand tymes more varietye in opinions among your Doctours which you call of the Catholick Church yea and that in the Sacrament for yâ— which there is so much bloudshed now a dayes I meane of your latter Doctours and new writers as for the olde they agree wholy with vs. Mart. No Careles this is not so there thou art deceiued Carel. Uerily it is so Maister Doctour I am not deceiued therein any thing at all as it hath beene and is euidently proued by such as GOD hath endued with great learning Then he turned to the Marshall and whispered with him a while Martin Turning vnto me agayne sayd Farewell Careles for I can tarry no longer with thee now my busines is such Carel. God be with you good Maister Doctor The Lord geue your Maistership health of body and soule Mart. God haue mercy good Careles and God keepe thee from all errours and geue thee grace to doe as well as I would wishe my selfe Carel. I thanke your good Maistership I pray GOD I may do alwaies that is acceptable in his sight Whereunto they all sayde Amen And so I departed with a glad hart God onely haue the whole prayse Amen It appeareth by the examination of the foresayd Iohn Careles that he endured prisoner the space of two whole yeares hauing wyfe and children In the which his captiuity first being in Couentry Iayle he was there in such credite with his keeper that vpon his worde he was let out to play in the Pageant about the City with other his companions And that done keeping touch with his keeper he returned agayne into prison at his houre appointed And after that being broughte vp to London he was indued with such patience and constaunt fortitude that he longed for nothing more earnestly then to come to that promotion to dye in the fyer for the proâ—ession of his fayth yet it so pleased the Lorde to preuent him with death that he came not to it but dyed in the prison and after was buryed in the fieldes in a dounghill In the meane time while he was in prisoÌ„ in the kyngs Bench it chaunced he was in great heauines and perturbation of mind and conscience wherupon he wrote to M. Philpot being then in the Colehouse Uppon the occasion hereof Mayster Philpot sent an Epistle consolatory vnto him specified before among master Philpots letters pag. 1762. Unto the which Epistle Iohn Careles maketh aunswere agayne as foloweth ¶ Letters of Iohn Careles * A Letter of Iohn Careles aunswering to the louing Epistle or Letter sent to him before by Mayster Iohn Philpot. A faythfull frend is a strong defence who so findeth suche a one findeth a treasure A faythfull frend hath no peere the weight of gold and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of his fayth A faythfull frend is a medicine of life and they that feare the Lord shall finde him Ecclesiast 6. THe father of mercy and God of all consolation comfort you with his eternall spirite my most deare and faythfull louing frend good Mayster Philpot as you haue comforted me by the mighty operation of the same the euerlasting GOD be praysed therfore for euer Amen Ah my deare hart and most louing brother if I should do nothing els day and night so long as the daies of heauen do endure but kneele on my knees and read Psalmes I can neuer be able to render vnto God condigne thankes for his great mercie fatherly kindnesse and most louing coÌ„passion extended vnto me most vile sinnefull wicked and vnworthy wretch Oh that the Lorde would open my mouth and geue me a thankefull hart that from the bottome of the same might flow his coÌ„tinuall prayse Oh that my sinnefull flesh which is the cause of my sorowe were cleane separated from me that I might sing Psalmes of thankesgeuing vnto the Lordes name for euer that with good Samuels mother I might continually record this noble verse folowing the which by good experience I haue found most true praysed be my good God therfore The Lord sayth that good woman killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to hel and fetcheth vp agayne Praysed be that Lord for euer yea and praysed be his name for that he hath geueÌ„ me true experience and liuely feeling of the same Blessed be the Lord GOD whose mercy endureth for euer whiche hath not dealt with me according to my deepe desertes nor destroyed me in his displeasure when I had iustly deserued it Oh what rewarde shall I geue agayne vnto Lorde for all the great benefites that he hath done for my soule I will gladly receiue the cuppe of saluation at his hand and will worship his name with prayer with prayse Ah my deare hart yea most deare vnto me in the Lord think not this sodeine chaunge in me to be some fickle phantasy of my foolish head as in deede some other woulde surely suspect it to be For doubtlesse it is the maruellous doing of the Lord moste merciful vnto me his vnworthy creature God for his great mercies sake geue me grace to bee more thankefull vnto him then I heretofore haue bene and keepe me that I neuer fall forth of hys fauour agayne And now my deare brother and moste blessed messenger of the Lord whose beautifull feet haue brought much glad tidings vnto my soule what shall I doe or say vnto you in the least part to recompence the fatherlye affection and Godlye care that you continually keepe for me Oh that God would geue me the spirite of feruent prayer that I might yet that way supply some litle part of my duty toward you Ah my true louing frend howe soone did you lay aside all other busines to make a sweete plaster for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a paynefull payre of stockes which place must needes be vneasye to write in But God hath brought you into a straight place that you mighte set my soule at liberty Out of your pinching and paynefull seate you haue plentifully poured vppon me your precious narde the sweete â—auour wherof hath greatly refresteed my tyred soule The Lord likewise refresh you both body soule by
poore afflicted Church Which thing shal surely redound to your euerlasting ioy and comfort as you shall most effectually feele or euer it be long though the wicked of the world iudge farre otherwise Ah mine owne hartes and most dearely beloued brethren Cauell Ambrose and both the Spurges blessed be the Lord on your behalfe and praysed be his name which hath geuen you such a glorious victory Full valiant haue you shewed your selues in the Lords fight ful faithfully in your paynefull seruice Faint not but go on forward as ye haue most godly begun for great shall your reward be at the end of this your trauell Ah my good faythfull brethren all what shall I say or what shall I write vnto you but euen the same that good Elizabeth did say to her godly kinswoman Mary the blessed mother of Christe Happy art thou quoth that good woman which hast beleued for al thinges which the Lord hath spoken to thee shal be fulfilled So I say to you my deare heartes in the Lorde happy are ye all yea twise happy shall ye bee for euermore because yee haue stedfastly beleued the most sweete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his owne mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythfull seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shall be blessed euer world without end The promises of God your sweet father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record that God is true The Testymony wherof ye haue full worthily borne to the worlde shortly will full surely seale the same with your bloud yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiant souldiers of the high captayne Iesus Chryste who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hel hath geuē you full victory ouer them for euermore Oh worthy witnesses and most glorious martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proude sturdye bragging Prince of the world al his wicked army ouer whom ye shall shortly triumph for euermore Ah my sweet harts the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heauen The immercessible and moste glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon all your happy heades The holy Aungelles of your heauenly father are already appoynted to conducte your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heauēly host reioyseth already for that they shall shortly receiue you with ioy felicitie into their blessed fellowship Selah Reioyce with double ioy and bee glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then can be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde may lye and lament with the holy Prophet saying Woe is me that the dayes of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Satan which hath caused me so sore to offend my most deare louing father whereby my exile and banishmente is so much prolonged Oh christ my deare aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustly deserued that he may take me home to him in his sweete mercye Oh that I might now come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy will O Lord be effectuously fulfilled for it is onely good and turneth all thinges to the best for suche as thou in thy mercies hast chosen And now farewell my deare heartes most happy in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortly to see you in the celestiall citie wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heauē where your treasure doth remayne with your sweet Lord and Redeemer Iesus Christe whose calling you haue heard with the eares of youre heartes and therefore yee shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shall neuer be remembred be they neuer so many so greeuous or so great for your sauiour hath cast them all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them from you as farre as the East is from the West and his mercy hathe muche more preuayled ouer you then is distaunce betweene heauē and earth and he hath geue you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holinesse righteousnesse and iustification yea and the holy Ghost into your harts wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the daye of redemption to certifie you of your eternall election and that yee are hys true adopted sonnes whereby yee may boldly crye vnto God Abba deare father for euermore so that now no creature in heauen earth nor hell shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly king Satan is now cast out from you he himselfe is iudged and hathe no parte in you He will once more byte you by the heele and then he hath don for at that time you shall squise his head through your owne good Christ and so haue you finall victory for euermore In ioyfull triumphe whereof yee shall sweetly ascend into the place of eternall rest whether youre eldest brother christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy aultar with Cranmer Latimer Ridley Rogers Hooper Saunders Farrar Taylour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your comming to see sixe moe of their appoynted number that their bloud may so muche the sooner be reuenged vpon them that dwell on the earth Thus I make an ende committing you all to Gods most mercifull defence whose quarrell yee haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory yee haue sette forth and whose name ye haue constantly confessed Farewell for a while my deare hartes in the Lord I wil make as much haste after you as I may All our deare brethren salute you They pray for you and prayse God for you cōtinually Blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours sayth the holy Ghost and their workes follow them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable servaunt of the Lord. Pray pray pray ¶ In the pag. 1742. ye heard before the letter of Thomas Whittel written to Iohn Careles wherin he yeldeth great thankes vnto him for the singular ioy and consolatiō receiued by his letters The copie of which letters sent vnto him if any be disposed to peruse here vnder foloweth to satisfie his desire ¶ To M. Greene M. Whittel and certaine other prisoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimonie of our Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christe the continual comfort of his most pure and holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithfull brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appointed sheepe vnto the slaughter to the good performaunce of the great and notable worke of the Lord which he hath so graciously begon in you al that the same may redoūd to the setting forth of his glory to the commoditie of his
playne Cup of fornication and the whore of Babilon And as concerning the Sacrament of the aultar she sayd she beleued there was no such sacrament in the catholicke Church Also she sayd that she vtterly abhorred the authoritye of the Byshop of Rome with all the Religion obserued in the same Antichristes Church 6 Item she aunswered to the sixt Article as to the first before specified 7 Item that she hath refused to come to her Parish Church because the true Religion of Christ was not then vsed in the same and farther sayd that she had not come vnto the Churche by the space of one yeare and three quarters then last paste neither yet did meane any more to come vnto the same in these Idolatrous dayes 8 Item as touching the maner of her apprehension she said that Cluney the Bishops Somner did fetch her to the Bishop These aunsweres being then registered they were agayne with the sayd Articles propounded agaynste her the xx day of December and there being demaunded if she would stand vnto those her aunsweres she sayde I wyll stand to them vnto the death for the very Aungels of heauen do laugh you to scorne to see your abhomination that you vse in the Churche After the whiche wordes the Byshop pronounced the sentence of condemnation and then deliuering her vnto the Sheriffes she was wyth the forenamed Iohn Roughe caryed vnto Newgate From whence they were both together led vnto Smithfield the xxij day of the same Moneth of December and there most ioyfullye gaue theyr liues for the profession of Christes Gospell When the latter end of this history of Mayster Rough and Margarete Mearing was in finishing there came to our hands one necessary thing of the said Margaret Mearyng which wee thought not good to omit The matter is this Mayster Rough being chiefe Pastour to the congregation in the said time of Queene Mary as before ye haue heard of which companye this Margaret Mearyng was one did not well like the sayd Margaret but greatly suspected her as many other of them did besides because she would often times bring in straungers among them and in her talke seemed as they thought somewhat â—o busye c. Nowe what they sawe or vnderstoode further in her we know not but this followed the euill suspition conceiued of her Mayster Rough the Fridaye before hee was taken in the open face of the Congregation did excommunicate her out of the same company and so seemed with the rest to exclude and cut her of from theyr fellowship and society Whereat she being mooued did not well take it nor in good part but thought her selfe not indifferently handled amonge them Whereupon to one of her frendes in a heate she threatned to remoue them all But the prouidence of God was otherwise For the Sondaye after Mayster Rough being taken by the information of one Roger Sergeaunt to the Bishop of London as here after thou shalt heare was layd prisoner in the Gatehouse at Westminster where none of his frendes coulde come to him to visite him Then this sayd Margaret hearing therof gotte her a basket and a cleane shyrt in it and went to Westminster where she fayning her selfe to be his Sister got into the prison to him and did there to her power not a litle comfort him Then comming abroade agayne shee vnderstandinge that the Congregation suspected the said Sergeaunt to be his Promoter went to his house and asked whether Iudas dwelt not there Unto whom aunswere was made there dwelt no such No sayd she Dwelleth not Iudas here that betrayed Christ His name is Sergeaunt WheÌ„ she saw she could not speake with him she went her way So the Friday after she standing at Marke lane ende in London with an other woman a frende of hers sawe Cluney Boners Somner commyng in the Streete towardes her house Whome when she sawe she sayed to the other woman standyng with her whether goeth yonder fine felowe sayde she I thinke surely he goeth to my house and in viewing him still at the last she saw him enter in at her doore So immediately she went home and asked him whome hee sought Whereunto Cluney made answere and sayd for you you must go with me Mary quoth she here I am I will go with you and comming to the Bishoppe she was layde in prison and the Wednesday after burnt with Mayster Rough in Smithfielde as ye haue heard Anno. 1558. ¶ The Suffering cruell tormentes of Cutbert Symson Deacon of the Christian Congregation in London in Queene Maries dayes most paciently abiding the cruell rage of the Papistes for Christes sake NExt after the Martyrdome of M. Rough Minister of the Congregation aboue mentioned succeded in like Martyrdome the Deacon also of that sayde Godly company or Congregation in London named Cutbert Symson being committed to the fire the yeare of our Lord. 1558. the 28. day of March. This Cutbert Symson was a manne of a faythfull and zealous hart to Christ and his true flocke in so much that he neuer ceased labouryng and Studying most earnestly not onely how to preserue them without corruption of the Popish religion but also hys care was euer vigilant how to keepe them together wythout peryll or daunger of persecution The paynes trauayle zeale pacience and fidelity of this man in caryng and prouiding for thys Congregation as it is not lightly to be expressed so is it wonderfull to beholde the prouidence of the Lord by vision concerning the troubles of this faythfull minister and godly Deacon as in this here folowyng may appeare The Fridaye at nighte before Maister Rough Minister of the congregation of whom meÌ„tion is made before was takeÌ„ being in his bed he dreamed that he saw 2. of the Gard leading Cutbert Simson Deacon of the sayde congregation and that he had the booke about hym wherin were written the names of all them which were of the Congregation Whereupon being sore troubled hee awaked and called hys wife saying Kate strike lighte For I am much troubled with my brother Cutbert thys nyght When she hadde so done he gaue himselfe to reade in his booke a while and there feeling sleepe to come vpon him he put out the candle so gaue himselfe agayn to rest Being a sleepe hee dreamed the like dreame agayn awaked therwith hee sayde O Kate my brother Cutbert is gone So they lighted a candle againe and rose And as the â—ayd M. Rough was making him ready to go to Cutbert to see how he did in the meane time the sayd Cutbert came in with the book conteining the names accompts of the congregation Whom when Maister Rough hadde seene he sayd brother Cutbert ye are welcome for I haue bene sore troubled with you this night and so tolde hym his dreame After he had so done he willed him to lay the booke away from him and to cary it no more about him Unto which Cutbert aunswered he would not so doe
Roger Holland THe last examination of Roger Holland was when he with his fellow prisoners were brought into the consistorie there excommunicated all sauing Roger redy to haue their senteÌ„ce of iudgement geuen with many threatning words to feare them withall the Lord Strange syr Tho. Iarret M. Eagleston Esquier and diuers other of worship both of Cheshire Lankeshire that were Rog. Hollands kinsmeÌ„ and friends being there present which had beene earnest suters to the Bishop in hys fauour hoping of his safetie of life Nowe the Bishop hoping yet to winne him with his faire and flattering woordes began after this maner Boner Rog. I haue diuers times called thee before home to my house and haue conferred with thee and being not learned in the latine toung it doth appeare vnto me thou art of a good memorie of a very sensible talke but something ouerhastie which is a naturall disease to some men And surely they are not the worst natured men For I my selfe shall now and then be hastie but mine anger is soone past So Roger surely I haue a good opinion of you that you wil not with these lewd fellowes cast your selfe headlong from the church of your parents your frendes that are here very good catholikes as it is reported vnto me And as I meane thee good so Roger play the wisemans part and come home with the lost sonne and say I haue runne into the church of schismatikes and heretikes from the catholicke church of Rome and you shall I warrante you not only finde fauor at Gods hands but the Church that hath authoritie shall absolue you and put newe garments vppon you and kill the fatling to make thee good cheare withall That is in so doing as meate doth refresh and chearish the minde so shalt thou finde as much quietnesse of conscience in comming home to the church as dyd the hungry sonne that had ben fed afore with the hogs as you haue done with these heretikes that seuer them selues from the church I giue them a homely name but they be worse putting his hand to his cap for reuereÌ„ce sake then hogs For they know the church and will not followe it If I shoulde saye thus muche to a Turke hee woulde I thinke beleue me But Roger if I did not beare thee and thy friendes good will I woulde not haue sayde so muche as I haue done but I would haue let mine Ordinarie alone with you At these wordes his frendes that were there gaue the Bishop thankes for his good will and paines that he had taken in his and theyr behalfe Boner Wel Roger how say you nowe Do you not beleeue that after the Priest hath spoken the words of consecration there remaineth the body of Christ really corporally vnder the formes of bread and wine I meane that selfe same body that was borne of the virgine Mary that was crucified vpon the crosse that rose againe the third day Holland Your Lordship sayth the same body which was borne of the virgin Marie which was crucified vpon the Crosse which rose againe the third day but you leaue out which ascended into heauen and the Scripture sayeth he shall there remaine vntil he come to iudge the quicke and the deade Then he is not contained vnder the formes of bread and wine by Hoc est corpus meum c. Boner Roger I perceiue my paines and good will will not preuaile and if I shoulde argue with thee thou art so wilâ—ul as all thy fellowes be standing in thine owne singularitie foolish conceit that thou wouldest still talke to no purpose this 7. yere if thou mightest be suffered Aunswer whether thou wilt confesse the reall corporall presence of Christes body in the Sacrament or wilt not Holland My Lord although that God by his sufferaunce hath nere placed you to set forth his truth and glory in vs his faithful seruantes notwithstanding your meaning is farre from the zeale of Christ and for all your words you haue the same zeal that Annas and Caiphas had trusting to their authoritie traditions and ceremonies more then to the woorde of God Boner If I should suffer hym he would fall from reasoning to railing as a franticke heretike Lord Straunge Roger sayth the Lord Straunge I perceiue my Lorde woulde haue you to tell him whether you will submit your selfe vnto him or no. Boner Yea sayeth Boner and confesse this presence that I haue spoken of With this Roger turning him to the Lorde Strange and the rest of his kinsmen and frendes very chearefully kneled downe vpon his knees and said God by the mouth of his seruant S. Paul hath said Let euery soule submit him selfe vnto the higher powers and he that resisteth receiueth hys owne damnation and as you are â— Magistrate appoynted by the will of God so do I submit my selfe vnto you and to all such as are appoynted for Magistrates Boner That is well sayde I see you are no Anabaptist Howe saye you then to the presence of Chrâ—stes bodye and bloud in the Sacrament of the altare Holland I say and I beseeche you all to marke and beare witnes with me for so you shal doe before the iudgement seate of God what I speake for heere is the Conclusion And ye my deare frendes turning him to his kinsmen I pray you shew my father what I doe say that he may vnderstand I am a christian man I say and beleeue and am therein fully persuaded by the scriptures that the Sacrament of the Supper of oure Lorde ministred in the holye Communion according to Christes institution I beinge penitent sorie for my sinnes and minding to amend and lead a new life and so coÌ„ming worthely vnto Gods bord in perfect loue charity do there receiue by faith the body bloud of Christ. And though Christ in his humane person sitte at the right hand of his father yet by saith I say his death his passion his merites are mine and by faithe I dwell in him and he in me And as for the Masse transubstantiation the worshipping of the Sacrament they are meere impietie and horrible idolatrie Boner I thought so much sayth Boner suffering him to speake no more how he wold proue a very blasphemous hereticke as euer I heard Howe vnreuerently doeth hee speake of the blessed Masse and so read his bloudy senteÌ„ce of condemnation adiudging him to be burned All this while Roger was verye patient quiet and when he should depart he sayd my lord I besech you suffer me to speake 2. words The B. wold not hear him but bad him away Notwtstanding being requested by one of his frendes he sayd speake what hast thou to say Holland Euen now I told you that your authority was from God and by his sufferance and now I tel you God hath heard the praier of his seruaÌ„ts which hath ben powred forth with feares for his afflicted sainctes which daily you persecute as now you
brought them ouer to sell for gaine D. Cooke Let her heade be trussed in a small line make her to confesse Martin The booke is called Antichrist and so may it be wel called for it speaketh against Iesus Christ the Queene And besides that shee hathe a certaine sparke of the Anabaptists for she refuseth to sweare vpon the iiij Euangelistes before a Iudge For I my selfe and M. Hussy haue had her before vs foure times but we can not bring her to sweare Wherfore my Lord Chauncellor would that shee should absteine fast for she hath not fasted a great while For she hathe laine in the Clincke a good while where she hath had too much her libertie Then said the bishop why wilt thou not sweare before a Iudge that is the right trade of the Anabaptists Eliz. My Lord I wil not sweare that this hand is mine No sayd the bishop and why Eliz. My Lorde Christ sayeth that what soeuer is more then yea yea or nay nay it commeth of euill And moreouer I know not what an oth is and therefore I wil take no such thing vpon me Then saide Cholmley xx pounde it is a man in a woman clothes xx pound it is a man Boner Thinke you so my Lord Cholm Yea my Lord. c. Eliz. My Lord I am a woman Bish. Sweare her vpon a booke seeing it is but a question asked Then said Cholmley I will lay twentie pounde it is a man Then D. Cooke brought her a booke commanding her to lay thereon her hande Eliz. No my Lorde I will not sweare for I knowe not what an oth is But I say that I am a woman and haue children Bish. That know not we wherefore sweare Cholmley Thou yll fauoured whore lay thy hande vpon the booke I will lay on myne and so he laied his hande vpon the booke Eliz So will not I mine Then the Bishop spake a woorde in Latine out of S. Paule as concerning swearing Elizab. My Lorde if you speake to mee of S. Paule then speake English for I vnderstand you not The bish I dare sweare that thou doest not Eliz. My Lord S. Paul saith that fiue wordes spoken in a language that may be vnderstand is better then manye in a foreine or strange tongue which is vnknowen Doctor Cooke Sweare before vs whether thou be a man or a woman Eliz. If ye wil not beleue me then send for women into a secrete place and I will be tried Cholm Thou art an ill fauored whore Then said the Bishop How beleeuest thou in the Sacrament of the altar Eliza. My Lorde if it will please you that I shall declare mine owne faith I will The bish Tell me how thou beleeuest in the sacrament of the altar Eliza. Will it please you that I shall declare my Faithe And if it be not good then teach me a better and I wil beleeue it D. Cooke That is well sayd declare thy faith Eliz. I beleeue in God the Father almighty the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God I beleue all the Articles of my Crede I beleeue al things wrytten in the holy Scripture and all thinges agreeable wyth the Scripture geuen by the holy Ghoste into the Churche of Christ set forth and taught by the church of Christ. I beleue that Iesus Christ the only sonne of God that immaculate Lamb came into the world to saue sinners that in him by him throughe him I am made cleane frō my sinnes and without him I coulde not I beleeue that in the holy sacrament of Christes body and bloud which he did institute and ordaine and left among his Disciples the nyght before he was betraied whē I do receiue his Sacrament in faith and spirite I do receiue Christ. Bish. No more I warrant you but the sacramēt of Christes body and bloud receiued but in spirit and faith wyth those heretiques Cholm Ah whoore spirite and faith whoore Eliz. This sacrament neuer man coulde or did make but only he that did which no man could do Mart. Then thou must allowe that grasse is a sacrament for who could make grasse but he only Eliz. Syr he hathe suffered and made a sufficient Sacrifice once for all and so hath he made hys Sacrament sufficient once for all for there was neuer man that could say Take eate this is my body that is broken for you but only Iesus Christ who had his body broken for the sinnes of the world which Sacrament he hath left here amongst vs for a testimonial of his death euen to the worldes ende Mart. Who taught thee this doctrine did Scorie Eliz. Yea Bishop Scorie and other that I haue heard Bish. Why is Scory Bishop now Eliz. If that doe offende you call him Docteur Scorie if yee will Roper I knew when he was but a poore Doctour Mart. What doe ye call Scorie Eliz. Our Superintendent Bish. Loe their Superindent Mart. And what are ye called Eliz. Christes congregation Bish. Lo Christes congregation I warrant you Doctor Cooke What liuing hath Scorie Eliz. Sir as farre as I do know he liueth by his owne for I know no man that geueth him ought Recorder Yes I warrant you he hath enough sent hym out of England Eliz. Syr I know no such thing Cholm Harke whore harke harke how I do beleeue Eliz. My Lord I haue tolde you my beliefe Cholmley Harke thou yll fauoured whoore howe I doe beleeue When the Priest hath spoken the wordes of Consecration I do beleue that there remaineth the very body that was borne of the virgine Marie was hanged on the crosse was deade and buried and descended into hell and rose againe on the thirde day and ascended to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God The same body when the priest hath spoken the woords commeth down and when the priest lifteth vp his body on this wise he lifting vp his handes sayd there it is Eliz. I haue tolde you also how I do beleeue Mart. Away with her Cholmley Ah euill fauoured whore nothing but spirit and faith whore Mart. Away with her we haue more to talke withall Then was shee caried into the Colehouse and searched for bookes and then put into the stockhouse and her knife girdle and aporne taken from her The fifth examination before the Bishop of Londons Chancellour c. THen was she brought out of the stockhouse brought before the bishops Chauncellour who required of her what age shee was of Eliz. Sir fortie yeares and vpwardes The Chauncellour Why thou art a woman of a faire yeares what shouldest thou meddle with the Scriptures it is necessary for thee to beleeue and that is inoughe It is more sitte for thee to meddle with thy distaff then to meddle with the Scriptures What is thy beliefe I woulde heare it for it can not be good in that thou art brought into prison Eliz. Syr if it will please you to heare
that is agreable to Gods worde and no heresie in it that I red and when it drewe toward seruice time there came men to the church and some of then comming to me whoÌ„ I knewe not asking me what good booke I had I sayd it was a new booke that I haue not yet read it ouer then they prayed me that I would read so that they might heare some part with me and so I did not calling pointing nor assembling any company to me And for the seruice being in latine that for the strangenes of the tongue besides muche superstition ioyned with it was not vnderstood of the most part of them that saide or soung it much lesse of them that stood by and did heare it where as by the word of God all thinge in the Churche or congregation shuld be done to the edifying of the people and seeing I could haue no such thing by theyr seruice I did endeuour to edifie my selfe and other that were desirous of reading of godly bookes And because the Churche is so abused contrary to the worde of God being beset round about with a sorte of abhominable Idols before whome no man ought to kneele nor doe no maner of reuerence because the scriptures doth curse both the Idoll and the Idoll maker and all that doth any worship or reuerence vnto them or before them for that cause I vsed no reuerence there Well sayd my Lorde I woulde thou couldest aunswere to the rest as well as thou hast done to this but I feare me thou canst not for it is tolde me that thou hast spoken agaynst the blessed sacrament and I said and it please your Lordship that did I neuer in al my life nor neuer wil doe by the grace of God With that my chief accuser sir Leonard Becksmith knight sayd to me diddest thou not say to me yesterday that thou diddest not beleue the sacrament of the aulter after the wordes of consecration by the priest to be the very body of Christ flesh bloud bones as it was borne of the virgine Mary It is true in deede that I sayd so for neyther do I beleue it to remayne Christes body nor neuer will by the grace of God beleue it so to be for I beleue that christ with that body that was conceaued and borne of the virgine Mary did ascend vp into heauen and there according to our beliefe he sitteth on the right hand of God the father and from thence that body shal come at the day of iudgement to iudge the quick and the dead and yet in the meane while I beleue that the sacrament duely ministred according to Christes institution that the faithfull receauers of this sacrament lifting vp the eyes of theyr minde into heauen where Christes body is that they do receaue in that sacrament into theyr soule or inward man the very body of our sauiour Iesus Christ yea and I beleeue further that Christ concerning his diuine power or the power of his godhead is whersoeuer two or three be gathered together in his name that he is in the middest euen amongest them and that hee is so with his faythfull flocke euen to the worldes end then they layed theyr heades together and had priuie talke after that two of them said to me that it was rancke heresie that I did beleue it to remayne bare bread after the Priest had consecrated it and not to beleue it to be the very body of Christ I was worthy to be burned then sayde I earnestly vnto theÌ„ thinke you not though I be a vile abiecte in your sight and he that is most busie among you to seek my bloud but that my bloud shall be required at hys or theyr handes Then had they priuy talke together againe after the which my Lord sayd vnto me thou hearest that they here lay heresie to thy charge and I am a manne of warre haue no skill in such high misteries wherefore thine accusers say that thou must suffer here as an hereticke that all the rest of the garrisene may beware by thee that they fal not into the like heresie and so cast away themselues Then sayd I I appeale from this Counsayle to the Counsayle of England then sayd my Lord I am very glad that thou hast appealed to the Counsayle of England for there are learned menne and Diuines that can skil of such matters thether shalt thou be sent or it be long Then was I caryed to sir Iohn Abriges house and hauing pen and incke I was bidden to write mine articles which were in effecte those poyntes of Religion that you haue heard before in my examination then on the morow being Thursday and the fiftene of Aprill I was brought to the prison in the towne called the Marshalsea where I was very gently vsed for a good gentleman one Maister Waghan was the keeper there at that time but surely when I was apprehended I had not so much as one peny to helpe my selfe with for we had bene longe vnpayd furthermore I thought in that towne of warre that there was very few or none that fauoured the word of God for I looked for no helpe there but to be hated and despised of all menne there for I knewe not past two or three there that hadde any loue to the Gospell till I was in prison and then there came very many souldiours vnto me that I neuer knew before and gaue me mony so that I hadde as good as a three pound geuen me in a smale tyme that I was in prison The fourthtene day of May toward night I was sent into Englande one Mayster Messenger and one other man brought me to London euen the same day being sonday at night and 15. daye of May there was a great talke ouer all the Cittye of one Doctor Smith that recanted that daye they brought me to the Marshalsea and there left me I hearing no more of them that brought me thether but Mayster Huntington as a faythfull minister of Iesus Christe that gaue me warning before of all this trouble came from Bullyn to London causing my Articles to be seene so that by his paynefull dilligence to the Counsayle for me after that I had bene there little more then one â—oneth I was dyscharged forth of prison and bed get me home to Bullin to my liuing agayne But surely if I hadde not appealed to the Counsayle of Englande I hadde bene burned in Bullyn for it was tolde me of them that knew muche in that matter that it was already determined shortly to haue bene accomplyshed if I had not appealed for the whiche deliueraunce I geue prayse to the euerliuing God ¶ This was layed in Queene Maryes Closet vpon her deske agaynst her commyng vnto her prayers O Louesome Rose most redolent Of vading flowers most fresh In England pleasant is the sente For now art thou peerelesse This Rose which beareth such a smell Doth represent our Queene O listen that I may you tell Her colours fresh and
fallen vpon this Realme for sinne and with vnfayned hartes to turne to GOD who as he hath scourged vs with lesse plagues then we deserued so calleth vs agayne by his vndeserued and vnspeakeable mercy vnto repentaunce and amendement of our liuing It is doubtles now high time to turn vnfaynedly to God and to correct our sinnefull liuinges and to remember what S. Iohn Baptist sayd The Axe is now set to the root of the tree and euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe and caste into the fire For this may all men assure themselues of both rich and poore high and low olde and yong that the almighty zelous and righteous God will not suffer the sinnefull and wicked life of the vngodly vnrepētant that contemne his mercy nowe profered vnto them to be vnpunished but as he hath from the beginning of the world shewed himselfe a righteous Iudge and punisher of wickednes euen so will he do stil now God expulsed our first parentes Adam and Heua from Paradise and layd vpon them and vpon vs all these miseries sickenesses calamities and death that we dayly feele and miserably are oppressed withal God in Noahs dayes drowned the whole world onely eight persons were preserued God burnt vp Sodom and Gomor with fyre and brimstone frō heauen and destroyed those Cityes and all the Countrey about God gaue ouer Hierusalem called the holy Citty of God and deliuered his owne people the Iewes into perpetuall captiuitye If we seeke the cause of these punishmentes was it not sinnefull liuing vnrepentant harts What should I recite the calamities of other lands seyng Gods iudgementes hath not bene vnexecuted vpon this Realme of England for sinnefull liuing The olde Brytaynes were with Cadwallader theyr king constrayned to flye and leaue this land because of pestilence famyne what miseries destructions brought the Danes in with them and what troubles susteyned the inhabitauntes of this Realme afore the same were agayne driuē out What bloudshed was here in king William Conquerors daies were not the noble men slayne and gentlemen brought into bondage were not their matrons defiled and theyr daughters geuen to be kitchen drudges vnder the Normandes proud Ladyes were not theyr landes houses possessions diuided by lote vnto straungers Their golde and siluer wherein they trusted was the bayte that theyr enemyes hunted after what a plague was the ciuill war betwene the kinges and Barons what horrible bloudshed was in this Realme till at the last Gods mercifull prouidence ended those miseries by the happy ioyning of the 2. regall houses together in the mariage of king Henry 7. What miseries haue chaunced in our time we haue not onely sene and heard but we haue felt them and God be praised had our partes of them Doubtles this all hath chaunced for the sinnes of the people as the Prophet Ieremy playnely teacheth saying who is a wise man that vnderstandeth this And to whome shall the word of the Lords mouth come that he may preach it forth why hath the land perished and is burnt like a wildernesse so that no man may passe through it And the Lord sayth because they haue forsaken my law which I haue geuen them they haue not hearde my voyce and haue not walked in them and haue gone after the vanity of theyr owne harts And after Baalim the Images of Baall which they haue learned of theyr fathers we see here playnely the contēpt of Gods word and of the preachers of the same walking after theyr couetous mindes and leudnesse of theyr hartes and folowing of their idolatrous inuentions brought the wrath of God vpon the people as witnessed also Iesus Syrach saying because of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers deceites a Realme shal be translated frō one people to an other And a litle after he sayth the Lorde hath brought the congregations of the wicked to dishonour and destroyd them vnto the ende God hath destroyd the seates of proud Princes and set vp the meek in their stead God hath withered the root of the proud nations and planted the lowly amōg them God hath ouerthrowne the Landes of the Heathen and destroyed them vnto the ground He hath caused them to wither awaye He hath brought them to nought and made the memoriall of them to cease from the earth But what auaileth it to read such threates of God if we beleue them not Or if we beleue them to be Gods threates and despise thē Doubtlesse the Lorde is righteous a ielous God a Punisher of of sinne as he sayth himselfe I punish the sinnes of the fathers vpon theyr childrē vnto the third and fourth generatiō of them that hate me God geue vs grace to remember this and with speedye and vnfayned repentaunce to turne vnto God I say vnfayned repentaunce and not alas as we haue done in times past like hypocrites to dissemble with God and man making Gods holy worde nothing els but a cloke to couer our malice couetousnesse whoredome pride excesse glotony wrath enuy hatred murder with all other wicked liuing most detestable in the sight of God If men will well consider themselues they haue long enough dissembled and heaped the wrath of God heauy enough vpon theyr heades It is now high time to become a new people to amend in deed and to folow the counsell of the holy Ghost saying vnto vs by the Prophet Hieremy Why do mortal men murmur agaynst God let them murmur agaynst theyr own sinnes Let vs search our owne wayes and let vs seek and returne vnto the Lorde Let vs lift vp our hartes and handes vnto the Lord in heauen for we haue done wickedly and prouoked the Lord to wrath and therefore wilt thou not be entreated Doubtles the Lord will not be entreated except men very earnestly turne vnto him we haue felt in our selues and seene before our eyes that when GOD striketh no man can be able to abide the heauy stroke of his fist Hee hath hitherto corrected vs with mercy as a father let vs thanke him returne vnfaynedly so will he not extend his wrath as a Iudge His will is that we should returne liue not perish with the wicked I liue sayth the Lord and will not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and liue Here the godly othe certifieth vs of forgeuenes requireth an vnfayned conuersion vnto God that t s that men acknowledge in hart theyr wicked liuing be sory that euer they haue with wicked lyuyng offended agaynst that so good and louing a father and truste to haue forgeuenes through Christes bloud and fully and firmely set theyr hartes to serue GOD and to walke the wayes of his commaundementes all the dayes of theyr life Then shall we be the true Christians built vpon the corner stone Christ not wauering or chaunging at euery puffe of winde not seeking an Epicurish life in all voluptuous and vaine vanitie not