and aged folkes that before were not taught to know Christe in their childehood shoulde now euen with children and babes be forced to learne to know him Now therefore he roreth now he rageth But what els do they brethren which serue Satan and become his ministers slaues in mainteining of his impietie but euen the same which they did to whom Christ our Sauiour threatneth this curse in the Gospell Woe vnto you which shutte vp the kingdome of heauen before men take away the key of knowledge from them you your selues haue not entred in neither haue you suffered them that would enter to come in And from whence shall we say brethren that this horrible mischeuous darknes proceedeth which is nowe brought vpon the worlde From whence I pray you but euen from the smoke of the great furnace of the bottomlesse pit so that the sunne and the ayre are now darkened by the smoke of the pit Now euen now out of doubt brethren the pit is opened agaynst vs and the Locustes begyn to swarme and Abbadon now raigneth Ye therfore my brethren which pertaine vnto Christ and haue the seale of God marked in your foreheades that is to wit are sealed with the earnest of the spirite to be a peculiar people of God quite your selues like men and be strong for he that is in vs is stronger then he which is in the world and ye know that al that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is our victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Let the world freat let it rage neuer so much be it neuer so cruel and bloudy yet be ye sure that no man can take vs out of the fathers handes for he is greater then all who hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen him to death for vs all and therefore how shall he not with him geue vs all thinges also Who shall lay any thyng to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ that is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christe Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sworde the rest ye knowe breathren We are certainely perswaded with S. Paul by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe that no kynde of thyng shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which thyng that it may come to passe by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to the comfort both of you of vs all as we for our partes will continually God wyllyng pray for you so deare brethren in the Lorde with all earnest and harty request we beseech you euen in the bowelles of our Lorde Iesus Christ that ye will not cease to pray for vs. Fare ye well deare brethren The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe be with you all euermore Amen ¶ A Letter of Byshop Ridley answearyng to a certayne Letter of one Maister West sometime his Chapleine I Wishe you grace in God and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mightie hand of almighty God it is no more possible to stande by the truth in Christe in tyme of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heate of the fyre Sir knowe you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this worlde is but transitorie and as saint Iohn sayth The world passeth away and the lust thereof I am perswaded Christes wordes to be true Who soeuer shall confesse me before men hym will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shal be saued whom the Redeemer and Sauiour of the worlde shall before his father denie This the Lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my hart that neyther thinges present nor to come hygh nor low lyfe nor death be able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wishe that you wish me deepely to consider thinges perteyning vnto Gods glorye but if you had wished also that neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperitie shoulde let me to mayneteine Gods worde and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for Gods sake to remember my selfe In deede sir nowe it is time so to do for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trow then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare hym that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fire whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together our frayle flesh that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much sute for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in suing for my worldly deliueraunce impayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truth You haue knowen me long in deede in the which time it hath chaunced me as you say to mislike some thinges It is true I graunt for sodaine chaunges without substantiall and necessary cause and the heady settyng foorth of extremities I did neuer loue Confession vnto the minister which is able to instruct correct comfort informe the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in deede I euer thought might do much good in Christes congregation and so I assure you I thynke euen at this daye My doctrine and my preaching you say you haue hearde often and after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament which thing although it was of me reuerently handled and a great deale better then of the rest as you yet in the margent you write warily and in this worlde wisely and yet me thought all sounding not well Sir but that I see so many changes in this worlde so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a litle marueile I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainnes and faythfulnes as much I assure you as for your learning and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider moe things then one and wil not say all that I thinke But what neede you to care what I thinke for any thing I shal be able to do vnto you eyther good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothing against my learning and to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein like your counsell very well and by Gods grace I intend to folow it vnto my lyues end To write vnto those whom you name I can not see what it wyll auayle me For this I woulde haue you knowe that I esteeme nothyng auayleable for me
the sayde moste wholesom preceptes geuen vs of oure maister Christe and of hys Apostles and nowe in thys troublesome time wherein the Gospell is persecuted shewe our selues fearefull souldiours as it is manifestly declared in the Reuelation of S. Iohn where it is wrytten That the fearefull shall haue theyr parte wyth the vnbeleeuing and abhominable in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconde death Agayne it is wrytten in the same Booke for our warnyng Because thou art betwixt both and neither colde nor hote I wil spew thee out of my mouth Now therefore good christians these true testimonies of Gods liuely woord deepely considered and weighed let vs chiefly stand in awe of his most terrible iudgementes and be not as they that presumptuously tempt hym Lette him alwayes be our feare and dread He nowe chasteneth he nowe nourtereth vs for oure profite deliting in vs euen as a louing Father in his beloued childe to make vs perfecte and to haue vs to be partakers of his holynesse Hee nowe iudgeth vs not vtterly taking away hys euerlasting loue and mercy from vs as he doth from the malignant wicked that we should not be condemned with the wicked world but if we now refuse his moste louyng chastising and folow the worlde we must nedes haue our portion with the worlde Wide is the gate and broade is the way whych leadeth to destruction and many there be whych goe in thereat But straite is the gate and narowe is the waye that leadeth vnto life and fewe there bee that finde it O howe muche better is it to goe thys narrowe waye with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time In consideration whereof let vs wythout any more slackinge and further delaies in thys greate warninge by Gods louing visitation submit our selues betime vnder hys mighty hand that he may exalte vs when the tyme is come And thus I wholely commit you to him and to the woorde of hys grace which is able to build further beseeching you most heartily to pray for me that I may be strong through the power of his might and stande perfect in all things being alwaies prepared and ready looking for the mercy of our Lorde vnto eternall rest and I will pray for you as I am most bounde So I trust he will graciously heare vs for hys promise sake made vnto all Faithfull in hys dearely beloued sonne Christe oure alone Sauioure whose grace be wyth your spirite most deare Christians for euer So be it By your Christian brother Iohn Hullier a prisoner of the Lorde Iohn Hullyer being of long time prisonner and nowe openly iudged to die for the testimony of the Lord Iesus wisheth hartely to the whole cōgregation of God the strength of his holy spirit to their euerlasting health both of body and soule I Nowe most deare Christians hauing the sweete comfort of Gods sauing health and being confirmed with hys free spirit be he only praised therefore am constrayned in my conscience thinkyng it my verye duetie to admonishe you as ye tender the saluation of your soules by al maner of meanes to separate youre selues from the companie of the Popes hirelings considering what is sayd in the Reuelation of S. Iohn by the Aungell of God touching all men The woordes be these If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke the wine of the wrathe of God whiche is powred into the cuppe of his wrathe and hee shall be punished with fire and brimstone before the holye Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore Marke well heere good Christians who is this beast and worshippers that shal be partakers of that vnspeakeable torment This beast is none other but the carnal fleshly kingdome of Antichrist the Pope with his rabble of false Prophets and Ministers as it is most manifest which to maintaine theyr high titles worldly promotions and dignities do with much cruelty daily more and more setforth and establish theyr owne traditions decrees decretalles contrary to Gods holy ordinaunces statutes lawes and commaundements and wholy repugnante to his sincere and pure religion and true woorshipping Nowe what doe they els but worshyp this Beast and his Image who after they had once already escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet agayne tangled therin and ouercome vsing dissimulation vnfaithfully for feare of theyr displeasure doing one thing outwardly and thinking inwardly an other so hauing them in reuerence vnder a cloke and colour to whō they ought not so much as to say God speede and adioyning themselues to the malignant congregation whych they oughte to abhorre as a den of theeues and murtherers and as the Brothel house of moste blasphemous fornicators whose voyces beynge contrary to Christes voyce if they were of his flocke they would not knowe but would flee from them as he hymselfe being the good shepeheard of our soules doth full wel in his holy gospel testify Againe what do they els I pray you but receiue the Beastes marke in theyr forheads and in theyr handes whych doe beare a faire face and countenaunce outwardly in supporting them as other do being ashamed onely to confesse Christe and hys holy Gospell But thys fainednesse and dissimulation Christe and hys Gospel will in no wise allowe Of whome it is sayd Who soeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my woordes in thys adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shal come in the glory of his father with his holy Angels Therefore sayeth almighty God by hys Prophet Malachie Curssed be the dissemblers Yee were once lyghtened and tasted of the heauenlye gifte and were become partakers of the holy Ghost and tasted of the word of God and of the power of the worlde to come And oure Sauiour Christ sayth No man that putteth hys hande to the ploughe and looketh backe is apte for the kingdome of GOD. Therefor S. Iohn the Apostle vseth this for a manyfest token that the backsliding from the true preachers of Gods woord declareth euidently that they be not of the number of them For sayeth he They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs no doubt they woulde haue continued wyth vs. Surely so long as we vse dissimulation and to play on both hādes we are not in the light For what soeuer is manifest the same is light as the elect vessell of God S. Paule witnesseth Wherfore good Christians for Gods most dear loue deceiue not your selues through your own wisedom and through the wisedome of the worlde which is foolishnesse before God but certifye and stay your owne conscience with the sure truth and faithfull woord of
your fall shall tourne to hys glorye and youre profite For if you hadde not by this prooued the experience of your owne strength or rather your owne weakenes you would haue stande too muche in your owne conceite or perchaunce haue glorified in your selfe and haue despised and condempned other weake personnes that haue committed the like offence Therfore now you may see what the best of vs all can do if God leaue vs to our selues Which thing ought to moue you to be diligent to call earnestly vpon God for his grace and the strength of his holy spirite without the which we are not able to stande one houre to be most thankefull for the same when you haue it and then to be more circumspecte in time to come Therefore deare sister seeing that you haue done otherwise then the word of God and your owne cōscience would allow yet deare hart do you not thinke that God therfore wil cast you cleane away but know that he hath mercy enough in store for al them that truely repent and beleeue in him although the sinnes of them were as many in number as the sandes in the sea and as great as the sinnes of the whole worlde It is a greater sinne to mistrust the mercye and promises of God then to commit the greatest offence in the world Therefore good sister beware in any wise that you doe not once mistrust the promises of Gods mercy towardes you but knowe for a very surety that all youre sinnes be vtterlye forgeuen you for Christes sake be they neuer so many so grieuous or so great But now deare heart take heede and beware that you doe not cloake that sinne and increase the same daily in communicating with the wicked in their Idolatrie and deuelish doinges at their denne of theeues Do not I say deare sister come at any of their Antichristian seruice least by little and little you vtterly lose a good conscience and at length esteeme it for none offence as alas a great nomber doth at this day to the great pearill of theyr soules The Lorde be merciful vnto them and geue them grace to repent in time and tourne to the Lorde and then they shal be sure to finde mercy at the Lordes hand as doubtles you haue done praised be his name therefore Ah my deare sister you may nowe see the wordes of Christe verified vppon your selfe that a mans greatest foes shall be they of his owne household for your husband hath gotten you to do that which all the tyrants in the world could neuer haue made you to doe Doubtlesse he may be sory for it God geue him grace to repent or els without doubt it will be laid to his charge one day when he would not by his will heare it for all the goods in the worlde Well I thinke my brother Tymmes will wryte him a letter shortly that shall touche his conscience if hee haue anye conscience at all But now againe to you dere sister The thing that is done can not be vndone and you are not the first that hath offended neither are you so good and so holy as hath at a time slipt forth of the way Therfore I would not haue you to be so much discomforted as I heare saye you be as thoughe God were not able to forgeue you your offence as he was to forgeue his deare Saints that offended him in times past or as though God were not as mercifull nowe as euer he was Where as in very deede There is with the Lord as the Prophet sayth mercy and plentiful redēption and his mercy farre surmounteth all his workes and he neuer faileth any that put their whole trust and confidence in him howe great an offender or howe wicked a trespasser so euer he bee No he maketh their falles and backeslidings manye times to tourne to their profite and commoditie and to the settynge foorth of his glorye As doubtlesse deare sister yours shall doe if you put your whole faith hope and trust only in his infinite and eternall sweete mercies Oh what a suttel crafty lying serpent is that Sathan our old enemie that when he seeth that he can not make vs to continue in our wickednes to do him seruice would then bring vs into a doubting and mistrusting of the mercye of God whyche is the greatest offence that can be yea infidelitye is the roote and originall of all other sinnes Therefore my sweete sister geue no place to that cruell aduersary of mankinde who hath bene a lier and a murtherer from the beginning but stedfastlye beleeue the Lord who hath sent you word by me his most vnworthy seruāt that all your sinnes be pardoned forgeuen and cleane released for Iesus Christes sake our only Lorde and Sauiour To whome with the father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory praise thankes power rule and dominion for euer for euer Amen Farewell my deare sister and be of good cheare Beleeue in the Lorde and you shall liue for euer The Lord increase your faith Amen Amen Your poore brother and daily faithfull Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lord. Pray for me An other letter of Iohn Careles to A.B. a faithfull Minister of the Lorde containing certaine frutefull precepts of Matrimonie I Beseech the same euerlasting Lord my deare and faithful brother that blessed yong Tobias with his wife Sara brought them together in due time with reuerence and feare preserue and blesse you both and your seede after you that they may encrease the number of the faithful by thousandes and thousandes And as the Lord of his great mercy and fatherly prouidēce hath bene alwaies carefull for you and nowe hath for your comforte accomplished his good worke in coupling you with a faithfull mate so see that you be thankefull for his prouidence towardes you that it may euery way in you be an encrease of loue godlinesse yea of Christian ioye and gladnesse in these sorrowfull dayes but yet so that you mourne with the true mourners of Syon and be sorie yet in measure for the hurt of the same Pray also in faith for her prosperity that the Lord may builde vp the walles of Hierusalem againe Oh that the Lord would turne Syons captiuity as the riuer into the South Then shoulde our hearts be made glad and oure mouthes filled with laughter Then woulde the heathen hypocrites say the Lord hath done much for them Oh the Lord hath done great things for vs already wherof let vs heartely reioyce and praise his name therefore For though we nowe sowe wyth teares yet shall wee be sure to reape with gladnesse and as wee now goe foorth weeping bearing foorth good seede so shall we come againe with ioy and bring our sheaues full of corne Yea the death of the Martyrs which is most precious in hys sighte shal be the life of the Gospell spite of the Papists hearts Pray for me deare heart that I may
Smith Ye falsify the worde and racke it to serue your purpose For the wine was not onely the shewing of his passion but the bread also for our Sauiour sayth So oft as ye do this do it in remembraunce of me And S. Paule sayth So oft as ye eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shewe the Lordes death till he come And here is as much reuerence geuen to the one as to the other Wherefore yf the bread be his body the cuppe must be his bloud and as wel ye make his body in the cup as his bloud in the bread Then vp rose my Lorde and went to the table where my Lorde Maior desired me to saue my soule To whome I answeared I hope it was saued thorow Christ Iesus desiring him to haue pity on his owne soule and remember whose sword he caryed At which I was caryed into the Garden and there abode vntill the rest of my frendes were examined and so were we sent away with many foule farewelles to Newgate agayne my Lord Bishop geuing the keeper a charge to lay me in limb◠¶ An other examination of Robert Smith before the sayd Bishop VPon Saterday at eight of the clocke I was brought to his chamber agayne and there by him examined as foloweth Boner Thou Robert Smith c. sayst that there is no catholicke Church here on earth Smith Ye haue heard me both speake the contrary and ye haue written it as a witnes of the same Boner Yea but I must aske thee this question how sayest thou Smith Must ye of necessity beginne with a lye it maketh manifest that ye determine to end with the same But there shall no Lyers enter into the kingdome of God Neuerthelesse if ye will be aunsweared aske mine articles that were written yesterday and they shall tel you that I haue confessed a Church of God as well in earth as in heauen and yet all one Church one mans members euen Christ Iesus Boner Well what sayest thou to auriculer confession is it not necessary to be vsed in Christes Church and wilt not thou be shriuen of the priest Smith It is not needefull to be vsed in Christes Church as I aunswered yesterday But if it be needefull for your Churche it is to picke mens purses And such pickepurse matters is all the whole rabble of your ceremonies for all is but mony matters that ye maynteyne Boner Why how art thou able to proue that confession is a pickepurse matter Art thou not ashamed so to say Smith I speake by experience For I haue both hearde and seene the fruites of the same For firste it hath bene we see a bewrayer of kinges secretes and the secretes of other mens consciences Who being deliuered and glad to be discharged of theyr sinnes haue geuen to Priests great summes of mony to absolue them sing Masses for theyr soules health And for ensample I beganne to bring in a pageant that by report was played at saynt Thomas of Acres and where I was sometime a childe waiting on a Gentleman of Northfolke which being bounde in conscience through the perswasion of the Priest gaue away a great summe of his goodes and forgaue vnto M. Gressam a great summe of money and to an other as much The priest had for his part a summe and the house had an annuitie to keepe him the which thing when his brother heard he came down to London after declaration made to the Counsayle how by the subtilty of the Priest he had robbed his wyfe children recouered a great part agayne to the value of two or three hundred poundes of Maister Gressam and his other frende but what he gaue to the house could not be recouered This tale began I to tell But when my Lord saw it sauored not to his purpose he began to reuile me sayde By the Masse if the Queenes maiesty were of his mynde I should not come to talke before any man but should be put into a sacke â—ogge tyed vnto the same so should be throwen into the water Smith To which I answered againe saying I know you speake by practise as much as by speculation for both you your predecessors haue sought all meanes possible to kyll Christ secretely record of M. Hunne whom your predecessor caused to be thrust in at the nose with hot burning needles and then to be hanged sayde the same Hunne to haue hanged himselfe and also a good brother of yours a Byshop of your professioÌ„ hauing in his prison an innoceÌ„t maÌ„ whom because he saw he was not able by the scriptures to ouercome he made him priuily to be snarled his flesh to be torne and plucked awaye with a payre of pinsers and bringing him before the people sayd the Rattes had eaten him Thus according to your othe is all your dealing and hath bene and as you taking vpon you the office doe not without othes open your mouth no more do you without murder maynteyne your traditions Boner Ah ye are a generation of lyers there is not one true word that commeth out of your mouthes Smith Yes my Lorde I haue sayde that Iesus Christ is dead for my sinnes and risen for my iustification and thys is no lye Boner Then made he his man to put in my tale of the gentleman of Northfolke and would haue had me recite it agayne which when I would not doe he made his man to put in suche summes as he imagined At the ende of thys commeth in M. Mordant knight and sate downe to heare my examination Then sayd my Lord. Howe sayest thou Smith to the seuen sacramentes Beleeuest thou not that they be Gods order that is to say the sacrament of c. Smith I beleue that in Gods Church are but two Sacramentes that is to say the sacrament of regeneration the sacrament of the Lordes supper and as for the Sacrament of the aultar and all your sacraments they may wel serue your church but Gods church hath nothing to do with them neither haue I any thing to do to aunswere them nor you to examine me of them Boner Why is Gods order chauÌ„ged in baptisme In what poynt do we dissent from the word of God Smith First in halowing your water in coniuring of the same in baptising children with annoynting and spitting in their mouthes mingled with salt and with many other lend ceremonies of which not one poynt is able to be proued in Gods order Boner By the masse this is the vnshamefast heretique that euer I heard speake Smith Well sworne my Lord ye keepe a good watch Boner Well M. Controller ye catche me at my wordes but I will watch thee as well I warrant thee Mordant By my troth my Lord quoth M. Mordant I neuer heard the like in all my life But I pray you my lord marke well his aunswere for Baptisme He dissalloweth therin holy
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
thee and I will send my wrath vpon thee vpon thee I say O Englande and punish thee according to thy wayes and rewarde thee after all thyne abhominations Thou hast kindled the fire of Gods wrath and hast stirred vp the coales For thou waste once lightned and hadst tasted of the heauenly gifte and wast become partaker of the holy ghost haddest tasted of the good word of God Yea it is yet in thy mouth sayth the Prophet Alas O Englād thou knewest thy Lorde and maisters wil but diddest nothing thereafter Thou must therefore sayeth hee suffer many stripes and many sharpe strokes and walke on in the glittering and hot flame of thine owne fire and in the coles that thou hast kindled This commeth to thee from my hande saith the Lorde namely That thou shalt sleepe in sorrowe yea euen so thou shalt The plain truth telleth the tale the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God and the ordinarie course of his plagues from the beginning confirmeth the same The ioy of our heart sayeth Ieremie is gone oure glory is fallē away our mery singing is turned into mourning the garland of our head is fallen Alas and weale away that euer we sinned so sore Wo worth all abhominations and wickednesse wo woorth cloked hypocrisie woe worth our carnall liberty wo worth our most cursed idolatrie For because of these things sayth the Lorde ye shall perish with sword hunger and pestilence Wherfore let all the wicked enemies of Christe and all the vnbeleuers look to be tormented and vexed with al hellish furies and cleane wythout hope at Gods accompting day which know not God in Christ to be their very righteousnesse their life their onely saluation alone sauiour nor beleeue not in him They must sayth S. Iohn needes abide and pearish wyth their sinnes in death and in eternall damnation But we be the children of Saintes as the elder Toby did aunswer and looke for an other life which God shall geue to all them which chaunge not theyr faith nor shrinke not from him Reioyce therefore ye Christian afflicted brethren for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louing father and if we abide fast in Christ and turn not away like weathercocks surely we shall liue for euer Christ affirmeth the same saying My sheepe heare my voyce I knowe them they hearken vnto me and to no straungers and I geue them euerlasting life for they shall not be lost nor no manne shall plucke them oute of my handes no nor yet this flattering world with all his vaine pleasures nor any tyranne with his great threates stout bragges can once mooue them oute of the way of eternall life What consolation and cōfort may we haue more pleasant and effectuous then thys God is on our side fighteth for vs he suffereth he smarteth and is afflicted wyth vs. As the world can doe nothing against his might neyther in taking away or diminishing of his glory nor putting him from his celestiall throne so can it not harme nor hurte any one of hys children without his good will For we are members of his body oute of hys fleshe and of hys bones and as deare to him as the apple of his eye Let vs therefore with an earnest faith set fast hold and sure feeling vpon the promises of God in the gospell let vs not be sundred from the same by any temptation tribulation or persecution Let vs consider the verity of God to be inuinsible inuiolable immutable Promising and geuing vs his faithfull souldiours life eternal It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs it is his onely benefite of his only mere mercy vnto him only must we render thāks Let not therefore the vaine fantasies and dreames of men the foolish gauds and toyes of the world nor the crafty delusions of the deuil driue and separate vs from our hope of the crowne of righteousnes that is layd vp in store for vs against the last day Oh that happy and merry last day I meane to the faithfull when Christ by his couenaunt shall graunt and geue vnto them that ouercome and keepe hys woordes to the ende that they may ascend and sitte in seate with him as he hath ascended sitteth on throne with hys father The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted shall then be with Christ glorified now in the butchers hands as shepe apoynted to die then sitting at Gods table with Christ in his kingdom as Gods honorable and deare children where we shall haue for earthly pouertie heauenly riches for hūger and thirst saturitie of the pleasant presence of the glory of God for sorrowes troubles and colde yrons celestiall ioyes and the company of aungels and for a bodely death life eternal Oh happy soules Oh precious death and euer more blessed right dear in the eyes of God to you the spring of the Lord shal euer be florishing Then as sayth Esay the redeemed shal returne and come againe into Sion praising the Lorde and eternall mercies shal be ouer their heads they shall obtaine mirth and solace sorrowe and woe shal be vtterly vanquished yea I am he sayeth the Lord that in all things geueth you euerlasting consolation To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be glory and praise for euer Amen Robert Samuel An other letter wrytten to the Christian congregation by Robert Samuel wherein he declareth the confession of his faith The beliefe of the hert iustifieth and the knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Rom. 10. Feare not the curse of mē be not afraid of their blasphemies and reuilings for wormes and mothes shal eat them vp like cloth and woolle but my righteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing health from generation to generation Esay 51. COnsidering with my selfe these pearillous times pearishing daies and the vnconstante and miserable state of man the decay of our faith the sinister reporte and false sclaunder of Gods most holy word these vrgent causes in conscience do constraine me to confesse and acknowledge my faith and meaning in Christes holy Religion as S. Peter teacheth me saying be readye alwayes to geue an aunswere to euerye man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with meekenes and feare hauing a good conscience that when they backbite you as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuche as they haue falsly accused your good conuersation in Christ. As touching my doctrine for that little talent that God hath geuen mee God I take to recorde mine owne conscience and mine auditorie knoweth that I neither in doctrine nor maners willingly taughte any other thinge then I receiued of the holye Patriarckes Prophetes Christe and hys Apostles For it were not onely sinne but also the verye parte of a cursed miscreant to
God But that can no where be shewed And as for the Church I am not angry with it and I neuer refused to goe to it and to praye with the people to heare the word of God and to do all other things what soeuer may agree with the word of God S. Augustine speaking of the ceremonies of the Iewes I suppose in the Epistle ad Ianuarium although hee graunt they greeuously oppressed that people both for the number and bondage of the same yet he calleth them burdēs of the law which were deliuered vnto thē in the word of God not presumptions of men which notwithstanding if they were not contrary to gods word might alter a sorte be borne withall But now seeing they are contrarye to those thinges whiche are in the word of God written whether they ought to be borne of any Christian or no let hym iudge whiche is spirituall which feareth God more thē man and loueth euerlastinge life more then this short and transitory lyfe To that whiche was sayd that my fact lacketh example of the godly fathers that haue gone before the contrary is most euident in the historye of Toby Of whome it is sayd that when all other went to the golden calues whiche Hieroboam the king of Israel had made he himselfe alone fled al their companions and gotte hym to Ierusalem vnto the temple of the Lorde and there worshipped the Lorde God of Israel Did not the man of God threatē greeuous plages both vnto the Priestes of Bethell and to the aulter which Hieroboam had there made after his own fantasie Which plagues king Iosias the true Minister of God did execute at the time appoynted And where doe wee reade that the Prophetes or the Apostles did agree with the people in their Idolatry whē as the people went a whoring with their hill aulters for what cause I praye you did the Prophetes rebuke the people so muche as for theyr false worshipping of God after theyr owne mindes and not after Gods word For what was so much as that was Wherfore the false prophetes ceased not to maligne the true prophetes of God therefore they bet them they banished thē c. How els I pray you can you vnderstand that Sainct Paule alledgeth when he sayth What concord hath christ with Beliall Either what part hath the beleuer with the Infidel or how agreeth the temple of God with images For ye are the temple of the liuing God as God himselfe hath sayde I will dwell among them and will be theyr God and they shal be my people Wherfore come out from among them and seperate your selues from them saythe the Lorde and touch none vncleane thinge so will I receaue you and wil be a father vnto you and ye shal be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almighty Iudith that holy woman would not suffer herselfe to be defiled with the meates of the wicked All the Sayntes of God which truely feared God when they haue bene prouoked to do any which they knewe to be contrarye to Gods lawes haue chosen to dye rather then to forsake the lawes of their God Wherefore the Machabees put themselues in daunger of death for the defense of the lawe yea and at length died manfully in the defense of the same If we do prayse sayth S. Augustine the Machabees and that with great admiration because they did stoutly stand euen vnto death for the lawes of theyr countrey howe muche more ought wee to suffer all thinges for our Baptisme for the sacramēt of the body and bloud of Christ. c. But the supper of the Lord such a one I meane as Christ commaundeth vs to celebrate the Masse vtterly abolysheth and corrupteth most shamefully Who am I that I shuld adde any thing to this which you haue so well spoken Nay I rather thanke you that you haue vouchsafed to minister so plentifull armour to me being otherwise altogether vnarmed sauing that hee cannot be left destitute of helpe whiche rightly trusteth in the helpe of God I onely learne to dye in reading of the new testament and am euer nowe and then praying vnto my God that hee will bee an helper vnto me in tyme of neede Seeing you are so obstinately set agaynst the Masse that you affirme because it is done in a tongue not vnderstanded of the people and for other causes I cannot tell what therefore it is not the true sacrament ordayned of Christ I beginne to suspecte you that you thinke not catholickely of Baptisme also Is our Baptisme whiche we do vse in a tongue vnknowne to the people the true baptisme of Christ or no If it be then doth not the straunge tongue hurt the Masse If it be not the baptisme of Christ tell me howe were you baptised Or whether will yee as the Anabaptistes do that al which were baptised in latin should be baptised agayne in the English tongue Although I would wish baptisme to be geuen in the vulgar tongue for the peoples sake which are present that they may the better vnderstand their owne profession and also be more able to teache theyr children the same yet notwithstanding there is not like necessity of the vulgar tongue in baptisme and in the Lordes supper Baptisme is geuē to children who by reason of their age are not able to vnderstand what is spoken vnto them what tongue soeuer it be The Lordes supper is and ought to be geuen to thē that are waxen Moreouer in baptisme which is accustomed to be geuen to children in the latine tongue all the substanciall poyntes as a man would say whiche Chryst commaunded to be done are obserued And therefore I iudge that baptisme to be a perfect and true baptisme and that it is not onely not neeedefull but also not lawfull for anye man so christened to be Christened agayne But yet notwithstanding they ought to be taught the Catechisme of the christian fayth when they shall come to yeares of discretion Which Cathechisme whosoeuer despiseth or wyll not desirously embrace and willingly learne in my iudgement he playeth not the parte of a christian man But in the popish mass◠are wanting certayne substancialles that is to say things commaunded by the worde of God to be obserued in ministration of the Lordes supper of that which there is sufficient declaration made before Where you say I would wish surely I would wishe that you had spoken more vehemently and to haue sayd it is of necessitie that all thinges in the congregation should be done in the vulgar tongue for the edifying and comfort of them that are present notwithstanding that the childe it selfe is sufficiently baptised in the latin tongue For asmuche as I perceaue you are so stiffely I wyll not say obstinately bente and so wedded to your opinion that no gentle exhortations no holesome counsailes no other kinde of meanes can call you home to a better mynde there remayneth that
recompense where as I my selfe am not able I shall not cease to pray my Lorde God which both is able and also doth in deede reward all them that fauour the fauourers of his truth for his sake for the truth is a common thinge pertayning to euery man for the which euery man shall aunswere an other daye And I desire fauour neither of your maystership neither of any man els but in trueth and for the trueth I take God to witnesse whiche knoweth all In verye deede maister Chauncellour dyd shew me that my Lord byshop of London had sent letters to him for me and I made aunswere that he was myne Ordinary and that both he might shuld reforme me as farre as I needed reformation as wel and as soone as my Lord of London And I woulde be very loth nowe thys deepe winter being so weake and so feeble not onely exercised with my disease in my head and side but also wyth new both the colike and the stone to take suche a iourney and though he might so do yet he needed not for he was not bound so to do notwithstaÌ„ding I sayd if he to do my Lord of London pleasure to my great displeasure woulde needes commaund me to go I would obey his commandement yea though it shuld be neuer so great a greuance and paynefull to me with the which answere he was content saying he would certifie my Lord of London thereof trusting his Lordship to be content with the same but as yet I heare nothing from him M. Chauncellour also said that my Lord of LondoÌ„ maketh as though he wer greatly displeased with me for that I did conteÌ„pne his authoritie at my last being in London Forsooth I preached in Abbe-church not certayne then as I remember whether in his Dioces or no intending nothing lesse then to contemne his authoritie and this I did not of myne owne suinge or by mine owne procuration but at the request of honest merchaunt men as they seemed to me whose names I do not knowe for they were not of myne acquayntaunce before I am glad therof for their sakes least if I knew theÌ„ I shoulde be compelled to vtter them so and theyr godlye desire to heare godly preaching shuld return to their trouble for they required me very instantly and to say the truth euen importunately Whether they were of that parish or no I was not certayn But they shewed not onely themselues but also many other to be very desirous to hear me pretending great hunger and thyrst of the word of God ghostly doctrine And vpon consideration and to auoyd al inconueniences I put them of and refused them twise or thrise till at the last they brought me word that the Parson and Curate were not onely content but also desired me notwithstanding that they certified him both of my name playnly and also that I had not the bish seale to shew for me but onely a licence of the Uniuersitie which Curate dyd receiue me welcommed me and when I shuld go into the pulpite gaue me the common benediction so that I hadde not ben alonely vncharitable but also churlishly vncharitable if I would haue sayd nay Nowe al this supposed to be trueth as it is I maruell greatly howe my Lorde of London can alledge any contempt of him in me First he did neuer inhibite me in my life and if hee did inhibite his Curate to receaue me what pertaineth that to me which neither did know thereof nor yet made any sute to the curate deceiptfully nor it did not appeare to me very likely that the Curate would so litle haue regarded my Lords inhibitioÌ„ which he mayntayneth so vigilantly not knowing my Lords minde before Therefore I coniected with my self that eyther the Curate was of such acquayntaunce with my Lord that he might admitte whome hee would or els and rather that it was a trayne and a trap layde before me to the intent that my Lorde himselfe or other pertayning to hym was appoynted to haue bene there and to haue taken me if they coulde in my sermon which coniecture both occasioned me somewhat to suspect those men which desired me though they speake neuer so fayre and frendly and also rather to go For I preach nothing but if it might be so I woulde my Lorde him selfe might heare me euery sermon I preache So certayne I am that it is trueth that I take in hand to preache If I had with power of my frendes the Curate gaynesaying and withstanding presumed to haue gone into the pulpitte there had bene something wherefore to pretend a conteÌ„pt I preached in Kent also at the instaunt request of a Curate yet here I not that his Ordinary layeth any conteÌ„pt to my charge or yet doth trouble the curate I maruel not a little how my Lord Bysh. of London hauing so brode wyde and large Dioces committed vnto hys cure and so peopled as it is can haue leysure for preaching and teaching the word of God oportune importune tempestiue intempestiue priuatim publice to his owne flocke iâ—stando arguendo exhortando monendo câ—m omni lenitate doctrina haue leysure I say eyther to trouble me or to trouble him selfe with me so poore a wretch a stranger to him nothing pertayning to his cure but as euery man pertayneth to euery mans cure so intermixing intermâ—â—ling himselfe with an other mans cure as though he had nothing to doe in his owne If I would do as some men seyn my Lorde dothe gather vp my â—oyle as wee call it warely and narrowly and yet neyther preache for it in mine owne cure nor yet other where peraduenture he woulde nothing deny me In very deede I did monish Iudges and Ordynaryes to vse charitable equitie in their iudgementes towardes suche as been accused namely of suche accusers which beene as like to heare and bewray as other bene to say amisse and to take mens words in the meaning therof and not to wrast them in an other sense then they were spoken in for all suche accusers and witnesses be false before God as sainct Hierome saith vpon the xxvi chapiter of Mathew Nor yet I do not accompt those Iudges wel aduised which wittingly will geue senteÌ„ce after such witnesses much lesse those whiche procure suche witnesses agaynst any man nor I thinke not iudges now a dayes so deeply confirmed in grace or so impeccable but that it may behoue and become preachers to admonish theÌ„ to do well as wel as other kindes of men both great and small And this I did occasioned of the epistle whiche I declared Rom. vi wherein is this sentence non istes sub lege sed sub gratia ye christen men that beleeue in Christ are not vnder the law What a saying is this quod I if it be not rightly vnderstande that is as saynct Paule did vnderstand it for the wordes sound as though he would goe about to occasion Christen men to breake lawe seeing they be not vnder the
such like trumpery of the Antichristian religion thinkest thou that thou shalt bee reckened for a catholicke man or for amicus Caesaris A hūdred thinges moe may be reckened and many of more weight and of more euident superstition and Idolatrye then some of these which I haue nowe rehearsed whyche God knoweth be ill enough but these are enoughe to declare and to set before thyne eyes the thing that I intend that is if thou abyde and wilt dwell in Englande thou must eyther doe these and many other moe contrarye to Gods worde whiche forbiddeth not onely the thing whiche is euill but also sayth Ab omni specie mali abstinete vos abstayne from all thinges that haue anye appearaunce of euill or els if thou wilt not doe them howe thou canst liue in England in rest safe from the stake truly I cannot tell But peraduenture as a man is readye to finde and inuent some coloure to cloke hys conscience to doe that thing that hys harte desireth thou wilt say though at any time I shal be forced to doe any of these thinges and suche like yet will I haue no confidence in them but outwardly with my body I will keepe myne hart vnto God and will not doe that of mine owne minde willingly neyther but to auoyd an other inconuenience I trust therfore god will holde me excused for he shall haue my hart what can I doe more O my frend beware for Gods sake and know that the subtleties of Sathan are deepe Hee that is not able by Gods word to perceiue them is heauily laden Pray therfore with Dauid Lord let me not haue a mynde to inuente excuses for to cloke my sinne examine my deare frend these thy wyly wayes with the worde of God and if they do agree thou maist vse them if not know though they may seeme neuer so fine and goodly yet in deede they be of Sathans broode Gods worde is certayne that forbiddeth to worship the creature for the creatour for that is haynous Idolatry and agaynst the first commaundemēt of God and it is also agaynst the seconde commandement of the first table to bow downe or to doe worship vnto any Images of God or of anye other thinge And Gods word requireth not onely the beliefe of the hart but also the confession of the mouthe and to beare part of the charges to the mayntenance of thinges vngodly what is that but in thy so doing a consent to the thing done Now consensenters and the doers Gods worde accounteth to be gilty bothe And it is not lawfull by S. Paules doctrine whiche was inspired hym by the spirite of God to do ill that thereof the thing which is good may come Thy hart thou sayst GOD shall haue and yet wilt suffer thy body to doe the thinge that God dothe abhorre Beware O man take heede what thou sayest Man may be deceaued but no man may deceiue God for he is called and is truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye the searcher of the hart Now to geue God thy heart is to geue hym thy whole heart to loue him to dread him and to trust in him aboue all other thinges He that hath my commaundementes sayth Christ and obserueth and keepeth them it is he that loueth me and to dread God aboue all other is rather willingly to incurre the daunger and perill of all fearful thinges then wittingly to doe that thing which is contrarye to his blessed will and commaundement and to truste in hym aboue all thinges is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward and of his tuition and of hys goodnes and mercy and to preferre that aboue all thinges in the world seeme they neuer so strong so wise or so good Now how canst thou say truely that God hathe thy heart after thys maner of sorte which is to haue thy heart in deede when thy deedes do declare farre an other thing Thy bodye O man is Gods and all the partes therof euen as thy soule is hee made them both and Christe with hys bloude redeemed them both and is Lord of both for he hath bought them both dearely and darest thou suffer any parte of eyther of them to do seruice to Sathan Surely in so doyng thou committest sacriledge and doest robbe God thou defilest the liuely temple of the liuing God if thou suffer thy body to doe Sathan seruice Do you not know sayth saynct Paule that your body is a liuely temple of God And may a man then take and vse any part thereof but in the seruice of God No surely it is not lawfull so to do for the man of God neyther with hand tongue nor foote nor any parte of the whole body Doth not Paule commaund to the Romaynes which pertayneth to euery christian soule As you haue in times past sayth he geuen your members to doe seruice vnto vncleannes and wickednes from one wickednes to an other so nowe geue youre members to doe seruice vnto righteousnes that you may be sanctified And I pray thee good brother what doest thou thinke is to beare the marke of the beast in the forehead and in the hand that saynct Iohn speaketh of I knowe wee ought warely to speake of Gods misteryes whiche he shewed by the spirite of prophesying to his seruaunt Iohn yet to red them with reuerence and to praye for the same so muche as God knoweth is necessarye for oure tyme to knowe I thynke it necessarye and good Wherefore what I suppose is to beare the Beasts marke I will tell thee and committe the iudgement of mine interpretation as in all other thinges to the spirituall man I suppose he beareth the Beast of Babilons marke in hys forehead whiche is not ashamed of the Beastes wayes but will professe them openly to set foorth his mayster the beast Abaddon And likewise he beareth his marke in hys hand that wil and doth practise the workes of the beast with hys power hand And likewise I wil not let to tel thee what I thinke to be signed in the forehead for the seruaunt of God whereof Iohn also speaketh reckoning vp many thousands so to haue bene signed of euery tribe I suppose he is signed in the forehead for the seruaunte of God whome GOD hath appoynted of his infinite goodnes and hath geuen him grace and strength stoughtly to confesse hym his truth before the worlde And to haue grace and strength to confesse Christe and the doctrine of the crosse and to lament and mourne for the abhominations of Antichrist I suppose is to be signed with Tau whereof Ezechiell the Prophet doth speake Thus I suppose these Prophesies are spiritually to be vnderstanded and to looke for other corporall markes to be seene in mennes foreheads or in their handes is nothing els but to looke that there shoulde come some brute beast out of Babilon or some Elephant Leopard Lyon or Camell or some other such monstrous Beast with x. hornes
that should do all the wonderfull thinges spoken in Iohn and yet of a Beast speaketh Iohn but I vnderstand hym so to be called not for that he shall be anye suche brute Beast but for that he is and shall bee the chylde of perdition whiche for hys crueltie and beastlye manners is well called a Beast The carnall Iewes knew there was a promise made that Helias should come before Christe the Messias the annoynted of God to prepare hys wayes they knew also there was a promise of Messias that he shoulde come and be a king and raygne in the house of Dauid for euermore but they vnderstoode al so grossely and so carnally that they neyther knewe Helias nor Messias when they came for they looked for Helias to come down from heauen in his own person and for Messias to come raigne in worldly pompe power riches and glorye when as the prophesies of both wer spiritually to haue bene vnderstāded of Helias that he shoulde come not in persone but in spirite that is one whiche shoulde be indued with the spirite and giftes of grace of Helias whiche was in deede Iohn Baptist as Christ hymselfe did declare to his Apostles And of Messias raygne all the Prophetes were to be vnderstanded of the raygne of hys spirituall kingdome ouer the house of Iacob and the true Israelites for euermore And so by that their grosse and carnall vnderstandyng they mistooke both Helias and the true Messias and when they came knew neither of them both So likewise I feare me nay it is certayne the world that wanteth the light of the spirite of God for the worlde is not able to receaue hym sayth Iohn neither dothe nor shall know the beast nor his markes though he rage cruellye and liue neuer so beastly and though his marked men be in number like the sand of the sea The Lord therfore vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blinde with the light of grace that they may see and perceaue and vnderstād the words of God after the minde of his spirite Amen Here remayneth two obiections whiche may seeme wayghty and the whiche may peraduenture moue many not to follow the former councel The former reason is A man will say O sir it is no small matter ye speake of to depart from a mans owne natiue countrey into a strange realme Many men haue so great lettes as how it is possible that they can or may do so Some haue landes possessions whiche they cannot carry with them some haue father mother wife children and kinsfolke from whome to depart is as hard a thing and all one almost as to suffer death and to go to a straunge country that thou knowest not neyther the maner of the people nor how thou mayst away either with the people or with the country Or what a hard thing it is to liue amonge a straunge people whose tongue thou doest not vnderstand c. I graunt here thou mayst heape a number of worldly incommodities which are surely very like to ensue the departure out of a mans owne natiue country I meane out of the whole realme into a straunge land but what of all these and a thousand moe of the lyke sorte I will sette vnto them one saying of our sauiour Christ whiche vnto the faythfull childe of God and to the true christian is able to counteruayle all these yea and to way them downe Christe oure sauioure sayth in Luke If any come to me and do not hate hys father and mother hee meaneth and wyll not in his cause forsake his father and mother hys wyfe children and brethren yea and hys lyfe too hee cannot bee my disciple and whosoeuer doth not beare hys crosse and come after me he cannot be my disciple And in the same place he declareth by the two parables one of a builder and the other of a king that is a warriour that euery man that wil not in Christes cause forsake all that euer he hath hee can not be his Disciple Look the places who will the matter is so playnely set forth that no gloses nor cloking of conscience to the manne of God can serue to the contrarye Many places there be for the same purpose for the imbrasing of Christes crosse when Christ and his cause layeth it vpon our backe but this is so playne that I neede here to rehearse no more This latter reason and obiection whereof I spake before is of more force and includeth a necessitie which after the common saying hath no lawe and therefore it is more hard to shape for it a good aunswere This may bee obiected of some alas sir I graunt al these thinges do greue me and because I vnderstand they doe not agree with Gods worde whiche is the rule of my conscience I loth eyther to looke on them or to heare them But sir alas I am an impotent man an aged man a sicke man a lame man or I haue so many small infantes and a lame wife which all liueth by my labour and by my prouision if I leaue them they shall sterue and I am not able to cary them with me suche is my state Alas sir what shal I do And these causes may chaunce to some men of God whereby eyther it shal be for them vtterly impossible to departe the country or els in departing they shal be inforced to forsake suche in extreme necessities of whom both God and nature hathe committed vnto them the care Alas what councel is here to be geuen O lamentable state O sorrowfull hart that neyther can depart and with out extreame daunger and perill is not able to tarye still And these are they whom our Sauiour Christe sawe before should be and called them in his prophesie of the latter time great bellyed or trauelling women and women that geue after they bee brought to bed their small babes suck The state of such are not able to flye the infection of the pestiferous plague of Antichristes abhominations Christ lamenting and not cursing sayth Wo be to the great bellyed and trauelling woman and women that geue sucke in those dayes For these alas my hart mourneth the more the lesse I am able to geue any comfortable councell but this that alwayes as they looke for euerlasting lyfe they abide still in the confession of his truth what soeuer shall befall and for the rest to put theyr trust now wholly in God whiche is able to saue them agaynst al apparance and commonly in extremities when all worldly comfort fayleth and the danger is at highest thē vnto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready for to put his helping hand Daniel God suffered to be caste into the Denne of Lyons and the three children into the hote burning furnace and yet he saued them all Paule was plucked out of the mouthe of the Lyon as he sayth of hymselfe and in Asia he was brought in suche trouble that he looked for no other
Boner What De competente Iudice I will go fet thee my bookes There is a title in deed De officijs Iudâ—cis ordinarij Phil. Uerely that is the same De competente Iudice whiche I haue alledged With that he ran to his study broughte the whole course of the law betwene his hands which as it might appeare he had wel occupied by the dust they were embrued withall Boner There be the bookes finde it now if thou canst and I will promise thee to release thee out of prison Phil. My Lorde I stand not here to reason maâ—ters of the Ciuill law although I am not altogether ignorant of the same for that I haue bene a Student in the same sixe or seuen yeares but to aunswere to the Articles of fayth wyth the which you may lawfully burtheÌ„ me And whereas you go about vnlawfully to proceede I chalenge according to my knowledge the benefite of the law in my defence Boner Why thou wilt aunswere directly to nothing thou art charged withall therefore saye not hereafter but you might haue bene satisfied here by learned meÌ„ if you would haue declared your minde Phil. My Lorde I haue declared my minde vnto you and to other of the Byshops at my last being before you desyring you to be satisfied but of one thing wherunto I haue referred all other controuersies the whiche if your Lordships now or other learned men can simply resolue me of I am as contented to be reformable in all thinges as you shall require the which is to proue that the church of Rome wherof you are is the Catholicke Church Couen Why do you not beleue your Creed Credo Ecclesiam Catholicam Phil. Yes that I do but I cannot vnderstaÌ„d Rome wherwith all you burden vs to be the same neither like to it S. Asse It is most euident that S. Peter did builde the Catholicke Church at Rome And Christ sayd Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Moreouer the succession of bishops in the sea of Rome can be proued from time to time as it can be of none other place so well which is a manifest probation of the Catholicke Church as diuers Doctors do write Phil. That you would haue to be vndoubted is most vncertaine that by the authority which you alledge of Christ saying vnto Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church vnles you can proue the rocke to signifye Rome as you would make me falsly beleue And althogh you can prooue the succession of Bishops from Peter yet this is not sufficient to proue Rome the catholicke church vnles you can proue the profession of Peters fayth wherevpon the catholick church is builded to haue continued in his successors at Rome and at this present to remayne Bon. Is there any mo churches theÌ„ one catholicke church And I pray you tel me into what faith were you baptised Philpot. I acknowledge one holy Catholicke and Apostolicke Church wherof I am a member I prayse God and I am of that catholicke fayth of Christ where into I was baptised Couen I pray you can you tell what this word Catholicke doth signify shew if you can Phil. Yes that I can I thanke God The catholicke fayth or the Catholicke Churche is not as now a dayes the people be taught to be that which is most vniuersall or of moste part of men receiued whereby you do inferre our fayth to hang vpoÌ„ the multitude which is not so but I esteme the Catholicke Church to be as S. Austen defineth the same Aestimamus fidem Catholicam a rebus praeteritis praesentibus futuris i. We iudge sayth he the catholicke fayth of that whiche hath bene is and shal be So that if you can be able to prooue that your fayth and Church hath bene from the beginning taught and is and shal be then may you couÌ„t your selues Catholicke otherwise not And Catholicke is a Greeke word compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth after or according and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a summe or principle or whole So that catholicke Church or Catholicke fayth is as much to say as the first whole sound or chiefest fayth Boner Doth S. Austen say so as he alledgeth it or doth he meane as he taketh the same How say you M. Curtop Curtop In deed my Lord S. Augustine hath such a saying speaking agaynst the Donatistes that the Catholicke fayth ought to be estemed of thinges in times past and as they are practised according to the same and ought to bee through al ages and not after a new maner as the Donatistes began to professe Phil. You haue sayd well M. Curtop and after the meaning of S. Austen and to confirme that which I haue said for the signification of Catholicke Couen Let the booke be sene my Lord. Bon. I pray you my Lord be coÌ„teÌ„t or in good fayth I will breake euen of let al alone Do you thinke the Catholicke Church vntill it was within these few yeres in the which a few vpoÌ„ singularity haue swerued froÌ„ the same haue erred Phil. I do not thinke that the Catholicke Church can erre in doctrine but I require you to prooue this Churche of Rome to be the Catholicke Church Curtop I can proue that Ireneus which was within an hundred yeares after Christ came to victor then bishop of Rome to aske his aduise about the excoÌ„munication of certayne heretickes the which he would not haue done by al likelihood if he had not taken him to be supreame head Couent Marke well this argument How are you able to aunswere to the same Aunswere if you can Phil. It is soone aunswered my Lorde for that it is of no force neither this fact of Ireneus maketh no more for the supremacy of the Bishoppe of Rome then mine hath done which haue bene at Rome as well as he and mighte haue spoken with the Pope if I had list and yet I would none in England did fauor his supremacy more then I. S. Asse You are the more to blame by the fayth of my body for that you fauor the same no better since all the Catholicke Church vntill this fewe yeares haue taken him to be supreame head of the Church besides this good man Ireneus Phil. That is not likely that Ireneus so tooke him or the primatiue Church for I am able to shewe seauen generall Councels after Ireneus time wherin he was neuer so taken which may be a sufficient proofe that the catholick primitiue church neuer tooke him for supreme head The other Bish. This man will neuer be satisfied say what we can It is but folly to reason any more with him Phil. O my Lordes would you haue me satisfied with nothing Iudge I pray you who of vs hath better authority he whiche bringeth the example of one manne going to Rome or I that by these many generall councels am able to proue that he
was neuer so takē in many hūdred yeares after Christ as by Nicene Ephesine the first and the seconde Calcedone Constantinopolitane Carthaginens Aquiliense Couen Why will ye not admit the Churche of Rome to be the Catholicke Church Phil. Because it followeth not the primitiue Catholicke church neither agreeth with the same no more then an apple is like a nut Couent Wherin doth it dissent Phil. It were to long to recite all but two thinges I will name the supremacy and transubstantiation Curtop As for transubstantiation albeit it was set forth decreed for an article of fayth not much aboue 300. yeares yet it was alwayes beleued in the church Bon. Yea that it was Uery well sayd of you M. Curtop Phil. Ye haue sayde right that Transubstantiation is but a late plantation of the byshop of Rome you are not able to shew any auncient writer that the primitiue church did beleue any such thing and with this Curtop shrank away And immediately after the Ambassadour of Spayne came in to whom my Lord of London went leauing the other with me To whome I sayde my Lordes if you can shew me that this church of Rome wherof you are members is the true Catholicke Church I shall be content to be one thereof and as conformable to the same as you can require me in all things for I know there is no saluation but within the Church Couen Can you disproue that the Church of Rome is not the Catholicke Church Phil. Yea that I am able but I desire rather to heare of you for the proofe thereof And seing I cannot haue my request at your hāds neither be satisfied with any probable authority I will shewe you good proofe why it is not For if the primatiue Church were Catholicke as it was in deed and ought to be the form and scholemaysters of the Church to the worldes end then is not the church of Rome now the Catholicke church which dissenteth so farre from the same both in doctrine and vse of the sacramentes Couent How proue you that the Church of Rome nowe dissenteth in doctrine and vse of the sacramentes from the primitiue Church Phil. Compare the one with the other and it will soone appeare as ye may see both in Eusebius and other Ecclesiasticall and auncient writers Couent What haue you to say more why it is not the catholicke Church Phil. Because it is not by youre interpretation of Catholicke vniuersall neyther neuer was albeit you falsely perswade the people that it is so For the world being deuided in three partes Asia Africa and Europa ii partes therof Asia and Africa professing Christ as wel as we did neuer consent to the Church of Rome which is of Europa whiche is a sufficient testimony that your faith was neuer vniuersall Couent How proue you that Phil. At the Historiographers whiche write of the proceedinges of the Church doe testifie the same Besides that this present time doth declare that to be true which I say For at this present the Church of Asia and Africa doe not consent to the churche of Rome Yea and besides all thys most parte of Europa doth not agree neither allowe the Churche of Rome as Germanye the kingdome of Denmarke the kingdome of Poole a great part of Fraunce England and Zeland which is a manifest probation that your Church is not vniuersall And after this the Bishop of London called away the other Bishops and lefte with me diuers Gentlemen with certayne of his Chaplaynes as Doctor Sauerson an Englishman which had proceeded Doctor in Bonony who after began with me in this maner Doctour Sauer Mayster Philpot I remember you beyond sea since the time you reasoned with a Fryer a notable learned man commyng from Uenice to Padua in a barge Phil. I cannot forget that for the Fryer threatned me to accuse me of heresie as soone as he came to Padua for that I talked with him so boldly of the truth He was no suche learned manne as you name hym to be but onely in hys schole poyntes a good Purgatory Fryer Doct. Sauer Well he was a learned man for al that And I am sory to heare that you this day hauing cōmoned wyth so many notable learned men are no more conformable to them then you be Phil. I will be conformable to all them that be conformable to Christ in his word And I praye you good mayster Doctour be not so conformable to please men more then GOD contrary to your learning for worldly estimations sake Doct. Sauer No that I am not Upon what occasion shuld you thinke thus of me Phil. Upon no euill that I doe knowe of you Mayster Doctour but I speake as one wishing that you shoulde not be led away from the truth for promotions sake as many Doctours be now a dayes Doct. Sauer I haue heard your argumentes hetherto and me thinketh that a great many of the olde ancient writers be agaynst you in that you doe not allowe the churche of Rome neyther the supremacie for sainct Cyprian whiche is an old ancient writer doth allowe the byshop of Rome to be the supreme head of the Church Phil. That I am sure of he doth not For he writing vnto Cornelius then Byshoppe of Rome calleth hym but his companion and fellow Byshop neither attributed to hym the name either of Pope or els of any vsurped terms which now be ascribed to the Bishop of Rome to the setting forth of his dignitie Doct. Sauer You cannot be able to shewe that S. Cyprian calleth Cornelius his fellow Byshop Phil. I will wager with you that I amble to make that I can shew it you in Cyprian as I haue sayd Doctor Sauer I will lay none other wager with you but booke for booke that it is not so Phil. I agree thereto and I praye you one of my Lordes Chaplaynes to fet vs Cyprian hether for the tryal hereof And with that one of them went to my Lordes study and brought forth Cyprian by and by he turned to the fyrst booke of his Epistles the 3. Epistle and there would haue seemed to haue gathered a strong Argument for the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome because he sayth It goeth not well with the Churche when the hygh Prieste is not obeyed which supplyeth the stead of Christ after Gods word and the cōsent of hys fellow Byshops and the agreement of the people Doct. Sauer How can you auoyd this place which maketh so playnely for the Bishop of Romes supremacy Phil. It maketh not so playne mayster Doctour on your side as you gather as by and by I wil geue you to vnderstand But first I challenge the wager which wee made that your booke is mine For here you may see that hee calleth Cornelius his fellow byshop as he doth also in other places And now for the vnderstanding of that place you do misconstrue it to make the high Priest onely for the Bish. of Rome
declared my iudgemeÌ„t vnto you in this because I caÌ„not speake hereof without the daunger of my life Rich. There is none of vs here that seeketh thy life or meane to take any aduauntage of that thou shalt speake Phil. Although I mistrust not your honorable Lordships yâ— be here of the teÌ„poralty yet here is one that sitteth against me pointing to my Lord of London that wil lay it to my charge euen to the death Notwithstanding seeing youre honours do require me to declare my minde of the preseÌ„ce of Christ in the sacrament that ye may perceaue that I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe neither doe mayntayne any opinion without probable and sufficient authoritie of the Scripture I will shewe franckly my minde without all colour what soeuer shall ensuâ— vnto me therfore so that my Lord of London wil not let me to vtter my minde Rich. My Lord permit him to say what he can seeyng hee is willing to shew his mind London I am content my Lordes let him say what he can I will heare him Phil. That which I doe entend to speake vnto you right honourable Lordes I do protest here first before God his Angels that I speake it not of vaynglory neyther of singularitie neither of wilfull stubburnes but truely vpon a good conscience grounded on Gods worde against the which I dare not do for feare of damnation which wil follow that which is done contrary to knowledge Neyther do I disagree to the proceedinges of this realme in the religion for that I loue not the Queene whom I loue from the bottome of my hart but because I ought to loue fear God in his word more then man in his lawes thoughe I stand as I seeme to do in this consideration and for none other as God I call to witnes There be two thinges principally by the which the clergy at this day doth deceiue the whole realm that is the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and the name of the Catholicke church yâ— which both they do vsurpe hauing in deed none of them both And as touching theyr Sacrament which they terme of the aulter I say now as I sayd in the Conuocation house that it is not the Sacramente of Christ neither in the same is there any maner of Chrystes presence Wherfore they deceiue the Queenes maiesty and you of the nobilitie of thys realme in making you to beleue that to be a sacrament which is none and cause you to commit manifest Idolatry in worshipping that for God whiche is no God And in testimony of this to be true besides manifest proofe which I am able to make to the Queenes maiesty and to all you of her nobility I will yeld my lyfe The which to do if it were not vpon a sure grouÌ„d it were to my vtter damnation And where they take on them the name of the Catholicke church wherby they blinde many folkes eyes they are nothing so calling you from the true religion whiche was reuealed taught in K. Edwardes time vnto vaine superstition And this I will say for the tryall hereof that if they can proue themselues to be the catholicke church as they shal neuer be able to do I wil neuer be agaynst their doynges but reuoke all that I haue sayd And I shall desire you my Lordes to be a meane for me to the Queenes maiestie that I may be brought to the iust triall hereof Yea I will not refuse to stand agaynst ten of the best of them in this realme And if they be able to proue otherwise then I haue sayd either by writing or by reasoning with good lawfull authoritie I will here promise to recant whatsoeuer I haue sayd to consent to them in all poyntes And in the declaratioÌ„ of these things more at large which now I write in summe the Bishop of London eftsones would haue interrupted me but the Lords procured me libertie to make out my tale to the great griefe of my Lord bishop of London as it appeared by his dumpes he was in LondoÌ„ It hath bene told me before that you loue to make a long tale Rich. Al heretickes do boast of the spirite of God and euery one would haue a church by himselfe as Ioan of Kent and the Anabaptistes I had my selfe Ioan of Kent a seuen night in my house after the writ was out for her to be burnt where my Lorde of Canterb. and Bishop Ridley resorted almost dayly vnto her but she was so high in the spirite that they could do nothing with her for all theyr learning But she went wilfully vnto the fire was burnt and so do you now Phil. As for Ioan of Kent shee was a vayne woman I knew her well an heretick indeed well worthye to bee burnt because she stoode agaynst one of the manifest artycles of our faith contrary to the scriptures and such vayne spirites be soone known from the true spirite of God hys church for that the same abideth wtin the limites of GODS word and will not go out of the same neither stubburnely mayntaine any thing coÌ„trary to the word as I haue gods word throughly on my side to shew for that I stand in London I pray you how will you ioyne me these ij scriptures together Pater maior me est pater ego vnum sumuê° I must enterprete the same because my Lordes here vnderstand not the Latin that is to saye The Father is greater then I and I and the father are one But I cry you mercye my Lordes I haue mispoken in saying you vnderstande no Latine for the most part of you vnderstand Latin as well as I. But I spake in consideration of my Lord ShaÌ„doys and M. Bridges his brother whom I take to be no great Latin men Now shew your cunning and ioine these two scriptures by the word if you can Phil. Yes that I can right well For we must vnderstande that in Christ there be two natures the diuinitie and Humanitie in respect of his humanitie it is spoken of christ The Father is greater then I. But in respect of hys Deitie he sayd agayne The Father and I be one London But what scripture haue you Phil. Yes I haue sufficient scripture for the proofe of that I haue sayd For the first it is written of Christ in the Psalmes Diminuisti eum paulominus ab Angelis Thou hast made him a little lesser then Aungels It is the xv Psalme beginning Coeli enarrant And there I misreckoned wherwithall my Lord tooke me London It is in Domine Dominus noster Yee may see my Lords how wel this man is vsed to say his Mattins Phil. Though I say not Mattins in suche order as youre Lordship meaneth yet I remember of olde that Domine Dominus noster and Coeli enarrant bee not farre asunder and albeit I misnamed the Psalme it is no preiudice to the truth of that I haue
with me and nothing against me as my Lord of London hath pretended For I will aske of my Lorde Rich here whom I know to haue good knowledge in the lawes and statutes of this realm albeit a Iudge may discerne the meaning of a statute agreable to the wordes whether the same may iudge a meaning contrary to the expres wordes or no Rich. He cannot so do Phil. Euen so say I that no man ought to iudge the word of God to haue a meaning contrary to the expresse words therof as this false church of Rome doth in many things and with this the Lordes seemed to be satisfied and made no further replication herein Rich. I meruaile thē why you do deny the expresse words of Christ in the sacrament saying This is my body and yet you will not sticke to say it is not his body Is not GOD omnipotent and is not he able as well by his omnipotencie to make it his body as he was to make man flesh of a peece of clay Did not he say This is my body whiche shal be betrayed for you and was not his very bodye betrayed for vs therfore it must needes be his body London My Lord Rich you haue sayde wonderfull well and learnedly But you might haue begon with hym before also in the 6. of Iohn where Christe promised to geue his body in the sacrament of the aultar saying Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est The bread which I will geue is my fleshe How can you answere to that Phil. If it please you to geue me leaue to answere first my Lord Rich I will also answere this obiection Rich. Answere my lord of Lōdon first after come to me Philpot. My Lord of London may be soone answered that that the saying of S. Iohn is that the humanitie of chryst which he took vpon him for the redemption of man is the bread of life whereby our bodyes soules be susteined to eternall lyfe of the which the sacramentall bread is a liuely representation and an effectuall cohabitation to all suche as beleue on his Passion and as Christ sayth in the same 6 of Iohn I am the bread that came downe from heauen but yet he is not materiall neither naturall bread Likewise the bread is his flesh not naturall or substantiall but by signification and by grace in a sacrament And now to my Lord Riches argument I do not deny the expresse wordes of Christ in the sacrament This is my body but I deny that they are naturally and corporally to be taken they must be taken sacramentally and spiritually according to the expresse declaration of Christ saying that the wordes of the sacrament whiche the Capernites tooke carnally as the papistes nowe doe ought to be taken spiritually not carnally as they falsly imagine not waying what interpretation of Christe hath made in this behalfe neither follow the Institution of Christ neyther the vse of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche who neuer taught neither declared no such carnall maner of presence as is now exacted of vs violently without any ground of scripture or antiquitie who vsed to put oute of the Church all such as did not receiue the sacrament wyth the rest and also to burne that which was left after the receiuing as by the Canon of the Apostles and by the decree of the Councell of Antioch may appeare London No that is not so they were onely Cathecumeni which went out of the Church at the celebration of the cōmunion and none other Phil. It was not onely of such as were Nouices in fayth but all others that did not receaue London What say you to the omnipotencie of God is not be able to performe that which he spake as my Lord Rich hath very well said I tell thee that God by his omnipotency may make himselfe to be this carpet if he will Phil. As concerning the omnipotencie of God I say that God is able to do as the Prophet Dauid sayth what soeuer he willeth but he willeth nothing that is not agreeable to hys word as that is blasphemy which my Lorde of London hath spoken that God may become a Carpet For as I haue learned of auncient writers Non potest Deus facere quae sunt naturae suae contraria That is God cannot doe that which is contrary to his nature as it is contrary to the nature of God to be a Carpet A Carpet is a creature God is the creator and the creator cānot be the creature wherfore vnlesse you can declare by the worde that Christ is otherwise present with vs then spiritually and sacramentally by grace as he hath taught vs you pretend the omnipotencie of God in vayne London Why wilt thou not say that Christ is really present in the sacrament Or do you deny it Phil. I deny not that Christ is really in the Sacrament to the receauer therof according to Christes institution London What meane you by really present Phil. I meane by really present present in deed London Is God really present euery where Phil. He is so London How proue you that Phil. The Prophet Esay sayth That God filleth all places and where soeuer there be two or three gathered together in Christes name there is he in the middest of them London What his humanitie Phil. No my Lord I meane the deitie accordinge to that you demaunded Rich. My Lord of London I praye you let mayster Doctour Chedsey reason with him and let vs see how hee can aunswere him for I tell thee he is a learned man in deede one that I do credite before a great many of you whose doctrine the Queenes maiestie and the whole realme doth well allow therefore heare him Lond. My Lordes I pray you wil it please you to drinke you haue talked a great while and much talke is thursty I will leaue M. Doctour and him reasoning together a while with your leaue and will come to you by and by agayne He went as I suppose to make rowme for more drinke after the Lordes had dronken Rich. My Lord Rich sayde to the Lordes I praye you let the poore man drinke for hee is thirsty and with that hee called for a cup of drinke and gaue it me and I dranke before them all God requite it hym for I was a thyrst indeede Afterwardes Doctor Chadsey began in this wise making a great processe of the which this is the effect Chadsey M. Philpot findeth fault with the Conuocation house before your Lordships that he hath layne this long in prison and that he had there a dosen Arguments wherof he could not be suffred to prosecute one throughly whiche is not so for he had leaue to say what he could was aunswered to asmuche as he was able to bring and when he had nothing els to say he fell to weeping I was there present and can testifie therof albeit there is a
long hath your church stand I pray you Phil. Euen from the beginning from Christ and from his Apostles and from their immediate successors Chaun He will prooue his church to be before Christ. Phil. If I did so I goe not amisse for there was a church before the comming of Christe which maketh one catholicke church Chaun It is so in deede Phil. I will desire no better rule then the same whiche is oftentimes brought in of your side to proue both my faith and the catholicke church that is antiquitie vniuersality and vnitie Lond. Do you not see what a bragging foolish felow this is He would seeme to be very well seene in the Doctors and he is but a foole By what Doctour arte thou able to proue thy Church Name him and thou shalt haue him Phil. My Lorde lette me haue all your auncient wryters with pen and inke and paper and I will prooue both my faith and my Church out of euery one of them Lond. No that thou shalt not haue You shall see howe he lieth S. Cyprian sayeth there must be one high Priest to the which the residue must obey and they will allowe no heade neither Uicar generall Phil. S. Cyprian saith not that there shoulde be a Uicare general ouer al. For in his booke De simplicitate Praelatorū I am sure he saith the contrary Vnus episcopatus est cuius pars in solidum a singulis tenetur i. There is but one bishopricke which is wholy possessed of euery Bishop in part London Fet hether the booke thou shalt see the manifest place against thee D. Chadsey brought the booke and turned to the place in an Epistle wryttē vnto Cornelius then bish of Rome and recited these words in summe that it went not wel with the Church where the high Priest was not obeied so would haue concluded for the confirmation of the Bishops saying Phil. M. Doctour you misconstrue the place of S. Cyprian for he meaneth not thereby the high Priest the bishop of Rome but euery Patriarke in his precincte of whome there were 4. appoynted in his time And in wryting vnto Cornelius he meaneth by the high priest himselfe which was then chief Bishop of Africa whose authority the heretickes began to despise Wherof he complaineth to Cornelius sayth the church can not be well ordered where the chief minister by order after the iudgement of the scriptures after the agreement of the people and the consent of his fellow Bishops is not obeied Lond. Hath not the Bishop of Rome alwaies bene supreme head of the Church and Christes Uicare in earth euen from Peter Phil. No that he was not For by the word of God he hath no more authoritie then the Bishop of London hath London Was not Peter head of the Churche And hathe not the Bishop of Rome which is his successour the same authoritie Phil. I graunt that the B. of Rome as he is the successor of Peter hath the same authority as Peter had but Peter had no more authority then euery one of the apostles had Chauncel Yes that S. Peter had for Christ said specially vnto him Tibi dabo claues regni coelorum I wil geue thee the keies of the kingdom of heauen The which he spake to none other of his Disciples singularly but to him Phil. S. Augustine answereth otherwise to the obiection and sayeth That if in Peter there had not bene the figure of the Church the Lord hadde not saide to him to thee will I geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen The which if Peter receiued not the Churche hath them not If the Churche hath them then Peter hath them not Lond. What if I can prooue and shew you out of the Ciuill lawe that all Christendome ought to folowe the holy Catholicke Churche of Rome as there is a speciall title thereof De Catholica fide sancta Romana Ecclesia Phil. That is nothing material seeing the things of God be not subiect to mans lawes and Diuine matters must be ordered by the word of God and not of man A Doctour What will you say if I can prooue that Christ builded his Church vppon Peter and that out of S. Cyprian Wil you then beleue that the B. of Rome ought to be supreme head of the Church Phil. I know what S. Cyprian wryteth in that behalfe but he meaneth nothing as you take it A Doctour S. Cyprian hath these woordes Quòd super Petrum fundata fuit Ecclesia tanquam super originem vnitatis That vpon Peter was builded the Church as vppon the first beginning of vnitie Phil. He declareth that in an example that vnitie must be in the church he grounded on Peter his church alone and not vpō men The which he doth more manifestly declare in the booke De simplicitate Praelatorum saying In persona vnius Christus dedit omnibus claues vt omnium vnitatem denotaret In the person of one man God gaue the keyes to al that he in signification thereby might declare the vnitie of all men A Doctour What will you vnderstande S. Cyprian so That were good in deede Phil I thinke you can not vnderstand s. Cyprian better then he doth declare him selfe Lond. I will desire you M. Chauncellour to take some paines with M. Doctor Chadsey aboute his examination for I must go to the Parlament house And I wil desire you to dine with me Phil. Then the D. tooke againe his former authoritie in hand for want of another and would haue made a farther circumstance digressing from his purpose To whome I said he knew not whereabout he went and therewith he laughed And I saide his diuinitie was nothing but scoffing M D. Yea then I haue done with you and so went away Phil. You are too yong in diuinitie to teach me in the matters of my faith Though you be learned in other things more then I yet in Diuinitie I haue ben longer practised then you for any thing I can heare of you therfore be not too hastie to iudge that you doe not perfectly know Chauncel Peter and his successours from the beginning haue bene allowed for the supreme head of the Church and that by the Scriptures for that Christ sayde vnto hym in S. Iohn thrise Feede my sheepe pasce oues meas Phil. That is none otherwise to be taken then Ite praedicate go ye preach which was spoken to all the Apostles as well as vnto Peter And that Christ sayd thrise Pasce oues meas Feede my sheepe it signifieth nothing else but the earnest studie that the ministers of God oughte to haue in preaching the woord God graunt that you of the Cleargie would way your duetie in this behalfe more then you doe Is this a iust interpretation of the Scripture to take pasce oues meas for to be lord of the whole world In this meane while came in a Batcheler of Diuinitie which is a reader
of Greeke in Oxford belonging to the Bishop and he tooke vpon him to helpe M. Chancellor Scholer What wil you say if I can shew you a Greke author called Theophilact to interprete it so wil you beleue his interpretation Phil. Theophilacte is a late wryter and one that was a fauourer of the B. of Rome and therefore not to be credited since his interpretation is contrary to the manifest words of the scripture and contrary to the determination of many general Councels Scholer In what general Councel was it otherwise that the Bishop of Rome was not supreme head ouer all Phil. In Nice Councell I am sure it was otherwise for Athanasius was there the chiefe Bishop and president of the Counsell and not the Bishop of Rome Scholer Nay that is not so Phil. Then I perceiue you are better sene in wordes then in knowledge of things and I will gage with you what you will it is so as you maye see in the Epitome of the Councels Scholer I will set Eusebius and shew the contrary and the booke of general Councels He went into my Lordes closet and brought Eusebius but the generall Councels he brought not saying for sauing of his honestie that hee could not come by them and there he wold haue defended that it was otherwise in Eusebius but was not able to shew the same and so shranke away confounded Chaun The church of Rome hath bene alwaies taken for the whole catholike church therefore I would aduise you to come into the same with vs. You see all the men of this realme do coÌ„demne you And why wil you be so singular Phil. I haue said and stil do say that if you can be able to proue it vnto me that I wil be of the same But I am sure that the Churche whiche you make so muche of is a false church and a synagoge of satan And you with the learned men of the realme doe persecute the true church and condemne such as be more righteous then you Chaun Do you heare M. doctor what he sayeth that the church of Rome is the deuill Chad. I wish you did thinke more reuerently of the church of Rome What will you say if I can shewe you out of S. Austen in his Epistle wrytten vnto Pope Innocentius that the whole general Councell of Carthage did allowe the church of Rome to be chiefest ouer all other Phil. I am sure you can shewe no such thing And with that he set the booke of S. Austine and tourned to the Epistle but he could not prooue his allegation manifestly but by coniectures in this wise Chad. Here you may see that the councel of Carthage writing to Innocent the bish calleth the sea of Rome the apostolike sea And besides this they write vnto him certifying him of thinges done in the councel for the condemnation of the Donatistes requiring his approbations in the same which they would not haue done if they had not taken the church of Rome for the supreme head of others And moreouer you may see howe s. Austine doth proue the church of Rome to be the catholike church by coÌ„tinuall succession of the B. vntil his time which succession we can proue vntil our daies therfore by the same reason of s. Austine we say now that the church of Rome is the catholicke church Phil. M. Doctour I haue considered how you do weigh S. Augustine and contrary to his meaning and wordes you wouâ—d inferre your false coÌ„clusion As coÌ„cerning that it was called by him the Apostolicall Sea that is not material to proue the church of Rome now to be the catholicke church I will grauâ—t it now that it is the Apostolicke sea in reâ—pect that Paule and Peter did once there preach the Gospell and abode there for a certaine season I woulde you could prooue it to be the Apostolicall sea of yâ— true religion and sinceritie as the Apostle left it and did teach the same the which if ye could doe you might boast of Rome as of the Apostolicall sea otherwise it is nowe of no more force then if the Turke at Antioch at Ierusalem should boast of the Apostolike seas because the Apostles once did there abide and founded the church of Christ. And where as that the whole Councell of Carthage did wryte vnto Pope Innocentius certifying him of that was done in the general councell willing him to set his helping hand to the suppressing of the Donatistes as they had done that facte of the Councell prooueth nothing the supremacie of the B. of Rome no more then if the whole Conuocation house now gathered together and agreeing vpon certaine articles might send the same to some bishop that vppon certaine impediments is not present willing him to agree therto to set them forth in his dioces The which fact doth not make any such bish of greater authoritie then the rest because his consent is brotherly required And touching the succession of the Bishops of Rome brought in by s. Austen it maketh nothing nowe thereby to proue the same catholike church vnles you can conclude with the same reason as s. Austen doth And the rehersall of the succession of the bishops doth tende to this only to proue yâ— Donatistes to be heretickes because they began aswell at Rome as in Affrica to founde an other church of their own setting vp then was grounded by Peter and Paul and by their successors whome he reciteth vntill his time which all taughte no such doctrine neither no suche church as the Donatists And if presently you be able to prooue by the bishops of Rome wherof you do glory that such doctrine hath ben taught by any of the successors of Peters sea as is nowe taught beleeued of vs you haue good reason against vs otherwise it is of no force as I am able to declare Chaunc Wel M. Doctour you see we can doe no good in persuading of him let vs minister the Articles which my Lord hath left vs vnto him How say you M. Philpot to these articles M. IhonsoÌ„ I pray you write his answers Phil M. Chauncellor you haue no authoritie to enquire 〈◊〉 my beliefe in such articles as you goe about for that I am not of my Lord of Londons Dioces and to be brief with you I will make no further answere heerein then I haue already to the Bishop Chaunc Why then let vs go our waies and let his keper take him away Thus endeth the vij part of this Tragedie The summe of a priuate conference or talke betwene M. Philpot and the Bishop PHil. The next day in the morning betime the Byshop sent one of his meÌ„ vnto me to cal me vp into his chappell to heare Masse Bishops man Maister Philpot where be you Phil. Who is that calleth me Bishops man My Lords wil is you should rise and come to heare Masse wil you come or no Phil. My stomacke is not verye good this morning
you may tell my Lorde I am sicke After this the Keeper was senâ— to bring me to my Lord. The keper M. Philpot you must rise come to my Lord. Phil. I am at your commaundement M. Keeper assoone as I can and going out of the prison he asked me saying The Keeper Will you goe to Masse Phil. My stomacke is to raw to digest such raw meates of flesh bloud and bone this morning After this my Keeper presented me to the Bishop in his Hall Lond. M. Philpot I charge you to answere to such Articles as my Chapleine and my Register haue from me to obâ—ect against you go and answer them Phil. My Lord Omnia iudicia debent esâ—e publica All iudgements ought to be publicke Therfore if your Lordship haue any thing to charge mee lawfully withall lette mee be in iudgement lawfully and openly called and I wil answer according to my duetie otherwise in corners I will not London Thou art a foolish knaue I see wel inough thou shalt aunswere whether thou wilt or no. Goe thy waies with them I say Phil. I may well go with them at your Lordships pleasure but I will make them no further answeare then I haue said already Lond. No wilt thou knaue Haue him away and set him in the stockes What foolish knaue Phil. In deeds my Lord you handle me with others like fooles and we muste be content to be made fooles at your handes stockes and violence is your Bishoplike almes You goe about by force in corners to oppresse be ashamed that your doings should come to light God shorten your cruel kingdom for his mercies sake And I was put by and by into the stocks in an house alone seperate from my fellowes God be praised that he hath thought me woorthy to suffer any thing for his names sake Better it is to sit in the stockes of this world then to sit in the stockes of a damnable conscience An other conference betwene the Byshop and M. Philpot and other prisoners PHil. The next day after an houre before day the Bishop sent for me againe by the Keeper The Keeper M. Philpot arise you must come to my Lord. Phil. I wonder what my Lorde meaneth that he sendeth for me thus earely I feare he will â—se some violence towardes me wherfore I pray you make him this answer that if he send for me by an order of lawe I will come and answer otherwise since I am not of his dioces neither is hee mine Ordinarie I will not without I be violently constrained come vnto him Keeper I will go tell my Lord what answere you make and so he weÌ„t away to the bishop and immediatly returned with two of the Bishops men saying that I must come whether I would or no. Phil. If by violence any of you will enforce me to go then must I go otherwise I wil not and therwith one of them tooke me with force by the arme and led me vp into the bishops gallerie Lond. What thou art a foolish knaue in deede thou wilt not come without thou be â—et Phil. I am brought in deede my Lord by violence vnto you and yoâ—r crueltie is suche that I am afrayde to come before you I would your lordship would gently procede against me by the lawe London I am blamed of the Lordes the Bishoppes for that I haue not dispatched thee ere this And in Faith I made sute to my Lorde Cardinal and to all the Conuocation house that they would heare thee And my Lorde of Lincolne stode vp and said that thou wert a frantike fellow and a man that wil haue the last worde And they all haue blamed me because I haue brought thee so ofteÌ„ before the Lordes openly and they say it is meat drinke to you to speake in an open audieÌ„ce you glory so of your self Wherfore I am commaunded to take a farther order with thee and in good faith if thou wilt not relent I will make no farther delay Mary if thou wilt be coÌ„formable I wil yet forgeue thee all that is past thou shalt haue no hurte for any thing that is all ready sayd or done Phil. My Lord I haue answered you already in this behalfe what I will do And as for report of master White Bish. of Lincolne I passe not who is known to be mine enemie for that I being Archdeacon did excommunicate him for preaching naughty doctrine If Christ my maister were called a mad man it is no maruell though ye counte me frantike London Haddest not thou a pig brought thee the other day with a knife in it Wherefore was it I pray thee but to kil thy selfe Or as it is told me Mary I am counselled to take hede of thee to kil me but I feare thee not I trow I am able to tread thee vnder my feete do the best thou caÌ„st Philpot. My Lorde I can not denie but that there was a knife in the Pigges belly that was brought me But who put it in or for what purpose I know not vnlesse it were because he that sent the meate thought I was without a knife and so put it in But other things your Lordshippe nedeth not to feare for I was neuer without a knife since I came to prisone And touching your owne persone you should liue long if you should liue vntil I go about to kill you and I confesse by violence your Lordship is able to ouercome me London I charge thee to answere to mine articles Hold him a booke Thou shalt sweare to aunswere truely to all such Articles as I shall demaunde thee of Phil. I wil first know your Lordship to be mine Ordinarie before I sweare herein London What we shall haue an Anabaptist of thee which thinketh it not lawfull to sweare before a Iudge Phil. My Lorde I am no Anabaptist I thinke it lawfull to sweare before a competent Iudge being lawfully required But I refuse to sweare in these causes before your Lordship because you are not mine Ordinarie London I am thine Ordinary heere do pronounce by sentence peremptory that I am thine Ordinary and that thou art of my dioces and here he bad cal in more to beare witnes And I make thee taking one of his seruaunts by the arme to be mine notarie And now hearken to my articles to the which when he had read them he monished me to make answere and said to the keeper fet me his fellowes and I shall make them to be witnes against him In the meane while came in one of the sheriffs of London whom the Bishop calling for two chaires placed by him saying M. Sheriffe I would you should vnderstand how I do procede against this man M. sheriffe you shal heare what Articles this man doth maintaine and so red a rablement of fained Articles that I shoulde deny Baptisme to be necessary to them that were borne of Christian parentes that I denied fasting and
haue pacience to beare and abide al your cruel intents against me notwythstanding I speake this earnestly being mooued thereto iustly to notifie your vniust and cruell dealing with men in corners without all due order of lawe After this at nighte I was conducted againe by three or foure into the Colehouse The ninth examination of M. Philpot before Boner and his Chaplaines IN the morning the nexte daye I was called downe betunes by my keper and brought againe into the Wardrobe where I remained vntil the Byshop had heard hys Masse and afterwarde he sent vp for me into his inwarde Parlour and there he called for a chaire to sit downe and brought his infamous Libell of his forged Articles in his hande and sate downe willing me to drawe neare vnto him and saide Lond. I am this day appoynted to tarry at home from the Parlament house to examine you and your fellowes vpon these Articles and you stande dalying with me and will neither answere to nor fro Ywis al your exceptions will not serue you Will it not be a faire honestie for you thinke ye that when thou commest afore my Lorde Maior and the Sheriffes other worshipful audience when I shall say before them all that I haue had thee these many times before me and before so many learned men and then thou couldest saye nothing for that thou standest in for all thy bragges of learning neither wouldest answere directly to any thing Phil. My Lord I haue told you my mind plaine enough but yet I do not intend to lose that priuiledge the law geueth me the which is free choise to aunswere where I am not bound and this priuiledge wil I cleaue vnto vntil I be compelled otherwise Lon. Well I perceiue you will playe the obstinate foole Lay thine appellation when thou commest in iudgement and answere in the meane while to these articles Phil. No my Lord by your leaue I wil not answeare to them vntill my lawfull appeale be tried Lon. Wel thou shalt heare them and with that he began to reade them Phil. I shranke backe into the windowe and looked on a booke and after he had read them ouer he said vnto me Lon. I haue read them ouer although it hath not pleased you to heare mee I marueile in good faith what thou meanest to be so wilful and stubborne seeing thou mayest doe wel enough if thou list It is but a singularitie Doest thou not see all the realme against thee Phil. My Lord I speake vnto you in the witnes of God before whom I stand that I am neither wedded vnto mine owne will neither stand vpon mine owne stubbernesse or singularitie but vpon my conscience instructed by Gods word and if your Lordship can shew better euidence then I haue for a good faith I will folowe the same Lon. What thou wilt not loe for all that Well all that is past shall be forgotten and be conformable vnto vs. Iwis thou mightest find as much fauour as thou wouldest desire Phil. Then I perceiuing that he fawned so muche vpon me thought it good to geue hym some comfort of relēting to the end I might openly geue him and his hypocriticall generation openly a further foyle perceiuing that they dare reason opēly with none but with such as be vnlearned and for lacke of knowledge not able to aunsweare or els with such as they haue a hope that for feare or loue of the worlde will recant I sayde My Lorde it is not vnknowen to you that I haue openlye in the audience of a great number stand to the maintenance of these opinions I am in by learning did offer to defende them therefore my Lord I would it might openly appeare to the world that I am wonne by learnyng or els what wyll they say but that eyther for feare or loue of the worlde I am without any ground turned from the truth and if I haue any kinde of learning openly shewed I shal be as conformable as you may require me Lond. Yea mary now ye speake somwhat like a reasonable man I wis you might haue had a great deale more fauour in my house and libertie then you haue had and you shall lacke nothing that is within my house call for it and you shall haue it And what is it that you woulde openly by learnyng somewhat be satisfied in tell me Phil. My Lord I haue openly sayd and do beleeue it also that your sacrifice of the Masse is no Sacrament Lond. What doe you deny the presence of Christe in the Sacrament Phil. No my Lorde I deny not the presence of Christ in the Sacrament but I haue denyed the Sacrament of the Alter as it is vsed in your Masse to be the true Sacrament of Christes institution And first it must be proued a sacrament ere there can be any kind of presence graunted Lond. Why do you deny the Masse to be a Sacrament I pray you what is a Sacrament Is it not a signe of a holy thyng as saint Austine doth define it Phil. Yes verily that it is Lond. Then I make this argument vnto you A Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing but the Masse is a signe of a holy thing Ergo it is a Sacrament Phil. You must adde this to your Maior or fyrst proposition as saint Austine doth meane that a Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing instituted of God and commaunded for otherwise it can be no Sacrament for all men can not make a Sacrament Lond. I graunt that and such a signe of a holy thyng is the Masse of Christes institution Phil. I deny that my Lord Lond. I will proue this by S. Austine by and by I will go shew you the booke you shall haue any booke I haue that you wyll demaund Hoe who is without there call me M. Doct. Chadsey M. Archdeacon M. Cosins and other Chapleynes hyther Here my Lorde Maister Doctour Chadsey in gone to Westminster and Maister Archdeacon was here euen nowe Lond. M. Cosins I pray you examine him vpon these Articles and write his aunswere he maketh to euery one of them I will go examine his felowes and sende you S. Austine by and by I finde this man more conformable then he was before Cosins I trust my Lord you shall finde him at length a good Catholicke man Mary here be a sight of heresies I dare say you will hold none of them neither stand in any of them How say you to the first Phil. M. Cosins I haue tolde my Lord already that I will aunswere to none of these articles he hath obiected against me but if you will with learning aunswere to that which is in question betweene my Lorde and me I wyll gladly heare and common with you Cosins No wyll you Why what is that then which is in question betweene my Lord and you Phil. Whether your Masse be a Sacrament or no Cosins What the Masse to bee a Sacrament who euer
he Gentile or Iew not meanyng all at once for that were impossible And there are many examples that baptisme may be singularly ministred to one person as we haue example in Christ baptised o◠Iohn and in the Eunuch baptised of Phillip with many mo such like but so haue you not of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ but contrarywise by the expresse wordes of S. Paule you are commaunded to vse it in a Communion and participation of many together the 11. to the Corinthians Quoties conuenitis ad manducādum alius alium expectate As ofte as ye come together to eate meanyng the Lordes supper tary one for an other And also the Minister in the celebration of the sacrament speaketh vnto all that be present in Christes behalfe to cōmunicate with hym saying Take ye and eate ye Wherfore as many as bee present and doe not communicate breake Gods commandement in not receiuyng the same and the minister is no iust minister that doth not distribute the sacrament as Christ did to all that are present and where Gods word is transgressed there is not Christ present consequently it is no Sacrament Harps What would you haue it no sacrament without it be a Communion Phil. I make it not so but gods expresse word teacheth me so yea also all the auncient writers as S. Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians saith That the oblation is in vayne where as none doth communicate with the priest If by his iudgement the action of the priest alone is in vayne where is no Communion how can that be a sacrament which he calleth a vayne oblation and a vayne standyng at the aultar Cosins You are such another fellow as I haue not heard that will not haue the Masse to be a sacrament you are no man for me to reason withall Come let vs go poyntyng to the morrowmasse Chaplaine we will leaue you maister Archdeacon and him together and so they went away Afterward the Archdeacon fell into earnest perswasions with me saying Harps M. Philpot you and I haue bene of olde acquaintance a long tyme. We were schoolefellowes both in Winchester and in Oxford many yeares Wherefore I must wish you as well to do as my selfe I pray you so thinke of mee Phil. I thanke you for your good will towards me But if you be deceiued as I am sure you are I shall desire you not to wish me deceyued with you For afore God I tell you plainly you are highly deceiued and maintain fals religiō and be not those men you take your selues for and if you do not repent leaue of your persecuting of Christes truth you will go to the deuill for it Therefore consider it in time I geue you warning for in the day of iudgement els I shall be a witnes agaynst you that I told you this here talkyng together Harpsfield Fie that is but your owne vayne singular opinion I perceyue you are still now that man you were in Oxford Phil. I trust you can report no notorious euill that euer you knew by me there Harpsfield I can say no euill of your conuersation but I knew you to be a studious man Marry if you remember when we mette in disputation in Paruis you would not lightly geue ouer and for that cause I speake that I haue sayd Phil. M. Harpsfield you know in the Schooles at Oxford when we were young men we did striue much vpō vaine glory and vpon contention more then for the truth but now our yeares and our riper learnyng teach vs to fall to a truth which must bee our portion for euer And if I was then in my tyme of ignorance earnest in myne owne cause I ought now to be earnest in my Maister Christes cause and in his truth I knowe now that nothyng done vpon vayne glory and singularitie can please God haue it neuer so goodly a shew wherfore I pray you iudge not so of me now Harps What will you thinke your selfe better learned thē all the learned men in this realme Phil. My faith hangeth not vpon the learned of the world but vpon the learned of Gods word Harps Well I will talke with you no more as nowe but pray to God to open your hart Phil. I pray God open both our harts to do more his wil then we haue done in tymes past Harps Ho Keper take hym away with you Phil. I pray you Maister Harpesfield tell me what this Pronounce Hoc doth demonstrate and shew in this Indicatiue proposition as you call it Hoc est corpus meum This is my body Harpsfield It doth demonstrate the substaunce of breade which by the words spoken by the Priest and by the omnipotencie of God is turned into the substance of Christs very body Phil. Is the substaunce of the bread as you say turned into Christes body Harps Yea that it is Phil. Why then Christes body receyueth daily a great increase of many thousand pieces of bread into his body and that is his body become now which was not before and by this you would seeme to make that there is an alteration in Christes glorified body which is a wicked thing to thinke Harps Then he set about agayne and remembryng better hymselfe and seyng the inconuenience of his first assertion of the transubstantiation of bread into Christes body hee sayd that the substance of bread after the words spoken by the priest was euacuated or vanished away by the omnipotencie of God Phil. This is another song then you sang first And here you may see how contrary you are to your selues For in deed your scoolemen do holde that the very substaunce of bread is really turned into the substance of Christes body And now you perceiuyng of late the inconuenience which is obiected against you in that opinion you are driuen to imagine a new shift and say the substance of bread is cuacuated contrary to that your church hath first beleued and taught O what contrarietie is there among you and all to deface the sincere truth Harps Is not God omnipotent and cannot he doe as hee hath sayd Phil. But his omnipotencie wil not do as you say contrary to hys word and to hys honour It is not Gods honor to include hym bodily in a piece of bread and of necessitye to tye hym therto It is not gods honour for you to make a piece of bread God and man which you see before your face doth putrifie after a certaine tyme. Is not Gods omnipotency as able to geue his body with the Sacramentall bread as to make so many turnyngs away of the bread as you doe and that directly against the Scripture which calleth it bread many tymes after the consecration Are you not ashamed to make so many alterations of the Lords holy institution as you do and to take away the substantiall partes of the Sacrament as Take ye eate ye drinke
of the sacrament in his tyme which rose vppon singular mēs examples as vsing of water in stead of wyne therfore he sayth Non respiciendum quid aliquis ante nos fecerit sed quid Christus qui omnium primus ante nos fecerit mandauit that is Wee must not looke what any man hath done before vs but what Christ first of all men did commanded Christo. Hath not the church taught vs so to vse the sacrament and how do we know that Christ is Homousios that is of one substance with the father but by the determination of the church How can you prooue that otherwise by expresse words of scripture and where find you Homousios in all the scripture Phil. Yes that I doe in the 1. to the Hebrues where it is written that Christ is the expresse Image of Gods owne substance eiusdem substantiae Christo. Nay that is not so It is There is no more but expressa imago substantiae The expresse image of gods substance and Image is accident Phil. It is in the text Of his substance Substantiae illius or of his owne substance as it may be right wel interpreted Besides this that which Christ spake of himself in s. Ioh. manifesteth the same saying I the father be one thing Ego pater vnum sumus And where as you say Imago here is accidence the ancient fathers vse this for a strong argument to prooue Christ to be God because he is the very Image of God Christo. Yea do is this a good argument because wee are the Image of God Ergo we are God Phil. We are not called the expresse Image of God as it is written of Christ and wee are but the Image of God by participation as it is written in Genesis wee are made to the likenesse and similitude of God But you ought to know M. Christoph that there is no accidence in God therfore Christ cannot be the image of God but he must be of the same substance with God Christo. Tush Morgan How say you to the presence of the Sacrament will you stand to the iudgement here of your booke or no or will you recant Phil. I know you go but about to catch me in wordes If you can prooue that booke to be of my setting forth lay it to my charge when I come to iudgement Morgan Speake be you of the same mynd as this booke is of or no Sure I am you were once vnlesse you become another maner of man then you were Phil. What I was you know what I am I will not tell you now but this I wil say to you by the way that if you can prooue your Sacrament of the Masse as you now vse it to be a sacrament I will then grant you a presence but first you must prooue the same a sacrament and afterward entreat of the presence Morgan Ho do you doubt that it is a sacrament Phil. I am past doubtyng for I beleeue you can neuer be able to prooue it a Sacrament Christo. Yea doe good Lord doth not S. Augustine call it the sacrament of the aultar How say you to that Phil. That maketh nothyng for the probation of your Sacrament For so he with other auncient writers do call the holy Communion or the supper of the Lord in respect that it is the Sacrament of the Sacrifice which Christ offered vpon the aultar of the Crosse the which Sacrifice all the aultars and sacrifices done vpon the aultares in the olde lawe did prefigure and shadow the which pertaineth nothyng to your sacrament hangyng vpon your aultares of lyme and stone Christo. No doth I pray you what signifieth aultar Phil. Not as you falsly take it materially but for the sacrifice of the aultar of the crosse Christo. Where finde you it euer so taken Phil. Yes that I do in S. Paul to the Hebrues 13. where he saith Habemus altare de quo non est fas edere his qui tabernaculo deseruiunt We haue an aultar of the which it is not law full for them to eate that serue the tabernacle Is not aultare there taken for the sacrifice of the aultar and not for the altar of lyme and stone Christo. Wel God blesse me out of your company You are such an obstinate heretike as I haue not heard the lyke Phil. I pray God kepe me from such blind doctors which when they are not able to prooue what they say then they fall to blasphemyng as you nowe doe for lacke of better proofe In the meane while the B. of London was talking with some other by at length came in to supply his part and sayd Boner I pray you maisters hearken what I shall saye to this man come hither maister Greene. And now sir pointing to me you can not thinke it sufficient to bee naught your selfe but must go about to procure this yong gentleman by your letters to do the lyke Phil. My Lord he cannot say that I euer hitherto wrote vnto hym concernyng any such matter as hee here can testifie Greene. No you neuer wrote vnto me Boner Why is not this your letter which you did wryte concernyng hym Phil. I haue shewed your Lordship my mynd concerning that letter alredy it was not written to M. Greene neyther was he priuy of the writyng thereof Lond. How say you then If a man be in an error and you know thereof what are you bound to do in such a case Philpot. I am bound to do the best I can to bring hym out of it Lond. If M. Grene here be in the like are you not bounde to reforme him thereof if you can Phil. Yes that I am wil do to the vttermost to my power therein The B. remembryng hymselfe thinking that he would but shrewdly after his expectation be holpen at my mouth but rather cōfirmed in that which he called an errour ceased to go any further in hys demaund and called M. Greene aside and before his Register red hym a letter I know not the contents thereof and therewithal he gaue M. Greene the booke of my disputation in the cōuocation house and afterward went aside commoning with M. Christopherson leauyng M. Morgan maister Harpsfield and M. Cosins to reason with me in the hearyng of M. Greene. Morgan M. Philpot I would aske you how old your religion is Philpot. It is older then yours by a thousand yeares and moe Morgan I pray you where was it fifty yeares ago Phil. It was in Germany apparant by the testimony of Husse Ierome of Prage and Wickliffe whome your generation a hundreth yeares agoe and moe dyd burne for preachyng the truth vnto you and before their tyme and since hath bene although vnder persecution it hath bene put to silence Morgan That is a maruelous strange religion which no man can tell certainly where to find it Phil. It ought to be no meruail vnto you to see gods truth through violence oppressed forsh
so if you can deduce your argumeÌ„t for the sea of Rome now as S. Austin might do in his time I woulde say it might bee of some force otherwise not Yorke S. Austine proueth the Catholicke church principally by succession of bishops and therfore you vnderstaÌ„d not S. Austen For what I pray you was the opinion of the Donatistes agaynst whom he wrote Can you tell What country were they of Phil. They were a certayne sect of men affirming among other heresies that the dignity of the sacramentes depended vpon the worthines of the Minister so that if the minister were good the sacraments which he ministred were auayleable or els not Chichest That was theyr error and they had none other but that And he read another authority of S. Austen out of a booke which he brought euen to the same purpose that the other was Phil. I challenge saynt Austen to be with me throughly in this poynt wil stand to his iudgement taking one place with an other Chich. If you will not haue the Church to be certeine I pray you by whom will you be iudged in matters of controuersy Phil. I doe not deny the Churche to be certayne but I denye that it is necessarily tyed to any place longer then it abideth in the word for all controuersies the word ought to be iudge Chich. But what if I take it one way and you an other how then Phil. S. Austine sheweth a remedye for that and willeth quòd vnus locus per plura intelligi debeat That one place of the Scripture ought to be vnderstand by the moe Yorke How aunswere you to this argument Rome hath knowne succession of Bishoppes whiche your church hath not Ergo that is the Catholick Church and yours is not because there is no suche succession can be proued for your Church Phil. I denye my Lorde that succession of Bishoppes is an infallible point to know the church by for there may be a succession of bishops knowne in a place and yet there be no church as at Antioche and at Hierusalem and in other places where the Apostles abode as well as at Rome But if you put to the succession of bishops succession of doctrine withall as S. Austen doth I will graunt it to be a good proofe for the Catholick church but a locall successioÌ„ onely is nothing vayleable Yorke You will haue no church then I see well Phil. Yes my Lord I acknowledge the catholicke church as I am bound by my Creed but I cannot acknowledge a false church for the true Chich. Why is there two catholicke churches then Phil. No I know there is but one catholicke Church but there haue bene and be at this present that take vpoÌ„ them the name of Christ of his church which be not so in deed as it is written That there be that call themselues Apostles be not so in deed but the Synagogue of Sathan and lyers And now it is with vs as it was with the two women in Salomons time whiche lay together and the one suppressed her childe and afterward went about to challenge the true mothers childe Chich. What a babling is here with you nowe I see you lacke humilitye You will goe aboute to teache and not to learne Phil. My lords I must desire you to beare with my hasty speech it is my infirmity of nature All that I speake is to learne by I would you did vnderstaÌ„d all my mind that I might be satisfied by you through better authority Chich. My Lord and it please your grace turne the argument vpon him which you haue made and let him shewe the succession of the Bishoppes of his Churche as we can doe How saye you canne you shewe the succession of Byshops in your Church from time to time I tell you this argument trubled Doctour Ridley so sore that he coulde neuer answere it yet he was a man well learned I dare say you will say so Phil. He was a man so learned that I was not woorthye to cary his bookes for learning Chich. I promise you he was neuer able to aunswere that He was a man that I loued well and he me for he came vnto me diuers times being in prison and conferred with me Phil. I wonder my Lord you should make this argumeÌ„t which you would turne vpon me for the trial of my churche whereof I am or that you would make bishop Ridley so ignoraunt that he was not able to aunswere it since it is of no force For behold first I denyed you that local succession of Bishops in one place is a necessary poynt alone to proue the Catholicke church by and that which I haue denyed you can not proue and is it then reason that you should put me to the triall of that which by you is vnproued and of no force to conclude agaynst me Chich. I see my Lordes we doe but loose our labours to reason with him he taketh himselfe better learned then wee Phil. I take vpon me the name of no learning I boaste of no knowledge but of fayth of Christ that I am bound vndoubtedly to know as I am sure I do Chich. These hereticks take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to be sure of al things they staÌ„d in You should say rather with humility I trust I know Christ then that you be sure therof Phil. Let hym doubte of his fayth that listeth God geue me alwayes grace to beleue that I am sure of true fayth fauour in Christ. Bath How will you be able to answere heretickes but by the determination of the knowne Catholicke church Phil. I am able to answere all heretickes by the woord of God and conuince them by the same Chich. Howe arrogantlye is that spoken I dare not say so Phil. My Lord I pray you beare with me for I am bolde on the truth side I speake somewhat by experience that I haue had with hereticks and I know the Arians be the subtlelest that euer were yet I haue manifest scriptures to beat them downe withall Chichester I perceiue nowe you are the same manner of man I haue heard of whiche will not be satisfied by learning Phil. Alas my Lord why do you say so I do desire moste humbly to be taught if there be any better way that I should learne and hitherto you haue shewed me no bettâ—r therefore I praye your Lordshippe not to misiudge without a cause Bath If you be the true Catholicke church then will you hold with the real presence of Christ in the sacrament which the true church hath euer mainteined Phil. And I my Lord with the true Churche doe holde the same in the due ministration of the sacrament but I desire you my Lord there may be made a better conclusioÌ„ in our first matter before we enter into any other for if the Church be proued we shall soone agree in the rest In the meane while my Lorde
of Yorke was turning his booke for moe places to helpe forth his cause Yorke I haue found at length a very notable place which I haue looked for all this while of S. Austine De simplicitate credendi Chich. It is but folly my Lorde that your Grace doe read him any moe places for he esteemeth them not Phil. I esteeme them in as muche as they bee of force as your Lordship doth heare me deny no doctors you bring but onely require the true application of them according to the writers meaning as by his owne wordes may be proued Yorke I will reade him the place and so make an end After he had read the sentence he sayde that by foure speciall poynts here S. Austine proueth the catholick church The first is by the consent of all nations the secōd by the Apostolick Sea the third by vniuersalitie the fourth by this word Catholicke Chich. That is a notable place in deede and it please your Grace Phil. I pray you my Lord of what church doth S. Austine write the same of Rome or not Yorke Yea he writeth it of the Church of Rome Phil. I will lay with your Lordshippe as much as I can make it is not so and let the booke be sene Bath What art thou able to lay that hast nothing Yorke Doth he not make mention here of the Apostolicke sea whereby he meaneth Rome Phil. That is very straitly interpreted my lord as though the Apostolicke Sea had bene no where els but at Rome But let it be Rome and yet shall you neuer verify the same vnlesse all the other conditions do go therewith as S. Augustine doth proceed withal wherof none except the Apostolicke sea can now bee verified of the Churche of Rome For the fayth which that Sea now maynteineth hath not the consent of al nations neither hath had Besides that it cannot haue the name of Catholick because it differeth frō the Catholicke Churches which the Apostles planted almost in all thinges Yorke Nay he goeth about here to proue the Catholicke Church by vniuersality how can you shew your church to be vniuersall fifty or an hundreth yeares ago Phil. That is not materiall neither any thing agaynst S. Augustine For my church wherof I am were to be coūted vniuersal though it were but in x. persōs because it agreeth with the same that the Apostles vniuersally did plant Yorke I perceiue you are an obstinate man in your opinion will not be taught wherefore it is but lost labour to talke with you any lenger you are a member to be cut of Chichester I haue heard of you before how you troubled the good Bishop of Winchester and now I see in you that I haue heard Phil. I trust you see no euill in me by this I desire of you a sure ground to build my fayth on if you shew ne none I pray you speake not ill of him that meaneth well Chichester Thou art as impudent a felow as I haue cōmuned withall Phil. That is spoken vncharitably my Lord to blaspheme him whom you can not iustly reproue Chich. Why you are not God Blasphemy is counted a rebuke to Godward and not to man Phil. Yes it may be as well verified of an infamy layde to man speaking in Gods cause as you now do lay vnto me for speaking freely the truth afore GOD to maynteyne your vayne Religion You are voyd of all good ground I perceiue you are blind guides and leaders of the blinde therfore as I am bounde to tell you very hipocrites tyrannously persecuting the trueth which otherwise by iust order you are able to conuince by no meanes Your owne doctors and testimonies which you bring be euidently agaynst you and yet you will not see the truth Chichest Haue we this thanke for our good will comming to instruct thee Phil. My Lordes you must beare with me since I speake in Christes cause and because his glory is defaced and his people cruelly and wrongfully slayne by you because they will not consent to the dishonor of God and to hypocrisie with you If I told you not your fault it should be required at my hands in the day of iudgement Therfore know you ye hypocrites in deed that it is the spirit of God that telleth you your sinne not I. I passe not I thank God of al your cruelty God forgeue it you geue you grace to repent And so they departed ¶ An other talke the same day THe same day at night before supper the bishop sent for me into his chappell in the presence of the archdeacon Harpesfield Doctor Chadsey other his Chapleines and his seruauntes at what time he sayd Lond. Maister Philpot I haue by sundry meanes gone about to do you good and I maruell you do so litle consider it by my trueth I can not tell what to say to you Tell me directly whether you will be a conformable man or no wherupon you chiefly stand Phil. I haue tolde your Lordships oftentimes playne enough wheron I stand chiefly requiring a sure probation of the Church wherunto you call me Harps S. Austen writing agaynst the Donatistes declareth foure speciall notes to know the Church by the cōsent of many nations the fayth of the Sacramentes confirmed by antiquity succession of Bishops and vniuersality Lond. I pray you Mayster Archdeacon fette the booke hither it is a notable place let him see it And the booke was brought and the bishop read it demaunding how I could aunswere the same Phil. My Lorde I like S. Austens foure poyntes for the triall of the catholicke churche whereof I am for it can abide euery poynt therof together which yours can not do Harps Haue not we succession of Bishops in the Sea and church of Rome Wherfore then do you deny our Church to be the catholicke church Phil. D. Austine doth not put succession of Bishops onely to be sufficient but he addeth the vse of the Sacramentes according to antiquity and doctrine vniuersally taughte receiued of most nations from the beginning of the primatiue Church the whiche your Churche is farre from But my church can auouch all these better then yours therfore by S. Austins iudgement which you here bring mine is the catholicke church and not yours Harps Chad. It is but folly my Lord for you to reason with him for he is irrecuperable Phil. That is a good shift for you to runne vnto when you be confounded in your owne sayinges haue nothing else to say you are euidently deceiued and yet will not see it when it is layd to your face THus haue I at large set forth as many of the sayd Iohn Philpot his examinations priuy conferences as are yet come to light being faythfully written with his owne hand And although he was diuers other times after this examined both openly in the Consistory at Paules also secretly in the bishops house yet what was
deny the body and bloud of Christ to be in the sacrament of the aultar I cannot tell what aultar yee meane whether it be the aultar of the Crosse or the aultar of stone And if yee call it the Sacrament of the aultar in respect of the aultar of the stone then I defie your Christ for it is a rotten Christ. And as touching your transubstantiatiō I vtterly deny it for it was brought vp first by a Pope Now as concerning your offer made from the Synode whiche is gathered together in Antichristes name proue me that to be of the catholicke Church which ye shall neuer do I will follow you and do as you would haue me to do But yee are Idolaters and dayly do commit Idolatry Ye be also traytors for in your Pulpits you rayle vpon good kings as king Henry and king Edward his sonne which haue stand agaynst the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome agaynst whome also I haue taken an othe which if ye can shew me by Gods law that I haue taken vniustly I will then yeld vnto you But I pray God turne the King and Queenes hartes from your Sinagogue and churche for you do abuse that good Queene Here the Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield began to shew where the true church was saying Couen The true catholicke church is set vpon an high hil Phil. Yea at Rome which is the Babylonicall church Couen No in our true Catholicke church are the Apostles Euangelistes and martyrs but before Martine Luther ther was no Apostle Euāgelist or martyr of your church Phil. Will ye know the cause why Christ did prophesie that in the latter dayes there should come false Prophetes and hipocrites as you be Couen Your Church of Geneua which ye call the Catholicke Church is that which Christ prophesied of Phil. I allow the church of Geneua and the doctrine of the same for it is vna Catholica Apostolica and doth follow the doctrine that the Apostles did preach and the doctrine taught and preached in king Edwardes dayes was also according to the same And are yee not ashamed to persecute me and others for your Churches sake which is Babilonicall and contrary to the true Catholicke Church And after this they had great conference togethers aswell out of the Scriptures as also out of the Doctours But whē Boner saw that by learning they were not able to conuince M. Phil. he thought then by his diffamations to bryng him out of credite and therefore turning himselfe vnto the Lord Mayor of London brought forth a knyfe and a bladder full of pouder and sayd London My Lorde this man had a rosted pigge brought vnto him and this knife was put secretly betweene the skin the flesh therof and so was it sent him being in prison And also this pouder was sent vnto him vnder pretence that it was good and comfortable for him to eate or drinke whiche pouder was onely to make inke to wryte withall For when his keeper did perceaue it he tooke it brought it vnto me Whiche when I did see I thought it had bene gunpouder and thereupon I put fire to it but it would not burne Then I tooke it for poyson and so gaue it to a dogge but it was not so Thou I tooke a little water and it made as fayre inke as euer I did write withall Therefore my Lord you may vnderstand what a naughty fellowe this is Phil. Ah my Lord haue ye nothing els to charge me withall but these trifles seeing I stande vppon lyfe and death Doth the knife in the pigge proue the churche of Rome to be a catholicke church c. Then the bishop brought forth a certayne instrument conteyning Articles and Questions agreed vpon both in Oxford and Cambridge whereof yee haue mention before pag. 1428. Also he did exhibite two Bookes in Print the one was the Catechisme made in king Edwards dayes An. 1552. the other concerning the true report of the disputation in the Conuocation house mention wherof is aboue expressed Moreouer hee did bring foorth and layde to Mayster Philpots charge two letters the one touching Barthelet Greene the other contayning godly exhortations comfortes which both were written vnto him by some of his godly friendes the tenour whereof wee thought here also to exhibite A letter exhibited by Boner written by some frend of M. Philpot and sent to him concerning the handling of Mayster Greene in Boners house at London YOu shal vnderstand that M. Greene came vnto the Bishop of London on Sonday last where he was curteously receaued for what policie the sequele declareth His entertaynment for one day or two was to dyne at my Lordes owne table or els to haue his meate from thence During those dayes hee lay in Doctor Chadseys chamber and was examined Albeit in very deede the Bishop earnestly and faythfully promised manye right worshipful men who were suters for him but to him vnknown that he in no case shoulde bee examined before which M. Fecknam would haue had him in his frendly custody if he would haue desired to haue conferred with him whiche he vtterly refused And in that the bish obiected agaynst him singularitie and obstinacie his answere thereunto was thus To auoyd al suspicion therof although I my self am yong vtterly vnlearned in respect of the learned and yet I vnderstand I thanke my Lord yet let me haue such books as I shal require and if I by Gods spirite do not therby answere all your books and obiections contrary therto I wil assent to you Wherunto the Bishop and his assented permitting him at the first to haue suche bookes Who at sondrye times haue reasoned with him and haue found him so stronge and rise in the scriptures and godly fathers that sithens they haue not onely taken from him such libertie of bookes but all other bookes not leauing him so much as the new Testament Since they haue bayted and vsed him most cruelly This mayster Fecknam reported saying farther that he neuer heard the like young man so perfect What shall become farther of him God knoweth but death I thinke for he remayneth more and more willing to dye as I vnderstand Concerning your bill I shal conferre with others therin knowyng that the same Courte is able to redresse the same And yet I thinke it will not be reformed for that I know fewe or none that dare or wil speake therein or preferre the same because it concerneth spirituall thinges Notwithstanding I will assertain you therof committing you to the holy Ghost who keepe you vs all as his Your owne c. The copy of an other letter written by the faythful and Christen harted Lady the Lady Vane to Mayster Philpot exhibited lykewise by Byshop Boner HArty thankes rendered vnto you my welbeloued in Christ for the booke ye sent me wherein I finde great consolations and according to the doctrine therof do prepare my cheekes to the
is a worker of that which is by nature for commonly such as be vngodly be vnnatural only louers of themselues as daily experience teacheth vs. The lyuing Lord which through the incorruptible sede of his worde hath begotten you to be my liege sister geue you grace so to growe in that generation that you may encrease to a perfect age in the Lord to be my sister with Christ for euer Looke therfore that you continue a faythfull sister as you are called and are godly entered not onely to me but to all the Church of Christ yea to Christ himselfe who voucheth you in this your vnfayned fayth worthy to bee his sister Consider this dignitie to surmount all the vayne dignities of the worlde let it accordingly preuayle more with you then all earthly delightes For therby you are called to an equall portion of the euerlasting inheritaunce of Christ if now in no wise you do shew your selfe an vnnaturall sister to him in forsaking him in trouble which I trust you will neuer for no kinde of worldly respect doe You are vnder daungerous temptations to be turned frō that naturall loue you owe vnto Christ and you shal be tryed with Gods people thorough a siue of great afflictiō for so Sathan desireth vs to be sifted that through feare of sharp troubles we might fall from the stablenes of our fayth and so be depriued of that honour ioy and reward which is prepared for such as continue faythfull brothers and sisters in the Lordes couenant to the ende Therfore the wise man in the booke of Ecclesiasticus biddeth them that come to the seruice of the Lorde To prepare them selues to suffer temptations Since then that for the glory of God and our faith we are called now to abide the brunt of them and that when our aduersary hath done all that he can yet wee may be stable and stand this Christ our first begotten brother loketh for at our handes and all our brethren and sisters in heauen desire to see our faith thorough afflictions to be perfecte that we might fulfil their number and the vniuersal church here militant reioyceth at our constancie whom al by the contrary we should make sorie to the daunger of the losse both of body and soule Feare not therfore what soeuer be threatned of the wicked world prepare your back and see it be ready to carye Christes crosse And if you see any vntowardnes in you as the flesh is continually repugnant to the will of God aske with faithfull praier that the good spirit of God may lead your sinful flesh whether it would not for if we will dwell in the flesh and folow the counsell therof we shall neuer doe the will of God neither worke that tendeth to our saluation You are at this present in the confines and borders of Babylon where you are in danger to drink of the whores cup vnles you be vigilant in praier Take hede the Serpent seduce you not frō the simplicitye of your faith as he did our first mother Eue. Let no worldly felowship make you partaker of iniquitie He that toucheth tarre can not but be defiled therby With such as be peruerse a mā shall sone be peruerted with the holy you shal be holy Therfore say continually with the Prophete Dauid Vnto the Saints that be on the earth al my wil is on them You haue bene sanctified and made pure thorough the truth take heede you be not vnholied and vndefiled lest the last be worse then the first I wryte not this because I stand in any doubt of your sincere continuance of the which I haue had so good experience but because the daies be euil and in the same it is the duety of euery one of vs to exhort an other I am bold to put you my good sister in remembrance of that which doth not a litle comfort me to remember in my troubles daily temptations Wherfore I doubt not you will take that in good part which commeth frō your brother both in spirit body who tendreth your saluation as earnestly as his owne that we might ioye together eternally with such ioy as the world shal neuer be able to take from vs. Thankes be vnto God you haue begon to run a good great time wel in the waies of the Lorde run out of the trace to the end which you haue begon then shall you receiue the crown of glory None shal be crouned but such as lawfully striueth Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euil with good the Lorde shall make you one of those faithfull virgines that shal follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth the which Christ graunt both you and me Amen Commend me to all them that loue me in the Lord vnfainedly God encrease our faith and geue vs neuer to be ashamed of his Gospell That same request which I haue made to my brother Thom. I make also to you desiring you by all meanes you can to accōplish my request that my sureties might be satisfied with that is mine owne to the contentation of my minde which can not be quiet vntill they be discharged therefore I pray you help to purchase quietnes that I might depart out of this worlde in peace My dissolution I looke for daily but the Lorde knoweth howe vnworthy I am of so high an honour as to die for the testimony of his truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath don of long imprisonment for the which his name be praised for euer Pray and looke for the comming of the Lorde whose wrath is great ouer vs and I wil pray for you as long as I liue The 9. of Iuly in the kings Bench. Your owne louing brother as well in faith as in body Iohn Philpot. An other Letter of Iohn Philpot to certaine Godly brethren THe grace of God the Father and the peace of our sauiour Iesus Christ his eternall sonne and the consolation of the holy Ghost our comforter strengthen your hearts and cōfort your mindes that you maye reioyce and liue in the truthe of Christes Gospel to the ende Amen I doe much reioyce dearely beloued in the Lord to heare of your cōstant faith in the word of God which you haue so purely receiued which doe not with the wordlings decline frō the purity therof albeit ye suffer grief trouble therby for the which I praise God most hartely and the Lord of all strength who hath begon this good woorke in you make it perfite to the ende as I doubt not but he wil for the faithful zeale ye haue to his truth to his afflicted church Therfore that ye may the better stand and beare the brunte of many temptations which you are like to be assaulted withall in these wicked and stormie daies I thought it good as it is the duety of one christian man to exhort an other in the time of trouble
wil of God be don We are not so good as Iohn the Baptist which was beheaded in prison Darknes cannot abide the light Therefore their doings must declare what they are We are as shepe appoynted for a sacrifice to the Lord. We must not feare the fire for our Lord is a cōsuming fire which will put out the fiercenes of raging torments from vs. Be not afraid of them that can kil the body but feare him that can cast both body and soul into hel fire God forbid that we should reioyce otherwise then in the crosse of Christ pray that he would make vs worthy to suffer for his sake God wil haue our faith tried knowen and therefore let vs willingly humble our selues vnder the mighty hād of God that he may gloriously lifte vs vp in his good time There is none perfectly faithfull in deede till he can say with S. Paule I am perswaded that neither death neither life neyther aungels neither princes or powers neither things present neither things to come neither highnes neither lownes neither any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. This faith God plant both in you and me vnmooueably In this faith we haue to reioyce and in none other All the tribulations of the worlde are not worthy of the eternall weighte of glory which is prepared for them that here do with pacience abide the crosse Wherefore let vs be stronge with the strengthe in him that is able to make vs strong lament the weakenes I might say the infidelitie of our faint gospellers Christ whome we woulde pretend to haue put vpon vs is the strēgth of God and how then may they be weake where Christe is We haue more to be glad touching our selues of this time then we haue had of any time before in the which we haue so ready a way to goe vnto God and so good occasion to shew our duety in glorifying his holy name For if we be imprisonned in this cause we are blessed If we loose all that we haue we are blessed a 100. fold If we die we are blessed eternally so that in suffering of persecutions all is full of blessings Be blessed therefore O elect Lady of God with the blessed of God and flee as you do the concupiscence of the worlde Embrace that which is perfect and ioyfully looke for the comming and crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. Thus desiring God to preserue you to his true peace to geue you victorie of that temptation which now is come to try our faith Christe be with you and blesse you both in body and soule and my praier shal folow you wheresoeuer you goe as I desire that you may be with me The last weeke I sent your beneficence to Oxforde I coulde not before haue a conuenient messenger As soone as I haue worde you shall be satisfied of your request Loue me as you doe and the God of loue be with you The 20. day of August By yours with all his power in the Lord Iohn Philpot. An other Letter full of spiritual consolation to the sayd Ladie THe mercye of God the father the consolation of the holy ghost thorow Iesus Christ be with you strengthē you my deare mother and sister in the Lord in these daungerous dayes to the crowne of eternall glorye whiche is nowe offered to all faithfull souldiours in the Gospell Amen As your good Ladiship doeth desire to heare from me so am I desirous to wryte as your gentlenesse and daily goodnes binedeth me But Sathan of late hath letted me who enuying al good exercises which I haue had and receiued by mine easie imprisonment in times past hath brought me out of the kings Bench into the bishop of Londons Colehouse a darke and a vgly prison as any is about London but my darke body of sinne hathe well deserued the same and the Lord now hath brought me into outward darkenes that I might the more be lightened by him as he is moste present with his children in the middest of darkenesse where I can not be suffred to haue any candle light neither inke nor paper but by stealth Wherefore I can not wryte to you as I would neither as my duety is As Christ my maister was sent frō Annas to Caiphas so am I sent from Winchester Dioces to London I trust to make a speedye ende of my course God geue mee grace and patience to be a faithfull follower of my master I haue beene already this seuennight in his Colehouse and haue of late bene foure times called to mine answere but hitherto not called to iudgement which I do daily looke for but I feare they wil prolong me and trie me by straight imprisonmēt a whyle in the which Gods will be done Pray deare Lady that my faith faint not which I praise God is presently more liuely wyth mee then it hathe beene in tymes past I taste and feele the faithfulnesse of God in his promise who hathe promised to be wyth hys in their trouble and to delyuer them I thanke the Lorde I am not alone but haue sixe other faithfull companions who in our darknesse doe chearfully sing Hymnes and praises vnto God for his great goodnesse Wee are so ioyful that I wish you part of my ioy For you that are so carefull of my bodely reliefe howe can I but wish you spirituall consolation and that aboundantly Let not deare heart my straite imprisonment any thing molest you for it hath added and daily doth vnto my ioy but rather be glad and thankfull vnto GOD with me that it hath pleased him to make me most wretched sinner woorthy to suffer any thing for his sake Hitherto we haue not resisted vnto bloud God make vs neuer to count our bloud more precious in our eyes then his truth Ah my deare sister I thanke you againe for your last letter you sent me it is a singular comfort vnto me as oft as I reade the same I haue it in my bosome and wil carie the same euen to the stake with me in witnesse that Christ hath so constant and faithfull a Ladie in Englande God succoure and keepe that spirite in you for it is the verye spirite of adoption of the childe of God Suche chearefull and holy spirites vnder the crosse bee acceptable sacrifices in the sight of God for Christ came to cast fire into the earth and looketh that it shoulde be kindled Be you feruent in spirite in our Christes cause as you haue begonne for that is the principall spirite wherewithall Dauid desired to be confirmed O howe I doe reioyce your Ladiship to goe arme in arme with me vnto Christe or rather before me I can not but ioye of suche a worshipfull fellowe Me thinketh I see you to mourne and desire to be loosed out of the earthly and fraile habitacle of this body O how amiable and pleasant is it
you are almost glutted with suppyng so much bloud and therefore you wyll let some of the leanest dye in prysonne which wyll then bee meate good enough for your barkyng beagles Harpsfield and hys fellowes but yet my Lord it were a great deale more for your Lordshippes honour if your chaplaines myght haue the meat roasted in Smithfield at the fire of the stake yea and when it is somethyng fat and fayre likyng for now they haue nothyng but skin and bones and if the dogges come hastily to it they maye chance shortly to be choked and then your huntyng wyll be hindered greatly if it be not altogether marred I heare say my Lord that some of the butcherly curres came of late to my house to seeke their pray that they go round about the citie as Dauid sayeth grinnyng and grudgyng that they haue not meat enough therefore belyke they haue kylled my poore brethren and sistern that haue lyen so long vpon the butcherly stall and eaten them vp for I heare say their friends could not be suffred to see them this three dayes more therefore I perceyue now that if I had come againe accordyng to my promise that your Lordship lyke a rauenyng Wolf or els some of your helhounds would quickly haue weried me but I see wel my appoynted time is not yet come therefore I wyll yet lyue and thanke him for my deliueraunce with continuall songs of laude and prayse Thus haue I ben bold to trouble your lordship with telling you the truth and the very cause that I came not vnto you again accordyng to my vnpurposed promise I trust your Lordship wil take this in good part and accept it as a lawfull excuse not doubtyng but your Lordship would haue done the lyke if you had bene in my case Now as concernyng the second part that caused me to write vnto your Lordship which is to answer vnto your subtile or rather cruell demaund of my iudgement of the death of that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus good maister Iohn Philpot I will not aunswer your Lordship simply and plainly what perill so euer shall come thereof Truly my Lord I do not onely thinke but I am also most certayne and sure that he as a very man of God dyed a true Martyr and constant confesser of hys deare Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whoÌ„ he did most faithfully commit his sweete soule who will surely kepe the same with hym in ioy and felicitie for euermore Also my Lord I do verily beleeue and know that your Lordship hath committed an horrible and most cruell murder in the vniustly condemnyng and killyng of hym and that you shall make as heauy an account for hys bloud which shortly shall be required at your handes as euer your great graundfather cruell Caine did or shall do for his innocent brother Abell Moreouer because I am crediblye informed that your Lordship doth beleeue and haue in secrete sayd that there is no hell I certifie you that your Lordship did neuer any thyng in all your lyfe that so much did redounde to your Lordships dishonor and perpetual shame and infamy as your killyng the body of this blessed Prophet doth especially seeyng that he was none of your Dioces nor had not offended any of your Lordships diuelish and cruel lawes Uerily I heare almost euery body say in all places where I come that your Lordship is made the common slaughter slaue to all your fellows bitesheep Bishops I would say yea the very papists themselues beginne now to abhorre your bloudthirstines and speake shame of your tiranny Lyke tiranny beleeue me my Lord euery chylde that can any whit speake can call you by your name say bloudy Boner is bishop of London and euery man hath it as perfect vppon hys fingers endes as his Pater noster how many you for your part haue burned with fire and famished in prison they say the whole summe surmounteth to forty personnes within this three quarters of this yeare Therefore my Lord though your Lordship beleeueth that there is neither heauen nor hell nor God nor deuill yet if your Lordship loue your own honesty which was lost long agone you were best to surcese froÌ„ this cruel burnyng of true christian men and also from murderyng of some in prison for that in deed offendeth mens myndes most yea euen your olde friendes the rankest papists that be For say they Felix the Heathen ruler did not forbidde Paules friends to visite hym in prison and to bring hym necessary reliefe and therfore it is a very great shame and sinne to see a Bishop that beareth the name of a christian to be more cruell vpon his poore brethren then an Heathen Turke or Infidell This is mens saying in euery place not onely of this Realme but also of the most part of the world the common talke they haue of your Lordship therfore I thought to be so bold with your Lordship as to tell you of it thogh perchance you wil geue me but small thanks for my labor Well as for that I put it to your Lordships choise for I haue as much alredy as I looke for Finally my L. I will geue you to vnderstande that the death of this constant Martyr and valiaunt souldiour of Iesus Christ hath geuen a greater shake towards the ouerthrowyng of your papisticall kyngdome then you shall euer be able to recouer agayne this 7. yeres do the best ye can and set as many crafty dawbers to patch it vp with vntempered clay as you wyll yea though pratyng Pendleton that wycked Apostata apply all hys wily wits to helpe them Uerilye my Lord by all mens reports his blessed lyfe could neuer haâ—e done the lyke sorrow to Satans Synagoge whereof some say your Lordship is a mightye member as hys happy death hath done You haue broken a pot in deede but the precious worde conteined therein is so notably therewithall shed abroad that the sweete sauour thereof hath woonderfully well refreshed all the true household or congregation of Christ that they cannot abyde any more the stinkyng sauour of your filthy ware that came from the dunghill of Rome though your Lordships Iudasses do set them a sayle euery where to fill your bagges I put your Lordship out of doubt that if you do breake mo such pots you will marre your owne market altogether for I promise you most men beginne to mislike your diuelish doyngs and wonderfully to lothe your popishe pedlary wares Thus haue I accordyng to your Lordships commandements shewed you simply what I thinke of that good mans death whose bloud cryeth for vengeaunce agaynst your Lordships butcherly bloudy proceedings in the eares of the Lord of hostes who will shortly reuenge the same vpon your pilled pate and vpon the rest of all your pollshorne brethren the very marked cattell of the great Antichrist of Rome The measure of your iniquitie is filled vp to the brimme therefore will God shortly poure in double vnto your deserued
not cease with continuall prayer to labour for you desiryng almighty GOD to encrease that which he hath long sith begonne in you of sober lyfe and earnest zeale towardes his Religion In fayth as sayth Sainct Paule she that is a true widowe and frendlesse putteth her trust in GOD continuyng day and night in Supplication and prayer but she that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet aliue And verely a true widowe is she that hath maryed Christ forsakyng the vanities of the worlde and luste of the fleshe For as the maryed woman careth howe to loue please and serue her husband so ought the widowe to geue all her hart and soule thoughtes and wordes studies and labours faythfully to loue GOD vertuously to bryng vp her children and houshold and diligently to prouide for the poore and oppressed Therefore Sainct Paule first instructeth a widow how to behaue her selfe that is Not to liue in pleasure then to watche vnto prayer as the onely meanes to obtayne all our desires stedfastly laying vppe all our trust in GOD as Dauid right well sayeth First eschew euill then doe good Of Anna the prayse was written that shee neuer went out of the Temple but serued GOD with fastyng and prayer night and day so well had she espoused Christ. Iudith ware a smocke of heare continuyng in fastyng and had good report of all men The next care that belongeth to a widowe is that she bryng vppe her children and houshold godly in the nourture and information of the Lorde Whereof Saincte Paule sayeth If any haue Children or Nephewes lette them learne firste to rule their owne house Godly and to recompence their elders The incontinencie and coueteousnesse of Phinees and Ophny not corrected by Ely their Father prouoked GODS vengeaunce vppon him and all his kynred The ouer tender loue of Absolon expelled Dauid from his kyngdome The vnrebuked sinnes of Ammon encouraged Absolon to flea his brother most manifest examples agaynste the parentes for the offences of their Children Contrarywise how greatly might Hannah reioyce ouer Samuell her Sonne whome she had brought vppe in the house of the Lorde What thankes might Tobias wife giue for her Sonne Toby How happy was Salomō to be taught by the prophet Nathan But aboue all widowes thrise blessed was the happy mother of the vij Sonnes that so had instructed them by the feare of GOD that by no tormentes they would shrincke from the loue of his truth Of the last parte Saincte Paule sheweth that a widowe shoulde bee chosen If shee haue nourished her Children if shee haue been liberall to straungers if shee haue washed the Sainctes feete and if shee haue ministred to them in aduersitie Herein it is euident howe earnestly Saincte Paule would haue widowes bent towardes the poore for that as though they onely had been therefore meete hee appointed onely widowes to minister to the Sainctes and to gather for the poore Whiche vse also continued almost throughout the primitiue Churche that widowes had the charge and gatheryng for the poore men and straungers Of your neighboures I neede not to put you in remembraunce seeynge you dayly feede them with good Hospitalitie by whiche meanes also many foreners are of you relieued but of the poore Almes houses and miserable prisoners here in London many lacking their libertie wythout cause some vnder the colour of Religion some onely kept for fees and some on priuate mennes displeasure Alas that Christe so hungereth and no man will feede hym is so sore opprest with thyrst and no man will geue him to drinke destitute of all lodgyng and not relieued naked and not cloathed sicke and not visited imprisoned and not seene In tyme past menne could bestowe large summes of money on copes vestimentes and ornamentes of the Churche Why rather follow we not S. Ambroses example whiche solde the same to the reliefe of the poore or Chrysostomes commaundement which willeth first to decke and garnish the liuing temple of God But alas suche is the wickednesse of these our last dayes that nothing moueth vs neyther the pure doctrine the godlines of life nor good examples of the auncient Fathers If in any thing they erred if they haue written anye thynge that serueth for sectes and dissension that will their charitable children embrace publishe and mayntayne with sworde Fagot and fire But all in vayne they stryue agaynst the streame For though in despite of the truth by force of the oers of crafty perswasion they maye bringe themselues into the hauen of hell yet can they not make all menne bebeleue that the bankes moue whilest the shippe sayleth nor euer shall be able to turne the directe course of the streame of Gods truth Our Lord Iesus Christ strengthen you in al pure doctrine and vpright liuing and geue you grace vertuously to bring vp your children and family and carefully to prouide for the poore and oppressed Amen At Newgate the 20. of Ianuary Ann. 1556. Your assured Bartlet Greene. An other certayne writing of M. Bartlet Greene. BEtter is the day of death sayth Salomon then the daye of birth Man that is borne of woman liueth but a shorte tyme and is replenished with many miseries but happye are the dead that dye in the Lord. Man of woman is borne in trauell to liue in misery manne thorough Christe dothe dye in ioye and lyue in felicitie He is borne to dye and dyeth to liue Straight as he cōmeth into the world with cryes he vttereth his miserable estate straight as he departeth with songes hee prayseth God for euer Scarse yet in his cradle 3. deadly enemies assault him after death no aduersary may annoy him Whilest hee is here he displeaseth God when he is dead he fulfilleth his will In this lyfe here he dyeth through sinne in the life to come he liueth in righteousnesse Through many tribulations in earth he is still purged with ioye vnspeakeable in heauen is he made pure for euer Here he dyeth euery houre there hee liueth continuallye Here is sinne there is righteousnes Here is tyme there is eternitie Here is hatred there is loue Here is payne there is pleasure Here is miserye there is felicity Here is corruption there is immortalitie Here we see vanitie there shall we behold the maiestie of god with triumphant and vnspeakeable ioy in glory euerlasting Seeke therefore the thinges that are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God the father vnto whom with the sonne and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Yours in Christ Bartlet Grene. Diuers other letters and matters there were beside which this seruaunt of God did write as namely certayn notes extractes in Latine out of the Doct. other authours for his memory wherby is declared how studious he was in the searching and knowledge of the law of God although his profession was the temporall lawe Where I would 〈◊〉 God
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
that I haue receaued your letter for the which I hartely thanke you In dede I thinke it very shorte although it seemeth something sharpely to rebuke me in the beginning for the breach of my promise in not writing to you of this long tyme. Well brother I am contente to beare it with pacience considering that you are troubled otherwise the Lorde comforte you and all heauy hartes neyther will I spende ynke paper for my purgation in this poynte God he knoweth whether I bee so mindeles of my promise as it appeareth in your sight I am Your request I will truely performe to the vttermost of my power as gladly as any poore wretch shall do in the world and I thanke God I haue done no lesse of longe tyme. And as my poore prayer shall be a handmayd to waite vpon you which way soeuer you ryde or go so I beseech you that my simple counsell may take some place in you in this tyme of your pilgrimage whiche you passe in no small perill God keepe and preserue you for his names sake I doe not disalowe but muche prayse and commende your harty boldenesse in putting your selfe in preasse when any one of Gods people needeth your helpe in any poynte But yet I would not haue you thrust your selfe in daunger when you canne doe them no good or at least wise when they may well inough spare that good you woulde doe them For if you should then chaunce to be taken you shall not onely be no comfort vnto them but also a great discomfort adding sorrow vnto their sorrow I doe not perswade you to absent your selfe from any place where your presence of necessity is required for in all such places I know God will preserue you as he hath hitherto wonderfully done praysed be his name therefore or if it shall please him to permit you in any such place to be taken I know he will most sweetely cōfort your consciēce with this consideratiō that it is the very prouidēce appointmēt of God that you should there and then be taken vp for a witnes of his truthe vnto the worlde but I cannot alowe nor be contented that you shoulde rashly or negligently thrust your selfe into that place where your wicked enemyes do continually haunt yea and lay wayte for you when no necessitye of your selfe nor of any other of Gods people dothe require your company If they neede any of your godly counsel you may write vnto them that thinge that you thinke good which I dare say will be sufficient vnto them For continuall thankes and prayses be giuen vnto the euerlasting God there is none of those that be cruelly condemned for Gods truthe that now be weakelings for they haue manfully passed throughe the pikes and they haue boldly abidden the brunt of the battell and therefore I recken the worste is paste with them alreadye So that nowe and thē a godly letter from you to them shall doe as much good as your company shall doe and perchaunce more too for writing sticketh longer in the memorye then wordes doe yea though your letters were as shorte to them as your laste was to me so that the same bee something sweeter and not althing so sharpe This deare brother is the simple counsell which I woulde gladly haue you obserue partely for that I hartely pray for your preseruation to the commoditye of Christes Church and partly for that I vnfainedly wish the peace comfort and tranquility of your owne conscience which I knowe will be quickely ready to accuse you if you do any thing wherein you haue not the worde of God for your warrante For in a glasse that is cleare a small mote will soone appeare euen so the good conscience of Gods chosen children being more cleare then Cristall will quickely accuse them at the least fault they do commit whereas the wicked worldlinges haue their conscience so clogged corrupted thorough the custome of sinne that they cannot once see or perceiue their owne shamefull deedes wicked workes vntill God set the same before them for their vtter destruction then dispayre they immediately But seing that God hathe geuen you a cleare conscience and a pure sharpe quicke and liuely sight in your soule I woulde wishe you to beware that you doe nothing vnaduisedly but vpon a good ground For an accusing conscience is a sore thing when death doth approche and then Sathan will not sticke to tell you that you haue to much tempted God when peraduenture you haue done nothing so at all For thys cause I say partly I haue thought it good to admonishe you as I haue done often to be cirumspecte according to the counsell of Christ whiche biddeth you to beware of men Other thynges I haue not to write for I knowe this bearer can certifie you of all thinges at large better then I can declare it by writing I beseeche you good Augustine helpe me forwardes with your harty prayers for I trust I haue but a small time to tary in this troublesome worlde Doctour Story tolde oure Marshall that we should all be dispatched so soone as hee came from Oxford whether he and other bloudy butchers bee gone to make slaughter of Christes sheepe that lye there appoynted to be slain God for Christes sake put them and such like besides theyr cruell purpose if it be his good will and pleasure Amen good Lord. I pray you doe my moste harty commendations to my deare sister and faythfull friend good Mistres Mary glouer I beseeche God be her comforte as I doubte not but hee is I am verye glad to heare that she doth so ioyfully and so patiently beare this great crosse that God hath layde vppon her I pray God strengthen her and all other his deare Sayntes vnto the end Amen Commende me vnto my deare and faythfull sister Elizabeth B. I thanke her most hartily for my napkin and so I doe youre deare brother for my sherte Truely that day that wee were appoynted to come to oure aunswere before the Commissioners which had sent word the same morning that they woulde come to the kinges Benche by viii of the clocke and the house and all thinges were trimmed and made ready for them I got that sherte on my backe and that napkin in my hand and me thoughte that they did helpe to harnesse me and weapon me well to goe fight agaynst that bloudy beast of Babilon And trust me truely if they had come I woulde haue stricken three strokes the more for your two sakes as well as God would haue abled me to haue set them on as by Gods grace I will not fayle to do at the next skirmish that I come to Wherfore I pray you pray for me that I may be stronge and hardy to laye on good loade Oh that I might so strike him downe that hee should neuer be able for to rise agayne But that stroke belongeth onely vnto the Lorde to strike at his comming
will make so long as the Lord for our sinnes will suffer you to prosper and vntill the tyme that your own iniquitie be full ripe But then be you sure the Lord will sit in iudgement vpoÌ„ you as well as you do now vpon his Saints and will reward you according to your deseruings to whoÌ„ with my whole hart I coÌ„mit my cause and he will make auÌ„swere for me when the full time of my refreshing coÌ„meth In the meane space I will keepe silence with this that I haue sayd trusting that I haue sufficiently discharged my conscience in coÌ„fessing my faith and Religion to you declaring of what Churche I am euen of the Catholicke Church of Iesus Christ which was well knowne to be here in Englande in oure late good kinges dayes by two speciall tokens whiche cannot deceiue me nor suffer me to be deceiued that is to say the pure preaching of his holy worde and the due administration of the holy sacramentes whiche is not to be seene in your Romysh Churche and therefore it cannot iustly bee called the Churche and spouse of Christ. I beleeue in the holy Trinitie and all the other Articles of the Christian faythe contayned in the three Creedes and finally all the Canonicall scripture to be true in euery sentence And I detest all sectes bothe of the Arrians and Anabaptistes or anye other that deuide themselues from the true Churche of Christe whiche is his misticall bodye the grounde and piller of trueth and the very house of the liuing God And if for these thinges you take away my life make your selues gilty of my bloud you may for I am in your handes as the sheep brought to the shambles abiding the grace of the Butcher And bee you sure youre iudgement sleepeth not but when you cry peace peace and all is safe then shall your plagues begin like the sorrow of a woman traueling with childe according to Christes infallible promise This kynde of aunswere my deare heart it shall bee beste for you to make and by Gods grace I doe entend to take the same order my selfe in time to come when the Lorde shall vouche me worthy of that great dignitie whereunto hee hath called you And if they shall laugh you to scorne as I know they will saying thou art a foole and an vnlearned assehead and art able to make aunswere to nothing c. care you not for it but stil committe your cause vnto God who will make aunswere for you and tell them that they haue bene aunswered agayne and agayn of diuers godly and learned men but all will not helpe for you haue one solution of all manner of questions euen a fayre fire fagots this will be the ende of your disputations Therefore I pray you to trouble me no more but doe that whiche you are appoynted when God shall permit the time I am no better then Christe his Apostles and other of my good brethren that are gone before me This kinde of aunswere will cut their combes moste and edifie the people that stand by so that the same bee done coldly with sobrietie meekenes and patience as I hearde say oure sweete brethren Thomas Harland and Iohn Oswalde did at Lewes in Sussex to the great reioycing of the children of God that were in those parties and I heare saye that they were dissolued from this earthly Tabernacle at Lewes on saterday last and were condemned but the Wednesday before so that wee may perceaue the papistes haue quicke worke in hande that they make suche haste to haue vs home to our heauenly father Therefore let vs make our selues ready to ride in the fiery chariot leauing these sory mantels and old clokes behinde vs for a little time whiche God shall restore vnto vs agayne in a more glorious wise My good brother Harry you shall vnderstande that bragging Iohn T. hath begiled hys keepers who trusted hym to well and is runne awaye from them and hathe broughte the poore men into gaeat daunger by the same The one of them is cast by the Counselles commaundemente into the gatehouse at Westminster the other is fled foorth of the Countrey for feare Thus you may see the fruites of our free will men that made so much boast of their owne strength But that house whiche is not builded surely vppon the vnmoueable rocke will not longe stand agaynst the boystrous windes and stormes that blowe so strongly in these dayes of trouble But my dearely beloued brother blessed be God for you such as you be whiche haue played the partes of wise builders You haue digged downe past the sande of youre owne naturall strengthe and beneath the earth of your owne worldly wisedome are now come to the hard stone and vnmoueable Rock Christ who is your onely keeper and vpon him alone haue you builded your fayth most firmely without doubting mistruste or wauering Therefore neither the stormes nor tempestes wyndes nor weathers that Sathan and all his wily workemen canne bring agaynst you with the verye gates of hell to helpe them shall euer be able once to moue your house much lesse to ouerthrow it for the Lorde God hymselfe and no man is the builder thereof and hath promised to preserue and keepe the same safe for euer Vnto his moste mercifull defence therefore I doe hartily committe you and all your good company desiring him for his sweete sonne Iesus Christes sake to confirme and strengthen you all that you may be constant vnto the verye ende that after the finall victory is once gotten you may receiue the immeâ—cessible crowne of glorye of Gods free gifte through hys great mercye in Iesus Christe our onely Sauiour To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory praise thankes power rule and dominion for euer and euermore Amen The blessing of God be with you all Iohn Careles ¶ To my most deare and faythfull brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of GOD in Iesus Chryste the continuall ioye and comfort of hys most pure holy and mighty spirit wyth the increase of fayth and liuely feeling of hys mercy bee with you my deare hart in the Lorde and faythfull louing brother T. V. to the full accomplishing of that good work which he hath so graciously begonne in you that the same by all meanes may be to the setting forth of his glory to the coÌ„moditie of his poore afflicted congregation and to the sweete comfort and quietnes of your conscience in him now and euermore Amen With suche due honour loue and reuerence as it becommeth me to beare vnto the sweete sayntes and dearely beloued children of God I haue me most hartily commended vnto you my deare brother V. with all earnest and faythfull remembrance of you in my dayly prayers thanking God right hartily that you doe likewise remember me in yours assuring you that my poore hart doth dayly feele great consolation thereby GOD onely haue the prayse for the same and
be counted worthy to so we some seede amongest the sweete Saintes of the Lorde that I may reape the same againe without ceasing at the haruest It is nowe sowing time of the yeare men saye in the countrey and I thinke that I shall make an ende of sowing before all Marche be past for I heare say that I shall prooue how my plough will enter into the stonie ground of the hard hearted Papists within these 4 daies I hope to holde fast and not to looke backe neyther for feare nor flattery vntil I haue made an ende of sowing and then will I set me downe and rest me and aske them all no leaue and looke for the liuely fruite and encrease thereof with ioye and gladnesse My deare brother the time approcheth neare I praise God therefore that I must put off this sinnefull tabernacle and goe home to my heauenly father where diuers of my deare brethren are all ready looking and wishing for me I beseeche you therefore that you will helpe me forewarde with your faithfull prayers as I know you doe for I doe feele the comfort and commoditye thereof That you haue obserued my simple counsel I am right glad and I trust in the Lord God you shall finde comfort in the same And that you may so doe in deede I haue bene so bold to wryte these few woordes vnto you because I shall see you no more in this corruptible life therefore marke them well First and aboue all things you must be very circumspecte to keepe the bande of loue and beware that there neuer spring vp the roote of bitternesse betweene you If at any time there happeÌ„ to rise any cause of vnkindnesse betweene you as it is vnpossible alwayes to be free from it see that you weede vppe the same with all lenitie gentlenesse and patience and neuer suffer your selfe nor youre wife to sleepe in displeasure If you haue cause to speake sharpelye and sometimes to reprooue beware that you do not the same in the presence of other but kepe your woordes vntil a conuenient time whych is the poynt of a wise man saith Salomon and then vtter them in the spirite of meekenesse and the groning spirit of perfect loue which you must also let sometimes to couer faultes and wincke at them if they be not intollerable What so euer losse and mischance shal happen vnto you take it paciently and beare it merely· and though the same shuld come partly through your wiues negligence yet let it rather be a louing warninge to take heede in time to come then a cause of sorow for that which is past cannot be holpen I knowe by mine owne experience that we are in this life subiecte to many inconueniences and that of nature we are prone to displeasure and ready to thinke vnkindnes for euery little trifle and specially with oure best friendes yea soonest with our louing wiues whiche bee moste lothest to displease vs. But let vs beware of this cankered corruption and consider that we ought most of all in loue to beare with them according to Christes example towardes his congregation for whome he gaue him self to clense it c. I had thought to haue treated thys matter at large but euen nowe I am interrupted and otherwyse letted I doubt not but you know your duetie therein a greate deale better then I can declare it vnto you and as you knowe it so will doe it but I loue to be bolde with you I entend to write also to your wife very shortly and so take my last farewel of you for euer in this worlde And thus in greate haste I am nowe constraind to make an end The blessing of god be alwais with you Your owne for euer Iohn Careles Pray pray pray with faith An other letter of Iohn Careles to Elizabeth wife of the sayde A.B. containing likewise certaine Godly preceptes of Matrimonie pertaining to her duetie THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christe the continuall aide strength and comfort of his moste holye and mightye spirite with increase of knowledge faith and perfecte feeling of Gods eternall mercy be with you my deare and faithfull louing sister E.B. and with your godly louing husbande my deare and faithfull brother to the full performaunce of that good whiche he hath so graciously begon in you that in all things you maye be made riche and blessed in him and your seede after you now and euer Amen As I haue bene long desirous to wryte vnto you my deare heart in the Lord not onely being thereto bound of duetie but also often prouoked of him to whome I owe my self and al that I am able to doe I meane euen that blessed of the Lordes owne mouthe whome God hathe ioyned with you in that holye and Christian state of Matrimonie euen so at the last I haue obtained time and occasion in some part to performe that whyche I haue long purposed And for as much as the Lorde of hys greate mercye and fatherlye care and prouidence ouer you hys deare childe hath nowe graciously accomplished that good worke amongs manye others which I as a frende of the bridegrome haue full heartely wished and often prayed for I thinke it good yea and my bounden duety to treate of such things as maye be profitable to preserue mutuall loue and faithful amity betwene you which I knowe Sathan wil chiefly labour to diminish if he can not altogether destroy the same lest by many ioyfull occasions you should be prouoked continually to praise God for his good gift which that enemye hath by all meanes sought to hinder from you As for al other things I know you are sufficiently instructed also haue a most learned coÌ„panion who is wel able further to teach you if nede do require But in this thing I know my experience is more then his Therfore my good sister first and before all things see that you do diligeÌ„tly consider that as euery good and perfecte gift pertaining to soule and body is geuen from aboue and coÌ„meth from the father of light euen so to whome â—o euer the Lord dealeth any of his benefits of them he doth chiefly require alwaies a thankfull heart for the same For els he will either take away his good gifts again or turne the same to their greate discommoditie and in the ende to the encrease of theyr damnation So detestable in his sighte is the sinne of ingratitude But to such as be thankfull for his benefites he doeth not only to the olde euer adde newe but also maketh the commoditie of his former giftes euer more and more to encrease vntill by them they are fullye perswaded and throughlye certified of hys euerlasting loue in Christ Iesu which is eternal life it selfe So much doth he of his great mercy delite in a thankfull heart Therefore I doe yet once againe earnestly require you that aboue all things you be thankefull to God for his
but neuer without his white miniuer hoode such doctrine as was shamefull to heare saying Masse and carying about the pixe in high processions Furthermore leadyng the boy S. Nicholas with his miniuer hood about the streetes for apples and belly cheere And who so would not receiue him he made them heretikes and such also as would not geue his fagot to the bonfire for Queene Maries child And thus continued he at Ipswich the most part of Queene Maries dayes molestyng there good men some for not goyng to the Churche some for not beyng confessed some for not receiuyng c. till at length toward the end of Queene Mary he came to London and in this Queens time began to shewe himselfe againe a perfect protestant And thus much of Argentine Ex testimon Petri Moonaei ¶ The trouble of Peter Moone and his Wife and of other Godly Protestantes at Byshop Hoptons visitation in Ipswich IN the yeare of our Lord God 1556. The sceane or visitation being kept before Whitsontide in the Towne of Ipswich in Suffolcke by Doctour Hopton being then Byshop of Norwich and Myles Dunninges being then his Cauncellour diuers and sondry godly Protestantes through the accusation of euill men where sore troubled presented before him among whom were accused one Peter Moone a Taylor and Anne his wife for theyr disobedience to the law in not shewing theyr readinesse to come to the Church and to be partaker of such Romish obseruances as at that time were vsed And first the sayd Peter Moone was commaunded to come before the Bishop where he was examined of three sondry Articles to wit 1. Whether the pope were supreme head 2. Whether King Philip and Queene Mary were right inheritors to the crowne 3. And whether in the Sacrament of the aulter was the very body of Christ substācially and really there present Unto the which the sayde Peter being timerous and weake fearing more the face of man then the heauy wrath of God affirmed and in maner graunted vnto the demaūdes Whereupon the Bishop being in good hope that although he had not come to the Church nor receiued theyr Sacrament of the Aultar nor bene ready to doe his duetye as the law had commaunded yet there shewing his mind sayd that he liked well the man for such as haue bene sayd he earnest in euill thinges will also be earnest in that that is good and godly if once they be wonne Thus as this Spirituall father was commending his carnall child and rather preferring him to hell fire thē vnto the sincere word and commaundementes of GOD it chaunced amongest many others in the chamber was one of the portmen of the same towne named Smart an earnest member of theyr Romish law doing of a very conscience that he did who after the death of Queene Mary lyued not many yeares but rendred his life in godly repentaunce protesting that if God should suffer him to liue he woulde neuer be the man he had bene before what lawes so euer should come agayne so that before the time of hys sicknes he frequenting earnestly the Sermons in the same Towne by diuers godly learned woulde weepe as it had bene a childe being notwithstanding of courage as stout a manne as any was in Ipswich Such is the maruellous mercy of God in calling to his kingdome whom when he pleaseth This portman aforesayd perceiuing the Bishop thus as it were at an end with the sayd Moone and so he lyke to be discharged sayd vnto the Bishop my Lord in deed I haue a good hope in the man and that he will be conformable but my Lord he hath a perrillous woman to his wife For I will tell you my Lorde she neuer came to Churche yet since the Queenes reigne except it were at Euensong or when shee was Churched And not then vntill Masse were done Wherfore your good Lordship might do a good deed to cause her to come before you and to see if ye coulde do any good And therefore I beseech your good Lordshyp to commaund him to pray her to come before your Lordshippe At the which words Moone was somewhat styrred in that he sayde commaunde him to pray her to come before your Lordship And he sayd vnto him vnder my Lordes correction I speake I am as able to cōmaund her to come before my Lorde as ye are to commaund the worst boy in your house Yea my Lord sayd the other I cry your Lordship mercy I haue informed your Lordship with an vntroth if this be so But if he be so able as he saith he might haue commaunded her to haue come to Church in all thys time if it had pleased him Well sayde the Bishop looke ye come before me agayne at afternoone and bring your wife with you I will talke with her As my Lordes dinner at that time was seruing vppe Moone departed and taryed not to take parte thereof hauing such an hard breakefast geuen him before to digest At afternoone Moone delayed and wayted his time bethinking whē he might most conueniently come especially whē his accuser his wiues shoulde not haue bene there And accordinge to the commaundement came with his wife which was not so secretly but his accuser had knowledge thereof and came with all expedition in such poste speede that in a maner he was windlesse entring into the bishops chamber The Bishoppe hearing that Moone and his wife were come called for them and sayd to Moone is this your wife Moone Yea my Lord sayd he O good Lord sayd the Byshop how a man may be deceiued in a woman I promise you a man would take her for as honest a woman by all outward appearaunce as can be Why my Lorde sayde Moones wife I trust there is none that can charge me with any dishonesty as cōcerning my body I defy all the worlde in that respect Nay quoth the Bishop I meane not as concerning the dishonesty of thy bodye but thou hadst bene better to haue geuen the vse of thy body vnto xx sundry men thē to doe as thou hast done For thou hast done as much as in thee lyeth to plucke the King and the Queenes maiesties out of theyr royal seates through thy disobedience in shewing thy selfe an open enemy vnto Gods lawes theyr proceedinges Then began the Bishop to examine the said Moone agayne with the aforesayd Articles and his wife also And hearing her husband relēt did also affirme the same whiche turned vnto either of them no small trouble of minde afterwarde but yet neither were they like thus to escape but that in the meane time Dunning the Bishops Chaūcellour came vp in great haste and brought newes to the Bishop that there were such a number of hereticks come of which some came from Boxford some from Lanham about from the Cloth Country that it would make a man out of his wittes to heare them and there are amōg them both heretickes and Anabaptistes sayd
the first second thyrd fourth fift ninth tenthe twelfth they generally graunted vnto sauing that they denyed the soules of the departed to sleepe til the day of iudgement as is mentioned in the ix article And as concerning the sixt obiection they thought thē selues bound to beleue the true Catholicke Church so far foorth as the same doth instructe them according to Gods holy word but not to follow the determinations of the erroneous and Babilonicall Church of Rome As for the seuenth eight and thirtenth they vtterly denyed that euer they were of any such absurde opinions as are contayned therein but they graunted that man of him selfe without the helpe and assistance of Gods spirite hath no power to do any good thing acceptable in Gods sight To the eleuenth they sayd that true fasting and prayer vsed according to Gods word are allowable and auaylable in his sight and that by the same word euery faythfull man may eate all meates at all times with thankesgeuing to God for the same After this the first day of Aprill were they agayne conuented before the Bishop in his palace at London where little appeareth to be done excepte it were to know whether they would stand to their aunsweres whether they would recant or no. But when they refused to recant and deny the receiued and infallible truthe the Byshop caused them to be brought into the open Consistory the third day of the same moneth of Aprill in the forenone where firste vnderstanding by them their immutable constauncye and stedfastnes he demaunded particularly of euery one what they had to say why he should not pronounce the Sentence of condemnation To whom Tho. Loseby firste aunswered God geue me grace and strength to stand agaynst you your Sentence also agaynst your law which is a deuouring law for it deuoureth the flocke of Christe And I perceiue there is no way with me but death except I would consent to your deuouring law and beleeue in that Idoll the Masse Next vnto him answered Thomas Thirtell saying my Lorde I say thus if you make me an hereticke then you make Christ and all the 12. Apostles heretickes for I am in the true fayth and right beliefe I will stand in it for I know full well I shall haue eternall lyfe therefore The Byshoppe then asked the lyke question of Henry Ramsey Who sayd agayne my Lord will you haue me to go from the truth that I am in I say vnto you that my opinions be the very truth which I will stand vnto and not go from them I say vnto you farther that there are two Churches vpon the earth and we meaning himselfe other true Martyrs and professours of Christ be of the true Church and ye be not Unto this question next aunswered Margaret Hide saying my Lord you haue no cause to giue Sentence agaynst me for I am in the true fayth and opinion will neuer forsake it I do wishe that I were more stronger in it then I am Last of all aunswered Agnes Stanley sayd I had rather euery heare of my head were burned if it were neuer so much worth then that I will forsake my fayth and opinion which is the true fayth The tyme being now spent they were commaunded to appeare agayne at afternoone in the same place which commaundement being obeyed the Bishop firste called for Loseby after his accustomed maner willed his Articles answeres to be read in reading thereof when mention was made of the Sacrament of the Aultar the Bishoppe with his Colleagues put of their cappes Whereat Loseby sayd my Lord seing you put of your cappe I will put on my cappe there withall did put on his cappe And after the Bishop continuing in his accustomable perswasions Loseby agayn sayd vnto him my Lorde I trust I haue the spirite of truth which you detest and abhorre for the wisdome of God is foolishnes vnto you Wherupon the Byshop pronounced the sentence of condemnation agaynst him And deliuering him vnto the Sheriffe called for Margaret Hide with whō he vsed the like order of exhortatōs To whom notwithstanding she sayd I will not depart from my sayinges till I bee burned and my Lorde quoth she I would see you instruct me with some parte of Gods word not to geue me instructiōs of holybread and holy water for it is no part of the scripture But he being neither himselfe nor any of his able rightly to accomplish her request to make short worke vsed his final reason of conuincement which was of the sentence of condēnation And therfore leauing her off called for an other videl Agnes Stanley who vpon the Bishoppes like perswasions made this aunswere My Lord wher you say I am an heretick I am none neither yet will I beleue you nor any man that is wyse will beleue as you do And as for these that ye say bee burnt for heresie I beleue are true martyrs before God therefore I will not go from my opinion and fayth as long as I liue Her talk thus ended she receaued the like reward that the other had And the bishop then turning his tale maner of inticement vnto Thomas Thyrtel receiued of him likewise this finall aunswere My Lord I will not holde with youre Idolatrous wayes as you do for I saye the Masse is Idolatry and will sticke to my fayth and beliefe so long as the breath is in my body Upon which wordes he was also condemned as an hereticke Last of all was Henry Rāsey demanded if he would as the rest stand vnto his aunsweres or els recanting the same come home agayn and be a member of their church Whereunto he aunswered I will not go from my religiō and belief as long as I liue and my Lord quoth he your doctrine is naught for it is not agreable to Gods worde * The cruell burning of 5. Martyrs in Smithfield Three burned in Sainct Georges field in Southwarke AFter these moreouer in the month of May followed 3. other that suffered in S. Georges field in Southwark William Morant Stephen Gratwicke with one king Among other histories after the persecuted and condemned saintes of God I find the condemnation of none more straunge nor vnlawfull thē of this Stephen Gratwicke Who first was condemned by the byshopp of Wynchester and the byshop of Rochester which where not hys Ordinaryes Secondly when he did appeale from those imcompetēt Iudges to hys right Ordinary his appeale coulde not be admitted Thirdly when they had no other shifte to colour theyr inordinate proceedings with all they suborned one of the priestes to come in for a counterfayt and a false Ordinary and sit vpon him Fourthly being openly conuinced and ouerturned in his own argumentes yet the sayd Byshop of Winchester D. White neyther would yeald to the force of trueth nor suffer any of the audience assistant once to say God strengthen him Fiftly as
burden that I looked for So when they perceiued that I feared not imprisonment but rather reioyced as they well perceiued Then said the B. Me thinkes he is not afraid of the prison Wood. No I praise the liuyng God Story This is an heretike in deed He hath the right terms of all heretikes the liuing God I pray you be there dead Gods that you say the liuyng God Wood. Be you angry with me because I speak the words which are written in the Bible Story Bibble babble bibble babble What speakest thou of the Bible There is no such worde written in all the Bible Wood. Then I am much to blame if it bee not so written Behold for the offences that you haue done you shall bee caried away captiue by Nabuchodonoser to Babylon and there ye shall be seuen generations and when you be there you shall see gods of gold of siluer of wood and of stone borne before you behynd you vpon mens shoulders to cast out a feare among the Heathen When you shall see all these abhominations then say in your heart It is the liuyng God that ought to bee worshipped Here I prooue my saying true both that there is a liuyng God and that there be dead Gods Also Dauid sayth in his Psalmes My soule hath a desire and longyng to enter into the courtes of the Lord My heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God with diuers other places that I coulde recite Wherfore I meruaile that you rebuke me for speaking the truth Chich. I doe not deny but it is written and is the truth and I know it as well as you but such is the speach of all heretikes Story My Lord I will tell you how you shall knowe an heretike by his words because I haue bene more vsed to them then you haue bene that is they will say the Lord and we prayse God and the liuyng GOD. By these words you shall know an heretike Wood. All these wordes are written for our learnyng and we are commanded of the Prophets to vse them daily as this The Lordes name be praysed frō the rising vp of the sunne vnto the goyng downe of the same Also As many as feare the Lord say alwayes the Lord be praysed Story My Lord send hym to prison you shall do no good with hym I will go to church and leaue you here This is an old heretike Wast thou neuer before me ere now Wood. Yes forsooth that I haue Story Yea I trowe so and I sent thee to the B. of London and he released thee and thou promisedst him to be an honest man and that thou wouldst be of the true Catholike church which thou hast not fulfilled Wood. I promised him nothing but I haue fulfilled it No man shall be able to prooue the contrary Story Well it will be tried well enough My Lorde I will take my leaue I feare me you shall doe this man no good Chich. I would not haue you to vse such speach as you do as the Lord be praysed and the liuing God with such like words Can you not say as wel our Lord or our God as otherwyse Wood. I meruaile why you should reprooue me therefore seeing it is the words of God I do not refuse to saye our God or our Lorde when I talke the Scriptures where it is written If I should it must follow that I denied the wordes of God and must needs be an heretike but I do not Wherefore I meruaile what you meane to finde fault therein It seemeth to me that you mistrust that I beleeue not as you do Chich. Yea that is my meanyng in deed Woodman I beleue in the liuyng God if you doe not so then our beliefes be not alike in deede But if it please you to examine me vpon any perticular matter now or at any other tyme I will make you answer thereto by Gods helpe Chich. Though you beleeue in God I can prooue you beleeue not as you ought to do as I can shew you by your hand writing You haue denied the catholike church Wherfore he that erreth from the church it cannot be sayde that his faith is good Wherefore be ruled by the Church from the whiche ye haue erred I canne shewe you perillous things of your writing if it should be known but ye shall not be hurt for me if you will come to any good order But I promise you I would not for three thousand poūd some had so much against me as I cā shew against you of your owne hand writing which you cannot deny Wood. I will not deny my hand by Gods helpe For I know well I haue written nothing at any tyme but the truth There may be things written against me reporting it to be myne and yet be not but my hand cannot well be counterfeited there be enow that know my hand Chich. Do you know it your selfe if you see it Wood. Yea that I do Then he arose and fet a great bundle of writings and opened them and bade me come see I looked on them and it was my hand in deed Chich. How say you is it not your owne writing Wood. Yes surely it is Chich. How say you to this is not this your hand also Wood. I looked and it was And I said Yes verily is it Chich. Well you know what it meaneth I dare say Wood. Yea I know it very well here is a great deale the which I had thought had bene in my house but I thanke God that it is here for in this you shall try whether it be true or not For in this is conteined all the talke that was betwixt the Commissioners and me when I was before them fiue tymes and also before the Bishop of London diuers tymes and I am sure you nor they shall finde no words false therein written and I thinke the shirifs mē when they searched my house for me when I was taken found this and caried it with them but I neuer knew it before now But I am not sory for it but am rather glad For herein you may see all the wrong that I receyued at their hands how long I was in prisō and how I was tossed vp and down and how I was deliuered at length and by this you may try whether it be so or not I dare say they that found it they that brought it to you had thoght it would haue turned me to displeasure but in very deed all things worke for the best to them that feare God Chic In deed I find no great fault in this but here is perillous geare here is sedition This was set vp vpon the church dore you know it well enough Wood. In deed I wrote it to the Priest and to other that tooke vpon them to fetch my childe out of my house without my leaue and vsed it at their plesure when they knew it was baptised already as they were wel
generall CouÌ„cell and his picture burned Wood. If he were an heretick I thinke he vnderstoode it not so in deed but I am sure all Christians ought to vnderstand it so Chich. O what vayne glory is in you as though you vnderstood all thing other men nothing Heare me I will shew you the true vnderstanding both of the aultar the offering on the aultar We haue an aultar sayd Paul that ye may not eate of meaning thereby that no man might eat of that which was offered on the aultar but the Priest For in Paules time all the liuing that the Priest had the people came offered it on the aultar mony or other thinges and when the people came to offer it and then remeÌ„bred that they had any thing agaynst their brother theÌ„ they left their offering vpon the aultar and went were reconciled to theyr brother and they came agayne and offred their gift and the Priest had it This is the true vnderstanding of the place that you haue rehersed wherefore you be deceiued Wood. My Lord that was the vse in the olde law Christ was the ende of that But in deede I perceiue by Paules wordes the sacrifice was offered in Paules time yet that maketh not that it was wel done but he rebuked it Wherfore it seemeth to me that you be deceiued Chich. Who shall be iudges betwixt vs in this matter Wood. The xij of Iohn declareth who shall be iudge in the last day Chich. You meane the word shall iudge the word Howe can that be Wood. Saynct Peter sayth The Scripture hath no priuate interpretation but one scripture must be vnderstand by an other Chich. And you will vnderstande it one way and I wyll vnderstand it an other way and who shal be Iudges betwixt vs then Wood. The true church of God is able to discusse al doubtes to whom I referre it Chich. I am glad you say so if you will say so in deed Wood. My Lord I neuer meant otherwise Chich. The Church of God doth allow the Sacrament of the aultar Wood. What do you offer now vpon the aultar Chich. We offer vp in the blessed Sacramente of the Aultar the body of Christ to pacifye the wrath of God the Father and therewith they put off their cappes all to that abominable Idoll Wood. Saynt Paule sayth to the Hebrues in the x. chap. We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ vpon the crosse once for all and euery Priest is dayly ministring oftentimes offereth one maner of offering which can neuer take away sinnes and that is the offering that you vse to offer As farre as I can see you be priestes after the order of Aaron that offered vp Sacrifice for their own sinnes and the sinnes of the people Chichest Nay Aarons sacrifice was with bloud whiche signifieth the death of Christe the whiche was ended vpon the Crosse by his bloudshedding but we are Priestes after the order of Melchisedech the whiche offered breade to the king in remembraunce and signified the geuing of Christes body in bread wine at his last supper the whiche he gaue to his disciples commaunded it to be vsed to the end of the world This is the sacrifice that we offer according to his word Woodman Me thinke you haue made the matter verye playne to me that as Christ was the ende of all Sacrifices so was he the beginning of the Sacramentes willing them to be vsed in the remembraunce of him to the worldes end Chichest What in remembraunce of hym and not hym selfe as his worde sayth Take eate this is my body It is not the signe onely but the thing it selfe How say you is it not his body after the words be spoken by the priest How say you goe briefly to worke for I can not long tary with you Wood. My Lord if you will answere me to one sacrameÌ„t I will answere you to another Chich. Yes I am very well contented with that Wood. If you say the words of baptisme ouer the water there be no childe there is there true baptisme Chich. No there must be the water the worde and the child and then it is baptisme Wood. Uerye well Then if a childe bee Baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne it is not truely baptised Chich. No the childe muste bee baptised in the name of the father of the sonne the holy ghost or els it is not truly baptised Wood. Then there may be nothing added nor takeÌ„ away from the Sacraments may there Chich. No sayd the Bishop Wood. Now my Lord I will answere to you if it please you Chich. Well how say you Take eat this is my body is it not Christes body as soone as the wordes be sayd Wood. My Lorde I will aunswere you by your owne wordes that you aunswered me whiâ—h is true the water the word and the childe all these together make baptisme the bread wine and the word make the Sacrament the eater eating in true fayth maketh it his body Here I proue it is not Christes body but to the faythfull receiuer For he sayd Take eat this is my body He called it not his body before eating but after eating And Saynt Augustine sayth Crede manducasti Beleue and thou hast eaten And Saynt Iohn sayth He that beleueth in God dwelleth in God and God in him wherfore it is vnpossible to dwell in God and to eat his body without a true fayth Priest Then the fayth of the receiuer maketh it his body not his word by your saying I pray you what did Iudas eate Wood. Iudas did eat the sacrament of Christ and the deuill withall Priest He eat the body of Christ vnworthely as S. Paule sayth Wood. Nay S. Paule sayth no such thing He speaketh not of eating of his body vnworthely but of the sacrament vnworthely For he sayth Who soeuer eateth of this bread drinketh of this cup vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lordes body and not because he eateth the Lordes body If Iudas had eat Christes body it must needes folow that Iudas is saued For Christ sayth in the sixt of Iohn Who so euer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp agayne at the last day Priest My Lord this man is an interpreter after his own minde Chich. I see it is but folly to talke with you it is but lost labour How say you Doe you not beleue that after the wordes be sayd there remayneth neither bread nor wyne but the very body of Christ really make me a playne aunswere for I will talke no more with you Wood. I will make you no directe aunswere howe I beleue of the true Sacrament I doe beleue that if I come to receiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ truely ministred beleuing that
in theyr Papistry and so be an occasion of our weake brothers falling the which will be all required at theyr handes which will be to heauy a burden for them to beare if they repent it not with speed For they that know theyr Maysters will doe it not shal be beaten with many stripes Oh do not we perceiue that now is the acceptable time that Christe speaketh of yea euen now is the axe put to the roots of the trees so that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruites now must be hewed downe and cast into the fire Now is the Lord come with his fanne in his hand to trie the wheate from the chaffe The wheat he will gather into his barne and the chaffe hee willl burne as is aforesayde Nowe is the time come that we muste goe meete the bridgrome with oyle in our Lampes We are also bidden to the feast let vs make no excuses Yea our Maister hath deliuered his talentes vnto vs God geue vs grace to occupy them well that at his comming he may receiue his owne with vauntage Yea nowe is the Lorde come to see if there be any fruit vpon his trees so that if the Lord come find none he will serue vs as he did the wilde figge trees that is neuer fruit shall grow on him more Also if we goe to meete the bridegrome without oyle in our laÌ„pes should go to buy the doubt is we should be serued as was the foolishe virgins that was God sayd to theÌ„ depart I know you not Or if we should make excuses to come to the feast other shal be biddeÌ„ in our roomes If we occupy not our talentes wel they shal be taken away from vs geuen to other and all such vnprofitable seruantes shal be cast into prison in hell wheâ—e shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Oh good God what a sort of feareful sayinges are here conteined what christian hart will not harken diligently hereto Oh may not all people well perceiue nowe that this is the time that our Mayster Christ speaketh of that the father should be agaynst the sonne and the sonne agaynste the father and one brother agaynst another that the brother shal deliuer the brother to death yea and that the wicked shall say all maner of wicked sayinges agaynst vs for his names sake the which I haue well found by experience I prayse God therefore that hath geuen mee strength to beare it For I thinke there canne no euill bee deuised but it hath bene imagined agaynst me that of my familiar frendes as Dauid said but I prayse my Lord God they are not able to proue any of their sayinges true but that they go about to finde fault in theÌ„ that God hath chosen because they theÌ„selues list not to take vp their crosse and folow Christ therfore they spake euil of the thing that they know not the which shall geue account for it before him that is ready to iudge both the quicke and the dead But my trust is that al the people of God wil be ruled by the counsell of S. Iohn saying My sheepe will heare my voyce strauÌ„gers the will not heare meaning thereby that ye shoulde not beleue straungers counting them straungers that go about to subuert the Gospell Wherfore marke well what they be and try theÌ„ well or euer you geue credite to theÌ„ according to S. Iohns couÌ„sell in his Epistle saying Beleue not euery spirit but trie the spirites whether they be of God or not meaning thereby that they that be not of God wil speake good of none but of them that be as they be Wherefore deare sister be of good cheare geue no credite to such people what so euer ye heare them say For I haue no mistrust by Gods help but that all the world shal see know that my bloud shal not be deare in mine owne sight whensoeuer it shall please God to geue my aduersaries leaue to shedde it I doe earnestly beleue that God which hath begon this good worke in me will performe it to the end as he hath geuen me grace wil alway to beare this easy yoke and light burden the which I haue alwayes found I prayse my Lord God For when I haue bene in prison wearing other while boltes other while shackles other while lying on the bare grouÌ„d some time sitting in the stockes sometime bound with cordes that al my bodye hath bene swollen much like to bee ouercome for the payne that hath bene in my flesh sometime fayne to lye without in the woodes fieldes wandring to and fro few I say that durst to keepe my company for feare of the rulers sometime brought before the Iustices Shiriffes Lordes Doctours and Bishoppes sometime called dogge sometime deuill hereticke whoremonger traytor theefe deceiuer with diuers other such like yea euen they that did eat of my bread that should haue bene most my fâ—endes by nature haue betrayed me Yet for all this I prayse my Lord God that hath separated me from my mothers wombe all this that hath happened to me hath bene easy light and most delectable ioyful of any treasure that euer I possessed for I praise God they are not able to proue one iote or title of their sayinges true But that way that they call heresy I serue my Lord God and at all times before whomesoeuer I haue bene brought God hath geuen me mouth and wisedome where agaynst all my aduersaries haue not bene able to resist I prayse God therfore Wherfore deare sister be of good coÌ„fort with all your brethren and sisters and take no thought what you shall saye for it shall be geuen you the same houre according to the promises as I haue alwayes found and as you and all other of Gods elect shall well finde when the time is full come And whereas I and manye other haue hoped that this persecution woulde haue bene at an end ere this time now I perceiue God will haue a further triall to roote out all disseÌ„blers that no man should reioice in himselfe but he that reioyceth shall reioyce of God Wherfore if prophecy should fayle and toungs should cease yet loue must endure For feare hath paynefulnesse but a perfecte loue casteth out all feare which loue I haue no mistrust but God hath poured it vpoÌ„ you so abouÌ„dantly that nothing in the world shal be able to seprate you from God Neither high nor low riche nor poore life nor death shal be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into new Hierusalem there to liue for euer beholding the glory of God with the same eyes that you now haue and all other faythfull people that coÌ„tinue to the end Geue all honour and glory to God the father God the sonne God the holy Ghost three persons and one God to be honoured now and euer Amen After
George Eagles thou art indicted by the name of George Eagles otherwise Trudgeouer the worlde for that thou didst such a day make thy prayer that God shoulde turne Queene Maryes hart or els take her away He denyed that he prayed that God should take her away but he confessed that he prayed that God would turn her hart in his prayer Well notwithstanding he was condemned for a traytor although the meaning thereof was for Religion This thing done he was caryed to the new Inne called the signe of the Crowne in Chelmsforde by the beastly Bayliffes which some of them were they that before dyd the best to take him and being in the Inne one Richard Potto the elder an Inholder dwelling at the signe of the Cocke in the same towne did muche trouble him in perswading him to cōfesse he had offended the Queene in his prayer which he was condemned for and to aske her forgeuenes To whome he sayd hee had not offended her Grace in that behalfe So in processe of time he was layd vppon a Sled with an Hurdle on it and drawne to the place of execution being fast bounde hauing in his hand a Psalme booke of the whiche he read very deuoutly all the way with a loud voyce till he came there and being on the Ladder this foresayd Potto did much trouble him with the matter aforesayd when he would haue vttered other thinges tyll such time as the Sheriffe commaunded Potto to hold his peace and trouble him no more So he made his confession and stood very constant stil then he was turned of the ladder With him were cast certayn theeues also and the next day when they wer brought out to be executed with him there happened a thing that did much set forth and declare the innocency and godlines of this man For being ledde betweene two theeues to the place where he should suffer when as hee exhorted bothe them all other to stand steadfastly to the truth one of these turned the counsel he gaue into a iesting matter and made but a floute of it Why should we doubt to obtayne heauen sayth he for as much as this holy man shal go before vs as captayne and leader vnto vs in the way We shall flee thether strayt as soone as he hath once made vs the entry In this George Eagles and that other did greatly reproue him who on the other side gaue good heed to Georges exhortation earnestly be wayling his owne wickednes calling to Christ for mercy But the more that the first was bid to be still and to leaue off his scoffing the more peruerse did he continue in hys foolishnes and his wicked behauiour At length he came to the Gallowes where they shoulde bee hanged but George was caryed to an other place there by to suffer Betweene the two it was the godlyers chaunce to go the foremost who beyng vpon the ladder after he had exhorted the people to beware and take heede to thēselues how they did transgresse the commaundementes of God and then hadde committed his soule in to Gods handes he ended his life after a godly and quyet maner The mockers turn commeth next which would haue sayd likewise somewhat but his tongue did so fumble and falter in his head that hee was not able to speake a word Fayne would he haue vttered his mind but he coulde not bring it out Then did the vnder Sheriffe bid him say the Lordes prayer which he coulde not say neyther but stutteringly as a man would saye one word to day and an other to morowe Then one did begin to say it and so bad him say after Such as were there and saw it were very much astonyed especially those that did beholde the iust punishment of God agaynst him that had mocked so earnest a matter George Eagles in the meane tyme after hee had hanged a small time hauing a great check with the halter immediately one of the Bayliffes cut the halter a sunder hee fell to the ground being still aliue although much amased with the checke he had of the ladder The one William Swallow of Chelmsford a Bayliffe did draw him to the Sledde that he was drawn thether on and layd his necke thereon and with a Cleauer such as is occupyed in many mens kitchins and blunt did hackle off his head and sometime hit his necke and sometyme his chinne and did fowly māgle him and so opened him Notwithstanding this blessed Martyr of Christe abode steadfast and constant in the very midst of his tormentes till such time as this tormentor William Swallowe dyd plucke the hart out of his body The bodye being deuided in foure partes and his bowels burnt was brought to the foresayd Swallowes dore and there layd vppon the fishe stalles before his dore till they had made ready a horse to cary his quarters one to Colchester and the reste to Harwich Chelmsford and S. Rouses His head was set vpp at Chelmsforde on the Market Crosse on a long pole and there stoode till the winde dyd blowe it downe and lying certayne dayes in the streete tumbled about one caused it to be buryed in the Churchyarde in the night Also a wonderfull work of God was it that he shewed on this wicked Bayliffe Swallow who within short space after this was so punished that all the heare went welnere of his head hys eyes were as it were closed vp and could scant see the nayles of his fingers and toes went cleane off He was in such case of his bodye as though he had bene a leper and now in his last age almost a very begger and his wife which he a little after maried God hath punished with the falling sickenes or a disease like vnto that which may be a warning or glasse for al mē and women to look in that be enemies to Gods true seruauntes No lesse token of his marueilous iudgement did God shewe vppon the foresayde Richard Potto whiche did so much trouble this George Eagles in the Inne and at the place of execution as is aboue specified He liued til the beginning of Queene Elizabethes raygne al which time he little ioyed on a time being in a great chaufe wyth two or three of his neighbors in his own house feeling himself not well he said to one of hys seruantes Goe with me in to the chamber when hee came there he fell downe on a low bed as heauy as it had bene lead laye there fomyng at the mouth coulde neuer speake after neyther yet vnderstand what was sayd to him as by al meanes was tried by his neighbors with signes to him made but laye as senceles as it had bene a very dumb beast and within three or foure dayes dyed God graunt that this token sente of God with many moe like may bee a warning to vs euer hereafter while we shall liue vnto the worlds end Besides this God hathe wonderfully shewed hys worke For
needes be the true catholicke church Rafe My Lord if you remember I spake of al the world as it is wrytten and not of all Christendome only as me thinke your Lordship taketh it the whiche kinde of speaking you doe not finde in al the Bible For sure I am that the Gospel hath bene both preached and persecuted in all lands First in Iewrie by the Scribes and Phariseis and since that time by Nero Dioclesian and such like nowe here in these our daies by your Lordship knoweth whoÌ„ For truth it is that the church which you call Catholicke is none otherwise Catholike then was figured in Caine obserued of Ieroboam Ahab Iezabell Nabuchadonozor Antiochus Herode wyth innumerable more of the like and as both Daniell and Esdras maketh mention of these last daies by a plaine prophecie and now fulfilled as appeareth and affirmed by our Sauiour Christe and hys Apostles saying There shall come greeuous wolues to deuour the flocke Boner Nowe by the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar M. Morton he is the rankest hereticke that euer came before me How say you haue you heard the like Morton I thought what he was my Lord at the first I. Boner Now by all Halowes thou shalt be brent with â—ire for thy lying thou horeson verlette and prickelouse thâ—â— Dost thou finde a prophecie in Dan. of vs nay you knaue it is of you that he speaketh off and of your false pretenâ—â—d holinesse Go too lette me heare what is the saying of Esdras and take heede ye make not a lie I aduise you Rafe The saying of Esdras is this the heat of a great multitude is kindled ouer you and they shall take away certaine of you and feede the Idols with you and hee that consenteth vnto them shall be had in derision laughed to scorne and troden vnder foote yea they shall be like mad men for they shall spare no man they shall spoile and wast such as feare the Lord c. Boner And haue you taken thys thinge to make youre market good Ah syrrha wilt thou so by my Faith a 〈◊〉 instruction and a necessary thing to be taught among the people By my trouth I thinke there be no more of thys opinion I pray thee tell me Is there any that vnderstaÌ„deth this scripture on this fashion Before God I thinke there be none in all England but thou Rafe Yes my Lord there are in England three religions Boner Saist thou so which be those three Rafe The first is that whiche you holde the seconde is cleane contrary to the same and the thirde is an Neuter being indifferent that is to say obseruing all things that are commaunded outwardly as though he were of your part his heart being set wholy against the same Boner And of these three which art thou for nowe thou must needes be of one of them Rafe Yea my Lord I am of one of them and that which I am of is euen that which is contrary to that which you teach to be beleeued vnder paine of death Boner Ah syr you were here with me at Fulham and had good cheare yea and mony in your purse when you went away and by my faith I had a fauour vnto thee but now I see thou wilt be a naughtie knaue Why wilt thou take vpon thee to read the Scripture and canst not vnderstaÌ„d neuer a woorde For thou hast brought a text of scripture the which maketh cleane against thee For Esdras speaketh of the multitude of you heretickes declaring your hate against the catholicke Churche making the simple or idle people that beleeue that all is idolatrie that we do and so intise them away vntill you haue ouercome them Rafe Nay not so my Lord. For he maketh it more plaine and sayth on this wise They shall take away their goodes and put them oute of their houses and then shall it be knowen who are my chosen sayth the Lord for they shal be tried as the siluer or gold is in the fire And we see it so come to passe euen as he hath sayd For who is not now driuen from house home yea and his goodes taken vp for other menne that neuer swette for them if hee doe not obserue as you command and set foorth Or els if he be taken then must he either deny the truth as I did in dissembling or els he shal be sure to be tried as Esdras sayeth euen as the golde is tried in the fire Whereby all the worlde may knowe that you are the bloudy church figured in Caine the tyraunte neither yet are ye able to auoide it Morton I promise you my Lorde I like hym better nowe then euer I did when he was heere before you the other time For then hee did but dissemble as I perceiued well inough but nowe me thinke he speaketh plainly Bon Mary syr as you say in dede he is plaine For he is a plaine heretike and shal be burned Haue the knaue away Let him be caried to little ease at London vntil I come Rafe And so was I caried to London vnto Little case and there remained that nighte and on the next morrowe I appeared before him againe the Deane of Paules and the Chauncellour of London being present Then were brought foorth certaine wrytings that I had set my hand vnto Boner Come on your wayes syrha Is not thys youre hand and this and this Rafe Yea they are my hande all of them I confesse the same neither yet will I denie any thing that I haue sette my hand vnto But if I haue sette my hand to anye thing that is not lawfull therefore am I sorie Neuerthelesse my hand I will not deny to be my doing Boner Well sayde Nowe yee must tell mee Were you neuer at the Churche since you went from mee at Masse and Mattens c. Rafe No my Lorde not at Masse Mattens nor none other straunge woorshipping of God Boner Yea sayest thou so Wast thou neither at thyne owne parish church nor at none other And doest thou also say that it is a straunge worshipping Why I praye thee wilt thou not beleeue the Scripture to be true Rafe Yes my Lorde I beleeue the Scripture to be true and in the defence of the same I entend to geue my life rather then I will deny any part thereof God willing Deane My Lorde this fellow will be an honest man I heare by him He will not stand in his opinion for he sheweth himselfe gentle and pacient in his talke Boner Oh he is a glorious knaue His painted termes shall no more deceiue me Ah horeson Prickelouse doeth not Christ say This is my body And howe darest thou deny these woordes for to say as I haue a wryting to shew and thine owne hand at the same Lette me see wilt thou deny this Is not this thine owne hande Rafe Yes my Lord it is mine owne hand neyther am I ashamed thereof because my confession therein is agreeable
vnto death Feare it not saith Christ for I haue ouercome death saith he Oh deare hearts seeing that Iesus Christ will be our helpe oh tary you the Lordes laisure Be strong let your hearts be of good comfort wait you stil for the Lord. He is at hand Yea the angel of the lord pitcheth his tent rounde about them that feare him and deliuereth them which way he seeth best For our liues are in the lords hands and they can doe nothing vnto vs before God suffer theÌ„ Therefore geue all thankes to God Oh deare hearts you shall be clothed with long white garments vpon the mount Sion with the multitude of Saintes and with Iesus Christ our Sauiour which will neuer forsake vs. Oh blessed virgins ye haue plaied the wise virgines part in that you haue taken oyle in your lamps that ye may go in with the bride grom when he commeth into the euerlasting ioy wyth hym But as for the folish they shal be shut out because they made not theÌ„selues ready to suffer with Christe neither goe about to take vp his crosse O deare hearts howe precious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord for deare is the death of his saintes O fare you well and pray The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be wyth you all Amen Amen Pray pray pray By me Rich. Roth wrytten with mine bloud This letter he confessed in dede vpon the sayd examination to haue wrytten with his bloude that he meant to haue sent the same vnto suche as were condempned at Colchester for the gospel of Iesus Christ and were afterwardes burned there as ye haue already heard The bish then farther asked him what he thought hys prison fellow Rafe Allerton to be He aunsweared that he thought hym to be one of the elect children of God and that if at any time heereafter he happened to be put to death for his faith and religion hee thought he shoulde die a true Martyr And moreouer finding him selfe agreued with the Bishoppes priuie and secrete condeÌ„ning of Gods people he said vnto him in this sort My Lord because the people should not see behold your doings ye cause me and others to be brought to our examinatioÌ„s by night being afraid belike to do it by day Foure Martyâ—s burned at Islington The Bishop not greatly caring for this talke proceeded to examine hym of other matters amongest whiche this high and waighty thyng was one videlicet how he did lyke the order and rites of the Churche then vsed here in England To whome he said that hee euer had and yet then did abhorre the same with all his heart Then diuers of the Bishops complices entreated and perswaded him to recant and aske mercy of the bishop No quoth Roth I will not aske mercy of hym that cannot geue it Wherupon he was as the rest before meÌ„tioned condemned and deliuered vnto the Shiriffe and the xvij day of September they all most ioyfully ended their lyues in one fire at Islington for the testimonie of Christ as before is declared ¶ Agnes Bongeor and Margaret Thurston two godly Christian women burnt at Colchester for the sincere professing of Christes Gospell A Little before gentle Reader was mention made often that suffred Martyrdome at Colchester pag. 2007. at whâ—ch tyme there were two other women also one called Margaret Thurston and the other Agnes Bongeor that should haue suffered with them and were likewyse condemned at the same tyme and place that the other aboue named ten were for the like cause and aunswered also in their examinations the like in effect as the other did But the one namely Margaret Thurston that 〈◊〉 she should suffer with those that went from the Castle was for that tyme deferred What the cause was the testimonie of Ioâ—e Cooke shal declare vnto vs. Which Ioâ—e Cooke the wife now of Iohn Sparke beyng then in the castle of Colchester for religion did demaund of this widow Thurston whose husband died in the prison being imprisoned for religion wherefore the sayd Margaret beyng a condemned woman should be reserued when the other suffred in the Castle Baily She aunswered that it was not for any feare of death but beyng prepared as the rest were that suffered the same day she felte in her selfe a great shiuering and trembling of the flesh Whereuppon forsaking the company she went aside to pray And whilest she was a praying she thought that she was lifted vp with a mighty wynd that came round about her Euen at that instant came in the Gaoler and company with hym whilest she turned her selfe to fetch her Psalter they tooke the other prisoners and left her alone Shortly after shee was remooued out of the Castle and put into the Towne prison where she continued vntill Friday seuennight after her company were burnt That day not two howers before her death she was brought to the Castell agayne where shee declared thus much to the aforesayde Ioane Cooke The other named Agnes Bongeor who should haue suffred in like maner with the 6. that went out of Motchal was also kept backe at that tyme but not in lyke sort because her name was wrong written within the writte as in the Bailiffes letters of Colchester sent to Boner about the same more plainely doth appeare in the booke of our first edition pag. 1632. The same morning the 2. of August that the sayd sixe in Motehall were called out to goe to their Martyrdome was Agnes Bongeor also called with them by the name of Agnes Bowyer Wherefore the Bailiffes vnderstaÌ„ding her as I sayd to be wrong named within the writ commanded the sayd Agnes Bongeor to prison agayne as ye haue heard in the letter before named and so from Motehall that day sent her to the Castle where shee remayned vntill her death But when she saw her selfe so separated from her sayd prison fellowes in that sort Oh good Lord what piteous mone that good woman made how bitterly shee wepte what strange thoughts came into her mynde how naked and desolate she esteemed her selfe and into what plunge of dispayre and care her poore soule was brought it was piteous and wonderful to see which all came because she went not with them to geue her lyfe in the defence of her Christ for of all thyngs in the world lyfe was least looked for at her hands For that morning in which she was kept backe from burnyng had she put on a smocke that she had prepared onely for that purpose And also hauyng a child a little yong Infant suckyng on her whom she kept with her tenderly all the tyme she was in prison agaynst the day likewyse did she send it away to another Nurse and prepared her selfe presently to geue her selfe for the testimonie of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ. So little did shee looke for lyfe and so greatly did Gods gifts worke in her aboue nature that death seemed a
till he come and therefore I meruaile ye blushe not before all this people to lye so manifestly as ye doe With that Gascoine held his peace made her no answer for as it seemed he was ashamed of his doyngs Then the Chancellor lift vp his hed of from his cushion and commanded the Gaoler to take her away Dry. Now sayd she ye be not able to resist the truth ye coÌ„maund me to prison agayne Well the Lord in the end shal iudge our cause and to hym I leaue it Iwisse iwisse this geare will go for no payment then So went she with the Gaoler away The second examination of Alice Dryuer THe next day she came before them agayne the Chancellor then asked her what she said to the blessed sacrament of the aulter Dry. I will say nothing to it for you will neither beleeue me nor your selues For yesterday I asked you what a sacrament was and you sayde it was a signe and I agreed therto sayd it was the truth confirming it by the scriptures so that I went not from your owne words now ye come and aske me agayne of such a sacrament as I told you I neuer red of in the scriptures Spens Thou lyest naughty woman we did not say that it was a signe Dry. Why maisters be ye not the meÌ„ that you were yesterday will ye eat your owne wordes Are ye not ashamed to lie before all this multitude here present who heard you speake the same Then stoode vp D. Gascoine said she was deceyued for there were three churches the malignant church the church militant and the church triumphaÌ„t So he would â—ame haue made matter but he could not tell which way Dry. Sir is there mention made of so many Churches in the scripture Gasc Yea. Dry. I pray you where find you this word Church written in the scripture Gasc It is written in the new Testament Dry I pray you sir shew the place where it is written Gasc I cannot tell the place but there it is With that she desired him to looke in his Testament Then he fombled sought about him for one but at that tyme he had none that he knew well enough though he seemed to search for it At the last she said Haue ye none here sir Gasc No. Dâ—y I thought so much in deede that ye were little acquainted withall Surely you be a good Doctor You say you sit here to iudge accordyng to the law and howe can you geue iudgement haue not the booke of the law with you At which words Gascoine was out of countenance and asked her if she had one Dry. No sayd she Gasc Then sayd he I am as good a doctor as you Dry. Well sir I had one but you tooke it from me as you would take me from Christ if you could and since would ye not suffer me to haue any booke at all so burnyng is your charitie But you may well know I thanke God that I haue exercised the same Els could I not haue answered you to Gods glory be it spokeÌ„ as I haue Thus she put them all to silence that one looked on another and had not a word to speake Dry. Haue you no more to say God be honoured You bee not able to resist the spirit of God in me a poore woman I was an honest poore mans daughter neuer brought vp in the vniuersitie as you haue bene but I haue driuen the plough before my father many a tyme I thanke God yet notwithstandyng in the defence of Gods truth and in the cause of my maister Christ by his grace I will set my foote against the foote of any of you all in the maintenance and defence of the same and if I had a thousand lyues it would go for payment thereof So the Chancellour rose vp and red the sentence in Latine of condemnation and committed her to the secular power so went she to prison agayne as ioyful as the bird of day praysing and glorifiyng the name of God ¶ Alexander Gouche Martyr AT which tyme Alexander Gouch also was examined who was taken with her as before is said whose examination here after followeth This Alexander Gouch was examined chiefly of the Sacrament other ceremonies of the popish church And as for that his beliefe was that Christ was ascended into heauen and there remayneth that the Sacrament was the remembraunce of his death and passion and for refusing the Masse and the Pope to be supreme hed of Christs Church for these causes was he condemned died with Alice Dryuer at Ipswich the 4. of Nouember which was the Monday after All Saintes 1558. D. Myles Spenser beyng Chancellor they both endyng their lyues with earnest zeale nothing fearyng to speake their conscience wheÌ„ they were commaunded to the contrary These two godly personnes beyng come to the place where the stake was set by 7. of the clocke in the morning notwithstandyng they came the selfe same mornyng from Melton Gaole which is vj. myles from Ipswich beyng in their prayers and singyng of Psalmes both of them together Sir Henry Dowell then beyng Shiriffe was very much offended with them and wylled the Bailiffes of Ipswich to bidde them make an ende of their Prayers they kneelyng vpon a broome fagot one of the Bailiffes whose name was Richard Smart commaunded them to make an ende saying On on haue done haue done make an ende nayle them to the stake yet they continued in prayer Then sir Henry sent one of his men whose name is Rich. Coue that they should make an end Then Gouch stood vp and sayd vnto the Shiriffe I pray you M. Shirife let vs pray a litle while for we haue but a little tyme to lyue here Then said the Bailife Come of haue them to the fire Then the sayd Gouch and Alice Driuer sayde Why M. Shiriffe and M. Bayliffe wyll you not suffer vs to pray Away said sir Henry to the stake with them The Martyrdome of Alexander Gouch and Driuers wyfe Then diuers came tooke them by the handes as they were bound standing at the stake The shiriffe cryed laye hands on them lay hands on them With that a great nuÌ„ber ran to the stake The shirife seyng that let them all alone so that there was not one taken There was one Bate a Barbour a busie doer about theÌ„ who hauing theÌ„ a freese gowne vpon hym sold it immediately saying it stunke of heretikes with other foule wordes moe After this within three or foure weekes Gods hand was vpon hym and so he dyed very miserably in Ipswich The Martyrdome of three which were burned at Bury for the true testimony of Iesus Christ. ALthough our history hasteth apace the Lord be praysed to the happy death of Queene Mary yet she died not so soone but some there were burned before and moe should haue bene burnt soone after them if Gods
further to be furnished Shee being desirous to knowe what hee meant thereby demaunded wherewith He answeared with such matter as the Queene and Counsail were determined in that behalfe whereof he had no knowledge and so departed In conclusion on Trinitie Sonday being the 19. day of Maye shee was remooued from the Tower the Lorde Treasurer being then there for the lading of her Carâ—es and discharging the place of the same Where Syr Henry Benifielde being appoynted her Gailer did receiue her wyth a companie of rakehelles to Garde her besides the Lorde of Darbies bandâ— wayting in the Countrey about for the mooneshine in the water Unto whome at lengthe came my Lorde of Tame ioyned in Commission with the sayd Syr Henry for the safe guiding of her to prisone and they together conueied her grace to Woodstocke as hereafter followeth The first day they conducted her to Richmond where she continued al night being restrained of her owne men whych were lodged in oute Chambers and Syr Henrye Benifields souldiours appointed in their roumes to geue attendance on her person Wherat she being maruelously dismaid thinking verely some secret mischief to be a working towards her called her Gentleman Usher and desired him with the rest of his company to pray for her For this night quoth she I thinke to die Wherwith he being stricken to the heart sayde God forbid that any such wickednes should be pretended against your grace So comforting her as well as he coulde at last hee brust oute into teares and went from her downe into the Courte where were walking the Lorde of Tame and Syr Henrye Benifielde Then he comming to the Lorde of Tame who hadde profered to him muche friendship desired to speake wyth him a woord or two Unto whome he familiarly sayde he should with all his heart Which when Syr Henry standing by heard he asked what the matter was To whom the Gentleman Usher answeared no great matter Syr sayd he but to speake with my Lord a woord or two Then when the Lorde of Tame came to him he spake on this wise My Lord quoth he you haue ben alwayes my good Lord and so I beseech you to remain The cause why I come to you at this time is to desire your honor vnfainedly to declare vnto mee whether any daunger is meant towardes my Mistresse this nighte or no that I and my poore fellowes may take suche part as shall please God to appoynt for certainely we wil rather die then she should secretely and innocently miscarie Mary sayde the Lord of Tame God forbid that any such wicked purpose should be wrought and rather then it shuld be so I with my men are ready to die at her foote also and so praised be God they passed that dolefull nighte wyth no â—â—â—tle heauinesse of heart Afterwards passing ouer the water at Richmond going towardes Wyndsore her grace espied certaine of her poore seruauntes standing on the other side whiche were very desirous to see her Whom when she beheld turning to one of her men standing by she sayde yonder I see certaine of my men goe to them and say these woordes from me Tanquam ouis So she passing forward to Windsore was lodged there that night in the Deane of Windsores house a place more meete in deede for a Priest then a Princesse And from thence her Grace was garded and brought the next night to M. Dormers house where much people standing by the waye some presented to her one gifte and some an other so that sir Henry was greatly moued therwith and troubled the poore people very sore for shewing their louing hearts in suche a maner calling them rebels and traitors with such like vile woordes Besides as she passed through the villages the townes men rang the bels as being ioyful of her comming thinking verely it had bene otherwise then it was in deede as the sequele prooued after to the sayd poore men For immediately the saide syr Henry hearing the same sent his souldiours thether who appreheÌ„ded some of the ringers setting them in the stockes otherwise vncourteously misusing other some for their good willes On the morrow her grace passing from maister Dormers where was for the time of her abode there a straight watch kept came to the Lord of Tames house where she lay all the night being very princely entertained bothe of Knightes and Ladies Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Whereat Syr Henry Benifield grunted and was highly offended saying vnto them that they coulde not tell what they did and were not able to answere to their doings in that behalfe letting them to vnderstand that shee was the Queenes Maiesties prisoner and no otherwise aduising them therefore to take heede and beware of after clappes Wherunto the Lord of Tame answered in this wise that he was wel aduised of his doings being ioyned in Commission as well as he adding with warraÌ„t that her grace might and should in his house be merry The next day as she should take her iourney froÌ„ Richmond toward Woodstocke the Lord of Tame with an other Gentleman being at Tables playing and droppyng vie crownes the Ladie Elizabeth passing by stayed and sayde she would see the game plaied out which sir Henry Benifield would scarse permit The game running longe about and they playing drop vie crownes come on sayth he I will tarie sayth she and will see this game out After this sir Henry went vp into a chamber where was appointed for her grace a chaire two cushions and a foote carpet very faire princelike wherein presumptuously he sate and called one Barwike his maÌ„ to puâ— of his bootes Which as soone as it was known among the ladies and Gentles euery one mused therat and laughed him to scorne obseruing his vndiscrete maners in that behalf as they might very well When supper was done he called my L. and willed him that all the Gentlemen and Ladies should withdraw themselues euery one to his lodging meruailing much that he would permit there such a coÌ„pany considering so great a charge committed to him Sir Henry quoth my Lord content your self all shal be voyded your men and all Nay my souldiours quoth sir Henry shall watch all night The Lord of Tame aunswered it shall not need Well sayd he neede or neede noâ— they shall so do mistrusting belike the company whiche God knoweth was without cause The next day her grace tooke her iourney from thence to Woodstocke where she was inclosed as before in the Tower of London the souldiors garding and wardyng both within and without the walles euery day to the number of three score and in the night without the wals xl during the tyme of her imprisonment there At length shee had gardens appointed for her walke which was very comfortable to her grace But alwayes when she did recreate her selfe therein the dores were â—ast locked vp in as straite maner as they were in the Tower beyng at the least v.
most of the Deuill of hell Thus he lay without amendment about 6. daies that his maister and all his houshold was weary of that trouble and noyse Then his maister agreed with the keepers of Bedlem and gaue a peece of money and sent hym thether It seemeth that he was possessed with an euill spirit from the which God defend vs all This is a terrible example to you that be mockers of the word of God therfore repent amend lest the vengeance of God fall vpon you in like maner Witnes heereof William Mauldon of Newington The same William Mauldon chaunced afterwarde to dwel at a Towne 6. miles from London called Waltamstow where his wife taught yong children to read which was about the yeare of our Lorde 1563. and the 4. yeare of Queene Elizabeths raigne Unto this schoole amongest other children came one Benfieldes daughter named Dennis about the age of twelue yeares As these children sate talking together they happened among other talke as the nature of children is to be busy with many things to fall in communication of God and to reason among them selues after their childish discretion what he should be Whereunto some answered one thing some an other Among whom when one of the children had sayd that he was a good olde father the foresayd Denis Benfielde casting out impious woordes of horrible blasphemie what he sayd shee is an olde doting foole What wretched and blasphemous wordes were these yee heare Nowe marke what followed When William Mauldon heard of these abhominable woordes of the girle hee willed his wife to correcte her for the same Which was appoynted the nexte day to be done But wheÌ„ the next morow came her mother would nedes send her to the market to London the wenche greatly intreating her mother that she might not go being marueilously vnwilling thereunto Howebeit thorough her mothers compulsion shee was forced to goe and went And what happened Her businesse being done at London as she was returning againe homewarde and being a little past Hackney sodenly the yong girle was so stricken that all the one side of her was black and she speachles Wherupon immediately she was caried backe to Hackney and there the same night was buried Witnes of the same storie William Mauldon and his wife also Benfielde her father and her mother which yet be all aliue A terrible example no doubt both to old and young what it is for children to blaspheme the Lord theyr God and what it is for parentes to suffer their young ones to grow vp in such blasphemous blindnes not to nurture them betime in the rudimeÌ„ts of the christian Catechisme to know first their creation and then their redemption in Christ our Sauiour to feare the name of God and to reuerence his Maiestie For els what do they deserue but to be taken away by â—â—eathe whiche contemptuously despise him of whome they take the benefite of life And therefore let all young maides boyes and yong men take example by this wretched seely wench not only not to blaspheme the sacrede Maiestie of the omnipotent God their creator but also not once to take his name in vaine according as they are taughte in hys commaundementes Secondly let all Fathers Godfathers and Godmothers take this for a warning to see to the instruction and Catechising of their children for whom they haue bounde them selues in promise both to God and to hys Churche Which if the Father and godfather the Mother and godmothers had done to this younge girle verely it maye be thought this destruction had not fallen vpon her Thirdly al blinde Atheists Epicures Mammonists belly Gods of this worlde and sonnes of Beliall hypocrites infidelles and mockers of Religion which saye in their hearts there is no God learne also hereby not only what God is and what he is able to doe but also in thys miserable creature here punished in this world to behold what shall likewise fall on them in the world to come vnlesse they will be warned betime by such examples as the Lord God doth geue them Fourthly and lastly heere may also be a spectacle for all them which be blasphemous and abhominable swearers or rather tearers of God abusing his glorious name in suche contemptuous and despitefull sort as they vse to do Whome if neither the woorde and commaundemente of God nor the calling of the preachers nor remorse of conscience nor rule of reason nor theyr wytheringe age nor hory haires will admonish yet let these terrible examples of Gods districte Iudgement somewhat mooue them to take heede to them selues For if thys young maiden who was not fully 12. yeares old for her vnreuerent speaking of God and that but at one time did not escape the stroke of Gods terrible hande what then haue they to looke for which being men growen in yeares and stricken in age being so often warned preached vnto yet cease not continually with theyr blasphemous othes not only to abuse his name but also most coÌ„tumeliously and despitefully to teare him as it were and all his partes in peeces About the yeare of our Lorde 1565. at Bryhtwell in the County of Backshyre vppon certaine communication as touching the right reuerende Martyrs in Christ Byshop Cranmer Bishop Ridley and maister Hughe Latimer there came into an house in Abyngdon one whose name is Leuar being a Plowman dwelling in Bryhtwel afore sayd and sayd that he saw that euill fauoured knaue Latimer when he was burned And also in despite sayd that he had teeth like a horse At which time and hour as neare as could be gathered the sonne of the sayde Leauer moste wickedly hanged him selfe at Shepton in the Countie aforesayd within a mile of Abingdon These wordes were spoken in the hearing of me Thomas Ienens of Abyngdon Did not Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterburie geue sentence against the Lord Cobham and died him self before him being so stricken in his toung that neither he could swallow nor speake for a certain space before his death pag. 588. Frier Campbell the accuser of Patricke Hamelton in Scotlande what a terrible ende hee hadde reade before pag. 957. Haruey a Commissarie that condemned a poore man in Calice was shortly after hanged drawen and quartered pag. 1229. William Swallow the cruell tormentor of George Egles was shortly after so plagued of God that al the hair of his heade and nailes of his fingers and toes went off his eyes welneare closed vppe that hee coulde scante see Hys wife also was stricken wyth the falling Sickenesse wyth the whych Maladie shee was neuer infected before pag. 2010. Likewise Richard Potto an other troubler of the sayd George Egles vppon a certaine anger or chafe with hys seruauntes was so sodenlye taken with sicknesse that falling vpon his bed lyke a beast there he died neuer spake woorde pag. 2010. Richard Denton a shrinker from the Gospel while he refused to suffer the fire in
realme of England then the king For as I said before it was ordeined for the conseruation of the libertie of the whole realme and to exclude the vsurped authoritie of the B. of Rome And therfore no K. or Queene alone could renounce such title but it ought if they wold haue it taken away be taken away orderly and formally by acte of Parliament sufficiently called and summoned For the naturall and right way to loose vndoe things is to dissolue them by that meanes they were ordeined And so it most manifestly appeareth that all their doings from the beginning to the end were and be of none effect force nor authoritie but all that they haue done hath ben meere tyrannie O most maruelous prouidence of almighty god that alwayes and in all thinges doth that is best for the welth of his people O most mighty power that so sodenly ouerthroweth the counsails of the wicked and bringeth their deuises to naught O infinite mercy that so gently dealeth with his people that hee saueth them whome hee might most iustly destroy O most ioyfull most mery and neuer to be forgotten Hopwednesday in which it hath pleased thee O God to deliuer thy church this realm and thy people from so horrible tyrannie No tongue can expresse no penne can endite no eloquence can worthely set out much lesse exornate these thy meruailous doings No no hart is able to render vnto thy goodnes sufficiēt thanks for the benefites we haue receyued Who could euer haue hoped this most ioyfull tyme Yea who dyd not looke rather for thy most sharpe visitation and vtter destruction of this Realme as of Sodome Gomorra and Hierusalem But we see and feele good Lord that thy mercy is greter then all mens sinnes and farre aboue all thy workes And albeit there is no Christian and natural Englishmā woman or child eyther present or that shall succeede vs which is not or shall bee pertaker of this most exceedyng mercy and wonderfull benefite of almighty God therefore is bound continually to prayse and thanke hym yet there is not one creature that is more bound so to do then you noble Queene Elizabeth For in this horrible tiranny and most cruell persecution your grace hath bene more hunted for then any other Diuers tymes they haue taken you sometyme haue had you in strong hold secluded from all liberty sometime at libertie but not without most cruell Gaolers custody and many tymes they determined that without iustice ye should be murthered priuily They thought if your grace had bene suppressed they shoulde haue fully preuailed If ye had bene destroyed their doyngs for euer should be stablished If ye had bene taken out of the way there were none left that would or coulde vndoe that they ordeined But he that sitteth on high and laugheth at their madnesse would not suffer that the malicious purposes most cruell deuised iniustice should haue successe He tooke vpon hym the protection of you He only hath bene your Ieoseba that preserued you from this wicked Athalia He onely was the Ioiada that destroyed this cruell Athalia Hee onely hath made you Queene of this Realme in steade of this mischieuous Marana No earthly creature can claime any piece of thanke therefore no mans force no mans counsail no mans ayd hath bene the cause thereof Wherfore the greater his benefites hath bene toward you the more are you bounde to seeke hys glory and to set forth his honour Ye see his power what he is able to do he can alone saue and hee can destroy hee can pull downe and he can set vp If ye feare hym seeke to do his will then will he fauour you and preserue you to the end from all enemies as he did king Dauid If ye now fall from him or iuggle with hym looke for no more fauour then Saule had shewed to hym But I haue a good hope that both his iustice and benefites bee so printed in your hart that ye will neuer forget them but seeke by all meanes to haue the one and to feare to fall into the other I trust also your wisedome will not onely consider the causes of this late most sharpe visitation but also to your vttermost power endeuour to out roote them And forasmuch as besides this infinit mercy poured on your grace it hath pleased his deuine prouidence to constitute your highnesse to be our Debora to be the gouernesse and heade of the bodye of this Realme to haue the charge and cure thereof it is requisite aboue all things as well for his glory and honour as for your discharge quietnesse and safety to labour that the same body now at the first be cleansed made whole and then kept in good order For as if the body of man be corrupted and diseased he is not able to manage his thinges at home much lesse to doe any thing abroad so if the body of a Realme be corrupt out of order it shal neither be able to do any thing abroad if necessitie should require nor yet prosper in it selfe But this may not be done with piecing patching coblyng botching as was vsed in tyme past whilest your most noble father and brother raigned For as if a man cut of one hed of the serpent Hidra and destroy not the whole body many will growe in stead of that one and as in a corrupt body that hath many diseases if the Phisition should labour to heale one part and not the whole it will in short tyme breake out a fresh so vnlesse the body of a Realme or common wealth be cleane purged from corruption all the perticular lawes and statutes that can be deuised shall not profite it We need no forraine examples to prooue it looke vpon this Realme it selfe it will plainely declare it And as it is not enough to cleanse the bodye from his corruption but there must be also preseruatiues ministred to keep it from putrefaction for naturally of it selfe it is disposed to putrifie so after the body of a realme is purged vnles there be godly ordinances for the preseruation thereof ordeined and duely ministred it will returne to the olde state For this body which is the people is vniuersally naturally disposed to euill and without compulsion will hardly do that is his duety This must your grace do if ye mynd the aduancement of Gods glory your owne quietnesse and safetie and the wealth of this your politike body And they be not hard to bring to passe where goodwill will vouchsafe to take to her a little payne The Realm will soone be purged if vice and selfloue be vtterly condemned It will be in good state preserued if these three things Gods word truely taught and preached Youth well brought vp in godly and honest exercises and Iustice rightly ministred may bee perfectly constituted And without this foundation let men imagine what it pleaseth them the spiritual house of God shal neuer be well framed or builded nor
omnibus prosit If there be no interpreter let hym keepe silence in the Church That is let him pray secretly or speake to God within hymselfe which heareth all dumme thyngs for in the church he ought to speake which may profit all men ⧠Testimonies out of S. Hierome vpon that place of Paule Quomodo qui supplet locum idiotae c. PEr illum saith S. Hierome qui supplet locum ideotae laicum intelligit qui nullo gradu ecclesiastico fungitur It is the lay men saith he whom Paule here vnderstandeth to be in the place of the ignoraunt man which hath no Ecclesiasticall office How shall he answer Amen to the prayer that he vnderstandeth not ¶ And a little after vpon these wordes Nam si orare lingua c. Hoc dicit quoniam si quis incognitis alijs linguis loquatur mens eius non ipsi efficitur sine fructu sed audienti Quicquid enim dicitur ignorat This is Paules meanyng saith Hierome If any man speaketh in strange vnknown tongs his mynd is not to hymselfe without fruit and profite but he is not profited that heareth hym And in the end of his commentary vpon the Epistle to the Galathians he saith thus Quod autem Amen consensum significet audientis c. That Amen signifieth the consent of the hearer and is the sealing vp of the truth Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinths teacheth saying But if thou shalt blesse in spirit who supplieth the place of the ignorant How shall he at thy prayer aunswere Amen seeyng he knoweth not what thou sayst Wherby he declareth that the vnlearned man cannot aunswer that that which is spoken is true vnlesse he vnderstand what is sayd The same Hierome sayth in the Preface of S. Pauls Epistle to the Galathians that the noyse of Amen soundeth in the Romane church like an heauenly thunder As Hierome compareth this sound of common praier to thunder so compareth Basill it to the sound of the sea in these words If the sea be faire how is not the assembly of the congregation much fairer in the which a ioyned sound of men women and childreÌ„ as it were of the waues beatyng on the shore is sent forth in our praiers vnto our God Cum populus semel audiuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 statim omnes respondent Amen When the people once heare these words world without end they all forthwith answer Amen And the same writer vpon the same chapter vppon these words How shall hee that occupieth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen En rursus amussi quod dicitur saxum applicat ecclesiae aedificationem vbique requiâ—ens c. Behold againe he applieth the stone vnto the squire as the Prouerbe is requiring the edifieng of the Congregation in all places The vnlearned he calleth the common people and sheweth that it is no small discommoditie if they cannot say Amen And agayne the same Chrysostome Quin in precibus viderit quis populum multum simul offerre tum pro energumenis tum pro poenitentibus Communes enim preces a sacerdote ab illis fiuÌ„t omnes dicunt vna orationeÌ„ orationeÌ„ misericordia plenam Iterum vbi excluserimus a sacerdotalibus ambitibus eos qui non possunt esse participes sanctae mensae alia sacienda est oratio omnes similiter surgimus c. That is yea in the prayers you may see the people offer largely both for the possessed and the penitents For the Priestes and the people pray altogether commonly and all one prayer a prayer full of mercy and pity And exclâ—ding out of the Priests limites all such as cannot bee pertakers of the holy table another prayer must be made and all after one sort lye downe vppon the earth and all agayne after one sort ryse vp together Now when the peace is geuen we all in lyke maner salute one another and the Priest in the reuerent mysteries wisheth well to the people and the people vnto hym for Et cum spiritu tuo is nothing els but this All things that belong to the sacrament of thanksgeuing is common to all But he geueth not thanks alone but all the people with hym Hereby it may appeare that not the priest alone communicated nor prayed alone nor had any peculiar prayer but such as was common to them all such as they all vnderstood all were able to say with the priest which could not haue bene if he had vsed a straunge tong in the ministration of the sacraments Dionysius describing the maner of the ministration of the Lordes supper sayth That hymnes were said of the whole multitude of the people Cyprian sayth The priest doth prepare the myndes of the brethren with a preface before the prayer saying Lift vp your hartes that whiles the people doth aunswer we haue our hartes lifted vp to the Lord they may be admonished that they ought to thinke of none other thing then of the Lord. S. Augustine Quid hoc sit intelligere debemus c. What this should be we ought to vnderstand that we may sing with reason of man not with chatting of birdes For Ousels and Popiniayes and Rauens and Pies other such like birds are taught by meÌ„ to prate they know not what But to sing with vnderstanding is geuen by Gods holy will to the nature of man The same Augustine There needeth no speach when we pray sauing perhaps as the priestes doe for to declare their meanyng not that God but that men may heare them and so being put in remembraunce by consentyng with the priest may hang vpon God To these testimonies of the auncient writers we will ioyne one constitution of Iustinian the Emperour who lyued 527. yeares after Christ Iubemus vt omnes Episcopi pariter Praesbyteri c. We commaund that all bishops priests do celebrate the holy oblation and the praiers vsed in holy Baptisme not speaking low but with a cleare or loud voyce which may be heard of the people that thereby the mynd of the hearers may bee stirred vp with greater deuotion in vttering the prayses of the Lord God For so the holy Apostle teacheth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying Truly if thou onely blesse or geue thanks in spirit how doth he which occupieth the place of the vnlearned say the Amen at the geuing of thanks vnto god for he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest Thou verily geuest thanks wel but another is not edified And again in the Epistle to the Romains he sayth Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore autem fit confessio ad salutem with the heart a man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Therfore for these causes it is conuenient that amoÌ„gst other prayers those thinges also which are spoken in the holy oblation be vttered and spoken of the most religious bishops and priests vnto our