indignation that their olde doctrine should be impugned and stirred vp a Gray fryer called Frier Toyttes to teach the people to pray yet to Saints A controuersie in Scotland whether the Lords prayer should be said to Saints or not Whereupon fel such a schisme that not only the Cleargie but also the people were deuided among themselues for the matter in so much that there rose a prouerbe to whom say you your Pater noster And the cleargie for to decide the same controuersie to put the people out of doubt assembled thēselues yet notwithstanding it so depended that it was thought good to call a principal coūsel to decide the matter which being assēbled at Edēburgh the papists wāting reason brast out into vnséemly spéech as frier Toyt being asked to whom he should say his pater noster The Fryer biddeth say the pater noster to the deuil answered say it to the deuil knaue In the end they that were called churchmē were deuided for some of the bishops and diuines consented that it should be said to saints but the B. of S. Andrewes Caitenes and Athenies refused vtterly to subscribe to the same Finally it was declared vnto the people that it should be said vnto God with certeine restrictions and so by little and little the bruite ceassed Anno 1558. W Mill 1539. Walter Mill. was the last that was burned in Scotland for the doctrine of the gospel the xx day of April before the B. of S. Andrewes Murray Brechin a number of other prelates He was brought to the metropolitane church where he was put in a pulpet before the bishops to be accused his weakenes partly of age ill vsage being such as it was thought he should not be able to be heard speake But when he began to speake he made the church ring sound againe to the confusion of the aduersaries and comfort of the godly And being long in his praiers sir Andrew Oliphant one of the Bishops priests called him sir Walter Mill arise and answeare to the Articles for you hold my Lord here ouer long In déede said he I haue béene ouer long one of the Popes knights for he had béene before a Papist but I am called Walter and not Sir When neither threates nor allurements could preuaile they condemned him for the article of Priestes marriages the seuen Sacraments the sacrament of the Altar pilgrimage Before sentence was pronounced Oliphant asked him wilt thou not recant thine erroneous opinions and if thou wilt not I will pronounce sentence against thée I am accused of my life saide hée againe I knowe I must die once friend therfore as Christ said to Iudas doe it quickly yée shall knowe that I will not recant the truth for I am corne I am no chaffe I wil not be blown away with the wind nor burst with the flaile but I wil abide both A notable speech of the martyr Such was his maruellous boldnesse constancie which did so moue the hearts of many that the B. steward of his regaltie prouost of the towne called Patrike Learmend refused to be his temporal Iudge to whom it appertained Also the Bishoppes Chamberlaine being therewith charged would in no wise take vpon him so vngodly an office Yea the whole town was so offended with his vniust condemnation that the bishops seruāts could not get for their money so much as one corde to tie him to the stake or Tarre barrell to burne him but were constrayned to cut the cords of their masters owne Pauilion to serue their turne So being tied to the stake hauing exhorted the people and praied fire being put vnto him he ended in the Lord with such chéerfulnes and constancie enduring his martyrdome that he was the last martyr in Scotland this was in the time of Mary Longawale Quéene regent of Scotland and Iohn Hamelton bishop of Saint Andrewes and primate of Scotland Anno 1511. Vnder William Warrham Archb. of Canturburie certaine martyrs that were omitted whiche suffered at that time with him because they are not to be forgotten are to be referred to that yéere They suffered for deniyng the Sacrament of the Altar c for auricular confession the extréeme vnction images pilgrimages prayer to saints holy bread holy water c. They denie all that they had vttered any thing against those popishe pointes yet witnesses who had partly abiured before and others against nature as the husband against the wife and children against the mother being brought forth they were condemned and put to death Their names were William Carder of Tenderden Weauer Agnes Grebill of the same towne of thréescore yéere old Robert Lawson of Halden of the age 60. Iohn Browne of Ashford Edward Walker of Maidston Cutler who all notwithstanding they promised to submitte themselues yet were they condemned The cause why the good woman so stood as she did to the deniall of those articles obiected against her was for that she neuer thought that her husband and her owne children who only were priuie of her religion would haue testified against her which when she perceiued she repented the time that euer she bare those children of her bodie So notwithstanding that she offered conformitie she was condemned and put to death Her husbandes name was Iohn Grebill her sonnes Christopher and Iohn Besides these which were put to death a number vnder Warren were forced to abiure the trueth against the reall presence confession sacrament of matrimony vnction pilgrimages Images Saintes holie water holie bread c. Also omitted before anno 1539. Iohn a Painter and Giles Germaine who were accused and condemned for heresie at London before the Bishop and other Iudges where by chaunce comming in one of the kings seruaunts named Lancelot a very tall man and séeming by his countenance and gesture to fauour the cause of the poore men was also examined and condemned with them and the next day at fiue a clocke in the morning was carried with them into Saint Giles fieldes and there burned Also about the latter end of Tonstals time bishop of London one Stile was burned in Smithfield with the Apocalips whereon he vsed to read about his necke Stile burned with the Apocalips about his necke Which booke when he saw fastened to the stake with him hée lifted vp his voice and said O blessed Apocalips how happie am I that I shall be burned with thée and so with the booke was he consumed with fire Also ouerpassed before about the second yéere of the raigne of king Henry the eight Iohn Browne of Ashford after xl daies imprisonment when the Archbishop and Doctor Fisher had burned his féete with hote coles to the stumps to make him recant On Friday before Whitsunday he was sent to Ashford where he dwelt the next day to be burned and a yoong maide of his house espying him in the stockes told hir mistresse who ranne and sat by him also all night to whome hée gaue exhortation and declared
detested the execrable simony of the Court of Rome hee made his repaire home againe to his countrie vnconfirmed declaring to the whole nobilitie of that land how the case stood Wherevpon all the Church of the Grecians hearing this at the same time departed vtterly from the Church of Rome Insomuch that the Archbish of Constantinople comming afterward to the Councel of Lions declared there openly that whereas he had before time aboue thirtie Bishoprickes and Suffraganes now he had not thrée Adding moreouer that all the Grecians and certaine other with Antioch the whole Empire of Romania euen to the gates almost of Constantinople were gone from the obediēce of the church of Rome Paris f. 112. f. 186. By occasion of which separation in the yere 1237. Germanus 1237 Germanus Archb. and Patriarke of Constantinople wrote vnto Gregorie the ninth desiring him to study séeke meanes of vnitie and that he would not refuse to méete him in the midwaye to debate of the matter that vnitie might bee recouered But the Pope refused and shortlye after sent foorth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to take the signe of the Crosse and to fight against the Grecians The signe of the crosse to fight against the Grecians euen as it were against the Turkes and Saracens In so much that in the I le of Ciprus many good men and martyrs were slaine for the same as by letters of the said Germanus doeth appeare who wrote to the Pope and Cardinals to reforme themselues which was so taken of the Pope that shortly after he prepared to send men of war signed with the crosse to fight against the Grecians Whereupon the Archb. of Antioch with the foresaid Germanus solemnlie excommunicated the Pope The pope excommunicated Intollerable exactions of the pope The exactions of the Pope were so intollerable in the land that king Henrie the third wrote to Pope Innocent the fourth for releasement in most humble and gentle māner anno 1244. the 28. yere of the kings reigne Yet it booted not for the Pope was not ashamed to take of Dauid Prince of North-wales fiue hundred markes a yeare to set him against the King of England and exempted him from all his fealtie and obedience which he had sworne In the yeare one thousande two hundred fourtie fiue Prince of Wales set against the king of England the whole Nobility of the Realm by generall consent with the kings knowledge caused all partes of the Sea side to be layde that no Messenger with the Popes letters Bulles from Rome should be permitted to enter the realm Wherupon No messenger permitted to or fro Rome some were taken at Douer there stayed Notwithstanding when complaint thereof was brought to the king by Martinus the Popes Legate there was no remedie but the K. must néedes cause the letters to be restored againe and executed to the full effect Then the king vpon aduise caused a view to be taken through euerie Shire in Englād to what summe the whole reuenewes of the Romans and Italians amounted to which by the popes authoritie went went out of England The whole summe whereof was foūd yerely to be 60000. 60000. marks yerely to Rome markes To which summe the whole reuenewes of the crowne did not amount The Nobles then vnderstanding the miserable oppression of the Realme being assembled together at Dunstable for certaine causes sent one Fulco in the name of the whole Nobilitie vnto Martinus that he should with spéede departe the land The P. Legate departeth England except he would be cut all to péeres Which message the Legat shewed to the king and demaunded if his consent were thereto and finding small comfort tooke his leaue and departed an 1245. After this followed immediatly a generall Councell at Lions Councel at Lions to the which the estate and Lords of the Realme with consent of the Communaltie sent two billes the one containing a generall Supplication to the Pope and Councell the other with the articles of such gréeuances as they desired to haue redressed The Supplication was sent by Sir Roger Bigotte knight and William de Powick Esquire and Henrie de la Mare with other knights and Gentlemen After that it was there opened read P. Innocent first kéeping silence differred to answere thereto making hast to procéed to his detestable sentence of excommunicatiō curse Emp. Fred. cursed by the Pope against the good Emperor Fred. Which curse being done the Pope tolde them flatly they should not haue their requestes fulfilled and incontinent during the same councell he caused euery B. of England to put to his hand and seale to the obligation made by the king Iohn for the Popes tribute threatning moreouer that if hée had once brought downe the Emperour Fredericke he would bridle the insolent pride of England well enough In the beginning of the next yéere following An. 1246. Pope Innocent came to Cluniake Pope perswadeth warre against England where he perswaded the French king Lewes to make warre against the king of England whereto the French king would not agrée but shortly after concluded with him longer truce Ouer and beside all other exactions the Pope sending downe his letters from the sea Apostolike charged the prelates to find him some ten some fiue some fiftéene able men well furnished with horse and harneis for one whole yéere to fight in the Popes warres The Popes warres and least the king should haue knowledge hereof it was enioined them vnder paine of excommunication that they should reueale it to none but to kéepe it secrete onely to themselues Pope Innocent now intending to subdue the Gréeke church sent the prouinciall of the Grayfriers with other associates of the same order into England with his precepts authenticall that all goods gotten by vsury should be attached for his warre against the Gréekes Warre against the Greekes and that all those should be absolued from all their sinnes that would take on them the crosse to fight against the Grecians c. with other articles tending to the Popes profite The same yéere 1246. The Pope commaunded the Prelates of England that all beneficed men in the realme of England which were resident vpō their benefices should yéeld the third part of their goods and they which were not resident should giue the one halfe of their goods for the space of thrée yéeres together which summe beyng estéemed together was found to amount to 60000. l. 60000. pounds exacted by the Pope The executiō of this commission was cōmitted to the B. of London but as consultation was had about the matter at Paules the King sendeth straight charge that they should not consent thereto Parisiensis fol. 207. And afterward An. 1247. about February the king called a parlement and directeth Embassadours with letters and also to make manifest the grieuances of the land vnto the court of Rome The grieuāces of England whereto the Pope maketh a
hand and it fell from his bodie but he continuyng in prayer without moouing On Wednesday the xxj of Aprill the yéere 1529. Iohn Tewksburie who was conuerted by reading of Tindals testament the wicked Mammon he had also the bible written was brought into the cōsistorie at London before Cutbert bishop of London and his assistants Henry bishop of S. Asse Iohn abbot of Westminster was examined of diuerse errors as they called them in the booke of the wicked Mammon The booke of the wicked Mammon Which Iohn Teuksbury iustified for truth thrée sessions he appéered manfully stood to the truth being examined of articles touching Antechrist iustificatiō by works saints almes other mens praiers for vs c. The examination of which articles being doone the B. of London did exhort him againe to recant and appointed him to determine with himselfe against the next session in whiche session he submitted himselfe and abiured Iohn Teuksbury recanteth and was appointed penāce the eight of Maie Anno 1529. Two yéeres after hauing receiued more grace and strength at Gods hands moued by the example of Bayfield that had before done the like he returned to the cōstant professiō of the truth Iohn Teuksbury repenteth being apprehended was brought before sir T. Moore and the B. of London where certaine articles were obiected against him touching faith kéeping of forbidden bookes purgatorie sacraments of the altar c. confessing his articles the bishop pronounced sentence and deliuered him to the Shiriffes of London Richard Gresham and Edward Altam Teuksbury burnt who burned him in Smithfield vpon S. Thomas euen the xx of December This yéere Edward Frese Edward Frese first apprentice to a painter in the city of York who for his pregnancie of wit his yers were redéemed by the Abbot of Bersie Abbey and became a nouice but after long space not liking that trade he ran away and came to Colchester in Essex where he followed his vocation married a wife and liued honestly After he had béen there a good time he was hyred to paint certaine clothes for the new Inne which is in the middle of the market place in the border of which cloathes he wrote certaine sentences of scripture for which he was apprehēded in the same Inne and brought to Fulham to the B. house where he was cruelly imprisoned with one Iohnson and his wife of Colchester Wyly with his wife and sonne Bread made of sawdust and father Bate of Rowshedge they were fed with manchet made with the greater part of sawdust and were so straightly kept that their wiues and friends might not come at them After the painter had béen there a long space by much suit he was remoued to Lollards towre his wife in the meane time of his suit whiles he was yet at Fulham béeing desirous to sée her husband pressing to come in at the gate then big with child the porter lift vp his foote Crueltie and stroke her on the belly that at length she died of the same but the childe was destroyed immediatly After that they were al stocked for a long time afterward they were let loose in their prisons agayn This paynter because he wold alwaies be writing on the walles with chalk to their discontentment was manacled by the wrists til the flesh of his armes was grown higher thē his yrons wherby he could not keame his head that his haire was folded together After the death of his wife by suit of his brethrē to the king he was brought out into the consistorie of Paules and as his brethren reported they kept him iij. daies without meate before he came to his answere so that with imprisonment and hunger the man grew out of his wittes which when they had procured by crueltie they sent him againe to Bersie Abbie but he would not tarrie among them and so continued out of his wits till his dying day His brother Valentine Freese and his wife Valentine Freese and his wife gaue their liues at one stake in Yorke for the testimonie of the truth Father Bate gate out of the pryson in a darke night and was caught no more but died shortly after In this yéere Frier Roice Frier Roice was burned in Portingall for the truth In the beginning of this yéere the Bishops who had burned Tindals testaments The Bishops commaunded to make a trāslation of the Bible were inioyned by the King to cause a new Translation to be made notwithstanding which commaundement they did nothing at all But contrary in the moneth of Maie the Bishoppe of London caused all the translations of Tindall and many other Bookes whiche hée had bought to bée burned in Paules Churchyarde Iames Baynam Iames Baynā who married the wife of Simon Fish a Gentleman of the middle Temple was accused to sir Thomas Moore lord Chancellour and arested of a sergeant at armes and carried to the Chancellours house at Chelsey where he continued in frée prison vntill sir Thomas Moore perceyued he could doo no good of him Then he put him in prison in his owne house and whipped him at a trée in his garden called the trée of Truth and after sent him to the Tower to bée racked and so he was Sir Thomas beyng present himselfe till in a manner he had lamed him because he would not accuse the Gentlemen of the Temple of his acquaintaunce nor shew where his bookes laie And because his wife denied them to be in his house she was sent to the Fléete their goods confiscate After they had thus practised against him by torments then was be brought before I. Stokesley B. of London the xv of December An. 1531. in the towne of Chelsey there examined touching purgatorie Intercession of Saints Confession vowes concerning Luthers marriage the Sacrament of anneyling of Baptisme whether matrimonie were a Sacrament for his bookes of Scripture and what he iudged of Tindall c. to which articles he subscribed according to the truth The next day following he appeared in the same place as before Iames Baynam submitteth after much persuasion he submitted himself the B. notwithstanding committed him to one of the Counters for further triall And the yéere 1532. In the moneth of Februarie he was called for againe and although he was yet abiured not yet séemed he to satisfie the Chancellor so he was for that present returned to his prison againe and the viij day of February appeared as before and made a full abiuration and subscribed it Which doone the Chancellour put him to his fine to pay twentie pound to the king and inioyned him penance to go before the Crosse in Procession at Paules and to stand before the Preacher at Paules crosse during the Sermon with a fagot on his shoulder and so to returne with the Summer againe to prison there to abide the Bishops determination Iames Baynā repenteth And so the 17. of Februarie he was dismissed
hill and fire put too Bucer Phagius corps burned with many good bookes were burned and a number of condemned bookes with them which while they were burning that gaue the people cause greatly to mislike their crueltie on the market hill Doctor Watson enueyeth against them in the pulpet in S. Maries church although Bucer taught no other thing then both he and Scot had subscribed to in king Edwards daies The next day after the B. of Chester went with great solemnitie to the Church of our Lady and Saint Michaell Which doone the Commissioners bestowed a fewe dayes in punishing such as they thought had offended and enacted certaine Statutes prescribing at how many Masses euery man should be day by day and how many Pater nosters and Auies euery man should say when he should enter into the Church And in his entrance after what a 〈◊〉 his should â—owe himselfe to the Altar and at what time of the Masse a man should stand when sit downe with a number of such superstitious toyes Which thinges being thus ordered the Vniuersitie bestoweth the degrée of Doctor vpon Ormaneâ— and Cole and to the holy reformers depâ—â—â— who yet before they departed The holy commissioners depart from CaÌ„bridge gaue commaundement that the Maisters of euery house should copie out their Statutes which contained certayne 〈◊〉 rules for euery house particularlie Swineborne maister of Clare hall beeing demaunded whether he would haue their engrossed in paper or parchment answered it made no matter paper would for continuance serue the turne well enough Accordyng as they dealt with the bodies of Bucer and Phagius at Cambridge so likewise at Oxford they vsed Per Martyrs They take Peter Martyrs wiues corpes at Oxford wife while she liued a graue and sober matrone Anno 1552. she departed this life Now when B. Brookes of Glocester Nichol Ormanet Datary Robert Morwen president of Corpus Christi Colledge Cole Wright Doctors of the Ciuil law came thither as the Cardinals visitors They among other things hauing commission for the same ministred an oath to such as had acquaintance with her that they shold not conceale what they knew touching religion concerning her faith Who because they vnderstood not her language answered they could know nothing Which the commissioners also certified the Cardinall But that notwithstanding he left not the matter so but wrote down his letters a good while after to Marshall the Deane of Friswides that he should digge her vp and lay her out of Christian burial because she was buried nigh S. Friswides reliques Whose commandement Doct. Marshall calling his spades and mattockes together in an Euening when he was well whitled did fulfill and buried her in a dunghill Anno 1557. 10 of the 15. persons mentioned in the other booke that were in prison in the castle of Canterbury wherof fiue were famished were coÌ„mitted to the fire by Thornton called B. or suffragan of Douer otherwise called Dick of Douer and by Nicholas Harpesfield Archdeacon of the same prouince The names of those tenne be these Iohn Philpot Iohn Philpot. W. Waterer Steph. Kempe W. Haydhith Th. Hudson Mathew Brodbridge Tho. Stephens Nich. Finall W. Lowicke W. Prowting of Tenderden W. Waterer of Bedington Stephen Kempe of Norgate W. Haidhith Th. Hudson of Shalenge Mathew Brodbridge of Tenderden Thomas Stephens of Bedingden Nicholas Finall of Tenderden W. Lowicke of Crambrooke W. Prowting of Thoneham Of these sixe were burned at Canterbury about the xv of Ianuary twoo that is Stephen and Philpot at Wye About the same moneth other two Finall and Brodbridge at Ashford the 16. of the same moneth In february following came out another bloody commission from the king and Quéene Another bloody commission yet more to inflame the fire of persecution After the publishing of which Commission the eight of February persecution did rage most fiercely in all quarters so that the prisons were full of prisoners namely in the dioces of Canterbury And in the towne of Colchester it was so fierce that 22. together men and women were apprehended at one clappe 14. men and 8. women of which some escaped the other were driuen vp like a flocke of Christian lambes to London with 2. or 3. leaders at the most The blood of which people Boner woulde haue sucked had not Cardinall Poole Cardinall Poole mercifull staied his rage Who although he were a papist and an enemy yet was he not so bloody as the other were So these people being suffered to draw themselues out a submission were deliuered notwithstanding diuers of theÌ„ afterward were taken and suffered The names of that multitude were these Robert Coleman of Walton in the Countie of Essex labouring man Ioan Winsley of Horsley magna in the same Countie Stephen Glouer of Railey in the same Countie Glouer Ri charde Clarke of much Holland in the same Countie mariner W. Munt of much Bentley in the same Countie husbandman Thomas Winseley of much Horsley in the same Countie sawyer Margaret Field of Ramsey in the same Countie Agnes Whitlocke of Douercourte Alice Munt of much Bentley Rose Allen of the same towne Richard Bongeor of Colchester Currier Richard Atkyn of Halstéed weauer Robert Barcock of Whistone carpenter Rich. George of Westbarfolt labourer Rich Gelly of Colchester mariner Tho. Feresham mercer of Colchester Robert Debnam late of Dedham Cisley Warren of Cockshall Christian Pepper widow of the same towne Allen Simson Eline Euring Alice the wife of Rob. Wil. at colchester William Bongeor of Colchester Glaster Their chiefe trouble was for the article of the Lords supper The same yeare 1557. 1557 T. Losebie H Ramsey T Thirtell M. Hyde A. Stanley the xij of April suffered v. godly Martirs in smithfield Thomas Losebie Henry Ramsey Thomas Thyrtel Margaret Hyde and Agnes Stanley The vij of Ianuarie they were examined by Darbishire then Chauncellour to Boner Who dealt so with them that they were dismissed for that time but the B. taking the matter into his handes the vi of March dealt more hardly with them And againe the first day of April conuented them and finding them constant in the truth neither to be moued by his threates nor allurements procéeded to their condemnatioÌ„ The afternoone the B. first called for Loseby who when in reading of his articles mention was made of the Sacrament of the altar the Bishop putting off his cappe The valeaunt Martir his felowes said My Lorde séeing you put off your cap I will put on mine and therewithall did put on his cap. So sentence was pronouÌ„ced vpon him and the rest seuerally Who couragiously and constantly defied to the bishops face their Popish Idolatrie and superstition And so were they deliuered to the Sheriffes of London who the xij day of Aprill brought them into Smithfielde Where all together in one fire ioyfully they slept in the Lord. In the Moneth of May following thrée other suffered in Saint Georges fieldes in Southwarke whose names were William
father is an heretike No said the boy my Father is no heretike but you are an heretike For you haue Balaams marke With that the Priest tooke the child and scourged him so sore that he was al on a gore bloud and so caused Clunie to carrie him to his Father naked the Sumner hauing his coate vpon his arme At his comming to his Father the childe fell downe vpon his knées and asked him blessing And being demaunded by his Father who had vsed him so he made answere that a Priest with Balaams mark Balaams marke had done it And with that Clunie with violence pulled him from his father and kept him thrée dayes after in the Bishoppes house Who to salue vp ths matter deliuered the father and the childe Crueltie of the Balamites But the childe died within xiiij dayes after Anno 1560. Nicholas Burton 1560. N. Burton burned in Ciuil a Marchant of London dwelling sometimes in the Parish of little Saint Bartholmewes was burned in the Citie of Ciuill in Spaine Who died so chearefullie and with such patience that the Tormentors and enemies said that the deuill had his soule before he came to the fire and therefore said they his sences of féeling were past him After his death another marchant of Bristow for whom Burton was Factor sent his Atturney into Spaine called Iohn Fronton a Citizen of Bristow to claime those goods which belonged to the other Marchant Against whō after imprisonment because he could not say his Aue Maria after the Romish fashion Aue Maria after the Romish fashion they gaue sentence that he shoulde lose all the goods he sued for though they were not his owne and besides suffer a yeares imprisonment At what time Burton suffered which was anno 1560. was also martired another Englishman with thirtéen mo one of them being a Nunne and another a Frier both constant in the Lord. The ij day of Nouember was burned Iohn Baker and William Burgate both Englishmen apprehended in Calis and burned in Ciuil Anno Domini one thousande fiue hundred and thréescore Marke Burges M. Burges an Englishman Master of an English Ship called the Minion was burned in Lishborne a citie in Portugall and Williā Hooke W. Hooke of the age of xvi yeres stoned to death by certaine young men of Ciuill for the confession of his faith As the most were burned and tormented to death so some were torne with scourging as Richard Wylmot and Thomas Fairefaxe both whipped in Drapers hall through the crueltie of Brookes then Master of the Companie That Wylmot could not lie in his bed vi nights after and neither of them enioyed health after They were thus scourged for saying they were sory for D. Cromes recantation After these two was one Green scourged because he had a booke called Antichrist and woulde not bewraye more matter to their minde He was accused by his Master called Iohn Waylande a Printer and brought before Doctor Storie by whom after long stocking and euill vsage in prisō he was adiudged to be whipped Which was performed vpon him in the presence of Doctor Storie in Christes Hospitall Also Steeuen Cotton burned as before at Brainforde was twise beaten by Boner Likewise was Iames Harris of Byllerica in Essex scourged by Boner in his garden So likewise Robert Williams endured the same torment by the bloudy Bishop With these also is to be numbred a poore Beggar which was whihped at Salisburie after hee had béene put into a Dungeon because he would not receiue the Sacrament at Easter in the towne of Colingborowe As some were tried by burning racking and scourging so vpon other some the Lorde did lay a lighter hande of imprisonment as vpon William Liuing and his wife in the citie of London Iohn Lythall Elizabeth Yong and William Wats of Tunbridge who fled away his kéepers beyng tippled and fallen asléepe Alexander Winshurst a priest that escaped by negligence of Cluny who left none at home to kéepe him fast in whose house he was prisoner Bosomes wife the Lady Kneuet of Northfolke towards an hundred yéeres old the Lady Vane who with much trouble yet passed these terrible daies with life In the time of King Henry the eight Anno 1546. there was one Iohn Dauis a childe of twelue yéeres old Iohn Dauis a child of twelue yeeres old dwelling with one Maister Iohnson Apothecarie in Worcester who beyng complained of by his Mistris the wife of Maister Iohnson for that he had written something against the six Articles and had the Ballad called Come downe for all your shauen Crowne After long imprisonment with bolts of irons on his legges was arraigned being holdē vp at the barre in mens armes before the iudges who were Portman and Meruen and by the death of king Henry was deliuered else had hée béene burned for that offence He endured the prison from the fouretéenth of August till within seuen daies of Easter Likewise Mistris Roberts by Gods prouidence escaped daunger dwelling in Hawkhurst in Sussex Mistris Anne Lucie of Nottingham c. Likewise a congregation at Stoke in Suffolke was deliuered by Gods mercifull prouidence but especially that of London was diuerse times in perill and alwayes was preserued of God in which congregation were sometimes fortie The congregation in Lōdon sometimes an hundreth sometimes two hundreth sometimes mo sometimes lesse About the latter end of Quéene Mary it greatly increased From the first beginning which was about the first entrie of Quéene Maries raigne they had diuerse ministers First Maister Scamler then Thomas Foule The ministers of the congregation in London after him Maister Rough then Maister Augustine Benher and last Maister Bentham who likewise was by Gods prouidence wonderfully preserued Likewise at Calis few there were of the professors of the gospell that miscaried especially Iohn Thorpe and his wife were mercifully preserued and succored of straungers To these are to be added Edward Benet Ieffery Hurst in the towne of Shakerley in Lankeshire who were saued by the death of Quéene Mary William Wood of Kent of the parish of Strowd who was deliuered by the disagréement of Kennall and Chadsey two popish Doctors that examined him as Paule was deliuered by the contention of the Phariseis and Saduces Likewise was Symon Greeuens mercifully deliuered beyng at the assembly held at Spire and complained of to the king by Faber the B. of Vienna whom he had gently reprooued for maintaining certaine errours in his Sermon which he had there preached So likewise the Lady Katherine dutches of Suffolke hardly escaped and passed the seas into Germany where she suffered the afflictions of a straunger in another land Also Th. Sprat and William Porredge escaped very narrowly persecution by M. Brent Iustice in Kent and the two Blachendines Iohn Cornet prentise with a minstrell was onely whipped by the commaundement of the Earle of Oxford and banished the towne of Roughedge So likewise Thomas Brice professor of the gospell hardly
with his brother that no man whatsoeuer he were though comming with a bill of the Queenes hande or any other warraunt should haue accesse to her before his returne againe By reason whereof maister Benefields brother comming to him at the bridge God deliuereth L. Eliza. would suffer him in no case to approch nigh who otherwise as is supposed was appoynted to murder the innocent Ladie Her Grace being in the Tower of London a writ came downe subscribed with certaine hands of the Counsaile for her execution but that God stirred vp maister Bridges the Lieftenaunt the same time of the Tower to come in haste to the Quéene to giue certificate thereof and to knowe further her consent touching her sisters death Wherevppon the deuise which was Winchesters diuellish platforme was disappoynted Moreouer during her imprisonment one maister Edmund Tremanie was on the rack and maister Smithwike and diuers others in the Tower were examined and diuers offers made them to accuse the innocent Ladie Which when shée heard of departing from Woodstocke she wrote these verses with her diamond in a glasse window Much suspected by me nothing proued can be quoth Elizabeth prisoner Elizabeth prisoner Now departing from Wodstocke Sir Henrie and his souldiers with the Lorde of Thame and Syr Rafe Chamberlaine garding her the first night shee came to Rocet In which iourney such a mightie wynd did blow that her seruantes were faine to hold downe her clothes about her insomuch that her hood was twise or thrise blown frō her head Whereuppon shee desirous to returne to a Gentlemans house néere there could not be suffered by Sir Henrie but was constrayned vnder an hedge to trimme vp her head so well as she could After this the next night they came to M Dormers and so to Colbrooke where she lay all that night at the George On which night all her men were taken from her sauing her Gentleman Vsher thrée gentlewomen two Groomes and one of her wardrobe the souldiers watching warding about the house and she close shut vp This was because certaine of her Gentlemen and Yeomen to the number of 60. came to méete her and salute her The next day folowing her Grace entred Hāpton court on the backside into the Princes lodging the dores being shutte to her and she garded as before with Souldiers Shée lay there a fortnight at the least before any body had recourse vnto her At the length came the Lorde William Howarde who marueylous honourablie entertayned her And not long after came the Bishoppe of Winchester the Lorde of Arundell the Lorde of Shrewsburie and Secretarie Peter whom she required to be a meane for her deliuerie out of prison S. Gardiner requested her to submit her self to the Quéene and to craue pardon Which she said shée would not doe hauing neuer offended and that she had rather lie in prison all the daies of her life requiring lawe if she had offended The next day he came againe to her and vsed perswasions to haue her acknowledge her selfe faultie She againe refuseth adding that it were as good for her to be in prison with honestie and trueth as abroade suspected of her Maiestie And this that I haue said I wil quoth she stand vnto for I will neuer belie my selfe So Winchester and the rest knéeling downe prayed that all might be forgotten and so departed leauing her fast locked as before A seuennight after the Quéene sent for her Grace at ten of the cloke in the night to speake with her for she had not séene her in two yeres before So Mistresse Clarentius conducted her to the Quéenes bedchamber where her Maiesty was At the sight of whom her Grace knéeled downe and desired God to preserue her Maiestie saying she mistrusted not but she should proue her selfe as good a Subiect to ward her Maiestie as euer did any And desired her Maiestie euen so to iudge of her To whom the Quéene answered you will not confesse your offence but stande stoutly to your trueth I pray God it may fall out so If it doe not quoth the Lady Elizabeth I request neither fauour nor pardon at your handes Thus her Grace departing went to her lodging againe and the seuennight after shee was released of Sir Henry her Gaoler And so being sette at libertie shee went into the Countrey and had appointed to goe with Sir Thomas Pope a Counseller and one of the Quéenes Gentlemen Vshers Then there came to Lamheire Master Iermingham and master Norris gentleman Vsher Quéene Maries men and tooke away from her Grace Mistres Ashley to the Fléete and thrée other of her gentlewomen to the Tower Shortly after God tooke away Gard. Gardiner dieth her mortal enemy and after him other of her enemies dropped away one after another and her libertie still increased till at the length in the Moneth of Nouember the seuentéene day of the same thrée yeres after the death of Gardiner died Quéene Mary Queene Marie dieth Of which Quéene this may truely be affirmed that before her was neuer read in storie of any king or Quéen of England since the time of king Lucius vnder whom in time of peace by hanging heading burning and imprisonment so much Christian bloud was spilled within this Realme as was vnder the reigne of Quéene Marie for the space of iiij yéeres to be séene The vnprosperous successe of Q. Marie while she persecuted the children of God FIrst incontinently after she had receiued the Pope the fairest greatest ship she had called great Harrie was burned A vessel not matchable in al these parts of Europe Then fel there such a dearth that her poore subiects were faine to eate Acornes for want of corne Moreouer Calice was lost in her time besides the ill lucke shee had in her childbirth and her husband for saking her and in the end her short raigne euen the shortest of any King or Quéene since the conquest onely excepted king Richard the third The seuere punishment of God vpon the persecutors of his people OF Gardiner mention hath béene made before Morgan B. of S. Dauids who cōdemned B. Farrar was so striken by God that his meat would not go downe but rise and pick vp againe sometimes at his mouth sometime blow out of his nose most horribly to behold so cōtinued till he died Iustice Morgan that sat vpon the death of the L. Iane not long after fel mad and so died euer hauing in his mouth Lady Iane Lady Iane c. D. Dunning died before Q. Mary fitting in his chaire he was the bloody Chauncellor of Norwich Likewise suddaine death fell vpon Berry Commissarie of Norwich who fell downe suddainly to the ground gaue an heauy grone and neuer stirred after B. Thorneton Suffragan of Douer looking vpon his men playing at the boules fell downe in a palsey willed to remember God yea said he and my Lord of Canturbury too Another Suffragan that succéeded him brake his necke downe a paire of
Now this Basilides being required a while after to giue an oath in a matter by the Idols and the Emperour as the manner of the oath was refused so to doe confessing himselfe to bée a Christian and was beheaded for the faith At that time there was one Alexander Alexand. who after great tormentes escaped aliue and was afterwarde Bishoppe of Hierusalem together with Narcissus Narcissus who being thréescore and thrée yéeres olde was vnweldy to gouerne alone He continued Bishop in Hierusalem 40. yéeres till the persecution of Decius and there erected a famous library where Eusebius had his chiefest helpe in writing his ecclesiastical history He wrote also diuers Epistles and licensed Origen to teach openly in his Church At length being very aged was brought to Cesarea vnder Decius where after his constant confession the second time he died in prison Vnder Seuerus suffered also Andoclus Andoclus whome Polycarpus had sent before into Fraunce who was apprehended of Seuerus and first being beaten with bats was afterward beheaded In that time Asclepiades Asclepiad confessed also and suffred much and was after ordeined Bishop of Antioch and continued there 7. yéeres About the fourth or fift yéere Ireneus Ireneus with a great multitude beside were martired Hée was the scholler of Polycarpus He was appointed Bishop of Lyons and there continued 23. yéeres In his time the question of keeping of Easter was renued betwéene Victor Victor Bishoppe of Rome and the churches of Asia and when Victor would haue excommunicated them as Schismatikes Ireneus with other brethren of the French Church wrote vnto Victor to staye his purpose therein and not to procéede thereto for such a matter Not long after Ireneus followed Tertullian Tertullian about the time of this Seuerus and Antoninus Caracalla who writte very learned Apologies for the Christians and confuted all the slaunders obiected against them He writte also diuers bookes whereof part remaine at this day Victor succéeded Eleutherius in the bishoprick of Rome and died a Martir as some say after he had sitten ten or xij yeres This Victor was earnest in the matter of Easter the yere of our Lord 260. and would haue excommunicated all of the contrarie minde had not Ireneus disswaded him With Victor stoode Theophilus Theophil c Bishop of Cesarea Narcissus of Ierusalem Ireneus of Lyons Palmas of Pontus Panthillus of Corinth the Bishop of Ostrena and other more who agréed to haue Easter vpon the sunday because they would differ from the Iewes in all things and partly because the resurrection of the Lorde fell on that day On the other side were diuers Bishops of Asia Among whom the chiefe was Policrates Policrat c. Bishop of Ephesus alledging the example of Philippe the Apostle with his iij. daughters at Hierapolis of Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist at Ephesus Polycarpus at Smirna Thraseas at Eumenia Bishop and Martir Likewise the example of Sagaris at Laodicea Bishop and Martir holy Papirius Melito at Sardis beside diuers others Notwithstanding Victor procéeded to excommunication yet by the wise handling of Ireneus other the matter was staied who shewed that variāce and difference of Ceremonies was no strange thing in the Church of God not only in the day of Easter but also of fasting and diuers other vsages among the Christians and yet kept the vnitie of faith and concord among themselues and brought forth examples of Telesphorus Pius Anicetus Soter Eleutherius and such other After Victor succéeded in the Sea of Rome zephyrinus Zephyrinus in the dayes of Seuerus about the yere 203. Eusebius saith he died in the raign of Caracalla and sate xvij yeres Platina saith that he died vnder Seuerus and sate viij yeres And so Nauclerus Damasus saith that he sate xvi yeres and ij Moneths Vnder this Seuerus suffered also Perpetua Perp. c. Felicitas and Rouocatus her brother Also Saturninus and Satyrus brethren Secundulus which were throwen to wild beastes and of them deuoured in Carthage and in Africa sauing that Saturninus being brought againe from the beasts was beheaded and Secundulus died in prison about the yere 202 Seuerus raigned xviij yeres and was slaine at Yorke by the Northerne men and Scots the yere 214. Leauing behinde him two sonnes Bassianus and Geta. Which Bassianus Bassianus surnamed Carocalla after he had slain his brother here in Britain gouerned the Empire alone the space of sixe yeres After whose death he also being slaine of his seruantes succéeded Marianus with his sonne Diadumenus who after they had raigned one yere were both slain by their own people After them succéeded Varius Heliogab Varius Heliogabalus who after he had raigned very vitiously ij yeres viij moneths was slain by the souldiers drawne through the citie throwne into Tyber He hauing no issue adopted his heire Aurelius Alexander Seuerus the sonne of Mammea He entered his raigne the yere 224. and continued xiij yeres wel commended for vertue and fauoured the Christians Mammea Mammea the mother of this Emperor whō Ierom calleth a deuout religious womā hearing of the fame of Origē sēt for him to Antioch to whō Origē resorted and staying a while with the Emperor and his mother returned again to Alexandria Thus hauing raigned xiij yeres at a cōmotion in Germany with his mother Mammea he was slaine After him succéeded Maximinus Maximinus although the church in the time of Alexander had no open persecution yet vnder Iudges there were many martyred because there was no edict to the contrary As vnder Almachus Calixtus Calixtus B. of Rome who succéeded Zephyrus aboue mentioned and after him Vrbanus who suffered vnder Alexander Seuerus Vincentius saith Calixtus was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was throwne into a ditch Eusebius saith he sat 5. yéeres Platina 6. Sabellicus 7. and so Damasus After Calixtus followed Vrbanus Vrbanus about the yéere 227. he died a martyr as Marianus Scotus Sabellicus Nauclerus doo hold in the dayes of Seuerus after he had gouerned there as Damasus Platina say foure yéeres as Marianus eight yéeres Damasus and Platina witnesse of him that hée conuerted diuerse Ethnicks among whome were Tiburtius Tiburtius and Valerianus Valerianus the husband of Cecilia which being both noble men of Rome remayned constant vnto martyrdome Vnder the same Alexander suffered also one Agapitus Agapitus of the age of fiftéene yéeres who beyng condemned at Preneste in Italie because he would not doo sacrifice after other torments was beheaded The executor of these punishmēts was one Antiochus who while the torments were executing fell suddenly from his Iudiciall seat crying out that all his inward bowels burned within him died Vnder him also suffered Calepodius Calepodius a minister of Rome who was drawen through the citie cast into Tiber after him suffered Pammachus Pammachus a Senator of Rome with
his wife children and other men and women to the number of 42. and with them also another noble Senator named Simplicius Simplicius all which together in one day had their heads smitten of their hands hanged vp in diuerse gates of the citie Vnder him also suffered Quiritius Quiritius a noble man of Rome with his mother Iulia Iulia. with a great number besides also Tiberius Tiberius and Valerianus Valerianus citizens of Rome and brethren suffered the same time being first beaten with bats and after beheaded Also one Martina Martina a virgin suffered at the same time but these martyrs are rather to be thought to suffer vnder Maximinus or Decius The sixt Persecution Maximinus MAximinus succéeded Alexander as is aforesaid the yéere of our Lord 237. Who for the hatred he had to Alexander raised the sixth persecution especially against the teachers of the Church he raigned but thrée yéeres In the time of this persecution Origen wrote his booke De Martyrio After him succéeded Gordian Gordian who was milde towards the Christians raigned six yéeres and was slaine of Phillip Phillip who succéeded him In the dayes of these Emperours aboue recited was Pontianus Pontianus bishop of Rome who succéeded next after Vrbanus about the yéere 236. in the twelfth yéere of Alexander according to Eusebius declaring him to sit six yéeres Damasus and Platius write that hée was Bishop nine yéeres and a halfe and with Phillip his priest was banished into Sardinia and there died But it séemeth he was rather banished vnder Maximinus and died in the beginning of the raigne of Gordianus In these times notable men were raised vp to the church as Philetus Philetus Bishop of Antioch who succéeded Asclepiades aboue mentioned anno 220. and after him Zebenus Zebenus bishop of the same place anno 231. To these may be added Ammonius Ammonius the Scholemaster of Origen and kinsman of Porphiry the enemy of Christ In the same times was also Iulius Aphricanus Iulius Aphricanus the scholer of Origen To these may be ioined Natalius Natalius who had suffered for the truth and was seduced by Asclepiodotus and Theodotus who were the disciples of Theodorus to take vpon him to be the Bishop of their sect promising him euery moneth 150. pieces of siluer wherto he yéelded But the Lord in a vision admonished him whereto he taking no héed was in a night scourged with Angels and so confessed his fault and declared that which had happened vnto him to Zephirinus the Bishop who with the rest of the congregation admitted him againe After Pontianus succéeded Anterius Anterius Cōcerning his time writers doe greatly vary Eusebius and Marianus Scotus affirm that he was Bishop but a moneth Damasus twelue yeeres and one moneth Volateranus Bergomensis Henricus Erford thrée yéeres one moneth Nauclerus one yere and one moneth Next to this Bishop was Fabianus Hippolitus Hippolitus was a martyr and as Gelasius saith was bishop of an head Citie in Arabia Nicephorus that he was Bishop of Ostia a port towne néere to Rome He was a great writer and was about the yéere 230. Prudentius in his Peristephanon maketh mention of great heapes of martyrs buried by thréescore together and saith that Hippolitus was drawne with wild horses through fields dales and bushes After Gordianus succéeded Philippus who with Philip his sonne gouerned about the space of sixe yéeres ann 246. These Emperours with their families were christened and conuerted by Fabianus and Origen He with his sonne was slaine of Decius one of the Captaines by hatred as it is thought because the Emperours had committed their treasures vnto Fabianus then Bishop of Rome The seuenth Persecution DEcius hauing slayn the former Emperours inuaded the crowne the yéere 250. by whom through enuie hatred as is aboue said was moued a terrible persecution against the Christians Fabian Fabian aboue mentioned was made Bishoppe of Rome after Anterius by the flying and lighting of a Doue vpon his head in the congregation which was minded to elect some noble personage of Rome He sate 13. yeres or as other say 14. was put to death by Decius who also caused to bée proclaimed in al quarters the destruction of Christians To this Decius Origen wrote of the rightnesse of his faith he continued two and fifty yéeres in great labours of teaching and writing and sustained diuers gieuous persecutions but especially vnder Decius vnder whom hauing suffred bands torments rackings with bars of yron dungeons besides terrible threats of death and burning at length was brought to an altar where a foule filthy Ethiope was appointed to be and there this choise was offered him whether he would sacrifice to the Idoll or haue his body polluted with that foule and ougly Ethyope Origen made choyse rather to doe sacrifice Origen sacrificeth for the which impietie hée was after excommunicated by the Church Epiphanius writeth that he being vrged to sacrifice to Idols and taking the bones in his hand wherewith the heathen were wont to honour their goddes called vpon the Christians to carrie them in honour of Christ which fact the Churche of Alexandria misliking remooued him from their communion Origen excommunicated Wherevpon Origen driuen away with shame went into Iurie where being in Hierusalem among the congregation and there requested of the ministers to make some exhortation in the Church refused a great while so to doe but at length through importunitie he turned the booke as though hée woulde haue expounded some place of Scripture and read the verse of the 49. Psalme But God saide to the sinner why doest thou preach my iustifications and why doest thou take my testament in thy mouth c. Which verse hauing read hée shut the booke and sate downe wéeping and wayling the whole congregation also wéeping and lamenting with him Origen repenteth Suidas saith Origen was buried at Tirus Eusebius saith he died vnder the Emperor Gallus about the yéere two hundred fiftie and fiue and the thrée score and ten yeares of his age in great miserie and pouertie In the time of Antoninus Carocalla Origen had a notable man Heracleas Heracleas his vsher in the schoole of Alexandria who after in the tenth yeare of Alexander Origen departing vnto Cesaria succéeded him in the gouernment of the schoole of Alexandria This Heracleas also succéeded after the death of Demetrius to be Bishop of Alexandria in the tyme of the Emperour Gordianus in which function he continued sixtéene yéeres After Heracleas succéeded Dyonisius Alexandrinus Heracleas was no martyr but died thrée yéeres before Decius anno 250. vnder whom Dionysius Alexandrinus Dionysius Alexandrinus suffered much The persecutions vnder Decius were so cruel that Niceph. faith it were as possible to number the sand of the sea as to recite their names that suffred Cruel persecution Of the which persecution vnder the Emperor
and raigne of these 4. king of Northumberland king Iua raigned in West saxe who succéeding Cadwallader the last king of the Britains begā his raign ann 689. and raigned with great valiantnes ouer the West Saxons the terme of 37. yéeres About the 16. yere of the raign of this Iua or Iue Etheldred king of Mercia after he had raigned there 30. yéeres was made a monke after an abbot of Bardney About the 18. yéere of the raigne of Iua King Iua made a monke and after an abbot died the learned worthy bish Aldelmus Aldelmus first abbot of Malmesburie afterward B of Schirburne He was next vnto Bede in learning and vertue he wrote diuers Epistles and Poems The sea of Schirburn was afterward vnited to the sea of Winton Moreouer about the 25. yéere of Iua died S. Iohn of Beuerley then Bishop of Yorke Iohn of Beuerley and was buried at the porche of the minster of Beuerley In the time of this foresaide Iua The right obseruing of Easter now first receiued of Picts and Brittaines beganne the right obseruing of Easter day to be kept of the Picts and Brittains in the obseruing of which day thrée things are chiefly necessarie 1. The full moone of the moneth of March 2. The Dominicall letter 3. The equinoctial daies It tooke place through the busie trauel of Theodorus Cuthlacus but namely of Egbert whom they termed the holie monke and of Colefride abbot of Serwin in Northumberland who wrote to Narranus or Naivnus the king of the Pictes about the same who also wrote amōg other things of the shauē crowns Shauen crownes of priests saying it was as necessarie for their vowe for restraint of their lustes as it is for anye Christian man to blesse him against spirites when they come vppon him The letter is very ridiculous notwithstanding being read before king Naiton he rose from among his noble men and gaue thanks to God for the aduise of shauing knéeling on the ground The K. thanketh God for the priests shauen crownes and caused it to bee obserued among his people defacing the errors that had bin vsed the space of 404. yéeres Now when king Iua had ruled the West Saxōs 37. yéers he was perswaded by Ethelburga his wife to go to Rome there to be made a mōk Which hauing lōg time before persuaded not preuailing she caused the faire palace of the king where they had bin the day before The deuise of Ethelburga the Queene to be filled full of dung hogges vile beasts to be laid in the chiefe chambers in their own chamber a sow to be laid with her yong pigges and bringing the king thither againe within a while therevpon declared vnto him the vanity of this life and perswaded him to be a monke Wherevpon shortly after he resigned his kingdome to Ethelardus his nephewe and in great deuotion went to Rome after he had raigned seuen thirty yeres after whose departing Ethelburga his wife went vnto Barking The Q becommeth an Abbesse seuen miles from London where in the Nunry of Barking before founded of Erkenwald she continued ended the rest of her life when shee had continued Abbas of the place a certaine time This Iua was the first king that graunted a penny for euery fire house through his dominion to be paid vnto the Court of Rome which after was called Rome scotte or Peter pence and long after was paid in manie places of England Peter-pence Iua was the first of Saxon kings that set foorth lawes to his countrie to the number of 80. and odde Next vnto Osoricus king of Northumberland followed Celulfus Celulfus a learned king Diuers learned men flourish Bedaes Anglorum historia whō he had adopted brother to Kenred This Celulfus as hée was learned so in his time diuers learned men flourished in England among whom was Beda who vnto the same king Celulfus offered his historie intituled Anglorum historia not onely to be ratified but also to bee amended by his learning and knowledge Beda Beda was an Englishman a Priest and of the Monasterie of Peter and Paul at Wire and was borne in the same Territorie About the xix yere of his age he was made a Deacon and the xxx a Priest From which time til the age of lix he occupied himselfe in wryting Treatises and interpreting of Scriptures which rose to the number of xxxvij Volumes which he digested into xxviij Bookes This Beda for the same of his learning was sent for by Pope Sergius who wrote vnto Chelfride the Abbot of Wire to send him vnto him He liued in trauel of studie till the age of lxij yeres At length drawing to his ende being sick vij wéekes together besides other occupyinges of his minde and studies which he did not intermitte Beda translated the gospel of Iohn into English he translated the Gospel of Saint Iohn into English So he died pronouncing very many comfortable wordes to those that stoode round about him vpon Ascension day in the same yere that Nothelinus was restored to the Archbishoprick of Canterburie This Celulfus king of Northumberlande before mentioned after he had reigned viij yeres was made a Monke in the Abbey of Farne otherwise called Lincolne or holy Iland Where by his meanes licence was geuen vnto the monks of that house only to drink wine or ale which before The K. made a Monke by the institution of Aidanus before mētioned drank nothing but milke and water After whom succeeded Egbert his cosin brother to Egbert the same time Bishop of York which brought againe thether the Pall that his Predecessors had forgone since the time of Paulinus who left that Sea and fled to Rochester The said Egbert also erected a noble Librarie in Yorke whose example I would other Bishops now would follow A noble Librarie in Yorke by a Bishop About the beginning of Egberts reigne was Cutbert Archb. of Canterburie who conuented a great Synode of Bishops and Prelates in the yere of our Lorde 747. in the moneth of September néere to the place called Clonesho in the which Synode assembled these articles were enacted First that Bishops should be more diligent in looking to their office admonishing the people of their faults 2. That they should liue in a peaceable mind one with another 3. That euerie Bishop once in a yere should goe about all the Parishes of his Dioces 4. That the Bishops should admonish their Abbots and Monkes to liue regularly and that Prelates should not oppresse their inferiors but loue them 5. That they should teach the Monasteries which the Secular men had inuaded and could not be taken from them to liue regularlie 6. That none should be admitted to orders before his life were examined 7. That in Monasteries the reading of holy Scriptures should be more frequented 8. That Priestes should be no disposers of secular busines 9. That they should take
Egfretus his sonne who raigned but foure monethes next Egfret succéeded Kenulphus in the kingdom of Mercia who made warre against the Cantuarites and tooke Egbert their king called Wren whom he bound and led prisoner to Mercia but vpon the dedication of a Church which hee builded he released him out of prison Next to Pope Zacharie followed Pope Stephen the second to whom Pipinus the French king to gratifie the Pope gaue to the sea of Rome the princedome of Rauenna the kingdome of the Lombards and manie other great possessions of Italie The donation of Pipine the traitor and murtherer Inuention of Organs with all the cities thereto adioyning vnto the borders of Venice and this is like to the donation which they say was giuen of Constantine To this Pipinus was sent into France the inuention of Organs out of Gréece by Costantine Emperour of Constantinople Anno 757. Next to Stephen the second succéeded Paul the first in the Papacie who thundered against Constantine the emperor of Constantinople for abrogating of images but hee continued constant in his purpose notwithstanding to the end of his life These came to bee Popes Constantinus the seconde a Laie man Pope deposed his eies out and brother to Desiderius the king of Lombardie for the which cause hée was shortly deposed and thrust into a Monasterie hauing his eyes put out In whose steade succeeded Stephen the third who condemned the seuenth Councell of Constantinople for hereticall because in that Councell the woorshipping of Images was condemned Pope striueth for images and contrarily caused them to be worshipped and incensed At this time Charles the great beganne to raigne by whom the Pope caused Desiderius the Lombard king to bee depriued Next vnto Stephen succeeded Hadrianus the first who gaue more veneration to images then any before him writing a booke in commendation and vtilitie of their adoration Images laie mens kalender commaunding them to be taken for lay mens kalenders holding a synode at Rome against Felix and al other that spake against images and as Paul the first before him had made much of the body of Petronella S. Peters daughter So this Hadrian clothed the body of S. Peter all in siluer Cost vpon Images and couered the altar of S. Paul with a pall of gold This Hadrian did confirme the order of Saint Gregories Masse before the order of S. Ambrose for vnto the time 800. Strife for Gregories masse the Liturge of S. Ambrose was more vsed in the Italian Churches but this Bishop burnt the bookes of Ambrose seruice into ashes and threwe into prison many priests that would not consent vnto him Now Eugenius cōming 3. daies after the councell ended perswaded the pope to call the councell againe agréed that both the bookes of Gregory and Ambrose should be laied vpon the altar of Peter and Paule and the Church dores shut and sealed they should all the night giue themselues to prayer that God might giue a token whether were more to be allowed Now on the morning A miracle falsly interpreted they found Gregories masse booke plucked one péece from another and scattered ouer all the Church and onely Ambroses booke open vpon the altar where they had laide it This miracle Pope Adrian did interprete on his owne side side that as the leaues were scattered ouer the Church so should Gregories booke bée vsed through the worlde and Ambrose his book should onely be kept at his owne Church at Mediolanum where hee sometime was Bishop Carolus magnus did confirme his fathers gift and deuotion to the Pope adding moreouer therevnto the Citie and dominion of Venice Histria the Dukedome of Foroiuliense the Dukedome Spoletanū and Beneuentanum and other possessions mo to the patrimonie of saint Peter and the Pope to requite him made him Patricium Romanum and ordeined him onely to be taken for Emperour of Rome Carolus being proclaymed Emperour the Empire was translated from the Grecians to the Frenchmen an 801. The Empire translated to the French A B C Monasteries and continued so 102. yeres or thereabout till the comming of Conradus and his Neuew Otho which were Germās This Charles builded so many Monasteries as there bée letters in the A.B.C. He helde a Councell at Franckforde wherein was condemned the Councell of Nice and Irene for setting vp and worshipping of Images Anno 784. Irene Empresse of the Gréekes through the meanes of Pope Hadrian tooke vp the body of Constantine Emperour of Constantinople Irene the Greeke Empresse a maintainer of Images her owne husbandes father and when she had burned the same she caused the ashes to be cast into the Sea because he disanulled Images Afterward she raigned with her sonne Constantine the sixt sonne to Leo the fourth The cruell Irene who was also excommunicated for taking away Images and being at dissention with him she caused him to be taken and laid in prison and afterward through power of fréends being restored was at the last againe cast into prison The Emp. eies pulled out by his mother and had his eyes pulled out so cruelly that within short space he died After this the Empresse by the counsel of Therasius Bishop of Constantinople held a Counsell at Nicea wherin it was decreed that Images again should be restored to the Church which Charles afterward repealed at Frankford At length shée was deposed by Nicephorus who succeeded her and ended her life in much penurie Monasteries erected and founded in England In the space of 200 yéeres these monasteries following began to be founded in the land Paules Churche at London was founded by Ethelbert King of Kent and Sigebert king of Essex about the yéere 604. The first Crosse Altar was set vp in the North parts in Heuenfield vpon occasion of Oswalde King of Northūberlandes fighting against Cadwall where he in the same place set vp the signe of the Crosse knéeling praying there for victorie an 635. The Church of Winchester was first begun and founded by Kinigilsus king of Mercia hauing nine myles about it And afterwarde finished by his Sonne Kewalcus where Owen of Englishmen was the first Bishop Anno 636. The Church of Lincolne was first founded by Paulinus Bishop an 629. The Church of Westminster began first by a certaine citizen of London through the instigation of Ethelbert king of Kent which before was an Ile full of Thornes anno 614. The common Schooles were first erected at Cambridge Common schooles at Cambridge by Sigebert king of East-angles an 636. The Abbey of Knonisburie buylded by Furceus the Eremite an 637 The Monasterie of Malmsburie by one Meldulsus a Scot an 640. And after enlarged by Agilbert Bishop of Winchester The Abbey of Glocester first buylded by Offricus king of Mercia as Cestrensis saith But as William Malmsburie wryteth by Vlferus and Etheldred brethren to Kineburga Abbesse of the same house in the yere of our Lord 679 The Monasterie of Maylerose
Oskitellus hauing his sea in the Cathedrall Church there of S. Peter after he had first assaied the Canons and priests by faire meanes to become monkes and not preuailing néere to the same Church of S. Peter in the Churchyard he builded another Church of our Lady which when he had replenished with monks there he continually frequented and so the people left the other Church naked Wherevpon the priests did eyther become monks or depart from the place So did Ethelwold driue out the Canons and priests from the new monasterie in Winchester afterward called Hida and placed his monks The cause was pretēded for that they were thought slacke and negligent in their Church seruice and set in Vicars in their stéed Then the K. gaue to the same Vicars the land which belonged before to the Prebendaries who also not long after shewed them selues as negligent as the other Wherefore king Edgar by the consent of Pope Iohn voyded cléerelie the Priestes and ordeyned there Monkes Which Monkes did greatly differ and doe at this day disagrée with the auncient Monkes of olde time that were Lay men onely The new mōks differ from the olde who were lay men and were forbidden by the Councell of Chalcedon in any sorte to deale with matters of the Church and were such as by the Tyranny of Persecution were either constrained to hide themselues in solitarie places or els of their owne voluntarie deuotion withdrewe themselues from company hauing nothing proper of their owne or all things common with other Afterward Bonifacius the fourth made a decrée Anno 606. that Monkes might vse the office of preachyng of baptizing and hearing confession and assoiling them of their sinnes and in processe of time they so incroched vpon the office of ministers that at length priestes were discharged out of their cathedrall Churches and Monkes placed in their roomes King Edgar a mainteiner of learning King Edgar was a great mainteiner of religion and learning To auoid excessiue drinking by the example of the Danes which dwelt in diuerse places of the realme he ordained certaine cups with pinnes or nailes set in them adding thereto a law that what person did drinke past that mark at one draught should forfeite a certaine pennie the halfe part whereof should fall to the accuser the other to the ruler of the towne where the offence was done He was a noble Prince wise and victorious but fauoured the monkish superstition ouermuch and is reported by some to haue builded so many monasteries for them as there are Sundaies in the yéere or as Edmer reporteth 48. 48. monasteries builded by K. Edgar Notwithstanding he was much giuen to adulterie and fornication and vsed among others Egelfleda or Elfleda called the white daughter of Duke Odorere of whom he begate Edward in bastardie for the which he was enioyned by Dunstan seuen yeres penance and kept back from his Coronation so long till the one and thirtie yere of his age anno 974 although he began his Raigne at sixtéene His penance appoynted by Dunstane The K. enioyned penance by Dunstan was that he should weare on his head no crowne for the space of seuen yeares that he should fast twise in the wéeke that he should distribute the tribute left him by his ancesters liberally vnto the poore that he should build a Monasterie of Nuns at Shaftsburie Moreouer he should expell Clarkes of euill life meaning such Priestes as had wiues and children out of Churches and places couents of Monkes c. He raigned sixtéene yeeres was crowned onely thrée yeeres He adopted to succéede him Edward that was borne of the harlot Among other lawes of this king he ordained that the Sunday should be solemnized from Saturday at nine of the clocke till Munday morning The Saboth to be solemnised from Saturday nine of the clocke till Munday morning By reason of the displacing of the Priestes before there arose a great contention after Edgars death one part standing with them so that they called also the crowne in question another part fauouring Edward Great strife betwixt priests and monkes the other Egfride the lawfull sonne in which sturre Dunstan Archbishop of Canterburie and Oswald of Yorke with diuerse other Bishops Dukes and Lordes assembled a Councell where Dunstan comming with his crosse in his hand and bringing Edward with him so perswaded the Lordes that Edward was receiued king whom Dunstan hoped would become a patron of Monkery and aduaunce that estate but it fell out contrary to his expectation For shortly after the coronation Duke Alferus of Mercia droue out the Monkes from the Cathedrall Churches and restored the Priestes with their wiues In the end vpon this controuersie was holden a Councell of Bishops and other of the Clergie first at Winchester where the greater part of nobles commons iudged the Priests to haue great wrong and sought by all meanes to redresse it anno 977. Yet notwithstanding the strife ceased not in so much that a new assembly of clergy men other was appointed afterward in a place called the stréete of Calue where the Councell was kept on an vpper loft where diuerse cōplaints were made against Dunstan but he preuailed notwithstanding Not long after about the fourth yéere he was slaine with a dagger drinking on horsebacke by the procurement of the mother of Egelred whom he came to visite his brother her sonne Egelred He was buried not beyng knowne who he was at the towne of Warham thrée yéeres after was taken vp by Duke Alfere and with honor was remooued to the Minster of Shaftsbury there bestowed in the place called Edwardstow This Edward they hold for a martyr and say that the Quéene in repentance of her fact builded after two nunneries one at Amesbury by Salisbury the other at Werewell where she kept her selfe in continuall repentance all the dayes of her life Him succéeded Egelredus his brother Pope Iohn the thirtinth of whom Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury receiued his pall is noted to be monstrously vitious A monsterous vitious pope he was an whoremaster adulterous incestuous libidinous a gamester an extorcioner periured a fighter a murtherer cruell and tyrannous of his Cardinals some he put out their eies from some he cut out their tounges some their fingers some their noses c. In a generall councell before Otho the first Emperour of the Germanes these obiections were articulate against him first that he neuer said his seruice that in saying his Masse he did not communicate that he ordained Deacons in a stable that hée committed incest with two of his sisters that playing at dice he called for the Diuell to help that for mony he made boies bishops that he defloured virgins and straungers that of the palace of Laterane he made a stewes that he lay with Stephana his fathers concubine likewise with Ramera and with Anna and her néece that he put out the eies of bishop Benedict that he caused houses to
be set on fire that he broke open houses that he dranke to the Diuell that hée neuer crossed himselfe c. For the which causes he was deposed by the consent of the Emperour and the Prelates and Pope Leo placed in his roome But after thorough the harlots of Rome Pope restored by harlots and their great promises hée was restored againe and Leo put out At length about the tenth yéere of this Pope he being found without the citie with another mans wife was so wounded of her husband that within eight dayes after he died Pope killed in adultery After him the Romans elected Pope Benedictus the fift without the consent of the emperor whervppon Otho besieged Rome and set vp Pope Leo againe the eight of that name Which Leo to gratifie him again crowned Otho for Emperor and entituled him Augustus also the power which Carolus magnus gaue to the Cleargy and people of Rome touching the election of the B. of Rome this Leo by a synodall decrée gaue to the Emperour and his successors The election of the Pope giuen to the Emperour by the Pope The Emperour againe restored to the Sea of Rome al such possessions which Carolus magnus tooke from the Lombards and gaue to them After Pope Leo had raigned a yéere and thrée moneths succéeded Pope Iohn the 14. Against whom for holding with the Emperor Petrus the head captain of the citie with two Consuls and twelue Aldermen diuers other nobles gathering their power together laid handes vppon him in the Church of Laterane and clapt the pope in prison eleuen moneths The Pope put in prison Whereof the Emperour hearing sped him to Rome and did execution vpon the offenders and committed Petrus to the Popes arbitrement The cruell reuenge of the Pope whom he caused first to be stript naked then his beard being shauen to be hanged by the haire a whole day together after that to be set vpon an Asse his face turned backward and his handes bounde vnder the Asses tayle to be led through the Citie that done to be scourged with roddes and so banished the citie And thus the holy father loued his enemy according to the rule of the Gospel From this Pope procéeded first the christening of bels The christning of belles 971. After him followed Pope Benedictus the 6 who was in like maner apprehended by Cinthius a captain of Rome and cast in prison where he was strangled The Pope strangled or as some say famished for lacke of meat Then came Pope Donus the 2 after whom Bonifacius the 7. was pope who was constrained to hide himselfe for feare of the Citizens conspiracie séeing no place for his safety tooke the treasure of Saint Peters Church so priuily stole to Constantinople in whose stéed the people set vp Pope Iohn the fiftéenth Not long after Boniface returning againe from Constantinople by his money procured a garrison to take his part by whose meanes Pope Iohn was taken his eies put out and so throwen in prison The popes eies put out he famished in prisō where he was as some say famished some say he was slaine by Feruchus Neither did Boniface liue many daies after but sodainly died whose carkas after his death was drawne by the féete through the stréetes of Rome The dead body of the Pope drawn through the streets the people shriking and exclaiming against him An. 276. Next Pope after him was Benedictus the seuenth by the consent of the Emperour Otho the second and raigned 19. yéeres In the time of this Pope Hugh Cappet the French king tooke Charles the right heire to the crowne by treason of the Bishop of Laon and when he had imprisoned him hée also imprisoned Arnoldus Archbishoppe of Rames and placed in his roome Gilbertus a Necromancer who was Schoolemaister to D. Robert the kings sonne but Pope Benedictus calling a councel at Rhemes restored Arnoldus againe and displaced Gilbertus After Benedictus succéeded in the sea of Rome Pope Iohn the 16. and died the 8. moneth of his papacie next to whom came Iohn the seuentéenth and after him Gregory the fift ann 995. This Gregory called before Bruno was a Germaine borne and therefore more maliced the Cleargie and people of Rome Whervpon Crescentius with the people and cleargy agréeing against the same Gregory set vp pope Iohn the 18. wherevpon Gregory went to Otho the third who vpon his complaint came to Rome tooke in the city of Rome both Crescentius the consul Iohn the pope Which Iohn hauing his eies put out The popes eies put out was after depriued of his life Crescentius the Consul was set vppon a wilde horse hauing his nose and eares cut of Crueltie and so was ledde through the Cittie his face turned to the horse tayle and after hauing his Members cutte off was hanged vpon a Gibbet Pope Gregorie being thus restored to his former state raigned foure yeres in his Papacie although some say but two yeares During which time he assembled a Councell at Rome A Councell at Rome wherein to establish the Empire in his owne coūtrey by the consent and councell of Otho he ordeyned seuen Princes of Germanie to be Electors of the Emperor The seuen Electors of the Empire thrée Bishoppes and thrée Princes the Palatine the Duke of Saxony and the Marques Brandenbourge vnto whome was added the king of Boheme to geue a casting voice if néede so required The Bishoppes were of Magunce of Treuers and of Colone This constitution being first begun in the yere of our Lord nine hundred ninetie seuen was afterward established in Germanie by Otho the Emperor an 1002. Now concerning king Egelred or Elred the sonne of Alfrith He raigned 38. yeres Our English Cronicles report his raigne to be vngracious in the beginning A strāge reign of a king wretched in the middle and hatefull in the end There fell a variance betwixt this king and the Bishop of Rochester so that he made warre against him besieged the Citie till the Bishop offered him an C.l. of golde which he receiued and so departed The Danes in the time of this king did much molest the Lande in so much that the King was gladde to graunt vnto them great summes of money for peace Peace bought for money of the Danes For the assurance of which peace Analeffe the Captaine of the Danes became a Christian and so departed the Countrey About the xi or as some say the ix yere of this kings reign died Dunstan after whome succeeded Ethelgarus or as Iornalensis saith Stilgarus After him Elfricus as sayeth Guilielmus lib. 1. de Pontif. But as Polidorus saith Sirifius After him Elfricus came but after the minde of Williā lib. 1. Siricius But Polidorus saith Aluritius then Elphegus c. About the same time Anno 995. Aldwinus Bishoppe translated the bodie of Saint Cutbert from Chester which first was in a Northerne Iland then
monethes died K. Edw. dieth and was buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he had greatly augmented and repayred Diuers lawes were before in diuers Countryes of this land vsed as the Law first of Danwallo Molunicius with the lawes of Mercia called Mercinelega then the lawes of West-saxon kings as of Iue Offa Alfrede c. which was called Westsaxonilega The thirde were the lawes of Canutus and of Danes called Danelega Of al these lawes K. Edward compiled one vniuersal and common law K. Edwarde beginneth the coÌ„mon law for all the people through his land which were called King Edwards Lawes so iust and seruing the publike weale of all Estates that the people did long after rebell against their heads to haue the same lawes againe being takeÌ„ froÌ„ them but could not obteine them For though Duke William did sweare to the maintenance of them yet he forsware himselfe and abrogating them brought in much worse more obscure yet was he compelled through the clamor of the people to take some of Edwards Lawes The law at this day Duke W. contrarie to his oath ouerthroweth the lawes but omitted the most part contrarie to his oath at his coronation placing the most of his own lawes in his owne Language to serue his purpose and so they remaine to this day Harold the second sonne of Earle Godwin tooke on him through force and might to succéede Edward notwithstanding his oath to Duke William of Normandie an 1066. wherof he hearing sent Embassadors admonishing him of couenants which Harold refused to performe WhereupoÌ„ D. William prepared to inuade and sent to Rome to Pope AlexaÌ„der touching his title and voiage into England The Pope confirmeth the same and sent vnto him a Banner willing him to beare it in the shippe wherein hee him selfe should sayle So he tooke shipping at the hauen of saint Valeria and landed at Hastings in Sussex From whence he sent a monke to Harold and offered him thrée conditions Conditions of peace offered by D. Wil. to Harold 1 Either to render vnto him possession of the land and so to take it againe of him vnder tribute raigning vnder him 2 Or els to stand to the Popes arbitrement betwéen them 3 Or els to defend his quarrell in his owne person against the Duke without any further bloudshed All which conditions he refused and ioyning battayll with the Normans was shotte into the left eye with an arrowe and died after he had reigned ix moneths and so was he the last that reigned of the Saxons Which reckoning from Hengistus first reigne in Kent was the space of 591. yeres And if it be reckoned from the yeres of the West-saxons Saxons ende after 591. or 560. yeres then it endured the space of 565. yeres Now after Elfegus whom the Danes stoned at Gréenwich Liningus succéeded in the Sea of Canterburie Archb of Canterburie and after him Egelnothus then Robertus a Norman after whoÌ„ Stigandus as they say inuaded the Sea by Simonie being both Archbishop of Canterburie bishop of Winchester and Abbotte of another place Where hee continued a long space till Duke William cast him into prison there kept him placing in his roome Lanfrancus a Lombard borne About the yere of our Lord one thousand lacking one or two Siluester the second succéeded after Gregorie the fift in the Sea of Rome This Siluester was a Sorcerer and compacted with the deuill to be made Pope He sate four yeres one moneth and eight dayes Siiuester couenanteth with the deuil for the popedome He vpon a certaine time demaunded of the deuill an answere how long he should enioy the Popedome to whoÌ„ hée answered againe vntill thou say masse at Ierusalem thou shalt liue At length the fourth yere of his Popedome saying Masse in the Lent time at the temple of the holy crosse being then called Ierusalem there he knew the time was come that he must die whereupon being stroken with repentance he confessed his fault before the people desiring them to cut his bodie in péeces which he before had vowed to the deuil Siluester is deceiued by the deuil and so being heweÌ„ in péeces they would lay it on a cart and burie it there where the horses would stay of their owne accord So the horses stayed at the church of Lateran there he was buried wheras commonly by the ratling of his bones within the tombe The ratling of Syluesters bones is portended the death of Popes as the common report goeth Iohannes Stellas After Siluester succéeded Iohannes 19. by whom was brought in the feast of Alsoules The feast of Alsoules as Volaterane saith Anno 1004. Through the meanes of one Odilo abbot of Cluniake to be celebrated next to the feast of Alsaints Not long after came Iohannes 20. and Sergius the 4. after whom succéeded Benedictus the eight then Iohn 21. who beyng promoted by arte Magicke through Theophilact his Nephew Gratianus Brazutus and other sorcerors brought in first the fast of the éeuen of S. Iohn Baptist and and S. Laurence after him Benedictus the 9. by magick also who resisting the Emperour Henricus the 3. son to Conradus The Popedom solde and placing in his roome Petrus the king of Hungary with this verse Petra dedit Romam Petra dedit c Petro tibi Papa coronam after for feare of Henricus preuailing in battell hee was faine to sel his seate to his successour Gratianus called Gregorius 6. for 1500. pounds At which time were thrée Popes together in Rome one raging against another Benedictus 9. Siluester 3. Gregorius 6. Three Popes together For the which cause Henricus surnamed Niger the Emperour comming to Rome displaced these 3. monsters at one time placing for them Clemens the 2. and therevpon enacted that no Pope thencefoorth should be chosen without confirmation of the Emperour No P. without the Emperor The Romans also made an oath to the Emperor that they would not intermeddle in the election of the Bishoppes further then the Emperors assent should agree withall But within ix moneths after they forgat their oth and poysoned the B. Which fact some impute to Steuen his successor called Damasus the second some to Brazutus who as histories record wtin xiij yeres poisoned 6. popes One poysoneth sixe popes ClemeÌ„s the secoÌ„d Damasus 2 Leo 9 Victor 2 Steph. 9 Nicolaê° 2. Damasus entred neither by consent of the people nor election of the Emperor but by plain inuasioÌ„ and wtin 23. daies being poisoned An. 1049. much contention was at Rome about the papall sea so that the Romanes by consent of the Cardinals desired the Emperour to giue them a Bishop which he did one named Bruno an Almaigne and Bishop of Collen afterward named Leo the ninth who comming from the Emperour to Rome in his Pontificalibus was met of the Abbot of Cluniake and Hildebrande a monke that al to rated him because he would take his authoritie of the Emperour
and Peter Cantor a Parisian for him grounding himselfe vpon myracles which hée was reported to haue doone after his death 270. myracles done by Becket and his quarrell for the Churches sake his miracles are reported to haue béene 270. Of this Thomas the papistes sing this blasphemous Antheme or Collect in English thus A blasphemous Antheme For the blood of Thomas which he for thée did spend Graunt vs Christ to climbe where Thomas did ascend But as it appeareth by the testimony of Robert Crickladensis the Péeres and nobles of this land néere about the king gaue out in straight charge vpon paine of death None shoulde hold Becket a martyr or preach his miracle The kings penance confiscation of all their goods that no man should be so hardy as to name Thomas a martir or to preach of his miracles The king for this fact was vpon his oath inioyned this penance First that he should send so much to the holy land as should find 200. knights for the defence of the land also that from Christmas day next following he should in his owne person fight for the holy land except he were otherwise dispensed with 3. yéeres Also that he should fight against the Saracens in Spaine Item that he should not hinder any appellations made to the Pope of Rome Also that neither he nor his sonne should euer depart from the pope his successors Itē that the possessions of the church of Canterbury should bée fully restored that the outlawes for Beckets cause should be restored Also that his decrées stablished against the church should be void besides other fastings and alms c. It is mētioned also in stories of the said king that returning out of Normandy into England he came first to Canterbury and so soon as he had séene Beckets Church lighting of his horse putting off his shoes he went barefoote to his tombe Sharpe penāce whose steps were found bloody through the roughnes of the stones and not onely that but also receiued farther penance of euery monke in the cloyster certaine discipline of a rodde Ann. 1174. In which yere the minster of Canterbury was clean burnt and almost all the citie Canterbury burnt The yéere 1175 was in the Conuocation at Westminster the contention renewed about the obedience of York to Cant. Also about Lincolne Chichester Worcester Hereford whether those churches were vnder the sea of York Contention betwixt Yorke and Canterb. or not About those matters grew such contention betwixt the seas that appeale was made to the sea of Rome on the one partie and a Cardinall was sent downe to make peace betwixt them for 5. yeres til they should haue full determination of their cause and that the Archb. should abstaine from the claime to the church of S. Oswald at Glocester and molest the sea of Yorke no more therein In the yéere 1176. Richard Archb. of Canterbury made 3. archdeacons in his dioces where there was wont to bée but one About which time also it was graunted by the king to the popes legate that a Clearke shold not be called before a temporall iudge except for offence in the forrest or for his lay fée which he holdeth Item that no Archb. or Bishoprick should remaine in the kings hands No bishoprick remain longer then one yeere in the K. hand aboue one yéere without great cause The same yéere there was one at Canterbury to be elect abbot in the house of S. Austen named Albert who required the Archbishop to cōsecrate him in his owne Church which the Archb. refused requiring him to come to him rather The matter grew hot betwixt thē so that appellation was made to Alexander the pope who through pence tooke the Abbots part and inioyned the Archb. to satisfie Alberts request who picked out a time when the Abbot was about his houshold affaires absent from home not finding him departed pretēding the fault of the abbot in great disdain So the abbot disappointed filled his purse and went to Rome and had his consecration of the Pope himselfe Contention againe betwixt the Archbishops This yéere began again the contention betwixt the Archbishops for superiority at a councel at Westminster where Yorke took the right hand of the Cardinal the popes legate where about grew such a cōtention that words begate blowes and the Archb. of Canterburies part pulled York from his seat to the ground and al to teare his casule chimer and Rochet from his backe and put the legate in such feare From wordes to blowes that he ranne away The next day after Yorke appealeth to Rome This king though his dominions were greater then euer before him yet neuer put taske on his subiects nor vpon the spiritualtie any first fruits or appropriations of benefices yet his treasure after his death amounted to 900000. No taske nor first fruites pounds besides Iewels and furniture Anno 1181. The archbishop died and his goods came to the king which extended to 11000. pounds beside plate This king died after he had liued with estimatiō of great valure and wisedome in the gouernment 35. yéeres The king died Pope Alexander sat 21. yéeres or as Grisburgensis writeth 23. yéeres This pope among many other his acts had certaine Councels some in France and some at Rome in Laterane by whom it was decréed that no Archb. should receiue his pall except he should first sweare The forme of the words wherby the pope is wont to giue his pal are these To the honor of almighty God The forme of words in giuing the pall of blessed Mary the virgin and of blessed S. Peter and Paul and of our Lord pope N. and of the holy church of Rome and also of the Church of N. committed to our charge we giue to you the pall taken from from the body of S. Peter as a fulnes of the office pontificiall which you may weare within your owne church vpon certaine daies that bee expressed in the priuileges of the same church granted by the sea Apostolike The pope might weare the pall at all times Order of the pall and in all places at his pleasure It must be asked within 3. moneths without the which any might be displaced Also it must be buryed with him to whom it belonged The bishops make this oath to the Pope I M B. of N. from this houre hencefoorth will be faithfull The B. oath to the Pope and obedient to blessed S. Peter to the holy apostolike church of Rome and to my Lord N. the Pope I shall be in no Councell nor helpe either with any consent or déede where by either of them or any of them may be empaired or whereby they may be taken with any euill taking The Councell which they shal commit to me either by themselues messengers or by letters wittingly or willingly I shall vtter to none to their hinderance and damage To the mainteining of the
palace of Canterbury After the death of Langton fell strife betwixt the King and the Monks of Canterburie for the election of their Archbishop the Monkes choose one of their owne societie named Walter Heuesham the King preferred Richard Chauncellour of Lincolne and articulated against the other that hée was the sonne of a Felon conuicted and hanged also that hée had lyen with a Nunne and had children by her c. The matter beyng presented before the Pope and like to go hard on the Kings part the Kings proctors promised and graunted in his name The tenth of al the goods of England and Scotland to be geuen to the Pope to be giuen to the Pope the tenth part of all the goods of the Realme of England and Scotland moueable to sustaine his warres agaynst the Emperour so that hée would encline fauourably to the Kings suit whereat the Pope boyling as saith Parisiensis with vnmeasurable desire of subduing his enemy the Emperour and cherished with so great promises graunted vnto them This was doone An. 1229. These things thus finished at Rome the Pope sendeth his owne chaplain Stephen legate into England to require the tithes of all moueable goods of England Ireland and Wales which were promised vnto him Wherevpon the king called a Councell at Westminster to common of the matter where in fine notwithstāding the dislike of the most part yet for feare of curse and of interdiction the summe was gathered so that the Prelates hauing no other remedy The prelates driuen to sell there chalices and copes were driuen to sell their chalices cruets copes iewels and other Church plate and some to lay to morgage such things as they had some also to borrow vpon vsury to make the mony which was required Moreouer the said Stephen as saith Parisiensis brought with him into England for the same purpose Vsurers brought into England by the Popes Legate bankers and vsurers who lending out their monie vpon great interest did vnreasonably pinch the English people which Merchant vsurers were then called Caursini and such exactions were then vpon the poore Englishmen that not only their present goods were valued and taxed The corne growing against the next haruest tithes to pay the Pope but also the corne yet growing against the next haruest was tithed c. Onely the Earle of Chester named Radulphus stood stoutly against the pope suffering none within his dominion either lay men or clarks to yéeld any tēths to the Popes proctors Parisiensis pag. 74. This yéere 1229. was finished the New church of Couentrie by Alexander bishop of the same citie and partly by the helpe of the king which Church Richard his predecessor bishop of Couentry had begon The French men againe about this time assayled Raymundus Earle of Tholouse The Earle of Tholouse assailed againe but preuailed not the Earle hauing in the conflict taken 500. and many slaine of their seruitours to the number of two thousand were taken with their armour Yet thrise the same Summer did they assault the godly Earle and were put to flight and discomfited Parisiensis pag. 96. Richard Archb. of Canterbury beyng now confirmed in his seat came to the king complaining of Hubert lord chiefe Iustice for withholding the Castle and towne of Tumbridge from him with the appertenance thereto belōging other lands of the Earle of Clare lately deceassed which lands pertained to the right of that sea and to the Church of Canterbury for the which the said Earle his auncestors were bound to doe homage to him and his predecessors and therefore required the kéeping of the foresaid castle with the demeanes to be restored vnto him The king misliking the demand answered not to the appetite of the Archb. wherby he was so moued that he brast forth into excommunication of al such as held those possessions or tooke their part the K. onely excepted which done he prosecuteth his matter before the Pope The K. hearing thereof sendeth vp M. Roger Contelu with certain other against the Archb. The Archb. among other the articles complaineth to the Pope of certaine Bishops his suffragans who neglecting their pastoral functiō did sitte on checker matters belonging to the king and exercised sessions and iudgements of blood Bishops set on checker matters exercised sessions and iudgements The pope neglecteth the K. and satisfieth the Archb. he complained also of beneficed parsons and Clearks within orders for hauing many benefices ioyned with the cure of soules and that they also taking example of Bishops did intermeddle in secular matters and in iudgements of Lay men The Pope neglecteth the kings allegations fauoureth altogether the Archbishop and sent him away satisfied in his requests who in his returning homward within 3. daies of his setting forth died in the house of the gray Friers at Saint Gemmes Parisiensis After the death of Richard the monkes did choose Randulph Neuell Randulph Neuell Bishop of Chester and the Kings Chauncellour a man faithful vpright and constant The King approued of the election and onely the Popes confirmation was wanting Wherevpon the monks addressed thē to Rome to haue the popes liking and first requiring help for the expences of the iourney of the new Archbish hee denied the same he should séeme in any sort ambitiously to séeke after it A good bishop and holding vp his handes to heauen thus prayed O Lorde God if I shall be thought woorthy to bée called although indéed vnworthy to the seat and office of this Church so be it as thou hast disposed But if otherwise in this troublesom office of Chauncery and this my inferiour ministery whervnto I haue béene assigned I shall séeme more necessary for this thy kingdom people I refuse not my labour thy will be done The monkes notwithstanding procéeded on their iourney shewed the matter to the pope the popes holinesse inquired of the qualities of the man of Simon Langthon brother of Stephen Langthon Archbish before mentioned who did so depraue Radulph Neuell to the Pope that hée charged the monkes to procéed to a new election who agréed vpon Iohn their prior to be Metropolitane but he no other fault being found notwithstanding he had bin examined in 3. daies together of the Cardinals was repulsed for that he was too aged though he were able to take a iourney to Rome and home againe Anno 1231. the exactions of the pope were so grieuous in the land that it was deuised of some of the nobles that certaine letters vnder the pretensed colour of the kings authority should be sent abroad commanding that such corne and graine other reuenewes as were taken vp for the Pope should be staied forth cōming by a certain day in the said letters appointed These letters wer thought to procéed chiefly from Hubert L. chief iustice Hubert Lord chiefe Iustice of England who then next vnder the K ruled the most affaires of the realme This done they sent these letters by
certaine souldiers thereto appointed who did execute the contents accordingly so that the Italians throughout the land were spoiled their corne fruites bestowed on the poor commons of the land Italians spoyled throughout the land This comming to the knowledge of Roger B. of London he with the assistance of other bishops procéedeth to excommunication against them and such as had forged the kings letters Yet for al that the same yéere about Easter next following all the Barnes in Englande that were in the handes of any Romane or Italian were likewise wasted who for feare were fayne to hide themselues in monasteries and celles The Authors and workers of this feat were foure score armed souldiers of whom the principall Captaine was one naming himselfe William Withers William Withers surnamed Twynge The Pope hearing of this sendeth his letters to the king vpon the same threatning him with excommunication to search out the doers of the fact to punish them accordingly likewise he sent the same charge to Peter bishop of Winchester and to the Abbot of Saint Edmunds to inquire in the South partes to the bishop of Durham and the Archb. of Yorke and to Master Iohn Chanon of Yorke a Romane to inquire in the North partes for the said malefactors So that earnest inquisition being made diuers were found fauourers and diuers euen of the cleargy but the chiefe author was supposed to be Hugo de Burge L. chiefe iustice who both with the kings letters his own fortified the doers therof that no man durst interrupt them Moreouer in the same society was R. Twinge who of his owne voluntary accord came to the king and protested himselfe to be the Author of the fact because that by the sentence of the B. of Rome and fraudulent circumuention of the Italians he was bereaued of the patronage of his benefices hauing no more to giue but that one Then the king and other executors of the Popes commandement counselled him to offer himselfe to the pope to be absolued and there to make declaration of his cause The king also wrote letters in the behalfe of his Souldiers requiring fauourable audience At the request whereof P. Gregorie both released him of the sentēce and restored him to his Patronage But the grudge against Hubert did not so ende for the Bishops conspired against him and first commeth Peter B. of Winchester to the K. with gréeuous complaints and so preuayled with him that he caused the Lord Hubert to be put from his office and procured Steeuen Segraue to be placed in his roome And afterward the K. was more more kindled against him and called him to account for old matters whereof he had the hand of the king to shew for his discharge which notwithstanding was not accepted the bishop of Winchester replying that the charter of king Iohn had no force after his death but that ye may now said hée be called to reckoning of this king for the same The iniuries also damages wrought against the clarks of Rome and the Italians and the Popes Legates were obiected against him with diuerse other crimes concerning the estate c. Wherevnto he was required to answere by order of law Hubert then seing himselfe in such a straight refused to answere presently but required respite because the matters were waighty which the king obiected vnto him which was graunted til the 14. day of September but in the meane time L. Hubert destitute on euery side fearing the king he fled from London to the priory of Merton and was destitute on euery side sauing onely that Lucas Archb. of Dublin with instant praiers teares laboured to the king for him When the day was come that Hubert must appeare kéeping amōgst the monks of Merton he durst not shewe himselfe whereat the King being offended directed his letters in all hast to the mayor of London commaunding him to muster and take vp all that could beare harnesse in London and by force of armes to bring him Hubert either quicke or dead out of Merton which was accomplished The Londoners hate Hubert And on the next morow the Londiners who hated Hubert issued out with twenty thousand men and set forward toward the Abbey of Merton where Hubert was prostrate before the Altar commending himselfe to God In the meane season while the Citizens were on their iournie it was suggested to the king by Radolph Bishop of Chichester and Lord Chancellour that it was dangerous to raise vp the rude multitude for feare of sedition Moreouer what shal be said quoth he among the Frenchmen other Nations but thus iestingly and in mockerie see what a kinde birde is this young king of England that séeketh to deuoure his olde Nurse vnder whose winges he hath béene brought vp in his youth With which words the king being moued sent in all hast after the armie willing them to retire One of the Messengers for he sent two made great spéede and shewed the kings pleasure in good time the other desiring the destruction of Hubert lingred in his way and notwithstanding he rode but a soft pace fel of his horse that by chance stumbled and brake his neck After this the Archb. of Dublin with great suite intreated and obteyned of the K. to graunt Hubert respite till the xij of Ianuary to prouide him of his answere Whereupon Hubert taking some confidence and as it were comming to himselfe tooke his iourney to S. Edmondsburie where his wife was and passing through Essex inned at a certayne Towne belonging to the B. of Norwich Whereof when the king was certified fearing least he should make some commotion in the Realme sendeth in hastie anger after him Sir Godfrey Crancombe knight with 300. men commanding them vnder paine of hanging that they shoulde bring him to the Tower of London Which commandemēt was accomplished in hast Hubert hauing intelligence of their comming rose out of his bed naked as he was ran to the Chappell néere to the Inne where he was and there with one hand holdeth the crosse and with the other the sacrament of the Lordes bodie Godfrey entering the Chappell with his armed Souldiers and taking the Crosse and Sacrament out of his hands L. Hubert brought to Tower bound him fast with Fetters and Giues vnder the horse bellie and brought him to the Tower Whereat the king hauing tarryed vp watching for him greatly reioyced and went merrilye to his bed The next morrow following Roger Bishoppe of London had knowledge after what sort he was taken out of the Chappel He commeth to the King blaming him boldly for violating the peace of holy Church and protested that vnlesse the partie were losed againe and sent to the Chappell from whence he was taken he would enter into sentence of Excommunication against the déede doers L. Hubert sent back againe Whereupon the king sendeth him back againe to the Chappel by the same Souldiers that brought him out before and geueth charge
the treasure vnder Peter Riuall so that by these all the affaires of the realme were ordered wherof the nobles cōplaining through the bishops means could haue no audience So that they sent word to the K. that vnlesse he would without al delay seclude from him Peter B of Winchester and other Alians of Pictauia they would with the cōmon cōsent of the realme displace him of his kingdome They would displace the king At which message the king was much perplexed but Winchester wrought so with him that the king warred vpon the Marshall with other of the Nobles néere two yéeres The same yéere the king builded a monastery of cōuerts A monastery of conuerts at London for the redemption of his soule and the soule of king Iohn his father and the soules of all his ancestors c. Ex Math. Paris pag. 86. After the election of Iohn Prior of Cāterbury was disanulled one Iohn Blund was elected who trauelling vp to Rome An 1233. to be confirmed of the pope was vnchosen againe for that he had receiued of Peter B. of Winchester 1000. marks and had another 1000. promised him of the said Winchester thinking by his mony to make him of his side also wrote to the Emperour to helpe forward his promotion in the court of Rome but all was in vaine After whom by the commandement of the Pope one Edmund Chanon of Salisbury was ordained Archb. and had his pal sent him from the pope which Edmund Edmund after for his vertues was canonized for a Saint Robert Grosted about which time also Robert Grosted was made bishop of Lincolne This Edmund with other bishops An. 1234. declared boldly in the name of the Lords the king being in counsell at Westminster that the counsell which then he followed was daungerous A bad counsell followed of the king both to him and the realme Adding moreouer except he would in short time reforme himselfe they would procéed by censure of the Church against him these wordes of the Bishops beyng spoken the king required a little time of respite to aduise him saying that he could not of a sudden remoue his councell from him before he had entred his accompt with them of his treasures cōmitted vnto them and so the assembly brake vp Not long after this Edmund the archb was inuested in the church of Canterbury who shortly after his consecration about the moneth of Aprill cōming with his Suffragans to the place of counsaile where the King with his Barons and Earles was assēbled put him in mind of his promise touching the reforming of matters denouncing that except hée would spéedily so doo Reformation they would procéede to the sentence of excōmunication against him those that should shew themselues enemies wherevpon the king within few daies after commaunded Winchester to leaue the court and to go to his Bishopricke moreouer hée commaunded Riuall the Bishops coosin some stories say his sonne to render vnto him his castels and to giue accompt of all his treasures and so to voyd the realme The kings courage swearing moreouer vnto him that if he were not beneficed and within orders of the Church hée would haue caused both his eies to be pulled out of his head He expelled also the Pictauians sent Edmund Pictauians expelled the Archbishop with Chester and Rochester to intreate of peace with Leolin and Richard Earle marshall and others But in the meane time while these things were doing in England Richard Earle marshal by the falshood of the Bish of Winchester and Peter Riuall forging the kinges letters to the Irishmen against him and partly by the conspiracie of Gilbert de Morisco was circumuented by the Irishmen in warre and there taken and wounded and by them through the meanes of his Surgion slaine About this time great slaughter was of thē which are called Catini about the parts of Almaine Catini in Asmaine slaine they were estéemed of pope Gregorie and the papistes for heretikes but what their opinions were it is not certaine Parisi In like sort Albingenses slaine the Albingenses in great number were slain by pope Gregory in a certaine plain in Spaine Paris fo 87 The king hearing of the death of the Earle marshal made great lamentation for him At Glocester the Archb. with the bishops declared to the K the conditions of peace desired that he would be reconciled to the Nobles those hée had banished the Realme Whervpon the King directed his letters and gaue safeconduct to all the exiles that they shoulde repaire to him about the beginning of Iune at Glocester Wherevppon first commeth to the King Hubert Hubert commeth to the K offering himselfe to the kinges goodwill and fauour whom the king with chéerefull countenance embraced restoring vnto him all that hée had taken from him of liuing and possessions and after him came others that were imbraced of the king and receiued into fauour againe Reconciliation and those that were before high in the Kinges fauor reproued and reiected and among other matters for the death of the Earle marshal The same yéere the peace grew in England Dissention betwixt the pope the Romans dissentiō fel at Rome betwixt the Pope and the Romanes for that the Citizens claimed by olde custome that it was not lawfull for the pope to excommunicat any citizen The Pope greater then any man nor suspend the citie with any interdiction for any maner excesse The Pope answered that he is lesse thā God but greater than any mā therefore greater then any Citizen yea greater then King or Emperor and forsomuch as he is their spiritual father he ought and lawfully may chastise his children For this and other controuersies such dissention arose that the pope with his cardinals remoued to Perusium but the Romans ouerthrew diuers of his houses in the citie Wherefore he did excommunicate them The Romanes then flying to the Emperor desired his aide but he gathered an army and to pleasure the Pope went against them and ioyned with the Popes army whose Captains were the Earle of Tholouse to purchase the popes fauour and Peter the foresaid B. of Winchest who ioyning together with the emperour vexed the citizens greatly who with the nūber of a hundred thousand without order issuing out with purpose to destroy Viterbium the popes cities were destroied thēselues in great number of their enimies On both partes were slaine 30. Romans slayn thousand But the most part were of the Citizens This dissention continued long after In the time of this Gregory 9. ann 1230. the schisme of the Church brake out into a plaine diuision Schisme of the East Chhrch from the West vtterly disseuering the East Church from the West vppon this occasion There was a certaine Archbishop elected to a Bishopricke among the Grecians who comming to Rome to bée confirmed could not be admitted without a great summe of money which when he refused to pay and
called Peter de Cugnerijs P. de Cugneriis being one of the kinges Councell rose vp and spake on the kings behalfe taking for his Theame Render vnto Caesar that which is his and vnto God that which is Gods which he prosecuted very effectuallie and deliuered a bil of 64. articles wherin the Spiritualty vsurped vpon the temporaltie and gaue the Prelates time to deliberate 64. Articles against the spiritualtie which was til the Friday next ensuing On which day the B. Edwine and Archb. of S. Senon elect in the name of the whole Clergie answered for them all before the King and endeuoured to proue that a person ecclesiasticall might haue temporall iurisdiction by the example of Melchizedech who was k of Salem Priest c. And in the conclusion of his replie said because a byl of many articles was exhibited parte whereof did infringe the whole Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction to the defence wherof wée wil stand vnto the death said he some other of them contain onelie certayne abuses which we beléeue none such to be but if there be we will sée redresse therein to the quietnesse of the people and praise of almightie God The next Friday following the Bishop of Eduen taking the Psalme 89. Lord thou art our refuge extolled the kings person sitting with his Barons and Counsellers about him and prosecuted an answere to the Lord Peter of Cugners oration and proued both swordes to belong vnto the Pope and answered particularlie the Articles aboue mentioned The next Friday after this the Prelates assembled againe at Vicenas before the king to heare their answere where the Lord Peter of Cugner beyng Prolocutor for the king tooke for his Theame I am peace vnto you doo not feare wherevpon he signified that they should haue no feare nor be troubled for any thing that there had béene spoken for that the entent of the King was to kéepe the rites of the Church and Prelates which they had by law and by good and reasonable custome but yet proued that the knowledge of ciuill causes belonged not to them Knowledge of ciuill causes belongeth not to the clergy which notwithstanding he said the K. was ready to heare the informatiō of thē that would instruct him of any custome and those customes which were good reasonable he would obserue which answere liked not the B. Edwin but he replied again in the prelates defence and in cōclusion beséeched the K. that it would please him to giue them a more comfortable answere that they might not depart from his presence all pensiue and sad whereby occasion might be giuen to the Laitie to impugne the rites and liberties of the Church It was answered againe that the kings intent was not to impugne the customes of the Church The Sunday followyng at Vicenas they had answere and assurance from the King that they should suffer no damage in his tyme yea and that hée would defend their rightes and customes because it should not bée sayd that hée would giue examples to others to impugne the Church and that if the Bishoppes and Prelates would sée reformation of those things that were to be amended Reformation to be doone whereabout he would take respite betwéene this and Christmasse next following his grace would innouate nothing and if in the foresayd space they would not reforme that which was amisse his Maiestie would appoynt such order as should be acceptable to God and his subiects After this the Prelates and Cleargie had leaue of the King to depart and went home This Parlement of the French is to be referred to the yéere 1329. Anno 1307. King Edward marching toward Scotland died after whom succéeded his sonne Edward the second The K. dieth About the yéere 1310. or the next following came in first the Crooched friers Crooched friers and also began first the Knights of the order of Iohn Baptist called otherwise the Knights of the Rhodes Knights of the Rhodes for that they by manly knighthood put the Turks out of the Rhodes 54. Templars burned at Paris This yéere the French K. caused to be burned 54. Templars at Paris with the great Maister of the order and by his procurement Pope Clement the fifth who succéeded Benedict called a Councell at Vienna where the whole order and sect of Templars beyng condemned was shortly after by the consent of all Christian kings deposed all in one day The Tēplars put downe vniuersally The cause why those vngodly Tēplars were put downe was so abhominable and filthy that it is not with modestie to be named After the deposing of the Templars the King of France thought to make his sonne king of Ierusalem and to conuert to him all the landes of the Templars but Pope Clement would not thereto agrée transferring all their landes to the order of the Hospitallers The Pope selleth the Templars landes for a great summe of mony giuen for the same In the same Councell it was also decréed by Pope Clement that all religious orders exempted should be subiect vnder the common lawes as other were but the Cistercian Monkes with mony and great giftes redéemed their priuiledges and exemptions of the Pope and so had them graunted Cistercian monks exēpt Rob. Auesb. But the Franciscans sped vnhappily with their suite of which Franciscans when certaine had offered vnto the Pope Clement foure thousand Florens of gold beside other siluer that the Pope would dispence with them to haue landes and possessions against their rule the Pope asked them where that mony was and they answered in the marchauntes handes The Pope absolued the marchauntes of their bondes and commaunded all that money to bée imployed to his vse declaring vnto the Friers that hée woulde not infringe the rule of Saint Francis The pope conseneth the Frāciscan Friers lately canonized neyther ought hee to doe it for anie money Thus the Friers lost their money and their indulgence Ex eodem Sabellicus writeth that Clement the fift excommunicated the Venetians The Venetiās cursed of the popa for ayding and preferring of Aroda vnto the estate of Ferrarie and wrote his letters throughout all Europe condemning them as enemies of the church and giuing their goodes as a lawfull pray vnto all men which caused them to sustayne great harme So that Fancis Dandulus a noble man of Venice beeing Embassadour A monstrous tyrannie was fayne so to humble himselfe before this proude tyrannicall Prelate that hée suffered a chayne of yron to bee tyed about his necke and to lye downe flat before his table and so to catch the bones and fragmentes that fell as if he had béene a dogge til the Popes fury was toward them asswaged About this time Rob. Winchelsey Archb. of Canterbury whom the kings father had banished before was released and returned home from Rome Great disturbance rose betwixt the king and the nobles who hauing their power lying about Dunstable sent message vnto the king at
of the pope and of his filthie clergie calling him a murtherer of soules a spiller The Pope compared and a piler of the flocke of Christ more abhominable then the Iewes more cruell then Iudas more vniust then Pilate worse then Lucifer himselfe she prophecieth that the sea of Rome shall be throwne downe into the déepe like a milstone c. And that the Cleargy haue turned the ten commandements into two words Da pecuniam The x commādemēts turned into 2. words da pecuniam that is giue money About the same time also 1379. liued Catherina Senensis Katherina Senensis which hauing the spirite of prophecie much cōplained of the church of Rome prophecied before of the great schisme which then followed in the Church of Rome and endured al the councel of Constance the space of 39 of yeres and declared also before of the reformation of religion that nowe is Mathias Parisiensis of Antichrist Also about the yéere 1370. liued Mathias Parisiensis a Bohemian who wrote a large booke of Antichrist and prooueth him alreadie come and noteth the Pope to be the same besides other abuses in the Romish Church against which he doeth inueigh Shortly after anno 1384. liued Iohannes Mountziger I. Mountziger Rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme who preached against the worshipping of the Sacrament and was resisted by the Friers till the Senate and Councel of the Citie was faine to take vp the matter betwixt them About this time liued Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica Nilus Archb. of Thess and wrote a large worke against the Roman Church and layeth the fault of the Schisme betwixt the East and West Church vpon the Pope and very copiouslie reprooueth manie pointes of Poperie as his Supremacie c. About the yere 1371. liued Henricus de Iota H de Iota whome Gerson doth much commend and also his companion Henricus de Hassia H. de Hassia who in a certaine Epistle which he writeth to the Bishoppe of Normacia Iacobus Cartusiensis doth greatly accuse the Spirituall men of euery order yea and the most holiest of all the Pope himselfe of many and great vices He citeth also out of the prophecie of Hildegardis The deuils bellie full of the Popes voluptuousnes these wordes Therefore doeth the deuill himselfe speake vnto you Priestes daintie bankets and feastes wherein is all voluptuousnesse doe I finde among these men In so much that mine Eyes mine Eares my bellie and my veynes are euen filled with the froath of them and so foorth About the yere 1390. there were buried at Bringa 36. Citizens of Maguntia for the doctrine of Waldenses as Brushius affirmeth and Masseus recordeth of diuers 36. burned for the trueth 140. suffered for refusing the decretals to the number of an hundred and fourtie which in the Prouince of Narbone chose rather to suffer whatsoeuer gréeuous punishment by fire then to receue the decretals of the Romish Church contrarie to the vpright trueth of the Gospell Also foure and twentie suffered at Paris 24 suffer at Paris in the yere of our Lord 1210. And in the same author is testified that in the yere there were 400. vnder the name of heretikes and fourescore beheaded Prince Armericus hanged and the ladie of Castile stoned to death In the seuentéene yere of Edw. the third the Commons found great fault at prouisiōs comming from Rome wherby Strangers were dishabled within this land to enioy ecclesiasticall dignities and shewed how the Pope had graunted in most couert wise to two new Cardinals and namely to Cardinall Peragoth aboue one thousande markes of yearelie taxes They therefore required the king and Nobles to finde some remedie for that they neuer coulde nor woulde leaue those oppressions c. or els to helpe them to expel the popes authoritie by force Whereupon the king Lords and commons sent for the acte made at Carlil an 35. of the reigne of king Edward the first vpon like complaint thereby forbidding that any thing should be attempted or brought into the realme that should tend to the blemishing of the kinges prerogatiue or preiudice of the Lords The Act of prouision made or Commons And so at this time the statute called The act of Prouision was made by common cōsent which generally forbiddeth the bringing in of bulles or any such trinkets from the Court of Rome or vsing allowing or enioying of any such bill processe instrument c. The penaltie of which statute was as folowed in the next Parlement anno regni 18. the transgressors thereof to lie in perpetuall prison or to be forbidden the land and that all Iustices of Assise Gaole deliuerie or Oier and determiner may determine the same required withall that the same act and prouision should continue for euer And notwithstanding the bishops were neither named nor expressed with the other Lords of the Parlement yet it stood in full force notwithstanding In which Parlement were also diuers points enacted touching presentments of Ecclesiasticall dignities An act to continue for euer Decrees against the oppression of the Pope and Benefices Also in the Parlements the 20. 25. 38. 40. 50. 51. of the kings reigne were enacted decrées against the oppression of the Pope and his filthie and rauenous Cleargie besides diuers other against them Moreouer in the booke of the actes and rolles of the king it appeareth that he sent Iohn VVickliffe Reader at that time of the Diuinitie Lecture in Oxforde with certaine other Lordes and Ambassadors to treate a marriage betwéene his Daughter and Leonell Sonne vnto king Edward whereby is to be noted the good will which the King bare to Wickliffe and what small regard he had of the sea of Rome This Wickliffe liued in the raigne of King Edward the third in the yéere of our Lord one thousand thrée hundred thée score and eleuen and then withstood greatly the popes procéedings and the Popish clergy Hée was a man very well learned as testifieth of him Walden his most bitter and cruell enemy who in a certaine Epistle written to Pope Martin the fifth saith that hée was wonderfully astonished at this his most strong arguments with the places of authoritie that hée had gathered and the vehemencie and force of his reasons c. In Wickliffes time In VVickliffes time the worlde was in worst case was the worlde in most desperate state and in greatest blindnesse and ignoraunce both of the power of the Gospell and all other good learning and the Churche of Rome most cruell and voyde of all good gift and grace of GOD and religion turned to superstition Wickliffe first of matters of religion began with the Idolatrie committed in the Sacrament VVickliffe against images which he did not so soone attempt but the whole glut of monkes and begging Friers made against him and after them Simon Sudburie Archbishop of Canterbury tooke the matter in hand and for the same cause depriued Wickliffe of his benefice at
Oxford notwithstanding he well supported Iohn of Gaunt Lord H. Percie fauourers of VVic and friended of the King and other as Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Henrie Percie by whom he bare out the malice of the friers till the yere of our Lord one thousand thrée hundred seuentie seuen The opinions for which he was depriued in Oxforde The opinions of VVic were these That the Pope had no more power to excommunicate any man than an other and that to absolue is as much in any Priestes power as in his That when Ecclesiasticall persons doe sinne habitualiter continuing in the same still the Temporall powers may and likewise ought to take away from them that which hath béene before bestowed vpon them c. He touched also the matter of the sacrament prouing that in the same the accidents did not remaine without the substaunce both by the Scriptures and ancient Doctours About the yéere 1376. the Bishops still vrging and stirring vp their Archbishop Simon Sudbury which before had depriued him and afterward prohibited him not to stirre any more in those kind of matters had obtained by processe and order of citation to haue him brought before them wherevpon both place and time for him to appeare after their vsuall forme was to him assigned The Duke hauing intelligence that Wickliffe his Client should come before the bishops fearing that he being but one should be too weak against such a multitude calleth vnto him out of the orders of Friers foure Batchelers of diuinity out of euery order one to ioyne them with Wickliffe for the more surety Whē the day was come for Wickliffe to appeare which was Thursday the 19. of February Iohn Wickliffe accompanied with the Friers Wickliffe brought before the Bishops and with them also the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Piercey Lord marshall of England the said Lord Piercey going before him to make roome and way where Wickliffe shoulde come such was the throng of the multitude in Paules Church which was the place appointed that the Lordes for all the puissaunce of the high Marshall scarce could with great difficultie gette way thorough In so much that the Bishop of London Wil. Courtney sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire séeing the stirre that the Lord Marshall kept in the Church among the people speaking to the Lorde Piercie said that if hee had knowen what masteries he would haue kept in the church he would haue stopped him for comming in there Whereupon grewe words At last after much wrastling they preased thorow and came to our Ladies Chappell where the Duke and barons were sitting together with the Archbishops and other Bishops before whom stood Iohn Wickliffe to know what should be laid against him To whom first spake the Lord Percie bidding him sit downe saying Wickliffe bid sit downe hée had many things to answere vnto and therefore had need of some soft seate But the Bishop of Lincolne cast into a fumish heat sayd he should not sit there neither said he was it according to law c. wherevpon grewe great heat of speach among them The Duke also taking part with the Lord Percie From braule to threates rebuked the Bishop who went so farre beyond the Duke in rayling that the Duke as the Author saith was ashamed because hée could not ouerpasse the Bishop in brawling and therefore fell to plaine threatning wherevpon the contention grew so great that the councell broken vp with scolding and brauling for that day was dissolued before nine of the clocke About this time a proude bishop of Norwich was wounded and sore hurt A prowde B. wounded with his traine dispersed at the towne of Lennam for that he presumed to take vpon him to cōmaund a mace or tipstaffe belonging to the chiefe gouernour of the towne to be carried before him Anno 1377. In the moneth of Iune 21. day died Edward 3. that after he had raigned 51. yéeres who of all the kings of the realme vnto king Henry the 8. K. Edward dieth the greatest brideler of the pope was the greatest brideler of the Popes vsurped power whereby Iohn Wickliffe was maintained with ayd sufficient Richard the second succéeded his father beyng but eleuen yéeres of age and in the same yéere of his Fathers decease was crowned at Westminster anno 1371. Wickliffe notwithstanding he were forbidden by the bishops continued yet with his fellowes going barefoot and in long friers gownes Wickliffe goeth barefoote preaching Articles out of Wickliffes preachings as their manner was preaching diligently to the people out of whose Sermons chiefly these articles were collected That the Eucharist is the body of Christ but figurately That Rome is not the head of churches and that Peter had no more giuen vnto him then other apostles That the pope had no more the keies then any other within the order of priesthood that the Lords temporall may take away the temporalities of the clergy offending habitualiter are bound vnder paine of damnation to take them away frō any Church so offending That the gospell is the onely sufficient rule of life That neither the Pope nor any other prelate of the church ought to haue prisons wherein to punish transgressors c. Which were collected with diuerse more by the Bishops and sent to Pope Gregory at Rome where the Articles beyng perused and read Wickliffes articles condēned for hereticall were condemned by 23. Cardinals to be hereticall An. 1378. pope Gregory sendeth his Bull by the hands of one M. Edmund Stafford directed vnto the vniuersitie of Oxford rebuking them sharply imperiously like a pope for suffering so long the doctrine of Wickleffe to take roote which Bull when it came to be exhibited to their hands The Popes bull against Wickliffe the Proctors and Maisters of the vniuersitie ioyning together in consultation stood long in doubt deliberating with themselues whether to receiue the Popes Bull with honour or to reiect it with shame Beside this Bull sent to the Vniuersitie of Oxford pope Gregory directed moreouer his letters the same time to the Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury and to the Bishop of London William Courtney with the conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe therein enclosed commaunding them by vertue of those his letters apostolicall and straightly inioyning them to cause the sayd Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended and cast into prison and that the King and the Nobles should be admonished The Pope diligent against Wickliffe not to geue any credit to the doctrine of Wickliffe c. Besides this Bull to the Archbishop of Canterburie and the Bishop of London he wrote two other letters concerning the same matter to the same Bishops dearing the same date of day and yéere in the seuēth yéere of his papacie 11. Kalend. Iunij Moreouer besides all these buls letters he directeth an other Epistle bearing the same date vnto king Richard the 2. touching the same matter The articles included in the
ordeine the Masse 7. If the Pope be an euil man hee hath no power ouer faithfull Christians except it be giuen him from the Emperour 8 Since the time of Vrban 6. there is none to be receiued for Pope but to liue after the manner of the Greeks 9. That church goods may be taken from the Clergie if they so deserue The erronius opinions were these 10 That no prelate ought to excōmunicate any man except he knew him first to be excmōunicated of God 11 That he which doth so excommunicate is therby himself excommunicated or an heretick 12 That any person excōmunicating him that hath appealed to the king or counsel is thereby himselfe a traitor 13 That they that for feare leaue the hearing or preaching of the word of God are therefore already excommunicated and in the day of iudgement shall be counted as traitors to God 14 That it is lawfull for any Deacon or Prieste to Preache without licence of the Pope or Popishe Clergie 15. That so long as a man is in deadly sinne he is neither Bishop or prelate in the church of God which article séemeth to be hardly gathered of them 16. That all the temporall Lordes may take away temporall goods from the churchmen if they so deserue 17. That tenths are pure almesse Tenths are pure almesse 18. That all speciall prayers applied to any priuate or particular person by any religious man or Prelate doth no more profite the same person then generall or vniuersall prayers doo profite others which be in like state with them 19. That whosoeuer entereth into any priuate religion is thereby made the more vnapt to kéepe the commaundements of God 20. That holy men which haue instituted priuate religions haue grieuously offended 21. That religious men in their pryuate religions are not of the Christian religion 22. That Friers ought to liue by their labour 23. That whosoeuer giueth almesse fo Friers is in daunger of cursse Now when the Archbishop Suffraganes and Prelates c. were assembled at the Grayfriers in London vpon saint Dunstons day after dinner about two of the clocke and should go about their busines a terrible earthquake A terrible earthquake fell thorough all England The Archbishop endeuored by all means to abolish Wickliffe and his doctrine and to that effect wrote both to the Bishop of London to the commissary of Oxford and also sollicited the king against the same Vpon Wickliffes conclusions were examined Nicholas Herford Phillip Repington and Iohn Ashton bachelers of diuinitie who at length with somwhat adoo confessed Wickliffes articles to be heretical or erronious after a sort some of them being taken in some sense construed which kind of answere because it pleased not the prelats they were appointed to be examined againe of certaine speciall points where their answere was not direct and full before In the examination of Iohn Ashton the archb required that he would answere in the Latine tongue because of the Lay people that stood about him but Ashton refused so to do and answered in his mother tongue and so behaued himselfe that the Archbishop called him hereticke and erronious Persecution and at the same time the archbishop being desirous as he pretēded to be informed by Thomas Hilman bacheler of diuinitie there being present somewhat fauouring Iohn Ashton what his iudgement was touching the said conclusions assigned vnto him also a deliberation to appeare with Nicholas Herford Phillip Repingdon at which time Thomas appeared and pronounced the articles all hereticall or erronious Nicholas and Phillip for not appéering were excommunicated for contumacie Against which excommunication the parties excōmunicated exhibited an appeale vnto the B. of Rome which appeale the archb vtterly reiected sent a letter to M. Rigge cōmissary of Oxford to make diligent search for Nicholas Herford Phillip Repington to apprehend them to send them vp personally to appéere at a certaine day prescribed for the same and sollicited the King to ioyne his sword to assist him whereto he also yéelded and directeth his letters to that effect both to the Archb. and to the Vicechancellor of Oxford which was anno 1382. The vicechancellor the same time was Robert Rigges the proctors Iohn Huntman and Walter Dish who then as far as they durst fauoured the cause of Iohn Wickliffe that side in so much that the same time yéere 1382. when certaine sermons publike should be customably appointed at the feast of the Ascension and of Corpus Christi to be preached in the cloister of S. Frisewide now called Christ church before the people by the Vicechancellor the Proctors the doing thereof was committed to Phillip Repington The fauourers of Wickliffe appointed to preach Nicholas Herford so that Nicholas should preach on the Ascēsion day Repington on the Corpus Christi day In which sermon on Corpus Christi day Phillip preached among other matters that the Pope and Bishops ought not to be recommended aboue temporall Lords and that in all moral matters he would defende Wickliffe as a true Catholike Doctor And finally his sermon concluded hee dismissed the people with this sentence saying I will in the speculatiue doctrine as pertaining to the matter of the Sacrament of the altar kéepe silence till such time as GOD otherwise shall instruct and illuminate the heartes of the Cleargy Against this Philip Peter Stokes a Carmelite Stokes an enimy to Wickliff was a great aduersarie And a while after the Vicechauncelor and Brightwell went vp to London to purge themselues and their adherentes of the accusations of this Frier and béeing examined vppon the articles of Iohn Wickliffe they did consent that they were woorthely condemned and so were with somewhat adoe discharged and commaunded séeke out the fauourers of Iohn Wickliffe whereof Nicholas Herford and Philip Repington hauing priuy warning by the Vicechauncellour conueyed themselues away and fledde to the Duke of Lancaster Duke of Lancaster forsaked the scholers of Wickliffe who yet forsooke them for feare or somewhat else not expressed So soone as they were fledde the Archbishoppe directeth letters to the Vicechancellour and to the Bishop of London named Robert Braisbrocke to excommunicate them and to lay for them both in Oxford and in London that they might bée apprehended This was the fourtéenth of Iuly Anno 1382 after which Repington in the same yéere the thrée and twētieth of October was reconciled to the Archb. and so was Iohn Ashton About the 23. of September the same yéere Repington reconciled and so Aishton the king called a parlement for a subsidy and the Archbishops and Prelats a Conuocation in the monastery of Saint Friswide in Oxford where in the third day of the assembly in the presence of the prelates Philip Repington Repington abiureth otherwise called of the brethren afterward Rampington abiured his former conclusions and the doctrine of Wickliffe immediatly after was brought in Iohn Aishton who refused to answere and
of Canterburie with the Abbey of Christes-church of saint Augustines Shrewesburie Coggeshall and Saint Osiris 20000. markes by the yere In the Sea of Durham and other abbeyes there 20000. markes In the Sea of Yorke and other abbeyes there as much In the Sea of Winchester and abbeyes there as much In the Sea of London and abbeyes there and other houses as much In the Sea of Lincolne with the abbeies of Peterborow Ramsey and other as much In the Sea of Norwich and abbey of Burie other as much In the Sea of Elie Spalding as much In the sea of Bath with the abbey of Okinburn other as much In the sea of Worcester with the abbey of Euesam Abingdon and others as much In the sea of Chester with the precinct of the same and the seas of S Dauid Salisburie Exceter with their precincts as much with many other abbeyes bishopricks c. Moreouer they alledged that diuers in Englād possessed so many temporalties as might suffice to find yerely 15000. priestes clarkes euery priest to be allowed vij markes by the yere To this bil no answere was made but that the K. would take some aduisemēt deliberatiō Anno 1413 Henrie the 4. died in a chamber at Westminster called Ierusalem and was buried at Canterburie by the tombe of Thomas Becket After him succéeded his sonne Henrie the fift and not long after his coronation a Parlement was holden after Easter at Westminster an 1413. At which time Tho. Arundel Archbishop of Canterburie collected in Paules church at London an vniuersal Sinode of al the bishops and clergie in England In which Sinode among other matters it was determined that the day of S. George and of saint Dunstan shoulde be double feast Now the Popish feastes are thus deuided either they be double feastes or simple The double feast is subdiuided into principall double The kindes of popish feastes greater double lesser double and inferior or lower double To the principall double feast belonged eight dayes in the yere so the greater double had geuen vnto him in this Conuocation the day of Saint George and of S. Dunstan And albeit it was so decréed yet by custom it was not so vsed Notes of principall soules feast The principal double and the greater double were knowen from al other by 4. notes By seruice in the kitchen by seruice in the church both the which were double by ringing in the stéeple with double peale by copes in the quire and censing of the altar For in these two great and principall double feastes the vij the viij and ix lessons must be read with silken copes and at the saide feasts in the time of the Lessons the altars must be censed likewise the lesser double and inferior double had their peculiar seruice to them belonging And thus much of their double feasts The simple is also deuided into ether triple inuitorie or double inuitorie or else single Of the which moreouer some haue thrée lessons some haue 9. c. And thus much of popish feastes The chiefe cause of the Synode was to oppresse the Gospel as recordeth the chronicle of S. Albōs And to withstād the Noble and worthy Lord Cobham The noble and worthy Lord Cobham who principally mainteyned and receiued the preachers and set them vp to preach whom the Bishop had not licensed which was against a constitution principall of theirs In the meane time as they were talking and conspiring against the Lord Cobham there resorted vnto them 12. Inquisitors for heresie whom they appoynted at Oxford the yéere before to search out for Heretikes with all Wickliffes bookes who brought 246. conclusions which they had collected as heresies out of the said bookes The names of the Inquisitors were these Iohn Witnā Inquisitors for heresie a maister in new colledge Iohn Langdom monke of Christ church in Canterb. William Vfford regent of the Carmelits Thomas Clayton regēt of the Dominicks Robert Gilbert Richard Enthisdale Iohn Luck Richard Sindishame Richard Fleming Thomas Rotborn Robert Rowberry Richard Grafdale who all cōcluded that the chiefe fauourers were first to be dealt against there present the noble knight sir Iohn Oldcastle L. Cobham was complained of by the generall proctors to be the chiefe principall and a mighty mainteiner of suspected preachers in the dioces of London Rochester and Hereford cōtrary to the mind of the ordinaries and to haue assisted them by force of armes And last of all they accused him to be far otherwise in beliefe of the sacrament of the altar of penance of pilgrimage of image worshipping and of the ecclesiasticall power then the holy Church of Rome had taught many yéeres before Vpon this it was concluded among them that without any further delay processe should be awarded out agaynst him Processes against the Lord Cobham as against a most pernitious heretike and because they considered his great birth and the fauour he was in with the K. counsell was giuen they were aduised first to know his pleasure who thē remained at Keningstone which they did Who although he too much yéelded to them yet required thē in respect of his Noble stocke and Knighthood that they would if it were possible without rigour reduce him again to the vnitie of the Church and promised them also that in case they were not contented to take some deliberation himselfe would seriously common the matter with him which he anon after accordingly did and sent for the L. Cobham whē he was come he called him secretly admonishing him betwixt him himself to submit himselfe to his mother the holy church as an obedient child to acknowledge himselfe culpable The answere of L. Cobham to the king vnto whom the Christiā knight made this answer You most worthy prince saith he I am alwaies prompt ready to obey for asmuch as I know you a christian prince the minister of God bearing the sword to the punishment of euill doers safegard of them that are vertuous vnto you next vnto my eternall God owe I most reuerēce submit therevnto as I haue doone euer all that I haue either of fortune or nature ready at all times to fulfil whatsoeuer you in that Lord cōmaund me But as touching the pope his spiritualtie I owe them neither suit nor seruice for somuch as I know him by the scriptures to be the great Antichrist The Pope knowne by the scriptures to be the great Antichrist the sonne of perdition the open aduersary of God and the abhomination standing in the holy place When the King had heard this with such like sentences more hée would talke no longer with him but left him vtterly and the archbishop resorting againe vnto him The L. Cobham forsaken of the king he gaue him full authority to cite him examine him punish him according to their diuelish decrées wherevpon after a priuate citatiō by one Iohn Butler the archbishops somner
he ought not to obey for any commandement of power to the contrarie because it is a worke not of indifferency but of expresse commandement The next article was almost one with this That the ecclesiasticall censures are antichristiā which Husse denied to be vttred in that form That there ought no interditement or curse to be appointed vnto the people And these were the articles both alleadged out of his booke of the Church and by himselfe auouched before them Besides these there were other articles brought against him among which were 19. that brought him into prison That Paul according to present iustice was a blasphemer but the childe of God by predestination That Christ more loueth a predestinate man being sinful then a reprobate in what grace soeuer he be for the time That al sinful according to presēt iustice are not faithful That the words of Christ touching binding and losing except they bee well vnderstood bring much feare or much presumption That the binding and loosing by God is simply and plainly the principall That priests doe onely heap vp those things out of the scriptures which serue for their bellies That the Popes power when he doth wickedly is not to be feared That an euil Pope is not the successor of Peter but of Iudas That the Pope is the beast spoken of in the Apocalipse This he denied to haue béen vttered by him That it is lawfull to preach notwithstanding the Popes inhibition That the Popes commandement béeing not agréeable to the Gospel is not to be obeyed That the Cleargy and Laitie may iudge of the works of prelats That God himselfe doth suspend euery wicked priest from his ministery That the Cleargie supplanteth the Laye people c. To these Articles aboue mentioned were other also annexed which the Parisiens had set downe against him to the number of 19. The chiefe author wherof was one Gerson Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Paris wherevnto hée had no time to answere Now when the foresaid articles were read with their testimonies the cardinal of Cambray with the rest exhorted Ioh. Husse to submit himself to the councel to suffer patiently that they would determine which was that he shold confesse himselfe to haue erred in the articles promise by oath neither to teach nor mainteine them moreouer openly recant all of them To this the Emp. moued him also with the rest to whom he answered that whatsoeuer were repugnāt to the scriptures being so proued vnto him he would recāt renounce otherwise durst he not do against his conscience after much debating Husse will not recant many false accusations Iohn Husse was caried to prison again Ioh. de Clum following cōforting him who after he was carried away the Emp. mightily inueyed against him The Emperor against Husse incited the Councel against him and his scholer Hierom of Prage to all seuerity as also against his friends and fauourers and so they departed out of the cloister and brake vp the assembly for that time The day before his condemnation which was the sixt of Iuly the Emperour Sigismund sent vnto him foure Bishops with M. Vincelat de Duba and Iohn de Clum to vnderstand of him what he would doo and when he was brought out to them and his minde demaunded he deliuered his resolution that he was ready to be reformed if it could be prooued by the scriptures that he had erred Which the Bishops counted an arrogant answere and commaunded him to be carried to prison againe The next day the Emperour with all the spirituall and temporall Lords held a generall Session in the head church of the city of Constance in which Iohn Husse was disgraded condemned deliuered to the ciuil power Husse disgraded condemned and deliuered to the seculars When Ioh. Husse was brought thither he fell downe vpon his knees prayed a long time In the meane while the B. of Lundy went vp and made a sermon when his sermon was ended the Procurer of the Councell rising vp named Henricus de Pyro required that the processe of the cause of Iohn Husse might be continued so procéed vnto the definitiue sentence then they alleadged other articles against him And last of all that he should say there should be a fourth person in the diuinitie whereto Iohn Husse saide O miserable and wretched man which am forced and compelled to feare such blasphemie slander Afterward the article was read how he appealed to Christ and that by name was called hereticall Whereunto Iohn Husse answered O Lord Iesu Christ whose word is openly condemned in this Councell vnto thée againe I make my appeale who H. appealeth to Christ when thou wast euill intreated of thine enemies diddest make thine appeale vnto God thy father committing thy cause to a most iust Iudge that by thy example we also being oppressed with manifold wrōgs iniuries should flie vnto thée Last of al was read the article touching the contempt of his excommunicatiō wherto after he had yelded a reasonable lawful answere one of the iudges read the definitiue sentence against him When the sentence and iudgement against him was ended Husse prayeth for his enemies is derided knéeling downe vpon his knées he said O Lord Iesu Christ forgiue mine enemies by whom thou knowest that I am falsly accused and that they haue vsed false witnesse and slanders against mée forgiue them I say for thy great mercies sake This his praier the greater part especially of the Priests derided At the last the 7. bishops disgraded him euery one taking a péece from him when they came to the rasing of his shauen crowne before the Bishops would go in hand with it there fell a great contentiō among them with what instrument it should be done with a razor or a paire of shieres The courage of Husse In the meane season Iohn Husse turning toward the Emperour said I maruel much that they being all of like cruell mind Cruelty of the bishops against Husse and stomake yet they cannot agrée of their kind of crueltie Notwithstanding at the last they agreed to cut of the skin of his head with a paire of shieres which being done they caused to be made a certaine crowne of paper almost a cubite high in the which were painted 3. ougly diuels of a wonderfull ougly shape and this title set ouer their heads Heresiarcha The which when he saw he saide My Lord Iesu Christ for my sake did weare a crown of thorns why should not I then for his sake againe weare this light crowne be it neuer so ignominious Truely I will doe it and that willingly When it was set vpon his head the Bishops said now we committe thy soule to the deuill But I said Ioh. Husse lifting his eyes toward the heauens doe committe my spirite vnto thy handes O Lord Iesu Christ to thée I commēd my soule which thou hast redéemed So after hee was committed to
vpon Vigill dayes Who after their purgation made escaped more easilie away Whose names followe here subscribed Robert Skirring of Harlestone William Skirring Iohn Terry of Ersham Iohn Aibre of Ersham Iohn Middleton of Haluergate Iohn Warde of Ersham Richard Clark of Sething Thomas VVhite of Bedingham Master Robert Beert of Berrie and Richard Page of Clepslie The other were more cruellie handled and some of them burned among whome speciall mention is made of these 3. Father Abraham Father Abraham William White priest I. Wad priest burned of Colchester VVilliam VVhite Priest and Iohn VVaddon Priest The residue abiured and suffered penance as Iohn Beuerley I. VVardon Io. Middleton Iohn Baker I. Knight Margerie Baxter Iohn Skillie Iohn Godhold Tomas Albeck Iohn Pierce Nicholas Canon of Ey Thomas Pie Iohn Mendham Io. Middleton Thomas Chatris Thomas VVade VVilliam Taylour Iohn Capper Vicar of Tunstall with thrée score and two other The articles which they held were these Against auricular confession That there remayneth bread and wine after the wordes of consecration and that no priest can make the bodie of Christ That euery true Christian is a Priest to God Articles That no man is bound to Lent or any dayes prohibited by the Church of Rome That the pope is Antichrist That necessitie vrging it is lawfull to doe bodilie labour on holie-daies That Priestes may marrie That Ecclesiasticall censures of the Prelates are not to be regarded Against swearing in priuate causes Against Pilgrimage Against honouring of Images Against holy water That the death of Becket was neither holy nor meritorious That Relikes ought not to be worshipped That prayers in all places are acceptable vnto God That no Saint is to bée prayed vnto That Bel-ringing was ordeyned to fill Priestes purses That it is no sinne to withstand the Ecclesiasticall processes That the Catholike Church is only the congregation of Gods elect In these articles they all agréed and it séemeth Williā White scholler to Wickliffe they had the doctrine from William White who was scholer and follower of Iohn Wickliffe This William White gaue ouer his priesthood benefice and tooke vnto him a godly woman to his wife named Ione yet ceassed not he from his dutie of teaching but preached continually wrote and instructed the people at Canterbury Before time he had recanted these points That men should séeke for the forgiuenes of sinnes onely at Gods hands That the wicked liuing of the pope and his holy ones is a diuelish and heauy yooke of Antichrist That men ought not to worship images nor holy men after they be dead That the Romish church is the fig trée which Christ accursed That such as weare coules or be annointed or shorne are the launceknights of Lucifer c. Which articles he abiured An. 1424. before Henry Chichesly at Canterb. but now being stronger in the truth endured to the end was condemned of 30. White burned in Norwich articles was burned at Norwich in the moneth of September 1428. hauing labored diligently before in teaching the people of Norfolke He was a man very godly deuout in somuch that all the people had him in great reuerence were woont to desire him to pray for them When he was come vnto the stake thinking to open his mouth to speake vnto the people to exhort and cōfirme them in the truth one of the Bishops seruāts stroke him on the mouth Crueltie thereby to force him to kéepe silence and so there patiently he ended his course being made a witnes of Christ Iesus His wife Ione followed her husbands footesteps and confirmed many in the truth and therefore suffered much trouble punishment at the Bishops handes the same yéere About the same time also suffered by burning father Abraham of Colchester and Iohn Waddon priest for the like articles Iohn Beuerly alias Batild was enioyned that the Friday and Saturday next after his dismission he should fast bread and water and vppon the Saturday to be whipped from the Palace of Norwich goyng round about by the Tomlands and by S. Michaels Church by Cottell Row and about the market hauing in his hand a waxe candle of two pence to offer to the Image of the Trinitie after hée had doone his penance c. and this doone hée should depart out of the Dioces and neuer come there any more Besides the same yéere diuerse did penaunce and abiured and the yéere following 1429. diuerse did the like penance to the number of 16. or 17. An. 1430. R. Houedon Rich. Houedō a woolwinder citizen of Lōdon was burnt at the Towrehill for the doctrine of Wickliffe Anno 1431. Thomas Bagley Thom. Bagley a Priest vicar of Monenden beside Malden beyng a valiant disciple of Wickliffe was condemned of Heresie by the Bishops at London about the midst of Lent was disgraded and burned in Smithfield The same yéere also Paule Craw Paule Crawe a Bohemian was takē at S. Andrewes by the Bishop Henry deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burnt for holding against the faith of Rome touching the sacrament of the Lords supper worshipping of Saints auricular confession with other of Wickliffes opinions Tho. Rhedon at Rome An. 1436. Th. Rhedon a Frenchman and a Carmelite frier was burned at Rome for these articles which notwithstanding they gathered falsly against him That the church lacketh reformation and that it shall be punished and reformed Articles That Infidels Iewes Turkes and Mores shall be cōuerted vnto Christ in the later daies That abominations are vsed at Rome That the vniust excommunication of the Pope is not to be feared Eugenius at this time was Pope Eugenius Pope and succéeded Pope Martin a litle before After sundry torments he was condemned for an heretike and was burned He was accused by William of Roan cardinall of S. Martins in the mount vicechancellor of the court of Rome About the same time Persecution about Germany diuers other suffered in the places about Germany as Henry Grunfelder priest of Ratispone ann 1420. Henry Rodgeber priest in the same citie anno 1423. Ioh. Draendorf a priest of noble birth at Wormes ann 1424. Peter Thraw at Spire ann 1426. Mathew Hager also suffered at Berline in Germany not long after Ex Basilei Centur. sept After the death of pope Martine who reigned 14. yéeres succéeded Eugenius the fourth about the yeere 1431. He began first to celebrate the Councel at Basill Eugenius beginneth the Councel at Basill which Councel Martine had before intended In the 39. session of the councel of Constance it was decréed prouided Order for the times of general councels concerning the orders and times of such general councels as shold after folow The first that shold next ensue to be kept the 5. yere after the councel of Cōstance The 2. 7. yeres after that so orderly al other to folow successiuely frō x. yere to x. yere Wherfore according to this
nothing was said thereto But vpon the necke of this ensued the condemnation of the Duchesse and within six yeres after the destruction of the Duke himselfe Anno 1445. H. Chichesly Archb. of Canterbury died by whom the Ladie Eleanor the Duchesse was condemned in S. Steuens Chappel at Westminster Pennance for penāce to beare a taper through Chepesyde thrée sundry times and afterward outlawed to the I le of Man vnder the custodie of Sir Iohn Standley knight This Henrie Chichelesley builded in his time 2. Colledges in Oxford the one called Alsoln colledge Alsoln and Bernard Colledge of Oxford and the other called Bernard colledge About the yeare 1447. Henry Bewford Cardinall and William de la poole duke of Suffolke with the Quéen conspired duke Humfreyes death deuised how to trappe him and for the more speedy furtherance thereof a parliament was sommoned to be kept at Berry far from the citizens of London whither resorted all the Péeres of the Realme and amongest them the Duke of Glocester who on the second day of the Session was by the Lord Beumond high constable of England being accompanied with the duke of Buckingham and others arested apprehended Duke Humf. imprisoned and put in prison and vpon the same all his seruauntes put from him of whom 32 of the principall being also vnder the arrest were dispersed into diuers prisons After this arrest thus done and the duke put into ward the night after saith Hall sixe nightes saith Fabian and Polychronicon he was found dead in his bedde the twenty fourth of February D. Humfrey found dead in prison and his Bodie shewed vnto the Lordes and commons as though hée had béene taken naturally with some suddaine disease This was the end of the good Duke after he had politikely by the space of 25. Good Duke Humfrey yéeres gouerned this realme The next day after the Cardinall died an 1448. in great impatiencie saying fie will not death be hyred nor will mony doo nothing c. The desperate Cardinall Mary Magdalens colledge in Oxford After the Cardinall succéeded William Wainfleet in the Bishopricke of Winchester who founded the colledge of Mary Magdalene in Oxford Anno 1450. William de la Poole beyng accused of treason to the land and indeuouring to flie into Fraunce was encountred with a ship of warre belonging to the tower whereby hée was taken and was brought into Douer rode and there on the side of a shipboat one strake off his head and this ende had the other of the good Dukes enimies The yéere 1450. printing was first inuented by one Ioh. Faustus a goldsmith dwelling first at Argentine afterward a Citizen of Mentz Printing inuented who perceiuing the inuention to come wel to passe made one Iohn Guttemberg Peter Scafford of his counsell binding them by oath to kéepe silence for a while After fiue yéeres Iohn Guttemberg Copartner with Faustus beganne then first to broch the matter at Strasborough Vlricus Han in Latin called Gallus first brought it to Rome This printing was after the inuention of gunnes which were inuented in Germanie an 1380. 130. yeres Printing later then gunnes 130. yeres Anno 1453. Constantinus Paleologus being Emperour of Constantinople the great Citie of Constantinople was taken by the Turke Mahumet after the siege of 54. dayes which siege began in the beginning of Aprill Within the citie beside the Citizens were but onely 6000. Constantinople taken by the Turkes rescuers of the Gréekes and 3000 of the Venetians Genowayes Against these Mahumet broght an army of 400000. collected out of the Countries and places adioyning néere about as out of Grecia Illyrica Wallachia Dardanis Triballis Bulgaris out of Bithinia Galatia Lidia Cicilia and such other which places had yet the names of Christians thus one neyghbour for luker sake helped to destroy another One neighbor destroyeth an other for gayne The Emperour Palaeologus séeing no way but to flée making toward the gate either was slayne or troden downe with multitude The citie beyng thus got the Turkes sacking and ranging about the streetes houses and corners did put to the sword most vnmercifully whosoeuer they found Cruelty of the Turkes both aged and yoong matrons virgins children and infants sparing none the Noble matrons virgins were horribly rauished the goods of the citie and treasures in houses the ornaments in Churches were all sacked and spoyled the pictures of Christ opprobriously handled in despite of Christ The spoile and hauocke of the citie lasted thrée dais together These things thus being done and the tumult ceassed after thrée daies Mahumetes the Turke entereth into the Citie and first calling for the heads and ancients of the Citie such as he found to be left aliue he cōmanded to be mangled and cut in pieces It is also saide as the authour reporteth that in the feasts of the Turkes honest matrones and virgins and such as were of the kings stocke after other contumelies were hewen and cutte in pieces for their disport This end had the noble Citie Constantinople which continued before flourishing equallie with Rome 1120. yeres Ex. Hist Wittenberg Peucer After the death of Henrie Chichesley next succéeded Ioh. Stafford an 1445. who continued 8. yeres After him came Iohn Kemp anno 1453. who sate but thrée yeres Then succéeded Thomas Bursther In the time of which archbishop Raynolde Peacock bishop of Chichesley was afflicted by the Popes Prelates for his faith and profession of the Gospel and being cited vp to Lambeth was caused to recant these points That we are not bound by necessitie of Faith to beléeue that our Lord Iesus Christ after his death descended into hell That it is not necessarie to saluation to beléeue in the catholike church That it is not necessarie to saluation to beléeue the communion of Saints That it is not necessary to saluation to affirme the body materially in the Sacrament That the vniuersall Church may erre in matters which pertaine to faith That it is not necessary for the Church to hold that which euery generall councell shall ordaine With this Pecocke were diuerse mo condemned for heretikes and notwithstanding his recantation he was deteyned still in pryson where some say he was priuily made away by death Pope Nicholas 5. made Felix who renounced his Popedome vnto him a cardinall crowned Fredericke for working the feat and confirmed him to be full Emperour The Emp. not Emp. but king of the Romans before the pope confirmed him for before they be confirmed by the Popes they are not Emperours but are called kings of the Romanes This Pope for to get great summes of mony appointed a Iubile A Iubile in the yéere 1450. Also in his time one Math. Palmerius wrote a booke De Angelis in defending whereof hée was condemned by the Pope and burned at Crona Anno 1448. Ex Tritemio After him succéeded Calixtus 3. P. Calixtus who amongst diuers other things ordained both at noone
spoken against Christ it must be borne with silence or if one speake a word against the Turkes religion he shall be forced to be circumcised and then if he speake one word against Mahomet he shall be burned And if a Christian being on horsebacke doo méete or passe by a Masselman that is a turkish Priest he must light from his horse and with a lowly looke doo reuerence to him or if he doo not he is beaten downe from his horse with clubbes and staues Tribute payed of Christians to the Turke For their tribute they pay the fourth part of their substance gaine to the Turke beside the ordinarie tribute of the christians which is to pay for euery head within his familie a ducket vnto the Turke which if the parents cā not do they are cōpelled to sell their childrē into bondage others not able to pay go chayned in fetters from dore to dore begging to make vp their paiment els must they lie in perpetuall prison and yet notwithstanding when the Christians haue paide all dueties it remaineth frée for the Turkes to take vp among the Christians children whom they best like and them to circumcise and to carry them away being yong from the sight of their parents into farre places to be brought vp in the popes warres so that they may not returne to them againe but first are taught to forget Christ then their parents And albeit the same children doe afterward greatly degenerate from the faith of Christ yet many of them haue priuily about them the gospel of S. Iohn written In principio erat verbum c. in Gréeke and Arabicke for a remembrance And thus much touching the misery vnder the Turkes and their cruelties In the yéere 1499. in the time of one Perseuell manie were taken for heretikes in Kent Fagots borne and at Paules Crosse they bare fagottes and were abiured and shortly after the same yéere there went thirtéene Lollardes afore the procession in Paules and there were of them eight women and a young ladde and the laddes mother was one of the eight and all the thirtéene bare fagots on their necks before the procession Ann. 1506 in the dioces of Lincolne in Buckinghāshire William Smith being B. of the same dioces one William Tilseley was burned at Amersham in a close William Tilseley a martyr called Stanely at which time one Ioan Clark a married woman which was the onely daughter of the said Tilseley Cruelty against nature a faithful woman was compelled with her owne hands to set fire to her father And at the same time her husband Ioh. Clarke did penance at her fathers burning and bare a fagot as did also 20. mo which afterward were compelled to weare certain badges went abrode to do penance Penance as to Buckinghā William Page burned in the cheeke Aylesbury other townes nigh and also diuers of these men were afterward burned in the chéeke as William Page c. Some report that sixtie were put to beare fagots for their penance of whom diuers were inioyned to beare and to weare fagots at Lincolne 7. yéeres together c. In which number was also one Robert Bartlet a rich man who for his profession sake was put from his Farme and goods and was condemned to bee kept in the monastery of Ashrige where he ware on his right sléeue a square péece of cloth 7. yeeres together About the same time of the burning of William Tilseley as the Amersham men doe say or the next day after was one father Roberts burned Father Roberts burnt at Buckingham He was a miller and dwelled at Missenden and at his burning there was aboue twenty persons Fagots borne that were cōpelled to beare fagots and to do such penāce as the wicked pharisées did compell them After that by the space of two or thrée yéeres was burned at Amersham Thomas Barnard Thomas Barnard a husbandmā Iames Morden Iames Morden a labourer they two were burned at one fire And there was William Littlepage burned in the right chéeks Father Rogers and Father Reuer aliâs Reiue which after was burned Also there were 30. mo that were burned in their chéekes and bare fagots at the same time Father Rogers was in the Bishoppes prison fourtéene wéekes together night and day and was so cruelly handled with colde hunger yron that after his comming out of prison he was so lame in his backe that he could neuer go vpright as long as he liued Anno 1506. Thomas Chast Tho. Chast of Amersham was after other great afflictions strangled in the Bishoppes prison in Wooburn vnder W. Smith B. of Lincolne and was buried of the wicked wretches in the wood called Norland wood in the high way betwixt Wooburn and litle Marlow to the intent he should not be taken vp to be séene Tho. Norice martyr Anno 1507. one Thomas Norice was burnt for the testimonie of the trueth at Norwich being condemned by the B. the last day of March. Anno 1508. Elizabeth Samson of the Parish of Aldermanburie was compelled to abiure before Master William Horsey Chaunceller to the Bishop of London Shee spake against pilgrimages worshipping of Images and the Reall presence About this time was burned Laurence Glest L. Glest martir at Salisburie after they had kepte him in prison two yeres for the matter of the Sacrament At whose burning William Russell was burned in the chéeke After this there was a godly woman burnt at Chipping Sudburie by the Chaunceller Doctor Whittington who A woman burnt after she was burned and the people returning homeward a Bull brake loose from a Butcher that was in hande to haue slaine him singled out Doctor Whittington from all the people and hurting neither olde nor young tooke him alone gored him thorough and thorough carrying his guts Gods iudgement and trayning them with his hornes all the stréetes ouer to the great admiration of all the people This is testified by diuers credible witnesses An. 1485. The ix of March amongest other good men in Couentrie these nine hereunder named were examined before Iohn bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield in S. Michaels church and recanted Iohn Blumston for holding against purgatorie images Robert Crowther for the matter of the Sacrament the authoritie of the keyes and Images Iohn Smith for the Lords prayer Créed in English Robert Brown for images flesh-eating in Lent purgatorie auricular confession and satisfaction Thomas Butler for purgatorie and merites Iohn Falkes for images and that he did eate Cowmilke the first sunday in Lent c. Richard Hilman for the scripture in English for the matter of the sacrament c. In the yere of our Lord 1488. the thirde of April Margerie Goit wife of Iames Goit was constrayned by Iohn B. of Couentrie and Lichfield to recant concerning the reall presence In the raigne of K. Henrie 7. liued Iohannes Picus earle of Mirandula He
at hand then in that assembly to be handled notwithstanding Zuinglius vrged that if he or any had ought to say against his doctrine they would then declare it but when no man would appéere to dispute the assembly was discharged Wherevpon the Senate of Zuricke caused to be proclaimed thorough their dominion that the traditions of men should be abandoned Traditions of men abādoned in Zuricke 1523 Decree at Lucerna and the Gospell of Christ purely taught out of the old and new Testament Anno 1523. Sleid. lib. 3. The next yéere after there was an other decrée made at Lucerna of the contrarie part to the maintenaunce of Popish religion and against Luthers doctrine After this cōclusiō at Lucerna the Cantons of Heluetia directed their letters to the men of Zuricke lamenting their estate and blaming the new doctrine of Zuinglius and Leo Iuda Leo Iuda Cantons deuided and shewing to them the daunger that might follow Wherevnto the Tigurins and men of Zuricke made their answere againe the same yéere the one twentith of March purging themselues and iustifying the doctrine of the Gospell preached by Luther Zuinglius c. and offered themselues to be reformed if they were in errour by the Scriptures and that they would attend therefore till toward the end of May next ensuing as also from the Bishop of Constance and vniuersitie of Basill The moneth of May being come the B. of Constance answereth to the mē of Zuricke in a booke wherin he defendeth images and popish masse This booke they answered proued his doctrine by the scriptures to be false before they sent their answere pulled downe all the images in their dominion about the 13. of Iune And a few moneths after Images pulled downe an order was taken in the citie of Zuricke betweene the Canons of the church and citie for disposing the lands and possessions of the Colledge This profession of the Tigurins of the 13. pages The Cantons that misliked Zuinglius sixe did chiefly mislike to witte Lucernates Vrani Suicenses Vnterualdii Tugiani Fiburgenses These in no case would bee reconciled but layde diuers slaunderous matters to their charge whereof the Tigurins diligently purged themselues Anno 1525. in the moneth of Aprill next following the citie of Zuricke banished the masse in all their dominion Masse banished and placed in stéede thereof the supper of the Lorde the reading of the Scriptures praying Also a Law was made against whoredome adulterie and Iudges ordained to heare the causes of matrimony an 1525. Sleid. lib. 4. The other seuen pages appointed among themselues cōcerning a méeting disputation to be had at Baden where were present among other Diuines Iohannes Faber Eckius and Murnerus The Bishops also of Lucerna Basill Suriake and Lawsanna sent thither their Legats the conclusions propounded were that the body and blood of Christ are present in the Sacrament That the masse is a sacrifice for quicke dead That the blessed virgin and other saintes are to be inuocated as mediators intercessors That images ought not to be abolished That there is a Purgatorie Which conclusions Eckius took vpon him stoutly to defend Against him reasoned Oecolāpadius who was then chiefe preacher at Basill with other mo Zwinglius was not permitted of the Senate to be heard The conclusion of the disputation was that al should remaine as it was This was done in the moneth of Iune 1527 A disputation at Berne Anno 1527. in the moneth of December the people of Bern appointed a disputation at Bern and sending forth writings thereof called all the Bishops about them thither as of Constance Seduno Lansanna warning them both to come themselues and to bring their Diuines with them or els to loose such possessions as they had lying within the precinct of their territorie After this they appointed ecclesiasticall persons of their owne iurisdiction to dispute Scriptures only to decide controuersies determining the whole disputation to be decided onely by the authoritie of the olde and new Testament And to the intent men might come thither better prepared they propoūded in writing ten conclusions Ten conclusions to bée defended of their ministers by the scriptures which ministers were Franciscus Colbus and Berthaldus Hallerus The themes were these 1. The true church heareth only the word of God 2 It maketh no laws without it 3. That traditions ordained by the Church onely bind as they agrée with the word of God 4. That Christ only hath made satisfaction for our sins 5. That Christes body is not really in the sacrament 6. That the sacrifice of the masse is cōtumelious to Christ his sacrifice 7. That Christ is only to be inuocated as mediator 8. That there is no purgatory 9. Against images 10. Against single life of priests To these letters articles the Lucernats Vranites Scinthians Vnterualdians Tugians Glareans Soliturnians they of Freiburg answered again by cōtrary letters exhorting them of Bern to desist from their purpose concluding that they would neither send nor suffer any learned man to come thither nor graunt safeconduct for any to passe through their countrey The Bishops refuse disputation Al this notwithstanding the Lords of Bern the 7. of Ianuary procéeded in their disputatiō Of the bishops before assigned nor one came neuertheles the city of Basil Zuricke and Schafuse and Abbecelle Sangallium Mallusia with the neighbours of Rhetia also they of Strasborough Vlmes Ausburgh Lyndane Constance and Isne sent thether their Embassadours The Doctors of Berne began their disputation there were present Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bucerus Capito Blaurerus with other mo which defended the affirmatiue On the contrary part the chiefe was Conradus Tregerius a frier Augustine who shifting from the Scriptures to the Doctors not being permitted so to doo by the moderators of the disputatiō would dispute no more This disputation endured 19. daies The dispute lasted 19. daies and in the end it was agréed that the conclusions were agréeable to the word of God and should be ratified not only in Berne but also in certaine other cities néere adioyning Furthermore that masses altars and images should be in al places abolished At the city of Constance certain things begā to be altred before in which citie the preacher Ambrosius Blanreus was a notable man had bin a monke before in the monastery of Alperspacke in the Duchy of Wittemberg After this disputation thus concluded at Berne Berne reformed the Images and altars with ceremonies and masses were abolished at Constance Geneua reformed they likewise of Geneua followed the example of Bern by reason whereof the Bishops and Cleargy departed the citie The Bernates after they had redressed with them the state of religion The Bernates refuse the league of the french K they renounced the league made before with the French king refusing the warly stipend folowing the example of the Tigurins which before had done the like
paide for the will of Syr William Compton knight as Syr Henrie Guilforde knight one of the executors declared in open Parliament The second cause the great polling which the spirituall men vsed in taking of corpes presents or mortuaries The thirde that priestes being surueyors stewards and officers to Bishops Abbots c. had and occupied farmes graunges and grasing in euery countrey The fourth cause was that Abbots Priors and spirituall men kept Tannehouses and bought and solde wooll cloth and all manner of marchandise as other temporall marchants did The fift cause was their non residencie from their flocks and residencie in the court of Lords houses The sixt was that vnlearned priestes had tenne or twelue benefices and learned scholers in the vniuersities wanted both benefice and exhibition all which grieuances were redressed the same parliament During the same parliament there was brought downe to the commons the booke of Articles which the Lordes had put vp to the king against the Cardinall the chiefe whereof were these First that hée without the Kinges consent had procured himselfe to bée Legate Articles against the Cardinall 2. In all writinges that hee wrote to Rome he wrote I and my King 3. That hée slaundered the Church of Englande to the Court of Rome I and my king which hée saide was facta in reprobum sensum 4. Hée without the Kinges assent carried the great seale with him into Flaunders when hee was sent Embassadour to the Emperour 5. Without the kinges consent hee sent commission to Iohn Gregorie de Cassalis Knight to conclude a league betweene the king and the Duke of Ferrarie 6. That he hauing the Frenchpockes presumed to come and breath on the king The Cardinall had the Frēchpocks The Cardinal confesseth the Articles 7. That hee caused the Cardinals hatte to bee put on the kinges coyne 8. That hee had sent innumerable substance to Rome for the obtayning of his dignities to the impouerishing of the Realme These Articles were confessed all of the Cardinall and assigned with his hand Anno. 1531. Notwithstanding the kings goodnesse towardes him the Cardinall being in his Dioces The Cardinal vnthankfull to the king wrote to the Court of Rome and to diuers other Princes letters in reproche of the king and endeuoured to winne fauour of the people with pompe and great gifts to the Gentlemen which the king although he knew his doings dissembled all that yeare till he saw his heart so lifte vp with pride that hee thought it not conuenient to suffer him any longer so he directed his letters to the Earle of Northumberland The Cardinall arrested and prisoned willing him with all diligence to arrest him and to deliuer him to the Earle of Shrewsburie which was accordingly done and the vi day of Nouember he was conueied from Cawood to Sheffielde Castle and there deliuered to the Earle of Shrewesburies keeping When the Cardinall was thus arrested the king sent Sir William Kingstone knight Captaine of the Garde and Constable of the Tower of London to fetch the Cardinall to the Tower when the Cardinall saw the Captain of the Garde he was so sore astonished that shortly after hee became sicke men said he willingly tooke such quantitie of a strong purgation that his nature was not able to beare it and the matter that came from him was so blacke that the stayning thereof could not be gotten out of the Blankettes by any meanes By easie iourneies he was brought to the Abbey of Leicester the xxvij day of Nouember where for very feeblenesse of nature The Cardinall dieth caused by purgations and vomits he died the second night following and there lyeth buried It is testified by one yet liuing in whose armes the Cardinall died that his bodie being dead was blacke as pitche and was so heauie that sixe could scarce beare him and furthermore did so stincke aboue the ground The Cardinals bodie did stinke aboue ground that they were constrayned to hasten the buriall thereof in the night season before it was day At the which buriall such a tempeste with such a stinke there arose that all the Torches went out and so he was throwen into the Tombe This Cardinall founded a new Colledge in Oxford for the furniture whereof he had gathered together all the best learned he could heare of amongst which number were these Clarke Tyndall Sommer Frith and Tauerner with other mo Which holding assemblie together in the Colledge were counted to be Heretikes and thereupon were cast into a prison of the Colledge where was kept Saltfish through the stinke whereof the most part of them were infected and Clarke thereof died being young and tender and a man of singular learning among them all And other in other places in the Towne also of the same infection deceassed In the time of the Cardinall Master Humfrey M. Humfrey who was a right godly and sincere Alderman of London was troubled and put in the Tower for the Gospel of Christ and for the mainteyning of them that fauoured the same but at length he was forced to abiure Abiure and after was made knight by the king and Sheriffe of London Anno 1530. Thomas Hitten 1530. Tho. Hitten Martyr a Preacher at Maidstone after long torments sundry imprisonments by Wil. Warham Bishop of Caunterburie and Fisher Bishop of Rochester was burned at Maidston for the testimonie of the trueth Anno 1531. Thomas Bilney 1531. Tho. Bilney of Cambridge professour of both Lawes conuerted Thomas Arthur and M. Hugh Latimer then Crossebearer at Cambridge on procession daies and preached against the intollerable pride of the Cleargie and the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome being associate with Arthur whereof the Cardinall hearing cast him into prison and anno 1527. accompanied with a great number of Bishops as Caunterburie Cutbert of London Iohn of Rochester c. came into the chapterhouse at Westminster where Bilney Arthur were brought before them Where the Cardinall demaunded whether Bilney had preached any of the opinions of Luther contrarie to the Catholike Church Whereto Bilney answered negatiuely being asked againe of the Cardinall whether he had not taken an oath not to preach or defend any of the opinions of Luther he graunted he had so sworne but not lawfully Which Interrogatories so ministred and answere made the Cardinal caused him to sweare to answere plainly to the Articles and errours preached and set foorth by him Who hauing béene thus sworne and examined the Cardinal procéeded to the examination of M. Arthur there present causing him to take the like oath Then the Cardinall and the Bishops by their authoritie ex officio did call for witnesses against M. Bilney Iohn Huggen chéefe Prouinciall of the Fryers Preachers throughout all England Geffrey Iulles and Richard Iugwoorth Professors of diuinitie of the same order Also W. Ierkett Gentleman William Nelson and Thomas Williās and so the Cardinall because he was otherwise occupied in the affaires
ledge of the stake certaine Friers Doctors Priors being present at his examination degradation praied him to cleare them to the people least they should withdraw their almes from them which he did according to their request Then by reason of the great wind the fire thrise departed and had recourse before it coulde be sharpe enough to consume him In the which til he gaue vp the Ghost he knocked his brest sometime crying Iesus sometime Credo and so gaue witnes to the truth and slept in the Lord. About Anno 1527. Simon Fish who fled ouer the seas as Tindall for feare of the Cardinal whom he had offended in playing a parte against the Cardinal in a plaie made the booke of the Supplication of the beggers The Supplication of beggers and the next yéere sent it to the Lady Anne Bulleine which booke her brother séeing in her hand tooke and read it and gaue it her againe willing her to giue it to the King which thing she so did About Anno 1528. The king vnderstanding who made it and how for feare of the Cardinall he had fled ouer seas kept it in his bosome iij. or iiij daies which Fishes wife vnderstanding and hauing encouragement of certaine about the King that signified tokens of the kings good liking shée made suite to the king for the safe returne of her husbande whereto he most gratiously graunted Whervpon after two yéeres and an halfe of absence he returned and was of his wife brought vnto the king about the yéere 1530. who embraced him with most louing countenaunce and after iij. or iiij howers talke as they were riding on hunting dismissed him and gaue him his protection The king giueth Fish his protection About the same time also M. Moddis the kings footman being in talke with the king of religion and of new bookes that were come frō beyond seas said if his grace would pardon him such as he would bring to his grace he should sée such a book as was maruelous to heare of The king demanded who they were he said ij of your merchaunts George Eliot George Robinson The king appointed a time to speake with them so did caused one of them G Eliot to read the book vnto him Which being read the king made along pawse and then said if a man should pull downe an old stone wall begin at the lower part the vpper part therof might chance to fal on his head And then he tooke the booke and put it into his deske and commanded them vpon their allegiance not to tell to any that he had séene the booke Against the supplication of the beggers sir Thomas Moore wrote vnder the title of poore séely soules pewling out of purgatorie Poore seely soules pewling out of Purgatory to whiche Iohn Fryth made a pithie and effectuall replie When the Cardinall and Prelates vnderstood of the supplication of beggers and other English bookes they gaue out a commission against reading of English bookes A Commission against English bookes and namely the booke of Beggers and the new Testament of Tindals translation which was done out of hand by Cutbert Tunstall bishop of London and a short time after they had procured an inhibition by the kinges proclamation Anno 1529. both against English other in the Latine tongue which contained ought against their superstition whervpon ensued great persecution and trouble whereof first tasted Thomas Bilney aforesaid Anno 1529. came foorth the New testament of Tindals translation The testament of Tindals translation which Tunstall and Moore deuised to suppresse through the counsell of Augustine Packington Augustine Packington a Mercer and Tindals fréend by buying all the copies for which he gaue verie largely and so furnished Tindall with monie that he corrected them and set them foorth againe in greater plenty then before being reléeued with the Bishops mony wherewith the bishop being gréeued declared vnto Packington how they swarmed more then before to whom said he my Lord you were best to buie the stampes too and so shall you be sure at which answere the bishop smiled and so the matter ended The same yéere that Bilney suffered Anno 1531. the moneth of Nouember Richard Bayfield Richard Bayfield suffered for the testimonie of the truth and was burned in Smithfield he was sometime a moonke of Surrie and conuerted by Doctor Barnes and two godly men of London brickmakers Maister Maxwell and Maister Stacie Wardens of their companie He so profited in the doctrine of Christe in twoo yéeres that by the Moonkes of this house he was caste into prison and there endured sore whipping with a gagge in his mouth and then stocked and so continued in the same torments thrée quarters of a yéere before Doctor Barnes could get him out which at length he did by the meanes of one doctor Ruffani of the same house From thence Doctor Barnes carried him to Cambridge where he greatly profited in good letters and neuer returned to his Abbie but went to London to Maxwell and Stacie who kept him secréetly a while and after caried him beyond the seas Doctor Barnes being then in the Fléete for Gods woorde where he was beneficiall vnto Tindall and Fryth and at the last returning to London to Maisters Smiths house in Bucklers burie there was he bewrayed dogged to his bookebinders in Marke-lane where he was taken and caried to Lollards tower and from thence to the Colehouse by reason that one parson Patmore parson of much Haddaine in Essex that lying in Lollards tower was confirmed by him in the doctrine of Christ who after abiured and was condemned to perpetual prison but deliuered againe by the kinges pardon But Richard Bayfield continued constant in the Colehouse was worse handled then before in Lollardes tower for there he was tied bothe by necke middle and legges and standing vpright by the walles diuerse times manicled to accuse others that had bought his bookes He was thrise in the Consistorie at Paules put to his triall whether he would abiure or no but he standing to his triall by disputation to the confounding of his aduersaries Bayfield condemned by Stokesly then his iudge with the assistaunce of Winchester and other Bishops he continuing constant in the cause of Christ was condemned the twentie daie of Nouember Anno 1531 in the quéere of Paules and disgraded After which the Bishop tooke his Crosier staffe Cruelty and smoote him on the brest that he threw him downe backwardes and brake his head that he souned When he came to himselfe againe he thanked God that he was deliuered from the malignant church of Antechrist Anon after he was ledde through the quire to Newgate and there rested aboute an hower in prayer and so went to the fire in his apparell ioyfullie and there for lacke of a spéedy fire was half an hower aliue and when the left arme was in the fire and burned he rubbed it with his right
and vttered his diuerse argumentes where hée desired to be satisfied The matter was concerning the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Tailor desired him to deferre the matter till another tyme and to wryte his minde whiche hée did and at last it brake out to bée a publicke matter so that he was sent for by the Archbishop of Canturbury and was forced to defend his cause openly In that disputation it is said that Lambert did appeale from the Bishops to the king and the rumour of the disputation was spred to the court Now at this time Stephen Gardiner then bishop of Winchester A wicked persuasion was in authoritie among the kinges Counsellours and perswaded the kinge by the burning of Lambert to quiet the people who grudged at diuerse of his dooinges bothe touchyng his diuorce and pullinge downe the Popes pride and thereby to declare how stoutly he would resist Heretikes whereby the people might take some contentment So by these perswasions a day was set Lambert brought forth where besides he had the kings fierce countenance against him Lambert disputeth he had x. disputers against him frō xij of the clocke till v. at night among which were the archbishop Stephen Gardiner Tunstall B. of Durham Stokesley bishop of London In fine through Winchesters perswasion to gratifie the people the king himselfe condemned Lambert and commanded Cromwell the chiefe friend of the gospellers to read the sentēce The king condemneth Lambert Cromwell readeth the sentence against Lambert Cromwell craueth pardon of Lambert Vpon the day that was appointed for this holy martyr to suffer he was brought out of the prison at viij of the clocke in the morning vnto the house of the L. Cromwell so caried into his inner chamber where as it is reported of many Cromwell desired him of forgiuenes for that he had doone from thence he was brought into the hall and so into Smithfield where he suffered most terrible torments for after his legges were burned vp to the stumps that the wretched tormentors had withdrawē the fire from him so that but a small fire was left vnder him two that stood on each side of him with their halbards pitched him vpon their pikes as farre as the chaine would reach then he lifting vp such handes as he had and his fingers euer flaming with fier cried vnto the people in these wordes Lambert a worthy martyr None but Christ none but Christ and so beyng let downe againe from their Halbards he fell into the fire yéelded vp the ghost Lamberts treatice of the Sacrament During the time that he was in the Archbishops house he wrote a treatise to the king touching the Sacrament wherein he prooued that the bodie could be but in one place and that the Sacrament was a mysticall matter The same yéere 1538. Robert Packington Mercer brother of Austen aboue mentioned because he little fauoured the clergie being a man of courage and a burges of the parliament house for the Cittie and was thought to haue had some conference with the king to the disaduauntage of the clergie at fiue of the clocke in the morning as he was woont going from his house in Cheapside to prayers at a church called S. Thomas of Acres but nowe Mercers chappell he was slaine with a gun by an Italian Robert Packington slaine going to prayers whome D. Incent Deane of Paules had hired for lx crownes to doo that feat as he himselfe afterward on his death bed confessed The same yéere was Collins a mad man and his dogge burned Collins his dogge burned together because as the priest lifted his God so Collins in the Church at the same time lifted his dogge ouer his head his dogge was burnt also with him Likewise another mad man called Cowbridge Cowbridge was burned at Oxford the same yéere who what euer his madnesse was before yet in the middes of the flame he lifting vp his hand to heauen soberly and discréetly called vpon the name of the Lord Iesus and so departed About the same time and yéere Putdewe Putdewe was put to death for saying merily to a priest after he had drunke the wine he blessed the hungrie people with the emptie Chalice At the same time also was condēned W. Letton Williā Letton a moonke of Aye in the Countie of Suffolke was burned at Norwich for speaking against an idoll that was vsed to be carried in procession at Aye and for holding that the Sacrament ought to bée ministred in both kindes Somewhat before the burning of these men Nich. Peke Nicholas Peke was burned at Ipswich and when the firres were set on fire he was so scorched that he was as blacke as pitch Doctor Reading standing there before him with Doctor Heirre and Doctor Springwell hauing a long white wande in his hand did knocke him vpon the right shoulder and sayde Peke recant and beléeue in the Sacrament The notable courage of the martyr to whom Peke answeared I defie thée and it also and with greate violence hee spatte from him blood which came by reason the veynes brake in his bodie for extreme anguish Which when hée saide Doctor Reading graunted by the authoritie of the Bishoppe of Norwich fourtie dayes of pardon to so many as should cast a sticke to burne the heretike wherevpon Baron Curson Sir Iohn Audley knight and others were moued so to do and cutte downe boughes and threw them into the fire This yéere the king was againe required by the Emperour and other States to be a sender to the generall Counsell at Vincence For the Duke of Mantua woulde suffer none there The king againe refuseth the Counsell except the pope would with a sufficient armie gard this city The king again refused and sendeth his protestation in way of defence for himselfe to the Emperour and other Christian princes which he concludeth with this farewell Thus mighty Emperour fare yée most heartely wel and you Christian princes The kings farewell to the princes Anno Reg. the pillers and stay of Christendome fare ye heartily wel also you what people soeuer you are which doe desire that the Gospel and glory of God may flourish fare ye heartily well As Thomas Cromwell fauoured the Gospel so Stephan Gardiner B. of Winchester practised all he coulde against the same and wrought so with the king that the yéere 1539. seuere Iniunctions were set out by the kinges authoritie against English scripture bookes without examination against translations Search iniunctions without the authors name were put to it against sacramentaries that no man should dispute of the sacrament with the rest the canon of Becket rased c. and in fine so was he nusled by Winchester that Anno 1540. 1540. The king nusled by Winchester The whippe with vi strings The vi Articles He summoned a parlament to be holden at Westminster the xxviij of Aprill also a synode of
printers themselues which before they neuer intended and imprinted out the said Bible in London and after that printed sundry impressions of them but yet not without great trouble and losse through the hatred of Steeuen Gardiner and his fellowes Steeuen Gardiner alwaies an enemie to the Gospel In those dayes there were two sundrie Bibles in English printed and set foorth bearing diuers titles and printed in diuers places The first was called Thomas Mathewes Bible Th. Mathewes bible printed at Hamborough about the yere 1532. The Corrector of which Printe was Iohn Rogers the Printers were Richard Grafton and Whitchurch In the translation of this Bible the greatest doer was William Tindall who with the helpe of Miles Couerdale had translated all the bookes thereof except onely the Apocrypha and certaine notes in the Margent which were added after But because William Tindall in the meane time was apprehended before his booke was fullie perfected it was thought good to them that had the dooing thereof to chaunge the name of William Tindall because that name was then odious and to further it by a straunge name of Thomas Matthew Iohn Rogers being the same time corrector to the print who had then translated the residue of the Apocrypha and added also certaine notes thereto in the Margent and thereof came it to be called Thomas Matthewes bible Which bible of Thomas Matthewes after it was imprinted and presented to the Lord Cromwell and the Lord Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who liked very well of it Cromwell presented it to the king The Bible in English presented to the king and obtained that it might fréely passe to be read of subiects with his graces licēce So that there was printed on the same booke one line in red letters with these wordes Set forth with the Kinges most gracious licence This book did greatly offend the Bishops both for the prologues and especially for a table called of the common places of the Bible and the scriptures for the approbation of the same and chiefly about the supper of the Lord and priests marriages and the masse which there was said not to bée found in the Scripture After the restraint of this bible of Mathew another came to be printed at Paris anno 1540. which was called the bible of the large volume The Bible of the large volume The Printed that printed it was the former the ouerseer was Miles Couerdale who conferred Tindalles Translation with the Hebrewe and mended diuers places there In this Bible although the former notes of Thomas Mathew were omitted yet sundrie marks and hands were annexed in the margent which meant that in those places should be made certaine notes wherewith also the Clergie was offfended and Cromwel being dead complaintes were made to the king of the translation of the Bible and of the Preface of the same and then was the sale of the Bible cōmanded to be staied the B. promising to amend and correct it but neuer performed it The Bishops promisse to amend the Bible but performed it not Then Grafton was called for and troubled cast in the Fléete where hée remained sixe wéekes and before he came out was bound in 300.l neither to print to sell nor cause to be printed any mo bookes till the king and the clergie should agrée on the translation and thus was the Bible staied from that time during the reigne of king Henry the eight Anno 1541. D. Cutbert Barnes Doctor Barnes Thomas Garret and William Hierome were burned in Smithfield for the testimonie of Iesus Christ after the death of the lord Cromwell who whiles he liued was a great defence vnto diuerse that professed the truth but he being taken away many godly christians in diuerse places went to wracke Doctor Barnes after that he came from the vniuersitie of Louaine went to Cambridge where hée was made Prior and Maister of the house of Augustines at which time the knowledge of good letters was very scant in the Vniuersitie which Barnes thinking to redresse read in his house Terence Plautus and Cicero so that what with his labour and helpe of Thomas Parnell his scholer whom he brought from Louaine with him reading Copia verborum rerum he caused the house shortly to florish with good letters and made a great part of his house learned as M. Cambridge M. Field M. Coleman M. Burley M. Couerdall c. After these foundations laid he did openly read in the house S. Paules Epistles and put by Duns Dorbell Duns Dorbell put out of Cambridge and yet though he were a questionarie himselfe in short space made he diuerse good diuines obseruing disputations of necessarie points of faith in his house Disputations of points of faith rare in Cābridge in those daies also in the schooles when he should dispute with any man The first man that answered Doctor Barnes in the Scriptures was M. Stafford for his forme to be batchellour of diuinitie Which disputation was marueilous in the sight of the great blind Doctors notwithstanding all this till he was conuerted by Bylney D. Barnes conuerted by Bylney he remained in his superstition still The first Sermon that euer he preached according to the truth of the Gospell was the Sunday before Christmas day at S. Edwards church belonging to Trinitrie hall in Cambridge by the pease market whose theame was the Epistle of the same Sunday Gaudete in Domino c. For which Sermon he was immediatly accused of heresie by two fellows of kings hall Then the godly mē flocked and conferred together the house that they most commonly resorted vnto was the white horse which for dispite of them to bring Gods word into contempt was called Germany The White-horse in Cambridge called Germany This house was especially chosen because they of S. Iohns Kings and Quéenes Colledges might come on the backeside thether Doctor Barnes was accused in the regent house and constantly continued with much preaching of diuerse parties one against another in trying out Gods truth till within sixe dayes before Shrouetide then was there sent downe a Sergeant at armes called maister Gibson dwelling in Saint Thomas Apostle in London who suddainly arrested Doctor Barnes D. Barnes arrested in the Regent house and priuely they had determined to make searche for Luthers bookes and all the Germanes workes suddainly but by Doctor Farmans warning of Quéenes Colledge the bookes were conueyed away thirtie persons they had in speciall suspition Doctor Barnes was carried to Cardinall Wolsey and after hée had a while stood constant by the perswasion of Doctor Gardiner his secretarie and Foxe he relented and submitted himselfe Barnes submitteth himselfe and with fiue Stylliard men he bare his faggot at Paules the bishop of Rochester there preaching against Luther Doctor Barnes Notwithstanding his submission the Bishop commaunded hée shoulde be had to the Fléete againe and bée permitted to haue such libertie as other prysoners
Paulet Iohn Baker Rich Chauncellour of the Augmentation Winckfielde Vice-chauncellour There suffered besides those traytors in the time of king Henrie for the cause of Supremacie to the number of foure and twentie in all Such was the furious prosecuting of the commission for the vi Articles that in London a great number came into question and great trouble to the number almost of two hundreth persons and out of other quarters such a number were apprehended through this Inquisition that al the prisons in London were too little to holde them All prisons in London too litle to hold the persecuted in so much that they were fayne to lay them in Halles At the last through the meanes of the Lord Awdeley such pardon was obteyned of the king that the Lord Awdeley then Lorde Chauncellour being content that one should be bound for another they were all discharged Edmund Boner Boner turneth his opinion and becōmeth a persecutor who had before béen aduanced by Cromwell and preferred before another way being now B. of London shewed himselfe a most cruell executor of the commission in such sort that he burned Richard Mekins being but of xv yéeres of age for chauncing to speake against the Sacrament of the Altar as he had heard other say and other were caused to recant as Towling parson of S. Anthonies and Alexander Seaton a Scotish man and a worthy preacher this was Anno 1541. An. 1541. Iohn Porter a yoong man was by Boner cast into prison in Newgate for reading the Bible in Paules yet the king had commaunded it should be read and Boner himselfe in the daies of Cromwell appointed that vj. bibles of the great volume should be set vp in the church of Saint Paules in London for the people to read Six Bibles set vp in Paules to be read of the people Wherevpon great multitudes would resort thither to heare this Porter read Hereat Boner beyng grieued caused him to be put in the dungeon of Newgate where he was fettered in irons both legges and armes with a coller of iron aboute his necke fastened to the wall in the dungeon From this torment by suite of his brother and many other hée was released to be among the other prysoners fellons and murtherers whose blasphemie and wickednesse hée beyng not able to beare and therewith finding fault and giuing them instructions he was complained of and carried downe againe and layd in the lower dungeon of all and oppressed with boltes and irons It is thought that he was fettered with one Ingine in the pryson called The Deuill in the necke The diuell in the necke whiche is so deuised that within thrée or foure houres it breaketh and crusheth a mans backe or body in péeces Iohn Porter killed in pryson so that within six or eight dayes after being heard pitifully crying and groning he was found dead In the time of the Cardinall Thomas Somers an honest Merchant was in pryson in the Tower for hauing of Luthers bookes and penaunce beyng inioyned that hée should with thrée other Merchaunts ride with bookes into Cheapeside hanged about their neckes with a bason tinged on before them and there cast their Testamentes in the fire Now because he cast his booke ouer or through the fire and woulde not cast it into it Thomas Somers dieth in the Tower hée was complained of and cast againe into the Tower by the Cardinall where hée died In the diocesse of Lincolne vnder Iohn Longland and Doctor Dracot his Chancellour great persecution was about Buckingham and Amersham for the sixe Articles and the same time the Bishop burned two in one day the one named Thomas Barnarde Thomas Barnard Iames Morton martyrs and the other Iames Morton the one for teaching the Lordes prayer in English and the other for kéeping the Epistle of saint Iames translated into English In Oxford also the same time or much there about recanted one maister Barber a master of arts of that Vniuersitie a man excellently learned His cause was the matter of the Sacrament Not long before his recantation there was one maister Malarie maister of arts of Cambridge of Christs Colledge who for like opinions contrary to the Romish faith was conuented before the Bishoppes and in the end sent to Oxford there openly to recant and to beare his faggot to the terrour of the studentes of that Vniuersitie at whose recantation while Doctor Smith preached and treated of the Sacrament there rose a false imagination of firs that shoulde bée ouer their heades and suche impression it tooke in Doctor Smith that in manner hée first of all cried out in the pulpet A popish feare these are the traynes and subtilties of Heretikes agaynst mée Lorde haue mercie vppon mée Lorde haue mercie vppon mée c. Claymunde with other of the aged sorte that coulde not runne and make shift for themselues knéeled downe before the highe Altar committing themselues and their liues vnto the sacrament all ful of terror While the rest thronged thrust to get out of the Church among them there was a boy that séeing the dores so stopped with presse that he could not get out climed vp vpon the dore among them gate out ouer mens heads being vpon the doore he saw a Monke comming towardes him which had a great wide cowle hanging at his backe which the boy perceiuing leapes downe into the Monkes cowle the Monke at the first perceiuing nothing but after a while féeling his cowle heauie and hearing the voyce of the boy thought it had béene a diuell and began to coniure him in the name of God and all saints I commaund thée to declare what thou art that art behind my backe to whom the boy answered I am Bartrams boy Bartrams boy The diuell in the Monkes cowle But I saide the Monke adiure thée in the name of the vnseparable trinitie that thou wicked spirite doe tell mée who thou art from whence thou camest and that thou gette thée hence I am Bartrams boy sayde hée good maister let mée go and with that his cowle beganne to cracke vpon his shoulders the monke when he perceiued the matter tooke the boy out and discharged his cowle the boy tooke his legges and ran away as fast as he could and this was the perplexitie of the good Catholikes in that assemblie which rose vpon the crying of fire in the stréetes by one Hewster who sawe a chimney on fire and according to the custome cried Fire fire as hée passed by Saint Maries Church Nowe as touching the Heretike because hée had not done his sufficient penaunce there by occasion of this hurliburly therefore the next day hée was reclaymed into the Church of Saint Frisewide where hée supplied the rest of his penance that lacked An. 1541. By the sentence of the cōuocation house the Lady Anne of Cleue was diuorced Lady Anne of Cleue diuorced the king permitted to mary with the L. Katherine Hawarde and within a while she
iudged as periured persons to weare papers in Windsor and Ockam to stande vpon the Pillorie at Newberie where he was borne False Iudges and accusers punished The iudgement of the thrée was to ride about Windsor Reading and Newberie with papers on their heads and their faces turned to the horsetailes and so to stande vpon the Pillorie in euerie of those Townes for false accusation of the forenamed Martyrs and for periurie Anno 1539. There was commission sent to Calice to enquire of heresie through a complaint made of the entertainement and accepting of Adam Damlip alias George Bucker who there for xx dayes or more preached euery day at vii of the clocke He preached very godly sermōs against Transubstantiation and adoration of the sacrament Damlip by this Commission was cited and appeared before the Archb. of Canterbury Winchester Chichester and diuers others before whom constantly he mainteined the trueth of the sacrament and being dismissed for that time enioyned to appeare the next day Adam Damlip by the secret warning of the archb of Cant. he stept aside into the West countrey while great trouble was kindled against Gods people in Calice namely against sir W. Smith curate a zelous preacher T. Brook R. Hare sir I. Butler then Commissarie Iames Cocke alias Coppē Persecution in Calice D. Lane I Barber and others Of the which persons T. Brooke R. Hare Coppen D. Lane I. Barber were apprehended and sent ouer and committed to prison in Westminster gate and then commaunded to appeare before the Archb. Winchester Chichester and ten other appointed by the kings maiestie Sir W. Smith preacher and I. Butler by commandement were apprehended in Calice and boūd by suretie not to passe the boundes of Calice Sir William Smith was accused to preach against our ladie and praying to saints good works c. Brooke for speaking against the sacrament Rafe Hare for speaking against holy bread holy water Butler was charged to haue mainteined Adam Damlippe for which he was dismissed of his Commissariship And it was determined that sir W. Smith Rafe Hare Iames Cock and Iames Barber should be sent to Calice and there to abiure and do penance where sir Williā Smith was enioyned to make the sermon R. Hare I. Cock and Iames Barber there standing with fagots vpon their shoulders sauing because he dwelled there Barber was enioyned to beare his fagot iiij miles of Calice on the market day where sir W. Smith preached also as before and so ordered the matter in his sermon that in effect he denied nothing he had taught before His accuser was one R. Long a man at armes in Calice who falsly swore that he had eaten flesh in Lent at Brookes house after which oath he hauing taken displeasure some way ran out of his house and in the eyes of a number of people went drowned himselfe After this commission which was executed by M. Greenfield sir I. Butler the K. mason others through the rage of the enimy and complaint to the king that the commons were in perill through dissention of opinions there were sent ouer new commissioners the earle of Sussex lord great Chamberlaine the lord S. Iohn sir Iohn Gage knight sir Iohn Baker knight M. Layton clerke of the closet and D. Currin with speciall instructions besides signed with the kings owne hand so that if God had not taken compassion there had an hundreth béene burnt or hanged shortly after but it hapned far otherwise for of the number of those accusors iiij were by the cōmissioners sent ouer into England to wit Clement Philpot seruant to the L. Lisle sir Edmund curate of our Ladies church Thomas Towchet a postmaister Peter Requet Gods iudgement and deliuerance of his people of the which Philpot and the Curat were drawne hanged and quartered at London and contrarily of them that were accused not one lost an haire of his head Inquisition being made Thomas Brooke aforementioned was committed to ward and so were Anthony Pickering Gent. Henry Turney gentleman Sir George Darby priest Iohn Shepheard William Pellam William Reuerdall Iohn Whitewood Iohn Boote Robert Clodder Copen de Lane Mathew de Lound sent to close prison William Stephens likewise who was Adam Damlips host The L. Lisle dieth in the Tower was sent into England and clapt in the Tower and after him the L. Lisle deputie who died in the Tower The seconde day after Easter Thomas Brooke was sent for and committed to close prison in the maiors gaole and George Brodway was suborned by the Counsel of Calice who threatened him greatly if he woulde not burthen Brooke with some concealementes which he at length by straite imprisonment threats did and set to his hand that Brooke had for a long time concealed foure groates euery day for his Clarkes wages for which after a while Brodway being gréeued in his conscience with a knife wēt about to cut his owne throte had not the gaoler preuēted him who heard him grone with the pain he felt of the woūd after through guilt of conscience and shame he fell out of his wittes Gods iudgement vpon a false accuser Of this dealing with Brooke his wife gaue intelligence to the lord Cromwell wherein shée desired the lord Cromwell to be a meanes to the king that the afflicted and their causes might be heard in England which he with spéed did accomplish and wrote to the Commissioners in the kings name that Brooke and xij or xx of his complices should be sent ouer into England with their accusers Now by the time that the Commissioners had receiued these letters they had made out precepts for viij or ix score honest men more to be cast in prison but these Letters appalled and staied them notwithstanding they banished the men before named out of the towne for an hundreth yeres and sent them back to prison staying them there vpon hope that the Lord Cromwell should sooner come into captiuitie then he did but at last they sent xiij prisoners with Brook who within xxiiij houres were at anker before the Tower wharfe whom when the Lord Cromwell vnderstood to be come he commanded their yrons to be smote off at the tower wharfe and the prisoners to be brought vnto him whom hee greatly comforted After that they were sent to the Fleete and whiles they were in the Fleete and William Steuens in the tower the xix day of Iuly Anno 1541 the Lorde Cromwell their great fauourer was beheaded at Tower hill so that all hope seemed to them to haue beene vtterly lost of any deliuerance but the Lord had them in remembrance and stirred vp the Lord Awdley L. Awdley a friend to the afflicted Lord Chauncellour of England without further examination to deliuer them And at length two yeres after he deliuered William Steeuens also by the kings owne motion The vniust Coūsellers who charged the Towne with sedition and heresie fell afterward into the kings displeasure and
Frenchmen at the Iles of Iersey and Garnesey Bishop Boner who the first yere of the kings reigne anno 1547. had submitted himselfe hearing of the death of the Lord Admirall the L. Protectors brother and after that the rising of the kings Subiects began to draw backer and to neglect his duetie Whereupon as hath béene sayde he was called before the Counsell and enioyned to preach that such as rebell against their Prince resist Gods ordinance and to set foorth in his Sermon that the authoritie of the king was no lesse in his young age than was of any of his Predecessors c. Boenr at his time appointed preached at Paules crosse Muskleborow field Scots Frēch ouerthrowen and in steade of declaring such things as were enioyned him he spent his Sermon in the maintenance of the papisticall Transubstantiation and altogether left out the article touching the lawfull authoritie of the K. during his nonage For which so doing I. Hooper afterward B of Worcester and Glocester and M. W. Latimer Bachelour of Diuinitie did exhibite vnto the kings highnes vnder both their names a bill of complaint against him Whereupon the king did immediatly direct foorth his Commission vnder his broad Seale vnto the Archb. of Canterburie the B. of Rochester and other Counsellors geuing them authoritie to call Boner before them and to deale with him according as they should finde cause The tenth day of september Bishoppe Boner was summoned to appeare at Lambeth before the Commissioners before whom he behaued himselfe most vndiscréetely and vnreuerently defacing the authoritie of the Commissioners and shifting of the poynt hee was accused of and in the ende pulled out a Protestation out of his bosome readie written and exhibited it vnto the Commissioners Vnder which protestation he requested to haue a copie both of the Commission and accusation with time to answere therūto Which was granted him he assigned to appeare againe before thē vpō friday at 8. of the clocke before noone the next following and then to answere Vpon Friday the xiij of September Boner appeareth againe at Lambeth before the Commissioners and because Secretarie Smith sate there who was not there the former day Boner shifteth and caueleth Boner cauils thereat and makes delaies of answere and in the end tooke exceptions against his accusers because said he they were heretickes and iustly excommunicated and especially he inueighed against them for the matter of the Sacrament of the Altar and withall denied their accusations to be true and coloured glosed forth his maner of handling the points inioyned him and accompted the iniunctions of the booke forged because they were not sealed nor signed with the kings owne hand And when he had finished reading of his answeres Latimer deliuered vp a writing vnto the cōmissioners containing Articles agaynst him whereof certaine were touching his owne fact as whether he wrote his sermon or not to which he answered that onely he penned certaine notes then what aduise and whose he had to which he answered his owne onely with helpe of his bookes And this he answered an oth being ministred vnto him Ex officio mero These wordes ended the Commissioners assigned him Munday the xvj of September then next to appeare before them and to make his full answeres to all the Articles ministred vnto him by them that day On Mundaie the sixtenth of September hée appeareth againe before the Commissioners and exhibiteth vnto them answeres vnto the laste Articles but before the same were read the Archbishop declared vnto him that his answere made against his accusers denunciation contained matter of slander against them and so signified that they desired there to purge themselues which they both did first Latimer and next Hooper And after much vnséemely behauiour of Boner the Commissioners willed him to make aunswere to the articles obiected the last day against him which he did reading it and answering to euery poynt verie slenderly as to the point of the kings authoritie that he had gathered a note out of Histories and Scriptures of diuerse yoong Kinges who notwithstanding their minoritie were faithfully obeied and reputed for very lawfull kings all which with many other hée had purposed to declare if they had come vnto his memorie which they did not partly for lacke of vse of preachyng and partly by reason of a bill which was deliuered him from the Kinges counsell to declare the victorie hée had agaynst the rebels which confounded his memorie and partely for that his booke fell in his Sermon time from him wherein were diuerse of his notes which hée had collected for that purpose Which answere pleased not the Commissioners who required him to make it more direct whether he had doone as hée was enioyned or not whereto when he would no otherwise answere the cōmissioners did admit presently for witnesses vpon articles against him M. Iohn Cheeke Henry Markham Iohn Ioseph Iohn Douglas and Richard Chambers vpon whom they laid a corporall oth truely to answere Boner against this vnder his former protestation protested of the nullitie of the receiuing and admitting and swearing of those witnesses with protestation also to obiect against the persons and sayings of these witnesses demaunding a lawfull and competent time to minister interrogatories against them Wherewith the Commissioners were contented so that day he obiected against M. Cheeke and the next day before noone he obiected against the rest After this the Commissioners assigned to the Bishop to appeare againe before them vpon Wednesday the next ensuyng betwéene the houres of seuen and eight before noone at Lambeth there to shewe the cause why hee should not be declared Pro confesso vpon all the Articles wherevnto hée had not then fully aunswered but Boner still protesting the nullitie and inualiditie of al their procéedings they did for that time depart In the meane while the Commissioners certified the K. and his counsel of the B. behauiour and cauillations Whervpon the king the 17. of September did send vnto the Commissioners a full declaration of his owne will giuing them full authoritie to procéede at their owne discretions The 8. of September Boner appeareth againe and offereth matter vnto the Commissioners why he ought not to bée iudged pro confesso full of cauillations and vaine quiddities of their law and inordinat contempt In the end they ministred vnto him new articles and receiued witnesses against him but Boner still stoode vpon the nullitie of their Commission and the whole processe desiring a copie of the Articles which was graunted and time til the next day at viij of the clocke Also the same time hee exhibited a cauillation against William Latimer Boner exhibiteth a cauillation against William Latimer So the Commissioners appointed him a new time to appeare on munday next betwéene 6. 9. in the morning then to shew a finall cause why he shoulde not be iudged pro confesso And they deliuered him a copy of the Articles At the time appointed the
Bishop sent Robert Iohnson his register to the Commissioners sitting at Lambith and attending his appearaunce to signifie to them hee was sicke and so could not come The twentieth of September hée appeared nowe the fift time and hauing made a slender and doubtfull answere refused Syr Thomas Smithes iudgement because hée sawe him sharper bent agaynst him then the rest and made also his appeale to the King and withall verye vnreuerently behaued himselfe towardes the Commissioners For which cause Maister Secretarie Smith commaunded the Marshalles deputie to take Boner Prisoner and to keepe him that no man might come vnto him and assigned him to be brought before them againe on Mundaye nexte before noone betwéene seuen and nine of the clocke At which time hée appeareth and maketh a generall refusall of all the commissioners and sticketh to his former prouocations and protestations Then the Commissioners séeyng his pertinacie pronounced him Contumax and declared him pro confesso vpon all the articles which hée had not answered Boner pronoūced contumax pro confesso and determined to continue this case in state as it was vntill Friday then next following betwéen eight and nine before noone assigning Boner to be there before them at Lambith to heare a finall decrée of that matter Vpon which Friday for diuers vrgent causes the Commissioners coulde not sitte but deferred it till Tuesday the first of October next ensuing Vpon which day they offered yet fauour to Boner if hée woulde make more direct answere but hée persisting in his contumacie with euill spéeches the Archbishoppe with the consent of the rest of the Commissioners read the sentence of depriuation Boner depriued and committed him againe to his kéeper where he remained prisoner till the death of the King Nowe béeing prisoner in the Marshallsea he writeth vnto the Lorde Chauncellour and to the rest of the Counsell that through the enmity that the Duke of Somerset and Sir Thomas Smith bare him hée coulde not haue hearing of his suites to the King and Counsel He directeth also a supplication to the kings maiestie and desired his Graces letters of supersideas against the Commissioners and that the matter might be heard before the Counsell Whervpon the the K. committeth the examination of the whole processe vnto certaine noble personages and skilfull in the lawe as the Lorde Riche Lord Chauncellour the Lorde Treasurer the Lord Marques Dorset the Bishop of Eli the Lorde Wentworth c. which founde Boner in great fault of contumacy the procéedings being al iust and the sentence rightly giuen With the depriuation of Boner fell out the trouble of the Lord Protector L. protector wherevpon the people thinking the abrogating of poperie was his onely dooing bruted abroad that now they should haue their old Latine seruice againe with other superstitious trumperie Which caused the king his Counsell to direct letters to all Bishops to take away all Massals Grailes Processionals Manuals Legendes Portuases Iournals c. which might be any let to the English prayer Booke Also the Bishops were enioyned to punish all those that refused to giue to the charge of Bread and Wine for the Communion This was ahout the latter end of December 1549. In the next yéere following Altars were taken downe Altars taken downe by the kings commaundement and the Communion table placed in stéed thereof in forme of a table not of an altar as most agréeable to the institution of Christ About this time certaine of Ladie Maries Chaplaines had saide masse contrary to the lawes for which she being admonished of the Counsell tooke the matter very hardly and writeth to the Counsell sharpe letters tending to blame them as taking too much vpon them in the kings authoritie and iustifying her owne popish causes Lady Maries popish practises restrained Diuers letters passed to and fro from her and the Counsel as also from and to the king And in fine such order was taken that shée was restrained of her practises of popish religion and the offenders punished As Bonner behaued himselfe stubbornly againg the K. procéedings so Steeuen Gardiner B. of Winchester was not behinde in all disobedience and practises against the same for which he was imprisoned before the depriuation of Boner but was not deposed till anno 1551. He was first for his misdemeanour cast into the Fléete where after hée had remayned a time in much ease vpon promise of his cōformitie he was set at libertie and licensed to repaire to his owne Diocesse at his pleasure Where breaking hys promise he againe practised against the kings procéedings whereupon being sent for before the Counsell he promised againe the second time a conformation was left at libertie in his owne house in London where he yet againe began to ruffle against the kings godly procéedinges and to meddle in matters wherein he neither had commission nor authoritie part whereof touched the kings maiestie Wherof being yet once againe admonished by the king and of the counsell not onely promised to conforme himselfe with like of the kings procéedings but also offered to declare vnto the world his conformation in an open sermon on such articles as should be thought good to that end in which sermon cleane contrary to his promisse he did not onely neglect that that was enioyned him but also very seditiously behaued himselfe Gardiner behaueth himselfe seditiously Wherefore he was committed to the Tower and carried thither by sir Anthony Wingfield Gardiner sent to the Tower certaine doores of his house as was thought méete being also sealed vp At the tower certain of the Counsel by the kings appointment had accesse vnto him to perswade with him as the Duke of Somerset the L. Treasurer the Lord priuie seale the L. great Chamberlaine and Secretary Peter Who repairing to him the tenth day of Iune Anno 1550. he desired to sée the kings booke of procéedings vpon the sight whereof he would make a full answere whereas indéede before his answers were but delaies and cauilles séeming to be willing in al things to conforme himselfe therevnto and promising if any thing offended his conscience he would open it to none but to the Counsell But Winchester hauing perused the book saide he could make no direct answere vnlesse he were at liberty In the end the Lords seing his answeres always doubtful it was determined that he should be directly examined whether he would conforme himselfe to the kings procéedinges or not and articles drawen to that end To the which Winchester in a manner subscribed sauing the Article of submission which he said because he had neuer offended the K. he would not subscribe vnto To the kinges Supremacie his authoritie of appointing holy dayes and fasting daies to his booke of procéedings his authoritie in his tender yeres the abrogating of the sixe articles to his iurisdiction and authoritie in correcting of Ecclesiastical persons he subscribed only he would make no submission to the king And in
Hales of Kent a man who both fauoured religion and was an vpright iudge would in no case subscribe to the Lady Iane. When king Edwarde was dead the xvj yere of his age Iane was established in the kingdome by the Nobles consent and so published in London and in other cities In the meane time while these things were a working at Londō Marie who had knowledge of her brothers death wryteth to the Lordes of the Counsell Queen Marie writeth to the Counsel a letter of challenge for their doing and claime to the Crowne To whom the Counsell writeth againe as to a Subiect requiring her to holde her so contented Wherby she perceiuing the nobles mindes bent against her flieth into the partes of Suffolke and kéepeth her close for a time within Fremingham castle where first of all resorted the Suffolke men for her aid promising her aid if that shée would not attempt the alteration of religion which king Edward before had established Q. Mary promiseth to maintaine religion Vnto which condition shée eftsoones agréed promising no innouation should be made in religion So beyng garded with the power of the Gospellers she did vanquish the Duke and all that came against her Ridley who before by the Counsels commaundement had preached at Paules crosse against her after shée was proclaimed Quéene sped him to Fremingham to salute her Quéene and being dispoiled of all his dignities Ridley sent to the Tower was sent backe againe on a lame horse to the Tower Now being Quéene she released Stephen Gardiner Q. Mary breaketh her promisse Popish bishops restored and the other put downe and made him lord Chancellour of England and B. of Winchester Doctor Poynet being put out She restored Boner to his Bishopricke and displaced Doctor Ridley Doctor Day to the Bishop of Chichester Iohn Scorie beyng put out Tunstall to Duresme Doctor Heath to Worcester and Iohn Hooper committed to the Fléete Hooper committed to the Fleete Doctor Vesey to Exceter and Myles Couerdall put out And moreouer summoneth a parliament against the x. day of October next ensuing and in the meane time directeth foorth an inhibition by proclamation Proclamation against the word of God that no man should preach or read in the Churches openly the word of God c. About this time Boner being restored he appointeth one Bourne a Canon in Paules to preach at the Crosse where hée so behaued himselfe in his preaching against King Edward that one hurled a dagger at the preacher A dagger hurled at the preacher who it was it could not bée knowne and such was the stirre that maister Bradford at the request of the preachers brother was faine to appease the tumult and himselfe with M. Rogers to conduct the preacher betwixt them to the Grammer schoole dore By reason of the tumult it was ordained that euery housholder should kéepe his seruants and children at their owne parishe Churches and that euery Alderman in his warde should foorthwith send for the Curates of euery Parish to warne them both to forbeare preaching themselues and also not to suffer any other to preach or make any solemne reading in the Church vnlesse they were seuerally licensed by the Quéene The next day at the sermon the Quéenes garde was present to garde the preacher and when men withdrew themselues from the sermon order was takē by the Mayor that the auncients of all companies should be present least the preacher should be discouraged by his small audience Anno 1553. The x. of August was one William Ruther committed to the Marshalsea for vttering certaine wordes against M. Bourne preacher for his sermō made at Paules crosse on Sunday last before The xvj of August was Humfrey Pelden committed to the counter for wordes against the said Bournes sermon at Paules crosse and a letter was sent to the Shiriffes of Buckingham and Bedford for the apprehending of one Fisher parson of Amersham a preacher and another was sent to the B. of Norwich not to suffer any preacher or other to preach or expound openly the Scriptures without speciall licence from the Quéene The same day was M. Bradford Bradford to the Tower M. Vernon and M. Beacon preachers committed to the charge of the Lieftenant of the Tower The same day also was M. Iohn Rogers M. Iohn Rogers prisoner preacher commaunded to kéepe himselfe prisoner in his owne house at Paules without hauing conference with any others but those of his owne house The xxij of August there were two letters directed one to M. Couerdall B. of Exceter and the other to M. Hooper B. of Glocester for their repaire to the Court and there to attend the Counsels pleasure The same day Fisher parson of Amersham made his appearance before the counsell according to the letter the xvj of August and was appointed the next day to bring in a note of his Sermon The 24. of August one Iohn Meluin a Scot and a preacher was sent to Newgate by the Counsel The 26. of Aug. there was a letter sent to the Maior of Couentrie his brethren for the apprehension of one Simons of Worcester and the Vicar of S. Michaels in Couentrie with a commission to them to punishe all such as had by meanes of his preaching vsed any talke against the Quéens procéedings The 29. of August Maister Hooper Hooper appeareth B. of Worcester made his personal appearance before the Counsel according to their letters the 22. of August The 31. of August M. Couerdale Couerdale appeareth B. of Exceter made his appearance before the Counsell according to their letters made the 22. of August Anno 1553. the first of September maister Hooper and M. Couerdale appeared againe before the Counsel whence maister Hooper was committed to the Fléete Hooper to the Fleet. and maistsr Couerdale to attend the Lords pleasures The 2. of Sept. Hugh Sanders Vicar of S. Michaels in Couentry was before the Counsel for a sermon commanded to appeare againe vpon munday next following The 4. of Sept. a letter was directed for maister Hugh Latimer to appeare before them About the fift day of Sept. the same yeere Peter Martyr came to London from Oxford where for a time he had béen commanded to kéepe his house and found there the Archb. of Canterbury Who offered to defende the doctrine of the booke of common prayer both by the scriptures and doctors assisted by Peter Martyr and a few other But whilest they were in hope to come to disputations the Archb. and others were imprisoned but Peter Martyr was suffered to return whence he came Peter Martyr returneth home whence he came The same day there was a letter sent to the Maior of Couentry to set Hugh Simons at libertie if he would recant his sermon or els to stay him and to signifie so much to the Counsel The 13. of September M. Hugh Latimer appeared Latimer appeareth before the Counsell according to their letter the 4.
of September and was committed to the tower close prisoner hauing his seruant Austine to attend vpon him The same day the Archbishop of Canterbury appearing before the Counsell was commaunded to appeare againe the next day at after noone in the starre chamber where hauing charged him with treason and spreading abroade seditious libels Cranmer to the Tower he was committed from thence to the tower there to remaine till farther iustice at the Quéenes pleasure The 15. of September there was a letter sent to maister Horne Deane of Durham for his appearance and another the 7. of October for his spéedy appearance The 16. of Septem there were letters sent to the maiors of Douer and Rye to suffer all French protestants to passe out of this Realme French protestants suffered to passe hence except such whose names should be signified to them by the French Ambassadour The first day of October Quéene Marie Mary crowned was crowned at Westminster and the tenth day of the same moneth beganne the Parlament A parlement with a solemne masse of the holie Ghost in the pallace of Westminster To the which among other Lords should come the Bishops which yet remained vndeposed which were the Archbishoppe of Yorke Doctor Taylor of Lincolne Iohn Harley Bishop of Hereford of the Bishops Doctor Taylor and maister Harley presenting themselues according to their duetie and taking their place amongest the Lordes after they sawe the masse beginne not abiding the sight thereof withdrew themselues from the companie for the which cause the Bishop of Lincolne béeing examined and protesting his faith was vpon the same commanded to attend Who not long after at Anker wicke by sicknesse departed Maister Harley because he was married was excluded both from the Parlement and from his Bishopricke This statute repealed Statutes repealed all the statutes made in the time king Henrie the viij for Premunire and statutes made in king Edward the vj. time for the administration of common bread and the Sacraments in the English tongue In this meane while many men were forward in erecting of Altars and Masses in Churches and such as would sticke to the Lawes made in K. Edwards time till other were established some of them were marked and some presently apprehēded Among whom sir Iames Hales Sir I Hales of kent apprehended and imprisoned a knight in kent and Iustice in the common place was one Who notwithstanding he had ventured his life in Q. Maries cause yet for that he did at a Quarter Sessions geue charge vpon the statutes made in king Edwards time and Henrie the eight for the supremacie and religion he was imprisoned in the Marshalsea Counter and Fléet and so cruelly handled and put in feare by talke that he thought to ridde himselfe out of his life by wounding him selfe with a knife and afterward was contented to say what they willed him Whereupon he was discharged but after that he neuer rested The lamentable end of Sir Iames Hales till he had drowned him selfe in a Riuer halfe a mile from his house in Kent During the time of the parlament the Cleargie had also their Conuocation with a disputation appointed by the Q. commaundement at Paules about the 18. of October In which Conuocation Harpsfield preached and D. Weston Deane of Westminster was chosen Prolocutor The disputation continued vj. dayes Disputation of vi dayes about the matter of the Sacrament wherein D. Weston was chéefe on the popes part The first day D. Weston inueyeth against the Catechisme and booke of Common prayer of king Edward and signified that on Friday next the xx of October it should be lawful for all men fréely to speake their consciences in matters of Religion The Friday being come in steade of disputation the Prolocutor exhibited two seuerall Billes vnto the House the one of the naturall presence of Christ in the sacrament and the other that the Catechisme was not set out by the houses consent requiring all to subscribe to these Billes as he himselfe had done To which motion all did assent sauing the Deane of Rochester the Dean of Exceter the Archdeacon of Winchester the Archdeacon of Hertforde and the Archdeacon of Stow and one other And while the rest were subscribing Iohn Philpot stoode vp and declared that the Catechisme was set out by the assent of the house and as touching the poynt of naturall presence that it was against reason that men should subscribe before the matter were discussed and withall desired the Prolocutor that he would be a meane to the Counsell that some of those that were the setters out of the same catechisme might be brought into the house to shew their learning that moued them to set forth the same and that D. Ridley M. Rogers with two or thrée more might be licensed to be present at this disputation and to be associated with them The bishops made answere it was not for them to cal such persons vnto the house since some of them were prisoners but they would be Petitioners in this behalfe to the Counsell and in case that any were absent that ought to be of the house they willed them to be taken in vnto them if they listed After this they minding to haue entered into disputation worde was geuen that the Lorde great Master and the Earle of Deuonshire woulde be present at the Disputation and therefore the Prolocutor deferred the same till the next Mundaye at one of the Clocke at after Noone At which time many Nobles being assembled to heare the Disputation the Prolocutor sayde that they of the house had appointed this Disputation not to call the trueth in doubt the which they had all subscribed sauing fiue or sixe but that those gainesayers might be resolued Then hée demaunded of Master Haddon whether hée woulde reason against the questions proposed To whome he answered hée would seing the request for those learned men to assist would not bée graunted and so aunswered M. Elmer and said that little or nothing it might auaile for the trueth since now all they were determined to the contrarie After this he demaunded of Maister Cheney who allowed of the presence but denied the transubstantiation Master Cheney answered he would gladly haue his doubts resolued on that point and so propounding his doubts the Prolocutor assigned M. Mooreman to aunswere By this meanes Maister Elmer was driuen to stand vp and so M. Philpot who reasoned against M. Mooreman and grauelled him Then stood vp the deane of Rochester M. Philpot who disputed of the real presence whom Weston answered and Watson tooke his parte Vpon whome Philpot replieth againe and in the end the disputation grew to be confused The disputation confused by reason many would take vpon them to answere On Wednesday the xxv of October Iohn Philpot according to the appointment was ready to dispute about the reall presence and was ready to enter into a Latine oration made to interpret the question this the Prolocutor
together The xxj of Nouember being Wednesday Cardinall Poole landeth Cardinall Poole landed at Douer and the xxviij day he made an Oration in the Parlement house exhorting them to returne to the Sea Apostolicke and to abrogate such lawes as had disioyned them from the same The next day after the Lordes and Commons exhibited a Supplication wherein they desired pardon and absolution for that which had passed against the Apostolik Sea Vpon this Supplication Cardinall Poole in the name of Pope Iulius the third geueth them absolution Absolution geuen to the Lords and Commūs Wherof the king and the Cardinall sent spéedie report to Rome to the great ioy of the Pope and his c. About the second of December a Poste was sent from the whole Parlement to the Pope to desire him to confirme the sale of Abbey landes Purchases of Abbey lands to be confirmed by the Pope and Chaunterie landes For the Lordes and the Parlement would not graunt any thing in the Popes behalfe before their Purchases were fully confirmed The vj. day of December all the whole Conuocation with Bishops and other were sent for to Lambeth to the Cardinall who the same day forgaue them all their periurations schismes heresies and all they knéeled downe and receiued his absolution Vpon New yeres day at night certaine honest men and women of the Citie to the number of thirtie and a minister with them named Master Rose were taken as they were in a house in Bowchurchyarde at the Communion and the same night were committed to prison and on the Thursday following being the thirde of Ianuarie M. Rose M. Rose sent to the Tower was before the Bishoppe of Winchester being Lord Chauncellor and thence the same day he was by him committed to the Tower The Act of the Popes Supremacie Queen Marie with childe The same day the Act of Supremacie passed in the Parlement house About this time there was a certaine opinion that the Quéen was great with childe many prayers were made in diuers places for her and for the childe that it might be a male childe wel fauoured and wittie And the xix of Ianuarie the lower House of the Parlement with the Speaker came to White hall to the king and there offered vnto him the gouernement of the Realme and of the issue if the in the Quéene should faile which was confirmed by act of Parlement within ix daies after In this Parlement among other thinges the Bishop of Rome was established and all such Lawes as were made against him since the twentith yéere of King Henry the viij were repealed and also Cardinall Poole Bishop Pates Lilly and other were restored to their blood Also in this Parlement thrée statutes were reuiued for triall of Heresie One made in the fifth yéere of Richard the second and another in the second yéere of Henry the fourth the thirde in the second yéere of Henry the fifth Also the doings of Maister Rose and the other that were with him was communed of in this Parlement and vpon that occasion an act was made that certaine euill prayers should bée treason The prayers of these men were these Certaine euill praiers to be treason God turne the heart of Quéene Mary from Idolatrie or else shorten her dayes The two and twentith of Ianuary all the preachers that were in pryson were called before the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellor and certaine other at his house in S. Mary Oueries from whence after they had refused to conforme themselues they were committed to straighter pryson then before with charge that no man should speake with them amongst whom one Iames George died in prison Iames George and was buried in the field The eight and twentith of Ianuary the bishop of Winchester by vertue of Commission from the Cardinall in S. Mary Oueries church called before him and certaine of the Counsell Maister Hooper Maister Rogers and Maister Cardmaker of which Cardmaker Cardmaker submitteth that day submitted himselfe the other were returned to pryson till the next day The xxx of Ianuarie Doctor Taylor Doctor Crome M. Bradford M. Saunders and Doctor Farrar sometime bishop of S. Dauies were before Winchester of which number Taylor Saunders and Bradford were excommunicated and sentence pronounced against them Sentence pronounced against Taylor Saunders and Bradford and so committed to the Shiriffes Doctor Crome according to his desire had two moneths respite and M. Farrar was againe committed to prison till another time After examination and condemnation of these good men Commissioners and Inquisitors were sent abroad into all partes of the Realme to the afflicting of a great number of godly persones especially in Kent Essex Northfolke and Suffolke The preachers before had put vp a supplication to the king and parlement requiring indifferencie in their cause but all in vaine The end of the tenth Booke The eleuenth Booke THe fourth day of February suffered maister Iohn Rogers M. Iohn Rogers martyr he was of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge from whence at length hee was chosen to bee Chaplaine to the marchantes at Antwerpe in Brabant where hée fell in companie with maister William Tindall and with Miles Couerdale by conference with whom he came to great knowledge in the Gospel and cast off poperie and ioyned himself with them as in the translating of the Bible intituled the translation of Thomas Mathew After he was married hée went to Wittenberge in Saxonie where he so profited in knowledge and in the Duitch tongue that the charge of a Congregation was committed vnto him In which ministerie he faithfully serued till the time of king Edwarde And béeyng orderly called he returned into Englande againe without certayntie of any condition of liuing where he preached diligently Then Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London gaue him a Prebend in Paules M. Rogers diuinity reader in Paules Church and the Deane and Chapter therechose him to reade the diuinity Lecture In which place hée remayned till the time of Quéene Marie After the Quéen was come to the Tower of London he being orderly called therevnto made a vehement sermon at Paules crosse confirming the doctrine taught in king Edwardes time and exhorting the people to constancie For which he was called into question and made such answere as for that time he was cléerly dismissed But after the proclamation which prohibited true preaching the Counsell quarrelled with him concerning his doctrine and commanded him as prisoner to keepe his owne house where he remained a long time and might haue escaped if hee would At length by Boners procurement hée was put among the théeues and murtherers in Newgate for a great space He was first examined the 22. of Ianuary by Winchester Rogers condemned with the rest of the cōmissioners Then again the 28. 29. of the same moneth in the end they read the sentence of condemnation against him mentioning there but 2. articles First that he affirmed the church of Rome
the last he saide maister Sheriffe my maisters all I heartily thanke you for your goodwil I haue hearkened to your words and marked well your counsels and to be plaine with you I doe perceiue that I haue béene deceiued my selfe and am like to deceiue a great many in Hadley of their expectations With that word they all reioyced yea good maister Doctor quoth 〈◊〉 Sheriffe Gods blessing on your heart holde you there 〈◊〉 it is the comfortablest worde that wée hearde you 〈◊〉 yet what should you cast away your selfe in vain 〈◊〉 a wise mans part and I dare warrant you you shall 〈◊〉 fauour Thus they reioyced very much at the wordes and were â—â—â—â—y merry At the last good maister Doctor quoth the sheriffe what meane you by this that you thinke you haue â—â—ene deceiued your selfe c. Would you know my meaning plainely quoth he I will tell you I haue béene deceiued and as I thinke I shal deceiue a great manie I am as you sée a man that hath a very great carkas which I thought shoulde haue béene buried in Hadley Churchyarde if I had died in my bed as I well hoped I shoulde haue done But herein I sée I was deceiued and there are a great number of woormes in Hadley Churchyarde which should haue had iolly féeding vpon this carrion which they haue looked for manie a day The wormes deceiued by D. Taylors burning But nowe I know wée be deceyued I and they for this carkas must bée burnt to ashes and so shall they loose their baite and féeding When the Sheriffe and his companie heard him say so they were amazed maruelling at his constancie Departing thence and comming within two myles of Hadley hée desired to light of his Horse to make water which done he leapt and fetcht a friske or twaine D. Taylor of a marueylous courage as men commonly doe in daunsing Why M. Doctor quoth the sheriffe how do you now He answered well God be praised good M. sheriffe neuer better for now I know I am almost at home And at the last comming to Aldam Common the place assigned where he should suffer and vnderstanding it was the place he saide Thanked be God I am euen at home so lighted from his horse and with both his handes rent the hood from his head and profering to speake to the people who prayed for him and saluted him one or other thrust a tipstaffe into his mouth and would in no wise permitte him to speake For he was threatned and so were others that he should haue his tongue cutte out of his head except he would promise to kéepe silence at his death WheÌ„ he had praied he kissed the stake and set himselfe into a pitch barrell which they had set for him to stande in So praying They strike out D. Tailors braines at the fire and calling on the name of God he endured the torment til one Soice with an halbert strooke him on the head that the braynes fell out and the dead corps fell into the fire Within viij or ix dayes after S. Gardiner had geuen sentence against M. Hooper M. Rogers M. Saunders Doctor Taylor and Master Bradford being the viij of Februarie sixe other good men were brought before the bishoppes to be examined for their Religion Whose names were William Pigot Butcher St. Knight Barber Tho. Tomkins Weuer Thomas Hawkes Gentleman Iohn Lawrence Priest and William Hunter Prentice From which day Steeuen Gardiner Gardiner putteth of the butchering of the Saints to Boner would meddle no more in such kinde of condemnations but referred the whole doing thereof to Boner Bishoppe of London Who taking the matter in hande in the Consistorie of Paules the Lord Mayor and certaine Aldermen sitting with him the ix day of Februarie he read the sentence of condemnation against the sixe persons which were not executed before the moneth of March. Vpon the xiij day of Februarie Master Robert Farrar Bishop of saint Dauies was sent towardes saint Dauies there to be condemned and executed The xviij day of Februarie Quéene Marie after long delay made ful answere to the king of Denmarkes letters who had written two before to her in the behalfe of Miles Couerdale Miles Couerdale graunted to the King of Denmarke for his deliuerance whereunto she in the ende yelded The xix of Februarie there was a certaine intimation printed in the name of Boner where charge was geuen to euery man and woman within his Dioces to prepare them selues against Lent to receiue reconciliation sent from pope Iulius 3. by Poole his Cardinall and Legate de latere and so to be absolued Of the vj. before mentioned condemned by Boner Tho. Tomkins Thomas Tomkins Martyr was the first that suffered the xvj of March 1555. in Smithfield His dwelling was in Shordich in the Dioces of Lond. He was kept in prison by Boner halfe a yere and was of him most cruelly vsed beaten about the face and parte of his bearde pulled off by Boner Wherefore he caused him to be shauen pretending that then he woulde looke like a Catholike After that hauing with him M. Harpsfield M. Pendleton Doctor Chadsey M. Willerton and other standing by the Bishoppe tooke Tomkins by the fingers and helde his hande directly ouer the flame of a Taper hauing thrée or foure wéekes supposing by the payne thereof to terrifie him and cause him to leaue off the profession of the trueth In the which burning he neuer mooued till the veines shrunke They burne Tomkins hand with a Taper and the sinewes burst and the water did spirte in Master Harpsfieldes face In so much that Harpsfield mooued with pittie desired the Bishoppe to stay saying he had tryed him enough This burning was in the Bishops Hall at Fulham He was sundrie times examined The first time after he had béene imprisoned about halfe a yere the 8. of Februarie His Articles were touching the Sacrament of the Altar The next day he appeared againe at eight of the clocke before noone and againe the third tyme the same day at two of the clocke in the after noone where remayning constant in the doctrine of the Gospell the Bishop gaue sentence of death against him and so beyng deliuered to the Shiriffe of London was carried to Newgate where he remayned most ioyous and constant vntill the xvj of March next after Tomkins burned in Smithfield On which day in Smithfield he sealed vp his faith in the flaming fire The same yéere the xvj of March William Hunter of the age of ninetéene yéeres was martyred for the testimonie of the truth he being a prentise in London in the first yéere of Quéene Marie was commaunded at the Easter next followyng to receiue the Communion at a Masse by the Priest of the parish where he dwelt in Colman stréete in London which because he refused he was threatned to be brought before the B. of London Wherfore his master one Th. Taylor a silke maÌ„ fearing
least he should come in danger for his sake required W. Hunter to depart from him which he did and came to Burntwood where his Father dwelt with whom he remained about the space of half a quarter of a yéere till being suspected for reading the vj. of Iohn in the chappell of Burntwood One Father Otwell a sumner and one Thomas Wood vicar of Southweild with whom also he disagréed in reasoning of points of the sacrament he was cōplained of by the vicar to iustice Browne but Hunter being afraid of the vicars threats fled Browne sent for Hūters father with the Constable threatned him punishment except he would bring vnto him his son The father to satisfie the expectation of Browne road ij or iij. daies iourneis in the high way William met with his Father who after he had with many teares declared what charge Browne had giuen him the sonne said he would go home with him to saue him harmeles whatsoeuer came of it The father cōpelled against the sonne So he was brought to iustice Browne who after he had reasoned with him out of the sixt of Iohn and could not peruert him made a letter immediatly and sent William Hunter with a Constable to the bishop of London who not able to alter Hunters minde neither by threates nor flatteries commaunded his men to put him in the stockes in his gatehouse where hée sat two dayes and nightes onely with a crust of brownebread and a cup of water After two daies the B. assaied him againe and finding him constant sent him to the conuict prison and commaundeth the kéeper to lay irons enough on him So hée continued in prison thrée quarters of a yéere in the whiche time hée had béene before the Bishop fiue times besides the time when he was condemned the ix day of February in the consistory of Paules with fiue other mo After sentence of condemnation of them all the Bishop called for William Hunter and perswaded with him saying if thou wilt yet recant I will make thée a frée man in the Citie and giue thée fortie pounds in good mony to set vp thine occupation withall or I will make thée Stewarde of my house and I will preferre thée c. Whereto after William had said he counted all wordly thinges but losse and dunge in respect of the loue of Christe with the rest hée was ledde to Newgate where they remayned aboute a moneth and afterwarde were sent downe William to Burntwood and the other to other places in the Countrie Now when William was come downe into the Countrie to Burntwood whiche was the Saturday before the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary that followed on the Munday after William remained till the Tuesday because they would not put him to death then for the holynes of the day In the meane time his father mother came and comforted him Hunters mother encourageth him to be constant and encouraged him his mother saying that shée was glad that euer shée was so happie to beare suche a sonne who coulde finde in his heart to loose his lyfe for Christes names sake Then William aunswered for my little payne whiche I shall suffer whiche is but short Christ hath promised me said he a crowne of ioy may you not be glad of that mother with other such words of ioy and comfort on both partes Thus passing away saterday Sunday and munday on Tuesday morning when it was morning the Sheriffe maister Brocket called on to set forward to the burning of William Hunter Whose sonne yet did imbrace and comfort William At the place of his martyrdom there was a Popish priest that endeuoured to peruert him at the stake and saide vnto him as thou burnest here so shalt thou burne in hell To whom William answered thou lyest false prophet away thou false prophet away His brother béeyng by saide vnto him William Hunters brother encourageth him thinke on the passion of Christ and bée not afrayde of death To whom hée aunswered I am not afrayde then lift hée vp his handes to heauen and saide Lorde Lorde Lorde receiue my spirite And casting downe his head againe into the smothering smoke hée yéelded vp his life for the trueth The eight of August Anno 1553. William Sarton William Sarton weauer of Bristow was brought before Dalbie Chancellour of Bristow and by him condemned for holding against the sacrament of the altar He was burned the 18. of September Anno 1556. At Bedaile a market towne in Yorkeshire were two men persecuted for the trueth of the Gospell in the latter dayes of Quéene Marie the one named Iohn Suell and the other Richarde Suell their imprisonment was so sore that their toes rotted off In the ende the one of them at length yeelded to heare masse and within thrée or foure dayes after his libertye hée drowned himselfe in a riuer running by Richmonde called Swaile the other endured to the ende béeyng condemned by Doctour Dakins Who after sentence giuen against the martyr came home to his house and neuer ioyed after but died Anno 1555. the xxvi of March Maister Higbed and Maister Canston Gentlemen of Essex were put to death for the testimonie of the Gospel the one at Hornden of the hill and the other at the parish of Thundrest Boner perceiuing these two Gentlemen to bée of woorshipfull estate least anie tumult shoulde thereby arise came downe himselfe accompanied with Fecknam and certaine other and laboured with faire promises and threatninges Which when they saw would not preuaile the B. carried them both with him to London and with them certaine other prisoners also which about the same time were in those quarters apprehended Not long after this these prisoners were committed to straight prison and there attempted sundry waies by the B. and his chaplains to reuoke their opinions At length when no perswasion would serue they were brought to open examination at the Consistory at Paules the 17. day of February Anno 1555. Where being demaunded whether they would recant and they denying so to do were assigned the next day to appeare againe the 18. of Februarie On which day among many other things the Bishop read vnto them seuerall Articles and gaue them respite till the next day to answere and so committed them to prison againe The articles did touch the reall presence and that the godly martyrs who were burned were heretikes with other to this effect These béeyng giuen them in writing the next daie was assigned to them to giue their answere Vpon which day béeyng the first of Marche they did exhibite their aunsweres contrarie to the determination of the Romish Churche and denying to recant they were againe dismissed and commaunded to appeare the Wednesday nexte after at twoo of the clocke at after noone there to receyue definitiue sentence The next Friday they were called for agayne and no hope being had of their recantation were againe dismissed to pryson and commaunded to appeare the nexte day in the consistorie of
Paules betwéene one and thrée in the after noone At which houres they appearing denied to recant and exhibited in writing a confession of their faith and sayde they woulde not departe there from After whiche woordes the Bishop beganne to pronounce sentence agaynst them Whiche when hée beganne to doo M. Canston complayned for that hée would not answere to their confession but condemne them in such sort and so appealed from him to the Cardinall Then Doctor Smith said he would answere it but the Bishop not suffering him to speake willed Harpesfield to say his minde for the stay of the people who tooke their confession in hande but answered no one sentence thereof That done the Bishop pronounced sentence which they chéerefully receiued and were deliuered to the Sheriffes and so by them sent to Newgate where they remained in consultation fouretéen daies Which daies expyred the thrée and twentieth daie of Marche they were at foure of the clocke in the morning deliuered to the Sheriffe of Essex and so brought to their seuerall places of burning M. Higbed M. Canston burned which they did most constantly endure the sixe and twentieth of the same moneth The same yere the xxviij day of March William Pigot and Steeuen Knight of Maulden Pigot Knight Martyrs two of the sixe that were condemned by Boner the ninth of Februarie were both after their appearinges burned for the testimonie of the trueth Pigot at Braintrie and Knight at Maulden Their Articles and aunsweres were like to those of Tho. Tomkins and oth Martyrs touching the Sacrament of the Altar c. er The next day being the nine and twentieth day I. Laurence Iohn Laurence a Priest who was condēned with other was brought to Colchester and there burned sitting in a Chaire for that he was through euill vsage and heauie irons not able to go The next day after being the xxx day of March Robert Farrar B. of S. Dauies Robert Farrar B of S. Dauies burned in Wales was burned for the testimonie of the truth he was the next B. that suffered after M. Hooper hée was called before the B. of Winchester with M. Hooper M. Rogers M. Bradford M. Saunders and other aforesaid the fourth of February on the which day he should also with them haue béene condemned but it pleased them to deferre it till the xiiij day of the same moneth of February After he had receiued many checkes and taunts of Winchester the B. of Worcester M. Bourne c. being found cōstant and resolute in the trueth he was dimissed to prison where he remained vncondemned til the 14. of February and then was sent downe into Wales there to receiue sentence of cōdemnation Who then vpon the 26. of Februarie in the Church of Carmarthen being brought before Griffith Leyson Esquier Sheriffe of the Countie of Carmarthen was there personally presented before Henrie Bishop of Saint Dauis and Constantine the publike Notarie which Henrie discharged the Sheriffe and receiueth him to his owne custody and committed him to the kéeping of Owen Iones And therevpon exhorting him to recant ministred articles vnto him touching priestes marriage and the Sacrament of the Altar which he refused to answere vnto till he saw his Commission Which also he refused to doe at another examination the last of Februarie Wherefore the Bishop pronounced him contumax and pro confesso and committed him to his former kéeper til Munday next being the fourth of March there to appeare againe betwixt one and two of the clocke At which time appearing he yelded an answere and required a copie of his Articles with respite to answere Which was graunted and the Thursday next assigned him betwixt one and thrée Where appearing at the time he refused to subscribe After that he had twise more appeared and constantlie persisted in the defence of the trueth notwithstanding he made his appeale from him to the Cardinall the Bishop pronounced sentence against him and after he had disgraded him he committed him to the Secular power who brought him to the place of execution in the Towne of Carmarthen Where he in the Markette place on the South side of the Market Crosse the xxx day of March most constantly gaue testimonie to the trueth in the flaming fire A little before Master Farrars Farrars words to a gentleman at his death death one Richard Iones a Knightes sonne comming to Master Farrar séemed to lament the painfulnes of the death he had to suffer To whom the Bishoppe answered againe to this effect saying that if he sawe him once to stirre in the paynes of his burning hée should then geue no credite to his doctrine which also fell out for he neuer mooued but continued still holding vp his stumpes burning till the time that one Richarde Grauell with a staffe dashed him vpon the head and so stroke him downe About the same moneth of March one Rawlins White Rawlins Whit a Fisherman was burned at Cardiffe for the testimonie of Iesus He being desirous of knowledge him selfe not able to reade set his sonne to schoole to learne to reade and vsed to haue him reade vnto him the Scriptures and other good bookes Whereby he greatly profited in knowledge and did instruct and conuert diuers In which good course Father Rawlins continued til at last he was taken by the officers of the Towne as a man suspected of heresie Vpon which apprehension he was conuented before the Bishoppe of Landaffe by whom after diuers combats he was committed to prison in Chepstowe with such libertie as Rawlins might if he would haue escaped but that notwithstanding hee continued still and at the last was remoued to the Castle of Cardiff where he remained a yere passing the time in praier and exhortation to his frends those that came to visit him After a yere the Bishop caused him to be brought vnto his owne house by Chepstowe where after many assayes perceyuing he could not preuaile gaue him a day of determination which being expired the Bishoppe calleth for him againe and after exhortation to recant he procéedeth to the sentence of condemnation sauing before he said he woulde pray for Rawlins that God would sende some sparke of grace vpon him I thanke you hartely for your gentlenesse sayth Rawlins and if so be that your request he godly and lawfull and that you pray as you should pray without all doubt God will heare you And therefore my Lord go to do you pray to your God Rawlins God the bishops God and I will pray to my God I know that my God wil both heare my prayer and perfourme my desire After prayer the Bishop saide Now Rawlins how is it with thée c. Surely said he my Lord Rawlins you lefte me and Rawlins you finde me and by Gods grace Rawlins I will continue Certainly if your petitions had béene good and lawfull God would haue heard them but you honour a false God and pray not as you should pray
and therefore hath not God graunted your desire But I am a poore simple man as you sée and God hath heard my complaint and I trust he will strengthen me in his owne cause When their prayer would not preuaile they aduised to say a masse to sée what that would worke In the meane time Rawlins be tooke him to prayer in a secrete place till such time as the Priest came to the sacring When Rawlins heard the sacring bell ring he rose out of his place and came to the quire dore and standing a while turned himselfe to the people speaking these wordes Good people if there be at the least but one brother among you the same one shall beare witnesse at the day of iudgement that I howe not to this Idoll meaning the host that the Priest helde ouer his head Masse being ended and Rawlins persisting constant the Bishoppe procéedeth to sentence and hauing condemned him dismisseth him to be carried againe to Cardiffe there to be put into the prison of the towne called Clockemacell a very dark lothsome and most vile prison where Rawlins passed the time in singing of Psalmes About thrée or foure wéekes after he hauing intelligence that his tyme of death drewe néere sendeth foorthwith to his wife and willeth her by the messenger that in any wise she should make readie Rawlins wedding garmēts and send vnto him his wedding garments meanyng a shirte which afterwarde hée was burned in Whiche was accomplished accordyng to his mynde Now apparelled in his wedding garments when the houre was come and he passed to his death in the way his poore wife and children stood wéeping and making lamentation which so pearced his heart that hee let fall teares from his eyes but soone after as though he had misliked his infirmitie beganne to be angry with himselfe insomuch that striking his brest with his hande hée vsed these wordes Ah flesh stayest thou me so wouldest thou faine preuaile Rawlins a worthy martyr Well I tell thée do what thou canst thou shalt not by Gods grace haue the victorie By this time hée came to the stake and going towards it he fell down vpon his knées and kissed the ground and in rising againe the earth a little sticking on his face he saide these words Earth vnto earth and dust vnto dust thou art my mother and to thée shall I returne Then went he cherefully and very ioyfully to the stake and set his backe close thereunto and when hée had stoode there a while he cast his eye vpon the Reporter of this History calling him vnto him and sayde I féele a great fighting betwixt the Fleshe and the Spirit and the Fleshe woulde very fayne haue his swinge and therefore I pray you when you séeme any thing tempted holde your finger vp to me and I trust I shall remember my selfe After the Smith had made him fast to the Stake according as hée had required him being afrayde of his infirmitie and the Officers began to laie wood to him with strawe and réede hée himselfe as farre as hée could reach would catcht the same and very chéerefully disposed it about his bodie When all thinges were readie then stept vp a Priest addressing himselfe to speake and to peruert the people Which when Rawlins Rawlins perceiued hée beckened with his hand to the people and said come hither good people and heare not a false prophet preach And then said vnto the preacher oh thou naughtie hypocrite doost thou presume to prooue thy false doctrine by Scripture Looke in the text what followeth did not Christ say doo this in remembrance of mée after which wordes the Priest beyng amazed held his peace Then some that stood by cried put too fire put to fire which being put to he bathed his handes so long in the flame till the sinewes shrunke and the fatte dropped away and once he did as it were wipe his face with one of them All this while which was somewhat long he cried with a loud voice O Lord receiue my soule vntill he could not open his mouth He was at the same time of his death about 60. yéeres of age About this time Anno 1555. the 28. of March Quéene Marie was fully resolued and declared so much to foure of her Counsell to restore the Abbey landes againe to the Church And the moneth before the 19. of Februarie the Bishoppe of Ely with the Lord Montague and viij score horse were sent as Ambassadors from the king Quéene vnto Rome very likely for the cause of Abbey landes as it appeareth by the sequele For it was not long after but the Pope did set foorth in print a Bull of excommunication for all manner such persons without exception that kept any of the Church landes The P. excommunicateth those that hold Abbey lands Pope Iulius the monster dyeth And also all such as did not put the same Bull in execution About the latter end of this Moneth Pope Iulius dyed a monster of nature who missing on a time his Porke and answere being made that his Phisition forbad it because of his goute bursting out into a rage he vttered these wordes bring me my porke flesh in the despight of God An other time missing his cold Peacocke Popes Peacocke most horribly blasphemyng God he brake into a rage Wherevpon when one of his cardinals sitting by labored to pacifie him what said Iulius the Pope if God was so angry for one apple that hée cast our first parents out of Paradice therefore A blasphemous Pope why may not I being his vicar be angry then for my Peacocke sithence a Peacocke is a greater matter then an apple Hée confirmed the idoll of Lauretane Vpon Shrouesunday which was about the iij. of March the same yéere a préest in Kent named Nightingall parson of Crondall besides Canturbury reioycing at the alteration of religion and reading to the people the popes Bull of pardon that was sent into England hée sayd hée thanked God that euer hée had liued to sée that daie adding moreouer that hée beléeued that by the vertue of that Bull hee was as cléere of sinne as the night that he was borne and immediatly vpon the same fell suddenly downe out of the Pulpit Gods iudgement and neuer stirred hand nor foot but so died Testified by Robert Austen of Cartham who both heard and saw the same and it is witnessed also of the whole country round about In the moneth of Aprill and the second day Iohn Awcocke died in pryson and was buried in the fieldes The first of Aprill Anno 1555. a letter was sent to the Shiriffe of Kent to apprehend Thomas Woodgate and William Maynard for preachyng secréetly and to send them vp to the Counsell The vij day of the same moneth was sent another letter to the said Shiriffe for the apprehension of one Hardwich who went about with a boy with him preaching from place to place The fiftenth of Aprill a letter was directed
martyrs and so also gaue himselfe to be bound to the stake most gladly The people séeing this so sodainly done contrary to their fearful expectation as men deliuered out of great doubt cried out for ioy with so great a showte as hath not lightly bin heard a greater saying God be praised The people encourage Cardmaker at his death the Lorde strengthen thée Cardmaker the Lord Iesus receiue thy spirit and this continued till the executioner put fire to them Which being done they both passed through the fire to their eternal rest The twelfth day a letter was sent to the Lord Treasurer to cause writtes to bee made to the Sheriffe of Sussex for the burning and executing of Dericke a Bruer at Lewes and other two one in Stainings and the other at Chichester The 23. of Iune a letter was sent to Boner to examine a report giuen to the Councel of 4. parishes within the Sooken of Essex that should still vse the English seruice and to punish the offenders if any such were With maister Cardmaker Iohn Warne vpon the same day and in the same company and for the same cause were also condemned Iohn Ardeley and Iohn Simson which was the 25. of May. They were both husbandmen in the parish of Wigborow in Essex and almost both of one age saue that Simson was of the age of 34. and the other of 30. Valiant martyr Ioh. Ardley Iohn Ardley being vrged by the B. to recant saide boldly vnto the B. with many other wordes of like constancie If euery haire of my head were a man I would suffer death in the faith that I am now in So the 25. of May they both receiued sentence of condemnation and were both in one day put to death in Essex the 10. of Iune Iohn Simson Iohn Simson martyr at Rotchford and Iohn Ardley at Rayley which they patiently endured for Christes sake About the same time one Iohn Tooly Iohn Tooly was executed as a fellon for rayling on a Spaniard at S. Iames. And at the gallowes hee defied the Pope and his indulgences and saide hée trusted onely on the merits of Christ with other words against the Pope For which after he had béene buried the mitered prelates caused him to be taken vp out of his graue after they had excommunicated him for want of appearance and committed him to the Sheriffe of London to be burned the 4. of Iune Thomas Hawks was one of the 6. men condemned in one day of Boner the 9 of February and put to death the tenth of Iune Hee was borne in Essex and by profession a Courtier and seruant to the Earle of Oxforde till God tooke King Edward out of this world He had borne to him a sonne whose baptisme he deferred to the thirde wéeke for that hée would not haue him baptised after the Papisticall manner For which cause the aduersaries laid hands on him and brought him to the Earle of Oxford The Earle sendeth him vp to London with letters to Boner With whom Boner after much communication and conference of his Chaplens with maister Hawkes hee remained at Fulham and the B. the next day departed to London and came home againe at night Vpon the munday morning very early the B. called for him agayne and there Harpesfield Archdeacon of London reasoned with maister Hawkes touching Baptisme and the masse c. But Hawkes remayned constant withstood him with mightie power of the Scriptures as also the B. himselfe Fecknam and Chadsey at foure sundrie times after The first day of Iuly the B. did call him himselfe from the Porters lodge and commanded him to prepare himselfe to prison and so was hee sent to bée kept close prisoner in the gate house where he remayned thirtéene daies and then sent Boner two men to know how he did and whether hée were the same man To whom he answered constantly for the trueth After which answere he heard no more of the bishop till the 3. of September on which day he was priuately examined againe of Boner and woulde haue had his hand to a bill of articles to whom when Hawkes had said it should neither come into his hand hart nor minde the bishop wrapt it vp and put it into his bosome and in a great anger went his way and tooke his horse and rode on visitation into Essex and Hawkes went to prison againe After these priuate conferences perswasions and long debatings M. Hawkes was cited to appeare in the B. consistorie the viij of February again the ix Where being exhorted by the B. with many faire wordes to returne againe to the bosome of the mother Church after that hée had said to the Bishop no my Lord that will I not for if I had an hundreth bodies I would suffer them all to be torne in pieces rather then I will abiure or recant at the last Boner readeth the sentence of death vpon him and so was hée dismissed to prison againe till the 10. of Iune Then was he committed to the handes of the Lorde Riche who being assisted had him into Essex to suffer martyrdome at Coxhall Certain of his friendes praied him to giue thē a signe whether the payne of burning was so great that a man might not there kéepe his patience in the fire which thing hee promised them to doe That if the payne were tollerable then hée woulde lift vp his handes aboue his head towards heauen before hée gaue vp the Ghost Which thing hée performed vnto them For after he had continued a long time in the fire and when his spéech was taken away by the violence of the flame his skinne also drawen together and his fingers consumed with the fire that now all men thought certainelye that hee had béene gone Haukes geueth a signe to his friendes then sodeinly he reached vp both his handes burning on a light fire ouer his head to the liuing God and so with great reioysing as it séemed did strike or clappe them thrée seuerall times together Haukes writte diuers comfortable epistles At which sight the people gaue a marueylous showte And so the blessed Martyr straightway sinking down into the fire gaue vp the ghost He wrote diuers comfortable Epistles The xxvj of Aprill Thomas Wattes of Byllirica in Essex a linen draper was apprehended and brought before the Lord Rich and other Commissioners at Chelmesford who after short communication had with him sent him vp to Boner who after foure appearances and much labouring of him to recant in the end pronounced sentence agaynst him and deliuered him to the Shiriffes of London by whom he was sent to Newgate where hée remained till the ninth of Iune or as some record till the xxij of Maie At which time he was carried to Chelmesford and there was brought to Scots house kéeping an In where they were at meat with Hawkes the rest that came downe to their burning They praied together both before and and after their meate
of executiō Who considering the shortnes of time his saying was that although the day were neuer so long yet at the last it ringeth to euensong c. About ij of the clocke he was brought to the place called Romeland a gréene néere the west end of the abbey church After he had prayed at the stake he said with a chéerfull voice that although he had a sharp dinner yet he hoped to haue a ioyful supper in heauen While the reeds were set about him a priest came to perswade him to beléeue in the sacrament But Tankerfield cried vehemētly I defy the whore of Babilon fie on the abhominable idol Whereat the maior was sore offended and said though he had but one lode of fagots in the world he would geue them to the burning of him There was a certaine knight by that went vnto Tākerfielde and tooke him by the hand and said good brother be strong in Christ This he spake softly and Tankerfield said Oh sir I thanke you I am so I thank God Fire being put to him The patience of the martirs caused the people to say they had the deuil he embraced the flame and bathed his hands therin and so gaue vp his soule into the handes of Christ Whose patience was such that certaine superstitious olde women did say the deuill was in him and in all such Heretikes and therefore they could not almost féele any payne Robert Smith Robert Smith was brought to Newgate the fifth of Nouember in the first or second yere of the Q. by I. Mathew yoman of the gard by the commandement of the Counsell First he was seruant to sir Th. Smith prouost of Eaton frō whence he was preferred to a clerkship of x. l in Eaton Hée was much confirmed in the truth by the preachings readings of one M. Turner of Windsor and others Wherfore at the cōming in of Mary he was depriued of his clerkship and not long after their examinations wherein boldly and wisely he behaued himselfe in the cause of Christ he was condemned in the consistorie the xij of Iuly and from thence was had to Newgate with other of the brethren He wrote diuerse letters in prison to sundry fréends Hée suffered at Vxbridge the viij of August Being at the stake he comforted the people willing them to thinke well of his cause and not to doubt but his body dying in that quarrell should rise againe to life And said he I doubt not but God will shewe you some tooken therof At length he being well nigh halfe burnt and blacke with fire The martyr giueth a signe clustered together as in a lumpe like a blacke cole all men thinking him for dead suddainly rose vpright before the people lifting vp the stumpes of his armes and clapping the same together and so hanging ouer the fire slept in the Lord. About this time died Stephen Harwood Stephen Harwood at Stratford Thomas Fust Thomas Fust at Ware both for the testimonie of Iesus Also about the end of August William Haile Williā Haile was burned at Barnet and constantly suffered for the truth George King Thomas Lewes and Iohn Wade sickened in Lollardes tower died and were cast into the fieldes and buried in the night by the brethren So also William Andrew died in pryson who was brought to Newgate Anno 1555 by Ihon Motham Cōstable of Maulden in Essex The principall promoter of him was the Lord Rich. The xxxj of August suffered Robert Samuell preacher minister at Barfold in Suffolke his chéefe persecutor was M. Foster a iustice of Cobdock a litle from Ipswich where he caused M. Samuell to be apprehēded put in the goale of Ipswich frō whence being remoued to Norwich he fell into the cruell hands of the bishop Doctor Hopton Dunnings his chancellour who first caused him to be chained bolt vpright to a great post in such sort that standing onely on tiptoe hée was faine to stay vp the whole waight of his bodie besides he so pined him with hunger thirst his allowance being only two or thrée mouthfuls of bread and thrée sponefuls of water for his dayly sustenance that his body was so dried vp that he could not make one drop of vrine to relieue his thirst He had diuerse visions during the time of his imprisonment Samuell hath a vision which he for modesties sake concealed Sauing this one he declared that after he had béene pined iij. daies he fell in a sléepe or slumber one clad all in white séemed to stand before him which ministred vnto him comfort in these wordes Samuell Samuell be of good chéere and take a good hart vnto thée for after this day shalt thou neuer hunger nor thirst Which came so to passe accordingly As hée came to the fire a certaine mayde came vnto him and kissed him her name was Rose Nottingham Rose Nottingham Next after the suffering of Robert Samuell Robert Samuell about the beginning of September was burned Williā Allen W. Allen. in Walsingham laboring man At his suffering such was his credite among the Iustices by reason of his well tried conuersation among them that he was suffered to go vntied to his suffering and there with patience and constancie gaue witnes to the truth by shedding of his bloud The same yéere in the moneth of Septēber Roger Coo Roger Coo. of Melford in Suffolke a sheareman and an aged father after sundry conflicts with his aduersaries was committed to the fire at Yexford in the countie of Suffolke Hée was condemned the xij of August by the bishop of Norwich With the aforesaid was also condemned Thomas Cobbe Tho. Cobbe of Hauerhill butcher and was burned in the towne of Tetford in the moneth of September About the vj. of September Robert Catmer of Hith Robert Streater of Hith Anthony Burward of Calete George Brodbridge of Bromfield Iames Tutley of Brēchley were condemned by Thornton S. of Douer About the mids of Septemb Thomas Hayword Th. Hayword Iohn Gareway Ioh. Gareway suffered at the towne of Lichfield for the testimonie of the trueth About this time there was a godly gentleman M. Iohn Glouer M. Ioh. Glouer in the dioces of Lichfield and Couentry whom the B. by his letters charged the maior of Couentry to apprehend But so soon as he had receiued the letters he sent a priuie watchword to Iohn to escape and shift for himselfe who with his brother William was not so soon departed out of his house but that yet in the sight of them the Sheriffe and other searchers came in to take him But when Iohn could not be found one of the officers going into an vpper chamber foūd there Robert the other brother a maister of art in Cābridge lying sicke of a long disease which was by him incontinent brought before the sheriffe by whom he was committed to the gaole forthwith Not being called to his answere he was moued to
rather thankes then displeasure of the King and not long after that hee was aduanced to be a Bishop Amongst other memorable acts of Latimer this was one worthy to be remembred that being B. of Worcester whē others gaue newyeeres gifts of golde and siluer c. hee presented the king with a new Testament for a new yéers gift M. Latimers newyeeres gift to the king and a napkin hauing this poesie about it Fonicatores adulteros iudicabit Dominus Anno 1555. In the month of October Ridley Latimer were both brought forth to their finall examination and execution the Commissioners wherof were maister White Bishop of Lincolne maister Brookes Bishop of Glocester with others Vpon the 20. of September was sent downe a commission to Oxforde from Cardinall Poole to the parties aforesaide to procéede against Ridley in iudgement and Latimer except they would recant So the last of September they were cited to appeare before the Lordes in the Diuinitie Schoole at Oxford at viij of the clocke Where first appeared Master Ridley and then Latimer M. Ridley while the Commission was read standing bare before when he heard the Popes holines named Ridley couereth his head at the name of the Pope and the Cardinal put on his cap and being thrise admonished woulde not by putting it off geue signe of reuerence vnto the Pope or his Legate At the last the Bishop of Lincolne commanded one of the Bedles to pluck his cap from his head Master Ridley bowing his head to the officer gentlie permitted him to take away his cappe After that Lincolne perswaded him with a long oration to recant to which Rydley maketh answere confuting the vsurped supremacie of the Pope c. In the ende they obiected articles whereto presently they required answere but they said such as should not be preiudiciall to that he should say to morrow So they tooke his answeres and appointed him againe the next morrow at eight of the clocke willing the Maior he should haue penne yncke and paper c. So dismissing Maister Rydley they sent for maister Latimer To whom after exhortation to recant and other conference they propounded the same articles to him which they propounded to maister Rydley Whereto he answered presently and was assigned to appeare on the morrow againe which maister Latimer was loth to do willing them to make spéed in that they would do So the Maior being charged with him they brake vp for the day their sessiō The next day following which was the first of October maister Rydley appeared againe and because he would not reuerence them his cap was snatched hastely off his head After the articles were read he required to answeare maister Rydley tooke a shéet of paper out of his bosome and began to read that which he had writtē but the B. of Lincolne commaunded the Beadle to take it from him To whom Rydley sayd why my Lord wil you require my answeare and not suffer me to publish it I beséech you c. so maister Rydley Ridley not suffered to make his answere séeing no remedy deliuered it to an officer that immediatly deliuered it to the B. of Lincolne who after he had secretly communicated it to other two Byshops declared the sence but would not reade it saying it contained words of blasphemie Master Rydley on the other syde would make no other answere then was contained in his writinges which being recorded by the register the B. of Glocester fel to perswade master Rydley to recant To whō maister Ridley taking in hand to answere the B. of Glocester interrupted him The B. of Lincolne with his cap in his hand desired him to returne to the vnity of their Church which intrratie when he saw it moued not the constant seruant of God He pocéeded to sentence of condemnation against him which being published M. Ridley was committed to the maior M. Latimer called for who also constantly standing to the defence of the truth Ridley and Latimer condemned receiued sentence of condemnation and was committed to the maior and continued in durance till the 16. day of October Vpon the fiftéenth day of October the B. of Glocester D. Brookes and the Vicechancelour of Oxford D Marshall came to maister Irishes house then maior of Oxford where M. Ridley Ridley refuseth his pardō lay and offered him the Quéenes pardon if hée would recant Which he refusing to do they procéeded to disgrade him would haue had him put on the surplice himself but he would not and while he spake against that Romish apparel as he called it one Edridge the reader of the gréek lecture gaue counsel he should be gagged Nether would M. Ridley hold the chalice in his hands but one was appointed to hold it in his hands His degradation ended D. Brookes called the Bailiffes deliuered to them maister Ridley with charge to kéep him safe from any mans speaking with him and that he should be brought to the place of execution when they were commaunded The night before he suffered his beard was washed and his legges And as he sate at supper the same night at M. Irishes who was his kéeper he bad his hostes and the rest at the boorde to his marriage for to morrow said he I must be married and so shewed himselfe as merrie as at any time before When they arose from the table his brother offered all night to watch with him but said he no no that shall you not for I minde God willing to sléepe as quietly tonight as euer I did in my life When euery thing was readie for their execution in the ditch ouer against Baily Colledge they were brought foorth by the maior and bayliffes Maister Ridley had a faire black gowne furred and faced with Foynes such as he was wont to weare béeing B and a tippet of Veluet furred likewise about his necke a veluet nightcap vpon his head and a corner cappe vpon the same going in a paire of slippers to the stake After him came Maister Latimer in a poore Bristow frize frocke all worne with his buttened cappe The behauiour of Ridley and Latimer at the place of execution and a kerchiefe on his head a new long shrowd hanging ouer his hose downe to the foote which at the first sight stirred mens hearts to rue vpon them Maister Ridley looking backe espied maister Latimer comming after vnto whom he sayd Oh bée you there Yea sayd maister Latimer haue after as fast as I can follow First maister Ridley entering the place marueilous earnestly holding vp both his hands loked towards heauen then shortly after espying maister Latimer with a woonderfull chéerefull looke ranne vnto him and embraced him and kissed him and as they that stoode neere reported comforted him saying be of good heart brother for God will either asswage the furie of the flame or els strengthen vs to abide it With that went hee to the stake kneeled downe by it kyssed it and most effectually prayed
and behynde hym kneeled Maister Latimer as earnestly calling vppon GOD as hee Doctour Smith who recanted preached a Sermon scant in all a quarter of an houre against them in the meane while that they were a preparing to the fire M. Ridley being in his shirt stood vpon a stone at the stake and held vp his hands and saide Oh heauenly father I giue vnto thée most hearty thankes for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thée euen to the death c. Then the smith tooke a chaine of yron and brought the same both about D. Ridleyes and Latimers middles and as hee was knocking in the staple maister Ridley tooke the chayne in his hand and shaked the same for it did gyrd in his bellie and looking aside to the smith saide Good fellow knocke it in hard for the flesh will haue his course Then his brother brought both him and maister Latimer gunpowder which he said he would take as sent from God then brought they a fagot kindeled with fire and laide it downe at Ridleyes féete Latimer prophecieth at the stake To whom maister Latimer spake in this maner be of good comfort M. Ridley and play the mā we shal this day light such a candle by Gods grace in England as I trust shal neuer be put out And so the fire was giuen vnto them When Doctor Ridley sawe the fire flaming vp towardes him he cried with a woonderfull loude voyce In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Domine accipe spiritum meum And after repeated often in English Lorde Lorde receiue my spirite maister Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side Oh father of heauen receiue my my soule who receiued the flame as it were imbracing it and soone died M. Ridley by reason of the euil making of the fire had his nether partes all burnt before the vpper parts were touched and endured great torment with much patience so they both slept in the Lorde faithfull witnesses of his trueth Diuers letters and treatises Maister Ridley wrote diuers letters and treatises of exhortation The next moneth after the burning of Ridley M. Ridley and Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember died Stephen Gardiner Stephen Gardiner dieth a man of an vnconstant mind a man hated of God and all good men He was during the time of Queene Anne an enemie to the Pope but after her decease the time carried him away that hée became a Papist till agayne in King Edwardes time hée beganne to rebate from certaine pointes of poperie Agayne after the decay of the Duke of Sommerset he quite turned to poperie and became a cruell Persecutour Hée hauing intelligence of the death of Ridley and Latimer deferring his dinner til thrée or foure of the clock at after noone commeth out reioysing to the olde Duke of Norfolke who tarried for his dinner till then at Gardiners Gods iudgement vpon Gardiner house and said Now let vs goe to dinner And being set downe began merely to eate and had eaten but a fewe bittes when the sodaine stroke of Gods terrible hande fell vpon him so that immediatly he was taken from the table and brought to his bed where he so continued xv dayes and then died his tongue being blacke and swolne in his head When Doctor Day Bishop of Chichester came to him and began to comfort him with words of Gods promises with frée iustification in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour repeating the Scriptures vnto him Winchester Winchesters words at his death hearing that what my Lorde saide he will you open that gap now then farewel all together To me and to such other in my case you may speake it but open this window to the people then farewel all together Next after the death of Master Ridley and Master Latimer followed thrée other couragious Souldiers of Iesus Christ Iohn Webbe Gentleman George Roper and Gregorie Parke Iohn Webbe I Webbe G. Roper G. Parker Martirs was brought before the suffragan of Douer the sixtéenth day of September before the other two long after Which beside sundrie other times the the iij. day of October were all thrée together brought before the said Iudge and by him condemned And about the ende of October or in the latter end of Nouember as it is otherwise found they were brought out of prison to their martirdome who by the way said certaine Psalmes mournfullie Roper was a young man of a fresh colour courage and complexion The other two were somewhat more elderly Roper comming to the stake and putting off his gowne fet a great leape So soone as the flame was about him he putte out both his armes from his bodie like a Roode and so stoode stedfast continuing in that maner not plucking his armes in till the fire had consumed them and burnt them off And thus these woorthie Martirs at Canterburie gaue witnesse to the trueth The xiij of December died William Wiseman in the lolards Tower a Clothwoorker of London Some thought that through famine or other euill handling hee was made away After his death he was throwen into the fields and charge geuen that none should burie him But the brethren buried him in the night In the same yeare about the vij of September Iames Gore deceased in prison at Colchester being captiue for defence of the trueth Master Iohn Philpot after he had béene imprisoned by the Lord Chauncellour a yere a halfe for his frée spéech in the conuocation house was the second of October an 1555. called for before the Quéenes Commissioners M. Cholmeley Master Roper Doctor Storie and one of the Scribes of the Arches at Newgate Sessions Hall Where they had nothing particular to charge him with by the Lawe neyther would he otherwise answere So they sent him againe to prison Afterwardes hee was commaunded to appeare the xxiiij day of October which he did And after much railing against him and many threatenings they sent him to the B. of Londons Colehouse where he found Tho. Whittle Priest in the stockes who once through infirmitie had relented to the Papistes but féeling remorse and torment in his conscience went to the B. Register desiring to sée his bill againe Which as soone as he had receiued he tare in péeces and after that was ioyfull receiued comfort Whē the B. heard thereof he beate him and pulled a greate péece of his beard from his face and cast him into prison Which he endured ioyfully for Christes name Boner vnderstanding of master Philpots imprisonment sent him bread and meate and drinke with faire wordes and promise of fauour And within a while after one of his Gentlemen was sent for him and brought him to the presence of Boner Who vnderstanding by Master Philpot the cause of his trouble to haue risen by his speach in the cōuocation house said he would not as then burthen him with his conscience and said moreouer that he meruailed they were so merrie in prison
singing and reioycing To whom M. Philpot answered that they sang Psalmes and that hée trusted he would not be offended therewith since S. Paul saith If a man be of an vpright minde Mē of vpright mindes let him sing and we therefore said he to testify that wee are of an vpright mynd to God though we be in miserie do sing So he was had againe to the Colehouse where he had other sixe companions of the same affliction He was examined in all 14. seuerall times the fourth time in the Archdeacons house of London in the moneth of October before the Byshops of London Bath Worcester and Glocester with whom after dispute of the church of Rome and authoritie therof he was againe dismissed The Byshops rose vp and consulted together and caused a writing to be made whertoo they put their handes So he was againe carried to his Colehouse M. Philpot thought then they conspired his death The 5. examination was before the Byshops of London Rochester Couentrie saint Asses with another Doctor Storie Curtop Doctor Sauerson Doctor Pendleton with other Chaplens and gentlemen of the Quéenes Chamber and others in the Gallerie of the B. of Londons pallace Where Boner because he said hee minded on the morrow to sit in iudgement on him exhorted him to play the wise mans part and to conforme himselfe To whom Philpot answered he was glad iudgement was so nigh but refused Boner as not being his ordinarie After much dispute of the Romish church and reuilings of Doctor Storie against Maister Philpot he was had againe to the Colehouse the Byshop of London promising him fauour and that he had in his hands to do him good To whō Philpot answered my Lord the pleasure that I will require of you is to hasten my iudgment and so to dispatch me out of this miserable world vnto my eternall rest To hasten iudgement a pleasure to the Martyr The B. for all his faire promises performed no kinde of curtesie vnto him for a whole fortnight after he had neither fire nor candell nor good lodging The sixt examination was before the Lord Chāberlaine the vicont Hereford the L. Ritch the L.S. Iohns the Lord Windsore the L. Shandoys sir Iohn Brydges lieftenant of the Tower with the B of London and Doctor Chadsey The sixt of Nouember Anno 1555. Before whom he was reasoned with touching the Romish Church and of the Sacrament of the Altar The Lordes temporall being halfe amazed at that which they heard and not giuing M. Philpot an euill word The vij examination was had the xix of Nouember before the B of London and Rochester the Chauncellor of Litchfield and Doctor Chadsey The next morning Boner sent for maister Philpot to come to Masse A sharpe answere to Boners message To whose messenger he answered his stomacke was too weake to digest such raw meates of flesh blood and bone The next day the B. sent againe for him and ministred false articles against him and could bring no witnesse but would haue had his prison fellows sworne against him Which because they refused they were put in the stockes and also M. Philpot with them where they sate from morning till night The Sunday after at night betwixt 8. and 9. the Byshop came to the Colehouse himselfe and caused maister Philpot to be had into another place of imprisonment and there caused him to be searched but the searcher missed of his last examination which he had written yet tooke two Letters from him whiche were of no greate importaunce The viij examination was before the B. of London of Saint Dauis maister Mordant and others in the B. chappel where the B. would haue had him answered onely yea or nay to certaine Articles Which Philpot would not but made his appeale which the Bishop said he would stay in his owne handes So was he had againe to the colehouse The 9. time he was examined of the B. alone with his Chaplains the next day after in the Wardrope Where maister Philpot woulde not heare so much as Articles read against him refusing Boner as béeing not his ordinary At the last they fell to reason of the Sacrament of the altar and the masse the Bishop and diuers of his Chaplaines setting vpon maister Philpot. To whom hée gaue no place nor cause of triumph but sufficiently mainteined the trueth therein So for that time he was dismissed to his prison againe And the next day the tenth time was examined of the B his register and others and charged with the booke of Catechisme made in king Edwards daies and certain conclusions agréed vpon both in Oxford and Cambridge c. But M. Philpot refused him for ordinary would not answere but appealed to him that was in place of the Archbishopricke of Canterbury because he knew not of his imprisonment who was then Archbishop The 11. examination was on S. Andrewes day before the Bish of Duresme of Chichester of Bath of London the Prolocutor maister Christophorson Doctor Chadsey maister Morgan of Oxford maister Hussey of the Arches Doctor Weston Doctor Harpesfield maister Coosins maister Iohnson register to the B. of London these disputed against maister Philpot touching the true Church and of the Sacrament of the Altar and of the antiquity of the religion which maister Philpot professed Of which companie maister Morgan behaued himselfe aboue all the rest most insolently against him who asked maister Philpot howe hée knew that hée had the spirite of GOD scoffingly To whome Philpot aunswered by the faith of Christ which is in mée Ah by faith doe you so sayth Morgan I weene it bee the spirite of the buttery which your fellowes haue had which haue beene burned before you who were drunken the night before they went to their death and I weene went drunke vnto it To whome Maister Philpot aunswered It appeareth by your communication that you are better acquaynted with the spirite of the the butterie M. Philpots zeale against Morgan then with the spirite of God Wherefore I must needes tell thee thou paynted wall and Hypocrite In the name of the liuing GOD whose trueth I haue tolde thee that God shall raigne fire and brimstone vppon suche scorners of his worde and Blasphemers of his trueth as thou art Morgan What you rage nowe Philpot. Thy foolishe blasphemies haue compelled the spirite of God which is in mée to speake that which I haue saide vnto thee thou enemie of all righteousnesse By thine owne wordes doe I iudge thée thou blinde and blasphemous Doctour for as it is written By thy words thou shalt be iustified by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned I haue spoken on Gods behalfe and nowe haue I done with thée Morgan Why then I tell thée Philpot thou art an heretike and shalt bée burned for thine heresie and afterwarde goe to hell fire Philpot I tell thee thou hypocrite I passe not this for thy fire and fagot neyther I thanke GOD my Lorde stande in feare of the same my
Morant one King and Steeuen Gratwicke W. Morant King S. Gratwick Who was aboue all most vnlawfullie put to death For first he was condemned by the Bishoppe of Winchester and the Bishoppe of Rochester Vniust preceeding which were not his Ordinaries neither could his appeale be taken Then when they had no colour they suborned one of the Priestes to come in for a false Ordinarie and sitte vpon him and pretended false articles which were no part of his examination And hauing no other ground nor iust matter against him but onely for saying these wordes That which I said I haue saide they read the Sentence of Condemnation against them So he with the other two about the ende of May was burned for the testimonie of Iesus Christ in S. Georges fieldes While the Bishoppe was reading Sentence against Gratwicke his Chaplaines cryed out saying stoppe stoppe my Lorde for now hee will recant Then the Bishoppe asked him what he would doe To whom he answered Faith surely grounded My Lorde my faith is grounded more stedfastly than to change in a moment It is not processe of time that can alter me vnlesse my faith were as the waues of the Sea So the Bishoppe made an ende and deliuered him to the Sheriffe I. Bradbridge W. Applebie-Pettonel Ed. Allen. K. his wife I. Mannings E. a blind maid In the xxviij day of the moneth of Iune were vij Christian and faithfull Martirs burned at Maidstone in Kente through the cruelty of Richard Thornton suffragan of Douer the bloudy Archdeacon of Canterburie Their names were Ioane Bradbridge of Staplehurst Walter Applebie of Maidstone Petronell his wife Edmund Allen of Fritēden Katherin his wife Ioan Mānings wife of maidstone Elizabeth a blinde mayden Edm. Allen was a Miller in the parish of Frittenden in Kent who in a déere yeare would féede the poore and would reade vnto them the scriptures and exhort them Hee was taken by the meanes of Iohn Tayler Priest of the Parish and committed after much vile taunting and rayling to prison by sir Iohn Baker knight The nintéenth day of Iune were burned seuen foure women and thrée men at Canterburie for the testimonie of Christ I. Fishcock N. White N. Pardu B. Finall Widow Brad. Wilsons wife Bendens wife Their names were these Iohn Fishcock Nicholas White Nich. Pardue Barbara Final widow Bradbridge widow who was thought to haue béene with childe Wilsons wife and Bendens wife The vsage of Alice Benden was most cruell Shée being deliuered was by the foolish wordes of her owne husbande imprisoned againe who tooke mony of the Constable to carrie her to prison himselfe The husband against the wife but that the wife tendering her husbands fame and that the world should not witnesse against him so facinorous a fact went to the Constable desiring him to go with her who answered that he could not but lent her his boy to go with her with whom she went to Canterbury castell Where she being in prison practised with a prison fellow of hers the wife of one Potkin to liue both of them with two pence halfe penie a day to trie thereby how well they could sustaine penury if they were put to it for they had heard when they should be remoued to the Bishops prison The martyrs diet in prison their liuings should be but thrée pence halfe penie each day did in déede so liue both fouretéene daies ere she were from thence remoued The two and twentith day of Ianuary following her husband went and told the Byshop that shée had a brother whose name was Roger Hall that resorted vnto her who if hée were kept from her hée sayd shée would turne for hée comforteth her saith hée and giueth her mony and perswadeth her not to recant Vppon which reporte of her husband shée was remoued to a pryson called Munday hole and straight charge giuen that if her brother came hée should be taken but hée comming earely in the morning when her kéeper was gone to ringe for he was a bell ringer otherwise did not know where shée had béene imprisoned but by hearing her voyce as shée powred out vnto God her sorrowfull complaints saying the Psalmes of Dauid And there putting mony in a loafe of bread sticking the same on a pole so did he reach it vnto her this was fiue wéekes after her comming thither all which time no creature was knowne to come at her more then her kéeper Three farthings a day the martyrs allowance Alice Bende◠a constant martyr Her lying in that prison was vpon a litle short straw betwixt a payre of stockes and a stone wall her allowance thrée farthings a day that is an halfe peny in bread and a farthing in drincke neyther could she get any more for her mony wherefore shée desired to haue her whole allowance in bread and vsed water for drinke Thus did shée lie nine wéekes during which tyme shée neuer chaunged apparell At the first comming into this place shée did gréeuously bewayle her state with great sorrowe and reasoned with her selfe why the Lord God with his heauie iustice suffered her to be sequestred from her louing fellowes in so extréeme misery In which shée continued till on a night as shée was in her sorrowfull supplications in rehearsing this verse of the Psalme Why art thou so heauy O my soule and againe the right hande of the most highest can chaunge all God sendeth the spirit of comfort shée receiued comfort in the middest of her miseries and after that continued ioyfull vntill her deliuerance from the same So shée with the rest the nintenth of Iune were consumed with fire for the testimony of Iesus after they knéeling downe together had called vpon the name of God Bradbriges wife when shée was condemned of the Bishop to be burned had two children named Patience and Charitie Who then said to the Bishop that if he would néedes burne her yet she trusted that he would take and kéepe Patience and Charitie The B. will neither meddle with Patience nor Charitie meanyng her two daughters Nay quoth the Bishop by the faith of my body I will meddle with neither of them both About this tyme Matthew Plase weauer of the parishe of Stone in Kent was examined before Thorneton Harpsfielde c. And constantly maintayned the truth against the popish hypocrites Ten at one fire Rich. Woodmā G. Stephens R. Maynard Alex. Hosemā Tom. a Wood Marg. Moris Iames Moris Denis Burgis Ashdons wife Groues wife but what became of him it is vncertaine In the towne of Lewes were ten faythfull seruaunts of God put in one fire the two and twentith day of Iune Their names were Richard Woodman George Stephens Robert Maynard Alexander Hoseman his seruant Tomasin a Wood Maynards maide Margery Moris Iames Moris her sonne Denis Burgis Ashdons wife Groues wife Rich. Woodman was twise imprisoned for the testimony of Iesus At the first apprehension he was
imprisoned a yéere and a halfe in the kings bench and afterwarde 8. wéekes in the Bishops colehouse lacking one day His first apprehension was for reprouing a Preacher in the pulpit in the Parish of Wambleton where he dwelt For which hée was twise before the Bishoppe of Chichester and fiue times before the Commissioners and then sent to Londons Cole-house and manie times called before him He was sixe times examined in the Colehouse and 26. times before so that his examinations in all were 32. The second time he was found out and taken by means of his father and brother Father against the sonne who had as much goodes of his in their handes as were well woorth sixe and fiftie pounds a yéere a Lordship and an honor and halfe a Lordshippe which hée had deliuered vnto their handes to pay his debtes and the rest to remaine to his wife and children which was two hundred pounds better then the debt came to The same day that Philpot was burned which was the 18. of December hée with foure more were deliuered out of Boners hands with very good conditions in such sort as Woodman said of him that his heart was so drunken with that blood of Philpot Boner drunke with the blood of Philpot. that he thought he could not tell what he did For two daies before said he he promised them they should be condemned that same day they were deliuered Yet the morning after they were deliuered hée sought earnestly for some of them again waxing dry after his great drunkennes Before his second apprehension he continued in a Wood vnder a towre 6. or 7. wéekes with his Bible penne and ynke and other necessaries his wife bringing him meate daily Anno 1557. the 14. of April he was brought before the Bishop of Chichester Doct. Story and Doct. Cooke of whō after examination of diuers pointes as of marriage of priests concerning the assurance of hauing the spirit of God which the Papists account arrogancie to affirme and concerning the 7. sacraments he was had to the marshalsea and there remained till the 27. of Aprill At which time he appeared againe before Chichester two of his Chaplains and Doctor Story of whom he was examined of the seuen Sacraments and not agréeing with them therein hée was commaunded againe to the marshalsea no man to speake with him The 12. of May he was examined again of Doct. Langdall parson of Buxted in Sussex and Chaplaine to my Lorde Mountague and maister Iames Gage at my Lord Mountagues house in Southwarke where he set Langedall vp in diuers pointes of religion as of the force of Baptisme whether it bée of necessitie of saluation to all and of the state of infants that die without it touching the Sacrament of the Altar c. and so was had againe to prison till the fiue and twentie of May. On which day hée was examined agayne of Winchester Rochester and a certaine Doctor with diuers other Priestes and Gentlemen sitting in Saint Georges Church in Southwarke of whom béeing wrangled with touching Priestes mariages and his reproouing of a reuolting Preacher hée was dismissed againe to the marshalsea till the fifteene of Iune At which day he appeared before Winchester the Archdeacon of Canterbury Doctor Langdall c. and woulde not answere nor sweare before Winchester because hée was not his ordinarie Who when he threatned him made answere I looke for no helpe of men God is on my side I praise him therefore I will not care who bée against mée neyther doe I. So was hée had to the marshalsea againe where hee remayned till the sixtéenth of Iuly on which day he was condemned by Winchester chiefly for the poynt of the Sacrament of the Altar and so was burned with nine other which were taken not past two or thrée dayes before their iudgement and burned before the writ could come downe Quicke dispatch Such quicke dispatch they made They suffered the two and twentith day of Iune at Lewes About the same tyme one Ambrose died in Maidstone prison who else should haue béene burned in the quarrell of Christ About the same time was one Richard Lush condemned of Cutbert Bourne B. of Bath and Welles and giuen to the secular power for the sinceritie of the Gospell whether he were burned or not it is vncertaine In the moneth of Iuly next ensued the martyrdome of Simon Miller of Linne and Elizabeth Cooper Simon Miller Simon Miller Eliza. Cooper being at Norwich and séeing the people comming from their Popish seruice asked them where hée might haue the Communion At which words a Papist said he would bring him where hée should not misse and brought him to the Chauncellour of Norwich who as hee was examining him spied his confession which hee had put into his shoe which did appeare and asked if he would stand to the same Which when he sayd he constantly would do he was committed to a kéeper in the Bishops house from whence on what condition it is vncertaine he was dismissed and went home to his house at Linne Where when hee had set all things in order he returned againe to his Prison in the Bishops house and there continued constant in the profession of the trueth till by the B. and his Chancellour he was condemned to death Elizabeth Cooper was a Pewterers wife dwelling in Saint Andrewes parish in Norwich where before she had recanted and being vnquiet in mind and greatly troubled in conscience for the same at the last she came into the church the people being at their Superstitious Seruice and before them all bewailed her fall Elizab. Cooper repenteth of her recantation and greatly repented of that she had done For which she was taken by M. Sutterton the Shiriffe burned with Simon Miller When the fire came vnto her shee a litle shronke thereat crying ah a. Which when Simon Miller heard he put his hand behinde towards her and willed her to be strong and of good cheare we shall haue a ioyfull and swéet supper Whereby she was strengthened still and quietly ended her combate with victorie Of those 22. which were before mentioned that were then deliuered by the meanes of the Cardinall Poole was William Moūt of much Bentley in Essex husbandmā W. Mount Alice his wife Rose Allen. with Alice his wife and Rose Allen maid the daughter of the said Allice Mount They comming home againe refrayned from their parish Church and frequented the company of good men Wherefore a wicked priest of the towne Syr Thomas Tye who by reason he himselfe had béen a professor knew all their haunt complained of them to the Lorde Darcie and wrote also against them to Boner So the 7 day of March at two of the clock in the morning one maister Edmund Tyrrel who came of the Tyrrels that murdered K. Edward the 5. and his brother tooke with him the Baylieffe of the hundred called William Samuel dwelling in Colchester and the two Constables of
age of foure and fiftie yéeres dwelling in the Dioces of Exceter not farre from Lawceston burned at Exceter for the testimonie of the truth Shée was persecuted of her husband and children The wife was persecuted of husband and children and condemned by the Bishop whose name was Troubleuile Among other communication when the Bishop had said let this mad woman bée put downe to prison till we send for her husband she answered him no I haue but one husband which is here already in this cittie meaning Christ and in prison with me from whom I will neuer depart Christ the martyrs husband After that saying they thought good to giue her a moneths libertie to prooue if she might thereby be chaunged during which time of her libertie it happened that shée entring into Saint Peters church beheld there a cunning Dutchman how he made new noses to certaine fine Images which were disfigured in King Edwards daies What a mad man art thou said she to make them new noses which within a few dayes shall also loose their heads The Dutchman accused her and layd it to her charge And moreouer she sayd vnto him thou art accursed and so are thine Images He called her whore Nay sayd shée thine Images are whores A worthy martyr and thou art a whore hunter for dooth not God say You go a whoring after straunge Gods figures of your owne making and thou art one of them Then was shée sent for and clapt fast At the last when they perceiued her to bée past remedie and had withstood all their threatnings and flattery shée was deliuered to the temporall power Of whom shée was exhorted yet to call for grace and to leaue her fond opinions and go home to thine husband sayd they thou art an vnlearned Woman thou art not able to answere to such high matters Note I am not sayd shée yet with my death I am content to be a witnesse to Christes death and I pray you make no longer delay with mée my heart is fixed I will neuer otherwise say nor turne to your superstitious dooings Then the Byshop did say the Diuell did lead her No my Lord sayd shée it is the Spirit of God which leadeth mée and which called mée in my bedde and at midnight opened his truth vnto mée for once especially at midnight praying to God for strength and assistaunce shée found it plentifully In the end after shée had receyued sentence of death shée lifted vp her voyce and thanked God saying I thanke thée my Lord God this day haue I found that I haue long sought After iudgement giuen agaynst her they promised to spare her life if shée would yet recant Nay that will I not said shée God forbid that I should loose the life eternall Note for this carnall and short life I will neuer turne from my heauenly husband to my earthly husband from the fellowship of Angels to mortall children And if my husband and children bée faithfull then am I theirs God is my Father God is my mother God is my sister my brother my kinsman God is my friend most faithful so being brought to the place of slaughter she méekly suffered calling vpon the name of God saying God be merciful to me a sinner God be me mercifull to me a sinner The 7. of May were burned at Bristow being condemned by M. Dalbney the Chancelour Richad Sharp Weauer of Bristow and Thomas Hall Tho. Hall Shoemaker of the same towne Sharpe Ioh. Sharpe by the perswasion of the Chancelor had recanted and afterward felt such anguish of minde and conscience that shortly after comming to his parish Churche called Temple he came to the quire doore and said with a loude voyce Neighbors beare me record that yonder Idoll pointing to the altar is the greatest and most abhominable that euer was and I am sory that euer I denied the Lorde my God Wherupon he was apprehended and burned with the other at one stake which they chéerefully suffered embracing the flame The 27. of the same moneth Tho. Benion Tho. Benion was burned at Bristow being condemned by the same Chauncellour Dalbney The 10. of Nouember suffered fiue of Gods children at Canterburie being hastened to the fire by the bloody Archdeacon notwithstanding he had heard in what danger Q. Mary was Their names were Ioh. Cornford Ioh. Cornford of Worthā Christoph Brown Christopher Browne of Maidstone Iohn Herst Iohn Herst of Ashford Alice Snoth Alice Snoth Katherin Knight Kath. Knight aliâs Tilney an aged woman Against these when sentence should be read and they excommunicated one of them Iohn Cornford stirred with a vehement spirite of the zeale of God procéeding in a more true excommunication against the Papists in the name of them all pronounced sentence against them in these words following In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ The martyr excommunicateth the Papists the sonne of the most mighty God and by the power of his holy spirite and the authority of his Apostolike church c. proceding with his excōmunication against all mainteiners of the false church Which sentence tooke such effect against the enemy that within sixe daies after Quéene Mary died and the tyranny of all English Papists with her Note Alice Snoth or Agnes Snoth who was burnt before being at the stake called for her Godfather and Godmothers whom when the maide saw she asked them what they had promised for her and so immediatly rehearsed her faith and the commaundements of God and required if there were anie more that they had promised in her behalfe and they said no. Then said she I die a Christian woman beare witnes of me And so was she with fire consumed These godly martyrs in their praiers which they made before their martirdome desired God that their blood might be the last that should be shed and so it was There were diuers of Gods children in prison which by the death of Quéene Marie escaped some after sentence of death pronounced Of which sort were Iohn Hunt and Richarde VVhite who after two yéeres captiuitie were condemned by Doctour Geffery the Bishops Chancellour The Sheriffe béeing vrged very vehemently to burne them refused because they had no writ Which comming down not long after one M. Michael Syr Anthony Hungerfords vndersheriffe a godly man took it burnt it saying I will not be guiltie of these mens blood Within foure daies after the Chauncellour dieth and the confessors of the Gospel remained in prison till the happie daies of Queene Elizabeth There was a godly man named Iohn Fette a Tailor of 42. yéeres dwelling in the parish of Clarkenwell accused by his owne wife The husband accused by his wife imprisoned by the B. in Lollards tower where he suffered great extremity hanging in the stocks This poore man had a childe of 8. or 9. yéeres olde that came to visite his father to whom a Priest of the Bishops house said why thy
and demaunded of them whether she might bée remoued from thence with life or no. Whos 's answere was that she might So in conclusion they willed her to prepare against morning at ix of the clock to goe with them On the morrow at the time prescribed they had her foorth as she was very faint and féeble and in such weake case that she was readie to sowne thrée or foure times betwixt them So all sicke in the Litter she came to Redborne where she was garded all night From thence to Saint Albons to Sir Rafe Rowlets house where she taried that night both féeble in bodie and comfortlesse in minde From that place they passed to Master Doddes house at Mimmes Where also they remayned that night And so from thence she came to Highgate where being very sick she taried that night and the next day From that place she was conueyed to the Court. Now when she came to the Court her Grace was there straightway shutte vp and kept as close Prisoner the space of a fortnight which was till Palme-sunday séeing neyther King nor Quéene nor Lorde nor friende in all that time but onelie the Lorde Chamberlayne Sir Ioh. Gage and the Vicechamberlayne who was attendant vnto the dores The Friday before Palme-sunday the Bishop of Winchester with ninetéene of the Counsel came vnto her grace L. Elizabeth falsly accused from the Quéene burdened her with Wiates conspiracie and charged her also with the businesse made by Sir Peter Carewe and the rest of the Gentlemen of the West Countrey Which she vtterly denied and cléered her innocencie therein In conclusion they declared vnto her that it was the Quéenes pleasure she should goe to the Tower vntill the matter were further examined and then they departed Within the space of an houre or little more came foure Lordes of the Counsell which were the Lorde Treasurer the Bishoppe of Winchester the Lorde Stewarde the Earle of Sussex with the Garde who warding in the next Chamber to her secluded all her Gentlemen and yeomen Ladies and Gentlewomen sauing that one Gentleman Vsher thrée Gentlewomen and two Groomes of her chāber were appointed in their roomes three other men of the Quéenes and thrée wayting women to geue attendance that none should haue accesse to her Grace At which time there were an hundred of Northerne Souldiers An hundred northren souldiers watch the L. Elizabeth al in white coates wayting about the gardens all that night and likewise two Lordes watching there also with their bands and companie Vpon Saterday folowing two Lords of the Counsel the one was the Earle of Sussex came and certified her grace that forthwith she must goe vnto the Tower The barge being prepared for her and the tide now redie in heauie moode her Grace requested the Lords that she might tary another tide But one of them replied that neither tide nor time was to be delayed And when her Grace requested that she might write to the Quéene he made answere he durst not permitte that But the other Lorde the Earle of Sussex knéeling downe tolde her Grace that shee shoulde haue libertie to write and as he was a true man he woulde deliuer it to the Quéenes Maiestie and bring her Grace an answere thereof againe whatsoeuer came thereof Whereupon being not permitted to speake with the Quéene she wrote vnto her Maiestie On Palmesunday about nine of the clocke those two Lordes returned again declaring that it was time for her grace to depart So shée tooke her Barge with the two Lordes thrée of the Quéenes Gentlewomen and thrée of her owne her Gentleman Vsher and two of her Groomes lying and hoouering a certaine space vpon the water because it was yet dangerous for them to shoote the Bridge At the length comming to the staires when she lāded and comming out of the barge hauing one foote vpon the staiers Here landeth said she as true a subiect being prisoner The Lady Elizabeth had none other friends but God as euer landed at these stayers and before thée O God I speake it hauing none other fréends but thée alone After shée came to the Tower was imprysoned the doores were bolted and forted vppon her Lady Elizabeth prisoned in the Tower At which time shée called to her Gentlewoman for her booke desiring God not to suffer her to buylde her foundation vppon the sandes but vppon the rocke whereby all blastes of blustering weather should haue no power against her Within fiue daies after commeth Stephen Gardiner the ruler of the rost with diuerse other of the Counsaile and examined her of the talke that was at Ashridge betwixt her and Sir Iames a Croft concerning her remouing thence to Dunnington castle To whom she said she remembred that M. Hobby and her Officers and Sir Iames a Croft had such wordes but what is that to the purpose my Lord said shee but that I may goe to mine owne houses at all times That day or there about diuers of her owne Officers brought prouision for her meate offering and making request to the Lord Chamberlaine Constable of the Tower they might serue the same Whose request he with great indignation and threatnings refused saying for that shée is a prisoner she should be serued with none other but the Liefetenants men Vpon this occasion her graces officers made sute vnto the Counsaile that some might be appointed to bring her diet vnto her which was graunted and thereupon were appointed one of her Gentlemen the Clark of her kitchen and her two purueyors to bring in her prouision once in a day And vpon the same sute of her Officers were appointed to waite vpon her Grace two Yeomen of her Chamber one of her Robes two of her Pantrie and Ewrie one of her Butterie and another of her Sellar and likewise two of her kitchen and one of her larder all which continued with her the time of her trouble After this sort hauing lien a whole moneth there in close prison and beyng very euill at ease she desired of the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord Shandoys that she might haue libertie to walke in some other place because she felt not her selfe well at ease This request could not be granted till the next day the Lord Shandoys had obtained of the Counsaile that she might walke into the Quéenes lodgings so that he and the Lord Chamberlaine and thrée of the Quéenes gentlewomen did accompany her the windowes being shut and she not suffered to looke out at any of them Afterward there was libertie graunted her to walke in a little garden the doores and gates shutte At which times of her walking there the Prisoners on that side were straightly commaunded not to speake or looke out into the garden till her Grace were gone away hauing to that purpose their kéepers to waite vppon them for that time The L. Chamberlaine harde to the Ladie Elizabeth During this time there vsed a little boy a mans child of the tower to
eadem Emilianus eadem The martir comforted ead Arethusians 65 Marcus Arethusus ead The tēple of Venus destroyed eadem The persecution of the primitiue Church endeth eadem A moneth for a Saboth of yeres ead Sathan bounde vp til Wickliffe 66 Constantine borne in England eadem Helena daughter of K. Coilus eadem Constantines mother ead Constantine a father of the Church eadem Nicene councell eadem Constātine teacheth his soldiers a praier eadem Appeale graunted by Constantine 67 Prouision for learning ead The scriptures writtē for the vse of the church eadem Constantine baptised a little before his death eadem The rest of this history concerneth chiefly England Scotland 68 Englād receiued the gospell in Tyberius time eadem Easter kept in England after the maner of the East church eadem The gospell came into England from the East not from Rome eadem K. Lucius the first Christian K. of England eadem Fugatius Damianus ead Eleutherius 69 Almost all Christianitie destroied in England ead Guetelinus Archbishop of London eadem 271. of the nobilitie of Engl. slaine by the Saxons ead The first persecutiō in England by Dioclesian 70 The second by Gnauius and Melga eadem Vrsula eadem 11000. virgins eadem The third by Hengist ead Aurelius Ambrosius restoreth the churches eadem Gurmundus eadem Ethelbert eadem Gospel receiued of the Englishmen eadem Austen sent into Englād by Gregory B. of Rome ead I le of Tenet eadem Berda Lebardus 71 Godly conuersation miracles eadem None compelled to beleeue the abbey of S. Peter S. Paule in Canterbury ead Questions resolued from Rome 72 Bishops liuings how to bee bestowed eadem Clarkes may marry ead Diuerse ceremonies ead Degrees for marriage ead A pall from Rome 73 Mellitus eadem Austens oake eadem Brittaines Scots refuse the Easter of Rome 74 Abbey of Bangor eadem Austens pride offendeth the Britains eadem 1100. Monkes of Bangor slaine eadem Dinoe eadem Laurentius eadem Gregory dieth eadem Austen dieth eadem Strife about Primacy 75 Patriarke of Alexādria wold be vniuersall eadem The title of Seruus seruorum Dei ead Sabinianus first vniuersal bishop eadem Phocas giueth first title of vniuersall bishop eadem Ethelbert dieth eadem A vision 76 Edwine baptized eadem Paulinus the first archbishop of Yorke 77 Oswald a notable K. ead Kinigilsus conuerted Bernius 78 The sea of Winchester ead Weda conuerted ead Wolferus conuerted ead Sigbert baptized 79 Finanus eadem The questiōs of Easter ead Hilda eadem Cedda eadem A rude reason of the K. 80 The bones of Aidanus ead Southsex conuerted ead Great famine 81 The art of fishing taught eadem Wilfride restored eadem Wilfride expulsed again ead Mahomet beginneth ead Turkes conquered the Saracens 82 Theodorus eadem Latine seruice and Masse first brought into Engl. ead The archbishop plaieth Rex eadem A prouincial Synod at Thetford eadem The sixt generall councell at Constance eadem Marriage forbidden ead The first Latine masse at Cōstantinople eadem King Iua made a monke after an abbot 83 Aldelmus eadem Iohn of Beuerley eadem The right obseruing of Easter now first receiued of Picts Brittaines ead Shauen crownes eadem The K. thāketh God for the priests shauen crownes 84 The deuise of Ethelburga the Queen eadem The Queene becommeth an Abbesse eadem Peter-pence eadem Celulfus a learned king eadem Diuers learned men flourish eadem Bedaes Anglorum historia eadem Beda 85 Beda translated the Gospell of Iohn into English ead The king made a monke eadem A noble library in Yorke by a bishop eadem The lords prayer and Creed in the English tongue 86 Cuthbert 87 Pope Boniface an Englishman ead Boniface a great mainteyner of Nunnes eadem Religious fathers permitted to carry Nunnes about with them a preaching ea Libda and Tecla eadem Childerike deposed by the pope eadem Detestable doctrine of Boniface 88 Great maisteries wrought against the Emperours by popes eadem Philippicus the Emperour lost both his eyes and the empyre eadem The clause for reliques memoriall offerings and offeringes for the dead eadem The priests vesture eadem Constantinus the first gaue his feete to bee kissed of the Emperour eadem Lambrith to Lichfield 89 The king giueth the tenth of his goodes to the church eadem Romescot or peter-pēce ea The donation of Pipine the traytour and murtherer 90 Inuention of Organes eadē Pope deposed and his eyes put out ead Pope striueth for images eadem Images Lay mens kalender eadem Cost vpon images eadem Strife for Gregories masse 91 A miracle falsely interpreted eadem The empire translated to the French eadem A. B. C. Monasteries ead Irene the Greeke Empresse a mainteiner of Images 92 The cruelty of Irene ead The Emperours eyes pulled out by his mother ead Monasteries erected and founded in England eadem Common schooles at Cambridge 93 The first Nunne in North ūberland ead King Edgar builded 40. abbeyes 94 The church freed from tributes 95 Diuers faxon kings become monks ead Queenes became Nuns ead Vnder the Britains the Metropolitan sea at London 96 Cuthbert forbiddeth funenerals to be made for him ead 34. popes in the time of 17. archbishops ead The lande brought into one monarchy and called Anglia ead A Bishop made king of England ead Lands giuē to the church ea Peterpence throughout all England 97 Generall councels called by Emperour ead Against excesse of apparell in the cleargy 98 Against the dicing and whoring of the popes cleargy eadem Siluer and golde not to bee worne in shooes ead Feast of al saints first erected ead Alteration of popes names ead Swines snoute ead Gilberta a woman pope ead The pope trauaileth with childe ead Dirge for the dead 99 Popes decrees equall with the apostles writings ead A prelate called God eadem Polonians Sclauonians exempt from latine seruice eadem Against priestes marriages eadem Huldrich of Auspurgh ead The Emperour beginneth to decay the pope to swell eadem King Edmund slaine by the Danes 100 Alfred first taketh vnction from the pope ead K. of danes christened 101 Alfrede a notable king ead Time notablie spent by the king eadem Grantchester founded by Beda 102 Paris began frō Grātchester eadem Alfred very learned eadem The psalter trāslated by Alfred 103 The K. carefull to furnish the land with knowledge ead Neotus ead Iohannes Scotus ead Scotus booke de Corpore condemned eadem Sco. slain by his scholers 104 Dauids psalms alwaies with the king eadem 9. popes in 9. yeres ead P. Steuen rageth against the body of Formosus 105 Barbarous crueltie against Formosus eadem Cādles on cādlemas day 106 A pope set vp by Theodora a famous harlot ea Pope smothered ead Pope poisoned ead Mōks called Cluniacēses ea The K. authoritie sufficient in electing of bishops 107 The kinges daughter set to spinning ead The K. sonnes first Philosophers then gouernors ea Empire translated frō Frāce to Germanie ead Attaching of theeues 108
of Corpus Christi day béeing of the age of threescore yeeres and aboue About the same time diuerse others suffered trouble for the doctrine of the trueth as vnder Doctour London Maistresse Alice Dolie béeing accused of her mayde Elizabeth Wighthill for holding against Purgatorie agaynst Images for the articles of the Créede in English this was about 1520. Anno 1525. Frier Hackman for holding frée saluation by grace Anno 1525 Also Robert West priest of S. Andrewe vnder shaft for commending Martin Luther c. for which he was abiured ibid. Father wife and sisters against the Christians Anno 1530. Iohn Ribourne was accused by both his sisters his owne wife and of his owne father who were compelled by Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne to depose against him concerning meates Purgatorie pilgrimage prayer in the English tongue c. Iohn Eaton and Cecill his wife of the parish of Spure were detected by Richarde Ryburne for holding downe their heades at the sacring time and when the belles did ring at the feast of exaltation of the holie crosse betweene Mattines and Euensong for saying What a clampering of belles is here Tho. Lounde Thomas Lounde priest who had beene with Luther two yeeres béeing afterwarde cast in the Fleete at London was a great instructer of Iohn Ribourne afore mentioned At the same time vnder Iohn Longland Bishoppe of Lincolne Iohn Simonds was molested for denying Purgatorie for denying singlenes of priestes it was also testified against him that he conuerted eight priests had holpen two or thrée friers out of their orders Vnder the same Bishop about that time Abiured were these persons following examined excommunicated and abiured for being together in Iohn Taylors house of Hichenden and there hearing Nicholas Fielde of London to reade a parcell of Scripture in Englishe to them and expounde to them many thinges against images offerings prayer in the Latine tongue against the Sacraments of the Altar purgatorie c. Their names were these William Wingraue Thomas Haukes of Hichenden Robert Hawes of West Wickam Iohn Taylor Iohn Hawkes Thomas Herne of Colshill Nicholas Fielde Richard Deane Thomas Clarke the yonger William Hawkes of Chesham Vnder Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne Simon Wisdome of Burford was molested for the Gospell the Psalter the summe of holie Scripture in English so Iames Alger or Aliger because he sayde euerie Christian man liuing after the lawes of God is a Priest hee woulde no dole for his soule and denyed Purgatorie c. He had not of long time beene confessed and for denying the Priestes power of absolution with the other before was compelled to seeke reconcilement in the Church and to abiure the trueth Anno 1526. Pope Clement the seuenth absolueth the othe made of the French king to the Emperour and ioyneth together a confederacie of the Venetians and other Princes against the Emperour whereof the Duke of Burbone and other of the Emperours Captaynes hauing intelligence gathered their armies together and after muche fighting and bloudshed about Millan Hawde and Cremona at length they approched and bent their siege against Rome and after thrée sharpe assaults obtained the Cittie with the whole spoyle thereof Rome spoiled and the Pope taken prisoner Where he besieged the foresaied Pope with his Cardinals in the mount of Adrian and tooke him prisoner Anno 1527. In the Castell of saint Angell at which tyme Rome suffered more spoyle then of the Goathes and Vandalles the Souldiours that dayly laie at the siege of the Castell made iestes of the Pope Rimes made of the Pope sometime they had one riding like the Pope with a whore behinde him sometimes hée blessed and sometime he cursed and sometime they would with one voice call him Antechrist c. When the Cardinall Wolsey here in England heard how his father of Rome was taken prysoner he laboured to the Kinge to fight against the Emperour for the deliuerie of the Pope whiche the Kinge refused by his owne person or his people to doe but yéelded to the Cardinall of his treasure to take what himselfe thought conuenient who therevpon made out of the Kinges treasure twelue score thousand pounds 220000. li. out of the kings tresure to fight against the Emperour and caried it ouer the sea with him whiche when he came to the kinges court at Amiens he conuerted to the hiring of Souldiours and furnishing out the French kinges armie appointing also certaine Englishe Captaines in the king of Englands name to goe agaynst the Emperour to restore the Pope all whiche armie was paide with the kinge of Englandes mony The cause why the Cardinall bare the Emperour this malice after some wryters appeareth to be this At what tyme as Pope Clement was taken prysoner the Cardinall wrote vnto the Emperour that hée shoulde make him Pope but when he had receiued an aunswere that pleased him not he waxed furious madde and wrote manie menacing letters vnto the Emperour that if hee would not make him Pope hee woulde make suche a ruffeling betweene Christian princes as was not this hundred yéeres before Proude Prelats yea though it should cost the whole Realme of England Whose ambitious endeuour the king himselfe did also fauour as it appeareth by instructions giuen of the King to his Ambassadours at Rome to that effect that Wolsey might be placed in the papacie after the death of Pope Clement to the ende hée might compasse his cause of diuorce To the end the king might compasse his cause of diuorce While the Ambassadours were trauelling at Rome for the aduauncement of the Cardinall to bee Pope if Clement were dead hee played héere the Persecutour at home First hée caused Fryer Barnes an Augustine Fryer to beare a fagotte for certaine pointes which hée called heresie hée caused two marchauntes of the Still yeard to beare fagottes for eating fleshe on Friday This was about Anno 1526. Anno 1528. The Cardinall caused Arthur Bilney Geffery Lound and Garret to be abiured for speaking against the Popes authoritie and his pompous pride Anno 1529. The Cardinall was cast in a Premunire 1529 The proude Cardinal cast in a Premunire and execution performed vppon him hee forfeited all his Landes Tenementes goodes and cattell and should haue beene put out of the Kinges protection The K. gracious to the Cardinall but the king sent him a sufficient protection and of his gentlenesse lefte to him the Bishoprickes of Yorke and Winchester and gaue vnto him plate and stuffe conuenient for his degree Anno 1530. 1530. A Parliament In the moneth of Nouember was summoned a generall parliament to be holden at Westminster in which Syr Thomas Moore succeedeth in the Lorde Chauncelourship vnto the Cardinal The Commons in this Parliament propounded their griefes against the spiritualtie Griefe of the communalty against the spiritualtie which were especially sixe First the excessiue fynes that the Ordinaries tooke for probate of Testaments as a thousande markes
the L. Graie Sir George Carew and Sir Richard Greenfield who purged the town of the slander although for a time they were in displeasure yet wtin a while after they came into greater fauor then before and were rewarded with xx l. a yéere a péece at the least Rockwood one of the fearcest persecutors fell into dispaire Rockwood a persecutor despaireth Gods iudgements and at the last breath cried he was vtterly damned for that he said malitiously he sought the death of such good men The Vndermarshall also another persecutor suddenly fell downe in the counsell chamber and neuer spake worde and the rest of the persecutors had the reuenging hand of God following after them Adam Damlip Adam Damlip taken againe who before escaped lay hid in the West-country teaching a schoole about a yéere or two by the miserable inquisition of the six articles was againe taken and brought vp to London where he was by St. Gardiner commanded to the Marshalsea there lay the space of other two yéeres where thinking he had béene forgotten he in the Latine tongue wrote an epistle to the B. of Winchester wherin he said he would write his obedience submission for said he I had rather die then here to remaine and not to be suffered to vse my talent to Gods glorie This he said to M. Marbecke then prisoner in the Marshalsea This epistle he deliuered to his kéeper about Saturday in the morning which was about the ij wéeke before Whitsontide desiring him to deliuer it at the court to the B. of Winchester which he did The B. made such quicke dispatch that the kéeper came home at night very late brought with him a precept for the executiō of Adam Damlip So vpon munday early in the morning the kéeper other of the knight Marshals men cōueied Adam vnto Calice vpon the Ascension euen there cōmitted him to the Maiors prison because they could not burthen him with any thing within a sufficient cōpasse of time to condemne him they laid to his charge he had receiued a French crowne of cardinall Poole at Rome where before his first comming to Calice he was requested to read thrée lectures a wéeke in Cardinall Pooles house therefore they condemned him and executed him for treason Adam Damlip put to death which death he most méekely and hartely tooke Iohn Butler and sir Daniell the curate before mentioned after ix moneths imprisonment were with much labour permitted to returne to Calice againe William Steuens aboue mentioned who had remained all this time in the Tower was condemned also of treason with his guest Adam Damlip pardoned by the king Adam Damlip had sometimes béene a great papist chaplaine to Fisher B. of Rochester after the death of his maister trauelled France Dutchland and Italie and came to Rome where he would not for the wickednes of the place abide to remaine though cardinall Poole offered him maintenance to read iij. lectures a wéeke in his house which he refused for receiuing onely a French crowne he was condemned and executed for treason he receiued it at the Cardinals hand to drinke and beare some charge of expence By the preaching of Adam Damlip in Calice among others there was a poore mā whose name is not yet certainly knowne who was conuerted to the truth therfore condemned by one Haruey there being cōmissarie whom this Haruey in time of his iudgement called Hereticke and said he should die a vile death the poore man aunswered againe and said that he was no hereticke but was in the faith of Christ and whereas thou saidest said he that I shall die a vile death thou thy self shalt die a viler death and that shortly And so it came to passe for within half a yéere after Haruey was hanged Gods iudgement drawne and quartered for treason in the same towne of Calice After the burning of this poore man there was also a certaine other schooler coūted to be a dutchman named Dodde who comming out of Germany was there taken with certaine Germane bookes about him being examined standing stoutly to the doctrine of the gospell he was burned A little before this time Will. Bolton alias Crosbowmaker for saying the Pope wanted Charitie if he could and would not release soules out of Purgatorye by Doctor Darlie parson of our Ladies Church in Calice then Commissarie for Archbishoppe Warham was made to beare a fagotte and lost his wages which was vi pence a day who complaining thereof to the king and declaring vnto his maiestie the cause sent him to Calice againe and after that gaue him viij pence a day As for the vi articles many good men were put to death so for the Popes supremacie diuerse suffered And about this time Larke a priest of Chelsey for the supremacie and Germine Gardiner néere kinseman to Stephen Gardiner and his secretarie for practising for the Pope against the King were put to death By an act of parlament holden An. 1544. 1544. The rigour of vi articles mitigated the rigour of the vi articles was asswaged a little at the first time it was permitted that they which offended against them might recant which if they refused to doe and offended againe they should beare a fagot and should be admitted to abiure if the third time they offended then they should sustaine punishment according to law Notwithstanding this Parlament had thus mittigated the rigor yet remained the poison and all manner of bookes bearing the name of Williām Tindall or what other booke soeuer contained any thing against the vi articles were debarred In this Parlament also it was permitted onely to noblemen and gentlemen Noblemen and Gentlemē permitted to reade the scripture to reade the scriptures to their edifying so they did it without discussing or vrging therevpon In this Parlament also it was permitted to the party detected to trye his cause by witnesses as many or more in number as the other which deposed against him Anno 1545. 1545. Sixe articles more qualified the vi articles were yet much more qualified by Act of Parlament whereby it was also decréed that the king should haue full power to appoint 32. persons to wit sixetéene of the Cleargie and sixetéene of the temporaltie to peruse and ouersée examine the Canons constitutions and ordinances of the canon law aswell prouinciall as synodall and so according to their discretions to establish an order of ecclesiastical lawes such as should be thought by the king most conuenient This yeere 1544. Iohn Heywood recanted the Popes supremacie and Iohn At h the trueth of the sacrament About the yeere 1546. 1546 Saxy hanged one Saixe a priest was hanged in the porters lodge of Stephen Gardiner not without the consent of the Bishop as it is supposed there was also a seruant in Colchester named Henrie burned for the testimony of the trueth Henry burned This yeere 1546. One Kerby Kerby was
staires in the Cardinals chamber at Gréenewich after hée had receiued the Cardinals blessing One Grundwood of Hitcham who was procured by William Fenning to witnes salsly against a godly man one Cooper of Watsame that he should wish if God would not that the Diuell would take away Quéene Mary as hée was in his labour staking vp a gulphe of corne suddainly his bowels fell out and so he died The Parson of Crondall in Kent hauing receiued the Popes blessing from Cardinall Poole shrunke downe in the pulpet and was found dead D. Geffery Chancellor of Salisbury hauing appoynted the day before his death to call 90. persons before him to examination was preuented by Gods hand and so died Master Woodroof who was cruell against M. Rogers was stricken the one halfe of his body that he lay benummed and so continued seuen or eight yéeres till he died and scarse escaped any of them but the hand of God strangely was vpon them all before their death Popish prelates die thicke together about the death of Queene Mary that had defiled themselues with the blood of Gods children Especially it is to be noted how many of the popish prelates died not long before Quéene Mary or not longer after Before her died Coates B. of Winchester Parfew B. of Harford Glinne B. of Bangor Brookes B. of Glocester King B. of Thame Peto elect of Salsbury Day B. of Chichester Holyman B. of Bristow After her Cardinall Poole the next day of some Italian Phisicke as some did suspect then I. Christophorsen B. of Chichester White B. of Winchester Hopton B. of Norwich Morgan B. of S. Dauids Rafe Bayne B. of Liechfield and Couentrie Owine Oglethorpe B. of Carlill Cutbert Tonstall who was no bloudy persecutor B. of Durham Thomas Raynolds elect of Hereford after his depriuation died in pryson Doctor Weston Deane of Westminster after Deane of Windsore chiefe disputer against Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Maister Slythurst maister of trinitie Colledge in Oxford who died in the Tower Seth Holland Deane of Worcester and Warden of Alsoule colledge in Oxforde William Copinger monke of Westminster fell mad and died in the Tower Doct. Steward Deane of Winchester Such of the Popish Cleargie as escaped death and were committed to prison were these In the Tower Nicholas Heath Archb. of Yorke and Lord Chancellor Th. Thurleby B. of Ely Th. Watson B. of Lincolne Gilbert Bourne B. of Bath Welles Rich. Pates B. of Worcester Troublefield B. of Exceter Iohn Fecknam Abbot of Westminster Iohn Baxall Deane of Windsor Peterborow Godwel B. of S. Asse and Maurice elect of Bangor ran away In the Marshalsea Edmond Boner Tho. Wood B. elect In the Fléete Cuthbert Scot Bishop of Chester whence he escaped to Louain and there died Henrie Cole Deane of Paules Iohn Harpesfield Archdeacon of London and Deane of Norwich Nicholas Harpesfield Archd. of Canterbury Anthonie Dracot Archd. of Huntington William Chadsey Archdeacon of Middlesex Anno 1572. Iohn Whiteman Iohn Whiteman a notable martyr Shoemaker of Rye in Sussex a married man of 23. yéeres It being seruice time at Ostend in Flanders went to the Church and at the time of the heaue offering stept to the sacrificer and tooke from ouer his head his Idoll saying these wordes in the Duitch tongue Is this your God And so breaking it cast it down vnder his féete and trode thereon Forthwith he was taken and on Tuesday after had sentence giuen against him first to haue his hand cut off and his body scorched to death and after to be hanged vp Which sentence he tooke so patiently and the execution thereof with such willingnes that so soon as he was out of the prison to be carried to execution he made such haste and as it were a ranne to the place of execution that he drew the hangman after him There was prepared for his execution a post with spars from the top therof aslope down to the ground in maner of a tent to the end that he should be scorched to death and not burned When he was come to the place the hangman commanded him to lay down his right hand vpon a block which he immediatly with an hatchet smote of the goodman stil cōtinuing patient constant Then the hangman stept behind him bids him put out his tongue which he forthwith did as far as he could out of his head through the which he thrust a long instrument like a packnéedle and so let it sticke So being stript into his shirt he was put into the tent made fast with two chaines and fire put round about him which broiled him scorched him al black and when he was dead he was carried to be hanged vpon a Gibbet besides the towne Anno 1558. the last day of March was appointed a day of conference betwixt 9. priests and 9. protestants concerning matters of religion A conference for matters of religion The names of the Papistes were these Winchester Lichfield Chester Carlile Lincoln Cole Harpesfield Longdale Chadsey The names of the Protestants Story B. of Chichester Cox Whitehead Grindall Horne Sands Best Elmer Iewell Three propositions to dispute of The matter they should dispute of was comprehended in these propositions 1 It is against the word of God the custome of the ancient Church to vse a tongue vnknown to the people in common praier administratiō of the sacramēts 2 Euery Church hath authority to appoint take away and change ceremonies and Ecclesiastical rites so the same be to edification 3 It cannot be proued by the word of God that there is in the masse offered vp a sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and the dead It was decréed according to the desire of the papists that it should be in writing on both partes for auoiding of much altercation of words and each of them should deliuer their writings to other to consider what were improued therein and to declare the same againe in writing some other conuenient day This was agréed on of both parts The Lords also of the parlement made means to her maiesty that the parties of this conference might reade their assertions in the English tongue and that in the presence of the nobility and others of the parlement house for the better satisfaction and the better enabling of their owne iudgements to treate and conclude of such lawes as might depend therevpon This was thought very reasonable and agréed vpon the day being appointed the last of March the place Westminster church Notwithstanding this former order appointed cōsented vnto on both parts The assēbly being now made the B. of Winchester his collegues alleadging that they had mistaken that their assertions and reasons should be writtē so only recited out of a booke said that their booke was not then ready written but they were ready to argue dispute The Papists flee from the agreement and therefore they would for that time repeate in spéech that which they had