folowyng the same So Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord be as testimonies and profes that by our fayth only in Christ we are iustified that as our bodyes are washed by water and our life nourished by bread and wine so by the bloud of Christ our sinnes be purged and the hunger of our soules releued by the death of his body Upon the same fayth riseth also outward profession by mouth as a declaration thereof Other thinges also as fruites and effectes do follow after fayth as peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost inuocation patience charitie mercy iudgement sanctification For God for our fayth in Christ his sonne therfore geueth into our hartes his holy spirite of comfort of peace and sanctification whereby mans hart is moued to a godly disposition to feare God to seek him to call vpon him to trust vnto him to stick to him in all aduersities and persecutions to loue him for hys sake also to loue our brethren to haue mercy and compassion vpon them to visite them if they be in prison to breake bread to them if they be hungry and if they be burdened to ease them to clothe them if they be naked and to harbour them if they be houseles Mat. 25. with such other spirituall exercises of pietie and sanctification as these which therefore I call spirituall because they proceede of the holy spirite and law of God which is spirituall And thus haue ye a Catholicke Christian defined first after the rules of Rome and also after the rule of the Gospell Now conferre these Antitheses together and see whether of these is the truer christian the ceremonial man after the Church of Rome or the spirituall man with his fayth and other spirituall fruites of pietie following after the same And if ye say that ye mixt them both together spirituall thinges with your corporall ceremonies to that I aunswere agayne that as touching the end of remission of sinnes and saluation they ought in no case to be ioyned together because the meane cause of all our saluation and remission is onely spirituall and consisteth in fayth and in no other And therefore vpon the same cause I come to my question agayne as I began to aske whether the Religion of Christ be a mere spirituall religion and whether in the Religion of Rome as it is now is any thing but onely mere corporall thinges required to make a catholicke man And thus I leaue you to your aunswere IN turning ouer the first leafe of this booke which is pag. 2. col 1. and in the latter end of the same colume thou shalt finde gentle Reader the argument of Pighius Hosius wherein thus they argue That forsomuch as Christ must needes haue a catholicke Church euer continuing here in earth which all men may see wherunto all men ought to resort and seeing no other church hath endured continually from the Apostles visible here in earth but only the church of Rome they conclude therefore the Church onely of Rome to be the right Catholicke Church of Christ. c. In aunswering whereunto this is to be sayd that forsomuch as the medius terminus of this argument both in the Maior and Minor consisteth onely in the word visible and vnknowne if they meane by this word visible in the Maior that Christes Church must be seene here to all the world that all men may resort to it it is false Likewise if they meane by the same word visible in the Minor that no other Church hath bene seene and known to any but onely the Church of Rome they are likewise deceiued For the true Church of Christ neyther is so visible that all the worlde can see it but onelye they whiche haue spirituall eyes and bee members thereof nor yet so inuisible agayne but suche as be Gods elect and members therof doe see it and haue seen it though the worldly eyes of the most multitude cannot so doe c. Wherof read more in the protestation aboue prefixed to the church of England Foure considerations geuen out to Christian Protestantes professours of the Gospell with a briefe exhortation inducing to reformation of life ¶ The first consideration AS in the page before foure questions were moued to the Catholick Papists to answere them at theyr leysure so haue I here to the Christian Gospellers foure considerations likewise for them to muse vpon with speede conuenient THe first consideration is this euery good man well to weigh with himselfe the long tranquillitie the great plenty the peaceable libertie which the Lord of his mercy hath bestowed vpon this land during all the reigne hetherto of this our Souereigne and most happy Queene ELIZABETH in such sort as the like example of Gods aboundant mercies are not to be seene in any nation about vs so as we may well sing with the Psalme in the Churche Non fecit taliter omni nationâ— opes gloria suae non manifestauit eis first in hauing the true light of Gods gospel so shining among vs so publickly receiued so freely preached with such libertie of conscience without daunger professed hauing withall a Prince so vertuous a Queene so gratious geuen vnto vs of our owne natiue country bred and borne amongst vs so quietly gouerning vs so long lent vnto vs in such peace defending vs agaynst such as would els diuoure vs briefly what could we haue more at Gods hand if wee woulde wish or what els could we wish in this world that we haue not if this one thing lacked not grace to vse that well which we haue ¶ The second consideration AS these thinges first are to be considered concerning our selues so secondly let vs consider likewise the state and tymes of other our countrymen and blessed Martyrs afore past what stormes of persecutions they susteined what little rest they had with what enemies they were matched with what crosses pressed vnder what Princes vnder what Prelates they liued or rather dyed in the dayes of King Henry the 4. king Henry 5. King Henry 7. King Henry 8. Queene Mary c. vnder Boâ—er Bishoppe of London Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchester Cholmley Story Bishoppe Arundell Stokesley Courtney Warham At what time children were caused to set fire to their fathers The father adiured to accuse the sonne the wife to accuse the husband the husband the wife brother the sister sister the brother examples whereof are plenty in this booke to be seene pag. 774. ¶ The third consideration THirdly let vs call to mynd considering thus with our selues These good men and worthy Martyrs in those dangerous daies tastyng as they did the heauy hand of Gods sharpe correction beginning commonly with his owne house first if they were aliue now in these Alcion daies vnder the protection of such a peaceable prince O what thanks would they geue to God how happy would they count themselues hauing but halfe of that we haue with freedome onely of conscience and safetie of lyfe Or if in
priest haddeÌ„ their part of sacrifices and the first bygeten beastes and other things as the lawe telleth And Lorde S. Paul thy seruant sayth that the order of the priesthode of Aaron ceased in Christes comming and the lawe of that priesthode For Christ was end of sacrifices yoffered vpoÌ„ the crosse to the father of heauen to bring man out of sinne and become himself a priest of Melchisedeks order For he was both king priest without beginning and end and both the priesthoode of Aaron and also the law of that priesthode ben ychaunged in the comming of Christ. And S. Paul sayth it is reproued for it broghâ— no man to perfection For bloude of gotes ne of other beastes ne might done away sinne for to that Christ shad his bloud A Lord Iesu wether thou ordenest an order of priests to offreÌ„ in the auter thy flesh and thy bloude to bringen men out of sinne and also out of peine And whether thou geue them alonelych a power to eat thy flesh and thy bloud and wether none other man may eate thy flesh and thy bloud with outen leue of priestes Lord we beleeuen that thy flesh is verey meate and thy bloude verey drinke and who eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy bloud dwelleth in thee and thou in him and who that eateth this bread shall liue without end But Lord thine disciples sayd this is an hard worde but thou answerest them and seidest When yee seeth mans soone stiuen vp there hee was rather the spirite is that maketh you liue the wordes that yche haue spoken to you ben spirite life Lord yblessed more thou be for in this worde thou teachest vs that hee that kepeth thy wordes and doth after them eateth thy fleshe and drinketh thy bloude and hath an euerlasting life in thee And for we shoulden haue minde of thys liuing thou gauest vs the sacrament of thy flesh and bloud in forme of bred and wine at thy supper before that thou shouldest suffer thy death and tooke bread in thine hand and saidest take ye this and eate it for it is my body and thou tookest wine and blessedest it and sayde thys is the bloud of a new and an euerlasting testament that shall be shed for many men in forgeuenes of sinnes as oft as ye haue done doo ye this in minde of me A Lord thou ne bede not thine disciples makeÌ„ this a sacrifice to bring men out of paines gif a priest offred thy body in the alter but thou bede them go and fullen all the folke in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost in forgeuenes of their sinnes and teache ye them to keepe those thynges that ych haue coÌ„manded you And Lord thine disciples ne ordeined not priests principallich to make thy body in sacrament but for to teach the people and good husbandmen that well gouern their housholds both wiues children their meiny they ordeind to be priests to teachen other men the law of Christ both in worde in dede they liuedein as true Christen men euery day they eaten Christes body and drinken his bloude to the sustenance of liuing of theyr soules and otherwhiles they tooken the sacrament of his body in forme of bread and wine in mind of our Lord Iesu Christ. But all this is turned vpse downe for now who so will liuen as thou taughtest he shal ben holden a foole And gif he speake thy teaching he shal ben holden an heretick accursed Lord yhaue no lâ—nger wonder hereof for so they seiden to thee wheÌ„ thou wer here some time And therefore wee moten take in pacience theyr wordes of blasphemy as thou didest thy selfe or els we weren to blame And truelych Lord I trowe that if thou were nowe in the world and taughtest as thou diddest some time thou shuldest ben done to death For thy teaching is damned for heresy of wise men of the world and then moten they nedes ben heretickes that teachen thy lore and all they also that trauelen to liue thereafter And therfore Lord gif it be thy wil helpe thine vnkunning lewde seruaunts that wolen by their power and their kunning helpe to destroy sinne Leue Lorde sithe thou madest woman in helpe of man in a more fraile degree then man is to be gouerned by mans reason What perfection of charity is in these priests and in men of religion that haue forsaken spoushod that thou ordeinedst in Paradise betwixt man and woman for perfection to forsaken traueile and liuen in ease by other mens traueile For they mow not do bodilich workes for defouling of their handes with whom they touchen thy precious body in the aulter Leue Lorde gif good men forsaken the company of woman nedes they moten haue the gouernaile of man then moteÌ„ they ben ycoupled with shrewes and therfore thy spoushode that thou madest in clennes from sinne it is nowe ychaunged into liking of the flesh And Lord this is a great mischiefe vnto thy people And young priestes and men of religion for defaulte of wiues maken many women horen and drawen through their euell ensample many other men to sinne and the ease that they liuen in and their welfare is a great cause of this mischiefe And Lord me thinketh that these ben quaint orders of religion and none of thy sect that wolen taken horen whilke God forfendes and forsaken wiues that God ne forfendeth not And forsaKen trauail that God commaunds and geuen their selfe to idlenes that is the mother of all noughtines And Lorde Mary thy blessed mother and Ioseph touched oftentimes thy body and wroughten with their honds and liueden in as much clennes of soule as our priestes done nowe and touched thy body and thou touchedest them in their soules And Lorde our hope is that thou goen not out of a poore mans soule that traueileth for his liuelode with his handes For Lord our beliefe is that thine house is mans soul that thou madest after thine owne likenes But Lord God men maketh nowe great stonen houses full of glasen windowes and clepeth thilke thine houses and Churches And they setten in these houses Mawmets of stockes and stones and to fore them they knelen priuilich apert and maken their prayers and all this they sayen is thy woorship and a great herieng to thee A Lorde thou forbiddest sometime to make suche Mawmetes and who that had yworshipped such had be woorthy to be deeade Lorde in the Gospell thou sayst that true heriers of God ne herieth him not in that hil beside Samarie ne in Hierusalem neyther but true heriers of God herieth him in spirite and in trueth And Lord God what herying is it to bilden thee a church of dead stones and robben thy quicke Churches of their body liche lyueloode Lord God what heryeng is it to cloth mawmets of stockes and of stones in siluer and in golde and
temporall and nobilitie of the Realme and cheifly those that studied for the preseruatioÌ„ of the commonweale not â—casing as yet to coÌ„tinue his mischeuous enterprise if by Gods prouideÌ„ce it be not preuented that with speed Amongst all other of the Nobilitie these first he put to death the Earle of Salisbury the Earle of Huntington the Earle of Gloucester the Lord Roger Clarendon the kyngs brother with diuers other knights and Esquiers and afterwards the Lord Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and the Lord Henry Percy sonne and heyre to the Earle of Northunberland the which Lord Henry he not onely slew but to the vttermost of his power againe and againe he caused hym to be slayne For after that he was once put to death and deliuered to the Lord of Furniuale to be buryed who committed his body to holy sepulture with as much honour as might be commending his soule to almighty God with the suffrages of the blessed masse other praiers the said Lord Henry most like a cruel beast still thirsting hys bloud caused his body to be exhumate brought forth againe and to be reposed betwene two milstones in the towne of Shreusbury there to be 〈◊〉 wyth armed men And afterwards to be beheaded anâ— quartered commanding his head and quarters to be caried vnto diuers cities of the kingdome Wherefore for so detestable a fact neuer heard of in any age before we pronounce him as in the former articles excommunicate 8. Eightly we depose c. agaynst the said Lord Henry for that after his atteining to the crowne he willingly ratified allowed and approued a most wicked statute set forth renued in yâ— parliament holden at Winchester The which statute is directly against yâ— Church of Rome the power principalitie therof giuen by our Lord Iesus Christ and vnto blessed S. Peter his successors Bishops of Rome vnto whom belongeth by full authoritie the free disposing of all spirituall promotions as wel superior as inferiour which wicked statute is the cause of many mischiefes vid. of simonie periurie adultery incest misorder disobedience for that many Bishops Abbots priors and prelats we will not say by vertue but rather by errour of this statute haue bestowed yâ— benefices vacant vpoÌ„ yong men rude and vnworthy persons which haue compacted with them for the same so that scarce no one prelate is found that hath not couenanted with the partie promoted for the halfe yearely or at the least the third part of the said benefice so bestowed And by this meanes the said statute is the destruction of the right of S. Peter the Church of Rome and England the Cleargie and vniuersities the mainteuance of wars and the whole common wealth c. 9. Ninthly we say and depose c. against the said Lord Henry that after he had tyrannously taken vpon him the gouernement of the Realme England neuer florished since nor prospered by reason of his continuall exactions of money and oppressions yearely of the cleargie and coÌ„minaltie neither is it knowen how this money so extorted is bestowed when as neither his souldiours nor his gentlemen are payed as yet their wages and fees for their charges and wonderfull toile and labour neither yet the poore countrey people are satisfied for the victuall taken of them And neuertheles the miserable clergie and more miserable comminaltie are forced still to pay by menaces and sharp threatnings Notwithstanding he sware when he first vsurped the crowne that hereafter there should be no such exactions nor vexations neither of the clergie nor lâ—â—tie Wherfore as afore we pronounce him periured c. 10. In the tenth and last article we depose say and openly protest by these presents for our selues all our assistents in the cause of the Church of Rome and England and in the cause of king Richard his heires the clergie and comminaltie of the whole Realme that neither our entention is was nor shall be in word nor deed to offend any state either of the prelats spirituall Lords temporall nor commons of the realme but rather foreseeing the perdition and destruction of this Realme to approch we haue here brought before you certeine articles concerning the destruction of the same to be circumspectlie considered of the whole assembly as well of the Lords spirituall as temporall and the faithfull commons of England beseeching you all in that bowels of Iesus Christ the righteous iudge and for the merits of our blessed Lady the mother of God and of S. George our defender vnder whose displayed banner we wish to liue and die and vnder paine of damnation that ye will be fauourable to vs and our causes which are three in number Wherof the first is that we exalt vnto the kingdome the true lawfull heire and him to crowne in kinglie throne with the diademe of England And secondly that we renoke the weshmen the Irishmen and all other our enimies vnto perpetuall peace and amitie Thirdly and finally that we deliuer and make free our natiue countrey from al exactions extortioÌ„s vniust paiments Beseeching our Lord Iesus Christ to graunt his blessing the remission of their sinnes life euerlasting to all that assist vs to their power in this godly and meritorious worke and vnto all those that are against vs we threaten the curse of almighty God by the authority committed vnto vs by Christ and his holy Church and by these presents we pronounce them excommunicate These Articles being seene and read much concourse of people daily resorted more and more to that archbishop The Earle of Westmerland being then not far off with Iohn the kings sonne hearing of this mustered his souldiours with all the power he was able to make bent toward the Archbishop but seeing his part too weake to encounter with him vseth practise of policie where strength would not serue And first comming to him vnder colour of frendship dissembled laboureth to seeke out the causes of that great stirre To whome the Archbyshop againe answering no hurt to be entended thereby but profit rather to the kyng and common wealth and maintenance of publicke peace but for so much as he stood in great scare and danger of the king he was therefore compelled so to doo And withall shewed vnto him the contents of the Articles aforesaid which when the Earle had read setting a faire face vpon it seemed highly to commend the purpose and doyngs of the Bishop promising moreouer that he would helpe also forward in that quarell to the vttermost of his power And required vpon the same a day to be set when they with equall number of men might meere together in some place appointed to haue farther talke of the matter The Archbishop easilie perswaded was content although much against the counsaile of the Earle Marshall and came Where the Articles being openly published and read the Earle of Westmerland with his companie pretended well to like vpon the same and to ioyne their
and equitie is banished the Ecclesiasticall power is iniuried and the calamitie of this Schisme bringeth in all kinde of bondage swords and violence doth rule the laitie haue the dominion concord and vnitie are banished and all prescript rules of Religion vtterly contemned and set at naught Consider most gentle Lords how that during this most pestiferous Schisme how manie heresies haue appeared and shewed themselues how manie heretickes haue scaped vnpunished how manie Churches haue beene spoiled and pulled downe how manie Cities haue beene oppressed and regions brought to ruine what confusion hath there happened in the Cleargie What and how great destruction hath bene amongst the Christian people I pray you marke how the Church of God the spouse of Christ and the mother of all faithfull is contemned and despised For who doth reuerence the keies of the Church who feareth the censures or lawes or who is it that doth defend the liberties thereof But rather who is it that doth not offend the same or who doth not inuade it or else what is he that dare not violentlie lay hands vpon the patrimonie or heritage of Iesus Christ The goods of the Cleargie and of the poore and the reliefe of Pilgrimes and straungers gotten together by the bloud of our Sauiour and of manie Martyres are spoyled and taken awaie behold the abhomination of the desolation brought vpon the Church of God the destruction of the faith and the confusion of the Christian people to the ruine of the Lordes flocke or folde and all the whole companie of our most holy Sauiour and redeemer This losse is more great or greeuous then anie which could happen vnto the Martires of Christ and thys persecution much more cruell then the persecution of anie tyrants for they did but only punish the bodies but in this schsme and diuision the soules are tormented There the bloud of men was only shed but in this case the true faith is subuerted and ouerthrowne That persecution was saluation vnto many but this Schisme is destruction vnto all men When the tirants raged then the faith did increase but by this diuision it is vtterly decaied During their crueltie and madnes the primatiue Church increased but through this schisme it is confounded and ouerthrowne Tiraunts did ignorantly offende but in this schisme many do wittingly and willingly euen of obstinacie offend There came in heretikes vsers of Symonie and hypocrites to the great detriment and deceit of the Church vnder those tirants the merites of the iust were increased But during this Schisme mischiefe and wickednes are augmented for in this most cursed and execrable diuision truth was made an enimie vnto all Christians faith is not regarded loue and charitie hated hope is lost iustice ouerthrowne no kinde of courage or valiantnes but onely vnto mischiefe modestie and temperance cloked wisedome turned into deceit humilitie fained equitie and truth falsified pacience vtterly fled conscience small all wickednes intended deuotion counted folly gentlenes abiect and cast away religion despised obedience not regarded and all maner of life reprochfull and abhominable With how great and greeuous sorowes is the Church of God replenished filled whiles that tirants do oppresse it heretikes inuade it vsers of Symonie do spoile and rob it and schismatikes go about vtterly to subuert it O most miserable and wretched christian people whome now by the space of forty yeares with such indurate and continuall schisme they haue tormented and almost brought to ruine O the little barke and ship of Christ whiche hath so long time wandred and straied now in the middest of the whorlepooles and by and by sticketh fast in the rocks tossed too and fro with most greeuous and tempestuous stormes O miserable and wretched boate of Peter if the most holy father would suffer thee to sinke or drowne into what dangers and perils haue the wicked pirates brought thee amongst what rockes haue they placed thee O most godly and louing Christians what faithfull deuout man is there which beholding and seeing the great ruine and decay of the Church would not be prouoked vnto teares what good conscience is there that can refraine weeping because that contention and strife is powred vpon the ecclesiasticall rulers which haue made vs to erre in the way because they haue not founde or rather would not finde the way of vnitie and concord Whereupon so many heresies and so great confusion is sproong vp and growne in the flocke of Peter and the fold of our Lord. Many Princes Kings and Prelates haue greatly laboured and trauelled for the rooting out heereof but yet could they neuer bring to passe or finish that most holesome and necessary worke Wherefore most Christian King this most glorious and triumphant victory hath tarried only for thee the crowne and glorie therof shal be thine for euer and this most happy victory shall be continually celebrate to thy great honour and praise that thou hast restored againe the Church which was so spoiled thou hast remoued and put away all inueterate and ouergrowne Schismes and diuisions thou hast troden downe vsers of Symony rooted out all hereticks Doest thou not behold see how great perpetuall and famous renowne glory it wil be vnto thee For what can be more iust what more holy what more better what more to be desired or finally what can be more acceptable than to roote out this wicked and abhominable Schisme to restore the Church againe vnto hir auncient libertie to extinguish and put away all Simony and to condemne and destroy all errours and heresies from amongst the flocke of the faithfull Nothing truly can be better nothing more holy nothing more profitable for the whole worlde and finally nothing more acceptable vnto God For the performance of which most holy and godly worke thou wast elect and chosen of God thou wast first deputed and chosen in heauen before thou wast elect and chosen vpon earth Thou wast first appointed by the celestiall and heauenly Prince before the electours of the Empire did elect or choose thee and specially that by the Imperiall force and power thou shouldest condemne and destroy those errours and heresies which wee haue presently in hand to be condemned and subuerted To the performance of this most holy worke God hath giuen vnto thee the knowledge vnderstanding of his diuine truth and veritie power of princely maiestie and the iust iudgement of equitie and righteousnes as the most highest himselfe doth say I haue geuen thee vnderstāding and wisedome to speake and vtter my words and haue set thee to rule ouer nations and kingdomes that thou shouldest helpe the people plucke down and destroy iniquitie by exercising of iustice thou shouldest I say destroy all errours and heresies and specially this obstinate heretike heere present through whose wickednes mischiefe many places of the world are infected with most pestilent and hereticall poison and by his meanes and occasion almost vtterly subuerted
be done in priuate houses so that whosoeuer should atteÌ„pt the contrary should be depriued const 57. Moreouer coÌ„cernyng Clerkes leauyng their Churches const 58. Also concerning the order maner of funerals const 59. And that Byshops should not keepe froÌ„ their flocke const 67. The same IustiniaÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Clergy of ConstaÌ„tinople the priuiledge of the secular court in cases onely ciuile and such as touched not the disturbauÌ„ce of the Byshop otherwise in all criminall causes he left them to the iudgemeÌ„t of the secular court const 83. He geueth also lawes decrees for breach of matrimonie const 117. in diuers other places And in his const 123. after the doctrine of S. Paule he commauÌ„deth all Byshops Priestes to sounde out their seruice to celebrate the misteries not after a secrete maner but with a loude voyce so as they might not onely be heard but also be vnderstand of the faythfull people what was sayd done Whereby it is to be gathered that diuine prayers and seruice then was in the vulgar toung And as the said Iustinian other Emperours in those dayes had the iurisdictioÌ„ and gouernement ouer spirituall matters persons the like examples also may be brought of other kyngs in other laÌ„des who had no lesse authoritie in their Realmes then Emperours had in their Empire As in FrauÌ„ce Clodoueus the first Christened kyng at Orleans caused a CouÌ„cell of 33. Byshops where .33 Canons were instituted coÌ„cernyng the gouernemeÌ„t of the Church within .200 yeares after Christ. Ex primo Tomo Concil Carolus Magnus beside his other lawes and edictes political called v. Synodes one at Mentz the second at Rome the third at Remes the fourth at Cabilone the fift at Arâ—late where sundry rites ordinauÌ„ces were geuen to the Clergy about .810 yeares after Christ. The same Carolus also decreed that onely the Canonicall bookes of Scripture should be read in the Church none other Which before also was decreed an 4.17 in the third generall Councel of Carthage Item he exhorteth and chargeth Byshops and Priests to preach the word with a godly iniuÌ„ction Episcopi verò vt siue per se siue per vicarios pabulum verbi diuini sedulò populis annuncient Quia vt ait beatus Gregorius Iram contra se occulti iudicis excitat Sacerdos si sine praedicationis sonitu incedit Et vt ipsi clerum sibi commissum in sobrietate castitate nutriant Superstitiones quas quibusdam in locis in exequijs mortuorum noÌ„nulli faciunt eradicent that is That bishops either by them selues or their deputies shall shew forth the foode of Gods word to the people with all diligeÌ„ce For as Gregory sayth the Priest procureth against him the wrath of the secret iudge which goeth without the sound of preaching And also that they bring vp their Clergy to theÌ„ coÌ„mitted in sobernes chastitie The superstitioÌ„ which in certaine places is vsed of some about the Funerals of the dead let them exterminate plucke vp by the rootes c. Moreouer instructing informyng the sayd Byshops Priestes in the office of preaching willeth theÌ„ not to suffer any to fayne or preach to the people any new doctrine of their owne inueÌ„tion not agreing to the word of God but that they them selues both will preach such thyngs as lead to eternall life and also that they set vp other to do the same ioyneth with all a godly exhortation Ideo dilectissimi toto corde praeparemus nos in scientia veritatis mox vt diuina donante gratia verbum Dei currat crescat multiplicetur in profectum Ecclesiae Dei sanctae salutem animaruÌ„ nostrarum laudem gloriam nominis Domini nostri Iesu Christi Pax praedicantibus gratia obedientibus gloria Domino nostro Iesu Christo Amen Furthermore the said Carolus in his constitutions diuideth the goodes geueÌ„ to the Church so that in the more welthy places two partes should go to the vse of the poore the third to the stipeÌ„d of the Clergy Otherwise in poorer places an equall diuisioÌ„ to be made betwene the pouertie the Clergy vnles the gift had some speciall exception Ex Ansegiso lib. 1. cap. 80. And in the same booke a little after cap. 83. the author declareth by the sayd Carolus to be decreed that no Ecclesiasticall person or persons froÌ„ thenceforth should presume to take of any person any such gift or donation wherby the childreÌ„ or kinsfolkes of the sayd Donor should be defeited of their inheritance duly to them belongyng Ludouicus Pius king of France after Emperor was sonne to the foresaid Charles who being ioined together with the said Charles his father in the Empire ordained also with his father sundry actes obseruaunces touchyng the gouernement of the Church as in the author before alledged may appeare As first that no entry should be made into the Church by Symony Agayne that Byshops should be ordained by the free electioÌ„ of the Clergie of the people without all respect of person or reward onely for the merite of life and gift of heauenly wisedome Also the sayd Kynges Emperours forbad that any free maÌ„ or Citizen should enter the professioÌ„ of Monkery without licence asked of the kyng before added a double cause wherfore First for that many not for meere deuotioÌ„ but for idlenes and auoyding the kynges warres do geue theÌ„ selues to ReligioÌ„ againe for that many be craftely circumueÌ„ted deluded by subtile couetous persons seekyng to get froÌ„ them that which they haue Lib. 1. cap. 114. ibidem IteÌ„ that no young childreÌ„ or boyes should be shaueÌ„ or enter any profession without the will of their PareÌ„tes And no young maydens should take the veale or profession of a Nunne before she came to sufficient discretion of yeres to discerne chuse what they will follow That none should be interred or buried theÌ„ce forth within the Church which also was decreed by Theodosius Valentinianus 40. yeares before them Item the sayd Carolus .22 yeares before this Emperour enacted that murderers such as were giltie of death by the law should haue no sanctuary by flying into the Church c. which also was decreed by IustiniaÌ„ .300 yeares before this Carolus Ex Nouel Iustinia Moreouer the foresayd Ludouicus Pius with his sonne Clothariê° or as some call him Lotharius ioyned with him among other Ecclesiasticall Sanctions ordained a godly law for laymen to coÌ„municate the Sacrament of the body bloud of the Lord in these wordes Vt si noÌ„ frequeÌ„tius vel ter laici homines communicent nisi fortè grauioribus quibusâ—am criminibus impediaÌ„tur That laymen do communicate at least thrise if not ofter except they be let percase by some more haynous greuous offences Anseg lib. 2. cap. 43. Item they enacted that no goodes of the Church should be alienated vnder the payne Leoninae
Cyprian writing in his Epistles so much of one Byshop and of the vnity to be kept in Ecclesiasticall regimeÌ„t as appeareth Lib. 4. Epist. 2. De simplicit praelat item Lib. 3. Epist. 11. c. And in like sort writeth also Cornelius himselfe of one Byshop saying Itaque Vindex ille Euangelij ignorauit vnum esse debere EpiscopuÌ„ in Catholica Ecclesia c. That is He knew not that there ought to be one Byshoppe in a Catholicke Church c. This by the way not out of the way I trust I haue touched briefly to detect or refute the cauiling wrastling of the Papistes which falsely apply these places of Cyprian and Cornelius to mainetayne the Popes supreme maistershippe alone ouer the whole vniuersall Church of Christ in all places WheÌ„ their meaning is otherwise how that euery one Catholicke Church or dioces ought to haue one Byshop ouer it not that the whole world ought to be subiect to the dominion of him onely that is Byshop of Rome Now to the story againe Nouatus beyng thus Bishop tooke not a little vpon him goyng about by all meanes to defeat Cornelius and to allure the people from him Insomuch that as in the foresayd book of Eusebius appeareth wheÌ„ Nouatus came to the distributing of the offrings and should geue euery man his part he coÌ„pelled the simple persoÌ„s euery man to sweare before they should receiue of the benediction of the collectes or oblations holding both their handes in his holding them so long speaking these wordes vnto them Sweare to me by the body and bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ that thou wilt not leaue me and goe to Cornelius till that they swearing vnto him instead of AmeÌ„ to be sayd at the receauing of the bread should aunswere I will not returne to Cornelius c. Where note by the way that the Latine booke of Christofersons tanâ—lation in this place craftely leaueth out the name of bread This story being written in Eusebius also contained in Nicephorus although not in the same order of wordes yet in effeâ—t drawne out of him doth declare in playne wordes in both the Authors who so will marke the same that the sacrament of the bodye of Christ is termed with the playne name of bread after the consecration It followeth more in the story that Maximus Vrbanus Sydonius and Celerinus before mentioned perceiuing at length the crafty dissimulation and arrogancy of Nouatus left him and with great repentance returned agayne to the Church were reconciled to Cornelius as they theÌ„selues writing to Cyprian and Cyprian likewise writing to them an Epistle gratulatory doth declare Lib. 3. Epist. 3. Cornelius also in his Epistle to Fabê° witnesseth the same In thiâ— Epistle the sayd Cornelius moreouer writeth of one Moses a worthy Martyr which once being a follower also of Nouatus after perceiuing his wickednesse forsooke him and did excommunicate him Of him Cyprian also maketh mention calleth him a blessed confessour Lib. 2. Epi. 4. Damasus in his pontificall sayth that he was apprehended with Maximus and Nicostratus aboue mentioned was put with them in prison where he ended his life And thus much of Nouatus agaynst whom as Eusebius testifieth a Synode was holdeÌ„ at Rome of lx sondry Byshops in the tyme of Cornelius and vnder the reigne of Decius an 255. whereby it may be supposed that the heat of the persecutioÌ„ at that tyme was somewhat calmed After Fabianus or as Zonaras calleth him Flauianus next succeeded into the bishoprick of Rome Cornelius whoÌ„ Cyprian noteth to be a worthy Byshop and for his great vertue maydenlye continency much commeÌ„dable chosen to that roome not so much of his owne consent as of the full greement both of the Clergy men and also of the people Hierome addeth also that he was a man of great eloqueÌ„ce wherby it may appeare those two Epistles decretal which go in his name not to be his both for the rudenes of the barbarous and grose stile and also for the matter therin conteined nothing tasting of that tyme nor of that age nor doings then of the Church Wherof in the first he writeth to all ministers brethren of the Church concerning the lifting vp of the bodyes bones of Peter Paule De cathecumbis and transposed to Vaticanum at the instance of a certayne deuoute woman named Lucina hauing no great argumeÌ„t or cause to write therof vnto the churches but onely that he in that letter doth desire theÌ„ to pray vnto the Lord that through the intercession of those Apostolicall Sayntes their sinnes might be forgeuen them c. In the second Epistle writing to Ruffus a Byshop of the East Church he decreeth and ordaineth that no oth ought to be required or exacted of any head or chiefe Byshop for any cause or by any power Also that no cause of Priestes or Ministers ought to be handled in any straunge or forreine Court without his precinct except onely in the Court of Rome by appellation wherby who seeth not the trayn of our latter Byshops going about craftely to aduaunce the dignity of the Court of Rome vnder and by the prtenced title of Cornelius and of such auncient Byshops If Cornelius did write any Epistles to any in deede in those so turbulent times of persecution no doubt but some signification thereof he would haue touched in the sayd his letters either in ministring consolation to his brethreÌ„ or in requiring consolation and prayers of others Neither is there any doubt but he would haue geueÌ„ some touch also of the matter of Nouatus with whom he had so much to do as in deed he did for so we finde it recorded both in Eusebius and in Hierome that he wrote vnto Fabius Byshop of Antioche of the decreementes of the counsell of Rome and an other letter of the maner of the Counsell the third also of the cause of Nouatus and agayne of the repentaunce of such as fell wherof there is no word touched at all in these foresayd Epistles decretall What trouble this Cornelius had with Nouatus sufficiently is before signified In this persecution of Decius he demeaned himselfe very constantly and faythfully whiche sustayned great conflictes with the aduersaries as S. Cyprian geueth winesse Lib. 1. Epist. 1. Hierome testifieth that he remayned Byshop after the death of Decius to the tyme of Gallus and so appeareth also by S. Cyprian which hath these wordes Et tyrannum armis bello postmodum victum prior sacerdotio suo vicit But Damasus and Sabellicus his folowers affirm that he was both exiled also martired vnder the tyrannous reigne of Decius Of whom Sabellicus writeth this story taken out as it seemeth of Damasus and sayth that Cornelius by the commauÌ„dement of Decius was banished a towne called Centumcellas bordering in Hetruria from whence he sent letters to Cyprian Byshop of Carthage and Cyprian agayne to him This comming to
the hangman deceiued the sight of the people by some subtile sleight and craftie conueiance Not so quoth the hangman if ye suspect my dede open his mouth and diligently search the rootes of his tongue The Captaine at length being confounded with the fortitude and courage of the Martyr straightly commaundeth him to be brought backe into the prison and there to be strangled Where his sorowfull life and paines being ended hee nowe enioyeth quiet rest in the Lord with perpetuall hope of his miserable body to be restored againe with his soule into a better life where no tyrant shall haue any power Prudentius in hymnis de coronis Martyrum Gordius was a citizen of Caesaria a worthy souldiour and Captaine of an hundreth men Hee in the time of extreme persecution refusing any loÌ„ger to execute his charge did chuse of his owne accord willing exile and liued in the desert many yeares a religious and solitary life But vpon a certaine day when a solemne feast of Mars was celebrated in the citie of Caesarea and much people were assembled in the Theatre to beholde the games he left the desert and got him vp into the chiefe place of the Theatre and with a loude voyce vttered this saying of the Apostle Beholde I am fouÌ„d of them which sought me not and to those which asked not for mee haue I openly appeared By which wordes he let it to be vnderstood that of his owne accorde he came vnto those games At this noise the multitude litle regarding the sights looked about to see who it was that made such exclamation As soone as it was knowne to be Gordius and that the crier had commanded silence he was brought vnto the shiriâ—e which at that instant was present and ordeined the games WheÌ„ he was asked the question who he was from whence and for what occasion he came thether he telleth the truth of euery thing as it was I am come saith he to publish that I set nothing by your decrees against the Christian religion but that I professe Iesu Christ to be my hope and safety And when I vnderstood with what crueltie ye handle other men I tooke this as a fitte time to accomplish my desire The Shirife with these wordes was greatly mooued and reuengeth all his displeasure vpon poore Gordius commaunding the executioners to be brought out with scourges while gibbet whatsoeuer torments els might be deuised Whereunto Gordius answered saying that it shoulde be to him an hinderance and damage if hee coulde not suffer and endure diuers torments and punishments for Christ his cause The shirife being more offended with this his boldnesse commaunded him to feele as many kinde of torments as there were with all which Gordius notwithstanding coulde not be mastered or ouercome but lifting vp his eies vnto heauen singeth this saying out of the Psalmes The Lorde is my helper I will not feare the thing that man can doe to me and also this saying I will feare none euill because thou Lord art with me After this he against him selfe prouoketh the extremitie of the tormentours blameth them if they fauour him any thing at al. When the Shrife saw that hereby he could winne but little he goeth about by gentlenes and intising wordes to turne the stoute and valiant minde of Gordius He promiseth to him great and large offers if he wil denie Christ as to make him a Captaine of as many men as any other is to geue him richesse treasure what other thing so euer hee desireth But in vaine as the Prouerbe is pipeth the minstrell to him that hath no eares to heare for he deriding the foolish madnesse of the Magistrate sayth that it lieth not in him to place any in authority which he worthy to haue a place in heauen The Magistrate with these wordes throughly angred and vexed prepareth him selfe to his condemnation Whom after that he had coÌ„demned he caused to be had out of the Citie to be brent There runneth out of the Citie great multitudes by heaps to see him put to execution some take him in their armes louingly kisse him persuading him to take a better way and saue himself and that with weeping teares To whom Gordius answered weepe not I pray you for me but rather for the enemies of God which alwaies make warre against the Christians weepe I say for them which prepare for vs a fire purchasing hell fire for themselues in the day of vengeance And cease of further I pray you to molest and disquiet my setled minde Truly saith he I am ready for the name of Iesus Christ to suffer and indure a thousande deathes if neede were Some other came vnto him which persuaded him to deny Christ with his mouth to keepe his conscience to himselfe My toung sayeth hee which by the goodnes of God I haue cannot be brought to denie the author and geuer of the same for with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the toung we confesse vnto saluation Many moe such like wordes he spake but especially vttering to them such matter wherby he might perswade the beholders to death and to the desire of Martyrdome After all which with a mery and glad countenance neuer changing so much as his colour hee willingly gaue himselfe to be brent Basilius in Sermone in Gordium militem Caesariensem Not much vnlike to the story of Gordius is the story also of Menas an Egiptian who being likewise a souldiour by his profession in this persecution of Dioclesian forsooke al went into the desert where a long time he gaue hym selfe to abstinence watching and meditation of the Scriptures At length returning againe to the Citie Cotys there in the open threatre as the people were occupied vpon their spectacles or pastimes he with a loude voice openly proclaimed himselfe to be a christian and vpon the same was brought to Pyrrhus the President of whome he being demaunded of his faith made thys aunswere Conuenyent it is that I shoulde sayth he confesse God in whome is light and no darkenes for so much as Paule doth teache that with hart we beleue to righteousnes with mouth coÌ„fession is giuen to saluation After this the innocent Martyr was most painfully pinched and cruciate with sundrie punishments In all which notwithstanding he declared a constant heart and faith inuincible hauing these wordes in his mouth being in the middest of his torments There is nothing in my minde that can be compared to the kingdome of heauen Neither is al the world if it were wayed in balance able to be conferred with the price of one soule And sayd who is able to separate vs from the loue of Iesus Christ our Lord shal afflictioÌ„ or anguish And moreouer said he I haue thus learned of my Lord my king not to feare them which kill the body and haue no power to kill the soule but to feare him rather who hath power
and here againe I take his regall gouernment from him charging and forbidding all christen men that haue bene sworne vnto him whom I discharge here of their oth that hereafter they obey him in nothing but to take Rodolphus to their king who is elected by many princes of the Prouince For so right it is and conuenient that as Henry for his pride stubburnes is depriued of his dignitie and possession so Rodolphus being gratefull to all men for his vertue and deuotion be exalted to the Imperiall throne domination Therfore O you blessed prince of the Apostles graunt to this and confirme with your authoritie that I haue sayd so that all meÌ„ may vnderstand if you haue power to bynd and loose in heauen you haue also power in earth to geue take away Empires kingdoms principallities and whatsoeuer here in earth belongeth to mortall men For if yov haue power to iudge in such matters as appertain to God what then should we thinke you haue of these inferior prophane things And if it be in your power to iudge the angels ruling ouer proud princes what then shall it be seen â—â—â— you to do vpon their seruants Therfore let the kings vnderstand by this example all other princes of the world what you be able to do in heauen what you are with God that thereby they may feare to contemn the commaundement of holy church And now doe you exercise this iudgement quickely vpon Henricus whereby all men may see this sonne of iniquitie to fall from hys kingdome not by any chaunce but by your prouision and onely worke Notwithstanding this I would craue of you that he being brought to repentance through your intercession yet in the day of iudgement may finde fauour and grace with the Lord. Actum Romae Nonis Martij indictione 3. Furthermore Pridebrand Driveur and not yet content with this interditeth deposeth also Guibertus Archb. of RaueÌ„na for taking the Emperors part commaunding all priestes to geue no maner obedience to him and sendeth thether to Rauenna an other Archb. with full authoritie After vpon this Henricus Rodulphus to try the matter by the sword coped together in battaile not without bloudshed where Henricus by the fauour of God against the iudgement of Hildebrand had the victory Rodulphus there greatly wounded in the conflict was had out of the army and caried to Hyperbolis where he commaunded the bishops chief doers of his conspiracy to be brought before him when they came he listed vp his right hand in which he had taken his deadly wound and sayd This is the hand which gaue the oth and sacrament vnto Henricus my Prince and which through your instigatioÌ„ so oft hath fought against him in vaine Now go and performe your first othe allegeance to your king for I must to my fathers and so dyed Thus the Pope gaue battaile but God gaue the victory Henricus after his enemy beyng thus subdued and warres being ceased in Germany forgate not the old iniuries receiued of Hildebrand by whom he was twise excommunicate expulsed from his kingdom and iii. daies making humble sute yea that in sharpe winter coulde find no fauour with him Besides that he incited moreouer aided his enemy against him wherfore calleth together a councell or assembly of diuers bishops of Italy LoÌ„bardy and Germany at Brixia an 1083. where he purged himself accused the bishop Hildebrand of diuers crimes to be an usurper periured a Necromanser Sorcerer a lower of discord complaining moreouer of wrongs iniuries done by the bishop and church of Rome in that the church of Rome preferred the bishop before him wheÌ„ that his father being emperor before him had inthronised set in diuers sundry bishops there by his assignment with out all other electioÌ„ And now this bishop contrary to his oth promise made thrust in himself without the wil and knowlege of him being their king and magistrate For in the time of his father Henricus 3. This Hildebrand wyth other bound themselues with a corporall oth that so long as the Emperour and his sonne now beyng kyng should liue they should neither themselues presume nor suffer any other to aspire to the Papal seat without the assent and approbation of the foresayd Emperours which now this Hildebrand contrary to his corporal oth had done wherfore the foresaid councel with one agrement condeÌ„ned this Gregory that he should be deposed The tenor of which condemnation is thus expressed in Abbate Vrspergensi The Sentence of the Councell of Brixia against Hildebrand BEcause it is not vnknown this bishop not to be elected of God but to haue intruded himselfe by fraud and money who hath subuerted all Ecclesiasticall order who hath disturbed the gouernment of the Christian Empery manasing death of body and soule against our catholike peaceable king who hath set vp maintayned aperiured kyng sowyng discorde where concorde was causing debate amongst friends slaÌ„ders offences amongest brethrenne diuorcementes and separation amongest the maried for he tooke away the mariage of priests as Henricus Mutius witnesseth and finally disquieting the peaceable state of all quiet lyfe therefore we here in the name authoritie of God congregate together with the Legates handes of 19. Bishops the day of Pentecost at Mentz doe proceed in Canonicall iudgement against Hildebrand a man most wicked preaching sacriledge and burning maintaining periury and murthers callyng in question the Catholike fayth of the body and bloud of the Lord a follower of diuination and dreames a manifest Necromancer a Sorcerer and infected with a Pythonicall spirite and therefore departed from the true fayth we iudge hym to be deposed expelled And vnlesse he hearyng this shall yelde and depart the seate to be perpetually condemned Inacted vij Calend. Iulij feria 5. indictione 3. This being enacted sent to Rome they elected Guibertus Archbishop of Rauena in the place of Hildebrand to gouerne the Church of Rome named Clemens 3. But when Hildebrand neither would geue ouer his hold nor geue place to Clement the Emperour gathering an army to send to Italy came to Rome to depose Gregory and to place Clement But Hildebrand sendyng to Matilda the Countesse before in eÌ„tioned required in remission of al hee sinnes to withstand Henry the Emperor and so she did Notwithstanding Henricus preuailyng came to Rome where he besieged the Citie all the Lent and after Easter got it the Romaines being compelled to open the gates vnto him so he comming to the temple of S. Peter there placeth ClemeÌ„t in his Papacy Hildebrand straight flieth into Adrians tower with his adherents where he beyng beset round about at length sendeth for Robert Guiscardus his frend a Norman in the mean time while Robertus collecteth his power the Abbot of Chiniake couferryng with Gregory exhorteth him to crowne Henricus emperor in Lateran which
the byshop of Salisbury and of Norwiche who for old matters indangered to the king long before came weeping lamēting to the archbishop desiring him to haue some cōpassion of them to remit this pertinacy to the king left if he so continued through his stoutnes to exasperate the kinges displeasure happely it might redound to no small daunger not onely of thē which were in ieoperdy already but also of himselfe to be imprisoned and the whole Clergy to be indaungered Besides these two byshops there wet to hym other two noble pieres of the realme labouring w e him to relent condiscend to the kings desire If not they should be inforced to vse violence as neither would stand with the kinges fame and much lesse with his quietnes But yet the stout stomack of the mā would not geue ouer After this came to him ij rulers of the temple called Templars one Richard de Hast an other Costans de Heuerio with their company lamenting bewayling their great peril which they declared vnto him to hang ouer his head yet neyther with their teares nor with their kneelinges would he be remoued At length came the last message from the kyng signifying vnto him with expresse wordes and also with teares what he should trust to if he woulde not geue ouer to the kinges request By reason of which message he either terrified or els perswaded was content to submit hymselfe Whereupon the king incontinent assembling the states together the Archbishop first before all other beginneth to promise to the king obedience and submission vnto his custome and that Cum Bona fide leauing out of hys former addition Saluo ordine mentioned before in steede whereof he promised in Verbo veritatis to obserue and keep the kings customes and sweare to the same After him the other Byshoppes likewise gaue the like othe Whereupon the king commaunded incontinent certayne instruments obligatory to be drawne of the which the king should haue one the archbishop of Canterbury an other the Archbishop of Yorke the third requiring also the sayde Archbishop to set hys hand and seale To the whiche the Archbishop although not denying but that he was ready so to do yet desired respite in the matter while that he being but newly come to hys bishoppricke might better peruse with himselfe the foresayd customes and ordinaunces of the king This request as it seemed but reasonable so it was lightly graunted and so the day being well spent they departed for that season and brake vp Alanus one of the iiij writers of the life of this Thomas Becket recordeth that the archbishop in his viage toward Winchester begā greatly to repēt that he had done before partly through the instigation of certayne about him but chiefly of hys crossebearer who going before the Archbish. did sharply and earnestly expostulate with him for geuing ouer to the kings request agaynst the priuelege liberties of the Church polluting not onely his fame and consciēce but also geuing a pernitious example to them that should come after with many like wordes To make the matter short the Archbishop was so touched vpon the same with such repentaunce that keeping himselfe from al company lamenting with teares with fasting and with muche penaunce macerating and afflicting himself did suspend him selfe from all deuine seruice and would not receaue comfort before that word being sent to hys holy graundfather the pope he shoulde be assoild of him who tenderyng the teares of hys deare chicken directed to him letters agayne by the same messenger which Thomas had sent vp to hym before In whiche letters not onely he assoyled hym from hys trespasse but also with words of great consolation did incourage him to be stout in the quarrel he tooke in hand The copy of which letters consolatory sent from the Pope to Popish Becket here follow vnder written ALexander Byshop c. Your brotherhoode is not ignoraunt that it hath bene aduertised vs how that vpon the occasion of a certayne transgression or excesse of yours you haue determined to cease henceforth from saying of Masse and to abstayne from the consecration of the body and bloud of the Lord. Which thing to doe how daungerous it is especially in such a personage and also what inconuenience may rise thereof I will you aduisedly to consider and discreetly also to ponder Your wisedome ought not to forget what difference there is betwixt them which aduisedly and willingly doe offend and those whiche through ignoraunce and for necessitie sake do offend For as you reade so muche the more greater is wilfull sinne as the same not being voluntary is lesser sinne Therefore if you remember your selfe to haue done any thing that your owne cōscience doth accuse you of whatsoeuer it be we coūsell you as a prudent and wyse prelate to acknowledge the same Which thing done the mercifull and pittifull God who hath more respect to the hart of the doer then to the thing done will remit and forgeue you the same according to his accustomed great mercy And we trusting in the merites of the blessed Apostles S. Peter and Paule doe absolue you from the offence committed and by the authoritie Apostolicall we release you vnto your fraternitie counsailing you and commaunding you that henceforth you abstayne not for this cause from the celebration of the Masse Thys letter with other moe after like sort the pope thē wrote to him animating and comforting him in this quarrell so neerely pertaining to the popes profite By the occasion whereof Becket toke no small hart and consolation In so much that thereof seemeth to me to proceed al the occasiō the made him so stout malipart against his prince as hereafter followeth to be seene by his doynges What the other letters were that the pope wrote vnto hym shortly after when we come to the appellatiōs made to the pope shall appeare God willing In the meane season as he sat thus mourning at home the king hearing of hym howe be denyed to set hys seale to those sanctions which he condesceded to before tooke no little displeasure against him In so much that he threatning to him and hys banishmēt death began to call hym to reconinges and to burden hym with paymentes that all men might vnderstand that the kings minde was sore set agaynst him The Archbishop hereupon whether more for the loue of the pope or dread of hys prince thought to make an escape out of the realme and so wēt about in the night with two or three with hym stealing out of hys house to take the sea priuely Now amongest other the kinges ordinances and sanctions this was one that none of the prelacy or nobilitie without the kinges licence or of his iustices shoulde depart out of the realme So Becket twise attempted the sea to flee to the see of Rome but the wether not seruing was driuē home agayne and hys deuise for that tyme frustrated After his
both by an old chronicle called Chronica gestorum as also by auncient Origen vpon the third booke of Moses bringing in his wordes which be these prouing that this sacramental bread ought not to be reserued Quicunque hunc panem coenae Christi secunda vel tertia die sumpserit non benedicitur anima eius sed inquinabitur Propterea Gabaonitae quia antiquos panes portaueruÌ„t ad filios Israel oportuit eos ligna ac aquam portare c. That is whosoeuer receiueth this bread of the Supper of Christ vpon the second or iii. day after his soule shall not be blessed but polluted Therfore the Babaonites because they brought olde bread to the children of Israel it was enioyned them to cary wood and water c. D. Austen of whom meÌ„tion is made before disputing agaynst them about this matter of the holy Eucharist vrgeth them with this interrogation whether it be the same Christ present in the Sacrament which is present at the right hand of the father If it be not the same Christ how is it true in the Scripture Vna fides vnus Dominus nostet Iesus Christus One fayth one Lord Iesus Christ If it be the same Christ theÌ„ how is he not to be honored and worshipped here as well as there To this the Ualdenses aunswere againe and graunt that Christ is one and the same with his naturall body in the sacrament which he is at the right hand of his Father but not after the same existence of his body For yâ— existence of his body in heauen is not personall and locall to be apprehended by the fayth and spirit of men In the sacrameÌ„t the existence of his body is not personall or locall to be appreheÌ„ded or receiued of our bodies after a personal or corporall maner but after a sacrameÌ„tal maner that is where our bodies receiue the signe our spirit the thing insignified Moreouer in heauen the existence of his body is dimensiue and complete with the full proportion and quaÌ„tity of the same body where with he asceÌ„ded here the existeÌ„ce of his complete body with the full proportion measure stature thereof doth not neither can stand in the sacrameÌ„t Briefly the existence of his body in heauen is naturall not sacramentall that is to be sene and not remembred here it is sacramentall not naturall that is to be remembred not to be sene That aunswere being made to the captious propositioÌ„ of D. Augustine The Ualdenses retorting the like interrogation to him againe demaund of him to answere them in the like obiection whether it be all on christ substaÌ„tially naturally which sitteth in heauen which is vnder the formes of bread and wine and in the receiuers of the Sacrament If he graunt to be Then they did him say seing Christ is as well in the sacrament as in heauen as well in the receiuer as in the sacrament all one Christ in substance nature why then is not the same Christ as well in the brest of the receiuer to be worshipped as vnder the formes of bread and wine in the sacrameÌ„t seing he is there after a more perfect maner in man then in the sacrament for in the sacrament he is but for a tâ—â—e and not for the sacraments sake but for the mans cause In man he is not for the sacraments cause but for his owne and that not for a season but for euer as it is written Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum that is he that eateth this breade shall liue for euer c. Moreouer and besides seing traÌ„substantiation is the going of one substance into an other they question againe with him whether the formes of bread and wine remayning the substauÌ„ce thereof be chauÌ„ged into the whole person of our Lord Christ Iesus that is both into his body soule and diuinitye or not into the whole Christ If he graunt the whole Then say they that is impossible concerning the diuinity both to nature and to our fayth that any creature can be chauÌ„ged into the creator If he say the bread is chaunged into the body and soule of Christ not to his diuinity then he seperateth the natures in Christ. If he say into the body alone and not the soule then he separateth the natures of the true manhood c. And so cannot be the same Christ that was betrayed for vs for that he had both body soule To conclude to what part soeuer he would aunswere this doctrine of transubstantiation cannot be defended without great incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce of al sides Ouer and besides Eneas Syluius writing of theyr doctrine and assertions perchaunce as he fouÌ„d them perchaunce making worse of them then they taught or ment reporteth them after this maner which I thought here to set out as it is in the Latin ROmanum praesulem reliquis episcopis parem esse Inter sacerdotes nullum discrimen Praes byterum non dignitatem fed vitae meritum efficere potiorem In English The byshop of Rome to be equall with other bishops Amongst priestes to be no difference of degree No Priest to be reputed for any dignity of his order but for the worthinesse of his life The soules of men departed either to enter into paine euerlasting or euerlasting ioy No fire of Purgatory to be found To pray for the dead to be vaynâ— and a thing onely found out for the lucre of Priestes The images of God as of the Trinity and of saintes to be abolished The halowing of water palmes to be a mere ridicle The religion of begging Fryars to be found out by the deuill That priestes should not incroch riches in this world but rather follow pouerty being content with their tythes and mens deuotion The preaching of the word to be free to all men called thereunto That no deadly sinne is to be tollerate for whatsoeuer respect of a greater commodity to insuâ— therupon The coÌ„firmation which bishops exercise with oyle and extreme vnction are not to be counted amongst the sacraments of the Churche Auriculare confession to be but a toy to suffice for euery man to confesse himselfe in his chamber to God Baptisme ought to be ministred ouely with pure water without any mixture of halowed oyle The temple of the Lord to be the wide world The maiesty of God not to be restrayned more within the walles of temples monastaries and chappelles so that his grace is rather to be found in one place then in an other Priestes apparell ornaments of the high aulter vestimentes corporaces chalices patines and other Churche plate to serue in no stead For the difference and respect of the very place to make no matter where the priest doth consecrate or doth minister to them which do require To be sufficient to vse onely the sacramentall words without all other superfluous ceremonies The suffrages of saintes reigning with Christ in heauen to be craued in vayne being not
Simon hys sonnes power not knowing of the ouerthrow whiche he had before gaue small credite thereunto till that the said Nicholas the better to view and descrie them went vp to the Abbey steple of Eusham where he might plainly discerne them all and their standerds For by this tyme they were mounted the hill which they laboured to attayne thinking to haue that vauntage when they shold geue theyr charge as they had purposed and had also aduanced agayn his own standerdes and pulled down Simons wherby they were the more easâ—yer descried and knowne Then he cryed aloud to the Earle Simon and said we are all but dead men For it is not your sonne as you suppose that commeth but it is Edward the kinges sonne that commeth from one parte and the Earle of Gloucester from an other part and Roger Mortimer from the third part Then said the Earle The Lorde be mercifull vnto our soules forasmuch as our bodyes and liues are now in their handes commaunding that euery man should make hymselfe redy to God and to fight out the field for that it was their willes to dye for their lawes and in a iust quarrell And such as woulde depart he gaue leaue to goe their wayes that they shoulde be no discomfiture to the rest Then came vnto him his eldest sonne Henry comforted him desiring him to haue no dispaire nor yet mistrust in the good successe of this victory with other such cheerfull wordes No my sonne sayth he I dispayre not but yet it is thy presumption and the pride of the rest of thy brethreÌ„ that haue brought me to this end ye see Notwithstanding yet I trust I shall dye to God and in a righteous quarrel After wordes of comfort geuen to all his host and the oration made as is the maner they all armed themselues The king also whom the Earle alwaies kept with him he armed in an armour of his owne And then deuiding theyr battailes they marched toward theyr enemies but before they ioyned the welchmen ran theyr waies and thinking to scape ouer the riuer of Dee were there some drowned some slayne Then when the battayles ioyned and came to handy strokes within short space many of the Erles part fell and were slayne And the king himselfe being stroken at cryed with a loud voyce to them saying kill me not I am Henry your king And with these the kinges wordes the Lord Adam Monhaut knewe him and saued him At whose voyce and cry came also prince Edward hys sonne and deliuered him to the garde and custody of certayne knightes In the meane season the Earle Simon was hard bestead and beaten downe and also slayne before Edward the prince came at hym Howbeit before he fell when as ye fought for his life HeÌ„ry his sonne other noble men on his part were about hym he brake out in these words vnto hys enemies saying what is there no mercy compassion with you who agayne answered what compassion should there be shewed to traytors Then sayd he the Lord be mercifull to our soules our bodyes are in your hands And as soone as these wordes were spoken they mangled hys body and deuided his members and cut of his head which head Roger Mortimer sent vnto his wife And not farre of from him also was slayne Henry his eldest sonne the lord Hugh Spencer the L. Radulphe Basset the Lord Thomas de Hestele the Lord William Maundeuile the Lord Iohn Bewchampe the Lord Guido Baillofer the Lord Roger Rowley and many other noble men besides with a great multitude of people the Lord knoweth howe many This battail was fought in the moneth of August continued from one of the clocke till it was night in the which was not so much as one man on the Earles part of any estimation fortitude and courage but in that battell lost his life more then the Lord Iohn who by the great grace of God escaped death Neither is this to be forgotteÌ„ that the same day being Tuesday at that instant houre when the battell began whiche was at one of the clocke at after noone there was such a darcknes ouer all such thunder and such tempest that the like before that time was neuer seene being very calme and fayre weather both immemediately before and after which seemed sayth myne author to geue a playne demonstration of that whiche afterward chaunced and followed After this great slaughter and ouerthrow there was a Parliament suÌ„moned at Winchester by the Earle of Gloucester and other of hys part Here by the is to be considered that the king although he was in the camp of the Erle of Leceister being then in custody and his sonne Edward with the Earle of Gloucester yet the king was in that side agaynst his will and therefore in the sayd Parliament the king was restored to his kingly dignitie which was before that tyme vnder the custody of the Barons But after the battaile was ended and done certaine of them that loued the Earle vpon an old ladder gathered vp suche partes of his body as remayned and couering the same with an old gowne brought it to Eusham where they putting the same in a faire linnen cloth buried it in the church But not loÌ„g after by such as thought not themselues sufficiently reuenged with his death to wreke them of the dead corpes took vp the same and threw it in an other place saying that he which was both accursed and a traytor was not worthy of Christen buriall The same yeare also died Walter Cantilupus Byshop of Winchester after whom succeeded Nicholas of Ely the kinges Chauncellor The same yeare the king perceiuing that vnlesse that Castle of Kenilworth were recouered and the boldnes of theÌ„ restrayned that kept the same many euils and inconueniences might ensue therupon to the preiudice of his kingdom for that the number increased euery day more more wasting and spoyling the country all about Therfore he gathered an army and came downe to warwick where he a while taryed expecting the meeting and assembling of hys Marqueses and Lordes with engines and other munition sautable Who when theyr bondes were furnished and mustred and al thinges ready the morow after Midsomer day he displayed hys banner began his vyage marching towardes Kenilworth besieged the same During which siege by the aduise and counsaile of the king the Popes Legate and other noble men 12. persons were chose which should haue the disposing of those thinges that pertayned to the state of the Realme of those that had lost their landes and inheritaunces who amongest other thinges made and established this one prouiso that was commoÌ„ly called Kenelworth decree That all those whieh hast lost their laÌ„des by attaynder although yet not attainted should fyne therfore at the kinges pleasure and take their lands of him agayn paying some three yeares some foure yeares some two yeares reueneues of the same according to the quallitie
it was semelich that thou came in poorenes to prooue who wold loue thee and kepen thine hestes For gif thou haddest ycome in forme of a rich man and of a Lord men wold rather for they dread then for thy loue haue ykept thyne hestes And so Lord now thou might wel ysee which louen thee as they should in keeping thyne hestes For who that loueth thee in thy poorenes and in thy lownes needes he more loue thee in thy Lordship and highnesse But Lord the world is turned vpse downe men loue poore men but a litlene porenes neither But men be ashamed of poorenes and therefore Lord I trow that thou art a poore king And therefore I trow that he that clepeth himselfe thy vicare on earth hath forsaken poorenes as he hath do the remnaunt of thy lawe and is become a rich man and a Lord maketh his treasure vpon the earth that thou forbiddest in the Gospell And for his right and riches he will plete and fight curse And yet Lord he will segge that he forsaketh all thinges that he oweth as thy true disciple mete done after thy teaching in the Gospell But Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to forsaken his goodes and plete for them and fight and curse And Lord he taketh on him power to asloyle a man of all maner things but if it be of det Truely Lord me thinketh he knoweth litle of charitie For who that beth in charitie possesseth thy goodes in common and not in proper at his neighbours nede And then shall there none of them segge this is mine but it is Gods that God granteth to vs to spenden it to his worship And so if any of them boroweth a porcion of those goodes and dispendeth them to Gods worship God is apayed of this spending and alloweth him this true doyng And if God is payed of that dispeÌ„ding that is the principal Lord of those goods how dare anye of his seruauntes axen there of accountes other challenge it for dette Serten of one thing I am incerteine that these that charge so much det of worldly cattell they knowe little of Christes lawe of charitie For if Ich am a bayly of Gods goodes in the world If I see my brother in nede I am holde by charitie to part with him of these goodes to his nede and if he spendeth them well to the worshop of God I mote be well apayd as though I my selfe had spended them to the worship of GOD. And if the principall Lord is well payed of my brothers doyng and the despending of his goodes howe may I segge for shame that my brother is dettour to me of the goodes that I tooke hym to spend in Gods worship at his nede And if my brother spendeth amisse the goodes that I take him I am discharged of my deliueraunce of the goodes If I take him in charitie thilke goods at his nede And I am hold to be sory of his euill dispending ne I may not axen the goodes that I tooke him to his nede in forme of dette for at his neede they were his as well as myne And thus is my brother yholde to done to me gif he see me in nede and gif we bene in charitie little should we chargen of dette And ne we shold not axen so dertes as men that knowen not God And than we be poore in forsaking all thinges that we own For gif we ben in charitie we wollen nother fight nor curse ne plete for our goodes with our brethren O Lord thus thou taughtest thy seruauntes to lyuen And so they lyueden while they hadden good shepheards that fedden thy sheepe and robbed them nat of their lifelode as Peter thy good shepheard and thy other Apostles But Lord he that clepeth hym selfe thy vicar vpon earth and successour to Peter he robbeth thy puple of their bodylich lyfelode for he ordeneth proud shepherds to lyuen in ese by thâ—itenth party of poore mens trauell And he geueth them leue to lyuen where them lyketh And gif men no wolen wilfullich geuen them the tithinges they wolen han them agaynst their will by maysterye by cursing to maken theÌ„ riche ¶ Lord how may any man segge that such shepherdes that louen more the wolle then the sheepe and feden not thy sheepe in body ne in soul ne ben such rauenours theeues And who may segge that the mayntaynour of such shepherdes ne is not a maintenour of theeues and robbers How wole he assoyle shepherdes of their robbing without restitution of theyr goodes that they robben thy sheep of against their will Lord of all shepherdes blessed mote thou be For thou louedst more the sheepe then theeir wole For thou feedest thy sheepe both in body and soule And for loue of thy sheepe thou tooke thy death to bring thy sheepe ouâ— of Wolues mouthes And the most charge that thou gone to Peter was to feede thy sheepe And so he did truelich and took the death for thee and for thy sheepe For he came into the fold of shepe by the that were the dore And so I trowe a fewe other did as he did though they clepen himselfe successors to Peter for theyr workes showen what they ben For they robben and sleen and destroyen they robben thy sheepe of the tenth part of their trauel and feden themselfe in ease They sleen thy sheepe for they pyenen them for hunger of theyr soule to the death They destroyen the sheepe for with might and with sternship they rulen thy sheepe that for dred they beene disparsed abroade in mountaynes and there the wilde beasts of the field destroyeth theÌ„ for default of a good shepeheard ¶ O Lord gif it be thy will deliuer thy sheepe out of such sheepherdes ward that retcheth not of thy sheepe they han their wolle to make them selfe rich For thy shepe ben in great mischiefe and foule accombred with their shepheardes ¶ But for thy shepheardes wolden ben excused they haue ygeten them hyred men to feede thy people and these comen in sheepes clothing But dredles their workes shewen that with in forth they ben but Wolfes For han they theyr hyre they ne retcheth but a little howe sorilich thy sheepe ben kept For as they seggen themselfe they ben but hyred men that han no charge of thy sheepe And when the shulden feden thy sheepe in the plentuous lesewe of thy teaching they stonden betweene them theyr lesewe so that the sheepe ne han but a sight of thy lesewe but eaté they shall not therof But they fedeÌ„ them in a sorry sowre lesewe of lesinges of tales And so thy sheepe fallen into greeuous sicknes through this euill lesewe And gif any shepe breake ouer into thy lesewe to tasten the sweetnes therof anon these hyred men driue him out with hounds And thus thy shepe by these hyred men ben ykept out of their kindlich lesewe and
both of great payne to fall vpon theÌ„ for so we read that Iesus cast out buiers and sellers out of hys temple Also Peter sayd vnto Symon the first author of this heresy Thy mony sayd he with thee be destroyed for that thou hast thought the gift of God to be possessed for mony Moreouer whereas Christ sayth frely you haue receiued frely geue and whereas contrary the Pope doth sell that thing which he hath taken what doubt is there but that he doth greuously deserue to be punished both he that selleth he that buyeth for the crime of simonye which they commit Ouer and besides by many reasons and authorities of the Scripture it may be proued that he doth not absolue a man contrite for his sinne although he doe absolue him from the guilt But this marueileth me that he in his indulgeÌ„ces promiseth to absolue men from all maner of deadly sinnes yet cannot absolue a man from debt forasmuch as the debt which we owe to god is of much more greater importaÌ„ce then is the debt of our brother Wherfore if he be able to remitte the debt due to God much more it should seme that he is able to forgeue the debt of our brother An other thing there is that I maruell at for that the pope sheweth himselfe more strait in absoluing a priest for not saying or negligently saying his mattens theÌ„ for traÌ„sgressing the commaundemeÌ„t of God considering that the transgression of the coÌ„maundement of God is much more greuous then the breach of mans commaundement For these and many other errours concurring and in this matter of the Popes absolutioÌ„s blessed be God honor be vnto him for the remission of our sinnes And let vs firmely beleue and know that he doth and wil absolue vs from our sinnes if we be sory froÌ„ the bottome of our harts that we haue offended him hauing a good purpose and will to offend him no more And let vs be bolde to resorte vnto good and discreet Priests who with wholesome discretion and sound counsell can instruct vs how to auoad the corruption of sinne hereafter And which because they are better then we may pray to God for vs whereby we may both obtayne more sooner the remission of our sinnes past and also may learne better how to auoyd the daunger of sinne to come Ex Registro Latino Episc. Hereford ¶ And thus much concerning the iudgement and doctrine of this Walter for Christian patience charity and mercy which as they be true and infallible notes and markes of true Christianity so the sayde Walter Brute making comparison herein betweene Christ and the Pope goeth about purposely to declare and manifest whereby all men may see what contrariety there is betweene the rule of Christes teaching and the proceedinges of the Pope betweene the examples and life of the one and the examples of the other Of which two as one is altogether geuen to peace so is the other on the contrary side as much disposed to wars murder and bloudshed as is easy to be sene who so looking not vpon the outward shewes and pretensed wordes of these Romishe Popes but aduising and considering the inward practises and secret works of them shall easely espye vnder their visour of peace what discord and debate they work Who bearing outwardly the meek hornes of the Lambe mentioned in the Apocalippes within doe beare the bowels of a Wolfe full of crueltye murder and bloudshed which if any doe thinke to be spoken of me contumeliously would God that man could proue as well the same to be spoken of me not truely But trueth it is I speake it sincerely without affection of blinde partiality according to the trueth of historyes both olde and new Thus vnder in Dei nomine Amen how vnmercifully doeth the Pope condemne his brother And while he pretendeth not to be lawfull for him to kill any man what thousandes hath he killed of men And likewise in this sentence preteÌ„ding in visceribus Iesu Christi as though he woulde be a mediatour to the magistrate for the party yet in deed will he be sure to excommunicate the Magistrate if he execute not the sentence geuen Who be true heretiques the Lord when he commeth shall iudge but geue them â—o be heretiques whom he condemneth for heretiques Yet what bowels of mercy is here where is nothing but burning faggoting drowning prisoning chayning famishing racking hanging tormenting threatning reuiling cursing and oppressing and no instructing nor yet indifferent hearing of theÌ„ what they can say The like cruelty also may in theyr warres appeare if we consider how Pope Vrbane 5. beside the racking and murdering of 7. or 8. Cardinals set vp Henry Spencer Bishoppe of Norwich to fight agaynst the French Pope Innocentius 4. was in warre himselfe agaynst the Apulians Likewise Alexander 4. his sucessour stirred vp the sonne of king Henry 3. to fight agaynst the sonne of Fredericke 2. Emperour for Apulia Boniface 8. moued Albertus which stood to be Emperour to driue Philip the freÌ„ch King out of his Realm Gregorius 9 excited Ludouike the French king 3. sundry times to mortall warre agaynst the Earle Raimundus and City of of Tholouse and Auinion where Lewes the sayd Frence king dyed Honorius 3. by strength of warre many wayes resisted Fredericke 2. and sent out 35. Gallyes agaynst the coastes of the Emperours dominions The same Pope also besieged Ferraria to passe ouer the warre at Ticinum with many other battayles and conflictes of Popes agaynst the Romanes Venetians and diuers other nations Innocentius 3. set vp Philip the French king to warre agaynst king Iohn What stirre Pope Gregorye the 7. otherwise named Hildebrand kept agaynst the Emperour Henricus 4. it is not vnknowne And who is able to recite all the warres battayles and fieldes fought by the stirring vp of the Pope These with many other like examples considered did cause this Walter Brute to write in this matter so as he did making yet thereof no vniuersall proposition but that Christian Magistrates in case of necessity might make resistaunce in defence of publique right Now he procedeth further to other matter of the Sacrament Touching the matter sayth he of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ diuers men haue diuers opinions as the learned do know As concerning my iudgemeÌ„t vpon the same I firmely beleue whatsoeuer the lord Christ Iesus taught implicitely or expresly to his Disciples and faythfull people to be beleued for he is as I beleue and know the true bread of God whiche descended from heauen and geueth life to the world Of which bread whosoeuer eateth shall liue for euer as it is in the 6. of S. Iohn declared Before the comming of christ in the flesh although men did liue in body yet in spirit they did not liue because all men were then vnder sinne whose soules therby were dead from the which death no man by law nor with
flesh of Christ and his bloud Whereupon the veritye himself said vnto his Disciples This is sayth he my flesh which is geuen for the life of the world and to speake yet more maruellously this is none other flesh thē that which was borne of the virgin Mary suffered vpon the crosse and rose out of the sepulchre See how far this chapter differeth from the first And in the chapter which beginneth Ego Berengarius c. This is the confession which Berengarius himselfe cōfessed touching this Sacrament and his confession is of the church allowed I confesse sayth Berengarius that the bread and wine which is layd vpon the aultar after the consecration is not onely a Sacrament but also that it is the very body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And the same not onely sensually to be a Sacrament but also verely to be handled with the Priestes hands and to be broken and chewed with the teeth of faythfull men This confession doubtlesse is hereticall for why if the body of Christ be in the Sacrament as of the Church it is so determined it is there then Multiplicatiuè and so indiuisibiliter wherfore not sensualiter And if it be there indiuisibiliter that is in such sort as it cannot be deuided or separated then can it not be touched felt broken nor with the teeth of men chewed The writers of this time and age do affirme that if by the negligence of the Priest the Sacrament be so negligētly left that a Mouse or any other beast or vermine eate the same then they say that the Sacrament returneth agayne into the nature and substaūce of bread Wherby they must nedes confesse that a miracle is as wel wrought by the negligence of the Priest as first there was made by the consecration of the Priest in making the Sacrament For either by the eating of the Mouse the body of Christ is transubstantiated into the nature of bread which is a transubstantiatiō supernaturall Or els of nothing by creation is this bread produced And therfore either of these operations is miraculous to be maruelled at Now cōsidering the disagreing opinions of the Doctors and for the absurdities which follow I beleue with Paule that the bread which we break is the participation of the body of Christ and as Christ sayth that the bread is made the body of Christ for a memorial and remembraunce of him And in such sort as Christ willed the same to be his body in the same maner sort do I beleue it to be his body But whether women may make the body of Christ minister vnto the people or whether that Priests be deuided frō the lay people for their knowledge preeminence sanctity of life or els by externall signes onely Also whether the signe of consure and other externall signes of holines in Priestes be signes of Antichrist and his charecters or els introduced taught by our Lord Iesus Christ consequently it remayneth next to speake of vnto the faythfull sort according to the proces of the holy Scripture first of the three kindes of the Priestes I remember that I haue read the first of them to be Aaronicall legall temporall The second to be eternall and regall according to the order of Melchisedech The third to be a Christian. The first of these ceased at the comming of Christ for that as S. Paule to the Hebrues sayth The Priesthood of Aaron was trāslated to the Priesthood of the order of Melchisedech The legall sort of Priestes of Aaron were separate from the rest of the people by kinred office and inheritance By kinred for that the children of Aaron onely were Priestes By office for that it onely pertayned to them to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the people and to instruct the people in the precepts and ceremonies of the law By inheritaunce because the Lord was their portiō of inheritaūce neither had they any other inheritaunce amongest theyr brethren but those thinges which were offered vnto the Lord as the first fruits parts of the sacrifices and vowes except places for their mansion houses for them and theirs as appeareth by the processe of Moyses law The Priesthood of Christ did much differre from this Priesthood as Paule doth witnes to the Hebrues chapter 1.8.9.10 First in kinred because that our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ came of the stocke and tribe of Iuda of whiche tribe none had to do with the aultar and in which tribe nothing at all was spoken of the Priestes of Moses The second for that other were made Priestes without their othe taken but he by an othe by him which sayd The Lord swore and it shall not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Thirdly by durability for that many of thē were made Priests but during the terme of their liues but he for that he remaineth for euer hath an eternall Priesthood Wherfore he is able to saue vs for euer hauing by himself accesse vnto God which euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The law made also such men Priestes as had infirmities but Sermo that is the word which according to the law is the eternall sonne and perfect by an othe The Priesthood of Christ also did differ frō the Priesthood of Aaron and the law in the matter of the sacrifice in the place of sacrificing In the matter of the sacrifice because they did vse in theyr sacrifices straunge bodyes of the matter of their sacrifices and did shed straūge bloud for the expiation of sinnes But he offering himself vnto God his father for vs shed his owne bloud for the remission of our sinnes In the place of sacrificing because that they did offer theyr sacrifice in the tabernacle or temple But Christ suffering death without the gates of the City offered himselfe vpon the aultar of the crosse to God his father there shed his precious bloud In his supping chamber also hee blessed the bread and cōsecrated the same for his body the wine which was in the cup he also cōsecrated for his bloud deliuering the same to his Apostles to be done for a commemoration and remembraunce of his incarnation passion Neither did Iesus enter into the sāctuary made with mans hands which be examples figures of true things but entred into heauē it selfe that he might appeare before the maiesty of God for vs. Neither doth he offer himself oftētimes as the chief priest in the sanctuary did euery yeare with straunge bloud for then should he often times haue suffered from the beginning but now once for all in the latter end of the world to destroy sinne by his peace offering hath he entred And euen as it is decreed that mā once shal dye and then commeth the iudgement so Christ hath bene once offered to take away the sinnes of many The second time he shall appeare without sinne to them
that looke for him to their saluation For the lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come can neuer by the Image it selfe of thinges which euery yeare without ceasing they offer by such sacrifices make those perfect that come therunto for otherwise that offering should haue ceased Because that such worshippers being once cleansed from theyr sinnes should haue no more conscience of sinne But in these commemoratioÌ„ is made euery yere of sinne for it is impossible that by the bloud of Goates and Calues sinnes should be purged and taken away Therfore comming into the world he sayd Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not haue but a body hast thou geuen me peace offeringes for sinne haue not pleased thee Then sayd I behold I come In the volume of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O God Saying as aboue because thou wouldest haue no sacrifices nor burnt offeringes for sinne neyther doest thou take pleasure in those things that are offered according to the law Then sayd I behold I come that I may doe thy will O God He taketh away the first to stablishe that which followeth In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And euery priest is ready dayly ministring and oftentimes affering like sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this Iesus offering one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euermore on the right hand of God expecting the time tyll his enemies be made his footstoole For by his owne onely oblation hath he consummated for euermore those that are sanctified All these places haue I recited which Paule writeth for the better vnderstanding and declaration of those thinges I meane to speak By all which it appeareth manifestly how the Priesthood of Christ differeth from the legall priesthood of Aaron and by the same also appeareth how the same differeth from all other priesthood Christian that immitateth Christ. For the properties of the priesthood of Christ aboue recited are founde in no other Priest but in Christ alone Of the third priesthood that is the Christian priesthood Christ by expresse wordes speaketh but litle to make any difference betwene the priests and the rest of the people neither yet doth vse this name of Sacerdos or praesbiter in the Gospell But some he calleth disciples some apostels whom he sent to baptise to preach in his name to do miracles He calleth them the salt of the earth in which the name of wisedome is ment and he calleth them the light of the world by which good liuing is signified For he sayth So let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good workes and glorify your father which is in heauen And Paule speaking of the Priestes to Timothe and Titus seemeth not to mee to make any diuersity betwixt the Priestes and the other people but in that he woulde haue them to surmount other in knowledge and perfection of life But the fourth priesthood is the Romaine priesthood brought in by the Church of Rome which Churche maketh a distinction betwene the clergy and the lay people after that the clergy is deuided into sundry degrees as appeareth in the decretals This distinction of the clergy from the laitye with the consure of clerkes began in the time of * Anacletus as it doth appeare in the Chronicles The degrees of the clergy were afterward inuedted distincted by their offices and there was no ascentioÌ„ to the degree of the priesthood but by inferior orders and degrees But in the primitiue churche it was not so for immediately after tht conuersion of some of theÌ„ to the fayth baptisme receiued they were priests bishops made as appeareth by Ananias whom Marcus made of a taylor or shomaker to be a bishop And of many others it was in like case done according to the traditions of the church of Rome Priests are ordeined to offer sacrifices to make supplication and prayers and to blesse sanctify The oblation of the priesthood onely to Priestes as they say is congruent whose duties are vpon the aultar to offer for the sinnes of the people the Lords body which is coÌ„secrated of bread Of which saying I haue great maruell considering S. Paule his wordes to the Hebrues before recited If Christ offering for our sinnes one oblation for euermore sitteth on the right hand of God and wyth that one oblation hath coÌ„suÌ„mated for euermore those that are sanctified If Christ euermore sitteth on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs what neede he to leaue here any sacrifice for our sinnes of the Priestes to be dayly offered I do not finde in the scriptures of God nor of his Apostles that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sinne but onely as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed whiche Christ offered vpon the aultar of the crosse for our sinnes For it is an absurditye to say that Christ is now euery day really offered as a sacrifice vpon the aultar by the Priestes for then the Priestes should really crucify him vpoÌ„ the aultar which is a thing of no Christian to be beleeued But euen as in his supper his body his bloud he deliuered to his Disciples in memorial of his body that should be crucified on the morrow for our sinnes So after his asceÌ„tion did his Apostles vse the same when they brake bread in euery house for a SacrameÌ„t and not for a sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this meanes were they put in remembraunce of the great loue of Christ who so entirelye loued vs that willinglye he suffered the death for vs for the remission of our sinnes And thus did they offer theÌ„selues to God by loue being ready to suffer death for the confession of his name and for the sauing health of theyr brethren fulfilling the new commaundement of Christ which sayd vnto them A new coÌ„mauÌ„dement do I geue vnto you that you loue one another as I haue loued you But wheÌ„ loue began to waxe cold or rather to be frosen for cold thorow the anguish anxiety of persecution for the name of Christ then Priests did vse the flesh and bloud of Christ in â—â—tad of a sacrifice And because many of them feared death some of them fled into solitarye places not daring to geue themselues a sacrifice by death vnto God through the confession of his name sauing health of theyr brethreÌ„ Some other worshipped Idols fearing death as did also the chiefe Bishop of Rome and many other mo in diuers places of the world And thus it came to passe as that which was ordeined and instituted for a memoriall of the one onely sacrifice was altered for want of loue into the realitye of the sacrifice it selfe ¶ After these thinges thus discussed he inferreth consequently vpon the same an other briefe tractation of women
to grace that they might vnderstaÌ„d truely the truth and haue and vse vertue and prudeÌ„ce and so deserue to be lightned from aboue with heauenly wisedom so that all their words their workes may be hereby made pleasant sacrifice vnto the Lord God and not onely for helpe of their own soules but also for edification of holy Church For I doubt not but all they that will apply them to haue this foresayd busines shall profite ful me kill both to freds foes For some enemies of the truth through the grace of God shall through charitable folkes be made astonied in their conscience and peraduenture conuerted from vices to vertues and also they that labour to know and to keep faythfully the biddinges of God and to suffer paciently all aduersities shall hereby comfort many frendes And the fourth thing that moueth me to write this seÌ„teÌ„ce is this I knowe by my sodein vnwarned apposing and aunswering that all they that will of good hart wtout faining able themselues wilfully gladly after theyr cunning and their power to follow christ paciently traueling busily priuily and apertly in worke and in word to withdraw whom soeuer that they may from vices planting in them if the may vertues comforting them furtheryng them that stand in grace so that therwith they be not born vp in vaine glory through presumption of theyr wisdome nor inflamed with any worldly prosperitie but euer meek and pacient purposing to abide stedfastly in that wil of God suffering wilfully and gladly without any grutching what soeuer rod the Lord wil chastise them with that then thys good Lord will not forget to comfort al such men and women in all their tribulations at euery poynt of temptation that any enemy purposed for to doe agaynst them To such faithfull louers specially pacient followers of christ the Lord sendeth by his wisedome froÌ„ aboue them which the aduersaries of the truth may not know nor vnderstand But through their old and new vnshamefast sinnes those tyrantes and enemies of southfastnes shal be so blinded obstinate in eâ—ill that they shall weene themselues to doe pleasant sacrifices vnto the Lorde God in their malicious and wrongfull pursuing and destroying of innocent mens and womens bodyes which men women for theyr vertuous liuing and for their true knowledging of the trueth and theyr pacient wilfull and glad suffering of persecution for righteousnes deserue through the grace of God to be heyres of the endlesse blesse of heauen And for the feruent desire and the great loue that these men haue as to stand in southfastnes and witnes of it though they be sodeinly vnwarnedly brought foorth to be aposed of their aduersaries the holy Ghost yet that moueth and ruleth them thorough his charitie will in that houre of theyr aunswering speake in them and shewe hys wisedome that all theyr enemies shall not agayn say nor agaynst stand lawfully And therfore al they that are stedfast in yâ— fayth of God yea which through diligent keeping of his commaundementes for theyr pacient suffering of whatsoeuer aduersitie that commeth to them hope surely in his mercy purposing to stand coÌ„tinually in perfect charitie For those meÌ„ and womeÌ„ dred not so the aduersities of this life that they wil feare after their cunning and their power to knoweledge prudently the truth of gods word when where and to whom they thinke their knowledging may profite Yea and though therfore persecution come to them in one wise or an other certes they paciently take it knowing theyr conuersation to be in heauen It is an high rewarde and a speciall grace of God for to haue and enioy the euerlasting inheritance of heauen for the suffering of one persecution in so short time as is the terme of this life For loe this heuenly heritage endles reward is the Lord God hymselfe which is the best thing that may be This seÌ„tence witnesseth the Lord God himselfe where as he sayd to AbrahaÌ„ I am thy meede And as the Lord sayd he was and is the meede of Abraham so he is of all his other saynts This most blessed and best meede he graunt to vs all for his holy name that made vs of naught and sent his onely most deare worthy sonne our Lorde Iesu Christ for to redeeme vs with his most precious hart bloud Amen The examination of William Thorpe penned with hys owne hand KNowne be it to al men that read or heare this writing that on the sonday next after the feast of S. Peter that we call Lammesse in the yeare of our Lord. 1407. I william Thorpe being in prison in the Castle of Saltwoode was brought before Tho. Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury and Chauncellor then of Englande And when that I came to him he stode in a great chamber and much people about him and when that he saw me he went fast into a closit bidding all seculer men that followed hym to go foorth from him soone so that no man was left than in that closet but the Archbishop himselfe and a Phisitian that was called Malueren person of S. Dunstanes in London other two persons vnknowne to me which were ministers of yâ— law And I standing before them by and by the Archbish. sayd to me William I know well that thou hast this xx winters more trauelled about busily in the north couÌ„try and in other diuers countryes of England sowing about false doctrine hauing great businesse if thou might with thine vntrue teaching and shrewd will for to infect poysoÌ„ all this land But through the grace of God thou art now withstanded brought into my ward so that I shall now sequester thee from thine euill purpose and let thee to enuenime the sheep of my prouince Neuertheles S. Paul sayth If it may be as much as in vs is we ought to haue peace with all men Therfore William if yâ— wilt now meckly and of good hart without any feyning kneele downe and lay thy hand vpoÌ„ a booke and kisse it promising faythfully as I shall here charge thee that thou wilt submit thee to my correction staÌ„d to myne ordinaunce fulfill it duely by all thy cuÌ„ning and power thou shalt yet find me gracious vnto thee Then sayd I to the archbishop Syr since ye deme me an hereticke out of beleue will ye geue me here audience to tell my beleue And he sayd yea tell on And I sayde I beleue that there is not but one God almighty and in this Godhead and of this Godhead are three persons that is the father the sonne and the sothfast holye Ghost And I beleue that all these three persons are euen in power and in cunning and in might full of grace and of all goodnes For what soeuer that the father doth or can or will that thing also the sonne doth and can and will and in all theyr power cunning and will the holy Ghost is equall to the
since that time we read of very few But in deede since that same time one hath put down an other one hath poysoned an other one hath cursed an other and one hath slayne an other and done much more mischiefe besides as all the Chronicles telleth And let all men consider well this that Christ was meeke and mercifull The pope is proude and a tyraunt Christ was poore and forgaue The pope is riche and a malicious manslear as hys dayly actes doe proue hym Rome is the very neast of Antichrist and out of that neast commeth all the disciples of him Of whome Prelates Priestes and Monkes are the body and these pud Friers are the tayle which couereth his most filthy part Then said the Prior of the Fryers Augustines Alacke sir why do you say so That is vncharitably spoken And the Lord Cobham said Not onely is it my saying but also the Prophet Esayes long afore my time The prophet saith he which preacheth lyes is the tayle behind For as you Fryers and monkes be like Phariseis deuided in your outward apparell and vsages to make ye deuision among the people And thus you with such other are the very naturall members of Antichrist Then said he vnto them all Christ saith in his Gosspell Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis Hipocrites For ye close vp the kingdome of heauen before men Neyther enter ye in your selues nor yet suffer any other that wold enter into it But ye stop vp the wayes therūto with your owne traditions and therfore are ye the housholde of Antechrist ye will not permit Gods veritie to haue passage nor yet to be taught of his true ministers fearing to haue your wickednes reproued But by suche flatterers as vphold you in your mischiefes ye suffer the common people most miserably to be seduced Then sayd the archbishop By our Lady syr there shal none such preach within my dioces and God will nor yet in my iurisdiction if I may know it as either maketh diuision or yet dissention among the poore commons The Lord Cobham sayd Both Christ and hys Apostles were accused of sedition making yet were they moste peaceable men Both Daniell and Christ prophecied that such a troublous tyme shoulde come as hath not bene yet since the worldes beginning And this prophecy is partlye fulfilled in your dayes and doinges For manye haue yee slayne already and more wil ye ssay hereafter if God fulfil not his promise Christ sayth also if those dayes of yours were not shortened scarsly shold any flesh be saued Therfore looke for it iustly for God will shorten youre dayes Moreouer though Priestes and deacons for preaching of Gods word and for ministring the sacraments with prouision for the poore be grounded on Gods lawe yet haue these other sectes no maner of ground hereof so farre as I haue read Then a Doctor of lawe called maister Iohn Kempe plucked out of his bosome a copy of the bil which they had afore sent him into the tower by the Archbishops counsel thinking thereby to make shorter worke with hym For they were so amased with his aunsweres not all vnlike to them whiche disputed with Stephen that they knewe not well how to occupy the time their wits and sophistry as God would so fayled them that day My Lord Cobham sayth this Doctor we must briefly know your minde concerning these foure poyntes here following The rest of them is this And then he read vpō the bill The fayth and determination of holy churche touching the blessed sacrament of the aulter is this That after the sacramentall wordes be once spoken of a Priest in his masse the materiall bread that was before bread is turned to Christes very body And the materiall wine is turned into Christes bloud And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aulter from thenceforth no material bread nor materiall wine which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken Sir beleue ye not this The Lord Cobham said This is normy beliefe But my fayth is as I sayd to you afore that in the worshipfull sacrament of the aulter is Christes very body in forme of bread Then sayd the archbishop sir Iohn ye must say otherwise The Lord Cobham said Nay that I shall not if God be vpon my side as I trust he is but that there is Christs body in forme of bread as the common beliefe is Then read the doctour againe The second poynt is this Holy Church hath determined that euery Christen mā liuyng here bodely vpō earth ought to be shriuen of a priest ordeined by the church if he may come to him syr what say you to this The Lord Cobham aunswered and said A diseased or sore wounded man hath need to haue a sure wise Chirurgian and a true knowing both the ground and the daunger of the same Most necessary were it therefore to be first shriuen vnto God which onely knoweth our diseases and can helpe vs. I deny not in this the going to a priest if he be a man of good life and learning For the lawes of God are to be required of the priest which is godly learned But if he be an idiote or a man of vicious liuing that is my curate I ought rather to flee from him then to seeke vnto him For sooner might I catch euill of him that is nought then any goodnes towardes my soules health Then read the doctour agayne The third poynt is this Christ ordayned S. Peter the Apostle to be his vicare here in earth whose sea is the church of Rome And he graunted that the same power whiche he gaue vnto Peter should succeede to all Peters successours which we call now popes of Rome By whose special power in churches particular be ordayned Prelates archbishops parsons Curates and other degrees more Vnto whom Christen men ought to obey after the lawes of the Church of Rome This is the determination of holye Church Sir beleue ye not this To this he answered and sayd He that followeth Peter most nighest in pure liuing is next vnto him in succession But your Lordly order esteemeth not greatly the lowly behauiour of poore Peter whatsoeuer ye prate of him Neither care ye greatly for the humble manners of them that succeeded him till the time of Siluester whiche for the more part were martirs as I told you afore Ye can let all their good conditions go by you and not hurt your selues with them at all All the world knoweth this well inough by you and yet ye can make boast of Peter With that one of the other doctors asked him thē what do ye say of the Pope The Lord Cobham answered As I said before He you together maketh whole the great Antichrist Of whō he is the great head you bishops priests prelates monks are the body and the begging friers are the tayle for they couer the filthines of you both with
much as we haue found by diuers actes done brought forth and exhibited by sundry euidences signes and tokens and also by many most manifest proues the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle knight and L. Cobham not onely to be an euident hereticke in his owne person but also a mighty maintainer of other heretickes agaynst the fayth and religion of the holy and vniuersall church of Rome namely about the two sacramentes of the aultar and of penaunce besides the popes power and pilgrimages And that he as the childe of iniquitie and darcknes hath so hardened his hart that he will in no case attend vnto the voyce of his pastor Neyther will he be allured by straight admonishmentes not yet be brought in by fauourable wordes The worthines of the cause first wayed on the one side and his vnworthines agayn cōsidered on the other side his faults also aggrauated or made double through his damnable obstinacie we being loth that he which is nought shoulde be worse and so with his contagiousnes infecte the multitude by the sage counsel and assent of the very discrete fathers our honourable brethren and Lordes Byshops here present Richard of London Henry of Winchester and Bennet of Bangor and of other great learned and wise men here both doctours of diuinitie and of the lawes canon and ciuill seculers and religious with diuers other expert men assisting vs we sententially and diffinitiuely by this present writing iudge declare condemne the sayd syr Iohn Oldcastle Knight and Lord Cobham for a most pernitious and detestable hereticke conuicted vpon the same and refusing vtterly to obey the Church agayne committing him here from hencefoorth as a condemned hereticke to the secular iurisdiction power iudgement to doe him thereupon to death Furthermore we excommunicate and denounce accursed not onely this hereticke here present but so many els besides as shall hereafter in fauoure of his errour either receaue him or defend him counsell him or help hym or any other way mayntayne hym as very fautours receauers defenders counsaylers ayders and mayntayners of condemned heretickes And that these premisses may be the better knowne al faithfull Christen men we commit it here vnto your charges geue you straight commandement therupon by this writing also That ye cause this condemnation and diffinitiue sentence of excommunication cōcerning both this heretick and his fautours to be published throughout all diocesses in Cities towns villages by your curates and parish priests at such time as they shal haue most recourse of people And see that it be done after this sorte As the people are thus gathered deuoutly together let the curate euery where goe into the pulpit and there open declare and expound this excesse in the mother tongue in an audible and intelligible voyce that it may be perceiued of all men and that vpon the feare of this declaration also the people may fall from theyr euill opinions conceiued nowe of late by seditious preachers Moreouer we will that after we haue deliuered vnto each one of you bishops which are here present a copy hereof that ye cause the same to be written out agayne into diuers copies and so be sent vnto the other byshops and Prelates of our whole Prouince that they may also see the contentes thereof solemnly published within theyr diocesses and cures Finally we will that both you and they signifie agayne vnto vs seriously and distinctly by your writinges as the matter is without fayned colour in euery poynt performed the day wheron ye receaued this processe the time when it was of vs executed and after what sort it was done in euery condition according to the tenour hereof that we may knowe it to be iustly the same A copy of this writing sent Thomas Arundel the archbishop of Caunterbury afterward from Mydstone the x. day of Octobr within the same yeare of our Lord 1413. vnto Richard Clifford the bishop of London which thus beginneth Thomas permissione diuina c. The said Richard Clifford sent an other copy thereof enclosed within his owne letters vnto Robert Maschall a Carmelite frier which was then bishop of Herforde in Wales written from Haddam the 23. day of October in the same yeare and the beginning thereof is this Reuerende in Christo pater c. This Robert Mascall directed an other copye thereof from London the 27. day of Nouember in the same yeare enclosed in his owne commission also vnto his archdeacon and and Deanes in Hareforde and Shrewsbury And this is therof the beginning Venerabilibus discretis vitis c. In like maner did the other bishops within their diocesses After that the archbishop had thus read the bill of hys condemnation with most extremitie before the whol multitude The Lorde Cobham sayd with a moste cheerefull countenaunce Though ye iudge my body whiche is but a wretched thing yet am I certayne and sure that ye can do no harme to my soule no more then could Sathan vppon the soule of Iob. He that created that will of his infinite mercy and promise saue it I haue therein no manner of doubt And as concerning these articles before rehearsed I will stand to them euen to the very death by the grace of my eternall God And therwith he turned him vnto the people castyng hys handes abroad and saying with a very loude voyce Good Christen people for Gods loue be well ware of these men For they will els beguile you and leade you blindling into hell with thēselues For Christ sayth plainly vnto you If one blinde man leadeth an other they are like both to fall into the ditche After this he fell downe there vpon his knees thus before thē all prayed for his enemies holding vp both hys handes and his eyes towardes heauen and saying Lorde God eternall I beseeche thee of thy great mercies sake to forgeue my pursuers if it be they blessed will And then hee was deliuered to syr Robert Morly and so led forth again to the tower of London And thus was there an ende of that dayes worke Whyle the Lord Cobham was thus in the Tower he sent out priuely vnto his friendes And they at his request wrote this little bill here following causing it to be set vp in diuers quarters of London that the people should not beleeue the slaunders and lyes that his enemies the Byshops seruauntes and priestes had made on him abroade And thus was the letter FOr as much as Syr Iohn Oldcastle knight and Lorde Cobham is vntruely conuicted and emprisoned falsly reported and slandered among the common people by his aduersaries that he should otherwise both thinke speak of the sacramentes of the churche and specially of the blessed sacrament of the aultar then was written in the confession of his beliefe which was indended and taken to the clergy and so set vp in diuers open places in the cittye of London Knowne
diuers other of their adherents made earnest sute that he should not be let go at libertie againe and hauing the fauor of the iudges on their part they bragged vp and downe in a maner as they had bin mad men and mocked the said Iohn Husse sayeng now we will hold thee well enough thou art vnder our power and iurisdiction and shalt not depart vntill such time as thou hast paid the vttermost farthing A little afore night they sent f Prouost of the Romain court vnto M. Iohn de Clum to shew him that he might returne to his lodging for as for I. Hus they had otherwise prouided for him whē M. Iohn de Clum hard these newes he was wonderfully displeased forsomuch as through their crafts subtleties glosing words they had so trained this good man into their snares whereupon he went vnto t Pope declaring vnto him all that was done most humbly beseching him that he would call to remembrance the promise which he had made vnto him and maister Henry Latzembog and that he woulde not so lightly falsifie and breake his faith and promise The Pope aunswered that all these things were done without his cōsent or commandement and saide further to maister Clum apart what reason is it that you should impute this deede vnto mee seeing that you knowe well inough that I my selfe am in the hands of these Cardinals and Bishops In mine opiniō for so much as Pope Iohn feared that which in deed did after follow that he should be depriued of his dignitie he thought to win the fauour of these Herodian Cardinals and Bishops by betraieng this good man vnto thē So the said M. Clum returned very pensifull sory he complained very fore both priuely openly of the iniury and outrage that the Pope had done but all profited nothing After this the saide I. Hus was led by the officers to the chapter house of the great Church of Constance where hee was kept prisoner by the space of right daies frō thence he was caried vnto the Iacobines hard by the riuer of Rhine and was shut vp in the prison of the Abbey the which was hard by the Bogardes After he had bene inclosed there a certaine time he fell sore sicke of an agew by meanes of the stench of the place and became so weake that they despaired of his life And for feare least this good mā should die in prison as others are wont to do the Pope sente vnto him certaine of hys Phisitions for to cure and helpe him In the middest of his sicknes his accusers made importunate sute to the principals of the Councell that the sayde Iohn Hus might bee condemned and presented vnto the Pope these Articles heere vnderwritten ¶ Articles presented against Iohn Husse FIrst he doth erre about the Sacraments of the church and specially about the Sacramet of the body of Christ for so much as he hath openly preached that it ought to be ministred openly vnto the people vnder both kinds that is to say the body and bloud This article is euident for somuch as his disciples at this instant in Prage do minister the same in both kinds Moreouer it is affirmed by diuers that he hath taught both in the schooles and in the Church or at the least that he doth hold this opinion that after the words of consecration pronounced vpon the aulter there remaineth still materiall bread in the Sacrament this article shall be knowne by his examination Secondly he doth erre as touching the ministers of the church forsomuch as he saith that they cannot cōsecrate or minister the Sacraments when they are in mortall sinne This article shall likewise be known by his examination Notwithstanding all that which is here conteined may be gathered by his writings De ecclesia the which if he denie let there then be some deuines and others appointed to peruse and looke ouer his said writings of the Church Moreouer he saith that other men beside priests may minister the Sacraments this article is euident for so much as his disciples do the same at Prage the which of themselues do violently take the Sacrament out of the treasurie and communicate among themselues whē the holy communion is denied vnto them by this and other things also it is sufficiently euident that he hath taught that euerie man being without mortall sinne hath the power of orders or priesthood for so much as such only as hath taken orders ought to minister the sacraments vnto themselues And because he proceedeth from small matters vnto great and waightier it doth consequently appeare and followe that those which be in state of grace can binde and loose Thirdly he doth erre as touching the Church and specially for that he doth not allow admit that the Church signifieth the Pope Cardinals Archbishops and the Clergie vnderneath them but saith that this signification was drawne out from the schoolemen And in no case to be holden or allowed this article is manifest by his said treatise vpon the Church Moreouer he doth erre concerning the Church in that he saith that the Church ought not to haue any temporall possessions And that the temporall Lords may take them away from the Church the clergy without any offence this errour is euident forsomuch as through his doctrine and intisements many churches in the kingdom of Boheme in the citie of Prage are already spoiled and robbed of a great part of their temporalties and goods He saith also that Constantinus other secular princes erred by enriching and enduing churches monasteries This article is manifest by that which goeth next before Fourthly he erreth as touching the Church in that hee sayth that all priests are of like power and therfore affirmeth that the reseruations of the Popes casualties the ordering of Bishops and the consecration of the Priestes were inuented only for couetousnes This Article doth somewhat appeare by those afore going but by his examination shall be more euident Fiftly he erreth concerning the church in that he sayth that the church being in sinne hath no power of the keies when as the Pope Cardinals and all other of the priests and cleargie are in deadly sinne the which he sayth is possible enough this also doth appeare in his treatise vppon the Church in his first errour as touching the ministers of the Church Sixtly he erreth touching the Church for as much as through contempt he doth not feare excommunication This doth notoriously appeare by his owne doings in that he did contemne and despise the Apostolike and ordinary censure and in all the Apostolike excommunications iniunctions he hath borne himselfe vpon the diuine commandements and in contempt of the keyes to the setting out of his hypocrisie he hath said masse all the wayes betweene this and the citie of Prage and therby hath prophanate the processe and authoritie of the Church Seuenthly he erreth againe as
with the Nobles and Lordes here present most instantly required and desired that as touchyng his safe conduct they would foresee and haue respect vnto his honour And that the sayd Maister Iohn Hus might be openly heard for so much as he would render and shew a reason of his fayth and if he were found or conuicted obstinately to affirme or maintayne any thyng agaynst the truth or holy Scripture that then he ought to correct and amend the same according to the instruction and determination of the Councell yet could hee neuer obtayne this But the sayd Maister Iohn Husse notwithstandyng all this is most greuously oppressed with fetters and yrons and so weakened with thinne and slender diete that it is to be feared least that his power and strength beyng hereby consumed and wasted hee should be put in daunger of his witte or reason And although the Lordes of Boheme here present are greatly slaundered because they seyng the sayd Maister Iohn Hus so to be tormeÌ„ted and troubled contrary to the kyngs safe conduct haue not by their letters put the kyng in mynde of his sayd safe conduct that the sayd Lord and kyng should not any more suffer any such matters for so much as they tend to the contempt and disregard of the kingdome of Boheme which froÌ„ the first originall and begynnyng since it receaued the Catholicke fayth it neuer departed or went away froÌ„ the obedience of that holy Church of Rome yet notwithstandyng they haue suffered borne all these thynges patiently hetherto least by any meanes occasion of trouble or vexation of this sacred Councell might arise or spryng therof Wherfore most reuereud fathers Lordes The Nobles and Lordes before named do wholy most earnestly desire require your reuerences here present that both for the honour of the safe conduct of our sayd Lord the kyng also for the preseruation and encrease of the worthy fame and renowne both of the foresayd kyngdome of Boheme your own also that you will make a short end about the affayres of M. Iohn Hus for so much as by the meanes of his straite handling he is in great daunger by any loÌ„ger delay cueÌ„ as they do most specially trust vpoÌ„ the most vpright consciences iudgementes of your fatherly reuereÌ„ces But forasmuch as most reuereÌ„d fathers and Lordes it is now come to the knowledge and vnderstaÌ„ding of the Nobles Lordes of Boheme here present how that certaine backbiters and slauÌ„derers of the most famous kingdom of Boheme aforesayd haue declared told vnto your reuerences how that the Sacrament of the most precious bloud of our Lord is caried vp downe through Boheme in vessels not coÌ„secrated or halowed and that Coblers do now heare confessions minister the most blessed body of our Lord vnto others The Nobles therfore of Boheme here present require and desire you that you will geue no credit vnto false promoters tale tellers for that as most wicked and naughty slaunderers backbiters of the kingdome aforesaid they do report tel vntruthes requiring also your reuerences that such slanderous persons of the kingdome aforesaid may be named knowne And the lord the king together with your reuereÌ„ces shal well perceiue and see that the Lordes of Boheme will go about in such maner to refell and put away the false fâ—â—uolous slaunders of those naughty persons that they shall be ashamed to appeare hereafter before the lord the kyng and your reuerences As soone as this their supplication was red that byshop of Luthonis rising vp said Most reuerend fathers I well perceiue and vnderstand that the last part of this writing doth touch me my familiars frends as though the kingdom of Boheme were slaundered by vs. Wherfore I desire to haue time space of deliberation that I may purge my selfe from this crime that is laid against me The principal of the counsel appointed him the 17. day of May at the which day the lords of Boheme should be present again to heare both the aunswer of the councell and also the excuse of the bishop of Luthonis yâ— which thing in dede was afterward performed for the 17. day of May which was the 4. day before the whitsontide they met there againe where first of all a certaine bishop in the name of the whole councel answered by worde to the nobles of Boheme the contentes of whose aunswer may easely be known by the secoÌ„d supplication which the Bohemiams put vp to the councel But first I haue here in these few wordes following shewed how the bishop Luthonis defended himselfe agaynst that which is before written ¶ The aunswer of the Bishop of Luthonis to the last part of the supplication which the nobles of Boheme presented vnto the Councell MOst reuerend fathers and noble Lordes as Peter de Mladoneywitz bacheler of Arte in the name of certain of the nobles of the kingdome of Boheme in his writings amongest other thyngs did propounde how that certaine slaunderers and backebiters of the sayd kyngdome haue brought to the eares of your reuereÌ„ces that the most precious bloud of Christ is caried vp and downe in Boheme in bottels that Coblers do heare confessions and minister the body of Christ vnto others wherupon most reuerend fathers and Lordes Albeit that I together wyth the other prelates doctors maisters and other innumerable catholikes of the sayde kingdome the whych doe desire as much as in them lieth to defend the faith of Christ haue laboured for the extirpation rooting out of that most wicked and detestable sect of Wickliffes which nowe alas for sorow beginneth to spring and rise in the sayd kingdome as it is well knowne Notwythstanding here in thys my oration not for any shame or reproofe but for the honour of the kingdome aforesayd I haue propounded and declared a certaine new sect whych is nowe lately sprong vp in the sayd kingdome the folowers whereof do minister communicate the sacraments in many cities townes places of the said kingdom vnder both kindes both of breade and wine and doe constantly teache the common people bothe men and women that it is so to be coÌ„municated obstinatly affirming the same and that the clergy which do repugn or say nay vnto it are to be counted church robbers as by the wrytings of their assertions being directed and presented hether shall openly appeare Moreouer by the report and fame whych goeth here abroade by the wrytings which were sent ouer vnto me I haue propouÌ„ded that it came to my knowledge that the bloud of Christ is caryed about in vessâ—ls Is not consecrated approuing the foresaide erroneous assertion of the Wicleuists that affirme it necessary for saluation that the people shuld communicate vnder both kindes of bread and wine and that it is necessary as the body of Christ is caryed in the pixe or boxe so the bloude of Christ should be caryed in bottles or other necessary vessels from
remnaunt of the ashes of that man shoulde not be left vppon the earth whose memorie notwythstanding can not be abolished out of the minds of the godly neither by fire neither by water neither by anye kinde of torment ¶ I know very well that these things are very â—â—lenderly wrytten of me as touching the labours of thys most holy Martyr Iohn Hus with whome the labors of Hercules are not to be compared For that auncient Hercules slew a few monsters but this our Hercules with a moste stout and valiant courage hath subdued euen the worlde it selfe the mother of all monsters and cruell beastes Thys story were worthy some other kind of more curious handling but for so muche as I cannot otherwise perfourme it my selfe I haue endeuored according to the veâ—y truth as the thing was in deede to commend tho same vnto al godly mindes neither haue I heard it reported by others but I my selfe was present at the doing of all these things and as I was able I haue put them in wryting that by thys my labour and indeuor howsoeuer it were I might preserue the memory of this holy man and excellent Doctour of the Euangelicall truth What was the name of this author which wrote thys story it is not here expressed Cochleus in his 2. boke contra Hussitas supposeth his name to be Ioannes Pizibram a Bohemian Who afterward succeeding in the place of I. Hus at Prage at last is thought to relent to the Papists This godly seruaunt and Martyr of Christ was condemned by the cruel councel and burned at Constance an 1415. about the moneth of Iuly Howe grieuously this death of Iohn Hus was taken among the nobles of Boheme and of Morauia heereafter Christ willing shall appeare by their letters which they sent vnto the councell by the letters of Sigismund the king of Romaines wrytten vnto them Wherin he laboureth all that he can to purge and excuse himselfe of Husses death All be it he was not altogether free from that cruell fact and innocent froÌ„ that bloud yet notwithstanding hee pretendeth in words so to wipe away that blot from hym that the greatest part of that crime seemeth to rest vpon the bloudy prelates of that councel as the wordes of the king do purport in forme as followeth INterea inquit nobis adhuc in partibus Rheni existentibus peruenit ad Constantiam c i. In the meane time as we were about the coastes of Rhene Iohn Hus went to Constance and there was arrested as is not to you vnknowen Who if he had first resorted vnto vs had gone with vs vp to the CouÌ„cel perhaps it had bene otherwise with him And God knoweth what griefe and sorrowe it was to our heart to see it so to fall out as with no wordes can be well expressed Whereof all the Bohemians which were there present can beare vs witnesse seeing and beholding howe carefull and sollicitous we were in labouring for him In so much that wee many times with anger and furie departed out of the Councell and not onely out of the Councell but also went out of the City of CoÌ„stance taking his part vnto such time as the rulers of the Councell sending vnto vs sayde That if wee woulde not permit them to prosecute that which right required in the Councell what should they then do in the place Whereupon thus we thought with our selues that here was nothing els for vs more to doe nor yet to speake in this case for asmuche as the whole Councell otherwise had ben dissolued Where is to be noted moreouer that in Constance the same time there was not one clearke or two but there were Ambassadours for all kinges and princes in Christendome especially since the time that Petrus de Luna geuing ouer all those kinges and princes which tooke his part came to vs so that whatsoeuer good was to be done it was nowe to be passed in this present Councell c. Ex Epist. Imper. Sigismundi ad Nobiles c. ¶ By this it may appeare that the Emperour as partly ashamed and sory of that which was done wold gladly haue cleared himselfe therof and haue washed hys handes with Pilate yet he coulde not so cleare himselfe but that a great portion of that murder remained in him to be noted and well worthy of reprehension as may both appeare by his last words spoken in the Councel to I. Hus whereof Iohn Hus in his Epistles complaineth wryting to certaine of his friendes in Bohemia in his 33. Epistle as by hys wordes may appeare here following I Desire you yet againe for the loue of God that the Lordes of Boheme ioyning together will desire the king for finall audience to be geuen me For so muche as he alone saide to me in the Councell that they shoulde geue me audience shortly and that I shoulde aunswer for my selfe briefly in wryting it will be to hys great confusion if he shall not perfourme that which he hath spoken But I feare that worde of his will be as firme and sure as the other was concerning my safeconducte graunted by him Certaine there were in Bohemia which willed mee to beware of hys safeconducte And other sayde he will sure geue you to your ennemies And the Lord Mikest Dweky told me before M. Iessenitz saying Maister know it for certaine you shal be condemned And this I suppose he spake knowing before the inteÌ„tion of the king I hoped well that hee had bene well affected towarde the lawe of God and trueth and had therein good intelligence nowe I conceiue that he is not greatly skilfull nor so prudently circumspecte in himselfe He condemned me before mine ennemies did Who if it had pleased him might haue kept the moderation of Pilat the Gentile which sayde I finde no cause in this man or at least if hee had sayde but thus beholde I haue geuen him his safeconducte safely to returne And if hee will not abide the decision of the councell I will send him home to the king of Boheme with youre sentence attestations that he with his cleargie may iudge him But nowe I heare by the relation of Henry Leffl and of other that he will ordaine for me sufficient audience And if I will not submit my selfe to the iudgement of the councel he wil send me safe the contrary way c. This Iohn Hus being in prison wrote diuers treatises as of the commaundements of the Lordes prayer of mortal sinne of matrimony of the knowledge and loue of God of 3. ennemies of mankinde the world the flesh and the deuill of penaunce of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord of the sufficiencie of the lawe of God to rule the church c. He wrote also diuers Epistles and letters to the Lordes and to his frendes of Boheme And in hys wrytings did foreshewe many things before to come touching yâ— reformation of the Churche and seemeth in the prison
thou sayest so thou geuest offence Luke 11. The 16. Article is that they in many places lende money or goodes to haue treasure or vsurie and they haue in cities and townes yearely paiments and perpetual reuenues as great Princes and Lordes Wherein they doe against the Gospel which sayth do not ye possesse gold nor siluer And wheras they lend for gaine and vsury againste that speaketh the Lord Deu. 24. Lend not to vsury to thy brother c. Ye honest discrete and well beloued Lords all the foresaide Articles we wil prooue against the Pope and all his priests with many testimonies of the holy Scripture which for breuities sake we haue not here mētioned But note ye chiefly these 4. Articles for which wee striue and desire to defend them to the death The first Article is that all publicke and customably mortall sinnes ought to be forbidden and prohibited to all Priests and lay men according to the commaundement of the holy Scripture The seconde Article is that richesse ought to be taken from the Pope and all hys Priestes from the hyghest to the lowest and they ought to bee made poore as the Disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ were who had nothyng of their own neither possessiōs in this world neither worldly power The third Article is that the word of God ought to be free for euery mā appointed and ordained therto to preach and read in al places whether they shal come without resistance of any man or without any inhibitiō of either spirituall or earthly power openly or manifestly The fourth article is that the body of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to be deliuered to euery christian as our lord hath ordained it and as the holy Euangelists haue wrytten We haue also vnderstood that there shal be a Councell in Basile Wherfore let no mā be exalted but let them diligētly kepe their wiues their daughters and their virgins from Byshops Priests and Monkes And do not thinke that there is made any holy assembly of Bishops and Priests for the common commodity and profit of Christendom but onely to thys end that they may hide their secret vices and heresies with the cloke of hypocrisye and let and hinder the righteousnesse of God which is muche contrary to them and for this cause consider ye diligently that they will not make an holy assembly but the congregation of Sathan And take ye heede that it be not done as some did at Constance who tooke money of Bishops and Prelates suffered them to sleepe with their wiues Ye welbeloued and honest Lordes if ye finde any thing in these aforesaide Articles or wordes wrytten somewhat sharply we did it not to offend or contemne you but to the ende that ye shoulde diligently consider and deuise howe Christendome is so ill kept and led by the Priests of this present age Our Lorde Iesu Christ keepe you both in body and soule Amen In the yeare of our Lord. 1430. Preropus Smahors Conradus Samssmolich Capitaines of Bohemia Nowe to prosecute the warres of the Bohemians againe after Zisca was dead wherof we did intreat before there was great feare sorrow and lamentation in the army the soldiers accusing fortune which gaue ouer such an inuincible captaine to be ouercome with death Immediatly there was a diuision in the host the one parte chusing Procopius Magnus to be their captaine the other parte saying that there was none could be found worthy to succede Zisca whereuppon they chusing out certaine to serue the warres named themselues Orphanes Thus the Thaborites being deuided into two armies the one part retained their olde and accustomed name and the other by meanes of the death of their captayne named themselues Orphanes And all be it that oftentimes there was dissension betwene them yet when soeuer any forein power came towards them they ioyned their powers together in one campe and defended themselues They seldome went vnto any fensed townes except it were to buy necessaries but liued with their wiues and childrē in theyr campe tents They had amongst them many cartes the which they vsed as a Bulwarke For when so euer they went vnto battell they made two wings of them whyche closed in the footemen The winges of the horse men were on the out side and when as they sawe their time for to ioyne battell the wagon men which led the wings going forth vnto the Emperors standerd and compassing in such part of their enemies as they woulde did close themselues in together whereby the ennemies being inclosed so that they could not be rescued they were partly by the footemē partly by the men that were in the carres with their dartes slaine The horsemen fought without the fortification and if it happened that they were oppressed or put to flight by and by the carres opening themselues receiued them as it were into a fensed Citie and by this meanes they got many victories for so much as their enemies were ignorant of their pollicies These 2. armies went foorth the one into Slesia and the other into Morauia and returned againe wyth great pray before their enemies knewe of their comming After this they besieged the towne of Swetley in Austrich where as the Thaborites and the Orphanes two nightes continually assaulted the walles wythout ceasing but Albert Duke of Austrich comming with his hoste to aide the Citizens they fought by the space almost of foure houres the valiauntest warriers being slaine on both partes At the length the battaile was broken of and the Thaborits lost their carres and Albert was put out of his camp tents Within a while after Procopius Magnus came agayne and inclosed the citie of Rhetium in Austria with a notable siege They of Prage were in his army and Boslaus Cygneus of whome we spake before was slaine there with a dart the city of Rhetium was taken by force sacked and burnt The Burgraue of Malderburge Lord of the towne was also taken and caried vnto Prage where also hee dyed in prison These thinges thus done the Emperour sent for the nobles of Boheme which went vnto him vnto a town of Hungary called Posonium in the borders of Austria vpō the bāks of the riuer of Danubius but they wold not enter into the towne but remained wtout the towne in their tents whether as the Emperoure going out vnto them communing muche with them as touching his right title and the recouering of his fathers kingdome promising if there were any cause which did alienate the Bohemians minds from him that he would take away al the occasion therof They made answer that he had made warre vpon them without cause and that he had suffred their countrey men cōtrary to his promise to be burnt at Constance not being heard and the kingdom to be contumeliously interdited and the Nobles of Boheme to be condemned by the church of Rome as heretickes and that he should thincke the force
forced to obiure and suffred like penance as the other before had done THomas Moone of Ludney was apprehended and attached for suspition of heresy agaynst whom were obiected by the Bishop the articles before written but specially this article that he had familiarity communication with diuers heretickes and had receiued comforted supported and mayntayned diuers of them as sir William White syr Hugh Pye Thomas Pert and William Callis Priestes with many other more vpon the which articles he being coÌ„uict before the bishop was forced to abiure and receiued the like penance in like maner as before In like maner Robert Brigges of Martham was brought before the Bishop the 17. day of February in the yeare aforesayd for holding and affirming the foresayd articles but especially these hereafter folowing That the sacrament of confirmation ministred by the Byshop did auayle nothing to saluation That it was no sinne to withstand the ordinaunces of the Church of Rome That holy bread and holy water were but trifles and that the bread and the water were the worse for the conturacions characters which the priestes made ouer them Upon which Articles he being conuict was forced to abiure and receiued penance in maner and forme as the other had done before him The like also albeit somewhat more sharp happened vnto Iohn Finch of Colchester the 20. day of September who albeit he was of the dioces of London being suspecte of heresye was attached in Ipswich in the dioces of Norwich brought before the bishop there before whom he being conuict of the like articles as all the other before him was enioyned penance three displings in solemne procession about the Cathedrall Church of Norwich three seuerall Sondayes three displinges about the market place of Norwich three principall market dayes his head necke and feet being bare his body couered onely with a short shirt or vesture hauing in his handes a taper of waxe of a pound waight which the next Sonday after his penance he shoulde offer to the Trinity and that for the space of 3. yeres after euery Ashwednesday Maundy Thursday he should appeare in the Cathedrall Church of Norwich before the Bishop or his Vicegerent to do open penaunce amongest the other penitentiaries for his offences There were besides these men which we haue here rehearsed diuers and many other who both for the concordaunce of the matter and also for that theyr Articles punishmeÌ„ts were all one we haue thought good at this time to passe ouer especially forsomuch as their names be before recited in the Catalogue The burning of Rich Houeden Nicholas Canon of Eye NOw to proceed in our story of Norfolke and Suffolk in folowing the order of yeres we finde that in the yere of our Lord. 1431. One Nich. Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishop of Norwich for suspicion of heresy with certayne witnesses sworne to depose against him touching his maners and conuersatioÌ„ which witnesses appointing one William Christopher to speak in the name of them all he deposed in maner and forme folowing First that on Easter day when all the parishners weÌ„t about the church of Eye solemnely in processioÌ„ as the maner was the sayd Nicholas Canon as it were mocking deciding the other parishioners went about the Church the contrary way and met the procession This article he confessed and affirmed that he thought he did well in so doing Item the sayd Nicholas asked of maister Iohn Colman of Eye this question Maister Colman what think you of the Sacrament of the aulter To whome the sayde Colman aunswered Nicholas I thinke that the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar is very God and very man the very flesh and very bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ vnder forme of bread and wine Vnto whom Nicholas in decision sayde Truly if the Sacrament of the aultar be very God very man and the very body bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ then may very God and very man be put in a small roome as when it is in the priests mouth that receiueth it at mas And why may not we simple men as well eate flesh vpon Fridayes and al other prohibited dayes as the priest to eat the flesh and the bloud of our Lord euery day indiffereÌ„tly The which article the sayd Nicholas denied that he spake vnto Maister Colman but vnto a Monke of Hockesney And furthermore he thought he had spoken well in that behalfe Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high masse when all the parishioners other straungers kneeled downe holding vp their handes and doing reuerence vnto the sacrament the sayd Nicholas went behinde a piller of the church and turning his face from the high aulter mocked them that did reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he also acknowledging affirmed that he beleued himselfe to do well in so doing Item when his mother would haue the said Nicholas to lift vp his right hand and to crosse himselfe froÌ„ the craftes and assaults of the deuill forsomuch as he deferred the doing therof his mother tooke vp his right haÌ„d crossed him saying In nomine patris filij spiritus sacti Amen Which so ended the sayde Nicholas immediately deciding hys mothers blessing tooke vp his right hand of his owne accord and blessed him otherwise as his aduersaryes reporte of him This Article the sayde Nicholas acknowledged to be true Item that vpon Alhallowen day in the time of eleuation of high masse when as many of the parishioners of Eâ—e lighted many torches and caried theÌ„ vp to the high aultar kneling down there in reuerence and honor of the Sacrament the sayd Nicholas carying a torche went vp hard to the high aultar and standing behind the priestes backe saying masse at the time of the eleuation he stood vpright vpoÌ„ his feet turning his back to the priest and his face toward the people and would do no reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he acknowledged affirming that he thought he had done well in that behalfe All which Articles the Byshops coÌ„missary caused to be copied out word for worde to be seÌ„t vnto M. William Worsted Prior of the cathedrall church of Norwich and to other doctors of diuinity of the order of begging Friers that they might deliberate vpon them and shew their mindes betwene that and Thursday next folowing Vpon whiche Thursdaye being the last of Nouember the yeare aforesayd the sayd Nicholas was agayne examined before M. Barnam and diuers other vpoÌ„ two other articles which he had confessed vnto I. Exetor notary Tho. Bernsten bacheler of diuinity and others Whereof the first Article was this that the sayd Nicholas Canon being of perfect minde and remembrance confessed that he doubled whether in the Sacrament of the aulter were the very body of Christ or no. This article he confessed before the Commissary to be true Item that he beyng of perfecte minde
of Dierome of Prage and their bloud shed for the same was yet present before their eies at whose most effectual exhortations they were so little correct and amended that they seemed twise more cruell than they were before Yet all this could not feare this good man but that in so necessary and wholesome an office he would spend his life if need should be So by this meanes he which came to be a scholer vnto others was now forced to be their teacher And he which determined to follow other mens liues and maners had now contratrywise set before them his life to be marked and followed For he liued so amongst them that his life might be a rule vnto them all and so taught as he might also be theyr schoolemaister For euen as Paule had foreshewed vnto such as desired to liue godly in Christ that they shoulde suffer persecution such like reward hapned vnto this maÌ„ He gaue vnto them the fruite of godlinesse whiche they should follow they againe set vpon his head the diademe of Martirdome He sheweth them the way to saluation and they for the benefite of life rewarded him death and whereas no rewards had bene worthy for his greate labours and trauailes they with most extreame ignominâ—e persecuted him euen vnto the fire For when as by continuall preaching he had gotten great enuic and hatred the rulers began to consist together by what meanes they might circumvent this mans life Heere they had reconcle to their accustomed remedies for it is a peculiar and continuall custome amongst the prelates of the Church that if any man did displease them or that his talke be not according to their minde or by any meanes hurtfull or a hinderance to their lucre and gaine by and by they frame out Articles of some heresie which they charge him withall And like as euery liuing thing hath his peculiar and proper weapon to defend himselfe from harme as nature hath armed the Bore with his tuskes the Hedgebogge with his prickles the Lyon is feared for his clawes the Dogge for his biting the Bull fighteth with his hornes neither doth the Aâ—e lacke his houes to strike withall euen so this is the only armour of the Bishops to strangle a man with heresie if he once go about to mutter against their will and ambition which thing may be easily perceiued and seene in this most holy man beside a greate number of other Who when as now he began to waxe greuous vnto them and could no longer be suffred what did they straightwayes flee vnto their old policies and as they had done with Hus and Hicrome of Prage euen so went they about to practise against this man They ouerwhelme him with suspition they seeke to intangle him with questions they examine him in iudgement they compile Articles against him and lay heresie vnto hys charge they condemne him as an hereticke and beeing so condemned they destroy and kill him This was theyr godlines this was the peaceable order of those Carmelites Whose religion was to weare no sword nor shield notwithstanding they did beare in their hearts malice rancour vengeace poison craft and deceipt sharper then any sword With how great care and policie is it prouided by law that none of these Cleargy men should fight wyth sword in the streates When as in iudgement and accusations where as it is not lawfull for a man to oppresse his brother there is no murtherer which hath more readie vengeaunce or that both more vily esteeme his brothers soule then they They shead no bloud themselues they strike not nor kill but they deliuer them ouer vnto others to be slaine What difference is there I pray you but that they are the authours and the other are but the ministers of the cruell fact they kill no man as murtherers do How then Although not after the same sort yet they do it by another meane The Articles which they falsly gathered against thys man are affirmed by some to be these That the Church lacketh reformation and that it shall be punished and reformed That Infidels Iewes Turkes and Moores shall bee conueâ—ted vnto Christ in the later dayes That abhominations are vsed at Rome That the uniust excommunication of the Pope is not to be feared and those which do not obserue the same do not sinne or offend But yet there lacked a minister for these articles albeit he could not long be wanting at Rome where all things are to be sold euen mens soules For this office and ministery there was no man thought more meete then William of Rowne Cardinall of Saicet Martines in the Mount Uicechancelour of the Court of Rome Eugenius at that time was Pope who had a little before succeded Pope Martin aboue mentioned Before the whyche Eugenius this godly Rhedonensis the Frenchman was brought and from thence sent vnto prison And againe after his imprisonment and diuers and sondry greeueus torments he was brought before the Iudges The Wolfe Sâ—ate in iudgement the Lambe was accused Why because he had troubled the spring But heere neede not manie malice of these mighty potentates had offended inough and was easely conuict and condemned to be burned but in such sort as first of all he should be depriued of all such degrees as he had taken to Priesthode For it is counted an vnlawfull thing that a Priest should be punished with prophane punishment when as notwithstanding it is lawfull inough for Priests to put any lay man to death be he neuer so giltles How religiously and earnestly do they foresee that the maiesty of Priestly dignitie should not in any case be hurt But how little care haue they that their consciences bee not hurt with false iudgements and oppressing the giltles Wherefore before that he should come vnto punishment this good man must be disgraded The order and maner of this Popish degrading is partly before touched in the story of William Taylor fol. 517. After that it had pleased the Byshops to disgrade thys man froÌ„ the degrees wherewith before they had consecrated him and thought not that sufficieÌ„t by and by after they depriued him of his life also burned him four yeres after that he came to Rome In the yeare of our Lord. 1436. The burning of Tho. Rhedonensis And thus through the crueltie of these most tyrannous Prelates this blessed Martyr dyed Albeit it is not to be thought that he died but made a losse of this bodie for a greater gaine of saluation before the iust iudgement of God Neither is it to be doubted but that he liueth eternally vnder the aultar with them whose bloud the Lorde will reuenge peraduenture too soone sor some of them whome the earth hath heere so long holden vnpunished As this Thomas abouesayd suffered at Rome so were diuers other in other places about Germany executed neare about the same time after the burning of Iohn Hus as HeÌ„ry Grunfelder Priest of Ratispone an
which hee aunswered agayne what nede I say that I beleeue that thing I know There the Inquisitor something stirred wyth the matter as hote as a toste as they say cried out with a loude voice maister Ioannes maister Ioannes maister Ioannes say Credo say Credo Then he answered Credo After thys being demaunded whether he had wrytten any treatise concerning the binding of humaine lawes to one Nicolas of Boheme and whether he had written any treatise of the Ecclesiasticall power of indulgences pardons and of fasting and other treatises he beleued that he had so written and had conferred with diuers learned men Also that he had sent to the Bishops of Wormes a certaine treatise of fasting Many other interrogatories were ministred vnto him whereof some were vaine some false Such as were more principal here we will briefly touch leauing out superfluitiâ—s Being demaunded whether hee was a fautour of the Bohemians he sayde he was not Also being demaunded concerning the Sacrament of the holy body and bloude of our Lorde whether he thought Christe there to be contained really or only diuinely and whether he dyd beleeue in the sayde Sacrament the substaunce of breade there to remaine or onely the fourme thereof to thys he aunswered not denying but the body of Christe was there really contained and also wyth the body of Christe the substaunce of bread to remaine After this he was demaunded his opinion concerning religious men as Monkes Nunnes or begwines whether he thought them to be bound to the vow of chastitie or to the keping of any other vow and whether he said to the Friers Minorites any such worde in effecte I can not saue you in this your state and order Thys he confessed that he had sayde howe that not your religion saueth you but the grace of God c. not denying but they might be saued Item being required whether he beleued or had wrytten that there is no mortall sinne but whyche is exprest to be mortal in the canon of the holy Bible to this he answered that he did so beleue as he hath written til he was better informed Likewise being required what he thought of the vicar of Christ in earth he aunswered that he beleeued that Christe left no vicare in earth For the confirmation whereof he alledged and sayde that Christ ascending vp to heauen said Ecce ego vobiscum sum c. Behold I am with you c. In the which wordes he plainly declared that hee would substitute vnder him no vicare in earth and sayde moreouer if a vicare signified any man which in the absence of the principal hath to do the works of the principall then Christ hath no vicar here in earth In like maner concerning indulgences and pardons such as the church doth vse to geue they demanded of him whether they had any efficacy what he thought thereof who answered againe that he had written a certaine treatise of that matter what hee had wrytten in that treatise he would persist therin which was thus that he beleeued that the treasure boxe of the merits of Saints could not be distributed of the Pope to others because that treasure is not left here in earth For so it is wrytteÌ„ in the Apocalips Opera enim illoâ—um sequuntur illos c. that is their workes follow them Item that theyr merites could not be applied to other men for the satisfaction of theyr paine due vnto them and therefore that the Pope and other Prelates cannot distribute that treasure to men It was obiected to him moreouer that in the sayde his treatise he called pardons indulgences Pias fraudes fidelium that is holy fraudes and deceits of the faithful Also being demaunded what he thought of the halowing and blessings of altars chalices vestiments wax candeâ—s palmes herbes holy water and other diuine things c. Hee aunswered that they had no spirituall vertue and power in them to driue away deuils and that holye water hath no more efficacie then other water not hallowed as concerning remission of veniall sinnes and driuing away deuels and other effectes which the schoole doctours do attribute to it Item for degrees of mariage forbidden in the Scryptures he beleueth that all Christian men vnder deadly sin are bound vnto the same Item that he beleeueth that God may geue grace to a man hauing the vse of reason without all motion of Free wil. Also he thinketh that S. Paule in his conuersion dyd nothing of his owne free wil for his conuersion He beleeueth moreouer that God may geue such grace to a manne hauing the vse of reason not doing that which in hym is Item he affirmed that nothing is to be beleued which is not conteined in the Canon of the Bible Also that the elect are saued onely by the grace of God Besides al these moreouer he was charged with the old opinion of the Grecians which they dyd holde contrary to the Romaine church vnto the time of the councell of Ferraria aboue mentioned concerning the proceedyng of the holy Ghost The Wednesday next following 3 Doctours the suffragane Herwicus Iacobus Sprenger were sent vnto him with perswasions to exhort him and when he would not stand to their Canons wherby they went about to refute his doctrine he was then demanded of Herwicus why he would beleue rather the 4. Euangelists then the Gospel oâ— Nicodemns To whoÌ„ he answerd because he wold Being asked againe why he beleued the 4. Euangelists he said because he so receiued of his parents Then being demaunded why he would not beleue the Doctours because said he their doctrine is not canonical scripture Againe it was to him obiected why he would be credited himself when he preached seing he would not beleue the holy doctors To whome hee answered in this wise saying that he did preach as his duety was but whether they gaue credit to his words he did not care Thys examination being ended after these Articles were condemned by the Inquisitour his assistance then said he after this maner As you do with me if Christ himselfe were here he might be condemned as an heretike After this they sent diuers to him to haue communication with him and to perswade him sending also to him with his Articles a forme of asking pardone at length within 3. or 4. daies after hee was content to condescend vnto them and to submit himselfe to their holy mother Churche and the information of the Doctors In the boke of Orthuinus Gratius and in Paralypomena adioyned to Abbas Vrspergensis we reade these woordes wrytten of this Ioannes de Wesalia Dempto solo articulo de processione spiritus sancti in alijs videtur non ita graui censura c. That is except onely the Article of the proceeding of the holy Ghost in other Articles it semeth that he was not to be chastened with so sharpe censure if respit and space had ben geuen
of the storie aboue prefixed AN. 632. Began the kingdom of the Saracens or Arabians after the death of mahumet the fiâ—ft ringleader of the mischief which Savacens reigning in Babylon ouer Persia and Asia continued about 198. yeres An 667. Ierusale was taken of the Saracens These SaraceÌ„s after they had subdued Ormisda K. of Persia set vp to them selues a new kingdom calling their chiefe prince Calipha which signifieth a general Lord and vnder him Seriphes that is an vnder prince And againe vnder him their Soldan whych is a ruler or captaine vnder the which Soldanes all the prouinces were deuided And thus ruled obey the space abouesayd of 198. yeres An. 703. The Egyptians being weary of their subiection vnder the Romaines called for helpe of the Saracene Calipha and so casting of the Romains submitted themselues to the law of the Saraces and had also their Calipha and theyr Babylon called Cairus where their Calipha continued vnto Saraco or Syracinus 447. yeres An. 810. Mauginetus or Muchumetus the chiefe Sultan of Persia being at variance with Imbrael the Sultan of â—abiâ—on feut for the aid of the turkes out of Sâ—ychia â—â— whoÌ„ when he had got the victorye against the Babilonians the sayd Turkes shortly after conquered the Persians and subdued their countrey within the space of 20â— yeres An. 830. The SaraceÌ„s being â—â— pussed â—â— of Asia by the turkes wandered aboue Afrike Spayne and Italy and were 〈◊〉 uers places dispersed and 〈◊〉 An. 830. The Turke after they had expulsed the Saraâ—â—â—our of Asia began to reigne in Asia in Persia in Arabia and there reigned without interruption til the comming of the Tartarians the space of 192. yeres An. 1009. The Turkes wanne the city of Herusalem froÌ„ the Saraâ—ens which citie the Sultan of Egipt want againe 〈◊〉 the Turkes shortly after possessed the same till the comming of Gotfeldus An. 1051. Began the first king of the turkes called â—aduke to raign in Asia and ioyned league with Calipha of Egypt and there raigned till the conquest of Gotfridus and the Christians the space of 46. yeres An. 1078. SolymaÌ„nus nephue to Aspasalem the turkish king in Asia otherwise called Turquinia subdued Capadocia which hath continued now since the space of 500. yeres An. 1099. Gotfridus Bulion duke of Lotharing a christeÌ„ prince taking his voiage into Asia with 700000. Christen soldiours first got the city of Nicea against the Sultane of the Turkes then Lycaonia Cilicia Syria afterwarde Mesopotamia and Comagena then Autiochia An. 1098. and the next yere recouered Hierusalem being then in the hands of the Saracens whych they a little before had wonne from the Turkes as is aforesayde After this Gorfridus succeded viij christian kings which kept the kingdome of Hierusalem and Asia both from the Turkes and Saracens the space of 88. yeres An. 1100. The Georgians which be a people of Armenia the greatye vaÌ„quisheâ—â— the Turks out of the kingdom of Persia afâ—â—â— they had cutte their king in pieces wherby the Turks flying to Cappadoria there remained vnder Solynian ioyned them selues to the Solban of Egypt and waxed the strong in Asia minor couted now Turquinia An. 1170. When Americus the vii king of Hierusalem after Goufridus had ouercome the Calipha or Sultan of Egypt the Sultan being ouercome called for the help of Saracon the Sultane of Syria Thys Saracon after he had expulsed the christians out of Egypt â—â—oned his power against the Sultane of Egypt and vanquishing him tooke to him selfe the kingdome of Egypt Which kingdom he with his posteritie did holde till the comming of the Tartarians and the Mamaluches about the space of 88. yeres An. 1187. Saladinus the nephew of Saracon the Sultane of Egypt perceauing the dissention among the Christian states of Palestina got Antioche where he slewe Raymundus the Prince with hys owne hands Then got Tiberias From thence went to AccoÌ„ where he tooke Guido king of Hierusalem and Master of the Templares prisonners for whose raunsome the Turke had Ascalon yelded vp to him of the Christians That done he subdued Hierusalem whych had bene in the handes of the Christians before the space of An. 1189. Friderike Emp. Philip French king Rich king of Englande made their viage into Asia where Friderike washing in a riuer at Lilicia died In this voiage at the siege of Accon Saladinus wanne the fielde of our men of whome 2000. were slaine in the chase Accon at length was got of the Christians King Richarde got Cyprus The two kings tell at strife Phillip retired home without any good doing king Richarde laide siege to Hierusalem but in vaine and so returning homewarde was taken neare to Uienna in Austria after hee had taken truce before wyth the Soldane vppon such condition as pleased hym And thys good speede had the Popes sending out against the Turkes An. 1215. There was an other Councell holden at Rome by pope InnoceÌ„t 3. where was enacted a newe article of our faith for transubstantiation of bread and wine to be turned into the body and bloud of our sauiour In this Councell also great excitation was made by the Pope great preparation was through al Christendom to set forward for recouery of the holy laÌ„d A mighty army was collected of Dukes Lordes knights bishops Prelates that if Gods blessing had gone wyth them they myght haue gone throughout all Asia and India Anno 1219. The Christians after 18. monethes siege gotte a certaine towne in Egypte called Damiata or Elipolis wyth much a do but not much to the purpose For afterward as the christian army of the popes sending went aboute to besiege the Citie Cairus or Babylon the Sultane throughe his subtile traine so intrapped and inclosed them wythin the daunger of Nylus that they were constrained to render agayne the Citie Damiata with their prysonners and all the furniture thereof as they found it into the Souldanes hande and glad so wyth their liues to passe forwarde to Tyrus An. 1221. In the meane time the Egyptian Turke caused the Citie of Hierusalem to be rased that it should serue to no vse to the Christians What great thing els was done in that viage it doth not greatly appere in stories All be it Fridericus the 2. Emperour was not vnfrutefully there occupied and muche more myght haue done had it not bene for the violence and persecution of the Bishop of Rome against him whereby he was enforced to take truce wyth the Sultan for 10. yeres and so returned After which things done not many yeares after at lengthe the last citie of all belonging to the Christians which was Ptolomais or Aâ—â—â—s was also taken from them by the Sultane so that now the christians had not one foote left in all Asia An. 1203. Thus the Christians being driuen out of Asia by the Sultans Turkes yet the sayd Turkes and Sultanes did not long enioy their victorie For estsoones the Lord stirred vp against them
speedely gathered into the â—arne whiche onely remayneth behinde to come Now if we ascribe such reputation to Godly preachers and worthely which diligently preache the Gospell of Christ when they liue notwithstanding by the benefite of tyme without all feare of persecution howe muche more reasonable cause haue we to prayse and extoll such men as stoutly spend theyr lyues for the defence of the same All these premisses duely of our partes considered and marked seeing we haue found so famous Martyrs in this our age let vs not fayle then in publishing and setting forth their doings lest in that poynt we seeme more vnkinde to them then the writers of the primitiue Church were vnto theirs And though we repute not theyr ashes chaynes and swerdes in the stede of reliques yet let vs yeld thus much vnto theyr commemoration to glory the Lord in hys Saintes and imitate theyr death as much as we may with like constancy or theyr liues at the least with like innocency They offered theyr bodies willing to the rough handling of the tormentors And is it so great a matter then for our part to mortifie our flesh with all the members thereof They neglected not onely the riches and glory of the world for the loue of Christ but also their liues and shal we then keepe so great a styrre one agaynst an other for the transitory trifles of this world They continued in patient suffering when they had most wrong done vnto them and when theyr very heartes bloud gushed out of theyr bodyes and yet will not wee forgeue our poore brother be the iniury neuer so small but are ready for euery trifling offence to seeke hys destruction and cut his throat They wishing well to all men did of theyr own accord forgeue theyr persecutors therefore ought we which are now the posteritie and Children of Martyrs not to degenerate from theyr former steps but being admonished by their examples if we cannot expresse theyr charitie toward all men yet at lest to imitate the same to our power and strength Let vs geue no cause of offence to any And if any be geuen to vs let vs ouercome it with patience forgeuing and not reuenging the same And let vs not onely keepe our handes from shedding of bloud but our tongues also from hurting the same of others Besides let vs not shrinke if case so require martyrdome or losse of lyfe according to their example to yeld vp the same in the defence of the Lordes flocke Whiche thing if men would do much lesse contention and busines woulde be in the world â—hen now is And thus much touching the vtilitie and fruit to be taken of this history To all the professed frendes and followers of the Popes proceedinges foure Questions propounded TO you all and singuler which professe the doctrine and Relâ—gion of the Pope your holy Father and of your mother Church of Rome pretending the name of Catholickes commoÌ„ly termed Papistes wheresoeuer abiding in the Realme of England these foure Questions or Problemes hereunder folowing I would moue desiring you all either to muse vpon theÌ„ or to answere theÌ„ at your leisure * The first Question FIrst forsomuch as Mount Sion which God calleth by the Prophet Iesai the hill of his holines beareth in the scripture an vndoubted type of the spiritual church of Christ for so much as the sayd Iesai. ca. 11. 65. prophesying of the sayd Mount Sion sayth in these wordes Non nocebunt neque affligent in omni monte sancto meo dicit Dominus c. 1. They shal not kill nor hurt in all my holy hill sayth the Lord. c. And agayne in the same chap. thus we read Habitabit Lupus cum agno Pardus cuÌ„ haedo accubabit Vitulus Leo ouis vna commorabuntur puellus paruulus ducet eos c. i. The wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe the Leopard with the Kid the Calfe the Lion the sheepe shall feed together a yong child shall rule theÌ„ The Cow also the Beare shall abide together with theyr yong ones the Lion shall eat chaffe fodder like the Oxe c. Upon these premises now foloweth my question how the church of Rome can be answerable to this hill of SioÌ„ seing in the sayd church of Rome is and hath bene now so many yeares such killing and slaying such cruelty and tyranny shewed such burning spoyling of christen bloud such malice mischiefe wrought as in reading these historyes may to all the world appeare To this if they aunswere expound these wordes of the Prophet as perteining to the church triumphant therevnto I reply agayne that by the wordes in the same place in the same sentence expressed that sence cannot stand for as much as the Prophet in the very same place where he prophesieth of this peaceable dwelling in Gods holy mountayne without hurting or killing meaneth plainly of the earth sheweth also the cause of that godly peace Because sayth he the earth is replenished with knowledge science of the Lord. c. ibid. And furthermore the Prophet speaking of the same day when this shal be addeth saying In that day the root of Iesse shall stand for a signe to the people for the Gentils to be conuerted and to seeke vnto him c. Which day in no wise can be applyed to the church in heauen triumphant but only here militant in earth Touching which place of Iesai further here is to be noted by the way that by this peaceable MouÌ„t Sion which comprehendeth both the states as well ecclesiasticall as teÌ„porall is not restrayned the publicke penalty of good lawes needfull to be executed vpon publicke malefactors but here is restrayned the fiercenes reuenge cruelty violence of mens affections To which affectioÌ„s men being commonly subiect by nature through grace working of the gospel are altered reformed chauÌ„ged to another disposition froÌ„ stoutnes to softnes froÌ„ violence to sufferance from fiercenes to forbearing froÌ„ pride to humility froÌ„ cruelty to compassion from wilynes to simplicity froÌ„ solemne singularity to humanity and meekenes Which vertues if they had bene in the church of Rome according to the rule of S. Paul which willeth men that be stronger to beare with the infirmities of the weaker and that in the spirit of meeknes c. Rom. 15. Gal. 6. I should not haue needed now at this time to write such a long history as this of the suffering of so many Martyrs ¶ The second Question MY second question is this to demauÌ„d of you catholicke professors of the popes sect which so deadly maligne and persecute the protestants professing the gospell of Christ what iust or reasonable cause haue you to allege for this your extreme hatred ye bear vnto the yâ— neither you your selues can abide to liue with them nor yet will suffer the other to liue amongest you If they were Iewes
And as these suffered to in Asia so in Rome suffered Felicitas with her 7 children who vnder this M. Antoninus Verus sustayned also the cruelty of this persecution The names of whose children Bergomensis and other histories doe thus recite Ianuarius Felix Philippe Siluanus Alexander Vitalis Martialis Of whom her first and eldest sonne Ianuarius after he was whipped and scourged with roddes was prest to death with leaden waightes Felix and Phillippe had their braynes beaten out with maules Siluanus was cast downe headlong and had his necke broken Furthermore Alexander Vitalis and Martialis was beheaded Last of all Felicitas the mother otherwise then the accustomed maner was for such as hadde borne Children was slayne with the sword Ex Supplem In the rage of this fourth persecution vnder the raigne of Antonius Pius suffered also good Iustinus a man in learning and Philosophy excellent a great defender of Christian Religion Who first exhibited unto the Emperour to the Senate a booke or Apologie in the defence of the Christians and afterward himselfe also dyed a Martyr Of whom in the history of Euseb. Lib. 4. cap. 16. it is thus recorded That about what tyme or a little before that Polycarpus with other diuers Sainctes suffered Martyrdome in Pargamopolis a Cittie of Asia this Iustinus as is aforesayd preâ—ented a booke in defence of our doctrine to the Emperour to wit vnto Antonius and to the Senate After which he was also crowned with like Martyrdome vnto those whome he in his booke had defended through the malicious meanes and crafty circumuention of Crescens This Crescens was a Philosopher confirming hys lyfe and maners to the Cynical sect whom for because this Iustinus had reproued in open audience and had borne away the victory of the trueth which he defended he therefore as much as in him lay did worke procure vnto him this crowne of Martyrdome And this did also Iustine him selfe a Philosopher no lesse famous by hys profession foresee and declare in hys foresayd Apology telling almost all those thinges before hand which should happen vnto him by these words saying And I looke after this good turne that I be slayne goyng by the way eyther of some of those whom I haue named and to haue my braynes beaten out with a bat or els of Crescens whom I cannot call a Phylosopher but rather a vayne boaster For it is not conuenient to call him a Philosopher whiche openly professeth thinges to him vnknowne and whereof he hath no skil saying and reporting of vs that the Christians be vngodly irreligiouse And all to please and flatter them which are reduced by errour For whether he obiecteth against vs the doctrine of the Christians whiche he hath not read yet is he very malicious and worse then the vnlearned ideotes who for the most part vse not to dispute or iudge of thinges they know not and to beare witnes of the fame Or put case that he had read them yet vnderstandeth he not the maiestie of the matters therein conteined or if peraduenture he vnderstandeth them and doth it for thys purpose that he would not be counted as one of them then is he so much the more wicked and malicious and the bondslaue of vyle beastly both fame and feare For this I testifie of him geuing you truely to vnderstand that for a truth which I declare vnto you how that I haue apposed him and haue put vnto him many questions whereby I know and perceaue that he vnderstandeth nothing But if so be that this our disputatioÌ„ with him hath not come vnto your eares I am ready to communicate vnto you agayn those questions which I demaunded of him whiche things shall not be vnfit for your Princely honour to heare But if ye knowe and vnderstand both what thinges I haue examined him of as also what aunswere he hath made it shal be apparant vnto you that he is altogether ignoraunt of our doctrine and learning or els if he knoweth the same he dare not vtter it for feare of hys auditors which thing as I sayd before is a proofe that he is no Philosopher but a slaue to vayne glory which maketh none accompt of that which his own Mayster Socrates had in so great estimation And thus much of Iustine out of Iustine himselfe Now to verifie that which Iustine here of him selfe doth prophecie that Crescens would and did procure his death Tacianus a man brought vp of a childe in the institutions of the Gentiles and obtayned in the same not a little fame and which also left behinde him many good monumentes and Commentaries writeth in hys booke agaynst the Gentiles in this sort And Iustine sayth he that most excellent learned man full well spake and vttered his minde that the afore recited men were lyke vnto theeues or lyers by the high way side And in the sayd book speaking afterward of certaine Philosophers the sayd Tacianus inferreth thus Crescens therefore sayth he when he came first into that great Cittie passed all other in the vicious loue of children and was very much geuen to couetousnes and where he taught that men ought not to regard death he himself doth feare death that he did all his indeuour to oppresse Iustine with death as with the most greatest euill that was and all because that Iustine speaking trueth reproued the Philosophers to be men onely for the belly and deceauers and this was the cause of Iustines Martyrdome Hierome in his Ecclesiasticall Catalogue thus writeth Iustine when in the Cittie of Rome he had his disputations and had reprooued Crescens the Cinike for a great blasphemer of the Christians for a bellygod and a man fearing death and also a follower of lust and lechery at the last by his indeuour and conspiracie was accused to be a Christian and for Christ shed his bloud in the yeare of our Lord. 154. vnder Marcus Antonius as the Cronicles doe witnes Abb Vrsperg and Eusebius in his Cronicle in the xiii yeare of the Emperour Antoninus Among these aboue recited is also to be numbred Praxedis a blessed virgine the daughter of a Citizen of Rome who in the tyme of Anicetus there Byshop was so brought vp in the doctrine of Christ and so affected to hys religion that she with her sister Potentiana bestowed all her patrimony vpon the relieuing of poore Christians geuing all her time to fasting and prayer and to the burryng of the bodyes of the Martyrs And after she had made free all her famelie with her seruauntes after the death of her sister she also departed and was buryed in peace Under the same Antoninus also suffered Ptolomeus and Lucius for the confession of Christ in a Cittie of Egipt called Alexandria whose history because it is described in the Apology of Iustinus Martyr I thought therefore so to set forth the same as it is alledged in Eusebius declaring the manner and occasion
the house together men of one accord c. And so by the occasion hereof he writeth vnto them in the foresayd Epistle and moueth them to prayer and mutuall agreement For sayth he if it be promised in the Gospell to be graunted whatsoeuer any two consenting together shall aske what shall then the whole Churche do agreeing together or what if this vnanimitie were among the whole fraternitie which vnanimitie sayeth Cyprian if it had bene then among the brethren non venissent fraetribus haec mala si in vnum fraternitas fuisset animata that is these euiles had not happened to the brethren if the brethren had ioyned together in brotherly vnanimitie c. After the causes thus declared of this or other persecutions the sayd S. Cyprian moreouer in the forenamed Epistle worthy to be read of al men describeth likewise a certayne vision wherin was shewed vnto them by the Lord before the persecutiō came what should happen The vision was this There was a certayne aged father sitting at whose right hand set a young man very sad and pensiue as one with an indignation sorrowfull holding hys hand vpon hys brest hys countenaunce heauy and vnchearefull On the left hand sate an other person hauing in hys hand a net whiche he threatned to lay to catch the people that stode about And as he was marueiling that saw the sight thereof it was sayd vnto him The young man whō thou seest sit on the tight hand is sad and sory that hys preceptes be not obserued But he on the left hand daunceth and is merry for that occasion is geuen him to haue power of the aged Father geuen him to afflict men And this vision was seene long before this tempest of persecution happened Wherein is declared the same that before is sayd the sinnes of the people to be the cause why Sathan in this persecution and all other hath had and hath still such power with hys net of destruction to rage agaynst the bloud of Christen men and all because sayth Cyprian we forslacke our praying or be not so vigilant therein as wee shoulde wherefore the Lord because he loueth vs correcteth vs correcteth vs to amend vs amendeth vs to saue vs. c. Cyprian Furthermore the same Cyprian and in the same Epistle wrtting of his own reuelation or message sent to him thus sayth And to hys least seruaunt both sinfull and vnworthy meaning by himselfe God of his tender goodnes hath vouched safe to direct this word Tell him sayth he that hee be quiet and of good comfort for peace will come Albeit a litle stay there is for a while for that some remain yet to be proued and tryed c. And sheweth also in the same place of an other reuelation of his wherein he was admonished to be spare in hys feeding and sober in hys drinke least hys minde geuen to heauenly meditation might be caryed away with worldly allurements or oppressed with to much surfet of meates and drinkes should be lesse apt or able to prayer and spirituall exercise Finally in the latter end of the foresayd Epistle mention also followeth of other reuelations or shewinges wherein the Lord sayth Cyprian doth vouchsafe in many of hys seruantes to foreshew to come the restauring of hys Church the stable quiet of our health and safegard after rayne fayre weather after darcknes light after stormy tempest peaceable calme the fatherly helpe of his loue the wont old glory of hys diuine maiesty whereby both the blasphemy of the persecutors shall be repressed and the repentance of such as haue fallen be reformed and the strong and stable confidence of them that stand shall reioyce and glory Thus much hath S. Cyprian writing of these thinges to the Clergy Lib. 4. Epist. 4. As touching now the crymes and accusations in this persecution layd to the charge of the Christians thys was the principall first because they refused to doe worship to their Idols and to the Emperours then for that they professed the name of Christ. Besides all the calamities and euils that happened in the world as warres famine and pestilence were onely imputed to the Christians Agaynst all which quarreling accusations Cyprian doth eloquently defend the Christians in his booke Contra Demetrianum Like as Tertulian had done before writing Contra Scapulam page 55. And first touching the obiection for not worshipping Idoles he cleareth the Christians both in his booke Contra Demeir also De vanitate idol prouing those Idols to be no true Gods but Images of certayne dead kinges which neyther could saue themselues from death nor such as worship them The true God to be but one and that by the testimony of Sosthenes Plato and Trismegistus the which God the Christians doe truely worship And as concerning that the Christians were thought to be causes of publique calamities because they worshipped not the Gentiles Idoles he purgeth the Christians thereof prouing that if there be any defect in increase of thinges it is not to be ascribed to them but rather to the decrease of nature languishing now toward her age and latter end Agayne for that it hath bene so foresayd and prophecied that toward the end of the worlde should come warres famine and pestilence Moreouer if there be anye cause therof more proper then other it is most like to be imputed to their vaine Idolatry and to the contempt of the true God Also that such euils be increased by the wickednes of the people so that to speake in his owne words famem maiorem facia◠rapacites quam siccitas i. famine cometh more by auarice of men then by drought of the aire but especially the cause therof to procede of the cruell shedding of the innocent bloud of the Christians c. Thus with many other mo probations doth Cyprian defend the Christians against the barbarous exclamatiōs of the heathē Gentiles Of which Cyprian forsomuch as he suffered in the time of his persecution I mynde Christ wylling to recapitulate here in ample discourse the ful summe first of his life and bringing vp then of his death Martyrdome as the worthines of that man deserueth to be remembred Of this Cyprian therfore otherwise named Statius thus writeth Nicephorus Nazianzenns Iacobus de Voragine Henricus de Erfordia Volateranus Hieronymus and other that he being an Aphrican and borne in Carthage first was an Idolater and Gentill altogether giuen to the study and practise of the Magicall Artes of whose parentage and education in letters from his youth no mention is made but that he was a worthy Rethorician in Aphrica Of whose conuersion and baptisme he himselfe in his first booke second Epistle writeth a florishing and eloquent Hystory Which his conuersion vnto the christian fayth as Hieronimus affirmeth in his commentary vpon Ionas was through the grace of God and the meanes of Cecilius a Priest whose name after he bare and through the occasion of
to note by the waye because this distinction is fathered vpon Cyprian which is false for this Cyprian was not in the time of Iulian not by 200. yeares and so likewise by the other Cyprian which died Martyr vnder Diocletian Of anye Cyprian besides these two we read not Neither is it credible that if there were any such Cyprian he would euer haue written of any such matter of the difference and mutuall nede of ChristiaÌ„ Emperours and Christen Popes When as that Emperour being an Apostata neither regarded Christ nor cared for any Pope About this tyme and vnder the same Emperour Valerianus suffered also Xistus or Sixtus the seconde of that name Byshop of Rome who being accused of his aduersaries to be a ChristiaÌ„ was brought with his vj. deacons to the place of execution where he with Nemesius other hys Deacons were beheaded and suffered Martyrdome Laurence in the same time being also Deacon folowed after complayning to Xistus as one being greued that he might not also suffer with him but to be secluded as the sonne froÌ„ the father To whom the Bishop aunswering againe declared that within thre daies he should folow after In the meane time hee willed him to go home and to distribute his treasures if he had any vnto the poore The iudge belike hearing mentioÌ„ to be made of treasures to be giuen to the poore and thinking that Laurence had great store of treasure in his custody coÌ„maunded him to bring the same vnto him according as the discourse of his storye here vnder written more fully may appeare Which history because it is set foorth more at large in Prudentius Ambrose and other writers and containeth in it mo things in it worthy to be noted of the Reader we haue therfore with the more dilygence here inserted the more ample description of the same to the further admiration of his patience and God his glory shewed in him Now then as order requireth let vs enter the story of that most constaunt and couragious Martir of Christ S. Laurence whose words and works deserue to be as freshe and greene in Christian harts as is the florishing Laurel tree This thirsty hart longing after the water of lyfe desirous to passe vnto it through the straight doore of bitter death when on a time he saw his vigilaunt Shephearde Xistus led as an harmles lambe of harmefull tyrauntes to his death cried out with open mouth and hart inuincible saying O deare father whether goest thou without the company of thy deare sonne Whether hastenest thou O reuerend Priest without thy Deacon Neuer wast thou wont to offer sacrifice without thy minister What cryme is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhod Hast thou proued me vnnaturall Now try swete father whether thou hast chosen a faithfull minister or not Deniest thou vnto him the fellowship of thy bloud to whom thou hast committed the destribution of the Lordes bloud See that thy iudgement be not misliked whilest thy fortitude is liked lauded The abasing of the scholer is the disgracing of the Maister What haue we not learned that worthy Maisters haue obtained most worthy same by the worthy actes of their Disciples and Scholers Finally Abraham sacryficed his onely begotten Isaac Stoned Stephen prepared the way to preaching Peâ—er euen so father declare thy manifold vertues by me thy sonne Offer thou him that proferreth him selfe Graunt that the body of thy scholer may be sacrificed whose mind with good letters thou hast beautefied These wordes with teares S. Laurence vttered not becauâ—e his master should suffer but for that he might not be suffered to tast of deaths cup which he thirsted aâ—ter Then Xistus to his sonne shaped this aunswere I forsake thee not O my sonne I giue thee to wit that a sharper conflict remaineth for thee A feeble and weak old man am I and therefore run the rase of a lighter easier death But lusty and young thou art and more lustely yea more gloriously shalt thou triumph ouer this tiraunt Thy time approcheth cease to wepe lament three daies after thou shalt follow me Decent is it that this space of time come betwene the Priest the Leuite It may not beseeme thee O sweete Pupill to triumphe vnder thy master least it be said he wanted an helper Why crauest thou to be pertaker with me in my passion I bequeath vnto thee the whole inheritaunce Why requirest thou to enioy my presence let weake scholers go before and the stroÌ„ger come after that those without maister may get the victory which haue no neede by maister to be gouerned So Helias left behynde him his beloued Heliseus I yeelde vp into thy handes the succession of my vertues Such was their contention not vnmeete for so godly a priest so zelous a minister striuing with themselues who shoulde first suffer for the name of Christ Iesu. In tragical histories we haue it mentioned that through ioy admiration people claped their handes wheÌ„ Pylades named himselfe Orestes Orestes as truth it was affirmed himselfe to bee Orestes Pylades wishing to die for Orestes Orestes not suffering Pylades to loose his life for his sake But neither of them might escape death for both these louers were gilty of bloud the one committing the facte the other consenting But this our Laurence the Martyr most constant was by no meanes enforced to make this profer sauing onely by his ardent zeale and feruent spirite who thirsting after the cup of Maytirdome had it shortly after filled to the hard brymme Now let vs draw neare to the fire of Martyred Laurence that our colde hartes may be warmed thereby The mercylesse tyraunt vnderstanding this vertuous Leuite not onely to be a minister of the Sacramentes but a distributer also of the Church riches whereof mention is made before in the wordes of Xistus promised to himselfe a double pray by the appresion of one silly soule First with the rake of Auarice to scrape to himselfe the treasuâ—e of poore Christians then with the firy forke of tyranny so to tosse and turmoyle them that they should waxe weary of their Christian profession With furious face and cruell countenaunce the greedy wolfe demaunded where this Deacon Laurence had bestowed the substaunce of the Church Who crauing three dayes respite promised to declare where the treasure might he had In the meane time he caused a good number of poore Christians to be congregated So when the day of his aunswere was come the persecutor straightly charged him to staÌ„d to hys promise Then valiant LaureÌ„ce stretching out his armes ouer the poore sayde These are the precious treasure of the church These are the treasure in deede in whom the faith of Christ raigneth in whome Iesus Christ hath his mansion place What more precious Iuels can Christ haue theÌ„ those in whoÌ„ he hath promised to dwel For so it is written I was hungry ye gaue me to eate I was thirsty and
ye gaue me to drinke I was harborles and ye lodged me And againe Looke what ye haue done to the least of these the same haue ye done to me What greater riches can christ our maister posses then the poore people in whoÌ„ he loueth to be sene Oh what toung is able to expresse the fury and madnes of the tirants hart Now he staÌ„ped he stared he raÌ„ped he fared as one out of his wit his eies like fier glowed his mouth like a bore fomed his teeth like an helhouÌ„d grinded Now not a reasonable man but a roaryng lion he might be called Kindle the fire he cried of wood make no spare Hath this vyllaine deluded the Emperour away with him away with him Whip him with scourges iercke him with rods buffet him with fistes braine him with clubs iesteth the traitour with the Emperour Pinche him with fyrie tonges gyrde him with burning plates bring out the strongest chaines and the fireforkes and the grated bedde of yron On the firewith it bind the rebell hande and foote when the bed is fire hot on with him rost him broyle him tosse him turne him On paine of our highe displeasure do euery man his office O ye tormentors The worde was no soner spoken but all was done After many cruell handlings this meeke lambe was layd I will not say on his firye bed of yron but on his soft bed of downe So mightily God wrought with his Martyr Laurence so miraculously God tempered his element the fire not a bed of consuming paine but a pallet of nourishing rest was it vnto Laurence Not Laurence but the Emperour might seeme to be tormented the one broiling in the fleshe the other burning in the hart When this tryumphant Martir had beene pressed downe with firepikes for a great space in the mightie spirite of God he spake to the vanquished tyraunt This side is now rosted inough turne vp O tyraunt great Assay whether rosted or raw thou thinkest the better meate O rare and vnaccustomed patience O faith inuincible that not onely not burnest but by meanes vnspeakable doest recreate refresh stablish strengthen those that are burned afflicted and troubled And why so mightilye comfortest thou the persecuted Because through thee they beleeue in gods promises infallible By thee this glorious Martir ouercommeth his torments vanquisheth this tyraunt confoundeth his enimies confirmeth the ChristiaÌ„s slepeth in peace raigneth in glory The God of might and mercy graunt vs grace by the life of Laurence to learne in Christ to liue and by his death to learne for Christ to dye Amen Such is the wisdome and prouidence of God that the bloud of his deare Saints like good seede neuer falleth in vaine to the grounde but it bringeth some increase so it pleased the Lord to worke at the Martirdome of this holy Laurence that by the constant confession of this worthy valiaunt Deacon a certaine souldiour of Rome beyng therwith compuncted and conuerted to the same faith desired forthwith to be Baptised of him for the which he being called for of the iudge was scourged and afterwarde beheaded Henr. de Erford Under the same Valerianus suffered also Dionysius byshop of Alexandria much affliction and banishment with certaine other brethren Of the which he writeth himselfe is alledged in the Ecclesiasticall story of Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 11. the wordes whereof tend to this effect Dionysius wyth three of his Deacons to wit Maximus Faustus and Cheremon also with a certaine brother of Rome came to Emilianus then President who there declared vnto them in circumstance of words how he had signified vnto them the clemencie of his Lords and Emperours who had graunted them pardon of life so that they would returne to them worship the Gods and keepers as he called them of their Emperie asking them what aunswere they would gyue him there vnto trusting as he saide that they woulde not shew themselues ingrateful to the clemency of them which so gently did exhort them To this Dionysius aunsweryng said Al men worship not al Gods but diuers men diuers gods so as euery one hath in himselfe a mind or phantasie to worship But we worship not many nor diuers Gods but onely that one God who is the creator of all things hath committed to our Lords Valerianus and Galienus the gouernmeÌ„t of their Empery making to him our prayers â—â—cessauntly for their prosperous health and continuance Then the President sayde And what hurt is it but that you may both worship your God what God soeuer he be and these our Gods also For you are coÌ„maunded worship such Gods as al men know to be gods Dionysius answered we worship none other but as we haue sayd Emilianus the President said I see you are ingratfull men and consider not the benignitie of the Emperous wherfore you shal remaine no longer in this City but shal be sent out to the parts of Libya vnto a towne called Cephro For that place by the commaundement of the Emperour I haue chosen for you Neither shal it be lawful for you to coÌ„uent your assemblies or to resort as ye are wont to your burial places And if any of you shal be found out of your places wherunto you are apointed at your peril be it And think not contrary but ye shal be watched well inough Depart therfore to the place as is coÌ„maunded you and it foloweth more in the said Dionysius speaking of himselfe And as for me sayth he although I was sicke yet hee vrged mee so straightly to depart that he would not giue me one dayes respite And how saith he writing to Germanus coulde I congregate or not congregate any assemblies And after a few lines it followeth And yet neyther am I altogether absent from the corporall societie of the Lordes flocke but I haue collected them togither which were in the Citye being absent as though I had bene present absent in body yet present in spirit And in the same Cephro a great congregation remayned with mee as well of those brethren which followed me out of the City as also of them which were remayning there out of Egypt And there the Lorde opened to me the doore of his word although at the first entraunce I was persecuted and stoned among them yet afterward a great number of them fel from their Idoles and were coÌ„uerted vnto the Lord. And so by vs the word was preached to them which before were infidels which ministery after that we had accomplished there the lord remoued vs to an other place For Aemilianus translated vs froÌ„ thence to more sharpe and straighter places of Libya commaunding vs to meete altogether at a city Mareota thinking there to separate vs seuerallye into sundrye villages or thinking rather to take and preuent vs by the way After we were come thether it was assigned to me saith Dionysius to go to Colluthion which place I neuer hearde of before which was the
in this persecution by the names of Martyrs within the space of 30. days 17. thousand persons beside an other great number and multitude that were condemned to the mettall mines and quaries with like crueltie At Alexandria with Peter the Bishop of whom I haue made mention before were slayne with axes 300. aboue as Sabellicus declareth Gereon was beheaded at Colonia Agrippina with 300. of his fellowes as saith Henricus de Erfordia Mauritius the Captaine of Christian religion with his fellowes 6666. Victor in the citie of Troy now called Xanthus with his fellowes 360. were slayne as sayth Otto Phrinsigensis Lib. 2. cap 45. Reginus reciteth the names of many other Martyrs to the number of 120. And for as much as mention here hath bene made of Mauritius and Victor the perticular description of the same history I thought here to insert taken out of Ado other story writers as insueth Mauritius came out of Syria into Fraunce and Italy beyng Captaine of the bande of the Theban souldiours to the number of 6660. beyng sent for of Maximianus to goe agaynst the rebellious Bangandes but rather as it should seeme by the treason of the â—irant which thought he might better in these quarters vse his tiranny vpon the Christians then in the East part These Thebans with Mauritius the Captaine after that they had entred into Rome who were there of Marcellus the blessed bishop confirmed in the fayth promising by othe that they would rather be slayne of their enemies then forsake that faith which they had receaued who followed the Emperours hoste through the Alpes euen into Fraunce At that tyme the Caesarians were incamped not farre from the towne called Ottodor where Maximianus offred sacrifice to his deuils and called all the souldiours both of the East and West to the same straightly charging them by the aultars of his Gods that they would fight against those rebels the Bangandes and persecute the christian enemies of the Emperors Gods which his commaundement was shewed to the Thebanes hoste which were also incamped about the riuer of Rode and in a place that was named Agawne but to Ottodor they wold in no wise come for that euery man did certainly appointe and perswade with themselues rather in that place to dye then either to sacrifice to the gods or beare armour against the Christians Which thing in deede very stoutly and valiantly they affirmed vpon their othe befor taken to Maximianus when he sent for them Wherwith the tyrant beyng wrathfull and all mooued commaunded euery tenth man of that whole band to be put to the sworde whereto striuingly and with great reioysing they committed theyr neckes To which notable thing and great force of fayth Mauritius himselfe was a great incourager who by by with a most graue Oration exhorted animated his souldiours both to fortitude coÌ„stancie Which beyng again called of the Emperor answered in this wise saying We are O Emperour your souldiours but yet also to speake freely the seruants of god We owe to thee seruice of war to him innoceÌ„cie of thee we receaue for our trauell wages of hym the beginning of lyfe But in this we may in no wayes obey thee O Emperour to deny God our author and Lord and not onely ours but your Lord likewise will ye nill ye If we be not so extreemely enforced that we offend him doubtles as we haue hitherto before we will yet obey you but otherwise we will rather obey hym then you We offer here our handes agaynst any other enemies but to defile our handes with the bloud of innocentes that we may not doe These right hands of ours haue skill to fight agaynst the wicked and true enemies but to spoyle and murder the godly and Citizens they haue no skill at all We haue in remembraunce how we tooke armour in hand for the defence of the Citizens and not agaynst them We fought alwayes for iustice sake pietie and for the health of innocentes These haue bene alwayes the rewardes of our perils and trauell We haue fought in the quarrell of fayth whiche in no wife we can keepe to you if we doe not shewe the same to our God We first sware vpon the Sacramentes of our God then afterward to the king and doe you thinke the second will aduaile vs if we breake the first By vs you would plague the Christians to doe which feate we are onely commaunded by you We are here ready to confesse God the author of all thinges and beleue in hys sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. We see before our eyes our fellowes and partakers of our labours and trauailes to be put to the sword and we sprinkled with their bloud of which our most blessed companions and brethreÌ„ their end and death we haue not bewayled nor mourned but rather haue bene glad and haue reioyced thereat for that they haue bene counted worthy to suffer for the Lord their God The extreeme necessitie of death cannot moue vs agaynst your maiesty neyther yet any despiratioÌ„ O Emperour which is wont in ventrous affayres to do much shal 〈◊〉 vs agaynst you Behold here we cast downe our weapons and resist not for that we had rather to be killed then kill and guiltles to dye then gilty to liue What soeuer more ye will commauÌ„d appoynt and inioyne vs we are here ready to suffer yea both fire sword and whatsoeuer other tormentes We confesse our selues to be Christians we cannot persecute Christians nor will do sacrifice to your deuilish Idols With which their aunswer the kyng beyng altogether incensed and mooued commaunded the second tyme the tenth man of them that were left to be in like case murdered That crueltie also beyng accomplished at length wheÌ„ the christian souldiours would in no wise condescend vnto his mynde he set vpon them with his whole host both footemen and also horsemen and charged them to kil them all Who with all force set vpon them they making no resistance but throwyng downe their armour yelded theyr lyues to the persecutors and offered to them theyr naked bodies Victor at the same tyme was not of that bande nor yet then any souldiour but one beyng an old souldior and dismissed for his age At which tyme he comming sodainly vpon them as they were haketting and making mery with the spoyles of the holy Martyrs was bidden to sit downe with them and first asking the cause of that their so great reioysing and vnderstanding the truth therof detested the guestes and refused to eate with them And then being demaunded of them whether happily he were a Christian or no openly confessed and denied not but that he was â— christian and euer would be And therupon they rushing vpoÌ„ him killed him and made him partner of the like Martyrdome and honour Beda in his history writeth that this persecution beyng vnder Dioclesian endured vnto the seuenth yere of Constantinus and Euseb Lib 8. cap. 6 sayth that is lasted vntill the
Then was the great Dragon the deuill to witte the fierce rage power of his malicious persecuting tied short for a thousand yeres after this so that he could not preuaile in any such sort but that the power and glory of the gospel by little and litle encreasing and spreading with great ioy and libertie so preuailed that at length it got the vpperhand replenished the whole earth rightly verifiyng therein the water of Ezechiel which issuing out of the right side of the aulter the farther it ran the deeper it grew till at length it replenished the whole Ocean Sea healed all the fishes therin No otherwise the course of the Gospell proceeding of small hard beginnings kept still his streame the more it was stopped the swifter it ranne by bloud it seeded by death it quickned by cutting it multiplied through violence it sprong till at last out of thraldome and oppressioÌ„ it brast forth into perfect libertie florished in al prosperitie had it so bene that the christians wisely moderatly could haue vsed this rest libertie not abused the same forgetting their former estate to their own pride pomp worldly ease as it came afterward to passe wherof more is to be seene said the Lord willing in place time conuenient And thus much touching the propheticall numbers in the Apocalips Wherein is to be noted and magnified the eternall wisdome and hie prouidence of almighty God so disposing and gouerning his church that no aduersitie or perturbation hapneth at any time vnto it which his prouident wisedome doth not foresee before preordaine neither doth he preordaine or determine any thing which he doth not most truly perform both foreseing the beginning of such persecutions and limiting the end therof how long to continue and when to cease In much like sort we reade in the bookes of Genesis how the stocke of Israell was 400. yeares in the lande of Egipte During the space of which 400. yeares after the death of Ioseph who beareth a playne figure of Christ they were hardly intreated and cruelly afflicted of the Egiptians about the space of 300. yeares reckning from after the death of Ioseph to their deliuerance out of the boÌ„dage of Egipt semblably as these Christians after Christes time suffered the like bondage vnder the Romane tyrauntes Thus much by the way I thought to insinuate least any should â—â—se or take any offeÌ„ce in himself to see or read of the Church so long so many yeares to be vnder so miserable extreme afflictions Wherin neither chaunce nor fortune nor dispositioÌ„ of man hath had any place but onely the forecounsaile determination of the Lord so gouerned and desposed the same Who not only did suffer theÌ„ to fall and foresee those persecutions before they fell but also appointed the times and yeares how long they should last when to haue an ende As by the foresaide 42. monethes in the 13. and 11. chap. of S. Iohns Apocalips haue beene declared Which monethes conteyning 294. yeares if they be rightly gathered make the full time betweene the first yeare of the persecution of Christ vnder the Iewes Herode till the last yeare of persecution vnder Licinius which was from the natiuitie of Christ an 324. from the fyrst persecution of Christ an 294. as is aforesaide After the which yeare according to the preordinate counsel of God when his seueritie had bene sufficiently declared vpon his own house it pleased him to shew mercy againe to bind vp Sathan the old serpent according to the xx chap. of the Reuelation for the space of a thousand yeares that is froÌ„ this time of Licinius to the time of Iohn Wickleffe and Iohn Husse During all which time albeit certaine conflicts and tumults haue bene among Christian byshops themselues in the church yet no vniuersal murdering persecutioÌ„ was stirring before the preaching of Iohn Wickleffe of Husse and such other as in the further processe of this history Christ willing and aiding vs shall more appeare hereafter Thus hauing at large discoursed these horrible persecutions past and heauy afflictions of Christian Martyrs now by the grace of God coÌ„ming out of this redde sea of bloudy persecution leauing Pharao and his host behynde let vs sing gloriously to the worthy name of our god who through the bloud of the lambe after long tedious afflictioÌ„s at length hath visited his people with comfort hath tide vp Sathan shorte hath sent his meeke Moses gentle Constantine I meane by whom it hath so pleased the Lord to worke deliueraunce to his captiue people to see his seruants at liberty to turne their morning into ioy to magnifie the church of his sonne to destroy the Idoles of al the world to graunt life and liberty and would God also not so much riches vnto them which before were the abiectes of all the world and all by the meanes of godly Constantinus the meeke and most christian Emperour of whose diuine victories against so many tyraunts and Emperours persecutors of Christes people and lastly against Licinius an 324. of whose other noble actes prowesses of whose blessed vertues and his happy birth and progeny part we haue comprehended before part now remaineth Christ willing to be declared This Constantine was the sonne of Constantius the Emperour a good and vertuous childe of a good and vertuous father borne in Britaine as saith Eutropius whose Moother was named Helena daughter in deede of King Coilus although Ambrosius in his funerall Oration of the death of Theodosius sayth was an Inhoulders daughter He was a most bountifull and gracious Prince hauyng a desire to nourishe learning and good artes and did oftentimes vse to read write and study himselfe He had marueilous good successe prosperous atchieuing of al things he tooke in hand which then was and truely supposed to proceede of this for that he was so great a fauourer of the Christian fayth Which faith when he had once embraced he did euer after most deuoutly and religiously reuerence and commaunded by especiall commission and proclamations that euery man shoulde professe the same Religion throughout al the Romaine Monarchy The worshipping of Idoles whereunto he was addict by the allurement of Fausta his wife in so much that he did sacrifice vnto them after the discomfite of Maxentius in battaile he vtterly abiured But Baptisme he deferred euen vnto his olde age because hee had determined a iourneye into Persia and thought in Iordan to haue beene baptised Eusebius lib. 4. de vita Constantini As touching his naturall disposition and wit he was very eloquent a good philosopher in disputation sharp and ingenious He was accustomed to say that an Emperour ought to refuse no labor for the vtilitie of the common weale yea that to aduenture the mangling of hys body for the remedy thereof but if otherwaies it maye bee holpen to cherish the same This Aurelius Victor
by the occasions therof of the sacrifices of the old Egiptians permitted of God vnto the Israelits the ende 〈…〉 thereof being altered c. He sendeth also an other letter to the foresaid Austen wherein he warneth him not to be proude or puft vp for the myracles wrought of God by him in conuertyng the people of Englande but rather to feare and tremble least so much as he were puft vp by the outward work of miracles so much he shoulde fall inwardly through the vayne glory of his hart and therfore wisely exhorteth him to represse the swelling glory of hart with the remembraunce of his sinnes rather against God whereby he rather hath cause to lament then to reioyce for the other Not all the elect of God saith he worketh miracles and yet haue they their names written in the booke of life And therefore he shoulde not count so much of those miracles done but reioyse rather with the Disciples of Christ labor to haue his name written in the booke of life where al the electe of God be contained neither is there any ende of that reioycing And whatsoeuer miracles it hath pleased god by him to haue beene done he shoulde remember they were not done for him but for their conuersion whose saluation god sought thereby c. Item he directed an other Epistle to king Ethelbert as is expressed at large in the Chronicle of Henry Huntyngton Lib. 3. in the which Epistle first he praised God then commendeth the goodnes of the king by whom it pleased god so to worke such goodnes of the people Secondly exhortteth him to persist and continue in the godly profession of Christes faith and to be feruent and zealous in the same in conuerting the multitude in destroying the temples and works of idolatry in ruling and gouerning the people in all holines godly conuersation after the godly example of the Emperour Constantinus the great Lastly cōforting him with the promises of lyfe and reward to come wyth the Lord that raigneth and liueth for euer premonishyng him besides of the terrours distresses that shall happen though not in his dayes yet before the terrible daye of Gods iudgement wherfore he willeth him alwaies to be sollicitous for his soule and suspectfull of the houre of hys death and watchfull of the iudgement that he may be alwaies prepared for the same when that iudgement shall come In the ende he desireth him to accept such presentes as giftes which he thought good to sende vnto him from Rome c. Austen thus receyuing his palle from Gregory as is aboue said and now of a Monke beyng made an Archbyshop after he had baptised a great part of Kent hee after made two Archbyshops or Metropolitanes by the commaundement of Gregory as witnesseth Polychronicon the one at London the other at Yorke Mellitus of whō mention is made before was sent specially of the Eastsaxons in the prouince of Essex where after he was made Bishop of London vnder Sigebert kyng of Essex which Sigebert together with his vncle Ethelbert first built the church and minster of saint Paule in Londō and appointed it to Mellitus for the byshops sea Austē associate with this Mellitus and Iustus through the help of Ethelbert assembled and gathered togither the Byshops Doctours of Britaine in a place which taking the name of the sayd Austen was called Austens Oke In this assēbly he charged the sayd Byshops that they should preach with him the word of God to the Englishmen also that they should among themselues reforme certayne rytes and vsages in their church specially for keping of their Eastertyde baptising after the maner of Rome and such other lyke To these the Scotes and Brytons woulde not agree refusing to leaue the custome which they so long time had contynued wythout the assent of them all which vsed the same Here the stories both of Bede Cestrensis in Polychron Huntyngtonensis Iornalensis Fabianus and other moe write of a certaine miracle wrought vpon a blinde Englishe man whom when the Britons could not helpe Austen kneeling downe and praying restored the blynde man to sight before them all for a confirmation as these authours saye of hys opinion in keeping of Easter But concerning the credite of this miracle that I leaue to the authours of whom I had it Then Austen gathered an other Synode to the which came seauen Byshops of Brytons with the wisest men of that famous Abby of Bangor But first they tooke counsell of a certayne wyse and holye man amongest them what to doe and whether they shoulde be obedient to Austen or not And he saide if he be the seruaunt of god agree vnto him But howe shall wee knowe that sayde they To whom he aunswered againe If he be meeke and humble of hart by that know that he is the seruant of god To this they said againe how shal we know him to bee hūble meeke of hart By this quoth 〈◊〉 seing you are the greater number if he at your comming 〈◊〉 your Synode rise vp courteously receaue you 〈…〉 him to bee an humble and a meke man But if he shall contemne and despise you being as ye are the greater part despise you him agayne Thus the Brytaine Byshops entring into the Counsell Austen after the Romishe maner keeping hys chaire would not remoue Whereat they being not a little offended after some heate of words in disdain great displeasure departed thence To whō then Austen spake and said that if they would not take peace with their brethren they should receaue war with their enimies And if they disdained to preach with them the way of life to the English nation they should suffer by their handes the reuenge of deth Which not lōg after so came to passe by the meanes of Ethelfride king of Northumberlande who being yet a Pagan and stirred with a fierce fury against the Britanes came with a great army against the city of Chester where Brocmayl the Consull of that Citie a fryend and helper of the Britaines side was readye with his force to receaue him There was at the same time at Bangor in Wales an exceding great Monastery wherin was such a number of Monkes as Galfridus with other authors doe testifie that if the whole company were deuided into seuen parts in euery of the seuen parts were conteined not so few as 300. Mōkes which al did liue with the sweat of their browes and labor of their owne hands hauing one for their ruler named Dinoe Out of this Monastery came the Monks to Chester to pray for the good succes of Brocmayl fighting for them against the Saxons Thre daies they cōtinued in fasting and praier When Ethelfride the foresaide king seing them so intent to their praiers demaunded the cause of their comming thether in such a cōpany When he perceaued it was to pray for their Consull then saith he although they beare no weapon yet they fight against
come in with you or els if you tary out I will likewise tary out together with you c. As touching the actes and deedes of Gregory aboue mentioned how he withstood the ambitious pryd of Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople which woulde be the vnyuersall Priest and onely chiefe Byshop of all other declaring him to be no lesse then the forerunner of Antichrist that woulde take that name vppon him howe and wyth what reasons he aunswered againe the letters of the Emperor Mauritius in that behalfe sufficient relation is made thereof in the first entry and beginning of this booke This Gregory among manye other thinges induced into the Churche the specialties whereof hereafter shall followe Christ willing more at large fyrst beganne and brought in thys title among the Romaine Bishoppes to be called Seruus seruorum Dei putting them in remembraunce therby both of their humblenes and also of their duetie in the Churche of Chryst. Moreouer as concerning his acte for the sole lyfe of Pryestes fyrst begonne and then broken againe Also concerning the order of Gregoryes Masse boke to be receaued in all churches hereof who so lifteth to read more shall fynde the same in other places hereafter namelye when wee come to the tyme of Pope Adrian the first After the death of Gregory aboue mentioned first came Sabinianus who as he was a malicious detractor of Gregory of his works so he continued not long scarse the space of two yeares After whom succeded next Bonifacius the 3. which albeit he reigned but one yeare yet in the one yeare he did more hurt then Gregory with so great labours and in so many yeres could do good before for that which Gregorye kept out he brought in obtaining of Phocas the wicked Emperour for him and his successours after him that the sea of Rome aboue al other churches should haue the preeminence and that the Bishop of Rome should be the vniuersall head through all Churches of Christ in Christedome alleadging for him this friuolous reason that S Peter had and left to his successours in Rome the keyes of byndyng and loosing c. And thus began first Rome to take an head aboue all other Churches by the meanes of Boniface the 3. who as he lacked no boldnes nor ambitioÌ„ to seeke it so neither lacked he an Emperour fit and meete to gyue such a gift Thys Emperours name was Phocas a man of such wickednes and ambitioÌ„ most like to his owne Bishop Boniface that to aspire to the Empire he murthered his owne maister and Emperour Mauritius his children Thus Phocas coming vp to be Emperour after this detestable vilanie done thinking to establish his Empire with friendship and fauour of his people especially with the byshop of Rome quickly condescended to al hys petitions so graunted him as it is sayd to be that he would the vniuersall and heade Bishop ouer all Christen Churches But as bloud commonly requireth bloud againe so it came to passe on the said Phocas For as he had crueltye slayne the Lorde and Emperour Mauritius before so he in lyke maner of Heraclius the Emperour succeedyng hym had his hands and seete cut of so was cast into the Sea And this wicked Phocas which gaue the first supremacy to Rome lost his owne But Rome would not so soone loose his supremacy once giuen as the gyner lost his life for euer since froÌ„ that day it hath holden defended and maintained the same still and yet doth to this present day by al force policy possible And thus much concerning Boniface whoÌ„ by the words of Gregory we may well call the runner before Antichryst For as Gregory brought into their stile Seruus seruorum Dei so this Boniface brought into theyr heades first Volumus ac mandamus Statuimus ac praecipimus That is We will and commaunde we enioyne and charg you c. Mention was made a little before of Ethelbert kyng of Kent and also of Ethelfride king of Northsaxone or Northumbria This Ethelbert hauing vnder his subiection al the other Saxon kinges vnto Number after he had fyrst receaued himselfe and caused to be receaued of other the Christian faith by the preaching of Austen being coÌ„firmed afterward in the same faith amoÌ„g other costly dedes with the helpe of Sigebert kyng of Essex his nephew then reigning vnder him began the foundation of Paules Church within the Citie of London ordained it for the Bishops sea of LondoÌ„ For the Archbishops sea which before tyme had bene at London was by Austen and this Ethelbert at the praier of the Citizens of Dorobernia translated to the said Citie MalmesberieÌ„sis Lib. de pontific Wherfore such authors as say that Paules was diuided by Sigebert say not amisse which Sigebert was the king oâ— Essex â—n which prouince standeth the Citie of London This Ethelbert also founded the Church of Saint Andrewe in the Citie of Dorubres in Kent nowe called Rochester of one Rot distaunt from Dorobernia 24. miles Of this citie Iustus was bishop ordained before by Austen Moreouer the â—orenamed Ethelbert styrred vp a dweller or Citizen of London to make a Chappell or church of Saint Peter in the west end of LoÌ„don then called Thorny nowe the Towne of Westminster which Church or Chappell was after by Edward the confessour inlarged or newe builded lastly of Henry the 3. it was newly agayne reedified and made as it is nowe a large Monasterye c. After these Christian and worthye actes this Ethelbert when he had reigned the course of lvj yeares chaunged thys mortall life about the yeare of our Lorde 616. whome some stories say to be slaine in a fyghte betweene him and Ethelfride king of Northsaxons In the meane time the foresaid Ethelfride king of Northumberland after the cruell murther of the Monkes of Bangor escaped not long vnpaied his hire for after he had raigned 24. yeares he was slaine in the fielde of Edwine who succeded in Northumberland after him This Edwyne being the sonne not of Ethelfride as Galfridus Monumetensis saith but rather of Alla as Giraldus Gambrensis 〈◊〉 to witnes more truely was first a Panim or 〈◊〉 afterward by Paulinus was Christned and the first 〈◊〉 king in NorthoÌ„berland The occasion of which his calling or conuersion as is in sundry stories contained was this Edwine being yet a Pagane maryed the daughter of Ethelbert king of kent called Edelburge a Christian womaÌ„ otherwise called Tace But before this mariage Edwyne beyng yet young Ethelfride the king conceyuing enuy agaynst him persecuted him so sore that he was forced to flee to Redwaldus king of Eastangles as in the table of the kings is expressed The which Redwaldus what for feare what with bribes being corrupted of Ethelfride at length priuily had inteÌ„ded to haue betrayed Edwyne But as gods will was Edwyne hauing warning thereof by a secrete frynde of his was mooued to flee and
much more despissing this vniust decreement through the onerous and importable transgression of their Pastor should shew themselues disobedient With heauines I was troubled and with compassion for that I doubted how the members of the body should doe their head being so greatly out of frame For what can be more greuous or more to be lameÌ„ted touching the state of the church then for you being the Bishop of the principall seat to whom appertaineth the regiment of the whole church to swarue neuer so little out of the right way Certes in this you haue not a little erred in that you haue gone about to constraine your Clergy to singlenes of life through your imperious tiranny whom rather ye ought to stirre vp to the continency of mariage For is not this to be counted a violence and tiranny to the iudgement of all wise men when a man is compelled by your decrees to doe that which is against the institution of the Gospell and the proceeding of the holy Ghost Seyng then there be so many holy examples both of the olde and new Testament teachyng vs as you know due information I desire your patience not to thinke it greuous for me to bryng a few here out of many First in the olde law the Lord permitteth mariage vnto the Priestes which afterward in the new law we doe not read to bee restrayned but in the Gospel thus he sayth There bee some Eunuches which haue gelded themselues for the kingdome of heauen but all men do not take this word he that can take it let him take it Wherfore the Apostle sayth concerning virgins I haue no commaundement of the Lord but onely I geue counsell Which counsaile also all men do not take as in the commaundement of the Lord before but many there be false dissemblers and flatterers goyng about to please men and not God whome we see vnder a false pretence of continencie to fall into horrible wickednesse Some to lye with their fathers wiues some to bee Sodomites and not to abhorre to play the beastes with bruite beastes And therfore least through the infection of this wicked pestileÌ„ce the state of the Church should too much go to ruine therfore he sayd because of fornication let euery man haue his owne wyfe Touching which saying our false hypocrites falsly do lye faine as though onely it pertayned to the laitie and not to them And yet they themselues seming to be set in the most holy order are not afrayd to abuse other mens wiues and as we see with weeping eyes all they do outrage in the foresayd wickednes These men haue not rightly vnderstanded the Scripture whose brestes while they sucke so hard in stead of milke they suck out bloud For the saying of the Apostle let euery man haue his own wife doth except none in very deede but him onely which hath the gifte of continency prefixing with himselfe to keepe and to continue hys virgine in the Lord. Wherfore O reuerend father it shal be your part to cause ouersee that whosoeuer either with hand or mouth hath made a vowe of continencie and afterward would forsake either should be compelled to keepe his vowe or els by lawfull authoritie should be deposed from his order And to bring this to passe ye shall not onely haue me but also all other of my order to be helpers vnto you But that you may vnderstand that such which know not what a vowe doth meane are not to be violently compelled thereunto heare what the Apostle sayth vnto Timothie A Bishop sayth he must be irreprehensible the husband of one wife Which sentence least ye should turne and apply onely to the Church marke what he inferreth after he that knoweth not sayth he to rule his owne householde and familie how should he rule the Church of God And likewise the Deacons sayth he let them be the husbandes of one wyfe which haue knowledge to gouerne their owne house and children And this wyfe how she is woont to bee blest of the Priest you vnderstand sufficiently I suppose by the decrees of holy Siluester the Pope To these and such other holy sentences of the Scripture agreeth also he that is the writer of the rule of the Clergy writing after this maner A Clarke must be chaste and continent or els let him be coupled in the bandes of Matrimony hauing one wyfe Wherby it is to be gathered that the Bishop and Deacon are noted infamous and reprehensible if they be deuided in mo women then one otherwise if they do forsake one vnder the pretence of Religion both they together as well the Bishop as the Deacon bee here condemned by the Canonicall sentence which sayth Let no Bishop or Priest forsake his owne wife vnder the colour and pretence of Religion If he doe forsake her let hym bee excommunicate And if he so continue let hym bee disgraded Saint Augustine also a man of discrete holynesse sayth in these wordes There is no offence so great or grieuous but it is to auoyd a greater euill Furthermore we read in the second booke of the Tripartite history That when the Councell of Nice goyng about to establish the same decree would enact that Bishops Priests and Deacons after their consecration either should abstaine vtterly from their own wiues or els should be deposed Then Paphnutius one of those holy Martyrs whom the Emperor Maximus had put out the right eie hockt their left legs rising vp amongst the withstood their purposed decreement confessing Mariage to be honourable and calling the bed of matrimony to be chastitie and so perswaded the Councell from making that law declaring thereby what occasion might come to themselues their wiues of fornication And thus much did Paphnutius being vnmaried himself declare vnto theÌ„ And the whole Councell commending his sentence gaue place thereto left the matter freely without coÌ„pulsion to the will of euery man to do therein as he thought Notwithstanding there be some which take S. Gregory for their defence in this matter whose temeritie I laugh at ignorance I lament for they know not being ignorauntly deceiued how daungerously the decree of this heresie was being made of S. Gregory who afterward well reuoked the same with condign fruit of repentaunce For vpon a certaine day as he sent vnto his fishpond to haue fish and did see more then sixe thousand infants heades brought vnto him which were taken out of the same pond or mote did greatly repent in himselfe the decree made before touchyng the single lyfe of Priests which he confessed to be the cause of that so lamentable a murther And so purging the same with condigne fruite of repentaunce altered agayne the things which he had decreed before commending that counsaile of the Apostle which sayth It is better to marry then to â—urne Adding moreouer of himself thereunto and saying It is better to marry then to giue occasion of death Peraduenture if these men
last through the operation of Sathan was exalted to the Papacy of Rome vpon this condition that after his death he should geue himselfe to the deuil by whose procuremeÌ„t he came to that promotion UpoÌ„ a certaine time he demanded an answer of the deuill how long he should enioy his Popedome to whom he answered againe vntill thou say Masse in Ierusalem thou shalt liue At length the iiij yeare of his Popedome saying Masse at Lent time in the temple of the holy crosse being called then Ierusalem there he knewe the time was come when hee should die Wherupon being stroke with repentance confessed his fault openly before the people desiring al men to cut his body al in peeces being so seduced by deceits of the deuil so being hewen in peeces they woulde lay it vpon a cart and bury it there where soeuer the horses wold cary it of their accorde And so the saying is to be that by the prouidence of God whereby the wicked may learne yet hope of remission with God so that they will repent them in their life the horses of their own accord staid at the church of Laterane and there he was buried wheras commonly by the ratling of his bones within the tomb is portended the death of Popes as the common reporte goeth Thus much out of Ioannes Stella concerning Siluester By whoÌ„ our sorcerers and inchanters or magicians may learne to beware of the deceitfull operation of Sathan who at the ende deceiueth and frustateth al them that haue to do with him as the ende of all such doth declare commonly which vse the like art or trade The Lorde and God of al mercye through the spirite of Iesus our redemer dissolue the works of Sathan and preserue the hartes of our nobles and of al other Englishmen from such infection Amen After Siluester succeeded Ioannes .xix. by whom was brought in as Volateran sayth the feast of all soules an 1004. through the meanes and instigation of one Odilo Abbot of Cluniake to be celebrate next after the feast of all Saintes This Monke Odilo thinking that Purgatory as he heard should be in the mount Aetna dreamed vpoÌ„ a time in the countrey of Sicile that he by his Masses had deliuered diuers soules from theÌ„ce saying moreouer that he did heare the voyces and lameÌ„tations of deuils crying out for that the soules were taken froÌ„ them by the Masses Dirges funerall Ex Bakenthorpo in prolo 4. Lib. Sentent And not loÌ„g after him came Iohn the xx and Sergius the iiij After whom succeeded Benedictus the viij then Iohn the 21. who being promoted by art magike of Theoyhilact his nephew Gratianus Brazutus and other Sorcerers brought in first the fast of the eueÌ„ of Iohn Baptist and S. LaureÌ„ce After him followed pope Benedictus the 9. likewise aspiring to his Papacy by like magike practising inchauntmentes and coniuration in woodes after horrible maner Who resisting the Emperor Henricus 3. sonne to Conradus and placing in his rowme Petrus the king of Hungarie wyth this verse Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam Afterward for feare of Henricus preuailing in battaile hee was faine to sell his seate to his successoure Gratianus called Gregorius vi for 1500. poundes At which time were 3. Popes together in Rome raigning raging one against an other Benedictus ix Siluester 3. Gregorius vi For the whych cause Henricus surnamed Niger the Emperour comming to Rome displaced these 3. monsters at one time placing for them Clemens 2. and thereupon inacting that there should no bishop of Rome henceforth be chosen but by the consent and confirmation of the Emperour Which constitution though it was both agreable also necessary for publike traÌ„quilitie of that citie yet the Cardinals would not suffer it long to stand but did impugne it afterward by subtile practise and open violence as in processe the Lord permitting shal appeare in the time of Henricus the 4. and 5. In the time of this Clement the Romanes made an othe to the Emperour concerning the election of the Byshops themselues to entermeddle no farther therein but as the assent of the Emperour should goe with all Howbeit the Emperour departing thence into Germanie againe by and by they forgote their othe and within 9. monethes after poysoned the Bishop Which fact some impute to Stephen his successour called Damasus 2. Some impute it to Brazutus who as histories record within 13. yeares poysoned 6. popes that is Clemens 2. Damasus 2. Leo. 9. Uictor 2. Stephanus 9. Nicolaus the 2. Thus Clement being poysoned after him succeeded Damasus 2. neither by consent of the people nor of the emperour elected but by force and inuasion who aâ—so within 23. daies being poisoned An. 1049. much contention and striuing began in Rome about the Papal seat Wherupon the Romans through the counsel of the Cardinals sent to the foresaid Emperor desiring to geue them a bishop and so he did whose name was Bruno an Almain and bishop of Colleâ— afterwarde called Leo 9. This Bruno being a simple man and easie to be led with euil counsel comming from the Emperour towards Rome in his pontificall apparell like a Pope meeteth him by the way the Abbot of Cluniake and Hildebrand a monke Who seing him so in his pontificalibus begaÌ„ to rate him laying to his charge that he would so take his authoritie of the Emperour and not rather of the Clergy of Rome the people thereof as other his predecessors were wont to doe and so counselled him to lay downe that apparel and to enter in with his own habite till he had hys election by them Bruno following their counsel and confessing his fault before the Clergie of Rome obtained their fauor and so was nominate Leo 9. wherby Hildebrand was made a Cardinall put in high rowme Under this Pope Leo were two Councels one kept at Uercellis where the doctrine of Berengarius against the reall substance in the Sacrament was first condemned although Berengarius yet recanted not whych neuerthelesse was done after in the Councel of Lateranâ— vnder Nicolas 2. An. M.lx. The other was kept at Moguntia where amongst many other decrees was enacted priests to be excluded and debarred vtterly from mariage Item that no lay men might geue benefice or bishoprick or any spirituall promotion c. This Leo being at Wormes with the Emperour vpon Christmas day did excommunicate the subdeacon because in reading the Epistle he did it not in the Romane tune he being there present The Archbishop moued therewith departed from the altare being then at Masse saying he woulde not proceede no farther in his seruice vnlesse hys subdeacon were restored Wherupon the Pope commaÌ„ded him to be released so they went forward in their seruice After the death of Leo whom Brazutus poysoned the first yere of his popedome Theophilactus did striue to be Pope but Hildebrand to defeat him went to the emperor partly
Imperye But the bishop minding nothing lesse sendeth word againe not to be right to condemne any person his cause beyng not heard thus vnder the pretence of the law colouring his vnlawfull treatory Henricus thus disappointed and forsaken on euery side with his men about him attempteth battayle against Rodulphus In which battaile a meruailous great slaughter was on both sides but the victory on neither part certain So that both the Captaines yet chalenged the Empire After the battayle great murder on both sides they sent to Rome both to know of the Popes determination to whether of them two he iudged the right title of the empire to appertayne The Bishop commaundeth them both to break vp their armies and depart the field promising that he shortly will call a councell where this matter should be disputed In the meane time they should cease from warre But before the messengers returned agayne their armies beyng refreshed they had an other conflict together but no victory got on either part Thus both the Captaines beyng weried in warres the Romish beast the bishop which was the cause therof perceiuing whether these cruel wars would tend to the great calamitie not onely of the Germains but also of other nations trusting to find another way to helpe Rodulphus and his adherentes sendeth downe a commission by Ottho Archbishop of Treuers Bernardus Deacon and Bernardus Abbot of Massilia to whom he gaue in charge that they should call together a Councell or sitting in Almany and there to be defined to whether part the Empire should pertayne by most right and publicke consideration Promising that what they should therein determine he looking vpon the matter through the authoritie of God omnipotent and of S. Peter and Sainct Paule would ratifie the same Moreouer for that no let nor impeachment should happen to the Legates by the way he geueth with them letters to the princes and nations of Germany Whereof the contents be declared briefly in Platina if any list to read them But the Emperour would not so permit the Legates to haue any Councel within Germany except they would first depriue Rodulphus of his kingdome The Legates considering that to be against the drift and intention of the Pope returned agayne froÌ„ whence they came The Pope hearing this and seing his purpose so disappointed by the Emperour draweth out another excommunication against him and agayne bereaueth him of his kingdome sending about his letters excommunicatorie throughout all places thinkyng therby to further the part of Rodulphus the better Platina hath in his booke the whole effect of the writing which tendeth after this sort The copy of the second excommunication of Hildebrand against the Emperour BLessed S. Peter prince of the Apostles and thou Paule also the teacher of the Gentiles geue eare vnto me I beseech you a little and gently heare me for you are the disciples and louers of truth the things that I shall say are true This matter I take in hand for truth sake that my brethren whose saluation I seeke may the more obsequiously obey me and better vnderstand how that I trusting vpon your defence next to Christ and his mother the immaculate virgin resist the wicked and am ready to helpe the faythfull I did not enter this seate of myne owne accorde but much agaynst my will and with teares for that I accounted my selfe vnworthy to occupy so high a throne And this I say not that I haue chosen you but you haue chosen me and haue layed this great burthen vpon our shoulders And now where as by this your assignement I haue ascended vp this hill crying to the people and shewing them their faults to the children of the church their iniquities the members of Sathan haue risen vp agaynst me and haue layd hands together to seeke my bloud For the kings of the earth haue risen vp against me and the Princes of this world with whom also haue conspired certaine of the Clergy subiectes against the Lord and against vs his annointed saying let vs break a suÌ„der their bands cast off from vs their yoke This haue they done agaynst me to bring me either to death or to banishmeÌ„t In the number of whom is Henricus whome they call kyng the sonne of Henry the Emperour which hath lift vp so proudly hys hornes and heele against the church of God making conspiracie with diuers other bishops both Italians French Germains Against the pride of whom hetherto your authoritie hath resisted who rather being broken thâ—n amended comming to me in Cisalpina made humble sute to me for pardon absolution I thinking nothing els but true repentance in him receaued him again to fauour did restore him to the communion only from which he was excommunicate but to his kingdome from which in the Synode of Rome he was worthily expulsed I did not restore nor to the rentes and fruites therof that he might returne to the faith againe that I graunted not vnto him And that I did for this purpose that if he should deferre to fall to agreement with certaine of his neighbours whom he hath alwayes vexed and to restore agayn the goods both of the church and otherwise thaÌ„ he might be compelled by the censures of the Church and force of armes therunto Wherby diuers and sundry bishops and princes of Germany such as he had long troubled being helped by this opportunitie elected Rodolphus their Duke to be king in the place of Henricus whom they for his transgressions had remooued dispatched from his empire But Rodolphus first in this matter vsing a princely modestie and integritie sent vp his messengers to me declaring how he was constrained wild he nild he to take that regall gouernment vpon him albeit he was not so desirous therof but that he would rather shew himselfe obedient to vs then to the other that offied him the kingdom and whatsoeuer our arbitrement should be therin he would be vnder obedience both of God and of vs. And for more assurance of his obedience he hath sent his owne children hither for pledges Vpon this Henricus began to snuffe and first entreated with vs to restraine and inhibite Rodolphus through the paine of our curse from the vsurpation of his kingdom I aunswered againe I would see whether of them had more right and title thereunto so send our Legates thither vpon the same to know the whole state of the matter and thereupoÌ„ I would decide betwixt theÌ„ whither of them had truer part But Henricus would not suffer our Legates to come to take vp the matter and slew diuers both secular men and of the Clergy spoiling and prophaning churches and so by this meanes hath indangered himselfe in the bandes of excommunication I therefore trusting in the iudgement and mercy of God and in the supportation of the blessed virgin also vpon your authoritie do laye the sentence of curse vpon the said Henricus all his adherents
speachlesse was caried to Westminster and there was buried Where also is to be noted that Richarde the cosen Germaine of K. William and sonne to duke Robert his brother was likewise slaine in the forsaid forest See the iust hand of god vpon kings vsurping wrongfully vpon other mennes grounds as did William Conqueror their father in making this newe forest plucking downe diuers churches and towneships the cōpasse of 30. miles about Here therefore apeareth that although men can not reuenge yet God reuengeth either in thē or in their posteritie c. This king as he alwaies died Concubines so left he no issue legitimate behinde him His life was suche that it is harde for a storie that shoulde tell truth to say whether he was more to be commēded or reprooued Among other vices in him especially is to be rebuked in him vnmeasurable and vnreasonable couetousnes in so much the he coueted if he might to be euery mans heire This one example of a liberal and princely nature I finde in him that vpon a time when a certaine Abbot of a place was deade there came to his court two Monkes of the same house who before had gathered much mony and made their frendes to the king and offered large offers either of them to be promoted to that dignitie There was also the third monke of the same place which of meekenes and humility folowed the other two to the intent that vpon him the the king had admitted for Abbot he should geue attendance and as his chaplaine to haue with him returned The king called before him the two mōkes seuerally of whom the either outprosered the other As the king cast his eye aside he espied the third Monke standing by supposing that his comming had bene also for the like cause Then the King calling him asked what he wold do whether he would geue more then his brethren had offered to be Abbot He answered to the king and saide that he neither had nor woulde if he might offer any panic for it by any such vnlawfull meane When the king had well pondered this third Monkes answere he said that he was best worthy to be Abbot and to haue the rule of so holy a charge and so gaue vnto him that benefice without taking any penie Urbanus B. of Rome who as is saide succeeded after Victor ruled the Churche of Rome about the space of 12. yeres and among his other actes he excommunicated the Emperor Henricus the fourth of that name as a man not much deuoute to that sea of Rome But yet a worthy and victorious prince he was in whome albeit some vice perchaunce might be noted yet none such wherefore any prelate or minister of Christ ought to excite his subiects to rebell against publike authoritie of God appointed This Emperour Henricus the iiii was by 4. Popes seuerallye excommunicate first by Hildebrand by Victor Urbanus and Paschalis Which excommunicatiō wrought so in the ignorant blinde hearts of the people that many as well of the nobles as of the multitude contrary to their sworne alleageance rebelliously conspired against their king and Emperor In number of whom among the rest was one certaine Earle named Ludouicus to whom Waltramus bishop of the Church of Mergburgh a godly and a faithfull man as appeareth doeth write letters of fatherly admonition exhorting and instructing him in the office of obedience Unto the which letters he likewise doth answer againe by cauilling sophistication and by mere affection rather disposed to discord then seeking sinceritie of trueth And forasmuch as in these two letters the argument of christian obedience on both sides is so debated by proofes and reasons as may be profitable for the Reader to peruse and vnderstande I thought therfore not to defraud the English reader of the same whereof peraduenture some vtility might be taken The tenour of the Byshops letter to the Earle here foloweth ¶ The Epistle of Waltramus B. of Mergburgh to the earle Ludouicus exhorting to concorde and obedience VAltramus dei gratia id quod est Ludouico serenisimo principi cum instantia orationum semetipsum ad omnia deuotissimum Omni regno vtilis est concordia desiderabilis est iustitia c. In English Valtrame by the grace of God being that he is to Ludouike the noble prince with instance of praier offreth himselfe seruiceable to all things To euery realme concord is a thing profitable and iustice muche to be desired For this vertue is the mother of godlines and the consecration of all honestie Whosoeuer seeking after ciuile dissention and incenseth other to effusion of bloude he is a murtherer and partaker with him who euer gaping and thrusting for an others bloud goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure You therefore considering with your selfe moste noble Prince howe God is the God of peace and not of dissention so much as in you doth lie haue peace with all men God is charity the deuil is hatred The whole law and Prophets consist in loue charitie He that hateth and maligneth his brother is a murtherer hath no part with Christ in the kingdome of God This we read testified and protested both by him which is the truth himselfe by him which was the scholer of the truth who vpon the brest of the Lorde drinking a more full draught of the gospel reioyceth the citie of God with aboundance of plentiful floods In like maner the worthy vessell of election who being rapt vp to the thirde heauen not by man but by reuelation of Iesu Christ protesteth also saying let euery soule submit himselfe to higher powers There is no power sayeth he but of God He that resisteth power resisteth the ordinaunce of God If that be true therefore which certaine of our frendes do iangle among women and the vulgare sort that we ought not to be subdued to kingly power then is it false which the Apostle teacheth that euery soule must submitte himselfe vnder power and superioritie But can the veritie lie Or do we seke for experimēt of him who spake in the Apostle Christ the Lorde Or do we prouoke the Lorde Be we stronger then he For what doth he but thinketh himselfe stronger then the Lorde that resisteth the ordinance of God for there is no power but of God But what sayeth the Prophet Confounded be all they that striue against thee O Lorde and the men which repugne against thee shall perish Rodolphus Hildebrandus Egbertus with many other Princes resisted the ordinance of God in Henry the Emperour And lo euen as they had neuer bene so are they nowe perished as their end was euil so their begīning could not be good Nowe therefore for so much as they which be contrary to vs do earnestly striue against vs with their owne arguments wheras of right I dare referre me to your iudgemēt we ought to vse the authoritie of Christ ancient fathers before
that which our aduersaries take out of their owne treasurie And because I will not refuse the order of lawe in this behalfe let it be the ende of the strife that either I may be openly shamed before the people either els the victory falling on my side we may winne you to the obedience of our soueraigne Lord the Emperour Also take you hede to this saying If any man do preach otherwise then that which is preached let him be of you accursed This curse I say doeth not proceede from any newe prophane authoritie but is thundered downe from the third heauen And of them which knowe not the righteousnes of God but goe about to stablish their owne righteousnes and therfore be not subiect to the righteousnes of God I may boldly say let such be accursed So may you well say confounded be al they that proudly rise vp against the Lorde but thy seruant oh Lord shall reioyce for as thou hast wel saide without me you can doe nothing so in iudging of the wicked thou doest not condemne the iust Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant to his owne Lord whether he doth stand or fall The answere of the Earle Lewes to Bishop Waltram THe Earle Lewys to the Lord Waltram howsoeuer vnworthy or vnmeete he be for the name Like as a good man from the good treasure of the hart bringeth forth good fruit so doeth the euil man from the euil treasure of the heart bring forth euil fruit What arrogācie hath so possessed you to prouoke my displeasure with such iniurious contumelies for in dede those my good lords and spirituall fathers which strengthen me in the way of righteousnes you railingly call them bloudy men like vnto Sathan and the wholesome lessons which they teache you say they are but dreames of the common people amongest foolish women Hath God any nede of your iudgement that you should speake leasings for him Iniquity hath taught your mouth to folow blasphemous tonges so that wel may the Prophet say of you he would not vnderstand to do wel he hath deuised wickednesse vpon his bed Although therfore you being altogether froward haue only spoken frowarde things yet we haue determined to set a watche before your mouth like as if a shameles person shoulde stande vp before vs and the worde of GOD dothe prouoke vs saying Answere a foole according to his owne foolishnesse least hee shoulde seeme wise in his owne opinion Shall folly speake and wisedome holde his peace Shall lies be freely vttered and trueth compelled to kepe silence Shall darkenes couer the earth shall not the Lorde arise and shine yea rather the light hath lightened the darknes and darknes hath not comprehended it In consideration hereof our harts haue melted and our zealous meditation hath set vs on fire We therefore speake and crie and the little foxes which vndermine the Lords vineyards as much as in vs is we driue away fearing the threatning prophecie You haue not withstanded our aduersaries neither haue you made a bulwarke for the defence of the house of Israel that you might be able to stand in battaile in the day of the Lorde Let them heare I speake not to you which haue cares and heare not eyes see not which haue made darke the light that is in you but let them heare I say that be wel disposed and haue eares to heare withall As for you you haue no vnderstanding and if you haue you cloke it Neither haue you any thing to say or to proue by what reason we should be subiect to the Lord Henry whome you call Emperour And yet as it is giuen vs to vnderstand you goe about to perswade that of necessity we ought to be subiect to him that by the argumēt of S. Paule Let euery soule be subdued to the higher powers for there is no power but of God he therefore that doth withstande power doth resist Gods ordinance The which sentence of the Apostle we say that you do euil conceiue and therefore euil interprete for if euery power be of God as you vnderstande what is meant by that that the Lord doth speake of some by the Prophet They did raigne and were not made Princes by me and I knewe them not If euery power be of God as you take it what is to be thought of that that the Lorde doth say If thine eye offende thee pluck it out and cast it from thee For what is power but the eie Certainly Augustine in the exposition of this sentence of the Apostle let euery soule c. doth say that if the powers do commād any thing against God then haue them in contempt but yet neuertheles feare thē Is there any iniquitie with God Is Christ the minister of sinne God forbid What shal we therfore say doth the Apostle preach contrary to the truth Augustinus sayeth no one winde filleth many pipes of diuers tunes Therfore let vs hear the Apostle agreeing and expounding himselfe and destroying his enemie and auenger There is sayeth he no power but of God What followeth He therfore sayth he that doth resist the power c. God forbid doeth nothing followe But what doeth followe Those powers which be ordeined of god truely that is it we look for O craftie tongue O heart imagining mischiefe O consuming breath that shall not returne why hast thou lied to the holy ghost Thine owne conscience shall accuse thee Behold the wicked fleeth and no man doth pursue him Why woulde you suppresse the truth to the intēt to deceiue Why haue you stolne away the pith and effect of this sentence For if these wordes should be taken away from the midst of the sentence it shuld lie contrary to it selfe inconuenient and halfe dead The worde of the Lord is herein fulfilled He that diggeth a pit for his neighbour shal fall therein him selfe Verely you can neither excuse you of theft neither auoid the punishment due for the same What O vnhappy man what shall you answer to the iudge when he shall require an accompt of his seruaunts whome he putteth in trust seeing you shal be set before him in the midst and prooued a picker of your maisters treasure Wherefore did you not feare the iudgement executiō whē as the giltines of offence doth require condigne punishment The Apostle through the holy Ghost did foresee that you and such heretikes as you are should spring in the Church which should call good euil and euil good and that should put darknes in place of light and light in place of darknes which also should take occasion by the sentences of truth to bring in error When as he did set this before there is no power but of God to the intent that hee might take away the coniecture of false vnderstanding for sayeth he those powers that be are ordeined of God Geue therefore an ordinarie power and we doe not resist yea we will forthwith doe
our homage But I do maruell if at the least there remaine in you any one drop of bloud that you are not ashawed to call the Lord Henry a king or to allow him any ordinarie place Is this a seemely order thinke you to geue place to wickednes and to make a generall confusion in mixing good and euill Gods and mans deuises together Either do you thinke this good order for man to sinne against his owne body as Oh shamefull wickednes to make his owne wife a common harlot a mischiefe not heard of at any time since the beginning of the world before now or do you alow this for good order when as the Lord sayth defend the widowes especially such as require equitie of Iustice and then them to send away most filthely defiled Madde Orestes doth protest him to be out of his wit that will say these things to be orderly or well done Vntill this most miserable time nature hath euer loued secrecie but your king geueÌ„ vp into a reprobate sense hath vncouered the priuities of nature who hath not let to lay abroade all shamefastnesse we wil not speake of other thinges which cannot be numbred that is to say burning of Churches robberies fiering of houses manslaughters murders such like the number whereof he knoweth and not we for let vs speake chiefly of those things which most greue the Church of God Harken therfore to true not fained things Hearken I say to matters of earnest and to no trifles Euery one that doth tell spirituall dignities is an hereticke But the Lord Harry whom they cal a king doth sell both Byshoprikes and Abbathies for truely he solde for money the Byshoprikes of Constance Babemberge Mens many others The Byshopprikes of Ratisbone Augusta and Strafebrough he sold for a sword and the Abbey of Fulda for adulterie And for filthy sodomitry he sold the byshopprike of Mon. A wickednes it is to speake or heare of such a fact The which things if without shame ye wil deny he is to be condemned by the witnes of heauen and earth yea and of the selie poore idiotes that come from the smithes forge Wherfore the Lord Harry is an hereticke For the which most wicked euils he is excommunicate from the sea Apostolike so that he may not exercise either kingdome or power ouer vs which be Catholicke And whereas you burden vs with hatred of our brethren knowe you that we purpose not to hate any of affection but of a godly zeale God forbidde that we should thinke Harry worthy to be accompted amongst our christian brethren who in deede is reputed for an Ethnike and Publicane in that he refused to heare the Church which so oft hath reproued him The hatred of whome we offer vnto God for a great sacrifice saying with the Psalmist Lord shall not I hate them that hate thee and shall not I triumph ouer thine enemies I hate them with an inward hatred that be ennemies to me for thy sake The truth it selfe commending the worthines of this hatred doth say If any do not hate father and mother brethren and sisters for my sake he cannot be my disciple We are not therefore iustly to be reproued of hatred which doe geue ouer our owne soule to be in the way of God who in deede are commanded to hate father and mother and euery affection which doth withstaÌ„d vs for walking in the path of God Hereof it commeth that we labor withall our studie and endeuour to beware of the enemies of the church and them to hate Not for that they be our enemies but gods Father where you doe perswade peace to be had with all men you must remember what the Apostle doth put before if it may be But if it can be that we can haue peace with them who can be contrary to God who doth not know the Lord our Sauiour to commend not onely peace when as he sayth my peâ—ce I geue vnto you my peace I leaue vnto you but that he is the peace as sayeth the Apostle he is the peace which made of both one For he calleth him our peace speaking in commendation of the peace Thincke not sayeth hee that I came to sende peace For I came not to send peace but the sworde What is meant by this Why is peace called a sword Or doth peace bid battel Yea truely to destroy the peace of the deuill For the deuil hath his peace whereof the Lord speaketh When as the strong man keepeth his house he doth possesse all his substance in peace Oh howe mightely doeth the deuil kepe his souldiours and his house in this time who with the shield of falshood and the helmet of vntruth so doth defend him that he will not suffer either arrow or dart of truth to pearse him Neuertheles our Lord being more strongly armed fiercely comming vpon your Giaunt is able to ouercome him and to take away his weapons wherein he putteth his trust We are not therfore to be blamed if we do detest that peace more cruel then any warre The which the truth it selfe did reproue weeping ouer Hierusalem and saying Truely it grieueth me this day to see sinners in peace being like vnto that peace wherat the Psalmist was offended Whereas you condemne Pope Gregory king Rodolphus and Marques Eggerbertus as men that haue died of an vnhappy death do magnifie your Lord because he doth ouerliue them it doth plainly forsoth appeare that you remaine voide of all spiritual consideration Is it not better to die well then to liue ill They be truely happy who suffer persecution for righteousnes sake by the same reason may you esteme Nero Herod and Pilate happy in that they ouerliued Peter Paul Iames Apostles Iesus Christ. What can be said more foolish and wicked then this opinion Wherfore refraine your babling toung from this blasphemie least that you place your selfe in the number of them which seeing the end of the iust to be glorious themselues doing late vnfruitfull penance bewailing in the anguish of the spirite shall say These be they whom sometime we had in derision laughed to scorne we being out of our wits thought their liues madnes and their end to be without honor Behold howe they be allowed to be amongst the children of God and their portion is amongst the Saints Wherfore we haue erred from the way of truth the brightnes of righteousnesse did not shine vpon vs. What did out pride auaile vs And what profit did the boasting of our richesse bring vnto vs They are all vanished away like a shadowe The which wordes we haue registred vp into perpetual memorie we do despise euery atteÌ„pt that shal lift vp it self against the truth of God And reioycing in troubles we may be reprooued put to shame and rebuked yea and finally be slaine and killed but we wil neither yeeld nor be ouercome And with great triumph will we reioyce in our fathers
excommunicate 12 Theodosius the great Emperour for a fault which seemed not so waighty vnto other Priestes and shut him out of the Church who afterward by condigne satisfaction was absolued There are many other like examples for Dauid when he had committed adulterie and murther the prophet Nathan was sent vnto him by God to reprooue him and he was soone corrected And the king laying aside his scepter and Diademe and setting apart all princely maiestie was not ashamed to humble himselfe before the face of the Prophet to confesse his faulte to require forgeuenes for his offence what wil you more he being stricken with repentance asked mercy and obtained forgeuenes So likewise you most beloued king and reuerend Lord after the example of this good king Dauid of whom it is sayde I haue founde a man after mine owne heart with a contrite and humble heart turne to the Lorde your God and take holde of repentaunce for your transgressions For you are fallen and erred in many things which yet I kepe in store still if peraduenture God shall inspire you to say with the prophet haue mercy on me O god according to thy great mercye for I haue sinned much against thee don◠euil in thy sight Thus much I haue thought good to write to you my deare Lorde at this present passing other things in silence till I may see whether my wordes take place in you and bring foorth fruits in you worthy of repentance and that I may heare and reioyce with them that shall bring me worde and say Oh king thy sonne was dead and is aliue againe was lost and is founde againe But if you will not heare me looke where I was wont before the maiestie of the body of Christ to pray for you in aboundance of teares sighes There in the same place I will crie against you and say Rise vp Lord and iudge my cause forget not the rebukes and iniuries which the king of England doeth to thee and thine forget not the ignominie of thy Church which thou hast builded in thy bloud Reuenge the bloud of thy saintes which is spilt reuenge O Lord the afflictions of thy seruants of whome there is an infinite number For the pride of them which hate persecute thee is gone vp so highe that we are not able to beare them any longer Whatsoeuer your seruant shall do all those things shall be required at your handes for he seemeth to haue done the harme which hath geuen the cause thereof Doubtlesse the sonne of the most highest except you amende and cease from the oppressing of the church and clergie and keepe your hand from troubling of them wil come in the rod of his furie at the voices of such as cry to him and at the sighes of them that be in bands when the time shal come for him to iudge the vnrighteousnesse of men in equitie and seueritie of the holy ghost For he knoweth how to take away the breath of Princes and is terrible among kings of the earthe◠Your deare and louing grace I wish well to fare Thus fare ye well againe and euer ¶ Certaine notes or elenches vpon this Epistle which by the figures you may finde out and their places 1. The scope of this Epistle is this to proue that bishops and priests ought not to come vnder the court and cōtrolment of temporall power 2. This similitude holdeth not For though the smalnesse of a Citie blemisheth not the prerogatiue of a kingdome yet the euilnes and rebellion of a Citie doth worthely blemish his owne prerogatiue 3. So sayth the Popes decrees Dist. 10. but the Scripture of God importeth otherwise Abiathar the Priest was deposed of king Salomon not for any heresie but for other causes 3. Reg. 1.2 Ionathas tooke his priesthoode of king Alexander And Simon of Demetrius 1. Mach. 7. Christ offered tribute to Cesar for him and for Peter Also Peter sayeth be ye subiect to euery humaine creature and it followeth whether it be to the king as to the chiefe c. Item Pope Leo submitted himselfe to Ludouicus the Emperor with these words And if we do any thing incompetently and do swarue from the path of righteousnes we wil stand to your reformation or of them whom you shall send 2.9.7 Hos. 4. Notwithstanding the saide Constantinus wryting to the bishops cōgregated at Tyrus first chideth them then commādeth them to resort vnto his presence to haue their cause iudged and decided Trip hist. lib. 3. cap. 7. 5. The father vnder obedience c. If fatherhoode goe by age I suppose that king Henry was elder then Becket If fatherhoode consist in authoritie I iudge the authoritie of a king to be aboue the authoritie of an Archbishop If the see of Canterburie make the fatherhoode yet had Becket no cause to claime fatherhood ouer the king seeing the sonne ordeined the father that is seeing the king made him his Archbishop and not he made him his king 6. By wicked bonds Al is wicked with the Papists that bringeth them in subiection to their Princes 7. Ecclesiasticall matters be suche as properly belong to doctrine and deuine knowledge for the institution of the soule and information of conscience In which both Princes and subiects ought to followe their pastors so long as they go truely before them without error or els not But what maketh this for the lands liberties of churchmen 8. Punishment due to malefactors and rebelles is not to be called persecution but due correction 9. Saule brake the commandement of God and was reiected Ozias cōtrary to the commandement of God tooke the office of a priest and was striken Oza against the expresse word of the law put his hand toy arke was punished But what expresse word had k. Hēry why he should not correct and punish rebellious bishoppes and wicked priests within his owne realme wherefore these similitudes accorde not As for Achas he was not so much punished for taking the priests office as for spoyling the temple of the Lord and offering to Idoles 10. Common lawes S. Augustin wryting to Boniface sayeth thus Whosoeuer obeyeth not the lawes of the Emperor being made for the veritie of God procureth to himselfe great punishment For in the time of the prophets all the kings which did not forbidde and subuert all such things as were vsed of the people against the law of God are rebuked And such as did with stand them are commended aboue the rest August 11. Isidorus hath these wordes Let temporal princes know that they must render accōpt to God for the church which they haue at the hands of God to gouerne c. 12. The case of Archadius Theodosius Dauid of this king as touching this mater hath no similitude In them was murder This king doeth nothing but claime that which is his due And though by the spiritual sword those kings were resisted yet it argueth not therefore that the persons of them which haue the
preuailing agaynst hâ—m ouerthrew diuers of his houses in the city For the which he did excommunicate theÌ„ The Romanes then flying to the Emperour desired his ayd succour but he be like to pleasure the Pope gathering an army went rather agaynst the Romanes TheÌ„ the popes army whose Captaynes were the Earle of Tholouse to purchase the Popes fauour and Peter the foresayd Byshop of Winchester whom the Pope for the same had sent for froÌ„ england partly for his treasure partly for his practise and skill in feates of warre and the Emperours host ioyued together and bordering about the Citty of Rome cast downe the castelies or mansions belonging to the citizens round about the Suburbes to the number of 18. and destroyed all theyr vines and vineyardes about the City Wherat the Romanes being not a litle offended brast out of the Cittye with more heat then order to the number of 100000. as the frorye reporteth to destroy Uiterbium the Popes City with sword and fire But the multitude being vnordered and out of battaile ray aud vnprouided for ieoperdies which by the way might happen fell into the handes of theyr enemies who were in wayt for them and of them destroid a great nuÌ„ber so that on both parts were slayne to the vew of 30000 but the most part was of the Citizens And this dissention thus begun was not soone ended but continued long after By these and such other storyes who seeth not how farre the church of Rome hath degenerated from the true Image of the right Church of Christ which by the rule example of the Gospell ought to be a daughter of peace not a mother of debate not a reuenger of her selfe nor seeker of warres but a forgeuer of iniuries humbly and patiently referring all reuenge to the Lord not a raker for riches but a winner of soules not contending for worldly maistership but humbling themselues as seruantes and not Uicars of the Lorde but ioyntly like brethren seruing together Bishops with Bishops Ministers with Ministers Deacons with Deacons and not as Masters separating themselues by superiority one from an other and briefly communicating together in doctrine and couÌ„sell one particular church with an other not as a mother one ouer an other but rather as a sister Church one with an other seking together the glory of Christ and not their owne And such was the Church of Rome first in the olde auncieÌ„t beginning of her primitive state especially while the crosse of persecution yet kept the Bishops and Ministers vnder in humility of hart and feruent calling vpon the Lord for helpe so that happy was that Christian then which with liberty of conscience onely might holde hys life how barely soeuer he liued And as for the pride and pompe of the world striuing for patrimonyes buying of Bishoprickes gaping for benefices so far was this off froÌ„ them that then they had litle leisure and lesse list yea once to thinke vpon them Neither did the Bishoppes then of Rome fight to be Consuls of the City but sought how to bring the Consuls vnto Christ being glad if the Consuls would permit them to dwell by them in the city Neither did they theÌ„ presume so hye to bring the Emperors necks vnder theyr gyrdles but were glad to saue theyr necks in any corner from the sword of Emperors TheÌ„ lacked they outward peace but abounded with inward consolation Gods holy spirit mightely working in their harts Then was one catholicke vnity of truth and doctrine amongest all churches agaynst errors and secres Neither did yâ— east and west nor distance of place deuide the church but both the eastchurch and westchurch the Greekes and Latynes made all one church And albeit there were then 5. Patriarchall Seas appoynted for order sake differing in regions peraduenture also in some rites one from another yet all these consenting together in one vnity of catholicke doctrine hauing one God one Christ one fayth one baptisme one spirit one head and lincked together in one boÌ„d of charity and in one equality of honor they made altogether one body one church one communion called one catholicke vniuersall and Apostolicall church And so long as this knot of charity and equality did ioyne them in one vnity together so long the church of Christ florished and encreased one redy to helpe and harbour another in time of distresse as Agapitus and Uigilius flying to Constantinople were there ayded by the Patriarch c. so that all this while neither forrein enemye neither Saracen nor Souldane nor Sultane nor Calipha nor Corasmine nor Turke had any power greatly to harme it But through the malice of the enemy this Catholicke vnity did not loÌ„g continue and all by reason of the bishop of Rome who not contented to be like his brethren begaÌ„ to extend himselfe to claime superiority aboue the other 4. Patriarchall Seas all other Churches in the world And thus as equality amongst christian byshops was by pride and singularity oppressed so vnity began by little litle to be dissolued and the Lordes coat which the souldiors left whole to be deuided Which coat of christian vnity albeit of long time it had bene now seamcript before by the occasion aforesayd yet notwithstanding in some peece it held together in some meane agrement vnder subiectioÌ„ to the sea of Rome till the tune of this pope Gregory the 9. an 1230. at which tyme thys rupture and schisme of the church brake out into a playn deuisioÌ„ vtterly disseuering the Eastchurch from the westchurch vpon this occasion There was a certayn archbyshop elected to an Archbishoprick among the Grecians who comming to Rome to be coÌ„firmed could not be admitted vules he promised a very great summe of mony Which when he refused to do and detested the exectable simony of the court of Rome he made his repayre home agayn to his country vncoÌ„firmed declaring there to the whole nobility of that land the case how it stood For yâ— more confirmation whereof there were other also which comming lately from Rome there had proued the same or worse came in and gaue testimony to his saying Whereupon all the church of the Grecians the same time hearing this departed vtterly away from the Church of Rome which was in the dayes of this Pope Gregory the 9. In so much that the Archbishop of Constantinople comming afterward to the generall Councell at Lyons there opeÌ„ly declared that where as before time he had vnder him aboue thirty Bishopricks and Suffraganes now he had not three adding moreouer that all yâ— Grecians certayne other with Antioche and the whole Empyre of Romania cueÌ„ to the gates almost of Constantinople were goue from the obedience of the Church of Rome c. Math. Paris fol. 112. c fol. 186. By the occasion of which separation aforesayd of the Grecians from pope Gregory it happened shortly after being the yeare of our
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
your letters or by any other indulgences to what persoÌ„ or persoÌ„s soeuer of what estate dignity or place soeuer vnder any maner or forme of words grauÌ„ted hereafter by the sea Apostolicke by the which indulgences the effect of the said prouision may be by any maner of waies hindered or deferred yet of our certayne knowledge we will that they shall want theyr strength in the prouision made or to be made for the sayd Frederick in the Church of Lincoln And if any vpon the premisses or any of them shall alleadge agaynst the foresayd Fredericke or his procurator That you will cause them to be cited on our behalfe so that they being cited peremtorily shal within the space of two monethes of your citation personally appere before vs there according to the law to make aunswere to the sayd Fredericke vpon the premisses Any priuiledges or indulgeÌ„ces what soeuer geuen and graunted either generally to the king dome of England or peculiarly to any other person of what state degree and place soeuer graunted by the foresaid sea vnder what soeuer maner forme of words for them not to be called vp beyond the sea or out of their owne City or Dioces by letters Apostolicall vnder whatsoeuer forme of wordes obtayned to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding All which priuiledges and indulgences we will in no case shall stand in any force or effect to the sayd partes Moreouer the day and forme of the citation we will that ye faythfully do intimate vnto vs by your letters containing the tenor therof And if both of you can not be present at the execution hereof yet we will notwithstaÌ„ding that one of you do execute the same without fayle Dated the 7. Kal. Febr. the 10. yeare of our Popedome As theâ—e is no maÌ„ which hath any eies to see but may â—asely vnderstand in reading this letter of the Pope how vnreasonable his request is how impudently he commauÌ„deth how proudly he threatneth how wickedly he oppresseth and racketh the Church of God in placing boyes and straungers in the ministery cure of soules also in making them his prouisors to rauen vp the Church goodes So is it no great maruell if this godly Bishoppe Robert Grosted was offended therwith who in my mind deserueth herein a double commendation not onely that he so wisely did discerne error from sincerity and truth but also that he was so hardy and constant to stand to the defence therof agaynst the Pope according as in this his answere to the Pope agayne may appeare as foloweth The aunswere of Robert Grosted SAlutem Pleaseth it your wisedome to vnderstand that I am not disobedient to any the Apostolicke precepts but both deuoutly reuerently with the natural affectioÌ„ of a sonne obey the same And also am an vtter enemy to al those that resist such Apostolick precepts as a childe zelous of his fathers honor And truly I am no lesse then bound therunto by the precept and coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God For the Apostolick preceptes are none other nor can be then consonant and vniforme to the doctrine of the Apostles and of our Sauiour Christ being the maister and Lorde of all the Apostles whose type and person specially in the consonant and vniforme hierarchie of the Church the Lord Pope semeth to beare the same our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe saying whosoeuer is not with me the same iâ— agaynst me Therefore agaynst him neither is nor can be the most diuine sanctitye of the sea Apostolicall The tenour then of â—our foresayd Apostolicall letter is not consonant to true sanctity but vtterly dissonaÌ„t and disagreeing to the same First for that vpon the clause of this your letter many such other letters like which clause alwayes ye so much do vrge Non obstante induced and brought in vpon no necessity of any naturall law to be obserued doth swarme and floweth with all inconstancy boldnes pertinacy impudency lying deceiuing and is also a sea of mistrust in geuing credit to no man Which as it swarmeth with these so in like maner with innumerable other vices which hang and depend vpon the same mouing and disturbing the purity of Christian religion and lyfe agreable to the same as also the publique tranquility of men Moreouer next after the sinne of Lucifer which shal be in the latter time to wit of Antichrist the childe of perdition whome the Lord shall destroy with the breath of his mouth there is not nor can be any kinde of sinne so repugnant and contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles â—nd holy scripture to our sauiour Christ himselfe more hatefull detestable and abhominable then to destroy and kill mens soules by defrauding them of the mistery of the pastorall office which by the ministery of the postorall cure ought to saue and quicken the same Which sinne by most euident places of the Scripture such men are discerned knowne to commit which being in the authority of the Pastorall dignity do serue their owne carnall desires and necessaries with the benefit of the milke and wooll of the sheep and flocke of Christ and do not minister the same Pastorall office and charge to the benefite and saluation of those theyr sheep The same therefore by the testimony of the Scripture is not the administration of the Pastorall ministery but the killing and destruction of the sheep And that these two kinde of vices be most vile and wicked although after a differryng sorte and farre exceeding all other kinde of wickednesse hereby it is manifest For that the same are directly contrary to two vertues most chiefely good although differring in themselues and vnlike together For that is called most wicked which is contrary to a thing most best So much then as lyeth in the offenders the one of their offences is directly agaynst the deity which of himselfe is alwayes essentially and supernaturally good The other is agaynst the deification and the Image of God in man which is not alwayes but by the participation of Gods lightsome grace essentially and naturally God And forasmuch as in thinges being good the cause of good is better then the effect like as againe in euill things the cause of euill is worse then the effect of euil proceeding therof hereby it is manifest That the inducers of such wicked destroyers of Gods Image and deification in the sheep of Christ that is the church of God are worse theÌ„ those chief destroiers to wit Lucifer Antichrist And as in these degrees of wickednes how much more excellent such be who hauing a great charge committed to them of God to edifâ—ication and not to destruction are more bound to keep away and exclude such wicked destroyers from the church of God So much is it also of that that this holy seat Apostolicall to whom the Lord Iesus Christ hath geuen all maner of power to edification as the Apostle sayth and not to destruction can commaund or will to goe about
any such thing vrging vnto so great wickednesse so odible detestable and abhominable to our Lord Iesus Christ and also so pernitious to mankinde For this should be a great defection corruption and abuse of the sayd seat and fulnesse of power and an vtter separation from the glorious throne of our Lord Iesus Christ and a neare neighborhood vnto the two most principall princes of darcknes sitting in the chaire of pestilence prepared to the paynes of hell Neither can any maÌ„ which is subiect and faythfull to the sayd sea and not cut away from the body of Christ and from the sayd holy sea with sincere and vnspotted conscience obeâ— such maner of precepts and coÌ„maundementes 〈◊〉 what soâ—uer other attemptes proceeding yea though from the high order of aungels themselues but rather ought of necessity with all their strength to withstand rebell against the same Wherfore my reuerend Lorde I like an obedient childe vpon my bound duty of obedience fidelity which I owe to botâ— the parentes of this holy Apostolicke sea and partly for loue of vnity in the body of Christ ioyned with the sayd sea doe not obey but withstand and vtterly rebell agaynst these things in the said letter contained especially which vrge and tend to the foresayd wickednes so abhominable to the Lorde Iesus Christ so repugnant to the holines of the holy Apostolick sea so coÌ„trary to the vnity of the catholick â—aith Neither for this cause can your discretioÌ„ determine any extremity vnto me because al my doing and gaynsaying in this matter is no resistaunce nor rebellion but a childly obedience to the diuine precept and honour due both to Father and Mother Briefly therefore repeating my wordes I say that this holy Apostolicke sea cannot do any thing but to edification and nothing at all to destruction For this is the fulnes of power to be able to do all thinges to edification But these which you call prouisions be not to edification but to manifest destruction The holy Apostolicke sea therfore cannot nor ought to attempt any such thing because that flesh and bloud which caÌ„not enter into the kingdome of God hath reuealed the same and not the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is in heauen Then followeth it in the story both of Mathaeus ParisieÌ„sis and of Florilegus in these words That when this Epistle came to the knowledge of the Pope he fuming fretâ—ing with anger and indignation answered with a fierce looke and proud minde sayng what olde doting franticke wretch is this so boldely rashly to iudge of my doinges By sweet S. Peter and Paule were it not but that vpon our own clemency and good nature we are restrayned we would hurle him down to such confusion that we would make him a fable a gasing stock an example and wonderment to all the world For is not the king of England our vassall and to say more our mansiple or page to vse the very wordes of mine author which may at our pleasure becke both hamper him and imprison him and put him to vtter shame This when the Pope in his great fury and rage had vttered amoÌ„gst his bâ—â—thren the Cardinals who were scarce able to appease the furious violence of the pope with milde moderatioÌ„ of words they sayd vnto him that it was not expedieÌ„t for theÌ„ to proceed agaynst that bishop in such rigâ—rous mâ—ner For sayd they to confesse the truth to your holynes it is but very truth that he affirmeth neither can we condemn him therfore He is a catholick man yea also a holy man more holy also religious theÌ„ we our selues a man of excellent wit and excellent life so as it is thought among all the Prelats he hath not his better nor yet his like This is not yet vnknowne both to the french English clergy vniuersally neither can our coÌ„tradictioÌ„ preuail against him The truth of this his epistle perhaps is knowne now to many shall stir vp many against vs for he hath the name to be a great Philosopher and singularly seene in all the tounges both Greeke Latine Hebrue zelous in iustice a reader of diuinity in the scholes â— preacher amongst the people a louer of Chastity a persecutor of Simony These words spake L. â—iles a Spanish Cardinall to the Pope and other mo moued by theyr coÌ„science to speak And this couÌ„sell they gaue to the Pope that he should dissemble and wincke at these thinges as one not seing or regarding them least otherwise perhaps some tumult might rise and spring thereof Especially seing this is manifest and known to all men that once must needes come a defection and parting from the Church of Rome Not long after this about the canicular dayes thys reuerend godly Robert bishop of Lincolne lying at his manor place in Bugden fell greuously sicke and therupon within few dayes departed In the time of his sickenes he called to him a certayne Frier of the preaching order named M. Iohn Giles a man expert cunning both in phisick Diuinity partly to receiue of him some coÌ„fort of his body and partly to confer with him in spirituall matters Thus vpoÌ„ a certeine day the said B. coÌ„ferring with the foresayd M. Iohn riciting to him the doings procedings of the Pope did greuously rebuke reprehend his fellow brethren the preaching Friers and the other order also of the Minorites That for so much as their order being plaÌ„ted in wilfull pouerty of the spirit to the inteÌ„t they should more frely carpe and reproue the vices of the mighty not to flatter or spare them but sharply to rebuke reprehend the same The said Friers contrary to theyr profession did not boldly enough cry out and inuey against the abuses of their superiors and men of power nor did vncouer nor detect their faults and wickednes And therfore sayd the Bishop I iudge them to be no better theÌ„ manifest hereticks And addeth moreouer demaunding of M. Iohn what is heresy and that he should geue him the true difinition therof wherat when the Frier did stay and pause not remembring the solemne difinition of that matter the Byshop therupon inferreth geuing this difinition in Latine by the true interpretation of the Greek word Heresis Graece electio Latine est sententia humano sensu electa Scripturae sacrae contraria palam docta pertinaciter defensa That is â—eresy is a sentence taken and chosen of mans owne brayne contrary to holy Scripture openly mayntained and stifly defended And this difinitioÌ„ geuen consequently he inferred sharpely reprehending the Prelates of the church but especially the Romaines which commit the charge of soules vnto their kinsfolks being both in age vnworthy and in learning vnsufficient To geue sayth he the charge of soules to a boy is a sentence of a prelate chosen and taken of mans own head onely for carnall and earthly respect also is
the presence of vs common Notaries here vnder written especially called and required for this purpose as it is contained in the subscriptions heere vnder the famous noble men the Lord Lewes sonne of the French king Guido of S. Paule and Iohn Drocem Earles and William of Plesiano Lord of Vitenob knight Moued as they saide with a feruent faith with affection of sincere loue and zeale of charitie to be shewed to the holy Romish church and hauing pitie from their heart on their mother the vniuersall church which as they sayde is oppressed daungerously vnder the rule of the saide Lord Boniface and suffereth outragious defacing and losse and pitying the right faith as they say in which standes the saluation of soules which alas for pitie in their times miserably pineth away perisheth for the lacke of wholesome gouernment of the Churche through all Christendome and earnestly taking paines as they said for the repairing and enhaunsing of the Catholicke faith specially seeing it was necessary for the same church for the foundation of the faith and health of the soules that none shoulde rule the fold of the Lordes flocke but the true and lawfull shepheard and also because the same Churche was the spouse of Christ that hath no spot nor wrincle all errour offence wickednes wrong shoulde be put away and saluation peace and quietnesse through Gods mercy might be procured to the whole worlde which they say lieth in warres and darkenesse by the wicked deedes cursed workes and hurtful examples of the sayd Boniface They said and laid against the said Boniface heresie and other diuers horrible cursed faultes wherein they affirmed him to be tangled and commonly and notoriously reported the king himselfe being present with Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates and Churchmen which were assembled for to entreat of their owne matters and matters of their Churches beside Barons Earles and other noble men whose names are vnder written The said William propounded obiected against him swearing by the holy Gospell of God which hee corporally touched that he coulde prooue all and euery the premisses to be true And the sayd William of Plesiano sware further this othe that he beleued he could prooue the premisses and that he woulde pursue to the full ende against the saide Boniface in the generall Councell where when and afore whomsoeuer of right it ought to be done requiring earnestly the sayd Lord king as a champion of the faith and defender of the Church that for declaring of this truth to the praise of Gods name to the increase promoting of the Catholike faith to the honour and wealth of the vniuersall Church and of all Christen people and the congregation of the sayd generall councel that he woulde helpe and bestowe his profitable labour with souldiors and other like for the loue of men and zeale to iustice because his kingly house was euer a ruler of the trueth and that he wold earnestly require the Archbishops Bishops other Prelates and that he woulde be effectually instant with them The Earles knights themselues besought earnestly many of the same prelates as they were pillers of the Church the faith that they would helpe and effectually bestowe their labour to the calling and assembling of the said councell by all waies and meanes lawful according to the ordinances of the holy fathers and decrees of the canons But when the prelates heard fully vnderstode such obiections oppositions and requests as is aforesaid and considered that such a matter not onely was most hard but needed wise counsell they departed out of the same place But on the Friday next following i. the 14. day of the same moneth of Iune the foresaid Lord king being present and also the Lords Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and many witnesses here vnder written the same time being present and in the presence of vs common Notaries heere subscribed and being specially called and required for this purpose the foresayd William of Plesiano Knight sayde propounded affirmed obiected and read as was contained more fully in a certaine paper which he held in his hand whose tenor was after this sort I William of Plesiano Knight say propound and affirme that Boniface which now ruleth the Apostolical sea is a rancke hereticke in heresies and by heresies outragious dedes and wicked doctrines hereafter to be declared which things to be true I beleeue I am able to prooue or els such things as these shall be sufficient to prooue hym a full hereticke in a cōuenient place time and afore whom of right this can or ought to be done This thing I sweare on the holy Gospel of God presently touched of me First that he beleueth not the immortalitie of men and of christen soules but thinking much like as the Saducies did beleeue that there is no euerlasting life and the men can not get at the length ioy but all the lot and part of comfort and gladnes to be in this world and by this meanes he affirmeth that it is no sinne for the body to liue daintely in al dainties And out of the aboundance of this leuen he was not ashamed to say and opēly to cōfesse that he had rather be an asse or a dogge or any other brute beast rather than a Frenchman which thing he would not haue said if he beleued a Frenchmā had a soule that could enioy euerlasting life This thing he taught many men which knowledged this at the point of death and the common report goeth on him thus in these things 2. Also he beleeueth not faithfully that by the wordes ordained of Christ spoken ouer the hoste after the fashion of the Church by a faithfull priest that is lawfully ordered the body of Christ to be there and therefore it commeth to passe that he geneth no reuerence to it no not a litle when it is lifted up of the priest yea he rises not to it but turneth his backe to it and makes himselfe his seat to be honoured where he sitteth rather then the altare where the hoste is consecrate and he is commonly reported to doe this 3. Also he is reported to say that whoredome is no sinne no more than rubbing of the hands together thus commonly runnes the voice and brute 4. Also he saide often that to thrust downe the King and Frenchmen if it coulde not be otherwaies done he would ouerthrow himselfe the whole world the whole Church And when he had sayd so some that stode by said God forbid he answered God graunt And when good men that heard the wordes replied against him that hee should not say so because the church of God all Christen men should suffer great slaunder so he answered I care not what slaunders soeuer come so that the Frenchmen and their pride be destroied for it is necessary that slaunders offences come 5. Item he called againe allowed a booke made by M. Arnold of Newton conteining and smelling of heresie
intellectus Therefore it is no good argument These formes be distincted ergo they be not compatible in one subiect And therfore that the iurisdictions temporal spiritual are so distincted that they are not coÌ„trary but coÌ„patible it is euident hereby because things contrary be so that the one cannot be ordeined to concurre with the other but rather confoundeth destroyeth the other but in this case iurisdiction temporall is ordeined for the spirituall contrary the spirituall for the temporall Or rather the one so depeÌ„deth of the other as the clearenes of the moon doth of the brightnes of the Sunne Also the one iurisdiction so helpeth tomforteth the other that there is no contrartety in them And therfore it is no good coÌ„sequeÌ„ce because they are distincted Ergo they are not compatible in one persoÌ„ This also is to be proued de facto For the earth is the Lordes and the plenty of the whole vniuersall world and all that dwell therin It is proued in likewise by this reason For if the iurisdictions were not compatible it should follow that no ecclesiastical person should haue any iot of teÌ„porall iurisdiction neither land tower castle Lordship or any thing els which is most absurd so by this meanes it should follow the no ecclesiasticall persoÌ„ should be in subiection vnto the king which were to the great derogation of the kings maiesties crown and dignity It must needs be therfore that these iurisdictions be coÌ„patible notwithstanding the distinction of them one from an other And thus for answere to all these reasons by the which Lord Peter proued the distinction of these iurisdictions These things premised this I proceed further to proue that a person Ecclesiasticall which hath iurisdiction spirituall may also haue temporall iurisdictioÌ„ and that the iurisdiction temporall may be in an Ecclesiasticall person I will proue it by the Scriptures and first out of the old testament to the euideÌ„t probation wherof it is to be vnderstand That God after the creation of the world maÌ„ eueÌ„ vnto Noes time would gouerne the world himself as K. by the ministery of angels By reason wherof he gaue and pronounced sentence himselfe agaynst Cain Gen. 4. Noe also which offered burnt offeringes vnto the Lord built an altar as teacheth the 8. of Gene. which thing appertayned onely vnto the priestes had the gouernement and rule of all thinges as well spirituall as temporall which were in the Arke of Noe. Melchisedech in likewise the which was the priest of the most high God and also king of Salem as appeareth in the 14. of Gene. had both the iurisdictions in his owne handes For Magister Historiarsi in the sayd 14. of Gene. declareth that all the first begot of Noe euen to Aarons tyme were priests which at meales and offringes blessed the people which onely had the Ius primogeniturae wherby the regimeÌ„t of others was due vnto them Moses in like maner of whom it is sayd in the Psalme Moses c Aaron in sácerdotibus eius coÌ„secrated Aaron and his childreÌ„ to be priests which Aaron did iudge the whole people in temporal matters yea in that causes of inheritaunce and mere reall as appeareth in the 27. chap. of Num. and many other places To whiche purpose serueth the 17. chap. of Deut. where it is sayd if a matter be to hard for thee in iudgemeÌ„t betwixt bloud and bloud betwixt plea and plea betwixt plague plague then shalt thou rise and goe vp to that place that the Lord thy God hath chosen And shalt come to the priests the Leuits and to the Iudge theÌ„ being and shalt aske who shall shew vnto vs the truth of the iudgemeÌ„t and follow their sentence And if any maÌ„ presumptuously shall refuse to obey the priestes commaundementes and decree of the iudge the same shal die Behold how manifestly it doth appeare how not onely the iudgemeÌ„t appertayneth to a priest betwene plage and plage concerning the circumstances and irregularity of the law but also betwixt bloud and bloud in matters criminall yea and betwixt plea and plea in ciuill matters which thing doth appeare to be in many iudges out of the book of Iudges For Samuel which was both a prophet priest was appoynted iudge of long time ouer the people in matters temporal And wheÌ„ the people desired a king the Lord was highly offended with them and sayd vnto Samuel they haue not refused thee but me that I should not be king ouer them Furthermore as long as kings amoÌ„gest the people of God vsed the aduise couÌ„sell of priests and bishops it was well with them and their kingdome But when they forsook and left the counsell of Byshoppes and priests then was their kingdome diuided and finally they brought into captiuity In which captiuity the people were altogether gouerned and ruled by the priests prophets as by Esdras and Neemias And last of all by the meanes of the Machabees the kingdome and gouernmeÌ„t was deuoluted and brought into the priestes hands who were the kinges and captaynes ouer the people had the gouernement as well of spirituall matters as of teÌ„porall as is read in the first booke of Machab. 2. cha Of Mathatia and his sonnes videlicet of Iuda Machaby Ionatha Simon and Iohn the sonne of Simon which in al spirituall and temporall matters were gouernors ouer the people of God Moreouer the 1. chap. of Ier. declareth which was one of the priests after this maner I haue set thee ouer the people and kingdomes that thou mayâ—â— roote out break destroy and make waste and that thou mayst build vp and plant Iere. capite primo Besides this in time of iudge Eliach a priest in lyke maner had the iudgement of temporal matters And so much concerning the poofe hereof out of the olde Testament Secondly I proue my former proposition by authorities taken out of the new Testament For Christ had not onely by diuine nature both the poweâ—â— wherby he created all things of nothing and by consequence was God of al but also by his humanity had both powers For he was the priest secundum ordinem Melchisedech as it is sayd in the Psalmes and also is alleged to the Hebr. which had both in his vesture and thigh written king of kings and Lord of Lords By this vestiment or thigh was meÌ„t his humanity which was ioyned to his diuinity as the garment is to him that weareth it He sayd of himselfe in the last of Mathew Geuen is vnto me all power both in heauen and earth As also to the Hebrues the first chap. whom he made and constitute heyre of al vniuersall things And likewise in the 2. chap. to the Hebr. He hath made him not much inferior to the Angels he hath crowned him with glory and honor and hath set him aboue the workes of his handes Thou hast put all thinges in subiection vnder hys feete sheep
and Emperor especially constituted the said lawe And likewise to speake of custome it hath bene known frō time out of mind the same to haue belonged to the church of Fraunce He therefore which shal go about to violate this lawe committeth sacrilege 11. q. 1. ca. 1. 2. And let not the kings maiestie maruell if that in this most noble Realme of Fraunce thys prerogatiue be due vnto the Churche As when hereby his power and nobilitie is beutified Anth. vt iud sine quoquo suffra fi in principio Col 2. Besides this our soueraigne Lorde and King at what time hee was crowned was sworne by the Euangelists to keepe and obserue thys Canonicall priuiledge of the Churche Further the Barons who in a manner are all sworne to the Churche swore fidelity to the same by which oth of fidelity they are bound to keepe these liberties and rights of the Churche When therfore euery oth which tendeth not to the perdition of the soule is to be kept a fortiori that oth which is taken in the fauor of the church is much more to be obserued c. Si vero extra de iure iurando 22. quaest 4. c vlt. Besides thys blessed Ludouicke Phillip of Arragon Phillip the faire Ludouicke Carolus the great Phillip confirmed these priuiledges customes and liberties of the Church which all were sworne at their coronations as before c. These things considered who can aduise the kings maiesty with out damning of his owne soule contrary to these liberties graunted and so confirmed to the Church To whom belōgeth great reward whosoeuer bestoweth any thing vpon the Churche Antho. de non alie at permut re ecc § si minis col 3. neyther maketh it against vs where it is sayde that there are two swordes c. Neyther yet the distinction betwene the Byshoppricke and kingdome Because it is true that there are two swordes the power wherof is left to the churches hand although the execution of the material sword is committed to the temporal and secular men Matth. 26. where Christ saith to Peter conuert and put vp thy sword into the place But as touching the distinction betwixt the Byshopricke and kingdom in deede it is true asmuch as appertaineth to the end to the execution of bloud but not concerning the beginning subiect for that in one subiect both the powers are may be and ought to be as is before prooued To that poynt where it is said that Christ payed tribute it is answered that not therfore he payd it because he ought or was bounde thereunto because it is certainly true that the sonnes of the king as hee was ought not to pay but this he did to auoide offence yea also the Clergy is not boūd hereunto Esdrae 1. vlt. Wherfore such things do not inferre a consequence Neither yet maketh that against vs where it is sayd that the king our soueraigne Lord maister can not abdicate from himselfe this right especially for that he was sworne thereunto at the time of his coronation c. for it is aunswered that he may wel abdicate the same And howe doth he abdicate the same from hymselfe which be geueth and bestoweth to God the Church The land is the Lords And doubtles to geue is nothing els but to tender to God and the church their owne for then by that reason the gift giuē to the church by Cōstantine is naught and nothing woorth which is false and this is proued xvi dist ca. Const. Wherby it appeareth that an Emperour and king may alienate things of the empire ff de legatis i. l. apud Iulianum § vlt. nor yet heereby the Empire or kingdome is damaged for that the thing returneth to the pristinat state ff de pactis l. vnus § pactus 35. dist ab exordio Furthermore by this reason propounded all the kings of France which euer were and especially blessed Ludouike shuld be spotted for if that were true as God forbid then al they were persured and died in mortal sinne which is to too absurde Last of all it hurteth not where it is sayd that such things are inprescriptible It is true in deede they cannot of subiects or otherwise then of the Church be prescribed but in this cause we talke not of subiects Also seeing they may be alieuated they may be prescribed especially the kinges thus consenting who confirmed the same so long a time which excludeth all right both fiscal and ecclesiastical The prelates therefore al with one consent agreeth affirmeth to the same as a verity to be maintained and defended Beseeching the kings maiestie their Lorde both for hys soule health and peace of the Church to maintaine the same and keeping the liberties of the Church Desiring hym to consider what commoditie daily he receiueth by the Churche and that hys Churche neuer failed him yet when hee had neede of the laitie shewing the daungers and examples of them who did to the contrary Further hee beseeched hys highnesse to way howe entierly hys Lord the Pope doeth and hath loued his person and realme Affirming that neuer any placed in the seat of Peter loued better his realme then he doth Alledging the text of Eccl. 6. where it is sayd Stande in the multitude of the Priests and beleeue them with thy heart After this in the sayd Session The foresayde Byshop of Eduen prolocutour inferred many things beside answered particularly to the articles aboue specified and exhibited by the Lord Peter in wryting to the king and parliament Which because they touch more the subtiltie of the law and stiles of the courtes then are necessary to this our history and because we would not burdē the volume with all conteining no great profite in them we haue heere of purpose for breuities sake omitted them passing to the next sitting which was the next friday next after following the same as ensueth The next Friday after thys the Prelates assembled at Uicenas before the Kyng to heare theyr answere where the foresaid Lorde Peter of Lugner being prolocutour for the king spake on this wise taking for hys theame I am peace vnto you do not feare c. which he prosecuted monished that they shoulde not be troubled in any thyng that there had bene spoken For that the intent and minde of the soueraigne Lorde their king was to keepe the rites of the Church and Prelates which they had by law and by good and reasonable custome Where betweene the first and second conclusion he went about to prooue that the cognition of ciuill causes ought not to appertaine to the Church For that such things were temporal and ought to pertaine to the temporaltie as spirituall things to the spiritualtie And besides his other reasons hee alleaged the 86 dist declaring for a truth that for this intent first the clarks crowns were shauen in signe that they shuld be free frō all worldlinesse and forsake
Of whom onely Thomas Earle of Lancaster for the nobility of his bloud was beheaded All the other Lords and Barons were hanged drawn quartered c. which bloudy vnmercifulnes of the king toward his naturall subiects not only to him procured great dishonor within the realme but also turned afterward to his much more greater harm hinderance in his forreine warres agaynst the Scots And finally wrought his vtter confusion and ouerthrow of his seat royall as in the sequell of his end appeared and worthely After the ruine of these noble personages the king as though he had gotteÌ„ a great coÌ„quest who then in deed began first to be ouercomen and conquere himself when he so oppressed and cut of the strength and sinews of his chiualrye began to triumph not a litle with his Spensers And to couÌ„t himselfe sure as though he were in heauen to exercise more sharpe seuerity vpon his subiectes trusting and committing all to the counsell onely of the foresayd Spensers in so much that both the Queene and the residue of yâ— other nobles could litle be regarded Who as they grew euer in more contempt with the king so they encreased in more hatred agaynst the Spensers but strength hability lacked to worke ther will The next yeare the king being at York after he had made Sir Hugh Spencer Erle and Syr Iohn Baldocke a man of euill same to be Chauncellour of England he theÌ„ areared a mighty host agaynst the Scottes But for lack of skilfull guiding expert Captaynes and for want specially of due prouision of vitayles necessary for such an army the great multitude to the number reckoned of an hundreth thousand wandring through Scotland from whence the Scots had conuayed all theyr goods and cattell into moutaynes and marches were so pynched and sterued with famyne that a great part of the army there presently perished and they that returned home as soone as they tasted of in eates escaped not The king neither hauing resistance of his enemies and seing such a destruction of his subiects was forced without anye acte done to retyre But in his retiring Sir Iames Duglas and the Scottes hauing knowledge therof pursued him in such wise that they clue many Englishe men and had well neare taken the kyng himselfe After whiche distresse the king thus beaten and wearyed with the Scottes woulde fayne haue ioyned in â—ruce with the Scottes but because they stoode excommunicate by the pope he standing in feare therof desireth liceÌ„ce to entreate with them of peace the sayd excommunication notwithstanding whiche licence beyng obtayned a treaty was appoynted by commissioners on both parts at Newcastle at the feast of Sainct Nicholas next ensuing and so truce was taken for 12. yeares whereupon this is to be noted by the way gentle reader not vnworthy of obseruation that wheras in former tymes and especially of the late king Edward the first so long as the Scottes were vnder the popes blessing and we in displeasure with his holines for dealing with them so long we preuayled mightely agaynst them euen to the vtter subuersion in manour of their whole estate But nowe so soone as the Pope tooke our part the Scots were vnder his curse and excommunication Then gat they greater victories against vs then any time either before or sithence in somuch as being before not able to defend them selues agaynst vs they nowe pursued vs into the bowels of our owne country The king purposing to erect a house of Fryers Augustines within the towne of Boston in Lincolneshyre first prayed the popes licence in that behalfe Polidorius Virgilius among other histories of our English nation which he intermedleth withall prosecuting also the actes and life of this present King and comming to write of the Queenes goyng ouer into Fraunce inferreth much varietie and diuersitie of autours and story writers concerning the cause thereof Otherwise be geueth hymself no true certainty of that matter neyther yet toucheth he yâ— which was the cause in deede By reason partly that he being an Italian and a foreiner coulde not vnderstand our English toung And partly agayne being but one maÌ„ neyther coulde he alone come to the sight of all our Latine autours One I am sure came not to his perusing an old ancient Latine history fayre written in patchment but without name belonging to the library of William Cary Citizen of London In which story the truth of this matter â—out all ambiguitie is there fully and with all circumstaunces expressed as here briefly is excerpted The king of England had bene diuers sundry tymes cited vpp to the Courte of Fraunce to doe homage to the French king for the Dukedome of Aquitane other lands which the king then helde of Fraunce Whiche homage because the king of England refused to tender the French K. began to enter at such possessions as the king then did hold in Fraunce Whereupon great contention and confirtes there were on both sides At length in this yeare now present a Parliament was called at London Where after much altercation at last it was determined that certayne should be sent ouer to witte the Bishops of Winchester and Norwich and the Earle of Richmond to make agreement betwixt the two kinges For the better help and fortification of which agreement it was thought good afterward that Queene Isabell sister to Charles then the FreÌ„ch king shold be sent ouer Where is to be noted first that the Queenes landes possessions and castles a little before vpon the breach betweene the Frenche king and the Kyng of Englande were seised into the kinges handes and the Queene put to her pension c. Thus the Queene beyng sent ouer with a few to attend vpon her onely Syr Iohn Cromwell Baron and 4. knightes tooke theyr passage into Fraunce by whose mediation it was there concluded that the king of England if he would not himselfe come to do his homage he should geue to his sonne Edward the Dukedome of Aquitanie and the Earledome of Pontine and so he to come to make his homage to the king and to podesle the same This being in Fraunce concluded was sent ouer by message to the king of England with the kings letters patentes adioyned for the sate conduct of him or of his sonne Upon this deliberation was taken in the counsalle of England But the two Spensers fearing to take the Seas eyther with the king or els without the king to remayne behinde for scare of the nobles so appoynted that Prince Edward the kings sonne was sent whiche happened after to theyr vtter desolation as it followed For all thinges being quieted ordered according to the agreement in Fraunce K. Edward of England soone after Michaelmas sendeth for his wife and his sonne agayne out of Fraunce But the sending home most part of her family reinseth her selfâ— to returne For what cause it is not fully certayne whether for indignation that her possessions
memory brother Germaine to our Lady mother is fallen vnto vs by playn and manifest law And for somuch that Lord Phillip de Valoys being the sonne of the Vncle of the foresayd king and so being farre from the crowne by a farther degree of consanguinitie through force and vsurpation hath intruded himselfe in the foresayd kingdome whilest we were yet in our Minoritie so contrary both to God and to iustice doth detayne and occupye the same And least we shoulde seeme to neglect our owne right and the gifte geuen vs of God or not to submit our will to Gods diuine ordinance We haue thought good to acknowledge the title of France and by supportation of the almighty king haue taken vppon vs the defence and regiment of the sayd kingdome Firmely purposing with our selues as euery good man ought to doe graciously to minister iustice to euery one according to the rites and laudable custome of the foresayd kingdome Also to renue the good lawes and customes whiche haue bene in the time of Ludouicke our progenitour adding to moreouer that which shall seeme expedient according to the condition and qualiitie of the time As by any chaunge of coyne or any other inordinate exactions we intend not to seeke our profites by your detrimentes when as the almighty bee praised therefore we abounde and haue inough And as concerning the affayres of the Realme our purpose is not to proceede rashely or by our owne will but by the discreete aduise and Counsell of the Pieres Prelates Nobles and other our faythfull subiects of the kingdome so farre forth as shall make for the honour of God the defence and aduauncement of the Church which in all fulnes of deuotion we doe reuerence and to the profite both publicke and priuate of all the subiectes thereof with full execution of iustice by the grace of God to be executed vpon al and singular persons being earnestly careful for the honour profite and tranquillitie of you all For as the Lorde knoweth nothing shall be more gratefull to vs then that by our carefull solicitude peace may be engendered specially betwixt vs and vniuersally among all Christen men so that by our concorde the force and strength of all Christen Princes may be ioyned together for the recouery of the holy land whiche our Sauiour and redemer hath dedicated with hys owne proper bloud whereunto we wil indeuour our selues through the grace of the holy ghost And for asmuch as we haue offered to the foresayd Lorde Phillip diuers friendly and reasonable conditions of peace whereunto he would neyther condescend neyther agree to any conformation yea rather moueth against vs vniust warre to the vtter subuersion of our state we are enforced of necessitie to the vttermost of our power for the defence both of vs and recouery of our right to defend our selues by force of battaile not seeking any slaughter of good and humble subiectes but desiring theyr safegarde and profite For the whiche cause all and singular such subiectes of the kingdome of Fraunce which shall submit themselues to vs as the true king of Fraunce within the feast of Easter next ensuing professing vnto vs theyr fealtie and doing to vs as to the Kyng of Fraunce by duety appertayneth so as our beloued subiectes of Flaunders haue done alredy or be ready to offer themselues so to do all such we willingly admit and receaue to our peace grace vnder our protection to be defended them to mayntayne as is conuenient from all molestation and disquietnes whatsoeuer in person or goodes hereafter to be inforced eyther by vs or by our officers vpon what soeuer occasion of rebellion afore passed And for as much as the premisses cannot easely be intimated to all and singular persons we haue prouided the same to be fixed vpon Church doores and other publicke places whereby the manifest notice thereof may come to all men to the comfort of you that be to vs deuout and to the true information of them whiche through sinister surmises of our enemies otherwise informed of vs. Dated at Gaunt the 8. day of February the yeare of our kingdome of Fraunce the first of England the 14. This done for that the winter then drew on neyther was there any hope as the time serued of farther doyng good the kyng thought best for a season to returne againe to Englande with his company geuing ouer the warres vntill the next spring and so did taking shipping and so ariued at Douer When he came to London it was declared vnto him of the great spoyle the Frenchmen had made at Southampton who answered agayne that within one yeare he doubted not the same to be well payd for recompenced And according to the same purpose of hys he lingered no time but calling a Parliament at Westminster with much grudge euill will of his subiects was for the mayntenance of hys warres graunted to him a great subsidie which was the 5. euery mans goodes and also the customes of his woolles 2. yeares before hand and the 9. these of euery mans corne At the spring the K. agayn prepared his army rigged hys nauy purposing to land in Flaūders But the Archb. of Canterb. then Lord Chauncellour hauing vnderstanding of the Frenche power vpon the Sea lying for the k. gaue him aduertisement there of willing him more stronglier to go or els not to venture But the king not crediting the Archbish. and being angry with him therefore sayd that he would go forward whereupon the bishop resigned the Chauncellorship remoued himselfe from his Counsayle then the k. consulting hereupon farther with the Lord Morley his Admirall and others hearing also the same of them furnished himselfe with stronger power and committed him to his ship and did so much that a few dayes before midsommer he was vpō the Sea with a great fleete Before the town of Sluse the french king to stop hys passage had layd ready a great nauy well neare to that number of 20. score sayle and had made the Christopher of England which before the French men took at Southamptō theyr Admirall betwixt which two nauies was a lōg and terrible fight But in the end the victory by Gods grace fell to the king of England in which fight he himselfe was personally So that of the number of thirtye thousand Frenchmē few or none were left escaped aliue and two hundreth sayle of shippes taken in one of the which were found 400. dead bodyes After this great slaughter of the Frenchmen of whom many for feare of the sword lept into the sea when no man durst bring tidinges thereof to the Frenche king They which were next about the king did subborne his foole to insinuate the vnderstanding thereof by subtiltie of couert words which was thus As the foresayd foole being in the kinges presence and was talking of many things among other talke he sodenly brast out being prompt by others into a vehement rayling of
Christ for helpe then it is ryght nowe For it is fulfilled that God sayde by Isay the Prophet ye riseth vp erlich to follow drunkennesse and to drinke till it be euen the harpe and other minstrelsies beeth in your feastes and wine But the woorke of God ye ne beholdeth not ne taketh no kepe to the workes of his handes And therfore my people is take prisoner for they ne had no cunning And the noble men of my people deyeden for hunger and the multitude of my people weren dry for thirst and therefore hel hath drawen abroade theyr soule and hath yopened hys mouth wythout any ende And estsoones sayeth Isay the Prophet The worde is floten away and the highnesse of the people is ymade sicke and the earth is infecte of his wonnyers for they haue broken my lawes and ychaunged my right and han destroyed mine euerlastynge bonde and forward betwene them me And therfore cursing shal deuour the earth and they that wonneth on the erthly shallen done sinne And therefore the earth tilyars shullen waxe woode and fewe men shullen cen yleft vpon the earth And yet sayth Isay the Prophet this sayeth God for as much as this people nigheth me with their mouth glorifieth me with their lippes and their hart is farre from me And they han ydrad more mens commandement then mine and more draw to their doctrines then mine Therefore will I make a great wondring vnto this people wisedome shall perish away from wise men and vnderstanding of ready men shall be yhid And so it seemeth that an other saying of Isay is fulfilled there as God bad hym goe teach the people and sayd go forth and say to this people eares haue ye and vnderstaÌ„d ye not and eyes ye haue and sight ne know ye not Make blinde the hart of this people make their eares heauy and close their eyen least he see with his eyen and yheare with his eares and vnderstand with his hart and by yturned and ych heale him of his sicknes And Isay sayd to God how long Lord shall this be And God sayd For to that the cities ben desolate withouten a wonnier and an house withouten a man Here is mychel nede for to make sorow to cry to our Lord Iesu Christ hertilich for helpe and for succour that hee wole forgeue vs our sinnes and geue vs grace and coÌ„ning to seruen him better here after And God of his endles mercy geue vs grace and coÌ„ning trulich to tellen which is Christes law in helping of mens soules for we beth lewde men and sinfull men and vnconning and if he woll be our helpe and our succour we shullen wel perfourme our purpose And blessed be our Lorde God that hideth his wisdome from wise men and fro ready men and teacheth it to small children as Christ teacheth in the Gospell Christen men haue a law to keepe the which lawe hath twe parties Beleue in Christ that is God is the foundmeÌ„t of their law and vpon this foundement as he sayde to Peter and the gospel beareth witnes he woll byelden his Churche and thys is the first party of Christes law The secoÌ„d party of this law beth Christes commaundements that beth written in the gospel and more verilich in Christen mens hartes And as touching the beleue we beleuen that Christ is God and that there ne is no God but he We beleuen neuertheles that in the Godhead there bene three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and all these three persons ben one God and not many Gods and all they beth ylich mighty ylich good and ylich wise and euer haue bene and euer shullen ben We beleuen this God made the worlde of nought and man he made after hys owne likenesse in Paradise that was a land of blisse and gaue him that land foâ— hys heritage and bad him that he should not eate the tree of knowledge of good and euil that was a midde Paradise Then the deuell that was fallen out of heauen for his pride had enuie to man and by a false suggestion he made man eate of this tree and breake the commaundement of God and tho was man ouercome of the deuill and so he lost his heritage and was put out therof into the world that was a land of trauel and of sorow vnder the feendes thraldome to be punished for his trespasse There man followed wickednes and sinne and God for the sinne of man sent aâ—sloud into this world and drownd all mankind saue eight soules And after this flud he let meÌ„ multiply in the world and so he assaled whether man dread him or loued him among other he found a man that hight Abraham this man he prooued whether he loued him and drad him and bad hym that he should offeren Isaac his sonne vppon an hill and Abraham as a true seruaunt fulfilled his Lords commaundement and for this buxumnes and truth God sware vnto Abraham that he would multiply his seede as the grauell in the sea and as the starres of heauen and he behight to him and to his heires the lande of behest for heritage for euer gif they wolden ben his true seruauntes and keepe his hests And God held him forward for Isaac Abrahams sonne begat Iacob and Esau and of Iacob that is ycleped Israel comen Gods people that he chose to be his seruaunt and to whome he behight the land of behest This people was in great thraldome in Egypt vnder Pharao that was king of Egypt and they crâ—eden to God that he should deliueren them out of that thraldome and so he did for he sent to Pharao Moses and his brother Aaron and bad him deliuer his people to done him sacrifice and to fore Pharao he made Moses done many wonders or that Pharao wold deliuer his people and at the last by might he deliuered his people out of thraldom and led them through a desert toward the lande of behest and there he gaue them a lawe that they shulden lyuen after when they comen into their countrey and in their way thither ward the ten commaundements God wrote himself in two tables of stone the remnaunt of the lawe he taught them by Moses his seruaunt how they shoulden do euery chone to other and gif they trespassed againe the law he ordeined how they shoulden be punished Also hee taught them what maner sacrifices they should doe to him and he chose him a people to ben his priestes that was Aaron and his children to done sacrifices in the tabernacle and afterwarde in the temple also He chese him the remnant of the children of Leuy to ben seruauntes in the tabernacle to the priestes and he sayde When ye come into the lande of behest the children of Leuy they shullen haue none heritage amoÌ„gst their brethren for I would be their part their heritage they shullen serue me in the tabernacle by dayes and by nighâ—es and he
steede and benemen thee thy woorship and thy sacrifice and durst maken the people woorship them as gods The Sauter telles that God ne wole not in the day of dome demen men for bodiliche sacrifices Holocaustes But God sayth yeld to me sacrifice of herying and yeld to God thine auowes and clepe me in the day of tribulation and ych wole defend thee and thou shalt worship me The heryeng of God standeth in 3 things In louing God ouer al other things In dreading God ouer al other things In trusting in God ouer all other things These 3 poyntes Christ teacheth in the gospell But I trowe men louen him but a little For who so loueth Christ he wole kepen his wordes But men holden his wordes for heresie and folye and kepeth mennes wordes Also men dreden more men mens lawes and their cursings then Christ and his lawes and his cursings Also men hopen more in men and mens helpes than they doe in Christ and in his helpe And thus hath hee that setteth in Gods stede by no men God these three horâ—ings maketh men louen him and his lawes more then Christ and Christes law and dreden him also And there as the people shulden yeelde to God their vowes he sayth he hath power to assoylen them of theyr avowes and so this sacrifice he nemeth awayâ— from God And there as the people shoulde cry to God in the day of tribulation he letteth them of their cryeng to God and byne meth God that worship This day of tribulation is whan man is fallen thorowe sinne into the deuils seruice and than we shuldes cry to God after help and axen forgeuenes of our sinne and make great sorow for our sinne and ben in fâ—ll will to do so no more ne none other sinne and that our Lord God wole forgeuen vs our sinne maken our soule clene For his mercy is endlesse But Lord here men haue by nomen thee much worshyp For men seyn that thou ne might not cleane assoylen vs of our sinne But if we knowlegen our sinnes to priests taken of them a penance for our sinne gif we mowen speake with them A Lord thou forgaue somtime Peter his sinnes and also Mary Magdaleine and many other many sinfull men without shriuing to priests taking penance of priests for their sinnes And Lord thou art as mighty now as thou were that time but gif any man haue bynomen thee thy might And we lewed men beleuen that there nys no man of so great power and gif any man maketh him selfe of so great power he heigheth himselfe aboue God And S. Paul speaketh of one that sitteth in the temple of God highten him aboue God and gif any such be he is a false Christ. But hereto seyn priests that wheÌ„ Christ made cleane leprous men he bade them goe and shewe them to priests And therefore they seyn that it is a commandement of Christ that a man should shewen his sinne to priests For as they seyn lepre in the olde lawe betokeneth sinne in this new lawe A Lorde God whether thine Apostles knew not thy meaning as well as men done nowe And gif they hadden yknow that thou haddest coÌ„manded men to shriuen them to priests and they ne taught not that commandement to the people me thinketh they hadden ben to blame But I trow they knewen wel that it was none of thy commaundements ne nedeful to heale of mans soule And as me thinketh the law of lepre is nothing to the purpose of shriuing for priestes in the olde law hadden certain poynts and tokens to know whether a man were leprous or not and gif they were leprous they hadden power to putten them away from other cleane men for to that they weren cleane then they hadden power to receiuen him among his brethren and offeren for him a sacrifice to God This nis nothing to the purpose of shriuing For there nis but one priest that is Christ that may knowe in certaine the lepre of the soule Ne no priest may make the soul cleane of her sinne but Christ that is priest after Melchisedekes order ne no priest here beneath may ywit for certaine whether a man be cleane of hys sinne or cleane assoyled but gif God tell it him by reuelation Ne God ordeined not that his priestes should set men a penance for their sinne after the quantitie of the sinne but this is mannes ordinaunce and it may well be that there commeth good thereof But I wote well that God is much vnworshipped thereby For men trust more in his absolutions and in his yeres of grace than in Christes absolutions and therby is the people much appaired For now the sorow a man should make for his sinne is put away by this shrift and a man is more bold to do sinne for trust of thys shrift and of this bodilich penance An other mischiefe is that the people is ybrought into thys beleefe that one priest hath a greater power to assoylen a man of his sinne and clennere then an other priest hath An other mischiefe is this that some priest may assoylen them both of sinne and paine and in this they taken them a power that Christ granted no man in earth ne he ne vsed it nought on earth himselfe An other mischiefe is that these priestes sellen forgeuenes of mens sinnes and absolutions for money and this is an heresie accursed that is ycleped simonie and all thilke priestes that axeth price for graunting of spirituall grace beth by holy lawes depriued of their priesthode and thilke that assenteth to this heresy And be they ware for Helyse the prophet toke no mony of Naaman when he was made cleane of his lepre but Giesi his seruant and therefore * the lepree of Naaman abode with him and wyth his heires euermore after Here is much matter of sorow to see the people thus far ylad away from God and worshupen a fals god in earth that by might and by strength hath ydone away the great sacrifice of God out of his temple of which mischiefe and discomfort Daniel maketh mention and Christ beareth thereof witnes in the gospell Who that readeth it vnderstand it Thus we haue ytold apertie how he that saith he sitteth in Christs stede binemeth Christ his worship and his sacrifice of his people and maketh the people worshepen him as a God on earth Cry we to God and knowledge we our sinnes euerichone to other as S. Iames teacheth and pray we hartilich to God euerichone for other then we shulen hopen forgeuenes of our sinnes For God that is endles in mercy sayth that he ne wil not a sinful mans death but that he be turned from his sin liuen And therfore when he came downe to saue mankinde he gaue vs a lawe of loue and of mercy and bade gif a man do a trespas amend him priuilich and gif he
in other good colours And Lorde I see thine image gone in colde and in here in clothes all to broken without shone and hosen an hungred and a thâ—ust Lorde what heryenge is it to teende tapers and torches before blinde mawmets that mowen not I seyen And hide thee that art our light and our lanterne towarde heauen and put thee vnder a bushell that for darkenes we ne may not seene our way towarde blisse Lorde what heryenge is it to kneele tofore mawmetes that mowe not yheren and worshepen them with preyers and maken thine quicke images knele before them and asken of them absolutions and blessings and worshupen them as gods and putten thy quicke images in thraldom and in traueil euermore as bestes in colde and in heate and in feeble fare to finden them in liking of the world Lord what herieng is it to fetch deed mennes bones out of the ground there as they shulden kindelich roten and shrinen them in golde and in siluer And suffren thy quicke bones of thine images to rot in prison for default of clothingh And suffren also thy quicke images to perish for default of sustenaunce and rooten in the hoore house in abhominable lecherie Some become theeues and robbers and manquellers that mighten ben y holpen with the golde and siluer that hongeth about deed mens bones and other blind mawmetes of stockes and stones ¶ Lorde here ben great abhominations that thou shewdist to Ezechiel thy Prophet that priests done in thy temple yet they clepen that thine heryenge But leue Lorde me thinketh that thâ—y louen thee litle that thus defoulen thy quick images worshippen blinde mawmetes And Lord an other great mischiefe there is now in the world an hunger that Amos thy Prophet speaketh of that there shal comen an honger in the earth not of bread ne thrust of drinke but of hearing of Gods worde And thy sheepe woulden be refreshed but their shepheards taken of thy shepe their liuelode as tythings c. and liuen them selfe thereby where them liketh Of such shepheardes thou speaketh by Ezechiel thy Prophet and seist wo to the shepheards of Israel that feden them selfe for the flockes of sheepe shoulden ben yfed of their shepheardes but yee eaten the milke and clothen you with their wolfe and the fat sheepe ye slow and my flocke ye ne fede not the sicke shepe ye ne healed not thilke that weren to broken yee ne knit not together thilke that perished ye ne brought not againe but ye ratled them with sternship and with power And so the shepe be sprad abroad in deuouring of all the beasts of the feelde And Ieremie the Prophet sayeth wo to the shepehards that disparseâ—h abroad and â—eareth the flocke of my lesewe ¶ A Lorde thou were a good shepheard for thou puttest thy soul for thy sheep but lord thou teldest that thilke that comé not in by the dore ben night theues day theues and a these as thou seest coÌ„meth not but for to steale to sleine to destroy And Zachary the prophet sayth that thou wouldest reren vp a shepherde vnkunning that ne wol not hele thy shepe that beth sick ne seek thilke that beth lost Apon his arme is a swerd and vpon his right eye his arme shall waxe dry and his right eye shall lese his light O Lorde helpe for thy shepe beth at great mischiefe in the shepheards defaute But Lord ther commeth hired men they ne fedden not thy shede in thy plenteous lesew but feeden thy sheep with sweueÌ„s and false miracles tales But at thy trewth they ne comen not For Lord I trowe thou sendest them neuer For haue they hire of thy sheep they ne careth but little of the feding and the keping of thy shepe Lord of these hired men speaketh Ieremy the Prophet and thou seyst that woorde by him I ne sende them not and they ronne bliue I ne speake vnto them and they propheciden For if they hadden stonden in my couÌ„sel and they had made my words knoweÌ„ to the puple ich wold haue turned them away from their yuell way and from their wicked thoughtes For Lorde thou seyst that thy woordes ben as fire and as an hammer breaking stones And Lord thou saist Lo I to these Prophetes meeting sweuens of lesing that haue ytolde her sweuens and haue begyled my puple in their lesing in their fals miracles when I neither sent ne bede them And these haue profitet nothing to my puple And as Ieremie sayth from the lest to the mest all they studien couetise and from the Prophet to the priest all they done gyle A Lord here is mych mischief matere of sorow yet there is more For gif a lewed man wold teach thy people trewth of thy words as he is y holde by the commaundement of charite he shal be forboden and put in prison gif he do it And so Lord thilk that haue the key of conning haue y lockt the trewth of thy teaching vnder many wardes yhid it from thy children But Lorde sith thy teaching is y come from heauen aboue our hope is that with thy grace it shall breaken these wardes and showe hym to thy puple to kele both the hunger and the thrust of the soule And then shal no shepheard ner no fals hiridman begile thy puple no more For by thy law I wryte as thou hightest some time that from the left to the mest all they shullen knowen thy wil and weten howe they shullen please thee euer more in certaine And leue Lord gif it be thy will helpe at thys nede for there is none helpe but in thee Thus Lord by him that maketh himselfe thy viker in earth is thy commaundement of loue to thee our brethren ybroken both to him and to thy puple But Lorde God mercy and pacience that beth tweyne of thy commandements beth destroyed and thy puple hath forsake mercy For Lord Dauid in the Sauter sayth Blessed beth they that done dome and rightfulnes in euerich time O Lord thou hast itaught vs as rightfulnes of heauen hast ybeden vs forgeuen our brethren as oft as they trespassen against vs. And Lord thine olde lawe of iustice was that such harme as a man did his brother such he should suffer by the law as eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth But Christ made an end of this law that one brother should not desire wracke of an other but not that he would that sinne shoulde ben vnpunished for thereto hath he ordained Kinges and Dukes and other lewde officers vnder them whilke as S. Paule sayth ne carien not the swerd in vaine for they ben the ministers of God and wrakers to wrath to them that euil done And thus hath Christ ymade an ende of this olde lawe that one brother may not suen an other himselfe for that to wreken without sinne for breaking
of charity But this charity Lord hath thy vicar ybroke and says that we sinnen but gif we suen for our right And we se I wote that thou taughtest vs sometime to geue our mantell also euer that we shoulden suen for our coate And so Lord beleueÌ„ we that we ben ybounden to don by thy law that is all charitye officers duty is to defenden vs from thilke theuery though we coÌ„plainen not But lord thy law is turned vpsedown A Lord what dome is it to sleane a theefe that take a maÌ„s cattell away from hym and suffren a spousebreaker to liue and a lecherour that killeth a womans soule And yet thy lawe stoned the â—pousebreakers and leachours and let the theeues liuen and haue other punishment A Lord what dome is it to sleane a these for stealing of a hors and to let him liue vnpunished to maintaine him that robbeth thy poore people of their liuelod and the soule of his foodeâ— Lorde it was neuer thy dome to sayen that a man is an heretike and cursed for breaking of mans lawe and demen hym for a good man for breaking thine hestes Lord what dome is it to curse a lewd man if he smite a priest and not curse a priest that smiteth a lewed man and leeseth hys charitie Lord what dome is it to curse the lewd people for tythings and not curse the parson that robbeth the people of tythings and teacheth them not Gods lawe but feedeth them with painting of stone walles and songs of Latin that the people knowen not Lord what dome is it to punish the poore maÌ„ for his trespas and suffer the rich to continue in his sin for a quantity of mony Lord what dome is it to slaine an vncunning lewed man for his sinne and suffer a priest other a clerke that doth the same sin scape a liue Lord the sinne of the priest or of the cleark is greater trespasse then it is of a lewd vncunning man and greater ensample of wickednes to the common people Lord what maner people be we that neither keep thy domes and thy rightfulnes of the old testament that was a law of drede nor thy domes and thy rightfulnes of thy new testament that is a law of loue and of mercy but haue an other law and taken out of both thy lawes that is liking to vs and remnaunt of heathen mennes lawes and Lord this is a great mischiefe O Lord thou sayest in thy law deme ye not and ye should not be demed for the same mesure that ye meten to other men men shall meten to you againeward And Lord thou sayst that by their worke we should know them And by what we knowe that thou commaunded vs not to demen mens thoughts nor their workes that were not agaynst thy law expresly And yet Lord he that saith he is thy vicar will demen our thoughtes and aske vs what we thinke not of the Lord of thy hestes for they caren little for them but of him and of his whilke they sate aboue thine and maken vs accusen our selfe or els they willen accursen vs for our accusers mowen we not knowne And Lord thou sayest in thyne olde law that vnder two witnes at the least or three shoulde stand euery matter And that the witnes shoulden euer be the first that shoulden helpe to kill them And when the schribes and the Pharises some tymes brought before thee a woman that was itake in spouse breaking and exeden of the a dome thou didst write on the earth and then thou gaue this dom He that is without sinne throw first at her a stone and Lord they went forth away from thee and the woman thou forgaue the woman her trespasse and bad her go forth and sinne no more Sweete Lord if the priestes tooke keepe to thy dome they would be agast to demen men as they done O Lord if one of them breake a commaundement of thy law he will axe mercy of thee and not a peine that is due for the sinne for peyne of death were to little O Lord how daren they demen any man to the death for breaking of theyr lawes other assent to such law for breaking of thy law they will set penaunce or pardon them and mayntayne them as oft as they trespassen But Lorde if a man ones breake theyr lawes or speake agaynst them he may done penaunce but ones and after be burnt Trulych Lord thou sayst but if euery of vs forgeue other his trespasse thy father will not forgeuen vs our sinnes And Lord when thou honge on the crosse thou prayedâ—t to thy father to haue mercy on thine enemies And yet the sain Lord that they demen no man to the death for the sain they ne mowen by their law demen any man to the death A leeue Lord euen so saden theyr forefathers the phariseis that it ne was not lawfull for them to kill any man And yet they bidden Pilate to done thee to the death agaynst his owne conscience for he wold gladly haue iquitte thee but for that they threatened him with the Emperour and broughten agaynst thee false witnesse also And he was an heathen man ¶ O Lord how much truer dome was there in Pilate that was an heathen iustice then in our kinges and iustices that woulden demen to the death and berne in the fire him that the Priests deliueren vnto them withouten witnes or prefe For Pilate ne would not demen thee for that the Phariseis sayden that gif thou ne had dest not bene a misdoer we ne would not deliuer him vnto thee for to they broughten in theyr false witnesse agaynst thee But Lord as thou saydest sometime that it should ben lighter at domes day to Tyro and to Sydon and Gomorra than to the cities where thou wrought wonders and miracles so I dred it shall be more light to Pilate in the dome then to our kinges and domes men that so demen without witnesse and prefe For Lord to demen thy folke for heretickes is to holden thee an hereticke and to brenneÌ„ them is to brennen thee for thou saydest to Paule when he persecuted thy people Saule Saule wherefore persecutest thou me in the dome thou shalt say that ye haue done to the left of mine ye haue done to me Thus Lord is thy mercy iustice foredone by him that sayth he is thy vicar in earth for he neither keepeth it himselfe nor nill not suffer other to do it ¶ The third commaundement that is patience and sufferance is also ibroken by this vicar Lord thou biddest sufferen both wroÌ„ges and strokes withouten againstanding and so thou diddest thy selfe to geuen vs ensample to sufferen of our brethren For suffering nourisheth loue and agaynstandeth debate All thy lawes is loue or els the thing that draweth to loue ¶ But Lord men teachen that men shoulden pleten for their right and fighten also therefore and els they seyn men ben in perill
and thou bid in the olde law men fight for theyr countrey And thy selfe haddest two swordes in thy company when thou shouldest go to thy passion that as these clerkes seyn betokeneth a spirituall sword and a temporall sworde that thou gaue to thy vicar to rule with thy church Lord this is a sleight speech but Lord we beleuē that thou art king of blisse and that is thine heritage and mankindes countrey and in this worlde wee ne bene but straungers and pilgrimes For thou Lord ne art of this world ne thy law nether ne thy true seruauntes that kepen thy law And Lord thou were king of Iuda by enheritage if thou wouldest haue ihad it but thou forsooke it and pletedest not therfore ne fought not therfore ¶ But Lord for thy kinde heretage and mankindes countrey that is a land of blisse thou foughtest mightilich In battaile thou ouercame thy enemie so thou wonne thine heretage For thou that were a Lord mightiest in battail and also Lord of vertues are rightfullich king of blisse as Dauid saith in the Psalter But Lorde thine enemie smote the dispitesullich and had power of thee and hang thee vpō the crosse as thou haddest ben a these benomyn thee all thy clothes and sticked thee to the hart with a spere ¶ O Lord this was an hard assault of a battaile and here thou ouercome by paciē ce mightilich thine enemies for thou ne woldest not done against the will of thy father And thus Lorde thou taughtest thy seruants to fight for their countrey And Lorde this fighting was in figure itaught in the old law But Lord men holdē now the shadow of the old fighting leuen the light of thy fighting that thou taughtest openlych both in word and in deede ¶ Lord thou gaue vs a sword to fighten against our enemis for our conntrey that was thine holy teaching christen mens law But Lorde thy sworde is put in a shethe and in priests warde that haue forsake the fighting that thou taughtest For as they seyn it is against their order to ben mē of armes in thy battail for it is vnsemelich as they seyn that thy vicar in erth other hys priests shulden suffer of other mē And therfore gif any man smite him other any of his clerkes hee ne taketh it not in pacience but anon hee siniteth with his sworde of cursing and afterward with his bodylich sworde he doth them to death O Lord me thinketh that this is a fighting against kinde and much against thy teaching O Lorde whether axsedest thou after swerdes in time of thy passion to again stond thine enemies nay forsooth thou Lorde For Peter that smote for great loue of thee had no great thanke of thee for his smiting And Lorde thou were mighty ynough to haue againe stonde thine ennemies for through thy looking they fellen downe to the ground Lorde iblessed mote thou be Heere thou teachest vs that we shoulden suffren For thou were mighty ynow to haue agaynst and thine ennemies and thou haddest wepen and thy men weren harty to haue smitten O sweet Lord how may he for shame clepen himselfe thy Viker and head of the Church that may not for shame suffer Sithe thou art a Lord and sufferedst of thy subiectes to geuen vs ensāple and so did thy true seruauntes O Lord whether geue thou to Peter a spirituall sworde to curse a temporal swerd to sle mens bodies Lord I trow not for thē Peter that loued thee so much wold haue smitwith thy swerds But Lord he taught vs to blessen them that cursen vs and suffren and not smiten And Lord he fed thy people as thou bed him and therefore he suffered the death as thou didst O Lord why clepeth any man him Peters successor that hath forsaken patience and feedeth thy people with cursing and wyth smiting Lord thou saydest in thy Gospell when thy disciples knewen well that thou were Christ and that thou mustest goe to Ierusalem and sufferen of the Scribes and Pharises spittinges reprofes and also the death And Peter tooke thee aside and sayd God forbid that And Lord thou saydst to Peter goe behinde me Sathanas thou sclaunderest me in Israell For thou ne sauorest not thilke thinges that ben of God but thilke that ben of men Lord to mens wyt it is vnreasonable that thou or thy Vicar gif thou madest any on earth shoulden suffren of your suggets A Lord whether thou ordeynest an order of fighters to turne men to the beliefe Other ordeinest that knightes shoulden swear to fighte for thy wordes A Lord whether bede thou that gif a man turne to the fayth that he should geue his goodes and cattell to the Vicar that hath great Lordships and more then him needeth Lord I wot wel that in the beginning of the church men that weren cōuerted threwen adowne theyr goodes before the Apostles feete For all they weren in charitie and none of them sayd thus is myne ne Peter made himselfe no Lord of these goodes But Lord now he that clepeth himselfe thy Vicar vpon earth and successor to Peter hath ybroke thy commaundement of charitie for he is become a Lord. And he hath also broken thy commandement of mercy and also of patience Thus Lord we be fallen into great mischiefe and thraldome for our chiefetayne hath forsaken war and armes and haue treated to haue peach with our enemies A Lord gif it be thy will draw out thy swerd out of his sheth that thy seruauntes may fight therewith agaynst their enemies put cowardise out of our hartes And comfort vs in battaile or than thou come with thy sword in thy mouth to take vengeance on thine enemies For gif we bene accorded with our enemies til that time come it is dread least thou take vengeaunce both of thē and of vs together A Lord there is no helpe nowe in this great mischiefe but onely in thee Lord thou geuest vs a commaundement of truth in bidding vs say yea yea nay nay and sweare for nothing Thou geue vs also a maundement of meekenes and an other of poorenes But Lord he that clepeth himself thy Vicar on earth hath both ybrokē these commaundements for he maketh a law to compell men to sweare and by his lawes he teacheth that a man to saue his life may forsweare and lye And so Lord through cōfort of him and his lawes the people ne dreadeth not to sweare and to lye ne oft times to forswearen them Lord here is little truth O Lord thou hast ybrought vs to a liuing of soules that standes in beleeuing in thee keeping thy hestes and when we breaken thine hestes than we slen our soule And lesse harme it were to suffer bodylich death Lord king Saule brake thine hestes and thou tooke his kingdome from his heyres euermore after him and gaue it to Dauid thy seruaunt that kept thine hestes And thou saydst by Samuell thy prophat to Saule king that it
is a mannour of worshipping of false Gods to breake thy hestes For who that loueth thee ouer all thinges and dreadeth thee also he nole for nothing breake thyne hestes O Lord gif breaking of thine hestes be heryeng of false gods I trow that he maketh the people breake thyne hestes and commaundeth that his hestes ben kept of the people maketh himselfe a false GOD on earth as Nabuchodonosor did some tyme that was king of Babilon But Lord we forsaken such false Gods and beleuen that ther ne ben no mo Gods then thou And though thou suffer vs a while to bene in disease for knowledging of thee we thanken thee wyth our hart for it is a token that thou louest vs to â—â—uen vs in thys world some penaunce for our trespas Lord in the old law thy true seruauntes tooke the death for they would not eaten swynes fleshe that thou haddest forbid them to eat O Lord what truth is in vs to eaten vncleene mete of the soule that thou hast forbid Lord thou sayst he that doth sinne is seruaunt of sinne and then he that lyeth in forswearing hymselfe is seruaunt of lesing and then he is seruaunt to the deuill that is a lyer and father of lesinges And Lord thou sayst no man may serue two Lordes at ones O Lord then euery lyer for the tyme that he lyeth other forsweareth himselfe and forsaketh thy seruice for drede of hys bodyly death and becommeth the deuils seruaunte O Lord what truth is in him that clepeth himselfe seruaunt of thy seruantes in his doing he maketh him a Lord of thy seruauntes Lord thou were both Lord and maister and so thou sayd thy selfe but yet in thy warkes thou were as a seruaunt Lord this was a great truth and a great meeknes but Lord bid thou thy seruaunts that they should not haue Lordship ouer theyr brethren Lord thou saydst kings of the heatheÌ„ men han Lordship ouer their subiectes and they that vse their power be cleped well doers But Lord thou saydst it shoulde not be so amongest thy seruantes But he that were most should be as a seruaunt Thou Lorde thou taughtest thy disciples to be meeke Lord in the old law thy seruauntes durst haue no Lordship of theyr brethren but if that thou bid them And yet they should not doe to theyr brethren as they did to thrailes that serued them But they should doe to theyr brethren that were theyr seruauntes as to theyr owne brethren For all they were Abrahams Children And at a certaine tyme they should let theyr brethren passe from them in all freedome but if they would wilfullich abiden still in seruice O Lord thou gaue vs in thy comming a law of perfect loue is token of loue thou clepedst thy selfe our brother And to make vs perfect in loue thou bid that we shoulde clepe to vs no father vpon earth but thy father of heauen we should cleape our father Alas Lord how violently our brethren and thy childreÌ„ ben now put in bodily thraldome and in despite as beastes euermore in greeuous trauell to finde proude men in ease But Lord if we take this defoule and this disease in pacience and in meeknes and kepe thine hests we hope to be free And Lord geue our brethren grace to come out of thraldome of sinne that they fal in through the desiring and vsage of Lordship vpon theyr brethren And Lord thie priestes in the old law had no Lordships among theyr brethren but houses and pastures for theyr beastes but Lord our priestes nowe haue great Lordship and put theyr brethren in greater thraldome then lewed men that be Lordes Thus is meekenesse forsaken Lord thou biddest in the Gospell that when a man is bid to the feast he should sit in the lowest place and then he may be set hyer with worship when the Lord of the feast beholdeth how his gestes fitteth Lord it is drede that they that sit now in the hyest place should be bidd in tyme comming fit beneath And that will be shame and vileny for them And it is they saying those that hyeth himselfe shuld be lowed and those that loweth themselues should be an heyghed O Lord thou biddest in thy Gospell to beware of the Pharaseis for it is a poynt of pryde contrary to meekenesse And Lord thou sayst that they loue the first sittinges at supper and also the principall chaires in churches and greetings in cheeping and to be cleped maysters of men And Lord thou sayest be ye not cleped maisters for one is your maister and that is Christ and all ye be brethren And clepe ye to you no father vpon earth for one is your father that is in heauen O Lord this is a blessed lesson to teach men to be meke But Lord he that clepeth himself thy vicar on earth he clepeth himselfe father of fathers agaynst thy forbidding And all those worships thou hast forbad He approueth them and maketh them maisters to many that teach thy people their owne teaching and leaue thy teaching that is nedefull and hiden it by quainte gloses from thy lewd people and feede thy people with sweuens that they mete and tales that doth little profit but much harme to the people But Lorde these glosers obiecte that they desire not the state of mastry to be worshipped therby but to profit the more to thy people wheÌ„ they preach thy word For as they seggeÌ„ the people will beleue more the preaching of a maister that hath taken a state of schole then the preaching of an other man that hath not take the state of maistry ¶ Lorde whether it bee any neede that maysters beren witnes to thy teaching that it is true and good O Lord whether may any maister mowe by his estate of maisterie that thou hast forboden drawe any man from his sinne rather then an other man that is not a maister ne wole bee none for it is forboden him in thy Gospell Lord thou sendest to maysters to preach thy people and thou knowledgist in the Gospel to thy father that he hath hid his wisedome from wise men and redy men and shewed it to litle Children And Lord maisters of the law hylden thy teaching foly and seiden that thou wouldest destroy the people with thy teaching Trulich Lord so these maisters seggeth now for they haue written many bookes agaynst thy teaching that is truth so the prophecie of Ieremy is fulfilled when he sayth Truelich the false points maisters of the law hath wrought leasing And now is the time come that S. Paul speaketh of where he sayth time shal come when men shall not susteine wholesome teaching But they shullen gather to hepe maisters with hutching eares and from trueth they shullen turnen away their hearing and turnen them to tales that maisters haue maked to showne their maistry and their wisedome ¶ And Lord a man shall beleue more a mans workes then hys words the dede sheweth well of these
him maketh him a false Christ Antichrist For who may be more agens Christ than he that in his wordes maketh himselfe Christes vicar in earth And in hys werkes vndoth the ordinaunce of Christ and maketh men byleueÌ„ that it is needful to the heale of mens soules to byleuen that he is Christes vicar in earth And what euer he byndeth in earth is ybounden in heauen vnder this colour he vndoth Christes law and maketh men alwayes to kepen his law and hestes And thus men may yseene that he is agenst Christ and therefore he is Antichrist that maketh men worshupen him as a God on earth as the the proud K. Nabugodonosor did somtime that was K. of Babylon And therfore we lewed men that knowne not God but thee Iesu Christ beleuen in thee that art our God and our king and our Christ and thy lawes And forsaken Antichrist and Nabugodonosor that is false God and a false Christ and hys lawes that ben contrary to thy preaching And Lord strength thou vs agenst our enemies For they ben about to maken vs forsaken thee and thy lawe other elles to putten vs to death O Lord onlich in thee is our trust to helpe vs in this mischiefe for thy great goodnes that is withouten end Lord thou he taughtest not thy disciples to assoylen men of her sinne and setten them a penaunce for their sinne in fasting ne in prayeng ne other almous dede ne thy selfe ne thy disciples vseden no such power here on earth For Lord thou forgeue men their sinnes and bede him sinne no more And thy disciples fulleden men 〈◊〉 name in forgeuenesse of her sinnes Nor they toke no such power vpon them as our priestes dare now And Lord thou ne affoâ—tedest no man both of his sinne and of his peyne that was dew for his sinne ne thou grauntedst no man such power here on earth And Lord me thinketh that gif there were a purgatorye and any earthliche man had power to deliueren sinfull men from the peynes of Purgatory he shoulde and he were in charitie sauen euerich man that were in waye of saluation from thilke peynes sith they make them greater then anye bodeliche peynes of thys world Also gif the Bishop of Rome had such a power he himselfe should neuer comen in purgatory ne in hell And sith we see well that he ne hath no power to kepen himselfe ne other men nother out of these bodilych peynes of the world and he may goe to hell for his sinne as an other man may I ne by leue not that he hath so great power to assoylen men of their sinne as he taketh vpon hym abouen all other men And I trowe that in this he higheth hymself aboue God As touching the selling of Byshopricks personages I trow it be a poynt of falsehed For agenst Gods ordinaunce he robbeth poore men of a porcion of theyr sustenaunce and selleth it other geueth it to finde proud men in idâ—enes that done the lewd puplelitell profite but much harme as we told before Thus ben thy commaundementes of treweth of meekenes and of poore nesse vndone by him that clepeth himselfe thy vicar here vppon earth A Lord thou gaue vs a commaundement of chastice that is aforsaking of fleshlich lustes For thou broughtest vs to a liuing of soule that is ygouerned by the word For Lord thou ordeinedist woman more frele than man to ben ygouerned by mans rule his help to please thee kepe thine hests Ne thou ne ordeinedist that a man should desire the company of a woman and maken her his wife to lyuen with her in hys lustis as a swyne doth or a hors And his wife ne like him not to his lustes Lord thou ne gaue not a man leaue to departen hym from his wyfe and taken hym an other But Lord thy mariage is a common accord betwene man woman to lyuen together to theyr liues ende and in thy seruice eyther the better for others helpe and thilke that thus ben ycome together bene ioyned by thee and thilke that God ioyneth may no man depart But Lord thou sayest that gif a man see a woman to coueten her than he doth with the woman lecherye in his hart And so Lord gif a man desire his wife in couetise of such lustes and not to flye from whoredome his weddins is lechery ne thou ne ioynest them not together Thus was Raguels doughter ywedded to seuen husbandes that the deuill instrangled But Toby tooke her to lyue with her in clennes and brynging vp of her children in thy worship and on him the deuill ne had no power For the wedding was I maked in God for God and through God A Lord the people is farre ygo from this maner of wedding For now men weddeÌ„ theyr wyues for fairenes other for riches or some such other fleshlich lustes And Lord so it preueth by theÌ„ for the most part For a man shall not finde two wedded in a lande where the husband loues the wife and the wife is buxum to the man as they shoulden after thy law of maryage But other the maÌ„ loues not his wife or the wife is not buxum to her man And thus Lord is the rule of prefe that neuer fayleth no preue whether it be done by thee or no. And Lord all this mischiefe is common among thy people for that they knowe not thy worde but theyr shepheardes and hyred men sedden them with their * sweuens and leasinges And Lord where they shoulden gon before vs in the field they seggen theyr order is so holy for thy mariage And Lord he that calleth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth will not suffren priestes to taken them wiues for that is agaynst hys law But Lord he will dispensen with them to kepen horen for a certayne somme of mony And Lord all horedome is forfended in thy law And Lord thou neuer forfendest priestes their wiues ner thy Apostles neyther And well I wote in our land priestes hadden wiues vntill Anselmus dayes in the yeare of our Lord God a leueÌ„ hundred and twenty and nyne as Huntingdon writes And Lord this makes people for the most part beleuen that lechery is no sinne Therefore we lewd men prayen thee that thou wolt send vs shepheardes of thine owne that wolen feeden thy flocke in thy lesewe and gon before theÌ„selfe and so written thy law in our harts that from the least to the most all they mayen knowne thee And Lord geue our king and his Lordes hart to defenden thy true shepheardes and thy sheepe from out of the wolues mouthes and grace to know thee that art the true Christ the sonne of thy heauenly father from the Antichrist that is the sonne of pride And Lorde geue vs thy poore sheepe patience and strength to suffer for thy law the cruelnes of the mischieuous Wolues And Lord as thou hast promised shorten these dayes
and diuers other I credibly heare of certayne olde Irish Bibles translated long since into the Irish toung which if it be true it is not other like but to be the doing of this Armachanus And thus much of this learned prelate and Archbishop of Ireland a man worthy for his christian zeale of immortall cōmendation After the death of this Innocent next was poped in that sea of Rome pope Urbane the fift who by the fathers side was an englishman This Urbane had bene a long wayter in the court of Rome and when he saw no promotion would light vpon him complayning to a certayn frend of his made to him his mone saying That he thought veryly if all the Churches of the world should fall yet none would fall in his mouth The which frend after seing him to be Pope and inthronised in his threefold crowne commeth to him putting him in remembrance of his words to him before sayth that where his holynesse had moned his fortune to him that if all the Churches in the world would fall none would fall vpō his head Now sayth he god hath otherwise so disposed that all the churches in the world are fallen vpon your head c. This Pope mayntayned and kindled great wars in Italy sending Egidius his Cardinall and Legate and after him Arduinus a Burgundian his legate and Abbot with great puissaunce and much mony agaynst sundry cities in Italy By whose meanes the townes and Cittyes which before had broken frō the bishop of Rome were oppressed also Bernabes Baleaceus princes of Millam vanquished By whose example other being sore feared submitted themselues to the Church of Rome And thus came vp that wicked church to her great possessiōs which her patrons would needes father vpon Constantine the godly Emperor In the time of this Pope Urbane the 5. and in the second yeare of his raign about the beginning of the yere of our Lord. 1364. I finde a certayne Sermon of one Nicolas Drem made before the Pope and his Cardinalies on Christmas euen In the which Sermon the learned man doth worthely rebuke the prelates and priests of his time declaring their destruction not to be farre of by certayne signes taken of their wicked and corrupt life All the sayings of the Prophets spoken agaynst the wicked priestes of the Iewes he doth aptly apply against the clergy of his time comparing the Church then present to the spirituall strumpet spoken of in the 16. of the Prophet Ezechiel And proueth in conclusion the clergy of the church then to be so much worse then the old Synagoge of the Iewes by how much it is worse to sell that church Sacraments thē to suffer doues to be solde in the church with no lesse iugement also and learning he answereth to the old and false obiection of the papists who albeit they be neuer so wicked yet thinke themselues to be the church which the Lord cannot forsake All which thinges to that entent they may the better appeare in his owne words I haue thought here to translate and exhibite the Sermon as it was spoken before the Pope ¶ A copy of a Sermon made before Pope Vrbane 5. the fourth sonday in Aduent 1364. by Nicholas Orem IVxta est salus mea vt veniat iustitia c. That is My sauing health is neare at hand to come and my righteousnes to be reuealed c. Esay 56. After the sentence of S. Paule Rom. 2. and in diuers other places before the Natiuity of Christ the whole world was deuided into two sorts of men the Iewes and Gentils The Iewes who wayted for the opening of the dore of Paradise by the bloud of the Sauior to come The Gentiles who yet sitting in darckenesse were to be called to light and to be iustified by fayth as is written Rom. 5. This saluation perteining both to the Iew and Gentile God promised before time to the Fathers by the Prophets to stirre vp the desire thereof in their hartes the more and to encrease theyr firme hope and fayth in the same As first in Mich. 6. the voyce of the Lord cryeth Health and saluation shall be to all men which feare my name And Esay 46. I will geue in Sion saluation and in Ierusalem my glory c. with diuers such other places like And forsomuch as hope in many times which is deferred doth afflict the soule and conceiueth wearinesse of long deferring He therefore prophesying of the nearenesse of the commyng thereof sayeth moreouer Esay 14. his time is neare at hande to come Also Abacuc 2. He will come and will not tary with many such other places mo◠So then the holy Fathers being in Limbo looked hoped that he should bring out them that sate bound and which in the house of prison sat in darckenesse as is read Esay 41. Then the time drew on in which came the fulnesse of the Gentiles and in which the Lord would declare the riches of this mistery being hidden from the world and from generations Col. 1. Wherefore the Lord in this text doth both certifye our fathers of the comming of our Sauior and doth comfort them touching the nearenesse thereof and also teacheth the iustification of the Gentils by fayth approching now neare at hand according to the words of my text Iuxta est salus mea c. Which words were fulfilled thē what time the Lord did manifest his saluation and did reueale his righteousnes in the sight of all the Gentiles And is deuided in 3. partes Of which the first speaketh of the nearenesse of his comming where is sayd Iuxta est salus c. The second concerneth the mistery of the Aduent of Christ and his incarnation where he sayth Vt veniat c. Thirdly is considered the seuerity of God his terrible reuenging iudgement to be reuealed where he sayth Vt reueletur c. which is to be expounded of his primitiue iustice whereof speaketh Amos the 5. saying And iudgement shall be reuealed like a sloud and righteousnesse like a strong stream Wherfore for our contēplation let vs receiue with ioy the solemnities of his holy vigile the word I say of God the father that is Christ. To whom it is sayd Esay 49. I haue geuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles and to be my saluation through the ends of the world Agayne Esay 46. My saluation shall not slacke c. As touching the nearenes thereof it is in these dayes opened to vs by the gospell where we read in S. Math. When the virgine Mary was dispoused vnto Ioseph before they did come together she was found with childe by the holy Ghost By this it was euident to vnderstand that our sauior ought shortly to proceed out of the chaste wombe of the virgin according as the Prophet dyd foretell saying Behold a virgine shall conceiue and bring forth a sonne c. For like as
Oligarchia This may we playnely see and learne in the body of man to the which Plutarchus writing to Thracinius doth semblablye compare the common wealth In the which body if the sustināce receiued should all runne to one member so that that member should be to much exceedingly pampered and all the other parts to much pined that body could nor long continue So in the body of the wealth ecclesiastical if some who be the heads be so enormely ouergrown in riches and dignity that the weaker members of the body be scant able to beare them vp there is a great token of dissolution and ruine shortly Wherupon commeth well in place the saying of the Prophet Esay Euery head is sicke euery hart is full of sorrow of the which heads it is also spoken in the Prophet Amos. chap. 6. Wo be to the secure and proud wealthye in Sion and to such as thinke themselues so sure vpon the moūt of Samaria taking themselues as heads and rulers ouer other c. And moreouer in the sayd prophet Esay it followeth Frō the top of the head to the sole of the foot there is no whole part in all the body to witte In the inferiours because they are not able to liue for pouerty in the superiours because for theyr excessiue riches they are left from doing good And followeth in the same place But all are woundes and botches and strypes beholde here the daunger comming the woundes of discorde and deuision the botch or sore of rancor and enuy the swelling stripe of rebellion and mischiefe The 4. signe is the pride of Prelates Some there haue bene which fondly haue disputed of the pouerty of Christ and haue inueyed agaynst the Prelates because they liue not in pouertye of the saynts But this phantasy cōmeth of the ignoraunce of morrall Philosophy and diuinity and of the defect of naturall prudence for that in all nations and by common lawes priests haue had and ought to haue wherewith to sustayne themselues more honestly then the vulgare sort and Prelates more honestly then the subiectes But yet hereby is not permitted to them their great horses theyr troupes of horsemen their superfluous pompe of theyr wayting men and great famylyes whyche scarcely can bee maynteyned without pride neyther can be susteyned with safe iustice and many not without fighting and iniuries inconueniēt not much vnlike to that as Iustine the historician writeth of the Carthaginenses The family sayth he of so great Emperours was vntolerable to such a free Citty In semblable wise this great pride in the Church of God especially in these dayes doth moue not so few to due reuerence as many to indignation and yet mo to those thinges aforesayde which thinke no lesse but to doe sacrifice to God if they may robbe and spoile certayne fatte priests and parsons namely such as neither haue nobility of bloud and lesse learning to beare themselues vpon but are lyers seruile and fraudulent to whome the Lorde speaketh by his Prophet Amos fourth Heare you fatted kine of Samaria ye that doe poore men wrong and oppresse the needye the daye shall come vpon you c. The fift signe is the tyranny of the Prelates and Presidentes which as it is a violent thing so it cannot be long lasting For as Salomon sayth Sap. 16. For it was requisite that without any excuse destruction shoulde come vpon those whiche exercised tyranny The property of a tyraunt is to seeke the commodity not of his subiectes but onely his will and profite Such were the Pastours that fedde not the Lordes flocke but fed themselues of whom and to whom speaketh the Prophet Ezech. 34. Woe be vnto those Pastours of Israel that feede themselues Shoulde not the shepheardes feede the flockes With many other threatninges agaynst them in the sayd chapter Wo be vnto them which reioyce at the transgressions of such whom it lieth in theyr power to cōdemne neither do they seeke what he is able to pay to whom crieth Micheas the Prophet 3. chap. Ye hate the good and loue the euill ye pluck of mens skinnes and the flesh from the bones ye eat the flesh of my people and slay of their skin ye break their bones ye chop them in peeces as it were into a Caudron and as flesh into the pot c. And therefore the foresayd Ezechiel pronounceth Behold I will my selfe vpon the shepheardes and require my sheepe from theyr handes and make them cease from feeding my sheep yea the shepheards shall feed themselues no more for I will deliuer my sheep out of theyr mouthes so that they shall not deuour them any more The sixt signe is in promoting of the vnworthy and of neglecting them that be worthy This as Aristotle sayth is a greate cause many times of the dissolution of common weales And often times it so happeneth in the wars of princes that the contēpt and small regarding of the valiant and the exalting of others that be lesse worthy in gendereth diuers kindes kindlinges of sedition For by the reasō partly of the same partly of the other causes aboue recited We haue read not only in books but haue sene with our eies diuers florishing Cities welneare subuerted Wher as good men be not made of but are vexed with sorrow griefe by the euil the contentiō at length brasteth out vpon the prince as Haymo reciteth out of Origen This hath alwayes bene the per uers incredulitye of mans harde heart that not onely in hearing but also in seing yet will they not beleue that other haue perished vnlesse they also perish themselues The seuēth signe is the tribulation of outward policy commotions of the people which in a great part is now happened already And therefore forasmuch as Seneca sayth Men do complayne commonly that euils onely come so fast It is to be feared least also the ecclesiastical policy be afflicted not onely outwardly but also in it selfe And so be fulfilled in vs that in Ieremy is prophesied cap. 4. Murther is cryed vpon murther and the whole land shall perish and sodenly my tabernacles were destroyed and my tentes very quickly And Ezec. 7. Wherfore I will bring cruell tyraunts from among the heathen to take theyr houses in possession I will make the pompe of the proud to cease and their sāctuaryes shall be taken One mischiefe and sorow shall follow another and one rumor shall come after an other then shall they seek visions in vayne at theyr prophets the law shall be gone frō theyr Priests and wisedome from their Elders ◠The eight signe is the refusing of correction neither will they heare theyr faultes tolde them so that it is hapned to the princes and rulers of the Church as it is written in the prophet Zach. ca. 7. They stopped their eares that they would not heare yea they made their hartes as an Adamant stone least they shoulde heare
conuicted of certayne articles and conclusions being erroneous schismaticall and hereticall preached by him at diuers places and times before a multitude of faythfull christian people And the same Articles and conclusions did he by force of lawe reuoke and abiure some as hereticall and some as erroneous and false Aduouching and beleuing them for such as that from thenceforth he would neuer preach teach or affirme openly or priuily any of the same conclusions And if by preching or aduouching he shoulde presume to doe the contrary that then he shoulde be subiect to the seuerity of the Canons accordingly as he did take a corporall oth iudicially vpon the holy Gospels 2. Also the conclusions which by the same William were first openly taught and preached and afterward abiured reuoked as is aforesaid are contained before in the processe of the B. of Lincolne euen as they be there written worde by worde And for the cases and articles they were consequently exhibited by the forenamed faithfull christian people against the said William Swinderby together with the conclusions before sayd hereafter written of which cases and articles the tenour hereof ensuâ—th 3. Item the sayd William contrary to the former reuocation abiuratioÌ„ not conuerting to repentance but peruerted from ill to worse and geuen vp to a reprobate sense came into your diocesse where he running about in sondry places hath presumed to preach or rather to peruert and to teach of his own rashneâ— many heretical erroneous blasphemous and other slaunderous things contrary and repugnant to the sacred Canons and the determination of the holy Catholike Church What those things were at what place and what time it shall hereafter more particularly be declared Item the same William notwithstanding your commaundementes and admonitions sealed with your seale to all the Curates of your diocesse directed contayning amongst other thinges that no person of what state degree or condition soeuer he were shold presume to preach or to teach or els expound the holy scripture to the people either in hallowed or prophane places within your diocesse with out sufficient authoritie by any maner of pretence that could be sought as in the same your letters monitorie of inhibition the tenor wherof hereafter ensueth is more largely conteined which letters the same William did receiue into his handes did read them word by word in the towne of Monemouth of your diocesse in the yeare of our Lord .1390 so that these your letters and the contentes thereof came to true and vndoubted knowledge of the same William yet notwithstanding hath the same William presumed in diuers places and times to preach within the same your diocesse after and agaynst your commaundement aforesayd The tenour of the same letters before mentioned followeth and is this IOhn by the sufferance of God Bishop of Hereford to the deane and Chapter of our Church of Hereford and to all and singuler Abbots Priors Prouostes Deanes rurall Parsons and Vicares of Monasteries Priores Churches Colledges and Parishes and to other hauing cure of soules within the Citty and diocesse of Herford and to all and euery other being within the same Citty and diocesse Greeting grace and blessing Forasmuch as the golden laurell of teaching doctorall is not from aboue indifferently euery mans gift neyther is the office of preaching graunted saue to such as are called and especially by the Church admitted therunto we doe admonishe and require you all and singuler Clerkes aforesayd and do straightly enioyne you all in the vertue of holy obedience that you nor any of you do admitte any man to preach or to teach the Catholique fayth sauing such as the same office of preaching shall by the authoritie Apostolicall or els your Byshop be specially committed vnto but that as much as in you shall lye you doe by worde and deede labour to let those that woulde attempte the contrary And you Lordes Ladyes Knightes Barons Esquires and all and singular persons of what estate degree preheminence or condition soeuer ye be remayning within the city and diocesse of Herford we doe beseech and exhort in our lord that following the wordes of our sauiour you beware of the leauen of the Phariseis Item according to the saying of the Apostle be not ye caryed away with diuers and straunge doctrines and that in the meane while as sayth the Apostle you be not remoued from the sense of the holy auncient fathers least that any man by any meanes shold seduce you but you agreeing together in one minde see that you honor God with one mouth But if any man to whom that thing is not specially as is aforesayd committed shall attempte to instructe or in this your life to directe you into the Catholicke faith do ye denye to geue them audience and refuse you to be present at their assembles and shun ye theyr teachinges because they be wicked and peruerse And as for vs we will not omitte to proceede according to the sacred Canons and preceptes of the holye fathers agaynst such as doe the contrary Dated at London in the house of our habitation vnder our seale the last day saue one of December in the yeare of our Lorde 1389. and of our consecration the first 5. Item the same William in his preaching to the people on Monday being the first of August in the yeare of our Lord 1390. in the parishe of Whitney of your diocesse dyd hold and affirme That no Prelate of the world of what estate preheminence or degree so euer he were of hauing cure charge of soule he being in deadly sinne hearing the confession of any vnder his hand in geuing him absolutioÌ„ doth nothing As who neither doth lose him froÌ„ his sinne nor in correcting or excoÌ„municating him for his demerites doth bind him by his sentence except yâ— prelate shall be free himself from deadly sinne as S. Peter was to whom our Lord gaue power to binde and lose 6. Item yâ— same William in many places said affirmed in the presence of many faythfull christen people that after the sacramentall wordes vttered by the priest hauing the purpose to consecrate there is not made the very bodye of Christ in the sacrament of the aulter 7. Item that accidencies cannot be in the sacrament of the aulter without a subiect and that there remayneth materiall bread there to such as be partakers communicant wyth the body of Christ in the same sacrament 8. Item that a priest being in deadly sin cannot be able by the strength of the sacramentall words to make the body of Christ or bring to perfection any other sacrament of the Church neither yet to minister it to the members of the Church 9. Item that all priestes are of like power in all things notwithstanding that some of them in this worldâ— are of higher and greater honour degree or preheminence 10. Item that onely contrition putteth away sinne if so be that a man shal be duely contrite
priesthood if al I be vnworthy to the worship of God helpe of christen soules freely without gathering of her goods for my preaching If I erred in this I will be amended And sir touching your maundement that ye sendeÌ„ to me there was seÌ„t none And sir I made neuer yet disobedieÌ„ce vnto you ne to your ministers yef all I had me owes more to obeyche to God thou to you in that that ye bidden contrary to Christes bid ding And sir as ye sayne that I had no minde of my hele it is to lightly demet for God forbid but yef there lye hele more then in your bidding For God wâ—t for hele I did it of mine and of the people and that was in any minde But sir it semes me that ye charge not by euidence of the punishing so greatly the breaking of Gods hests as ye done of your own And sir if it be your wil in default that the people wanted you to teache hem and her curates did not by the desire of the people that weren hungry and thirsty after gods word ichone to beare vp others charge as gods law bids I preached not for disobedience to you but sir in fulfilling of the obedieÌ„ce that Gods law bids me do in excusing of my selfe to you of that ye blame me of in opeÌ„ shewing to holy Church with y p protestation that I first made I aunswere thus to the Articles that ye haue put to me The first is this that I William of Swinderby the Monday the first of August the yeare of our Lorde 1390. preaching to the people in the Church of Whitney of your Dioces held and affirmed as ye sayne that no Prelate of the world of what state or degree that he be hauing cure of soules being in deadly sinne and hearing confession of his suget does nought in assoyling him ne he assoiles him not of his sinne and also in amending his suget opeÌ„ly sinning and him for his desertes cursing his sentence byndes nor but if that Prelate be as cleane out of deadly sinne as was S. Peter to whom our Lord gaue power of binding and vnbinding I neuer thought this ne spake this ne heard it to the time that I saw it written in our booke and that will witnes the Lord of the towne that has the same sermon written and many gentiles and other that heardeÌ„ me that day But thus I said and thus I say with protestation put before that there is no man Pope ne bishop prelate ne Curate that bindes soothly verily and ghostly but in as much as his binding or vnbinding accordes with the keyes of heauen that God gaue to Peter And as S. Gregory saies that power han they only that hold together the ensample of the apostles with heere teaching Illi soli in hac carne positiligandi atque soluendi potestatem habent sicut sancti Apostoli qui eorum exempla simul cum doctrina tenent gg li. quarto sententiarum The second article that is put vpon me is this that I should haue sayd preached affirmed in many places before many true men of Christ that after the Sacramentall wordes sayd of the priest hauing entention of consecratioÌ„ That in the Sacrament of Gods body is not very Gods body This sayd I neuer God wote and true men that haue heard me The third article is this that our bishop puts vpoÌ„ me that I should haue sayd in many places and affirmed that accidents mow not be in the sacrament of the aultar without subiect and that material bread leues not therwith Gods body in the sacrament This conclusion I haue not holdeÌ„ ne taught ne preached for I haue not medled me of that matter my wit suffiseth not thereto But here I tell my beliefe with protestation put before that the Sacrament of the aultar made by vertue of heauenly wordes that Christ himselfe sayd in the Cene when he made this sacrament that it is bread christes bodye so as Christ himselfe sayes in the Gospell S. Paul sayes and as Doctors in the common law haue determined to this senteÌ„ce Math. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22. Pa. 1. Cor. 10. 11. de con distinct 2. panis de consecra dist 2. Corpus Iohn 6 verus panis The 4. article is this that our Bishop accuseth me of that I should haue preached about and sayd that a Priest being in deadly sinne may not by the strength of the Sacramentall words make gods body or none other Sacrament of the Churche either performe to minister them to members of the same Thus I neuer said thought it preached it ne taught it for well I wot the wickednesse of a Priest may appaire no very sacrament but the wickednes of the Priest appayres himselfen and all that boldnes example of his sinne causen the people to liuen the worse agaynst Gods law Vnde Greg. Et si sacerdos in peccatis fuerit totus populus ad peccandum conuertitur The 5. article is this that our bishop puts vnto me that all priestes ben of eueÌ„ power in all things not withstaÌ„ding that some of this world bene of higher dignity or more passing in highnes of degree Certes no man would say thus as I suppose no more did I ne neuer heard it that I wot of But this I say with protestation made before that what Priest liues most holily next following the law of God he is most louer of God and most profitable to the Church If men speakeÌ„ of world ly power and Lordships and worships with other vices that raignen therin what Priest that desires and has most hereof in what degree so he be he is most Antichrist of all the priestes that ben in earth Vnde Augustinus ad Valerium scribens ait Nihil est in hac vita maximè hoc tempore facilius leuius hominibus acceptabilius Episcopi praeÌ„sbiteri aut decani officijs sed si profunctoriè aut adulatoriè nihil apud Deum miserabilius aut tristius damnabilius The sixt Article is this that onely contrition does away sinne if a man be duely contrite and all outward coÌ„fession by word is superfluous and not requiret of need of health This conclusioÌ„ said I neuer that I know of But thus I say with protestation put before that veray contrition of hart that is neuer without charity and grace dos away al sinnes before done of that man that is verely contrite And all true confessioÌ„ made by mouth outward to a wise priest and a good profiteth much to man and it is needfull helping that men shew their life to such trusting full to gods mercy and that he forgeues thy sinne Vnde August de conse distict 4. Nemo tollit peccata mundi nisi solus Christus qui est agnus tollens peccata mundi The 7. article is this that I should say
6. Item that euery Priest may absolue euery sinner being contrite and is bound to preach the Gospell vnto the people notwithstanding the prohibition of the Bishops pag. 467. 7. Item that a priest receiuing by bargaine any thing of yearely annuity is in so doing a schismaticke and excommunicate pag. 467. 8. Item he doth assuredly beleeue as he auoucheth that euery priest being in deadly sinne if he dispose himselfe to make the body of Christ doth rather commit idolatry theÌ„ make Christes body pag. 467. 9. Item that no priest doth enter into any house but to handle ill the wife the daughter or the mayd and therfore c. pag. 467. 10. Item that the child is not rightly baptised if the priest c. ibid. 11. Item that no maner of person if he liue agaynst Gods law c. ibid. 12. Item the same William agaynst the thinges premised and his reuocation and abiuration not to his hart coÌ„uerting but from euill to worse peruerting did turne aside into our dioces where running to and fro in diuers places hath of his owne rash head presumed to preach or rather to peruert c. 467. 13. Item after that we had heard diuers rumors slaunders of very many we directed diuers monitions and coÌ„maundementes comminatorye to be sent abroade by our Commissaries to sundry places of our dioces that no person of what estate degree or condition so euer he were of should presume to preach or to teach the sacred scripture to the people in places holy or prophane within our dioces c. page 466. 14. Item that the same sort of monitions inhibitions and precepts confirmed by our seale came to the true vndouted knowledge of the sayd William 15. Item the same William vnmindefull of his owne saluation hath sithens agaynst those monitions inhibitioÌ„s and preceptes and that which is more abhominable to be spoken in contempt of the high Bishops dignity to the slauÌ„der offence of many people presumed in diuers places of our sayd dioces to preach or rather to peruert to teach the forementioned other heretical erroneous and schismaticall deuises 16 Item the same William in preaching to the people on monday to wit the first of August in the yere of our Lord 1390. in the Church of Whitney in our dioces held and affirmed that no Prelate of the world of what state prehemineÌ„ce or degree soeuer he were of hauing cure of soule being in deadly sinne c. pag. 466. 17. Item the same William in many places sayd affirmed in the presence of many faythfull â—hristian people after the sacramentall words vttered by the priest hauing the intent to consecrate there is not made the very bodye of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist pag. 466. 18. Item that accidences cannot be in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter without theyr subiect that there remayneth materiall bread Concomitanter with the body of Christ in the sacrament Vide supra pag. 466. 19. Item that a priest being in deadly sinne cannot by the power of the sacrameÌ„tall words make the body of Christ c. pag. 466. 20. Item that all priests are of like power in all poynts notwithstanding that some of them are in this worlde of higher dignity degree or preheminence pag. 466. 21. Item that contrition onely putteth away sinne if a man shall be duely contrite and that all vocall confession and exercise is superfluous and not requisite of necessitye to saluation Ibidem 22. Item that inferior Curates haue not theyr power of binding and loosing mediatly from the pope or bishop but immediately of Christ. c. pag. 466. 23. Item that the pope cannot graunt such kind of annuall pardons because there shall not be so many yeares to the day of iudgement as is conteyned in the popes buls or pardons Whereby it followeth that pardons are not so much worth as they are noysed and praysed to be Ibid. 24. Item that it is not in the Popes power to graunt to any penitent body forgeuenes of the paine or of the trespasse pag. 466. 25 Item that one geuing his almes to any bodye which as he iudgeth hath no neede thereof doth sinne in so geeuyng it pag. 466. 26 Item that it standes not in the power of any prelate of what priuate religion soeuer he bee to geue by letters benefites of their order Neither do such kind of benefits geuen profit them to whom they be geuen for the saluatioÌ„ of soules Vide supra pag. 466. 27 Item that the same William vnmindfull of his owne saluation hath many times and often resorted to a certain desert wood called Derwalswood of our dioces and there in a certayne vnhallowed Chappell nay a prophane cottage hath presumed of his owne propre rashnesse to celebrate c. pag. 466. 28 Item the same William hath also presumed to do the like thinges in a certayne prophane chappel situate in the parke of Newton nigh to the towne of Leyntwardyn in the same our dioces pag. 466. ¶ Which thinges being done the same faithful Christen people and specially sir Walter Pride the penitentiarie of our Cathedrall Church of Hereforde personally appearing before vs sittyng in our iudgement seate in the parish Church of Whiteborne of our diocesse brought forth and exhibited two publique instruments against the same Walter Brute in the case of cursed heresie aforsaid of which instrumentes here followeth the tenours and Articles in this sort In the name of God Amen Be it euidently knoweÌ„ to all persoÌ„s by this preseÌ„t publike instrumeÌ„t the in the yeare froÌ„ the incarnatioÌ„ after the course and coÌ„putation of the church of England 1391. the indiction xv of the pontifical office of our most holy father and Lord in Christ Lord Boniface the ix by Gods Wisedome Pope the second yeare the xv day of the month of October in the dwelling house of the worshipful maÌ„ maister Iohn Godemoston Chanon of the Cathedral Church of Hereford in the presence of me the publique Notary vnder written and of witnesses subscribed Walter Brute lay man learned of Hereford dioces personally appearing sayde auouched and stifly maintayned that the sayde Bishop of Hereforde and his assistaunces which were with him the third day of the foresayde month of October the yeare of our Lord aforesayd in the Church of Hereford did naughtely wickedly peruersly and vniustly condemne the aunsweres of sir William Swinderby Chaplaine geuen by the same sir William to the same Lord byshop in wryting and also the articles ministred by the same sir William And furthermore he sayd held and aduouched that the same conclusions geuen by the same sir WilliaÌ„ euen as they were geuen are true and Catholike Item as touching the matters obiected agaynst hym by them that stoode by concerning the sacrament of the aulter he sayd that after the sacramentall words there doth remaine very bread and the substance therof after the coÌ„secration of the body of Christ and
13 chap. And thus by the testimony of all these places is he the chiefe Antechrist vpon the earth and must be slayne with the sword of Gods word and cast with the dragon the cruell beast and the false Prophet that hath seduced the earth into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented world without end If the city of Rome do allow his traditiōs and do disalow Christes holy commaundements and Christes doctrine that it may confirme his traditions then is she Babilon the great or the daughter of Babilon and the great whore sitting vpō many waters with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth are become dronken with the wine of her harlotry lying opē to baudry With whose spiritual whordom enchauntments witchcraftes and Symon Magus marchaundises the whole roūd world is infected and seduced saying in her hart I sit as a Queen and widow I am not neither shall I see sorrowe and mourning Yet is shee ignoraūt that within a litle while shall come the day of her destruction ruine by the testimony of the Apoc. cha 17. Because that from the time that the continuall sacrifice was taken away the abhomination of desolatiō placed there be passed 1299. dayes by the testimonye of Daniell and the Chronicles added do agree to the same And the holy City also hath bene troden vnder foot of the heathen for 42. monethes and the woman was nourished vp in the wildernes vnto which she fled for feare of the space of the serpēt during 1260. dayes or els for a time times halfe a tyme which is all one All these thinges be manifest by the testimony of the Apocalips the Chronicles therto agreeing And as concerning the fall of Babilon aforesayd it is manifest in the Apoc. where it is sayd In one day shall her plagues come death lamentation and famine and she shal be burned with fire For strong is the Lord whych will iudge her And agayn Babilon that great Citty is fallen which hath made all nations to drinke of the wine of her Whoredome And thirdly one mightye Aungell tooke vp a myllstone that was a very great one and did cast it into the Sea saying with suche a violence as this is shall that great Cittye Babylon be ouerthrowne and shall no more bee founde For her Marchauntes were the Princes of the earth and with her Witchcraft all Nations haue gone astray and in her is there founde the bloud of the Sayntes and Prophetes And of her destruction speaketh Esay in the 13. chapiter And Babilon that glorious Cittye being so noble amongest kingdomes in the pride of the Caldeans it shall be that like as the Lorde did ouerturne Sodome and Gomorre vpside downe it shall neuer more be inhabited nor haue the foundation layde in no age from generation to generation Ieremy sayeth Your mother that hath borne you is brought to very great confusion and made euē with the ground And agayne The Lord hath deuised and done as he hath spokē agaynst the inhabiters of Babilō which dwel richly in their treasures vppon many waters thine ende is come And thirdly Drouth shall fall vpon her waters and they shall beginne to be drye for it is a land of grauen imagies and boasteth in her prodigious wonders It shall neuer more be inhabited neyther be builded vp in no age nor generation Verely euen as God hath subuerted Sodome and Gomorre with her calues Pardon mee I beseeche you though I be not plentiful in pleasaunt wordes For if I should runne after the course of this wicked world should please mē I should not be Christes seruant And because I am a poore man neyther haue nor cā haue notaries hyred to testifie of these my writings I call vpon Christ to be my witnes which knoweth the inward secrets of my hart that I am redy to declare the things that I haue writtē after my fashion to the profit of all Christen people to the hurt of no mā liuing am ready to be reformed if any mā will shew me where I haue erred being redy also miserable sinner though I be to suffer for the cōfession of the name of Christ of his doctrine as much as shal please him by his grace loue to assist me a miserable sinner In witnes of al these things I haue to this writing set that seale of our Lord sauior Iesus Christ which I besech him to imprint vpon my forehed to take frō me al maner of marke of Antichrist Amen ¶ These two suppositions as they are termed in the scholes written by Walter Brute and exhibited vnto the Bishop although they conteyned matter sufficient eyther to satisfie the bishop if he had ben disposed to learne or els to haue prouoked him to replye agayne if his knowledge therin had ben better thē his yet could they worke neither of thē effect in him But he receiuing perusing the same when he neither could confute that which was said neyther would reply or aunswere by learning to that whych was truth finding other by causlations said that this his writing was too short and obscure and therfore required him to write vpon the same againe more plainely and more at large Whereupon the said Maister Walter satisfying the Bishops request and ready to geue to euery one an accōpt of his faith in a more ample tractatiō renueth hys matter agayne before declared writing to the Byshop in wordes and forme as followeth REuerend father forsomuch as it seemeth to you that my motion in my two suppositions or cases in my two conclusions is too short and somwhat darke I wil gladly now satisfy your desire according to my smal learning by declaring the same conclusions In opening wherof it shall plainely appeare what I do iudge in all matters that I am accused of to your reuerence desiring you first of al that your discretiō would not beleue that I do enterpryse of any presumption to handle the secretes of the scriptures which the holy and iust wise Doctours haue left vnexpounded It is not vnknowen to many that I am in all points farre inferiour to thē whose holynes of life profoundnes in knowledge is manifold waies allowed But as for mine ignorance and multitude of sinnes are to my selfe and others sufficiently knowen wherefore I iudge not my selfe worthy to vnloose or to cary their shooes after them Do you therefore no otherwise deeme of me then I do of mine owne selfe But if you shal finde any goodnesse in my writings ascribe it to God only who according to the multitude of his mercy doth sometimes reueale those things to Idiotes and sinners which are hidded from the holy and wise according to this saying I will prayse and confesse thee O father for that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast disclosed them to the litle ones Euen so O father
darkenesse because nothing is hid which shal not be disclosed and nothing couered that shal not be knowen And therfore the thing that was sayd in the darkenesse let vs say in the light and the thyng that we haue heard in the eare let vs preache vppon the house toppes I therefore as I haue before sayd so say that if the high bishop of Rome calling himselfe the seruant of God and the chiefe Vicare of Christ in this world do make and iustify many lawes contrary to the gospell of Iesu Christ then is he the chiefe of many whych comming in the name of Christ haue said I am Christ who haue seduced many Which is the first part of the first conclusion and is manifest For Christ is called of Hebrues the very same that we call annoynted And amongest them there was a double sort of legall annoynting by the lawe the one of kings and the other of Priestes And aswell were the kynges as the priestes called in the lawe Christes The kings as in the Psalme The kings of the earth stoode vp together and the Princes assembled them selues in one agaynst the Lorde and against hys Christ or annoynted And in the bookes of the kings very often are the kinges called Christes And our Sauiour was Christ or annoynted king because hee was a king for euermore vpon the throne of Dauid as the Scriptures doe very oftentimes witnesse The Priestes also were called annoynted as where it is wrytten Doe not yee touch my Christes that is mine annoynted ones and be not ye spitefull against my Prophetes And so was our Sauiour Christ a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Seyng then that the Byshops of Rome do say that they are the high Priestes they say also therein that they are kynges because they say that they haue the spirituall sword perteinyng to their Priesthode and the corporall sword which agreeth for a kynges state So is it playne that really in very deede they say that they are Christs albeit that expresly they be not called Christes Now that they come in the name of Christ it is manifest because they say that they are his principal Vicares in this world ordeined of Christ specially for the gouernement of the Christian Churche Therefore seyng they say that really and in very deede they are Christes and the chief frendes of Christ If they make and iustifie many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ then is it playne that they themselues in earth are the principal Antichristes because there is no worse plague and pestilence then a familiar enemy And if in secret they be agaynst Christ and yet in open appearaunce they say that they are his frendes they are somuch the more meete to seduce and deceiue the ChristiaÌ„ people because that a manifest enemy shall haue much a doe to deceaue a man because men trust him not but a priuey enemy pretendyng outward frendshyp may easly seduce yea those that be wise But that this matter may the more fully be knoweÌ„ let vs see what is the law doctrine of Christ that ought to be obserued of all faithfull people which beyng knowen it shal be an easy thing to see if the bishop of Rome doe make or maintaine any lawes contrary to the law of the gospell of Iesu Christ. I say then that the lawe of Christ is charitie whych is the perfect loue of God and of Christ. This thing is plaine and manifest For Christ being demaunded of a certayne doctour of the law What is the greatest commaundement in the lawe answered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the principall greatest commandement And as for the second it is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thine owne selfe In these two commaundements doth the whole law and Prophets depend And in an other place Christ sayeth All maner of things therefore that you would that men should do to you the same also do ye vnto them For thys is the lawe and the Prophets And in Iohn the 13. chap. sayth Christ. And now doe I say vnto you I geue you a new commandement that you shuld loue eche other as I loued you in like maner that you also shuld loue one another In this shal all men know that you are my disciples if you shall haue loue one towardes an other And Iohn 15. chapter This is my commaundemeÌ„t that you loue together as I haue loued you Greater loue then this hath no body that a man shuld geue his life for his frendes The Apostle Peter sayth in his first Epistle 4. chapter Aboue all things hauing continually charity one towards an other for charitye couereth the multitude of sinnes Be yee harborers and intertaine ye one an other without grudging euery one as hee hath receaued grace so let him bestowe it vpon an other man as the good stewards of the manifold graces of God If any maÌ„ speak let him speake as the word of God If any man doe ought for an other let it be don with singlenes and vnfained verity ministred of God to vs ward that in all thyngs God may be honoured through Iesus Christ our Lord. Iames in his Epistle the 2. chapter If ye performe the royal lawe accordingly to the Scriptures thou shalt loue thy neighbour ye do wel But if ye be parcial in receiuing and preferring mens personages ye worke wickednes being blamed of the law as transgressors And againe so speake ye and so do ye as ye should nowe begin to be iudged by the law of libertie What shall it auaile my brethren if a man say he haue faith and haue no workes Neuer shall that faith be able to saue him For if a brother or sister be naked and haue neede of daily foode and some of you say to them goe ye in peace be ye made warme and satisfied and if ye shall not geue those things that are necessary for the body what shall it auaile Euen so faith if it haue not workes is dead in it selfe Iohn in his first epistle the 3. chap. This is the tidings whych you haue heard from the beginning that you shuld loue one another And againe we know that we are traâ—slated from death to life if we loue the brethren He that loueth not abideth in death And again herein do we know the loue of God because that he hath laide downe hys life for vs we ought to lay down our liues for the brethren He that shall haue the substaunce of thys world and shall see his brother haue neede and shall shut up hys bowelles from him howe abideth the loue of God in hym My little children let vs not loue in worde nor tounge but in deede and truth And againe 4. chap. Most dearly beloued let vs loue together For loue is of God he that loueth
written in Deuteronomium If there shall arise a Prophet amongest you or one that shall say hee hath seene a dreame and shall foretell a signe and a wonder if that shall come to passe that he hath spoken and he shall say vnto thee Let vs go and follow straunge Goddes whom thou knowest not and let vs serue them thou shalt not harken vnto the wordes of that Prophet or dreamer for the Lord your God tempteth you to make it known whether ye loue him or no with all your hart and with all your soule In Ieremy the 12. chap. Are not my wordes euen lyke fire sayth the Lord and like an hammer that breaketh the stone Therfore behold I wil come against the Prophets whiche haue dreamed a lye sayth the Lorde whiche haue shewed those things and haue seduced the people through theyr lies and their miracles when as I sent theÌ„ not neyther commanded them which haue brought no profit vnto this people sayth the Lord. In Marke the 13. chapter sayth Christ For there shall arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe great signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible euen the very elect Paule in hys second Epistle to the Corinthians the xi chap. Suche false Apostles are deceitfull workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ and no maruayle For euen Sathan transformeth himselfe into an angell of light therefore it is no great thing though his ministers transforme themselues aâ— though they were the ministers of righteousnes whose end shal be according to their works In the Apocalips the 13. chap. Iohn saw a beast ascending vp out of the earth and it had two hornes like a lamb but he spake like the Dragon and he did all that the first beast could do before him and he caused the earth and the inhabitantes therof to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed and did great wonders so that he made fire come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men and deceiued theÌ„ that dwell on the earth by meanes of the signes which were permitted to him to do in the sight of the beast By these thinges it is most manifest and playne that in miracles this manifold errour oftentimes happeneth thorough the working of the deuill to deceiue the people wtal Wherfore we ought not for the working of miracles to depart from the commaundements of God I woulde to God that they which put confidence in miracles would geue heed vnto the word of Christ in the 7. chap. of Math. thus speaking Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not in thy name prophecied and in thy name cast out deuils and in thy name done many great workes c. I wil professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me all ye which worke inquitie By this saying it is most manifest that the seruauntes of Christ are not discerned by the working of miracles but by the working of vertues departing from iniquitie and obeying the coÌ„maundements of God Wherfore it is woÌ„derful that any in this life dare presume to preuent the day of the iudgement of God to iudge by meanes of miracles that some are Saints whom men ought to worship whoÌ„ peraduenture God will in the last iudgement condemne saying depart from me all ye which worke iniquitie If any man could here on earth iudge sinners to be condemned then if this iudgement were certayne Christ shoulde not iudge the 2. tyme and what soeuer such iudges bynde in earth the same ought to be bound in heauen But if such a iudgement be vncertayne then it is perillous and full of deceit when as by it men on earth may in steede of saintes worship suche as are damned with the fellowship of the deuils and in prayer require their ayde who euen like as the deuils their companions are more ready and more of might to euill then to good more to hurt then to profite I wonder they marke not what Christ sayd when his kinswoman came vnto him desiring and requiring something of him and saying Commaund that these my two sonnes may sit one vpon thy right hand and the other vpon thy left hand in thy kingdome But Iesus aunswering sayd Ye know not what ye aske can ye drinke of the cup whiche I shall drink of they sayd vnto him we cna He sayd vnto them Of my cupp in deede ye shall drinke but to sit at my right hand or at my left it is not mine to geue but vnto whom it is prepared for of my father Christ being equall vnto the father according to his God head exceeding all maner of men according to his manhode namely in goodnes and wisedome sayde to sit my right hande or at my left is not mine to geue but vnto whome it is prepared of my father If it were none of his to geue to sit at the right hand or at the left c. How then is it in the power of anye sinnefull man to geue vnto any man a seate eyther on the right hand or on the left in the kingdome of God whiche sinnefull man knoweth not whether suche haue anye seate prepared for theÌ„ of the father in his kingdome They much extoll themselues which exercise this iudicial power in geuing iudgement that there are some sayntes which ought to be honoured of men by reason of the euidency of dreames or of deceitfull miracles of which men they are ignoraunt whether God in hys iudgement will condemne them or not together with the deuils for euer to be tormented Let them beware for the vnfallible truth sayth that euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low By these thinges is gathered that the warres of Christians are not lawfull for that by the doctrine and life of Christ they are prohibited by reason of the euidency of the deceitfull miracles of those whiche haue made warres amongest the Christians as well agaynst the Christians as also agaynst the infidels Because Christ could not erre in his doctrine for as much as he was God And forasmuch as heauen and earth shall passe awaye but the wordes of Christ shall not passe away He therefore whiche establisheth his lawes allowing warres and the slaughter of meÌ„ in the warre as well of Christians as of Infidels doth he not insâ—â—ie those thinges which are contrary vnto the gospell law of Christ Therefore in this he is against christ and therfore Antichrist seducing the people making men beleeue that to be lawfull meritorious 〈◊〉 them which is expressedly prohibited by Christ. ¶ And thus much concerning the first parte touching peace and warre wherin he declareth Christ and the pope to be contrary that is the one to be geuen al to peace the other all to warre and so to proue in conclusion the Pope to be Antichrist Where in the meane time thou must vnderstand gentle reader his meaning rightly not that hee so thinketh no kind
Sacramentally or memorially to be his body And this seemeth vnto me most nearest to agree to the meaning of Christ forasmuch as he said do this in the remembraunce of me Then for as much as in the supper it is manifest that Christ gaue vnto his Disciples the bread of his body which he brake to that intent to eat with theyr mouthes in which bread he gaue himselfe also vnto them as one in whō they should beleue as to be the food of the soule and by that fayth they should beleue him to be theyr sauior which tooke his body wherein also he would it to be manifest that he woulde redeeme them from death So was the bread eaten with the Disciples mouthes that he being the true breade of the soule might be in spirite receiued and eaten spiritually by theyr fayth which beleued in him The bread which in the disciples mouthes was chewed from the mouth passed to the stomacke For as Christ saith whatsoeuer cōmeth to the mouth goeth into the belly from thence into the priuy Mathew chap. 15. But that true and very bread of the soule was eaten of the spirite of the Disciples and by fayth entred theyr minds and abode in their intralles through loue And so the bread broken semeth vnto me to be really the meat of the body the bread which it was before but Sacramentally to be the body of Christ as Paule 1. Cor. 10. The breade which we breake is it not the participation of the body of the Lord So the bread which we breake is the participation of the Lordes body And it is manifest that the heauēly bread is not broken neither yet is subiect to such breaking Therfore Paul calleth the materiall bread which is broken the body of Christ which the faythfull are partakers of The breade therfore chaungeth not his essence but is bread really and is the body of Christ sacramentally Euen as Christ is the very vine abiding really and figuratiuely the vine So the temple of Ierusalem was really the materiall temple figuratiuely it was the body of Christ Because he sayde destroy you this temple and in three dayes I will repayre the same agayne And this spake he of the temple of his body whereas others vnderstood it to be the materiall temple as appeared by theyr answere For sayd they 47. yeres hath this temple bene in building and wilt thou build it vp in three dayes Euen so may the consecrated bread be really bread as it was before and yet figuratiuely the body of Christ. And if therfore Christ would this bread to be only sacramentally his body and would not haue the same bread really to be transubstantiated into his body so ordeined his Priestes to make this Sacrament as a memoriall of his passion Thē do the Priestes greuously offend which besech Christ in their holy Masse that the bread which lyeth vpon the aultar may be made really the body of Christ if he woulde not haue the same to be but a Sacrament of his body And then both be they greatly deceiued themselues and also do greatly deceiue others But whether the bread be really transubstantiated into the body of Christ or is onely the body of Christ sacramentally No doubt but that the people are maruellously deceiued For the people beleue that they see the body of Christ nay rather Christ himselfe betwene the handes of the Priestes for so is the common othe they sweare By him whō I saw this day betwene the priestes hands And the people beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but at Easter or els when they lie vpon theyr death bed and receiue with their bodely mouth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. But the body of Christ admitte the bread be transubstantiated really into the body is in the Sacrament indiuisibiliter that is not able to be deuided and so immensurabiliter that is not able to be measured Ergo inuisibiliter that is not able to be sene To beleue therfore that he may be sene corporally in the Sacrament is erroneous And forasmuch as the body of Christ is the souls food and not the food of the body in this world for that whosoeuer beleueth doth eat spiritually and really at any time when he so beleueth It is manifest that they doe greatlye erre which beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but when they eat with theyr teeth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. And although it should be to the great honor of priests that the bread really were chaūged into the body of christ by the vertue of the Sacramentall words pronounced yet if Christ would not haue it to be so then they desiring to do this contrary to the will of Christ and informing the people that is to be done so contrary to the will of Christ are in great peril most daūgerously seducing both themselues and the people And then although that hereby they get a litle worldly and transitory honour for a short time It is to be feared least perpetual shame finally shall follow and insue vpon the same For Christ sayth euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Let them therfore take heed least they extolling themselues for this Sacrament aboue the company of Angels which neuer sinned for the errour which they be in for euermore be placed with the sinnefull angels vnder the earth Let euery man therfore think lowly of himself in what state or degree soeuer he be neither let him presume to doe that which he is not able to do Neither desire to haue that thing done which God would not haue done I greatlye maruell at those which were the makers of the Canons how variably contrary one to another they write of this Sacrament of the body of Christ. In the last part of the decrees where this matter is touched not only in the text but also in the proces of the matter diuers do diuersly write and one contrary to another For in the chapter that thus beginneth Prima inquit haeresis it is thus written You shall not eate this bodye which you see nor shall drinke this bloud which they shall shed which shall crucify me I will commend vnto you a certayne Sacrament spiritually vnderstood that quickneth you for the flesh profiteth you nothing at all And in the end of the same chapter it is thus written Till the world shall haue an end the Lords place is in heauen yet notwithstanding the verity of the Lord is here abiding with vs. For the body wherwith he rose ought to be in one place but his verity is in euerye place diffused spread abroad And in the chapter folowing which thus beginneth Omnia quaecunque voluit c. it is written Although the figure of the bread wine seeme to be nothing yet notwithstanding they must after y◠wordes of consecration be beleued to be none other thing then the very
of this poesie or epistle aboue writtē it is not euidētly knowē neither yet doth it greatly skill The matter beynge well considered of their part which here be noted may minister vnto them sufficiēt occasion of holesome admonition either to remember themselues what is amisse or to be thinke with thēselues what is to be amended Diuers other writings of like argumēt both before since haue bene deuised as one bearinge the title Luciferi ad malos principes Ecclesiasticos imprinted first at Paris in Latin And vnder the writing therof bearing this date Anno a palatij nostri fractione consortiumque nostrorum subtractione 1351. Which if ye count from the Passion of the Lord reacheth wel to y◠time of Wickliffe 1385. which was aboue vj. yeres before y◠examination of this Walter Brute There is also an other epistle of Lucifer prince of darknes ad praelatos mentioned in the Epistle of the schoole of Prage to the vniuersitie of Oxford set forth by Huldericus Huttenus about the yeare of our Lorde as is there dated 1370. which seemeth to be written before this epistle Also Vincētius in Speculo histo lib. 25. cap. 89. inferreth like mention of a letter of the fiendes infernal vnto the clergy men as in a vision represēted before 400. yeres In which the deuils geue thankes to the spirituall men for that by their silence and not preaching the Gospel they send infynite soules to hell c. Diuers other letters also of like deuise haue ben written also recorded in authors Whereunto may be added that one Iacobus Cartusiensis wrytinge to the Byshop of Wormace alleageth out of the prophecie of Hildegardis in these wordes Ideo et diabolus in semetipso de vobis sacerdotibus ait Escas epulantium conuiuia et omnes voluptates in istis inuenio sed et oculi et aures et venter meus et venae meae de spumis illorum plenae sunt et vbera mea plena sunt diuicijs illorum c. 1. Therefore saith he y◠deuil may say of you priests in himselfe The meates of banketting dishes and feastes of al kind of pleasure I find in these men Yea also mine eyes mine eares my belly all my vaines be full of their froathing and my brests be full stuffed with their ryches c. Furthermore saith he they labour euery day to rise vp higher with Lucifer but euery daye they fall with him more deepely Hereunto also appertayneth a story written cōmonly found in many olde written bookes In the yeare of our Lord. 1228. at Paris in a Synode of the clergie there was one appointed to make a Sermō Who being much carefull in hys minde solicitous what to say the deuil came to him and asking why he was so careful for his matter what he should preach to y◠clergy say thus quod he The princes of hell salute you Oh you princes of the Church gladly geue you thankes because through your default and negligence it cōmeth to passe that al soules go downe to hel Adding moreouer that he was also enforced by the commaundement of God to declare the same yea and that a certayne token moreouer was geuen to the sayde clerke for a signe wherby the sinode might euidently see that he did not lye Ex catall Illyr Fol. 546. ¶ The Bull of Pope Bonifacius the ix agaynst the Lollardes BOnifacius Bishop seruaunt of the seuants of God To the reuerend brother Iohn Bishop of Hereford sendeth greeting Apostolicall benediction We meane to write vnto our welbeloued sonne in Christ Richard the renowmed king of England in forme enclosed within these presents Therfore we will and commaund your brotherhood that as much as ye maye ye study and endeuour your selfe to exhorte and induce the same king to doe those thinges which we haue wrytten vnto him as it is sayde before And notwithstanding that now many a day you ought to haue done it of your self not to loke that wee should perswade you to that effect by vs written you may proceed as well by our authoritie as by your owne for as much as it was geuen you before that here after we may know effectually by your diligence what zeale your deuotion beareth vnto the Catholike fayth and to the conseruing of the ecclesiasticall honour and also to the execution of your pastorall office ¶ Geuen at Rome at S. Peters the xv Kalendes of October the 6. yeare of our bishoplike dignitie ¶ The tenour of the Bull to the renowmed prince Richard by the grace of God king of England of Fraunce whereof mention is made aboue as followeth and is thus much in effect TO our welbeloued sonne in Christ Rycharde the noble king of Englande wee send greetinge c. It greeueth vs from the bottome of our hartes and our holy mother the Church in all places through Christendome lamenteth Wee vnderstande that there bee certayne heresies sprong and do without any condign restraynt raunge at their owne libertie to the seducynge of the faithful people and do euery day with ouermuch liberty enlarge their vndiscreete boundes But howe much the more carefullye we labour for the preseruation both of you your famous kingdome and also the sinceritie of the faith and doe with muche more ardent desire couet that the prosperous state of the same should be preserued and ēlarged the sting of greater sorow doth so much the more penetrate and molest vs for as muche as wee see alas the while in our tyme and vnder the regall presidence of your moste Christyan gouernment a certayne craftye and hairebraine sect of false Christians in the same your kingdom to grow and increase which call themselues the poore men of the treasury of Christ and his disciples and whom the common people by a more sounder name call Lollardes as a man would saye withered darnell according as their sins require and perceyue that they waxe strong as it were preuayle agaynst the diocesās of some places and other gouernors as they meete together not courageously addressing themselues agaynst them as they ought to do whereof chiefly and not vndeseruedly I geue them admonition for that they take thereby the more bolder presumption and stomacke among the vnlearned people And for as muche as those whom we cannot call men but the damnable shadowes or ghosts of men do rise vp against the sound fayth holy vnyuersall church of Rome and that very many of them beinge indifferently learned which to the confusion eternall damnation of some of them they got sitting vppon their mothers lap the sayde Church of Rome doe rise vp or inueye agaynst the determination of the holy fathers with too much presumptuous boldnes to the subuersion of the whole ecclesiasticall order and estate Haue not bene afrayd nor are not yet afrayd publikely to preach very many erroneous detestable and hereticall articles for that they are not put to silence reproued driuen out
as is sayde in the North came the Earle of Northumberland Lord Henry Percy and Henry his son the Earle of Westmerland Lord Radulph Neuile and other Lordes moe to a great number so that the multitude rose to 60000. able souldiours Who first making towarde the Castle of Bristow tooke the foresayd Busshey Grene Scroupe and Bagot of whom three incontinent were beheaded Bagot escaped away and fled away to Ireland The king in this meane while lying about Wales destitute and desolate without comfort or counsayle who neither durst come to London neyther would any man come to him and perceauing moreouer the commons that were vp in such a great power agaynst hym would rather dye then geue ouer that they had begunne for feare of themselues Seing therforeno other remedy called to him L.T. Percye Earle of Worcester and stewarde of hys household willing him with other of hys family to prouide for themselues in tyme. Who then openly in the hall brake his white rod before them all commaunding euerye man to shift for himselfe Although Fabian and some other say that he did this of hys owne accord contrary to his allegeance The king compassed on euery side with miseryes shifted from place to place the Duke still following him tyll at length being at the Castle of Conewey the king desired to talk with Tho. Arundell archb and the Earle of Northūberland To whom he declared that he woulde resigne vp hys crowne in condition that an honourable liuing might be for hym prouided and life promised to 8. persons such as he would name Which being graunted and ratified but not performed he came to the Castle of Flint where after talke had with the Duke of Lācaster he was brought the same night by the Duke and his armye to Chester And from thence was conueyed secretly into the Tower there to be kept till the next parliament By the way as he came neare to London diuers euil desposed men of the city being warned thereof gathered themselues thinking to haue slayne hym for the great cruelty he had vsed before toward the Citty But by the pollicies of the Mayor and rulers of the Cittie the madnes of the people was stayd Not long after followed the Duke and also began the parliament In which Parliament the Earle of Northumberland with many other Earles and Lords were sent to the king in the Tower to take of him a full resignation according to hys former promise and so they did This done diuers accusations and articles were layd and engrossed agaynst the sayd King to the number of 33. some say 38. which for the matter not greatly materiall in them contayned I ouerpasse And that next yeare after was had to Pomferr Castle and there famished to death King Henry the fourth ANd thus King Richard by common assent being deposed from his rightfull crowne The Duke of Lancaster was led by Thomas Arundell the Archbishop to the feat royall who there standing vp and crossed himselfe on the forehead and the brest spake in wordes as followeth ¶ In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster clayme the Realme of England and the crowne with all the appurtenaunces as I that am descended by right lyne of the bloud comming from that good Lord King Henry the 3. And thorough the right that God of his grace hath sent to me with the helpe of my kinne and of my frendes to recouer the same which was in poynt to be vndone for default of good gouernance and due iustice c. ¶ After which wordes the Archbishop asking the assent of the people being ioyfull of theyr new king took the Duke by the hād placed him in the kingly throne which was an 1399 and shortly after by the foresayd Archbishop he was crowned also for king of England Ex Chron. De Alban The next yeare after followed a Parliament holden at Westminster in which Parliament one will Sautre a good man and a faythfull priest inflamed with zeeale of true Religion required he might be heard for the commoditie of the whole realme But the matter being smelt before by the Byshops they obtayned that the matter should be referred to the conuocation Where the sayd William Sautre being brought before the Byshops and Notaries thereunto appointed the conuocation was differred to the Saterday next ensuing When Saterday was come that is to say the 12. day of February Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury in the presence of his Counsayle prouinciall being assembled in the sayd Chapter house agaynst one fyr William Sautre otherwise called Chatris Chaplayne personally then and there appearing by the commaundement of the foresayd archbishop of Caunterbury obiected that the sayd sir William before the Byshop of Norwiche had once renounced and abiured diuers and sondry conclusions heretical and erroneous and that after such abiuration made he publiquely and priuily helde taught preached the same conclusions or els such like disagreeing to the catholique fayth and to the great perill and pernitious example of others And after this he caused such like conclusions holden and preached as is sayd by the sayd Syr William without renunciation then and there to be read vnto the sayd Archbishop by maister Robert Haull Chācellor vnto the sayd byshop in a certayne scrole written in tenour of wordes as followeth Syr William Chatris otherwise called Sautre parish Priest of the Churche S. Scithe the Uirgine in London publiquely and priuily doth holde these conclusions vnder written ¶ In Primis he sayth that he will not worship the crosse on which Christ suffered but onely Christ that suffred vppon the Crosse. 2. Item that he would sooner worship a temporal king then the foresayd wodden crosse 3. Item that he would rather worship the bodyes of the Saintes then the very crosse of Christ on which he hong if it were before him 4. Item that he woulde rather worship a man truely contrite then the crosse of Christ. 5. Item that he is bound rather to worship a man that is predestinate then an aungell of God 6. Item that if any man would visite the monumentes of Peter and Paule or go on Pilgrimage to the Toumbe of S. Thomas or els any whether els for the obtayning of any temporall benefite he is not bounde to keepe hys vowe but that he may distribute the expences of his vowe vpon the almes of the poore 7. Item that euery priest and Deacon is more bound to preach the word of God then to say the canonical houres 8. Item that after the pronouncing of the Sacramental wordes of the body of Christ the bread remayneth of the same nature that it was before neyther doth it cease to be bread To which conclusions or articles being thus read the Archbish. of Caunterb required the same Syr William to aunswere And then the sayd William asked a copy of such articles or conclusions and a competent space to answere vnto the same Whereupon the
citation sent by messenger by letters or edict not admitting proofe by witnesses and sentēce definitiue to be we do ordeine will and declare for the easier punishment of the offēders in the premisses and for the better reformation of the church deuided and hurt that all such as are diffamed openly knowne or vehemētly suspected in any of the cases aforesayd or in anye article of the catholicke fayth sounding contrary to good manners by authoritie of the ordinary of the place or other superior be cited personally to appeare cyther by letters publique messenger being sworne or by edicte openly set at that place where the sayd offender commonly remayneth or in hys parish Church if he hath any certayne dwelling house Otherwise in y◠Cathedrall church of the place where he was borne and in the parish churche of the same place where he so preached and taught And afterwardes certificate beyng geuen that the citation was formally executed agaynst the party cited being absent and neglecting hys appearannce it shal be proceeded agaynst him fully and playnly without sound or shew of iudgement and without admitting proofe by witnesses and other canonicall probations And also after lawful informatiō had the sayd ordinary al delayes set apert shall signifie declare and punishe the sayd offender according to the quallitie of his offence and in forme aforesayd and further shall doe according to iustice the absence of the offender notwithstanding Geuen at Oxford ¶ Who would haue thought by these lawes and constitutions so substantially founded so circumspectly prouided so dilligently executed but that the name and memory of this persecuted sort should vtterly haue bene rooted vp neuer could haue stand And yet such be the works of th◠lord passing all mēs admiratiō all this notwithstanding so far was it of that the number and courage of these good men was vanquished that rather they multiplied dayly encreased For so I finde in Registers recorded that these foresayd persons whome the king and the Catholique fathers did so greatly deteste for heretickes were in diuers countries of this realme dispersed and increased especially at London in Lincolnshire in Northfolk in Herefordshyre in Shreusbury in Callice and diuers other quarters mo with whom the Archb. of Caunterbury Thomas Arundell the same time had much ado as by hys own registers doth appeare Albeit some there were that dyd shrinke many did reuolt and renounce for daunger of the law Among whom was Iohn Puruey whiche recanted at Paules Crosse of whom more foloweth the Lord willing to be said in the yeare 1421. Also Iohn Edward priest of the dioces of Lincolne who reuoked in the greene yard at Norwich Richard Herbert and Emmot Willy of Lōdon also Iohn Becket who recanted at London Item Iohn Seynons of Lincolneshyre who was caused to reuoke at Caunterbury The articles of whom which commonly they did hold and which they were constrayned to abiure most specially were these as follow Their Articles First that the office of the holy Crosse ordayned by the whole Church celebrated doth contayne idolatry Item they sayd and affirmed that all they which doe reuerence and worship the signe of the crosse do commit idolatry and are reputed as Idolaters Item they sayd and affirmed that the true fleshe and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ is not in the sacrament of the aulter after the words spoken by the priest truely pronounced Item they sayd and affirmed the sacrament of the aultar to be sacramentall bread not hauing life but onely instituted for a memoriall of Christes passion Item they sayd and affirmed that the body of Christe which is taken on the aulter is a figure of that body of christ as long as we see the bread and wyne Item they sayd and affirmed that the decree of the prelates and clergie in the prouince of Caunterbury in theyr last conuocation with the consent of the king and the nobles in the last Parliament agaynst him that was brent lately in the citty of London was not sufficient to chaunge the purpose of the sayd Iohn when the substance of materiall bread is euen as before in the sacrament of the aultar it was no change being made in the nature of bread * Item that any lay man may preach the Gospel in euery place and may teach it by his owne authoritie without the licence of his Ordinary Itē that it is sinne to geue any thing to the preaching friers to the Minorites to the Augustines to the Carmelites Item that we ought not to offer at the funerals of the dead Item that the confession of sins to the people is vnneedefull Item that euery good man though he be vnlearned is a priest Item that the infant though he dye vnbaptised shal be saued Item that neither the pope nor the prelate neither any ordinary can compell any man to sweare by anye creature of God or by the bible booke Item that as well the Bishop the simple man the priest and the lay man be of like authoritie as lōg as they liue well Item that no man is bound to geue bodily reuerence to any prelate ¶ William Thorpe THus much briefly being signified by the way touching these which haue bene forced in time of this king to open abiuration Next commeth to our handes the worthy history of maister William Thorpe a warriour valiaunt vnder the triumphant banner of Christ with the processe of his examinations before the foresayd Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterb written by the sayd Thorpe and storyed by his owne pen at the request of hys frendes as by hys own words in the processe here of may appeare In whole examination whiche seemeth first to begin an 1407. thou shalt haue good reader both to learne and to merueile To learne in that thou shalt beare truth discoursed and discussed with the contrary reasons of the aduersary dissolued To marueile for that thou shalt beholde here in this man the merueilous force and strength of the Lordes might spirite and grace working and fighting in his souldiors also speaking in theyr mouthes according to the word of hys promise Luke xxi To the rest of the story we haue neither added nor diminished but as we haue receiued it copied out corrected by maister Williā Tindall who had his own handwriting so we haue here sent it and set it out abroad Althoughe for the more credite of the matter I rather wished it in his own naturall speach wherein it was first written Notwithstanding to put away all doubt and scrouple herein this I thought before to premonishe and testifie to the Reader touching the certaintie hereof that they be yet aliue whiche haue seene the selfe same copy in his own old English resembling y◠true antiquitie both of the speach and of the time The name of whom as for recorde of the same to auouche is M. Whithead who as he hath seene the true ancient copy in the hādes of George Constantine so hath he
bee damned with her We haue erred fro the waye of trouth and rightwisnes light haue not shined to vs and the sonne of vnderstonding haue not resen to vs we haue be made weery in euerich way of wickednes and of lust and haue gone hard wayes but the wayes of God we knew nought what hath pride profited to vs or the boast of riches what hath it brought to vs All this is as a shadow of death and we mow now shew no token of holynes in our wickednes we be wasted away Thinke therefore I read that thou shalt yelde rekening of thy bayly Here endeth the first part of this Sermon and beginneth the second part IN which secoÌ„d part with the helpe of God I will shew first who shall clepe vs to this recKenyng Afterward to fore what iudge we shall reckyn and last what punishyng shall be do to them that ben found false seruauntes and wicked and what reward shall be gyue to them that be founde good and true For the first ye shall wetoen that there shall be twey domes The first doome anone after the departyng of body and of soule an this shall be speciall And of this rekenyng or doome speaketh the Gospell of Luke The second reckenyng or doome shal be anone after the generall resurrection shal be vniuersal And of this is to spekeÌ„ in the Gospel To the first euery man shal be cleped after other as the wolrde passeth To the secunde shall comeo togedre in the stroke of an eye all mankynde To the first men shal be cleped with three sumners other Sergeauntes the firstlis sicknesse the second is age and the third is death the first warneth the second thretneth and the third taketh This is a kyndly order but otherwise it fayleth for sume we seeth dyeth that neuer wist what was sicknes ne age as children that ben sodenly slayne And sume ye the most part that deyeth now a dayes deyeth byfore her kynde agee of deeth therefore I say that the first that clepeth to this speciall reckning is sicknes that followeth all mankind so that euery man hath it and sum is sicknesse that sume men haueth but nought all Yet the first sickenesse is double for sume is withinne in the mightes of the soule and sume is without in feblenes of the bodie that needis mo be stroyed whan time by hem selfe is cause of corruption as Philosophie sayth that thereby feblenes and sicknes And so may we see hereby though that a man shut out of the house of hys hart all maner of worldlie and fleshlie thoughtes yet vnneth shall a man for ought that he can doo thinke on God onelie the space of o Pater noster but that some other thing that is passing entreth into the soule and draweth her from contemplation But O Lorde God what seekenes is this an heuie burden on the sonnes of Adam that on fowle moock and fen of the world we may thinke long ynow But on that the soule should most delectation haue by kinde mow we nought thinke so little a space but if the cokle enter among the whete Of this seekenes speaketh Poule where he sayth I see a lawe in my limmes fighting agenes the lawe of my sprite and taking me into the law of sinne So that it fares by vs as by a man that would looke ageyns the sun and may nought do it long for nothing And forsoth that is for no default that is in the sunne for she is most cleere in her selfe and so by reason best should be seyn but it is for feblenes of mans eye Ryght so syth Adam our first fader was put out of Paradyse all hys offpring haue ben thus sicke as the Prophet seyth Our fadres haue eat a bitter grape and the teeth of the children be wexe an edge The second sicknes that is commune to all mankind commyth of feblenes of the body as hunger and thorst cold and heate sorow werines and many other as Iob. 18. sayth A man that is ibore of a woman liuing a little whyle is fulfilled with many miseases Yet there is other sicknes that commeth to some men but not to all as Lepvr Palsey Feuer Dropsie Blindnes and many other as it was seyden to the people of Israell in holy writ But thou keepe the commaundements that be writ in this booke God shal echen the sicknes of thee and of thy seede great sickenes and long abiding Yet yee shall vnderstond that God sendeth other while such sicknes to good men and other while to shrewes To good men God doth it for two causes and that is sooth Of sicknes I wol to be vnderstond also of all maner of tribulations The first cause for they shold alway euer know that they haue none perfection of them selfe but of God onely and to echen theyr meekenes And thus sayth Poule least the greatnes of reuelations rere me vp into pride is giuen a pricke of my fleshe the Aungell of Sathanas to smite me on the necke wherefore I haue thrise prayed God that he shuld go fro me and he answered me My grace is suffisant to thee for vertue is fulfilled in sicknes where on thus sayn the glose The fend axing Iob to be tempted was herd of God and nought the Apostle axing his temptation to be remoued God herd him that shuld be damned and he herd nought him that he shuld saue For oft the sick maÌ„ axit many things of the leche that he wol not geue him that is for to make him whole of sicknes Also God sendeth Saincts oft sicknes poâ—â—ution to giue vs sinfull wretches example of patience For if he suffer his Saincts to haue such tribulation in this world and they thankin him thereof much more wretchis that God sendeth not the hundred aparty of their sorowe shulden beare it meekely sith we haue diserued a thousand so much as they haueth Whereof Tobie that one day whan he was wery of byrying of poore men the which shulden haue ley vnburyed and haue be etene of houndis and foules as caraynes of other vnreasonable bestes whan for werynesse he had leide him to reste through Goddis sufferaunce the swallowes that bredden aboue on his hous maden ordure into his eyen and he wexet blind Thus it is writ of this temptation for soth Therefore God suffered to come to him that to them that comen after shuld be geuen ensample of pacience as by the temptation of holie Iob. For sith from his childhod euermore he drede God and euer kept his hestes He was not agreeued ayenst God that the misthiefe of blindnesse fell to him but vnmoueable dwelled in the dread of God thanking him all the dayes of his life Lo that holy writ sayth expresly that God suffered this holie man to haue that sicknes to geue them that should come after him ensample of pacience Also other whyle God sendeth syckenes and tribulation to wicked men and for two causes
of sinnes the vprising of the flesh and euerlasting life Amen And for a more large declaration sayth he of thys my sayth in the Catholicke Churche I stedfastly beleue that there is but one God almighty in and of whose Godhead are these three persons the father the sonne and the holye Ghost and that those three persons are the selfe same God almighty I beleue also that the second person of this most blessed Trinitie in most conuenient tune appoynted therunto afore tooke flesh and bloud of the most blessed virgin Mary for the sauegarde and redemption of the vniuersall kind of man which was afore lost in Adams offence Moreouer I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ our Lord thus being both God and man is the onely head of the whole Christian Churche and that all those that hathe bene or shal be saued be members of this most holy church And this holy Churche I thinke to be deuided into three sortes or companyes Wherof the first sort be now in heauen and they are the sayntes from hence departed These as they were here coÌ„uersant conformed alwayes their liues to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncing Sathan the world and the flesh with all their concupiscences and euils The second sort are in Purgatory if any suche place be in the scriptures abiding the mercy of God and a full deliueraunce of payne The third sort are here vpon the earth and be called the Church millitant For day and night they contend against crafty assaultes of the deuill the flattering prosperities of this world and the rebellious filthines of the flesh This latter congregation by the iust ordinance of God is also seuered into three diuers estates that is to say into priesthood knighthood and the commons Among whom the will of God is that the one should ayd the other but not destroy the other The priestes first of al secluded from all worldlines should conforme theyr liues vtterly to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shoulde they be occupyed in preaching and teaching the scriptures purely and in geuing wholesome examples of good liuing to the other two degrees of men More modest also more louing gentle and lowly in spirite should they be then ano other sortes of people In knighthood are all they which beare sword by law of office These should defend Gods lawes and see that the Gospell were purely taught conforming theyr liues to that same and secluding all false preachers yea these ought rather to hazard their liues theÌ„ to suffer such wicked decrees as either blemisheth the eternall Testament of God or yet letteth the free passage therof whereby heresies schismes might spring in the Churche For of none other arise they as I suppose then of erroneous constitutioÌ„s craftely first creeping in vnder hipocriticall lies for aduauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressours tyrauntes and theeues to see the clergie supported so long as they teach purely pray rightly and minister the Sacramentes freely And if they see them doe otherwise they are bound by the law of office to compell them to chaung their doinges to see all thinges performed according to gods prescript ordinaunce The latter fellowship of this Church are the common people whose duery is to beare their good mindes true obedience to the aforesayd ministers of God theyr kinges ciuill gouernours and Priestes The right office of these is iustly to occupy euery man his facultie be it marchaundise handicraft or the tilthe of the ground And so one of them to be as an helper to an other following alwayes in their sortes the iust commaundementes of the Lord God Ouer and besidés all this I most faythfully beleeue the the Sacramentes of Christes Churche are necessary to all Christen beleuers this alwayes seen to that they be truly ministred according to Christes first institution and ordinaunce And forasmuch as I am maliciously most falsly accused of a misbeliefe in the sacrament of the aulter to the hurtfull slaunder of many I signifie here vnto all men that this is my fayth concerning that I beleue in that Sacrament to be contayned very Christes body and bloud vnder the similitudes of bread and wyne yea the same body that was conceiued of the holy ghost borne of that virgine Mary done on the crosse dyed that was buryed arose the thyrd day from the death and is now glorified in heauen I also beleue the vniuersall law of God to be most true and perfect and they which doe not so follow it in theyr fayth and works at one time or an other can neuer be saned Where as he that seketh it in fayth accepteth it learneth it delighteth therin and performeth it in loue shall cast for it the felicitie of euerlasting Innocencie Finally this is my fayth also that God will aske no more of a Christen beleuer in this life but onely to obey that preceptes of that most blessed law If any Prelates of the Church require more or els any other kinde of obedience then this to be vsed he contemneth Christ exalting hymselfe aboue God and so becommeth an open Antichrist Al the premisses I beleue particularly and generally all that God hath left in his holy scripture that I should beleeue Instantly desiring you my siege Lord and most worthye king that this confession of mine may be iustly examined by the most godly wise and learned men of your Realme And if it be found in all pointes agreeing to the veritie theÌ„ let it be so allowed and I therupon holden for none other then a true Christian. If it be proued otherwise then let it be vtterly coÌ„demned prouided alwayes that I be taught a better beliefe by the word of God and I shall most reuerently at all times obey therunto This briefe confession of this fayth the Lorde Cobham wrote as is mentioned afore and so tooke it with him to the court offering it withall meekenes vnto the kyng to read it ouer The king would in no case receaue it but coÌ„manded it to be deliuered vnto theÌ„ that should be his iudges Then desired he in the kinges presence that an hundred knightes and Esquiers might be suffered to come in vpon hys purgation which he knew woulde cleare hym of all heresies Moreouer he offered himselâ—e after the lawe of armes to fight for life or death in any man liuing Christen or heathen in the quarrell of hys fayth the king and the Lordes of hys Councell excepted Finally with all geÌ„tlenes he protested before all that were present that he wold refuse no maner of correction that shold after the lawes of God he ministred vnto him but that he would at al times with all meekenes obey it Notwithstanding all this the king suffered him to be sommoned personally in his owne priuy chamber Then sayd the Lord Cobham to the king that he had appeled from the
stand to the very death Other aunswere woulde he not geue that day wherwith the Bishops and Prelates were in a maner amased and wonderfully disquieted At the last the archbishop councelled agayne with hys other Bishops and Doctours and in the end therof declared vnto him what the holy Church of Rome following the saying of S. Augustine S. Hicrome S. Ambrose and of other holy Doctours had determined in these matters no maner of mention once made of Christ. Whiche determination sayth he ought all Christen men both to beleue and to follow Then sayd the Lord Cobham vnto him that he would gladly both beleue and obserue whatsoeuer holy church of Christes institution â—ad determined or yet whatsoeuer God had willed him either to beleue or to do But that the pope of Rome with his Cardinals Archbishops bishops and other prelates of that Churche had lawfull power to determine such matter as stoode not with his worde throughly that would he not he sayd at the time affirme With this that archbish had him to take good aduisement til the monday next following which was the 25. day of September and then iustly to aunswere specially vnto thys poynt whether there remayned materiall breade in the sacrament of the aulter after the wordes of consecration or not He promised him also to send vnto hym in writing those matters clearely determined that he might then be the more perfect in his answere making And all this was nought els but to blinde the multitude with somewhat The next day following according to his promise the Archbishop sent vnto hym into the Tower this foolishe and blasphemous writing made by him and by hys vnlearned Clergy * The determination of the Archbyshop and Clergy THe faith and determination of the holy Church touching the blisfull sacrament of the aultar is this that after the Sacramentall wordes be once spoken by a Priest in hys Masse the material bread that was before bread is turned into Christes very body And the materiall wine that was before wine is turned into Christes very bloud And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aulter from thenceforth no materiall bread nor materiall wine which were there before the Sacramentall wordes were spoken Now beleue ye this article Holy church hath determined that euery Christen man liuing here bodely vpon the erth ought to be shriuen to a priest ordeined by the Church if he may come to him Now feele ye this article Christ ordayned S. Peter the Apoistle to be his vicare here in earth whose sea is the holy churche of Rome And he graunted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter should succeed to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose power in Churches particuler be ordayned Prelates as Archbishops Byshops Parsons Curates and other degrees more Unto whom Christen men ought to obey after the laws of the church of Rome This is the determination of holy Church Howe feele ye this article Holy churche hath determined that it is meritorious to a christen man to go on pilgrimage to holy places And there specially to worship holy reliques and Images of Saintes Apostles and Martyrs Confessours all other Saintes besides approued by the church of Rome Howe feele ye this article And as the Lorde Cobham had reade ouer this most wretched writing he maruailed greatly of their mad ignorance But that he considered agayne that God had geuen them ouer for their vnbeliefes sake into most deepe errors blindnes of soule Agayne he perceiued hereby that their vttermost mallice was purposed agaynst him howsoeuer he should answere And therefore he put hys life into the handes of God desiring hys onely spirite to assiste hym in his next answere When the sayd xxv day of September was come whiche was also the Monday before Michaelmas in the sayd yeare of our Lord 1413. Thomas Arundell the Archbishop of Caunterbury commaunded his indiciall seate to be remoued from that chapter house of Paules to the Dominicke Friers within Ludgate at LondoÌ„ And as he was there set with Richard Byshop of London HeÌ„nry the Byshop of Winchester and Bennet the Byshop of Bangor He called in vnto him his counsell his officers with diuers other Doctours and Fryers of whome these are the names here following maister Henry ware the Officiall of Caunterbury Phillip Morgan Doctour of both lawes Howell Kiffin Doctor of the Canon lawe Iohn Kempe Doctor of the Canon lawe WilliaÌ„ Carleton Doctour of the Canon law Iohn WitnaÌ„ of the new College in Oxford Iohn Wighthead Doctor in Oxford also Rob. WoÌ„bewel Vicare of S. Laurence in the Iewry Thomas Palmer the Warden of Minors Robert Chamberlayne Prior of the Dominickes Richard Dodington Prior of the Augustines Thomas Walden Priour of the Carmelites all Doctours of Diuinitie Iohn Stephens also and Iames Cole both Notaryes appoynted there purposely to write all that shoulde be eyther sayd or done All these with a great sorte more of Priestes Monkes Chanons Friers Parishe Clerkes belryngers Pardoners disdayned him with innumerable mockes scornes reconing him to be an horrible hereticke and a man accussed afore God Anone the Archbishop called for a masse booke caused all those Prelates and Doctors to sweare there vpon that euery man should faythfully doe his office and duety that day And that neyther for fauour nor feare loue nor hate of the one party nor the other any thing should there be witnessed spoken or done but according to the truth as they wold answer before God all the world at the day of dome Then were the two foresayd Notaryes sworne also to wryte and to witnesse the processe that there shoulde be vttered on both parties and to say their mindes if they otherwise knew before they should register it And al this dissimulation was but to colour their mischiefes before the ignoraunt multitude Consider herein gentle reader what this wicked generation is and how far wide from the iust feare of God for as they were then so are they yet to this day After that came forth before them Syr Robert Morley Knight and lieftenant of the Tower and he brought with him yâ— good Lorde CobhaÌ„ there leauing him among them as a Lambe among wolues to his examination and aunswere * An other examination of the Lorde Cobham THen saide the archbishop vnto him Lord Cobham ye be aduised I am sure of the wordes processe which we had vnto you vpon Saterday last past in the chapterhouse of Paules which processe were nowe to long to be rehearsed agayne I said vnto you then that ye were accursed for your contumacie disobedience to holy Church thinking that ye should with meekenes haue desired your absolution Then spake the Lord Cobham with a chearful countenaunce and sayde God sayde by his holy Prophet Maledicam benedictionibus vestris whiche is as much
could by and by make men at his pleasure or els that he had Cadmus teeth to sowe to make so many harnest men to start vp at once But let vs consider yet further of these xx M. souldiours so sodenly without wages without vitall or other prouision coÌ„gregated together what they were froÌ„ wheÌ„ce out of what quarter countrey or couÌ„treys they came In an other kyngs dayes whensoeuer any rebellioÌ„ is against the king moued by the commons as when Iacke Straw and wat Tyler of Kent Essex rose in the tyme of kyng Richard 2. When William Mandeuill of Abingdon Iack Cade of Kent in the tyme of kyng Henry the 6. In the tyme of kyng Henry the 8. when the coÌ„motion was of rebels in Lyncolnshyre then in Yorkeshyre When in kyng Edward the 6. tyme Humfrey Arundell in Deuonshyre Captaine Kyte in Northfolke made styre against the king the couÌ„trey partes from whence these rebels did spring were both noted and also diffaimed In this so trayterous coÌ„motion therfore let vs now learne what meÌ„ these were and from what couÌ„trey or countreys in all England they came If they came out of any let the Chroniclers declare what countreys they were If they came out of none as none is named then let them come out of Outopia where belike this â—igment was first forged and inuented Wherfore seyng neither the countreys from whence they came nor yet the names of any of all these xx M. doe appeare what they were either in Chronicle or in recorde but remaine altogether vnknowen I leaue it gentle reader to thy iudgement to thinke thereupoÌ„ as thy wisedome shall lead thee It foloweth more in the foresaid preface And to destroy all other maner of estates of the same Realme of England as well spirituall as temporall c. By the course of this preamble it appeareth that the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle was a wonderfull cruell tirant and murderer who being not yet satisfied with the bloud of the king nor of the two Dukes his brethren would also make hauoke and swepestake of all maner of estates in the Realme of England What leaue no maner of estate aliue No neither Lord spiritual nor temporall but altogether should be destroied And what had all these estates done thus so miserably to be destroied Although percase the moode of this maÌ„ might haue bene incensed kindled against the king and the Lords spiritual by whom he had bene coÌ„demned as is aforesaid yet why should all other maner of other estates both spiritual and temporal be killed If none of all the estates in EnglaÌ„d neither Duke Earle Baron Lord Knight or other gentleman had bene his frend but all his enemies how then is it like that he hauing all the estates peeres nobles and gentlemen of the Realme against him and none to stand with him either could or durst attempt any commotioÌ„ against the whole power of the land he being but one gentleman onely with sir Roger Acton and maister Browne left alone At least good reasoÌ„ yet would that those hundreth Knightes should haue bin spared out of this bloudy slaughter whom he offred to produce vnto the king before for his purgation page 159. And finally if this was his purpose that all these estates both spiritual temporall should haue bin cut down what needed then that he should haue made himselfe a Regent when hee might as well haue made himselfe a king or what else he would being left then Prince alone The preamble as it began with vntruth and continued in the same figure heaping one vntruth vpon another so now endeth with another misreport as vntrue as the rest shewing declaring the intent of sir Iohn Oldcastle was also to destroy all maner of policie finally the lawes of the land c. We read of William CoÌ„querer otherwise named William Bastard who being a puisant Duke in his countrey wheÌ„ that the crown of EnglaÌ„d was alotted to him and he coÌ„ming ouer with all his peres nobles barons of his whole land into this Realme had with great difficulty obteined victorie against king Harold yet to alter and destroy the policy and the lawes of the land it passed his power Insomuch that it had not bin permitted vnto him to haue proceded so far as he did vnlesse he had first sworne to the nobles of this lande to retaine still the lawes of King Edward as he found them And albeit he afterward forsware himselfe breaking his othe in altering and changing many of the foresaid lawes yet wild he nild he could not so destroy them all for the which much war and great commotioÌ„s endured long after in the Realme but that he was constrained and also contented to allow and admit a great part of the said lawes of king Edward page 167. And if he being king and Conquerour with all his strength of Normands and Englishmen about him was too weake and insufficient to destroy all maner of policie and lawes of this land which he had conquered how much lesse then is it to be supposed that Sir Iohn Oldcastle being put a priuate subiect and a poore Knight and a condemned prisoner destitute and forsaken of al Lords Earles and Barons who to saue his owne life had more to do then he could well compasse would either take in hand or conceiue in his head anye such exployt after the subuersion of Christian faith and law of God after the slaughter of the king and of all maner of estates as well spirituall as temporall in the Realme of England after the desolation of holy Church to destroy also all maner of policie and finally the lawes of the land Which monstruous and incredible figment how true it may seeme to M. Cope or to some other late Chroniclers of the like credulitie I can not tell Certaine to me and as I thinke to all indifferent readers it appeareth as true as is the Uerse of the Satyre wherewith it may well be compared Nil intra est oleam nil extra est in nuce duri But heere will be sayd again perhaps that the matter of such preambles and prefaces being but pursuantes of statutes and containing but words of course to aggreuate and to geue a shew of a thing which they would to seeme more odible to the people is not so precisely to bee scande or exquisitely to be stand vpon as for the ground of a necessary case of trouth This is it M. Cope that I saide before and now doo well grant admit the same that such preambles or forefaces lyned with a non sequitur containyng in them matter but of surmise and wordes of course and rather monsters out of course and many tymes rising vpon false informatioÌ„ are not alwayes in themselues materiall or necessary probatioÌ„s in all pointes to be followed as appeareth both by this statute also by the statute of this kynges father an 2. Heur 4. chap. 15. beginnyng
worse of all it is Debacchari in immerentes Because that Deus ipse vltionum Dominus Many times taketh theyr cause in hand according as it is written Opprobria opprobantium tibi cecidersit in me i. The rebukes of thy rebukers fell vpon me And seldome haue I seene any suche blasphemous raylers agaynst the ende or punishment of Gods saintes and seruauntes without great repentaunce to come to anye good â—nd themselues And admit this as graunted vnto you M. Cope that these meÌ„ had bene traitors which ye are not able to proue Well they had their punishment therefore the worlde can go no further what would you haue more Who and if they repented why may they not haue as good part in Christes kingdome as your selfe Now forsomuch as the sayd persons also suffering a double punishement were so constant in the way of trueth and most principally for the same were persecuted and chiefly therfore brought to them death that part of example because I sawe it pertayne to the profite of the church why might I not insert it with other church storyes in my booke Let the churche take that which belongeth to the churche Let the worlde take that which to the world pertaineth and go no further And if ye thinke it much that I would exemplifie these whome you call traytors in the booke of marty is first ye â—hust vnderstand that I wrote no suche booke bearing the title of the booke of Martyrs I wrote a booke called the Actes and Monumentes of thinges passed in the church c. Wherin many other matters be contayned beside the martyrs of Christ. But this peraduenture moueth your 〈◊〉 that in the Callendar I name them for martyrs And why may I not in my CaleÌ„dar cal them by the name of martyrs which were faythfull witnesses of Christes truth and Testament for the which they were also chiefly brought vnto that cud Or why may I not call them holy shyntes whome Christ hath sanctified with hys blessed bloud And what if I shold also call the theefe and murderer hanging on the right side of the Lord by the name of an holy sainct and confessour for hys witnessing of the Lord what can mayster Cope say agaynst it And as for colouring the names of certaine Martirs in the sayd Calendare in read or scarlet letters althoughe that pertayneth nothing to me whiche was as pleased the Painter or Printer yet if that be it that so muche breaketh pacience why rather doth he not expostulate in thys behalfe with the great saynt maker of rome who hath readed them much more then euer did I. For he did red and dyed them with theyr owne bloude where as I did but onely colour them with redde letters And thus for matter of my Calendar enough Proceeding now out of the Calendar vnto the booke where hee chargeth me with so many lyes impudencies vanities deprauations and vntruthes it remayneth likewise I cleare my self answering first to those lyes and vntruthes which to the story of sir Roger Acton sir Iohn Oldcastle do appertain And after to other particulars as in order of my booke doe follow And first where he layeth against me whole heapes and cartlodes I cannot tel how many of lyes and falsities I here briefly answere maister Cope agayne or what English Harpesseld els soeuer lieth couered vnder this English Cope that if a lye be after the definition of S. Augustine whatsoeuer thing is pronouÌ„ced with the intent to deceaue an other then I protest to you mayster Cope and to all the world there is neuer a lie in all my booke What the intent and custome is of the papistes to doe I cannot tell for mine owne I will say although many other vices I haue yet froÌ„ thys one I haue alwayes of nature abhorred wittingly to deceaue any maÌ„ or childe so neare as I could much lesse the church of God whom I with all my hart do reuerence and with feare obey And therefore among diuers causes that haue wythdrawne my minde from the Papistes faction almost there is none greater then thys because I see them so little geueÌ„ to truth so farre from all serious feeling and care of sincere religion so full of false pretenced hipocrisie and dissimulation so litle regarding the church of Christ in their inward hartes which they so much haue in theyr mouthes so as vnder the title thereof they may hold vp theyr own estate Otherwise so little reuerence they yeld to the true honorable church of Iesus the sonne of God that with vnworthy and rascall ministers they take into it they passe not what fictions what lyes and fables what false miracles and absurde forgeries they inuent to delude it they care not I speake not of all Some there be of that sect vnfayned in coÌ„sciences and more religious and better disposed natures onely of simple ignoraunce deceaued But such commonly haue bene be the chiefe guides and leaders of the Papistes Churche that little true care and small zeale hath appeared in them toward the churche of Christ not muche regarding what corruption encreased therein so that there commodities might not decrease Thus out of this fountayne haue gushed out so many prodigious lyes in Churche Legendes in Saintes liues in monkishe â—ictions in fabulous miracles in false and forged Reliques as in peeces of the holye crosse in the bloud of hales in our Ladies milke in the nails of Christ which they make to a great number Likewise in their false and blind errours corrupt doctrines absurd inuentions repugnant to the truth of the worde Item in their bastard bookes forged Epistles their Apocripha and Pseudopigrapha Here commeth in their forged Canons theyr foysting and cogging in ancient councels decrees as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Canons of the Apostles if those Canons were the Apostles Excepta Romana â—ede foysted into the decrees by Gratianus also the cogging in a false Canon to the councell of Nice for the mayntenaunce of the sea of Rome as appeareth in the 6. Synode of Carthage Here commeth in also the Epistles of Clement and other sondry epistles Decretall which as they are no doubt falsly inserted bâ— other so are they the welhead of many superstitious traditions oppressing this day the churche of Christ. To speake moreouer of the liturges of S. Iames of Chrisostome and other of the first masse sayde by sainct Peter at Rome and that S. Peter â—ate 25. yeares Byshop of Rome To speake also of the works of Augustine Ambrose â—ierome and Gregorye what doctour or famous writer hath there bene in the churche vnder whose name some counterfayted bookes haue not falsely bene fathered and yet stand still authorised vnder their patronage to the great detriment of the churche What shoulde I speake of Abdias Amphilochius Dionysius Areopagita The Dialoges of Gregory which falsely to this day haue ben ascribed to Gregory the first where in deede they were
number if thorough me it should come to passe that those things which they haue hetherto knowne to bee most certaine and sure should now be made vncertaine Should I by this my example astonish or trouble so manye soules so manye consciences endewed with the most firme and certaine knowledge of the Scriptures and Gospell of our Lord Iesu Christ and his most pure doctrine armed against all the assaults of Satan I will neuer do it neither commit any such kinde of offence that I shoulde seeme more to esteeme this vile carcas appoynted vnto death then their health and saluation At this most godly worde he was forced againe to heare by the consent of the Bishops that hee did obstinately and maliciously perseuere in his pernicious and wicked errours Then he was commanded to come downe to the execution of his iudgement and in his comming downe one of the seauen Bishops afore rehearsed firste tooke awaye the chalice from him which he helde in his hand saieng O cursed Iudas why hast thou forsakeÌ„ the counsell waies of peace and hast counsailed with the Iewes we take away froÌ„ thee this chalice of thy saluation But Iohn Hus receiued this curse in this maner but I trust vnto God the father omnipotent and my Lorde Iesus Christ for whose sake I do suffer these things that hee will not take away the chalice of his redemption but haue a stedfast and firme hope that this day I shall drinke thereof in his kingdome Then followed the other Bishops in order which euery one of them tooke away the vestiments from him which they had put on eche one of them geuing hym their curse Whereunto Iohn Hus answered that hee did willingly embrace and beare those blasphemies for the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. At the last they came to the rasing of his shauen crowne But before the Bishops would go in hand with it there was a great contention betweene them with what instrument it should be done with a rasour or with a paire of sheares In the meane season Iohn Hus turning himselfe toward the Emperour saide I maruell that forsomuch as they be all of like cruell minde and stomacke yet they can not agree vpon their kinde of crueltie Notwithstanding at the last they agreed to cut off the skinne of the crowne of his head with a paire of sheares And when they had done that they added these words now hath the Church taken away all her ornaments and priuilegies from hym Now there resteth nothing else but that he be deliuered ouer vnto the secular power But before they did that there yet remained another knacke of reproch For they caused to be made a certaine crowne of paper almost a cubite deepe in the which were painted three deuils of wonderfull ougly shape and this title set ouer their heads Heresiarcha The which when he saw he sayde My Lord Iesus Christ for my sake did weare a crowne of thorne why should not I then for his sake againe weare thys light crowne be it neuer so ignominious Truly I will do it and that willingly When it was set vpon his head the Bishops saide now we commit thy soule vnto the deuill But I sayde Iohn Husse lifting his eies vp towardes the heauens doo commit my spirite into thy handes O Lord Iesu Christ vnto thee I commend my spirit which thou hast redeemed These contumelious opprobries thus ended the Bishops turning themselues towards the Emperour said This most sacred Synode of Constance leaueth now Iohn Husse which hath no more any office or to do in the Church of God vnto the ciuill iudgement and power Then the Emperour commaunded Lodouicus Duke of Bauaria which stoode before him in his robes holding the golden apple with the crosse in his hande that he should receiue Iohn Husse of the Byshops and deliuer him vnto them which should do the execution By whome as hee was led to the place of execution before the Church doores hee sawe his bookes burning whereat hee smiled and laughed And all men that he passed by he exhorted not to thinke that he should dye for any errour or heresie but only for the hatred and ill will of his aduersaries which had charged him wyth most false and vniust crime All the whole Citie in a maner being in armour followed him The place appointed for the execution was before the gate Gorlebian betweene the gardens and the gates of the suburbs When as Iohn Husse was come thether kneeling downe vpon his knees and lifting his â—ies vp vnto heauen he praied and saide certaine Psalmes and specially the 50. and 31. Psalmes And they which stoode by heard him oftentimes in his praier with a merrie and chearefull countenance repeate this versâ— Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit c. Which thâ—â—g when the lay people beheld which stood next vnto him they said what he hath done afore wee knowe not but now wee see and heare that hee doth speake and pray very deuoutely and godly Othersome wished that he had a Confessor There was a certaine Priest by sitting on horsebacke in a greene gowne drawne about with red silke which said he ought not to be heard because he is an hereticke Yet notwithstanding whilest he was in prison he was both confessed and also absolued by a certaine Doctour a Monke as Hus himselfe doth witnes in a certaine Epistle which he wrote vnto his frendes out of prison Thus Christ raigneth vnknowne vnto the world euen in the middest of his enimies In the meane time whilest he praied as he bowed his necke backward to looke vpward vnto heauen the crowne of paper fell off from his head vpon the grounde Then one of the souldiours taking it vp againe said let vs put it againe vpon his head that he may bee burned with his maisters the diuels whome he hath serued ¶ The description of the burning of Iohn Hus contrary to the safeconduict graunted vnto hym Then was the fire kindled and Iohn Hus began to sing with a loud voice Iesu Christ the sonne of the liuing God haue mercy vpon me And when he began to say the same the third time the winde droue the flame so vpon his face that it choked him Yet notwithstanding he mooued a while after by the space that a man might almost say three times the Lordes prayer When all the wood was burned and consumed the vpper parte of the body was left hanging in the chaine the which they throwe downe stake and all and making a newe fire burned it the heade being first cut in small gobbets that it might the sooner be consumed vnto ashes The heart which was founde amongest the bowels being well beaten with staues and clubbes was at last pricked vppon a sharpe sticke and roasted at a fire a parte vntill it was consumed Then with great diligence gathering the ashes together they cast them into the riuer of Rhene that the least
this present committing the foresayd iniuryes vnto God vnto whom vengeance perteyneth who will also aboundantly reward workers of iniquity will prosecute them more amply before him whom God shall appoynt in the Apostolicke sea to gouerne his holy Churche as the onely and vndoubted Pastour Vnto whom God willing we exhibiting our due reuerence obedience as faythfull children in those things which are lawfull honest and agreeable to reason and the law of God wil make our request and petition that speedy remedy may be prouided for vs our sayde kingdome and Marquesdome vpon the premises according to the law of our Lord Iesus Christ and the institutions of the holy fathers The premises notwithstanding we setting apart all feare and mens ordinances prouided to the contrary will maynetayne and defend the law of our Lord Iesus Christ and the deuout humble and constant preachers thereof euen to the shedding of our bloud Dated at Sternberg in the yeare of our Lord. 1415. vpon S. Wēceslaus day Martyr of our Lord Iesu Christ. Round about the sayd letters there were 54. Seales hanging and their names subscribed whose Seales they were The names of which noble men I thought it good here to annext with all partly for the more credite of that hath bene sayd partly also for examples sake to the intent that our noble men and gentlemen in this our Realme of England now liuing in this cleare light of the Gospell may by their example vnderstand that if they ioyne themselues with the Gospell of Iesus zealouslye and as they should do yet are they neither the first nor the most that so haue done before them if not yet the trueth may here remayne in the story to theyr shame or els to theyr instruction seing so many noble and worthy gentlemen within the small kingdome of Bohemia to be so forward in those so darcke dayes and among so many enemyes 200. yeares agoe to take part with Christ And yet our Gentlemē here in such long cōtinuance of time being so diligētly taught are neyther in number nor in zeale to thē to be compared but will still take part contrary both to Christ and to the example of these nobles whose names they may see read here folowing 1 Alssokabat de Wiscowitz 2 Vlricus de Lhota 2 Ioan de Ksimicz 4 Iossko de sczitowicz 5 Paerdus Zwiranowicz 6 Ioan. de Ziwla 7 Ioā de Reychēberg 8 Wildo Skitzyny 9 Drliko de Biela 10 Kos de Doloylatz 11 Ioan de Simusin 12 Dobessim ' de Tissa 13 Drazko de Aradeck 14 Steph. de Hmodorkat 15 Ioan Dern de Gabonecx 16 Barso dictus Hloder de Zeinicz 17 Ioan Hmrsdorfar 18 Psateska de Wilklek 19 Petrus Mg de Sczitowicy 20 N. Studenica 21 N. Brischell 22 N. de Cromassona 23 Arannisick Donant de Poloniae 24 Ioan. Donant de Poloniae 25 Ioan. de Cziczow 26 Wenceslaus de N. 27 N. de N. 28 N.N. 29 Iosseck de N. 30 Henricus de N. 31 Waczlals de kuck  This noble man did accompanye Hus and with certain horsemen conducte him to Constance 32 Henr. de Zrenowicz 33 Baczko de Cōuald 34 Petr. dictus Nienick de zaltoroldeck 35 Czēko de Mossnow 36 N. 37 Zibilutz de Clezā 38 Ioan. de Peterswald 39 Parsifal de Namyescz 40 Zodoni de Zwietzick 41 Raczeck Zawskalp 42 Ion de Tossawicz 43 Diwa de Spissnia 44 Steffko de Draczdw 45 Issko de Draczdw 46 Odich de Hlud 47 Wosfart de Paulowicz 48 Pirebbor de Tire zenicz 49 Rynard de Tyrczewicz 50 Bohunko de Wratisdow 51 Vlricus de Racdraw 52 Deslaw de Nali 53 Bonesb de Frabenicz 54 Eybl de Roissowan After these things thus declared and discoursed cōcerning the history of Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage the order of place and countrye next woulde require consequently to infer and comprehend the great troubles perturbations which happened after vpō the death of these men in the coūtry of Boheme but the order of time calleth me backe first to other matters here of our owne country which passed in the meane time with vs in England Which things being taken by the way and finished we will christ willing afterward returne to the tractation hereof to prosecute the troubles and conflictes of the Bohemians with other things beside perteyning to the latter end of the coūcell of constance and chosing of Pope Martin as the order of yeares and time shall require Ye heard before pag. 588. how after the death of Thomas Arundell Archb. of Caunt succeeded Henry Chichesley an 1414. and sate 25. yeres In whose time was much trouble and great affliction of good mē here in England of whom many were compelled to abiure some we burned diuers were driuē to exile Wherof partly now to entreat as we finde them in registers historyes recorded we will first begin with Iohn Claydon Currier of Londō Richard Turming whom Rob. Fabian doth falsly affirm to be burned in the yeare where in Syr Roger Acton and M. Browne suffered who in deed suffered not before the secōd yeare of Henry Chichesley being Archb. of Caunt whiche was an 1413. The history of which Iohn Claydon in the Registers is thus declared The story of Iohn Claydon Currier and of R. Turming Baker THe 17. of August 1415. did personally appeare I. Claydon Currier of London arrested by the Mayor of the sayd City for the suspition of heresy before Henry Archbishop of Caunterbury in Saynt Paules Church whiche Iohn being obiected to him by the Archbishop that in the City of London other places of the prouince of Canterbury he was suspected by diuers godly and learned mē for heresy and to be contrary to the catholick fayth and determinatiō of the church did openly confesse and denyed not but that he had bene for the space of xx yeres suspected both about the City of London also in the prouince of Caunt and specially of the common sort for Lollardy and heresy to be contrary to the catholick fayth and determination of the church of Rome and defamed of the same all the tyme aforesayd In so much that in the time of M. Robert Braybrooke B. of London deceased he was for the space of two yeares commaunded to the prison of Conwey for the foresayd defamation and suspition and for the same cause also he was in prison in the fleete for 3. yeares Out of which prison he in the raigne of King Henry the 4. was brought before Lord Iohn Scarle then Chauncellor to the king there did abiure all heresy and errour And the sayd Iohn Claydon being asked of the sayd Archbishop whither he did abiure the heresye of which he was suspect before any other did confesse that in a Conuocation at London in Paules Church before Thomas Arundell late Archbishop deceased he did abiure all such doctrine which they called heresy and error contrary to the Catholick fayth and determination of the Church and that he had
false crueltie And therefore the foresaide Synode to the glory of almighty God and preseruation of his catholicke faith and augmenting of Christian religion and for the saluation of mens soules hath corporally reiected and cast forth of the houshold of God the foresaid I. Wicklieffe I. Hus and Ierome who amongst other things did beleeue preach teach and maintaine of the Sacrament of the aultar and other sacrameÌ„ts of the church articles of the faith coÌ„trary to that the holy Church of Rome beleueth holdeth preacheth and teacheth haue presumed obstinately to preach teach hold and beleue many other moe to the damnation of themselues and of others and the sayde Synode hath separated the same as obstinate and malipert heretickes from the Communion of the faithfull people and haue declared them to be spiritually throwne forth and many other things both wholesome profitable hath the same Councell as touching the premisses stablished and decreed whereby they which by the meanes of those Arch-heretikes and by their false doctrine haue spiritually departed from the Lords house may by the canonicall rules be reduced to the straight path of truth and veritie And moreouer as we to our great griefe do heare not only in the kingdome of Bohemia and Dukedome of Morauia and other places aboue recited but also in certaine parts and prouinces neere adioining and bordering vpon the same there be many other of the secretaries and followers of the foresayd Archheritickes and hereticall opinions casting behind their backes as well the feare of God as the shame of the world neither receiuing fruit of conuersion repentaunce by the miserable destruction of the foresayde Iohn Hus and Hierome but as men drowned in the dungeon of their sinnes cease not to blaspheme the Lord God taking his name in vayne whose minds the father of lies hath damnably blinded and do read and study the foresaid bookes or workes contayning heresies erroures being lately by the foresayd Synode condeÌ„ned to be burned also to the perill of themselues and many other simple men against the statutes decrees and ordinaunces in the Synode aforesayd and the Canonicall sanctions do presume to preach teach the same to the great perill of soules the derogation of the Catholicke fayth and sclaunder of many other besides We therfore considering that errour when it is not relisted seemeth to be allowed and liked and hauing a desire to resist such euill and pernicious errours and vtterly roote them out from amongst the companie of faythfull christians especially froÌ„ the afore recited places of Bohemia Morauia and other straights and Ilands ioyning and bordering vpon the same least they shold stretch out enlarge their â—â—â—ites we will and commaund your discretions by our letters Apostolicall the holy Councell of CoÌ„stance approuing and allowing the same that you that are Archbishops Bishops and other of the clergy and euery one of you by himself or by an other or others being graue and fit persons to haue spirituall iurisdiction do see that al and singuler persons of what dignitie office preeminence state or conditioÌ„ so euer they be and by what name soeuer they are knowne which shall presume otherwise to teache preach or obserue touching the most high and excelent the most wholesome and superadmirable Sacrament of the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe or els of the Sacrament of Baptisme confession of sinnes penaunce for sins and extreme vnction or els of any other Sacramentes of the Church articles of the faith then that which the right holy vniuersall church of Rome doth hold teach preach obserue or els that shall presume obstinately by any wayes or meanes priuily or apertly to hold beleue and teach the Articles bookes or doctrine of the foresayd Archhereticks Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hieronimus of Prage being by the foresayd Synode of Constaunce with theyr authours as is sayd damned and condemned or dare presume publikly or priuily to allow or commend in any wise the death and end of the said archheretiks or of any other their receiuers ayders and fauourers in the fauour or supportation of the foresayd errors as also their beleuers and adherentes that then as before you see and cause them and euery of them to be most seuerly punished that you iudge and geue sentence vpon them as hereticks and that as arrant hereticks you leaue them to the secular court or power Let the receiuers also and fauourers and defenders of such most pestiferous persons notwtstanding they neyther beleue fauour nor haue deuotion towardes their errors but happely shal receaue or entertain such pestiferous persons because of carnall affection or friendly loue besides the punishmene due vnto theÌ„ by both lawes ouer and aboue the same punishment by competent iudges be so afflicted for so haynous actes of theirs with so seuere payn punishment excruciated that the same may be to other in like case offending an example of terrour that at the least those whome the feare of God by no meanes may reuoke from such euill doing yet the seueritie of this our discipline may force and constrayne As touching the third sort which shal be any maner of wayes infected with this damnable sect and shall after coÌ„petent admonition repeÌ„t and amend themselues of such errours and sectes aforesayd and will returne agayn into the lap and vnitie of our holy mother the Churche fully acknowledge and confesse the Catholike fayth towardes them let the seueritie of iustice as the quallitie of the facte shall require be somewhat tempered with a tast of mercy And furthermore we will and command that by thys our authoritie Apostolicall ye exhort and admonish al the professours of the catholicke fayth as Emperours kings Dukes Princes Marquesses Earles Barons Knights and other Magistrates Rectors Consuls Proconsuls Shires Countries and Uniuersities of the kingdomes Prouinces Cities otwnes Castles villages their lands other places al other executing teÌ„poral iurisdiction according to the form exigence of the law that they expell out of their kingdoms prouincies Cities towns castles villages lands other places al all maner of suche heretickes according to the effect and tenour of the Councell of Laterane beginning Sicut ait ecclesia c. that those whom publikely and manifestly by the euidence of their deedes shall be knowne to be such as like sicke and scabed sheepe infect the Lords flock they expell and banish till such tyme as from vs or you or els other ecclesiasticall iudges or Inquisitours holding the fayth and communion of the holye church of Rome they shall receiue other order and countermaund and that they suffer no such within theyr shyres and circuites to preach or to keepe either house or familye either yet to vse any handicrafte or occupations or other trades of merchaundise or els to solace themselues anye wayes or frequent the company of Christen men And furthermore if suche publike and knowne heretiques shall
thinges are worthy of euerlasting death And if yewill not determine to do any other thing then to fight against vs then will we take the Lord to our helpe and his trueth we will defend it to the death we will not be afraid for the excommunicatioÌ„ or curse of the Pope or his cardinals or of the bishops because we know that yâ— Pope is not god as he maketh himselfe that he can curse and excommunicate when he will or blesse when he will who hath now these many yeares cursed and excoÌ„munited vs yet notwithstanding God and his gratious blessing hath bene our helpe But peradueÌ„ture ye wil say that though we see that bishops and priests be euill wicked yet we caÌ„not lacke them for who should baptise our children who should heare confessions minister the holy sacraments and then also we should be wtin the excommunication of the pope of his bishops Welbeloued ye nede to take no care for these matters The excoÌ„municating of the Pope hurteth you nothing Feare ye the excommunicating of God and the Lorde wil prouide for those things wel enough If ye would banish euil bishops and priests ye shuld haue good priestes which shuld baptise your children heare coÌ„fessions and minister the holy mysteries bicause when the deuill is banished then place is made for the holy ghost So when yll bishops and priestes shall be banished then place shal be made for good priestes bishops Also your bishops and priests say that we are miscreants and hereticks that we beleue not on purgatory vpoÌ„ the virgine Mary nor vpon the sayntes wherein they say ill for we will proue by the holy scripture that we know better by Gods grace how we ought to beleue vpon Purgatory vpon Mary the mother of our Lord vppon hys welbeloued saints theÌ„ they can tell vs. Also they say that we wil not be obedieÌ„t vnto the P. Truly when he shal be come holy and iust then we know well that we ought to be obedient to him in al things and not before They say also that we destroy Gods holy seruice in that we destroy monasteries banishing thence the wicked Monkes and Nunnes Truely we dyd it thinking once that they were holy that they did the reuerend seruice of god but after that we well perceiued and considered their lyfe works then we perceiued that they were false lowly hipocrites and wicked builders on high and sellers of pardoÌ„s and masses for the dead and such as deuoured in themselues the sinnes of the people And where as they sayd that they rise at midnight when other men slâ—epe and pray for the sins of the people forasmuch as their selling of their praiers and masses for the dead for gifts is no better then hipocrisie and heresie therfore if we do speake agaynst them and destroy their monasteries we do not therin destroy the seruice of God but rather the seruice of the deuill and the schooles of heretickes And if ye knew them as we know them ye would as diligently destroy them as we do For Christ our Lord did not ordayn anysuch order therfore it must needs come to pas that shortly it shal be destroyd as our lord saith in the Gospel of S. Mathew the 15. chapter Euery plant whiche my father hath not planted shal be rooted vp We desire you also that ye woulde dilligently consider the articleâ— here written wherein your bishops and priestes are guilty The 1. article is that when your bishops will ordaine priests they do it not except he yâ— is to be made priest haue sufficient liuing eyther inheritance left him of hys parents or of benefices wheras notwithstanding Christ wold that priestes should be poore forasmuch as it is enough for the scholar to be as his maister is and for the seruaunt to be as his Lord is and the bishops wil that they should be rich v vpon earth which is vniust before the Lord. The 2. article is that bishops take mony of such as are to be ordained but S. Peter did therfore sharply rebuke Simon Magus when he would haue geuen him mony as it is written in the 8. of the actes The 3. article is that they that come to be priestes enter into priesthoode not for gods seruice sake because they mean to preach and encrease it among the ChristiaÌ„ people so as the people may be edified and made better but rather for an idle life and that they may eate well and drinke wel and that they may be honoured and reuereÌ„ced vpon earth For euery one wayteth vpon hys priest as a theefe and a robber as Iohn writeth in his x. thap The 4. article is of excommunication which the Pope and all his priestes take to themselues and therwith fetter bind all Christian people as they will and they thinke that whosoeuer they excommunicate or curse hee is accursed and excommunicate before God And we wil proue by the holy Scripture that they themselues are excommunicate accursed before God because they kepe not the commaundement of the loue of God wherof the Apostle writeth in that 1. to the Cor. the 16. chap. If any man loueth not our Lorde Iesus Christ he is excommunicate in the day of the comming of the Lord. For they cannot excommunicate you who are already bound and excommunicate before God hys saintes and therefore why feare ye their excommunication The 5 Article is that they take gifts for to pray for the dead and to say masse for theyr soules This is a wickednes and heresie before the Lord all they that contribute to them to this end do wickedly for that hereby priests become merchantes of prayers and of masses and herewyth is all the church of Rome poysoned and defiled For if they would pray for the dead and say masse for their soules yet no man ought to hire theÌ„ thereto forasmuch as they ought to take no giftes neither little nor great And euery one that taketh rewardes to this end to redeeme soules out of purgatory do therwithal cast their own soules down into hel And they that geue any thing to that end doe altogether lose yâ— which they geue And with such deuilishe subâ—lety yâ— Pope with all his priestes hath deceiued spoyled and disherited kinges princes Lordes and knights good housholders and many other of their lawful inheritaunces because their ancestors progenitours gaue it to Colledges monasteries churches that they might make memorials of theÌ„ to sing or say prayers or masses for their soules that they might be redeemed out of Purgatorye And wyth such goodes Byshops Canons and Monasteries haue made themselues so riche that now they fall at variaunce with cities princes wheras they should procure peace betwixt cities and rulers there they are the first that begin warre and as long as they haue such goodes they wil neuer cease to be at strife
neuer confesse her selfe to any priest neyther obey him because they haue no power to absolue any man from theyr sinnes for that they offeÌ„d dayly more greeuously then other men and therefore that men ought to confesse themselues onely vnto God and to no priest Item the said Margery said to this deponent that the people did worship deuils which fell froÌ„ heauen with Lucifer which deuils in theyr fall to the earth entred into the Images which stand in the Churches and haue long lurked dwelled in theÌ„ so that the people worshipping those Images commit Idolatry Item she sayd more to this deponent that holy bread holy water were but triâ—es of no effect or force that the belles are to be cast out of the Church and that they are excommunicate which first ordeined them Moreouer that she should not be burned although she were conuict of Lollardy for that she had a charter of saluation in her body Also the sayd deponent sayth that Agnes Bethem her seruant being sent to the house of the sayd Margery the Saterday after AshweÌ„sday the said Margery not being wtin found a brasse pot standing ouer the fire with a piece of baken and Otemeate sething in it as it is said Agnes reported to this deponent There were also besides this deponent diuers other worne and examined vpon the sayde Margery as Iohn Brunley and Agnes BertheÌ„ seruauntes to William Clistand which altogether confirmed the former depositions Thus much we haue thought good to note as concerning Margery Backster which we haue gathered out of the old monumentes and registers But what became of her after this her accusation because we finde no mention made in the sayd registers we are not able to declare The same yeare also were the like depositions made by one William Wright agaynst diuers good men as here foloweth First this deponent sayth that William Taylor tolde Iohn Piry of Ludney in the house of Iohn Bungay of Beghton in the presence of I. Bungay Robert Brigges wright of Martham and Iohn Usher that all the good men of Martham which were fauorers helpers to that good man William White are euill troubled now a dayes and that the sayd William White was a good holy doctor and that the best doctor after him was William Euerden whiche wrought with the sayde William Taylour of Ludney by the space of one moneth and that the first Sonday of the same moneth the sayd William Euerden did sit all day vpon the table at worke saying to the sayd William Taylor that he would not go to Church to shew hymselfe a Scribe or Pharisy and the second sonday he put on Gentle mans apparell and went to Norwiche to harken how the Byshop and his ministers vsed the poore Christians there in prison Also the sayd William Wright deposed that Willyam Taylour of Ludney was one of the secte went to London with Syr Hue Pye and had conuersation ofteÌ„times with Syr William White hauing often conference vpon the Lollardes doctrine Item that Auise wife of Thomas Moone is of the same sect and fauored them and receiueth them often and also the daughter of Thomas Moone is partly of the same sect and can read English Item that Richard Fletcher of Beckils is a most perfect doctor in that sect and can very well and perfectly expound the holy Scriptures hath a booke of the new law in English which was Syr Hughe Pyes first IteÌ„ that Nicolas Belward sonne of Iohn Belward dwelling in the parishe of Southelham is one of the same sect and hath a new Testament which he bought at London for 4. markes and 40. pence and taught the sayd William Wright and Margery his wife and wrought wyth them continually by the space of one yere and studied diligently vpon the sayd new Testament IteÌ„ that Thomas Bremner Turner of Dychingame is perfect in that sect and law Iohn Clarke the younger of Bergh had the beddinge and apparell of William Euerden in his custody after the returne of William White from Bergh and is of the same secte Item William Bate Taylour of Sething and hys wife and his sonne whiche can reade Englishe very well are of the same sect Item William Skiruing of Sething receiued Ioane the wife of W. White into his house being brought thither by William Euerden after theyr departure from Martham Item William Osborne of Sething I. Reue glouer and Bawdwin Cooper of Beckels are of the same sect Item Iohn Pert late seruaunt of Thomas Moone is of the same secte and can read well did read in the presence of William White and was the first that brought Sir Hugh Pye into the company of the Lollardes which assembled oftentimes together at the house of the sayd Tho. Moone and there conferred vpon theyr doctrine Item Syr Hugh Pye bequeathed to Alice seruaunt to William White a new Testament which they then called the booke of the new law was in the custody of Oswald Godfrey of Colchester Iohn Perker Mercer of a village by Ipswitch is a famous Doctour of that secte Also he sayd that father Abraham of Colchester is a good man Item the sayd William Wright deposeth that it is read in the Prophesies amonges the Lollardes that the sect of Lollardes shal be in a maner destroyed Notwithstanding at the length the Lollards shall preuayle and haue the victory agaynst all theyr enemyes Also he sayd that Tucke knoweth all of that Sect in Suffolke Norfolke and Essex Besides these there were many other â—he same yeare troubled whose names being before expressed in the table of Norfolke men here for breuityes sake we omit further to untreat of passing ouer to the next yere folowing which was 1430. Ex Regist. Norw IOhn Burrell seruaunt to Thomas Moone of Ludney in the Dioces of Norwiche was apprehended and arrested for heresy the 9. day of December in this yeare of our Lord 1430. and examined by Mayster William Bernam the Bishops commissary vpon the articles before mentioned and diuers others hereafter following obiected agaynst him In primis that the Catholicke Churche is the soule of euery good Christen man Item that no man is bounde to fast the Lent or other fasting dayes appoynted by the Church for they were not appoynted by God but ordeyned by the priestes and that euery man may eat flesh or fish vpon the same dayes indifferently according to his own will euery friday is a free day to eat both flesh and fish indifferently Item that pilgrimage ought not to be made but onely vnto the poore Item that it is not lawefull to sweare but in case of life and death Item that Masses and prayers for the deade are but vayne for the soules of the dead are eyther in heaueÌ„ or hell and there is none other place of purgatory but this world UpoÌ„ the which Articles he being coÌ„uict was
sinne For when as the Church doth containe all men which are called Christiās which also do agree come together in one beliefe of faith and participation of the Sacraments I do feare least some men will thinke that I do affirme all mē to be without sinne which is so far frō my meaning that I do verely thinke the cōtrary to be most true For I suppose that there is no man in the Church being clothed in this mortall flesh without sinne Neither do these things vary or dissent among themselues For the Church hath this gift that albeit euery part and mēber therof may sin yet the whole body can not sinne For there bee alwayes good men in the Church the which albeit that they be subiect vnto humaine fragilitie notwithstāding they haue so perfect a gift of sincere and pure vertue that subduing all carnall desires and affectiōs they keep themselues a pleasant and acceptable sacrifice vnto God Neither do I consent or agree vnto the opiniō of diuers which affirme that the Virgin Mary onely perseuered in faith at the Lordes passion Whereupon diuers haue not bene ashamed to say that the faith might be so debilitate and weakened that it should returne to one only old woman Whose opinion or rather madnes Saint Paule seemeth opēly to reiect writing thus vnto the Romaines do ye not know saith he what the Scripture writeth of Helias how incessantly he called vpon God against the childrē of Israell saieng O Lord they haue slayne thy Prophets and digged downe thine aultars and I alone am left and they seeke after my soule But what answere receiued he of God I haue left vnto my self yet vij M. men which haue not bowed their knees vnto Baal What other thing doth this answere of God declare then that it is a foolish opiniō of them which thinke the Church of God to be brought vnto so small number We ought to beleeue the words of Christ which are altogether repugnāt vnto those mē who affirme the the Virgine onely did perseuere in faith For Iesus sayd vnto his Father O holy father saue thē in thy name whome thou hast geuen me that they may be one as we are one Whē I was with them I kept them in thy name I haue kept them that thou gauest vnto me and none of them perished but onely the sonne of perdition And I do not desire that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest preserue them from euill Beholde Christ praieth that his disciples shoulde not fall but should be preserued from euill and he so praieng without doubt is heard for he saith in another place I know the thou hearest me But how is he heard if all those for whome he praieth swarned at the time of his passion As for example By what meanes did Christ hanging vpō the Crosse commende his dearely beloued mother vnto Iohn if so be he were either then swarued or should by and by after haue swarued from the faith Moreouer did not the Centurion by and by cry out and say truly this is the sonne of God The Iewes also which at that time were farre distant from Ierusalem might both be called faithfull and also saued by their faith seeing that as the Apostle sayth men are bound vnto the Gospell after it is once knowne and reuealed vnto them But let vs leaue these men and speake of that which is more likely and let vs iudge that there hath bin and is a great number of good mē in the Church and by thē as by the more worthy part let vs name the Church holy and immaculate the whyche doth comprehend as well the euill as the good For the Church is compared vnto a net which is cast into the sea and gathereth together all kinde of fishes And agayne it is compared vnto a King which made a marriage for his sonne and sent forth his seruantes to call those which were bidden vnto the wedding and they gathered together good euill as many as they could finde Wherfore their opinion is erroneus which affirme that only good men be comprehēded in the Church the which if it were true it would confound all things neither could we vnderstand or know where the Church were But for so much as the Scripture saith no man knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred their opiniō is more to be alowed truer which include all the faithfull in the Church of whom although a great part be geuen to voluptuousnes and auarice yet some notwithstāding are cleane frō deadly sinne The which part as it is the most worthy it geueth the name vnto the church to be called most holy which is so often done that we are commaunded to sing in our Creede vnam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam that is to say one holy Catholicke Apostolicke Church the which Article the Synode of Constantinople added vnto the rest Wherefore if the Church be holy it is also without sinne But to returne to our former purpose this word Sanctum which signifieth holy as Macrobius alledging Trebatius affirmeth is sometimes taken for religious and sometimes for cleane and vncorrupt And after the same maner we call the Church holy as the Apostle Peter calleth it immaculate as we read in the famous Epistle of Clement To this end also tendeth that whiche is spoken by S. Paule that Christ is the head of the Churche For if the Churche should wholy sinne she should not agree with her head Christ who is in no pointe defiled This also Christ himselfe would signifie vnto vs in Mathew when he cōmendeth the house which wās builded vpō the strōg rocke against the whiche neither the windes neither the stormes could preuaile In the house of God sayth the Apostle which is the Church builded vpō the strong rocke which rocke as the sayd Apostle declareth is Christ. Who then is so vnshamefast that hee will affirme the Churche which is founded vpō Christ to be subiect to sinne will not rather cry out with the Prophet and say Domine dilexi decorem domus tuae That is to say O Lord I haue loued the beawtie of thy house Hereupon wrote Iohn Chrisostome this golden sentence The Church neuer ceaseth to be assaulted neuer ceaseth to be layne in wayte for but in the name of Christ it hath alwayes the vpper hād ouercame And albeit that other do lye in wait for it or that the floudes do beate agaynst it yet the foūdatiō which is layd vpon the rocke is not shaken S. Hillary also sayth that it is the propertie of the Churche to vanquish when it is hurt to vnderstād when it is reproued to be in safetie whē it is forsaken to obtaine victory when as it seemeth almost ouercome Thus by many reasons testimonies it is proued that the Church doth not erre which is not spoken or affirmed of the Bishops of Rome so that this reason doth
make the Pope subiect vnto the Church for it is conuenient that the lesse perfect be subiect vnto the more perfect There be also many other testimonies reasons wherof we will now somewhat more entreate If authoritie be sought for sayth S. Hierome for I willingly occupie my selfe in his senteÌ„ces as in a most fertile field the world is greater then a Citie What then I pray you Hierome Is the Pope mighty because he is head of the Church of Rome His authoritie is great notwithstanding the vniuersall Church is greater which doth not onely coÌ„preheÌ„d one Citie but also the whole world Hereupon it followeth that if the Churche be the mother of all faithfull then she hath the Bishop of Rome for her sonne Otherwise as S. Augustine saith he can neuer haue God for his father which will not acknowledge the Church for his mother The which thing Anacletus vnderstandyng called the vniuersal Church his mother as the writers of the Canons do know And Calixtus sayth as a sonne he came to doe the will of his father so we do the will of our mother which is the Church Whereby it appeareth that how much the sonne is inferiour to the mother so much the Church is superiour or aboue the Bishop of Rome Also we haue sayd before that the Churche was the spouse of Christ the Pope we know to be a Vicare but no maÌ„ doth so ordaine a Vicar that he maketh his spouse subiect vnto him but that the spouse is alwayes thought to be of more authoritie then the Vicar for somuch as she is one body with her husbaÌ„d but the Vicar is not so Neither will I here passe ouer the wordes of S. Paule vnto the Romaines Let euery soule sayth he be subiect vnto the higher powers Neither doth he herein except the pope For albeit that he be aboue all other meÌ„ yet it seemeth necessary the he should be subiect to the Church Neither let him thinke himselfe hereby exeÌ„pt because it was said vnto Peter by Christ whatsoeuer thou bindest c. In this place as we wil hereafter declare he represeÌ„ted the person of the Church for we finde it spoken afterward vnto theÌ„ Quaecunque ligaueritis super terraÌ„ ligata eruÌ„t in coelis i. Whatsoeuer ye shal binde vpoÌ„ earth shall be also bounde in heaueÌ„ And furthermore if all power be geueÌ„ of Christ as the Apostle writeth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s it is geuen for the edifiyng of the Church not for the destruction therof why then may not the Church correct the Pope if he abuse the keyes and bring all thinges vnto ruine Adde hereunto also an other argument A man in this life is lesser then the aungels for we read in Mathew of Iohn Baptist that he whiche is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he Notwithstanding Christ sayth in an other place that amongest the children of women there was not a greater then Iohn Baptist. But to proceede meÌ„ are forced by the exaÌ„pâ—e of Zacharias to geue credite vnto auÌ„gels least through their misbelief they be striken blind as he was What more The Bishop of Rome is a maÌ„ Ergo he is lesse then the aungels and is bound to geue credite to the aungels But the aungels learne of the Church and do reuereÌ„tly accorde vnto her doctrine as the Apostle writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s Ergo the pope is bouÌ„d to do the same who is lesse then the aungels and lesse then the Churche whose authoritye is suche that worthely it is compared by S. Augustine vnto the Sunne that lyke as the Sunne by his light doth surmount all other lightes so the church is aboue all other authority and power Wherupon S. Augustine writeth thus I would not beleue the Gospel saith he if the authority of the church did not more me thereunto the which is not in any place souÌ„d to be spoken of the bishop of Rome who representing the Church and being minister thereof is not to be thought greater or equall to hys Lorde and maister Notwythstanding the wordes of our Sauiour Christ do specially proue the Byshop of Rome to be subiect to the church as we will hereafter declare For he sending Peter to preach vnto the church sayd go and say vnto the Church To the confirmation of whole authoritye these wordes do also pertaine hee that heareth you heareth me The which wordes are not onely spoken vnto the Apostles but also vnto their succesaurs and vnto the whole Church Wherupon it foloweth that if the Pope do not harken geue eare vnto the Church he doeth not geue eare vnto Christ consequently he is to be counted as an Ethnicke Publicane For as S. Augustine affirmeth when as the Church doth excommunicate he which is so excommunicate is bounde in heauen and when the Church looseth he is loosed Likewise if he be an heretike which taketh away the supremacie of the Churche of Rome as the Decrees of the councel of Coustance doth determine how much more is he to be counted an hereticke which taketh away the authoritye from the uniuersall Church wherein the Church of Rome and all other are conteined Wherefore it is now euident that it is the opinion of al men before our daies if it may be called an opinion which is confirmed by graue authors the the Pope is subiecte vnto the vniuersall church But this is called into question whether he ought also to be iudged of the general Councel For there are some which whether it be for desire of vaine glory or that thorough their flattery they looke for some great reward haue begon to teach new and strange doctrines and to exempt the byshop of Rome from the iurisdiction of the generall Councel AmbitioÌ„ hath blinded them wherof not only this present Schisme but also all other Schismes euen vnto thys day haue had their originall For as in times past the gredy desire ambition of the papacy brought in that pesriferous beast which through Arrius then first crept into the church euen so they do specially norish and mainteine this present heresie whych are not ashamed to begge Of the which number some cry out say the workes of the subiects ought to be iudged by the Pope but the Pope to be reserued only vnto the iudgemeÌ„t of God Others said that no man ought to iudge the high and principall Seate and that it can not be iudged either by the Emperour either by the Clergy either by any king or people Other affirme that the Lord hath reserued vnto himselfe the depositions of the chiefe Bishop Others are not ashamed to affirme that the Byshop of Rome although hee cary soules in neuer so great number vnto hell yet hee is not subiect vnto any correction or rebuke And because these their words are easily resolued they runne straight waies vnto the Gospell and interprete the wordes of Christ not according to the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost
most blessed last supper we shall intreate that he which hath instituted this most blessed Sacrament of vnitie peace will vouchsafe to worke this effect in vs to make vs that we may be one in the saide Lord Iesu our head and that he will subuert all the subtilties of the deuill which through his enuious craftines hath made the Sacrament of peace and vnitie an occasion of warre and discorde that whilest Christians do contend touching the maner of communicating they bee not depriued of the fruite of the communion Whereupon S. Augustin in his Sermon vpon infants in the decrees De cons. distinct 2. Quia passus saith thus So the Lord Iesu Christ certified vs and willed that we shoulde appertaine vnto him and consecrated the mistery of our peace and vnitie vpon the table He that receiueth the mistery of vnity and doth not keepe the bond of peace doth not receiue a mistery for himselfe but a testimonie against himselfe This we thought good aboue all things to be premised that the generall custome of the Church which your fathers and you also in times past haue obserued hath a long time had and still vseth that they which do not consecrate communicate only vnder the kind of bread Which custome beeing lawfully brought in by the Churche and holy fathers and now a long time obserued it is not lawfull to reiect or to change at your will and pleasure without the authority of the Church Therefore to change the custome of the Churche and to take in hand to communicate vnto the people vnder both kindes without the authority of holy Church is altogether vnlawfull For holy Church vpon reasonable occasions may graunt libertie to communicate vnto the people vnder both kindes And euery communion which beeing attempted without the authority and licence of the Church should be vnlawfull when it is done with the authority of holy Church shall be lawfull if other things let it not because as the Apostle saith he that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Whereupon Sainct Isidore in the second distinct vpon the consecration writeth thus They which liue wickedly and cease not dayly to communicate in the Church thinking thereby to be cleansed let them learne that it doth nothing at all profite them to the cleansing of their sins And S. Augustine in the same distinctiō saith holy things may hurt the euil for vnto the good they are saluation but vnto the euill damnation There are besides this many other authorities The Apostle Iudas was amongst thē which did first communicate but for somuch as he receiued vnworthely hauing that sinne of treason in his hart it did profit him nothing but the deuill by and by exercised more the power and authority ouer him This is declared by a great reason which of you is it that if you shoulde receiue your Lorde into your house woulde not with all diligence and care study to make cleane and adorne his house that he may receiue the Lord honestly much more he that shall receiue his Lorde and Sauiour into the house of his soule ought diligently to make cleane and decke his soule to cleanse it by the Sacrament of penance with sorrow and contrition of hart humbly purely and truely confessing his sinnes and receiuing due satisfaction and penance to adorne and decke the same with the purple or rich aray of deuotion that the hart being so purged and adorned with feruent desire he may come to that most holy Sacrament whereby God reconcileth all the world vnto him Wherfore the most sacred Synode admonisheth exhorteth and commandeth that all Priests shoulde diligently exhort admonish the people and that they should vse all their care indeuor that no man come to that most blessed sacramēt except he be duely prepared with great reuerence deuotion least that which is receiued for the saluation of the soule redounde to the condemnation through the vnworthy receiuing thereof Moreouer Doctours do say that the custome of communicating vnto the people only vnder the kinde of bread was reasonably introduced by the Church holy fathers for reasonable causes specially for the auoiding of ij perils of errour and vnreuerēce Of errour as to think that the one part of Christes body were in the bread the other parte in the cup which were a great errour Of vnreuerence for so much as many things may happen as wel on the part of the minister as on the part of the receiuer As it is said that it happened whē as a certaine Priest carieng the Sacrament of the cup vnto a sicke man whē he should haue ministred he found nothing in the cup beeing all spilt by the way with many other such like chaunces We haue heard moreouer that it hath often hapned that the Sacrament consecrate in the cup hath not bin sufficiēt for the number of communicants whereby a new consecration must bee made which is not agreeable to the doctrine of the holy fathers and also that oftentimes they do minister wine vncōsecrate for consecrate wine which is a great perill By this meanes then it shall be brought to passe that if you will effectually receiue the vnity peace of the Church in all other things besides the vse of the Communion vnder both kindes cōforming your selues to the faith order of the vniuersall Church you that haue that vse and custome shall cōmunicate stil by the authority of the Church vnder both kindes and this Article shall be discussed fully in the sacred Councell where you shall see what as touchyng this Article is to be holden as an vniuersall veritie and is to be done for the profite and saluation of the Christian people all things being thus throughly handled then if you perseuere in your desire that your Ambassadors do require it the sacred Councell will grant licence in the Lorde vnto your ministers to cōmunicate vnto the people vnder both kindes that is to say to such as be of lawfull yeares discretiō and shall reuerently deuoutly require the same this alwaies obserued that the ministers shall say vnto those which shall communicate that they ought firmely to beleeue not the flesh only to be conteined vnder the forme of bread and the bloud only vnder the wine but vnder each kinde to be whole and perfect Christ. Thus hetherto we haue declared the decree of the Councell As touching the other doubts questiōs which were afterward moued by the maisters Prelates of Boheme the Ambassadours of the Councell answered thus First they sayd that it was not the meaning of the sacred Councell to suffer the Communion vnder both kindes by toleration or as the libell of diuorsemēt was permitted to the Iewes for so much as the Councell intending euen to open the bowels of motherly charity and pity vnto the Bohemians and Morauians doth not meane to suffer it with such kinde of sufferance which
againe Thys booke being in Latine and Printed beareth thys title Rosacea Augustissimae Christiferae Mariae Corona and in the front it sheweth the name of Iodocus Bisselaius a noble manne of Aquine And this by the occasion of Pope Sixtus Which Sixtus what a maintainer of blind superstition hee was partly by that aforespoken partly by the ende following it may be seene For we reade in certaine wryters yâ— after thys Pope had vnderstanding that Hercules Estensis Duke of Ferraria had ioyned peace wyth the Uenetians against hys will he was so greeued therewith that for rancour of minde wythin 5. dayes after hee died whereunto hys Epitaph following geueth sufficient record About whose time also died Platina a man not vnlearned but yet a shamefull flatterer and bearer wyth the wicked liues of the Popes The Epitaph of Pope Sixtus is this Non potuit saenum vis vlla extinguere Sixtum Audito tandem nomine pacis obit An other Epitaphe of the same Pope Sixte iaces tandem nostri discordia secli Saeuisti in superos nunc Acheronta moue Sixte iaces tandem deflent tua busta cinaedi Scortaque lenones alea vina venus An other Gaude prisce Nero vincit te crimine Sixtus Hic scelus omne simul clauditur vitium But leauing here pope Sixtus with hys verses vices let vs nowe proccede as we before promised to enter the story of Maximilian keeping notwithstanding the order of our kinges here in England For a little before the reigne of Maximilian king Edward the fourth ceased his life an 1483. after he had raigned 22. yeares In the tyme of which K. Edward this also is not to be forgotten that one Burdet a marchant dwelling in Cheapside at the signe of the crowne whiche is the signe nowe of the flower de luce merely speaking to his sonne sayd that he wold make him inheritour of the crown meaning in deed his own house For the which words when K. Edward caused to be misconstred interpreted as though he had ment the crowne of the Realme wtin lesse space then 4. houres he was apprehended iudged drawne and quartered in Chepeside King Edward the 5. THis king Edwarde left behinde hym by hys wife Elizabeth 2. sonnes Edward Richard 2. daughters Elizabeth and Cicilie Which 2. sonnes Edward Richard for somuche as they were vnder age and not ripe to gouern a consultation was called among the pieres to debate whether the foresayd yong prince king shold be vnder the gouernment of his mother or els that Rich. Duke of Glocester brother to K. Edward the 4. vncle to the child should be gouernor of the K. and protector of the realme there hath bene and is an old adage the wordes whereof rather then the true meaning is wrasted out of Salomon Vae regno cuius Rex est puer 1. Wo to the kingdom the king whereof is a child c. But if I may finde leaue herein to thrust in a glose I would this adde and say Vae illi puero qui fui regni Rex non est 1. Wo to that childe whiche is a king in a kingdome vnruly and ambitious There was the same season among other noble peeres of the realm the Duke of Buckingham a man of great authoritie who had maryed King Edwards wifes sister Because the duke being so neare alliaunt to the K. had bene vnkindely as he thought of the king entreated hauing by him no anauncement nor anye great frendship shewed according to his expectation took part therfore with Richard Duke of Glocester both against the Queene her children to make the foresayd Duke the chiefe gouernour and protector The whiche thinge being broughe to passe by the ayde assistaunce and workinge of the Duke of Buckingham the Queene tooke sanctuarye with her yoÌ„ger sonne the elder brother which was the king remayned in the custody of the Duke of Glocester his vncle Who being now in a good towardnes to obtayne that which he loÌ„g loked for sought all the means soone compassed the matter by false collour of dissembled words by periurie and labour of friendes namely of the Duke of Buckingham and the Cardinall Archbishop of Caunterburye that the other brother also shoulde bee committed to his credite Thus the ambitious protector and vnnaturall vncle hauing the possession of his two nephewes and and innocent babes thought himselfe almost vp the whele where he woulde climeâ— Although he could not walke in such mistes and cloudes but his deuised purposes began to be espyed which caused him more couertly to goe about to remoue from him all suspicion and to blinde the peoples eyes But before he could accomplish hys execrable enterprise some there were whom he thought first must be ridd out of his way as namely the Lorde Hastinges and the Lord Stanley who as they were sitting together in counsaile within the tower the protectour the matter beyng so appoynted before sodaynly rushed in among them and after a few words there commoned he sodainly hasted out agayne his minde belike being full of mischiefe and furye was not quiet Who within the space of an houre returned agayn into the chamber with a sterne countenance and a frowning look and so there set him downe in hys place When the Lordes were in great meruell and muse at the meaning hereof then he out of a cankered hart thus begaÌ„ to bray asking them what are they worthy to haue which go about to imagine the destruction of him being so neare to the kings bloud and protectour of the Realme At the which question as the other Lords sate musing the Lord Hastinges because he had bene more familiare wyth him thus aunswered that they were worthy of punishement whatsoeuer they were Which when the other Lordes also had affirmed that is quoth the protectour yonder sorceresse my brothers wife meaning the Queene and other with her adding moreouer and saying that sorcereâ—â— other of her counsayle as Shores wife with her affinitie haue by their witchcraft thus wasted my body and therewith shewed forth his left arme a wearish withered thing as it was neuer otherwise as was well knowne This Shores wife had bene before a Concubine to K. Edward afterward was kept by the same Lorde Hastinges Moreouer here is to be noted that by the consent of the said Lord Hastinges the cruell protectour had deuised about the same time the kindred of the Queene innocently to be headed at Pomfret of mere despite and hatred Wherfore this punishment not vndeseruedly by the iust hand of God fell vpon the said Lord Hastinges It followeth then more in the storye that when the L. Hastinges had heard these false accusations of the tyraunt which he knew to be vntrue certaynly my Lord sayd he if they haue so done they be worthye of haynous punishement Why quoth the protector doest thou serue me with if and with and I tel thee they haue
so done and that I wil make good on thy body traytour and therewith geuing a great rap on the boord for a token or watchword one cryed treason without and forthwith the chamber was full of harneysed men The protector then approchyng to the L. Hastinges arrested him as a traytour An other let flye at the Lord Standley who to auoyd the blowe shronke vnder the table or els his head had bene cleft a sonder notwithstanding he receaued such a wounde that the bloud ranne about hys eares There were in that counsaile the same time the Archbishop of Yorke and Doctour Morton Byshop of Ely by whose procurement afterward king Henry the vii was sent for into England and he made archbishop after that of Canterbury these with the Lord Standley diuersly were bestowed in diuers chambers The Lorde Hastinges was commaunded to speede and shriue hym a pace for before dinner the protector sware by S. Paule that he should dye and so incontinently without farther iudgement his head was striken of by whose counsayle the Queenes kindred were at the same time and daye beheaded at Pomfret After this tyrannous murder accomplished the mischienous protectour aspiring still to the crowne to set his deuises forward first through giftes and fayre promises dyd subordinate Doctor Shaw a famous preacher then in Lōdon at Paules Crosse to insinuate to the people that neyther king Edward with his sonnes nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor the very children of the Duke of York but begotten vnlawfully by other persons in adultery on y◠Duches their mother and that he alone was the true and onely lawfull heyre of the Duke of York Moreouer to declare and to signifie to the audience that K. Edward was neuer lawfully maried to the Queene but hys wife before was dame Elizabeth Lucy and so the 2. childrē of king Edward to be base and bastardes and therfore the title of the crown most rightly to pertaine to the Lord protector That this false flatterer and loud lying preacher to serue the protectors humour shamed not most impudently to abuse that holy place that reuerent auditorye the sacred word of God taking for hys theame Adulterae plantationes nō dabūt radices altas c which he most impiously did apply against the innocent children right heyres of this realm Whereupon such grudge and disdayne of the people wyth worldly wonder followed him that for shame of the people crying out of him in few dayes after he pyned way When this sermon would take no effect with the people the protector vnmercifully drowned in ambitiō rested not thus but wtin few dayes after excited the Duke of Buckingham first to breake the matter in couert talke to the Mayor and certayne of the heades of the Cittie picked out for the purpose that done to come to the Guildhall to moue the people by all flattering and lying perswasions to the same which shameles Shaw before had preached before at Paules Crosse. Whiche the Duke with all dilligence and helpes of eloquence being a man both learned and well spoken endeuored to accomplish making to the people a long and artificiall Oration supposing no lesse but that the people allured by his crafty iusinuations would cry king Rich. K. Ric. But there was no king Rich in their mouthes lesse in their hartes Wherupon the Duke looking to the Lord Mayor and asking what the silence ment contrary to the promise of the one the expectation of that other It was then answered of the Mayor that the people peraduenture wel vnderstood him not wherfore the Duke reiterating his narration in other wordes declared agayne that he had done before Likewise the thyrd time he repeted hys Oration againe and agayn Then the commons which be fore stood mute being now in a mase seeing this importunitie began to mutter softly among themselues but yet no king Richard could sound in their lips saue onely that in the nether end of the Hall certayn of the Dukes seruantes with one Nashfield and other belonging to the protector thrusting into the Hall among the prease began sodaynly at mens backes to cry king Richard k. Rich throwing vp theyr cappes whereat the cittizens turning back theyr heades marueiled not a little but sayd nothing The Duke and the Lord Mayor with that side taking this for sufficient testimony incontinent came blowing for hast to the protector then lying at Baynardes Castle Where the matter being made before was now so contriued that forsooth humble petition was made in the name of the whole commons and that with 3 sundry sutes to the humble and simpel protector that he although it was vtterly against his will to take it yet would of his humilitye stoupe so low as to receane the heauy kingdome of England vpon his shoulders At this their tender request and sute of the Lords and commōs made ye must know how the milde Duke seing no other remedy was contented at length to yeld although fore against his will ye must so imagine and to submit himselfe so low as of a protector to be made king not much herein vnlike to our prelates in that Popish churche who when they haue before well compounded for the popes Buls yet must they for maner sake make curtesy and thrise deny that for whiche they so long before haue gaped and so sweetly haue payed for King Richard the third vsurper ANd thus Richard Duke of Gloucester tooke vpon to be made proclaymed king of England the yeare aforesayd an 1483. in the mōth of Iune Who then comming to the Tower by water first made his sonne a childe of x. yeare old prince of Wales Iohn Haward a man of great industry seruice he aduaūced to be Duke of Northfolke Sir Tho. Haward his sonne he ordained Erle of Surry Also William Lord Barckeley was appoynted Earle of Notingham Frances L. Louell was made Uicunt Louell L. Stanley for feare of his sonne was deliuered out of the Tower and made Steward of the kings houshold Likewise the Archbishop of Yorke was set free but Morton Bishop of Ely was committed to the Duke of Buckingham by whome was wrought the first deuise to bring in Henry Erle of Richmond into England and to cōioin mariage betweene Elizabeth king Edwardes daughter and him whereby the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited together After the kingdome of England was thus allotted to king Rich. the vsurper as in maner aboue remembred he taried not long for hys coronation which was solemnised the month next ensuing the 6. day of Iuly The triumph and solemnitie of this vsurped coronation being finished al thinges to the same appertayning this vnquiet tyraunt yet coulde not thinke himselfe safe so long as yong Edward the right king hys brother were aliue Wherefore the next enterprise which he did set vpon was this how to rid these innocent babes out of
that they did not yeld themselues in time Thus the turke whether they yelded to hym or not neuer spared the people and flocke of Christ. As the false cruell Turk was thus raging in Hungary and intended further to rage without all mercy and pitie of the Christians and easely might then haue preuayled and gone whether he would for that Charles the Emperour and Franciscus the french king were the same tyme in warre and hostilitie and also other Christen Princes as Henry Duke of Brunswike against Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie also Princes and rulers were contending among themselues beholde the gracious prouidence of our Lord and God toward vs who seeing the misery hauing pittie of hys poore Christians sodeinely as with a snafle reined this raging beast and brought him out of Europe into his owne country againe by occasion of the Persians who were then in great preparation of war agaynst the turkes had inuaded hys dominion By reason wherof the turkes was kept there occupyed fighting with the Persians a long continuance Whiche warres at length being atchiued and finished wherein the sayd Turke lost great victoryes with slaughter of many thousandes of his Turkes he was not onely prouoked by the instigation of certaine euil disposed Hungarians but also occasioned by the discord of Christian Princes to returne agayn into Europe in hope to subdue all the partes thereof vnto his dominion Whereunto when he had leuyed an armye incredible of such a multitude of turks as the like hath not lightly bene heard of see agayne the mercifull prouidence protection of our God toward his people And as the Turke was thus intending to set forward with this innumerable multitude against the Christians the hand of the Lorde sent such a pestilence through all the turkes army and dominions reaching from Bithynia and from Thracia to Macedonia and also to Hungary that all the turkes possessions almost seemed nothing els but as a heape of dead corses whereby his viage for that time was stopped and he almost compelled to seeke a new army Beside this plague of the Turkes aforesayde whiche was worse to them then any warre other lets also and domesticall calamities through Gods prouidence happened vnto Solymannus the great rouer and robber of the world which stayd him at home from vexing the christians especially touching hys eldest sonne Mustapha This Mustapha being hated and partly feared of Rustanus the chiefe counsailour about the Turke and of Rosa the turkes concubine after his wife was diuers times complayned of to his father accused at length so brought into suspicion and displeasure of the turke by them aforesayd that in conclusion hys father caused him to be sent for to hys pauilion where 6. Turkes with visours were appoynted to put hym to death Who comming vppon hym put after theyr manner a small corde or bowstring full of knottes about hys necke so throwing him downe vpon the ground not suffering hym to speake one word to hys father with the switch therof throtcled strangled him to death his father standing in a secret corner by and beholding the same Whiche facte being perpetrate afterward when the Turke would haue geuen to an other sonne of hys and of Rosa called Bianger the treasures horse armour ornamentes and the prouince of Mustapha his brother Bianger crying out for sorow of his brothers death phy of thee sayth he to hys father thou impious and wretched dog traytour murderer I cannot cal thee father take the treasures the horse and armour of Mustapha to thy selfe and wyth that taking out hys dagger thrust it through hys own body And thus was Solyman murderer parricide of hys owne sonnes which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1552. Wherein notwithstanding is to be noted the singular prouidence and loue of the Lord toward his afflicted christians For this Mustapha as he was couragious greatly expert and exercised in all practise of warre so had he a cruell hart maliciously set to shed the bloud of christians Wherfore great cause haue we to congratulate to geue thanks to god for the happy taking away of this Mustapha And no lesse hope also and good comfort we may conceaue of our louing Lord hereby ministred vnto vs to thinke y◠our mercifull God after these sore afflictions of his Christians vnder these 12. Turks afore recited now after this Solyman intendeth some gratious good worke to Christendom to reduce release vs out of this so long miserable turkish captiuitie as may be hoped now by takyng away these yong impes of this impious generation before they should come to worke theyr conceaued malice against vs the Lord therefore be glorified and praysed Amen Moreouer as I was in writing hereof oportunely came to my handes a certayne writing out of Germanye certifyeng vs of suche newes victory of late atchieued against the turke as may not a little increase our hope and comfort vs touching the decay and ruine of the Turks power tyranny against vs. Which newes are these that after y◠turkish tyrant had besieged with an army of 30000. men the famous strong town and castle of Iula in Hungary lyeng 40. dutch myles beyond the riuer Danubius which cittye had by the space of 6. weekes susteined many grieuous assaultes God through hys great mercy goodnes so comforted the sayd towne of Iula and the poore Christians therein at theyr earnest prayers that the Turke with all hys hoste was driuen backe by the handes of the generall called Karetshim Laslaw and his valiaunt company who not onely defended the said town but also constrayned the Turks to retyre to the great shame and confusion with a great slaughter of the turkish rable For the whiche the euerlasting God be praysed for euer The maner of the ouerthrow was this As the foresaid generall did see his aduauntage with Captayne George and other horsemen of the Sclesians and Hungarians they set on the rereward of the Turkes and killed about 8000. of thē and tooke also some of their artillery and followed them so fast y◠the Turkes were constrayned to flye into a marishe ground and to breake the wheeles of the rest of theyr artillary to saue themselues and therwith they got a very rich booty rescuing besides and taking from the Turks a great number of christian prisoners Like thankes also are to be geuen to God for the prosperous successe geuen to Magotschie the valiaunt Captaine of Erla who making toward the Turkes and recountring with the Tartarians slue of them about 8. hundreth Not long after this it happened through the like prouidence of our God a turkish Captayne called Begen accompanyed with a thousand freshe horsemen came newly out of Turky to go toward the citty named Quinque Ecclesiae or Finffenkyrchen with whome the Erle of Serin by the way did encounter and in the right setting vpon hym killed the captayne and tooke
they tooke no great wrong at the Popes handes who reigned one yeare longer then Augustus Caesar which hath not commonly bene seene in any Prince The third which was King Edward the first so vigilantly behaued himselfe for the publique coÌ„moditie safetie of his people that he defended theÌ„ froÌ„ all foraine power and hostilitie both of the Scottes then our enemies now our frendes and also from the Bishop of Rome takyng part with them against vs as may appeare aboue page 340. Furthermore of the same King and of his woorthy Nobles and house of Parliament how valiantly they stoode in deniall of the Popes subsidies and also how the sayd King secluded out of his protection the Bishops and especially the Archbishop Peecham for standing wyth the Pope reade pag. 352. Now as touching King Edward the third how little he regarded how princely he with his Nobles likewise resisted the Popes reseruations and prouisions how hee brideled the Archbishop Iohn Sâ—ratford and reiected the â—aâ—â—e authority of the Bishop of Rome both in â—efeâ—ise of his subiects and also in defence of claiming his right title in the Realme of France reade pag. 383. Not that I do heere affirme or define as in a generall rule that worldly successe and prosperitie of life alwayes followeth the godly which we see rather to be geuen more often to the wicked sort but speaking of the duty of Princes I note and obserue by examples of histories that such Princes as haue most defended the Church of Christ committed to their gouernance from iniurie and violence of the Bishop of Rome haue not lacked at Gods hand great blessing and felicitie whereas contrarywise they whiche either themselues haue bene persecutours of Christes meÌ„bers or haue not shielded theÌ„ by their protection from foreine tiranny and iniuries haue lacked at Gods hand that protection which the other had as may appeare by King Edward the second Richard the third King Henry the fourth King Henry the v. king Henry the vj. c. who because either negligeÌ„tly they haue suffered or cruelly caused such persecuting lawes to be made so much ChristeÌ„ blood iniuriously to be deuoured therefore haue they bene the lesse prospered of the Lord so that either they were deposed or if they florished for a while yet they did not long continue almost not halfe the time of the other kings before named And therefore as the state of the common wealth doth commonly folow the state of the Church as ye hard before so it had bene to be wished that this King Henry the vij beyng otherwise a prudent temperaunt Prince had not permitted the vntemperauÌ„t rage of the Popes Clergy so much to haue their willes ouer the poore flocke of Christ as then they had accordyng as by these persecutioÌ„s aboue meÌ„tioned may appeare The which king Henry vij albeit he had a sufficieÌ„t continuaunce who had now raigned 24. yeares yet notwithstaÌ„ding here commeth the same thyng to be noted wherof I speake before that wheÌ„ the Church of Christ begynneth to be iniuried with violeÌ„ce to go to wracke through misorder negligeÌ„ce the state of the common wealth can not there long endure without some alteration stroke of Gods correction But howsoeuer this marke is to be takeÌ„ thus lyeth the story that after the burnyng vexyng of these poore seruauntes of Christ aboue recited when the persecution begaÌ„ now in the Church to be hoate God called away the kyng the same yeare aboue mentioned which was 1509. after he had raigned the terme of yeares 24. Who if he had adioyned a litle more pitifull respect in protectyng Christes poore meÌ„bers from the fire of the Popes tyraÌ„ny to his other great vertues of singular wisedome excellent teÌ„peraunce moderate frugalitic somuch had he bene coÌ„parable with the best of those Princes aboue comprehended as hee had bene interiour but to a few but this defect which lacked in him was supplyed most luckely blessed be the Lord by his posteritie succeding after him Of whom in the next volume folowing Christ thereunto assisting vs we haue to specifie more at large Among many other thynges incident in the raigne of this kyng Henry vij I haue ouerpassed the history of certaine godly persons persecuted in the Diocesse of Couentry and Lichfield as we finde them in the Registers of the Diocesse recorded here folowyng The yeare of our Lord. 1485. March 9. amongest diuers and sundry other good men in CoueÌ„try these ix here vnder named were examined before Iohn Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield in S. Michaels Church vpon these Articles folowyng in order FIrst Iohn Blomston was openly and publikely infamed accused reported appeached that he was a very hereticke because he had preached taught holden affirmed that the power attributed to S. Peter in the Church of God by our Sauiour Iesus Christ immediatly did not flit or passe froÌ„ him to remaine with his successours Item that there was as much vertue in an herbe as in the Image of the Uirgine Mary Item that prayer and almes auayle not the dead for incontinent after death he goeth either to heauen 〈◊〉 held whereupon he concludeth there is no Purgatory Item that it was foolishnesse to go on Pilgrimage to the Image of our Lady of Dancaster Walsingham or of the Tower of the Citie of Couentry for a man might as well worship the blessed Uirgin by the fire 〈◊〉 in the â—itchin as in the foresayd places and as well might a man worship the blessed Uirgin when he seeth his mother or sister as in visityng the Images because they be no more but dead stockes and stones Item that he sayd in English with a frowning countenaunce as it appeared a vengeauÌ„ce on all such horson Priestes for they haue great enuy that a poore man should get his liuyng among them RIchard Hegham of the same Citie was accused c. to be a very hereticke because he did hold that a Christen man beyng at the point of death should 〈◊〉 all his owne workes good and â—â—l and submitte him to the mercy of God Item that it was fondnesse to worship the Images of our Lady of Tower in the foresayd Citie or of other Saintes for they are but stockes and stones Item that if the Image of our Lady of Tower were put into the fire it would make a good fire Item that it were better to deale money vnto poore folkes then to offer to the Images of Christ and other Saintes which are but dead stockes and stones RObert Crowther of the same Citie was accused that he was an hereticke because he did hold that who so receiueth the SacrameÌ„t of the altar in deadly sinne or out of charitie receiueth nothyng but bread and wine Item that neither Byshop nor Priestes or Curates of Churches haue power in the market of penaunce to bynde and loose Item that Pilgrimage to the Image of our
with the Sherifte and that the one shall teach them Gods law and the other mans law as ye heard in King Edgars lawes before Many other lawes both Ecclesiasticall and temporall besides these were enacted by these and other Kings heere in England before the Conquest but these be sufficient to geue the vnderstanding Reader to consider how the authority of the Bishops of Rome all this while extended not so farre to prescribe lawes for gouernement of the Church but that Kings and Princes of the Realme as they be now so were then full gouernours heere vnder Christ as well in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall both in directing orders instituting lawes in calling of Synodes and also in conferring Byshoprickes and benefices without any leaue of the Romish Bishops Thus Odo Dunstane Oswold Ethelwold Aldelinus and Lancfrancus although they fet their palles afterwarde from Rome yet were they made Bishops and Archbishops by Kings only not by Popes And thus stoode the gouernement of this Realme of England all the time before the Conquest till Pope Hildebrand through the setting on of the Saxons began first to bring the Emperour which was Henry 4. vnder foote Then followed the subduing of other Emperours Kings and subiects after that as namely heere in England when Lancfrancus Anselmus and Becket went to complayne of their Kings and gouernours then brought they the Popes iudiciall authority first from Rome ouer this land both ouer Kings and subiects which euer since hath continued till these latter yeares Albeit the sayd Kings of this Realme of England being prudent Princes and seeing right well the ambitious presumption of those Romish Byshops did what they could to shake off the yoke of their supremacie as appeareth by the lawes and Actes of their Parliaments both in king Edward the thirds time King Richard the 2. and King Henry the 4. aboue in their Parliament notes specified yet for feare of other foreine Princes and the blind opinion of their subiectes such was then the calamitie of that time that neither they could nor durst compasse that which faine they would till at last the time of their iniquitie being complete through the Lords wonderfull working theyr pride had a fall as in the next Volume ensuing the Lord so graunting shall by proces of hystorie be declared The Image of the true Catholicke Church of Christ. ¶ The proude primacie of Popes paynted out in Tables in order of their rising vp by little and little from faythfull Byshops and Martyrs to become Lords and gouernours ouer King and kingdomes exalting themselues in the Temple of God aboue all that is called God c. 2. Thessalonians 2. IN the Table of the primitiue Churche aboue described hath bene gentle Reader set forth and exhibited before thine eies the greeuous afflictions and sorowfull tormentes which thorough Gods secret sufferance fell vpon the true Saints and members of Christes Church in that time especially vpon the good Bishops Ministers and teachers of the flocke of whome some were scourged some beheaded some crucified some burned some had their eies put out some one way some another miserably consumed which daies of wofull calamitie cōtinued as is foreshewed neare the space of CCC yeares During which time the deare spouse and elect Church of God being sharply assaulted on euery side had small rest no ioy nor outward safetie in this present world but in much bitternes of hart in continuall teares and mourning vnder the crosse passed ouer their daies being spoiled imprisoned contemned reuiled famished tormented and martired euerywhere who neither durst well tarie at home for feare and dread and much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies but onely by night when they assembled as they might sometimes to sing Psalmes and Hymnes together In all which their dreadfull dangers and sorrowfull afflictions notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward tribulations did increase the more their inward consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the ioyes of this lyfe the more present was the Lorde wyth them wyth grace and fortitude to confirme and reioyce theyr soules And though theyr possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled yet were they enriched wyth heauenly giftes and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold Then was true Religion truely felt in hart Then was Christianitie not in outwarde appearance shewed but in inward affection receaued and the true image of the Churche not in outwarde shew pretensed but in her perfect state effectuall Then was the name and feare of God true in hart not in lippes alone dwellyng Fayth then was feruent zeale ardent prayer not swimming in the lippes but groned out to God from the bottome of the spirite Then was no pride in the Church nor laysure to seeke riches nor tyme to keepe them Contention for trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meete to pray together agaynst the Deuill authour of all dissention Briefly the whole Churche of Christ Iesus wyth all the members thereof the farther it was from the type and shape of this worlde the nearer it was to the blessed respect of Gods fauour and supportation ¶ The first rising of the Byshops of Rome AFter this long tyme of trouble it pleased the Lord at length mercifully to looke vpon the Saints and seruauntes of his sonne to release their captiuitie to release their miserie and to binde vp the old Dragon the Deuill which so long vexed them whereby the Church began to aspire to some more libertie and the Bishops which before were as abiects vtterly contemned of Emperours through the prouidence of God which disposeth all things in his time after his owne willy began now of Emperours to be esteemed and had in price Furthermore as Emperours grew more in deuotion so the Bishops more and more were exalted not only in fauour but also preferred vnto honour in so much that in short space they became not quarter maisters but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours Constantinus the Emperour embrasing Christen Byshops By which words of S. Paul we haue diuers things to vnderstand First that the day of the Lordes cōming was not thē nere at hand Secōdly the Apostle geuing vs a tokē before to know whē that day shall approch biddeth vs looke for an aduersary first to be reuealed Thirdly to shew what aduersary this shal be he expresseth him not to be as a common aduersary suche as were then in his time For although Herode Annas and Cayphas the high Priestes and Pharasyes Tertullus Alexander the Coppersmith Elymas Symō Magus Nero the Emperor in Paules time were great aduersaryes yet here he meaneth another besides these greater thē all the rest not such a one as should be like to Priest King or Emperor but such as farre exceding the estate of all kinges priests and Emperors should be the prince of priests should make kings to
Rome Pope Iohn had his eyes put out and so put to death Pope Gregory restored Vii electours of themperors ordayned in Germany and who they be Ex Chronico Martini King Egelred Anno. 979. The life of Egelred Anno. 981. The coronation of Egelred The prophecie of Dunstane as monkishe storyes geue it The Danes recoursed to England Houeden lib. continuationum London coÌ„sumed with fire The king warred against the Byshop of Rochester An. 990. The bloudy flixe and hote feuers reigned in this land The death of Dunstane Ethelgarus Elfricus Siricius Elphegus Archb. of Canterb. An. 995. The Byshops sea of Dyrham London besieged of the Danes The Dane spoyled the land Great tribute leuied of the Englishmen Danegelt The sorrowfull affliction of the English nation What disseÌ„tion and discorde doth amoÌ„g the nobles in a realme The pride and wretchednes of the Danes toward the Englishmen Lord Dane Lurdaine Anno. 1000. Henrie Archidiat lib. 6. The first ioyning betweene the Norm and Englishe men King Egelred marieth Emma the Dukes daughter of Normandy Richard Duke of Normandy The Danes by secret coÌ„mission slayne in euery towne of England Suanus K. of Denmarke ariueth in England Exeter beat down Norwiche spoyled and wasted by the Danes Anno. 1004. A tribute payd to the Danes of xxx M. pound to haue peace The persecution of Turkillus a Dane Euill counsell about a king what hurt it doth The second returne of Suanus into England The persecution of Suanus king of Danes Caunterbury besieged Treason of a false Deacon Caunterbury takeÌ„ and brent The tything of the Monkes of Caunterbury A cruell murther of the Danes Elphegus the Archb. of CauÌ„t stoned to death Anno. 1013. King Egelred driuen 〈…〉 I le of Wigâ—â— from then 〈◊〉 Normandy The vertue of Christen mens prayer The death and end of Suanus The Abbey of S. Edmundelburie builded King Egelred returneth into England Canutus cutteth of the noses and handes of hys pledges Canutus taketh Westsaxon A lessen for all Iudges and Iustices Brybes Euill Iudges worse in a common wealth then bloudy enemies Wicked officers Agaynst wicked Iudges A wicked Iudge deposed and depriued by the king Anno. 1016. Edmund Ironside sunne of Egelred king Canutus sonne of Swanus king The battayles betweene Edmundus and Canutus A witty oration to stay bloud betweene 2. armyes Two 〈◊〉 fight 〈◊〉 to hand The 〈◊〉 murtherd king Edmund Two soâ—ne of Edmund Yâ—onside Flattery 〈◊〉 fidelity 〈◊〉 vntrueth in English Lordes False vnfaythfulnes and vnconstant mobilitie in Englishe Lordes and rewarded Duke Edrike the false traytor and murtherer of 〈◊〉 king worthely rewarded for hys wicked falshode The end of pernicious traytours The brother of Edmund Yronside banished reconciled and lastly slayne Edmund and Edward two sonnes of Edmund Yronside sent out to be slayne Canutus K. of Denmarke Canutus maryeth Emma wife before of Egelred Lawes of K. Edgar Hâ—rold Harefoot K. of EnglaÌ„d a Dane Anno. 1039. Hardecknout king last of the Danes that reigned in England Erle Godwyn The miserable wretchednes of Godwyn agaynst the Normands The Normandes tythed and yet the tenthes retithed agayn Alfredus sonne of Egelred right heyre of the crowne tormented with cruell death The cause expended why God suffered this land to be conquered by the Normandes Example of Gods righteous iudgement The death of K. Hardeknout The sonnes of Erle Godwyn The story of Alfred repeated Taken out of the english story or chronicle compiled of certayne englishe Clerkes Alfred of Alâ—red sonne of K. Egelred Ex historia ignati autoriâ— Gunilda wife to Henricus the Emperour Canutus went to Rome The hospitall builde at Rome for English pâ—â—grimes Rome shote confirmed by Canutus The Cathedral Churche of Wintchest inritched by Canutus S. Benets in Norfolke builded Bury Abbey turned to Monkes Flatterers and clawbackes about Princes Canutus chargeth the sea to stand backe but it would not be A lesson notable for kinges and Princes God onely the king of all kings and Lord of Lordes The kinges crowne put on a roode Kinges of England haue as much right in causes spirituall as temporall Certaine lawes of K. Canutus for the ordering of matters ecclesiasticall Adultresse woman to loose their eares and noses Anno. 104â— King Edward the conâ—ellour England aâ—flicted by the Danes the space of 255. yeares K. Edward crowned Holy king Edward a virgine iâ— maryage Methe iâ— Greeke signifieth drâ—kennes Aceasation of the Archbish. against Emma the kinges mother False accusation purged by hote yron A straunge thing if it were true and without false conueyance Great snow and mortalitie in England Variaunce betweene the king and Godwyn Godwyn with hys v. sonnes outlawed Godwyn reconciled to the king vpon pledges geuen William D. of Normandy came into England to king Edward Marianus Scotus wheÌ„ he liued The end and death of vngodly Godwyn Ex lorna Malmesberiensi Polydor. Fabiano alijs Gods iust punishment vpon Godwyn for the murthering of Alphred Periurie plagued Edward the outlawe sonne of Edmund Yronside sent for to England Anno. 1056. The death of Edward sonne of Edmond Yronside William Duke of Normandy admitted heyre to the crowne The enuy and discorde of brethren Vngracious children of a wicked father A place of Polydorus Virg. examined Harold taken of the Normands Harold promiseth Duke William to marry hys daughter and to keepe the realme for hys behoofe Erle Leofricus euer true and faythfull to hys prince How Couentry was made free Godina wife to Leofricus The Abby of Couentry builded by Leofricus Edward the outlaw Edgar Edeling Margaret Queene of Scottes Matilde Queene of England Dauid King of Scots The death of King Edward Westminster repayred Guliel Malmesber Ex lornalen Ex Historia Richardi 2. iussu composita The lawes of K. Edward Ex Mathaeo pariensi William Conquerour sworne to K. Edwardes lawes yet went from it Ex libro Reg. antiquorum in praetorio Londinensi The office of a king described in the lawes of K. Edward A king the vicare of God in earth The limits of the kingdome of England how farre they doe extend The office of a king farther described 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 to haue 〈…〉 iecâ—ion Anno. 1066. Harold 〈◊〉 K. of Saxons Harold king of Denmarke and Tostius slayne The Pope sendeth a banner to Duke W. vpon bone vâ—age into England Duke William landeth at Hâ—stinges Three causes why Duke William entred England Three conditions offered to Harold by D. William The fight betweene Harold and Duke William K. Harold slayne The consanguinitie betweene K. Edward and William Conquerour Murther iustly recompensed Archbishops of Caunterb Liningus Egelmothus Robertus Stigandus The decay of the Church Pope Siluester 2. Siluester the. 2 a soule sorcerer Ioannes Stella Platina Petrus Praemostratensis Nancleâ—us Antoninus Robertus Barnus Ioannes Baleus Ex Ioan Stella An admonition for sorcerers and wicked coniuâ—ers The feast of all soules brouâ—ht into the church Benedictus the 9. Gregorius the 6. A constitution no pope to be chosen but by the
to the king Houeden referreth not this saiâ—ing to the Bishop of London but to the Archbishop of Yorke Becket called traytor of the king and of all hys nobles A blinde zeale for the proud liberties of the Church Who so taketh Beckets part is counted a rebells Becket cited to Rome vpon periury by the Byshops Becket condemned of periurie Becket cited to Rome Becket called to a full accompt Ex Rogero Houedeno Becket iudged to be layd in prison Ex quadripartita historia lib. 1 cap. 38. Becket appealeth to the Pope Becket thinketh not sufficient the protection of God without the pope Becket flyeth out of the court Becket chaungeth his name and is called Derman Histories differ something in the order of hys flight The Frâ—â—â— king supporteth Becket agaynst the king of England Ambassadour 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 Theories of the earl of Aâ—â—â— to the 〈◊〉 The Pope râ—â—â—dereth Beckets cause against the â—ing Becket coÌ„playneth of the king to the pope Repentance for his well doyng Beckets argument the Pope brought him not in but the K. Ergo God brought him not in And why might ye not M. Becket resigne it as well to his handes of whome ye tooke it A consultation betweene the Pope and the Cardinals about Beckets matter Becket in banishment 〈◊〉 yeares The kinges decrees Anno. 1166. Beckets kindred banished These monkes were of the Cisteâ—â—an order Becket complayneth of his prince to the Pope To keepe vnder the pride of prelates is no cause sufficient to vnking a Prince If ye meane by spiritual things such as pertaine to the spirituall part of man I graunt but your liberties be not such as which pertayne to the inward or spirituall man but râ—ther are thinges more corporall Peâ—â—â—â—yeth 〈…〉 bu◠〈◊〉 cause maketh 〈◊〉 true persecution 5. 6. 7. 9. * Note the Iudgement of God against this Becket who was slaine at his masse making the bodie of Christ. Answers the Popes letter Fredeâ—ike falsly compared to Pharao but this was 〈◊〉 clawe the pope withâ—â— Becket a stubburne trespasser Ergo no martyr A letter of Becket to the byshop of Norwych The Bishop of London excommunicated This Bishop was excommunicated because he set in the Deane of Salesbury without the licence of him being then beyoÌ„de the seas A sâ—ditious complaint of Becket to the pope against his king Godly articles condemned by Becket Becket repreheÌ„ded for complayning of his king Excommunication abused in priuate reuenge about lands and possessions The letters of the Byshops to Becket The coÌ„mendation of K. Henry 2. 〈◊〉 his meekenes and moderation Scripture in wordes rightly aledged but falsly applyed I deny your Minor M. Becket The church of Christ caÌ„not be ouerthrowen Ergo Bec. ought not to be resisted Seruitude and libertie of the Church wrongfully defined The wordes of holy scripture clarkely applyed Turne to thee Nay turne thou to the Lord and thou shalt be saued The soule of the Church is the libertie of the Church Faith Becket Vnbeseeming wordes of high presumption Christ is not iudged in the persons of any traytor CoÌ„science made where is none But he leaueth out here the maâ—â—r of his comming to the court and the sturdines of his behauiour Becket seemeth here more skilfull of his masse booke then of the booke of holy scripture either els hee might see it no new thing in the old law for kings to depriue priestes and to place whom they would Kings in the old law did not intermedle with the Priestes office in some thinges that were forbidden But yet kinges were officers ouer priestes to correct them when they did amisse If ye meane of Achaâ— and Oze in the old testament then we denie your Minor They be the successours and sonnes of â—aints not that holde the places of sainctes but that doe the workes of saints Hierom. If the king had bene an adulterer or tyrant against the true doctrine or preaching of Christ then might this reason serue and God more to be obeyed then maÌ„ Now where did Bec. learne that the king in his temporall right was not to be obeyed Take heede ye marre all and ye open that dore This Iohn was called â— schismaâ—â—â—â— because he tooke paâ—â— with Reginald Aâ—â—â— of Colen the Emperour against Alexander the Pope Clemenâ—â— decree Diuers 〈◊〉 of excommunication The councel speaâ—â— of such which be worthely excommunicated This Gregory otherâ—â—â— called Hiâ—debraÌ„d 〈◊〉 he that 〈◊〉 tooke away priestes mariage condemning 〈◊〉 priestes for fornicators which had wiues Discussing of a true appellation The forme of a true appellation One person can not both be the appeale maker and the partie appealed Though the Popes lawe will not defend them yet the lawe of the scripture will and doth The letter of the Empresse to Becket Anno. 1169. Becket stirring vp the French king against the king of England A communication betweene Becket and the Cardinalles Beckets addition Becket would neither stand to iudgement nor triall Becket lâ—ueth benâ— his bisâ—opricke thâ—â— the peace â— the churchd for all his gaye talice Becket coÌ„meth in with his 〈◊〉 addition Saluo honore Die Becket â—â—â—ged with vnkindenâ— The kings offer to Becket both charitable and reasonable The words of the FreÌ„câ— king This maior if it had bin ioyned with a good Minor had made a good argument Exquaâ—ilogo Anno. 1170. The Bishop of London excommunicated with foure other Byshops suspeÌ„ded The cause of the kinges wrath against Becket Becket returneth out of banishment Ex Rogerio Houedono The wordes of the king which were the cause of Beckets death If the Papistes will needes measure the successe of things by seasons and wether then must they by that reason condemne the cause of Becket his aduersaries hauing such forwardnes of wether in doing their feate The talke betwene the foure souldiers and Tho. Becket The stout heart of Becket Anno. 1171. The death of Tho. Becket What is to be thought or iudged of Thomas Becket What is to be thought whether Thomas Becket dyed a sainct or not The puâ—â—tion of â—â—â—ket iudâ—â— not cauâ—â— call Becket â—â—â—ged with presumpâ—â— and laâ—â—â— diserâ—tion Ambiâ—â—â— noted in Becket â—â— not resâ—â—â— but taâ—ing his promotion Byshopâ— against 〈◊〉 wils thâ—â—â— into their byshopâ—â—â— Ex chroâ—â—co Nenâ—â—â—gensit Acta Beckets improbatâ— Ex Caesario Monacho lib. 8. dialo cap. 69. Whether Tho. Becket be saued or damned If God in these latter dayes geueth no mirâ—cles to glorifie the glory of his own sonne much lesse wil he giue myracles to glorifie Thomas Becket Liber de miraculis b. thomae autore monacho quodam Cantuar Miracles of Beâ— considered Aqua Cantuariensis Singing at the masse forbidden by Tho. Becket after his death A blasphemous lye Beck aboue the Martirs in heauen A place prepared in heauen for Becket xii yeares before his death An impudent and a lying myracle Ex historia monachs Cantiâ—a de miraculiib Thomae A blasphemous vision A false and impudent myracle The blasphemous antheme 〈◊〉 Becket Tu per
the tithes geuen to the Leuites Christ comâ—â—undeth â—â—es not â— his exâ—pt tithes â—â—almes Tithes by â—hâ—m and when they were first commauÌ„ded â—a the new â—â—w Paule haâ—â—ng power to take yet â—â—ed it not Paule wold not be chargeous 〈◊〉 priestes were coueâ—â—us than what be they now This rule with the rule of begging Frices can not stand togeather Holesome â—â—ough my Lord if your â—it were to â—â—uour it But it conâ—â—rieth not the ordinaÌ„ce â—eyther of God nor of his worde If priestes would not â—â—acke in their duetie they should not lacke in hauing sufficient Fallax argumentum secundum non causam â—vt causam The euill demeanor of the priestes is the cause why the people be so slacke in their tithes Priestes being content with sufficiency and a bare liuing ought to part the residue to the poore Priestes did so than but our priestes doe not to now Whether tithes are to be paid to priestes doing not their duetie Gostly mother nay an vngostly stepdam to all Gods children By the law none could chaleng tithes but onely the seed of Leuy Our priestes be not of the seede of Leuy Ergo by the law our priestes cannot chalenge tithes As the priestbood is chaÌ„ged so is the law chaunged Blesse but curse not saith S. Paule He goeth neare you my Lord when he toucheth your tithes The difference of the freedoms betwene the old and new lawes For what cause tithes were geueÌ„ in the olde law If you take a way tithes you vndoe the church Thorpe preach agaynst whom thou wilt so thou touch not this scabbe The viciousnes and pride of priestes infecteth â—ll the world A spitefull meeknes that is in skarlet gownes The signes and markes of proud priestes Paule saith god shall iudge all fornicators what say you my Lord Priestes ought to be examples of good lining Clarkly spoken and like a Parasite Forget nothing I pray you my Lord. Not lawfvll to sweare by any creature Men ought not to sweare when without an othe he may excuse himselfe that is compelled to sweare Well said Sir Iohn of you your holy mother stroke your head These prelates would be thou be to be good be they neuer so bad A communication betwixt a lawier and a diuine To sweare by a booke is to sweare by creatures Chrisostom blameth booke oath Here now lacked Boner to scratch hym by the face Fither Malueren or els Syr Bryan Blowcole Christ promiseth geueth mouth vtterance The place of Chrisostome expounded how it is sin to sweare well What it is to sweare well Pope holy Church To touch a booke is to sweare by a booke It is happy that he calâ—ed not for a candle and made a Sceâ—ola of him as â—oner did 〈◊〉 Tomkins It is happy that Chrisostome was not here or els he would haue had him by the backe But that word cannot be touched Thorpe refseth not sweare Whether the booke be the Gospell â—â—om saith the Gospel is not the Gospel for â—rading but for beleuing The Gospel is not the leaues of the booke but the roote of reason S. Paule Dauid This clarke was well â—eene in the Masse booke The Gospel is not the letter but hid in the letter Misty matters for your blind eyes The kingdome of God taken for the vnderstanding of Gods word This salte was somewhat two sharpe for their rotten fleshe to abide Helpe downe with him sir Iohn Note here the crafty practise of this holy church A false brother A crafty trayne of a popishe dissembler Auricular confession God onely forgeueth sinne man onely can couÌ„sell to leaue sinne Shrife coÌ„fessioÌ„ to priestes A good secular man may be counseller where a priest faileth by S. Augustine Morden Monke of Feuersam preaching of coÌ„fession Harty repeÌ„taÌ„ce to God needeth no confession to a priest No nor nothing els that is good Christ geueth freedome the pope geueth thraldome The true freedome of holy church not destroyed but increased by true preachers Take my Lords blassing stand vp My Lord hath hast for being benighted And why compel you this man to the contrary Thorpe coÌ„tent to submit himself to the ordiâ—â—unce of councels â—f Boner 〈◊〉 bene 〈◊〉 hee would not 〈◊〉 strokeÌ„ 〈◊〉 cupbord 〈◊〉 multiâ—â—e is not 〈◊〉 foloâ—ed in euil 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 is God â—â—ing him â—â—to himâ—â—fe â— cleane 〈◊〉 thrift 〈◊〉 sin Other mens examples are so to be folowed as they be the followers of Christ Promotions commonly and great liuinges choke truth Men folowing the wayes of Balaam Thorpes felow refuseth to sweare to the prelates Vide supra pag. 497. Arundell the Archb. going out of England The gentlenes of the B. of LoÌ„don to Thorpe So promised Winchester in Queene Maries time but that passed his power to performe A notable aunswer of Thorpe to the Byshop promising to destroy all the Gospellers Such pearles would better beseeme my Lord your golden shooes At illi clamabaÌ„t dicentes tolle tolle crucifige eum Luke 23. Obedience to God and to hys lawe woulde not serue In patience and silence possesse your soules Thorp cast in prison Thorpe comforted strengthened of the Lord after his conflict with the bishop Christ dwelleth in a faythfull soule Christ is the stone wheron we must buildâ— Howe we are made the temple of God Marke what we haue by Christ. The propertie of a square stone Christ is an example of all perfect meekenes Priests seeâ— the pleasure of this world Great oddâ— betwixt the life of 〈◊〉 and Châ—â— and hys Apostles WheÌ„ prieâ—â— forget God truth 〈◊〉 whether they runne headlong The greâ—â— infect the small Fleshlye priests cannot 〈◊〉 with thâ— thinges They hunt after this with tooth and nayle An exhortation to all degrees to see priesthood amended Prelates priestes negligent in their duties Cirp 1. q. 1. cap. Si quis inquit The ende of W. Thorpe vncertayne Iohn Puruey Iohn Puruey prisoned after his recantation Articles of Iohn Puruey recaÌ„ted He speaketh of priestes here not of publique ministers appointed in the Church Vowes The charge of priests Against transubstantiation Articles out of Purueys bookes collected by R. Lauingham The Sacrament of the popish aultar Pope Innocentius head of Antichrist The sacrament in substaÌ„ce bread in signification the body of Christ TransubstaÌ„tiation not openlye taught 1000 yeares after Christ. The Sacrament both bread and the body in diuers respectes Auricular confession and penance The order of Priesthood He meaneth of priuate preaching to theyr neighbours True ministers may be made without shauing Priests here haue a priâ—â—ne not a publique vnderstanding What if there were â—o Pope knowen yet the Church could stand Iâ—nsure â—â—th not â—Priest The Popes â—esures like the blast of Lucifer Popishe priests haue not the keâ—eâ— of heauen but rather of hell The popes curse hurteth not but profiteth Gossopry not sufficient cause to restraine matrimony The first mariage lawfully before witnes made standeth Keeping making vowes Possessions of the Church 1. q. 3.24 q. 1. Cap
to destroy both bodye and soule in hell fire To make the story short after manifold tormentes borne of him and suffered when the last sentence of death was vpon him pronounced which was to be beheaded Menas being then had to the place of execution said I giue thee thanks my Lord god which hast so excepted me to be fouÌ„d a partaker of thy precious death hast not giuen me to be deuoured of my fierce enimies but hast made me to remaine coÌ„stant in thy pure faith vnto this my later end And so this blessed souldiour fighting valiantly vnder the baner of Christ lost his head wan his soule Symeon Metaphrast tom 5. In the which autor there foloweth a long narration of the miracles of this holy man which here for prolixity I doe omit Basilius in a certayne Sermon of 40. Martyrs rehearseth this story not vnworthye to bee noted There came saith he into a certaine place which place he maketh no mention of the Emperours Marshall or officer with the edict which the Emperour had set out against the Christians that whosoeuer confessed Christ shoulde after manye tormentes suffer death And first they did priuily suborne certaine which should detect acuse the Christians whom they had found out or had layde wayte for vpon this the sword the gibbet the wheele the whips were brought forth At the terrible sight whereof the harts of all the beholders did shake tremble Some for feare did flee some did stand in doubt what to do Certaine were so terrified at the beholding of these engines tormenting instruments that they denied their faith Some other began the game and for a time did abide the conflict and agony of Martydome but vanquished at length by the intollerable paine of their torments made shipwracke of their consciences lost the glory of their confession AmoÌ„g other xl there were at that time younge gentlemen all souldiers which after the Marshall had shewed the Emperours Edict and required of all men the obedience of the same freely boldly of their owne accord confessed themselues to be Christians declared to him their names The Marshall somewhat amased at this their boldnes of speach staÌ„deth in doubte what was best to do Yet forthwith he goeth about to win them with faire words aduertising them to consider their youth neither that they shoulde chaunge a cruell and vntimely death â—or a sweete and pleasant life After that hee promiseth them money and honorable offices in the Emperours name But they little esteming all these thinges breake forth into a long and bolde Oration affirming that they did neither desire life dignitie nor money but onelye the celestiall kingdome of Christ saying further that they are ready for the loue and faith they haue in god to indure the afflictioÌ„ of the wheele the crosse and the fire The rude Marshall being herewith offended deuiseth a newe kinde of punishment He spied out in the middle of the citie a certaine great pond which layfull vpon the cold Northren winde for it was in the winter time wherein he caused them to be put all that night but they being merry comforting one another receiued this their appointed punishment and sayd as they were putting of their clothes we put off said they now not our clothes but we put of the old maÌ„ corrupt with the deceipt of coÌ„cupiscence We giue thee thanks O Lord that with this our apparell we may also put of by thy grace the sinfull man for by meanes of the Serpent we once put him on and by the meanes of Iesus Christ we now put him of When they had thus said they were brought naked into yâ— place where they felt moste vehement colde in so much that all the partes of their bodies were starke stiffe therewith Assone as it was daye they yet hauing breath were brought into the fire wherin they were consumed and their ashes throwne into the flud By chaunce there was on of the company more liuely and not so neere dead as the rest of whome the executioners takyng pitie saide vnto his mother standing by that they would saue his life But shee with her owne handes taking her sonne brought him to the pile of wood where the residue of his fellowes crooked for cold did lie ready to be brent admonished him to accomplish the blessed iourney he had taken in hand with his companions Basil. A lyke hystory of 40. Martyres which were maryed men we read of in Niceph. Zozomenus Lib. 9. cap. 2. which were killed likewise in a lake or pond at Sebastia a towne of Armenia vnder Licinius if the story be not the same with this Niceph. Zozom In this felowship and company of martyrs can not be left out and forgotte the story of Cyrus This Cyrus was a Phisition borne in Alexandria which fleing into Egipt in the persecution of Dioclesianus and Maximianus led a solitary life in Arabia being much spoken of for his learning and myracles vnto whose company after a certaine tyme did Ioannes borne in the Citie of Edessa beyond the ryuer Euphrates ioyne himself leauing the souldiers life which before that time he had exercised But whilest as yet the same persecution raged in a city in Egipt called Canope there was cast into prison for the confession of their fayth a certayne godly Christian woman called Athanasia and her three daughters Theoctiste Theodota and Eudoxia wyth whom Cyrus was well acquainted At whose infâ—rmities he much fearing accompanied with his brother Iohn came and visited them for their better confirmation at which time Lyrianus was chiefe captaine and Lieutenaunt of Egypt of whose wickednes and crueltie especially agaynst women and maydens Athanasus maketh mention in hys Apologies and in his Epistle to those that lead a solitarye life Thys Cyrus therefore and Ioannes being accused and apprehended of the Heathen men as by whose perswasions the maydens and daughters of Athanasia contumelyously despised the Gods and the Emperours religion could by no meanes be brought to doe sacrifice were after the publication of their constaunt confession put to death by the sworde Athanasia also and her three daughters being condemned to death This history writeth Symeon Metaphrastes Sebastian being borne in the part of Fraunce called Gallia Narbonensis was a Christian and was Lieutenaunte generall of the vawward of Dioclesian the Emperor who also encouraged many martyrs of Christ by his exhortations vnto constancy and kept them in the faith He being therfore accused to the Emperor was commaunded to be apprehended and that he should be brought into the open fielde where of his owne souldiers he was thrust through the body with innumerable arrowes and after that hys body was throwne into a iaques or sinke Ambrosius maketh mention of this Sebastian the martir in his CoÌ„mentary vpon the 118. Psalme Symeon Metaphrastes amongest oher Martyrs that suffered with Sebastian numbreth also these followyng Nicostratus