troden vndre fote The Christen fayth was ruyuouslye decayed Gods seruyce was lawhed to scorne The spirituall iurisdiccyon auctoryte honour power polycye lawes rytes ceremonyes curses keyes censures and canonycall sanccyons of the churche were had in an vttre contemt So that all in a maner was come to nought And the cause of this was that the heretyques and lolâ—ars of Vvycleues opynyon were suffered to preache abrode so boldelye to gather conuentycles vnto them to hepe scoles in meÌ„nys houses to make bokes compyle treatyses and wryte balettes to teache pryuatlye in angles and corners as in wodes feldes medowes pastours groues and in caues of the grounde This wolde be they sayd a destruccyon to the commen welthe a subuersyon to the lande and an vttre decaye of the kynges estate ryall yf remedye were not sought in tyme. And this was theyr polycye to cople the kynges auctoryte with that they had done in theyr former counsell of craft and so to make yt therby the strongar For they perseyued themselues verye farre to weake els to folowe against theyr enemyes that they had so largelye enterprysed Vpon this complaynt the kydge immedyatlye called a Parlament at Leycestre It myght not in those dayes be holden at Vvestmynstre for the great fauer that the lorde Cobham had both in London and abought the cyte yet were they deceyued That they doubted most lyghted there sonest vpon them A byll was put in there agayne by y e commons agaynst theyr coÌ„tynuall wastynge of the temporaltees lyke as yt had bene twyse afore by procurement of the seyd lorde Cobham both in y e dayes of kynge Rycharde the seconde anno 1395. and also of kynge Henrye the .iiii. annadomini 1410 whervpon was growne all this malyce afore specyfyed but this was than workemanlye defeated by an other propre practyse of theyrs They put the kynge in remembraunce to clayme his ryght in Fraunce grauÌ„ted him thervnto a dyme with other great subsydye of moneye Thus were Christes people betrayed euerye waye and theyr lyues bought and solde by these most cruell theues For in the seyd Parlament the kynge made this most blasphemouse and cruell acte to be as a lawe for euer That what so euer they were that shulde reade the scripturs in the mother tonge which was than called Vvycleues lernyng they shuld forfet lande cattell bodye lyfe and goodes from theyr heyres for euer and so be condemned for heretyques to God enemyes to the crowne and most errande trayters to the lande Besydes this yt was enacted that neuer a sanyctwarye nor pryuyleged grounde within the realme shuld holde them though they were styll permytted both to theues and mourtherers And yf in case they wolde not geue ouer or were after theyr pardon relapsed they shuld suffre death in two maner of kyndes That is They shuld fyrst be hanged for treason agaynst the kynge and than be burned for heresye agaynst God and yet neyther of both commytted The begynnynge of that acte is this Pro eo quod magni rumores c. Anon after was yt proclamed through out the realme and than had the Bysshoppes Prestes Monkes and fryers a worlde somwhat to theyr myndes For than were manye taken in dyuerse quarters and suffred most cruell death And manye fledde out of the lande into Germanye Boheme Fraunce Spayne Portyngale and into the welde of Scotlande Vvalys and Irelande workynge there manye marueyls agaynst theyr false kyngedome to longe to wryte In the Christmas folowynge was syr Roger Acton knyght mastre Iohan Browne esquyre syr Iohan Beuerlaye a letned preacher dyuerse other more attached for quarellynge with certen prestes and so inpresoned For all menne at that tyme coude not pacyentlye suffre theyr blasphemouse bragges The complaynt was made vnto the kynge of them that they had made a great assemblye in saynet Gyles felde at London purposynge the destruccyon of the lande and the subuersyon of the coÌ„mon welthe As the kynge was thus infourmed he erected a banner sayth Vvalden with a crosse thervpon as y e Pope doth commonlye by his Legates whan he pretendeth to warre agaynst the Turke and with a great nombre of menne entred the same felde where as he founde no soche companye yet was the complaynt iudged true bycause the Bysshoppes had spoken yt at the infourmacyon of theyr Prestes All this hath Thomas Vvalden in dyuerse of his workes which was at the same tyme a Vvhyght or Carmelyte fryre and the kynges confessour partlye yt is towched both by Robert Fabyane and by Polydorus Vergilius in theyr Englyshe chronycles but not in all poyntes â—yghtlye as is to be sâ—ane in the preface asore In the meane season syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham escaped out of the tower of London in the nyght and so fledde into Vvalys where as he contynued more than .iiii. yeares after Some wryters haue thought this escape to come by the seyd syr Roger Acton and other gentylmenne in dyspleasure of the Prestes and that to be the chefe occasyon of theyr deathes which myght wele be but Vvalden doth not so vttre yt which regned the same selfe tyme. In Ianuarye next folowynge was the afore named syr Roger Acton mastre Iohan Browne syr Iohan Beuerlaye and .xxxvi. more of whom y e more part were gentyll menne of byrthe conuicted of heresye by the Byshoppes and condemned of treason by the temporalte and accordynge to the acte were fyrst hanged and than brent in the seyd saynct Gyles felde In the same yeare also was one Iohan Claydon a skynner and one Rycharde Turmyne a baker both hanged and brent in Smyth felde by that vertuouse acte besydes that was done in all other quarters of Englande which was no small nombre yf yt were now througlye knowen ☞ The latter enpresonynge and death of the lorde Cobham IN the yeare of oure Lorde a. M. CCCC and .xv. dyed Thomas Arundell which had bene Archebysshop of Caunterburye more than xxxii yeares to the great destruccyon of Christen beleue yet dyed not his prodygyouse tyrannye with him but suceeded with his offyce in Henrye Chycheleye and in a great sort more of that spyghtfull spiritualte For theyr malyce was not yet satled agaynst the good lorde Cobham But they confedered with the lorde Powys which was at that tyme a great gouernor in Vvalys fedynge him with lordelye gyftes and promyses to accomplysshe theyr desyre He at the last thus monyed with Iudas and outwardlye pretendynge him great amyte fauour most cowardlye and wretchedlye toke him and in conclusyon so sent him vp to London where as he remayned a moneth or two inprysoned agayne in the Tower And after longe processe they condemned him agayne of heresye and treason by force of the afore named a 〈◊〉 renderynge thankes â–ª vnto God that he had so appoynted him to suffre for his names sake And vpon the daye
godlye disciples left that good manne behynde him to defende the lowlynesse of y e Gospell agaynst the exceadynge pryde ambycyon symâ—nye anaryce hypocresye whoredome sacrylege tyrannye ydolatrouse worshyppynges and other fylthye frutes of those styfnecked Pharysees Agaynst whom Thomas Arundell than Archebysshop of Caunterburye so ferce as euer was Pharao Antiochus Herodes or Cayphas collected in Paules churche at London a vniuersall synode of all the papystycall clergye of Englande in the yeare of oure Lorde a M. CCCC and .xiii. as he had done dyuerse other afore to withstande theyr most godlye enterpryse And this was the fyrst yeare of kynge Henrye the fyft whom they had than made fyt for theyr hande As these hygh Prelates with theyr Pharysees and Scrybes were thus gathered in this pestilent counsell against the Lorde and his worde fyrst there resorted vnto them the .xii. inquysytours of heresyes whom they had appoynted at Oxforde the yeare afore to serche out heretyques with all Vvycleues bokes and they brought CC. and .lxvi. faythfull conclusyons whom they had collected as heresyes out of the seyd bokes The names of the seyd inquysytours were these Iohan Vvitnam a masâ—râ— in the newe college Iohan Langedon monke of Chry churche in Caunterbâ—rye Vvillyam Vfforde regent of the Carmelytes Thomas Clayton regent of the Dominykes Robert Gylberâ— Rycharde Cartysdale Iohan Luclâ—e Rycharde Snedysham Rycharde Flemâ—mynge Thomas Rodborne Robâ—rt Roadberye and Rycharde Grasdale In the meane season caused they ther hyred seruauÌ„tes to blowe it forth a brodâ— through out all the realme that they were there congregate for an wholsom â—nyte and reformacyon of the churche of Englande to stoppe so the mouthes of the coÌ„mon people Soche is alwayes the coÌ„mon practyse of these subtyle sorcerers whyls they are in doynge myschefe to blere the eyes of the vnlerned multitude with one false craft or other After a certen communicacyon they concluded amonge themselues that yt was not possyble for them to make whole Christes cote without seme meanynge therby theyr patched Popyshe synagoge vnlesse certen great menne were brought out of the waye which semed to be the chefe maynteners of the seyd disciples of Vvycleue Amonge whom the most noble knyght syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham was complayned of by the generall proctours yea rather betrayers of Christ in his faythfull members to be y e chefe principall Him they accused fyrst for a myghtye mayntener of suspected preachers in y e dyoceses of London Rochestre Herforde contrarye to the myndes of theyr ordynaryes Not onlye they affermed him to haue sent thyder the seyd preachers but also to haue assysted them there by force of armes not withstandynge theyr synodall constitucyon made afore to the coÌ„trarye Last of all they accused him that he was farre otherwyse in beleue of the sacrament of the aultre of penaunce of pylgrymage of ymage worshyppynge and of the ecclesyastycall power than the holye churche of Rome had taught manye years afore In the ende yt was concluded amonge them that without anye farther delaye processe shuld out agaynst him as agaynst a most pernycyouse heretyque Some of that felyshyp which were of more craftye experieÌ„ce than the other wolde in no case haue y e matter so rashlye handeled but thought this waye moche better Consyderynge the seyd lorde Cobham was a manne of great byrthe and in fauer at that tyme with the kynge theyr counsell was to knowe fyrst the kynges mynde to saue all thynges ryght vp This counsell was wele accepted and thervpon the Archebysshop Thomas Arundell with his other Bysshoppes and a great part of the clergye went strayght wayes vnto the kynge as than remaynynge at kenyngton And there they layed forth most grenouse complayntes agaynst the seyd lorde Cobham to his great infamye and blemyshe beynge a manne most godlye The kynge gentyllye harde those bloud thurstye rauenours farre otherwyse than became his princelye dignite he insâ—auÌ„tlye desyred them that in respect of his noble stocke and knyghthode they shulde yet fauorablye deale with him And that they wolde yf yt were possyble without all rygour or extreme handelynge reduce him agayne to the churches vnyte He promysed them also that in case they were contented to take some delyberacyon his selfe wolde seryouslye common the matter with him Anon after the kynge sent for the seyd lorde Cobham And as he was come he called him secretlye admonyshyng him betwixt him and him to submyt himsâ—lfe to his mother the holye churche and as an obedyent chylde to acknowledge himselfe culpable vnto whom the Christen knyght made this answere yow most worthye prince sayth heâ— am I alwayes prompt and willynge to obeye for so moche as I knowe you a Christen kynge and the appoynted minystre of God bearyng his ryghtuouse swerde to the ponnyshment of yll doers and for the sauegarde of them that be vertuouse Vnto you next my eternall lyuynge God owe I my whole obedience and submyt me therunto as I haue done euer all that I haue eyther of fortune or nature redye at all tymes to fulfyll what so euer ye shall in that lorde commaunde me But as touchynge the Pope and his spiritualte trulye I owe theÌ„ neyther sure nor seruyce for so moche as I knowe him by the scripturs to be the great Antichrist the sonne of perdicyon the open aduersarye of God and the abhominacyon standynge in the holye place Vvhan the kynge had hearde this with soche lyke sentences more he wolde talke no longar with him but left him so vtterlye And as the Archebysshop resorted agayne vnto him for an answere he gaue him his full auctorite to cyte him examyne him and ponnyshe him accordynge to the deuylyshe decrees which they call the lawes of holye churche Than the seyd Archebyshop by the couÌ„sell of his other Bysshoppes and clergye appoynted to call before him y e seyd syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham and to cause him personallye to apere to answere to soche suspected artycles as they shuld laye agaynst him So sent he forth his chefe sommener with a verye sharpe cytacyon vnto the castell of Cowlynge where as he at that tyme dwelt for his solace And as y e seyd sommener was thyder coÌ„men he durst in no case entre the gates of so noble a manne without his lycens and therfore he returned home agayne his massage not done Than called the Archebysshop one Iohan Butler vnto him which was than the dorekeper of the kynges preuye chambre with him he couenaunted through promyses and rewardes to haue this matter craftelye brought to passe vndre y e kynges name Vvhervpon the seyd Iohan Butler toke the Archebysshoppes sommener with him and went vnto the seyd lorde Cobham shewynge him that it was the kynges pleasure that he shuld obeye that cytacyon and so cyted him frawde lentlye Than sayd he vnto them in fewe wordes that in no case wolde
he coÌ„sent to those most deuylyshe practyses of the Prestes As they had infourmed y e Archebysshop of that answere that yt was mete for no manne pryuatelye to cyte him after that without parell of lyfe he decreed by and by to haue him cyted by publyque processe or open commaundement And in all the hast possyble vpon the wedynsdaye before the Natiuite of oure Ladye in Septembre he commaunded letters cytatorye to be set vpon the great gates of the cathedrall churche of Rochestre which was but iii. Englyshe myles from thens chargynge him to apere personallye before him at Ledys in the .xi. daye of the same moneth and yeare all excuses to the coÌ„trarye set a part Those letters were taken downe anon after by soche as bare fauer vnto the lorde Cobham and so conueyed a syde After that caused the Archebyshop newe letters to be set vp on the Natyuyte daye of oure Ladye which also were rent downe and vtterlye consumed Than for so moche as he ded not apere at the daye appoynted at Ledys where as he fate in consystorye as cruell as euer was Cayphas with his court of hypocrytes about him he iudge him denounced him and condempned him of most depe contumacye After that whan he had bene falselye infourmed by his hyred spyes and other glosynge glauerers that the seyde lorde Cobham had law hed him to scorne dysdayned all his doynges maynteyned his olde opynyoÌ„s contemned the churches power the dignyte of a Bysshop the ordre of presthode for of all these was he than accufed in his modye madnesse without iust profe ded he openlye excommunicate him yet was he not with all this ferce tyrannye qualyfyed but commaunded him to be cyted a freshe to apere afore him the Saturdaye before the feast of saynct Matthew the Apostle with these cruell threttenynges added theruÌ„to That yf he ded not obeye at that daye he wolde more extremelye handle him And to make himselfe more stronge towardes the perfourmaunce therof he compelled the laye power by most terryble manacynges of curses and interdiccyons to assyst him agaynst that sedycyouse apostata that scysmatyque that heretyque that troubler of the publyque peace that enemye of the realme and great aduersarye of all holye churche for all these hatefull names ded he geue him This most constaunt seruaunt of the lorde and worthye knyght syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham beholdynge the vnpacable furye of Antichrist thus kyndled agaynst him perscyuynge himselfe also compased on euerye syde with deadlye daungers he toke paper and penne in hande so wrote a Christen confessyon or rekenyng of his fayth which foloweth here after and both sygned and sealed it with his owne hande Vvherin he also answereth to the iiii chefest artycles that the Archebysshop layed agaynst him That done he toke the copye with him went therwith to the kynge trustynge to fynde mercye and fauer at his hande Non other was that confessyon of his than the coÌ„mon beleue or somme of the churches fayth called the Apostles crede of all Christen menne than vsed As thus ☞ The Christen beleue of the lorde Cobham I Beleue in God the father almyghtye maker of heauen and earth And in Iesu Christ his onlye sonne oure Lorde which was coÌ„câ—yued of the holye ghost borne of the virgine Marye suffred death vndre Ponce Pylate crucyfyed dead and buryed went downe to helles the thyrde daye rose agayne from death ascended vp to heauens he sytteth on the ryght hande of God the father almyghtye and from thens shall come agayne to iudge the quycke and the dead I beleue in the holye ghost the vnyuersall holye churche the communyon of saynctes the forgeuenesse of sâ—nnes the vprysynge of the fleshe and euerlastynge lyfe Amen And for a more large declaracyon sayth he of this my fayth in the catholyck churche I stedefastlye beleue that there is but one God almyghty in and of whose Godhede are these .iii. persones the father the sonne and the holye ghost and that those .iii. persones are the same selfe God almyghtye I beleue also that the seconde personne of this most blessed Trinite in most coÌ„uenyent tyme appoynted therunto afore toke fleshe and bloude of the most blessed virgyne Marye for the sauegarde and redempcyon of the vnyuersall kynde of manne which was afore lost in Adams offence More ouer I beleue that the same Iesus Christ ouer Lorde thus beynge both God manne is the only head of y e whole Christen churche and that all those that hath bene or shall be saued be members of this most holy churche And this holye churche I thynke to be dyâ—â—ded into .iii. sortes or companyes Vvherof the fyrst sort be now in heauen and they are the saynctes from hens departed These as they were here conuersaunt conformed alwayes ther lynes to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncynge sathan the worlde and the fleshe with all theyr concupyscences and cuyls The seconde sort are in purgatorye yf anye soche he by the scripturs abydynge the mercye of God and a full delyueraunce of payne â— The thyrde sort are here vpon the earthe and be called the churche mylytaunt For daye nyghe they comende agaynst the craftye assaultes of the deuyll the flatterynge prosperytees of this worlde and the rebellyouse fylthynesse of the fleshe This latter congregacyon by the iust ordynaunce of God is also seuered into iii. dyuerse estates that is to saye into presthode knyghthode and the coÌ„mons Amonge whom the will of God is that the one shuld ayde the other but not destroye the other The Prestes fyrst of all secluded from all worldlynesse shulde conforme theyr lyues vtterlye to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shulde they be occupyed in preachynge and teachyng the scripturs purelye and in genynge wholsom counsels of good lyuynge to the other two degrees of menne More modest also more louynge gentyll and lowlye in sprete shuld they be than anye other sortes of people In knyghthode are all they which beare swerde by lawe of offyce These shuld defende Gods lawes and se that the Gospell were purelye taught conformynge theyr lyues to the same and secludynge all false preachers yea these ought rather to hasarde theyr lyues than to suffre soche â—â—ycked decrees as eyther blemysheth the eternall testament of God or yet letteth the fre passage therof wherby her syes and scysmes myght sprynge in the churche For of non other aryse they as I suppose than of soche erronyouse constitucyoÌ„s craftelye fyrst crepynge in vndre hypocrytes lyes for auauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressers tyrauntes and theues and to se the clergye supported so longe as they teache purelye praye ryghtlye and mynystre the sacramentes frelye And yf they se them do other wyse they are bounde by lawe of offyce to compell them to change theyr
concernynge the .iiii. artycles wherof he was accused specyallye for the sacrament of the aultre how he beleued therin Vvherunto the lorde Cobham sayd that with that byll he had nothynge to do But this was his beleue he sayd concernynge the sacrament That his lorde and sauer Iesus Christ syttynge at his last supper with his most dere disciples the nyght before he shulde suffre toke breade in his hande And geâ—ynge thankes to his eternall father blessed yt brake yt and so gaue yt vnto them sayinge Take yt vnto ye and eate therof all This is my bodye which shall be betrayed for you Do this here after in my remembraunce This do I throughlye beleue sayth he for this faythe am I taught of the Gospell in Matthew in Marke and in Luke and also in the fyrst Epistle of saynct Paule to the Corintheanes Than asked the Archebysshop yf he beleued that yt were breade after the consecracyon or sacramentall wordes spoken â—uer yt The lorde Cobham sayd I beleue that in the sacrament of the aultre is Christes verye bodye in fourme of breade the same that was borne of the virgyne Marye done on the crosse dead and buryed and that the thyrde daye arose from death to lyfe which now is gloryfyed in heauen Than sayd one of the doctours of lawe After the sacramentall wordes be vttered there remayneth no breade but the onlye bodye of Christ. The lorde Cobham sayd than to one mastre Iohan Vvhyght head you sayd ones vnto me in the castell of Cowlynge that the sacred oost was not Christes bodye But I helde than agaynst you and proued that therin was his bodye though the seculars and fryers coude not therin agre but helde yche one agaynst other in that opynyon These were my wordes thaÌ„ yf ye remembre it Than showted a sort of them togyther and cryed with great noyse Vve saye all that yt is Gods bodye And dyuerse of them asked him in great angre whether it were materyall breade after the consecracyon or not Than loked the lorde Cobham ernestlye vpon the Archebysshop sayd I beleue surelye that yt is Christes bodye in fourme of breade Syr beleue not you thus And the Archebysshop sayd yes marry do I. Than asked him the doctours whether yt were onlye Christes bodye after the consecracyon of a Prest and no bread or not And he sayd vnto them It is both Christes bodye and breade I shall proue yt as thus For lyke as Christ dwellynge here vpon the earth had in him both Godhede and manhede And had the inuisyble â—odhede couered vndre that manhede which was onlye visyble and seane in him So in the sacrament of the aultre is Christes verye bodye and verye breade also as I beleue The breade is the thynge that we se with oure eyes The bodye of Christ which is his fleshe and his bloude is there vndre hydde and not seane but in fayth Than smyled they yche one vpon other that the people shuld iudge him taken in a great heresye And with a great bragge dyuerse of them sayd It is a fowle heresye ThaÌ„ asked the archebysshopp what breade yt was And the doctours also inquyred of hym whether it were materyall or not The lorde Cobham sayd vnto them The scripturs maketh no mencyon of thys worde materyall and therfor my faythe hath nothynge to do therwith But thys I saye and beleue yt that yt ys Christes bodye breade For Christ sayd in the sixt of IohaÌ„s gospell Ego sum panis viuâ—s qui de celo descendi I whych came downe from heauen am the lyuynge and not the dead breade Therfor I saye now ageyne lyke as I sayd afore As our lorde Iesus Christ is verye god and verye manne so in the most blessed sacrament of the aultre is Christes verye bodye and breade Than sayd they all with one voyce It is an heresye One of the bysshoppes stode vp by by and sayd Vvhat yt is an heresye manyfest to saye that yt is breade after the sacrameÌ„tall wordes be ones spokeÌ„ but Christes bodye onlye The lorde Cobham sayd Saynt paule y e apostle was I am sure as wyse as yow be now and more godlye lerned And he callâ—â— yt breade writynge to the Corintheanes The breade that we breake sayth he is yt not the partakynge of the body of Christ Lo he casteth yt breade and not Christes bodye but a menne wherby we receyue Christes bodye Than sayd they ageyne Paule must be otherwyse vnderstanded For yt is surelye an heresye to saye that yt is breade after the consecration but onlye Christes bodye The lorde Cobham asked how they coude make Good that senteÌ„ce of thers They answered hym thus For yt is ageynst the determynacyon of holye churche Than sayd the Archebysshopp vnto hym Sir Iohan we sent yow a writynge concernynge the faythe of thys blessed sacrament clerelye determyned by the churche of Rome our mother and by the holye doctours Than sayd he ageyne vnto hym I knowe non holyar than is Christ and hys Apostle And as for that determynacyoÌ„ I woteâ— yt is non of thers for yt staÌ„deth not with the scripturs but manyfestlye ageynst theÌ„ If yt be the churches as ye saye it is it hath bene hers onlye sens she receyued the great poyson of worldlye possessyons not afore Than asked they him to stoppe his mouthe therewith If he beleued not in the determynacyon of the churche And he sayd vnto them No forsoth for yt is no God In all oure crede is in but thryse mencyoned concernynge beleue In God the father in God the sonne in God the holy ghost The byrthe the death the buryall the resurreccyon and ascensyon of Christ hath non in for beleue but in him Neyther yet hath the churche the sacramentes the forgeuenesse of synne the latter resurreccyon nor yet the lyfe euerlastynge anye other in than in the holye ghost Than sayd one of the lawers Tushe that was but a worde of offyce But what is youre beleue concernynge holye churche The lorde Cobham answered My beleue is as I sayd afore that all the scripturs of the sacred Byble are true All that is grounded vpon them I beleue throughlye For I knowe yt is Gods pleasure that I shuld so do But in your lordelye lawes and ydell determynacyons haue I no beleue For ye be no part of Christes holye churche as youre open dedes doth shewe But ye are verye Antichristes obstynatlye set agaynst his holye lawe and will The lawes that you haue made are nothynge to his glorye but onlye for youre vayne glorye and abhomynable couetuousnesse This they sayd was an exceadynge heresye and that in a grâ—aâ— fâ—â—me not to beleue the determynacyon of holye churche Than the Archebysshop asked him what he thought holye churche He sayd vnto him My beleue is that holye Churche is the nombre of them which shall be saued of