y t he shulde treade christe on the hele This excedinge great benefighâ— of the goodnesse of God ought to be remeÌ„bred y t he after y e sinne of our first pareÌ„tes not only receiued this churche to grace but also hath â—uer seÌ„s both preserued defended it But 〈◊〉 great is y t vntowardnesse muche is y t h 〈…〉 nesse of manis harte y t he neglecteth so high a benefight as is also y e patefaction of Christe in y e Gospell by whome we are redemed so remayne vnthankefull for y e same A most swete voyce is it vnto vs froÌ„ y e sonne of God Iesus Christe y t he will not leaue vs as orphanes or faâ—â—erlesse motherlesse childreÌ„ without coÌ„fort but will come vnto vs IoaÌ„ 14. That is Like a geÌ„till mercifull lorde he will coÌ„tinually staÌ„de by his churche assistinge helpinge socouriÌ„ge it alwaiâ—â— I will be w t yow saith he to y e ende of y e worlde Math. 28. Lete this be thy coÌ„fort y u sorowfull churche of EnglaÌ„de staie thy selfe iÌ„ hiÌ„ w c was incarnate lyued wrought taught dyed for thy sinne yea he arose froÌ„ y e deathe ascended to heaueÌ„ for thy iustificacioÌ„ Rom. 4. Cleaue thu fast to him repeÌ„t thy folyes past take heede to thy doiÌ„ges froÌ„ hensfourth Praye fast busily for this frantyck kinde of Deuyls is neuer taken awaye but in prayer fastiÌ„ge Math. 17. So shalt y u be restored pleÌ„teously florish in vertues herafter frutefully to the prayse of one God eternall Which liueth and reigneth worlde without ende Amen FINIS The table of this boke ABel the first electe fol 2. Abel acknowlegeth saluacioÌ„ in Christe by sacrifice .11 Abhominacions aduaunced in Englande .45 Adam constituted a preacher .2 9. Adam called persecuted and deliuered .2 Adultery mainteined in Irelande .18.21.23 Antiquitees of Englande desiered .38 Antony Sellenger knight accused .32 Apostles called persecuted deliuered .3.10 Articles maliciously practised .38.39.41 Augustine complained of Ceremonies .10 Authour fauoured of the kinge .4.16 BAylfye of S. Iuüs .34 Balaam the sothsayer .9 Barnabe Bolgar a maintainer of theues .5.26.27.47 Bishopp of Galwaye .28.31 Bishopp of Rome noysed heade of y e churche .28.31.33 Bishoppes .iij. at inuestinge .18 Boke whie it was written .7 Boke of commen prayer resisted .19.21 Breade wyne worshipped .11.15.20.22.25.27 Bretherne called afflicted and deliuered .7 Britaines beleue afore Christes tyme .12 Britaines subdued by the Saxons .14 Brytish churche first instituted .12 Buggerie a professed virginite .14.27 CAptaine of the shippe taketh 33. excuseth .35 fleeth .36 thretteneth .37 and robbeth .40 Celibatus a cloke of buggerie .14.36.45 Ceremonies of the churche .10 Christe preached in paradyse .2.11 a vniuersall doctour appoynted .2.9 called persecuted and delyuered .2.9 obeyeth an heathen Emperour 29. Churche of Christe what it is .7.48 preserued 48. Churche of y e Britaines instituted .12 Churche of Englande described .11 afflicted .42.43.48 Claudia a Britaine taught of S. Paule .13 Coyne and lyuery tirannouse .46 Commission of the mariners abused .41 Commissioners at Dubline .31 Communion for S. Anne .22 Confirmacion for moneye .28 Consecracion or inuestinge at dublyne .18 Constantine the Emprour .10.13 Contencion about trifles .24.26 Contrarie are we to the papistes .3.45 Cornelius and Iulius Captaines .6 Cornelis a cruell pyrate .37 DAyes hallowed and vnhallowed 29. Dauid Couper person of Calan .18.28 Degrees of men receiuinge Christe .25 DeliuerauÌ„ce of the authour .28.34.35.40.41 Deputie none in Irelande .23.31.33 Discipline in the churche with doctrine .21 Doctours in the primatiue churche .10 Doctours in the British churche .13 Doctours in the Britysh monkerye .13 Doctours of the English monkerie .14 Doctours smellinge out their mischefes .15 Doctrines iÌ„ Britaine afore Christes birthe .12 Doctrine of God commaunded .19 Doctrine in the churche with discipline .21 Dogge brought to be confirmed .28 Douer roade .37 muche doubted .40 Downinges a cruell commocioner .34 Dubline head cytie of Irelande .18.31.33 Duste shaken in witnesse .31 EAre confession a salue for all sores .27 Election vocatioÌ„ of God .9 Epicurish papistes enemies to Christe .7 Epistles .ij. from learned men .38 English Saxons subdue the Britaines .14 English churche described .11 afflicted .42.48 English Antiquitees desiered .38 English shippes robbed .37 Example of Gods chasteninges .42 Examples of vocacion .2 of true nobilite .43 Examples notable for afflicted preachers .44 Exercise of an Irishe bishopp .28 Exequyes for the kinge .30.31 FAlse prophetes are the papistes 21. False rumours of the Irishe men .23 Fathers called persecuted and deliuered .3.9 Fathers in darkenesse faithfull .14.15 Fyshes are howseled of a preste .36 Fryres and sophisters .14 From Hierusalem and not from Rome .12 GEntyles acknowlegynge Christe .11 Gentiles partakers of the promise .11 Gentilman of Cornewale .35 George archebishopp of Dubline wicked .18 slacke .21 an Epycure .18.32 seketh the prymacie 32. Gildas for the Britaines faithe .11.13 God calleth tryeth and deliuereth .7 God now gathereth his churche .15 God mocked of the papistes .45 Good men from hypocrites are knowne .26 Gospell of the wounded man .25 Gossippes at Dubline .32 in procession .15 Grapes and thornes what they are .47.48 Gregorius and Porphirius .45 HElias aÌ„d Baals chaplaines .7 Heretykes in Britaine .13 Hierusalem and not Rome gyueth faythe to Englande .13 Hierusalem of the papistes will falle .44 Hipocrites Idolatours with their plages .21 they dyfferre from good men .26 take awaye the keye of knowlege .43 Holy daye obserued in murther .29 Holmes court a mansion .22.26 Horsegrome of lorde Mountgarret .26 Hugh Goodaker archebishopp of Armach .18 poysened .22 IAmes Ioys a maliciouse Iudas 26.29.47 Iames parish preste of S. Iues .36 Iane Gilforde proclamed Quene .23 Iapheth the father of Europa .12 Idolatour what he is els .21 Idolatours no apte ministers .10 Idolatours hipocrites w t their plages .21.26 Idolatryes of our tyme .11 Idolatryes of Waterforde in Irelande .17 Idolatryes and hypocresies rebuked .21 â–ª Iesus Christe called persecuted deliuered .2.9 Ilandes established in faythe .12 Images of our ladye hereticall .45 Images the laye mennis Calender .45 Impedimentes of the authour .17 Iohan Baptist Hieremy and Paule .3.9 Iohan Euangelist .2 â–ª called .10 exyled .44 Iohan Peter and Paule elected .10 Iohan Zebide bannished .44 Iohan Beuerle a man of God .14 Iohan Bale called afflicted and delyuered .3.4.43 triumpheth in afflictions .4.7 reioyceth in delyueraunce .3.4.41.43 defendeth y e kiÌ„ges boke .19 is sought to be slayne .28.31 receyued at kylkennye .29 temted of prestes .30 he fleeth .31 is taken of pirates .33 accused and examined .34.38 slaundered .38 spoyled of all .40.41 and deliuered .41.43 Ioseph an Hebrue preacheth in Britaine .12 IrelaÌ„d a bishops doughter so brought vp .32 Irish kearnes conspire and rebelle .23.28 Iudgement of popish gouernours .7 Iulius and Cornelius Captaines .6 Iustices are wicked in Irelande .22.30 KEarnes Irishe theues and murtherers .23.28.46.47 KilkeÌ„nie a
bothe dead buried With y t hys grace came to the wyndowe and earnestly behelde me a poore weake creature as though he had had vpon me so symple a subiect aÌ„ earnest regarde or rather a very fatherly care In y e same very iÌ„staunt as I haue bene sens y e tyme credibli iÌ„fourmed hys Grace called vnto hiÌ„ y e lordes of his most honourable couÌ„sell In the same very instaunt as I haue bene sens that time credibly infourmed his grace called vnto him the lordes of his most honourable counsell so manie as were than present willinge them to appoint me to the bishoprick of Ossorie in Irelande Wherunto they all agreably consentinge commaunded the letters of my first callinge therunto by and by to be writteÌ„ and sent me The next daye folowinge which was the xvj daye of August the lettre beinge writteÌ„ by B. Hamptone a clarke of the counsell they very fauourably subscribed to y e same in maner as herafter foloweth ¶ The coppie of y e seyd lettre To our very louinge frende doctour Bale After our hartye coÌ„mendacions For as muche as the kinges maiestie is minded in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of your learninge wysdome and other vertuouse qualityes to bestowe vpon yow the bishoprick of Ossorie in Irelande presently voyde we haue thought mete both to giue yow knowledge therof and therwithall to lete yow vnderstaÌ„de that his maiestie wolde ye made your repayre hyther to the courte as sone as conueniently ye maye to thende that if ye be enclined to embrace this charge his highnesse maye at your coÌ„minge gyue suche ordre for y e farther procedinge w t yow herin as shalbe coÌ„uenient And thus we bid yow hartely farewell From SouthaÌ„pton the xvj daye of August 1552. Your louinge freÌ„des W. Winchestre I. Bedford H. Suffolke W. NorthaÌ„ptoÌ„ T. Darcy T. Cheine Iohan Gate W. Cecill And to coÌ„clude thus was I called in a maner from deathe to this office without my expectacion or yet knowlege therof And thus haue ye my vocacioÌ„ to the bishoprick of Ossorie in Irelande I passe ouer my earnest refusall therof a moneth after that in the kinges maiesties returne to Winchestre where as I alleged as I than thought my lawfull impedimentes of pouertie age and syckenesse within the bishopes howse there but they were not accepted Than resorted I to the court at London within .vj. wekes after accordinge to the tenure of the forseyd lettre and within vj. dayes had althinges perfourmed perteininge to my election and full confirmacion frely without any maner of charges or expenses wherof I muche marueled On the .xix. daye of decembre I toke my iourneye from Byshops Stoke with my bokes and stuffe towardes Bristowe where as I tarryed xxvj dayes for passage and diuerse times preached in that worshipfull cytie at the instauÌ„t desyre of the cytiezens Vpon the .xxj. daye of Ianuary we entred into y e shippe I my wyfe one seruauÌ„t And beinge but .ij. nyghtes and .ij. dayes vpoÌ„ the sea we arryued most prosperously at Waterforde iÌ„ the coldest time of the yeare so mercifull was the Lorde vnto vs. In beholdynge the face and ordre of that cytie I see many abhomynable ydolatryes maiÌ„teined by y e Epicurysh prestes for their wicked bellies sake The Communion or Supper of the Lorde was there altogyther vsed lyke a popysh masse with the olde apysh toyes of Antichrist in bowynges and beckynges knelinges and knockinges the Lordes deathe after S. Paules doctrine neyther preached nor yet spoken of There wawled they ouer y e dead with prodigyouse howlynges and patterynges as though their sowles had not bene quyeted in Christe and redemed by hys passion but that they must come after and helpe at a pinche with Requiem Eternam to delyuer them out of helle by their sorowfull sorceryes WhaÌ„ I had beholden these heathnysh behauers I seyd vnto a Senatour of that cytie that I wele perceyued that Christe had there no Bishop neyther yet the Kynges Maiestie of Englande any faythful officer of y e mayer iÌ„ sufferiÌ„g so horryble blasphemies The next daye after I rode towardes Dublyne rested y e night folowiÌ„ge in a towne called Knocktouer in y e howse of maister Adam walshe my generall coÌ„missarye for the whole dyocese of Ossorie At supper the parish prest called Syr Philypp was very seruiceable and in familyar talke described vnto me y e howse of the white fryres which suÌ„tyme was in that towne coÌ„cludiÌ„ge in the ende y t the last prior therof called Wyllyam was his naturall father I axed him if y t were in mariage He made me answere No. For that was he sayd against his profession Than counselled I hym that he neuer shulde boast of it more Whie sayth he it is aÌ„ honour in this lande to haue a spirituall man as a byshop aÌ„ Abbot a MoÌ„ke a Fryre or a Prest to father With y t I greatly marueled not so much of his vnshamefast talke as I ded y t adultery forbiddeÌ„ of God of all honest men detested shulde there haue both prayse preferremeÌ„t thiÌ„king iÌ„ processe for my part to refourme it I came at y e last to Dubline wher as I founde my coÌ„panyoÌ„ maistre Hugh Goodaker y e Archebishop of Armach elected mi olde frynde M. Dauid Coper ê‘son of calaÌ„ Much of y e people ded greatly reioyce of our coÌ„miÌ„ge thidre thinkiÌ„ge by our preachiÌ„ges y e popes suê‘stioÌ„s wolde diminish the true ChristeÌ„ religioÌ„ increace Vpon the purificacion daye of our ladye the lorde chancellour of Irelande sir Thomas Cusake our speciall good lorde and earnest ayder in all our procedinges appoynted vs to be inuested or coÌ„secrated as they call it bi George the archebishop of Dublyne Thomas the bisshop of Kyldare Vrbane y e bishop of Duno assisinge him I will not here describe at large the subtyle coÌ„ueyauÌ„ce of that greate Epicure y e archebishop how he went about to diffarre the daye of our consecracion that he might by that meanes haue preuented me in takinge vp the proxyes of my bishoprick to his owne glottonouse vse and in so depriuinge me of more thaÌ„ halfe my lyuynge for that yeare As we were comminge fourth to haue recciued the imposicion of handes accordynge to the ceremonye Thomas Lockwode Blockheade he myght wel be called the deane of the cathedrall churche there desired the lord chauÌ„cellour very instauntly y t he wolde in no wise permyt y e obseruacion to be done after y e boke of consecratinge bishoppes w c was last set fourth in EnglaÌ„de by acte of parlement alleginge y t it wolde be both an occasioÌ„ of tumulte and also that it was not as yet consented to by acte of their parlemeÌ„t in Irelande For whie he muche feared the newe changed ordre of the coÌ„munion therin to hindre his kychin and bellye The lorde chauncellour proponed this matter
hys coūsell had that yeare put fourth by acte of parlement But that wolde they at no hāde obeye allegynge for their vayne and ydle excuse the lewde example of the archebysshop of dublyne whych was alwayes flacke in thynges perteyninge to Gods glorie allegīge also the wāt of bokes and that their owne iustices and lawers had not yet cōsented therunto As though it had bene lawfull for their iustices to haue denyed y e same or as though they had rather haue hanged vpō thē than vpon the kinges autorite and cōmaundement of his coūsell In the weke after Eastre whan I had ones preached .xij. sermons amōge thē and established the people as I thought in the doctrine of repentaūce and necessarie beleue of the Gospell in the true worshyppynges of one God our eternall father nomore ād in y e hope of one redemer Iesus Christe and nomore I departed from Kylkēnie to ā other place of myne .v. myles of called Holmes court where as I remained tyll the assension daye In the meane time came sorowfull newes vnto me that M. Hugh Goodacker the Archebishop of Armach that godly preacher and virtuouse learned mā was poysened at Dubline by procurement of certen prestes of his diocese for preachinge Gods verite rebukinge their cōmen vices And letters by by were directed vnto me by my speciall frindes from thens to be ware of the like in my diocese of Ossorie which made me parauēture more circūspect thā I shulde haue bene Vpō y e assenciō daye I preached agaī at Kilkennie likewyse on Trinite sondaye on S. Peters daye at midsomer than folowinge On the xxv daye of Iuly y e prestes were as plesauntly disposed as might be and went by heapes from tauerne to tauerne to seke the best Rob dauie and aqua vite which are their speciall drinkes there Thei cawsed all their cuppes to be filled in with Gaudeamus in dolio the misterie therof ōly knowne to them and at that time to none other els Which was that Kynge Edwarde was dead and that they were ī hope to haue vp their maskynge masses againe As we haue in S. Iohns Reuelaciō that they which dwell on the yearth as do our earthly minded masmongers shulde reioyce and be glad whan Gods true witnesses were ones taken awaye and shulde sende gyftes one to an other for gladnesse because they rebuked them of theyr wycked doynges Apca xj For ye must consydre that the prestes are commēly the first that receiue suche newes The next daye folowinge a very wicked iustice called Thomas Hothe with the lorde Moūtgarret resorted to the Cathedrall churche requyrynge to haue a Communiō in the honour of S. Anne Marke the blasphemouse blyndenesse and wylfull obstinacie of thys beastly papyst The prestes made hym answere that I had forbydden them that celebracion sauynge only vpon the sondayes As I had in dede for the abhomynable ydolatries that I had seane therin I discharge you sayth he of obedience to your Bishop in this point cōmaūde yow to do as ye haue done heretofore which was to make of Christes holy cōmuniō an ydolatrouse masse to suffre it to serue for y e dead cleane contrarye to the Christen vse of the same Thus was the wicked iustice not only a vyolatour of Christes institucion but also a contempner of his princes earnest commaūdement and a prouoker of the people by his vngraciouse example to do the lyke Thys coulde he do whith other mischefes more by his longe beynge there by a whole monthes space but for murthers theftes ydolatryes and abhominable whoredomes wherwith all that nacion habūdeth for that time he sought no redresse neyther appointed any correction The prestes thus reioycing y t the Kinge was dead y t they had bene that daye cōfirmed in their supersticiouse obstinacie resorted to the forseyd false iustice the same night at supper to gratifye him with Rob Dauye and Aqua vite for that he had bene so frendly vnto them that he might styll cōtinue in the same The next daye after was the Ladye Iane Gylforde proclamed their Quene with solemnite of processions bonefyres and banquettes the seyd iustice as I was infourmed sore blamynge me for my absence that daye for in dede I muche doubted that matter So sone as it was there rumoured abrode y t y e Kynge was departed frō this lyfe y e ruffianes of y e wilde nacyon not only rebelled agaīst the English captaines as their lewde custome in suche chaunges hath bene alwayes chefely no English deputye beinge within the lande but also they conspired into the very deathes of so many English men and women as were left therin alyue Myndinge as they than stoughtly boasted it to haue set vp a kinge of their owne And to cause their wilde people to beare y e more hate to our naciō very subtilly but yet falsely they caused it to be noysed ouer all that the yonge Earle of Ormonde and Barnabe the barne of vpper Ossories sonne were both slaine in the court at London Vpon this wylye practise of myschefe they raged without ordre in all places and assaulted the English fortes euery where And at one of them by a subtyle trayne they gote out .ix. of our men and slewe them On the .xiij. daye of August a gentill woman the wyfe of Mathew kinge hauynge a castell not farre of her husbande than beinge at London fleddde with her familie and goodes in cartes towardes the forseid kilkennye and in the hygh waye was spoyled of all to her very petycote by the kearnes galoglasses of the forenamed barne of vpper Ossorie Mihell patricke and of y e lorde Mountgarret which ought rather to haue defended her In this outrage had she after longe cōflicte w t those enemyes .iiij. of her cōpanie slain besides other mischefes more On the .xx. daye of August was the ladye marye with vs at kylkennye proclamed Quene of Englande Fraunce and Irelande with the greatest solempnyte that there coulde be deuysed of processions musters and disgysinges all the noble captaynes and gentilmē there about beinge present What a do I had that daye with the prebendaryes and prestes abought wearinge the cope croser and myter in procession it were to muche to write I tolde them earnestly whan they wolde haue cōpelled me therunto that I was not Moyses minister but Christes I desyred them that they wolde not cōpell me to his denyall which is S. Paule sayth in y e repetinge of Moyses sacramētes ceremoniall sohaddowes Gal. v. w t y t I toke Christes testamēt in my hāde wēt to y e market crosse y e people in great nōbre folowinge There toke I the .xiij. chap. of S. Paule to y e Roma declarīge to thē breuely what y e autoritie was of y e worldly powers magistrates what reuerēce obediēce were
for a barrell of drīke for in the shippe at that time was neither breade befe nor beere Some feared the comminge of the mayre and Captayne of the castell for searchinge their shippe So that our Captaine commaunded them at the last to hoyse vp the sayles and spedily to passe towardes Flaūders In the meane tyme was I poore sowle compelled to set my hande to a false bylle of their deuisinge as that I had hyred their shippe in Irelande for fyftie pounde to bringe me without delaye or tarriaunce into Zelande Which I neuer ded as the almightie lorde wele knoweth but came from thens with them against my will and was tossed to and fro vpon the seas by the space of .xxiiij. dayes in folowinge prises as they call their roberies And I was by y t time so full of lyce as I coulde swarme As we came ones thydre they brought me into the howse of one of the .iiij. owners of the shippe which was a man fearinge God and his wyfe a woman of muche godlynesse also which was to me carefull creature a singular confort prouided of God The next daye were all the .iiij. owners called to the reckeninge a Latyne interpretour wyth them to knowe howe where and whā this raunsome of fiftye pounde shulde be payde And more than .xxvj. dayes of layser for the payment therof might not be graunted I desiered to haue had liberte to go abroade to seke my frīdes but that coulde I not obtaine though it were in my former couenaūt whan the .vj. crownes were deliuered me In y e afternone was it noysed abroade by the dronken mariners all ouer that they had brought suche a one with them out of Irelande as payed halfe an hondred pounde for his passage to the wonderinge of all y e towne So that my hoste was fayne to kepe me close in his howse and to saye both to the mariners and others that I was gone to Andwerpe the people there resorted so fast to see me They reported there also in their dronkennesse that I was he which had put downe the masse in Englande and had throwne Doctour Gardyner into the tower wytha great sort of lyes and slaunders more Thus continued I there as a prisoner by the space of .iij. wekes sumtyme threttened to be throwne in their commen iayle sumtyme to be brought afore the magistrates sumtyme to be left to the examinaciō of the clergie sumtyme to be sent to London or els to be deliuered to the Quenes embassadours at Brucels but alwayes by Gods prouysyon I had myne hoste and hostesse to fryndes And beholde a most wondrefull wurke of God The persone of the towne a most cruell monke a maistre of Louayne and an inquisitour of heretykes as they call those Rabyes the next daye after my comminge sore syckened and neuer came out of his bedde so lōge as I was there which was greatly marked of some of the inhabitauntes beinge godly affected At the last in deliberatinge the matter that they requyred so muche moneye of me and wolde not suffre me to go abroade to seke it mine hoste bad the Captaine and mariners considre how farre they had rōne beyonde the limites of their commission in mysusynge the English nacion with whome they had no warre It maye chaunce herafter sayth he depely to be layde to your charges Therfor by my assent ye shall agree with this good man for lesse moneye Than were they cōtented to receyue .xxx. pounde as I shulde be able to paye it and so to discharge me Thus hath my lorde God most miraculously deliuered me from all these daūgerouse parels and from the gredye mouthes of deuourynge lions into the wurthie lande of Germanye yet ones againe I hope to y e glorie of his most holie name euerlastīge praise be to hī for it Amē Here haue ye dere fryndes a most lyuely and wondrefull example of Gods chastenynges of his most gracyouse delyueraunces agayne For no chosen chylde receyueth he to enherytaunce without muche correction Hebre. 12. The mercyfull lorde throweth downe into helle and bringeth from thens agayne 1. Reg. 2. Though Sathan be suffred as whete to syfte vs for a time yet faileth not our faithe through Christes ayde but that we are at all times readye to confirme the faythe of our weake bretherne Luce. 22. I thought my selfe now of late for the cares of this lyfe wele satteled in the bishoprycke of Ossorye in Ireland and also wele quieted in y e peceable possessiō of y e pleasaunt Euphrates I confesse it But the lorde of his mercye wolde not there leaue me what though for the small tyme I was in his vyneyearde not all an ydell wurkemā but he hath prouyded me I perceyue it to taste of a farre other cuppe By vyolence hath he yet ones agayne as ye in this treatise haue redde here driuen me out of that gloryouse Babylon that I shulde not taste to muche of her wanton pleasures But with his most derely beloued disciples to haue my inwarde reioyce in the crosse of his sonne Iesus Christe The glorie of whose churche I see it wele standeth not in the harmoniouse sounde of belles and organes nor yet in y e glitterynge of miters and coopes neither in y e shyninge of gylte ymages and lyghtes as the blinde bludderinge papistes do iudge it but in continuall labours and dayly afflyctions for his names sake God at this present in Englande hath his fanne in hande and after his great haruest there is now syftinge the corne from the chaffe blessed shall they be which perseuer in faythe to the ende In case without doubt is Englande now as was Iewrye after the heauenly doctryne was there plentuously sowne by Christe and by his Apostles the true ministers of his wurde beinge partly enprisoned and partly dispersed as they were God of his great mercye preserue it frō that plage of destructiō which not only Hierusalē but also y e whole lande tasted for their wylfull contempte of that massage of their saluacyon Amen The conclusion I Wryte this vnto the thu sorowfull churche of Englāde y t in y e middes of thy afflictions thu shuldest not despayre Beholde how gracyously yea if I maye so speake it how miraculously and gloriously the heauenly lorde hath deliuered me his most vnworthie seruaunt of all men and an excedinge great sinner He called me of grace to that office in his vyneyarde by sore persecuciōs he proued me of loue and at the lattre of mercye goodnesse he preserued me from the deadly furye of most fearce enemies Thy callinge to the Gospell is not vnknowne to the thu carefull congregacion Now suffrest thu persecucions diuersly for not regardinge the time of thy visitaciō Repent yet in the ende and doubtlesse thu shalt haue a most prosperouse delyueraunce They are no noble men y t do vexe the at this
vnto vs. The archebisshop consented therunto so ded the other .ij. bishoppes Maistre Goodaker wolde gladly it might haue bene otherwise but he wolde not at that time contende there with them Whan I see none other waye I stepped fourth and sayde If Englande and Irelande be vndre one kinge they are both bounde to y e obedieÌ„ce of one lawe vndre him And as for vs we came hyther as true subiectes of his sworne to obeye that ordinaunce It was but a bisshopprick I sayde that I came thydre to receiue that daye Which I coulde be better contented to treade vnder my fote there than to breake froÌ„ that promise or othe y t I had made I bad them in the ende sett all their hartes at rest for came I ones to the churche of Ossorie I wolde execute nothiÌ„ge for my part there â—â— accordiÌ„ge to y e rules of y e lattre boke With 〈◊〉 lorde chauÌ„cellour right honourably coÌ„mauÌ„â—â—â—â— y e ceremonie to be done after y e boke ThaÌ„ 〈…〉 asseheaded deane a waie more thaÌ„ halfecoÌ„f 〈…〉 Neyther folowed there any tumulte amonge the people but euery man sauinge the prestes was wele contented Than went the archebishop about that obseruacion very vnsauerly and as one not muche exercised in that kinde of doynge specially in the administracion of the lordes holy supper In the ende the lorde chauncellour made to vs and to our frendes a most frendly diner to saue vs froÌ„ excedinge charges which otherwise we had bene at that daye Within .ij. dayes after was I sycke agayn so egerly that no man thought I shulde haue lyued which malladie helde me till after Eastre Yet in the meane tyme I founde a waye to be brought to kylkennie where as I preached euery sondaye holy daye in lent tyll the sondaye after Eastre was fully past neuer felinge any maner of grefe of my syckenesse for the tyme I was in the pulpet Wherat many men and my selfe also greatly merualed Neyther had I for all y e tyme space any minde to call for any teÌ„porall profites which was afterwardes to my no small hynderaunce From that daye of our consecracioÌ„ I traded w t myselfe by all possybylyte to set fourth that doctrine which God charged his churche with euer sens y e beginninge And thought therw t in my minde also y t I had rather that Aethna ded swallowe me vp thaÌ„ to maiÌ„teine those wayes in religion which might corrupte the same For my daily desire is in y e euerlastiÌ„ge schole to beholde the eternall sonne of God both here and after this lyfe And not only to see the fathers prophetes and Apostles theriÌ„ but also for loue of y e doctrine to enioye their blessid feliship herafter And so muche the rather I traded thus with myselfe y t I see than the kinges maiestie y e arhebishopp of Canterbury and the honourable lordes of y e counsell so ferueÌ„tly beÌ„t y e waye as to seke y e peoples helthe in y e same I thought it therupoÌ„ no lesse thaÌ„ my bounde dewtie to shewe my selfe faithfull studiouse diligeÌ„t in y t so chargefull a functioÌ„ My first ê“cedinges in y t doiÌ„ge were these I earnestly exhorted y e people to repeÌ„tauÌ„ce for sinne required theÌ„ to giue credite to y e Gospell of saluacion To acknowledge beleue y t there was but one God him alone w tout any other sincerely to worship To coÌ„fesse one Christe for an oÌ„ly sauer redemer to truste iÌ„ none other maÌ„nis praiers merites nor yet deseruiÌ„ges but in his alone for saluacioÌ„ I treated at large both of y e heauenly politicall state of y e christeÌ„ churche helpars I fouÌ„de none amoÌ„ge my prebeÌ„daries clergie but aduersaries a great noÌ„bre I preached the Gospell of y e knowledge right inuocacion of God I mayntened the politicall ordre by doctrine moued the coÌ„mens alwayes to obeye their magistrates But whaÌ„ I ones sought to distroye the ydolatries dissolue the hypocrites yockes than folowed angers slauÌ„ders coÌ„spiricyes in the ende the slaughter of men Much a do I had with the prestes for y t I had sayd amonge other y t the whyte Goddes of their makiÌ„ge such as they offered to the people to be worshipped were no Goddes but ydoles and that their prayers for the dead procured no redeÌ„pcioÌ„ to the solwes departed Redempcion of sowles beinge only in Christe of Christe by Christe I added y t their office by Christes strayght commauÌ„dement was chifely to preache and instruct the people in the doctryne and wayes of God and not to occupie so muche of the tyme in chauntynge pypynge aÌ„d syngynge Muche were the prestes offeÌ„ded also for y t I had iÌ„ my preachiÌ„ges willed theÌ„ to haue wiues of their owne to leaue the vnshamefast occupienge of other meÌ„nes wyues doughters aÌ„d seruauÌ„tes But heare what aÌ„swere they made me alwayes yea y e most viciouse meÌ„ amoÌ„g theÌ„ What shulde we marrie sayd they for halfe a yeare so loose our liuynges Thinke ye not y t these men were ghostly inspired eyther yet had knowledge of some secrete mischefe wurkiÌ„ge in EnglaÌ„de I for my part haue not a little sens y t time marueled whaÌ„ it hath fallen to my remeÌ„brauÌ„ce Well y e truthe is I coulde neuer yet by any Godly or honest persuasion bringe any of theÌ„ to mariage neither yet cause them whiche were knowne for vnshamfast whorekepers to leaue that fylthye abhomynable occupyenge what though I most earnestly laboured it But sens that tyme I haue consydered by the iugement of the scriptures that the impenytent ydolatour must therwith be also a fylthie adulterer or most detestable sodomite It is his iust plage Rom. 1. We can not stoppe it Lyke wyse the dissemblinge hipocrite in coÌ„temning Gods truthe must nedes folowe errours and lyes in the doctrine of deuyls 1. Timot. 4. to haue in y e ende the greatter confusion Lete him y t is wicked sayth y e Angell to S. Iohan become more wicked and he that is filthie become more filthye that hys damnacion maye be the depar his sorowes extremer Apoca. 22. The lord therfor of his mercie sende discipline w t doctrine into his church For doctrine w tout discipline restraint of vices maketh dissolute hearers And on the other syde discipline without doctrine maketh eyther hipocrites or els desperate doars I haue not written this in disprayse of all y e prestes of KylkeÌ„nye or there about For my hope is y t some of them by thys tyme are fallen to repentaunce though they be not manye An other thinge was there y t muche had dyspleased the prebendaryes and other prestes I had earnestly euer sens my first comminge requyred them to obserue and folowe y e only boke of coÌ„men prayer whych the kynge