faste the confydence and reioysynge of that hope to the ende Wherfore as saythe the Holye Ghoste To daie yf yow shall heare his voice harden not youre hartes c. Psalme xciiii Iohan Bale By the fore heades vnderstāde she the hartes or mindes of men for so are they takē of S. Iohā Apoc. vii xxii I can not thynke but herin she had respect vnto the plate of fyne golde which the lorde commaunded to be set vpon Aarons fore hede for the acceptacyon of the people of Israel Exodi ii For here wolde she all mennys hartes to be endued and lyghtened with the mooste pure sprete of Christ for the vnderstandynge of that most holye and necessarye cōmunyon the corrupted dreames and fantasyes of synnefull men sette a part She knewe by the singular gyft of the holye Ghost that they are lyenge masters procurers of ydolatrye and most spytfull enemyes to the sowle of man that applyeth that office to the corruptyble lippes which belongeth to an vncorrupted faythe so settynge the creature that is corruptyble breade in place of the creator Christ both God and man Roma i. lamentynge it with the ryghteouse at the verie harte rote And in thys she shewed her selfe to be a naturall membre of Christes mistycall bodie i Cor. xii relygyouslye carefull for her Christen bretherne systerne least they shulde take harme of the popes masmongers Anne Askewe The summe of my examynacion afore the kynges counsell at Grenewyche Your request as concernynge my preson fellowes I am not hable to satysfye bycause I hearde not their examynacyons But the effecte of mine was this I before the counsell was asked of mastre kyme I answered that my lorde chancellour knewe all redye my mynde in that matter They with that answere were not contented but said it was the kinges pleasure that I shulde open the matter to them I answered them playnelye that I wolde not so do But if it were the kynges pleasure to heare me I wolde shewe hym the truthe Then they sayde it was not mete for the kynge with me to be troubled I answered that Salomon was reckened the wysest kynge that euer lyued yet myslyked not he to heare ii poore common womē moche more hys grace a symple woman and hys faythfull subiecte So in conclusyon I made them non other answere in that matter Iohan Bale Cōcernynge master Kyme this shuld seme to be the matter Her father Syr Wyllyam Askewe knyght and hys father olde master Kyme were sumtyme of famylyaryte and neybers within the countye of Lyncolne shyre Wherupon the sayde Sir Wyllyam couenaunted wyth hym for lucre to haue hys eldest doughter marryed wyth hys sonne and heyre as an vngodly maner it is in Englande moch vsed amonge noble men And as it was her chaunce to dye afore the tyme of maryage to saue the moneye he constrayned thys to supplye her to wine So that in the ende she was cōpelled against her wyll or fre consent to marry with him Notwithstandynge the marryage ones paste she demeaned her selfe lyke a Christen wyfe and hade by hym as I am infourmed ii childrē In processe of tyme by oft readynge of the sacred Bible she fell clerelye from al olde supersticyons of papystrye to a perfyght beleue in Iesus Christ. Wherby she so offēded the prestes as is to be seane afore that he at theyr suggestion vyolentlye droue her oute of his howse Wherupō she thought her selfe free frō that vncomelye kynde of coacted marryage by thys doctryne of S. Paule i. Cor. vii If a faythfull woman haue an vnbeleuynge husbande which wyll not tarrye with her she may leaue him For a brother or sister is not in subieccion to soch specyallye where as the marryage afore is vnlawful Vpō this occasiō I heare saye she soughte of the lawe a diuorcemēt frō him namely aboue al bycause he so cruellye droue her out of his house in despyt of Chrystes veryte She coulde not thynke him worthye of marryage which so spyghtfullie hated God the chefe autor of marryage Of this mattre was she fyrste examyned I thynke at hys instaūt labour and sute Anne Askewe Then my lorde chauncellour asked me of my opynyon in the sacrament My answere was thys I beleue that so oft as I in a Chrysten congregacyon do receiue the bread in remembraūce of Christes death and with thankes geuynge accordynge to hys holye institucyon I receyue therwith the frutes also of hys moost gloryouse passyon The Byshope of wynchestre bad me make a dyrect answere I sayde I wold not synge a new songe to the lord in a straunge lande Iohan Bale Dyrect ynough was this answere after Christes syngle doctrine but not after the popes double and couetouse meanynge for his oyled queresters aduauntage And here was at hande hys generall aduocate or stewarde to loke vpon the matter that nothyng shulde perysh perteynynge to the mayntenaunce of hys superstycyous vayne glorye yf any craftye polycye myghte helpe it What offended thys godlye Christen woman here eyther in oppinion or faythe ye cruell and vengeable tyrauntes But that ye muste as Dauid saythe temper your tunges wyth venemouse wordes to destroye the innocent Psal. lxiii Could yow haue brought in agaynst her a matter of more daunger concernynge your lawes to depriue her of life ye wolde haue done it soch is your gostlye charyte But be sure of it as hawtye as ye are now the harde plage therof wyll be yours whan the greate vengeaunce shal fall for shedynge of innocentes bloude Mat. xxiii Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppe sayde I speake in parables I answered it was best for hym For if I shewe the open truthe quoth I ye wyll not accept it Then he sayde I was a paratte I tolde hym agayne I was readye to suffre all thynges at hys handes Not onelye hys rebukes but all that shoulde folowe besydes yea and that gladlye Then hadde I dyuerse rebukes of the counsell bycause I woulde not expresse my mynde in all thynges as they woulde haue me But they were not in the meane tyme vnanswered for all that whyche nowe to rehearce were to moche For I was wyth them there aboue fyue houres Then the clearke of the counsell conueyed me from thens to my lady Garnyshe Iohan Bale Most cōmonly Christ vsed to speake in darke similitudes and parables whā he perceyued hys audyence rather geuē to the hearynge of pharysaycall constytucyons and customes than to his heauenlye veryte Mathei xiii Marc. iiii Luc. vii which rule this woman beynge hys true dyscyple forgotte not here in cōmenynge with thys proude Byshoppe whō she knewe to be alwayes moste obstynat withstander of that wholsom veryte of his And as concernynge mockes and scornefull reuylynges they haue bene euer in that generacyon of scorners more plenteouse than good counsels to the ryghtwyse And therfore as a name after their condycyons
The first examinaciō of Anne Askewe latelye martired in Smythfelde by the Romyshe popes vpholders wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psame cxvi The veryte of the Lorde endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by thys veryte of God to the ende ¶ Fauoure is disceytfull bewtye is a vayne thynge But a woman that feareth the Lorde is worthye to be praysed She openeth her mouthe to wysdome and in her language is the law of grace Prouerb xxxi Iohan Bale to the Chrysten readers AMonge other mooste syngular offyces dylygent reader which the lord hath appointed to be done in the ernest sprete of Helyas by the forerōners of hys lattre aperaunce this is one verye specyall to be noted They shall turne the hartes of their auncient elders into the chyldren Mala. iiii And the vnbeleuers of theyr tyme to the wysdome of those ryghteouse fathers as ded Iohan Baptyste afore hys fyrste commyng Luce. i. That is say the Bedas cap. lxviii de temporum ratione the fayth and feruent zele of the prophetes and Apostles shal they plant in their hartes whych shal in those dayes lyue and be among men conuersaunt than wyl breake fourth sayth he as a verye true prophete such horryble persecucyon as wyl fyrst of all take from the worlde those myghtye helyases by triumphaunt martyrdom to the terryfyenge of other in the same faythe of whom some shal becom through that occasion most gloryouse martyrs vnto Christ also some very wycked Apostataes forsaking his lyuely doctrine For by the seyd Bedas testymony in the begynnyng of the same chaptre two most certayne sygnes shall we thā haue that the lattre iudgement daye is at hande The returne of Israels remnaunt vnto theyr lord God and the horryble persecucion of Antichrist Conferre with this treated scripture and former prophecye of that vertuous man Bedas the worldes alteracyon now with the terrible turmoilynges of our tyme. And as in a mooste clere myrrour ye shal well perceyue them at this present to be in moost quick workynge And as concernynge the Israelytes or Iewes I haue bothe seane and knowne of them in Germanye mooste faythfull Christen beleuers Neyther is it in the prophecye Osee. iii. that they shoulde at that daye be all conuerted no more than they were at Iohan Baptystes preachynge Luce. i. For as Esaye reporteth thoughe the posteryte of Iacob be as the see sande innumerable yet shall but a remnaunte of them conuerte than vnto theyr lorde God Esaie x. And thoughe the Lorde hathe syfted that howse of Israell as brused corne in a syffe amonge all other nacyons Amos. ix Yet shal not that remnaunt of theirs peryshe but at that daye be saued throughe the onelye electyon of grace Romano xi Nowe concernynge the afore seyd foreronners in this most wonderful change of the worlde before the latter ende therof I thynke within thys realme of Englande besydes other nacions abroade the sprete of Helyas was not all a slepe in good Wyllam Tydall Robarte Barnes suche other more whome Antychristes vyolence hathe sent hens in fyre to heauen as Helyas went afore in the fyrye charet iiii Regum ii These turned the hartes of the fathers into the chyldren suche tyme as they toke from a greate nombre of oure nacyon by theyr Godlye preachynges and wrytynges the corrupted beleue of the pope his mastery workers which were no fathers but cruel robbers destroyers Ioā x. reducynge thē agayn to the true faithe of Abraham and Peter Gene. xv and Math. xvi The pure beleue in Christes birthe and passion which Adam and Noe sucked out of the first promes of God Iacob and Moses out of the seconde Dauid and the prophetes out of the thirde and so fourthe the Apostles fathers oute of the other scriptures so firmelye planted they in the consciences of manye that no cruell kynde of deathe coulde auerte thē from it As we haue for example their constaunt discyples and now stronge witnesses of Iesus Christ Iohan Lassels and Anne Askewe with theyr other ii companions verye gloryous martyrs afore God what thoughe they be not so afore the wronge iudgynge eyes of the world whom the bloudye remnaunte of Antechrist put vnto mooste cruell deathe in Smythfelde at London in the yeare of our lorde M.D.XLVI in Iulye Yf they be onely as was Iohan Baptyst great afore the Lorde by the holye scriptures allowaunce which are strongelye adourned with the graces of hys sprete as faythe force vnderstandynge wisdome pacyence loue long sufferaunce and suche lyfe I dare boldelye afferme these iiii myghty wytnesses also to be the same so well as the martirs of the primatyue or Apostles churche For so strongelye had these those vertues as they and so boldelye obiected their bodyes to the deathe for the vndefyled Christen beleue agaynst the malygnaūt Synagoge of Sathan as euer ded they for no tyrannye admyttynge any create or corruptyble substaunce for theyr eternal lyuynge god Yf their blynd babyes to proue them vnlyke do obiect agaynst me the myracles shewed at theyr deathes more than at these as that vnfaythfull generacyon is euer desyerous of wonders Math. xii I wold but knowe of thē what myracles were shewed whan Iohā Baptystes head was cut of in the preson Marci vi and whan Iames the Apostle was byheaded at Hierusalem Acto xii These ii were excellent afore God what though they were but miserable wretches light fellowes sedycyouse heretykes busye knaues lowsye beggers in the syght of noble king Herode and hys honorable counsell of prelates For had not rochettes and side gownes bene at hande haplye they had not so lyghtlye dyed Yf they allege Steuen to maynteyne theyr purpose that he at his deathe behelde heauen open I aske of thē againe what they were whiche se it more than his own persone Sure I am that their wycked predecessours there presente se it not For they stopped theyr eares whan he tolde them therof Actoru vii Yf they yet bringe fourth the other hystoryes of Apostles and martyrs I answere them that all they are of no suche autorite as these here afore The popes martyrs in dede were moche fuller of myracles than euer were Christes as hys selfe tolde vs they shulde be so Mathey xxiiii Yet wrought fryre Forest Iohā Fisher Thomas More no miracles what though manye be nowe regestred in theyr lyues and legendes by the fryres of Fraunce Italye and Spayne Besydes that Iohan Cochleus hathe writtē of them ad Paulum Pōtificem ad regem Henricum and also in theyr defence against doctor Sampson With that Erasmus ded also ad Huttenū P. M. ad Basparem Agrippam Albertus Pighius Riuius Fichardus a great sort more And as for the holye mayd of kēt with Doctor Bocking though they wrought great wonders by theyr lyfe yet apered non at their deathes Of hys owne chosen martyrs Christ loketh
toke those sentences I answered that I woulde not throwe pearles amōge swine for acornes were good ynough Iohan Bale An ignoraūt woman yea a beast wyth out fayth is herin allowed to iudge the holy scriptures heresye and agaynst al good lawes admitted to accuse thys godly woman the seruaūt of Christ for an haynouse heretyke for the only readinge of them As peruerse and blasphemouse was thys qwestmonger as she as beastlye ignoraūt in the doctryne of health yet is neyther of them iudged yl of the worlde but the one permitted to accuse this true membre of Christe and the other to cōdēpne her Wherfore her answere out of the. vii chapter of Mathew was most fytte for them For they are no better than swine that so contempne the precyous treasure of the Gospell for the myre of mennes tradycions Anne Askewe Thirdlye he asked me wherfore I sayde that I had rather to reade fyue lynes in the Byble than to heare fyue Masses in the temple I confessed that I sayd no lesse Not for the dysprayse of eyther the Epistle or Gospell But bycause the one dyd greatly edyfye me and the other nothynge at all As saynt Paule doth wytnesse in the. xiiii chaptre of hys fyrste Epistle to the Corinthes where as he dothe say Yf the trumpe geueth an vncertayn sounde who wyll prepare himselfe to the battayle Iohan Bale A commaundement hath Christ geuen vs to serche the holy scriptures Iohan v. for in them onlye is the lyfe eternal Blessed is he sayth Christ vnto Iohan whych readeth heareth the wordes of this prophecye Apo. i. But of the latyne popysh masse is not one word in al the Byble and therfore it perteyneth not to fayth A straight cōmaundement haue almyghty God geuen Deuteo xii that nothing be added to hys word nor yet taken frō it Put thou nothing vnto hys wordes saith Salomon Pro. xxx least thou be foūde in so doynge a reprobate persone and a lyar S. Paule wylled nothynge to be vttered in a dead speche i. Cor. xiiii as are your masse and mattens but sylence alwayes to be in the congregacyons where as is no interpretour for fiue wordes saith he auaileth more to vnderstādynge then x. thousande wordes with the tong This proueth tēple seruyce of the papystes all the yeare to be worth nothynge Anne Askewe Forthly he layed vnto my charge that I shoulde saye Yf an yll prest mynystred it was the deuyl and not God My answere was that I neuer spake suche thynge But this was my sayenge That what so euer he were whych mynistred vnto me his yll condycyons coulde not hurte my faythe But in sprete I receyued neuer the lesse the bodye and bloude of Christ. Iohan Bale Christ saith Ioan. vi Haue not I chosen you xii yet one of you is a deuyl meanynge Iudas that false vnfaythful prest No lesse sayth Peter ii Pet. ii of those lyēge curates by whōe the truthe is blasphemed and the people made marchaundyce of theyr couetousnes Yf the yll frute than be alone with the yl tree in noughtynesse the worke of a deuyl must be deuelysh God sayd vnto the wycked prestes Esa. i. Hier. vi Am. v. and Mala. ii that he abhorred theyr sacrifyces and also hated them euen at the very hart wyllynge both heauen earthe to marke it Into Iudas entered Sathan after the soppe was geuē hym Ioā xiii wher as the other Apostles receyued the bodye and bloude of Christ. The table was all one to them both so was the bread which their mouthes receyued The inwarde receyuynges than in Peter and in Iudas made all the diuersyte whiche was beleue vnbeleue or faithe and vnfaythfulnesse as Christ largelye declareth in the vi of Iohan wheras he shewed a fore hande the full doctryne of that misticall supper Only he that beleueth hath there the promes of the lyfe euerlastinge and not he that eareth the materyall breade Of God are they taught and not of men whych trulye vnderstande this doctrine Anne Askewe Fyftly he asked me what I sayd concernynge confession I answered hym my meanynge whyche was as Saynt Iames sayth that euerye man ought to acknowlege his fautes to other and the one to praye for the other Ihon Bale This cōfessyon onlye do the scripture appoīt vs Ia. v. as we haue offēded our neighbour But if we haue offēded god we must sorowfully acknowlege it before hym And he sayth Saint Iohan i. Iohan. i. hath faythfull ye promysed to forgeue vs our synnes yf we so do to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse If the lawe of truth be in the prestes mouthe he is to be sought vnto for godli coūsel Mala. ii But if he be a blasphemouse hypocryte or supersticiouse fole he is to be shourned as a most pestilēt poyson Anne Askewe Syxhtly he asked me what I sayde to the kynges boke And I answered hym that I coulde saye nothynge to it bycause I neuer sawe it Iohan Bale All craftie waies possible sought this quaretlynge questmonger or els the deuyll in hym to brynge thys poore innocent lambe to the slaughter place of Antichrist Moche after this sort sought the wicked Pharisees by certē of their own faccyon or hyred satellytes with the Herodyanes to brynge Christ in daunger of Cesar so to haue hym slayne Mat. xxii Mar. xii Luce. xx Anne Askewe Seuenthly he asked me yf I hadde the sprete of God in me I answered yf I hadde not I was but a reprobate or caste awaye Iohan Bale Electe are we of God sayth Peter through the sanctifienge of the sprete i. Pe. i. In euery true christē beleuer dwelleth the sprete of God Ioh. xiiii Their sowles are the sanctyfyed temples of the holye Ghost i. Corin. iii. He that hath not the spret of Christ saith Paule is non of Christes Rom. viii To them is the holy Ghost geuē which heareth the Gospell and beleueth it and not vnto them which wil be iustified by theyr workes Gala. ii All these worthye scryptures confirme her sainge Anne Askewe Then he said he hadde sente for a prest to examyne me whyche was there at hāde The preste asked me what I sayde to the Sacrament of the aultre required moche to knowe therin my meaninge But I desyred hym agayne to holde me excused concernynge that matter None other answere wolde I make hym because I perceyued hym a papyst Iohn Bale Mockynge prestes sayth Esaye hath rule of the lordes people Whose voices are in their drōckennesse Bid that may be bidden forbid that may be forbyddē kepe backe that may be kept backe here a lyttle and there a lyttle Esay xxviii A plage shall come vpon these for why they haue chaunged the ordynaunces and made the euerlastynge testamente of non effect Esa. xxiiii They wytholde sayth S. Paule the veryte of God in vnryghtousnesse Roma i. They bred cockatryce egges sayth Esay and weue the spyders webbe
Who so eateth of theyr egges dyeth But if one treadeth vpon them there cometh vp a serpent Esaye lix Anne Askewe Eyghtly he asked me if I ded not thynke that pryuate masses dyd helpe sowles departed And I sayde it was great Idolatry to beleue more in them than in the deathe whyche Christ dyed for vs. Iohan Bale Here riseth the serpent of the cockatryce egges workemāly to fulfyll the afore alleged prophecye If their Masses had ben of Gods creasyon ordynaunce or commaundement or if they had bene in anye poynt necessary for mannys behoue they had ben regestred in the boke of lyfe which is the sacred Byble But therin is neyther mencyon of Masse pryuate nor publique seuerall nor commē single nor double hygh nor low by fote nor on horse back or by note as they cal it If they be thynges addes by mannys inucucion as they can be non other not beyng there named thā am I sure that the scriptures call thē filthynesse rust chaffe draffe swille dronckēnesse fornycaciō mēstrue mannys dyrt adders egges poyson snares the bread of wicked lyes the cuppe of Gods curse Theyr origynall grounde shulde seme to be taken of the Druydes or pagane Prestes whych inhabyted this reauile long afore Christes incarnacyon and had than practysed sacryfices publique and pryuate Loke Cornelius Tacitus Caius Iulius Plintus Strabo soch othere authours That name of pryuacyon added vnto their Masse clerelie depriueth it of Christen communion wher on man eateth vp all dystrybuteth nothinge How soche ware shulde helpe the sowles departed I can not tell But wele I wote that the woūded man betwyxt Hierusalē and Hierico had no helpe of thē Luce x. The Samaritane which was rekened but a pagane amonge them was hys onlye cōfort in the most popysh tyme was neuer more horryble blasphemye then this is Thys wyckednesse impugneth all the promyses of God concerninge faithe and remission of synnes It repugneth also to the whole doctryne of the Gospel The applicaciō of Christes supper auayleth them onlye that be alyue takynge eatynge and drynkyng that is therin minystred No more can the prestes receyuynge of that sacramente profight an other man thā can hys receiuinge of Baptysme or of penaunce as they call it If it profyteth not the qwyck how can it profyght the dead No sacrifyce is the Masse nor yet good worke but a blasphemouse prophanacyō of the Lordes holy supper a manifest wickednesse an horryble Idolatrie and a fowle abhomynacyon beynge thus a ryte of worshyppynge without the worde yea agaynst the expresse word of God Anne Askewe Then they hadde me frō thens vnto my lorde Mayre And he examyned me as they had before and I answerede hym dyrectlye in all thinges as I answered the qweste afore Iohan Bayle After thys sort was Christ ledde from the examinacion of the clergie to Pylate Matth. xxvii In that the examynacion of the qweste and of the Mayre was all one ye maye wele knowe that they had both one scole mastre euen the brutysh byshoppe of Londō The ignoraūt magistrates of Englād will neyther be Godly wyse with Dauid Salomō nor yet enbrace the ernest instruccyons of God to be lerned in the scriptures Psa. ii Sapiē vi but still be wicked ministers and cruell seruaunt slaues to Antichrist and the deuyll Apoc. xvii More fyr are soch witlesse mayres and gracelesse offycers as knoweth not whyght from blacke light frō darknesse Esai v. to fede swine or to kepe kaddowes than to rule a christen comminalte A terryble daie abideth them which thus ordereth the innocent Iaco. ii Anne Askewe Besydes thys my lorde Mayre layed one thynge vnto my charge whiche was neuer spoken of me but of them And that was whether a mouse eatynge the hoste receyued God or no Thys questyon ded I neuer aske but indede they asked it of me wherunto I made them no answere but smyled Iohn Bale Is not here thynke yow wele fauerd wele fashyoned dyuinyte to establysh an artycle of the Christen faythe Wilie wynchester answereth this questyon as folysh as it is in hys wyse detectiō of the deuyls sophystrye fo xvi Beleue saith he that a mouse can not deuoure God Yet reporteth he after in fo xxi that Christes body may as we le dwell in a mouse as it ded in Iudas Thā foloweth fryre fynke fryre Perin I shuld say a bachelar of the same scole And he answereth in the ende of hys third sermon that the Sacramente eaten of a mouse is the verye and reall bodye of Christe And whan he hath affermed it to be no derogacyon to Christes presens to lye in the mawe of that mouse He deuydeth me the one from the other the sacramēt frō Christes body cōcluding That though the sacrament be digested in the mouses mawe yet ys not Christes body thee cōsumed O blasphemouse beastes blynde bloderynge Balaamytes Bycause these ii workemen be scant wittye in their owne occupacion I shal brynge thē forth here ii olde artyfycers of theirs to helpe thē Guimūdus Auersanus a byshopp to helpe byshopp Steuen Thomas walden a fryre to helpe fryre Perin The sacramētes saye they both are not eatē of myce though they seme so to be in the exteryour simylytudes For the vertues saieth Guimundus of holye men are not eaten of beastes whan they are eaten of thē li. ii de corpore sanguine dn̄i No marrie quoth walden no more is the paynters occupacyon destroyed whan a picture is destroyed Marke this gere for your lernyng But now cometh Algerus a mōke more craftye thē they both and he sayth li.ii. cap. i. de Eucharistia that as wele is thys meate spyrituall as materiall because Dauid calleth it the breade of Angels and a breade frō heauē Psa. lxxvii That which is materyall in thys bread sayth he is consumed by digestion but that which is spirituall remaineth vncorrupted If we wolde attende wele vnto Christes dyuynyte and let these oyled diuynes dispute amonge olde Gossypes we shuld sone discharge myce and rattes weake stomakes and parbreakyng dronkardes of a farre other sort thā thus he that eateth my fleshe sayth Christ Io. vi and drincketh my bloud dwelleth in me I in him This eatyng is all one with the dwellinge is neyther for myce nor rattes brent chauncels nor dronkē prestes For as we eate we dwell and as we dwell we eate by a grounded and perfyght faythe in hym The substaunce of that most godlye refeccyon lyeth not in the mouth eatynge nor yet in the bellye feadyng though they be necessarye but in the onlye spirituall or sowle eatynge No wyse man wyll thynke that Christ wyll dwell in a mouse nor yet that a mouse can dwell in Christ though it be the doctryne of these doughtye dowsepers for they shall fynde no scriptures for it If these men were not enemyes to fayth and frindes to Idolatrie they wold
more as to assoyle it youre selfe For I wyll not do it bycause I perceyue ye come to tempte me And he sayde it was agaynste the ordre of scoles that he whiche asked the question shuld answer it I told him I was but a woman knewe not the course of scoles Iohan Bale Beastlye was that question and of a more beastlye brayne propouned to this womā Lytle nede shall other men haue to manyfest theyr blasphemous folyes whā they do it so playnely theyr selues Who euer hearde afore that their hoste was a God and myght fall and be eaten of a beaste tyl they now so beastelye tolde the tale Thoughe Saynt Paule where as it is ryghtlye mynistred doth call it the bodye of the Lord. i Corin. xi Yet doth he not call it a God Thoughe Christ sayth This is my bodye Math. xxvi Mar. xiiii Luc. xxii yet saythe he not this is a God For God is a sprete no bodye Ioan. iiii Where God is eaten it is of the sprete and neyther of mouse nor ratte as wynchestre and Peryn wyth other lyke popyshe heretikes haue taught now of late by their owne hande wrytynges Oure God is in heauen and cannot fall nor yet be eaten of beastes Yf they haue soche a God as maye both fall and so be eaten as thys prest here confessethe it is some false or counterfet god of theyr owne makyng If he maye putryfye or be consumed of wormes moule rust beast or fyre Baruch sayth it is an Idoll no God Baruch vi These witles ydolators haue no grace in thys age to hyde theyr olde legerdemaynes They fare lyke those dronkē Gossypes whych tel more than al whā their heades be full of well gyngerdeale The proude crowne of the dronken Ephraemytes sayth Esaye shal be troden vnder fote The prestes and the prophetes do stacker they are so ouerseane wyth wyne Esa xxviii They stomble in the stretes haue stained thēselues with bloud Tren iiii Al the dwellers of Iuda sayth the lorde shal I fyl with drōckennesse both the kynges and the prestes I wyl neyther pardone them spare them nor yet haue pytie on them Hier. xiii And where as that dronckennes is sayth Salomō there is no coūsel kept Pro. xiii In the ende this hipocrite ful lyke him selfe allegeth to this woman a manner vsed of his olde predecessours in the scholes of falshed But frome the scole of truth he bryngeth nothynge to the confort of her conscience He declareth ful workemanly in this what he his generacion seketh by such their spyritual and iustyfyenge workes ex opere operato Anne askewe Fyftly he asked me yf I intended to receyue the sacramente at Easter or no I answered that els I were no Christen woman and that I dyd reioyce that the tyme was so nere at hande And thā he departed thens with manye fayre wordes Iohan Bale This hongrye wolfe practiseth by all crafty wayes possible to sucke the bloude of this innocent lambe Is not that thynke yow an holye congregacyon whych is thus spyrytuallye occupyed Some Godlye menne wyll wondre that they be not ashamed But maruele not of it For the holy Gost saith in his fore iudgemētes that the same holy mother which hath hatched thē vpin oyles in shauynges is an vnshamefast whore Apo. xvii Dan. viii Thā of veri nature must her whelpes be shameles chyldren Suche shameles dogges are they saythe Esaye as be neuer satysfyed Es. lvi whā they kyl you saith Christ they shall thynke they do God good seruyce Io xvi so greatly haue their malice blinded them Sap. ii which is partly the dronkennesse afore spoken of Anne Askewe And the. xxiii daye of Marche my cosyne Brittayne came into the Counter to me and asked there whether I myghte be put to bayle or no Then wente he immedyatlye vnto my Lorde Mayre desyerynge of hym to be so good Lorde vnto me that I myght be bayled My lorde answered hym and sayde that he wolde be glad to do the bests that in him laye Howbeit he coulde not bayle me without the consent of a spyrytuall offycer So requyrynge hym to go and speake wyth the chauncelloure of London For he sayde lyke as he coulde not commytte me to prysone without the consent of a spirytuall offycer no more could he bayle me wythout consente of the same Iohan Bale True is it here that is written of S. Iohan in the Apocalyppes that Antychrist is worshipped of the potentates kynges of the earth Apo. xiii The mayre of London which is the kynges liefe tenaunt and representeth there hys owne persone standeth here lyke a dead Idol or lyke suche a seruaunt slaue as can do nothynge wythin hys owne cytye concernynge theyr matters Who is lyke the Beaste sayth Saynte Iohan who is able to warre wyth hym He hathe brought al lādes and theyr kyngdomes in feare saith Esaye the strengthe of their cytyes hath he taken awaye and restrayned the deliueraunce of theyr presoners Esai xiiii The parētes of hym that was borne blynde feared this spyritual tirannye or captyuyte of theirs such time as they were examined of the byshoppes for the sight of their sonne Io vi Such as beleued in Christ amonge the chefe rulers of the Iewes wolde not be acknowne therof for feare of lyke vyolence Io. xii No newe thyng is it than in that spirituall generacyon but a custome of old antyquite Both Christ and his Apostles haue suffered like tyrannie vnder them But neuer dyd they yet ministre it to anye creature after theyr example Anne Askewe So vpon that he wente to the chauncellour requyrynge of him as he dyd afore of my lord Mayre He answered hym that the matter was so haynouse that he durste not of hymselfe do it withoute my Lorde of London were made preuye therunto But he sayde he wolde speake vnto my Lorde in it And bad hym repare vnto hym the next morowe and he shulde wele knowne my lordes pleasure Iohan Bale Ryghtwysnesse iudge they synne synne rightwisnesse Es. v. so vnperfight is their syght Io. xii in that God hath geuen thē vp to their owne lustes Rom. i. What an haynouse matter is it holden here to beleue in Christ after the scriptures not after their supersticiouse maner For non other cause could they laye to thys woman as ye haue heard here afore and as ye shall here after perceiue more largelie What so euer it be to offēde God or man their offence maye be no lesse than prison and deathe The Turke is not more vēgeable thā is thys spightfull spirituall generaciō Yet boast they Christes religion and the holye mother churche Anne Askewe And vpon the morowe after he came thydre and spake both with the chauncellour and wyth my lorde byshopp of Londō My lorde declared vnto hym that he was verye wele contented that I shulde come forthe to a communycacyon
whoredome sodometrie wyth other moste deuylysh vyces reckeneth he not to hurte the minystracyon of a prest yet iudgeth it he an heresye no lesse worthye then deathe to beleue that Christes fleshe and bloude is receyued in faythe and spret What though it be Christes most ernest doctrine Ioan. vi what a saynge sayth this Bishopp is thys In sprete I wyll not take yow at the worste sayth he As though it were a most haynous heresye But mooste dyscrete and godlye was the womannes answere declaringe her a ryghte membre of Christ where as those prestes whō he here defendeth are vnworthye receyuers and membres of the deuyl Ioan. xiii i. Corin xi This is an Antichrist here knowne by hys frutes For he vttereth blasphemyes agaynst god Daniel vii Apoc xiii he calleth euyll Good and Good euyll Esa. v. Prouerbiorum iii. Anne Askewe Then he layed vnto me that I shoulde saye that the sacramēt remaynynge in the pixte was but breade I answered that I neuer sayde so But in dede the quest asked me soche a question whereunto I wold not answere I said tyll soche tyme as they hadde assoyled me this question of myne Wherfore Steuen was stoned to deathe They sayde they knewe not Then sayd I agayne no more wolde I tell them what it was Iohan Bale O Idolouse shepehearde sayth zach thou sekest not to heale the wounded but to eate the fleshe of the fatte zach xi The watche men of Israel sayth the lorde are verye blynde beastes and shamelesse dogges They haue no vnderstandinge but folowe their owne beastly wayes for couetousnesse Esaie lvi Who euer redde in the scripture or autorysed Chronycle that breade in a boxe shulde be Christes bodye Wher or whā commaunded he his moste holye bodye so to be bestowed What haue ye to laye for thys doctrine of yours Are ye not yet ashamed of your vnreuerent and blasphemouse beastlynesse will ye still plucke our Christen beleue from the right hand of God the eternall father and sende it to a boxe of your braynyshe deuysynge The first boxer of it was pope Honorius the thyrde in the yeare of our lorde M.CC.XVI after the many folde reuelacyons of dyuerse relygyouse women Neyther was there anye great honour geuen vnto it of the common people till a sorye solytarye syster or Ankorasse in the lande of Leodiū or Luke called Eua after certen visions had procured of pope Vrbanus the forth in the yeare of our Lorde M.CC.LXIIII the feaste of Corpus Christi to be holdē solempne all Christendome ouer As testifieth Arnoldus Bostius Epist vi ad Ioannem Paleonydorum In al the. xii hondred yeares afore that was it neyther boxed nor pixed honoured nor sensed vnyuersally And se what an horrible worke here is now for the boxinge therof and what a great heresie it is to beleue that Christ dwell not therin contrary both to hys owne to hys Apostles doctryne Marke also how this Gods creature is handeled here for it and how subtyllye she is betraied of the Bishoppes begles and lymmes of the deuyll Anne Askewe Then layde it my Lorde vnto me that I hade alleged a certen text of the scripture I answered that I alleged none other but Saynte Paules owne saynge to the Athenianes in the. xvii chapter of the Apostles actes That God dwelleth not in temples made wyth handes Then asked he me whate my faythe and beleue was in that matter I answered hym I beleue as the scripture doth teache me Then enquyred he of me what yf the scripture dothe saye that it is the bodye of Chryste I beleue sayde I lyke as the scrypture doth teache me Then asked he agayne what yf the scrypture dothe saye that it is not the bodye of Christ My answere was styll I beleue as the scrypture infourmeth me And vpon thys argumente he taryed a greate whyle to haue dryuen me to make him an answer to his minde Howe be it I wolde not but concluded thus with hym that I beleued therin and in all othere thynges as Christ and hys holy Apostles dyd leaue them Iohan Bale Se what an horryble synne here was She alleged the scripture for her beleue whyche is a sore and a daungerouse matter For it is agaynste the popes canon lawes and agaynst the olde customes of holie churche Sens kynge Henryes dayes the fourth hath it ben a burnynge matter onlye to reade it in the Englyshe tunge and was called wycleues lernyng tyll now of late years And it wyll not be wele with holye churche tyll it be brought to that point agayne For it maketh manye heretykes agaynst holye churche O insipyent papystes These are your corrupted practyses and abhomynable studyes to dryue the symple from God and yet ye thynke he seyth yow not Psalme xiii S. Paule sayth Roma xv what so euer thynges are wrytten in the scriptures are written for our lernynge that we through pacyence and cōfort in them myght haue hope and ye wyll robbe vs therof Christ commaunded all peoples both men and women Iohan. v. to serche the scryptures yf they thynke to haue euerlastynge lyfe for that lyfe is no where but in thē Yet wyll yow in payne of deathe kepe them kyll from them For ye take vpon ye to sytte in Gods stede and thynke by that vsurped offyce that ye maye turne ouer all ii Thes. ii But Christ bad vs to be ware both of yow and your chaplaines whā he said There shall aryse false Christes and false prophetes workynge many great wōders and saynge Lo here is Christ and there is Christ. Beleue them not Matt. xxiiii And therfore alleged this womā vnto your qwestmongers the dogges that Christ warned vs of Mathei vii and now vnto yow that saing of S. Paule Acto xvii That God dwelleth not in tēples made with handes which also were the wordes both of Salomon longe afore iii. Reg. viii of Steuen Act vii in his tyme. That scripture somoch offēded yow that ye wolde nedes knowe therof the vnderstādynge For soche textes as agre not with the cloynynges of youre cōiurers and the conueiaunces of your sorcerers must nedes be seasoned with Aristotles Phisickes and fawced with Iohan Donses subtyltees Here make ye a wonderfull turmoylynge to wrynge out of this Womānes beliue in that matter that she might eyther become a creature of your olde God the pope or els be burned yet haue she not ones remoued her fote from the harde foundacyon or sauynge rocke Ihesus Chryst. i. Corinth xi Blessed be hys holye name for it Anne Askewe Then he asked me whye I had so fewe wordes And I answered God hath geuen me the gyfte of knowlege but not of vtteraunce And Salomō sayth that a womā of fewe wordes is a gifte of God Prouer. xix Iohan Bale Whā Christ stode before Cayphas he asked him moche after thys sort wherfore he had so few wordes Thou answerest not
sayth he to those thynges which are laied Here against that of these mē Neuerthelesse he helde hys peace Mar. xiiii But whan he was ones throughly compelled by the name of the lyuynge God to speake and hadde vttered a verye fewe wordes he toke him at suche aduauntage though they were the eternall veryte as he was able through thē to procure hys death Matth. xxvi lyke as thys bloudye Bishopp Bonner of the same wycked generacion dyd at the lattre by thys faythful woman Anne Askewe Thirdelye my lorde layed vnto my charge that I shulde saye that the Masse was ydolatrye I answered hym No I sayde not so Howbeyt I sayde the quest dyd aske me whether pryuate Masses dyd releue sowles departed or no Vnto whome than I answered O Lorde what ydolatrye is thys that we shulde rather beleue in pryuate masses than in the helthsome deathe of the dere sonne of God Than sayde my lorde agayne What an answere was that Thoughe it were but meane sayd I yet was it good ynough for the question Iohan Bale About the lattre dayes of Iohan wycleue in the yeare of our lorde a M.CCC LXXXII as Henrye Spenser than Bishopp of Norwich was with a great nombre of English warryours besieginge the Towne of Hypers in Flaunders in the quarell of pope Vrbanus the. vi The vessels of perdycyon or verye organes of Sathan the iiii orders of beggynge fryres preached all Englande ouer that that moste holye father of theirs had lyberallye opened the wele of mercye and graunted cleane remyssyon to all them that wolde eyther fyghte or geue anye thynge towardes the mayntenaunce of those warres in the quarell of holye churche agaynst scysmatykes and heretikes For than was thys matter of their popyshe Masse in great controuersye lyke as it is now More ouer thei promised by vertue of hys great pardons to sende the sowles departed to heauen And diuerse of them sayd they had seane thē flye vp out of the churche yeardes from their graues thydre warde Thys moste deuilishe blasphemie wyth suche other lyke prouoked the sayde Iohan wycleue the verye organe of God and vessell of the holy Ghost not onlye to replye than agaynste them at Oxforde in the open scooles but also to wryte a greate nombre of bookes agaynst that pestylente popyshe kyngedome of theyrs lyke as Martyn Luther hath done also in our tyme wyth many other godly men And lyke as those false prophetes the frires dyd than attribute vnto the popes pardons the remyssyon of synnes the deliueraunce from dāpnacyon and the fre enteraunce of heauē whych peculyarly belongeth to the precyouse payment of Christes bloud i. Petri i. i. Io. i. So do these false anoynted or blasphemouse Byshoppes and prestes now attrybute them agayne vnto theyr pryuate and publique Masses the popes owne wares as prowlynge and pelferynge as the pardons with no lesse blasphemye The deuylysshenes of this newe doctrine of theyrs shall be refelled in my bokes agaynst fryre Peryn and Wynchestre and therfore I wrytte the lesse here Anne Askewe Then I tolde my Lorde that there was a prest whyche dyd heare what I sayde there before my lord Mayre them with that the chaunceller answered which was the same prest So she spake it in veri dede saith he before my lord the Mayre me Then were there certen prestes as doctor Standyshe other which tempted me moche to knowe my mynde And I answered them alwayes thus That I haue sayd to my lorde of London I haue sayde Iohan Bale By thys ye may se that the Byshoppes haue euery wher their watchmē lest the kynges offycers shulde do anye thynge contrarye to their bloudie behoue This Chauncellour wolde not haue thus answered hardely so agreablye to her tale had it not bene to theyr aduauntage agaynste her as here after wyll apere Marke here the fashyon of these temptynge serpentes Standysh and hys fellowes And tel me if they be not lyke vnto those vypers whelpes whyche came to Iohans Baptym Mathei iii. and to Christe Iesus preachynge Luce. xi I thynke ye shall fynde them the same generacion Anne Askewe And then doctor Standyshe desyered my lorde to byd me say my mynde concernyng that same text of S. Paule I answered that it was agaynste saynt Paules lernynge that I beynge a woman shulde interprete the scriptures specyallye wher so many wyse lerned men were Iohan Bale It is not yet halfe a score of yeares ago sens thys blasphemouse Idyote Standyshe compared in a lewde sermon of his the dere pryce of our redempcion or precyouse blode of Christ to the bloud of a fylthy swyne lyke himselfe a swyne And for hys good doyng he is now becomen a dawe a doctor I shuld saye of the popes dyuynyte and a scolasticall interpretour of the scriptures to his behoue Here wold the swynysh gētylman haue proued both that S. Steuen dyed an heretyke and S. Paule a scysmatyke for teachynge that God dwelleth not in tēples made with handes Act vii xvii if he might haue reasōe◠out the matter with thys woman But she toke a swyne for a swyne and wold laye no pearles afore hym as Christe had charged her afore Mathei vii For all their interrogacions are now about the temple and the temple wares Matthei xxvi Anne Askewe Then my lorde of London sayde he was infourmed that one shulde aske of me yf I woulde receyue the Sacramente at Easter and I made a mocke of it Then I desyred that myne accuser myghte come fourth whyche my lorde wolde not But he sayde agayne vnto me I sente one to geue yow good counsell and at the first worde ye called him papyste That I denied not for I perceyued he was no lesse yet made I non answere vnto it Iohan Bale No confortable scriptures nor yet anye thynge to the sowles consolacyon maye come oute of the mouthe of these spirytuall fathers But dogges rhetorycke and curres curtesye narrynges brawlynges and quarellynges Whan she was in the myddes of thē she myght wele haue sayd wyth Dauid Delyuer me lord from the quarelouse dealynges of men that I maye kepe thy cōmaundemētes I deale with the thynge that is lawfull and ryght O geue me not ouer to these oppressers lette not these proud quarellers do me wronge Psal. cxviii But among all these quarellynges her accusers myght not be seane whych were the grounders of them Anne Askewe Then he rebuked me and saide that I shoulde reporte that there were bente agaynste me thre score prestes at Lyncolne In dede quothe I I sayde so For my fryndes tolde me yf I dyd come to Lyncolne the prestes woulde assaulte me and put me to greate trouble as therof they had made theyr boast And whan I hearde it I wente thyder in dede not beynge afrayed because I knewe my matter to be good More ouer I remayned there vi
conscience woulde both accuse me and condempne me of the vnconsyderaunce of my lorde God More precyouse is the thynge which is in daylye controuersye and parell whiche is nowe Goddes true honoure than is al thys worldes treasure here What Christen hart can abyde it to se the creature yea not of God but of man to be worshypped in the stede of God and saye nothynge therin Salomon saythe there is as well a tyme to speake as a tyme to kepe sylence and a tyme as well to hate as a time to loue Ecclesiast iii. With a perfyght hate lorde saythe Dauid haue I hated those bloud thursty enemyes which were in they presumpcion agaynst the Psalm cxviii Strongly and with most myghtye stomacke are hypocrytes to be inuaded whyche wyll not geue place to the veryte Marke how myghtelye Moses resysted Pharao Helyas kynge Achab Helyseus Ioram zachary Ioas Daniell the ydolaters Iohan Baptyst the Pharysees and Herode Steuen the Iewes the Apostles the Byshoppes and prestes Christ rebuked hys discyple Peter and bad him come after hym deuyll Math. xvi Yet called he Iudas his frinde Mat. xxvi Necessary is it that the elect flocke of God do hate the vncleane fowles whych yet holde theyr habytacion in Babylō Apoca. xviii Iohā wycleue and Iohan Huse confesse in theyr writynges that they were by stronge force inwardlye constrayned of God to worke against the great antichrist Erasmus boldely vttered it that God for the euyls of this latter age hath prouyded sharpe phesycyanes Quenche not the sprete sayth S. Paule despyse not prophecyes i Thessalon v. I put my ernest wordes into thy mouthe sayde the Lorde to Hieremye that thou shuldest bothe destroye and buylde Hieremye i Let this suffice ye concernynge oure rebukes for they are Gods enemyes whō we inuade Yf ye perceyue it and fele it on the other syde that the waues of the see are greate also and doth horryblye rage in these dayes Psa. xcii Considre agayne sayth Dauid that the Lorde whyche dwelleth on hygh is a great dele myghtyer than they As he is of power to cease the storme and to make the wether caulme Psalme cvi So is he able to change a kynges indignacion which is but death into mooste peaceable fauer and louynge gentylnes Prouerbiorum xvi For the hart of a kynge is euermore in the hande of God and he maye turne it which waye he wyl Proue xxi Hys eternall pleasure it is that ye shuld honoure your kynge as his immediate mynyster cōcerning your bodyes and lyues i. Petri. ii and that ye shuld with al gentylnesse obeye the temporall rulers Romano xiii But suche spirituall hypocrites both Byshoppes and prestes as are continuall haters of hys heauenlye verite wolde he that we shulde hold for most detestable apostates and blasphemouse reprobates as did Christ and his Apostles which neuer obeyed them but most sharpelye rebuked them Matthei xxiii Acto xx and. ii Pet. xi The grace of that lorde Iesus Christ be euer wyth thē whyche ryghtly hate that sinagoge of Sathan as dyd Anne Askewe Amen God standeth by the generacyon of the ryghteouse Psal. xiii Thus endeth the firste examynacion of Anne Askewe latelye done to deathe by the Romyshe popes malycious remnaunte and nowe canonysed in the preciouse blode of the lord Iesus Christ. Imprynted at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen in Nouembre Anno. 1546. ¶ The voyce of Anne Askewe oute of the. 54. Psalme of Dauid called Deus in nomine tuo FOr thy names sake be my refuge And in thy truth my quarel iudge Before the Lorde let me be harde And wyth fauer my tale regarde Loo faythles men agaynst me ryse And for thy sake my death practyse My lyfe they seke with mayne myght Which haue not the afore their sight Yet helpest thou me in this distresse Sauynge my soule from cruelnesse I wote thou wylt reuenge my wronge And vysyte them ere it be longe I wyll therfore my whole hart bende Thy gracyouse name Lorde to commende From euyl thou hast delyuered me Declarynge what myne enemyes be Prayse to God Who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer dye Ioan. xi He that heareth my wordes and beleueth on hym that sent me hathe euerlastynge lyfe and shall not come into dampnacyon but passe from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. v. ¶ The latter examynacyon of Anne Askewe latelye martyred in Smythfelde by the wycked Sinagoge of Antychrist wyth the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale Psalme cxvi The verite of the lord endureth for euer Anne Askewe stode fast by this verite of god to the ende I wyll poure oute my sprete vpon all fleshe saith God your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye And who so euer call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Iohel ii ¶ Iohan Bale to the Christen Readers IN the primatiue churche as the horible persecucyons increased many dyligēt writers collected the godly answers tryumphaūte sufferinges of the martyrs as necessarye examples of Christen constancye to be folowed of other Of this nombre was Lucas which wrote the Apostles actes So were after him Linus Marcellus Egesippus Meliton Asianus Abdias Babilonius Iosephus Antiochenus Clemens Alexaūdrinus Antherus Phileas Eusebius Nicephorus a greate sorte more Fabianus not a chayre Byshopp but a pulpet Byshop of Rome ordayned in his tyme for that onely offyce vii deacōs so many notayres aboute the yeare of oure lorde CC. XXXVI that they shuld faithfully regestre theyr martyrdomes to holde thē in contynual remembraunce as witnesseth Platina Polydorus Masseus soch other chronyclers No les necessary is that offyce now though fewe mē attempt it nor no lesse profytable to the christē cōmō welthe than it was in those terryble dayes For now are persecucions all Christendome ouer so we le as were than Now are the true Christians vexed of the syttynge Byshoppes for their Christen beleue so wele as thā Now are they reuiled punyshed imprisoned haue all euyll spoken against them for Christes verites sake Math. v. so wele as than And what can be more confortable to the sufferers than to knowe the ernest constancye of their troubled companyons in that kingedome of pacience Apo. i. or to marke in them the stronge workynge of faythe beholde the myghtye mageste of God in their agonies what though they were afore synners of the worlde Saynt Barnard sayth in his homelyes vpon Salomons cantycles that the godlye sufferaunce of martyrs hath geuen as good erudycyon to the christen churche as euer dyd the doctryne of the sayntes Than is it mete that some besterynge and not that all men in these dayes be ydell concernynge that godlye offyce Manye haue suffered in thys realme of late yeares by the bolde calling on of Antichristes furyouse aduocates whose lattre confessyons causes answers are a great deale more notable godlye if they be ryghtlye wayed than euer were the confessyons causes and answers of
it is vnto them appropriate of the holye Ghoste in manye places of the scryptures In the lattre dayes sayth Iudas the apostle shal come mockers walkynge in vngodlynesse all after their owne lustes These are they whych separat themselues frō the common sort by a name of spirytualtye beyng in conuersacion beastlye and hauynge no sprete that is godlye But derelye beloued sayth he grounde your selues surelye vpon our most holye faythe c. Anne Askewe The next daye I was broughte agayne before the counsell Then woulde they nedes knowe of me what I sayd to the sacramēt I answered that I alredye had sayd that I coulde saye Then after diuerse wordes they had me go by Then came my lorde Lyle my lorde of Essexe and the Byshoppe of winchester requirynge me ernestlye that I shoulde confesse the sacrament to be fleshe bloude and bone Then sayde I to my Lorde Par and my Lorde Lyle that it was greate shame for them to counsell contrarye to theyr knowledge Wherunto in fewe wordes they dyd saye that they wolde gladlye al thynges were well Iohan Bale Alwayes haue the worldelye gouernours shewed more gentylnesse and fauer to the worde of God than the consecrate prestes and prelates As we haue for example in the olde lawe that Ezechias the kynge of Iuda wold in no case at theyr callynge on put Mycheas the true prophete vnto deathe whan he had prophecyed the destruction of Samaria for theyr ydolatrye and for the tyrannye of their prynces and false prophetes Miche i. and. iii. Neyther wold the prynces at the prestes headye exclamacyons murther Hieremye for the lordes verite preachynge but mercyfullye delyuered hym out of theyr malycyous handes Hieremi xxvi Pylate in lyke case concernynge the newe lawe pleated wyth the Iewes spirytualte to haue saued Christ frō the deathe Math xxvii Io. xviii So dyd the captaine Claudias Lisias delyuer Paule frome their mortal malyce after that the hygh prest Ananias had commaunded hym to be smytten and his retynewe cōspired his deathe Act. xxiii At the prestes only prouocacyon was it that the heythnysh emprours so greuouslye vexed and tormented the Christen beleuers in the prymatyue churche as testyfyeth Egesyppus Clemens Alexandrinus Esebius and other olde hystoryanes Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppe sayd he woulde speake with me famylyarlye I sayde so dyd Iudas whan he vnfryndelye betrayed Christe Then desyred the Byshoppe to speake wyth me alone But that I refused He asked me whye I sayde that in the mouthe of two or thre wytnesses euerye mattre shoulde stande after Christes and Paules doctrine Mathei xviii and. ii Cor. xiii Iohan Bale Dyd she not thynke you hyt the nayle on the head in thus tauntynge thys Byshoppe yeas For as greate offence doth he to Christ that gyueth one of his beleuynge members vnto deathe as did he that betrayed first his owne bodye That ye haue done vnto those little ones shal he saye at the lattre daye whyche haue beleued in me ye haue done vnto myne own persone Math. xxv Who so toucheth them saythe zacharye shall touche the apple of the lordes owne eye zacha ii But this beleueth not that peruerse generacion Anne Askewe Then my lorde Chauncelloure beganne to examyne me agayne of the sacramente Then I axed hym howe longe he woulde halte on bothe sydes Then woulde he nedes knowe where I founde that I sayde in the scripture iii. Reg. xviii Then he went his way Iohan Bale Of Helias the prophet were these wordes spoken to the people of Israel such tyme as they halted betwyne ii opyniōs or walked vnryghtly betwyne the true lyuynge god the false God Baal as we do now in Englāde betwyne Christes Gospell and the popes olde rotten customes We slenderlye consydre with S. Paule that Christ wyll haue no felyshyppe or concorde with Beliall lyghte wyth darkenes ryghtwysnesse wyth vnryghtwysenes the temple of God wyth ymages or the true beleuers wyth the infydels ii Corinth vi For al our new Gospell yet wyll we styll beare the straūgers yoke wyth the vnbeleuers and so come neyther whote nor colde that god maye spewe vs out of his mouth as vnsauerye morsels Apo. iii. Saynge vnto vs as to the folyshe vyrgynes Verely I knowe you not Math. xxv Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppe sayde I shulde be brente I answered that I had serched all the scriptures yet could I neuer fynd there that eyther Christ or his Apostles put any creature to deathe Well wel sayde I God wyll laughe youre threttenynges to scorne Psalm ii Then was I commaunded to stande a syde Iohan Bale Amonge other songes that the holye scripture geueth vs to knowe an Antychrist by it sheweth that he shall be an aduersarye ii These ii An vnsacyable dogge Esa lvi A persuynge enemy psa iiii An enemye in the sanctuary Psal. lxxiii A rauening wolfe Mat. vii Luce x. Iohā x. Acto xx And a mooste cruell murtherer Dani. xi Iohan xvi Apoc. xiii Vnto soche sayth S. Iohan is it geuē to vexe mē with heate of fyre Apo. xvi The wyckednesse of prestes sayth Hiere shedeth innocētes bloude Yea say they ye must be brēt ye must dwel among the gentiles Treno iiii Or be cōmitted to prisō of the wordli powers so put vnto death by thē We maruele not therfore though these partes be played of proude Byshoppes Cōsydering the holye Ghost must be foūde true in hys foriudgemētes that some ther must be to do the feates But trulye dyd thys woman cōclude with the prophecye of Dauid Psalme ii That God which dwelleth in heauen shall haue theyr tyrannye in deryson and bringe all theyr wicked counsels to naught in the clere openynge of his worde haue they neuer so many paynted colours of false rightwysnesse Anne Askewe Then came mastre Pagette to me and desyred me to speake my mynde to hym I myghte he sayde denye it agayne if nede were I sayde that I wolde not denye the truthe He asked me howe I coulde auoyde the verye wordes of Chryste Take eate Thys is my bodye whych shall be broken for yowe I answered that Chrystes meanynge was there as in these other places of the scrypture I am the dore Ioan. x. I am the vyne Ioan xv Beholde the lambe of God Iohan. i. The rocke stone was Christe i. Cor. x. and soche other lyke Ye maye not here sayde I take Chryste for the materyall thynge that he is sygnyfyed by For than ye wyll make hym a verye dore a vyne a lambe and a stone cleane contrarye to the holy Ghostes meaninge All these in dyde do sygnyfye Chryste lyke as the breade dothe hys bodye in that place And though he dyde saye there Take eate this in remembraunce of me Yet dyde he not bydde them hange vp that breade in a boxe and make it a God or bowe to it Iohan Bale Moche ado
Ezech. xxiiii Anne Askewe My beleue whyche I wrote to the counsell was thys That the sacramentall breade was left vs to be receyued with thankes geuynge in remembraunce of Chrystes deathe the onlye remedye of our sowles recouer And that therby we also receyue the whole benefyghtes and frutes of hys mooste gloryouse passyon Iohan Bale We reade not in the Gospell that the materyall breade at Christes holye supper was anye other wise taken of the Apostles thā thus Neither yet that Chryste our mastre sauer requyred anye other takynge of them If so manye straunge doubtes had bene therin and so hygh dyffycultees as be moued and are in controuersye amonge men now a dayes both papystes and other they coulde no more haue bene left vndyscussed of hym than other high matters were The discyples axed here neyther how nor what as doubtlesse they woulde haue done if he hade mynded them to haue taken the breade for him They thought it ynough to take it in hys remembraunce lyke as he than playnelye taught them Luce xxii The eating of his fleshe and drynkynge of hys bloude therin to the releuynge of their sowles thyrst and hunger they knewe to perteyne vnto fayth accordynge to hys instruccyons in the vi of Iohan. What haue thys godlye woman than offended whyche neyther haue denyed hys incarnacyon nor deathe in thys her confessyon of faythe but most firmelye and groundedlye trusted to receyue the frutes of them bothe Anne Askewe Then wolde they nedes knowe whether the bred in the boxe were God or no I sayde God is a sprete and wyll be worshypped in sprete and truthe Ioan. iiii Then they demaunded Wyl yow playnlye denye Christ to be in the sacrament I answered that I beleued faythfullye the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnes wher of I recyted agayne the hystorye of Bel and the. ix chaptre of Daniel ye. vii and the. xvii of the Actes and the. xxiiii of Mathew concludynge thus I neyther wyshe death nor yet feare his myghte God haue the prayse therof with thankes Iohan Bale Amonge the olde ydolaters some toke the sūne some the mone some the fyre some the water with soch other lyke for their Godes as witnesseth Dioderus Siculus Herodotus Plynius Lactantius dyuerse autours more Now come our dottinge papistes here wadinge yet more deper in ydolatrye and they must haue breade for theyr God yea a waffer cake whyche is scarse worthy to be called bread In what sorowful case are Christen people nowe a dayes that they maye worshypp their lorde and redemer Ihesus Christe in no shappe that hys heauenly father hath set hym forth in but in such a shappe only as the waffer baker hath ymagined by his slendre wyt Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for theyr Gods but thys cake is onlye the bakers creature for he alone made it breade if it be breade And so moch is it a more vnworthye God than the other Farre was it from Christ to teache hys dyscyples to worshyp soche a God either yet to haue himself honoured in such a symylytude No thynge is here spoken agaynst the moste holye table of the lord but agaynst that abhomynable ydol of the prestes which hath moste detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse wytnesse of the lorde dyd this blessed woman sheweth her selfe in the answere makynge to thys blasphemous beggerye whā she sayde that god was a sprete and no waffer cake woulde be worshypped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and inglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydol but moch more godly to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in tēples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her selfe a most constaunt martyr praysynge her Lorde God for hys gyfte She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shulde se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan viii Agayn they that beleued on him shuld ioyfully passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Iohan. v. And vpon these promises she most strōgely trusted She considered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyfe i. Petri iii. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme hadde the rule of death Hebreorum ii And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it selfe Osee. xiii Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The Lorde God by whom all creatures have theyr beynge blesse yow wyth the lyghte of hys knowledge Amen My dutye to your lordshyppe remembred c. It myghte please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whyche vpon due consyderacions is moued to the same and hopethe to obtayne My requeste to youre lordeshyppe is only that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kynges magestye that hys grace maye be certyfyed of these fewe lynes whiche I haue wrytten concernynge my beleue Whyche whan it shall be trulye conferred wyth the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thynke hys grace shall well perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuen payer of balaunces But I remyt my matter cause to almyghtye God whyche ryghtlye iudgeth al secretes And thus I commende youre lordeshyppe to the gouernance of him and felyshipp of all sayntes Amen By youre handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In this byl to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyōs sequestred what this womā was She is not here defected with the desperat for vnryghteouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowyng as they do commōlye But stādynge vp strongely in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers and wysheth them the lyghte of Goddes necessarye knowledge Luce. vi She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum xiii And though theyr autoryte be sore abused yet wyth Christe and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herselfe to them thynkynge to suffer vnder them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunte i. Peter iiii Notwithstandyng she layeth forth here both before chauncelloure kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to theyr bounde dewtye myghte more ryghtlye waye it iii. Regu x. Not that she coueted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembraunce of theyr offyce concernynge the swerd which they ought not vaynely to ministre Roman xiii and that they shulde also be wythout excuse of ignoraunce in the greate daye of reckenynge for permitting soch vyolēce to be done Roma ii In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherein she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalme cxlv Anne
a daies for that wretched blynde kyngdome of the Romysh pope But trust vpon it trulye ye terryble termagantes of hell There is no practise there is no wisdome there is no counsell that can agaynst the lorde preuaile Prouerb xxi Ye loke to be obeyed in all deuilyshnesse But ye considre not that where God is dishonoured by your obedyence there belongeth none to yow Acto v. Ye haue moch ado here with sectes as though it were a great heresye rightlye to beleue in our lorde Iesus Christ after the Gospell not after your Romysh father But where was euer yet a more pestylent and deuilish secte than is that Sodomytyshe secte whom ye here so ernestlye maynteyne with tyrannye and mischefe How gredilye seke yow the slaughter of Gods true seruauntes ye bloud thurstye wolues as the holye Ghost doth call yow Psal. xxv If the vertuouse ladies most noble women whose liues ye cruellye seke in your madde ragynge furye as rauishynge lyons in the darke Psal. ix haue throwne of their shulders for Christes easye and gentill burden Mathey xi the popes vneasye and importable yoke Luce xi Happye are they that euer they were borne For therby haue they procured a greate quietnesse and helthe to their sowles For Christes worde is quicke and bringeth nothinge els to the sowle but life Hebreo iiii The popes olde tradicyons and customes beinge but the wisdome of the fleshe are verie poyson and deathe Roma viii Anne Askewe Then sayde they vnto me that the kynge was infourmed that I coulde name if I wolde a great nomber of my secte Thē I answered that the kynge was as wele deceyued in that behalfe as dissembled with in other matters Iohan Bale Great Assuerus kinge of the Perseanes Medes was infourmed also that the seruaunt of God Mardocheus was a traitour which neuerthelesse had discouered ii traytours a lyttle afore and so saued the kynges lyfe Hester iii. But Haman that false coūseller which so infourmed the kinge was in the ende proued a traitour in dede as I doubt it not but some of these wyll be founde after this and was worthelie hanged for it so fallinge into the snare that his selfe had prepared for other Psal. vii Albertus Pyghius Cochleus Eckius soch other pestilent papistes haue fylled all Christendome with railings bokes of our kinge for renouncinge the Romish popes obedience but therof ye infourme not his grace No neither excuse ye nor yet defende ye his godlie acte in that behalfe But ye are as apereth very well contented that he be yl spoken of for it It is not a yeare ago sens out wynchestre was at Vtrecht in hollād where as the sayd Pighius dwelt was for hys papistrye in great autoryte I know certaynlye the mā there was moch more easye to please in that cause than in another sleuelesse matter of hys owne cōcernynge Martyne Bucer Hys gallaūtes also warraūted there I knowe to whome that the Romysh pope by the Emprours good helpe shuld withī fewe yeares haue in Englāde as great autoryte as euer he had afore I doubt not but sūwhat they knewe of theyr masters good cōueyaūce but of this is not the kinge infourmed I coulde write here of manye other mysteryes cōcernynge the obseruaunt fryres other raūgynge Rome ronners what newes they receyue wekelye out of Englāde frō the papystes there in what hope they are put of their returne thydre agayne For I haue seane ther braggynge letters therof sent frō Emeryck to Frystāde frō the cōtraie of Coleyne into Westphalie Of this and soch other cōueyaūces the kinge is not yet infourmed but I trust he shall be Anne Askewe Then cōmaunded they me to shewe howe I was maynteyned in the Counter and who wylled me to stycke by my opynyon I sayd that there was no creature that therein dyd strengthen me And as for the helpe that I had in the counter it was by the meanes of my mayd For as she went abroad in the stretes she made to the prentyses and they by her dyd sende me moneye But who they were I neuer knewe Iohan Bale Ioseph was in pryson vndre Pharao the fearce kynge of Egypte yet was he fauourably handeled and no man forbidden to confort him Gen. xxxix Whā Iohan Baptist was in stronge duraunce vnder Herode the tyraunt of Galile hys discyples dyd frely vysyt hym and were not rebuked for it Mat. xi Paule beynge emprysoned and in cheynes at Rome vnder the most furyouse tyraunt Nero was neuer blamed for sendynge his seruaunt Onesimus abroad nor yet for writynge by hym to hys fryndes for socour Philem. i. Neither yet was Philemon troubled for releuyng hym there by the sayd Onesimus nor yet hys olde frynd Onesipherus for personally there vysytynge hym and supportyng hym wyth hys moneye lyke as he had done afore also at Ephesus Nowe conferre these storyes and soche other lyke with the present handelynge of Anne Askewe and ye shal well perceyue our Englyshe rulers and iudges in theyr newe Chrystyanyte of renouncynge the pope to excede all other tyrauntes in all cruelty spyght and vengeaunce But loke to haue it no otherwyse so longe as mytyred prelates are of counsell Be ashamed cruell beastes be ashamed for all Chrystendome wondereth on youre madnesse aboue all Anne Askewe Then they sayde that there were dyuerse gentylwomen that gaue me moneye But I knewe not theyr names Then they sayd that there were dyuerse Ladyes whyche hadde sente me moneye I answered that there was a man in a blewe coate whyche delyuered me x. shyllynges and sayde that my ladye of Hertforde sente it me And an other in a vyolette coate dyd geue me viii shyllynges and sayde that my lady Dennye sēt it me Whether it were true or no I cannot tell For I am not suer who sent it me but as the men dyd saye Iohan Bale In the tyme of Christes preachynge what thoughe the holye clergye were thā not pleased therwith but iudged it as they do styll to this daye most horryble heresye yet certen noble women is Marye Magdalene Iohan the wyfe of Chusa Herodes hygh stewarde Susanna manye other folowed hym frō Galile mynystred vnto hym of theyr substaūce cōcernynge his bodylye nedes Luce. viii These with other more after he was by the said clergye done to most cruell death for the veryte preachyng both prepared oyntementes and spyces to anoynte his bodye Luce. xxiiii also proclamed abroad hys gloryouse resurreccyon to his Apostles and other Ioā xx contrarye to the Byshoppes inhybycion Act. iii. Yet reade we not that anye man or womā was racked for the accusement of them A woman amōge the Macedonyanes dwellynge in the cytie of Thyatira called Lydia by name a purple seller verye rytche in marchaundyse receyued Paule Sylas and Timothe wyth other suspected brethrene into her
house habundantly releued theÌ„ there Acto xvi yet was she not troubled for it In lyke maner at Thessalonica a great noÌ„bre of the Grekes and manye noble women amonge theÌ„ beleued Paules forbydden doctryne and resorted boldelye both to hym and to Sylas Act. xvii yet were they not cruellye handeled for it Be ashamed than ye tyrauntes of EnglaÌ„d that your horryble tyraÌ„nyes shuld exeede all other Iewes or Gentyles turkes or ydolaters More noble were these womeÌ„ here rehersed for thus releuynge Christ and hys membres than for anye other acte eyther yet degre of nobylyte For where as al other haue peryshed these shal neuer perysh but be conserued in the mooste noble and worthye scriptures of God the tyrannouse Byshoppes and prestes with theyr tyrannouse maynteners there condempned A through ChristeÌ„ charite is not lyghtlye terrifyed wyth the tempestes of worldlye affliccyons no more than true fayth is chauÌ„ged in men that be Christenly coÌ„staunte Soch can not chose but considre that it is both gloryouse to be afflicted for Christ. i. Pet. iii. and also moost merytoryouse to releue them here in theyr afflyccyons Mat. xxv Vnto that Christen offyce hath Christ promysed the life euerlastynge at the lattre daye wher as Masse hearyng is lyke to remayne without rewarde except it be in belle for ydolatrye and blasphemye Not vnto them that in pryson vysyteth murtherers and theues yf ye marke well the texte is this reward promysed For they are not there allowed for Christes dere meÌ„bers but vnto them that releue the afflycted for his verytees sake Anne Askewe Then they sayde there were of the counsayle that dydde maynteyne me And I sayde no. Then they dyd put me on the racke bycause I coÌ„fessed no ladyes nor geÌ„tylwomen to be of my opynyon theron they kepte me a longe time And bycause I laye styll and dyd not crye the Chauncelloure and maystre Ryche toke paynes to racke me theyr owne handes tyll I was nygh dead Iohan Bale Nicodemus one of the hyghe counsell was sore rebuked amonge the senyours of the Iewes for defeÌ„ding Christes innoceÌ„cye whaÌ„ they went aboute to flee hym IoaÌ„ vii And therfore it is no new thynge that Christes doctryne hath supportacyon amonge the counsels of thys worlde All men be not of one corrupted appetyte nor yet of one vngracyous diete Christ promysed his dyscyples that they in one how sholde shuld fynde both his enemyes and fryndes I am come sayth he to sette man at varyaunce agaynst hys father and the doughter agaynst her mother and the doughter in lawe agaynste the mother in lawe He that louethe his father or mother hys sonne or doughter his prynce or gouernour aboue me he is not mete for me Math x. I feare me thys wyll be iudged hygh treason But no matter So longe as it is Christes worde he shal be also vndre the same iudgemeÌ„te of treasoÌ„ Let no man care to be condeÌ„pned wyth hym for he in the ende shall be hable to rectyfye all wronges Marke here an example most wonderfull and se how madlye in theyr ragynge furies men forget themselues and lose theyr ryghte wyttes nowe a dayes A kynges hyghe counseller a Iudge ouer lyfe and deathe yea a lorde Chauncellour of a most noble realme is now become a most vyle slaue for Antychrist and a most cruell tormentoure Without al dyscresyon honestye or manhode he casteth of hys gowne and take the here vpon him the most vyle offyce of an hangeman and pulleth at the racke most vyllanouslye O Chaunceller and Riche ii false christianes and blaphemouse apostataes from God What chaplayne of the pope hath inchaunted yow or what deuyll of hell bewytched yow to execute vpon a poore condempned woman so ê“dygyouse a kynde of tyrannye Euen the very Mammon of iniquyte and that insaciable hunger of auarice whyche compelled Iudas to betray vnto death hys most louynge master IoaÌ„ xii The wynnynges were not small that ye reckened vpon whan ye toke on ye that cruell enterprise and woulde haue had so many great men and womeÌ„ accused But what els haue ye wonne in the ende than perpetuall shame and confusion God hath suffered yow so to dyscouer youre owne myscheues that ye shal no more be fogotteÌ„ of the world than are now Adomsedech Saul Hieroboam Manasses Olophernes Haman Tryphon Herode Neto Traianus and soche other horryble tyrauntes And as concernynge the innocent woman whom you so cruellye tormented Where coulde be seane a more clere and open experyment of Christes dere membre than in her myghty sufferynges lyke a lambe she laye styll wythout noyse of cryenge and suffered your vttermost vyolence tyl the sinnowes of her armes were broken and the strynges of her eis peryshed in her head Ryght farre doth it passe the strength of a yonge tendre weake and sicke woman as she was at that tyme to your more confusion to abyde so vyolent handelynge yea or yet of the strongest man that lyueth Thynk not therfore but that Christ hathe suffered in her and so myghtelye shewed hys power that in her weakenes he hath laughed your mad enterpryses to scorne Psalm ii Where was the feare of God ye tyraÌ„tes Where was your chrysten professyon ye helle houndes Where was your othe and promes to do true iustice ye abhominable periures whan ye went aboute these cursed feates More fytte are ye for swyne kepynge than to be of a prynces counsell or yet to gouerne a Chrysten commen welthe Yf Christ haue sayde vnto them whiche do but offende hys lytle ones that beleue in hym that it were better they had a milstone tied aboute their neckes and were so thrown into the bottom of the see Luce xvii What wyll he saye to them that so villaynouslye pull at the racke in ther myscheuouse malice These are but warnynges take hede if ye lyft for a full sorowfull plage wyll folowe here after Anne Askewe Then the lyefetenaunt caused me to be loused from the racke Incontynentlye I swounded and then they recouered me agayne After that I sate ii longe houres reasonynge with my lorde Chauncellour vpon the bare floore where as he with manye ftatterynge wordes persuaded me to leaue my opynyon But my lorde God I thanke hys euerlastinge goodnesse gaue me grace to perseuer and wyll do I hope to the verye ende Iohan Bale Euer more haue the olde modye tirauntes vsed thys practyse of deuilyshnesse As they haue perceyued themselues not to preuayle by extreme handelinges they haue sought to proue masteries by the contrarye With gaye glosynge wordes and fayre flatteryng promises they haue craftelye coÌ„passed the seruauntes of God to cause them consente to their wickednesse And in this temptynge occupacyon are Wrisleye and Riche very conninge Notwithstandinge they shal neuer fynde the chosen of God all one with the forsaken reprouates The elect vessels holde the eternall
God for their most specyall treasure and haue hym in soch intiere loue that they had moch leuer to lose themselues than hym The wicked desperates haue the voluptuouse pleasures of thys vayne worlde so dere that they hade leuer to forsake God and all hys workes than to be sequestred from them Thys godlye yonge woman referreth prayse vnto her lorde God that he hath not lefte her in thys paynefull conflycte for his verytees sake but perseuered stronge with her beynge in hope that he wolde so styll contynewe with her to the verye ende as without fayle he dyd Manye men sore wondre now a daies that Wrisleye whiche was in my lorde Cromwels tyme so ernest a doer against the pope is now becomen agayne for his red larye wares so myghtye a captaine But they remembre not the common adage that honour chaungeth maners and lucre iudgementes These great ynne kepers they saye hadde leuer to haue one good horse man to hooste than vi men on fote specyally if they weare veluet whodes or fyne rochettes What els foloweth Chryst but beggery and sorowes whyche are verye hatefull to the worde Where fatnesse is cawse of euerye mannys laboure there is yet sum what to be loked for If hys chrysten zele be soch that he wyll haue no she heretykes vnponnyshed lete hym do fyrste of all as we reade of dyuerse ryghtfull gouerners amonge the heythen Lete hym serch hys owne howse wele Parauenture he maye fynde aboute my ladye hys wyfe a rellycke of no lytle vertue a practyse of Pythagoras or an olde midwyues blessyng which she carryeth closelye on her for preseruacyoÌ„ of her honoure Her opinyoÌ„ is folke saye that so loÌ„ge as she hath that vpoÌ„ her her worldlye worship can neuer decaye I praye God this prouysyon in short space deceyueth her not as it hath done pope Siluester the seconde and as it dyd of late yeares Thomas wolsye our late Cardynall This heresye goeth neyther to the racke nor to the fyre to Newgate nor yet Smythfelde as contynuallye doth the pore Gospell Anne Askewe Then was I brought to an howse and layed in a bed with as werye and paynefull bones as euer had pacyente Iob I thanke my lorde God therof Then my lorde Chauncellour sente me worde if I wold leaue my opynioÌ„ I shuld waÌ„t nothinge If I wold not I shuld fourth to Newgate so be burned I sente him agayne worde that I wold rather die thaÌ„ to breake my faythe Thus the lorde open the eyes of their blinde hartes that the truthe maye take place Fare wele dere frynde and praye praye praye Iohan Bale Beholde in thys last parcell most euydeÌ„t signes of a christeÌ„ martyr and faythfull witnesse of God besydes that went afore She allegeth not in all thys longe processe lienge legendes popyshe fables nor yet olde wiues parables but the most liuelie autoritees and examples of the sacred Byble Se putteth her selfe here in remembraunce not of desperate Cayne nor yet of sorowfull Iudas but of most pacyent Iob for example of godlye sufferaunce For Anguysh and payne of her broken ioyntes and broused armes and eyes she curseth not the tyme that euer she was borne as the maner of the vnfaythfull is But she hyghlye magnyfyeth and prayseth God for it Neyther was she peruerted with flatteringe promyses nor yet ouer coÌ„men with terryble threttenynges of deathe Neyther doubted she the stynke of Newgate nor yet the burnynge fyre in Smythfelde But coueted rather deathe of her bodye for the syncere doctryne of Christe than lyfe of the same vndre the ydolatrouse doctrine of the Romysh pope She desyred God to take mercye of her enemyes and exhorted all Christen people instauntlye to praye for them If these be not the frutes of a true beleuer what other frutes els can we axe Anne Askewes answere vnto Iohan Lassels letter Oh frynde most derelye beloued in God I maruele not a litle what shuld moue yow to iudge in me so slendre a faythe as to feare deathe whiche is the ende of all myserye In the lorde I desyre yow not to beleue of me soch wyckednesse For I doubt it not but God wyll perfourme hys worke in me lyke as he hath begonne Iohan Bale I woulde but knowe of them which are common readers of chronycles and Sayntes lyues where they euer redde of a more feruente and lyuelye faythe than was in thys godlye yonge woman As lyght a matter estemed she deathe as dyd Eleazarus that auncyent senyour or yet the vii Machabees with their most worthie mother ii Mach. vi vii For she sayde that it was but the ende of al sorowes She reckened not with the couetouse man the remembraunce therof bytter Eccle. xiiii But with the righteouse she thought it a mooste redie swyfte passage vnto lyfe Ioan. v. The feare of deathe iudged she great wickednesse in a Christen beleuer was in full hope that God wold not suffer her to be troubled therwith For whye deathe loâ—seth vs no life but bringeth it in vnto vs lyke as the harde winter bringeth in the most pleasauÌ„t somer Who can thynke whaÌ„ the sunne goeth downe that it vtterly so perysheth Death vnto the righteouse beleuer is as a profitable haruest which after sweate labour bringeth in moste dylectable frutes None otherwyse thought it Anne Askewe than a verye entrauÌ„ce of lyfe whaÌ„ she had it thus in desyre faithfullie trusted with Paule that God wolde fynyshe in her that he than begonne to hys owne glorye Philippen i. Anne Askewe I vnderstande the counsell is not a lyttle dyspleased that it shulde be reported abroade that I was racked in the towre They saye nowe that they dyd there was but to feare me Wherby I perceyue they are ashamed of their vncomelye doynges and feare moch least the kynges mageste shuld haue informacion therof Wherfore they woulde no man to noyse it Well their crueltye God forgeue them Your hart in Christe Iesu. Farewele and praye Iohan Bale Hypocrites and tyrauntes wolde neuer be gladly knowne abroade for that they are in dyde But for that they are not they loke alwayes to be gloryouslye noysed Wrisleye Ryche woulde yet be iudged of the worlde ii sober wyse men and verye sage counsellers But this tyâ—â—nnouse example of theirs maketh a most manyfest shewe of the contrarye Yea and the God of heauen wyll haue it so knowne to the vnyuersall worlde to their ignomynyt and shame So is he wonte to rewarde all cruell Apostataes as he rewarded Iulianus for their wylfull coÌ„tempt of his verite The martyr of Christ for her pacyent sufferaunce shall leaue here behinde her a gloryouse report whereas these forworne enemyes and pursuers of his worde haue purchased themseluâ—â— a perpetuall infamy by their cruelte and myschef In excuse of their madnes they saye they dyd it only to feare her Is it not
or soche an abomynable ydoll as subuertynge Christes true religyon wyll be your fynall destruccyon both here and in the worlde to come For ydolles are called abhomynacyō al the scriptures ouer Yet shall it endure say the Daniel sumwhere vnto the ende of al Daniel ix Wherby ye maye well perceyue that it comprehendethe not onely the tryumphaunt stremers of Tyberius or golden ymages of Caligula whyche bothe preuented the subuersyon of Hierusalem but some other ydolles which shulde contynewe And it folowethe in the Gospell texte that he shulde sytte in the holye place for the tyme of hys contynuaunce Mathei xxiiii And not in the paganes temples Tell me yf youre Masses be done anye where els than in your hallowed sanctuaryes vpon your sanctified aulters and in your holy ornamentes and consecrate cuppes Neyther may any do them vnlesse they be anoynted therunto of your Byshoppes sorcerers Not without the holy place sayth-Christ is that abhomynacyon but in it Mathei xxiiii Antichriste sayth saynt Paule shal syt not without but within the verye temple of God ii Thessalo ii The papacye is not wythoute but wythin the verie church of Christ what thoughe it be no part therof Apoca. xi Therfore it shall be mete that we be ware and seperate oure selues frome them at the admonyshmentes of hys hoolye doctryne leaste we be partakers wyth yow in theyr promysed dampnaciō Apoca xviii By the vayle ouer Moses face she meaneth the blynde confydence that manye men yet haue in olde Iewysh ceremonyes and beggarlye tradycions of men as S. Paule doth call them Gala. iiii Wherby the veryte of God is sore blemished The spiritual knowlege which cometh by the clere doctryne of the Gospell mynystreth no soch impedymentes of darkenes But all thynges are clerelye seane to them which are endued therwith They can be deceyued by none of Sathans subtyle conuayers but perceyueth all thynges whych haue obtayned the pure eyes of faythe Anne Askewe For it is playnelye expressed in the hystorye of Bel in the Byble that God dwellethe in nothynge materyall O kynge saythe Daniel be not deceyued Daniel xiiii For God wyll be in nothynge that is made with handes of men Actor vii Oh what styffnecked people are these that wyll alwayes resyste the hoolye Ghost But as theyr fathers haue done so do they bycause ther haue stonye hartes Wryttē by me Anne Askewe that nether wyshe deathe nor yet feare his myghte and as merye as one that is bowne towardes heauen Truthe is layed in pryson Luce. xxi The lawe is turned to worme woode Amos. vi And there can no ryghte iudgement go forth Esay lix Iohan Bale Marke here howe graciouslye the lord kepeth promyse with thys poore seruaunte of his He that beleuethe on me saythe Christe oute of his bellye shall flowe ryuers of lyuynge water Ioa. vii Neyther lasheth thys woman out in her extreme troubles language of dispayre nor yet blasphemouse wordes agaynste God with the vnbeleuinge but vttereth the scriptures in wonderfull habundaunce to his lawde and prayse She rebuketh here the most pestylent vyce of ydolatrye Not by olde narracions and fables but by the most pure worde of God as dyd Daniel Steuen And in the ende she shewethe the stronge stomacke of a mooste Christen martyre in that she is neyther desyrouse of the deathe neyther yet standeth in feare of the vyolēce or extremyte therof What a constancye was this of a woman frayle tēdre yong and most delycyouslye brought vp But that Christes sprete was myghtye in her who bad her be of good cher For though the tyrauntes of thys worlde haue power to fleye the bodye yet haue they no power ouer the sowles Matthei xx Nether haue they power in the ende to demynyshe one heare of the heade Luce xxi She faynteth not in the myddes of the battayle i. Corint ix But perseuerethe stronge and stedefast to the verye ende Mathei x. Not doubtynge but to haue for her faythful perseueraūce the crowne of eternall lyfe Apoc. ii So mery am I sayth she good creature in the myddes of Newgate as one that is bowne towardes heauen A voyce was thys of a most worthye and valeaunt wytnesse in the paynefull kyngedome of pacience Apocalip i. She faithfullye reckened of her lorde God that he is not as men are fyckle Numeri xxiii But most sure of worde and promyse Psalm cxliiii And that he wolde most faithfully kepe conuenaunt wyth her whan tyme shuld come Apoca. ii She had it most groūdedlye planted in her hart that though heauen and earthe dyd passe yet coulde not his wordes and promes passe by vnfulfylled Lu. xxi Ashamed may those carnall Helchesytes be whych haue not on lye denyed the verite of theyr lorde god but also most shamefullye blasphemed dishonoured bothe it and themselues for the pleasure of a yeare or ii to dwell styl in this fleshe They cōsidre not that he wyth whome they mocke hathe power to sende them to helle for theyr blasphemye Luce. xii They shall not fynde it a matter lyght for theyr inconstancye to be vometed out of the mouthe of God as vnsauerye morsels Apocalypsis iii Neyther shal they proue it a Christmas game to be denyed of Christ before hys heauenlye father and his angels for denyenge here his verite Math. x. Anne Askewe Oh forgeue vs all oure synnes and receyue vs gracyouslye As for the workes of oure handes we wyll no more call vpon them For it is thou lorde that art oure God Thou sheweste euer mercye vnto the fatherles Oh yf they wolde do this saythe the Lorde I shoulde heale they re sores yea wyth all my harte woulde I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do wyth ydolles anye more Who so is wyse shall vnderstande thys And he that is ryghtlye enstructed wyll regarde it For the wayes of the Lorde are ryghteouse Soche as are godlye wyl walke in them And as for the wicked they wyll stomble at them Osee. xiiii Iohan Bale All these wordes alleged she oute of the last chaptre of Oseas the prophete where as he prophecyed the destructyon of Samaria for the onlye vyce of ydolatrye In the worde of the lorde she declareth her selfe therin to detest and abhorre that vyce aboue all and to repent frō the hearte that she hathe at anye tyme worshypped the workes of mennes handes eyther stone wode breade wyne or anye soche lyke for the eternall lyuynge God Consequently she confessyth hym to be her only God and that she had at that tyme truste in non other els nether for the remyssion of her synnes nor yet sowles cōfort at her nede And lyke soch a wone as is vnfainedlye cōuerted vnto the lorde she axethe of the spyritual Ephraimytes in his worde what she hath anye more to do wyth ydolles or whyether minde so tyrannouslye enforce her to the
worshyppynge of them consideryng that he so ernestly abhorreth them Fynallye ii sortes of people she reckeneth to be in the world and sheweth the dyuerse manner of them The one in the sprete of Christe obeyeth the worde the other in the sprete of errour cōtempneth it And lyke as S. Paule dothe saye To the one part is it the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe and to the other the sauour of deathe vnto death ii Corinth ii Anne Askewe Salomon sayth saynte Steuen buylded an howse for the God of Iacob Howe be yt the hyeste of all dwelleth not in temples made wyth handes As saythe the prophete Esaye lxvi Heauen is my seate and the earth is my fote stole What howse wyll ye buylde for me sayth the Lord or what place is it that I shall rest in hathe not my hande made al these thynges Actorum vii Woman beleue me sayth Christe to the Samaritane the tyme is at hand that ye shall neyther in thys mountayne nor yet at Hierusalem worshyppe the father Ye worshyppe ye wote not what but we knowe what we worshyppe For saluacyon commeth of the Iewes But the houre cōmeth and nowe is wherin the true worshyppers shall worshype the father in spirite and veryte Ioannis iiii Laboure not sayth Christe for the meate that perysheth for that endureth into the lyfe euerlastynge whych the sonne of man shall geue yowe For hym god the father hath sealed Iohan. vi Iohan Bale Here bringe she iii. stronge testymonyes of the newe testament to confirme her owne Chrysten beleue therwith and also both to confute and condempne the moost execrable heresie and false filthy beleue of the papystes The fyrste of them proueth that the eternall God of heauen wyll neyther be wrapped vp in a clowte nor yet shutte vp in a boxe The seconde declareth that in no place of the earthe is he to be sought neither yet to be worshypped but wythyn vs in sprete and veryte The thirde of thē concludeth that Chryste is a feadynge for the sowle and not for the bodye More ouer he is soche a meate as neither corrupteth mouldeth nor perisheth neyther yet consumethe or wasteth awaye in the bellye Lette not the Romysh popes remnaunt in Englāde thynke but in condempnynge the faythe of thys godlye woman they also condemyne the veryte of the lorde vnlesse they cā discharge these iii. textes of the scripture with other iii. more effectuall As I thinke they shall not nisi ad Calendas Grecas If they allege for their part the saynge of Christ Math. xxiiii Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ. They are confoūded by that which foloweth Wherin he ernestlye chargeth hys faith full folowers not to beleue it callynge the teachers of soch doctrine false anointed deceyuable prophetes and sorcerouse worke men Marci xiii Anne Askewe The summe of the condempnacyon of me Anne Askewe at yelde hawle They sayde to me there that I was an heretyke and condempned by the lawe yf I wolde stande in my opynyon I answered that I was no heretyke neythere yet deserued I anye deathe by the lawe of God But as concernynge the faythe whyche I vttered and wrote to the counsell I wolde not I sayde denye it bycause I knew it true Then wolde they nedes knowe if I wolde denye the sacramente to be Chrystes bodye and bloude I sayde yea For the same sonne of God that was borne of the vyrgyne Marie is now gloriouse in heauen and wyll come agayne from thens at the lattre daye lyke as he wente vp Acto i. And as for that ye call your God is but a pece of breade For a more profe therof marke it whan ye lyste let it lye in the boxe but iii. monethes and it wyll be moulde and so turne to nothynge that is good Wherupon I am persuaded that it can not be God Iohan Bale Christ Iesus the eternall sonne of God was condempned of thys generacion for a sedicyouse heretyke a breaker of their sabbot a subuerter of their people a defyler of their lawes and a destroyer of their temple or holye churche Ioan. vii Luce xxiii Mathei xxvi Mar. xiiii suffred death for it at their procuremente by the lawe than vsed Is it than any maruele if hys inferiour subiect here and faythfull membre do the same at the cruell callynge on and vyolent vengeaunce of their posteryte No no the seruaunt muste folowe her mastre and the fote her heade and maye be foūde in that poynt no better thā he Ioan. xiii Saint Augustine diffynynge a sacrament calleth it in one place a signe of an holye thynge In an other place a vysyble shape of an inuisyble grace Whose offyce is to instructe anymate and strengthen our faythe towardes God and not to take it to it self and so depryue hym therof Christes bodye and bloude are neyther sygnes nor shaddowes but the verye effectuall thynges in dyde signified by those figures of breade and wyne But how that drye and corruptyble cake of theirs shulde become a God manye men wonder now a dayes in the lyght of the Gospell lyke as they haue done afore tyme also And specyally why the the wyne shulde not be accepted and set vp for a God also so we le as the breade consyderynge that Christ made so moche of the one as of the other Anne Askewe After that they wylled me to haue a preste And than I smyled Then they asked me if it were not good I sayde I wolde confesse my fawtes to God for I was sure that he wold heare me with fauer And so we were cōdempned without a queste Iohan Bale Prestes of godlye knowlege she dyd not refuse For the knewe that they are the massengers of the lorde that his holy wordes are to be sought at ther mouthes Mala. ii Of them she instauntlye desyred to be instructyd and it was denyed her as is written afore What shulde she than els do but returne vnto her lorde God in whome she knewe to be habundaunce of mercy for all them whych do from the hart repent Deutro xxx As for the other sort of prestes she dyd not amys to laugh both them and their maynteners to scorne For so doth God also Psalme ii And curseth both their absolucyons blessynges Mala. ii A thefe or a murtherer shulde not haue bene condempned without a queste by the lawes of Englande But the faythfull members of Iesus Christ for the spyght and hate that thys worlde hath to hys veryte must haue an other kinde of tyrannye added therunto besides the vnryghteouse bestowynge of that lawe Do be vnto yow sayth the eternall God of heauen by hys prophete or dampnacyō be ouer your heades that make wicked lawes and deuise cruell thinges for the poore oppressed innocentes Esaie x Do vnto hym that buyldeth Babylon with bloude and maynteyneth that wicked citie styll in vnryghtwysnesse Abacuch ii Nahum iii.