and vnder whose tyrannie I thynke it therfore sufficient to admonishe you that for their death lykewyse God alwaies entred into iudgemente and spared not to plage the world for their obstinate and wylful blindnesse in despisynge their doctrine and kylled them whiche preached the true Messias to haue redemed all men frely from sinne and is a sufficient sacrifice to appease Gods wrath ⧠But nowe if ye wyll vouchsafe wyth diligēt eye to peruse these aforesayed storyes and cōferre them wyth indifferente iudgemente wyth the lyke exemples chaunced in oure tyme ye shall fynde God to be no lesse myndefull of his seruauntes nowe adayes no slowar auenger agaynst them that iniuriously shed tye vioude of his electe no vniuster in entrynge into Iudgemente wyth them that stoutly stubburnly refuse to admit his holy worde Thys diligētly marcked what neede I make any rehearsal of their names places or tymes And as yet dayly practise of the same commeth in vre For fyrste consydre howe iustlie God hath ouerthrowen that babilonious harlotte and our great enemie the bishop of Rome Christes onelie deceyuer in earth Yea and not onelie hy n but also as manie be they neuer so secrete in their wycked thoughtes as maynteyne his superstitious traditions and dampnable heresies Amonge whome I founde none to appeare so notable as thys Dauid Beaton that obstinate Sedechias that harde herted Pharao that blasphemous Balthasar that bloude suckar Aman that cruell murtherar of the nobles and elders of his realme Ioram that detestable Idolater Achas and the peruerse hinderar of gods worde Antioch I know not who hath most cause to reioyse and prayse the Lorde of his deliueraunce whether Scotlande for that they are deliuered frō his trayterous tyranny or els England who founde hym an obstinate and proude enemy But well I knowe that the papistes of iust cause muche lamēt mourne for they loste a ryght trustie speare of their chiualry Muche good reporte I hearde of hym by his familiars that he vsed to sweare but in trifles and in weighti matters to blaspheme stoutly Whose othe was moste cōmunely gods bloude as most semely for his estate Many tymes oftē curssed he Englād for their doctrine He rayled at their counselles as vayne and con dempned the clergie as heritickes and not one bishop to be good but onely Winchester and that was bounde wyth an holie daye othe What neede I make farther rehersall of his abhominable factes tragicall dedes whē they be manifestly declared in thys litle treatise folowing But for asmuche as the cause of his death is not to euery mā apparāt I thinke it necessary therefore to put you in mynde that the last day of Marche in the yere of oure Lorde M. D. xlvi he moste cruelly put to death in his castle of sainct Andrewes the mā of god maister George wysehart a man descendyng of a noble house for that he truly and sincerely preached the word of god to the simple and ignoraūt people But god as it is manifestly afore declared neuer leauing the bloude of his elece vnauenged thorowe his secrete motion he moued the hertes of cer teine gentlemen in Scotlande to conspire the death of this tyranne the oppressour of his people So that ther by diuine policie intung the castle garded with the faithful hope of a good intēt to acquite their countrey of an intollerable burthen of tyranny trayterous rebellion fynding al waies opē to their pretēsed purpose slewe thys Antichrist lurkynge in his dungion the last day of May in the yere aforesayed So that it may be wel verified in hym He that stryketh with the sworde shal perishe with the sworde Therefore I woulde wishe that al those whiche are called to the administration of commune weales and also to the office and dignitie of Elders in the congregation woulde wyth moste circumspecte diligence marcke these forsayed stories and late exemples and dayly sette them before theyr eyes as appoynted tokens by God to auoyed lyke daungers whyche assuredly are promised by the word of God to al them that striue so obstinately and wilfully agaynst his holy wyll And as Lucifer could no longar be permitted to occupy the estate of an angel in heauen when that he fel into obstinate and arrogant contention with God lykewyse can no ministre of Christes here in earth accordyng to his vndoubted promises longer obteyne a rule among his electe then that the same ministre be subiected and obedient to Goddes ordinaunce and wyllynglie doeth fulfyll the same appliyng al his administration to the glorie of God to the encrease of his faith amōg his people so necessaryly to the profit of the commune weale And to suche a minister the scriptures do vouchsafe to attribute double honoure boeth for the worthinesse of his office and also for his spirituall and Godlie councel And beside al this Christe hath faythfully promised to glorifie hym amonge his sainctes for that he in earth glorified his father whiche is in heauen Wyth whō the same Christ graunte all vs to reste in lyke glorie Amen Here foloweth the Tragedy of the late moste reuerende father Dauid by the mercie of God Cardinall and archbishoppe of sainct Andrewes And of the whole realme of Scotland primate Legate and Chaunceler administrator of the bishopriche of Merapois in Fraunce and cōmendator perpetuall of the Abbay of Aberbrothoke compiled by sir Dauid Lyndsaye of the mounte knyghte Alias Lione kyng of armes ⧠Anno. M. D. xlvi Ultimo Maii. ¶ The wordes of Dauid Beaton the Cardinall aforesaied at his death Alas alas slaye me not I am a Priest ☞ * ☜ ☞ NOt lōg sence after the houre of prime Secretely sittyng in myne Oratorie I to be a boke to occupie the tyme where I foūd many Tragedy storie Which Iohn Bochas had put in memory How many a prince cōquerour captaine Were dolfully deposed from their raigne Howe Alexander the potent conquerour In Babilon was poysonned petiously And Iulius the mightie Emperour Murthered at Rome causeles and truelly Prudent Pompey in Egypt shamefully Murthered was what nedeth processe more Whose Tragedies are petifull to deplore I sittynge so vpon my boke readyng Ryght sodenly afore me dyd appeare One wounded man aboundauntly bledyng Wyth visage pale and wyth a deadly cheate Seinyng a man of two and fyftie yeare In rayment red clothed ful curiously Wyth fyne veluet and satten richely Wyth feble voice as man opprest with payne ▪ Softly he made me supplication Saiynge my friende reade and reade agayne Yt thou can fynde by true narration Of one payne lyke to my passion Ryght sure I am were Iohn Bochas alyue My Tragedie at length he woulde discryue Seinge he is gone I pray the to endyte Of myne infortune some remembraunce Or at the lests my Tragedie wryte As I to the shall shewe the circumstaunce In termes briefe of my vnhappy chaunce Sence my begynnyng vnto my fatall ende Whiche I woulde to all creatures
cleaueth vnto the true word of doctrine that he may be able to exhorte with wholsome learninge to improue that which they saye against hym The fourth part of his sermō was how heresies should be knowē Heresies quod he be knowē on this maner As the goldsmith knoweth the fine golde frō the vnperfit by the touchstone So likewise may we knowe heresy by the vndoubted touchstone that is the true sincere vndefiled word of god At the last he added that heretickes should be put downe in this presēt life To whiche proposion the gospell apeared to repugne whiche he entreated of Let them not growe vnto the harueste the harueste is the ende of the worlde Neuertheles he affirmed that thei should be put downe by the ciuile and maiestrate lawe And when he ended his sermon incontinentlie they caused maister George to ascend into the pulpet there to heare his accusation and articles For ryghte againste hym stode vp one of the fedde flocke a monster Iohn Lander laden full of curssynges wrytten in paper Of the whiche he toke out a rolle voeth longe and also full of curssynges threates maledictions and wordes of dyuylyshe spytte and malice saiynge to the Innocēt maister George so many cruel abhominable wordes and hit hym so spitefully wyth the Popes thunder that the ignorant people dreaded leste the earth then woulde haue swallowed hym vp quicke Notwythstanding he stode styll wyth great patience hearyng their saiynges not once mouynge or chaungyng his countenaunce When that thys fed sowe had red thorowout al his liyng manassynges his face runnyng downe with swette and frothing at his mouth like a beare spit at maister George his face saiynge what answereste thou to these saiynges thou runna gate traytoute thiefe whithe we haue duely proued by sufficient wytnesse against the Maister George hearynge thys sate downe vpon his knees in the pulpet makynge his prayer to God Whē he had ended his prayer swetely and christianlike he answered to them all in thys maner ¶ Maister George his oration MAnie horrible saiynges vnto me one christian mā manie wordes ahhominable for to heare ye haue spokē here this day Which not only to teach but also once to thinke I thought euer great abhomination Wherfore I pray your discretions quietly to heare me that ye may knowe what were my saiynges the maner of my doctrine Thys my petitiō my lordes I desire to be heard for three causes The fyrste is because thorowe preachynge of the worde of god his glory is made manifest It is reasonable therfore for the auauncynge of the glorie of god that ye heare me teachynge truly the pure worde of god without any dissimulation The secōd reason is because that your health springeth of the word of god for he worketh all thing by his worde It were therefore an vnryghtuous thinge if ye should stoppe your eares frō me teaching truly the word of god The third reason is because your doctrine speaketh furth many pestilētious blasphemous abhominable wordes not comyng by the inspiration of God but of the deuyll on no lesse peril thē my life It is Iust therfore and reasonable your discretiōs to know what my wordes doctrine are and what I haue euer taughte in my tyme in this realme that I perish not vniustly to the great peril of your soules Wherfore both for the glory honor of god your owne health and sauegard of my life I beseche your discretions to heare me and in the meane tyme I shall recite my doctrine wythout any colour First chiefly sence the tyme I came into this reame I taught nothing but their cōmaundementes of god the xii articles of the fayeth and the prayer of the Lorde in the mother tonge Moreouer in Dundie I taughte the Epistles of Saincte Paule to the Romaynes And I shal shewe your discretions faithfully what fashion and maner I vsed when I taughte wythout any humane dreade So that your discretions giue me your eares beneuolente and attente Sodenlie then wyth an high voice cryed the accusar the fedde sowe thou hereticke runnagate traytoure and thiefe It was not lawefull for the to preache Thou haste taken the power at thyne owne hande without any authoritie of the churche we forthynke that thou haste bene a preacher so longe Then all the whole cōgregation of the prelates wyth their complices sayed these wordes And if we giue him licence to preache he is so craftie and in the holy scripture so exercised that he wyll persuade the people to his opinion and rayse them agaynste vs. Maister George seinge their malicious and wycked intent appealed to an indifferent and equal Iudge To whō the accusar Iohn Lander aforesayed with hoggishe voice answered Is not my Lorde Cardinal the second person wythin thys Realme Chaunceler of Scotland Archbishoppe of sainct Andrewes byshop of Meropois Commendator of Aberbrothoke Legatus natus Legatus a latere And so recitynge as many titles of his vnworthy honours as would haue loden a shippe muche soner an asse Is not he quod Iohn Lander an equall Iudge apparantly vnto the Whō other desirest thou to be thy Iudge To whome thys humble man answered saying I refuse not my Lorde Cardinall but I desire the worde of god to be my iudge and the temporal estate with some of pour Lordeshippes myne auditours because I am here my Lorde Gouernours prisoner Wherupon the prydefull skornful people that stode bi mocked hym saiynge Suche man suche Iudge Speakinge seditious reprochefull wordes agaynst the Gouernour other the nobles meanynge them also to be heretickes And incontinente wythout all delaye they woulde haue geuen sentence vpon maister George that wythout farther processe had not certerne men there councelled my lorde Cardinal to read againe the articles and to heare his answeres therupon that the people myght not cōplaine of his wrongfull cōdempnation And shortly for to declare these were the articles folowinge wyth his answeres as far as they woulde geue hym leaue to speake For whē he entended to mittigate their leasynges shewe the maner of his doctrine by by thei stopped his mouth with an other article ¶ The fyrst article ☞ Thou false hereticke rūnagate traitoure thiefe disceiuer of the people despiseste the holy churche curssinges in like case cōtēpneste my lorde Gouernours authoritie And this we know for suertie that when thou preached est in Dūdy wast charged by my lord gouerner his authoritie to desist neuertheles thou wouldest not obei but perseus redst in the same And therfore the bishop of Brothē curssed the dell uered the into the deuils hādes gaue the in cōmaundemet that thou shouldest preache no more That not with stāding thou diddest cōtinue obstinately ¶ The answer ⧠My Lordes I haue red in the actes of the apostles that it is not lawefull for the threates and manassinges of men to desist from the preachynge
as loÌ„g as he lyued but wheÌ„ Ioiada was dead he fel to Idolatry kylled the prophete zachary Ioiada soÌ„ne before the teÌ„ple And for this gods wil was that he should be punished among the Sirians and at the laste he was strangled among his owne seruauÌ„tes A story of like effecte we reade of kynge Amasias This Amasias when he was fyrst chosen kynge wholy disposed hym selfe to godly lyuinge and elected to heare the prophetes preache for that cause god made hym fortunate agaynste the Idumers But incontinuaunce he beganne to were proud against god and beinge constrayned of no necessitie to fulfyll his owne sensual appetite he woulde nedes haue warre wherein he was taken prisoner and so died wretchedly And as Ozias otherwyse called Asarias succeded hym in administratioÌ„ of the kyngdom so lyke wise he folowed hym in state and condition of lyuynge for at the begynnynge he was vertuous and a fauourer of the worde of God and had thorowe the healpe of god a notable victory against the Philistians Afterwarde where as he woulde haue done sacrifice in the temple contrary the commaundement of god he was striken wyth an horrible leprosie I maye not in thys place forget Achas who also ordeined false religion and of a peruers studie affection conceiued in superstitioÌ„ he buylded chappels and aultares euery where thorowout al his realme but god espied hym and gaue hym and all his realme into the spoyle of straungers No parcial iudge was god who spared not his anger from his onely chosen people and the posteritie and ofsprynge of Abraham to whom he made so greate and fayethfull promises but iustly punished theÌ„ in the sixt yere of Ezechias when the kyng of the Assirians conquered the citie of Samaria and led awaye captiue the. x. tribes of Israell For that they had instituted a peculiar and a straunge religion wythin theÌ„ selues taught a newe doctrine and made sacrifice contrary the decrees whiche god had geuen ouer them abusynge themselues vnder the pretence of Goddes worde and name to maynteyne and vpholde theyr priuate power and vsurped Kyngdome What secrete iudgement God vsed wyth Manasse howe ryghtuously he deite wyth hym let your consciences iudge Wicked and ab horninable was his administration for of a false diabolicall zeale of holynes he burned his owne soÌ„nes in steede of sacrifice vnto the lorde he persecuted the prophetes and sawed Esaias the holy one in sunder Yet being takeÌ„ of his enemies knowledgyng his detestable factes god toke hym into fauour Did not god abbreuiat and shortten the kyngdome of Amon and gaue hym ouer into the handes of his owne seruauntes to be slayne for his wycked administration before the Lord Who would thinke that God would haue ben displeased wyth Iosias which suppressed all false religion pulled downe the chapples and Idolles and coÌ„maunded the bones of the false preachers to be burned whoÌ„ they had tofore misused for reliques Yea he restored the bokes of Moyses whiche had bene hydden away a longe tyme. That not wythstandynge where as he thoughte that all thynges woulde frame well and luckely wyth hym because he was so holte a man because he dyd so many good deedes of charitie he woulde needes fyghie wyth the Kynge of Egypte who woulde gladly haue lyued in peace and requiryng the same at Iosias hand But Iosias presumynge vpon his holynesse and trustyng in his owne strengthe was stroken to death in the same battayle And althoughe these were sufficient to feare any christiaÌ„s hert willing to subdue his stubberne to muche swellynge stomacke againste the wyll of the Lorde yet I wyl briefly recite so that ye shal not thinke it tedious howe god dyd prostrate and vtterly destroye the persecutours of his faythfull people and the stoute rebellions agaynste his worde in the reste of the age of the world as I hetherto haue begon Dyd not the pertinacy and stoute stomacke of Sedechias despisynge the godly preachyng of Hieremias make god angry wyth hym and suffre him to be taken prisoner his owne sonnes to be kylled afore his face his eyes to be plucked out of his head the pareÌ„tes to eate theyr owne chyldren for hunger the citie of Hierusalem to be destroyed the teÌ„ple whoÌ„ he had coÌ„maunded to be buylded consumed wyth fyer the most chosen part of the people of Iuda brought into captiuitie of the Babilonians God of his moste secrete iudgemeÌ„t stirred vp the hertes of the Medtans and Persians agaynst Balthasar who blasphemed the name of God and abused the vesselles of the Lordes house dedicated to his holy administration in the Bankatyngâ—â—â— his concubines And so throught this blasphemynge and stoute resistaunce of goddesholy wyll the citie of BabiloÌ„ was coÌ„quired and the whole empire of the Chaldeis and Assirians made subiect to the rule of the Persians I cannot omitte the tyrannicall and bloudy persecution of Aman the vicegerent to hynge Assuerus who thorowe his power and subtil ingine had obteyned a commission of the kynge to destroye Goddes people vnder the name of Iewes wherby he was sure to haue the godly quene Hester put to death But god being a present remedy to his electe rewarded Aman wyth the same gibbet or haulter whiche he prepared for goddes people Howe longe dyd god defer his iudgemeÌ„t from Antiochus the very figure of Antichrist who commaunded goddes holy word to be burned he sore punished those christiaÌ„s that woulde not beleue vpon his fayth â–ª He also prophaned the temple of god for he set vp there an Idoll of the gentiles Howbeit the anger of god fel vpoÌ„ hym For his stocke ofspring dyd not onely perishe vtterly but the whole Empyre also was ouerturned and subiected to the Siri ans And nowe to perfourme my promise that I in the begynnynge dyd make that is in fewe wordes to notice the most notable hie stories coÌ„cernying the persecutioÌ„ of the christians executed in all ages let vs come to the tyme of Christ. In the which the fyrst and most cruel persecutioÌ„ was of Herode agaynst Iohn Baptist. For at the shameles requeste of Herodiades his brothers doughter who had wel pleased hym wyth hir friscalles most lasciuious daunsing he graunted hir by an othe to fulfyl hir request what soeuer she would demaunde where vpon she asked the heade of saincte Iohn Baptiste But to the greate and miserable rueth of the boeth For they were banished out of theyr countrey and depriued of their princely honoure by Caius Caligula An other of the same bloud called likewise Herode neuy to the aforesayed Herode slewe the apostle S. Iames the elder wherfore god shortned their kingdoms and roted them out as vnprofitable ministers vnto hym brought their posteritie into vtter confusion and that wythin a shorte tyme. And foras much as it is oâ—eÌ„ to euery mans syghte and easie to their vnderstandynges what persecution the apoostles and messengers of God dyd suffre
beste can vnderstande Make him bishippe that prudently can preache As doth perteyne to his vocation A person whiche his parisheners can teache Cause vicars make dewe ministration Also I make you supplication Make your abbotes of ryghte religious men Whiche Christes lawe can to their couent ken But not to rybauldes newe come from the roste Nor to a lackey stollen out of a stable Whiche into the scholes made neuer no coste Nâ—r euer was to spirituall science able Excepte the cardes the dice the chest and table To Rome rakars nor to rude ruffianes To quarell pykars nor to prophanes Nor to phantastatical fantased flatterars Moste mete to gether muscles in Maye To lacke lattins nor yet to flatterars That in the churche can neither synge nor saye Though they be cloked vp in clerkes araye Iyhe doughtie doctors newe come out of AtheÌ„s And mumble ouer a payre of mangled mattens Not qualified to broke any benefice But thorowe sir Simons sollicitation I was promoted in the same wyse Alas thorowe Princes supplication And made in Rome thorowe false narration Bishoppe Abbot but no religious man Who me promoted I nowe their banes ban Howbeit I was Legat and Cardinall Litle I knewe therin what shoulde be done I vnderstode no science spirituall No more then dyd blynde Alane of the mone I dread the kynge that sitteth on heaueÌ„ly throne On you Princes he shall make sore punishment Ryght so on ve thorowe ryghtuous iudgement On you Princes for vndiscrite gyuyng To ignorauntes suche offices to vse And we for our importune ashyng Whiche shoulde haue done suche dignitie refuse Our ignoraunce hath done the worldly abuse Thorowe couetice of ryches and of rent That euer I was a prelate I repent O Kynges make you no care to gyue in cure Uirgins profest into religion Into the keepyng of one commune whore To make thynke ye not greate derision A woman person of a paryson Wherin are twentie thousande soules to guyde That from harlottes can not hir lyppes hyde What and Kynge Dauid lyued in these dayes Or out of heauen what and he loked downe The which dyd founde so many fayre Abbayes â–ª Scinge the greate abomination In many Abbayes of thys nation He would repeÌ„t that narrowed so his boundes Of yerely rent three score thousande poundes Wherefore I counsayle euery christened Souereigne Wythin hys realme make reformation And suffre no mo rybauldes for to reigne Abusyng Christes true congregation Faylyng therof I make narration That ye Princes and prelates al at ones Shal buryed be in hell soule body and bones That euer I broked benefice I rewe Or to suche height so proudly dyd pretende I muste departe therfore my friende adewe Where euer it pleaseth god now must I wende I praye the to my friendes me recommende And fayle not at length to put in wryte My Tragedy as I haue nowe endyte FINIS ¶ The accusation of maister George wysehart gentlemaÌ„ who suffered martyrdome for the faith of Christ Jesu at S. Andrewes in ScotlaÌ„d the first day of March. In the yere of our Lorde M D. xlvi wyth the articles which he was accused of and his sâ—ete answeres to the same whereunto are ioyned his godly oratioÌ„s praiers WYth most tendre affection and vnfeyned herte considre gentle reader the vncharitable maner of accuâ—ation of maister George Wyseharte made by the bloudie enemies of Christes sayeth Note also the articles wherof he was accused by ordre digested and his meke answeres so farre as he had leaue and leasure to speake Finally ponder wyth no dissembling spirite the tyraÌ„nicall fury infernall crudelitie of the malingnant churche in aponing the saied articles and of the contrary the humble pacient moste pleasaunt answeres of maister George made to them sodenly wythout all feare not hauyng respecte to their glorious manassinges bostious threates but cheritably and wythout stoppe of tonge answered not mouyng his countenauÌ„ce nor chaunginge his visage as in his accusation hereafter folowinge manifestly shall appeare to the sayed maister George beinge in captiuitie in the castle of saincte Andrewes the Deane of the same towne was seÌ„t by the coÌ„maundement of the Cardinal his wicked counsayle And there summoned the sayed maister George that he shoulde vpon the morne folowing appeare before the Iudge then and there to geue accompte of his seditious hereticall doctrine To whoÌ„ maister George answered what needeth sayed he my lorde Cardinal to suÌ„mon me to answer for my doctrine openly before hym vnder whose power and dominion I am thus strayghlie bounde in Irons Maye not my lorde coÌ„pell me to answer of his extort power Or beleueth he that I am vnprouided to render accompt of my doctrine To manifest your selues what men ye are it is well done that ye keepe your olde ceremonies and constitutions made by menne Upon the nexte morne my Lorde Cardinall caused his ser uauntes to adresse them selues in theyr moste warlyke arraye wyth Iacke Knapskall Splente Speare Are more seming for the war then for the preachyng of the true worde of God And wheÌ„ these armed chaÌ„pioÌ„s marchyng in warlike order had coÌ„ueyed the bishops into the abbaye churche IncontineÌ„tly thei sent for Maister George who was conueyed into the sayed churche by the captayne of the castle and the numbre of an huÌ„dreth men adressed in maner aforesayed Lyke a lambe ledde they hym to sacrifice As he entred in at the abbaye churche dore there was a pore man liynge vexed wyth great infirmities askinge of his almesse to whom he slange his pursse And when he came before the Cardinal by and by the suppriour of the abbaye called Dane Iohn Wyntime stode vp in the pulpet made a sermon to all the congregation there then assembled takynge his matter out of the. xiii Chapter of Mathew Whose sermon was diuided into foure principall partes The fyrste parte was a shorte and briefe declaration of the Euangel The seconde parte of the interpretation of the good sede And because he called the worde of god the good side and heresie the euyl sede he declared what heresie was and howe it shoulde be knowen which he defined on thys maner Heresie is a false opinion defended wyth partinacie clearely repugning the worde of god The thirde parte of his sermon was the cause of heresy wythin that realme and all other realmes The cause of heresie quod he is the ignorauÌ„ce of them which haue the cure of mennes soules to whom it necessarily belongeth to haue the true vnderstaÌ„dinge of the worde of god that they may be able to wynne agayne the false doctours of heresies with the sword of the spirite whiche is the worde of god And not only to winne agayn but also to ouercome as sayeth Paule A bishop must be faultles as becometh the minister of god not stubburne not angrie no druÌ„kard no fighter not geueÌ„ to filthy lucre but herberous one that loueth goodnes sobre minded rightuous holy temperate such as
The Tragical death of Dauid Beatō Bishoppe of sainct Andrewes in Scotland Wherunto is ioyned the martyrdom of maister George Wyseharte gentleman for whose sake the aforesayed bishoppe was not longe after slayne Wherein thou maist learne what a burnynge charitie they shewed not only towardes him but vnto al suche as come to their hādes for the blessed Gospels sake ☞ ☜ ☜ ⧠Roberte Burrant to the reader ATtendauntly consyderyng most benigne reader the effecte of thys Tragicall wrytte suche was the tendernes of myne affection that I could do no lesse then the same wyth suche knowledge as in me lyeth make manifeste to all mennes vnderstandynges to the good exemple and no lesse profit of all creatures especially of those whō God hath of his secrete motion frely called to the administration of his spiritual gyftes Wherein I do moste chiefly note the secrete iudgemente of God whiche hath not onely bene nowe declared by the moste wretched slaughter of thys member of Antichriste but also heretofore in all tymes and ages euen frō the first creation of mā to this presēt time of our sensible vnderstandynge of this exēple many others chaūceinge to lyke effecte For after that God had made Adam in his perfection and associated hym with a cōpanion for his comforte He gaue vnto him incōtinētly certeyne preceptes which he commaunded moste diligently to be obserued that is to vse all his heauēly giftes cōteined within Paradise to his most delectation sauynge one pore seely tree which he had reserued to his godly pleasure But this obliuious minister Adam hauynge more respecte to the flattering tonge of Eua who had receyued a corrupt doctrine of the serpent and wyth lyght persuasion inkenled in his herte wyth the pestilent flame of vayne glorie in that he thoughte to atteyne to the estimation to knowe boeth good and euyl and so be made equal in knoweledge wyth God was by iust and secrete iudgemēt of God depriued of his administration ex pulsed out of Paradise and made a slaue and vile bondmā to death and synne Notwithstandyng the wrath of God dyd not so farre entre into iudgemente wyth Adam that he dyd vtterly forsake hym but yet once more made him a ministre vpon the earth gaue hym ciuile power to rule all his creatures therin to constitute other rulers vnder hym By the whiche authoritie Adam dyd substitute Cain his elder sonne Abell his brother lyke ciuile officers vnto God But Cain beinge a spiteful and enuious minister wyllynge his owne prefermente boastynge his hypocritical deedes iudgynge euyll of his brothers conscience misusyng his function vnsaylled in his administration vnderstandynge not his vocation yea couetyng hym selfe only to be in office and his vnpure sacrifice to seme moste beste beganne moste tyrannously to persecute his brother at the laste slewe hym to the high displeasure of god whereupon almightie god procedynge into definite sentence of his moste secrete iudgement wyth Cain gaue hym vp into lyke death and all his posteritie linially descendynge from hym was consumed in the floude of Noe. In the whiche floude is in lyke case to be noted the greate Ire and wrath of god agaynste the vniuersall worlde for that they contempned hym For theyr adulterie and tyrannte wherein they moste abhominably dyd vse all kynde of fylthie and viciouse lyuynge For the texte sayeth The sonnes of the godlie beganne to wexe tyrannes vpon the earth ⧠After thys stoude the seede of man beinge multiplyed agayne to some numbre among the Chaldeis they beganne to buylde a citie and a stronge towre and called it Babylon whereby they thoughte in theyr folyshe cogitations to prostrate vnto theyr obeysaunce the vniuersall earth But God of hys diuine power forseynge theyr folyshe thoughtes and wycked Imaginations preuented them and ministred vnto them hys iustice confoundynge theyr speaches whereby theyr workes were lefte vnperfected theyr councelles broken theyr Kyngdome in processe made desolate and ledde awaye captyue by the Assiriās and so came to an vtter destructiō And not without iuste cause dyd God precede wyth this wycked generation into iudgement for by them arose the first occasion of Idolatrie For when the godly amonge them made sacrifice vnto God it so pleased God to kendle their sacrifice whiche they had prepared wyth fier from heauen The vngodly folowinge theyr maner of sacrifice brunte it in lyke fashion wyth fier and so of their imaginations and dreames made a newe sacrifice vnto God wythout expresse cōmaundement of the word of God or els hauyng any truste in the promise of Christes commynge The same vengeaunce of God was not absent frō Kynge Pharao who wyth obstinate wyll and purpose abusynge the myght of his ciuile power did most cruelly persecute the chyldrē of God God loked vpon the house of Israel and among kinges there sate he in iudgemente where he found Abimelech giltie of his brothers death and hym lefte not vnplaged for his offence Into the same iudgement entred god wyth Saule who for his malicious stomacke and stubburne hert against the electe of God miserably perished the ceptre and kyngly honor beinge taken awaye from his posteritie yea he laste of all rigned amonge his generation and together wyth hym vtterly dyed his generation And the kyngdome was deliuered into the handes of Dauid the annoynted of god Although that Asa deserued muche cōmēdation for that he abrogated the vayne superstitious honouring of god in so much that he spared not to punishe his owne naturall mother in this behalfe for she also vsed a certeyne superstition in hir religion yet escaped not he thys strayght iudgemēt of god for that he had wroughte a certeyne conspiracie had set apart his truste and hope in god Ioram comman̄ded the Elders of the realme his bretherne to be slayne and he was the authour of a newe Idolatrie wherfore god for his iniquitie plaged hym and gaue hym ouer into the handes of the Philistians by whom he was slayne his wife and chyldren ledde away prisoners sauing his yongest sonne Dchosias who folowynge the steppes of his father renewed false religiō wherfore god extēded his Ire agaynste hym gaue hym ouer into destruction Howbeit his mother Athalia when she sawe hir sonne dead dreadynge leste some of his kynred would take vpon him the crowne she comaūded that al whiche remayned of the kinges bloud shoulde be slayne And so by thys meanes the stocke whole house of Salomon was extinguished for the only cause of disobeyinge goddes word for the maintenaūce of Idolatry despising true religiō And Athalia hir selfe for hir tiranny vsurpation cōtrary the wil of god escaped not vnauenged For the high priest cōmaūded hir to be slaine as an enemie to goddes trueth and vnmete ministre in the house of the Lorde Ioas was an holy mā loued wel to heare Ioiada preache the worde of god
of the Gospell Therfore it is wrytten we shall rather obey God then men I haue also redde in the prophete Malachie I shall cursse your blessynges and blesse your curssynges If my conscieÌ„ce had iudged me to haue done euyll I shoulde haue desisted for your curssynges or elles for your brotherlyke warnynges but because I vsed no vngodly deede I suffered paciently your curssinges beleuynge firmely that the Lorde woulde turne your curssynges into blessynges ¶ The seconde article ☞ Thou false hereticke didest say that a priest standynge at the aultare saiyng Masse was lyke a foxe waggyng his tayle in Iuly ¶ The answer ⧠My Lordes I said not so these were my saiynges The mouynge of the bodie outwarde wythout the inward mouing of the hert is noughte els but the plaiyng of an ape not the true seruyng of god For God is a secrete sercher of meÌ„s hertes Therefore who wyll trulie adorne and honoure god he muste in spirite and veritie honour him Then the accusar stopped his mouth wyth another article ¶ The thirde article ☞ Thou false hereticke preachedst agaynst the sacramentes saiynge that there were not seuen Sacramentes The answer ⧠My lordes and it be your pleasures I taughte neuer of the nuÌ„ber of the Sacramentes whether they were seuen or an eleuen So many as are instituted by Christe and are showen to vs by the EuaÌ„gell I professe openly Excepte it be the worde of god I dare affirme nothynge ¶ The iiii article ☞ Thou false hereticke hast openly taught that auricular confession is not a sacramente And thou sayest that we shoulde onely confesse vs to god and to no priest ¶ The answer ⧠My Lordes I say that auricular coÌ„fession seinge that it hath no promesse of the Euangell therfore it cannot be a sacrameÌ„t Of the coÌ„fession to be made to god there are many testimonies in scripture as when Dauid sayeth I thoughte that I woulde knoweledge myne iniquitie against my selfe vnto the Lorde and he forgaue the trespase of my synnes Here confession signifieth the secrete knoweledge of oure synnes before God When I exhorted the people in thys maner I reproued no maner of confession And farther sainct Iames sayeth Knowledge your sinnes one to an other and so let you haue peace amonge your selues When that he had sayed these wordes the bishoppes and their complices cryed and girned wyth their teeth saiynge Se ye not what colours he hath in his speakyng that he may begile vs and seduce vs to his opinion ¶ The fifte article ☞ Thou hereticke dyddest say opeÌ„ly that it was necessary to euery man to knowe and vnderstand his baptisme and what it was CoÌ„trary or generall councels and the states of holy churche ¶ The answer ⧠My Lordes I beleue there be none so vnwyse here that wyll make marchauÌ„dice with a freÌ„ch maÌ„ or any other vnknowen strauÌ„ger excepte he knewe and vnderstode fyrst the condition or promesse made by the frenche man or straunger So like I would that we vnderstode what thynge we promesse in the name of the Infant vnto god in baptisme For thys cause I beleue ye haue confirmation Then saied maister Bleiter chaplaine that he had the Deuyl within hym and the spirite of erroure Then answered hym a chylde saiyng the Deuil cannot speake such wordes as yonder maÌ„ doth speake ¶ The. vi article ☞ Thou hereticke traytoure and thiefe thou saydest that the sacrameÌ„t of the aultare was but a piece of breade bakeÌ„ vpon the ashes and no other thynge elles and all that is there done is but a superstitious rite agaynst the commaundement of God ¶ The answer ⧠Oh Lorde God so manifest lies blasphemies the scripture doeth not teache you As concerning the sacrament of the aultare my Lordes I neuer taught any thinge agaynst the scripture the whiche I shall by Goddes grace make manifeste thys daye I beinge readye therfore to suffre death The lawefull vse of thys sacrament is most acceptable vnto god but the greate abuse of it is verie detestable vnto him But what occasion they haue to saye such wordes of me I shall shortly shewe your Lordshippes I once chauÌ„ced to mete with a Iewe when I was saylyng vpon the water of Rene. I dyd enquire of hym what was the cause of his pertinacie that he dyd not beleue that the true Meslias was come considerynge that they had seene all the Prophesies whiche were spoken of hym to be fulfilled Moreouer the prophesies taken away and the ceptre of â—uda by many other testimonies of the scripture I vanquest him that Messias was come the whiche thei called Iesus of Nazareth Thys Iewe answered agayne vnto me When Messias cometh he shal restore all thynges And he shall not abrogate the lawe whiche was geuen to oure forefathers as ye do For why we see the pore almoste perishe thorowe hungar amonge you yet ye are not moued wyth pietie towardes them But amonge vs Iues though we be pore there are no beggers founde SecoÌ„darely it is forbyddeÌ„ by the lawe to fame any kinde of Imagery of thynges in heauen aboue or in the earth beneth or in the sea vnder the earth but one God onely to honoure But your sanctuaries and churches are ful of Idols Thyrdly a piece of breade baken vpoÌ„ the ashes ye adorne worship say that it is your God I haue rehearsed here but the saiynges of the Iewe which I neuer affirmed to be true TheÌ„ the bishops shoke their heades and spitted into the erth And what he meÌ„t in this mat ter farther thei would not heare ¶ The. vii article Thou false heretike diddest say that extreme vnctioÌ„ was not a sacrameÌ„t The answer ⧠My Lordes forsoth I neuer taught any thyng of extreme vnction in my doctrine whether it were a sacrament or no. The. viii article ☞ Thou false hereticke saydest that holy water is not so good as washe suche lyke Thou contemnest coniuryng and sayest that holy churches curssynges auaile not The answer ¶ My Lordes as for holy water what strength it is of I taughte neuer in my doctrine CoÌ„iuringes exorzismies if ther were coÌ„forma ble to the worde of god I woulde commende them but in so farre as they are not conformable to the coÌ„ maundement and worde of God I reproue them ¶ The. ix article ☞ Thou false hereticke and runnagate haste sayed that euery ley maÌ„ is a priest and suche like Thou sayest that the Pope hath no more power then any other man ¶ The answer ¶ My Lordes I taught nothing but the worde of god I remembre that I haue reade in some places in saincte Iohn and sainct Peter of the whiche one sayeth he hath made vs kynges and priestes The other sayeth he hath made vs the kingli priesthod Wherfore I haue affirmed any man beinge cunning in the worde of God and the true fayth of
Iesu Christe to haue his power geuen hym frō god not by the power or violence of men but by the vertue of the worde of god the whiche worde is called the po wer of god as witnesseth S. Paul euidently inough And agayne I saye any vnlearned man and not exercised in the worde of god nor yet constant in his fayth what soeuer estate or ordre he be of I say he hath no power to bynde or lose seinge he wanteth the instrumente by the whiche he bindeth or loseth that is to saye the worde of God After that he had sayed these wordes all the bishoppes laughed and mocked hym Whē that he behelde their laughinge Laugh ye sayeth he my lordes Though that these saiynges appeare scorneful worthy of derision to your Lordships Neuerthels they are very weightie to me of a greate valewe because that they stande not onely vpon my lyfe but also the honour and glorie of God In the meane tyme many godly men beholdynge the wodnes and greate crudelitie of the bishoppes and the inuincible paciencie of maister George did greatly morne and lament The. x. article ☞ Thou false hereticke saydest that a man hath no free wyll But is like to the Stoykes whiche say that it is not in mans wyl to do any thynge but that all concupiscence and desire cometh of God of what soeuer kynde it be of The answer ⧠My Lordes I sayed not so truly I saye that as many as beleue in Christe firmly vnto them is geuen libertie cōformable to the sayinge of saincte Iohn If the sonne make you free then shall ye verily be free Of the contrary as many as beleue not in Christe Iesu they are bonde seruauntes of synne He that syndeth is bonde to synne ¶ The. xi article ☞ Thou false hereticke saiest it is as lawefull to eate fleshe vpon the friday as on sundaye The answer ⧠Pleaseth it your Lordships I haue reade in the epistles of sainct Paule that who is cleane vnto thē al thinges are cleane of the contrary to the filthy mē all thinges are vncleane A faithful mā cleane holy sāctifieth by the word the creature of God But the creature maketh no man acceptable vnto God So that a creature may not sāctify any impure vnfaithful man But to the faithful man all thinges are sanctified by the praier of the word of God After these saiynges of maister George then sayed all the bishoppes wyth their complices what needeth vs any wytnesse against hym hath he not opēly here spoken blasphemie The. xi article ☞ Thou false hereticke doste saye that we shoulde not praye to sanctes but to God onely Saye whether thou haste sayed this or no say shortly ¶ The answer ⧠For the weaknes and the infirmitie of the hearers he sayd wythout doubte playnely that sainctes shoulde not be honoured My lordes sayed he there are two thynges worthy of note The one is certeyne the other vncerteyne It is founde playnly certeyne in scripture that we shoulde worship and honour one God accordyng to the saiyng of the fyrst cōmaundement Thou shalte onely worshippe and honoure thy Lorde God wyth all thy herte But as for prayinge to and honourynge of sainctes there is great doubt among many whether they heare or no inuocation made vnto thē Therefore I exhorted al men equally in my doctrine that they should leaue the vnsure waye and folowe that waye which was taughte vs by oure maister Christ. He is our only Mediatour and maketh intercession for vs to God his father He is the dore by the whiche we muste entre in He that entreth not in by thys dors but clymeth an other waye is a thiefe murtherar He is the veritie life He that goeth out of this way there is no doubt but he shal fall into the myre yea verily he is fallen into it already Thys is the fashion of my doctrine the whiche I haue euer folowed Uerily that which I haue hearde and reade in the worde of god I taughte openly and in no corners And nowe ye shall witnes the same if your lordships wil heare me but it be by the worde of god I dare not be so bold to affirme any thynge These saiynges he rehearsed diuerse tymes The xiii article ☞ Thou false hereticke haste preached plainly satynge that there is no purgatorie And that it is a fatned thynge any man after thys lyfe to be punished in purgatorie The answer My lordes as I haue often tymes sayed heretofore wythout expresse witnes and testimonie of the scripture I dare affirme nothynge I haue ofte and diuerse tymes reade ouer the Bible yet suche a terme founde I neuer nor yet any place of scripture applicable thereunto Therfore I was ashamed euer to teach of that thing which I could not fynde in the scripture Then sayed he to maister Iohn Lauder his accusar If you haue any testimony of the scripture by the which ye may proue any such place shewe it nowe before this auditorie But thys dolte had not a worde to saye for hym selfe but was as domme as a bitle in that matter The. xiiii article ☞ Thou false hereticke haste taught plainely against the vowes of monkes friers nones priestes saiyng that who soeuer was boūde to suche lyke vowes they vowed them selues to the estate of dampnation Moreouer that it was lawful for priestes to mary wyues and not to lyue sole ¶ The answer ¶ Of soth my Lordes I haue reade in the Euangell that there are three kyndes of chaste menne Some are gelded from their mothers wombe Some are gelded by men And some haue gelded them selues for the kyngdome of heauen sake Uerily I saye these men are blessed by the scripture of God But as many as haue not the gyfte of chastitie nor yet for the Euangell haue not ouercome the concupiscence of the sleshe and haue vowed chastitie ye haue experience although I shoulde holde my peace to what inconuenience they haue vowed them selues Whē he had sayed these wordes they were al domme thinking better to haue tenne concubines them one maryed wyfe ¶ The. xv article ☞ Thou false hereticke and runnagate sayest that thou wylte not obey oure generall nor prouinciall councelles ¶ The answer ¶ My lordes what your generall councelles are I know not I was neuer exercised in them but to the pure worde of God I gaue my labours Reade here your generall councelles or elles geue me a boke wherein they are conteyned that I maye reade them If that they agree wyth the worde of God I wyll not disagree Then the rauenyng wolues turned into woodnes sayed wherun to let we hym speake any farther Reade furth the rest of the articles and staye not vpon them Amonge these cruell tygres there was one false hypocrite a seducer of the people called Iohn Grayfynde Scot standyng behinde Iohn Lauders backe hasting him to