Chancelor doest thou not answer haste thou written such letters as here is obiected against the As I said my lord quod Bradforde that I haue written I haue written I stande nowe before you whiche eyther can laye my letters to my charge or not if you lay any thiÌ„g to my charge that I haue writteÌ„ if I denye it I am then a lier we shall neuer haue done with thee I perceiue now saith my lord ChaÌ„celor be short be short wylt thou haue mercy I praye God quoth Bradforde geue me his mercie if therwith you wil extend yours I wyll not refuse it but otherwise I wil not Heare was now much a dooe one speaking thus and other speaking that of his arrogancye in refusing the Queenes pardon whiche she so louyngly â–ª dyd offer vnto him wherto Bradforde aunswered thus my lordes yf I may liue as a quiete subiect withoute clogge of conscience I shal hartely thanke you for your pardoÌ„ yf otherwyse I behaue my selfe then I am in daunger of the faute In the meane season I aske no more but the benefite of a subiect till I be conuinced of transgressioÌ„ If I cannot haue this as hitherto I haue not had goddes good wyll be doone Vppon these wordes my lord Chauncelor begon a loÌ„g proces of the false doctrine wherewith people were deceiued in the dayes of kyng Edwarde and so tourned the ende of his talk to Bradforde sayiÌ„g how sayst thou My lord quoth Bradforde the doctrine taught iâ— Kâ—â—g Edwardes daies was gods pure religion the whiche as I then beleued so doe I nowe more beleue then euer I didde And therein I am more confirmed and ready to declare it by gods grace euen as he will to the worlde then I was when I firste came into prisone What religion meane you quoth the bishop of Durisme in Kynge Edwardes daies what yeare of his raigne Forsoth quoth Bradforde euen that same yere of hys raigne my Lorde that the kynge dyed and I was preacher Heare wrote maister Secretary Bourn I wotte not what Nowe after a lytle pawsyng my Lorde Chauncelloure begynneth agayne to declare that the doctryne taught in Kynge Edwardes dayes was heresye vsynge for probacion and demonstraâ—ion therof no Scryppure nor reason but thys that iâ— ended wyth Treason and Rebellion so that quoth he the verye ende were ynoughe to improue that doctryne to bee naughte Ah my Lorde quoth Bradford that you would enter in to Gods Sanctuarie and marke the ende of this present doctrine you nowe so magnifie What meanest thou by that quoth he I wene we shal haue a snatche of rebellion euen now No quoth Bradforde my lord I meane no suche ende as you woulde gather I meane an ende whiche none seeth but thei y t enter into gods Sanctuarie If a man loke but on preseÌ„t thyngs he wil sone deceiue hiÌ„self Heare now dyd my Lorde Chauncellor offer againe mercye and Bradford answered as before mercye w t gods mercy should be welcome but otherwise he would none Whervpon the said lord Chancellor dyd ring a litle bel be like to cal in soÌ„e bodye for there was present none in maner but onelye these before named and the bishop of Worcester Now wheÌ„ one was come in it is beste quoth maister Secretarye Burne y t you geue y e keper a charge of this fellowe So was the vndermarshall called in you shall take this man to you quoth my Lord Chauncelor kepe him close without conference with any man but by your knowledge and suffer him not to wryte anye letters c. For he is of an other maner of charge vnto you now then he was before and so thei departed the said Bradford lokyng as cherefully as any man coulde doe declaring thereby euen a desire to geue his lyfe for confirmacion of that he hath taughte and written And surely yf he dooe so his death wyll destroye more of the Philistines as Sampson dyd then euer he dydde in hys lyfe God almyghtie keepe hym and al his felowes bounde for the lordes sake Amen ¶ The effect of the second examinacion of Iohn Bradforde in the temple of S. Marie Oueries before the lorde Chauncelour and diuers other byshoppes the .xxix. daye of Ianuarii .1555 AFter the excommunycacioÌ„ of IhoÌ„ Rogers Iohn Bradford was called in standynge before the lord Chancelour other bishops set w t him the said lord ChaÌ„celor spake thus in effect That wheretofore the .22 of Ianuarie they called the sayde Bradford before theÌ„ offred vnto hym y e Queenes pardoÌ„ although he had conteÌ„ned y e same further he said y t he would stifly stoutly maintaine defende therronious doctrine holdeÌ„ in y e daies of kyng Edward the .6 yet in coÌ„sideracioÌ„ that the Queenes highnes is woÌ„derfull merciful they thoughte good eftsones to offer the same mercy againe before it be to late Therfore ê™ my lorde Chauncellour nowe aduise you well there is yet space and grace tofore wee so procede that you be committed to the seculer power as we muste do and wil do if you will not follow thexample of M. Barlowe Cardmaker whoÌ„ he there coÌ„mended adding oratoriously amplificacions to moue the saide Bradford to yeld to the religioÌ„ preseÌ„tly set forth After the lord Chauncellors long talke Bradford began on this sorte to speake My Lord quoth he my lordes al as now I stand in your syght before you so I humbly beseche your honors to consider that you sit in y e sight of the lord who as Dauid doeth witnesse is in the congregacions of iudges and fittes in the myddest of theÌ„ iudgeing And as you woulde youre place to bee nowe of vs taken as gods place so demonstrate your selues to folowe hym in your sittyng that is seke no giltlesse bloude nor hunte not by questioÌ„s to bring into y e snare them whiche are out of the same At this presente I stande before you giltie or giltlesse if giltie theÌ„ procede and geue sentence accordinglye if giltles then geue me the benefite of a subiect whiche hitherto I could not haue Heare the Lorde Chauncellour replyed and saide that the said Bradford began with a true sentence Deus stetit in sinagoga c. but ê™ he this and all thy gesture declareth but Hypocrisie and vain glory And further he made much a do to purge himself that he sought no giltles bloud and so beganne a loÌ„g processe howe that Brodfordes facte at Poules crosse was presuÌ„ptuous arrogant and declared a taking vpoÌ„ him to lead the people whiche coulde not but tourne to much disquietnes ê™ he in y t thou speakiÌ„g to Bradford was so prefract and stout in religion at that preseÌ„t For y e which as thou wast theÌ„ committed to prison so hitherto haste thou bene kepte in prisoÌ„ where thou haste written letters to no litle hurte to the Queenes people as by the reporte of therle of Darby in the parlement house was credeblye reported And to this be added y t the said
Bradford answered that how so euer hrs honor toke him yet was he assured of his meaniÌ„g that no feare but y e feare of periury made him aferd to aunswere For as for death my lord ê™ he as I knowe ther ar .12 houres in the day so w t y e lord my time is appointed And wheÌ„ it shalbe his good tyme then shall I departe hence But in the meane season ê™ he I am safe ynough though al the worlde had sworne my death Into his haÌ„des I haue coÌ„mitted it his good will be done And ê™ Bradford sauiÌ„g mine oth I wil answer you in this behalf that the othe agaiÌ„st the. B of Rome was not nor is not against charitie Howe proue you y t ê™ my lord ChaÌ„celor Forsoth ê™ Bradford I proue it thus That is not against charitie whiche is not against gods worde but this othe against the bishop of Romes aucthoritie in Englande is not against gods worde therefore it is not against charitie Is it not against gods woorde ê™ my Lorde Chancellour that a man shoulde take a kyng to be supreme heade of the church in his realme No ê™ Bradford sauing styl mine othe it is not against gods worde but with it being taken in suche sence as it may be wel taken that is attributing to the kinges power y t soueraintie in all his dominions I praye you ê™ the lorde Chauncelour where finde you that I finde it in manye places ê™ Bradforde but specially in the .13 to the Romaines where Saint Paule writeth euery soule to be obedieÌ„t to the superiour power But what power que gladium gestat y e power verely which beareth the sweord which is not the spiritual but the temporall power As Chrisostome full well noteth ê™ Bradforde vpon the same place whiche youre honor knoweth better then I. He Chrisostome I meane ther plainly sheweth y t bishops prophetes and apostles owe obedience to y e temporall maiestrates Here yet more the Lorde Chancelour was stered and said howe that Bradforde went about to deny al obedience to the Queene for his oth so ê™ he this maÌ„ woulde make gods woord a warrant of disobedience For he will aunswere the Queene on this sorte that when she sayeth nowe sweare to the B. of Rome or obey his aucthoritye No wil he saie for I am then forsworne and so make the Queene no Queene No ê™ Bradforde I go not about to deny all obedieÌ„ce to the Queenes highnes by deniyng obedience in this part yf shee shoulde demaunde it For I was sworne to king Edward not simply that is not onely concernyng his owne person but also concerning his successours And therefore in denying to do the Quenes request herein I denye not her authoritie nor become dishobedient Yes that doest thou ê™ my Lorde Chancelor And so he beganne to tell a longe tale howe if a manne shoulde make an othe to pay a Cli. by such a day and the manne to whom it was due would forgeue the debt The debter woulde saie no you cannot do it for I am forsworne theÌ„ c. Here Bradford desired my lord Chauncellor not to trifle it saying y t he wondred hys honor would make solemne othes made to god trifles in that sorte And make so great a matter concerniÌ„g vowes as thei cal it made to the bishop for mariage of priestes At these wordes y e lord ChaÌ„celour was much offended said he did not trifle but ê™ he thou goest about to denie obedience to the Queene which now requireth obedience to the B. of Rome No my lord ê™ Bradford I dooe not denye obedience to the Queene yf you would discerne betwene genus and species Because I may not obey in this to reason ergo I maye not obey in the other is not firme As if a maÌ„ let one sel a pece of his inheritaÌ„ce yet this notw tstaÌ„dyng al his inheritaÌ„ce is not let or sold And so in this case all obedyence I denye not because I denie obedience in this branche I wil none of those similitudes said the lorde Chancellour I would not vse theÌ„ ê™ Bradforde if that you wente not about to perswade y e people I meane that which I neuer meÌ„t For I my self not onely meane obedience but wil geue ensample â–ª of all most humble obedience to y e Queenes highnes so long as she requireth not obedience agaynste god No no ê™ my lorde Chauncelour al men maie perceiue wel inough your meaning There is no man though he bee sworne to the king doth therfore break his othe yf afterwardes he be sworne to the Frenche king and to themperour It is true my Lorde ê™ Bradforde but the cases bee not like For here is an excepcioÌ„ thou shalt not sweare to y e. B. of Rome at any time If in like maner we were sworne thou shalt not serue themperour c. you see there were some alteracion and more doubt But ê™ Bradford I beseche your honour remembre what ye youre selfe haue written answeringe the obieccions here against in youre boke de vera obedientia Vincat modo domini verbi veritas Let Gods woorde and the reasons thereof beare the bell awaie Heare the lord Chauncelor was throughlye moued and saide styll howe that Bradforde had written sedicious letters and peruerted the people thereby and did stoutly stand as though he would defende the erronious doctrine in kynge Edwardes tyme against all men now ê™ he he saieth he dare not answer I haue written no sedicious letters ê™ Bradforde I haue not peruerted y e people But that which I haue writteÌ„ spokeÌ„ y t wil I neuer deny by gods grace And wher your L. saith I dare not answer you y t al meÌ„ may know I am not afraid sauiÌ„g mine oth ask me what you wyl I will plainelye make you answer by gods grace although I now see my lyfe lyeth theron But O lord ê™ he into thy hands I coÌ„mit it come what come will onelye sanctifie thy name in me as in one instrumente of thy grace Amen Now aske what you wil ê™ Bradford you shall se I am not afraid by gods grace flatly to answer Well then ê™ my lord Chauncelour how say you to the blessed sacrament do you not beleue there Christe to bee presente concernynge his naturall bodye My lorde ê™ Bradforde I doe beleue Christ to be corporally preseÌ„t in his sacrament duely vsed Corporally I say that is in such sorte as he woulde I meane Christe is there corporally preseÌ„t vnto faith Vnto faith ê™ my lorde Chaunceloure wee muste haue manye moe words to make it more plain you shal so ê™ Bradford but first geue me leaue to speake twoo wordes Speake on quoth my lord Chancellour I haue bene now a yeare and almoste thre quarters in prysone ê™ Bradforde and of all thys tyme you neuer questyoned wyth me heare aboutes when I myghte haue spoken my conscyence frankely wythout peryll But nowe you haue a law to haÌ„g vp and put to
death if a man answer freely and not to your appetite And so you nowe come to demaund this question Ah my lord ê™ Bradforde Christe vsed not thâ—s waye to bring men to faythe No more did the Prophets or the Apostles RembeeÌ„r what Barnarde writeth to Eugenius the Pope Apostolos lego stetisse iudicandos sedisse iudicantes non legi Hoc erit illud fuit â–ª c. Here the ChaÌ„celor was appeased as it semed spake moste gentlye that he vsed not this meanes It was not my doyng although some there be ê™ he that thinke this to be the beste waie I for my parte ê™ he haue bene chalenged for being to geÌ„tle often times The which thing the B. of London confirmed so did almoste all the audience that he hadde been euer to mylde and to gentle At whiche wordes Bradforde spake thus My Lorde ê™ he I praye you stretche out your gentlenes that I maye fele it for hytherto I neuer felte it As sone as be hadde spoken thus the lord Chauncellour belyke thynkynge Bradforde woulde haue hadde mercye and pardone as Cardmaker and Barlow hadde sayd that wyth all hys hearte not onely he but the Queenes highnesse woulde stretche oute mercye yf wyth them hee woulde retourne Retourne my Lord quoth Bradforde God saue me from that goyng backe I meane it not so But I meane quoth he that I was three quarters of a yere in the Tower wythout paper penne or inke neuer in al that time nor sitheÌ„ did I fele any gentlenes from you I haue rather loked for as I haue hitherto founde extremitie And ê™ he I thank God I perceue now you haue kept me in prison thus long not for any matter you had but for mater you would haue Goddes good wil bee done Here was now diuerse telliÌ„g my lorde it was diner time and so he rose vp leauing Bradforde speaking sayiÌ„g that in y e after noone thei would speak more with him And so was he had into y e vestry was there al that daye tyll darke nighte and so was conueyed agayne to prisone declaringe by his countenance great ioy in god the whiche God increase in him ¶ The effect and summe of the last examinacion of that faithfull instrument of God Iohn Bradforde in the Churche of Saincte Marie Oueries the 29. daie of Ianuarii .1555 AFter the excommunicacion of LaureÌ„ce SauÌ„ders Iohn Bradford was called in and being broughte before the Lorde Chauncelour and other bishops there sittinge the Lorde Chancelour began to speak thus in effecte that Bradforde beynge now eftsones com before theÌ„ wold aunswere with modestie and humylitye and conforme hymselfe to the Catholyke Churche wyth theym And so yet myghte he find mercy because thei would be loth to vse extremite Therfore he concluded with an exhortacioÌ„ y t Bradforde woulde recante his doctrine After the lorde Chancellor had ended his longe oracion Bradforde began to speak thus As yesterday I besought your honour to set in your sighte the maiestie and presence of God to follow him which seketh not to subuert the simple by subtil questioÌ„s so quoth he I humblye beseche euery one of you to daie for y t you knowe that giltles bloud wil crie vengeaunce And thus quoth he I praie not your Lordship to do as one that taketh vpon me to coÌ„demne you vtterly herin but that you might bee the more admonyshed to doe that which none doth so much as he should do For our nature is so much corrupt that we are very obliuious and forgetfull of god Again ê™ Bradford as yesterdaie I pretended my othe and othes againste y e B. of Rome that I should neuer coÌ„sent to the practising of any iurisdiccion for him or in his behalfe in the realme of Englande so againe this day lest I should be periured And last of al as yesterday the answer I made was by protestacion and sauynge my oth so would I your honours should knowe that myne shal be this daie And this I do that when death whiche I loke for at youre handes shall come I shall not be troubled with the giltines of periury At these words y e lord Chancelor was wroth said that they had geueÌ„ him respite to deliberate vntil this day whether he would recaÌ„t the heresies of the blessed sacrament whiche yesterday ê™ the lord Chancelor before vs you vttred My lord ê™ Bradforde you gaue me no time of any such delyberacion neither did I any thing of the sacrament which you didde disalow For when I had declared a presence of Christ to bee there to the faithful you went froÌ„ the matter to purge your selfe y t you were not crewel and so went to dinner What I perceiue ê™ my lord ChaÌ„celour we must begin all agayne with thee dâ—d I not yesterday tell thee plainely that thou madest a conscience where none should be Did I not make it plaine that the othe against the Bishop of Rome was an vnlawfull othe No ê™ Bradford In dede my lord you said so ê™ he but proued is not nor neuer can do Oh lord god ê™ the lorde Chauncelour what a felowe arte thou Thou wouldeste goe about to bringe into the peoples heades that we al the lords of the parliameÌ„t house y e knights Burgiesses and all the whole is periured Oh what an heresye is thys Here good people ye may see what a Churlishe hereticke thys felowe is If I shoulde make an othe I would neuer helpe my brother or lende hym money in hys nede were this a good aunswere to tell my neyghboure desyringe my helpe that I hadde made an othe to the contrarye I coulde not dooe it Heare the lorde Chauncelor made muche a do a long time was speÌ„t about othes which wer good which wer euil he capciously asking of Bradford often answer of things coÌ„cerning othes which Bradford would not geue simply but with distinccioÌ„ wherat the lord Chancelour was sore offended But Bradford styll kept him at the baye that the oth againste the B. of Rome was an vnlawfull othe vsing therto the Chancelors owne boke de Vera obedientia â–ª For confirmacioÌ„ at the length thei came to this issue who should iudge of the lawfulnes of of the othes And Bradford said the worde of God accordynge to Christes owne woordes Iohn .12 saying My word shal iudge And according to the testimonie of Esai .2 Micheas .4 That goddes word coming out of IerusaleÌ„ shal geue senteÌ„ce amongst y e gentiles By these wordes my lord ê™ he I will proue the othe against y e B. of Romes auctorite to be a good a godli a lawful oth So therof the lord Chauncelor left his hold sayiÌ„g y t as y e other day he pÌ„teÌ„ded denyal of the Queenes aucthoritie obedience to her highnesse so did he now But Bradford as the day before proued that obedience in this point are particuler to the Quenes highnes If she shold demauÌ„de an othe to the B. of Rome beinge denied it
was a generall deniall of her aucthoritie and obedience to her no more quoth he then the gift or lease of a sole pece of a mans inheritance proueth a sale gift or lease of the whole inheritance And thus muche a doe was made about the matter The lord Chancelor talking muche vsing many examples of dette of going out of the towne to morow by othe yet tarying tyll Fridaye suche like whiche triflinge talke Bradford did touche saying that it was a wonder that his honour did wey coÌ„science no more in this and would be so earnest in vowes for mariage of Priestes made to bishops and bee carelesse for Solemne othes made to God and the prince Summa this was the ende the lorde Chauncelour sayde the Queene might dispence with it did it to al the whole realme But Bradford said the Queenes highnes could do no more but remitte her right And as for the oth made to God she coulde neuer remytte For as muche as it was made to God At which woordes the lord Chancelour chafed wonderfully and said that in plaine sentence he slandered the hole realme of periury and therfore ê™ he to y e people you may se how this felow taketh vppon hym to haue more knowledge coÌ„science then al the wise men of England yet ê™ he he hath no conscience at al. Wel ê™ Bradforde my lord let al the staÌ„ders by see who hath conscyence I haue bene a yere a half in pryson now before all this people declare wherfore I was prisoned or what cause you had to punish me â–ª you sayde the other daye in youre owne house my Lord of London witnessing with you that I toke vppon me to speake to the people vndesyred There he sytteth by your Lordship I meane my lord Bishop of Bath which desired me hiÌ„self for y e passioÌ„ of Christ I wold speake to the people vpon whose wordes I commyng in to the pulpit had like to haue bene slaine w t a naked dagger which was hurled at me I thinke for it touched my sleaue He eftsones praied me I woulde not leaue him I promised as long as I liued I would take hurt y e day before him and so went out of the pulpit at length broughte him safe to a house Besides this in y e after noone I prech at Bow church goyng vp into the pulpitte one wylled me not to reê“ue y e people for y e fact for ê™ he you shal neuer come downe aliue if you do it And yet ê™ Bradford notwithstanding I did in y e Sermond reproue their fact called it sedicion at the least .xx. tymes For all whiche my doinge I haue receiued this recompence prison a yere a half more death now which you go about Let al meÌ„ ê™ Bradford nowe iudge wher conscieÌ„ce is In speking these words ther was y e eÌ„deuored to haue letted it but Bradford spake on let theÌ„ speake what they would And the lord Chancelour said y t for al his faire talke his fact at y e Crosse was naught No ê™ Bradford my fact was good as you youre selfe did bear witnes w t me For when I was first before you in y e Towre you your selfe did saye y t the facte was good but ê™ you the mynde was euyll wel then ê™ I my lord in that you alowe my facte condemne my mynde in it I can not otherwise declare my mynd to maÌ„ theÌ„ by saying doiÌ„g god I trust one day will open to my comforte what my mynde was and what yours is Here the lord Chauncelour was offended saide that he neuer said so I ê™ hee had not so litle wit I trow as not to discerne betwixt meaning doyng and so brought forth litle to y e purpose many examples that meÌ„ construe thynges not by the meanynge of maÌ„ but by their doings But wheÌ„ this coulde not serue then cometh he to another matter and said he was put in prison at the first because he woulde not yelde nor bee confirmable to the Queenes religion Why quoth Bradford your honour knoweth that you would not then reasoÌ„ with me in religioÌ„ but you saide a time should afterward be found out wheÌ„ I should be talked w t al. But ê™ Bradford if it were as your lordship saith y t I was put in for religion in y t my religioÌ„ was theÌ„ auctorised by the publike lawes of the realm could coÌ„scieÌ„ce punish me or cast me into prisoÌ„ thâ—rfore Wherfore let al meÌ„ iudge in whoÌ„ conscience wanteth Here coÌ„meth forth M. ChaÌ„berlain of Woodstocke said to the Lord Chancelor y t Bradforde had bene a seruing maÌ„ was with M. Harington True ê™ the lord Chancelour did deceiue his M. of .27 poundes because of this he weÌ„t to bee a gospeller and a preacher good people and yet you se how he pretendeth coÌ„scieÌ„ce My lord ê™ Bradford I set my fote to his fote whosoeuer he be y t caÌ„ come furth iustly vouch to mi face y t euer I deceiued my M. And as you ar chief iustices by office in EnglaÌ„d I desire iustice vpoÌ„ them y t so slander me because they cannot proue it Here my lord Chauncelour M. Chamberlain wer stroke blanke said thei heard it but ê™ the lord Chauncellour you haue an other maner of matter then this for you are an heretike yea quoth y e B. of LondoÌ„ he did write letters to M Pendleton â–ª whiche knoweth his hand as wel as his own â–ª your honor quoth y e bishop to the lorde Chancelour did se them That is not true quoth Bradforde I dyd neuer write to Pendleton sithe I came into prisone therefore I am not iustlye spoken of yea but you indited it quoth the B. of LondoÌ„ I did not quoth Bradforde nor know not what you meane that I offer to proue Here commeth a nother I trowe thei call him M. Allin one of the Clarks of the couÌ„sell putting my lord in rememberance of letters sent into Lankeâ—shire It is true quoth the Lorde Chancelor vnto him for we haue his hand to shew I denie y e quoth Bradford y t you haue my hande to shewe of letters sent into Lankeshire otherwise then before you all I will stande vp and proue theÌ„ to be good and lawfull Here was al answered therefore the lorde Chancelour began a new matter Sir quoth he in my house the other day you did moste contempteously contempne the Queenes mercy further said you woulde maynteine the erronious doctrine in king Edwardes daies against al men this you did most stoutly Well quoth Bradforde I am glad that al men see you had no matter to imprison me afore that daie iustlye nowe saye I that I did not conteÌ„tuously contemne y e Queenes mercy but wolud haue had it with gods mercy that is without saying and doynge anye thing against god and his truth â–ª And as for maintenauÌ„ce of doctrine because I
caÌ„not tel how you wil stretche this woorde maintenaÌ„ce I will repete again y t which I spake I said I was more confirmed in the religion set foorth in king Edwardes dayes then euer I was if god so would I trust I should declare it by geuing my life for the confirmacion and testificacion therof So I saide then so I say again now ê™ Bradford As for otherwise to mainteine it then pertayneth to a priuate person by coÌ„fessioÌ„ I thought not nor thinke Well ê™ the lord Chancelor yesterday thou diddest mayntain false heresy coÌ„cernyng y e blessed sacrameÌ„t therfore we gaue y e respite til this day to deliberate My lord ê™ Bradford as I sayde at y e first I spake nothinge of the SacrameÌ„t but y t which you allowed therfore reê“ued it not nor gaue me no time to deliberate Why ê™ he diddest thou not denye Christs presence in the sacrameÌ„t No ê™ Bradford I neuer denyed nor taught but that to the fayth whole Christs body bloud was as presente as breade wyne to the dewe receyuer yea but doest thou not beleue that Christes bodye naturallye and reallye is vnder the forme of bread and wyne My Lord ê™ Bradforde I beleue Christ is preseÌ„t there to faith of y e dewe receyuer as for transubstanciacion I plainely and flatlye tell you I beleue it not Here was Bradford called a deuil or sclanderer for we axe no questioÌ„ ê™ y e lord Chancelor of transubstanciacion but of Christs bodily preseÌ„ce Why quoth Bradford I denye not hys preseÌ„ce to the faith of the receuer but denye that he is included in y e bred or that the bred is transubstanciated If he be not iÌ„cluded ê™ the B. of Worcester how is he then preseÌ„t Forsothe quoth Bradford my faith knoweth howe though my toÌ„g cannot expresse it nor you otherwise theÌ„ by faith heare it or vnderstand it Heare was much a doe now one Docter starting vp speking this another that the lord Chancelor talking muche of Luther zwiÌ„glius OecolaÌ„padiê° But stil Bradford kept theÌ„ at this point that Christ is preseÌ„t to faith and y t there is no transubstanciacion nor including of Christ in the bread but al this would not serue theÌ„ Therfore an other bishop asked this questioÌ„ whether y e wycked man receiued Christes verye bodie or no Bradford answered plainly no. Where the lord Chancelor made a long oracion howe y t it could not be y t Christe was present excepte that the euill man receiue hiÌ„ But Bradford put his oracion away in few woordes that grace was at y e present offred vnto his lordship although he receiued it not So y t ê™ he y t receyuing maketh not the presens as youre lordship would affirme but gods grace trueth power is y e cause of the presence the which the wicked y t lacketh faith cannot receue And here Bradforde prayed hym not to deuorce that whiche God hathe coupled together he hathe coupled al this together take eate this is my bodye he saieth not see pepe this is my bodye but take eate Here the lorde Chancelour the reste of the Bishoppes made a great a do that Bradforde hadde founde out a toy that no man els euer did of the condicions the lord Chancelor made many words to the people here aboute But Bradford said this My lord ê™ he are not these woordes take eate a coÌ„maundement and are not these woordes this is my bodye a promyse If you wil challenge the ê“mise do not y e coÌ„mandemeÌ„t may you not deceue your self Here the lord Chancelor denied Christe to haue coÌ„maÌ„ded any thiÌ„g in y e sacrameÌ„t or y e vse of it Why ê™ Bradford my lord I pray you tel the people what mode accipite manducate is it is plain to childreÌ„ that Christ in so saying coÌ„mandeth At these wordes the lorde Chauncellor made a great toying trifling at the imperatiue mode fel to proposing or examining as though he shuld teach a child so coÌ„cluded that it was no coÌ„mandement but such a phrase as this I praye you geue me drink which is no commandemeÌ„t I trow But Bradford prayd him to leaue toying trifling and said thus my lord ê™ he if it be not a commandemeÌ„t of Christ to take to eate the sacrameÌ„t why do any take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to coÌ„maund make of necessity that which god leueth free as you do in making it a necessary commandemeÌ„t that once a yere for al that be of lawful discrecion to receiue the sacrameÌ„t Here the lord Chancelour calleth him againe Diabolus or slaunderer so began out of these woordes let a man proue himself so eate of the bread the bred ê™ Bradford and drink of the cup that was no coÌ„mandemeÌ„t for then ê™ he if it wer a coÌ„mandemeÌ„t it should bynde al men in al places at al tymes O my lord quoth Bradford discerne betwene coÌ„mandementes some be generall that thei binde alwaies in all places and all persones some be not so generall as this is of the supper The sacramente of Baptism of the appearing before the lord at IerusaleÌ„ AbrahaÌ„s offring Isaac Here the lord Chancelor said what say you that Baptisme is coÌ„manded theÌ„ quoth he we shal haue .xi. coÌ„mandementes In dede quoth Bradford I think you thinke as you speake for els you would not take the cup from the people seyng y t Christe sayeth drink of it al. But howe saye you my lord quoth Bradford Christe sayth to you bishops specially ite predicate euangelium goe preache the gospel fede Christes flocke is this a coÌ„mandement or not Here was the lord Chancelor in a great chafe said as pleased him Another I wene the B. of Durham asked him when Christ began to bee present in the sacrament whether before the receyuer receiued it or no Bradforde answered that the questioÌ„ was curious not necessary further said as the said cup was the new testameÌ„t so the bred was Christs body to him that receiueth it duely But yet so y e bred is bred for in al y e scripture ye shal not find this proposicioÌ„ non est panis ther is no bred so he brought forth s ChrisostoÌ„ Si in corpore essemus Summa much a do was here about thei calling Bradford heretike he desired them to procede a gods name he loked for y t whiche god appointed theÌ„ to do Loe ê™ the lord Chancelor this felowe is now in a nother heresy of fatal desteny as though all thynges wer so tyed together y t of mere necessitie al thinges must come to passe But Bradford praide him to take things as they were spoken not wreste them into a contrary sence your lordshippe quoth hee doth discerne betwixt god and manne things are not by fortune to god at any time thoughe to man they seme so some times I ê™ Bradforde spake but as the Apostles spake lord ê™ he see howe Herode
how I was certain of saluacioÌ„ of my religion Marie quod I amittinge all formalities saue y t I thaÌ„cked theÌ„ for their good wil by the word of god by the scriptures I am certein of saluacion and of my religion Verye wel said quod my Lord of yorke But howe doo you knowe the worde of God and the scriptures but by the church In dede my Lorde quoth I the churche was and is a meane to bring a maÌ„ more spedely to know the scriptures and the woorde of God as was the woman of Samaria was a meane y t the Samaritains knew Christ but as when they had herd hym speake they said now we know y t he is Christ not bycause of the woordes but bycause we our selfes haue heard hym so quoth I after we come to the hearing and reading of the scriptures showed to vs and discerned by the church we doo beleue them and know them not by cause the church saith they are the scriptures but bicause they be so beinge therof assured by the same spirite whiche wrote and spake them â–ª yea quoth my lord of yorke but you know in the Apostles time at the firste the word was not written True quoth I if you meane it for some bokes of the bokes of the newe TestameÌ„t but els for the olde testament Peter telleth vs that we haue Firmiorem sermonem Propheticum a more sure worde of prophecie Not quod I that it is simplie so but in respecte of the Apostles persons whiche beinge a liue and compassed with infirmitie attributed to the worde written more firmitie as wherewith no faulte coulde be founde whereas for the infyrmitye of their ê‘sons men perchauÌ„ce might haue founde some faulte at there perchiÌ„ng Albeit in verie dede no lesse obedience faith ought to haue ben giuen to the one then to the other as being all of one spirite of truth That place of Peter quoth my Lorde of yorke is not so to be vnderstande of the worde of God written yes sir quoth I that it is and of none other yea in dede quoth my lord of Chichester maister Bradford doth tel you y e truth in that pointe Well quoth my Lorde of yorke you knowe that Ireneus and others do magnify much the churche and alledge the Churche againste heretickes and not the scriptures True quoth I for they had to do with suche heretickes as dyd denye the scriptures and yet dyd magnifie the Apostles that they were inforsed to vse those churches wherin the Apostles had taught and that churche stil had receiued the same doctrine you speake the verie truethe quoth my Lorde of Chichester for the heretickes did refuse all scriptures excepte it were a peice of Lukes gospell Then quoth I the alledginge of the churche can not be primarlye or principallye vsed againste me whiche am so farre from denyinge of the scriptures that I appele vnto them vtterlye as to the onelye iudge Io .xii. A pretye matter quoth my Lorde of yorke that you will take vppon you to iudge the Churche I praye you where was your â—hurche this manye yeres for the Churche of Chryste is Catholicke and visible Hytherto my Lorde quoth I I doo not iudge the churche when I discerne it from that congregacion those whiche be not in it And I neuer denied the church to be Catholike and visible althoughe at some times it is more visible theÌ„ at som I praye you quoth my Lorde of Chichester tel me where the churche which alowed your doctrine was this .iiii. C. yeres â–ª I will tel you my Lorde quoth I or rather you shall tell it you selfe If you will tell me where the church was in Helias time when Helias said that he was lefte alone That is no aunswere quoth my Lorde of Chichester I am more sorye you saye so quoth I But this will I tell you lordshipp that the same eies wherewith a maÌ„ might haue espied the church theÌ„ yf you nowe had them you would not saye it were no answere The fault why the churche is not sene of you is not bycause the churche is not visible but bicause your eyes are not clere ynoughe to se it you are much deceiued quoth he to make such a collation betwine the churche then now Verie well speks my Lord quoth the Byshoppe of yorke for Christes saith Edificabo ecclesiam meam I wyll buylde my churche and not I do or haue buyld it but I will build it My lord quoth I Peter taught me to make this collacion saying as in the people there was false Prophetes whiche were muche in estimaâ—ion afore Christes comming so shall there be false teachers nowe and verye manye shall followe them And as for your futurtence I hope your grace quod I wil not exclude thereby Christs church not to haue ben before â–ª but rather that there is no buyldinge in the Churche but by Christes woorke onelye For Paule and Apollo be but waterers In good faith maister Bradford quoth my my lord of Chichester I am sorye to see you so litle to mind the churche He taketh vpon him as they al doo to iudge the church quod my Lorde of yorke A man shall neuer come to certentie that doth as they doo My Lorde quoth I take me beseche you in good part I speake simplie what I thincke and I desire reason to aunswere my obiections your affections sorowes can not by rules If that you consider the ende and cause of my condempnacion I can not thincke but that it shoulde soâ— thinge moue your honours you knowe it well ynoughe for you herd it no matter was layed againste me but what was gathered vppon myne one confession Bycause I denyed transubstantiacion and the wycked to receaue Christes body in the Sacramente therfore I was condempned and excommunicate but not of the Church although the pillers of the same as they be taken dyd it No quoth my Lorde of Chichester I herd say that the cause of youre prisonemente was for that you exhorced the people to take the sword in the one hande and the matocke in the other I neuer ment any suche thynge nor speake any thynge in that sorte my lord quoth I. yea quoth my Lorde of Yorke you behaued your selfe before the Counsell so stoutlye at the first that you woulde defend the Religion then and therefore worthelye were you punished your grace quoth I did here me aunswere my Lorde Chauncellor in that pointe But put the case I had ben so stote as they and your grace make it was not the lawes of y e realme on me side then wherfore vniustlie I was punished Onely transubstantiacion which was had on myne owne confession was the thing on which my lorde Chauncellor proceded you denye the presence quoth my lord of yorke I do not quoth I to the faith of the worthy receauer Why quoth he what is that theÌ„ to saye that Christe lyeth not of the alter No my lorde quoth I in dede I beleue not suche
yeres and called them by there right name hell houndes rather then heauen houndes On this sorte syr quoth I. will I proue my faith that you can neuer doo yours yea syr quoth he If we dyd knowe you had the holy goste then could we beleue you Here might haue ben aunswered that Stephens enemies would not beleue he had the holy gost and therefore they dyd as they did But in speakinge he rose vp and the keper called and others that stode bye to take his parte all againste me Howe be it gentlie without anye tawntynge or rayling onelye prayinge me to take hede to that maister Harpsfeld speake who still said I was oute of the churche and did contempne it spitt against it and I cannot tel what But I still affirmed that I was moste certeine I was in Christes churche could shewe a demonstracion of my religion from tyme to tyme continually And so we made an ende sainge that in the mornynge he would come again vnto me God our father for the name and blod of his Christ be merciful vnto vs and vnto all his people and kepe them frō al false teachers blind guides whereby alas I feare me muche hurte wil come to this realme of England God our father blesse vs and kepe vs in his truth pore church foreuer Amē Vppon the .16 of Februarye in the morning about .9 of y e clocke there came again the said maister Harpsfeld and the other two with him Nowe after a fewe wordes spoken we sate downe maister Harpsfeld beginning a very long oraciō almost ther quarters of an houre lōg First repeting what how far we haue gone astraye beginnynge to proue vpwardes succession of Byshoppes here in Englād for .8 c. yeres in Fraūce at Liōs for xii.c yeres in spaine at Hispalen for viii.c yeres in Italie at Millen for .xii. c. yeres goinge by that to proue his churche whereto he vsed also successiō of byshopes in the Est church for the more confirmacion of hys wordes and so concluded with an exhortation an interrogation The exhortacion that I woulde obey this church the interrogacion whether I could shewe anye such succession for the demonstraon of my church for so he called it whiche I followed Vnto this his long oracion I made a sherte aunswered howe that my memorie was euill for to aunswere particularlye his long oracion therfore I woulde generallye doo it thinckinge that bycause his oracion was rather to perswade then to proue that a general aunswere would serue So I told him that if Christe or his Apostles beinge here on yearth hath him demaūded of the Prelats of the churche then then to haue made a demonstracion of the churche by succession of highe priestes whiche had approued the doctrine he taught I thincke quoth I that Christe hert would haue done as I doo That is haue brought furth that which vpholdeth the church euē the veritie of the worde of God taught beleued not of the high priestes which of longe time had persecuted it but by y e Prophetes other good simple men whiche perchaunce were counted for heretickes with the churche that is with them that were ordeyned highe priestes in the churche to whome the true churche was not then tyed by any successiō but the word of god And thus to thincke quoth I Saint Peter gyueth an occasion when he saith That as it went in y e church before christes comminge so shall it goo in the Churche after his commynge but then the pillars of the Churche were persecutours of it Therefore the like we muste loke for nowe Why quoth be I can gether and proue you succession in Ierusalem of the high priestes From Aarons time I graunte quoth he but not suche succession as allowed y e trueth Why quoth he did they not all allow Moyses lawe yes quoth I. And kept it for the bokes therof as you do the Bible and holy scripture but the interpretacion and meaning of it ▪ they did corrupte as I take it you haue done And therfore the persecutions they stirred vp against the Prophetes Christe was not for the lawe but for the interpretacion of it as you saie nowe that we must haue the interpretaciō of the scriptures at your hādes but to make an ende quoth I death I do loke daily for yea hourely I thīke my time be but very short Therfore I had neade to spend in praier as much tyme with god as I can whileste I haue it for his helpe and comforte And therfore I praye you beare with me that I do not more plainlye and in more woordes aunswere you longe talke If I sawe death not so nere me as it is I woulde then weye euery peice of your oracion if you would giue me the some of them I would aunswere them accordinglie I hope But bicause I dare not nor I wil not leaue of lokinge and prouidinge for that whiche is at hande I shall desire you to holde me excused because I doo as I do And I hartelye thancke you for youre gentle good will I shall hartelye praye GOD oure father to giue you the same lyght and lyfe as I wishe to my selfe And so I beganne as to rise vppe But then maister Harpsfeld beganne to tell me that I was in a verye perillous case and he was sorie to see me so setteled Telling further that in dede he could tell me nothinge whether death were fare of or nere But that forceth not quoth he so that you did dye well Well quoth I yes For I doubte not in this case but to dye wel For as I hope and am cercertain my deathe shall please the Lord so I trust I shall dye cherfullye to the comforte of his chyldren yea but what if you be deceaued quoth he what quoth I if you dyd saye the Sone did not shyne nowe Then it did shine thoroughe the wyndowe where wee satt wel quoth he I am sorrie to see you so secure and carelesse In dede quoth I I am more carelese secure carnallie then I shoulde be God make me more vigilant But in this case quoth I I can not be to secure for I am most assured I am in the truth That are ye not quoth he for you are not of the Catholike church No quoth I thoughe you haue excommunicate me yet am I in the Catholike church of Christe and wil be a child of it and an obediedt child for euer I hope Christe will haue no lesse care for me then he had for the blynd man excommunicate of the Sinagoge And quoth I further I am certain that the necessarie articles of y e faith I meane the .xii. articles of the Crede I confesse beleue with that which you call the holy church So that euē your church hath taken some thing to muche vpon her to excōmunicate me for that whiche by the testimonie of my Lord of Durisme in his boke of the sacramēt latelye put
furth was free of manye an yeres after Christe to beleue or not beleue what is that quoth he Transubstantiation said I. Why you are not coÌ„dempned therefore only quod he Yes quoth I that am I and bycause I denye that wicked men do receaue Christes bodie No quoth he you agree not with vs in the presence nor in nothing els How you beleue quoth I you knowe for my parte I confesse a presence of hole Christe God and man to the the fayth of the receauour No quoth he you muste beleue a Reall presence in the sacrament In the sacramente quoth I No I will not shute hym vppe nor tye hym to it otherwise then faithe see the and permitteth If I woulde include Christes reall presence in the sacrament or tye hym to it otherwise then to the Fayth of the receauer then the wycked man shoalde receiue him whiche I do not nor will not beleue by goddes grace More pitie quoth he but a man maye easelye see you make no presence at all and therefore you agree not therein with vs. I make a presence quoth I and a true preseÌ„ce but to the fayth of the receauer What quoth one that stode by of Christes verie bodie whiche died for vs yea quoth I eueÌ„ of whole Christe God and man to the faythe of hym that receaueth it why quoth maister Harpsfeld this is nothing els but to exclude the omnipotencie of God and all kynde of myracle in the Sacrament No ê™ I I do not exclude his omnipotencie but you rather doo it For I beleue that Christe can accomplishe his promise the substaunce of bread and wine beinge their still as well as the accidents And quoth I I counte it a greate miracle that common bread shoulde be made a spiritual bread that is a bread ordeined of God not for the foode of the bodye but rather for the foode of the soule For when we come to the sacrament we come not feade our bodies and therfore we haue but a litle peice of bred but we come to feade our soules by faith whiche the wicked waunte and therfore they receaue nothynge but Panem Domini as Iudas did and Panem Dominum as the other the Apostles did The wicked saithe maister Harpsfeld do receiue the verie bodie of Christe but not the grace of his bodie No quoth I they receaue not the body for it is no dead carkase He y t receaueth it receiueth the spirite whiche is not with out grace I wyne Wel quoth he you haue very many errors you counte y e Masse for abhominacion and yet saint Abrosse saide masse And so red oute of a boke written a sentence of sainct Ambrose to ê“ue it Why sir quod I the masse as it is now was nothinge so in saint Ambrose tyme. was not the most perte of the Canon made sithen by Gregorius Scolasticus and others In ded quoth he a greate peice of it was made as ye saye by Gregorius but Scholasticê° was before S. Ambrose tyme. I wene not quoth I howbeit I wyll not contend Saint Gregorie saith that the Apostles said masse with out Cannons onely with the lords praier you saye true quoth he for the Canon is not the greateste parte of the masse â–ª The greatest part is the sacrifice eleuacion transubstantiacion and adoracion I can awaye with none of those quoth I No I thincke the same quoth he But yet Hoc facite telleth plain lye the sacrifice of the churce â–ª you consider not well quoth I this worde sacrifice not discernynge betwixte the sacrifice of the churche and the sacrifice for the churche The sacrifice of the Churche is no propitiatorie sacrifice but a gratulatorie sacrifice The sacrifice Christe hym self offered is the propitiatorie sacrifice And as for your Hoc facite is not referred to anye sacrifyinge but to the whole action takynge eatynge you speake nowe quoth he not learnedlye for Chryste made his supper onelye to the .12 not admittinge his mother or any of the seuentie disciples to it Nowe the Apostles doo signifie the priestes I thincke quoth I that you speake â–ª as you would meÌ„ shoude vnderstand it for els you woulde not kepe the Cup awaye from the Laitie We haue greate cause to thaÌ„cke you that you wil giue vs the bread for I perceaue you make it as thoughe Christe had not coÌ„manÌ„ded it to his whole church FroÌ„ this talke he went to show me Eleuacion bringing out a place of Saint Basilius de spiritu â–ª And I told him that I had red y t place which semeth not to make of eleuatioÌ„ But ê™ I be it as it is I haue ben in Prison long without bokes and all necessaries for studie and therfore I muste omitte these thinges death draweth nye I by your leaue must not leaue of to prepare for it If I could do you good quoth he I woulde be right glad either in soule or body for you are in a perellous case both waies Sir quoth I I thaÌ„ck you for your good wil. My cause is as it is I thancke God it was neuer so wel with me for death to me shall be life I truste and hope in god It were beste for you to desire maister Harpsfeld quoth maister Cressewell y t he mighte make sute for you for a time to coÌ„ferre Vnto whiche woordes Maister Harpsfeld said that he would doe the beste he could for he pitied my case verie sore Sir quoth I to desire any bodie to sewe for tyme for me I neuer wil do it by godes helpe For I am not wauerynge nor I would not that anye bodye should thincke I were so But if you haue the charitie and loue towardes me you pretend and ther to doo thincke that I am in an errour I thincke the same shoulde moue you to doo as you woulde be done by as you thincke of me so do I of you that you are farre out of the way not only thincke it but also am therof assured In this and suche lyke gentle talke we departed he saing y t he would pray for me others willinge me to desire him to sue for me whiche I did not But I wished hym as muche good as he did me And as he was goinge and bad me farewell he turneth againe geueth me Ireneus prayinge me to read ouer a certeine place in it whiche thiÌ„g I told him I wold although I had red it before At the dore the wife of the house mete hym asked hym how he had done Forsothe Maisters quoth he I fynd alwaies one maner of maÌ„ of him as I found him so I leaue him I pray you sir quoth she do hym no hurte No quoth he but if I can I wil do hym good At after diner the same daye maister Clayden my keper commeth vnto me from the Erle of Darbye with whome he had dyned beinge sent for purposly about me Nowe after his coÌ„ming home this was the some of hys talke That the Erle would gladly haue me not to die