Wynstane of Euesham whych are the best of the Englysh martyrs to the touche stone of Gods worde ye shall fynhe their martyrdomes and causes full vnlyke to theirs whom the Byshoppes murther now apace in Englande In all these Englysh martyrs reherced here afore ye shall fynde verye fewe coloures or yet tokens that Christ sayd hys martyrs shuld be knowne by vnlesse ye take pylgrymages poÌ„pes rellyckes women battels huÌ„tynges ydelnesse moÌ„keryes moneye treasure worldlye kyngedomes conteÌ„pt of marryage superstycyoÌ„s soch other vanytees for theÌ„ And than wyll I saye not lye in it that ye are moch better ouerseane thaÌ„ lerned in the scriptures of God as your olde blynde blâ—dderynge predecessours hath bene Ye wyll axe me here if I reckeÌ„ EnglaÌ„de thaÌ„ all barreÌ„ of ChristeÌ„ martyrs Naye marry do I not For I knowe it hath had good store seÌ„s the popes faythe came first into Englande to the Gospels obscuracyoÌ„ though their names be not knowne to all meÌ„ Great tyraÌ„nye was shewed by the heythnysh emprours kynges at the first preachynge of theÌ„ Gospell in the prymatyue churche of the Brytaynes by the cruell callynge on of the pagane prestes But nothynge lyke to that hath bene shewed seÌ„s in the Englysh churche by the spirytuall tyranÌ„t of Rome hys mytred termagauÌ„tes at the prouocacyoÌ„ of ther oyled swylbolles blynd Balaamytes For they most cruellye breÌ„t those innoceÌ„tes whych ded but only reade the testameÌ„t of God in their mother tunge do not yet repent them of that myschefe but contynewe therin If ye marke wele these ij examynacyons of Anne Askewe ye shall fynde in her and in her other â—ij companyons besydes other whoÌ„ the Byshoppes in our tyme and afore hath brent the expresse tokens that Christ sealeth hys martyrs with They apered as shepe amonge wolues They were throwne in stronge preson They were brought forth into counsels and synagoges Their answers were out of Gods sprete as her in apereth and not out of their owne They were reuyled mocked stocked racked execrated condempned and murthered as is sayd afore By a spirytualte also as he promysed they shuld be Math. 23. and 24 Yea those spirytuall tyrauntes besydes their mortall malyce vpon the innocent bodyes haue most blasphemouslye vttered in their spyghtfull sermons and writynges that their sowles are dampned as is to be seaâ—e in the bokes of wynchestre and Peryn But lete them be ware least they dampne not their owne wretched sowles For full sure we are by Christes stronge promes Luce 12. That their sowles they can not harme with all their popes blacke câ—rses Full swetelye rese they now in the peace of God where their slaunderouse and malycyon se iudgementes can not â—urte them at all â—api 3. Lete those Epycures pygges dampne them with as manye blasphemouse lyes as they can ymagyne for other armour they haue noâ— â—nd we shall on the other syde canâ—nyse them agayne with the myghtye wordes and promyses of Christ whych they shall neuer be â—able to resist The father of our lorde Iesus Christ graunt the lyght of hys worde so to sprede the worlde ouer that the darke mystes of Sathan maye clerelye be expelled to the specyall confort of hys redemed churche and glorye of hys eternall name Amen The lattre examinacion of the worthye seruaunt of God mastres Anne Askewe the yoÌ„ger doughter of Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyght of Lyncolne shyre latelye martyred in Smithfelde by the wycked Synagoge of Antichrist The censure or iudgemeÌ„t of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles CHrist wylled hys most dere Apostle and secretarye Gaynt IohaÌ„ the Euangelist to sygnyfye by writynge to the euer fear or preacher of the congregacyon of Pergamos that there onlye are hys faythfull meÌ„bers murthered where SathaÌ„ inhabyteth or holdeth resydence And for exaÌ„ple he bryngeth forth hys constaunt witnesse Antipas whych was there most cruellye slayne of that Synagoge of hys for confessynge the veryte Apoca. 2. That Behemorh sayth Iob that Leuyathan that Sathan regneth as a most myghtye kynge ouer all the spirytuall chyldren of pryde Iob 42. A murtherer sayth Christ to the spirytualâ—e of the Iewes and a blasphemouse lyar is that father of yours hath bene from the worldes begynnynge Ioan. 8. These maners hath he not yet left but contynueth them styll in hys wycked posteryte Iu the prymatyue churche as restyfyeth Bedas they persecuted the heares of Christes head whych were so pure as the whyte wâ—lle that is apte to receyue all colours Apoca 1. They slewe those true beleuers whych hys worde sprete had depured from all false worshyppynges and made fytt for all trybulacyons to be suffered for hys names sake In these lattre dayes they meddele with his fete whych are lyke vnto brasse burynge as it were in an whote furnace Apo. 1. For they that beleue now agreably to hys worde and not after ther corrupted and cursed customes are consumed in the fyre As here after wyll apere by thys godlye woman Anne Askewe whych with other more was brent at London in the yeare of our lorde a M.D.XLVI For the faythfull testymonye of Iesu agaynst Antichrist Whose lattre handelynge here foloweth in course lyke as I receyued it in coppye by serten duche merchauntes coÌ„mynge froÌ„ thens whych had bene at their burnynge and beholden the tyrannouse vyolence there shewed First out of the preson she wrote vnto a secrete frynde of hers after thys maâ—er folowynge Anne Askewe I do perceyue dere frynde in the lorde that thu art not yet persuaded throughlye in the truthe concernynge the lordes supper bycause Christ sayd vnto hys Apostles Take eate Thys is my bodye whych is geuen for yow In geuynge forth the breade as an outwarde sygne or token to be receyued at the mouche he mynded them in a perfyght beleue to receyue that bodye of hys whych shuld dye for the people or to thynke the deathe therof the onlye hâ—lthe and saluacyon of their sowles The breade and the wyne were left vs for a sacramentall communyon or a mutuall pertycypacyon of the inestymable benefyghtes of hys most precyouse deathe and bloud shedynge And that we shuld in the ende therof be thankefull togyther for that most necessarye grace of our redempcyon For in the closynge vp therof he sayd thus Thys do ye in remeÌ„braunce of me Yea so oft as ye shall eate it or drynke it Luce 22. and 1. Corinth 11. â—ls shuld we haue bene forgetfull of that we ought to haue in daylye remembraunce also bene altogyther vnthankefull for it Iohan Bale Agreable to thys womaÌ„nis doctryne here are the scriptures of both testameÌ„ice Wherin these wordes Edere Bibere to eate to drynke are oft tymes spirytuallye taken for Credere to beleue or receyue in faythe The poore sayth Dauid shall eate and he satisfyd All that seke to please the
lorde shall prayse hym their sowles shall neuer perysh Psal. 21. They that eate me sayth the veryte of God shall hungre more and more and they that drincke me shall thirst more desyerouslye for me Eccles. 24. Onlesse ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man sayth Christ and drynke hys bloude ye can haue no lyfe in yow IoaÌ„ 6. These scriptures expounde the doctours spirytuallye yea the papistes all Where as the other iij. Euangelistes Mathew Marke and Luke sheweth nothynge els of the lordes supper but the playne historie S. Iohan writynge last of theÌ„ all manyfesteth there the whole coÌ„plteâ— doctryne full vnderstaÌ„dynge therof after Christes owne 〈…〉 and meanynge 〈◊〉 is it there that the true receyuers therof be taught of God and lerned of the heauenlye father and not of synnefull mennes customes The worke of God or that pleaseth God is not there the puttynge of breade into the mouthe and bellye but to beleue or exactlye to consydre that Christ dyed for vs to clense vs from synne to ioyne vs into one mystycall bodye and to geue vs the lyfe euerlastynge And that there is non other but he that can procure vs that lyfe For that whych entereth the mouâ—he feadeth onlye â—he bodye But that entereth faythe feadeâ—h the sowle I am the lyuynge breade sayth he whych came downe from heauen He onlye that beleueth in me hath the lyfe euerlastynge Ioan. 6. the sprete is it that quyckeneth the fleshelye vnder standynge or onlye mouthe eatynge profyteth nothynge at all Here wyll an obstynaâ—e papyst parauenture saye that we attrybute nothynge to the corporall communyon Yeas we reuerentlye graunt that ryghtlye mynystred after Christes instytucyon it both confirmeth our faythe in the necessarye consyderacyons of hys deathe and also sturreth vp that brotherlye ChristeÌ„ loue whych we ought to haue towardes our neyber besydes that thys faythfull woman hath spoken here of it a force And these are the onlye frutes whych he requireth of vs in that supper or sacramentall metynge Anne Askewe Therfor it is mete that in prayers we call vnto God to grafte in our foreheades the true meanynge of the holye Ghost concernynge thys communyoÌ„ For S. Paule doth saye that the letter slayeth The sprete is it onlye that geueth lyfe 2. Cor. 3. Marke weÌ„le the vj. chaptre of Iohan where all is applyed vnto faythe â—ore also the fort chaptre of S. Paules first epistle to the Corynthes in the ende therof ye shall fynde playnelye that the thynges whych are seane are temporall but they that are not seane are euerlastynge Yea loke in the third chaptre to the Hebrues ye shall fynde that Christ as a sonne and no seruaunt â–ª ruleth ouer hys howse whose howse are we and not the dead teÌ„ple if we holde fast the confydence and reioysynge of that hope to the ende Wherfor as sayth the holye Ghost To daye if yow shall heare hys voyce harden not your hartes c Psalm 94. Iohan Bale By the fore heades vnderstaÌ„de she the hartes or myndes of men for so are they take of S. IohaÌ„ Apoc. 7. aud 22. I can not thynke but herm she had respect vnto the plate of fyne golde whych the lorde commaunded to be sett vpon AaroÌ„s foreheade for the acceptacyon of the people of Israel Exodi 2. For here wolde she all mennys hartes to be endued and lyghtened with the most purâ— sprete of Christ for the vnderstandynge of that most holye and necessarye coÌ„munyon the corrupted dreames and fâ—ntasyes of synnefull men sett a part She knewe by the syngular gyft of the holye Ghost that they are lyenge masters procurers of ydolatrye and most spyghfull enemyes to the sowle of man that applyeth that offyce to the corruptyble lyppâ—â— whych belongeth to an vncorrupted faythe so settynge the creature that is corruptyble breade in place of the creator Christ both God and man Roma 1. lamentynge it with the ryghtouse at the verye hart roâ—e And in thys she shewed her selfe to be a naturall membre of Christes mystycall bodye 1. Cor. 12. relygyouslye carefull for her Christen bretherne systerne least they shuld take harme of the popes masmongers Anne Askewe The summe of my examynacyoÌ„ afore the kynges counsell at Grenewyche Your request as coÌ„cernynge my presoÌ„ fellowes I am not hable to satysfye bycause I hearde not their examynacyoÌ„s But the effect of myne was thys I before the counsell was asked of mastre kyme I answered that my lorde chaÌ„cellour knewe all redye my mynde in that matter They with that answere were not coÌ„tented but sayd it was the kynges pleasure that I shuld open the matter to them I answered theÌ„ playnelye that I wolde not so do But if it were the kynges pleasure to heare me I wolde shewe hym the truthe Then they sayd it was not mete for the kynge with me to be troubled I answered that Salomon was reckened the wysest kynge that euer lyued yet myslyked not he to heare .ij. poore coÌ„mon womeÌ„ moch more hys grace a symple woman and hys faythfull subiect So in coÌ„clusyon I made theÌ„ non other answere in that matter Iohan Bale CoÌ„cernynge mastre Ryme thys shuld seme to be the matter Her father Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyght and hys father olde mastre Ryme were sumtyme of famylyaryte and neybers within the countye of Lyncolne shyre Wherupon the seyd Sir Wyllyam couenaunted wyth hym for lucre to haue hys eldest â—oughter marryed with hys sonne and 〈◊〉 as an vngodlye maner it is in Englande moch vsed amonge neble men And as it was her chaunce to dye afore the tyme of marryage to saue the money he constrayned thys to supplye her rowme So that in the ende she was coÌ„pelled agaynst her wyll or fre consent to marrye with hym Notwithstandynge the marryage ones past she demeaned her selfe lyke a Christen wyfe aud had by hym as I am infourmed ij chyldreÌ„ In processe of tyme by oft readynge of the sacred Bible she fell clerelye from all olde superstycyons of papystrye to a perfyght beleue in Ihesus Christ Wherby she so offeÌ„ded the prestes as is to be seane after that he at their suggestion vyolentlye droue her oute of hys howse WherupoÌ„ she thought her selfe free froÌ„ that vncomelye 〈…〉 marrâ—age by thys doctryne of S. Paule 1 Cor. 7. If a faytfull womaÌ„ haue an vnbeleuynge husbaÌ„de whych wyll not tarrye with her she maye leaue hym For a brother or syster is not in subieccyoÌ„ to soch â–ª specyallye where as the marryage afore is vnlawfull VpoÌ„ thys occasyoÌ„ I heare saye she sâ—ught of the law a dyuorcemeÌ„â— froÌ„ hym namelye and aboue all bycause he so cruellye droue her out of hys howse in despyght of Christes veryte She coulde not thynke hym worthye of her marryage whych so spyghtfullye hated God the chefe autor of marryage Of thys matter was she first examyned I thynke at hys
set hym forth in but in soch a shappe onlye as the waffer baker hath ymagyned by hys slendre wytte Gods creatures were they whom the ydolaters toke for their Goddes but thys cake is onlye the bakers creature for he alone made it breade if it be breade And so moch is it a more vnworthye God than the other Farre was it from Christ to teache hys dyscyples to worshypp soch a God eyther yet to haue hymself honoured in soch a symylytude Nothynge is here spoken agaynst the most holye table of the lorde but agaynst that abhomynable ydoll of the prestes whych hath most detestablye blemyshed that most godlye and wholsom communyon A gloryouse witnesse of the lorde ded thys blessyd woman shewe her self in the answere makynge to thys blasphemouse beggerye whaÌ„ she sayd that god was a sprete and no waffer cake wolde be worshipped in sprete and veryte not in superstycyon and iuglynge of the ydoll prestes Godlye was she to denye Christes presence in that execrable ydoll but moch more godlye to geue her lyfe for it Her alleged scriptures proue that God dwelleth not in teÌ„ples but a fowle abhomynacyon in hys stede as is shewed afore In that she feareth not the power of deathe she declareth her self a most constaunt martyr praysynge her lorde God for hys gyft She called to remembraunce the promyses of her lorde Ihesus Christ that they shuld se no deathe whych obserued hys worde Ioan 8. Agayne they that beleued on hym shuld ioyfullye passe through from deathe vnto lyfe Ioan. 5. And vpon these promyses she most stroÌ„gelye trusted She consydered also with Peter that Christ had swallowed vp deathe to make vs the heyres of euerlastynge lyke 1. Petri 3. More ouer that he had ouerthrowne hym whych sumtyme had the rule of deathe Hebre. 2. And also taken awaye the sharpe stynge of the deathe it self â—see 13. Anne Askewe My lettre sent to the lorde Chauncellour The lorde God by whome all creatures haue their beynge blesse yow with the lyght of hys knowlege amen My dutye to â–ª your lordshyppe remeÌ„bred c. It myght please yow to accepte thys my bolde sute as the sute of one whych vpoÌ„ due coÌ„syderacyons is moued to the same and hopeth to obtayne My request to your lordeshypp is only that it may please the same to be ameane for me to the kynges magestie that hys grace maye be certifyed of these fewe lynes whych I haue writteÌ„ coÌ„cernynge my beleue Whych whan it shall be trulye coÌ„ferred with the harde iudgemeÌ„t geueÌ„ me for the same I thynke hys grace shall wele perceyue me to be wayed in an vneuenpayer of balauÌ„ces But I remytt my matter and cause to almyghtye god whych ryghtlye iudgeth all secretes And thus I commende your lordeshypp to the gouernaunce of hym and felyshypp of all sayntes Amen By your handemayde Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In thys byll to the chauncellour apereth it playne all frowarde affeccyoÌ„s sequestred what thys womaÌ„ was She is not here deiected with the desperate for vnryghtouse handelynge mournynge cursynge and sorowynge as they do commoÌ„lye But staÌ„dynge vp stroÌ„gelye in the lorde most gentyllye she obeyeth the powers she blesseth her vexers persuers wysheth them the lyght of Gods necessarye knowlege Luce 6. She consydereth the powers to be ordayned of God Romanorum 13. And though their autoryte be sore abused yet with Christ and hys Apostles she humblye submytteth herself to them thynkynge to suffer vndre them as no yll doer but as Christes true seruaunt 1. Pet. 4. Notwithstandynge she layeth forth here both before chauÌ„cellour kynge the matter wherupon she is condempned to deathe that they accordynge to their bâ—unde dewtye myght more ryghtlye waye it 3. Regum 10. Not that she coâ—â—ted therby to auoyde the deathe but to put them in remembyaunce of their offyce concernynge the swerde whych they ought not vaynelye to mynystre Roma 13. and that they shuld also be without excuse of ignoraunce in the great daye of reckenynge for permittynge soch vyoleÌ„ce to be done Roma 2. In the ende yet to make all sure she commytteth her cause and quarell to God wherin she declareth her onlye hope to be in hym and no man Psalm 145. Anne Askewe My faythe breuelye written to the kynges grace I Anne Askewe of good memorie although God hath geueÌ„ me the breade of aduersyte and the water of trouble yet not so moch as my synnes haue deserued desyre thys to be knowne to your grace That for as moch as I am by the lawe coÌ„deÌ„pned for an euyll doer Here I take heauen and earthe to recorde that I shall dye in my innocencye And accordynge to that I haue sayd first and wyll saye last I vtterlye abhorre and detest all heresyes And as coÌ„cernynge the supper of the lorde I beleue so moch as Christ hath sayd therin whych he confirmed wyth hys most blessyd bloude I beleue also so moch as he wylled me to folowe beleue and so moch as the catholyck churche of hym doth teache For I wyll not forsake the commaundemeÌ„t of hys holye lyppes But loke what God hath charged me with hys mouthe that haue I shutte vp iÌ„ my harte And thus breuelye I ende for lacke of lernynge Anne Askewe Iohan Bale In thys she dyschargeth her self to the worlde agaynst all wrongefull accusacyons iudgemeÌ„tes of heresye what though it be not accepted to that blynde worlde vnto whome the lorde sayd by hysprophete Your thoughtes are not my thoughtes neyther yet are your wayes my wayes But so farre as the heauens are hyer than the earthe so farre do my wayes excede yours my thoughtes yours Esa. 55. Heresye is not to dyssent froÌ„ the churche of Rome in the doctryne of faythe as LaÌ„fraÌ„cus in hys boke de Eucharistia aduersus BerengariuÌ„ Thomas waldeÌ„ in hys worke of sermoÌ„s Ser .21 Dyffyneth it But heresye is a voluntarye dysseÌ„tynge froÌ„ the veryte of the scriptures of God and also a blasphemouse deprauyuge of them for the wretched bellyes sake to maynteyne the pompes of thys worlde Thus is it dyffyned of S. Hierome in coÌ„mâ—ntarâ—â—â— Hiere S. Augustyne and Isidorus a greynge to the same CoÌ„sydre thaÌ„ whether he be the these that sytteth vpoÌ„ the beÌ„che or he that standeth at the barre The popysh clergye that condempneth or the innocent that is condempned Athanasius in hys boke defuga aduersus Arrianos calleth them the heretykes whych seketh to haue the Christen beleuers murthered as ded the seyd Arryanes Thys godlye womau hyr innocencye to clere laboureth not here to an inferyour membre of the realme but to the head therof the kynges owne persone Whome she beleueth to be the hygh mynyster of God the father of the lande and vpholder of the people Sapi. 6. that he myght faythfullye and ryghtlye iudge her cause But who can thynke that euer it