he coÌ„sent to those most deuylyshe practyses of the Prestes As they had infourmed y e Archebysshop of that answere that yt was mete for no manne pryuatelye to cyte him after that without parell of lyfe he decreed by and by to haue him cyted by publyque processe or open commaundement And in all the hast possyble vpon the wedynsdaye before the Natiuite of oure Ladye in Septembre he commaunded letters cytatorye to be set vpon the great gates of the cathedrall churche of Rochestre which was but iii. Englyshe myles from thens chargynge him to apere personallye before him at Ledys in the .xi. daye of the same moneth and yeare all excuses to the coÌ„trarye set a part Those letters were taken downe anon after by soche as bare fauer vnto the lorde Cobham and so conueyed a syde After that caused the Archebyshop newe letters to be set vp on the Natyuyte daye of oure Ladye which also were rent downe and vtterlye consumed Than for so moche as he ded not apere at the daye appoynted at Ledys where as he fate in consystorye as cruell as euer was Cayphas with his court of hypocrytes about him he iudge him denounced him and condempned him of most depe contumacye After that whan he had bene falselye infourmed by his hyred spyes and other glosynge glauerers that the seyde lorde Cobham had law hed him to scorne dysdayned all his doynges maynteyned his olde opynyoÌ„s contemned the churches power the dignyte of a Bysshop the ordre of presthode for of all these was he than accufed in his modye madnesse without iust profe ded he openlye excommunicate him yet was he not with all this ferce tyrannye qualyfyed but commaunded him to be cyted a freshe to apere afore him the Saturdaye before the feast of saynct Matthew the Apostle with these cruell threttenynges added theruÌ„to That yf he ded not obeye at that daye he wolde more extremelye handle him And to make himselfe more stronge towardes the perfourmaunce therof he compelled the laye power by most terryble manacynges of curses and interdiccyons to assyst him agaynst that sedycyouse apostata that scysmatyque that heretyque that troubler of the publyque peace that enemye of the realme and great aduersarye of all holye churche for all these hatefull names ded he geue him This most constaunt seruaunt of the lorde and worthye knyght syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham beholdynge the vnpacable furye of Antichrist thus kyndled agaynst him perscyuynge himselfe also compased on euerye syde with deadlye daungers he toke paper and penne in hande so wrote a Christen confessyon or rekenyng of his fayth which foloweth here after and both sygned and sealed it with his owne hande Vvherin he also answereth to the iiii chefest artycles that the Archebysshop layed agaynst him That done he toke the copye with him went therwith to the kynge trustynge to fynde mercye and fauer at his hande Non other was that confessyon of his than the coÌ„mon beleue or somme of the churches fayth called the Apostles crede of all Christen menne than vsed As thus ☞ The Christen beleue of the lorde Cobham I Beleue in God the father almyghtye maker of heauen and earth And in Iesu Christ his onlye sonne oure Lorde which was coÌ„câ—yued of the holye ghost borne of the virgine Marye suffred death vndre Ponce Pylate crucyfyed dead and buryed went downe to helles the thyrde daye rose agayne from death ascended vp to heauens he sytteth on the ryght hande of God the father almyghtye and from thens shall come agayne to iudge the quycke and the dead I beleue in the holye ghost the vnyuersall holye churche the communyon of saynctes the forgeuenesse of sâ—nnes the vprysynge of the fleshe and euerlastynge lyfe Amen And for a more large declaracyon sayth he of this my fayth in the catholyck churche I stedefastlye beleue that there is but one God almyghty in and of whose Godhede are these .iii. persones the father the sonne and the holye ghost and that those .iii. persones are the same selfe God almyghtye I beleue also that the seconde personne of this most blessed Trinite in most coÌ„uenyent tyme appoynted therunto afore toke fleshe and bloude of the most blessed virgyne Marye for the sauegarde and redempcyon of the vnyuersall kynde of manne which was afore lost in Adams offence More ouer I beleue that the same Iesus Christ ouer Lorde thus beynge both God manne is the only head of y e whole Christen churche and that all those that hath bene or shall be saued be members of this most holy churche And this holye churche I thynke to be dyâ—â—ded into .iii. sortes or companyes Vvherof the fyrst sort be now in heauen and they are the saynctes from hens departed These as they were here conuersaunt conformed alwayes ther lynes to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncynge sathan the worlde and the fleshe with all theyr concupyscences and cuyls The seconde sort are in purgatorye yf anye soche he by the scripturs abydynge the mercye of God and a full delyueraunce of payne â— The thyrde sort are here vpon the earthe and be called the churche mylytaunt For daye nyghe they comende agaynst the craftye assaultes of the deuyll the flatterynge prosperytees of this worlde and the rebellyouse fylthynesse of the fleshe This latter congregacyon by the iust ordynaunce of God is also seuered into iii. dyuerse estates that is to saye into presthode knyghthode and the coÌ„mons Amonge whom the will of God is that the one shuld ayde the other but not destroye the other The Prestes fyrst of all secluded from all worldlynesse shulde conforme theyr lyues vtterlye to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shulde they be occupyed in preachynge and teachyng the scripturs purelye and in genynge wholsom counsels of good lyuynge to the other two degrees of menne More modest also more louynge gentyll and lowlye in sprete shuld they be than anye other sortes of people In knyghthode are all they which beare swerde by lawe of offyce These shuld defende Gods lawes and se that the Gospell were purelye taught conformynge theyr lyues to the same and secludynge all false preachers yea these ought rather to hasarde theyr lyues than to suffre soche â—â—ycked decrees as eyther blemysheth the eternall testament of God or yet letteth the fre passage therof wherby her syes and scysmes myght sprynge in the churche For of non other aryse they as I suppose than of soche erronyouse constitucyoÌ„s craftelye fyrst crepynge in vndre hypocrytes lyes for auauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressers tyrauntes and theues and to se the clergye supported so longe as they teache purelye praye ryghtlye and mynystre the sacramentes frelye And yf they se them do other wyse they are bounde by lawe of offyce to compell them to change theyr
more his lyfe in the sixt yeare after at the craftye accusement of certen Prelates though it hath in the chronycles an other colour had not God than most gracyously preserued him An other cause of his death yet besydes all that hath bene sayd afore was this He caused all the workes of Iohan Vvycleue to be written at the instaunce of Iohan huss and so to be sent into Boheme Fraunce Spayne Portyngale and other landes Vvherof Subinco Lepus the Archebysshop of Prage caused more than two hondreth volumes fayre wrytten openlye to be brent afterwarde as wytnesseth Aeneas Siluius de origine Bohemorum These causes knowen with other more that I coude reherse consydre whether the worlde that is alwayes so wycked was worthye to holde soche a noble christen warryour as this was or naye Consydre also the iust ponnyshment of the lorde for wycked lawes that were than made with the exceadynge myscheues that the spiritualte than vsed And waye the myserable estate that the realme was in sone after for contempt of his eternall worde And there vpon lawde his ryghtousnesse and beware of lyke coÌ„tempt and plage in these dayes In the yeare of oure Lorde a M. cccc xxii departed kynge Henry the fyft in his most floryshynge tyme euen in the begynnyng of the .xxxvii. yeare of his age which was abought .iiii. years after the death of this lorde Cobham His sonne Henry the sixt succeded in his rome and had the gouernaunce of this whole realme beynge but a babe of viiâ— monethes olde and odde dayes Vvhat a doloure was this vnto menne of rype difcressyon naturally louynge theyr coÌ„tre and regardynge the common welthe therof yea what a plage of God was it after the scripturs to haue a yonge chylde to theyr kynge And that it shuld the more manyfestlye apere to come that waye or of the stroke of God he was a chyldyshe thynge all y e dayes of his lyfe I shall geue you sayth the lorde in his hygh dyspleasure chyldren to be youre princes yonge infauntes with out wysdome shall haue the gouernaunce of you Wvhat wretched calamytees the realme suffred afterwarde for the space of more than .iii. score years and thre tyll the dayes of kynge Henry the seuenth yt is vnspeakable Sens the preachynge of Iohan Vvycleue hath the lorde suffred the pompouse Popyshe Prelates to shewe themselues forth in theyr owne ryght colours that they myght now in the lyght of his Gospell apere as they are in dede euen spyghtfull murtherers ydolaters and Sodomytes Afore his tyme they lurked vndre the glytterynge shyne of hypocrefye and coude not be seane in theyr mastryes The fryers with theyr charmynge sophysirye threwe soche a darke myst ouer the vniuersall worlde that superstycyon coude not be knowen for superstycyon nor ydolatrye for ydolatrye Vnspeakable fylthynesse of all fleshlye occupyenge was than called Prestes chastyte as yt is yet and will be tyll yt come to the hyghest that God maye take full vengeaunce Than was whoredome worshypped in Prelates of the churche and sacred wedlock rekened soche a detestable vyce as was worthye in a prest most cruell death As was seane for example in syr Vvillyam Vvyghe which was brent for the same at Norwych in the yeare of oure Lorde 14.28 Thus was Vvhyght iudged blacke and lyght darkenesse so ylâ— was meÌ„ a syght in those dayes By soche meanes sayth the Prophete they drewe wyckednesse vnto them as yt were with a corde and all kyndes of synne as yt were with a cart rope If Englande at that tyme had not bene vnthankefull for the syngular benefyght that God than sent them by those good meÌ„ne the dayes of Antichrist and his beastlye broode had bene shortened there longe a go as yt is euen now here after lyke to be more largelye A most oryent fresshe myrrour of Christen manhode apereth this worthye lorde Cobham in our age the veryte now open which was in herabsens a lampe of contempt before wordlye wyse menne In him maye noble menne beholde here playnelye a wolâ— noble stomake and precyouse fayth in the myddes of great Antichristes modye mustre His corage was of soche vaâ—â—e that yt gaue him the victorye ouer them by the clere iudgement of the scripturs what though the worldes iudgementes be farre otherwyse And as for the cruell death which he most contumelyouslye suffred yt is now vnto him a most plentuouse wynnynge for in the iust quarell was yt of his Lorde Iesus Christ. Myght those bloudye blusterers haue had theyr full swaye now of late they wolde haue made more Oldecastels Actons Brownes Beuerlayes yea they wolde haue made there a greatter hauocke vpon Christes congregacyon than euer ded Saul in his ragynge furye They ment more than they vttered whan they approched so nygh as ded cruell Haman to the presence of noble Assuerus But blessed be the eternall father which hath geuen soche wysdome godlye vnto oure most worthye kynge that he perseyuynge theyr slayghtes so abated theyr tyraÌ„nouse fercenes Praye noble menne praye yea with the true clergye and commons that lyke as he hath now with duke Iosue the ouerhande of wycked Hierico by his onlye gyft and is through that becomen an whole perfyght kynge within his ownâ— realme farre aboue all his predecessours so that he maye in conclusyon ouerthrowe her clerelye For as yet the dredefull damsell tyrannye that was Cayphas dorekeper dwelleth in the howses of Byshoppes and dalye compelleth poore Peter to denye his mastre As manye eyes as euer had vygylaunt Argus had he nede to haue that is compassed with soche a sort as are that broode of the wylye serpent Consydre what heauenlye thynges ye haue receyued of the scripturs vndre his permyssyon and yet praye ones agayne for his gracyouse contynuaunce to the more increase of knowledge Amen O Babylon thy merchauÌ„tes were princes of the earth And with thyne inchauÌ„tementes were all nacyons deceyued Apocal. xviii ☞ The great processe of Thomas Arundell the Archebysshop of Caunterburye and of the Papisticall clergye w t him agaynst the most noble knyght syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham in the yeare of oure Lorde a. M. cccc and .xlii. wherin is coÌ„tayned his examinacyon impresonmeÌ„t and excommunycacyon The processe before his examinacyon AFter that y e true seruauÌ„t of Iesus Christ Iohan Vvycleue a maÌ„ne of verye excellent lyfe lernynge had for the space of more than .xxvi. years most valeauntlye batteled with the great Antichrist of Europa or Pope of Rome his dyuerslye dysgysed host of anoynted hypocrytes to restore the churche agayne to the pure estate that Christ left her in at his ascensyon he departed hens most Christenlye into the handes of God the yeare of oure Lorde a M.CCC.lxxxvii and was buryed in his owne parryshe churche at Lutterworth in Lyncolne shere No small nombre of
remayneth in the sacrament of the aultre from thens forth no materyall breade nor materyall wyne which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken How beleue ye this artycle Holye churche hath determyned that euerye Christen manne lyuynge here bodylye vpon earth ought to be shryuen to a prest ordayned by y e churche yf he maye come to him How fâ—le ye this artycle Christ ordayned saynct Peter y e Apostle to be his vycar here in earth Vvhose see is the holye churche of Rome And he grauÌ„ted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter shulde succede to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose specyall power in churches partycular be ordayned Prelates as Archâ—bysshoppes Bysshoppes persones curates other degrees more Vnto whom Christen menne ought to obeye after the lawes of the churche of Rome This is the determynacyon of holye churche How feleye this artycle Holye churche hath determyned that yt is merytoryouse to a Christen manne to go on pylgrymage to holye places And there specyallye to worshyp holye relyques and ymages of saynctes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and all other saynctes besydes approued by the churche of Rome How fele ye this artycle And as the good lorde Cobham had redde ouer this wretched wrytynge he marueled greatlye of theyr madde ignoraunce But that he consydered agayne that God had geuen them ouer for theyr vnbeleues sake into most depe errours and blyndnesse of soule Agayne he perseyued therby that theyr vttermost malyce was purposed agaynst him how so euer he shuld answere And therfore he put his lyfe into the handes of God defyerynge his onlye sprete to assyst him in his next answere Vvhan the seyd xxv daye of Septembre was come which was also the Monedaye afore Myhelmesse in the seyd yeare of oure lorde a M. CCCC and .xiii. Thomas Arundell the Archebysshop of Caunter burye commaunded his iudycyall scate to be remoued from y e chaptre house of Paules to the Domynyck fryers within Ludgate at London And as he was there set with Rycharde y e Bysshop of London Henrye the Bysshop of Vvynchestre and Benet the Byshop of Bangor he called in vnto him his counsell and his offycers with dyuerse other Doctours and fryers Of whom these are the names here folowynge Mastre Henrye Vvare the Offycyall of Caunterburye Phylip Morgan doctor of both lawes Howest kyffyn doctor of the canoÌ„ lawe Iohan kempe doctour of the canoÌ„ lawe Vvistyam Carleton doctour of the canon lawe Iohan Vvytnam of the newe college in Oxforde IohaÌ„ Vvhyght head a doctour of Oxforde also Robert Vvombewell vycar of saynct Laurence in the Iewrye Thomas Palmer the wardene of the Mynors Robert Chamberlayne prior of the Domynyckes Rycharde Dodyngton prior of the Augustynes Thomas Vvalden prior of the Carmelytes all doctours of diuinyte Iohan Steuens also and Iames Cole both notaryes appoynted there purposelye to wryte all that shuld be eyther sayd or done All these with a great sort more of Prestes Monkes ChanoÌ„s fryers parryshe clarkes Bell ryngers and pardoners dysdayned him with innumerable mockes and scornes rekenynge him to be an horryble heretyque and a manne acursed afore God Anon the Archebysshop called for a masseboke and caused all those Prelates and doctours to sweare therevpon that euerye manne shuld faythfullye do his offyce and dewtye that daye And that neyther for fauer nor feare loue nor hate of the one partye nor the other anye thynge shuld there be wytnessed spoken or done but accordynge to the truthe as they wolde answere before God and all the worlde at the daye of Dome Than were the two forseyd notaryes sworne also to wryte and to wytnesse the wordes and processe that there shuld be vttered on both partyes to saye theyr myndes yf they otherwyse knewe yt before they shuld regestre yt And all this dissymulacyon was but to colour theyr myscheues before the ignoraunt multytude Consydre herin gentyll reader what this wycked generacyon is and how farre wyde from the iust feare of God for as they were thaÌ„ so are they yet to this daye After that came forth before them syr Robert Morleye knyght and Lyeftenaunt of the tower he brought with him the good lorde Cobham there leauynge him amonge them as a lambe amonge wolues to his examynacyon and answere The latter examynacyon of the lorde Cobham THan sayd the Archebysshop vnto him lorde Cobham ye be aduysed I am sure of the wordes and processe which we had vnto you vpon saturdaye last past in the chaptre howse of Paules Vvhich processe were now no longe to be rehersed agayne I sayd vnto you than that ye were a cursed for youre contumacye and dysobedyence to holye Churche thynkynge that ye shuld with mekenesse haue desyred youre absolucyon Than spake the lorde Cobham with a most cherefull countenaunce sayd God sayth by his holye Prophete Maledicam benedictionê° vestris which is as moche to saye as I shall curse where as you blesse The Archebysshop made than as though he had contynued forth his tale and not hearde him sayinge Syr at that tyme I gentyllye profered to haue assoyled yow yf ye wolde haue asked yt And yet I do the same yf ye will humblye desyre yt in dewe forme and maner as holye churche hath ordayned Than sayd the lorde Cobham Naye forsoth will I not for I neuer yet trespased agaynst you therfore I will not do yt And with that he kneled downe on the pauement holdynge vp his handes towardes heauen sayd I shryue me here vnto the my eternall lyuynge God that in my frayle youthe I offended the lorde most greuouslye in pryde wrathe and glottonye in couetousnesse and in lechere Manye menne haue I hurt in myne anger and done manye other horryble synnes good Lorde I aske the mercye And therwith wepynglye he stode vp agayne and sayd with a myghtye voyce Lo good people lo. For the breakynge of Gods lawe and his great commaundementes they neuer yet cursed me But for theyr owne lawes and tradycyons most cruellye do they handle both me and other menne And therfore both they and theyr lawes by the promes of God shall vtterlye be destroyed At this the Archebysshop and his coÌ„panye were not a lytle blemyshed Notwithstandynge he toke stomake vnto him agayne after certen wordes had in excuse of theyr tyrannye and examyned the lorde Cobham of his Christen beleue Vvher vnto the lorde Cobham made this godly answere I beleue sayth he fullye and faythfullye the vniuersall lawes of God I beleue that all is true w c is contayned in y e holye sacred scripturs of the Byble fynallye I beleue all that my lorde God wolde I shuld beleue Than demaunded the Archebisshop an answere of the byll which he and the clergye had sent him into the tower the daye afore in maner of a determinacyon of the churche
concernynge the .iiii. artycles wherof he was accused specyallye for the sacrament of the aultre how he beleued therin Vvherunto the lorde Cobham sayd that with that byll he had nothynge to do But this was his beleue he sayd concernynge the sacrament That his lorde and sauer Iesus Christ syttynge at his last supper with his most dere disciples the nyght before he shulde suffre toke breade in his hande And geâ—ynge thankes to his eternall father blessed yt brake yt and so gaue yt vnto them sayinge Take yt vnto ye and eate therof all This is my bodye which shall be betrayed for you Do this here after in my remembraunce This do I throughlye beleue sayth he for this faythe am I taught of the Gospell in Matthew in Marke and in Luke and also in the fyrst Epistle of saynct Paule to the Corintheanes Than asked the Archebysshop yf he beleued that yt were breade after the consecracyon or sacramentall wordes spoken â—uer yt The lorde Cobham sayd I beleue that in the sacrament of the aultre is Christes verye bodye in fourme of breade the same that was borne of the virgyne Marye done on the crosse dead and buryed and that the thyrde daye arose from death to lyfe which now is gloryfyed in heauen Than sayd one of the doctours of lawe After the sacramentall wordes be vttered there remayneth no breade but the onlye bodye of Christ. The lorde Cobham sayd than to one mastre Iohan Vvhyght head you sayd ones vnto me in the castell of Cowlynge that the sacred oost was not Christes bodye But I helde than agaynst you and proued that therin was his bodye though the seculars and fryers coude not therin agre but helde yche one agaynst other in that opynyon These were my wordes thaÌ„ yf ye remembre it Than showted a sort of them togyther and cryed with great noyse Vve saye all that yt is Gods bodye And dyuerse of them asked him in great angre whether it were materyall breade after the consecracyon or not Than loked the lorde Cobham ernestlye vpon the Archebysshop sayd I beleue surelye that yt is Christes bodye in fourme of breade Syr beleue not you thus And the Archebysshop sayd yes marry do I. Than asked him the doctours whether yt were onlye Christes bodye after the consecracyon of a Prest and no bread or not And he sayd vnto them It is both Christes bodye and breade I shall proue yt as thus For lyke as Christ dwellynge here vpon the earth had in him both Godhede and manhede And had the inuisyble â—odhede couered vndre that manhede which was onlye visyble and seane in him So in the sacrament of the aultre is Christes verye bodye and verye breade also as I beleue The breade is the thynge that we se with oure eyes The bodye of Christ which is his fleshe and his bloude is there vndre hydde and not seane but in fayth Than smyled they yche one vpon other that the people shuld iudge him taken in a great heresye And with a great bragge dyuerse of them sayd It is a fowle heresye ThaÌ„ asked the archebysshopp what breade yt was And the doctours also inquyred of hym whether it were materyall or not The lorde Cobham sayd vnto them The scripturs maketh no mencyon of thys worde materyall and therfor my faythe hath nothynge to do therwith But thys I saye and beleue yt that yt ys Christes bodye breade For Christ sayd in the sixt of IohaÌ„s gospell Ego sum panis viuâ—s qui de celo descendi I whych came downe from heauen am the lyuynge and not the dead breade Therfor I saye now ageyne lyke as I sayd afore As our lorde Iesus Christ is verye god and verye manne so in the most blessed sacrament of the aultre is Christes verye bodye and breade Than sayd they all with one voyce It is an heresye One of the bysshoppes stode vp by by and sayd Vvhat yt is an heresye manyfest to saye that yt is breade after the sacrameÌ„tall wordes be ones spokeÌ„ but Christes bodye onlye The lorde Cobham sayd Saynt paule y e apostle was I am sure as wyse as yow be now and more godlye lerned And he callâ—â— yt breade writynge to the Corintheanes The breade that we breake sayth he is yt not the partakynge of the body of Christ Lo he casteth yt breade and not Christes bodye but a menne wherby we receyue Christes bodye Than sayd they ageyne Paule must be otherwyse vnderstanded For yt is surelye an heresye to saye that yt is breade after the consecration but onlye Christes bodye The lorde Cobham asked how they coude make Good that senteÌ„ce of thers They answered hym thus For yt is ageynst the determynacyon of holye churche Than sayd the Archebysshopp vnto hym Sir Iohan we sent yow a writynge concernynge the faythe of thys blessed sacrament clerelye determyned by the churche of Rome our mother and by the holye doctours Than sayd he ageyne vnto hym I knowe non holyar than is Christ and hys Apostle And as for that determynacyoÌ„ I woteâ— yt is non of thers for yt staÌ„deth not with the scripturs but manyfestlye ageynst theÌ„ If yt be the churches as ye saye it is it hath bene hers onlye sens she receyued the great poyson of worldlye possessyons not afore Than asked they him to stoppe his mouthe therewith If he beleued not in the determynacyon of the churche And he sayd vnto them No forsoth for yt is no God In all oure crede is in but thryse mencyoned concernynge beleue In God the father in God the sonne in God the holy ghost The byrthe the death the buryall the resurreccyon and ascensyon of Christ hath non in for beleue but in him Neyther yet hath the churche the sacramentes the forgeuenesse of synne the latter resurreccyon nor yet the lyfe euerlastynge anye other in than in the holye ghost Than sayd one of the lawers Tushe that was but a worde of offyce But what is youre beleue concernynge holye churche The lorde Cobham answered My beleue is as I sayd afore that all the scripturs of the sacred Byble are true All that is grounded vpon them I beleue throughlye For I knowe yt is Gods pleasure that I shuld so do But in your lordelye lawes and ydell determynacyons haue I no beleue For ye be no part of Christes holye churche as youre open dedes doth shewe But ye are verye Antichristes obstynatlye set agaynst his holye lawe and will The lawes that you haue made are nothynge to his glorye but onlye for youre vayne glorye and abhomynable couetuousnesse This they sayd was an exceadynge heresye and that in a grâ—aâ— fâ—â—me not to beleue the determynacyon of holye churche Than the Archebysshop asked him what he thought holye churche He sayd vnto him My beleue is that holye Churche is the nombre of them which shall be saued of
whom Christ is the head Of this churche one part is in heauen with Christ an other in purgatorye you saye and the thyrde is here in earthe This latter part standeth in thre degrees in kynghthode prest hode and the commynnalte as I sayd afore playnelye in the confessyon of my beleue Than sayd the archebisshop vnto him Can ye tell me who is of this churche The lorde Cobham answered yea trulye can I. Than sayd doctor Vvalden the prior of the Carmelytes It is doubt vnto you who is therof For Christ sayth in Math. Nolite iudicare Presinne to iudge no maÌ„ne If ye here beforbyddeÌ„ y e iudgement of youre neyber or brother moche more y e iudgemeÌ„t of your superyour The lorde Cobham made him this answere Christ sayth also in the same selfe chaptre of Matthew That lyke as the ysâ—'tre is knowen by his yll frute so is a false Prophete by his workes aâ—ere they neuer so gloryouse But that ye left behynde ye And in Iohan he hath this text Operibus credite Beleue you the outwarde doynges And in an other place of Iohan. Iustum iudicium indicate Vvhan we knowe the thynge to be true we maye so iudge yt and not offende For Dauid sayth also Recte iudicate filii hominum Iudge ryghtlye alwayes ye chyldren of menne And as for youre superyorte Vvere ye of Christ ye shuld be meke mynysters and no proude superyours Than sayd doctor Vvalden vnto him ye make here no difference of iudgemeÌ„tes ye put no diuerfyte betwyne the yll iudgemeÌ„tes which Christ hath forbydden and the good iudgementes which he hath cuÌ„maunded vs to haue Rashe iudgement and ryght iudgement all is one with you So is iudgemeÌ„t presumed and iudgement of offyce So swyst iudges alwayes are the lerned scolers of Vvycleue Vnto whom the lorde Cobham thus answered It is wele sophistryed of you forsoth Preposterouse are youre iudgementes euermore For as the Prophete Esaye sayth ye iudge yll good and good yll And therfore the same Prophete coÌ„cludeth that youre wayes are not gods wayes nor Gods wayes youre wayes And as for that vertuouse manne Vvyclene whose iudgemeÌ„tes ye so hyghlye dysdayne I shall saye here for my part both before God and manne That before I knewe that despysed doctryne of his I neuer abstayned from synne But sens I lerned therin to feare my Lorde God yt hath otherwyse I trust bene with me So moch grace coude I neuer fynde in all your gloryouse instruccyoÌ„s Than sayd doctour Vvalden agayne yet vnto him It were not wele with me so manye vertuouse menne lyuyng and so manye lerned menne teachyng the scripturs beynge also so open the examples of fathers so plentuouse yf I than had no grace to amende my lyfe tyll I hearde the deuyll preache Saynt Hierom sayth that he which seketh soche suspected masters shall not fynde the myd daye lyght but the myd daye deuyll The lorde Cobham sayd youre fathers the olde Pharysees ascrybed Christes myracles to Belzebub and his doctryne to the deuyll And you as theyr naturall chyldren haue styll the same selfe iudgement concernynge his faythfull folowers They that rebuke youre vicyouse lyuynge must neades be heretyques and that must youre doctours proue whan ye haue no scripturs to do yt Than sayd he to them all To iudge you as ye be we nede no farder go than youre owne propre actes Vvhere do ye fynde in all Gods lawe that ye shulde thus syt in iudgement of anye Christen man or yet sentens anye other manne vnto death as ye do here daylye No grounde haue ye in all the scripturs so lordelye to take yt vpon ye but in Annas and in Cayphas which sate thus vpon Christ and vpon his Apostels after his ascencyon Of them onlye haue ye taken yt to iudge Christes members as ye do neyther of Peter nor Iohan. Than sayd some of the lawers yes forsoth syr for Christ iudged Iudas The lorde Cobham sayd No Christ iudged him not But he iudged himselfe and thervpon went forth and so ded hange himselfe But in dede Christ sayd wo vnto him for that couetuouse acte of his as he doth yet styll vnto manye of you For sens the venyme was shedde into y e churche ye neuer folowed Christ neyther yet haue ye stande in the perfeccyon of Gods lawe Than asked him the Archebysshop what he ment by that venyme The lorde Cobham sayd youre possessyons and lordeshyppes For than cryed an angell in the ayre as youre owne chronycles mencyoneth wo wo wo this daye is venyme shedde into y e churche of God Before that tyme all the Bysshoppes of Rome were martyrs in a maner And sens that tyme we reade of verye fewe But in dede sens that same tyme one hath put downe an other one hath poysened an other one hath cursed an other and one hath slayne an other and done moche more myschefe besydes as all the chronycles telleth And lete all menne consydre wele this That Christ was meke and mercyfull The Pope is proude a tyraunt Christ was poore and forgaue The Pope is ryche and a most cruell manslayer as his daylye actes doth proue him Rome is the verye nest of Antichrist And out of that nest cometh all his disciples Of whom Prelates Prestes and Monkes are the bodye and these pylde fryers are the â—ayle which couereth his most fylthye part Than sayd the prior of the fryre Anguilynes â—lac syr whye do ye saye so That is vncharytablye spoken And the lorde Cobham sayd Not onlye is yt my sayinge but also the Prophete Esayes longe afore my tyme. The Prophete sayth he which preacheth lyes is the tayle behynde As you fryers and monkes be lyke Pharysees dyuyded in youre outwarde aparell and vsages so make ye dyuysyon amonge the people And thus yow with soche other are the verye naturall members of Antichrist Than sayd he vnto them all Christ sayth in his Gospell Vvo to you Scribes and Pharysees hypocrytes Foâ—â—e close vp the kyngedom of heauen beforâ— menne Nether entre ye in your selues nor yet suffre anye other that wolde entre into yt But ye stoppe vp the wayes thervnto with youre owne tradicyons and therfore are ye the howsholde of Antichrist ye will not permytt Gods veryte to haue passage nor yet to be taught of his true mynysters fearynge to haue youre wyckednesse reproued But by soche vayne flatterers as vpholde ye in youre myscheues ye suffre the common people most myserablye to be seduced Than sayd the Archebysshop By oure ladye syr there shall no soche preache within my dyocese and God will nor yet in my iurisdiccyon yf I maye knowe yt as eyther maketh dyuysyon or yet dyssensyon amonge the poore coÌ„mons The lorde Cobham sayd Both Christ and his Apostles were accused of sedycyon makynge yet were they most peceable menne Both Daniel and Christ prophecyed that soche a troublouse tyme shulde come
as hath not bene yet sens the worldes begynnyng And this prophecye is partlye fulfylled in youre dayes and doynges For manye haue ye slayne alredye and more will ye slee here after yf God fulfyll not his promes Christ sayth also yf those dayes of yours were not shortened scarslye shuld anye fleshe be saued Therfore loke for yt iustlye for God will shorten youre dayes Moreouer though Prestes and Deacons for preachynge of Gods worde and for mynystrynge the sacramentes with prouysyon for the poore be grounded in Gods lawe yet haue these other sectes no maner of grounde therof so farre as I haue redde Than a doctour of lawe called mastre Iohan hempe plucked out of his bosome a copye of that byll which they had afore sent him into the tower by y e Archebysshoppes counsell thynkynge therby to make shorter worke with him For they were so amased with his answers not all vnlyke to them which dysputed with Steuen that they knewe not wele how to occupye y e tyme theyr wyttes and sophistrye as God wolde so fayled them that daye My lorde Cobham sayth this doctor we must breuelye knowe youre mynde concernynge these .iiii. poyntes here folowynge The fyrst of them is this And than he redde vpon the byll The fayth and the determynacyon of holye churche towchynge the blessed sacrament of the aultre is this That after the sacramentall wordes be ones spoken by a Prest in his masse the materyall breade that was before breade is turned into Christes verye bodye And y e materyall wyne that was before wyne is turned into Christes verye bloude And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aultre from thens forth no materyall breade nor materyall wyne which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken Syr beleue ye not this The lorde Cobham sayd This is not my beleue But my fayth is as I sayd to yow afore that in the worshypfull sacrament of the aultre is verye Christes bodye in fourme of breade Than sayd the Archebysshop Syr Iohan ye must saye otherwyse The lorde Cobham sayd Naye that I shall not yf God be vpon my syde as I trust he is but that there is Christes bodye in fourme of breade as the common beleue is ▪ Than redde the Doctour agayne The seconde poynt is this Holye churche hath determyned that euery Christen manne lyuynge here bodylye vpon earth ought to be shryuen to a Prest ordayned by the churche yf he maye come to him Syr what saye ye to this The lorde Cobham answered sayd A dyseased or sore wounded manne had nede to haue a sure wyse surgeon and a true knowynge both the grounde and the daunger of the same Most necessarye were yt therfore to be fyrst shryuen vnto God which onlye knoweth oure dyseases and can helpe vs. I denye not in this the goynge to a Prest yf he be a manne of good lyfe and lernynge For the lawes of God are to be requyred of the prest which is godlye lerned But yf he be an ydyote or a manne of vicyouse lyuynge that is my curate I ought rather to flee from him than to seke vnto him For sonner myght I catche yll of him that is nought than anye goodnesse towardes my sowle helthe Than redde the doctour agayne The thyrde poynt is this Christ ordayned saynct Peter the Apostle to be his vycar here in earth whose see is y e churche of Rome And he graunted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter shuld succede to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose specyall power in churches partycular be ordayned Prelates as Archebyshoppes Persones Curates and other degrees more Vnto whom Christen menne ought to obeye after the lawes of the churche of Rome This is the determynacyon of holye Churche Syr beleue ye not this To this he answered and sayd He that foloweth Peter most nyghest in pure lyuynge is next vnto him in successyon But youre lordelye ordre estemeth not greatlye the lowlye behauer of poore Peter what so euer ye prate of him Neyther care ye greatlye for the humble maners of them that succeded him ▪ tyll the tyme of Syluestre which for the more part were martyrs as I tolde ye afore ye can lete all theyr good condycyōs go by you and not hurt your selues with them at all All the worlde knoweth this wele ynough by you and yet ye canne make boast of Peter Vvith that one of the other doctours axed him Than what do ye saye of the Pope The lorde Cobham answered As I sayd before He and yow togyther maketh whole the great Antichrist Of whom he is the great head yow Bysshoppes Prestes Prelates and monkes are the bodye and the beggynge fryers are the tayle for they couer the fylthynesse of you both with theyr subtyle sophistrye Neuer will I in consciēce obeye anye of yow all tyll I se yow w t Peter folowe Christ in cōuersacyon Than redde the doctour agayne The forth poynt is this Holye churche hath determyned that yt is merytoryouse to a Christen manne to go on pylgrymage to holye places And there specyallye to worshyp holye relyques and ymages of saynctes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and all other saynctes besydes approued by the churche of Rome Syr what saye ye to this Vvherunto he answered I owe them no seruyce by anye commaundement of God and therfore I mynde not to seke them for youre couetuousnesse It were best ye swept them fayre from copwebbes and dust and so layed them vp for catchynge of scathe Or els to burye them fayre in y e grounde as ye do other aged people which are Gods ymages It is a wonderfull thynge that sayntes now beynge dead shuld become so couetuouse and nedye and thervpon so bytterlye begge which all theyr lyfe tyme hated all couetuousnesse and beggynge But this I saye vnto you and I wolde all the worlde shuld marke yt That w t youre shryues and ydols youre fayned absolucyons and pardons ye drawe vnto yow the substaunce welthe and chefe pleasure of all Christen realmes Vvhye syr sayd one of the clarkes will ye not worshyp good ymages Vvhat worshyp shulde I geue vnto them sayd the lorde Cobham Than sayd fryre Palmer vnto him Syr ye will worshyp y e crosse of Christ that he dyed vpon Vvhere is yt sayd the lorde Cobham The fryre sayd I put ye the case syr that yit were here euen now before you The lorde Cobham answered This is a great wyse manne to put me an ernest questyon of a thyng and yet he his selfe knoweth not were the thynge selfe is yet ones agayne aske I you what worshyp I shuld do vnto yt A clarke sayd vnto him Soche worshyp as Paule speaketh of and that is this God forbydde that I shulde ioye but onlye in the crosse of Iesus Christ. Than sayd the lorde Cobham and spredde
appoynted he was brought out of the Tower with his armes bounde behynde him hauyng a verye cherefull countenaunce Than was he layed vpon an hardle as though he had bene a most heynouse traytour to the crowne and so drawne forth into saynct Gyles felde where as they had set vp a new payre of Galowes As he was comen to the place of execucyon and was taken from the hardle he fell downed enoughtlye vpon his knees desyerynge almyghtye God to forgeue his enemyes Than stode he vp and behelde the multytude exhortynge them in most godlye maner to folowe the lawes of God wrytten in the scripturs and in anye wyse to be ware of soche teachers as they se contrarye to Christ in theyr conuersacyn and lyuynge with manye other specyall counsels Than was he hanged vp there by the myddle in cheanes of yron and so consumed a lyue in the fyre praysynge the name of God so longe as his lyfe lasted In the ende he commended his sowle into the handes of God and so departed hens most Christenlye his bodye resolued into ashes And this was done in the yeare of our Lorde a. M. cccc and .xviii. which was the sixt yeare of the regne of kyng Henrye the fyft the people there present shewynge great dolour How the Prestes that tyme fared blasphemed and cursed requyrynge the people not to praye for him but to iudge him damned in hell for that he departed not in the obedyeÌ„ce of theyr Pope yt were to longe to wryte This terryble kynde of death with galowes cheanes and fyre apereth not verye precyouse in the eyes of menne that be carnall nomore than ded the death of Christ whan he was hanged vp amonge theues The ryghtuouse semeth to dye sayth the wyse manne in the syght of them which are vnwyse and theyr ende is taken for verye destruccyon Vngodlye foles thynketh theyr lyues verye madnesse and theyr passage hens without all honour But though they suffre payne before menne sayth he yet is theyr expectacyon full of immortalyte They are accounted for the chyldren of God haue theyr iust porcyon amonge the faynctes As golden in the fornace doth God trye his electes as a most plesaunt brent offerynge receyueth he them to rest The more harde the passage be the more gloryouse shall they apere in the lattre resurreccyon Not that the affliccyons of this lyfe are worthye of soche a glorye but that yt is Gods heauenlye pleasure so to rewarde them Neuer are the iudgementes and wayes of menne lyke vnto the iudgementes and wayes of God but coÌ„trarye euermore vnlesse they be taught of him In the latter tyme sayth the Lorde vnto Daniel shall manye be chosen proued and puryfyed by frye yet shall the vngodlye lyue wyckedlye styll and haue no vnderstandynge that is of fayth By an angell from heuen was Iohan ernestlye coÌ„maunded to wryte that blessed are y e dead which hence departeth in y e Lorde Ryght dere sayth Dauid in the syght of God is the death of his true seruauÌ„tes Thus resteth this valeaunt Christen knyght syr Iohan Oldecastell vndre the aultre of God which is Iesus Christ amonge that godlye companye which in the kyngedome of pacyeÌ„ce suffred great tribulacyon with y e death of theyr bodyes for his faythfull worde and testimonye abydynge there with them the fulfyllynge of theyr whole nombre the full restauricyon of his electes The which he graunt in effect at his tyme appoynted which is one God eternall Amen ☞ The conclusyon BEsydes the cause rehersed afore in the preface concernynge the dreadfull death of this most Christen knyght syr Iohan Olde castell the lorde Cobham this is also rekened for one In the ende of the fyrst boke which he put vp into the ParlemeÌ„t how se agaynst the abusyons of the clergyâ— in the yeare of oure Lordâ— a. M.CCC xcv which was also the .xviii. yeare of kynge Rycharde the seconde were these .vi. verses wrytten as a brefe conclusyon sommarye of the vnyuersall coÌ„tentes therof Plangunt Anglorum Gentes crimen Sodomorum Paulus fert horum sunt Idola causa malorum Surgunt ingrati Giezite Symone nati Nomine prelati hoc defensare parati Qui râ—ges estis populis quicunque preestis Qualiter 〈◊〉 gestis gladios prohibere potestis Though the verses be grosse and vnperfyght accordynge to the tyme than wherin all freshe lytterature was clerelye extynguyshed yet is the sentence of them lyuelye and of a freshe faythfull sprete euen in the zele of Helias and Phinees for rebuke of synne And thus are they in the Englyshe Bewayle maye Englande the synne of Sodomytes For Idolles and they are grounde of all theyr wo. Of Symon Magus a secte of hypocrytes Surnamed prelates are vp with them to go And to vpholde them in all that they maye do yow that be rewlers peculyarlye selected How can ye suffre soche myscheues vncorrected Vvhan this boke wolde not helpe towardes anye reformacyon but was law hed to scorne of the Bysshoppes than were these verses copyed out by dyuerse menne set vpon theyr wyndowes gates and dores which were than knoweÌ„ for obstynate hypocrytes and fleshlye lyuers which made y e prelates madde And this is y e great insurreccyon that Vvalden complayneth of vnto Pope Martyne the fyft after him Polydotus the Popes collectour with other papistes more wherin neuer a one manne was hurt I wolde maruele moche more of the doublenesse of Thomas Vvalden beynge than the kynges confessour yf I ded not knowe the vnshamefast nature of that lyenge generacyon In his fyrst Epistle vnto Pope Martyue in the fyrst Preface of his fourth boke contra Vvicleuistas he sayth that syr Iohan Olde castell with a great nombre of heretyques conspyred agaynst kynge Henrye the fyft in the fyrst yeare of his regne that he offered him for euerye monke chanon fryre and Popyshe Prestes head within his realme a golde noble And cleane contrarye vnto this he testyfyeth in his boke called Fasciculus zizaniorum Vvicleui that he was the same selfe tyme yeare moneth weke and daye a presoner within the Tower of London How wele these two wrytynges agre I report me But thus commonlye are innocent menne lyed vpon amonge these blasphemouse bessygoddes But he that is essencyallye true of himselfe hath promysed at one tyme or other to clere his true seruaunt not by lyes and fables but by his owne pure worde No secrete sayth he is so close but ones shall be opened neyther is anye thynge so hydde that shall not at the last be knowen clerelye Thus hath syr Iohan Oldecastell a tryumphauÌ„t victorye ouer his enemyes by the veryte which he defended all coÌ„trarye to the blynde worldes expectacyon they haue a fowle ouerthrowe beynge proued manyfest murtherers blynde beastes hypocrytes lyars by the same Soche a swete Lorde is God alwayes