beare the indignacioÌ„ of god almightie withouten ende if in conuenient tyme they amende them not and repente them verely doyng therfore dew moornyng aÌ„d sorow afâ—er their connyng power For thorow presumptuousnes necligence of priestis prelatis not of the chirche of Christe but occupiyng their prelacy vndewly in the chirche also by flateryng and false couetousnes of other diuerse namyd priestis lousengers lounderers ar wrongfull made named heremites haue leue to defraude poore nedy creatures of their lyuelode aÌ„d to lyue by their false winnyng and begging in slouthe and in other diuerse vyces And also of thes prelates thes cokir noses ar suffered to lyue in pride hypocresy to defoull themself both bodely gostely Also by the sufferyng aÌ„d counsell of thes forsaid prelatis of other priestis ar made vayne both brotherhodis susterhodis full of pride enuye which ar full contrarie to the brotherhode of Christe syns they ar cause of mekill dissension they multiplie susteyne it vncharitably for in lusty eatyng drinkyng vnmesurably out of tyme they exercyse themself Also this vayne confederacye of brotherhodis is permitted to be of one clothyng aÌ„d to holde to gither And in all thes vngrounded and vnlefull doynges priestis ar parteners and greate meddelers counsellers And ouer this viciousnes heremitis pardoners ankers and straunge beggers ar licensed admitted of prelatis priestis for to begyle the people with flateringis leasingis sclaunderously ageinst all goode reason trewe beleue so to encrease diuerse vices in themself also among all them that accepte them or coÌ„sente to them And thus the viciousnes of thes forsaid named priestis prelatis haue ben long tyme yet is shall be cause of warres both withiÌ„ the realme without And in the same wise thes vnable priestes haue bene yet are shall be chefe cause of pestilence of men moren of beestes of barenesse of the erthe of all other mischefes to the tyme the lordes comons able them thorow grace for to knowe to kepe the commaundementes of god enforsyng them than feithfully charitably by one assente for to redresse make one this forsaid priesthode to the wilfull pore meke innocent lyuyng teaching specially of Christe his apostles Therfore all they that knowe or myght knowe the viciousnes that reigneth now cursedly in thes priestes in their learning yf they suffyse not to vndstond this contagious viciousnes let them praye to the lorde hartely for the health of his chirche absteyning theÌ„ prudently fro thes endured enemies of Christe and of his people and frome all their sacramentes syns to theÌ„ all that knowe them or maye knowe they are but fleschly deades false as seynt Cipriane witnesseth in the first question of decrees in the firste cause Ca. Si quis inquit For as this seynte great doctours witnesse there that not onely vicious priestes but also all they that fauoure theÌ„ or consente to them in theire viciousnes shall to gither perisshe with them yf they amende them not dewly as all they perished that coÌ„sented to Sathan Abijron For no thing wer more coÌ„fusyon to thes forsaide vicious priestes than to eschewe them prudently in all their vnlefull sacramentes while they continew in their synfull lyuyng slaunderously as they haue longe tyme done and yet do And no dody nede to be afraide though dethe did folow by one wise or other for to dye out of this worlde without takyng of ony sacrameÌ„t of these forsaid christes enemies syns christe will not faile for to ministre him selfe all lefull and healfull sacramentes and necessarye at all tyme aÌ„d specially at the ende to all them that are in trewe feyth in stedfaste hope and in perfyte charite But yet some mad foolis saye for to eschewe slaunder they will be shriueÌ„ ones in the yeare and comuned of theire proper priestes though they knowe them defouled with slaunderous vices No doute but all thei that thus do or consente priuely or apertly to soch doynge ar culpable of great synne syns seynt Paul witnesseth that not only they that do euyll are worthy of dethe dampnacion but also they that coÌ„sente to euyll doars Also as their slaunderouse workes witnesse thes forsaid vicious priestes despyce and caste from them heuenly connyng that is gyuen of the holy goste Wherfore the lorde throweth all soche despisers frome hym that they vse nor do ony priesthode to hym No doute than all they that wittingly or wilfully take or consente that any other bodye sholde take ony sacrament of ony soche named prieste synneth opeÌ„ly daÌ„pnably ageynst all the trinite ar vnable to ony sacrament of healthe And that this forsayde sentence is all to gither trewe into remission of all my synfull lyuyng trustinge stedfastly in the mercy of god I offer to him my soule And to proue also this forsaid sentence trewe with the helpe of god I purpose fully for to suffer mekely and gladly my moste wretched body to be tormented where god will of whome he will how he will and whan he will as longe as he will what temporall peyne he will dethe to the praising of his name to the edificacion of his churche And I that am moste vnworthy wretched cayâ—yf shall now thorow the speciall grace of god make to him plesaunte sacrifice with my moste synfull vnworthy body I beseche hartly all folke that rede or heare this ende of my purposed testament that thorowe the grace of god they dispose verely vertuously all their wittes able in like maner all theire membres for to vnderstonde truely and to kepe feythfully charitably continually all the commaundementes of god and so than to pray deuoutly to all the blessed trinyte that I maye haue grace with wisdome prudence frome aboue to ende my lyfe here in this forsaid truethe aÌ„d for this cause in true feith and stedfaste hope aÌ„d in perfite charite AMEN HEre endeth sir William Thorpis testament on the friday after the rode daye and the twentye daye of September In the yeare of our lorde a thousand foure hundred aÌ„d sixtie And on the sonday nexte after the feste of seynt Peter that we call Lammesse daye in the yeare of our lorde a thousand foure hundrth and seuen the said sir William was accused of thes poyntes before writen in this booke before Thomas of Arundell Archebishoppe of Canterbury as it is sayde before And so was it than betwixt the day of his accusing and the daye that this was wryten three and fiftye yeare and as mekill more as fro the Lammesse to the wodemesse Beholde the ende ¶ The strengeth of euery tale is in the ende ¶ Here folowethe the Examinacion of the Lorde Cobham ¶ The beleue of the Lorde CobhÌ„am BE it knowen to all men that in the yeare of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundred
of one persecutyon in so shorte tyme as ys the terme of thys lyfe For lo thys heuenly heritage and endlesse rewarde is the lorde god him selfe wych ys the beste thyng that may be Thys senteÌ„ce wytnessyth the lorde god hym selfe wheras he seyd to AbrahaÌ„ I am thy mede And as the lorde seyd he was and ys the mede of Abraham so heys of all hys other seyntys Thys moste blessyd and beste mede he graunt to vs all for hys holy name that made vs of nought aÌ„d sent hys onely moste deare woorthy sonne our lorde Iesu christe for to redeme vs wyth hys moste preciouse harte bloode Amen KNowen be yt to all men that rede or heare thys writyng benethe that on the sondaye next after the feste of seynt Peter that we call lammesse in the yeare of our lorde a M. CCCC and .vij. yeare I william of Thorpe beyng in preson in the castell of Saltwode was brought before Thomas Arundell Archebysshope of Canterbury and Chaunceler than of Ingland And when that I came to hym he stoode in a great chaÌ„ber moch people aboute hym when that he sawe me he weÌ„t faste into a closett byddyng all seculer men that folowed hym to go forth from hym sone so that no maÌ„ was left than in that closet but the Archebysshop hymselfe aÌ„d a physician that was callyd Malueren person of seynt Dunstanys in London other two personys vnknowen to me whych ware minysterys of the lawe And I staÌ„dyng before theÌ„ by by the Archebysshop seyd to me William I know well that thou hast thys tweÌ„ty wynter more trauelyd about besyly in the north contre in other diuerse contres of InglaÌ„d sowyng about false doctrine hauyng great busynesse yf thou myght wyth thyne vntrew reachyng shrewyd wyll for to enfecte and poyson all this laÌ„de But through the grace of god thou art now wythstondyd brought in to my warde so that I shall now sequester the from thyne euyll purpose lett that to enuenyme the shepe of my prouynce Neuer the lesse seynt Paul seythe Yf it may be as ferre as in vs ys we owe to haue peace wyth all men Therfore William yf thou wyll now mekely of goode harte without onye feynyng knele downe leye thy haÌ„de apoÌ„ a booke aÌ„d kysse yt promysyng feythfully as I shall here charge the that thou wilt submytthe to my correccyon staÌ„de to myne ordinauÌ„ce fulfyll yt dewly by all thy connyng power thou shall yet fynde me gracyouse vnto ye. Than seyd I to the Archebysshop Syr syns ye deme me an heretyke out of beleue wyll ye gyue me here audieÌ„ce to tell my beleue And he seyd ye tell on And I seyd I beleue that ther is not but one god almyghty in thys god heed and of thys godhede aâ— thre persones that is the fader the sonne aÌ„d the sothe faste holy goste And I beleue that all thes thre persones ar euen in power in connyng aÌ„d in myght full of grace of all goodnesse For what â—o euer that the father dothe or can or wyll that â—hyng also the sonne dothe can and wyll aÌ„d in all their power connyng wyll the holy goste ys equall to the father to the sonne Ouer thys I beleue that thrugh couÌ„sell of thys moste blessyd trinite in moste conuenieÌ„t tyme before ordenyd for the saluacyon of man kynde the seconde peerson of thys trinite was ordenyd to take the fourme of man that is the kynde of man And I beleue that thys seconde person our lorde Iesu christe was conceiuyd thorough the holy goste into the wombe of the moste blessyd virgyn Marye wyth out maÌ„nys seede And I beleue that after nyne monethys Christe was borne of thys moste blessyd vergyn wythout ony peyne or brekyng of the closter of hyr wombe and wythout fylthe of hyr virginite And I beleue that Christe our sauyour was circuncisyd in the eyghte daye after hys byrthe in fulfillyng of the lawe and hys name was callyd Iesu whych was callyd of the angell before that he was coÌ„ceiuyd in the woÌ„be of Marie hys moder And I beleue that Christe as he was about thyrty yeare olde was baptyzed in the fludde of Iordane of IohnÌ„ baptist in lykenesse of a dove the holy goste descendyd there vpon him and a voyce was herde froÌ„ heuen seiyng Thou art my welblouyd sonne In the I am full pleasyd And I beleue that Christe was moeuyd than by the holy goste for to goo in to desert there he fastyd fourty dayes aÌ„d fourty nyghtes wythout bodely meate drynk And I beleue that by and by after hys fastyng whan the manhode of Christe hongeryd the feende came to hym aÌ„d teÌ„ptyd hym in glotony in veyn glory and in couetyse but in all thoes temptacyoÌ„s Christe concludyd the fende aÌ„d with stoode hym And than wyth out tariyng Iesu began to preache to seye vnto the people doo ye penaunce for the realme of heuen ys now at hande And I beleue that Christe in all hys tyme here lyued moste holyly and taught the wyll of hys fader moste trewly and I beleue that he sufferyd therefore moste wrong fully greatyst repreuys and despysynges And after thys whan Christe wolde make an ende here of hys temporall lyfe I beleue that in the daye next before that he wolde suffer passyon on the morne In fourme of brede of wyne he ordenyd the sacrameÌ„te of hys flessh hys blood that ys hys owne precyous body aÌ„d gaue it to hys apostles for to eate coÌ„maundyng them by theÌ„ all their after comers that they sholde doo it iÌ„ thys fourme that he shewyd to them vse them self and teache and commone forthe to other men woomen thys moste worshypfull holiest sacrameÌ„t in myndefulnesse of hys holyest lyuyng of hys moste trew teachyng of hys wilfull pacieÌ„t sufferyng of the moste peynfull passion And I beleue that thus Christeour sauyour after that he had ordenid thys moste woorthy sacrameÌ„t of hys owne preciouse body he weÌ„t forthe wyllfully agenst hys enemyes and he sufferyd theÌ„ most paciently to ley their haÌ„dys moste violeÌ„tly vppon hym and to bynde hym to leade hym forthe as a thefe and to skorne hym aÌ„d buffet aÌ„d all to blow or fyle hym with their spittinges Ouer this I beleue that Christ suffered most mekely and paciently his enemies for to dinge out with sharpe scourges the bloude that was betwene his skyn his flesh yee without grudginge Christ suffered the cruell Iewes to crown hym with most sharp thornes and to strike him with a rede And after Christ suffered wicked Iewes to draw him out vpon the crosse and for to nayle hym there vpon fote and hande And so thorow this pitiefull naylinge Christ shed out wilfully for mans lyfe the bloude that was in his vaynes And then christ gaue wilfully his spirite in to the handes or power of his father and so as he wolde when he
Apostles moste openly shewing and declaring how the chirche of Criste hathe ben and yet shulde be rewlid ād gouernid Therfore so many men and women couet this learnyng purpose thorough goddis grace to conforme their lyuyng lyke to this learnyng of Wicleff Master Iohn aiston tawght and writ accordingly ād full besily wher and whan and to whome that he myght and he vsid it hymself right perfitely vnto his lifes ende And also Philip of Rampenton while he was a chanone of Lacester Nicolas Herforde Dauy Gotray of Pakring monke of Bylande and a master of diuinite and Iohn Purnay ād many other wich wer holden right wise men prudent tawcht and writ besily this forseid learnyng and conformid them therto And with all thes men I was ofte right homely ād communyd with them long tyme and ofte and so before all other men I choes wilfully to be infourmyd of them and by them and specially of Wicleff hymself as of the moste verteuous godly wyse mē that I herde of or knewe And therfore of hym specially and of thes men I tooke the learnyng that I haue tauchte and purpose to lyue there after if god will to my lyues ende For though some of thes men be contrary to the learnyng that they taucht before I wote well that their learning was trewe wich they tauchte ād therfore with the helpe of god I purpose to holde and to vse the learning wich I harde of thē while they sat on Moyses chaire and specially while that they sat on the chaire of Criste But after the werkis that they now do I will not doo with goddis helpe For they feyne and hyde ād cōtrarie the trewthe wich before they taucht out plenily and trewly For as I know well when some of thes men hathe ben blamyd for their sclaunderous doyng they graūte not that they haue tauchte a misse or crryd beforetyme but that they were constreinyd by peine to leaue to tell out the sothe and thus they choese now rather to blaspheme god than to suffer awhile here persecucion bodely for sothefastnesse that Christe shed out his harte bloode for And the Archebisshop seid That learnyng that thou callist trewthe and sothefastnesse is open sclaunder to holy chirche as it is prouyd of holy chirche For all be it that Wicleff your autour was a great clerke though that many men helde hym a perfite lyuer yet his doctrine is not approuyd of holy cherche but many sentencis of his learnyng ar dāpnyd as they well woorthy ar But as touching Philip of Rāpeton that was first chanone and after Abbot of Lacester which is now bisshop of Lincoln I tell the that the daye is comen for wich he fastyd the euene For nother he holdeth now nor will holdethe learnyng that he thaughte whan he was a Chanon of Lacester For no bisshop of this lāde persewith now more sharpely them that holde thy waye than he doeth And I seid Syr full many men and women wonderith vpon hym and speakith hym mekill shame and holdith him for a cursid enemye of the treuthe And the Archebisshop seid to me Wherfore tarieste thou me thus here with soche fables wilt thou shortely as I haue seid to the submit the to me or no And I seid Syr I tell you at one worde I dare not for the drede of god submitt me to you after the tenour and sentēce that ye haue aboue rehersed to me And than as if he hadde ben wrothe he seid to one of his clerkis Fetche hider quikely the certificaciō that came to me fro Shrewisbury vnder the bailiues seale witnessing the errours heresies which this losell hath venemously sowen there Than hastely the Clerke tooke out and leid forthe on a cupborde diuerse rollis and writingis among which ther was a litle one which the clerke deliuered to the Archebisshop And by by the Archebisshop redde this rolle cōteinyng this sentence ¶ The thyrde sonday after easter the yere of oure lorde M. CCCC and seuen William Thorpe came vnto the towne of Shrewisbury and thorow leaue graunted vnto him to preache He said openly in seynt Chaddis chirche in his sermone that the Sacramēt of the altare after the consecracion was materiall brede And the ymages shulde in no wise be worshiped And that men shulde not go on pilgremages And that priestes haue no title to tythes And that it is not lefull for to swere in any wise And whan the Archebishop had red thus thys rolle he rolled it vp ageyn and said to me Ys this holsome learnynge to be amonge the people And I said to him Syr I am both ashamed on their behalfe and right soroufull for thē that haue certified you thes thinges thus vntrewly for I preached neuer nor taughte thus priuely nor apertly And the Archebishop said to me I will gyue credence to thes worshipfull men which haue writen to me and witnessed vnder their sealis there amonge them Though thou now deniest this wenist thou that I will geue credence to the Thou losell hast trobled the worshipful cominalte of Shrewisbury so that the bailives and cominalte of that towne haue writen to me praynge me that am Archebishop of Caunterbury primate and Chaunceler of Englond that I will vouchsafe to graunte them that yf thou shalt be made as thou art worthy to suffer open Iouresse for thyne heresyes that thou maye haue thi youresse openly ther among them so that all they whome thou and soche other loselles haue ther peruerted may thorow feare of thy dede be reconsyled ageyn to the vnite of holy chyrche And also they that stande in true faythe of holy churche may thorowe thy dede be more stablisshed therein And as yf thys askyng hadde pleased the Archebishop he said By my thrifte this hartye prayoure and feruente requeste shall be thought on But certeynly nother the prayer of the men of Shrewisbery nor the manassynge of the Archebishoppe made me any thinge a frayde But in rehersyng of this malice and in the hearynge of it my herte greatly reioysed and yet dothe I thanke god for the grace that I than thought and yet thinke shall come to all the chirche of god here thorowe by the speciall mercyfull doynge of the lorde And as hauynge no dreade of the malice of tyrauntes by trustynge stedfastly in the helpe of the lorde with full purpose for to knowlege the sothefastnesse and to stande thereby after my connyng and power I said to the Archebishop Syr yf the truthe of gods worde might now be accepted as it sholde be I doute not to proue by lykely euidence that they that are famed to be out of the faythe of holy church in Shrewisbery in other places also are in the true faith of holy chirche For as their wordes sounde and their workes shewe to mānis iugemēt dreading louyng faithfully god their will their desyre their loue their besinesse are moste sett to dreade to offende god to
feithfull or vnfeithfull shall be our letters that is our witnesse berers For the treuthe where it is sowen maye not be vnwitnessed For all that are conuerted saued by learninge of goddes worde and by working therafter are witnesse berers that the trewith and sothfastnesse whiche they harde and dyd after is cause off their saluacion And ageyn all vnfeythfull meÌ„ womeÌ„ which herde the treuthe tolde out to theÌ„ wolde not do there after also all they that might haue herde the treuthe and wold not heare it because that they wolde not do thereafter all thes shall beare witnesse ageinst them selfes the treuth which they wold not heare or els harden despised to do thereafter thorow their vnfeythfulnesse is and shall be cause of their daÌ„pnacion Therfore syr syns this forseide witnessing of god of diuerse seintes doctours off all the people good euyll sufficeth to all true prechers we thinke that we do not the office of presthode if that we leaue our preaching because that we haue not or maye not haue dewly bisshopes letters to witnesse that we are sent of theÌ„ to preache This sentence approueth seynt Paul wheâ— he speketh of him selfe of feithfull apostles disciples saing thus We neade no letters of coÌ„meÌ„dacion as some other preachers do whiche preache for couetousnes of teÌ„porall goodes aÌ„d for meÌ„nes praising And wher ye say syr that paul biddeth subiectes obey their souereyns this is soth may not be denied But ther is .ij. maner of souereyns vertuous suffereÌ„ys vicious tyrauÌ„tes Therfore to thes last souereyns nother meÌ„ nor womeÌ„ that be subiecte owe to obey iÌ„ .ij. maners To vertuous suffereins charitable subictes owe to obey wilfully gladly in heariÌ„g of their good couÌ„sell iÌ„ coÌ„sentiÌ„g to their charitable biddinges in werkynge after their frutefull workes This sentence Paul approueth wher he saith thus to subiectis Be ye mindefull of your souereyns that speke to you the worde of god and folow you the feithe of them whos conuersacion you know to be verteuous For as Paul saith after thes souereyns to whome subiectis owe to obeye in folowing of their maners worke besily in holy studiyng how they may withstande aÌ„d destroye vices firste in themself and after in all their subiectis and how they may besâ—e plante in them vertues Also thes souereyns make deuoute and feruent prayers for to purchase grace of god that they aÌ„d their subiectis may ouer all thing dreade to offende hym to loue for to please hym Also thes souereyns to whome Paul biddeth vs obey as it is seid before lyue so vertuously that all they that will lyue well may take of them goode example to knowe and to kepe the commaundmentis of god But in this foreseid wyse subiectis owe not to obeye nor to be obedient to tyrauntis while they ar vicious tyrauntis syns their will their counsell their biddingis aÌ„d their workis ar so vicious that they owe to be hatid and lefte And though soche tyrauntis be masterfull and cruell in bostyng aÌ„d manasing in oppressions diuerse punysshyngis seynt Petyr biddeth the seruauntis of soche tyrauÌ„tis to obey mekely to soche tyrauntis suffering paciently their malicious cruelnes But Petyr counsellith not ony seruant or subiecte to obey to ony lorde or prince or souereyn in ony thyng that is not pleasing to god And the Archebesshop said vnto me Yf a souereyn bidde his subiecte doo that thing that is vicious this souereyn herein is to blame but the subiecte for his obedience deserueth mede of god For obedieÌ„ce pleasith more to god than ony sacrifice And I said Samuel the prophete said to Saul the wickyd kyng that god was more pleased with the obedience of his commaundement than with ony sacrifice of bestis But Dauid saith and seynt Paul and seynt Gregory accordingly to gither that not onely they that doo euyll is worthy of dethe aÌ„d dampnacion but also all they that consente to euyll doers And syr the law of holy chirche teachith in the decrees that no seruant to his lorde nor childe to the father or mother nor wyfe to hyr husbond nor monke to his abot ought to obey except in lefull thingis lawfull And the Archebisshop said to me All thes allegingis that thou bringest forthe ar not els but proude presumptuousnes For hereby thou enforcist the to proue that thou and soche other ar so iuste that ye owe not to obeye to prelatis And thus agenst the learning of seynt Paul that teachith you not to preache but if ye wer sent of your owne authorite ye will go forthe and preache and doo what ye liste And I said Syr presentith not euery prieste the office of the apostles or the office of the disciples of Christe And the Archebisshop said ye ¶ And I said Syr as the tenthe chaptre of Mathew and the laste chaptre of Marke witnesseth Christe sent his apostles for to preache And the tenthe chaptre of Luke witnesseth that Christe sent his two and seuentie disciples for to preache in euery place that Christe was to come to And seynt Gregory in the comon lawe saith that euery man that goth to priesthode takith vpon hym the office of preaching for as he saith that prieste steirith god to great wrathe of whos mouthe is not herde the voice of preaching And as other more gloses vpon Ezechiel witnesse that the prieste that prechith not besily to the people shall be parte taker of their dampnacion that perisshe thorow his defaute and though the people besauyd by other speciall grace of god thaÌ„ by the priestis preachyng yet the priestis in the they ar ordenyd to preache preache not as before god they ar maÌ„â—â—ears For as ferre as in theÌ„ is soche priestes as preache not besily aÌ„d trewly sleeth all the people gostely in that they with hold from theÌ„ the worde of god that is lyfe and sustenauÌ„ce of meÌ„nis soules And seynt Isidore saith Priestis shall be daÌ„pnid for wickidnesse of the people if they teache not theÌ„ that ar ignoraÌ„t or blame not theÌ„ that ar synners For all that worke or besinesse of priestis staÌ„dith in preaching teaching that they edifye all men as well by connyng of feithe as by discipline of workes that is vertuous teaching And as the gospell witnessith Christe said in his teaching I am borne aÌ„d comeÌ„ in to this worlde to beare witnesse to the trewthe and he that is of the trewthe hearith my voice ¶ Than syr syns by the worde of Christe specially that is his voice priestis ar commaundid to preache what so euer prieste that it be that hathe not goode will aÌ„d full purpose to doo thus and ableth not hymself after his conning and power to doo his office by the example of Christe and of his apostles what so euer other thing that he dothe displeasith god For lo seynt Gregory saith that thing lefte that a maÌ„ is bouÌ„de chefely to doo what so euer
Sir calleth not Paule here the fourme of god the substaunce or kynde of god Also Sir saith not the chirche in the houres of the most blessed virgine accordiâ—ly hereto where it is written thus Thou auctour of healthe remembre that sometyme thou toke of the vndefyled vyrgyne the fourme off oure bodye Tell me for charyte therfore whether the fourme of our bodye be called here the kynde of oure body or no And the Archebishop said to me Woldest thou make me to declare this texte after thy purpose syns the chirche hathe nowe determyned that there abideth no substaunce of breade after the consecracion in the sacrament of the altare Beleuest thou not on this ordinaunce off the churche And I said Syr what soeuer prelates haue ordened in the churche our beleue standith euer hooll I haue not herde that the ordinaunce off men vnder beleue shulde be putt in to beleue And the Archebishop saide to me Yf thou hast not learned this before learne now to knowe that thou art out of beleue if in this matter and other thou beleuest not as holy chirche beleueth What saye doctours treatinge of this sacrament And I said Syr seynt Paule that was a greate doctour of holy chirche speakynge to the people and teaching them the right beleue of this moste holy sacrament calleth it breade that we breake And also in the Canon of the masse after the consecracion this most worthy sacrameÌ„t is called holy breade And euery prieste in this laÌ„de after that he hathe receyued this sacrament saythe in thys wyse That thynge that we haue taken with oure mouthe we praye god that we maye take it with a pure and clene mynde That is as I vnderstonde we praye god that we maye receyue thorowe very beleue this holy sacrament worthely And syr seynt Augustine saith That thing that is sene is breade but that mennys feithe asketh to be informed of is verye christes body And also Fulgence an ententyfe doctour saith As it were an errour to saye that Christe was but a substaunce that is very maÌ„ not very god or to say that Christe was very god not very man so is it this doctour sayth an errour to say that the sacrament of the altar is but a substaunce And also syr acordingly hereto in the secrete of the midde masse on Christe masse day it is writeÌ„ thus Idem refulsit deus sic terrena substaÌ„cia nobis coÌ„ferat qd diuinum est which sentence syr with the secrete of the forth ferye quatuor temporuÌ„ septembris I pray you syr declare here openly in english And the Archebishop said to me I perceiue well ynough wher about thou art how the deuell blyndeth the that thou may not vnderstond the ordinaunce of holy churche nor consent therto But I commaunde the now answere me shorly Beleuest thou that after the coÌ„secracioÌ„ of this forsaid sacrament there abideth substaunce off breade or not And I said Sir as I vnderstond it is all one to grauÌ„te or to beleue that there dwelleth substaunce of breade to grauÌ„te to beleue that this most worthy sacrameÌ„t of christes owne body is one accideÌ„t without subiecte But syr for as me kell as your asking passeth myne vnderstondiÌ„g I dare nother denye it nor grauÌ„te it for it is skole mater aboute which I besyed me neuer for to know it therfore I coÌ„mit this terme accideÌ„s sine subiecto to those clerkes which delyre theÌ„ so in curiouse suttill sophistrie because they determine oft so difficulte strauÌ„ge maters wade waÌ„der so in theÌ„ froÌ„ argumeÌ„t to argumeÌ„t with pro coÌ„tra till that they wote not where they are nor vnderstonde not theÌ„selfe But the shame that thes proude sophistrers haue to yelde them to men and before men maketh them ofte foolis and to be concluded shamefully before god And the Archebishop said to me I purpose not to oblige the to the suttyll argumeÌ„tes of clerkes syns thou art vnable therto But I purpose to make the obeye to the determinacion of holy churche And I said Syr by open evidence and great witnesse a thousand yeare after the iÌ„carnacioÌ„ of Christe the determinacioÌ„ which I haue here before you rehersed was accepte of holy church as sufficient to the saluacion of all them that wolde beleue it faithfully and worke therafter charitably But syr the determinacion of this mater which was brought in syns the fende was losed by frier Thomas agayn specially calling the moste worshipfull sacrament of Christes owne body an accident without subiecte which terme syns I knowe not that goddes lawe approueth it in this mater I dare not graunte but vtterly I denye to make this friers sentence or ony soche other my beleue do with me god what thou wilt And the Archebisshop saide to me Well well thou shalt saye other wyse or that I leaue the. BVt what saist thou to this secoÌ„de poynte that is recorded ageinst that by woorthy meÌ„ of Shrewisbury saing that thou preachedst opeÌ„ly there the ymages oughte not to be worshipped in ony wise And I said Syr I preached neuer thus nor thorow gods grace I will not any tyme consent to thinke nor to saye thus nother pryuely nor apertly For lo the lorde witnesseth by Moses that the thinges which he made were righte good so than they were and yet they are and shall be good and worshipfull in their kynde And therfore to the ende that god made them to they are all preisable and worshipfull and specially maÌ„ that was made after the ymage and likenesse of god is full worshipfull in his kynde ye this holy ymage that is man god worshippeth And herefore euery man shulde worshippe other in kynde and also for heuenly vertues that meÌ„ vse charitably Also I saye woode tynne gold syluer or any other mater that ymages are made of all these creatures are worshipfull in theire kynde and to the ende that god made them for But the keruyng castyng nor peyntyng of ony ymagery made with mannes hande all be hit that this doing be accepte of man of hyest state and dignite and ordened of them to be a kalendar to leude men that nother can nor will be learned to know god in his worde nother by his creatures nor by hys wonderfull and diuerse workiÌ„ges yet this ymagery ought not to be worshipped in the forme nor in the likenesse of mannes crafte neuerthelesse that euery mater that peinters peynte with syns it is gods creature ought to be worshipped in the kynde to the ende that god made ordened it to serue man Than the archebishop said to me I graunt well that no body oweth to do worshippe to any soche ymages for theÌ„ selfe But a crucifyxe ought to be worshipped for the passion of christe that is peynted there in and so brought ther thorow to mannes mynde and thus the ymages of the blessed trinite aÌ„d of virgyn Mary christes mother and other ymages of sayntes ought to be worshipped For lo earthely
kynges and lordes which vse to send their letters ensealid with their armes or with their preuy signet to men that are with them are worshipped of thes meÌ„ For whaÌ„ thes meÌ„ receiue their lordes letters in whiche they se knowe the willes biddiÌ„ges of their lordes in worshippe of their lordes they do of their cappes to thes letters Why not than sins in ymages made with mannes hande we may rede and knowe many diuerse thinges of god and of his sayntes shall we not worshippe their ymages And I sayde with my forsaid protestacyon I saye that these worldly vsages of temporall lordes that ye speake now of maye be done in case without synne but thys is no similitude to worship ymages made by maÌ„nes hande syns that Moses Dauid Salomon Baruch other seyntes in the bible forbidde so pleynly the worshipyng of all soche ymages Than the archebishop said to me Lewde losell In the olde lawe before that christe toke maÌ„kind was no likenesse of any persone of the trinite nother shewed to maÌ„ nor knoweÌ„ of maÌ„ but nowe syns christe became maÌ„ it is lefull to haue ymages to shewe his maÌ„hode Ye though many meÌ„ which are right greate clerkes other also helde it an errour to peynte the trinite I say it is well done to make and to peynte the trinite in ymages For it is great mouing of deuocion to meÌ„ to haue and to behold the trinite and other ymages of seyntes caruyd caste and peynted For beyonde the see are the beste peynters that euer I saw And syrs I tell you this is their maner aÌ„d it is a goode maner Whan that an ymage maker shall kerue caste in moulde or peynte ony ymages he shall go to a prieste and shryue him as clene as if he sholde than dye and take penaunce and make some certeyn vowe of fastyng or of praiynge or of pilgrimages doinge praiyng the prieste specially to praye for hym that he may haue grace to make a faire and a deuoute ymage And I said Syr I doute not yf thes peynters that ye speake of or ony other peynters vnderstode truely the texte of Moses of Dauid of the wise man of Baruch and of other seyntes and doctoures these peynters sholde be moued to shryue them to god wyth full inwarde sorowe of harte takynge vpon them to doo right sharpe penaunce for the synfull and vayne crafte of peyntinge karuynge or castinge that they had vsed promising god feithfully neuer to do so after knowleging openly before all meÌ„ theyr reprouable earniÌ„g And also syr thes priestes that shriue as ye do say peinters inioyne theÌ„ to do penaunce and praye for theire spede promysyng to them helpe of their prayers for to be curious in their synfull craftes synne herein more greuously thaÌ„ the peynters For thes priestes do comforte and gyue them counsell to do that thynge which of great peyne ye vnder the peyne of goddes curse they sholde vtterly forbydde them For cerris syr yf the wonderfull werking of god and the holy lyuynge and teachynge off Christe and off his apostles and prophetes were made knowen to the people by holy lyuynge and true and besy teachynge of priestes these thynges syr were sufficient bokes and kalendares to knowe god by and his sayntes without ony ymages made with mannes hond but certis the vicious lyuynge of priestes and their couetousnesse are chefe cause of this errour and all other viciousnesse that reigneth among the people Than the archebishop said vnto me I holde that a vicious priest a curste all theÌ„ that are of thy secte for all priestes of holy chirche and all ymages that moue men to deuocion thou soche other go about to destroye Loosell ware it a feire thing to come in to a chirche and see therin none ymage And I said Syr they that come to the chyrche for to pray deuoutly to the lorde god may in their inwarde wittes be the more feruent that all their outwarde wittes be closed fro all outwarde seynge and hearing and fro all distroblauÌ„ce and lettyngis And syns Christe blessed them that saw hym not bodely and haue beleuyd feith fully in hym It sufficeth than to all men thorow hearing and knowing of goddis worde and to doo there after for to beleue in god though they see neuer ymagis made with mannis hande after ony Person of the trinite or of ony other seynte And the Archebisshop said to me with a ferueÌ„t spyrite I say to the Losell that it is right well done to make and to haue an ymage of the trinite Ye what saist thou Ys it not a stiering thing to beholde soche an ymage And I said Sir ye said right now that in the olde lawe or Christe toke mankynde no likenesse of ony person of the trinite was shewid to men wherfore sir ye said it was not thaÌ„ lefull to haue ymagis but now ye say syns Christe is becomen man it is lefull to make to haue an ymage of the trinite and also of other seyntis But syr this thing wolde I learne of you Syns the father of heuen ye and euery person of the trinite was without beginnyng god almighty many holy prophetis that wer dedely men wer martiresed violently in the olde lawe and also many men and women than died holy confessours Why was it not than as lefull and necessarie as now to haue made an ymage of the father of heuen and to haue made hadde other ymagis of martires prophetis and holy coÌ„fessours to haue ben kalendaris to aduise men aÌ„d moue them to deuocion as ye say that ymagis now doo And the Archebisshop said The sinagoge of Iues hadde not authorite to approue thes thingis as the chirche of Christe hathe now And I said Sir seint Gregory was a great man in the new lawe and of great dignite aÌ„d as the comon lawe witnesseth he coÌ„mendid greatly a bisshop in that he forbadde vtterly the ymagis made with mannis hande sholde be worshipid And the Archebisshop said Vngracious losell thou fauerist nomore trewthe than an hounde Syns at the roode at the northe dore at London at our lady at walsingam aÌ„d many other diuerse placis in England ar many great and preisable miracles done shulde not the ymagis of soche holy seyntis and placis at the reuerence of god and our lady other seyntis be more worshippid than other placis and ymagis wher no soche miracles ar done And I said Sir ther is no soche vertue in ony ymagery that ony ymagis sholde herefore be worsâ—hippid wherfore I am certein that ther is no miracle done of god in ony place in erthe because that ony ymagis made with maÌ„nis haÌ„de sholde be worshippid And herefore sir as I preached openly at shrewisbery and other placis I say now here before you that no body sholde truste that ther war ony vertue in ymagery made with mannis hande and herefor no body sholde vowe to them nor seake them
sweare vntruely For they saye they maye by their swearing though it be false voide blame or temporall harme which they sholde haue yf they sweare not thus And sir many mē women maynteyne strongly that they sweare well whan that thinge is sothe that they sweare for Also full many men and women say nowe that it is well done to sweare by creatures whā they maye not as they saye otherwise be beleued Annd also full many men and women now say that it is well done to sweare by god and by oure ladye and by other seyntes for to haue thē in mynde But syns all these saiynges ar but excusations and synne me thinketh sir that his sentēce of Chrisostome may be alleged well ageinste all soch swerers witnessing that all thes synne greuously though they thinke themself for to sweare in this forsaid wyse well For it is euyll done and greate synne for to sweare trewthe whan in ony maner a man may excuse hī with out othe And the archebishop said that Chrisostome might be thus vnderstonde And than a clerke said to me Wilt thou tarye my lorde no lenger but submit the here mekely to the ordinaunce of holy chirche and laye thyne hande vpon a booke touching the holy gospell of god promysynge not onely with thy mouthe but also with thyne harte to stande to my lordes ordinaunce And I said Sir haue I not told you here howe that I herde a master of diuinite say that in soche a case it is all one to touche a boke and to sweare by a boke And the archebishop said There is no master of diuinite in Englond so greate that yf he hold thys opinion before me but I shall punisshe him as I shall do the except thou sweare as I shall charge the. And I said Sir is not Chrisostome an ententyfe doctour And the Archebishop saide Ye And I sayde Yf Chrisostome proueth hym woorthy greate blame that bryngeth forthe a booke to swere vppon it muste nedes folowe that he is more to blame that sweareth on that booke And the Archebishop said Yf Chrisostome ment accordingly to the ordinaunce of holy chirche we will accepte him And than said a clerke to me Ys not the worde of god god himself equipollent that is off one authorite And I saide Ye Than he said to me Why wilt thou not swere than by the gospell of god that is gods worde syns it is all one to sweare by the worde of god by god himselfe And I said Sir syns I may not nowe other wyse be beleued but by swearynge I perceyue as Augustine saithe that it is not spedefull that ye that shold be my brothern sholde not beleue me therfore I am redy by the worde of god as the lorde commaunded me by his worde to sweare Than the clerke said to me Laye than thyne hāde vpō the boke touching the holy gospell of god and take thy charge And I said Sir I vnderstonde that the holy gospell of god maye not be touched with mannes hande And the clerke saide I fonded and that I sayde not trewthe And I asked this clerke whether it wer more to reade the gospell or to touche the gospell And he said it was more to reade the gospell Than I said Sir by authorite of seynt Ierome the gospell is not the gospell for reding of the letter but for the beleue that men haue in the worde of god that it is the gospell that we beleue and not the letter that we rede for because the letter that is touched with mannes hande is not the gospell but the sentence that is verely beleued in mānis hart is the gospell For so seynt Ierome saith The gospell that is the vertue of goddes worde is not in the leauys of the boke but it is in the roote of reason Nother the gospell he saith is in the writing aboue of the letters but the gospell is in the marking of y◠sentence of scriptures This sentence approueth seynt Paule saiynge thus The kyngdome of god is not in worde but in vertue And Dauid saith The voice of the lorde that is his worde is in vertue And after dauid saith Thorow the worde of god the heuens were fourmed in the spirite of his mouth is all the vertue of them And I pray you syr vnderstonde ye well how Dauid saith that in the spirite of the mouth of the lorde is all the vertue of angells and of men And the clerke said to me Thou woldest make vs to fonde with the. Saye we not the the gospell is are writen in the masse boke And I sayde Syr though men vse to saye thus yet it is vnperfyte speche For the principall parte off a thinge is properlye the hooll thynge· For lo mannes soule that may not now be sene here nor touched with ony sensible thing is properly man And all the vertue of a tree is in the roote thereof that maye not be sene for do awaye the roote and the tree is destroyed And syr as ye sayde to me right nowe god and hys worde are of one authorite and syr seynte Ierome witnesseth that Christe very god and very man is hidde in the letter of his lawe thus also syr the gospell is hidde in the letter For sir as it is full likely many diuerse men and women here in the erthe touched Christe and sawe hym and knewe his bodely persone whiche nother touched nor sawe nor knewe gostely his god hede right thus sir many men now touche and see and write and rede the scriptures of goddis lawe whiche nother touche see nor rede effecctuallye the gospell For as the godhede of Christe that is the vertue of god is knowen by the vertue thorow belefe so is the gospell that is Christes worde And a clerke said to me Thes be full mystie maters and vnsauery that thou shewest here to vs. And I said Sir if ye that ar masters know not playnly this sentence ye may sore drede that the kingdome of heuene be taken fro you as it was fro the princes of priestes fro the elders of the iewes And than a clercke as I gesse Malueren sayde to me Thou knowest not thyne equiuocacyons for the kyngdome of heuene hathe diuerse vnderstondinges What callest thou the kingdome of heuene in this sentence that thou shewest here And I said Sir by good reason sentence of doctours y◠realme of heuene is called here the vnderstonding of gods worde And a clerke said to me Frome whō thinkest thou that this vnderstondinge is taken awaye And I said Sir by authorite of Christe him selfe the effectuall vnderstondinge of Christes worde is taken awaye from all them chefely whiche are greate lettered men and presume to vnderstonde hyghe thynges and will be holden wise men and desyre mastershippe and hye stare and dignite but they will not conforme them to the lyuyng teaching of Christe and off his apostles Thā the Archebishop said Well well thou wilt iudge thy souereyns By god the kyng doeth not
and power And sir full acordingly to this sentence vpon midlenton sonday two yeare as I gesse now agone I harde a monke of Feuersam that men called MoredoÌ„ preache at CaÌ„terbury at the crosse within Christe chirche Abbey saiyng thus of confession As thorow the suggestion of the fende without couÌ„sell of any other body that of themself many meÌ„ and women can ymagine and fynde meanys wayes inough to come to pride to thefte to lecherie and to other diuerse vyces In contrarie wyse this monke said Syns the lorde god is more redy to forgyue synne than the fende is or may be of power to mooue ony body to synne than who so euer will shame and sorow hartely for their synnes knouleging them feithfully to god amending them after their power and connyng without counsell of ony other body than of god and hymself thorow the grace of god all soche men and women may fynde sufficient meanys to come to goddis mercie and so to be clene assoilid of all their synnes This sentence I said sir to this man of yours and the selfe wordis as nere as I can gesse And the Archebisshop said Holy chirche approuyth not this learnyng And I said Sir holy chirche of which Christe is hed in heuene and in erthe must nedys approue this sentence For lo hereby all men and women may if they will be sufficiently tauchte to know and to kepe the commaundementis of god and to hate and to flie centinewally all occasion of synne and to looue aÌ„d to seke vertues besely and to beleue in god stabely and to truste in his mercy stedfastly and so to come to perfite charite and contynew therein perseuerancly And more the lorde askith not of ony man he renow in this lyfe And certeyn syns Iesu Christe dyed vpon the crosse wilfully to make men fre men of the chirche ar to bolde and to besy to make men thrall byndyng them vnder the peyne of endelesse curse as they say to doo many obseruances and ordinauÌ„cis which nother the lyuyng nor teaching of Christe nor of his apostles approueth And a clerke said than to me Thou shewist playnely here thy disceite which thou haste learnyd of theÌ„ that trauell to sowe popill amoÌ„g wheate But I couÌ„sell the to go away clene frome this learnyng and submyt the lowly to my lorde and thou shalt fynde hym yet to be gracious tothe And as faste than a nother clerke said to me How wast thou so bolde at Paulis crosse in loÌ„doÌ„ to stoÌ„de there harde with thi tippet bouÌ„den about thyne hedde aÌ„d to repreue in his sermonne the woorthy clerke Alkerton drawyng away all that thou myghtist ye and the same day at after none thou metyng that woorthy doctour in Watlyng strete callidst hym salfe flaterer ypocrite And I said Sir I thynk certeinly that there was no man nor wooman that hated verely synne and loouyd vertues hearing the sermonne of the clerke of Oxforde and also Alkertons sermonne but they sayd or myght iustely say that Alkerton reproouyd the clerke vntrewly and sclaundered hym wrongfully and vncharitably For no doute if the lyuyng and teaching of Christe chefely and of his apostlÌ„es be trewe no body that loouyth god aÌ„d his lawe will blame any senteÌ„ce that the clerke than preachid there syns by authorite of goddis worde aÌ„d by approued seyntis and doctours and by open reason this clerke approued all thingis clerly that he preached there And a clerke of the Archebishops said to me His sermonne was false that he shewith openly syns he dare not staÌ„de forthe defende his preaching that hethan preached there And I said Sir I thinke that he purposith to staÌ„de stedfastely thereby or els he sclauÌ„dereth foully hym self and also many other that haue greate truste that he will stande by the trewith of the gospell For I wote well his sermonne is written bothe in latyne and in Englysch and many men haue it and they sett great pryse thereby And sir if ye wer present with the Archebisshop at lambeth whan this clerke apered and was at his answer before yâ— Archebisshop ye wote well that this clerke denyed not there his sermonne but two dayes he maynteinyd it before the Archebisshop and his clerkis And than the Archebisshop or one of his clerkis said I wote not which of theÌ„ That harlot shall be met with for that sermonne For no man but he and thou and soche other false harlotis praisith ony soche preaching And than the Archebisshop said Your cursed secâ—e is besy it ioiethe right greatly to contrarie to destroye the priuilege fredome of holy chirche ¶ And I said Sir I knowe no men that trauell so besely as this secte dothe which you repreue to make reste peace in holy chirche For pride couetousnesse simony which distrooble moste holy chirche this secte hatith fliethe trauellith besely to mooue all other meÌ„ in lyke maner vnto meaknesse wilfull pouerte charite fre ministryng of the sacrameÌ„tis this secte louyth aÌ„d vsith aÌ„d is full besy to mooue all other folk is thus to doo For thes vertues owe all meÌ„bres of holy chirche to their hedde Christe Than a clerke said to the Archebisshop Sir it is ferre daies aÌ„d ye haue ferre to ryde to nyght therfore make an ende with hiÌ„ for he will none make But the more sir that ye besy you for to drawe hym toward you the more contumax he is made and the ferder fro you And than Malueren said to me William knele downe and praye my lorde of grace and leaue all thy fantasies and become a childe of holy chirche And I said Sir I haue praied the Archebisshop ofte and yet I pray hym for the looue of Christe that he will leaue his indignacion that he hathe ageinst me and that he will suffer me after my connyng and power for to doo myne office of priesthode as I am chargid of god to doo it For I couete nought els but to serue my god to his pleasing in the state that I staÌ„de in and haue taken me to And the Archebisshop said to me Yf of good harte thou wilt submyt the now here mekely to be reulid fro this tyme forthe by my counsell obeiyng mekely and wilfully to myne ordinaunce thou shalt fynde it moste profitable and beste to the for to doo thus Therfore tary thou me no lenger graunte to doo this that I haue said to the now here shortely or denye it vtterly And I said to the Archebisshop Sir owe we to beleue that Iesu Christe was and is very god and very man And the Archebisshop said Ye And I said Sir owe we to beleue that all Christis lyuyng and his teaching is trewe in euery poynte And he sayd Ye And I said Sir owe we to beleue that the lyuyng of the apostles the teaching of Christe of all the prophÌ„etes are true which ar writen in the bible for the helth and saluacion of goddes
many mo thorow the grace of god shall be moued hereby for to learne the treuth of god to doo thereafter and to stond boldely thereby Than the Archebisshoppe sayde to his clerkes Besy you no lenger aboute hym for he and other soche as he is are confedered so to gither that they will not sweare to be obedient and to submytte them to prelates of holy chirche For nowe syns I stode here his felowe sent men worde that he will not sweare and that he counselled hym that he sholde not sweare to me And losell in that thynge that in the is thou haste besyed the to loose thys yonge man but blessed be god thou shalt not haue thy purpose of hym For he hath forsaken all thy learnynge submyttynge hym to be buxum and obedient to the ordinaunce of holy churche and wepeth full bitterly and curseth the full hartely for the venemous teachynge whiche thou haste shewed to hym counsellynge hym to doo thereafter And for thy false councellynge of many other and hym thou haste greate cause to be righte sory For long tyme thou haste besyed the to peruerte whom soeuer thou mightest Therfore as many deathes thou arte worthy of as thou hast geuen euell councelles And therfore by Iesu thou shalt go thyther where Nicoll Harforde and tom Puruay were herbered And I vndertake or thys daye eyghte dayes thou shalt be righte gladde for to doo whaâ— thynge that euer I bydde the doo And losell I shall assaye if I can make that there as soroufull as it was tolde me thou waste gladde of my laste going out of Englond By seynt Thomas I shall tourne thy ioye into sorowe And I sayde Sir there can no body preue laufully that I ioyed euer of the maner of youre goynge out of this lande But sir to saye the sothe I was ioyfull whan ye were gone for the bisshop of London in whos pryson ye lefte me founde in me no cause for to holde me lenger in his pryson but at the requeste of my frendes he deliuered me to them asking of me no maner of submittyng Than the archebishoppe saide to me Wherfore that I yede out of Englond is vnknowen to the But be this thinge well knowen to the that god as I wote well hath called me ageyne and broughte me into this lande for to destroyethe and the false secte that thou arte off as by god I shall persue you so naroulye that I shall not leaue a steppe off you in thys lande And I said to the archebisshop Sir the holy prophete Ieremy said to the false prophete Anany Whan the worde that is the prophecye of a prophete is knowen or fulfilled than it shall be knowen that the Lorde sent the prophete in treutthe And the Archebishoppe as if he hadde noâ— ben pleased with my saiynge turned hym away warde hyther and thyther and sayde By god I shall sette vpon thy shynnes a paire of perlis that thou shalt be gladde to chaunge thy voice Thes many mo woÌ„derous coÌ„vicious wordes wer spoken to me manassing me all other of the same secte for to be punisshed destroyed vnto the vttermoste And the Archebishop called than to hym a clerke rowned with him that clerke weÌ„t forthe sone he brought in the Constable of Saltwode castell and the archebishop rowned a good while with hym and than the Constable went forthe and than cam in diuerse seculers and they scorned me no euery syde aÌ„d manassed me greatly And some counselled the Archebisshop to burne me by and by and some other counselled hym to drounde me in the see for it is nerehande there And a clerke standyng be syde me there knelede downe to the Archebishoppe praiyng hym that he wolde delyuer me to hym for to saye matenes with hym and he wolde vndertake that within thre dayes I sholde not resiste any thynge that were commaunded me to doo of my prelate And the archebishop said that he wold ordeine for me himselfe And than after came in ageyn the Constable spake priuely to the archebishop And than the Archebisshop commaunded the constable to lede me forthe thens with hym and so he did And whan we wer gone forthe thens we wer sent afâ—â—r ageyn And whan I came in ageyne before the Archebisshop a clerke badde me knele downe and aske grace and submit me lowly and I sholde fynde it for the beste And I said than to the Archebisshop Sir as I haue said to you diuerse tymes to day I will wilfully and lowly obey and submit me to be ordenid euer after my connyng and power to god and to his lawe and to euery member of holy chirche as ferre forth as I can perceyue that thes meÌ„bres accorde with their hedde Christe and will teache me reule me or chastyse me by authorite specially of goddis lawe And the Archebisshop said I wiste well he wolde not without soche addicions submit hym And than I was rebukyd scornyd and manasyd on euery syde and yet after this diuerse persones cried vpon me to knele downe aÌ„d submit me but I stoode still and spake no worde And than there was spokyn of me aÌ„d to me many greate wordis and I stoode aÌ„d herde them manase curse scorne me but I said nothing Than a while after the Archedisshop said to me Wilt thou not submit the to the ordinance of holy chirche And I said Sir I will full gladly submit me as I haue shewid you before And than the Archebisshop badde the Constable to haue me forthe thens in haste And so than I was ledde forthe brought in to a foule vnhoneste pryson where I came neuer before But thaÌ„ked be god whan all meÌ„ wer gone forâ—he than fro me and had sparred faste the pryson dore after them by and by after I therein by myself besied me to thinke on god to thanke hym of his goodnesse And I was than greatly coÌ„forted in all my wittes not onely for that I was than deliuered for a tyme fro the sighte fro the hearing fro the presence fro the scornyng and fro the manasyng of myne enemies but moche more I reioysed in the lorde because that thorow his grace he kept me so bothe among the flatering specially and among the manasyng of myne aduersaries that without heuynesse aÌ„d anguysshe of my coÌ„science I passed away fro them For as a tree laide vpon a nother tree ouer wharâ—e or on crosse wyse so was the Archebisshop and his thre clerkis alwayes contrary to me and I to them Now goode god for thyne holy name and to the praisyng of thy moste blessed name make vs one to gither if it be thy will by authorite of thy worde that is true perfite charite and els not And that is may thus be all that this writyng reade or heare praye hartely to the lorde god that he for his greate goodnesse that can not be with tonge expressed graunte to vs and to all other that in the same wyse and for the same cause
clerkis of your realme if it he trewthe that it myght be confermyd I to be holden for a trew christen man if it be false that it myght be dampned I tauchte a better beleue by goddis lawe and I will gladly obey therto This forsaid beleue the lorde Cobham wrote tooke it with hym offered it to the kyng for to see the kyng wolde not receiue it but bad hym take it to them that sholde be his iudges And than the lorde of Cobham offered to brynge before the kyng to purge hym of all errour ād heresy that they wolde put ageinst hym an hūdred knyghtes squteres And also he offered to fighte with ony mā christen or hethen that wold say that he wer false in his beleue except the kyng and his brethren And after he said he wold submit hym to all maner correcciō that any mā wold correcte hym after goddis law And not withstanding all this the kyng suffered hym to be somoned personally in his owne chāber And the lorde of Cobham said to the kyng that he hadde appeled to the pope fro the Archebisshop wherfore he said he ought not to take him for his iudge so he hadde there his appele redy written shewid it to the kyng therwith the kynge was more angry said He sholde not pursue his apele but rather he sholde be ī warde till his appele wer admitted ād than wolde he or not he sholde be his iudge And thus nothing of all this myght be alowed but because he wolde not sweare to submit hym to the chirche take what penaūce the Archebisshop wold inioyne hym he was arested sent to the towre of London to keape his day that the bisshop assigned hym in the kynges chamber And than he made the beleue afore said with the answeres to foure poyntes that now folow to be written in two partes of an endenture And whan he came to answer he gaue that one parte to the bisshope ād that other parte he kept to hymself ¶ The endenture of the lorde Cobham I Iohn̄ Olde castell knyght lorde of Cobham will that all christē men were how that Thomas of Arundell Archebisshop of Cāterbury hath now leyde maliciously vntreuly by his letter his seale written of me in sclaunderous wyse that I sholde otherwyse feale and teache of the sacramētis of holy chirche assyning in speciall the sacrament of the altare the sacramēt of penaūce also in worshipping of ymagis in goyng on pilgrimagis otherwyse than fealeth and teacheth the vniuersall holy chirche I take almightie god to witnes that it hath ben now is euer with the helpe of god shall be myne entēt my will to beleue feithfully ād treuly in all the sacramētis that euer god ordened to be done in holy chirche And more ouer for to declare me in thes poyntes a foresaid I beleue that the moste worshipfull sacramēt of the altare is very Christes body in fourme of breade the same body that was borne of the blessed virgin our lady seynt Marie done on the crosse dede buried ād the thirde day rose fro dethe to lyfe the which body is now glorified in heuē Also as for the sacramēt of penaūce I beleue that it is nedefull to eueri mā that shall be sauyd to forsake synne and to doo dew penaūce for synne before done with trewe cōfessiō very cōtriciō dew satisfacciō as goddis law limeteth teacheth els may he not be sauyd which penaunce I desyre all men to doo And as for ymagis I vnderstonde that they be not of belefe but they wer ordened syns beleue was geuyn of Christe by sufferaunce of the chirche for to be kalenderis to lay men to represente bring to mynde the passion of our lorde Iesu Christe and martirdome good lyuyng of other sayntes And that who so it be that doeth the worship to deede ymages that is dewe to god or puttith hope feyth or truste in helpe of them as he sholde doo to god or hathe affecciō in one more than in a nother he doeth in that the greate synne of ydolatrie Also I suppose this fully that euery man in this erthe is a pilgreme toward blesse or toward peyne And that he that knowith not nor will not knowe nor kepe the holy commaundementis of god in his liuyng here all be it that he go on pilgrimage into all the worlde and he dye so he shall be dampned And he that knoweth the holy commaundemētis of god and kepith them to his ende he shall be sauyd though he neuer in his lyfe go on pilgrimage as men vse now to Canterbury or to Rome or to ony other place This beleue indented conteinyng the forsaid beleue with thes forsaid answeres he tooke to the bisshops whan he cam to answer on the saturday next befor Michelmesse in the yeare aforesayd And what so euer the bisshopes asked him he badde them looke what his bill said therto and therby wolde he stande to the dethe other answer gaue he not that day but the bisshopes wer not quietyd herewith And the Archebisshop badde hym take auysement till moneday next folowing to answer to this poynte Yf there remained materiall brede in the sacramēt of of the altare after the wordis of consecracion And in the meane tyme he perceiuyd that the vttermoste malice was purposed ageinst hī how so euer he answered therfore he putt his lyfe in goddis hande and answered thus as folowith This is the iudgement and sentence geuyn vpon sir Iohn Old castell knyght and lorde of Cobham the moneday next before michelmesse day at the friers prechers in London in the yeare of our lorde a thousand foure hundred and thirtene the Archebisshop of Canterbery the bisshop of London the bisshop of winchester the bisshop of Bangar Master Iohn̄ witnā Master Iohn̄ whytehede doctours of diuinite Master Philip Morgan Master henry ware Master Iohn̄ kempe doctours of lawe And sir Robert wambnell vicare of seynt Laurence in the iewrie Master Iohn̄ Steuenes Master Iames Colenotaries with the foure orders of friers and many other clerkis demyng and cōuicting hym for an heretike and a cursed man The Archebisshop made all thes clerkys and doctours both religious and seculers to swere vpon a booke that they sholde not for loue or fauour of the one partie nor for any enuy or hatrede of the other partie say nor witnesse but the truthe And the two forsaid notaries wer sworē also to write to witnesse the wordis processe y◠wer to be said on bothe the parties and to say the sothe if hit otherwyse wer After this the lorde of Cobhā came ād was broughte before them all to his examinacion to his answer Than the Archebisshop said to hym Lorde of Cobham ye ben auysed well ynoughe of the wordis and processe that wer said to you vpon saturday laste paste in the chapter house of Paulis the
which processe wer now to long to reherse Than I proffered to haue assoiled you for ye wer acursed of your contumacy and disobediēce to holy chirche Than said the lorde Cobham forthe with God saith Maledicā benedictionibus vestris that is to say I shall curse your blessinges Than said the Archebisshop Sir than I peroffered to haue assoiled you if ye wold haue asked it and yet I doo the same Than said the lorde of Cobham Nay forso the I trespased neuer ageinst you and therfore will I not doo it And with that he kneled downe on the pauement and helde vp his handis said I shryue me to god and to you all sirs that in my youthe I haue synnyd greatly and greuously in lecherie and in pride and hurte many men done many other horrible synnes good lord I crie the mercie And therwith wepingly he stoode vp ageyn and said Here for the brekyng of goddis lawe and his commaundementis ye cursed me not But for your owne lawes and tradiciōs aboue goddis law ād therfore it shall be destroied Than the Archebisshop examined the lorde of his beleue And the lorde of Cobhā said I beleue fully in all goddis law I beleue that it is all trewe and I beleue all that god will that I beleue Than the Archebisshop examined hym of the sacramente of the altare how he beleuyd therein The lorde of Cobhā said Christe vpon shere thursday at nyght sitting with his disciples at the supper after that he hadde supped he tooke breade geuyng thankis to the fader he blessed it and brake it gaue it to his disciples saiyng take eate ye of this all this is my body that shall be betraied for you doo you this in the remembraunce of me This beleue I said he Than the Archebisshop asked hym if it wer breade after the consecracion and the sacramētall wordes said The lorde of Cobham said I beleue that the sacrament of the altare is very Christes body in fourme of breade the same body the was borne of the virgin Mary done on the crosse dede and buried and the thirde day rose fro dethe to lyfe which body is now glorified in heuen Thā said one of the doctours of law After the sacramētall wordes said ther remaineth no brede but the body of Christe Than the lorde of Cobham said to one Master Iohn̄ whitehede You said to me in the castell of Cowling that the ooste sacred was not Christes body But I said yt was Christes body though seculers friers holde eche one agenst other in this opinion Than said they We say all that it is goddis body And they askyd hym whether it wer materiall breade after the consecracion Than said the lorde I beleue that it is Christes body in fourme of breade Sir beleue ye not thus And the Archcbisshop said Ye Than the doctours askyd hym whether it wer onely Christes body after the consecracion and no breade And he said to them Yt is Christes body breade for right as Christe was here in māhode and the godhede hidde in the manhode so I beleue verely that Christes flesche and his blode is hidde there in the fourme of breade Than they smylde eche one on other demyng hym takyn in heresy and said it is an heresy The Archebisshop asked hym what breade it was and the clerkis also whether it wer materiall or not Than the lorde said the gospell spekith not of this terme materiall ād therfore I will not but I say it is Christes body and breade For the gospell saith Ego sum panis viuus qui de celo descendi th̄at is to say I am quicke breade that came downe frome heuen For as oure lorde Iesu Christe is very god and very man so the most blessed sacrament of the altare is Christes body and breade Than thei said it is an heresy to say that it is brede after the consecracion the sacramentall wordes said but onely Christes body The lorde said Seynt Paul the apostle was as wise as ye bē he called it breade wher he saith thus The breade that we breake is it not the partetaking of the body of the lorde Than they saide Paule muste be other wyse vnderstanded for it is an heresy to say that it is breade after the consecracion but onely christes body for it is ageynst the determinacion of the chirche Than they asked hī whether he beleued not in the determinacion of the churche And he said to thē No forsothe but I beleue all goddes lawe and all that god will that I beleue but not in youre lawe nor in youre determinacion for ye be no parte of holy churche as openly your dedis shewe but very Antichristes contrary to gods law For ye haue made lawes for youre couetousnes This they said was heresy not for to beleue in the determinacion of the chirche Than the Archebishop asked him what was holy churche He said I beleue that holy chirch is the number of all thē that shall be saued of whom Christ is hed of that which chirch one parte is in heuē an other in purgatorye the thirde here in erthe This parte here standeth in thre degrees estates priestehode knighthode and the comunalte as I sayde playnly in my beleue Than the arbtshop said to hī Wote you who is of this chirche it is doute to you who is thereof ye sholde not iudge The lorde said Operibus credite iustū iudiciū iudicate that is to say Beleue ye the workes iudge ye rightfull iugement And also he saide to them all Where fynde ye by gods lawe that ye sholde sit thus vpon any man or ony mannis death as ye do but Anna Cayphas sat iudged Christe and so do you Thā said they Yes sir Christ iudged Iudas The lord of Cobham said No. Christ iudged not Iudas but he iudged himself went hāged himself but Christe saide Wo to him as he dothe to many of you For syns the venyme was shed in to the chirche ye folowed neuer Christ nor ye stode neuer in perfection of goddes lawe Than the Archebishop asked him what was that venyme The lorde said The lordshippes and possessyons For than cried an angell wo wo wo this day is venyme shed into the chirch of god for before that tyme ther wer many martirs of popis and syns I cā tell of none but sothe it is syns that tyme one hath put downe a nother one hath slayne a nother ād one hath cursed a nother as the cronicles tell also of moch more cursednesse Also he said Christ was meke the pope is proude Christ was pore forgaue the pope is riche a māslear as it is opēly proued And thus this is the neste of Antichriste out of this neste cometh Antichristes disciples of whome these monkes friers ben the taile Thā said the priour of the frier Austines Sir why saye ye so And the lorde of Cobham said for as ye bē
pharisies deuided deuided in habite so ye make diuisiÌ„on amoÌ„ge the people And thus thes friers moÌ„kes with soch other be the meÌ„bres of the neste of antichrist And he said Christe saith Wo be to you scribes pharifies ypocrites for ye close vp the kingdome of heueÌ„ before meÌ„ for sothe ye enter not your self nor ye will nat suffer them that wold to enter in thus ye be the disciples of Antichrist For ye will not suffer gods lawe to go thorowe nor to be taucht preched of good priestes whiche will speke ageinst your sinnes repreue theÌ„ but of soch that beÌ„ flaterers whiche susteyne you in your synnes cursednes ThaÌ„ said the archebishop By our lady sir there shall no soche preache that preacheth dissensyon diuision if god will ThaÌ„ said the lorde of Cobham to the archebishop Christ saith that ther shall be so greate tribulacioÌ„ as neuer was syns the begiÌ„niÌ„g And this shal be in your dayes by you for ye haue slayne many meÌ„ mo shall hereafter but Christ sâ—ith excepte that those dayes were shortened no flesch sholde be saued but hastly god will short your dayes Forthermore bishops priestes dyacons ben grounded in goddes lawe but not thes other religions as ferre as I can wete ThaÌ„ a doctour of lawe one master Ihon kempe put to hiÌ„ thes foure poyntes that folowe The faith the determinacioÌ„ of holy chirch touching the blessed sacrament of the altare is this that after the sacramentall wordes ben said of a priest in his masse the materiall breade that was before is torned into Christes body the materiall wyne that was before is torned in to Christes very blode so there remayneth in the sacrament of the altare no materiall breade nor materiall wyne the whiche wer there before the sayng of the sacrameÌ„tall wordes Sir beleue ye not thys The lorde of CobhaÌ„ said This is not my beleue For my beleue is as I saide to you before that the worshipfull sacrament of the altare is very chhristes body in fourme of breade Than said the archebishoppe Sir Ihon ye must say otherwise The lorde of Cobham said Nay yf god will but that it is christes body in fourme of breade as all the comon beleue is The doctour said The seconde is this that holy chirche hath determined that euery christeÌ„ man lyuyng bodely vpon erth oweth to be shriueÌ„ to a prieste ordened by the chirche if he maye come to him Sir what say ye to this The lorde answered and said A seake man and sore wounded hadde nede to haue a sure leche and a trewe knowing his cure and therfore a man sholde principally be shreuen to god and els his confession is noucht And a maÌ„ sholde rather go be counsellid with a good prieste that knowith goddis lawe and liueth thereafter than with his owne prieste if he wer an euyl man or with ony other soche The doctour said The thirde is this Christe ordenyd seynt Peter apostle to be his vicare iÌ„ erthe whose see is the chirche of Rome ordenyng and graunting that the same power that be gaue to peter sholde succede to all Peters successours the which we call now the popis of Rome by whose power in the chirche particulerly and specially ben ordenyd prelates as Archebisshopis Bisshopes other degrees to whome christen men owe to obeye after the lawe of the chirche of Rome This is the determinacion of the chirche To this he answered and said Who that foloweth next Peter in liuyng is next hym in succession but your liuyng refuseth poore peters liuyng aÌ„d many other popes that wer martirs in Rome that folowed peter in maner of liuyng whos condicions ye haue clene forsakyn all the worlde may knowe it well The doctour said The fourth pointe is this Holy chirche hathe determined that it is medefull to a christen man to go on pilgrimages to holy places and there specially to worship holy reliques of seyntes apostles martirs confessours and all seyntes approuyd by the chirche of Rome To this he said Yt wer ynough to bury saintes fayre in the erthe but now sayntes that be deade ben compellid to begge for couetousnes the which in their lyfe hated couetousnes and begging but I say to you all and knowe it for a treuthe that with your shrynes and ydoles your feyned absolucions and indulgencis and your teÌ„poraltes ye drawe to you all the richesse of this worlde Why sir said one of the clerkis will ye not worship ymagis What worship saide the lorde ThaÌ„ said frier Palmer Sir ye will worship the crosse of Christe that he died on Where is it said the lorde The frier said I put case sir that it wer here before you The lorde said This is a redy man to put to me a question of a thing that they wote neuer where it is And yet I aske you what worship A clerke said Soche worship as Paul spekith of that is this God forbid me to ioye but in the crosse of our lorde Iesu Christe Than said the lorde and spred his armes abrode This is a very crosse Than said the bisshop of London Sir ye wote well that he died on a materiall crosse Than said the lorde Our saluacion cam in onely by hym that died on the crosse and by the materiall crosse And well I wote that this was the crosse that Paul ioyed on that is in the passion of our lord Iesu Christe The Archebisshop said Sir IohnÌ„ ye muste submit you to the ordinaunce of the chirche The lorde said I wote not wherto Than the Archebisshop redde a bill of his iugement and conuicted hym for an heretike After the reding of the bill the lorde said Though ye iudge my body I hope to god that he will saue my soule and he said that he wold stande to the death by these thinges before said With the helpe of Iesu And than he said to all the people Sirs for goddis loue be well ware of thes men for they will begile you els and lede you blyndelinges in to hell and themself also For Christe saith if one blynde man lede a nother bothe fall in to the ditche And after this thus he praied for his enemies and said Lorde god I beseche the forgyue my perseweâ—s if it be thy will And than he was ledde a geyne to the towre of London and thus was the ende WHile the lorde of Cobham was in the towre he sent out priuely to his frendis and they at his desyre enfourmyd and writ this bill that folowith next commending it to the people that they sholde cease the sclauÌ„ders leasynges that his enemies made on hym FOr as mekill as sir IohnÌ„ Old castell knyght and lorde of Cobham is vntreuly conuicted and prysoned and falsly reported and sclaundered among the people by his aduersaries that he sholde other wyse feale speke of the sacramentis of holy chirche aÌ„d specially of the blessed sacrament of the altare than was written in his beleue which was indented takyn to the clergie aÌ„d set vp in diuerse opyn placis in the cite of London Knowen be it to all the worlde that he neuer varied in ony poynte there fro but this is playnly his beleue that all the sacramentes of holy chirche ben profitable and medefull to all theÌ„ that shall be sauyd takyng them after the entent that god and holy chirche hath ordenyd Ferther more he beleuith that the blessed sacrament of the altare is verely and treuly Christes body in fourme of breade Trewth long hyd now ys dysclosed Praysed be god Amen