God for their most specyall treasure and haue hym in soch intiere loue that they had moch leuer to lose themselues than hym The wicked desperates haue the voluptuouse pleasures of thys vayne worlde so dere that they hade leuer to forsake God and all hys workes than to be sequestred from them Thys godlye yonge woman referreth prayse vnto her lorde God that he hath not lefte her in thys paynefull conflycte for his verytees sake but perseuered stronge with her beynge in hope that he wolde so styll contynewe with her to the verye ende as without fayle he dyd Manye men sore wondre now a daies that Wrisleye whiche was in my lorde Cromwels tyme so ernest a doer against the pope is now becomen agayne for his red larye wares so myghtye a captaine But they remembre not the common adage that honour chaungeth maners and lucre iudgementes These great ynne kepers they saye hadde leuer to haue one good horse man to hooste than vi men on fote specyally if they weare veluet whodes or fyne rochettes What els foloweth Chryst but beggery and sorowes whyche are verye hatefull to the worde Where fatnesse is cawse of euerye mannys laboure there is yet sum what to be loked for If hys chrysten zele be soch that he wyll haue no she heretykes vnponnyshed lete hym do fyrste of all as we reade of dyuerse ryghtfull gouerners amonge the heythen Lete hym serch hys owne howse wele Parauenture he maye fynde aboute my ladye hys wyfe a rellycke of no lytle vertue a practyse of Pythagoras or an olde midwyues blessyng which she carryeth closelye on her for preseruacyoÌ„ of her honoure Her opinyoÌ„ is folke saye that so loÌ„ge as she hath that vpoÌ„ her her worldlye worship can neuer decaye I praye God this prouysyon in short space deceyueth her not as it hath done pope Siluester the seconde and as it dyd of late yeares Thomas wolsye our late Cardynall This heresye goeth neyther to the racke nor to the fyre to Newgate nor yet Smythfelde as contynuallye doth the pore Gospell Anne Askewe Then was I brought to an howse and layed in a bed with as werye and paynefull bones as euer had pacyente Iob I thanke my lorde God therof Then my lorde Chauncellour sente me worde if I wold leaue my opynioÌ„ I shuld waÌ„t nothinge If I wold not I shuld fourth to Newgate so be burned I sente him agayne worde that I wold rather die thaÌ„ to breake my faythe Thus the lorde open the eyes of their blinde hartes that the truthe maye take place Fare wele dere frynde and praye praye praye Iohan Bale Beholde in thys last parcell most euydeÌ„t signes of a christeÌ„ martyr and faythfull witnesse of God besydes that went afore She allegeth not in all thys longe processe lienge legendes popyshe fables nor yet olde wiues parables but the most liuelie autoritees and examples of the sacred Byble Se putteth her selfe here in remembraunce not of desperate Cayne nor yet of sorowfull Iudas but of most pacyent Iob for example of godlye sufferaunce For Anguysh and payne of her broken ioyntes and broused armes and eyes she curseth not the tyme that euer she was borne as the maner of the vnfaythfull is But she hyghlye magnyfyeth and prayseth God for it Neyther was she peruerted with flatteringe promyses nor yet ouer coÌ„men with terryble threttenynges of deathe Neyther doubted she the stynke of Newgate nor yet the burnynge fyre in Smythfelde But coueted rather deathe of her bodye for the syncere doctryne of Christe than lyfe of the same vndre the ydolatrouse doctrine of the Romysh pope She desyred God to take mercye of her enemyes and exhorted all Christen people instauntlye to praye for them If these be not the frutes of a true beleuer what other frutes els can we axe Anne Askewes answere vnto Iohan Lassels letter Oh frynde most derelye beloued in God I maruele not a litle what shuld moue yow to iudge in me so slendre a faythe as to feare deathe whiche is the ende of all myserye In the lorde I desyre yow not to beleue of me soch wyckednesse For I doubt it not but God wyll perfourme hys worke in me lyke as he hath begonne Iohan Bale I woulde but knowe of them which are common readers of chronycles and Sayntes lyues where they euer redde of a more feruente and lyuelye faythe than was in thys godlye yonge woman As lyght a matter estemed she deathe as dyd Eleazarus that auncyent senyour or yet the vii Machabees with their most worthie mother ii Mach. vi vii For she sayde that it was but the ende of al sorowes She reckened not with the couetouse man the remembraunce therof bytter Eccle. xiiii But with the righteouse she thought it a mooste redie swyfte passage vnto lyfe Ioan. v. The feare of deathe iudged she great wickednesse in a Christen beleuer was in full hope that God wold not suffer her to be troubled therwith For whye deathe loâ—seth vs no life but bringeth it in vnto vs lyke as the harde winter bringeth in the most pleasauÌ„t somer Who can thynke whaÌ„ the sunne goeth downe that it vtterly so perysheth Death vnto the righteouse beleuer is as a profitable haruest which after sweate labour bringeth in moste dylectable frutes None otherwyse thought it Anne Askewe than a verye entrauÌ„ce of lyfe whaÌ„ she had it thus in desyre faithfullie trusted with Paule that God wolde fynyshe in her that he than begonne to hys owne glorye Philippen i. Anne Askewe I vnderstande the counsell is not a lyttle dyspleased that it shulde be reported abroade that I was racked in the towre They saye nowe that they dyd there was but to feare me Wherby I perceyue they are ashamed of their vncomelye doynges and feare moch least the kynges mageste shuld haue informacion therof Wherfore they woulde no man to noyse it Well their crueltye God forgeue them Your hart in Christe Iesu. Farewele and praye Iohan Bale Hypocrites and tyrauntes wolde neuer be gladly knowne abroade for that they are in dyde But for that they are not they loke alwayes to be gloryouslye noysed Wrisleye Ryche woulde yet be iudged of the worlde ii sober wyse men and verye sage counsellers But this tyâ—â—nnouse example of theirs maketh a most manyfest shewe of the contrarye Yea and the God of heauen wyll haue it so knowne to the vnyuersall worlde to their ignomynyt and shame So is he wonte to rewarde all cruell Apostataes as he rewarded Iulianus for their wylfull coÌ„tempt of his verite The martyr of Christ for her pacyent sufferaunce shall leaue here behinde her a gloryouse report whereas these forworne enemyes and pursuers of his worde haue purchased themseluâ—â— a perpetuall infamy by their cruelte and myschef In excuse of their madnes they saye they dyd it only to feare her Is it not
the madnesse of the Byshoppes and their speche men Reade burnynge plates of yron and of brasse had Blandina put to her sydes So had Anne Askewe the flamynge brādes of fyre Full of God and his veryte was Blandina So was Anne Askewe to the verye ende Christ wonderfullye tryumphed in Blandina So ded he in Anne Askewe whan she made no noyse on the racke and so ernestlye afterwarde reioyced in him Blandina was geuen fourth to wyld beastes to be deuoured So was Anne Askewe to cruel Bisshoppes prestes whom Christ calleth rauenynge wolues deuourers and theues Mathe. vii Iohan x. Blandina vpon the scaffolde boldelye reprehended the pagane prestes of theyr errour So dyd Anne Askewe when she was fast tied to the stake with stomack rebuked that blasphemous apostata Shaxton with the Bishoppes and prestes generacyon for theyr manyfest mayntenaunce of ydolatrye Blandina at the stake shewed a vysage vnterryfyed So ded Anne Askewe acountenaunce stowte myghtye and ernest Infatygable was the sprete of Blādina So was the sprete of Anne Askew The loue of Iesus Christ the gift of the holy Ghost and hope of the crowne of martirdome greatlye mytygated the paine in Blandina So ded those iii worthy graces the terrour of all tormentes in Anne Askewe The stronge sprete of Christ gaue stomack to Blandina both to laugh and daunce The same mightye sprete not the popes desperate sprete made Anne Askewe both to reioyce and synge in the preson So bolde was blandina saythe Eusebius that wyth a presumpciō of stomack she cōmoned with Christ vnsene I suppose Anne Askewes lattre examinaciō wyl shewe her not to doo moche lesse Gentyl was Blādina to the Christē beleuers terryble to their aduersatyes So was Anne Askewe very lowlye to true teachers but scorneful and hygh stomaked to the enemyes of truthe Many were conuerted by the sufferaunce of Blandina A farre greatter nombre by the burnynge of Anne Askewe Though Blandina were yonge yet was she called the mother of martyrs Manye men haue supposed Anne Askewe for her Chrysten constancye to be no lesse Blandina prayed for her persecuters So dyd Anne Askewe most feruentlye The ashes of blandina and of other martirs were throwne into the stood of Rhodanus What was done with the Ashes of Anne Askewe her companyons I can not yet tell All these former reportes of Blandina and manye more besydes hath Eusebius in Ecclesiastica historia libro v. cap. i. ii iii. Hugo Floriacensis Hermannus Contractus Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus other hystoryanes more And as touchinge Anne Askewe these ii examinacions with her other knowen handelynges in Englande are witnesse for her suffycyent Thus hath not the fyre taken Anne Askewe al whole from the world but left her here vnto it more pure perfyghte precious than afore as it wyl also Iohan Lassels within short space So that concernyng her it maye well be sayde that Paule verefyeth ii Cor. xii The strength of God is here made perfyght by weakenes Whan she semed most feble than was she most strōge And gladlye she reioyced in that weakenes that Christes power myght strongely dwell in her Thus choseth the lord the folysh of thys worlde to cōfounde the wyse the weake to deface the myghtye Yea thynges despysed thought verye vyle to brynge thynges vnto naught whych the worlde hath in most hyghe reputaciō I thincke if this martyr were rightly conferred with those canonysed martyrs whych haue had and yet hath styl sensynges and syngynges massynges ryngynges ī the popes English churche cause with cause and reason wyth reason as haplye here after they shal she shuld be a great blemysh vnto them An example of stronge sufferaunce myghte this holy martir be vnto all them that the Lorde shal after lyke manner put forewarde in this horryble furye of Antichriste to the glorye of hys persecuted Churche Amen The first examinacion of the worthye seruaunte of God mastres Anne Askewe the yonger doughter of Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyghte of Lyncolne shyre lately martyred in Smythfelde by the Romyshe popes vpholders The censure or iudgemēt of Iohan Bale therupon after the sacred Scriptures and Chronycles OF no lesse Christen cōstancie was this faithfull wytnes and holy martyr of God Anne Askewe nor no lesse a fast member of Christ by her myghtye persystēce in his verite at this tyme of mischife thā was the afore named Blandina in the prymatiue churche This shal wele apere in her ii examynacions or tyrannouse handelynges here folowinge whome she wrote with her owne hāde at the instāt desyre of certen faithfull men and wemē yea rather at the secrete mocyon of God that the truth therof myght be knowne the world ouer As within short space yt wyll be yf the latyne spech can carye yt Marke wel the cōmunycaciōs here both of her and of her examyners so prouing their spretes as S. Iohan the Apostle geuethe yow counsell i. Io. iiii And than shall ye know the tree by his frute the man by hys worke Anne Askewe To satisfye youre expectacion good people saithe she thys was my firste examynacyon in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.xlv. and in the monethe of Marche firste Christofer Dare examyned me at Sadlers hall beynge one of the queste and asked yf I dyd not beleue that the sacramente hangynge ouer the aultre was the verye bodye of Chryste reallye Thē I demaunded this question of him wherfore S. Steuē was stoned to death And he said he coulde not tell Then I answered that no more wolde I assoyle his vayne questyon Iohan Bale A sacrament sayth Saynt Augustyne is a sygne shappe or symylytude of that it representith and no God nor yet thynge represented This worde reall or reallye is not of beleue for it is not in all the sacred scriptures Onlye is it sophistycallye borowed of the paganes lernynge by wynchestre his fellowes to corrupt our Christen fayth Be ware of that fylthye poyson The perfyght beleue of Steuen Actoru vii of Paule Act. xvii of Salomon iii. Reg. viii ii Par◠vi was that god dwelleth not in temples made with handes Agreable vnto this was the faythe of thys Godlye woman whych neyther coulde beleue that he dwellethe in the boxe God sayth Esaye lxvi Heauen is my seate not the boxe Dauid saythe Psal. cxiii oure God is in heauen not in the pyxe Christ taught vs to saye whā we praye Mat. vi Luce. xi our father which arte in heauen and not our father which art in the boxe Now discerne and iudge Anne Askewe Secondly he sayde that there was a woman whyche dyd testyfye that I should reade howe God was not in temples made wyth handes Then I shewed hym the. vii and the. xvii chapitre of the Apostles actes what Steuen and Paule had said therin Wherupon he asked me howe I
for non other myracle but that onelye they perseuer faythfull to the ende Mathe. x. And neuer denye his verite afore men Luce. xii For that worthye vyctorye of the synnefull worlde standethe in the inuyncyblenesse of fayth and not in myracles and wonders as those waueringe wittes suppose i. Ioan. v. Ryght wonderfullye wyl this apere in the. ii myghtye conflyctes here after folowynge whych the faytfull seruaunt of Iesu Anne Askewe a gentylwoman verye yonge dayntye and tender had with that outragynge Synagoge in her ii examynacions about the xxv yeare of her age whom she sent abroade by her owne hand writynge The handelynges of her other iii. companyons shall be shewed in other seuerall treatyses at layser For the glorye and greate power of the lorde so manifestlye aperynge in hys elect vessels maye not nowe perysh at al handes be vnthankefullye neglected but be spred the worlde ouer as we le in Latyne as English to the perpetuall in famye of so willfully cruel and spyghtfull tyrauntes Nothynge at all shall it terryfye vs nor yet in anie point lete vs of our purpose that our bokes are nowe in Englande condempned and brente by the Byshoppes and prestes with their frantick affinite the great Antichristes vpholders whyche seke by all practises possyble to turne ouer the kynges most noble and godlye interpryse But it wyll from hens forth occasyon vs to set fourth in the Latine also that afore we wrote onlie in the English and so make theyr spirytuall wyckednesse and treason knowne moche farther of What auayled it Ioakim to burne Hieremies proyhecye by the vngracyouse counsell of his prelates Hiere xxxvi Either yet Antiochus to set fyre on the other scriptures i. Macha i. After the Apostles were brought afore the counsell and strayghtlye cōmaunded to cease from preachynge they preached moch more thā afore Acto iiii In most terrible persecucions of the primatiue churche were the examynacions answers tormentes and deathes of the constaunt martyrs written and sente abroade all the whole worlde ouer as testyfyeth Eusebius Cesariensis in his ecclesyastyck hystorye Their coppyes haboūde yet euery where Great slaughter burnynge hath bene here in Englande for Iohan wycleues bokes euer sens the yeare of our lorde M. CCC LXXXII Yet haue not one of them throughlye perysheth I haue at thys houre the tytles of a C. and XLIIII of them which are many more in nombre For some of thē vndre one title comprehendeth ii bokes some iii. some iiii Yea one of them contayneth xii I thinke not the contrary but ere the worlde be at a full ende God wyll so gloryfye that twentye tymes condempned heretyke execrated cursed spitted and spatled at that al your popish writers before hys tyme and after wyll be reckned but vyle swyne heardes to hym for the good fauer he bare to Chrystes holye Gospell A very madnesse is it to stryue agaynst God whā he wyll haue the longe hydden inyquytees knowne As the godlye wyse man Gamaliel sayd Acto v. If this enterpryse that is now taken agaynst yow be of God ye shal neuer be able with all your tirannouse practyses to dyssolue it Now concernynge that blessed woman Anne Askewe which latelye suffered the tyrannye of this world for right wisnesse sake In Lyncolneshyre was she borne of a verye auncyent and noble stocke Sir William Askewe a worthy knyght beynge her father But no worthynesse in the fleshe neyther yet anye worldlye noblenesse auaileth to god warde afore whome is no acceptacyon of persone Actorum x. Onlye is it faythe with his true loue and feare which maketh vs the accepte noble and worthye chyldren vnto God Ioan. i. Whereof by hys gyfte she had wonderfull habundaunce Soch a wone was she as was Lydia the purple sellar whose harte the lorde opened by the godlye preachynge of Paule at Thiatira Acto xvi For dylygent hede gaue she to his worde whan it was ones taught wythoute supersticion would no lōgar be a false worshipper or ydolatour after the wicked scole of Antichrist But became frō thens forth a true worshipper worshipping her lorde God whych is a sprete not breade in sprete in veryte accordinge to the worde of his Ioan. iiii The Gospell of Christ bare she in her harte as ded the holye mayde Cecilia neuer after ceased frō the study therof nor frō godlye cōmunycacion prayer tyll she was clerlie by most cruel tormentes taken from thys wretched worlde By her do I here dere fryndes in the Lord as ded the faithfull Bretherne in Fraunce at the cities of Lions and Vicuna by a lyke faythfull yonge woman called Blandina Whyche was there put to deathe with iii. myghtye companyons more amonge other as thys was for her Christē beleue about the yeare of our lorde C. and. lxx in the primatiue sprynge of their Christyanyte They wrote vnto their Bretherne in the landes of Asia Phrygia verye farre of her mightie stronge sufferinges for Christes faith which the knewe nothing of afore I write here vnto yow in Englād the double processe of this noble woman wherof ye are not ignoraunt for so moch as it was there so manyfestly done amonge yow Coupled I haue these ii examples togither bycause I fynde them in so manye pointes agree Blandina was yonge and tender So was Anne Askewe also But that which was fraile of nature in thē both Christ made most stronge by hys grace Blandina had iii. ernest companions in Christ. Maturus Sanctes and Attalus so feruently faythfull as her selfe So had Anne Askewe iii. fyre fellowes a gentylman called Iohan Lassels her instructour a preste and a tayler called Iohan Adlam men in Chrystes veryte vnto the ende most cōstaunt With Blādina were in preson to the nombre of x. whych denyed the truthe and were clerelie forsakē of God for it How manye fell frō Christ besydes Crome Shaxton whan Anne Askewe stode faste by hym I am vncerteyne But I counsell them as saynte Iohan counselled the Laodycyanes in the myserable estate they are now in to hye them through tryed golde of Christ least they perysh all togither Apoca. iii. If they had not styll remayned in that chauncell whome Christe commaunded Iohan in no wyse to measure Apoc. ii They had neuer so shamefullye blasphemed lyke as Bedas also toucheth in hys former prophecye Prompt was Blandina and of most lustye corage in renderynge her lyfe for the lyberte of her faythe No lesse lyuelye and quyck was Anne Askewe in all her enprisoninges and tormētes Great was the loue Blandina had to Christ. No lesse was the loue of Anne Askewe Blandina neuer faynted in torment No more ded Anne Askewe in sprete whan she was so terrybly racked of the chaūceller and Ryche that the strynges of her armes and eyes were peryshed Blādina deryded the cruelte of the tyrauntes So ded Anne Askewe
Who so eateth of theyr egges dyeth But if one treadeth vpon them there cometh vp a serpent Esaye lix Anne Askewe Eyghtly he asked me if I ded not thynke that pryuate masses dyd helpe sowles departed And I sayde it was great Idolatry to beleue more in them than in the deathe whyche Christ dyed for vs. Iohan Bale Here riseth the serpent of the cockatryce egges workemāly to fulfyll the afore alleged prophecye If their Masses had ben of Gods creasyon ordynaunce or commaundement or if they had bene in anye poynt necessary for mannys behoue they had ben regestred in the boke of lyfe which is the sacred Byble But therin is neyther mencyon of Masse pryuate nor publique seuerall nor commē single nor double hygh nor low by fote nor on horse back or by note as they cal it If they be thynges addes by mannys inucucion as they can be non other not beyng there named thā am I sure that the scriptures call thē filthynesse rust chaffe draffe swille dronckēnesse fornycaciō mēstrue mannys dyrt adders egges poyson snares the bread of wicked lyes the cuppe of Gods curse Theyr origynall grounde shulde seme to be taken of the Druydes or pagane Prestes whych inhabyted this reauile long afore Christes incarnacyon and had than practysed sacryfices publique and pryuate Loke Cornelius Tacitus Caius Iulius Plintus Strabo soch othere authours That name of pryuacyon added vnto their Masse clerelie depriueth it of Christen communion wher on man eateth vp all dystrybuteth nothinge How soche ware shulde helpe the sowles departed I can not tell But wele I wote that the woūded man betwyxt Hierusalē and Hierico had no helpe of thē Luce x. The Samaritane which was rekened but a pagane amonge them was hys onlye cōfort in the most popysh tyme was neuer more horryble blasphemye then this is Thys wyckednesse impugneth all the promyses of God concerninge faithe and remission of synnes It repugneth also to the whole doctryne of the Gospel The applicaciō of Christes supper auayleth them onlye that be alyue takynge eatynge and drynkyng that is therin minystred No more can the prestes receyuynge of that sacramente profight an other man thā can hys receiuinge of Baptysme or of penaunce as they call it If it profyteth not the qwyck how can it profyght the dead No sacrifyce is the Masse nor yet good worke but a blasphemouse prophanacyō of the Lordes holy supper a manifest wickednesse an horryble Idolatrie and a fowle abhomynacyon beynge thus a ryte of worshyppynge without the worde yea agaynst the expresse word of God Anne Askewe Then they hadde me frō thens vnto my lorde Mayre And he examyned me as they had before and I answerede hym dyrectlye in all thinges as I answered the qweste afore Iohan Bayle After thys sort was Christ ledde from the examinacion of the clergie to Pylate Matth. xxvii In that the examynacion of the qweste and of the Mayre was all one ye maye wele knowe that they had both one scole mastre euen the brutysh byshoppe of Londō The ignoraūt magistrates of Englād will neyther be Godly wyse with Dauid Salomō nor yet enbrace the ernest instruccyons of God to be lerned in the scriptures Psa. ii Sapiē vi but still be wicked ministers and cruell seruaunt slaues to Antichrist and the deuyll Apoc. xvii More fyr are soch witlesse mayres and gracelesse offycers as knoweth not whyght from blacke light frō darknesse Esai v. to fede swine or to kepe kaddowes than to rule a christen comminalte A terryble daie abideth them which thus ordereth the innocent Iaco. ii Anne Askewe Besydes thys my lorde Mayre layed one thynge vnto my charge whiche was neuer spoken of me but of them And that was whether a mouse eatynge the hoste receyued God or no Thys questyon ded I neuer aske but indede they asked it of me wherunto I made them no answere but smyled Iohn Bale Is not here thynke yow wele fauerd wele fashyoned dyuinyte to establysh an artycle of the Christen faythe Wilie wynchester answereth this questyon as folysh as it is in hys wyse detectiō of the deuyls sophystrye fo xvi Beleue saith he that a mouse can not deuoure God Yet reporteth he after in fo xxi that Christes body may as we le dwell in a mouse as it ded in Iudas Thā foloweth fryre fynke fryre Perin I shuld say a bachelar of the same scole And he answereth in the ende of hys third sermon that the Sacramente eaten of a mouse is the verye and reall bodye of Christe And whan he hath affermed it to be no derogacyon to Christes presens to lye in the mawe of that mouse He deuydeth me the one from the other the sacramēt frō Christes body cōcluding That though the sacrament be digested in the mouses mawe yet ys not Christes body thee cōsumed O blasphemouse beastes blynde bloderynge Balaamytes Bycause these ii workemen be scant wittye in their owne occupacion I shal brynge thē forth here ii olde artyfycers of theirs to helpe thē Guimūdus Auersanus a byshopp to helpe byshopp Steuen Thomas walden a fryre to helpe fryre Perin The sacramētes saye they both are not eatē of myce though they seme so to be in the exteryour simylytudes For the vertues saieth Guimundus of holye men are not eaten of beastes whan they are eaten of thē li. ii de corpore sanguine dn̄i No marrie quoth walden no more is the paynters occupacyon destroyed whan a picture is destroyed Marke this gere for your lernyng But now cometh Algerus a mōke more craftye thē they both and he sayth li.ii. cap. i. de Eucharistia that as wele is thys meate spyrituall as materiall because Dauid calleth it the breade of Angels and a breade frō heauē Psa. lxxvii That which is materyall in thys bread sayth he is consumed by digestion but that which is spirituall remaineth vncorrupted If we wolde attende wele vnto Christes dyuynyte and let these oyled diuynes dispute amonge olde Gossypes we shuld sone discharge myce and rattes weake stomakes and parbreakyng dronkardes of a farre other sort thā thus he that eateth my fleshe sayth Christ Io. vi and drincketh my bloud dwelleth in me I in him This eatyng is all one with the dwellinge is neyther for myce nor rattes brent chauncels nor dronkē prestes For as we eate we dwell and as we dwell we eate by a grounded and perfyght faythe in hym The substaunce of that most godlye refeccyon lyeth not in the mouth eatynge nor yet in the bellye feadyng though they be necessarye but in the onlye spirituall or sowle eatynge No wyse man wyll thynke that Christ wyll dwell in a mouse nor yet that a mouse can dwell in Christ though it be the doctryne of these doughtye dowsepers for they shall fynde no scriptures for it If these men were not enemyes to fayth and frindes to Idolatrie they wold
neuer teach soche fylthye lernynge More of this shall I wryte God willing in the answere of their bokes Anne Askewe Then the Byshoppes chaunceller rebuked me and sayde that I was moche to blame for vtterynge the scryptures For S. Paule he sayde forbode women to speake or to talke of the worde of God I answered hym that I knewe Paules meanynge so well as he whyche is i. Corintheorum xiiii that a woman oughte not to speake in the congregacyon by the waye of teachynge And then I asked hym how manye women he hadde seane go into the pulpette preache He sayde he neuer sawe none TheÌ„ I said he oughte to fynd no faute in poore women excepte they had offended the lawe Iohan Bale PleÌ„teouse ynough is her answer here vnto this quarellinge and as apereth vnlerned chancelloure Manye godlye women both in the olde lawe the newe were lerned in the scriptures and made vtterauÌ„ce of theÌ„ to the glorie of god As we reade of Helisabeth Mary and Anna the wydowe Lu. i. ii yet were they not rebuked for it yea Marye Christes mother retained all that was afterwarde wrytten of hym Luc. ii yet was it not imputed vnto her an offence Christ blamed not the woman that cryed whyls he was in preachynge happye is the wombe that beat the Luce. xi The women which gaue knowlege to his discyples that he was rysen from death to lyfe discomfited not he but solaced them with hys most gloriouse aperauÌ„ce Mat. xxviii Io. xx In the primatyue churche specially in Saint Hieromes time was it a great praise vnto womeÌ„ to be lerned in the scriptures Great commendacioÌ„s geueth our Englysh Cronicles to Helena Vrsula and Hilda womeÌ„ of our nacyon for beynge lerned also in the scriptures Soch a woman was the seid Hilda as openlye disputed in them against the superstycyons of certen byshoppes But thys chancellour by like chaunced vpon that blynde popysh worke whych Walter Hunte a whyte fryre wrot iiii score yeares ago Contra doctrices mulieres against scole women or els some other lyke blynde Romysh beggeryes Anne askewe Then my Lorde Mayre commaunded me to warde I asked him if suertees woulde not serue me And he made me short answer that he wold take non Then was I had to the Counter and there remayned xii dayes no frynde admytted to speake with me Iohan Bale Here is Christ yet troden on the hele by that wycked serpent whych tempted Eua. Gene. iii. His faithful membre for beleuyng in him is here throwne in preson And no maruel for it was his owne ê“mes ye shall be brought before rulers debitees saith he for my truthes sake Mat. x. ye shal be betraied of your owne nacyon and kindred so throwne in presoÌ„ Luc. xxi If they haue persecuted methinke not but they wyll also persecute yow Io. v. This serpent is agayne becomeÌ„ the prince of this world holdeth the gouerners therof captyue Io. xiiii Suertees wold haue ben takeÌ„ for a thefe or a mourtherer but not for Chrystes meÌ„ber the bishoppes chauÌ„cellour being at hande nor yet her fryndes permitted to confort her Anne Askewe But in the meane tyme there was a prest sent to me whiche sayd that he was comaunded of the byshopp to examyne me and to geue me good counsell which he dyd not But fyrst he asked me for what cause I was put in the CouÌ„ter And I tolde hym I coulde not tell Then he sayde it was great pitie that I shulde be there with out cause and concluded that he was verye sorye for me Iohan Bale O temptacion of Sathan Christ beinge in the solitarie wildernesse alone was after thys flattering sort assaulted first of his enemye Matt. iiii This Iudas was sente afore to geue a frindelie kisse the more depelie to trappe the innoceÌ„t in snare But Gods wisdom made her to perceiue what he was A false prophete is sone knowne by hys frutes amonge theÌ„ that are godlye wyse Mat. vii She coÌ„sidered with Salomon that more to profyght are the strypes of a frinde thaÌ„ the fraudâ—lent kysses of a deceitful enemye Prouerb xxxvii Anne Askewe Secondly he sayd it was tolde hym that I shuld denye the sacrament of the aultre And I answered hym agayne that that I had sayd I had sayd Iohan Bale In this brefe answere she remeÌ„bred SalomoÌ„s couÌ„sell Answer not a fole all after his folishnesse Beware of theÌ„ saith Christ which come in shepes clothinge for inwardlye they are most rauenynge wolues Mat. vii God destroieth the craftes of the wicked sayth Iob so that they are not hable to perfourme that they take in hande Iob. v. Anne Askewe Thirdly he asked me yf I were shryuen I tolde hym no. Then he sayde he wolde brynge one to me for to shryue me And I tolde hym so that I myghte haue one of these iii. that is to saye doctor Crome syr Gyllam or Huntyngton I was contented bycause I knewe them to be men of wysedome As for yow or anye other I wyll not dysprayse bycause I knowe ye not Then he sayde I woulde not haue yow thynke but that I or an other that shall be broughte yow shall be as honest as they For yf we were not ye may be sure the king wolde not suffer vs to preache Then I answered by the saynge of Salomon By commonynge with the wise I maye lerne wysedome but by talkynge with a fole I shall take skath Prou. i. Iohan Bale Se how thys aduersary coÌ„paseth lyke a rauenyng lyon to deuoure this lambe i. Pet. v. Now temptethhe her with CoÌ„fession which hath bene such a bayte of theirs as hath broughte into theyr nettes and snares the myghtiest prynces of the worlde both kynges and emprours Se here yf they leaue anye subtylte vnsought to obtaine theyr praie He reckened by this to winne his purpose which waye so euer he had taken Yf she hadde bene confessed to hym he had knowen whyche waye she had bene bente If she had vtterlye refused confessyon he had more matter to accuse her of O subtyle sede of the serpeÌ„t This part plaied your olde generacion the Pharisees and prestes with Christ to bring him in dauÌ„ger of the lawe Mat. xxii Ioha viii No ChristeÌ„ erudicioÌ„ bringeth this prest nor yet good counsels of scripture But as Esay sayth The hypocryte ymagyneth abhomynacion agaynst God to famysh the hungry and witholde drinke from the thirstye Yet shall not the eyes of the seynge be dymme nor the eares of the hearyng be deffe Esa. xxxii Yf the king admit soch preachers as I can not thinke it a sore plage remaineth both to him and to his people Anne Askewe Forthly he asked me yf the hoste shulde fall and a beaste dyd eate it whether the beaste dyd receyue God or no I answered Seynge ye haue taken the paynes to aske thys questyon I desyre yow also to take so moche payne
or soche an abomynable ydoll as subuertynge Christes true religyon wyll be your fynall destruccyon both here and in the worlde to come For ydolles are called abhomynacyō al the scriptures ouer Yet shall it endure say the Daniel sumwhere vnto the ende of al Daniel ix Wherby ye maye well perceyue that it comprehendethe not onely the tryumphaunt stremers of Tyberius or golden ymages of Caligula whyche bothe preuented the subuersyon of Hierusalem but some other ydolles which shulde contynewe And it folowethe in the Gospell texte that he shulde sytte in the holye place for the tyme of hys contynuaunce Mathei xxiiii And not in the paganes temples Tell me yf youre Masses be done anye where els than in your hallowed sanctuaryes vpon your sanctified aulters and in your holy ornamentes and consecrate cuppes Neyther may any do them vnlesse they be anoynted therunto of your Byshoppes sorcerers Not without the holy place sayth-Christ is that abhomynacyon but in it Mathei xxiiii Antichriste sayth saynt Paule shal syt not without but within the verye temple of God ii Thessalo ii The papacye is not wythoute but wythin the verie church of Christ what thoughe it be no part therof Apoca. xi Therfore it shall be mete that we be ware and seperate oure selues frome them at the admonyshmentes of hys hoolye doctryne leaste we be partakers wyth yow in theyr promysed dampnaciō Apoca xviii By the vayle ouer Moses face she meaneth the blynde confydence that manye men yet haue in olde Iewysh ceremonyes and beggarlye tradycions of men as S. Paule doth call them Gala. iiii Wherby the veryte of God is sore blemished The spiritual knowlege which cometh by the clere doctryne of the Gospell mynystreth no soch impedymentes of darkenes But all thynges are clerelye seane to them which are endued therwith They can be deceyued by none of Sathans subtyle conuayers but perceyueth all thynges whych haue obtayned the pure eyes of faythe Anne Askewe For it is playnelye expressed in the hystorye of Bel in the Byble that God dwellethe in nothynge materyall O kynge saythe Daniel be not deceyued Daniel xiiii For God wyll be in nothynge that is made with handes of men Actor vii Oh what styffnecked people are these that wyll alwayes resyste the hoolye Ghost But as theyr fathers haue done so do they bycause ther haue stonye hartes Wryttē by me Anne Askewe that nether wyshe deathe nor yet feare his myghte and as merye as one that is bowne towardes heauen Truthe is layed in pryson Luce. xxi The lawe is turned to worme woode Amos. vi And there can no ryghte iudgement go forth Esay lix Iohan Bale Marke here howe graciouslye the lord kepeth promyse with thys poore seruaunte of his He that beleuethe on me saythe Christe oute of his bellye shall flowe ryuers of lyuynge water Ioa. vii Neyther lasheth thys woman out in her extreme troubles language of dispayre nor yet blasphemouse wordes agaynste God with the vnbeleuinge but vttereth the scriptures in wonderfull habundaunce to his lawde and prayse She rebuketh here the most pestylent vyce of ydolatrye Not by olde narracions and fables but by the most pure worde of God as dyd Daniel Steuen And in the ende she shewethe the stronge stomacke of a mooste Christen martyre in that she is neyther desyrouse of the deathe neyther yet standeth in feare of the vyolēce or extremyte therof What a constancye was this of a woman frayle tēdre yong and most delycyouslye brought vp But that Christes sprete was myghtye in her who bad her be of good cher For though the tyrauntes of thys worlde haue power to fleye the bodye yet haue they no power ouer the sowles Matthei xx Nether haue they power in the ende to demynyshe one heare of the heade Luce xxi She faynteth not in the myddes of the battayle i. Corint ix But perseuerethe stronge and stedefast to the verye ende Mathei x. Not doubtynge but to haue for her faythful perseueraūce the crowne of eternall lyfe Apoc. ii So mery am I sayth she good creature in the myddes of Newgate as one that is bowne towardes heauen A voyce was thys of a most worthye and valeaunt wytnesse in the paynefull kyngedome of pacience Apocalip i. She faithfullye reckened of her lorde God that he is not as men are fyckle Numeri xxiii But most sure of worde and promyse Psalm cxliiii And that he wolde most faithfully kepe conuenaunt wyth her whan tyme shuld come Apoca. ii She had it most groūdedlye planted in her hart that though heauen and earthe dyd passe yet coulde not his wordes and promes passe by vnfulfylled Lu. xxi Ashamed may those carnall Helchesytes be whych haue not on lye denyed the verite of theyr lorde god but also most shamefullye blasphemed dishonoured bothe it and themselues for the pleasure of a yeare or ii to dwell styl in this fleshe They cōsidre not that he wyth whome they mocke hathe power to sende them to helle for theyr blasphemye Luce. xii They shall not fynde it a matter lyght for theyr inconstancye to be vometed out of the mouthe of God as vnsauerye morsels Apocalypsis iii Neyther shal they proue it a Christmas game to be denyed of Christ before hys heauenlye father and his angels for denyenge here his verite Math. x. Anne Askewe Oh forgeue vs all oure synnes and receyue vs gracyouslye As for the workes of oure handes we wyll no more call vpon them For it is thou lorde that art oure God Thou sheweste euer mercye vnto the fatherles Oh yf they wolde do this saythe the Lorde I shoulde heale they re sores yea wyth all my harte woulde I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do wyth ydolles anye more Who so is wyse shall vnderstande thys And he that is ryghtlye enstructed wyll regarde it For the wayes of the Lorde are ryghteouse Soche as are godlye wyl walke in them And as for the wicked they wyll stomble at them Osee. xiiii Iohan Bale All these wordes alleged she oute of the last chaptre of Oseas the prophete where as he prophecyed the destructyon of Samaria for the onlye vyce of ydolatrye In the worde of the lorde she declareth her selfe therin to detest and abhorre that vyce aboue all and to repent frō the hearte that she hathe at anye tyme worshypped the workes of mennes handes eyther stone wode breade wyne or anye soche lyke for the eternall lyuynge God Consequently she confessyth hym to be her only God and that she had at that tyme truste in non other els nether for the remyssion of her synnes nor yet sowles cōfort at her nede And lyke soch a wone as is vnfainedlye cōuerted vnto the lorde she axethe of the spyritual Ephraimytes in his worde what she hath anye more to do wyth ydolles or whyether minde so tyrannouslye enforce her to the