such in our consciences as euery Christian man is bound to confesse to be the truth of God and euery member of Christes church here in England must needes embrace the same in heart and confesse it with mouth if need require loose and forsake not onely house land possessions riches wife children and friends but also if God will so call them gladly to suffer all manner of persecution and to loose their liues in the defence of GODS worde and trueth set out amongest vs. For our Sauiour Christ requireth the same of vs saying Who soeuer shal be ashamed of me and my worde before this adulterous and sinfull generation the sonne of man will also be ashamed of hym when he shall come in the glorye of his father with the holye Aungels And agayne sayth he Who soeuer will confesse me before men I will confesse him before my father that is in heauen And who soeuer will deny me before men I will also deny hym before my father that is in heauen And whosoeuer shall speake a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shall be forgeuen him but who soeuer shall rayle against the holy ghost it shall not be forgeueÌ him We humbly beseeche the Queenes Maiestie and you her honorable Commissioners bee not offended with vs for confessing this truth of God so straightly geuen vs in charge of Christ neither bring vppon vs that great sinne that neuer shall be forgeuen and shall cause our Sauiour Iesu Christ in the great day of iudgement before his heauenly Father all his Aungels to deny vs to take froÌ vs the blessed price and raunsome of his bloudshed wherwith we are redeemed For in that day neither the Queenes highnes neither you nor any man shal be able to excuse vs nor to purchase a pardon of Christ for this horrible sinne and blasphemye of casting aside and condemning his word We can not agree nor consent vnto this so horrible a sinne but we beseeche God for his mercy to geue vs and all menne grace moste earnestly to flee from it and rather if the will of God be so to suffer all extremitie and punishment in thys world then to incurre such damnation before God Manasses who restored agayn the wickednes of idolatrous religioÌ before put down by Ezechias his father brought the wrath of God vpon the people so that the scriptures sayth Notwithstanding the reformation made by Iosias the Lord turned not from the fiercenes of his great wrath wherwith hee was angrye agaynst Iuda because of the prouocation with the which Manasses prouoked him And the Lord said euen Iuda will I take away from my presence as I cast away Israell I will cast away this Citty of Ierusalem and the house whereof I sayd my name shall be there Ieroboam who at Bethel and Dan erected vp a new found seruice of God and not onely sinned himselfe but also made all Israel to sinne with him so that not onely he was damned for commaunding but the wrath of God came vppon all Israell for obeing that his vngodly commandement Yet was it not so heynous offence to bring man Idolatry neither yet heard of as after reformation made by the godly kinges and princes by the vertuous and holy Bishoppes by the Prophets and seruaunts of God to reiecte and cast of the word and true Religion of GOD and to receaue againe a damned impietie This moste heynous offence is now offered vnto vs although the same be paynted and coloured with the name of reformation restoring of religion auncient fayth wyth the name of the catholicke Churche of vnitie Catholicke truth with the cloke of fayned holines These are sheepe skinnes vnder the which as Christ saith rauening Wolues couer themselues But Christ willeth vs to looke vpon their fruites whereby we may know them and truely this is no good fruite to cast aside Gods word and to baÌnish the English seruice out of the Churches and in the place of it to bring in a latine tongue vnknowne vnto the people Which as it edifieth no man so hath it bene occasion of all blindnes and errour amonge the people For afore the blessed reformation begun by the most noble Prince of godlye memory the queenes good father and by our late holy and innocent king her good brother finished it is not vnknowne what blindnes errour wee were all in when not one man in all this realme vnlearned in the latine could say in English the Lordes prayer or knew any one article of his beliefe or rehearse any one of the x. coÌmandementes And that ignoraunce mother of mischiefe was the very roote and well spring of all Idolatry Sodomiticall Monkery and whorish chastitie of vnmaryed priests of all whoredome dronkennes couetousnes swearing blasphemie with al other wicked sinfull liuing These brought in the seuere wrathe and vengeance of GOD plaging sinne with famine and pestilence and at last the sword consumed and auenged all theyr impietie and wicked liuing As it is greatly to be feared the same or more greuous plagues shall now agayne follow We cannot therefore consent nor agree that the worde of God and praiers in our English tongue which we vnderstand should be taken away from vs and for it a latin seruice we wote not what for none of vs vnderstande it to be agayne brought in amongest vs specially seeing that Christ hath sayd My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me I geue to them euerlasting life The seruice in Englishe teacheth vs that wee are the Lords people and the sheep of his pasture and commandeth that we harden not our hartes as when they prouoked the Lordes wrathe in the wildernes least hee sweare vnto vs as he did sweare vnto them that they should not enter into his rest The seruice in Latine is a confused noyse which if it be good as the say it is yet vnto vs that lack vnderstaÌding what goodnes can it bring S. Paule commaundeth that in the Churches all thinges shoulde bee done to edifying which we are sure is Gods commaundement But in the Latine seruice nothing is done to edifying but contrarily al to destroy those that are already edified and to driue vs from Gods word and truth and from beleuing of the same and so to bring vs to beleue lyes and fables that tempting and prouoking God we shoulde be brought into the iudgement that blessed Paule speaketh of saying Antichrist shall come according to the working of Satan with all manner of power and signes and lying wonders in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes in those that pearish because they haue not receyued the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therfore God wil send them strong delusion that they should beleue lyes be damned as many as haue not beleued the truth but haue approued vntighteousnesse Thus altogether drawne from God we shall fal into his wrath through vnbeliefe till
heretofore with the receiuing of Christes worde and peaceable Gospell we had great benedictions of God especially this Christian concorde and holy peace so that all were at a full and perfect stay in Religion no man offended with an other but as the sonnes of peace eche of vs with Christian charitie embraced other now alas for pitie the deuill ridyng vpon the red horse shewed vnto S. Iohn in the Reuelation is come forth and power is geuen him to take peace from the earth For now a man can goe to no place but malicious busie bodies curiously search out his deedes marke his wordes and if he agree not with them in despisyng Gods worde then will they spitefully hatefully rayle against him and it calling it error heresie and the professors therof heretickes and schismatikes with other odious and despiteful names as traytours and not the Queenes frends not fauourers of the Queenes proceedinges as if to loue Gods word wer heresie and as though to talke of Christ were to bee schismatikes as though none could be true to the Queene that were not false to God as though none were the queenes frendes but suche as despitefully rayle on her graces Father and brother and on Gods word that they set foorth as though none fauoured the Queenes maiestie but suche as hate all godly knowledge And in very deede these thinges that all this turmoile is made for are meere inuentions of popes brought into the church of theyr owne imaginations without coÌmandement or ensample either of Christ or of his Apostles and there is not one word in the Bible that being truely alledged mayntayneth them nor any Doctor of Antiquitie before S. Austens dayes as it hath bene diuers times sufficiently proued before all the whole Parliament and Conuocation of this Realme Yet these being mere traditioÌs of Bishops are set out for Gods commaundementes and the Queenes authoritie geuen to her of God to mayntayne his word must be abused to put downe Gods word And your right honourable Iustices keepers of lawes and righteousnes are also abused and made the Bishops apparatours to set forth such romishe trash as is to christes dishonour and agaynst the supreme authoritie of the regall estate of this realme And wee poore subiectes for speaking of that whiche is trueth and our bounden allegeance are dayly punished rayled vpon and noted for seditions and not the Queenes frendes But God who is blessed for euer knoweth that they sclaunder vs and pull the thorn out of their owne foot and put it in ours for the searcher of harts knoweth that we beare a faythful and true hart vnto her grace vnto al her proceedinges that are not agaynst God and his holy worde And we dayly pray vnto the heaueÌly father to lighten her graces royall hart with the glorious light of his Gospell that she may establishe and confirme that Religion that her graces brother our most deare king did set out amongest vs and so gouerning ruling this her realme in the feare and true way of God shee may long liue and wyth prosperitie peace and honor raigne ouer vs. But we cannot thinke that those men do seek eyther Gods honour or her Graces prosperitie or wealth of the realme that take from her Graces faythfull subiectes Gods word which onely is the roote of all loue and faythfull obedience vnder her grace and of all honestie good life and vertuous concord amonge her Commons And this wee feare least the roote being taken away the braunches wil sooone wither and be fruitles And when the Philistines haue stopped vp the welspring the fayre streames that shuld flow shall soone be dryed vp All our watchmen our true preachers haue taught vs that as longe as wee retayned Gods word we should haue God our gracious mercifull father but if we refused and cast of the Lordes yoke of hys doctrine then shall we looke for the Lordes wrath and seuere visitation to plague vs as hee did the Iewes for the like offences And Paule sayth God gaue to them the spirite of vnquietnes and vprore eyes wherwith they should not see eares wherewith they should not heare vntill this day And as Dauid sayd Let theyr table be made a snare to take themselues withall a trap to catche them and a stumbling blocke to fall at Let theyr eyes be blinded that they see not bow thou downe their backes alwayes O mercifull God all this is now come vpon vs and daily more more encreased and we feare at last it will so bow down our backes that we shall vtterly be destroyed the troublesome spirite of vprores vnquietnesr dayly troubleth meÌs harts worketh such vnquietnes in al places that no man that loueth quietnes can tell where to place hymselfe Men haue eyes see not how greeuous offence it is to cast of the yoke of Gods doctrine to beare the heauye burden that vnfaythfull hipocrites lay vpon vs. We haue eares and heare not the warning of Gods worde calling vs to true repentance nor his threates agaynst our impietie Our most sweet table of Christes word and most holy Communion is taken away and turned to a moste perillous snare through the brawling disputations of men And as the Idoll of abomination betokeneth finall subuersion vnto the Iewish nation so wee feare this settyng aside of the Gospell and holy Communion of Christe and the placing it of Romish religion betokeneth desolation to be at hand of this noble realme of England For the plagues of hunger pestilence and sworde can not long tary but except we repent and turne agayne to the Lord our backes shall be so bowed that the like horrible plagues were neuer seene And no maruell for the like offence was neuer committed as to reiect and cast of Christ and his word and in playne English to say Wee will not haue him to raigne ouer vs. O Lorde howe terrible is it that followeth in the Gospell Those mine enemies that would not haue me to raygne ouer them bring them hither and slaye them before me God be mercifull vnto vs and moue the Queens maiesties hart and the hartes of her honorable counsayle and youre hartes right honourable Commissioners to weigh these dangers in due time to call Gods word into your Counsayle then you shall see how it agreeth with this Bishoplike commaundement to be as ware to auoyd the contempt of the eternall God and daungers of the same as you are prudent and wise in matters of thys world least if the almighty be contemned hee stretch forth his arme which no man can turne and kindle his wrath that no man can quench We haue humblye opened vnto you oure consciences doubtlesse sore wounded and greeued by this commaundement and wee meekely pray and beseeche the Queenes maiestie for the precious death bloudshedding of Iesus Christ our Sauiour to haue mercy and pitty vpon vs her Graces poore
them in any wise Their leauen is not good Their salte is all vnsauery And vnder good ententes They mayntayne all their knauery And murder Innocentes They seeke to sit in Christes seate And put him out of place And make all meanes that may be made His doynges to deface They keepe him downe with bils batâ That made the blinde to see They make a God for myce and Rattes And say the same is he They shew like sheepe sweate like Wolues Their baytes be all for bloud They kill and slay the simple soules And rob them of ther good The darke illusions of the deuill Haue dimned so their eyes That they cannot abide the truth To sturre in any wise And if ye keepe the perfect path As I haue hope you doe Ye shall be sure to haue suche shame As they may put you to For all that leade a godly life Shall surely suffer losse And eke the world will seeke theyr shame And make them kisse the crosse Ye shal be killed sayth Christ Your sorrowes shall not cease And yet in your afflictions I am your perfect peace For in the worlde ye shall haue woe Because ye are vnknowne And for because ye hate the world The world will loue his owne Be feruent therefore to the death Agaynst all their decrees And God shall surely fight for thee Agaynst thine enemies Commit your cause vnto the Lord Reuenge not any euill And thou shalt see the wicked want When thou shalt haue thy will For all afflictions that may fall That they can say or doe They are not sure of the wealth We shall attayne vnto For I haue seene the sinners spread Theyr braunches like a bay And yet ere one could turne his head Were withered cleane away Beware that mony make ye not In riches to aryse Agaynst the goodnes of the Lord Among the worldly wise For many mischiefes it hath made That may not be exprest And many euils it hath begonne Which may not be redrest For money maketh many one In riches to rebell And he that maketh gold a God He hath a soule to sell. It maketh Kinges to kill and slay And wast their wittes in warre In leauing of the Wolfe at home To hunt the Foxe a farre And where they should see iustice done And set their realme in rest By mony they be made a meane To see the poore opprest It maketh Lordes obey the lawes That they doe ill and nought It maketh Bishops suck the bloud That God hath dearely bought And where they shuld be faythfull friends And father to the flocke By money they do turne about Euen like a weather Cock The Prieste doth make a mony meane To haue agayne his whoores To put away his wedded wife And children out of doores It holdeth backe the husbandman Which may not be forborne And will not suffer him to sow And cast abroad his corne In like case it doth let agayne When that the seede they sowe It choketh vp the corne agayne So that it cannot growe The husband he would haue a wife With nobles new and olde The wife would haue the husband hangd That she might haue his gold It maketh murthers many a one And beareth much with bloud The childe would see the parentes slayne To sease vppon their good And though it be a blessed thing Created in the kinde It is a necessary euill Annexed to the mind For who so playeth with the pitch His fingers are defiled And he that maketh gold a God Shall surely be beguiled Be frendly to the fatherles And all that are opprest Assist them alwayes out of hand And see them set at rest In all your doinges and your deedes Let mercy still remayne For with the measure that ye meate Shall ye be mette agayne Be alwayes lowly in your life Let loue enioy her owne The highest trees are seldome sure And soonest ouerthrowne The Lyons lacke and suffer sore In hunger and in thurst And they that doe oppresse the poore Continue still accurst The Bee is but a little beast In body or in sight And yet she bryngeth more encrease Then other Crow or Kyte Therefore beware in any wise Keepe well your watche alway Be sure of oyle within your lampe Let not your light decay For death despiseth them that lacke And hateth them that haue And treadeth downe the riche and poore Together in the graue Exhort your Children to be chast Rebuke them for their ill And let them not at any wise Be wedded to theyr will Laugh not with them but keep them low Shew them no mery cheare Least thou doe weepe with them also But bryng them vp in feare And let your light and liuing shyne That ye be not suspect To haue the same within your selfe For which they are correct Be meeke and modest in a meane Let all your deedes be done That they which are without the law May see how right ye runne Keepe well the member in your mouth Your tongue see that ye tame For out of little sparkes of fire Proceedeth out a flame And as the poyson doth expresse The natures of the Tode Euen so the tongue doth manifest The hartes that feareth God For therewith blesse we God aboue And therewith curse we men And therby murders doe aryse Through women now and then And seeing God hath geuen a tongue And put it vnder power The surest way is for to set A hatch before the doore For God hath set you in a seate Of double low degree Fyrst vnto God and then to man A subiect for to be I write not that I see in you These thinges to be suspect But onely set before your face How sinne should be correct For flesh and bloud I know ye are As other women be And if ye dwell in flesh and bloud There is infirmitie Receaue a warning willingly That to thy teeth is tolde Accompt the gift of greater price Then if he gaue thee gold A wiseman sayth Salomon A warning will embrace A foole will sooner as sayth he Be smitten on the face And as your members must be dead From all thinges that are vayne Euen so by Baptisme ye are borne To liue with Christ agayne Thus fare well free and faythfull frend The Lorde that is aboue Encrease in thee â perfect fayth And leade thee in his loue And as I pray with perfite loue And poure out bitter teares For you and all that are at large Abroad among the bryers Euen so I pray thee to preferre My person and my bondes Vnto the euerlasting God That hath me in his handes That I may passe out of this ponde Wherein I am opprest Inclosed in a clod of clay That here can haue no rest That as he hath begon in me His mercies many one I may attayne to ouertake My brethren that be gone That when the death shall do his worst Where he shall point a place I may be able like a man To looke him in the face For though he catch away my cloke
God To holde you in hys hand Fare well my children from the world Where ye must yet remayne The Lorde of hostes be your defence Till we do meete againe Fare well my loue and louing wife My Children and my frendes I hope to God to haue you all When all thinges haue their endes And if you doe abide in God As ye haue now begonne Your course I warrant will be short Ye haue not farre to runne God graunt you so to end your yeares As he shall thinke it best That ye may enter into heauen Where I do hope to rest Written at the request of a Lady in her booke IF you will walke the way That Christ hath you assignde Then learne this little verse Which I haue left behinde Be feruent in the truth Although it beare the blame And eke apply your youth To sticke vnto the same That when the age is come And death beginneth to call The truth may be your staffe To stay you vp withall And though it bryng rebuke And cause you kisse the crosse Yet is it a reward To all that suffer losse For here we doe lay out The thinges that be but vayne But we are sure to reape The thinges that doe remayne For all that ye do lose Is but a sinnefull slime And lyke vnto a Rose That taryeth but a tyme. But if ye carry Christ And walke the perfect way Ye shall possesse the gold That neuer shall decay And all your fathers goodes Shal be your recompense If ye confesse the worde With double diligence Not onely for to heare His pure and perfite word But also to embrace The fire and eke the sword And if ye keepe this path And do not runne a croke Then shall ye meete the man That write this in your booke In that eternall Ioye That alwayes shall remayne Thus fare well faythfull frend Till we do meete agayne Legem pone TEache me O Lorde to walke thy waies My liuing to amend And I shall keepe it all my dayes Euen to my liues end Geue me a minde to vnderstand So shall I neuer starte But I shall keepe all thy preceptes Euen wholly with mine hart Make me to go a perfect pace In that I haue begonne For all my loue and my delight Is in thy wayes to runne Encline my hart vnto thy wayes Set thou thereon my thought And let me not consume my dayes To couet that is naught O quicken me in all thy wayes The world for to despise And from all fond and foolish toyes Turne thou away mine eyes O plant in me thy perfect word Which is to me so deare Lay vp thy lawes within my hart To keepe me still in feare And robbe me of that great rebuke Which I do feare full sore For all thy iudgementes and thy law Endure for euermore Behold O Lord in thy preceptes Is all my whole delight O quicken me in all my wayes That I may walke aright To hys brother AS nature doth me binde Because thou art my bloud According to my kinde To geue thee of my good That thou mayest haue in minde How I haue runne my race Although thou bide behynde But for a little space I yeaue thee here a pearle The price of all my good For whiche I leaue my life To buy it with my bloud More worth then all the world Or ought that I can note Although it be yclad In such a simple cote For when I had obtayned This pearle of such a price Then was I sure I gayned The way for to be wise It taught me for to fight My flesh for to despise To sticke vnto the light And for to leaue the lyes In sending out my seede With bondes and bitter teares That I might reape with Ioye In euerlasting yeares And haue for all my losse My trauayle and my payne A thousand tymes and more Of better goodes agayne And for because the good That hath bene gotte and gayned And that the Lordes elect Hath euermore obtayned Is closed in this booke Which I do geue to thee Wherein I haue my parte As thou thy selfe mayest see In which I hope thou hast A stocke also in store And wilt not cease to sayle Till God haue made it more I will thee to beware Be sure thou keepe it well For if thou do it lose Thy part shal be in hell And here I testifie Before the liuing God That I detest to doe The thinges that are forbod And as in iudgemente is My body to be brent My hart is surely sette Therewith to be content And sith it is his will To put in me his power Vpon his holy hill To fight agaynst this whore Full well I am content If he allowe it so To stand with all my might The whore to ouerthrow Euen with a willing minde The death I will outface And as I am assured The battayle to embrace That they which heare the truth How I haue past the pike May set aside theyr youth And learne to do the like And though it be my lotte to let her suck my bloud Yet am I well assured it shall do her no good For she is set to kill The thinges she thinkes accurst And shall not haue her fill of bloud vntill she burst And when that thou shalt see or heare of my disease Pray to the liuing God that I may passe in peace And when I am at rest and rid out of my paine Then will I do the like for thee to God agayne And to my woefull wyfe and widow desolate Whome I doe leaue behynd In such a simple state And compassed with teares and morninges many one Be thou her staying staffe when I am dead and gone My mouth may not expresse the dolours of my minde Nor yet my heauines to leaue her here behinde But as thou art my bone my brother and my bloud So let her haue thy hart if it may do her good I tooke her from the world and made her like the crosse But if she hold her owne she shall not suffer losse For where she had before a man vnto her make That by the force of fire was stranged at a stake Now shall she haue a king to be her helpyng hand To whom pertayne all thinge that are within the land And eke my daughter deare whome I bequeath to thee To be brought vp in feare and learne the A.B.C. That she may grow in grace and ruled by the rod To learne and lead her lyfe within the feare of God And alwayes haue in minde thy brother beyng dead That thou art lefte behynde a father in my stead And thou my brother deare and eke my mothers sonne Come forth out of all feare and do as I haue done And God shall be thy guide and geue thee such encrease That in the flames of fire thou shalt haue perfect peace Into eternall ioy and passe out of all payne Where we shall meete with mirth and neuer part agayne If thou wilt do my daughter good Be mindfull
halfe in a slumber at which time one clad all in white seemed to stande before hym which ministred comfort vnto him by these wordes Samuel Samuel be of good cheare and take a good heart vnto thee For after this day shalt thou neuer be either hungry or thirsty Which thing came euen to passe accordingly for speedily after he was burned and from that time till he should suffer he fealt neither hunger nor thirst And this declared he to the ende as he sayde that all men might beholde the wonderfull workes of God Many moe like matters concerning the great comforte he had of Christe in his afflictions he could vtter he sayde besides this but that shamefastnes and modestie would not suffer him to vtter it And yet if it had pleased God I would he had bene lesse modest in that behalfe that the loue and care that Christe hathe of his might haue the more appeared therby vnto vs by such present argumentes for the more plentifull comfort of the godly though there be sufficient testimonies of the same in the holy scriptures already No lesse memorable it is and woorthy also to be noted concerning the 3. ladders which he tolde to diuers he sawe in his sleepe set vp toward heauen of the which there was one somewhat longer then the rest but yet at length they became one ioyning as it were all three together Thys was a forewarning reuealed vnto him declaring vndoutedly the martyrdome first of him selfe and then the death of two honest women which were brought foorth suffered in the same towne anone after As this godly martyr was going to the fire there came a certaine maide to him which tooke him aboute the necke and kissed him who being marked by them that were present was sought for the next day after to be had to prisone and burned as the very party her self informed me Howbeit as God of his goodnes wold haue it she escaped their fiery handes keeping her selfe secreate in the towne a good while after But as this maide called Rose Nattingham was marueilously preserued by the prouidence of God so there were other two honest women did fall into the rage and furie of that time The one was a Bruers wyfe the other was a Shoomakers wife but both together nowe espoused to a newe husband Christ. With these two was thys maid aforesaid very familiar and wel acquainted who on a time geuing counsail to the one of them that shee shoulde conuey her selfe away while she had time and space seeing she could not away with the Quenes vniust procedings had thys answer at her hands againe I know well sayth shee that it is lawfull enough to flee away which remedy you may vse if you list But my case standeth otherwise I am tied to an husbande and haue besides a sorte of yong children at home and then I know not how my husband being a carnall man wil take my departure from him therefore I am mineded for the loue of Christ and his truthe to stande to the extremitie of the matter The cruel burning of Robert Samuel Martyr The report goeth amoÌg some that were there present and saw him burne that his body in burning did shine as bright white as new tried siluer in the eyes of them that stoode by as I am infourmed by some which were there and did beholde the sight Letters of Robert Samuel Preacher A letter or exhortation to the pacient suffering of afflictions for Christes cause A Man knoweth not hys time but as the fishe is taken with the Angle and as the birdes are caught with the snare euen so are men caughte and taken in the perillous time when it commeth vppon them The time commeth the day draweth neare Ezechiel 7. Better it were to dye as the Preacher sayeth then to liue and see the miserable workes which are done vnder the Sunne suche sodaine and strauÌge mutations such wofull hainous and lamentable diuisions so fast approcheth and none or verye fewe thorowly repenteth Alas for this sinfull nation a people of great iniquity sede of vngratiousnes corrupting their wayes They haue forsaken the Lord they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger are gon backward Who now liueth not in such securitie and rest as though all daÌgers were cleane ouerpast Who now blindeth and buffeteth not Christe with seest me and seest me not Yea who liueth not nowe in suche felicitie worldlye pleasures and ioyes wholy seeking the world prouiding craftily shifting for the earthly clod all carnal appetites as thoughe sinne were cleane forgotten ouerthrowne and deuoured Like hoggish Gergesites nowe are we more afraide and ashamed of Christe oure Messias fearing the losse of oure filthy pigges I meane our transitory goods and disquieting of our sinfull and mortall bodies in this short vncertaine and miserable life then of a Legion of Deuils seducing and driuing vs from hearing reading and beleeuing Christ Gods eternal sonne and his holy worde the power to saue our soules vnto vanities lies and fables and to this bewitching world Oh perilous aboundance of goods too much saturity of meates wealth and quietnes which destroied wyth so many soules those goodly cities Sodom Gomorre Ieroboam so long as he was but a pore man not yet aduanced to his dignity liued in the lawes of God without reprehension but broughte once to wealth prosperous estate hee became a wicked and moste shamefull Idolater And what made the couetous yong maÌ so loth to folow Christ when he was bidden to forsake but worldly wealth which hee then enioyed Woe be vnto these false elusions of the world baites of perdition hookes of the deuil which haue so shamefâlly deceiued and seduced full many froÌ the right path vnto the Lorde into the high waies of confusion and perpetuall perdition We might nowe woorthily deare Christians lament bewaile our heauie state miserable coÌdition and sorowfull chaunce yea I say we might well accuse our selues and with Iob cursse these oure troublous wicked and bloudy last dayes of thys worlde were it not that wee both see and beleeue and finde in Gods sacred booke that a remnaunt God hath in all ages reserued I meane the faithful as many as haue bene from the beginning of the worlde exercised whetted and pullished with diuers afflictions troubles and tossings cast and dashed againste all pearils and dangers as the very drosse and outcastes of the earth and yet wil in no wise halte betweene God and Baall for God verily abhorreth two men in one he can not awaye with them that are betweene both but casteth them away as a filthy vomite Christe will not parte spoyle wyth his mortall enemie the deuil he wil haue all or lose all he will not permit the deuill to haue the seruice of the body and he to stand contented with the heart and minde but he will be glorified both in your bodies and in
I was neuer called to be a preacher or minister because of my sickenes feare of death in imprisonment before I should come to my aunswer and so my death to be vnprofitable But these and such lyke I thanke my heauenly father which of his infinite mercy inspired me with hys holye Ghost for his sonnes sake my onely Sauiour and redeemer preuailed not in me but when I had by the wonderfull permission of God fallen into their handes at the first sight of the Shiriffe nature a little abashed yet ere euer I came to the prison by the workyng of God thorough his goodnes feare departed I sayd to the Shiriffe at his comming vnto me What matter haue you maister Sheriffe to charge me withall He aunsweared you shall knowe when you come before the maisters and so taking me with him I looked to haue bene broughte before the maisters and to haue heard what they could haue burdened me withall but contrary to my expectation I was committed foorthwith to the Iaile not being called to my aunswere little iustice being shewed therein But the lesse iustice a man finedeth at their hands the more consolation in conscience shall he finde from God for whosoeuer is of the world the world will loue hym After I came into prisone had reposed my selfe there a while I wept for ioy and gladnes my belly full musing muche of the great mercies of God and as it were saying to my selfe after this sort O Lorde who am I on whome thou shouldest bestowe thus thy great mercye to be numbred among the Saintes that suffer for thy Gospels sake And so beholding and considering on the one side my imperfection vnablenesse sinnefull misery and vnwoorthinesse and on the other side the greatnesse of Gods mercye to be called to so high promotion I was as it were amazed and ouercome for a while with ioy and gladnesse concluding thus with my selfe in my heart O Lord thou shewest power in weakenesse wisedome in foolishnesse mercy in sinfulnes who shall let thee to choose where whom thou wilt As I haue zealously loued the confession of thy woord so euer thought I my selfe to be most vnworthy to be partaker of the affliction for the same Not long after came vnto me M.W. Brasbrige M.C. Phinees M.N. Hopkins traueling with me to be dismissed vpon bondes To whome my answere was to my remembraunce after this sorte For as much as the Maisters haue imprisoned me hauing nothing to burden mee with all if I should enter into bondes I should in so doing accuse my selfe and seeing they haue no matter to laye to my charge they may as well let me passe wtout bondes as wyth bondes Secondarily if I shall enter bondes couenaunt and promise to appeare I shall do nothing but excuse colour and cloke their wickednesse and endanger my selfe neuerthelesse being bound by my promise to appeare They alleaged many worldly perswasions vnto me to auoide the present perill also how to auoid the forfeiture if I brake promise I sayde vnto them I had cast my penywoorth by Gods help They vndertooke also to make the bond easie And when they were somewhat importune I sayd to maister Hopkins that libertie of conscience was a precious thing and toke as it were a pause lifting vp my heart to God earnestly for hys aide and helpe that I might doe the thing that might please him And so when they had let their sute fal my hart me thought was wonderfully comforted Maister Dudly commoned with me in like maner whom I answered in effect as I did before Afterwarde debatinâ the matter wyth my selfe these considerations came to my head I haue from time to time wyth good conscience God I take to recorde mooued all such as I had conference withal to be no daliers in Gods matters but to shew themselues after so great a light and knowledge hearty earnest constante and stable in so manifest a truthe and not to geue place one ioate contrarye to the same Nowe thought I if I shall withdrawe my selfe and make any shifts to pull my owne necke out of the collor I shall geue greate offence to my weake brethren in Christe and aduantage to the enemies to sclaunder Gods word It wil be sayd he hath ben a great boldner of others to be earnest and feruent to feare no worldly pearils or daungers but he him selfe will geue no such example Wherefore I thought it my bouÌden duety both to God and man being as it were by the great goodnes of God maruelously called and appoynted hereunto to set aside all feare pearils and daungers al worldly respects and considerations and like as I had heeretoâore according to the measure of my small gift within the compasse of my vacation and calling from the bottome of my heart vnfainedly mooued exhorted and perswaded all that professe Gods woorde manfully to persist in the defence of the same not wyth sworde and violence but wyth suffering and losse of life rather then to defile themselues againe with the whorish abhomination of the Romish Antichrist so the houre being come with my fact and example to ratifie confirme and protest the same to the hearts of all true beleeuers and to thys end by the mighty assistance of Gods holy spirit I resolued my selfe wyth muche peace of conscience willingly to sustaine what soeuer the Romish antichrist shuld doe against mee and the rather because I vnderstoode the Bishops comming to be at hand and considered that pore mens consciences shoulde be then sharpely assaulted So remained I prisoner in Couentrie by the space of 10. or 11. dayes being neuer called to my answere of the Maisters contrary to the lawes of the Realme they hauing neyther statute lawe proclamation letter warrant nor commandement for my apprehension They woulde haue laide all the matter vpon the Sumner Who being examined denied it before their faces as one of my frendes tolde me saying that he had no commandement concerning me but for my elder brother God laye not their extreeme doings against me to their charge at the great day The seconde day after the bishoppes comming to Couentrie M. Warren came to the Yeldhall and willed the chiefe Iayler to carye me to the Bishop I laide to maister Warrens charge the cruell seeking of my death and when he would haue excused himselfe I tolde him he coulde not wipe hys handes so hee was as guiltie of my bloude before God as though he had murthered me with his owne handes And so he parted froÌ me saying I needed not to feare if I would be of his beliefe God open his eyes if it be hys will and geue him grace to beleue this which he and all of his inclination shall finde I feare to true for their parts that is that all they whiche cruelly maliciously and spitefully persecute molest and afflicte the members of Christe for their coÌscience sake and for the true testimonie of
worde because I am not woorthy to professe it What bring I to passe in so doyng but adde sinne to sinne What is greater sinne then to deny the truth of Christes Gospell as Christ himself beareth witnesse Hee that is ashamed of me or of my wordes of hym I will be also ashamed before my father and all his aungels I might also by like reason forbeare to do any of gods coÌmandements When I am prouoked to pray the enemy may say vnto me I am not worthy to pray therfore I shall not pray so in lyke maner of all the commandements I shall not forbeare swearing stealing murthering because I am not worthy to do any commaundement of God These be the delusions of the Deuill and Sathans suggestions which must be ouercome by continuance of prayer and with the word of God applied accordyng to the measure of euery mans gift agaynst all assaults of the Deuill At the bishops first comming to Lichfield after myne imprisonment I was called into a by chamber next to my prison to my Lord. Before whom when I came and saw none but his officers chaplains seruants except it were an old priest I was partly amazed and lifted vp my heart to God for his mercifull helpe and assistance My Lord asked me how I liked my imprisonment I gaue hym no aunswer touchyng that question He proceded to perswade me to be a member of hys Church which had continued so many yeares As for our church as hee called it it was not knowen he sayd but lately in kyng Edwards tyme. I professe my selfe to be a member of that church said I that is builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesus Christ beyng the head corner stone and so alledged the place of S. Paule to the Ephes. And this Church hath bene from the beginnyng said I though it beare no glorious shew before the world beyng euer for the most part vnder the Crosse and affliction contemned despised and persecuted My Lord on the other side contended that they were the Church Glouer So cryed all the Clergy agaynst the Prophets of Ierusalem saying Templum Domini templum Domini The Church the Church c. Bish. And always when I was about to speake any thing my Lord cried hold thy peace I commaund thee by the vertue of obedience to hold thy peace callyng me a proud arrogant heretike Glouer I willed my Lord to burthen me with some specialties then to conuince me with some Scriptures and good learnyng Then my L. began to mooue certaine questions I refused to aunswer him in corners requiryng that I myght make my answer openly He sayd I should aunswer hym there I stood with hym vpon that poynt vntill he said I should to prison agayne and there haue neither meate nor drinke till I had answered hym Then I lifted vp my hart to God that I might stand and agree with the doctrine of his most holy word Bish. The first question was this how many sacraments Christ instituted to be vsed in the church Glo. The Sacrament of Baptisme sayd I and the Sacrament that he instituted at his last Supper Bish. No more sayd he Glo. To all those that declare a true and vnfayned repentaunce a sure hope trust and confidence in the death of Christ to such ministers I grant that they haue authoritie to pronounce by the power of Gods word the remission of sinnes Here interruptyng me he would needes beare me in hand that I called this a sacrament I would not greatly contend with hym in that poynt because that matter was of no great waight or importaÌce although he in so doing did me wrong for I called it not a Sacrament Hee asked me further whether I allowed theyr confession I sayd no. Bish. Then he would know my mynd what I thought of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament Glouer I aunswered that their Masse was neither sacrifice nor Sacrament because sayd I you haue takeÌ away the true institution which when you restore agayne I will tell you my iudgement concernyng Christes body in the Sacrament And thus much did this worthy Martyr of God leaue behynd hym by his owne hand in writyng concerning the maner of hys vsing and entreatyng in pryson and also of hys conflictes had with the Bishop and hys Chauncellor Moe examinations he had no doubt with the Byshop in the publike Consistory when he was brought forth to be condemned which also he would haue left vnto vs if either length of lyfe or laysure of tyme or haste of execution had permitted hym to finish that he intended but by reason of the writ of his burnyng beyng come down from London lacke of tyme neither did serue hym so to do neither yet could I get the Records of hys last examinations wheresoeuer they are become Onely this which I could learne by relation of one Austen Bernher a Minister and a familiar friend of hys concernyng the goyng to his death I can report that the sayd blessed seruant of the Lord M. Rob. Glouer after he was condemned by the Bishop and was now at a poynt to be deliuered out of this world it so happened that two or three dayes before his hart beyng lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation felt in hymselfe no aptnes nor willingnes but rather a heauines and dulnesse of spirite full of much discomfort to beare that bitter crosse of Martyrdome ready now to be layd vpon hym Wherupon he fearing in himself lest the Lord had vtterly withdrawne his woonted fauor from him made hys mone to this Austen his frend aboue remembred signifieng vnto hym how earnestly he had prayed day and night vnto the Lord and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from hym Unto whom the sayd Austen answering agayne willed and desired him paciently to waite the Lords pleasure and how so euer his present feling was yet seing his cause was iust and true he exhorted hym constantly to sticke to the same to play the man nothyng misdoubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation whereof he sayd he was right certayne and sure therfore desired hym when so euer any such feeling of Gods heauenly mercies should begin to touch his hart that then he would shew some signification thereof wherby he might witnesse with hym the same and so departed from hym The next day when the tyme came of his martyrdome as hee was goyng to the place and was now come to the sight of the stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feele none sodainly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heauenly ioyes that he cryed out clapping his hands to Austen saying in these words Austen he is come he is come c. that with such ioy and alacritie as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly
daunger to libertie of life then as one passing out of the world by any paines of death Such was the change of the meruailous workyng of the Lordes hand vpon that good man ¶ Cornelius Bongey felow Martyr with Mayster Robert Glouer IN the same fire with him was burned also Cornelius Bongey a Capper of Couentrey and condemned by the sayd Radulph Byshoppe of Couentry and Liechfield As concerning the Articles which were to him obiected the effect therof was this Firste it was articulate agaynste him that these three yeres last in the City of Couentry and Liechfield other places about he did hold mainteyne argue and teach that the Prieste hath no power here to absolue any sinner from his sinnes Secondly that by Baptisme sinnes be not washed away because he sayd that the washing of the flesh purgeth the flesh outwardly and not the soule Thirdly that there be in the Church onely two sacramentes that is Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Fourthly that in the sacrament of theyr popish aulter was not the reall body bloud of Christ but the substance of bread wine there remayning stil because S. Paul calleth it bread and wine c. Fiftly that he within the compasse of the sayd yeares time did hold maintayne and defend that the Pope is not the head of the visible church here in earth c. Sixtly that he was of the dioces and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield c. SeueÌthly that the premises are true manifest and notorious and that vpoÌ the same there hath bene is a publick voice and fame as well in the places aboue rehearsed as in other quarters also about c. ¶ His aunsweres Unto the which articles he aunswering agayne to the first he graunted and to euery part therof meaning after the Popish maner of absolution The second he graunted first after reuoked the same To the thyrd also he graunted adding withall that in scripture there be no more conteined To the fourth touching the sacrament he graunted to euery part therof To the fift concerning the Pope likewise Also to the sixt he grauÌted and likewise to the seuenth Upon these articles and his answeres to the same the sayd Radulph the Bishop read the sentence and so coÌmitted him also after the condemnation of Mayster Roberte Glouer to the seculer power Thus this foresayd Cornelius falsely condeÌned by the Bishop before mentioned suffered at the same stake wyth the Christian Martyr Mayster Robert Glouer at Couentry about the xx day of September ¶ The burning of Mayster Robert Glouer and Cornelius Bongey at Couentry ¶ Here foloweth the story of Iohn Glouer and William Glouer how they were excommunicate and cast out after theyr death and buried in the fieldes NOwe that wee haue discoursed the storye of Mayster Robert Glouer something also woulde bee touched of his other two brethreÌ Iohn and William Glouer Who albeit they were not called to finishe theyr course by lyke kinde of Martyrdome in the fire as the other did yet because for theyr constaunt profession of Gods Gospell vnto the latter ende they were exempted after theyr death cast out of the same Church as the other was I thought them not vnworthy therefore in the story to be ioyned together which in one cause and the same profession were not suÌdered one from the other And first concerning Mayster Iohn Glouer the eldest brother what inward stormes and agonies he susteined by the ghostly enemy partly ye heard before described nowe what his bodily enemies wrought against him remaineth to be declared Whose rage and malice although god so restrained that they coulde litle preuayle agaynst him so long as his life endured yet after his decease hauing power vpon him what they did ye shall now vnderstand After the Martyrdome of mayster Robert Glouer although Iohn Glouer seing his brother to be apprehended for him had small ioy of his life for the great sorow of his hart wherewith he was sore oppressed and would gladly haue put himselfe in his Brothers stead if frendes had not otherwise perswaded with him shewing that in so doyng he might intangle himselfe but should doe his brother no good He thus in great care and vexation endured yet notwithstanding rubbing out as well as he could til at leÌgth about the latter end of queene Mary there was a new search made for the sayd Iohn Glouer Whereupon the Sheriffes with theyr vnder Officers and seruauntes being sent to seek him came into his house where he and his wife were It chauÌced as he was in his chamber by himselfe the Officers brusting into the house and searching other roomes came to the Chamber doore where this Iohn Glouer was Who being within and holding the latch softly with his hand perceiued and heard the Officers buskeling about the doore amongest whome one of the sayd officers hauing the string in his hand was ready to draw and plucke at the same In the meane time an other comming by whose voice he heard and knew bad them come away saying they had bene there before Whereupon they departing thence weÌt to search other corners of the house where they found Agnes Glouer his wife who being had to Liechfilde there examined before the bishop at length after much ado was constrayned to geue place to their tyranny Ioh Glouer in the meane time partly for care of his wife partly through cold taken in the woodes where he did lye tooke an Agew whereupon not long after he left this life which the cruell Papistes so long had sought for Thus by the mighty protectioÌ of the almighty Lord how Iohn Glouer was deliuered and defended froÌ the handes of the persecuting enemies during all the time of hys life ye haue hearde Nowe what befell after his death both to him to William his brother it is not vnworthy to be remeÌbred Who after that he was dead buried in the churchyard without Priest or Clerke D. Dracot then Chauncellour sixe weekes after sent for the parson of the Towne demaunded howe it chaunced that hee was there buryed The parson aunswered that he was then sicke and knewe not of it Then the Chauncellour commaunded the parson to go home and to cause the body of the said Iohn Glouer to be taken vp to be cast ouer the wall into the hie way The Parson agayne answered that he had bene 6. weekes in the earth so smelled that none was able to abide the sauor of him Well quoth D. Dracot then take this byll and pronounce him in the pulpit a damned soule and a twelue moneth after take vp his bones for then the fleshe will be consumed and cast theÌ ouer the wall that cartes and horses may tread vpon them and then will I come hallow againe that place in the churchyard where he was buried Recorded by the Parson of the towne who tolde the same to Hugh Burrowes dwelling at
Isaac and Iacob Peter and Paule and all the heauenly company of the Aungels in heauen through Iesus Christ our Lord. As yet there was neuer learned man nor anye scholer or other that visited vs since we came into Bocardo which nowe in Oxforde may be called a Colledge of Quondams For as ye know wee be no fewer then three and I dare say euery one wel contented with his portion which I do reckeÌ to be our heauenly fathers fatherly good and gracious gift Thus fare you well We shal by Gods grace one day meete together and be merry The day assuredly approcheth apace The Lorde graunt that it maye shortly come For before that daye come I feare me the world will waxe worse and worse But then all our enemies shal be ouerthrowne and troden vnder foote righteousnes and truth then shall haue the victory and beare the bell away whereof the Lorde graunt vs to be partakers and al that loueth truely the truth We al pray you as ye can to cause all our commendations to be made to all such as ye know did visite vs and you when we were in the Tower with their frendly remembraunces and benefites Maistresse Wilkenson and maistresse Warcup haue not forgotteÌ vs but euer since we came to Bocardo with their charitable and frendly beneuolence haue comforted vs not that els we did lacke for God be blessed he euer hitherto hath prouided sufficiently for vs but that is a great comfort and an occasion for vs to blesse God when we see that he maketh them so frendly to tender vs whom some of vs were neuer familiarly acquaynted withall Yours in Christ Nich Ridley ¶ Letter of mayster Ridley sent to a Cosin of his GOds holy spirite be with you now and euer Amen When I call to remembraunce beloued Cosin the state of those that for feare of trouble eyther for losse of goods wil do in the sight of the world those thinges that they know and are assured are contrary to the wyll of God I can do no lesse but lameÌt theyr case being assured the end thereof will be so pittifull without speedy repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I would to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that freedome of conscience might be geuen vnto them I wrote as God knoweth not of presumption but onely lamenting the state of those whome I thought now in this dangerous time should haue geuen both you and me comfortable instructions But alas in steade thereof we haue instructions to folow I lament me to rehearse it superstitious Idolatrye Yea and that woorst of all is they wil seeke to proue it by the Scriptures The Lord for his mercy turne their hartes Amen Commend me c. Yours Nicholas Ridley ¶ To Mayster Bradford BRother Bradford I wishe you and your company in Christ yea and al the holy brotherhood that now with you in diuers prisons suffereth and beareth pacieÌtly christes crosse for the mayntenance of his Gospell grace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. Sir considering the state of this chiualrie and warfare wherin I doubt not but we be set to fight vnder Christes banner and his crosse agaynst our ghostly enemy the deuill and the old serpent Satan me thinke I perceiue 2. things to be hys most perilous and moste daungerous engynes whiche he hath to impugne Christes veritie hys gospell and hys fayth and the same two also to be the most massy postes and most mightye pillers whereby hee mayntayneth and vpholdeth his Satanical sinagogue These two sir are they in my iudgement the one his false doctrine idolatrical vse of the Lordes supper and the other that wicked and abhominable vsurpation of the premacy of the See of Rome By these two Satan seemeth to me principally to mayntayne and vphold hys kingdome by these two he driueth downe mightily alas I feare me the third parte of the stars in heauen These two poysonfull rotten posts he hath so paynted ouer with such a pretense and colour of Religion of vnitie in Christes Churche of the Catholicke fayth and such like that the wily serpent is able to deceiue if it were possible euen the elect of God Wherfore Iohn sayd not without great cause If any know not Satans subtleties and the profundities thereof I will wishe him no other burden to be laden withall Syr because these be hys principall and mayne postes whereupon standeth all his falsehoode crafte and trechery therfore according to the poore power that God hath geuen me I haue bended mine artillary to shoote at the same I knowe it to be but little God knoweth that I can doe and of my shotte I knowe they passe not Yet I will not God willing cease to doe the best that I can to shake those cankered and rotten postes The Lorde graunt me good successe to the glory of hys name and the furtherance of Christes Gospell I haue now already I thanke God for this present tyme spent a good parte of my ponder in these scriblinges wherof this bearer shal geue you knowledge Good brother Bradford let the wicked surmise and say what they list know you for a certaintie by GODS grace without all doubt that in Christes Gospelles cause agaynst and vpon the foresayd Gods enemies I am fully determined to liue and dye Fare well deare brother and I beseeche you and al the rest of our brethren to haue good remembraunce of the condemned heretiques as they call them of Oxford in your prayers The bearer shall certifie you of our state Farewell in the Lorde From Bocardo Yours in Christ Nicholas Ridley * An other letter of Mayster Ridley vnto Mayster Bradforde and other his prison fellowes An. 1555. DEarely beloued I wish you grace mercy and peace According to your minde I haue runne ouer all your papers and what I haue done which is but small therein may appeare In two places I haue put in two loose leaues I had muche adoe to read that was written in your great leaues and I weene some where I haue altered some words because I could not read perfectly that which was written Sir what shall best be done with these thinges now ye must consider for if they come in sight at this time vndoubtedly they must to the fire with theyr father and as for any safegard that your custody can be vnto them I am sure you looke not for it For as you haue bene partner of the worke so I am sure you looke for none other but to haue and receiue like wages and to drynke of the same cup. Blessed be God that hath geuen you liberty in the meane season that you may vse your penne to hys glory and the comforte as I heare say of many I blesse God dayly in you and all your whole company to whom I beseeche you commend me hartily Nowe I loue my country man in deed
heart as I graunt I haue fealt sometimes before O good brother blessed be God in thee and blessed be the time that euer I knewe thee Farewell farewell Your brother in Christ Nicholas Ridley Brother farewell To the brethren remaining in captiuitie of the flesh and dispearsed abroad in sundry prisones but knit together in vnity of spirit and holy Religion in the bowels of the Lorde Iesu. GRace peace mercye be multiplied among you What worthy thankes can we render vnto the Lorde for you my brethren namely for the great coÌsolation which through you we haue receiued in the Lorde who notwithstanding the rage of Sathan that goeth about by all maner of subtill meanes to beguile the worlde and also buâlâ laboreth to restore and set vp his kingdome againe that of late began to decay and fall to ruine ye remaine yet stil ãâã as men surely grounded vpon a strong rocke And nowe albeit that sathan by his souldiors and wicked ministers daily as we heare draweth numbers vnto hym so that it is sayd of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen whiles hee driueth into some men thâ feare of death and losse of all their goods and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunt baites of the worlde namelye richesse wealth and all kinde of delightes and pleasures faire houses great reuenues âat benefices and what not and all to the intent they should fall downe worship not the Lorde but the Dragon the olde Serpent whych is the deuil that great beast and his image and should be inâiced to commit fornication with the strompet of Babilon together wyth the kings of the earth wyth the lesser beast and with the false Prophetes and so to reioyce and be pleasant wyth her and to be drunken wyth the wine of her fornication yet blessed be God the Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe which hath geuen vnto you a manly courage and hath so strengthened you in the inwarde man by the power of his spirite that you can contemne as well all the terrours as also the vaine flatteringe allurementes of the worlde esteeming them as vanities mere trifles things of nought Who hath also wroughte planted and surely stablished in your hearts so stedfast a fayth and loue of the Lorde Iesus Christe ioyned with such constancie that by no engines of Antichriste be they neuer so terrible or plausible yee will suffer any other Iesus or any other Christ to be forced vpon you besides him whom the Prophetâ haue spoken of before the Apostles haue preached the holy Martyrs of God haue coÌfessed and testified with the effusion of their bloud In thys Faith stand ye fast my brethren and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more For ye know brethren howe that our sauiour warned his beforehand that such shoulde come as would poynt vnto the world an other Christ and woulde set him out wyth so many fals myracles and with such deceiueable and subtill practises that euen the very electe if it were possible should be therby deceiued such strong delusion to come did our Sauiour geue warning of before But continue ye faithful and constant and be of good comfort remember that our graund captaine hath ouercome the world for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world and the Lorde promiseth vnto vs that for the elects sake the daies of wickednes shall be shortned In the meane season abide ye endure with patience as ye haue begun endure I say and reserue your selues vnto better times as one of the heathen Poetes said cease not to shew yourselues valiant Soldiours of the Lorde and helpe to maintaine the trauelling faith of the Gospell Yee haue neede of patience that after ye haue done the wil of God ye may receiue the promises For yet a very litle while and he that shall come will come and wil not tarie and the iust shall liue by faith but if anye withdrawe him selfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him sayth the Lorde But we are not they which doe withdrawe oure selues vnto damnation but beleeue vnto the saluation of the soule Let vs not suffer these woordes of Christ to fall out of our hearts by any manner of terrours or threatnings of the worlde Feare not them which kil the body the rest ye know For I wryte not vnto you as to menne which are ignoraunt of the truth but which know the truthe and to this ende onely that we agreeing together in one faith may take comfort one of an other and be the more confirmed and strengthened thereby We neuer had a better or more iust cause either to contemne our life or shed our bloud we can not take in hande the defence of a more certaine cleare and manifest truthe For it is not any ceremonie for the which we contend but it toucheth the very substance of our whole Religion yea euen Christ him selfe Shall we either can we receiue and acknowledge any other Christe in steade of hym who is alone the euerlasting sonne of the euerlasting Father and is the brightnesse of the glory and liuely image of the substaunce of the Father in whome onely dwelleth corporally the fulnesse of the Godhead who is the onely waye the truth and the life Let such wickednesse my brethren lette such horrible wickednesse be farre from vs. For althoughe there be that are called Gods whether in heauen either in earth as there be many Gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whome are al things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and wee by him but euery man hath not knowledge This is life eternal sayth S. Iohn that they know thee to be the onely true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ. If any therfore would force vpon vs any other GOD besides him whom Paule and the Apostles haue taughte let vs not heare him but let vs flee froÌ him and hold him accursed Brethren ye are not ignorant of the deepe and profouÌd subtleties of Satan for he will not cease to raunge about you seking by all meanes possible whom he may deuour but play ye the men and be of good comfort in the Lorde And albeit your enemies and the aduersaries of the truth armed with all worldly force and power that may be doe set vppon you yet be not ye faynt harted nor shrinke not therfore but trust vnto your Captayne Christ trust vnto the spirit of truth trust to the truth of your cause which as it may by the malice of satan be darckened so can it neuer be cleane put out For we haue high prayse be geuen to God therfore most playnely euidently and clearely on our side all the Prophets all the Apostles and vndoubtedly all the auncient Ecclesiastical writers which haue writtan vntill
of late yeares past Let vs bee hartye and of good courage therefore and throughlye comforte our selues in the Lorde Bee in no wise afrayd of your aduersaries for that which is to them an occasion of perdition is to you a sure token of saluatioÌ and that of GOD. For vnto you it is geuen that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on hym but also suffer for hys sake And when ye are rayled vppon for the name of Christe remember that by the voyce of Peter yea and of Christe our Sauiour also ye are counted with the Prophetes with the Apostles and with the holy Martyrs of Christ happy and blessed therefore for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you On their part our Sauiour Christe is euill spoken of but on your part he is gloryfied For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you and working al crueltie villanie agaynst you but make your crownes more glorious yea beautifie multiply the same heape vpon them selues the horrible plagues and heauy wrath of God and therfore good brethreÌ though they rage neuer so fiercely against vs yet let vs not wish euill vnto theÌ againe knowing that whiles for Christes cause they vexe and persecute vs they are lyke mad men most outragious and cruell agaynst them selues heaping hot burning coles vpon their owne heades but rather let vs wish well vnto theÌ knowing that we are thereunto called in Christe Iesu that we should be heyres of the blessing Let vs pray therefore vnto God that he would driue out of their harts this darkenes of errours make the light of his truth to shine vnto theÌ that they acknowledging their blindnes may with al humble repentance be conuerted vnto the Lord together with vs confesse hym to be the onely true God which is the father of light his onely sonne Iesus Christ worshipping him in spirit and veritie Amen The spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ comfort your hartes in the loue of God and pacience of Christ. Amen Your brother in the Lord whose name this bearer shall signifie vnto you ready alwayes by the grace of God to liue and die with you ¶ To the breathren which constantly cleaue vnto Christ in suffering affliction with him and for his sake GRace and peace from God the father and froÌ our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied vnto you Amen Although brethren we haue of late heard nothing from you neither haue at this present any newes to send you yet we thought good somthing to write vnto you wherby ye might vnderstand that we haue good remembraunce of you continually as we doubt not but ye haue of vs also When this messenger comming vnto vs from you of late had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancie fortitude and patience in the Lord we were filled with much ioy gladnes geuing thankes to God the father through our Lord Iesus Christe which hath caused his face so to shine vpon you and with the light of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lightened your hartes that now being in captiuitie bandes for Christes cause ye haue not ceased as much as in you lyeth by wordes but much more by deede and by your example to stablysh and confirme that thing which when ye were at libertie in the world ye laboured to publish and set abrode by the word and doctrine that is to say holding fast the worde of life ye shine as lightes in the worlde in the middest of a wicked and crooked nation and that with so much the greater glory of our Lord Iesus Christe and profite of your brethren by how muche Satan more cruelly now rageth and busily laboureth to darken the light of the Gospel And as for the darkenes that Satan nowe bringeth vpon the Church of England who needeth to doubt therof Of late tyme our Sauiour Christe his Apostles Prophetes and Teachers spake in the Temple to the people of England in the Englishe tongue so that they might be vnderstanded playnly and without any hardnesse of the godly and such as sought for heauenly knowledge in matters whiche of necessitie of saluation perteyned to the obteyning of eternall life but now those thinges which once were written of them for the edifiyng of the congregation are read in a strange tongue without interpretatioÌ manifestly agaynst saint Paules commaundement so that there is no man able to vnderstand them which hath not learned that strange and vnknowen tongue Of late dayes those heauenly mysteries whereby Christe hath ingrafted vs into his body and hath vnited vs one to another whereby also being regenerate borne anew vnto God he hath nourished encreased and strengthened vs whereby moreouer eyther he hath taught and set foorth an order amongest them which are whole or els to the sicke in soule or body hath geuen as it were wholesome medicines and remedies those I say were al plainlye set foorth to the people in their owne language so that what great and exceeding good things euery man had receiued of God what duetie euery one owed to an other by Gods ordinaunce what euery one had professed in his vocation and was bound to obserue where remedy was to be had for the wicked and feeble he to whom God had geuen a desire and willing hart to vnderstand those thinges might soone perceiue and vnderstand But now all these thinges are taught set forth in such sort that the people redeemed with Christes bloud and for whose sakes they were by Christe himselfe ordeined can haue no maner of vnderstanding thereof at all Of late for as much as we knowe not how to pray as we ought our Lorde Iesus Christe in his Prayer wherof he would haue no man ignorauÌt and also the holy Ghost in the Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes which are set foorth in the Bible did teache and instructe all the people of Englande in the Englyshe tongue that they might aske such thinges as are according to the will of the Father and might ioyne their hartes and lyppes in prayer together but nowe all these thynges are commaunded to be hid and shutte vp from them in a straunge tongue whereby it must needes followe that the people neyther can tell how to pray nor what to pray for and how can they ioyne their hartes and voyce together wheÌ they vnderstande no more what the voyce signifieth than a bruite beast Finally I heare say that the Catechisme whiche was lately set foorth in the Englyshe tongue is now in euery Pulpite condemned O deuilishe malice and most spitefully iniurious to the saluation of mankinde purchased by Iesus Christe In deede Satan coulde not long suffer that so great light should be spread abrode in the world he sawe well enough that nothing was able to ouerthrow his kingdome so much as if childreÌ being godly instructed in Religion should learne to knowe Christe whilest they are yet young whereby not onely chyldren but the elder sort also
and aged folkes that before were not taught to know Christe in their childehood shoulde now euen with children and babes be forced to learne to know him Now therefore he roreth now he rageth But what els do they brethren which serue Satan and become his ministers slaues in mainteining of his impietie but euen the same which they did to whom Christ our Sauiour threatneth this curse in the Gospell Woe vnto you which shutte vp the kingdome of heauen before men take away the key of knowledge from them you your selues haue not entred in neither haue you suffered them that would enter to come in And from whence shall we say brethren that this horrible mischeuous darknes proceedeth which is nowe brought vpon the worlde From whence I pray you but euen from the smoke of the great furnace of the bottomlesse pit so that the sunne and the ayre are now darkened by the smoke of the pit Now euen now out of doubt brethren the pit is opened agaynst vs and the Locustes begyn to swarme and Abbadon now raigneth Ye therfore my brethren which pertaine vnto Christ and haue the seale of God marked in your foreheades that is to wit are sealed with the earnest of the spirite to be a peculiar people of God quite your selues like men and be strong for he that is in vs is stronger then he which is in the world and ye know that al that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is our victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Let the world freat let it rage neuer so much be it neuer so cruel and bloudy yet be ye sure that no man can take vs out of the fathers handes for he is greater then all who hath not spared his owne sonne but hath geuen him to death for vs all and therefore how shall he not with him geue vs all thinges also Who shall lay any thyng to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ that is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christe Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sworde the rest ye knowe breathren We are certainely perswaded with S. Paul by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe that no kynde of thyng shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which thyng that it may come to passe by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to the comfort both of you of vs all as we for our partes will continually God wyllyng pray for you so deare brethren in the Lorde with all earnest and harty request we beseech you euen in the bowelles of our Lorde Iesus Christ that ye will not cease to pray for vs. Fare ye well deare brethren The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe be with you all euermore Amen ¶ A Letter of Byshop Ridley answearyng to a certayne Letter of one Maister West sometime his Chapleine I Wishe you grace in God and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mightie hand of almighty God it is no more possible to stande by the truth in Christe in tyme of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heate of the fyre Sir knowe you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this worlde is but transitorie and as saint Iohn sayth The world passeth away and the lust thereof I am perswaded Christes wordes to be true Who soeuer shall confesse me before men hym will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shal be saued whom the Redeemer and Sauiour of the worlde shall before his father denie This the Lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my hart that neyther thinges present nor to come hygh nor low lyfe nor death be able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wishe that you wish me deepely to consider thinges perteyning vnto Gods glorye but if you had wished also that neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperitie shoulde let me to mayneteine Gods worde and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for Gods sake to remember my selfe In deede sir nowe it is time so to do for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trow then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare hym that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fire whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together our frayle flesh that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much sute for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in suing for my worldly deliueraunce impayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truth You haue knowen me long in deede in the which time it hath chaunced me as you say to mislike some thinges It is true I graunt for sodaine chaunges without substantiall and necessary cause and the heady settyng foorth of extremities I did neuer loue Confession vnto the minister which is able to instruct correct comfort informe the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in deede I euer thought might do much good in Christes congregation and so I assure you I thynke euen at this daye My doctrine and my preaching you say you haue hearde often and after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament which thing although it was of me reuerently handled and a great deale better then of the rest as you yet in the margent you write warily and in this worlde wisely and yet me thought all sounding not well Sir but that I see so many changes in this worlde so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a litle marueile I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainnes and faythfulnes as much I assure you as for your learning and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider moe things then one and wil not say all that I thinke But what neede you to care what I thinke for any thing I shal be able to do vnto you eyther good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothing against my learning and to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein like your counsell very well and by Gods grace I intend to folow it vnto my lyues end To write vnto those whom you name I can not see what it wyll auayle me For this I woulde haue you knowe that I esteeme nothyng auayleable for me
which also wyll not further the glory of GOD. And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desire of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly myserie if I shoulde not beare you a good hart in God againe me thinke I were to blame Sir howe nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this worlde is at hand I can not tell the Lordes wyll be fulfilled how sone soeuer it shall come I knowe the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt Iudge and be countable to him of all my former lyfe And although the hope of his mercies is my shootanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that who soeuer wittingly neglecteth regardeth not to cleare his conscience he can not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercy Conscience therefore moueth me considering you were one of my familie and one of my houshold of whom then I thinke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house which in deede ought to haue bene an example of godlynes to all the rest of my cure not only of good life but also in promotyng of Gods worde to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryall doth seperate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is God knoweth which the wind doth not blow away this conscience I say doth moue me to feare lest the lightnesse of my familie shall be layde to my charge for lacke of more earnest and diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be God which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my hart before my departyng hence This conscience dooth mooue me also now to require both you and my friende Doctor Haruy to remember your promises made to me in tymes past of the pure settyng foorth and preachyng of Gods worde and his truth These promises although you shall not neede to feare to be charged with them of me hereafter before the worlde yet looke for none other I exhort you as my friendes but to be charged with them at Gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you byddeth me now say vnto you both in Gods name feare GOD and loue not the world for GOD is able to caste both body and soule into hell fyre When his wrath shall sodaynely be kindled blessed are all they that put their trust in hym And the saying of sainct Iohn is true All that is in the world as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father but of the worlde and the worlde passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyll of God abydeth for euer If this gyfte of grace whiche vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens hartes they would not be so light so sodenly to shrinke from the maintenance and confession of the truth as is now alas seene so manifestly of so many in these dayes But here peraduenture you woulde knowe of me what is the truth Syr Gods woorde is the truth as sainct Iohn sayth and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and change as the Moone yet Gods worde is stable abydeth one for euermore and of Christ it is truely sayd Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer When I was in office all that were esteemed learned in Gods word agreed this to be a truth in Gods word written that the common prayer of the Churche should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with many and I ensure you I neuer founde man so farre as I do remember neither old nor new gospeller nor papist of what iudgement soeuer he was in this thing to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of Gods word thinke you that the alteration of the world can make it an vntruth If it can not why then do so many men shrynke from the confession maintenance of this truth receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christe in this worlde but to mainteyne the truth taught in Gods word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same This one thing haue I brought for an ensample other thinges be in like case which now particulerly I neede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truth of Gods word if he be constrained he wyl assuredly forsake God and al his truth rather then he wyl endaunger hym selfe to loose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he doth God and the truth of his word I like very well your plaine speaking wherein you say I must eyther agree or dye and I thinke that you meane of the bodyly death which is common both to good and bad Sir I knowe I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape this death which is so common to all and also incurre the gylt of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I may vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I lyue And because I dare say you wrote of friendshyp vnto me this short earnest aduertisement and I thynke veryly wishing me to lyue and not to dye therefore bearyng you in my hart no lesse loue in GOD then you doe me in the worlde I say vnto you in the worde of the Lord and that I say to you I say to all my friendes and louers in God that if you do not confesse maintayne to your power knowledge that which is grounded vpon Gods worde but will eyther for feare or gayne of the worlde shrinke and play the Apostata in deede you shall dye the death you know what I meane And I beseeche you all my true frendes louers in God remember what I say for this may be the last time peraduenture that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the .viij. day of Aprill 1555. M. Grindal now Archbishop of Canterbury being in the tyme of exile in the citie of Frankford wrote to D. Ridley theÌ prisoner a certaine Epistle wherin first he lamenteth his captiuitie exhorting him withall to be constant Secondly he certifieth him of the state of the English exiles being dispersed in Germany and of the singuler prouidence of God in stirring vp the fauour of the Magistrates and rulers there towardes them Thirdly he writeth to know his minde and will concerning the printing of his booke agaynst Transubstantiation and of certayne other treatises and his disputations Wherunto Bishop Ridley answereth agayne in order as foloweth ¶ The aunsweare of
custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est oiÌbus âxori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quem cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi nonnihil posse intelligere quam graue malum intolerabile iugum sit cum mala muliere in coniugio collâcari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia á magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis mandatum idque illi si quando de mea nimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo saepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studiorum statutorum reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae delete omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati Euangelij fauebant vel qui coniugati erant loco motiâ sunt alij Papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baal factum esse audio Nec mirum nam illud passim factum est in vniuerso regno Angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis Prebendarijs Sacerdotibus Ecclesiarum in toto clââo and to tell you muche naughty matter in fewe woordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno suo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be mercyfull and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkyndnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the gyftes of his manifolde graces and fauoure alas we did not serue him nor render vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors manye of vs were to colde and bare to much alas with the wicked worlde our Magistrates did abuse to their owne worldly gayne both Gods Gospell and the ministers of the same The people in many places was wayward and vnkynde Thus of euery side and of euery sorte we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrath to fall vppon vs but blessed myght he be that hath not suffered his to continue in those wayes which so wholly haue displeased his secrete Maiestie but hath awaked them by the fatherly correction of his owne sonnes crosse vnto his glorie and our endlesse saluation through Iesus Christe our Lorde My dayly prayer is as God doth know and by gods grace shall be so long as I lyue in this worlde for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your owne Counâây because you will rather forsake all worldly thynges ãâã the truth of Gods worde It is euen the same that I ãâã to make to GOD for all those Churches abroad through the worlde which haue forsaken the kyngdome of Antichrist and professed openly the puritie of the Gospell of Iesus Christ that is that God our eternall father for our Sauiour Christes sake will dayly encrease in you the gracious gifte of his heauenly spirite to the true settyng forth of his glory and of his Gospell and make you to agree brotherly in the truth of the same that there arise no rote of bitternesse among you that may infect that good seede which God hath sowen in your hartes already and finally that your lyfe may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of Gods worde and according to that vocation whereunto we are called by the Gospell of Christ our Sauiour that the honesty and purity of the same may prouoke all that shall see or knowe it to the loue of your doctrine and to loue you for your honesty and vertues sake and so both in brotherly vnity of your true doctrine and also in the Godly vertue of your honest lyfe to glorifie our father which is in heauen Ex nostratibus magni aliquot magistratus Cancellarius Wint. Comes Arundellus Dominus Pachetus iam legatione funguntur vna cum Cardinali Polo in partibus transmarinis ad componendam vt aiunt pacem inter imperatorem regem nostrum Francorum regem Post illorum magistratuum nostrorum reditum partum reginae quem iam quotidie expectamus iam aliquandiu expectauimus quemque Deus pro sui nominis gloria dignetur bene illi fortunare nos tunc statim nihil aliud quam nostrae confessionis de hoste nostro antiquo triúmphales in domino coronas expectamus Omnium vestrûm precibus me humillime ex toto corde commendo In primis tuis o chariss in Christo frater delectiss Grindalle chariss fratrum vnicè mihi in domino delectorum Checi Coxi Turneri Leueri Sampsonis Chamberi omnium fratrum nostrorum conterraneorum qui apud vos degunt deligunt dominum nostrum Iesum Christum in veritate Commendo etiam vobis reuerendiss patres concaptiuos meos in domino Thomam Cranmerum iam veri magni pastoris Archipresulis nomine digniss veteranum illum Christi nostrae gentis Anglicanae verum Apostolum Hugonem Latimerum Condona mihi frater harum prolixitatem non enim post hac credo charissime frater meis literis iam amplius aliquando turbaberis Oxonij N. R. ¶ To Augustine Bernher BRother Augustine I blesse God with all my hart in his maninifolde mercifull gyftes geuen vnto our deare breathren in Christ especially to our brother Rogers whom it pleased to set forth fyrst no doubt but of his gracious goodnes and fatherly fauour towardes hym And likewyse blessed be God in the rest as Hoper Saunders and Taylour whom it hath pleased the Lord likewyse to set in the forefront of the battayle agaynst his aduersaries and hath endued them all so farre as I can heare to stand in the confession of his truth and to be content in his cause and for his Gospels sake to lose their lyfe And euermore and without ende blessed be euen the same our heauenly father for our deare and entirely beloued brother Bradford whom nowe the Lorde I perceiue calleth for for I weene he will no longer vouchsafe him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this worlde I do not doubt but that he for those giftes of grace whiche the Lorde hath bestowed on hym plenteously hath holpen those which are gon before in their iourney that is hath animated and encouraged them to keepe the hygh way sic currere vti tandem acciperent praemium The Lord be his comfort whereof I do not doubt and I thanke God hartely that euer I was acquainted with him and that euer I had such a one in my house And yet agayne I blesse GOD in our deare brother and of this tyme Protomartyr Rogers that he was also one of my calling to be a Prebendary Preacher of London And now because Grindall is gone the Lorde I doubt not hath and knoweth wherein
of the harte and veritie wherein consisteth true Christian Religion and not in the outward deedes of the letter onely or in the glisteryng shewe of mans traditions or pardons pilgrimages ceremonies vowes deuotions voluntarie workes and workes of supererogation foundations oblations the Popes supremacie c. so that all these either were nedeles where the other is present or els were of small estimation in comparison of the other The tenour and effect of these his Sermons so far as they could come to our handes here foloweth ¶ The tenoure and effecte of certayne Sermons made by mayster Latimer in Cambridge about the yeare of our Lord. 1529. TV quis es which wordes are as much to say in Englyshe Who art thou These be the wordes of the Phariseis which were sent by the Iewes vnto sainct Iohn Baptist in wildernesse to haue knowledge of hym whom he was which woordes they spake vnto hym of an euill intent thinkyng that he would haue taken on hym to be Christe and so they woulde haue had him done with their good willes because they knewe that he was more carnall and geuen to their lawes then Christ in deede should be as they perceyued by their old prophecies and also because they maruayled muche of his great doctryne preachyng and baptising they were in doubt whether he was Christ or not wherefore they sayd vnto him who art thou Then answered sainct Iohn and confessed that he was not Christ. Now here is to be noted the great and prudent answere of saincte Iohn Baptist vnto the Phariseis that when they required of him whom he was he would not directly answere of himselfe what he was him selfe but he sayd he was not Christ by the which saying he thought to put the Iewes and Phariseis out of their false opinion beliefe towardes him in that they would haue had him to exercise the office of Christ and âo declared farther vnto them of Christ saying he is in the middes of you and amongst you whoÌ ye know not whose âatchet of his shoe I am not worthy to vnlose or vndoe By this you may perceiue that saint Iohn spake much in the lande and prayse of Christ his maister professing himselfe to be in no wise like vnto him So likewise it shal be necessary vnto all men women of this world not to ascribe vnto them selues any goodnes of themselues but all vnto our Lorde God as shall appeare herafter when this question aforesayd Who art thou shall be moued vnto theÌ not as the Phariseis did vnto saint Iohn of an euill purpose but of a good and simple minde as may appeare hereafter Now then according to the preachers mynd let euery man and woman of a good simple mind contrary to the Phariseis intent aske this question Who art thou this question must be moued to themselues what they be of themselues on this fashion What art thou of thy only and natural generatioÌ betwene father mother wheÌ thou camest into this world What substaÌce what vertue what goodnes art thou of by thy selfe which question if thou reherâe often times vnto thy selfe thou shalt well perceiue vnderstand how thou shalt make aunswer vnto it which must be made on this wayes I am of my selfe and by my selfe coÌming from my naturall father mother the childe of the ire indignation of God the true inheritour of hel a lumpe of sinne working nothing of my selfe but all towardes hell except I haue better helpe of an other then I haue of my selfe Now we may see in what state we enter in to this world that we be of our selues the true and iust inheritours of hell the children of the ire indignation of Christ working all towardes hell whereby we deserue of our selues perpetuall dampnation by the ryght iudgement of God and the true clayme of our selues which vnthrifty state that we be borne vnto is come vnto vs for our own desertes and proueth well this example followyng Let it be admitted for the probatioÌ of this that it might please the kynges grace now being to accept into his fauour a meane man of a simple degre and byrth not borne to any possession whom the kynges grace fauoureth not because this person hath of himselfe deserued any such fauoure but that the kyng casteth this fauoure vnto him of his owne mere motion fantasy and for because the kings grace will more declare his fauoure vnto him he geueth vnto his sayd man a thousand poundes in landes to hym and his heyres on this condition that he shall take vpon him to be the chiefe captayne and defendour of his towne of Calice and to be trew and faythfull vnto hym in the custodie of the same agaynst the Frenche men specially aboue all other enemies This man taketh on hym this charge promysing his fidelitie thereunto It chaunceth in processe of tyme that by the singuler acquaintaunce and frequent familiaritie of this Captaine with the French men these French men geue vnto this sayde Captayne of Calice a great summe of money so that he will be content and agreeable that they may enter into the sayde towne of Calice by force of armes and so thereby to possesse the same vnto the Crowne of Fraunce vpon this agreement the French men doe inuade the sayde Towne of Calice alonely by the neglygence of this Captayne Now the Kynges grace hearyng of this inuasion commeth with a great puissaunce to defende this his sayd Towne and so by good pollicie of warre ouercommeth the sayd French men and entreth againe into his Towne of Calice Then he beyng desyrous to knowe how these enemies of his came thyther he maketh profound searche and enquirie by whom this treason was conspyred by this searche it was knowen and founde his owne Captayne to be the very authoure and beginner of the betraying of it The King seeing the great infidelitie of this person dischargeth this man of his office and taketh from him and his heyres this thousande poundes possessions Thinke you not but the Kyng doth vse iustice vnto him and all his posteritie and heyres Yes truely the sayde Capitayne cannot deny hymselfe but that he hadde true iustice consyderyng howe vnfaythfully he behaued hym to his Prince contrary to his own fidelitie and promyse so likewyse it was of our fyrst Father Adam He had geuen vnto him the spirite of science knowledge to worke all goodnesse therewith this sayd spirite was not geuen alonely vnto him but vnto all his heyres and posteritie He had also deliuered him the Towne of Calice that is to say Paradise in earth the most strong and fayrest Towne in the worlde to be in his custodie He neuerthelesse by the instigation of these Frenche menne that is to say the temptation of the Feende dyd obey vnto their desire and so brake his promise and fidelitie the commaundemeÌt of the euerlasting kyng his maister in eatyng of the apple by hym inhibited Now then the kyng seyng this great treason in
will be more lothe not for anye infidelitie but for ignoraunce for I beleue as a christen man ought to beleue but peraduenture my Lord knoweth and wyll know many thyngs certaynely which perchaunce I am ignoraunt in wyth the which ignoraunce though my Lorde of London may if hee will ãâã discontent yet I trust my Lorde God will pardon it as long as I hurt no man withall and saye to hym with dilligent study and dayly prayer paratum cor meum Deus paratum cor meum so studying preaching and tarying the pleasure and leisure of God And in the meane season Actes viij as Apollo did when hee knew nothing of Christ but Baptismum Iohannis teach and preache myne euen christen that and no farther then I know to be true There be three Creedes one in my masse an other in my mattyns the thyrd common to them that neyther sayeth masse nor mattyns nor yet knoweth what they say when they say the Creede and I beleue all three wyth all that God hath left in holy writte for me and all other to beleeue yet I am ignoraunt in thynges whiche I truste hereafter to know ãâã I do now know thinges in which I haue bene ignorauât at heretofore euer learne and euer to be learned to profitâ with learning with ignorance not to noy I haue thought in times past that the Pope Christes Uicar had bene Lord of all the world as Christ is so that if he should haue depryued the kyng of hys Crowne or you of the Lordshyp of Bromeham it had bene enough for he could do no wrong Now I might be hyred to thyncke otherwyse not withstanding I haue both seene and heard scripture drawen to that purpose I haue thought in tymes past that the Popes dispensations of pluralities of benefices and absence from the same had discharged consciences before God forasmuche as I had heard ecce vobiscum sum qui vos aâdit me audit bended to coroborate the same Nowe I might be easely entreated to thinke otherwise c. I haue thought in times past that the P. could haue spoyled purgatory at his pleasure with a word of his mouth now learnyng might perswade me otherwise or els I woulde maruayle why he would suffer so muche money to be bestowed that way whiche so needefull is to be bestowed otherwise and to depriue vs of so many patrones in heaueÌ as he might deliuer out of purgatorye c. I haue thought in tymes past that and if I hadde bene a Fryer and in a cowle I could not haue bene daÌpned nor afeard of death and by occasion of the same I haue bene minded manye tymes to haue bene a Fryer namely wheÌ I was sore sick and diseased Now I abhorre my superstitious foolishenes c. I haue thought in tymes past that diuers Images of sayntes could haue holpen me and done me much good and deliuered me of my diseases now I know that one can helpe as much as an other And it pittyeth myne hart that my Lord and such as my Lord is can suffer the people to be so craftely deceiued it were to long to tell you what blindnes I haue bene in and howe long it were or I coulde forsake such folly it was so corporate in me but by coÌtinual prayer coÌtinual study of scripture oft coÌmuning with men of more right iudgemeÌt God hath deliuered me c. Yea meÌ thinketh that my lord himself hath thought in tymes past that by Gods lawe a man might marrye hys brothers wyfe which nowe both dare thinke and say contrarye and yet this his boldnes might haue chaunced in Pope Iulius dayes to stand hym eyther in a fire or els in a fagot Whiche thing deepely considered and pondered of my Lord might something stirre hym to charitable equity and to be something remissable toward men which labor to do good as theyr power serueth wyth knowledge and doth hurt to no man with theyr ignorauncye for there is no greater distaunce then betweene Gods lawe and not gods law nor it is not so or so because any man thinketh it so or so but because it is so or so in deede therefore wee muste thynke it so or so when God shal geue vs knowledge thereof for if it be in deede eyther so or not it is so or not so though all the world hadde thought otherwyse these thousand yeares c. And finally as ye saye the matter is weightye and ought substantially to bee looked vpon euen as weighty as my lyfe is worth but howe to looke substantially vpon it otherwyse know not I then to pray my Lord God day and nyght that as he hath bolded me to preache hys truthe so hee will strengthen me to suffer for it to the edification of them which haue taken by the workyng of hym fruite thereby and euen so I desire you and all other that fauour me for hys sake lykewise to pray for it is not I wythout his mighty helping hand that can abide that brute but I haue trust that God will helpe me in tyme of neede whiche if I had not the Ocean sea I thinke should haue deuided my Lord of LoÌdon and me by thys day For it is a rare thing for a Preacher to haue fauour at hys hand which is no preacher him selfe and yet ought to be I pray God that both he and I may both discharge our selues he in hys great cure and I in my little to Gods pleasure and safety of our soules Amen I pray you pardon me that I write no more dystinctly more truely for my head is so out of frame that it should be to paynefull for me to write it agayne and if I be not preuented shortly I intend to make mery with my Parishioners thys Christmas for all the sorrowe least perchaunce I neuer returne to them agayne and I haue heard say that a Doe is as good in wynâer as a Bucke in sommer * A letter of Syr Edward Baynton Knight aunsweryng to the letter of M. Latymer sent to him before MAyster Latimer after hartye recommendations I haue coÌmunicated the effect of youre letters to diuers of my frendes such as for Christen charity as they say rather desire in you a reformation eyther in youre opinion if it swerue froÌ the truth or at the least in your maner and behauiour in as much as it geueth occasion of sclaunder and trouble in let of your good purposes then anye other inconuenience to youre person or good name And for asmuch as your sayd letter misliked them in some parte and that I haue such confidence in your Christen breste as in my iudgement ye wil conformably and gladly both heare that may be reformed in you and also as it is worthy so knowledge and confesse the same I haue therefore desired them to take the payne to note theyr mindes in this letter whiche I send to you as agregate of theyr sayinges sent from me your assured frend and fauourer in that
it in very deed but to knowe whether non linguam sed facta attendamus viuendi genus nuÌ studeamus officia vocationis praestare an non studeamus immo persuasi forte sumus non necesse esse vt praestemus sed omnia in primitiuam ecclesiam tempora praeterita c. quasi nobis sat sit dominari seculaâibus negotijs nos totos voluere ac voluptatibus pompae inhiare and yet we will appeare vel soli ex Deo esse sed longe aliter Christum confitentur qui confiteÌdo ex Deo esse comprobantur And yet as long as they minister the word of God or his Sacramentes or any thing that God hath ordeined to the saluation of mankinde wherewith GOD hath promised to be present to worke with the ministration of the same to the end of the world they be to be heard to be obeyed to bee honoured for Gods ordinaunce sake which is effectuall and fruitefull whatsoeuer the minister be though he bee a Deuill and neyther Churche nor member of the same as Origene saith and Chrisostome so that it is not all one to honour them and trust in them Saynt Hierome sayth but there is required a iudgement to discerne when they minister Gods woorde and ordinaunce of the same and theyr owne least peraduenture we take chalke for cheese whiche wyll edge our teethe and hinder digestion For as it is commonlye sayd the blinde eateth many a flye as they did which were perswaded à principibus sacerdotum vt peterent Barrabam Iesum autem crucifigeâent i. Of the high Priestes to aske Barrabas and to crucify Iesus and ye know that to followe blinde guides is to come into the pit with the same And will you know sayth Saynt Augustine how apertly they resist Christ when men beginne to blame them for theyâ misliuing and intollerable secularity negligence they dare not for shame blaspheme Christ himselfe but they will blaspheme the ministers and preachers of whome they be blamed Therefore whereas yee will pray for agreement both in the truth and in vttering of the trueth when shall that be as longe as we will not heare the trueth but disquiet with crafty conueiance the Preachers of the trueth because they reprooue our euilnesse with the truth And to say trueth better it were to haue a deformity in preaching so that some would preach the truth of God and that which is to be preached without cauponation and adulteration of the word as Lyranus sayth in his time few did what they do now a dayes I report me to them that can iudge then to haue such an vniformity that the sely people should be thereby occasioned to continue still in theyr lamentably ignorance corrupt iudgement superstition and Idolatry and esteeme thinges as they doe all preposterously doyng that that they neede not for to doe leauing vndone that they ought to doe for lacke or want of knowing what is to be done and so shewe theyr loue to God not as God biddeth which sayth Si diligitis me praecepta mea seruate And agayne Qui habet praecepta mea facit ea hic est qui diligit me but as they bid qui quaerunt quae sua sunt non quae Iesu Christi i. Which seeke theyr owne thinges not Christes as though to tythe mynt were more then iudgement fayth and mercy And what is to liue in state of Curates but that hee taughte which sayd Petre amas me pasce pasce pasce Peter louest thou feede feede feede which is now set aside as though to loue were to doe nothing els but to weare ringes miters and rochets c. And when they erre in right liuing how can the people but erre in louing and all of the new fashion to his dishonor that suffered his passion and taught the true kinde of louing whiche is nowe turned into piping playing and curious singing which will not be reformed I trow nisi per manuÌ Dei validam And I haue both S. Austen and S. Thomas with diuers other that lex is taken not alonely for Ceremonies but also for Moâals where it is sayd Nâ estis sub lege though your frendes reproue the same But they can make no diuision in a christian congregation And whereas both you and they would haue a sobernes in our preaching I pray god send it vnto vs whatsoeuer ye meane by it For I see well whosoeuer will be happy and busye with vae vobis he shall shortly after come coram nobis And where your frendes thinke that I made a lye when I said that I haue thought in times past that the Pope had bene Lord of the world though your frendes bee much better learned then I yet am I sure that they knowe not what eyther I thinke or haue thought better then I iuxta illud nemo nouit quae sunt hominis c. as though better men then I haue not thought so as Bonifacius as I remember Octauus the great learned manne Iohn of the burnt Tower presbiter Cardinalis in his book where he proueth the Pope to be aboue the counsell Generall and Speciall where he sayth that the Pope is Rex âegum Dominus dominantium i. The King of Kinges and Lord of Lordes and that he is verus Dominus totius orbis iure licet non facto i. the true Lord of the whole worlde by good right albeit in fact he be not so and that Constantinus didde but restore his owne vnto him when he gaue vnto him Rome so that in propria venit as S. Iohn sayth Christ did sui eum non receperunt and yet I heare not that any of our Christian congregation hath reclamed agaynste him vntill now of late dissention began Who be your frendes I cannot tell but I would you woulde desire them to be my good maysters and if they will doe me no good at the least way do me no harme and though they can do you no more good then I yet I am sure I would be as loth to hurt you as they either with mine opinions maner of preaching or writing And as for the Popes high dominion ouer al there is one Raphaell Maruphus in London an Italian and in times past a Marchaunt of dispensations which I suppose woulde dye in the quarell as Gods true Knight and true Martyr As touching Purgatory and worshipping of Sayntes I shewed to you my minde before my Ordinary and yet I maruelled something that after priuate communication had with him ye would as it were adiure mee to open my minde before him not geuing mee warning before sauing I cannot interpret euill your doinges towardes me yet neither mine Ordinary nor you disalowed the thing that I sayd and I looked not to escape better then Doctor Crome âut wheÌ I haue opened my mind neuer so much yet I shall be reported to denye my preaching of them that haue belyed my preaching as he was Sed
higher member yet you must not disdayne the lesser For as Saynt Paule sayth those members that be taken most vilest and had in least reputation be as necessary as the other for the preseruation and keeping of the body This most gracious king when I considered and also your fauorable and geÌtle nature I was bold to write this rude homely and simple letter vnto your grace trusting that you will accepte my true and faythfull minde euen as it is First and before all thinges I will exhort your grace to marke the life and processe of our Sauiour Christe and his Apostles in preaching and setting forth of the Gospell and to note also the wordes of our Mayster Christ whiche he had to his Disciples when he sent them forth to preache his Gospell and to these haue euer in your minde the golden rule of our mayster Christ The tree is knowne by the fruit For by the diligent marking of these your grace shal clearely know and perceiue who bee the true folowers of Christ and teachers of his Gospell and who be not And concerning the first all Scripture sheweth playnelye that our sauiour Iesus Christes life was very poore Begin at his byrth and I beseech you who euer heard of a poorer or so poore as he was It were to long to wryte how poore Ioseph and the blessed Uirgin Mary took theyr iourney from Nazareth toward Bethlem in the cold and frosty winter hauing no body to wayte vpon them but he both Mayster and man and she both Mistres and mayde How vilely thinkes your grace they were intreated in the Innes and lodgings by the way and in how vile and abiect place was this poore mayd the mother of our Sauior Iesus Christ brought to bed in without company lighte or any other thing necessary for a woman in that plighte Was not here a poore beginning as coÌcerning the world Yes truly And according to this beginning was the processe and end of his life in this worlde and yet he might by his godly power haue had all the goodes and treasures of this world at his pleasure when and where he would But this he did to shew vs that his folowers and Uicars should not regard nor set by the riches and treasures of this worlde but after the saying of Dauid we oughte to take them which sayth thus If riches promotions and dignity happen to a man let him not set his affiaunce pleasure trust hart vpon them So that it is not agaynst the pouertye in spirite which Christ prayseth in the Gospel of Saynt Mathew chapter 5. to be rich to be in dignity and in honour so that theyr hartes be not fixed and set vpoÌ them so much that they neither care for GOD nor good man But they be enemies to this pouertye in spirite haue they neuer so litle that haue greedy and desirous mindes to the goodes of this worlde onely because they woulde liue after theyr owne pleasure and lustes And they also be priuy enemies and so much the worse which haue professed as they say wilfull pouerty and will not be called worldly men And they haue Lordes Landes and kinges riches yea rather then they would lose one iot of that whiche they haue they will set debate betwene king and king Realme and Realme yea betwene the king and his Subiectes and cause rebellion agaynst the Temporall power to the whiche our Sauiour Christ himselfe obeyed and payed tribute as the Gospell declareth vnto whom the holy Apostle S. Paul teacheth euery Christen manne to obey Yea and beside al this they will curse and ban as much as in them lyeth euen into the deepe pit of hell all that gayne say theyr appetite wherby they thinke theyr goodes promotions or dignities should decay Your grace may see what meanes and craft the Spiritualty as they will be called imagine to breake and withstand the Actes which were made in your graces last ParliameÌt against theyr superfluities Wherfore they that thus do your Grace may knowe them not to be true folowers of Christ. And although I named the spiritualty to be corrupt with this vnthrifty ambition yet I meane not all to be faulty therein for there be some good of them Neyther will I that your Grace should take away the goodes due to the Churche but take away such euil persons from the goodes and set better in theyr stead I name nor appoynte no person nor persons but remit your Grace to the rule of our Sauiour Christe as in Mathew the seueÌth Chapiter By theyr fruites ye shall know them As touching the woordes that our Sauiour Christe spake to his Disciples when hee sente them to preache hys Gospell they be readde in Mathew the fiftenth Chapiter where he sheweth that here they shall bee hated and despised of all men worldly and broughte before the Kinges and Rulers and that all euill shoulde be sayde by them for theyr preaching sake but he exhorteth them to take paciently such persecution by his owne example saying It becommeth not the seruaunt to be aboue the Mayster And seing they called me Belzâbub what maruayle is it if they call you Deuillishe persons and heretickes Reade the fourtenth Chapiter of Saynt Mathewes Gospell there your Grace shall see that he promised to the true Preachers no worldlye promotions or dignity but persecution and al kindes of punishment and that they should be betrayed euen by theyr owne brethren and children In Iohn also he sayeth In the worlde ye shall haue oppression and the worlde shall hate you but in mee you you shall haue peace And in the 10. Chapiter of S. Mathewes Gospell sayth our Sauiour Christ also Loe I send you forth as sheepe among Wolues So that the true Preachers go like sheepe harmelesse and be persecuted and yet they reuenge not theyr wronge but remit all to God so farre it is of that they will persecute any other but with the worde of God onely whiche is theyr weapon And so this is the most euideÌt tokeÌ that our sauior Iesus Christ would that his Gospell and the Preachers of it should be knowne by and that it shoulde be despised among those worldly wyse men and that they should repute it but foolishnes and deceiuable doctrine and the true Preachers should be persecuted and hated and driuen from towne to towne yea and at the last lose both goodes and life And yet they that did this persecution shoulde thinke that they did wel and a great pleasure to God And the Apostles remembring this lesson of our Sauioure Christ were content to suffer such persecutions as you may read in the Actes of the Apostles and the Epistles But we neuer read that they euer persecuted any man The holy apostle S. Paule sayth that euery man that wil liue godly in christ Iesu should suffer persecution And also he sayth further in the Epistle written to the Philippians in the
for the whiche causes I to rebuke the vnreuerent behauiour of certayne euill disposed persones preached as reuerently of that matter as I mighte declaring what estimation and reuerence ought to be geuen to it what daunger ensued the mishandling therof affirming in that sacramente to be truely and verely the bodye and bloude of Christe effectuously by grace and spirite whiche wordes the vnlearned vnderstanding not supposed that I had ment of the grosse and carnall being which the Romishe decrees set forth that a body hauing lyfe and motion shoulde be in deede vnder the shapes of breade and wyne With that the Bishoppe of Lincolne somewhat interrupting him sayde Lincol. Well M. Ridley thus you wrest places to your owne pleasure for where as saynct Austen saythe that the whole Christian worlde is subiecte to the sea of Rome without any limittation and vseth these wordes In transmarinis longè remotis terris onely to expresse the latytude of the dominion of the Sea of Rome willyng therby to declare that all the world yea countryes farre distaunt from Rome yet neuertheles are subiecte to that Sea yet you woulde wrast it and leaue it onely to Europe I am sure ye will not deny but that totus mundus is more then Europe Ridley In deede my Lorde if saynct Austen had sayde simpliciter totus mundus not added in transmarinis it had bene without limitation but in that he sayd totus mundus in transmarinis partibus all the Countryes beyond the seas he himselfe doth limitte the vniuersall proposition declaring how farre he ment by totus mundus The Byshop not staying for this aunswere dyd proceede saying Lincolne Well if I woulde staye vppon this place I coulde brynge many moe places of the Fathers for the confirmation thereof but we haue certayne instructions accordinge to the whiche we muste proceede and came not hyther to dispute the mater with you but onely to take youre aunsweres to certayne Artycles and vsed this in the waye of exhortation in the whiche you interrupted mee wherefore I wyll retourne thither againe Ye must consider that the Churche of Chryste lyeth not hidden but is a Citty in the mountayn and a candle on the Candlesticke Ponder with your selfe that the Churche of Christ is catholica catholicke whiche is deducted of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is per omnia so that Christes Church is vniuersallye spreadde throughout the world not contayned in the allegation of places not comprehended in the circuite of Englande not contayned in the compasse of Germany and Saxonie as youre Churche is Wherefore maister Ridley for Gods loue be ye not singular acknowledge with all the realme the truth it shall not bee as you alledge preiudiciall to the crowne for the king and Queene their maiesties haue renounced that vsurped power taken of their predecessours and iustly haue renounced it For I am sure you know that there are two powers the one declared by the sword the other by the Keyes The sword is geuen to kings and rulers of couÌtryes the Keyes were deliuered by Christe to Peter and of him lefte to all the successoures As touchynge oure goodes possessions and lyues wee wyth you acknowledge vs Subiectes to the king and Queene who hath the temporall sworde but as concerning matters of Religion as touching Gods quarrell and his word we acknowledge an other head and as the king and the Queene their highnes do in all worldly affayres iustly challenge the prerogatiue and primacie so in spirituall and Ecclesiasticall matters they acknowledge themselues not to bee heades and rulers but members of Christes bodye Why therefore shoulde ye sticke at that matter the whiche theyr maiesties haue forsaken and yelded Wherefore mayster Ridley you shall not onely not doe iniurye to the Crowne and bee preiudiciall to theyr maiesties honour in acknowledgyng with all Christendome the Popes holynesse to be supreme head of Chrystes Churche here militaunt in earthe but doe a thynge most delectable in theyr sight and most desired of theyr highnesse Thus if you will doe reuoking together all youre erroures acknowledging with the residue of the realme the common and the publicke faulte you shal doe that all men most hartily desire you shall bryng quyetnesse to your conscience and health to your soule then shall we with great ioy by the authoritie committed to vs from the Cardinalles grace receyue you into the church agayne acknowledgyng you to be no longer a rotten but a liuely member of the same but if you shall still bee singular if you shall stil and obstinately perseuer in your erroures stubbernely mayntayning your former heresies then we must agaynst our will according to our commission separate you from vs and cut you of from the church least the rottennesse of one part in processe of tyme putrify and corrupte the whole bodye then must wee confesse and publish you to be none of ours theÌ must we yeald you vp to the temporall iudges of whome excepte it otherwise please the kinge and Queenes highnesse you muste receaue punishment by the lawes of this Realme due for heretickes Wherfore mayster Ridley consider your state remember your former degrees spare your body especially consider your soule which Christ so dearely bought with hys precious bloud doe not you rashly cast away that which was precious in Gods sight enforce not vs to doe al that we may doe which is onely to publish you to be none of vs to cut you of from the Churche for we doe not nor can not condemne you to dye as most vntruely hath bene reported of vs but that is the temporall Iudges office we onely declare you to be none of the Churche and then must you according to the tenour of them and pleasure of the Rulers abide theyr determination so that wee after that we haue geuen you vpp to the temporall Rulers haue no further to do with you But I trust Mayster Ridley wee shall not haue occasion to doe that wee may I trust you will suffer vs to reste in that poynte of our commission whiche we most hartilye desire that is vppon recantation and repentaunce to receaue you to reconcile you and agayne to adioyne you to the vnitie of the Churche Then M. Ridley with often interruption at lengthe spake Ridley My Lord I acknowledge an vnspotted church of christ in the which no man can erre without the whiche no man can be saued the whiche is spread throughout all the worlde that is the congregation of the faythfull neyther doe I alligate or binde the same to any one place as you sayd but confesse the same to be spreadde throughout all the worlde and whereas Christes Sacramentes are duely ministred his Gospell truely preached and followed there doth Christes Churche shyne as a Cittye vppon an hill and as a Candle in the Candlesticke but rather it is such as you that woulde haue the Churche of Christ bound to a place which
it remayned in the sea of Rome This if you shall confesse with vs acknowledge with all the realme your errours and false assertions then shall you doe that whiche we most desire then shall we rest vppon the first part of our Commission then shall we receiue you acknowledge you one of the Churche and according to the authoritie geuen vnto vs minister vnto you vpon due repentaunce the benefite of absolution to the whiche the Kyng and Queene their Maiesties were not ashamed to submit them selues although they of them selues were vnspotted and therefore needed no reconciliation yet lest the putrification and rottennesse of all the body myght be noysome and do damage to the head also they as I sayd most humbly submitted them selues to my Lorde Cardinall his grace by hym as Legate to the Popes holynes to bee partakers of the reconciliation but if you shall stubburnely perseuer in your blindnes if you wyll not acknowledge your errours if you as you stande nowe alone wyll be singular in your opinions if by schisme and heresie you wyll styll diuide your selfe from our Churche then must wee proceede to the seconde part of the Commission which we would be loth to do that is not to condemne you for that wee can not doe that the temporall sworde of the Realme and not wee will do but to separate you from vs acknowledge you to be none of vs to renounce you as no member of the Churche to declare that you are filius perditionis a lost chylde and as you are a rotten member of the Churche so to cut you of from the Church and so to commit you to the temporall Iudges permittyng them to proceede agaynst you accordyng to the tenor of their lawes Therefore M. Latimer for Gods loue consider your estate remember you are a learned man you haue taken degrees in the Schole borne the office of a Byshop remember you are an olde man spare your body accelerate not your death especially remember your soules health quiet of your conscience consyder that if you shoulde dye in this state you shall be a stinkyng sacrifice to God for it is the cause that maketh the Martyr and not the death consyder that if you dye in this state you dye without grace for without the Churche can be no saluation Let not vayne glory haue the vpper hande humiliate your selfe captiuate your vnderstandyng subdue your reason submit your selfe to the determination of the Churche doe not force vs to doe all that we may doe let vs rest in that parte whiche wee most hartely desyre and I for my part then the Byshop put of his cap agayne with all my hart exhort you After the Byshop had somewhat paused then M. Latimer lift vp his head for before he leaned on his elbowe and asked whether his Lordshyp had sayd and the Byshop answered yea Lati. Then will your Lordship geue me leaue to speake a worde oâ two Linc Yea M. Latimer so that you vse a modest kynd of talke without raysing or tauntes Lati. I beseech your Lordshyp licence me to sit downe Linc. At your pleasure M. Latimer take as much ease as you wyll Lati. Your Lordshyppe gentlye exhorted mee in manye woordes to come to the vnitie of the Churche I confesse my Lorde a Catholicke Churche spread throughout all the worlde in the whiche no man may erre without the whiche vnitie of the Churche no man can be saued but I knowe perfectly by Gods woorde that this Churche is in all the worlde and hath not his foundation in Rome only as you say and me thought your Lordshyp brought a place out of the Scriptures to confirme the same that there was a iurisdiction geuen to Peter in that Christe bad hym regere gouerne his people In deede my Lord sainct Peter did well and truely his office in that he was byd regere but since the Byshoppes of Rome haue taken a new kynd of regere In deede they ought to regere but how my Lord not as they will them selues but this regere must be hedged in and digged in They must regere but secundum verbum dei they must rule but accordyng to the worde of God But the Byshops of Rome haue turned regere secundum verbum dei into regere secundum voluntatem suam they haue turned the rule accordyng to the woorde of GOD into the rule accordyng to their owne pleasures and as it pleaseth them best as there is a booke set foorth whiche hath diuers poyntes in it and amongest other this poynt is one whiche your Lordshyppe went about to proue by this woorde regere and the argument whiche he bryngeth foorth for the proofe of that matter is taken out of Deuteronomie where it is sayde if there ryseth anye controuersie amonge the people the Priestes Leuitici generis of the order of Leuiticus shall decide the matter secundum legem dei accordyng to the lawe of GOD so it muste be taken This booke perceyuing this authoritie to be geuen to the Priestes of the olde lawe taketh occasion to proue the same to be geuen to the Byshops and other the Cleargy of the new law but in prouyng this matter where as it was sayde there as the Priestes of the order of Leuiticus shoulde determine the matter accordyng to Gods law that accordyng to Gods law is left out and onely is recited as the Priestes of the order of Leuiticus shall decide the matter so it ought to be taken of the people a large authoritie I ensure you What gelding of Scripture is this what clippyng of Gods coyne With the which termes the audience smiled This is muche like the regere whiche your Lordshyp talked of Nay nay my Lordes we may not geue such authoritie to the Clergie to rule all thynges as they wyll Let them keepe them selues within their commission Now I trust my Lord I do not rayle yet Linc. No M. Latimer your talke is more like tauntes then rayling but in that I haue not red the booke which you blame so much nor knowe not of any suche I can say nothyng therein Lati. Yes my Lorde the booke is open to be red and is intituled to one whiche is Bishop of Glocester whom I neuer knew neither did at any tyme see him to my knowledge With that the people laughed because the Byshop of Glocester sat there in commission Then the Byshop of Glocester stoode vp and sayd it was his booke Lati. Was it yours my Lorde In deede I knewe not your Lordshyp neither euer did see you before neither yet see you now through the brightnes of the Sunne shining betwixt you and me Then the audience laughed agayne and Maister Latimer spake vnto them saying Why my maisters this is no laughyng matter I aunsweare vppon lyfe and death Vae vobis qui redetis nunc quoniam flebitis The Byshoppe of Lincolne commaunded silence and then sayde Linc. M. Latimer if you had kept
Europe whiche is but the thirde part of all the worlde where as in deede the processe of S. Augustines woordes wyll not admitte that your interpretation For he sayth not totus mundus Christianus in transmarinis c. but first totus mundus Christianus Romanae Ecclesiae subiectus est All the Christian world is subiect to the Church of Rome and afterwarde addeth in transmarinis partibus beyond the Sea but onely to augement the dominion of the sea of Rome Rid. But M. Ridley still perseuered in his former aunswere saying I am sure my Lorde you haue some skill in Cosmography in the whiche you shall vnderstande that there is a sea called Mare mediterraneum cast betweene Europe and Africa in the which he ment Europe beyond the Sea euen as I shoulde say the whole worlde beyond the Sea exceptyng England in the which I stand and here many woordes were spent vpon the interpretation of the same place of S. Austen Lin. After long disceptation the Byshoppe of Lincolne sayde that the meanyng of S. Augustine myght be knowen by the consent of other the Doctors and rehearsed diuers Rid. But M. Ridley required the rehersall of the places and to reade the very wordes of the Doctors saying that perhaps those which the Bishop rehearsed beyng proponed in other termes in the Doctors would admitte a contrary meanyng and interpretation but in that booke out of the which the Bishop rehearsed them was none of the Doctors but only the sentences drawn out of the Doctors of some studious man he could not recite the very words of the Doctours Linc. Then after he came to Cyrillus which as he said made agaynst M. Ridley in the Sacrament euen by Philippe Melancthon his owne alledging in his common places and forthwith called for Melancthon but in vaine because all such bookes were burned a litle before wherefore he passed it ouer Cyrillus also in an other place proâing to the Iewes that Christe was come vseth this reason Altars are erected in Christes name in Britaine and in farre countreyes Ergo Christ is come But we may vse the contrarye of that reason Altars are plucked downe in Britaine Ergo Christe is not come A good Argument á contrarijs I wyll stande to it in the Scholes by and by with any man Ye see what a good argument this your docrine maketh for the Iewes to proue that Christ is not come D. Ridley smilyng aunsweared your Lordshyp is not ignoraunt that this worde Altare in the Scripture signifieth aswell the Altar whereupon the Iewes were wont to make their burt Sacrifices as the table of the Lordes Supper Cyrillus meaneth there by this worde Altare not that the Iewysh Altar but the Table of the Lorde and by that saying Altars are erected in Christes name Ergo Christ is come he meaneth that the Communion is ministred in his remembraunce Ergo Christe is come for the strength of his argument is because the remembraunce of a thyng can not be except the thing it selfe be past then coulde not all Countreys celebrate the Communion in the remembraunce of Christes passion except Christe had bene come and suffered As for the taking downe of the Alters it was done vpon iust considerations for that they seemed to come to nigh to the Iewes vsage Neither was the supper of the Lorde at any tyme more better ministred more duely receiued then in these latter dayes when all thynges were brought to the rites and vsage of the primatiue Church Linc. A godly receiuing I promise you to set an Oyster table in steede of an Altar and to come from Puddynges at Westminster to receiue and yet when your table was constituted you coulde neuer be content in placing the same now East nowe North nowe one way nowe another vntill it pleased GOD of his goodnesse to place it cleane out of the Church Rid. Your Lordshyppes vnreuerent termes doo not eleuate the thyng Perhappes some men came more deuoutely from Puddynges then other men nowe do from other thynges Lin. As for that M. Ridley you ought to be iudge of no man but by this your reasonyng you cause vs to stretch and enlarge our instructions We came not to reason but to take your determinate aunsweres to our Articles and eftsoones he red the first Article in maner aboue specified Now M. Ridley What say you to the first Article if you haue brought your aunswere in writing we wyll receiue it but if you haue written any other matter we will not receiue it Rid. Then M. Ridley tooke a sheete of paper out of his bosome and beganne to read that whiche he had written but the B. of Lincolne commaunded the Bedle to take it from hym But he desired licence to read it saying that it was nothyng but his answers but the Bishop would in no wise suffer him Rid. Why my Lord will you require my aunswere and not suffer me to publysh it I beseeche you my Lorde let the audience beare witnes in this matter Your Lordships may handle it at your pleasures therfore let the audience be witnes to your doynges Linc. Well M. Ridley we wyll first see what you haue written then if we shall thinke it good to be red you shal haue it published but except you wyll deliuer it first we wyll take none at all of you With that M. Ridley seeing no remedy deliuered it to an Officer which immediatly deliuered it to the Bishop of Lincolne who after he had secretly communicated it to the other two Bishops declared the sense but would not read it as it was written saying that it conteined wordes of blasphemie therefore he would not fill the eares of the audience therewithall and so abuse their pacience notwithstandyng M. Ridley desired very instantly to haue it published saying that except a line or two there was nothing conteyned but the auncient Doctors sayinges for the confirmation of his assertions After the sayd Bishops had secretly vewed the whole then the Bishop of Lincolne sayd In the first part master Ridley is nothyng conteyned but your protestation that you would not haue these your aunsweres so to be taken as though you seemed thereby to consent to the aucthority or iurisdiction of the Popes holines Rid. No my Lord I pray you reade it out that the audience may heare it but the Byshoppe of Lincolne woulde in no wise because he sayd there were conteyned wordes of blasphemie Then the Byshop of Lincolne recited the firste Article and required maister Ridleis aunsweare to it Then M. Ridley sayd that his answere was there in writyng and desired that it might be published but the Byshoppe woulde not reade the whole but here and there a peece of it So the Notaries tooke his aunswere that he referred him to his aunsweare in writing exhibited now and also before at the tyme of disputation M. Doctor Weston beyng prolocutor In likewise the Byshop of Lincolne recited the second
dignitie honour and estimation so necessary members sometime accounted so many godly vertues the study of so many yeares such excellent learnyng to be put into the fire and consumed in one moment Wel dead they are and the reward of this world they haue already What reward remayneth for them in heauen the day of the Lordes glory when he commeth with his saints shall shortly I trust declare Albeit I haue differred and put ouer many treatises letters exhortations belongyng to the story of the Martyrs vnto the latter appendix in the ende of this volume thinkyng also to haue done the lyke with these farewels exhortations followyng of D. Ridley yet for certain purposes moouing me thereunto and especially consideryng the fruitfull admonitions wholesome doctrine and necessary exhortations conteyned in the same I thought best here to bestow and consequently to adioyne the sayd tractations of that learned pastour with the lyfe and story of the authour Whereof the two first be in a manner of hys farewels the one to his kinsfolks and generally to all the faithfull of the number of Christes congregation the other more speciall to the prisoners and banished ChristiaÌs in the gospels cause the third containeth a fruitfull and a generall admonition to the citie of London and to all other with necessary precepts of christian office as by the tenour of them here followeth in order to be seene ¶ A treatise or a letter written by D. Ridley in steade of his last farewell to all hys true and faythfull friendes in God with a sharpe admonition withall vnto the Papistes AT the name of Iesus let euery knee bow both of thynges in heauen and thynges in earth and things vnder the earth and let euery tongue confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the Father Amen As a man mynding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commonly and naturally hath a desire to bidde his frendes farewell before his departure so lykewise now I looking daylye when I should be cauled to depart hence from you O all ye my dearely beloued brethren sisters in our Sauiour Christ that dwell here in this worlde hauing a lyke mynde towardes you all and blessed be God for such tyme and leasure whereof I right hartely thanke his heauenly goodnesse to byd you all my deare brethren sisters I saye in Christ that dwell vpon the earth after such maner as I can Farewell Farewell my deare brother George Shipside whom I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louyng in all sâate and conditions and now in the tyme of my crosse ouer al other to me most frendly and stedfast and that which lyked me best ouer all other thynges in Gods cause euer hartye Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am glad to heare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse which is layd now blessed be God both on thy backe and myne in good part Thanke thou God that hath geuen thee a godly and louyng husband see thou honour hym and obey hym accordyng to Gods law Honour thy mother in law hys mother and loue all those that pertaine vnto him beyng redy to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy children I doubt not of thy husband but that hee which hath geuen him an hart to loue and feare God and in God them that pertaine vnto him shall also make hym friendly and beneficiall vnto thy children euen as if they had bene gotten of his owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Ridley of the Waltoun and you my gentle and louing sister Elizabeth whom besides the naturall league of amitie your tender loue which you were sayde euer to beare towardes mee aboue the rest of your brethren doth bynde mee to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this your louyng affection and to haue acquited it with deedes and not with wordes alone Your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell whome I loue for the meeke and gentle spirite that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the sight of God Farewell my beloued sister of Unthanke with al your children nephewes and neeces Since the departing of my brother Hugh my mynd was to haue bene vnto them in stead of their father but the Lord God must and wyll bee their father if they will loue hym and feare hym and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewel my welbeloued and worshipful Cosins M. Nich. Ridley of Willimountswike and your wyfe and I thanke you for all your kindnes shewed both to me and also to all your owne kinsfolke and myne Good Cosine as God hath set you in our stocke and kindered not for any respect of your person but of hys aboundaunt grace and goodnesse to be as it were the belweather to order conduct the rest and hath also endued you with hys manifold gyfts of grace both heauenly and worldly aboue others so I pray you good Cosin as my trust and hope is in you continue and encrease in the maintenaunce of the truth honesty righteousnesse and all true godlinesse and to the vttermost of your power to withstand falshoode vntruth vnrighteousnesse and all vngodlinesses whiche is forbidden and condemned by the worde and Lawes of God Farewell my young Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was very short with mee My mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caught in that litle time a losse but I trust it shall bee recompensed as it shall please almighty God Farewel all my whole kinred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lord which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that according to my harts desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you to haue brought with me aboundance of Christes blessed Gospell according to the duetie of that office and ministerie whereunto among you I was chosen named and appointed by the mouth of that our late peerelesse Prince K. Edward and so also denounced openly in his Court by his priuy Counsaile I warne you all my welbeloued kinsfolke countrymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thinke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my lyfe and therefore I thanke my Lord God hartily for it that it hath pleased him to call me of his great mercy vnto this high honour to suffer death willingly for his sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he hath called the holy Prophetes and dearely beloued Apostles and his blessed chosen Martyrs For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death are Gods causes and the causes of the truth then I doubt that the Gospell which Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christ or that Paules Epistles are the very word of God And to haue a hart willyng to abide and stand in
that should do all the wonderfull thinges spoken in Iohn and yet of a Beast speaketh Iohn but I vnderstand hym so to be called not for that he shall be anye suche brute Beast but for that he is and shall bee the chylde of perdition whiche for hys crueltie and beastlye manners is well called a Beast The carnall Iewes knew there was a promise made that Helias should come before Christe the Messias the annoynted of God to prepare hys wayes they knew also there was a promise of Messias that he shoulde come and be a king and raygne in the house of Dauid for euermore but they vnderstoode al so grossely and so carnally that they neyther knewe Helias nor Messias when they came for they looked for Helias to come down from heauen in his own person and for Messias to come raigne in worldly pompe power riches and glorye when as the prophesies of both wer spiritually to haue bene vnderstaÌded of Helias that he shoulde come not in persone but in spirite that is one whiche shoulde be indued with the spirite and giftes of grace of Helias whiche was in deede Iohn Baptist as Christ hymselfe did declare to his Apostles And of Messias raygne all the Prophetes were to be vnderstanded of the raygne of hys spirituall kingdome ouer the house of Iacob and the true Israelites for euermore And so by that their grosse and carnall vnderstandyng they mistooke both Helias and the true Messias and when they came knew neither of them both So likewise I feare me nay it is certayne the world that wanteth the light of the spirite of God for the worlde is not able to receaue hym sayth Iohn neither dothe nor shall know the beast nor his markes though he rage cruellye and liue neuer so beastly and though his marked men be in number like the sand of the sea The Lord therfore vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blinde with the light of grace that they may see and perceaue and vnderstaÌd the words of God after the minde of his spirite Amen Here remayneth two obiections whiche may seeme wayghty and the whiche may peraduenture moue many not to follow the former councel The former reason is A man will say O sir it is no small matter ye speake of to depart from a mans owne natiue countrey into a strange realme Many men haue so great lettes as how it is possible that they can or may do so Some haue landes possessions whiche they cannot carry with them some haue father mother wife children and kinsfolke from whome to depart is as hard a thing and all one almost as to suffer death and to go to a straunge country that thou knowest not neyther the maner of the people nor how thou mayst away either with the people or with the country Or what a hard thing it is to liue amonge a straunge people whose tongue thou doest not vnderstand c. I graunt here thou mayst heape a number of worldly incommodities which are surely very like to ensue the departure out of a mans owne natiue country I meane out of the whole realme into a straunge land but what of all these and a thousand moe of the lyke sorte I will sette vnto them one saying of our sauiour Christ whiche vnto the faythfull childe of God and to the true christian is able to counteruayle all these yea and to way them downe Christe oure sauioure sayth in Luke If any come to me and do not hate hys father and mother hee meaneth and wyll not in his cause forsake his father and mother hys wyfe children and brethren yea and hys lyfe too hee cannot bee my disciple and whosoeuer doth not beare hys crosse and come after me he cannot be my disciple And in the same place he declareth by the two parables one of a builder and the other of a king that is a warriour that euery man that wil not in Christes cause forsake all that euer he hath hee can not be his Disciple Look the places who will the matter is so playnely set forth that no gloses nor cloking of conscience to the manne of God can serue to the contrarye Many places there be for the same purpose for the imbrasing of Christes crosse when Christ and his cause layeth it vpon our backe but this is so playne that I neede here to rehearse no more This latter reason and obiection whereof I spake before is of more force and includeth a necessitie which after the common saying hath no lawe and therefore it is more hard to shape for it a good aunswere This may bee obiected of some alas sir I graunt al these thinges do greue me and because I vnderstand they doe not agree with Gods worde whiche is the rule of my conscience I loth eyther to looke on them or to heare them But sir alas I am an impotent man an aged man a sicke man a lame man or I haue so many small infantes and a lame wife which all liueth by my labour and by my prouision if I leaue them they shall sterue and I am not able to cary them with me suche is my state Alas sir what shal I do And these causes may chaunce to some men of God whereby eyther it shal be for them vtterly impossible to departe the country or els in departing they shal be inforced to forsake suche in extreme necessities of whom both God and nature hathe committed vnto them the care Alas what councel is here to be geuen O lamentable state O sorrowfull hart that neyther can depart and with out extreame daunger and perill is not able to tarye still And these are they whom our Sauiour Christe sawe before should be and called them in his prophesie of the latter time great bellyed or trauelling women and women that geue after they bee brought to bed their small babes suck The state of such are not able to flye the infection of the pestiferous plague of Antichristes abhominations Christ lamenting and not cursing sayth Wo be to the great bellyed and trauelling woman and women that geue sucke in those dayes For these alas my hart mourneth the more the lesse I am able to geue any comfortable councell but this that alwayes as they looke for euerlasting lyfe they abide still in the confession of his truth what soeuer shall befall and for the rest to put theyr trust now wholly in God whiche is able to saue them agaynst al apparance and commonly in extremities when all worldly comfort fayleth and the danger is at highest theÌ vnto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready for to put his helping hand Daniel God suffered to be caste into the Denne of Lyons and the three children into the hote burning furnace and yet he saued them all Paule was plucked out of the mouthe of the Lyon as he sayth of hymselfe and in Asia he was brought in suche trouble that he looked for no other
shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye then shall the Children of God appeare what they be euen like vnto Christ for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vnto Christes glorious body and that by the power wherby he is able to subdue vnto himselfe al thinges Then that which is now corruptible shall be made incorruptible that nowe is vile shall then bee made glorious that is now weake shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and haue the vnspeakable ioy and fruâtion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is Who or what then shall let vs to ieoparde to ieopard yea to spende this lyfe whiche wee haue here in Christes cause in our Lorde God his cause O thou therefore man of God thou yâ art loden so letted like vnto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after suche things as I haue spoken of stand fast what soeuer shall befall in thy maysters cause and take this thy letting to flye for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause Of this be thou certaine they can do nothing vnto thee whiche thy father is not aware of or hath not foreseene before they can do no more theÌ it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church and thine owne saluation Let theÌ then do what they shall seeing to thee O man of God all thinges shall be forced to serue and to worke with thee vnto the best before God O be not afrayd and remember the end All this whiche I haue spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnder the banner of the crosse of Chryste and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice and to sticke to him as men of trusty seruice in hys cause euen vnto death and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause is to win it in eternal glory for euermore Therfore now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise I say vnto all that loue God our heauenly father that loue Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure that loue to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all vnto al that loue Christs spouse and bodye the true catholicke Churche of Christe yea that loue lyfe and theyr owne soules health I say vnto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters all you that be of God of all sortes ages dignities or degrees hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel Feare not them whiche kill the body for they cannot kil the soule but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite and one of them shall not fall or light vpon the ground without your father All the heares of your head be numbed Feare them not you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes Euery one that confesseth me before men him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen But who soeuer shall deny me before men I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen The Lord graunt vs therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation that he may confesse vs agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heaueÌ to his glory and our euerlasting comfort ioy and saluation To our heauenly Father to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ and to the holy Ghost be all glory and honour now and for euer Amen Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ mayster Latimer and B. Ridley you haue dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed with the Farewels also of B. Ridley wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English to be remembred by the leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient The death and end of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester THe next moneth after the burning of Doctor Ridley and mayster Latimer which was the moneth of Nouember Stephen Gardiner Byshop and Chauncelloure a man hated of God and all good men ended hys wretched lyfe Concerning the quallities nature and disposition of which man for somuch as somewhat hath bene declared before in the storye of kinge Edwardes raygne I shall neede therefore the lesse now to stand greatly vpon the same First this Uipers byrd crept out of the towne of Bery in Suffolke brought vp most parte of his youth in Cambridge his wit capacitie memorye and other indumentes of nature not to bee complayned of if he hadde wel vsed and rightly applyed the same wherein ther was no great want of Gods part in hym if hee had not rather hymselfe wanted to the goodnes of his gifts Through this promptnes actiuitie towardnes of hys he profited not a little in such studyes as he gaue hys head vnto as first in the law ciuil then in languages and such other like especially in those artes and faculties which had any prospect to dignitie and preferment to be hoped for Besides other ornaments or helpes of nature memory chiefly seemed in hym very beneficiall rather then dilligence of study To these giftes and quallities were ioyned agayne is great or greater vices which not so much followed hym as ouertooke him not so muche burdened hym as made hym burdenous to the whole realme Hee was of a proude stomacke and high minded in hys owne opinion and conceit flattering himselfe to much in wit crafty and subtile towarde his superiour flattering and faire spoken to hys inferiours fierce agaynst hys equall stoute and enuious namely if in iudgement and sentence he any thyng withstoode hym as appeared betweene the good Lorde CroÌwell and hym in the raygne of kyng Henry being of like hauâinesse of stomacke as the Poets wryte of Pelides Cedere nescius Who although would geue no place to men yet notwtstanding I wish he woulde haue geuen place to truth according as he semed not altogether ignorant of the truth What his knowledge was therin it is euident partly to vnderstand as wel by his book De vera obedientia as also by his sermon before king Edward also by his aunsweres to the Councell the same time and
before the Bishops of London Bath Worcester and Glocester BOner Mayster Philpot it hath pleased my Lordes to take paines here to day to dine with my poore archdeacon and in the diner time it chaunced vs to haue communication of you you were pitied here of many that knew you in the new Colledge in Oxforde and I also doe pitty your case because you seeme vnto me by the talke I hadde with you the other night to be learned therefore now I haue sent for you to come before them that it might not be sayd hereafter that I had so many learned Bishops at my house and yet would not vouchsafe them to talk with you and at my request I thanke them they are content so to do Now therfore vtter your mind freely you shal with all fauour be satisfied I am sory to see you lye in so euill a case as you doe and would fayne you should do better as you may if you list Bath My Lordes here haue not sent for you to fawn vpoÌ you but for charities sake to exhorte you to come into the right catholicke way of the church Worc. Before he beginneth to speake it is best that he call to God for grace and to praye that it might please God to open his hart that he may conceiue the truth Phil. With that I fell downe vpon my knees before them and made my prayer on this maner Almighty God which art the geuer of all wisedome and vnderstanding I beseech thee of thine infinite goodnes and mercye in Iesus Christ to geue me most vile sinner in thy sight the spirite of wisedome to speake and make answere in thy cause that it may be to the contentation of the hearers before whom I stand also to my better vnderstanding if I be deceiued in any thing Boner Nay my Lorde of Worcester you did not well to exhort him to make any prayer For this is the thing they haue a singular pride in that they can ofteÌ make their vain prayers in the which they glory much For in this poynt they are much like to certayne errant heretickes of whom Pliny maketh mention that didde dayly sing antelucanos Hymnos Prayse vnto God before the dawning of the day Phil. My Lord God make me all you here present suche hereticks as those were that soong those morning himnes for they were right christians with whom the tyrantes of the world were offendeh for their well doing Bath Proceede to that he hath to saye He hath prayed I can not tell for what Boner Say on M. Philpot my Lordes will gladly heare you Phil. I haue my Lordes bene this tweluemoneth and an halfe in Prison without any iust cause that I knowe and my liuing taken from me without any lawfull order and now I am brought contrary to righte from myne owne Territory and Ordinary into another mans iurisdiction I know not why Wherfore if your Lordships caÌ burden me with any euill done I stand here before you to purge me of the same And if no suche thing may bee iustly layd to my charge I desire to be released of this wrongful trouble Boner There is none here goeth about to trouble you but to do you good if we can For I promise you ye were sent hither to mee without my knowledge Therefore speake your conscience without any feare Phil. My Lord I haue learned to aunswere in matters of Religion In Ecclesia legitimè vocatus In the Congregation being thereto lawfully called but nowe I am not lawfullye called neither is here a iust congregation where I oughte to answere Boner In deede this man tolde mee the last time I spake with him that he was a Lawyer and woulde not vtter his conscience in matters of fayth vnlesse it were in the hearing of the people where hee mighte speake to vayne glory Phil. My Lord I sayd not I was a Lawyer neither do I arrogate to my selfe that name although I was once a nouice in the same where I learned something for mine owne defence wheÌ I am called in iudgement to answere to any cause whereby I haue bene taught not to put my selfe further in dauÌger then I neede and so farre am I a Lawyer and no further Bath If you will not answere to my Lordes request you seme to be a wilfull man in your opinion Phil. My Lorde of London is not mine Ordinarye before whom I am bound to answere in this behalfe as maister D. Cole which is a Lawyer can well tell you by the lawe And I haue not offended my Lord of LondoÌ wherfore he should call me Boner Yes I haue to laye to your charge that you haue offended in my dioces by speaking agaynst the blessed sacrament of the aultar and therefore I may call you proceed agaynst you to punish you by the law Phil. I haue not offended in your Dioces For that whiche I spake of the Sacrament was in Paules Churche in the Conuocation house which as I vnderstand is a peculiar iurisdiction belonging to the Deane of Paules and therefore is counted of your Lordships Dioces but not in your Dioces Boner Is not Paules Churche in my Dioces Well I wote it costeth me a good deale of money by the yeare the leading thereof Phil. That may be yet be exempted from your lordships iurisdiction And albeit I had so offended in your Dioces yet I ought by the law to be sent to mine Ordinarye if I require it not to bee punished by you that are not mine Ordinary And already as I haue told you I haue bene conuented of mine Ordinary for this cause which you goe about to enquire of me Boner How say you M. D. Cole may not I proceed against him by the law for that he hath done in my dioces Cole Me thinketh M. Philpot needeth not to stande so muche with your Lordship in that point as he doth sithen you seeke not to hinder him but to further him therfore I thinke it best that he go to the matter that is layde agaynst him of the Conuocation and make to longer delay Phil. I would willingly shew my mind of the matter but I am sure it will be layd agaynst me to my preiudice wheÌ I come to iudgement Cole Why then you may speake by protestation Phil. But what shall my protestation auayle in a cause of heresy as you call it if I speake otherwise then you wyll haue me since that which I spake in the conuocatioÌ house being a place priuiledged can not now helpe me Boner But M. Doct. Cole may I not proceede agaynst him for that offence he hath done in my dioces Cole You may call him before you my Lord if he be fouÌd in your dioces Phil. But I haue by force bene brought out of mine owne Dioces to my Lordes and required to be iudged of myne owne Ordinary and therefore I know mayster Doctour will not say of his
proue that which I haue sayd by good authoritie I will be content to be counted an hereticke and an ignoraunt person and further what you please Story Let vs heare what wise authoritie thou canst bring in Phil. It is the saying of Christe in S. Iohn Verbum quod locutus sum iudicabit in nouissimo die The word which I haue spoken sayth Christ shall iudge in the last day If the worde shal iudge in the last day much more it ought to iudge our doings now And I am sure I haue my iudge on my side who shall absolue and iustifie me in an other world How soeuer now it shall please you by authoritie vnrighteously to iudge of me and others sure I am in an other world to iudge you Story What you purpose to be a stincking Martyr to sit in iudgement with Christ at the last day to iudge the 12. tribes of Israell Phil. Yea sir I doubte not thereof hauing the promise of Christ If I dye for righteousnes sake which you haue begon to persecute in me Story I told you it is but vayne to argue with this hereticke he is drowned in his heresies without all learning Phil. Syr I haue brought you for that I haue sayd good authoritie out of Gods booke to the whiche you answere nothing but go about still to geue rayling iudgement aagaynst me without any cause Story I will come to you by and by When as the Iudge in Westminster hall geueth sentence doth the worde geue sentence or the Iudge tell me Phil. Ciuill matters be subiect to Ciuell men they haue authoritie by the worde to bee iudge of them But the word of God is not subiect to mans iudgemeÌt but ought to iudge all the wisedome thoughtes and doynges of men and therefore your comparison disproueth nothing that I haue sayd neither answereth any whit therto Story Wilt thou not allow the interpretation of the church vpon the scriptures Phil. Yes if it be according to the word of the true church and this I say to you as I haue sayd heretofore that if yee can proue the church of Rome wherof ye are to be the true Catholicke Church which I ought to follow I wil be as ready to yeld therto as long as it can be so proued as you may desire me Story What a fellow is this He will beleeue nothing but what he list himselfe Are we not in possessioÌ of the church Haue not our forefathers these many hundred yeares takeÌ this church for the catholicke church wherof we are now And if we had none other proofe but this it were sufficieÌt for prescription of time maketh a good title in the law Philpot. You doe well mayster Doctour to alledge prescription of many yeares for it is all that you haue to shew for your selues But you must vnderstand Ex diuinis nulla occurrit praescriptio that prescription hath no place in matters belonging to God as I am abâe to shewe by the testimony of many Doctours Story Well sir you are like to go after your fathers Latimer the Sophister and Ridley who had nothing to alledge for hymselfe but that hee had learned his heresie of Cranmer Where I came to him with a poore Bacheler of Arte he trembleÌd as though hee had had the palsey as these heretickes haue alwayes some token of feare whereby a man may know them as you may see this mans eies do tremble in his head But I dispatched them and I tell thee that there hath bene yet neuer a one burnte but I haue spoken with him haue bene a cause of his dispatch Phil. You haue the more to aunswere for Mayster Doctor as you shall feele in an other world how much soeuer you do now triumph of your proceedinges Story I tell thee I will neuer be confessed therof And because I cannot now tary to speake with my Lord I pray one of you tell my Lord that my comming was to signifie to his Lordship that he must out of hand rid this hereticke away And going away he sayd vnto me I certifie thee that thou mayst thanke none other man but me Phil. I thanke you therfore with all mine hart and God forgeue it you Story What doest thou thanke me if I had thee in my study halfe an houre I thinke I should make you sing an other song Phil. No maister Doctour I stand vpon to sure a ground to be ouerthrowne by you now And thus they departed al away from me one after an other vntil I was left al alone And afterwards with my keeper going to my Cole-house as I went I met with my Lord of London who spake vnto me geÌtly as he hath hetherto in words saying London Philpot if there be any pleasure I may shewe you in my house I pray you require it and you shall haue it Philpot. My Lord the pleasure that I will require of your Lordship is to hasten my iudgement which is committed vnto you so dispatche me forth of this miserable world vnto my eternall rest And for all this fayre speache I can not attain hetherto this fortnight space neither fire nor caÌdle neither yet good lodging But it is good for a man to be brought low in this world to be counted amongst the vilest that hee may in time of rewarde receiue exaltation glory Therfore praised be God that hath humbled me geuen me grace with gladnes to be content there withall Let all that loue the truth say Amen Thus endeth the fift Tragedy * The sixt examination of Iohn Philpot had before the right honourable Lordes Lorde Chamberlayne to the kinges Maiesty the Vicount Herford commonly called Lord Ferrers the Lord Rich the Lord S. Iohns the Lord Winsor the Lord Shandoys Sir Ioh. Bridges Lieutenant of the Tower and two other moe whose names I know not with the B. of London and Doctour Chadsey the sixt day of Nouember An. 1555. PHilpot Before that I was called afore the Lordes and whiles they were in sitting downe the Byshop of LoÌdon came aside to me and whispered in myne eare willing me to vse my selfe before the Lordes of the queenes maiesties Councell prudently and to take heede what I sayd thus he pretendeth to geue me counsaile because he wished me to do well as I might now do if I list And after the Lordes other worshipfull gentlemen of the queenes Maiesties seruauntes were set my Lorde of London placed himselfe at the end of the table called me to hym by the Lords I was placed at the vpper end agaynst him where I kneeling downe the Lordes commaunded me to stande vp and after in this manner the Byshop began to speake London M. Philpot I haue heretofore both priuately my selfe and openly before the Lordes of the Clergy mo times then once caused you to bee talked withall to reforme you of your errours but I haue not found you yet so
book abroad of the report of the disputation to the contrary in the which there is neuer a true worde And where as you require to be satisfied of the sacrament I will shew you the trueth therof both by the scriptures and by the Doctors Philpot. It is a shrewed lykelihoode that you will conclude with any truth since you haue begonne with so many vntruthes as to say that I was aunswered whiles I had any thyng to say and that I wept for lacke of matter to say and that the booke of the reporte of the disputation is nothing true God be praysed there were a good many of Noble men Gentlemen and worshipfull men that heard and saw the doings therof which can testifie that you here haue made an vniust report before these honorable Lords And that I wept was not for lacke of matter as you slauÌder me for I thank God I haue more matter theÌ the best of you all shall euer be able to answere as litle learning as I haue but my weeping was as Christes was vpon Hierusalem seeing the destruction that should fall vppon her and I foreseeing then the destruction whiche you thorough violence and vnrighteousnesse which you there declared would worke agaynst the true Churche of Christ and his faythfull members as this daye beareth witnesse was compelled to weepe in remembraunce of that whiche I with infinite more haue felt and shall feele Al these words I did then speake out being interrupted by my Lord Rich saying that I shoulde suffer hym to proceede out in his matter and afterwardes I shuld haue leysure to aunswere him in euery Article But he promysed more then he could performe as the end did wel declare for he had not the consent of the spiritualtie to his promise which now rule the rost God shorten their cruell dayes for his electes sake And therfore I adde this which I had purposed to haue spoken if then I might haue bene suffered least any that perfectly know not the thinges done in the Conuocation house and now layd to my charge if they shoulde not be aunswered by me might recken Doctour Chadseys sayinges to bee true And as concerning the booke of the report of the disputations I wrote the same it is true in euery argument as M. Deane of Roochester and M. Cheyney Archdeacon of Herford yet being aliue and within the realme can testifie Chadsey You haue of scriptures the foure Euangelistes for the probation of Christes reall presence to be in the sacrament after the wordes of consecration with S. Paule to the Corinthians whiche all saye Hoc est corpus meum This is my body They say not as you woulde haue me to beleue this is not the bodye But specially the 6. of Iohn prooueth the same most manifestly where Christ promised to geue his body which hee performed in his last supper as it appeareth by these wordes Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam ego dabo pro muÌdi vita The bread whiche I wyll geue is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world Phil. My Lord Rich with your leaue I must needes interrupt him a litle because he speaketh open blasphemy against the death of Christ for if that promise brought in by s. Iohn was performed by Christ in his last supper theÌ needed he not to haue dyed after he had geuen the sacrament Rich. Let maister Doctour make an end of his argumeÌts and afterward obiect to him what you can Chadsey You must note that there is twise Dabo in thys saying of S. Iohn the first is referred to the sacrament of the auâtar the second to the sacrifice vpon the crosse and besides these manifest scriptures there bee many auncient Doctors proouing the same as Ignatius Irenaeus S. Cyprian whose authoritie he recited at large which I do omitte because I was not permitted to answere the same Rich. Now aunswere and obiect to him what you can you shal be heard Phil. My Lord the chiefest ground where he with the rest of his side do ground theÌselues agaynst vs be these words This is my body with a false pretence of the omnipotency of God And before I will come to the particular aunsweres of all that he hath alledged for that your Lordships may the better vnderstand me what I meane and whereuppon I stand I will require mayster Doctor to aunswere me one question But first of all I do protest to your honours that I thinke as reuerently of the sacrament as a christian maÌ ought to do and that I acknowledge the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe ministred after Christes Institution to bee one of the greatest treasures and comfortes that he left vs on the earth and contrariwise it is most discomfort and abhominable not being ministred as it ought to be as it is vsed now a dayes And now to my question which is this whether these wordes onely Hoc est corpus meum This is my body spoken by a priest ouer the bread and wine may make the body and bloud of Christ as you suppose or no Chedsey Staggering what he might say at last hee sayd that these wordes alone pronounced by the Priest be sufficient to make the bread and the wyne the very bodye and bloud of Christ really Philpot. That is blasphemy to say and agaynst al the scriptures and Doctours who affirme that the forme and substance in consideration must be obserued whiche Christ vsed and did institute as S. Cyprian sayth In sacrificio quod Christus est non nisi Christus sequendus In the sacrifice whiche is Christ onely is Christ to be followed And by the lawe it is forbidden to adde or take away from Gods word And S. Peter sayth If anye man speake let him speake as the worde of God Wherfore whosoeuer sayth that these wordes onely This is my body do make a presence of christ without blesse take and eate which be three as substanciall poyntes of the Sacramente as Thys is my bodye is he is highly deceiued Therfore S. Austen sayth Accedat verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it be commeth a sacrament So that if the entier worde of Christes Institution be not obserued in the ministration of a Sacrament it is no sacrament as the sacrifices which the ten tribes did offer at Bethell to God were not acceptable because they were not in all poyntes done according to Gods word Wherfore except blessing be made after the word whiche is a due thankesgeuing for our redemption in Christ and also a shewing forth of the Lordes death in such wise as the congregation may be edified and moreouer a taking and eating after Christes commaundement except I say these three partes be first performed which is not done in the Masse these wordes This is my bodye which are last placed in the Institution of
haue pacience to beare and abide al your cruel intents against me notwythstanding I speake this earnestly being mooued thereto iustly to notifie your vniust and cruell dealing with men in corners without all due order of lawe After this at nighte I was conducted againe by three or foure into the Colehouse The ninth examination of M. Philpot before Boner and his Chaplaines IN the morning the nexte daye I was called downe betunes by my keper and brought againe into the Wardrobe where I remained vntil the Byshop had heard hys Masse and afterwarde he sent vp for me into his inwarde Parlour and there he called for a chaire to sit downe and brought his infamous Libell of his forged Articles in his hande and sate downe willing me to drawe neare vnto him and saide Lond. I am this day appoynted to tarry at home from the Parlament house to examine you and your fellowes vpon these Articles and you stande dalying with me and will neither answere to nor fro Ywis al your exceptions will not serue you Will it not be a faire honestie for you thinke ye that when thou commest afore my Lorde Maior and the Sheriffes other worshipful audience when I shall say before them all that I haue had thee these many times before me and before so many learned men and then thou couldest saye nothing for that thou standest in for all thy bragges of learning neither wouldest answere directly to any thing Phil. My Lord I haue told you my mind plaine enough but yet I do not intend to lose that priuiledge the law geueth me the which is free choise to aunswere where I am not bound and this priuiledge wil I cleaue vnto vntil I be compelled otherwise Lon. Well I perceiue you will playe the obstinate foole Lay thine appellation when thou commest in iudgement and answere in the meane while to these articles Phil. No my Lord by your leaue I wil not answeare to them vntill my lawfull appeale be tried Lon. Wel thou shalt heare them and with that he began to reade them Phil. I shranke backe into the windowe and looked on a booke and after he had read them ouer he said vnto me Lon. I haue read them ouer although it hath not pleased you to heare mee I marueile in good faith what thou meanest to be so wilful and stubborne seeing thou mayest doe wel enough if thou list It is but a singularitie Doest thou not see all the realme against thee Phil. My Lord I speake vnto you in the witnes of God before whom I stand that I am neither wedded vnto mine owne will neither stand vpon mine owne stubbernesse or singularitie but vpon my conscience instructed by Gods word and if your Lordship can shew better euidence then I haue for a good faith I will folowe the same Lon. What thou wilt not loe for all that Well all that is past shall be forgotten and be conformable vnto vs. Iwis thou mightest find as much fauour as thou wouldest desire Phil. Then I perceiuing that he fawned so muche vpon me thought it good to geue hym some comfort of releÌting to the end I might openly geue him and his hypocriticall generation openly a further foyle perceiuing that they dare reason opeÌly with none but with such as be vnlearned and for lacke of knowledge not able to aunsweare or els with such as they haue a hope that for feare or loue of the worlde will recant I sayde My Lorde it is not vnknowen to you that I haue openlye in the audience of a great number stand to the maintenance of these opinions I am in by learning did offer to defende them therefore my Lord I would it might openly appeare to the world that I am wonne by learnyng or els what wyll they say but that eyther for feare or loue of the worlde I am without any ground turned from the truth and if I haue any kinde of learning openly shewed I shal be as conformable as you may require me Lond. Yea mary now ye speake somwhat like a reasonable man I wis you might haue had a great deale more fauour in my house and libertie then you haue had and you shall lacke nothing that is within my house call for it and you shall haue it And what is it that you woulde openly by learnyng somewhat be satisfied in tell me Phil. My Lord I haue openly sayd and do beleeue it also that your sacrifice of the Masse is no Sacrament Lond. What doe you deny the presence of Christe in the Sacrament Phil. No my Lorde I deny not the presence of Christ in the Sacrament but I haue denyed the Sacrament of the Alter as it is vsed in your Masse to be the true Sacrament of Christes institution And first it must be proued a sacrament ere there can be any kind of presence graunted Lond. Why do you deny the Masse to be a Sacrament I pray you what is a Sacrament Is it not a signe of a holy thyng as saint Austine doth define it Phil. Yes verily that it is Lond. Then I make this argument vnto you A Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing but the Masse is a signe of a holy thing Ergo it is a Sacrament Phil. You must adde this to your Maior or fyrst proposition as saint Austine doth meane that a Sacrament is the signe of a holy thing instituted of God and commaunded for otherwise it can be no Sacrament for all men can not make a Sacrament Lond. I graunt that and such a signe of a holy thyng is the Masse of Christes institution Phil. I deny that my Lord Lond. I will proue this by S. Austine by and by I will go shew you the booke you shall haue any booke I haue that you wyll demaund Hoe who is without there call me M. Doct. Chadsey M. Archdeacon M. Cosins and other Chapleynes hyther Here my Lorde Maister Doctour Chadsey in gone to Westminster and Maister Archdeacon was here euen nowe Lond. M. Cosins I pray you examine him vpon these Articles and write his aunswere he maketh to euery one of them I will go examine his felowes and sende you S. Austine by and by I finde this man more conformable then he was before Cosins I trust my Lord you shall finde him at length a good Catholicke man Mary here be a sight of heresies I dare say you will hold none of them neither stand in any of them How say you to the first Phil. M. Cosins I haue tolde my Lord already that I will aunswere to none of these articles he hath obiected against me but if you will with learning aunswere to that which is in question betweene my Lorde and me I wyll gladly heare and common with you Cosins No wyll you Why what is that then which is in question betweene my Lord and you Phil. Whether your Masse be a Sacrament or no Cosins What the Masse to bee a Sacrament who euer
appeale to a higher Iudge as to the Lieutenaunt of the Archbishopricke of Canterbury for I know not who is bishop therof at this present With that the B. went away and my Baalamite kinsman looking big vpon me but sayd neuer a woord Thus I haue in hast scribled out all myne examinations hetherto that the same whiche hath bene done vnto me in darke myght come to lyght that the papistes vniust procedyngs and nakednes in their false religioÌ might be known to their confusion Iesus is Imanuel that is God with vs Amen 1555. * The 11. examination of Iohn Philpot had on S. Andrewes day before the Bishop of Duresme the Bishop of Chichester the Bishop of Bathe the Bishop of London the Prolocutor Maister Christopherson and Doct. Chedsey Maister Morgan of Oxford Maister Hussey of the Arches Doctor Weston Doctor Harpsfield Archdeacon M. Cosins and M. Iohnson Register to the Bishop of London in hys palace I Was commyng beyng sent for with my Keeper and the B. of London met me in his hall dore and full manerly he played the Gentleman Usher to bryng mee before the Lordes saying Lond. My Lordes I shal desire you to take some paynes with this man he is a gentleman and I would he should do well but he wil wilfully cast away hymselfe Dures Come hether sir what is your name Phil. My name is Philpot. Dures I haue heard of that name to be a worshipful stock and since you be a Gentleman doe as you may liue worshipfully among other Gentlemen What is the cause of your trouble now Phil. I told hym the cause as in my former examinations is expressed Dures Well all causes set apart will you now bee a conformable maÌ to the catholike faith and leaue all new fangled opinions and heresies Iwis I was in Germany with Luther at the beginning of these opinions can tell how they began Leaue them and follow the Catholique church throughout the whole world as the whole realme now doth Phil. My Lord I am of the Catholike fayth and desire to lyue and dye in the same but it is not vnknowen to your Lordshippe that I with others these xx yeres haue bene taught another maner of faith then you now goe about to compell vs vnto wherefore it is requisite that we haue a tyme to weigh the same and to heare how it agreeth with Gods word For fayth is not at a sodaine neither wonne neither remooued but as S. Paule saith Fayth commeth by hearyng and hearing by the worde Fides ex auditu auditus per verbum Chich. And if you will geue me leaue my L. I will shewe hym how he taketh the saying of S. Paul amisse as many other now adayes alledgyng the same do that they ought not to be compelled to beleue where as S. Paul meaneth of Infidels and not of the faithfull And so S. Augustine writyng agaynst the Donatistes sayth that the faythfull may be compelled to beleeue Philpot. Saint Bernard and if it please your Lordship doth take that sense of Saint Paule as I doe saying that Fides est suadenda non imponenda Faith must be persuaded to a man and not enioyned And Saint Augustine speaketh of suche as were first thoroughly perswaded by manifest Scriptures and yet woulde resist of stubborne wilfulnesse Chich. So Bernard meaneth of Infidels also Phil. No my Lord that he doth not for he wryteth not of the Infidels but hee writeth of such as were deceiued by errours Chichester My L. of Duresme I haue bene so bold to interrupt your Lordship of your tale I pray you now proceed on Duresme M. Philpot will you bee of the same Catholike faith and Church with vs you were baptised in and your godfathers promised for you and hold as we do and then may you be rid out of trouble I perceiue you are learned and it is pitie but you should do well Philpot. I am of the same Catholique fayth and catholique Church I was baptised vnto and in that wyll I liue and dye Dures That is wel said if you hold there you cannot doe but well Chich. Yea my Lord but he meaneth otherwyse then you do Are you of the same faith your godfathers and godmothers were or no Phil. I cannot tell what faith they were of certainly but I am of the faith I was baptised vnto which is in the fayth of Christ. For I was not baptised in the faith of my Godfathers but in the faith of Christ. Christo. S. Augustine saith that Infants are baptised in fide susceptorum In the fayth of their Godfathers Phil. S. Augustine in so saying meaneth of the fayth of Christ which the Godfathers do or ought to beleeue and not otherwyse Duresme How say you will you beleeue as we do and all the learned of the Realme or no and be of one church with vs Phil. My Lordes it is not vnknown vnto you that there hath bene alwayes two churches Chichest Nay that is not so there is but one Catholike church Phil. I shall desire your Lordships to heare out my tale to take my meanyng For I knowe there is but one true Church but always from the beginnyng there hath bene ioyned to the same true Church a false Church aduersarie to the true and that was declared at the first in Abell and Caine who persecuted and slew hys brother in whome as Saint Augustine witnesseth is represented the false true Church And after that as soone as God hath chosen his peculiar people and shewed vnto them his sanctuary holy statutes and will anone after arose the false Church and tenne of the twelue tribes of Israell deuided themselues from the true church of Iuda and Beniamin and made to themselues at Bethel set vp golden calues and yet pretended therewith to serue God and so abused his word Notwithstandyng God was displeased with them and ceased not hys wrath vntill he had vtterly destroyed them Chich. I will graunt you before the commyng of Christ there were two churches in the old law but in the newe law since Christes commyng you cannot shew it to be so by the scripture Phil. Yes my L. that I can if you will geue me leaue After Christ had choseÌ his xij Apostles was there not a Iudas in the new law and a Simon Magus And were not they of the false church Chich. Yea but I meane after the Gospell was written where can you find me two churches after Christ had ascended and sent the holy Ghost Phil. The Gospell was within 8. yeares after the ascension written by S. Mathew and the writyng therof is not materiall to the declaration of these two churches to haue bene always from tyme to tyme as by example it may be shewed and yet as euil as my memory is I remember in the new Testament is mention made of two churches as it appeareth in the Apocalyps and also S. Paule to the Thessalonians maketh mention that Antichrist with hys false
an hereticke and that shortly Phil. I feare nothing I thanke God you can doe to me But God shall destroy suche as thou art and that shortly as I trust Boner Haue him away this is a knaue in deed Phil. And I was had into the Wardrobe again by my keper and within an houre after was sent for to come before him and the bishops of Worcestâr and Bangor Boner Syr I haue talked with you manye tymes and haue caused you to bee talked with of manye learned men yea and honourable both Temporall and Spirituall and it auayleth nothing with you I am blamed that I haue brought thee afore so many for they say thou gloryest to haue many to talke withall Well nowe it lyeth thee vpon to looke to thy selfe for thy time draweth neare to an ende if thou doe not become conformable And at this presente we are sent from the Synode to offer you this grace that if you will come to the vnity of the Church of Rome with vs and acknowledge the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar with vs all that is past shal be forgeuen and you receiued to fauor Worcest Mayster Philpot we are sent as you here haue heard by my Lord of London from the Synode to offer you mercy if you will receiue it And of good will I beare you I wishe you to take it whilest it is offered and bee not a singular man agaynste a whole multitude of learned men which now in fasting and prayer are gathered together to deuise thinges to doe you good There haue manye learned men talked with you why should you think your selfe better learned theÌ them all Be not of such arrogancy but haue humility and remember there is no saluatioÌ but in the church Bangor Me thinketh my Lorde hath sayde wonderfullye well vnto you that you shoulde not thinke your selfe so well learned but other men are as well learned as you neither of so good wit but other be as wise as you neither of so good memory but other haue as good memory as you Therfore mistrust your owne iudgement and come home to vs agayne I wis I neuer liked your Religion because it was set forth by violence and tyranny and that is no token of true Religion And I was that same maner of man then that I am now and a greate manye moe Mary for feare we held our peace and bare with that time Wherfore M. Philpot I would you did wel for I loue you therfore be content to come home with vs agayne into the catholicke church of Rome Phil. Where my Lorde as I may begin first to aunswere you you say that Religion is to be misliked which is set forth by tyranny I pray God you geue not meÌ occasion to thinke the same by yours at this day which haue none other argument to stand by but violence If you can shewe me by any good sufficient ground whereby to ground my conscience that the church of Rome is the true Catholicke church wherunto you cal me I wil gladly be of the same otherwise I can not so soone chaunge the Religion I haue learned these many yeares Bangor Where was your Religion I pray you an hundred yeares agoe that any man knew of it Phil. It was in Germany and in diuers other places apparant Worc. Iesus will you be still so singuler a man What is Germany to the whole world Boner My Lordes I pray you geue me leaue to tell you that I sent for him to heare masse this morning and wote you what excuse he made vnto me forsoothe that he was accursed alledging his own shame He playeth as the varlet Latimer did at Cambridge When the Uicechancellor sent for him who intended to haue excommunicated him for some of his heresies the Chancellor was coÌming to hys chamber he hearing that the Chancellor was comming made answere that he was sick of the plague so deluded the Chancellor euen so this man sayth he is acursed because he will not come to masse Worc. My Lorde I am sure here doth behaue hymselfe like a father vnto you therfore be admonished by him and by vs that come now frendly vnto you and folow your fathers before you Phil. It is forbidden vs of God by the Prophet Ezechiel to folow our fathers neither to walke in theyr commaundementes Worc. It is written also in an other place Interroga patres Aske of your fathers Phil. We ought to aske in deed our fathers that haue more experience and knowledge then we of Gods will but no more to allow them then we perceiue they agree with the Scripture Worc. You will be a contentious man I see well and S. Paul saith that we neither the church of god haue no such custome Phil. I am not contentious but for the verity of my fayth in the which I ought to conteÌd with all such as do impugne the same without any iust obiection Worc. Let vs rise my Lord for I see we shall doe no good Boner Nay I pray you tary and heare the articles I laye to his charge And after he had recited them they arose after standing they reasoned with me a while Worc. Mayster Philpot I am very sory that you will bee so singular I neuer talked with none yet in my Dioces but after once coÌmunication had with me they haue bene conteÌted to reuoke theyr errors to teach the people how they were deceiued so do muche good as you may if you list For as I vnderstande you were Archdeacon of Winchester which is the eye of the Bishop and you maye doe much good in that countrey if you would forsake your errors and come to the catholicke church Phil. Wherwithall you so soone persuaded theÌ to your wil I see not Errour that I knowe I holde none and of the Catholicke Church I am sure I am Worc. The Catholicke Churche doeth acknowledge a reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament and so wyll not you Phil. That is not so For I acknowledge a very essentiall presence in the duely vsing of the sacrament Worc. What a reall presence Phil. Yea a reall presence by the spirite of God in the right administration Worc. That is well sayd and do you agree with the Catholicke church also Phil. I do agree with the true catholicke church Worc. My Lord of LondoÌ this man speaketh reasonably now Boner You do agree in generalities but wheÌ it shal come to the particularities you will farre disagree Worc. Well keepe your selfe here and you shall haue other learned Bishops to commoÌ further with you as my lord of Duresme and my Lord of Chichester whome I heare say you do like well Phil. I doe like them as I doe all other that speaketh the truth I haue once already spoken with them they fouÌde no fault with me Worc. Pray in the meane season for grace to God Phil. Prayer is the comfortablest exercise
which say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of God but he that doth the will of the father And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me sayth Christ and of my wordes of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before his father After that wee haue built our selues into the true church of God it hath pleased him by geuing vs ouer into the hands of the wicked sinagoges to proue our building to haue it knowne as wel to the world as to our selues that we haue bene wise builders into the true church of God vpon the rock not on the sand therefore nowe the tempest is risen and the stormes doe mightily blow agaynst vs that wee might notwithstanding stand vpright and be firme in the Lord to his honor and glory and to our eternall felicitie There is no newe thing happened vnto vs for with such taÌpests dangerous weathers the church of God hath continually bene exercised Nowe once agayne as the Prophet Aggeus telleth vs The Lord shaketh the earth that those might abide for euer which be not ouerthrowne Therefore my dearely beloued be stable and immoueble in the word of God and in the faythfull obseruation therof and let no man deceiue you with vayn words saying that you may keepe your faith to your selues and dissemble with Antichrist and so liue at rest and quietnes in the world as most men doe yelding to necessitie Thys is the wisedome of the fleshe but the wisedome of the fleshe is death and enmitie to God as our sauiour for ensaÌple aptly did declare in Peter who exhorted Christ not to goe to Ierusalem to celebrate the Passouer and there to be slayn but counselled him to looke better to himselfe Likewise the worlde woulde not haue vs to forsake it neither to associate our selues to the true churche which is the body of Christ whereof we are liuely members and to vse the sacramentes after Gods word with the danger of our liues But we must learne to answere the world as Christ did Peter and say Go behynd me Sathan thou fauourest not the thinges of God Shall I not drinke of the cup whiche the father geueth me For it is better to bee afflicted and to be slayne in the church of God then to be counted the sonne of the king and the sinagogue of false religion Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred but rather to bee desired which assuredly bringeth with it the crowne of euerlasting glory These bloudy executioners do not persecute Christes martyrs but crowne them with euerlasting felicitie we were borne into this world to be witnesses vnto the truth both learned and vnlearned Now since the time is come that we must shew our fayth and declare whether we will be Gods seruauntes in righteousnes holines as we haue bene taught are bouÌd to follow or els with hipocrisie to serue vnrighteousnes let vs take good heed that we be found faithfull in the Lords couenaunt and true members of hys Churche in that which through knowledge we are engraffed from the whiche if we fall by transgression with the common sort of people it will more straightly be required of vs then many yet doe make accompt therof We cannot serue two maysters we may not halt on both sides and thinke to please God we must bee feruent in Gods cause or els hee will cast vs out from him For by the first commaundement wee are commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our mind with all our power and strength but they are manifest transgressours of this commaundement which with their heart mynde or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion contrary to the word of God in the papisticall Sinagogue which calleth it selfe the Church and is not As greatly do they offend God now which so doe as the Israelites did in tymes past by forsaking IerusaleÌ the true churche of God and by going to Bethell to serue God in a congregation of theyr owne setting vp and after theyr own imaginations and traditions for the which doyng God vtterly destroyed all Israell as all the Prophetes almost doe testifie This happened vnto them for our ensample that we might beware to haue any fellowship with any like congregation to our destruction God hath one Catholicke church dispersed throughout the world and therfore we are taught in our Creed to beleue one Catholicke Churche to haue communion therwith which catholicke churche is grounded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles and vpoÌ none other as S. Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians Therfore whersoeuer we perceaue any people to worship God truly after the word there we may be certayne the churche of Christe to bee vnto the whiche we ought to associate oure selues to desire with the Prophet Dauid to prayse God in the middest of this churche But if we hehold through iniquitie of time segregations to be made with counterfayt religion otherwise then the word of God doth teach wee ought then if we be required to be companions therof to say agayne with Dauid I haue hated the Sinagogue of the malignant and will not sit with the wicked In the Apocalips the church of Ephesus is highly commended because she tried such as said they were Apostles and were not in deede therfore would not abide the company of them Further God commanded his people that they shuld not seek Bethel neither enter into Gilgal where idolatry was vsed by the mouth of his Prophet Amos. Also wee must consider that our bodyes be the teÌple of God whosoeuer as S. Paule teacheth doth prophane the teÌple of God him the Lord wil destroy May we theÌ take the teÌple of Christ make it the meÌber of an harlot All strange religion and Idolatry is counted whoredome with the Prophetes and that more detestable in the sight of God then the aduoutrous abuse of the bodye Therfore the Princes of the earthe in the reuelation of S. Iohn be sayd to go a whoring wheÌ they are in loue with false religion and follow the same How then by any meanes may a christian man thinke it tollerable to be present at the popish priuate Masse which is the very prophanation of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and at other idolatrous worshippings and rites which be not after the word of God but rather to the derogation therof in setting mans traditions aboue Gods preceptes since God by his word iudgeth all straunge religion whiche is not according to his institutioÌ for whoredom aduoutry Some fondly think that the presence of the body is not materiall so that the hart doe not consent to theyr wicked doings But suche persons litle consider what S. Paule writeth to the Corinthians commaunding them to glorifie God as well in body as in soule Moreouer wee can doe no greater iniury to the true Church of Christ
Gods spirite in vs accordyng to the rule of the Gospell he that coÌformeth not him selfe to the same in godly conuersation may iustly treÌble doubt that he is none of the elect children of God but of the viperous generation and a child of darkenesse For the children of light will walke in the workes of light and not of darkenes though they fall they do not lye still Let all vayne excusations be set a part and whiles ye haue light as Christ commaundeth beleue the light and abide in the same lest eternall darkenesse ouertake you vnwares The light is come into the world but alas men loue darkenesse more theÌ the light God geue vs his pure eyesalue to heale our blindnes in this behalfe O that men and women would be healed and not seeke to be wilfully blinded The Lord open their eyes that they may see how dauÌgerous a thyng it is to decline from the knowledge of truth contrary to their conscience But what sayd I conscience many affirme their conscience will beare them well enough to do all that they do and to go to the Idolatrous Church to seruice whose coÌscieÌce is very large to satisfie man more then God And although their conscience can beare them so to do yet I am sure that a good conscience will not permit them so to doe which caÌ not be good vnlesse it be directed after the knowledge of Gods word and therfore in Latin this feelyng of mynde is called Conscientia which souÌdeth by interpretation as much as with knowledge And therfore if our conscience be led of her selfe not after true knowledge yet we are not so to be excused as S. Paul beareth witnes saying Although my coÌscience acseth me not yet in this I am not iustified And he ioineth a good coÌscience with these 3. sisters charitie a pure heart vnfayned fayth Charitie keepeth Gods commaundements a pure hart loueth and feareth God aboue all vnfayned fayth is neuer ashamed of the profession of the Gospell whatsoeuer damage he shal suffer in body therby the lord which hath reuealed hys holy will vnto vs by hys word graunt vs neuer to be ashamed of it and geue vs grace so earnestly to cleaue to hys holy word and true church that for no maner of worldly respecte we become partakers of the workes of hipocrisie which God doth abhorre so that we may be found faythfull in the Lords Testament to the end both in hart word and deede to the glory of God and our euerlasting saluation Amen Ioh. Philpot prisoner in the Kinges Benche for the testimony of the truth 1555. * To hys deare frend in the Lord Iohn Careles prisoner in the kinges Benche MY dearely beloued brother Careles I haue receaued youre louing letters full of loue and compassion in somuch that they made my hard hart to weepe to see you so carefull for one that hath bene so vnprofitable a member as I haue bene and am in Christes church God make me worthy of that I am called vnto and I pray you cease not to pray for me but cease to weep for him who hath not deserued such gentle teares and prayse God with me for that I now approch to the company of them whose want you may worthily lament God geue your pittiful hart his inward consolation In deede my deare Careles I am in thys world in hell and in the shadow of death but he that hath brought me for my desertes downe vnto hell shall shortly lift me vpp to heauen where I shall looke continually for your commyng others my faythfull brethren in the kinges Benche And though I tell you that I am in hell in the iudgement of this world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen I prayse God and thys lothsome and horrible prison is as pleasaunt to me as the walke in the garden of the kinges Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauen out of this life is very narrow and wee must striue to enter in at a narrowe gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of myne imprisonment what will he do in the rage of the fire whereunto I am appoynted And this hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of comfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethren with you in these cruell dayes in the which the deuill so rageth at the faythfull flock of Chryst but in vayne I trust against any of vs who be perswaded that neither lyfe neither death is able to seperate vs from the loue of Christs Gospell which is Gods high treasure committed to your brittle vessels to glorifie vs by the same God of hys mercye make vs faythfull stewardes to the end and geue vs grace to feare nothing what soeuer in hys good pleasure we shal suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you eâst the cause is our strayt keepyng and the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writteÌ since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinations and I am fayne to scribble it out in hast Commend me to al our faythfull brethren and bid theÌ with a good courage looke for theyr redemption frame themselues to be harty souldiours in Christ. They haue taken his prest money a great while and now let them shew themselues readye to serue hym faythfully and not to fly out of the Lordes campe into the world as many do Let them remeÌber that in the Apocalips the fearfull be excluded the kingdome Let vs be of good cheare for our Lord ouercame the world that wee shoulde doe the like Blessed is the seruaunt whome when the Lord commeth he findeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into teÌptation Be ioyful vnder the crosse prayse the Lord coÌtinually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the Lord delighteth in CoÌmeÌd me to my father Hunt and desire him to loue and continue in the vnitie of Christs true Church which he hath begon and then shal he make me more more to ioy vnder my crosse with him Tel my brother Clements that he hath coÌforted me much by his louing token in significatioÌ of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encrease my ioy vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you al. Salute al my louyng frends M. Mering M. Crooche with the rest and specially M. Marshal his wife with great thaÌks for his kindnes shewed vnto me Farewel my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuil a while but now I am ouer the shoes God sende me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter to Iohn Careles profitable to be read of all them which mourne in repentaunce for theyr sinnes THe God
is a worker of that which is by nature for commonly such as be vngodly be vnnatural only louers of themselues as daily experience teacheth vs. The lyuing Lord which through the incorruptible sede of his worde hath begotten you to be my liege sister geue you grace so to growe in that generation that you may encrease to a perfect age in the Lord to be my sister with Christ for euer Looke therfore that you continue a faythfull sister as you are called and are godly entered not onely to me but to all the Church of Christ yea to Christ himselfe who voucheth you in this your vnfayned fayth worthy to bee his sister Consider this dignitie to surmount all the vayne dignities of the worlde let it accordingly preuayle more with you then all earthly delightes For therby you are called to an equall portion of the euerlasting inheritaunce of Christ if now in no wise you do shew your selfe an vnnaturall sister to him in forsaking him in trouble which I trust you will neuer for no kinde of worldly respect doe You are vnder daungerous temptations to be turned froÌ that naturall loue you owe vnto Christ and you shal be tryed with Gods people thorough a siue of great afflictioÌ for so Sathan desireth vs to be sifted that through feare of sharp troubles we might fall from the stablenes of our fayth and so be depriued of that honour ioy and reward which is prepared for such as continue faythfull brothers and sisters in the Lordes couenant to the ende Therfore the wise man in the booke of Ecclesiasticus biddeth them that come to the seruice of the Lorde To prepare them selues to suffer temptations Since then that for the glory of God and our faith we are called now to abide the brunt of them and that when our aduersary hath done all that he can yet wee may be stable and stand this Christ our first begotten brother loketh for at our handes and all our brethren and sisters in heauen desire to see our faith thorough afflictions to be perfecte that we might fulfil their number and the vniuersal church here militant reioyceth at our constancie whom al by the contrary we should make sorie to the daunger of the losse both of body and soule Feare not therfore what soeuer be threatned of the wicked world prepare your back and see it be ready to carye Christes crosse And if you see any vntowardnes in you as the flesh is continually repugnant to the will of God aske with faithfull praier that the good spirit of God may lead your sinful flesh whether it would not for if we will dwell in the flesh and folow the counsell therof we shall neuer doe the will of God neither worke that tendeth to our saluation You are at this present in the confines and borders of Babylon where you are in danger to drink of the whores cup vnles you be vigilant in praier Take hede the Serpent seduce you not froÌ the simplicitye of your faith as he did our first mother Eue. Let no worldly felowship make you partaker of iniquitie He that toucheth tarre can not but be defiled therby With such as be peruerse a maÌ shall sone be peruerted with the holy you shal be holy Therfore say continually with the Prophete Dauid Vnto the Saints that be on the earth al my wil is on them You haue bene sanctified and made pure thorough the truth take heede you be not vnholied and vndefiled lest the last be worse then the first I wryte not this because I stand in any doubt of your sincere continuance of the which I haue had so good experience but because the daies be euil and in the same it is the duety of euery one of vs to exhort an other I am bold to put you my good sister in remembrance of that which doth not a litle comfort me to remember in my troubles daily temptations Wherfore I doubt not you will take that in good part which commeth froÌ your brother both in spirit body who tendreth your saluation as earnestly as his owne that we might ioye together eternally with such ioy as the world shal neuer be able to take from vs. Thankes be vnto God you haue begon to run a good great time wel in the waies of the Lorde run out of the trace to the end which you haue begon then shall you receiue the crown of glory None shal be crouned but such as lawfully striueth Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euil with good the Lorde shall make you one of those faithfull virgines that shal follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth the which Christ graunt both you and me Amen Commend me to all them that loue me in the Lord vnfainedly God encrease our faith and geue vs neuer to be ashamed of his Gospell That same request which I haue made to my brother Thom. I make also to you desiring you by all meanes you can to accoÌplish my request that my sureties might be satisfied with that is mine owne to the contentation of my minde which can not be quiet vntill they be discharged therefore I pray you help to purchase quietnes that I might depart out of this worlde in peace My dissolution I looke for daily but the Lorde knoweth howe vnworthy I am of so high an honour as to die for the testimony of his truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath don of long imprisonment for the which his name be praised for euer Pray and looke for the comming of the Lorde whose wrath is great ouer vs and I wil pray for you as long as I liue The 9. of Iuly in the kings Bench. Your owne louing brother as well in faith as in body Iohn Philpot. An other Letter of Iohn Philpot to certaine Godly brethren THe grace of God the Father and the peace of our sauiour Iesus Christ his eternall sonne and the consolation of the holy Ghost our comforter strengthen your hearts and coÌfort your mindes that you maye reioyce and liue in the truthe of Christes Gospel to the ende Amen I doe much reioyce dearely beloued in the Lord to heare of your coÌstant faith in the word of God which you haue so purely receiued which doe not with the wordlings decline froÌ the purity therof albeit ye suffer grief trouble therby for the which I praise God most hartely and the Lord of all strength who hath begon this good woorke in you make it perfite to the ende as I doubt not but he wil for the faithful zeale ye haue to his truth to his afflicted church Therfore that ye may the better stand and beare the brunte of many temptations which you are like to be assaulted withall in these wicked and stormie daies I thought it good as it is the duety of one christian man to exhort an other in the time of trouble
to put you in remembraunce therof to wil you with the wise man to prepare your selues to temptatioÌs to beware that ye which yet do stand by the goodnes of God may not fall from your liuely knowledge and hope It is an easie thing to begin to do wel but to coÌtinue out in well doing is the onely property of the children of God and such as assuredly shal be saued For so sayth our Sauiour in his Gospel Blessed are they that perseuere to the ende Let not therefore this certaintye of your saluation which is coÌtinuance in the sincerity of faith slide froÌ you Esteme it more then al the riches pleasures of this world for it is the most acceptable treasure of eternall life This is that precious stone for the which the wise marchant man after the Gospell doeth sell all that he hath bieth the same God in the 3. of the Apocal. doth signifye to the church that there shall come a time of temptation vpon the whole world to trye the dwellers on the earth FroÌ the danger of which temptation al such shal be deliuered as obserue his worde which worde there is called the worde of patience to geue vs to vnderstande that we must be ready to suffer all kinde of iniuries and sclaunders for the profession thereof Therfore God coÌmandeth vs there to hold it fast that no man might berefte vs of our crowne of glorye and S Peter telleth vs now we are afflicted with diuers assaies as it is need it should so be That the triall of our faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth and yet is tried by fire might redound to the laud glory and honour of Iesus Christ. S. Paule to the Hebrues sheweth vs that Christe our Sauiour was in his humanitie made perfect by afflictions that we being called to perfection in him might more willingly susteine the troubles of the worlde by the which God geueth all them that be exercised in the same for his sake his holinesse And in the 12. chap. of the said Epistle is wrytten My sonne refuse not the correction of the Lord nor shrinke not when thou art rebuked of him for the Lord doth chastice euery sonne whome he receiueth c. Christ in the Gospell of S. Iohn biddeth his disciples to looke after afflictions saying in the worlde yee shall haue trouble but in me yee shall haue ioy And therefore in the middest of their trouble in the 21. of S. Luke hee biddeth them looke vp and lift vp their heads for your redemption sayeth he is at hand And in the 22 he sayth to all suche as be afflicted for him You are those that haue abidden with me in my temptations and therefore I appoynt vnto you a kingdom as my father hath appoynted for me to eate and drinke vpon my table in my kingdome O howe glorious be the crosses of Christe which bring the bearers of them vnto so blessed an ende Shall we not be glad to be partakers of such shame as may bring vs to so high a dignitie God open their eyes to see al things as they be and to iudge vprightly Then doubtlesse we would thinke with Moises that it is better to be afflicted with the people of God then to be counted the king of Egypts sonne Then should we ioyfully say with Dauid in all our aduersities and troubles It is good O Lord thou hast brought me lowe to the ende I might learne thy righteousnesse Therefore S. Paule woulde not glory in any other thyng of the worlde but in the crosse of Christ in other his infirmities We haue the commaundement of Christe daily to take vppe his crosse and follow him We haue the godly ensamples of all his apostles and holy martyrs which with great ioy and exultation haue suffered the losse of landes goods and life for the hope of a better reward which is laide vp for all those in heauen that vnfainedly cleaue to the gospel and neuer be ashamed therof Great is the felicitye of the world to the outwarde man and very pleasant are the transitory delights therof but the rewarde of the rightuous after the word of God doth incomparably excell them all in so much that S. Paul to the Rom. doth plainly affirme that all the tribulations of this world can not deserue that glory which shall be shewed vpon vs. Let vs therfore good brethren and sisterne be mery glad in these troublesome daies the which be sent of God to declare our faith and to bring vs to the ende and fruition of that which we hope for If we woulde enter into the Lordes Sanctuarie and behold what is prepared for vs we could not but desire the Lord to hast the day of our death in the which we might set forth by true confession his glory Neither should we be afraide to meete our aduersaries which so earnestly seeke our spoile and death as Christ did Iudas and that wicked route which came to appreheÌd him saying I am he whom ye seeke It is commaunded vs by the Gospel not to feare them that canne kill the bodye but to feare God who can cast both body and soule into hel fire So muche wee are bounde to obserue this commaundement as anye other which God hath geuen vs. The Lorde encrease our faith that we feare God more then man The Lord geue vs such loue towards him his truth that we may be content to forsake all followe him Nowe wil it appeare what we loue best for to that we loue we will sticke There is none to be counted woorthy a Christian except he can finde in his heart for Christes sake if the confession of his truth doth require it to renounce al which he hath and followe him and in so doing he gaineth an hundreth folde more in this life as our Sauiour sayde to Peter and heere after is assured of eternal life Beholde I pray you what he loseth whâch in this life receiueth a 100. for one with assuraÌce of eternall ãâã O hapy exchaunge Perchaunce your outward man will say if I were sure of this great recompence here I could be glad to forsake all But where is this 100. folde in this life to be founde Yes truely for in stead of worldly richesse which thou doest forsake which be but temporall thou hast found the euerlasting richesse of heauen which be glory honour and praise both before God aungels and men and for an earthly habitation hast an eternall mansion with Christ in heauen for euen now thou art of the citie and housholde of the Saints with God as it is verified in the 4 to the Philippians For worldly peace which canne last but a while thou doest possesse the peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding and for the losse of a few frends thou art made a felowe of the innumerable companye of heauen and a perpetuall frend of all those
that haue died in the Lord from the beginning of the world Is not this more then an 100. fold Is not the peace of God which we in this world haue through faithfull imitation of Christ which the world can not take from vs x. M. fold more then those thinges that moste highly be esteemed in the worlde without the peace of God Al the peace of the world is no peace but mere anguish and a gnawing fury of hel As of late God hath set example before our eyes to teach vs how horrible an euill it is to forsake the peace of Christes truth which breedeth a worm in conscience that neuer shall rest O that we would way this with indifferent ballances Then shoulde we not be dismaied of this troublous time neyther sorrow after a worldly manner for the losse which we are now lyke to sustaine as the weake faithlesse persones do which loue theyr goods more then God and the things visible aboue those which be inuisible but rather would heartely reioyce and be thankful that it pleaseth God to call vs to be souldiours in his cause against the woorkes of hypocrisie and to make vs like vnto oure Sauiour Christ in suffering whereby we maye assure our selues of his eternall glory For blessed are they sayth Christ that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake And as S. Paule witnesseth to Timothe If we die with Christ we shall liue with Christ and if we deny him he will deny vs. O that wee woulde enter into the veile of Gods promises Then should we wyth S. Paule to the Phillippians reiect all and count all things but for drosse so that we may gaine Christ. God which is the lightener of all darkenesse and putter awaye of all blindnesse annoynte oure eyes with the true eyesalue that wee might beholde his glory and our eternall felicitie which is hidden with Christ and prepared for vs that doe abide in his Testament for blessed is that seruaunte that whome the maister when he commeth as Christ sayde doth finde faithfull Let vs therefore watch and pray one for an other that we yelde not in any poynt of our Religion to the Antichristian Synagogue and that we be not ouerthrowen of these temptations Stande therefore and be no cowardes in the cause of your saluation for his spirite that is in vs is stronger then he which in the worlde doth nowe rage against vs. Let vs not put out the spirit of God from vs by whose might we shall ouercome our ennemies and then death shall be as greate a gaine to vs as it was to the blessed Apostle S. Paule Why then doe ye mourne why do ye weepe why be ye so carefull as though God had forsaken you hee is neuer more present with vs then when we be in trouble if we doe not forsake hym We are in his handes and no bodye can doe vs anye iniurie or wrong without his good will and pleasure He hath commaunded hys aungels to kepe vs that we stomble not at a stone without his diuine prouidence The Deuill can not hurt anye of vs and muche lesse any of his ministers without the good will of our eternall father Therefore let vs be of good comfort and continuallye geue thankes vnto God for our estate what so euer it be for if we murmure against the same wee murmure against God who sendeth the same Which if we doe we kicke but against the pricke and prouoke more the wrath of God against vs which by pacient suffering otherwise would sooner be turned into our fauor through faithfull prayer I beseeche you with S. Paule to geue your bodies pure and holy sacrifices vnto God He hath geuen vs bodies to bestowe vnto his glory and not after our owne concupiscence If manye yeares God hathe suffered vs to vse oure bodies which bee his temples after the lust of the flesh in vaine delightes not according to his glory is it not our duetie in the latter end of our life the more willingly to yeelde vnto Gods glory our bodies with all that wee haue in demonstration of true repentaunce of that we haue euill spent before Cannot the ensample of the blessed man Iob horribly afflicted cause vs to say The Lord hathe geuen it the Lorde hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord Euen as it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe If we cast oure whole care likewise vpon God he will turne our misery into felity as well as he did to Iob. God tempteth vs now as he did our father Abraham commaunding him to slaye his sonne Isaac in sacrifice to him which Isaac by interpretation doth signifie mirth and ioy Who by his obedience preserued Isaac vnto long lyfe and offered in his stead a Ramme that was tied by the hornes in the brambles Semblably we all are commanded to sacrifice vnto God our Isaac which is our ioy and consolation the which if we be ready to do as Abraham was our ioy shall not pearish but liue and be encreased although our ramme be sacrificed for our Isaac which doth signifie that the pride and coÌcupiscence of our flesh entangled thoroughe sinne with the cares of this stinginge world must be mortified for the preseruation and perfecte augmeÌtation of our mirth ioy which is sealed vp for vs in Christ. And to withstande these present temptations wherewithall we are nowe encombred ye can not haue a better remedy then to set before our eyes howe our Sauiour Christ ouercame them in the desert and to follow his ensample that if the deuill hymselfe or any other by him willeth you to make stones bread that is to take suche a worldly wise way that yee may haue your faire houses landes and goodes to liue on still yee must say that man liueth not onely by bread but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouth of God Againe if the deuill counsailleth you to cast youre selues downe to the earth as to reuoke your sincere beliefe and Godly conuersation and to be conformable to the learned men of the world pretending that God will be wel enough content therewith yee must aunsweare that it is wrytten that a man shall not tempt his Lord God Further if the deuill offer you large promises of honoure dignitie and possessions so that yee will worshippe Idols in hys Synagogue ye must say goe behinde me Sathan for it is otherwise wrytten that a man must worship his Lorde God and serue him onely Finally if your mother brother sister wife childe kinsman or frend do seeke of you to do otherwaies then the word of God hath taught you ye must say with Christ that they are your mothers brothers sisters wiues children and kinsmen whiche doe the wil of God the father To the which wil the Lord for his mercy conforme vs all vnfainedly to the end Amen Your louing and faithful brother in Christ in captiuitie Iohn Philpot. An. 1555· To his friend and faithfull
brother in the Lord Maister Robert Harrington GEntle M. Harrington I can not tell what condigne thanks I may geue vnto God for you in respecte of the great gentlenesse and paine which you haue taken for the reliefe of me and of other our afflicted brethren in Christe God be praised for his mercy whose louing prouideÌce we haue seene towardes vs by such faithful stewardes as you ben towards a great many Blessed be you of God for the louing care whiche you haue taken for his poore flocke God hath reserued your reward of thanks in heauen and therfore I goe not about to render you any least I might seeme to iudge that you looked for that heere which is reserued to a better place I thanke God for that I haue found by your faithfull and diligent industry God forgeue me my vnworthinesse for so great benefites God geue mee grace to serue him faithfully to runne out my race with ioy Glorious is the course of the martyrs of Christ at this day Neuer had the electes of God a better time for theyr glory then this is Nowe may they be assured vnder the crosse that they are Christes disciples for euer Mee thinke I see you desiring to be vnder the same The flesh draweth backe but the spirite sayeth it muste be brought whether it would not Here is the victorie of the world here is true faith and euerlasting glory Who is he which desireth not to be fouÌd faithfull to his maister And now is the time that euery faithfull seruant of Christ hath iust oportunitie to shew himselfe a glorious soldior in the Lordes sight Nowe doe the Amalechites inuade the true Israelites that the Israelites might with spede be glorified I neede not for want of vnderstanding to admonish you hereof but as a willing souldiour in Christ to exhort you so to runne as you may get the victory and that speedely with vs. A man that is bid to a glorious feast wisheth his frend to go with him to be partaker thereof God doth cal me most vnworthy amoÌg other to drink of the bridecup of his sonne wherby we shal be made worthy as many of our brethreÌ haue ben before vs to sit at the right haÌd at the left hand of Christ. O what vnspeakable coÌdition is that May any worldly thing stay vs from the desire therof Since we seeke the kingdome of God why do we not apprehend it being so neare offered vnto vs Let vs approch neare vnto God and God will draw neare vnto vs. God drawe vs after him that we may all runne after the sauour of his sweete oyntmentes Christe annoynt vs that we may be suppled in these euil daies to run lightly vnto the glory of the Lord. Shame imprisonment losse of goods and shedding of our bloud be the iust price which we must willingly bestow for the same Wherfore dearly beloued in the Lord let not the great charges keepe you backe froÌ bying this glory for the reward is x. thousand fold greater then the price That you haue married a wife whome God blesse I can not excuse you from this Marte but you must bryng your wife for a vsurie to the Lorde whose pleasure is in godly yokefelows I wish you to be as I am except these horrible bandes but yet most comfortable to the spirit assuring you that we are made woorthy thorough Christ of the kingdome for the which we suffer Praised be the Lorde for the affliction which we suffer and he geue vs strength to continue to the ende Commend me to M. Heath tel him that I woulde wish him with me to prooue howe apt he is to cary the crosse of Christ. I praye for his continuaÌce in Christ as for mine owne Commend me to his wife and to mistres Hal certifying them that I am brought to the gates of hel that I might neuer enter into the same but be raised vp from hel to heauen through the word that sanctifieth vs. Commend me to M. Elsing his wife and thank them that they remeÌbred to prouide me some ease in prison tell them that though my Lordes Colehouse be but very blacke yet it is more to be desired of the faithfull then the Queenes palace God make her a ioyful mother preserue them both to the comfort of gods people Thus for this time farewel dear brother Written in posthast because of strait keeping This daye I looke to be called before the Commissioners againe Pray deare brother for the spirite of wisedome to remaine with me CommeÌd me to your wife and I thanke you both for your tokens Your token I haue sent to your wife and my token vnto you is my faithfull hart with this letter Commend me to all my frends and tell them I thanke God I am chereful in Christ wishing theÌ to feare God more then man and to learne to despise earnestly the vanities of this worlde desiring you all to pray for me that I may end my iourney with fidelitie Amen Iohn Philpot. Here followeth an other letter of M. Philpot to the Lady Vane which because for the length I could not wholy insert I haue excerpted certaine specialties thereout as followeth THe principall spirite of GOD the father geuen vnto vs by Christ Iesus our mercifull Sauiour confirme strengthen and stablish you in the true knowledge of the gospel that your faithful heart worshipfull and deare sister in the Lord may attaine tast with all the Saincts what is the height the depth the length and the breadth of the sweete crosse of Christ. Amen c. O happy are you amoÌgst all other women that haue found this precious stone which is hidden in the gospell for the which we ought to sell all other thinges and to purchase the same O happy woman whose heart God hathe mooued and enlarged to be in the profession thereof Other seeke worldly goodes hohours and delightes but you seeke with a good vnderstanding to serue God in spirite and veritie This is the gate that leadeth to heauen this is your portion for euer By this you shall see God face to face which sight is vnspeakeable ioy by this shal ye see a full sight of all the beautiful heauenly powers and of all the celestiall Paradise By this shal ye know them that you neuer knewe and be ioyous and gladde wyth those whiche you haue knowen heere in God world without end c. Ah I lament the infidelitie of Englande that after so great light is stept into so huge darkenesse againe The seruaunt that knoweth his maisters will and doeth it not shall be beaten wyth many stripes Ah great be the plagues that hang ouer England yea though the Gospell shoulde be restored againe Happye shall that personne be whome the Lorde shal take out of this worlde not to see them Ah the great periurie which menne haue runne into so wilfully against God by receiuing Antichrist againe and his wicked
triall of our faith that we might bring foorth that excelleÌt vertue pacience by the which we are made like to our redeemer Christ with whome we heere being like in suffering assuredly shall heereafter be pertakers of his eternall glory Therefore s. Paul saith God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the crosse of our lord Iesus Christ. I that am vnder the crosse with you thankes be geuen to God therefore haue felt in the same more true ioye and consolation then euer I did by any benefite that God hath geuen mee in my life before For the more the world doth hate vs the nigher God is vnto vs and there is no perfect ioy but in God Wherefore Christ sayd In me you shall haue ioy but in the worlde affliction Blessed be God which sendeth vs this affliction that we mighte perfectly ioy in hym For this cause in the ripest time of iniquitie and in the moste feruent season of persecution of the true church which Christ in the 21. of Luke prophesied to come he willeth vs to be of good chere and to lift vp our heads for our redemption is at hand O that the Lorde would come and deliuer vs from this worlde which is a vale of miserie vnto his owne kingdome where floweth perpetuall ioy and consolation And verily that is the true and onely ioy which is conceiued not of the creature but of the Creator the which when we doe possesse no body canne take it away from vs. To the which ioy all other ioyes being compared are but mournings all delights sorrow al sweetenes sower all beauty filth and finally al other things that be counted pleasant are tediousnes Your owne selfe is better witnes of thys then I aske your selfe with whom you are best acquainted Doeth not the holy Ghost speake the same in your heart Haue you not perswaded your selfe this to be true before I wrote thereof For howe should you being a woman and a yong Gentlewoman beautifull and at your owne liberty haue ouercome this your fraile kinde and age and despised your excellent beautie and estate vnlesse all those things which be subiect to the senses had bene counted of you vile lâtle to be estemed in coÌparison of those things which inwardly do comfort you to ouercome the flesh the world and the deuil c. God encrease your ioy in all spirituall things and establish your hope to the day of eternal rest You haue forsaken darkenes and are entred into light God graunt the same may shine stil in you vntil the perfect day come of the Lord in the which is all our consolation Here we must be darkened that there we may appeare as brighte as the sunne in the face of the whole world of all them that now condemne vs for our wel doing whose iudges then we shall be to their horrible griefe though nowe wrongfully they iudge vs. Pray hartily that often that God once again for his Christes sake woulde be mercifull to his afflicted church in England Faithfull prayer is the onely remedy that we haue against the fierie dartes of the Deuil that be kindled against vs. By prayer the Amalechites shall be ouercome and the roarings of the Lion which seeketh still to deuoure vs shal be stopped put to silence The Lorde stoppe Leuiathans mouth that he swalow not vp Gods seely people according to his expectation Praise the Lord for the faithfull testimonie and sacrifice which 2. of our brethren of late haue through fire rendred to the truth of the gospell which nowe triumpheth by the death of godly Martyrs The Lorde is at hande therefore watche and pray The last of May. 1555. Captiue in the kings Bench. Yours with heart in Christ Iohn Philpot. An other letter of maister Philpot to the godly Ladie Vane GOd the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ encrease in your godly heart the faith of the gospell which is your eternall inheritance the holy ghost comfort your spirite with all spirituall consolation to the day of the Lord. Amen I can not but praise God moste highly earnestly my deare faithful lady for the great vnfained loue whych you beare vnto me in Christ declared oftentimes as wel now as of late by manifest and liberal tokens Blessed be God that hath made you so worthy a meÌber in his kingdome For it can not be but such shal reape with abuÌdance in time of reward that here do sowe so plenteously in well doing Albeit I am moste vnwoorthy to receiue any suche benefit at your hands as in respect of a piller of Christes church which am scarse a shadow thereof But the zeale of Christes church in you wisheth me to be such a one as the time doth require God fulfill your desire of me that I may be fouÌd constant no wandring starre I am not worthy of the name of a prophet or of a minister of Gods woorde for that I haue being letted by the iniquitie of time little or nothing labored therein I am a friend of our common spouse Iesus and do reioyce of the veritie of his woorde for the which praised be hys name hee hath counted mee worthy to suffer and in deede who that geueth a draughte of water in the name of a disciple as Christ hath promised shall not lose his reward Therefore that your gentlenes doth in the name of him which I am not the Lorde recompence vnto you in all hys blessings which he is accustomed to powre on them which loue his flocke vnfainedly Good Lady you haue to ioy that the kingdome of God is thus continually before your eies and that you are not ashamed of the bands of Christ which you with his people in part do suffer They may be assured of the glory euerlasting which heere are not ashamed to take vp the crosse of Christ to folowe him Heere we must weepe and lament whiles the worlde laugheth triumpheth ouer vs but our teares shall shortly be turned into vnspeakeable ioy and we shall eternallye be merrye together when the world shall lament their infidelitie without ende c. I woulde I were able to doe any thing that myght shewe condigne thaÌks for that sincere loue you beare vnto me in Christ. You adiure me as it were by your gentle letters to be bolde on you in all my needes I thanke God whych ceaseth not to prouide for his I lacke nothing at this present but only hability to thank your faithful hart for your goodnesse towards me I loue you and not yours as it is meete christians to loue one an other in God your faith which I beholde in you is more woorth vnto me then al your possessioÌs And I thinke I shal not neede long to be chargeable vnto you for that this weeke I looke for commissioners to sit on me my fellow prisoners in prison least the spirit of our breath might blowe further abroade The
wil of God be don We are not so good as Iohn the Baptist which was beheaded in prison Darknes cannot abide the light Therefore their doings must declare what they are We are as shepe appoynted for a sacrifice to the Lord. We must not feare the fire for our Lord is a coÌsuming fire which will put out the fiercenes of raging torments from vs. Be not afraid of them that can kil the body but feare him that can cast both body and soul into hel fire God forbid that we should reioyce otherwise then in the crosse of Christ pray that he would make vs worthy to suffer for his sake God wil haue our faith tried knowen and therefore let vs willingly humble our selues vnder the mighty haÌd of God that he may gloriously lifte vs vp in his good time There is none perfectly faithfull in deede till he can say with S. Paule I am perswaded that neither death neither life neyther aungels neither princes or powers neither things present neither things to come neither highnes neither lownes neither any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. This faith God plant both in you and me vnmooueably In this faith we haue to reioyce and in none other All the tribulations of the worlde are not worthy of the eternall weighte of glory which is prepared for them that here do with pacience abide the crosse Wherefore let vs be stronge with the strengthe in him that is able to make vs strong lament the weakenes I might say the infidelitie of our faint gospellers Christ whome we woulde pretend to haue put vpon vs is the streÌgth of God and how then may they be weake where Christe is We haue more to be glad touching our selues of this time then we haue had of any time before in the which we haue so ready a way to goe vnto God and so good occasion to shew our duety in glorifying his holy name For if we be imprisonned in this cause we are blessed If we loose all that we haue we are blessed a 100. fold If we die we are blessed eternally so that in suffering of persecutions all is full of blessings Be blessed therefore O elect Lady of God with the blessed of God and flee as you do the concupiscence of the worlde Embrace that which is perfect and ioyfully looke for the comming and crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. Thus desiring God to preserue you to his true peace to geue you victorie of that temptation which now is come to try our faith Christe be with you and blesse you both in body and soule and my praier shal folow you wheresoeuer you goe as I desire that you may be with me The last weeke I sent your beneficence to Oxforde I coulde not before haue a conuenient messenger As soone as I haue worde you shall be satisfied of your request Loue me as you doe and the God of loue be with you The 20. day of August By yours with all his power in the Lord Iohn Philpot. An other Letter full of spiritual consolation to the sayd Ladie THe mercye of God the father the consolation of the holy ghost thorow Iesus Christ be with you strengtheÌ you my deare mother and sister in the Lord in these daungerous dayes to the crowne of eternall glorye whiche is nowe offered to all faithfull souldiours in the Gospell Amen As your good Ladiship doeth desire to heare from me so am I desirous to wryte as your gentlenesse and daily goodnes binedeth me But Sathan of late hath letted me who enuying al good exercises which I haue had and receiued by mine easie imprisonment in times past hath brought me out of the kings Bench into the bishop of Londons Colehouse a darke and a vgly prison as any is about London but my darke body of sinne hathe well deserued the same and the Lord now hath brought me into outward darkenes that I might the more be lightened by him as he is moste present with his children in the middest of darkenesse where I can not be suffred to haue any candle light neither inke nor paper but by stealth Wherefore I can not wryte to you as I would neither as my duety is As Christ my maister was sent froÌ Annas to Caiphas so am I sent from Winchester Dioces to London I trust to make a speedye ende of my course God geue mee grace and patience to be a faithfull follower of my master I haue beene already this seuennight in his Colehouse and haue of late bene foure times called to mine answere but hitherto not called to iudgement which I do daily looke for but I feare they wil prolong me and trie me by straight imprisonmeÌt a whyle in the which Gods will be done Pray deare Lady that my faith faint not which I praise God is presently more liuely wyth mee then it hathe beene in tymes past I taste and feele the faithfulnesse of God in his promise who hathe promised to be wyth hys in their trouble and to delyuer them I thanke the Lorde I am not alone but haue sixe other faithfull companions who in our darknesse doe chearfully sing Hymnes and praises vnto God for his great goodnesse Wee are so ioyful that I wish you part of my ioy For you that are so carefull of my bodely reliefe howe can I but wish you spirituall consolation and that aboundantly Let not deare heart my straite imprisonment any thing molest you for it hath added and daily doth vnto my ioy but rather be glad and thankfull vnto GOD with me that it hath pleased him to make me most wretched sinner woorthy to suffer any thing for his sake Hitherto we haue not resisted vnto bloud God make vs neuer to count our bloud more precious in our eyes then his truth Ah my deare sister I thanke you againe for your last letter you sent me it is a singular comfort vnto me as oft as I reade the same I haue it in my bosome and wil carie the same euen to the stake with me in witnesse that Christ hath so constant and faithfull a Ladie in Englande God succoure and keepe that spirite in you for it is the verye spirite of adoption of the childe of God Suche chearefull and holy spirites vnder the crosse bee acceptable sacrifices in the sight of God for Christ came to cast fire into the earth and looketh that it shoulde be kindled Be you feruent in spirite in our Christes cause as you haue begonne for that is the principall spirite wherewithall Dauid desired to be confirmed O howe I doe reioyce your Ladiship to goe arme in arme with me vnto Christe or rather before me I can not but ioye of suche a worshipfull fellowe Me thinketh I see you to mourne and desire to be loosed out of the earthly and fraile habitacle of this body O how amiable and pleasant is it
tribulations that being founde constant to the end he may crowne his owne giftes in them in heauen highly reward theÌ Whether I trust to goe before looking for you to followe my faythfull frend that we maye sing perpetuall praise to our louing Lord God for victory ouer Sathan and sinne won for vs by Iesus Christ God and man our onely and sufficient Sauiour and Aduocate Amen Farewell and pray in fayth Yours Thomas Whittell Minister and nowe condemned to dye for the Gospels sake 1556. Ianuary 21. ¶ All my felowes salute you Salute all our faythful brethren with you ¶ To my deare frend and brother Iohn Went and other his prison felowes in Lollardes Tower HE that preserued Ioseph prisoner in Egypt fed Daniel in the Lions denne and deliuered Paul Peter and the Apostles out of prison vouchsafe of his goodnes to keep feed and deliuer you my good brother Went with the other our felow souldiors your prison felowes as may be most to his glory to your consolatioÌ and the edification of his Church I cannot but praise God most earnestly when I heare of your constancy in the fayth and ioye in the crosse of Christ which you now beare and suffer together with many other good members of Christ which is a token that by Christ you are counted worthy the kingdome of God as Paule sayth And though the world counteth the yoake and crosse of Christ as a most pernicious and hurtfull thing yet we which haue tasted how frendly the Lord is cannot but reioice in this persecution as touching our selues in as much as the cause for the which we suffer is the Lordes cause and not ours at whose hand if we endure to the end we shall receiue through his liberall promise in Christ not onely a greate reward in heauen but also the kingdome of heauen it selfe also in the meane season be sure to bee defended and cared for so that we shall lacke no necessarye thinges neither a heare of our heades shall perishe without his knowledge Oh what is he that would mistrust or not gladly serue so louing a father O how vnhappy are they that forsake him and put theyr trust in man But how blessed are they that for his loue and for his holy woordes sake in these troublesome dayes doe committe theyr soules and bodyes into his handes with wel doing counting it greater happines and riches to suffer rebuke with Christ and his Church theÌ to enioy the pleasures of this life for a litle short seasoÌ This crosse that we nowe beare hath bene common to all the faythfull from Abell hitherto and shal be to the end because the Deuill hauyng great wrath agaynst God and his Christ can not abide that hee should for his manifolde mercies bee lauded and magnified and Christ to be taken and beleued vpon for our onely and sufficient redemer Sauiour and aduocate and therefore because we will not deny Christ nor dissemble with out fayth but openly protest and professe the same before the world he seeketh by all meanes to styrre vp his wicked members to persecute and kill the bodies of the true Christians as S. Iohn sayth the Deuill shall cast some of you into prison And Dauid sayth I beleued and therfore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled This notwithstanding goe forward deare brethren as ye haue begon to fight the Lords battel considering Christe the Captayne of your warre who will both fight for you geue you victorye and also highlye rewarde your paynes Consider to your comfort the notable and chiefe shepheardes and souldiours of Christe whiche are gone before vs in these dayes I meane those learned and godly Bishops Doctours other ministers of Gods word whose fayth and examples we that be inferiours ought to folowe as S. Paule sayth Remember them that haue declared vnto you the worde of God the ende of whose conuersation see that ye look vpon and folow theyr faith The grace blessing of God with the ministery of his holy Angels be with you for euer Amen All my prison felowes greete you From the Colehouse this 4. of December By your poore brother Thomas Whittell an vnworthy Minister of Christ nowe his prisoner for the Gospels sake Amen ¶ To all the true professors and louers of Gods holy Gospell within the City of London THe same faith for the whiche Abraham was counted righteous and Mary blessed the Lorde GOD encrease and make stable in your hartes my deare and faithfull brethren sisters of London for euer and euer Amen Dearely beloued be not troubled in this heat which is now come amongest you to try you as though some straunge thing had happened vnto you but reioyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth ye may be mery and glad c. Out of these wordes of S. Peter I gather most specially these 4. notes First the persecution happeneth to Christes Church for their triall that is for the probation and proofe of their fayth Which fayth like as it is knowne with God in the depth of our hartes so will he haue it made manifest to the whole worlde through persecution that so it may euidently appeare that hee hath such a Churche and people vpon earth which so trusteth in hym and feareth his holy name that no kinde of persecution paynes nor death shal be able to seperate them from the loue of hym And thus was Abraham tried and Iob tempted that their fayth whiche before laye hid almost in their hartes might bee made knowne to the whole world to be so stedfast and stronge that the deuill naturall loue nor no other enemie coulde bee able to bereaue them thereof Whereby also GOD was to be magnefied who both tryeth his people by many tribulations and also standeth by them in the middest of their troubles to deliuer them by lyfe or death as he seeth best like as he assisted Loth and deliuered hym out of his enemies handes Ioseph out of the handes of his Brethren and out of Prison Paule from his enemies in Damasco and the Apostles out of the Stockes and Prison These with many mo he deliuered to lyfe And also he deliuered Abell Eleazar Steuen and Iohn Baptist with other manye by deathe and hathe also by the tryall of their fayth made them good presidentes and examples to vs and all that come after to suffer affliction in the like cause as Saynt Iames sayeth Take my brethren sayth he the prophets for an ensample of suffering aduersity and of long pacience which spake vnto you in the name of the Lord beholde we count them happy which endure Yâ haue heard of the pacience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lord made with him for the Lord is very pitifull and mercifull Also the Lorde tryeth vs to let vs see our owne hartes and thoughtes that no Hypocrisy or AmbitioÌ deceiue vs that the strong
he styrred vp his seruauntes the Bishops and Pharises to kill his body wherby notwithstanding the Deuill loste his title and interest whiche hee had to mans soule and man by his precious passion and death was raunsomed from the Deuil death and Hell to immortality life euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in killing of Christ he lost all and so shall he doe in vs if wee abide constauntâ and strong in the fayth of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto the ende God graunte it for his mercyes sake in Christ. Blessed are all they that put theyr trust in him Amen Wherefore my hartely beloued brethren and sisters be of good comfort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world Therfore draw ye neare to God and he will drawe neare to you Resist the Deuill and he will as Iames sayth flee froÌ you Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis Touch not pitch least ye be defiled therewith Eate no Swines flesh for it is agaynst the law I meane defile not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with this false and wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitche and Swines fleshe Beware of the beastes marke least ye drinke of the cup of Gods wrath If God haue geuen you knowledge faith dissemble not therewith Denye not the knowne veritye before men least Christ deny you before his Father Come away from Babilon as Iohn biddeth you and touche no vncleane thinge but separate your selues from the company of the vngodly as Paule commaundeth you Whatsoeuer ye haue done amisse heretofore now repent amend for with the Lorde there is mercy and plenteous redemption The thirde thing and note which I gather out of the forsayd wordes of Peter is this that he sayth Reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christes Passion Our sufferinges my welbeloued are Christes sufferinges and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he reckoneth it to be done to himselfe as he sayd to Paule Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Therefore we ought to reioyce in our sufferinges as Paule writeth whiche we suffer with Christ and one with another as Peter sayeth and so to fulfill that whiche is behinde of the Passions of Christ in our flesh whiche Christ hath by his Passion fully redeemed and saued vs in his owne person how be it hys electe must suffer with hym and for him vnto the worldes ende that he may be glorified in them and they thereby corrected and cleansed from sinne in this worlde and bee made more meete Temples for the holy Ghoste and also obteyne a greate rewarde in heauen for theyr suffering for righteousnesse sake according to his promise And therfore I saye my Brethren reioyce in the Lorde alwayes and agayne I say reioyce Let vs reioyce in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to vs and we to it And why shoulde wee so greatly reioyce in the Crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because sayth Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery and glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his wordes aboue written Wherein is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this worlde but at his comming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayne and then shal they that haue sowne in teares reape in ioy as Christ sayth Blessed are they that weepe here for they shall laughe Blessed are ye when men hate you and thrust you out of theyr companye raylinge on you and abhorring your name as an euill thing for the sonne of mans sake reioyce ye in that day and be gladde for your reward is greate in Heauen Wherefore my dearely beloued through the hope of this heauenly ioy and rewarde which he that can not lye hath promised whiche ioye is so greate that no eare hath heard no eye hath sene nor the hart can thinke where we shall dwell for euer in the heauenly City the celestiall Ierusalem in the presence of God the Father Iesus Christ our Mediatour as Paul sayth and in the company of innumerable Angels and with the spirites and soules of all faythfull and iust men reioyce and be glad and seing ye be called to so great glory see that ye make your election and vocation sure by good workes and specially by sufferinge aduersitye for the Gospelles sake for it is geuen vs of GOD sayth Paule not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer and praye for me that I may ende my course with ioy Haue Brotherly loue amongest your selues whiche is a token that ye be Christes Disciples Edify and comfort one an other in the word of the Lord and the God of peace and loue be with you alwayes Amen For your liberality and kindnesse shewed vppon the Prisoners and afflicted people of GOD in thys time of persecution the Lorde wyll reward you when he commeth to reward euery man according to theyr deedes and will not leaue a cuppe of colde water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you riche in all grace that ye alwayes hauyng sufficient maye be riche vnto all manner of good woorkes The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of GOD and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother now in bondes for the Gospell Thomas Whittell * To my louing and faythfull brother Iohn Careles Prisoner in the kinges bench THe same fayth for the which Abraham was accounted iust Mary blessed whereby also all iust men liue the Lord GOD our louing father encrease and stablish in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and sweet Sauior Iesus Christ. Amen I can not worthely and sufficiently prayse GOD my hartely beloued brother for the consolation and ioy that I receiued by reason of your louing letters repenting me much that I being so long so neare you did not enterprise to styrre vppe familiarity and communication betweene vs by writing to mutuall consolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherein to reioyce where all thinges are transitory and vayne yea manne himselfe respecting this life but as Dauid sayeth the Saynctes that dwell vpon the earth and such as excell in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowshippe loue and ioye of faythfull men and children of God being as wee nowe be in double bondage the body within clay walles and the soule within these frail earthly bodies be so greate and comfortable how vnspeakeable will these ioyes be when we shall be deliuered from all corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Where we shal be present together continuallye in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whoÌ now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his deare sonne
sayde by the fayth I owe to God I take this man here my L. of Canterbury to bee of all other a most faythfull subiect vnto vs and one to whom we are much beholding geuyng him great commendations otherwise And with that one or two of the chiefest of the Counsaile makyng their excuse declared that in requesting his induraunce it was rather ment for hys triall and his purgation agaynst the common fame and slaunder of the world then for any malice conceyued agaynst hym Well well my Lordes quoth the kyng take hym and well vse hym as he is worthy to be and make no more adoe And with that euery man caught hym by the hand and made fayre weather of altogethers which might easily bee done with that man And it was much to be meruailed that they would go so far with hym thus to seeke his vndoyng this well vnderstandyng before that the kyng most entirely loued him and always would stand in hys defence whosoeuer spake against hym as many other tymes the Kynges pacience was by sinister informations agaynst hym tried In so much that the Lorde Cromwell was euermore woont to say vnto hym My Lord of Caunterbury you are most happy of all men for you may doe and speake what you list and say what all men can agaynst you the kyng wyll neuer beleeue one worde to your detriment or hinderance I am sure I take more paynes then all the counsaile doth and spend more largely in the Kings affayres as well beyond the seas as on this side yea I assure you euen very spies in other forreine Realmes and at Rome else where costeth me aboue one 1000. markes a yeare and doe what I can to bryng matters to knowledge for the commoditie of the King and the Realme I am euery day chidden and many false tales now and then beleeued agaynst me and therefore you are most happy for in no poynt can you be discredited with the kyng To this the Archbishop agayne aunsweryng If the kyngs Maiestie were not good to me that way I were not able to stande and endure one whole weeke but your wisedome and pollicy is such that you are able to shift well enough for your selfe Now when the kyngs highnes had thus benignly mercifully dispatched the sayd Archbishop from this sore accusation by the Counsaile layd agaynst hym all wise meÌ would haue thought that it had bene meere follye afterwards to haue atteÌpted any matter agaynst hym but yet looke where malice raigneth there neither reason nor honesty can take place Such therfore as had conceiued deep rancor and displeasure agaynst hym ceased not to persecute hym by all possible meanes Then brought they against him a new kynde of accusation and caused sir Iohn Gostwike knight a man of a contrary religion to accuse the Archb. openly in the Parliament house laying to hys charge his sermons preched at Sandwich his Lectures red at Canterbury wherein should be conteined manifest heresies agaynst the Sacrament of the aultar c. Whiche accusation came to the kyngs eare Why quoth the kyng where dwelleth Gostwike As I take it eyther in Bedfordshire or Buckinghamshire and hath he so opeÌ an eare that he can heare my L. of Cant. preachyng out of Kent This is very like sayde the kyng If hee had bene a Kentishman there had bene some thyng worthy of consideration but as for Gostwike I know him well enough and what good religion he is of Go to hym and tell hym sayd the king to one of his priuy chamber if he go not to my L. of Cant. and so reconcile hymselfe to hym that he may become hys good Lord I will pull the Goslings fethers so that hereafter he shall haue little lust to slaunder the Metropolitane or any other learned man When sir I. Gostwike heard these words it was no neede to bid hym hast hymselfe to Lambheth vnto the Metropolitane makyng to hym as many friends as possible he myght When hee came to the Archb. he was fayne to disclose vnto hym by what meanes he was procured to doe that he did requestyng hys clemency to be his good lord or els he tooke him selfe vtterly vndone beyng so in the kyngs indignation as he vnderstood he was by that afore declared which sute was soone wonne at hys hand and so the Archb. castyng into the satchell behynd him all those sir Iohn Gostwikes ingratitudes went to the king and wan to sir Iohn hys princes fauour agayne And thus the kyng made a short end of this accusation Well here you may perceyue that malicious inuention went not the wisest way to worke to procure a stranger dwellyng a farre of to accuse the Archbishoppe of hys doctrine preached in his Diocesse and therfore hath blind malice learned some more wisedome nowe to accuse the Archbishop in such sort as he shall neuer be able to auoyd it And therfore it was procured by hys ancient enemies that not onely the Prebendaries of his Cathedral Church in Caunterbury but also the moste famous Iustices of Peace in the Shire should accuse hym and Article against hym which in very deed was most substantially brought to passe and the Articles both well written and subscribed were deliuered to the kyngs highnesse as a thyng of such effect that there must needes follow to the said Archbishop both indignation of the prince and condigne punishment for hys grieuous offence committed by him and his chaplaines in preachyng such erroneous doctrine as they did within his Diocesse of Cant. whereof they beyng such witnesse of credite no man had cause to doubt of their circumspect doyngs This accusation articularly sent out was deliuered to the Kyng by some of the Counsailes meanes When the kyng had perused the booke he wrapt it vp and put it into hys sleeue and findyng occasion to solace hymselfe vpon the Thames came with hys Barge furnished with hys Musitions a long by Lambeth bridge towards Chelsey The noyse of the Musitions prouoked the Archb. to resort to the bridge to do his duety and to salute hys prince Whome when the kyng had perceyued to stand at the bridge eftsoones he commaunded the Watermen to draw towards the shore and so came straite to the Bridge Ah my Chaplaine sayd the kyng to the Archb. Come into the barge to me The Archb. declared to his highnes that he would take his owne barge and waite vppon hys maiestie No sayd the kyng you must come into my barge for I haue to talke with you When the kyng the Archbishop all alone in the barge were set together sayde the kyng to the Archb. I haue newes out of Kent for you my Lord. The Archb. answered Good I hope if it please your highnes Marry sayd the king they be so good that I now know the greatest heretike in Kent and with that pulled out of hys sleeue the booke of Articles agaynst both the said Archb. and his preachers and gaue
present doe testifie that they neuer sawe in any chylde more teares then brast oute from hym at that time all the Sermone while but specially when he recited hys Prayer before the people It is marueilous what commiseration and pitye mooued all mennes hearts that behelde so heauie a countenaunce and suche aboundance of teares in an olde man of so reuerende dignitie Cole after he had ended his Sermon called backe the people that were ready to departe to prayers Brethren sayde he least any man should doubt of thys mans earnest conuersion and repentaunce you shall heare hym speake before you and therefore I pray you master Cranmer that you will now perfourme that you promised not long agoe namely that you woulde openly expresse the true and vndoubted profession of your faith that you may take away all suspition from men and that all men may vnderstand that you are a Catholicke in deede I wil doe it sayde the Archbyshop and wyth a good will who by and by rising vppe and putting of hys cappe beganne to speake thus vnto the people I desire you well beloued brethren in the Lorde that you will praye to God for mee to forgeeue me my sinnes whyche aboue all menne both in noumber and greatnesse I haue committed But among all the rest there is one offence which of all at thys time doth vexe and trouble me wherof in processe of my talk you shall heare more in hys proper place and then putting hys hande into hys bosome hee drewe foorth his Prayer which hee recited to the people in thys sense The Prayer of Doctour Cranmer Archbyshop GOod Christen people my dearly beloued brethren and sisters in Christ I beseech you most hartely to pray for me to almighty God that he wil forgeue me al my sinnes and offences which be many without number and great aboue measure But yet one thing grieueth my conscience more then all the rest whereof God willing I entende to speake more heereafter But howe great and howe many soeuer my sinnes be I beseeche you to pray God of hys mercy to pardon and forgeue them all And heere kneling downe he sayd O Father of heauen O sonne of God redeemer of the worlde O holy Ghoste three persones and one God haue mercye vppon me moste wretched caitife and miserable sinner I haue offended both againste heauen and earth more then my tounge can expresse Whether then may I goe or whether should I flie To heauen I may be ashamed to lifte vp mine eyes and in earth I finde no place of refuge or succour To thee therefore O Lorde doe I runne to thee doe I humble my selfe saying O Lorde my God my sinnes be great but yet haue mercye vppon me for thy great mercy The great mysterie that God became man was not wrought for little or fewe offences Thou diddest not geue thy sonne O heauenly father vnto death for smal sinnes onely but for all the greatest sinnes of the world so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart as I do here at this present Wherefore haue mercye on mee O God whose propertie is alwayes to haue mercy haue mercy vpon me O Lord for thy great mercy I craue nothing for mine owne merites but for thy names sake that it maye be hallowed thereby and for thy deare sonne Iesus Christes sake And nowe therefore Our father of heauen halowed be thy name c. And then he rising sayde Euery man good people desireth at that time of their death to geue some good exhortation that other maye remember the same before theyr death be the better thereby so I beseche God graunt me grace that I may speake some thyng at thys my departing whereby God may be glorified and you edified First it is an heauy case to see that so many folke be so much doted vpon the loue of this false world and so carefull for it that of the loue of God or the world to come they seeme to care very little or nothing Therefore this shal be my first exhortation that you sette not your mindes ouer much vpon thys glosing world but vpon God and vpon the world to come and to learne to know what this lesson meaneth whych s. Iohn teacheth that the loue of this world is hatred against God The seconde exhortation is that next vnder God you obey your King and Queene willingly and gladly without murmuring or grudging not for feare of them onely but much more for the feare of God knowing that they be Gods ministers appoynted by God to rule and gouerne you and therefore who soeuer resisteth them resisteth the ordinance of God The third exhortatioÌ is that you loue altogether lyke brethren and sisters For alasse pitie it is to see what contention and hatred one Christen man beareth to an other not taking cache other as brother and sister but rather as strangers and mortall ennemies But I pray you learne and beare well away this one lesson to doe good vnto all men asmuch as in you lieth and to hurt no man no more then you would hurt your owne naturall louing brother or sister For thys you maye be sure off that who soeuer hateth any person and goeth about maliciously to hinder or hurte hym surely and wythout all doubte God is not wyth that man although he thinke himself neuer so much in Gods fauour The fourth exhortation shall be to them that haue great substance riches of this world that they will well consider and weigh three sayinges of the Scripture One is of our Sauiour Christ him selfe who sayeth It is harde for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen A sore saying and yet spoken of hym that knoweth the truth The second is of S. Iohn whose saying is thys Hee that hath the substaunce of this worlde and seeth hys brother in necessitie and shutteth vp his mercy from him howe can he saye that hee loueth God The third is of S Iames who speaketh to the couetous riche man after thys maner Weepe you and howle for the miserie that shall come vpon you your riches do rotte your clothes be mothe eaten your golde and siluer doeth canker and rust and their rust shall beare witnesse against you and consume you like fire you gather a hoarde or treasure of Gods indignation against the last day Let them that be riche ponder well these three sentences for if they had occasion to shew their charitie they haue it now at this present the poore people being so many and victuals so deare And now for as much as I am come to the last end of my life whereupon hangeth al my life past and all my life to come either to liue with my maister Christe for euer in ioy or els to be in paine for euer with wicked Deuilles in hell I see before mine eyes presently either heauen ready to receiue me or els hell ready to swallow me vppe I shall
wise to be conuersant and keepe company wyth hys congregation there and to holde his peace and say nothing what soeuer he thinke so that he be not a diligent souldiour and a good labourer on Christes side to further his kingdome by that subtile meanes flattering him that hee shall bothe saue his life also his goods and liue in quiet But if we looke well on Christes holy will and Testament we shal perceiue that he came not to make any suche peace vppon earth nor yet that he gaue any such peace to his Disciples I leaue peace wyth you sayeth he my peace I geue you not as the world geueth it geue I vnto you Let not your hart be troubled nor fearefull These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye should haue peace In the worlde yee shall haue affliction but be of good cheare I haue ouercome the world The seruaunt is not greater then his Lord and maister If they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you If any man come to me and hateth not his owne father and mother wife children sisters yea and moreouer his owne life it is not possible for him to be my disciple Blessed be yee that nowe weepe for ye shall laughe and woe be vnto you that nowe laugh for ye shal mourne weepe He that wil finde his life shall loose it Therfore the God of that true peace and comfort preserue and keepe vs that we neuer obey such a false flattering which at length will pay vs home once for all bringing for temporalâ peace and quietnesse euerlasting trouble vexation and disquietnesse for these vaine and transitory goodes extreme losse and vtter damage of the eternal treasure and inheritance for this mortall life depriuation of the most ioyfull life immortall finally the entrance into endlesse death most miserable vnmeasurable pain and torment both of body and soule Now conferring these 2. scholemasters together lette vs consider the thing wel and determine with our selues whych way we oughte to take not to take the common broade way which seemeth heere moste pleasant and that the most parte of people take Surely I iudge it to be better to goe to Schoole wyth our maister Christe and to be vnder his Ferula and rodde although it seeme sharpe and grieuous for a time that at the lengthe we may be inheritors wyth him of euerlasting ioy rather then to keepe coÌpany wyth the deuils schollers the adulterous generation in his schoole that is all ful of pleasure for a while and at the ende to be paide with the wages of continuall burning in the moste horrible lake whiche burneth euermore with fire and brimstone without any end What shal then these vaine goodes and temporall pleasures auaile Who shall then helpe when we crie incessantly woe woe alasse and weale away for vnmeasurable paine griefe and sorrowe O let vs therefore take heede betime and rather be content to take paynes in this worlde for a time that wee maye please God Our Sauiour Christe the true teacher sayeth Euery braunche that bringeth not foorth fruite in mee my Father will take away It is also not wrytten in vaine The children of the vngodly are abhominable children and so are they that kepe company wyth the vngodly What doeth he els I pray you that resorteth to the ministration and seruice that is moste repugnant and contrary to Christes holy Testament there keeping still silence and nothing reproouing the same but in the face of the world by hys very deede it selfe declareth hymselfe to be of a false fearefull dissembling fained and vnfaithfull heart and to haue layde awaye from hym the armour of light discouraging as muche as lieth in hym all the residue of Christes hoste and geuing a manifest offence to the weake and also confirming encouraging and reioysing the hearts of the aduersaries in all theyr euil doing By which example he doeth shewe him selfe neyther to loue God whome he seeth to be dishonoured and blasphemed of an Antichristian minister nor yet his neighbour before whome he should rebuke the euill as it is expresly commaunded in Gods holy lawe where it is sayd Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou be ar not sinne for hys sake Wherefore let such a one neuer fantasie to deceiue him selfe that his name is registred in the booke of life to haue the stipend of Christes souldiour except he do the duety and performe the parte of a faithfull and ryghte true souldioure as other haue done before For such fearfulnesse commeth not from God as testifieth S. Paule saying God hath not geuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and loue Be not ashamed sayth he to testifie our Lorde but suffer aduersitye also with the Gospell through the power of God which saued vs and calling vs with an holy calling To be now fearful when most nede is that we should be of strong hearts is vtterly the reiecting of the feare of God and plaine vnfaithfulnesse and disobedience to the expresse commandement of our sauior Christ which sayth in his holy gospel Feare not them that kill the body c. For what faithfulnesse doe we expresse towards hym when he sayeth thus to vs and yet we declare in our doynges the very contrarye being euer fearefull euen as the vnbeleeuing Israelites whiche vnfaithfully feared Gods ennemies the heathen Cananites where as he had oftentimes geuen them commaundement by hys true Prophet Moses to do the contrary For the which cause all the whole number of that secte were destroyed in processe of time in the wildernesse and enioyed not the pleasant land of promise Which was a bodily figure shewed before and now agreeing to the promise of the heauenly inheritaÌce which shal be geuen to none other but onely to al such as with loue vnfained be wholy bent wythout any fear of man to fulfil Gods holy will and pleasure But all they that pertain to the liuely faith to the winning of the soule wil faithfully sticke to the commandement trusting moste firmly and faithfully that he that gaue the same wil also geue streÌgth plentifully to performe it euen in the weakest vesselles of all euen as we haue heard and seene by many and diuers examples he onely be praised therefore S. Peter sayeth Feare not though they seeme terrible vnto you neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lorde God in your hearts Onely sayeth S. Paule let your conuersation be as it becommeth the gospell of Christe Continue in one spirit and in one soule labouring as we doe to maintaine the faith of the gospell in nothing fearing your aduersaries which is to them a token of damnation and to you of saluation and that of God for vnto you it is geuen that not onely yee shoulde beleeue in Christe but also suffer for his sake Wherefore let vs be ryght well assured that we shall yeelde a moste straite reckening and accompte if we transgresse
the sayde moste wholesom preceptes geuen vs of oure maister Christe and of hys Apostles and nowe in thys troublesome time wherein the Gospell is persecuted shewe our selues fearefull souldiours as it is manifestly declared in the Reuelation of S. Iohn where it is wrytten That the fearefull shall haue theyr parte wyth the vnbeleeuing and abhominable in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconde death Agayne it is wrytten in the same Booke for our warnyng Because thou art betwixt both and neither colde nor hote I wil spew thee out of my mouth Now therefore good christians these true testimonies of Gods liuely woord deepely considered and weighed let vs chiefly stand in awe of his most terrible iudgementes and be not as they that presumptuously tempt hym Lette him alwayes be our feare and dread He nowe chasteneth he nowe nourtereth vs for oure profite deliting in vs euen as a louing Father in his beloued childe to make vs perfecte and to haue vs to be partakers of his holynesse Hee nowe iudgeth vs not vtterly taking away hys euerlasting loue and mercy from vs as he doth from the malignant wicked that we should not be condemned with the wicked world but if we now refuse his moste louyng chastising and folow the worlde we must nedes haue our portion with the worlde Wide is the gate and broade is the way whych leadeth to destruction and many there be whych goe in thereat But straite is the gate and narowe is the waye that leadeth vnto life and fewe there bee that finde it O howe muche better is it to goe thys narrowe waye with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time In consideration whereof let vs wythout any more slackinge and further delaies in thys greate warninge by Gods louing visitation submit our selues betime vnder hys mighty hand that he may exalte vs when the tyme is come And thus I wholely commit you to him and to the woorde of hys grace which is able to build further beseeching you most heartily to pray for me that I may be strong through the power of his might and stande perfect in all things being alwaies prepared and ready looking for the mercy of our Lorde vnto eternall rest and I will pray for you as I am most bounde So I trust he will graciously heare vs for hys promise sake made vnto all Faithfull in hys dearely beloued sonne Christe oure alone Sauioure whose grace be wyth your spirite most deare Christians for euer So be it By your Christian brother Iohn Hullier a prisoner of the Lorde Iohn Hullyer being of long time prisonner and nowe openly iudged to die for the testimony of the Lord Iesus wisheth hartely to the whole coÌgregation of God the strength of his holy spirit to their euerlasting health both of body and soule I Nowe most deare Christians hauing the sweete comfort of Gods sauing health and being confirmed with hys free spirit be he only praised therefore am constrayned in my conscience thinkyng it my verye duetie to admonishe you as ye tender the saluation of your soules by al maner of meanes to separate youre selues from the companie of the Popes hirelings considering what is sayd in the Reuelation of S. Iohn by the Aungell of God touching all men The woordes be these If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke the wine of the wrathe of God whiche is powred into the cuppe of his wrathe and hee shall be punished with fire and brimstone before the holye Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore Marke well heere good Christians who is this beast and worshippers that shal be partakers of that vnspeakeable torment This beast is none other but the carnal fleshly kingdome of Antichrist the Pope with his rabble of false Prophets and Ministers as it is most manifest which to maintaine theyr high titles worldly promotions and dignities do with much cruelty daily more and more setforth and establish theyr owne traditions decrees decretalles contrary to Gods holy ordinaunces statutes lawes and commaundements and wholy repugnante to his sincere and pure religion and true woorshipping Nowe what doe they els but worshyp this Beast and his Image who after they had once already escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet agayne tangled therin and ouercome vsing dissimulation vnfaithfully for feare of theyr displeasure doing one thing outwardly and thinking inwardly an other so hauing them in reuerence vnder a cloke and colour to whoÌ they ought not so much as to say God speede and adioyning themselues to the malignant congregation whych they oughte to abhorre as a den of theeues and murtherers and as the Brothel house of moste blasphemous fornicators whose voyces beynge contrary to Christes voyce if they were of his flocke they would not knowe but would flee from them as he hymselfe being the good shepeheard of our soules doth full wel in his holy gospel testify Againe what do they els I pray you but receiue the Beastes marke in theyr forheads and in theyr handes whych doe beare a faire face and countenaunce outwardly in supporting them as other do being ashamed onely to confesse Christe and hys holy Gospell But thys fainednesse and dissimulation Christe and hys Gospel will in no wise allowe Of whome it is sayd Who soeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my woordes in thys adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shal come in the glory of his father with his holy Angels Therefore sayeth almighty God by hys Prophet Malachie Curssed be the dissemblers Yee were once lyghtened and tasted of the heauenlye gifte and were become partakers of the holy Ghost and tasted of the word of God and of the power of the worlde to come And oure Sauiour Christ sayth No man that putteth hys hande to the ploughe and looketh backe is apte for the kingdome of GOD. Therefor S. Iohn the Apostle vseth this for a manyfest token that the backsliding from the true preachers of Gods woord declareth euidently that they be not of the number of them For sayeth he They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs no doubt they woulde haue continued wyth vs. Surely so long as we vse dissimulation and to play on both haÌdes we are not in the light For what soeuer is manifest the same is light as the elect vessell of God S. Paule witnesseth Wherfore good Christians for Gods most dear loue deceiue not your selues through your own wisedom and through the wisedome of the worlde which is foolishnesse before God but certifye and stay your owne conscience with the sure truth and faithfull woord of
poore afflicted Church Which thing shal surely redound to your euerlasting ioy and comfort as you shall most effectually feele or euer it be long though the wicked of the world iudge farre otherwise Ah mine owne hartes and most dearely beloued brethren Cauell Ambrose and both the Spurges blessed be the Lord on your behalfe and praysed be his name which hath geuen you such a glorious victory Full valiant haue you shewed your selues in the Lords fight ful faithfully in your paynefull seruice Faint not but go on forward as ye haue most godly begun for great shall your reward be at the end of this your trauell Ah my good faythfull brethren all what shall I say or what shall I write vnto you but euen the same that good Elizabeth did say to her godly kinswoman Mary the blessed mother of Christe Happy art thou quoth that good woman which hast beleued for al thinges which the Lord hath spoken to thee shal be fulfilled So I say to you my deare heartes in the Lorde happy are ye all yea twise happy shall ye bee for euermore because yee haue stedfastly beleued the most sweete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his owne mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythfull seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shall be blessed euer world without end The promises of God your sweet father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record that God is true The Testymony wherof ye haue full worthily borne to the worlde shortly will full surely seale the same with your bloud yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiant souldiers of the high captayne Iesus Chryste who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hel hath geueÌ you full victory ouer them for euermore Oh worthy witnesses and most glorious martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proude sturdye bragging Prince of the world al his wicked army ouer whom ye shall shortly triumph for euermore Ah my sweet harts the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heauen The immercessible and moste glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon all your happy heades The holy Aungelles of your heauenly father are already appoynted to conducte your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heaueÌly host reioyseth already for that they shall shortly receiue you with ioy felicitie into their blessed fellowship Selah Reioyce with double ioy and bee glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then can be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde may lye and lament with the holy Prophet saying Woe is me that the dayes of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Satan which hath caused me so sore to offend my most deare louing father whereby my exile and banishmente is so much prolonged Oh christ my deare aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustly deserued that he may take me home to him in his sweete mercye Oh that I might now come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy will O Lord be effectuously fulfilled for it is onely good and turneth all thinges to the best for suche as thou in thy mercies hast chosen And now farewell my deare heartes most happy in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortly to see you in the celestiall citie wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heaueÌ where your treasure doth remayne with your sweet Lord and Redeemer Iesus Christe whose calling you haue heard with the eares of youre heartes and therefore yee shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shall neuer be remembred be they neuer so many so greeuous or so great for your sauiour hath cast them all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them from you as farre as the East is from the West and his mercy hathe muche more preuayled ouer you then is distaunce betweene heaueÌ and earth and he hath geue you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holinesse righteousnesse and iustification yea and the holy Ghost into your harts wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the daye of redemption to certifie you of your eternall election and that yee are hys true adopted sonnes whereby yee may boldly crye vnto God Abba deare father for euermore so that now no creature in heauen earth nor hell shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly king Satan is now cast out from you he himselfe is iudged and hathe no parte in you He will once more byte you by the heele and then he hath don for at that time you shall squise his head through your owne good Christ and so haue you finall victory for euermore In ioyfull triumphe whereof yee shall sweetly ascend into the place of eternall rest whether youre eldest brother christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy aultar with Cranmer Latimer Ridley Rogers Hooper Saunders Farrar Taylour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your comming to see sixe moe of their appoynted number that their bloud may so muche the sooner be reuenged vpon them that dwell on the earth Thus I make an ende committing you all to Gods most mercifull defence whose quarrell yee haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory yee haue sette forth and whose name ye haue constantly confessed Farewell for a while my deare hartes in the Lord I wil make as much haste after you as I may All our deare brethren salute you They pray for you and prayse God for you coÌtinually Blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours sayth the holy Ghost and their workes follow them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable servaunt of the Lord. Pray pray pray ¶ In the pag. 1742. ye heard before the letter of Thomas Whittel written to Iohn Careles wherin he yeldeth great thankes vnto him for the singular ioy and consolatioÌ receiued by his letters The copie of which letters sent vnto him if any be disposed to peruse here vnder foloweth to satisfie his desire ¶ To M. Greene M. Whittel and certaine other prisoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimonie of our Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christe the continual comfort of his most pure and holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithfull brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appointed sheepe vnto the slaughter to the good performaunce of the great and notable worke of the Lord which he hath so graciously begon in you al that the same may redouÌd to the setting forth of his glory to the commoditie of his
my poore afflicted heart by your meanes my moste deare and faithful brother Truely me thinketh your woords or rather Gods woordes by you vttered haue a wonderfull power and efficacie woorking in my heart at the hearing or readyng of them Reioyce therfore my deare brother and be thankfull vnto God for verily he both is will be mightely magnified in you and that diuers and manye waies both to the strengthening of them that stand in his truth and also to the raising vp of such as are fallen from the same God make me thankefull for you on your behalfe for verily great is the goodnesse of God towardes me in geuing me acquaintance in faithfull loue and amitye with you Gods name for euer be praised therfore and he perfourme all his mercifull promises vpon you as I doubt not but he will for his sake in whome you trust I thanke my God most hartely also you my good brother for that you are carefull for me in your faithfull praiers remembring my iust deserued sorowes as though they were your own and laboring so much to solace the same Ah my gracious good God what am I for whom thou thy deare children should be so carefull Oh sweete Lord forgeue me my great ingratitude sinne and grauÌt that I neuer abuse thy great benefits Oh let the loue of thine elect which loue me for thy sake be a sure signe token yea a most firme testimony a seale to my sinfull conscience of thine euerlasting loue and mercy towards me in Christ as verely it would and ought to be if mine infidelity did not let it Oh circumcise therefore the foreskin of my heart that I may with liuely faith behold thy great loue towardes me in all thine elect that I may alwaies be thankeful for the same and loue thee and them againe most heartely and vnfainedly Ah my deare heart how sweetely and how truely yea howe godly how coÌfortably haue you rehersed the swete saying of Salomon concerning prosperity with true godly frends I wil ioine with it the sentence which goeth a little before for doubtlesse it may be well verified on you A sure frend sayeth the wise man wil be vnto thee euen as thine owne soule and deale faithfully with thy houshold folke If thou suffer trouble and aduersitye he is with thee and hideth not his face from thee A faythful friend is a strong defence who so finedeth such a one finedeth a treasure A faithfull friend hath no peere the waight of golde is not to bee compared to the goodnesse of his faith A faythfull frend is a medicine of life and they that feare the Lord shal finde him c. Loe my deare heart in the Lord here is a liuely image or description of you for verely such a one haue I alwaies fouÌd you vnto me not onely sorrowing for my great sorrow but also oftentimes making me merry and ioyfull with such ioyes as the world can not feele Nowe let the worlde bragge of hys fained frendship but I will boast of this true frendship in God and esteeme it a more treasure then all transitorye things And as for my mourning deare brother God hathe made you to tourne it vnto mirth for God hath put you in the stead of them to be my comfort whome he hath in hys great mercy taken away I trust hencefoorth to leaue the mourning for my greate losse and to praise God for gaining vnto him selfe so great glory by his chosen children God make me a true mourner of Syon bothe for mine owne sinne and wickednesse and also to see his honoure defaced that I may be made meete and apte to beare the ioyfull and comfortable message that your beautifull feete shall brynge me God blesse thee my deare heart and faithful louing brother and increase his good giftes of grace in thee as he hathe moste happely begonne that you may daily more effectually feele and liuely perceiue the certaintie of Gods grace wherin you stand and firmely to testifie the same to the conuersion or confouÌding of all gainsayers and to the comfort confirmation of al Gods deare children Amen Farewell mine owne sweete brother fare well as mine owne heart Your owne in Christ Iohn Careles· An other letter of Iohn Careles to a certaine godly faithfull sister by the name of E.K. THe grace and free mercy of God in Iesus Christ the sweete consolations of the holy Ghost the guide of all Gods deare children he with you strengthen and comfort you my dearely beloued sweete sister E.K. now and euer Amen Albeit my dearely beloued sister in Christe that as yet wee did neuer see one an other personally to any knowledge yet by the vertuous reporte that I haue hearde of you and also by the large louing token that I haue receiued from you mee thincke that I do euen presently see you and behold your person faâthfully walking in the fear and loue of God ioying and reioycing with you in the spirite as thoughe we were sweetely talking together of Christes veritie The Lord God doe I humbly beseeche in the bowels and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe that he wil strengthen vs both with hys holy and mighty spirit that we may constantly continue in the confession of his truthe vnto the ende that like as we now see one an other presently in spirite we may also see one an other personally in the glorious presence of God and his holy Aungels where vndoubtedly we shall know one an others personage to oure great ioy felicitye and endlesse comfort And now therfore deare sister K be strong in the Lorde our God for doubtlesse the time of triall is at hand a great persecution with cruell murthering of Gods deare Saintes is like to be very shortly in this wofull wicked Realme of Englande Therefore deare sister for the loue of God prepare you to the Crosse with all diligence and make your selfe ready to die with Christ that you may also liue with him for euer There is no remedye if you will be Christes Disciple you must needes take vppe youre crosse and followe him for the Disciple must not looke to be aboue his maister nor the seruant to be better intreated then his Lord. If we were of the worlde good sister no doubt the world woulde loue vs. But for as much as Christe hath chosen vs out of the worlde to serue God in spirite and veritie lette vs be wel assured the worlde will hate vs and persecute vs as it hath done our Lorde and maister Christ. But yet let vs be of good cheare for Christe hath ouercome the worlde The paine is but shorte that we can feele heere but the pleasure is perpetuall that wee shall feele elsewhere Let vs set before vs the example of Christe which abode the Crosse and despised the shame in respecte of the ioy that was set before him Euen so let vs consider for whose
sake we suffer whose cause we defend and what glorious reward we shall haue at the day of our victory then doubtles the consolation of these things will make sweete all our suffringes soone swallowe vp all the sorrowes that we are sowâed in for Gods sake I coulde recite diuers textes of the Scriptures to confirme this pointe But I neede not for I am well assured that you do knowe them most perfectly alreadye The Lorde geue you strength and assist you with his holy spirite that you may continually walke in all pointes according to your godly knowledge And then shall you not doe as the moste parte of our Gospellers doe nowe adaies the more is the pitie There are a greate manye in Englande that doe perfectlye knowe that the Idolatrous Masse is abhominable Deuelishe and detestable in the sight of God And yet alasse they be not afrayde to pollute and defile theyr bodyes whych oughte to be the temples of the holy Ghoste with being present at it so sinning against God and theyr owne conscience But dere sister K. do you flie from it both in body soule as you would flie from the very Deuill himselfe Drinke not of the whore of Babylons cuppe by no meanes for it will infecte the body and poyson the soule Be not partakers of her sinnes sayth the Aungell least you be partakers of the plagues that shortly shall be powred vppon her O what an aray is this that so many that know Gods truth wil nowe tourne againe and defile them selues in the filthy puddle of antichristes stinking religion They goe about to saue theyr liues wyth their dowble dissimulation but doubtlesse they shall loose euerlastinge life by it if they doe not repent in time and tourne vnto the Lorde But deare sister my trust is that you doe vtterly abhorre the comming to anye such thyng I hope that you wil not by any meanes turne backe into Egypt nowe but that you will boldly venter throughe the wildernesse of trouble and persecution that you may come into the lande that floweth with all kinde of heauenly pleasures and ioyfull delectations and possesse the same for euer Lette vs consider howe that euery one of vs doeth owe vnto God a death by nature and howe soone the Lord wil require it of vs we knowe not O howe happye are we then if God of hys goodnesse appoynt vs to pay natures dette wyth sufferyng for hys trueth and Gospels sake and so making vs his faithfull witnesses wyth the Prophetes Apostles Martyrs and Confessours yea wyth his dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christe to whome he doeth heere begin to fashion vs lyke in suffering that we myght be like hym also in glory Thus my dearely beloued sister I haue ben bold to trouble you a little with my rude simple letter being made in hast as it doth appeare Yet I desire you to take it in good woorthe as a token of my poore zeale vnto you and to accept my good will And if it please God to spaâe me life and libertye I trust heereafter to wryte vnto you more largely Fare yee well deare sister E.K. the Lorde blesse you and all yours and powre vpon you the heauenly dewe of his grace The Lorde endue you wyth plentifull knowledge of hys verity and fill you with hys holy and mighty spirite that you may continuallye reioyce in the comfortes of the same nowe and euer Amen Pray pray pray with stedfast faith Your daily Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lord. ¶ In the letters of William Tymmes ye heard before page 1897. much mention made of Agnes Glascock Thys Agnes Glascocke through infirmity and her husbandes perswasion was allured to goe to Masse For whyche cause shee falling in great sorrow and repentance was raised vppe againe by the comfortable Letters of William Tymmes and Iohn Careles as before you maye reade and after that was constante in the syncere profession of the verity and in danger for the same of persecution vnto whome Iohn Careles wryteth therefore thys letter as followeth A letter of Careles to Agnes Glascocke THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continuall aide strengthe and comfortes of his moste pure holye and mighty spirite be with you my deare faithfull sister Glascock to the good performance of that good woorke which God hath so graciously begun in you to his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflâcted Churche and to your owne eternall comfort in hym Amen In our Lorde I haue my most humble and hearty commendations vnto you my deare sister most faithfull mother Glascocke with all remembrance of you in my daily prayers geuing God most hearty laude praise and thankes for you and on your behalfe in that he of his great mercye hath hetherto so mightely strengthened you constantly to cleaue vnto youre Captayne Christ notwithstanding the great assaultes and manifold temptations that you haue had to the contrary Doubtles deare heart it can not be expressed what ioy and comfort it is vnto my very soule to see howe mightely the Lorde hathe magnified hym selfe in you and other his deare electe darlings whome hee will shortly glorify with himselfe as he hath done other of his sweete Sainctes that are gone before you Reioyce therefore be glad for verilye you haue good cause if you diligentlye consider the great dignitie that God hath called you vnto euen now in your olde age to be one of his woorthy witnesses vnto the worlde and I thinke you shall wyth mee and other youre brethren in bonds seale the Lords verity with the testimony of your bloud Surely sweete sister this is the greatest promotion that God caÌ bring you or any other vnto in this life and an honour that the highest aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue Therefore happye are you Oh faithfull daughter of Abraham that the Lorde will nowe preferre you before many other yea or any other of your age that I doe know in Englande Oh faithfull and vertuous matrone which wilt not be moued from the sure rocke Christe vppon whome you haue so firmely built your house that neither stormes nor tempestes neither yet bell gates or any other temptations shall euer be able once to preuaile against it Full wel doeth it appeare by your constant continuance that you haue played the parte of a wise builder in counting the cost afore hand belonging to the finishing of your tower And I doubt not but through Gods gift you haue sufficient to the performaunce thereof that the hypocrites of theyr parte shall haue no iuste cause to triumphe againste you or to mocke you saying loe thys woman beganne to builde but is not able to make an ende Therefore goe on boldlye and feare not for God is faithfull as S. Paule sayeth which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but eyther will hee geue you grace and strength to stande vnto the death whych is the gate and entraunce into
to receaue the Masse she began to be troubled in conscieÌce waxed very vnquiet because her house was euen hard by M. Iohn Glouers house of whome mention was made before pag. 1614. and 1620. a man of blessed memory and of a singular example of his vnfayned godlines and manifold troubles whiche he suffered for the Gospell shee did oftentimes resort to him and desired him to tel her the faultes that were in the Masse and other thinges that at that time were vrged as necessary to saluation Now he perceiuing both her vnquiet minde also the desire she had to know the truth dyd most dilligently instruct her in the wayes of the Lord approuing vnto her out of Gods holy word that the Masse with all other papisticall inuentions was odious in Gods sight and besides this reproued her for that she delighted in the vanities of this world so much By the which godly counsell geueÌ by him it happened that she began to waxe weery of the world throughly sorrowfull for her sinnes being inflamed with the loue of God desirous to serue him accordyng to hys word purposing also to flee from those thinges the whiche did displease the Lord her God And because she had learned the masse to be euil abhominable she began to hate it And when at a time she was compelled by the furiousnes of her husband to come to the Churche at the same tyme when the holy water was cast shee turned her backe towardes it and shewed her selfe to be displeased with their blasphemous holy water iniurious to the bloud of christ Whereupon she was accused before the Bishop for the despising of theyr sacramentals Immediately a Citation was sent for her to her husbandes house to appeare before the bishop incontinently The Summer that brought the Citation deliuered it to her husband who looking vpoÌ it perceauing what it was was moued with anger willing the sumner to take the Citation with him agayne or els he woulde make him to eate it The Sumner refused to take it agayne for he thought no man durst haue bene so bold to trouble him But in the ende Lewes compelled the sayd sumner to eate the Citation indeed by setting a daggar to his hart when hee had eaten it he caused him to drinke to it so sent him away But immediately after the sayd Lewes with his wife were commaunded to appeare before the B. where the sayd Lewes by by submitted himself desired the Bish. to be good to him excusing himselfe after the best fashion he could Wherupon the B. was content to receiue his submission with condition that his wife shoulde submit her selfe also But shee stoutly told the byshop that by refusing of the holy water she had neither offended God nor any part of hys lawes At the which words the bish being greeuously offended because she was a GentlewomaÌ he would not take her at the worst as he sayd he gaue her one monthes respite binding her husband in an hundred pound to bring her again vnto him at the monthes end and so they were both let go When they came to their owne house the sayde Maystresse Ioyce Lewes gaue her selfe to most dilligent praier and inuocating of the name of God resorting continually to the aboue named man of God Maister Iohn Glouer who did most dilligently instruct her with Gods worde willing her in any wise not to meddle with that matter in respect of vayne glory or to get her selfe a name shewyng her the great daungers shee was like to cast her selfe in if shee shoulde meddle in Gods matters otherwyse then Christ doth teach When the moneth was nowe almost expired and the time at hand that shee shoulde be brought before the Bishop her husband being aduertised by the sayde Mayster Iohn Glouer and others not to carry her to the Byshop but to seeke some wayes to saue her or if the worst should come to be content to forfeit so much money rather then to cast his own wife into the fire He answered hee woulde not loose or forfeit anye thinge for her sake and so lyke a murtherer of his owne wife caryed her to the bloudye B. where she was examined and found more stout then shee was before death was threatned And to begin withal she was sent to such a stincking prison that a certayn mayde which was appoynted to keep her companye did sownd in the same prison Being thus kept in prison and oftentimes examined and euer founde stoute at the length shee was brought in iudgement pronounced an hereticke worthy to be burned When the Bishop reasoned with her why she would not come to the masse and receiue the sacramentes and sacramentals of holy Church she answered Because I find not these thinges in Gods worde which you so vrge and magnifie as thinges moste needefull for mens saluation If these thinges were in the same word of God commended I would with all my hart receiue esteeme and beleue them The Bishoppe aunswered if thou wilt beleeue no more then is in the scripture concerning matters of religion thou art in a damnable case At the whiche wordes she was wonderfully amased and being moued by the spirite of God tolde the Bishop that hys wordes were vngodly and wicked After her condemnation she coÌtinued a whole twelue moneth in prison because she was committed to the Sheriffe that was of late chosen who coulde not be compelled to put her to death in his tyme as he affirmed for yâ which thing after her death he was sore troubled and in daunger of his life All that time shee was in prison her behauiour was such both in wordes and deedes that al they that had any sparke of godlines or ciuile honesty did greatly lameÌt her case that she should be put to death Now when the tyme did drawe neare the which God had appoynted for her deliueraunce the writte De comburendo as they terme it beyng brought down from London she desired certaine of her frends to come to her with whom when they came shee consulted how shee might be haue her self that her death might be more glorious to the name of God coÌfortable to his people and also most discomfortable vnto the enemies of God As for death sayd shee I do not greatly passe when I behold the amyable countenance of Christ my deare Sauiour the vglesome face of death doth not greatly trouble me In the which time also shee reasoned most comfortably out of Gods worde of Gods election and reprobation In the euenyng before the daye of her suffering two of the priests of the close of Lichfield came to the vnder Sheriffes house where shee laye and sent worde to her by the Sheriffe that they were come to heare her confession for they would be sory shee shoulde dye without it She sente them word agayne shee had made her confession to Christ her sauiour at whose hands she was sure to haue forgeuenes of her sinnes
needes be the true catholicke church Rafe My Lord if you remember I spake of al the world as it is wrytten and not of all Christendome only as me thinke your Lordship taketh it the whiche kinde of speaking you doe not finde in al the Bible For sure I am that the Gospel hath bene both preached and persecuted in all lands First in Iewrie by the Scribes and Phariseis and since that time by Nero Dioclesian and such like nowe here in these our daies by your Lordship knoweth whoÌ For truth it is that the church which you call Catholicke is none otherwise Catholike then was figured in Caine obserued of Ieroboam Ahab Iezabell Nabuchadonozor Antiochus Herode wyth innumerable more of the like and as both Daniell and Esdras maketh mention of these last daies by a plaine prophecie and now fulfilled as appeareth and affirmed by our Sauiour Christe and hys Apostles saying There shall come greeuous wolues to deuour the flocke Boner Nowe by the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar M. Morton he is the rankest hereticke that euer came before me How say you haue you heard the like Morton I thought what he was my Lord at the first I. Boner Now by all Halowes thou shalt be brent with âire for thy lying thou horeson verlette and prickelouse thââ Dost thou finde a prophecie in Dan. of vs nay you knaue it is of you that he speaketh off and of your false pretenââd holinesse Go too lette me heare what is the saying of Esdras and take heede ye make not a lie I aduise you Rafe The saying of Esdras is this the heat of a great multitude is kindled ouer you and they shall take away certaine of you and feede the Idols with you and hee that consenteth vnto them shall be had in derision laughed to scorne and troden vnder foote yea they shall be like mad men for they shall spare no man they shall spoile and wast such as feare the Lord c. Boner And haue you taken thys thinge to make youre market good Ah syrrha wilt thou so by my Faith a ãâã instruction and a necessary thing to be taught among the people By my trouth I thinke there be no more of thys opinion I pray thee tell me Is there any that vnderstaÌdeth this scripture on this fashion Before God I thinke there be none in all England but thou Rafe Yes my Lord there are in England three religions Boner Saist thou so which be those three Rafe The first is that whiche you holde the seconde is cleane contrary to the same and the thirde is an Neuter being indifferent that is to say obseruing all things that are commaunded outwardly as though he were of your part his heart being set wholy against the same Boner And of these three which art thou for nowe thou must needes be of one of them Rafe Yea my Lord I am of one of them and that which I am of is euen that which is contrary to that which you teach to be beleeued vnder paine of death Boner Ah syr you were here with me at Fulham and had good cheare yea and mony in your purse when you went away and by my faith I had a fauour vnto thee but now I see thou wilt be a naughtie knaue Why wilt thou take vpon thee to read the Scripture and canst not vnderstaÌd neuer a woorde For thou hast brought a text of scripture the which maketh cleane against thee For Esdras speaketh of the multitude of you heretickes declaring your hate against the catholicke Churche making the simple or idle people that beleeue that all is idolatrie that we do and so intise them away vntill you haue ouercome them Rafe Nay not so my Lord. For he maketh it more plaine and sayth on this wise They shall take away their goodes and put them oute of their houses and then shall it be knowen who are my chosen sayth the Lord for they shal be tried as the siluer or gold is in the fire And we see it so come to passe euen as he hath sayd For who is not now driuen from house home yea and his goodes taken vp for other menne that neuer swette for them if hee doe not obserue as you command and set foorth Or els if he be taken then must he either deny the truth as I did in dissembling or els he shal be sure to be tried as Esdras sayeth euen as the golde is tried in the fire Whereby all the worlde may knowe that you are the bloudy church figured in Caine the tyraunte neither yet are ye able to auoide it Morton I promise you my Lorde I like hym better nowe then euer I did when he was heere before you the other time For then hee did but dissemble as I perceiued well inough but nowe me thinke he speaketh plainly Bon Mary syr as you say in dede he is plaine For he is a plaine heretike and shal be burned Haue the knaue away Let him be caried to little ease at London vntil I come Rafe And so was I caried to London vnto Little case and there remained that nighte and on the next morrowe I appeared before him againe the Deane of Paules and the Chauncellour of London being present Then were brought foorth certaine wrytings that I had set my hand vnto Boner Come on your wayes syrha Is not thys youre hand and this and this Rafe Yea they are my hande all of them I confesse the same neither yet will I denie any thing that I haue sette my hand vnto But if I haue sette my hand to anye thing that is not lawfull therefore am I sorie Neuerthelesse my hand I will not deny to be my doing Boner Well sayde Nowe yee must tell mee Were you neuer at the Churche since you went from mee at Masse and Mattens c. Rafe No my Lorde not at Masse Mattens nor none other straunge woorshipping of God Boner Yea sayest thou so Wast thou neither at thyne owne parish church nor at none other And doest thou also say that it is a straunge worshipping Why I praye thee wilt thou not beleeue the Scripture to be true Rafe Yes my Lorde I beleeue the Scripture to be true and in the defence of the same I entend to geue my life rather then I will deny any part thereof God willing Deane My Lorde this fellow will be an honest man I heare by him He will not stand in his opinion for he sheweth himselfe gentle and pacient in his talke Boner Oh he is a glorious knaue His painted termes shall no more deceiue me Ah horeson Prickelouse doeth not Christ say This is my body And howe darest thou deny these woordes for to say as I haue a wryting to shew and thine owne hand at the same Lette me see wilt thou deny this Is not this thine owne hande Rafe Yes my Lord it is mine owne hand neyther am I ashamed thereof because my confession therein is agreeable
fantastically as you teach vs to take them for then should we conspire with certaine heretickes called the Nestorians for they denie that Christ hadde a true naturall body and so me thinke you doe my Lord. If you wil affirm his body to be there as you say he is then must you needes also affirme that it is a fantasticall bodye and therfore looke to it for Gods sake and let these wordes go before Take yee and eate ye without which wordes the rest are sufficient but when the worthy receiuers do take and eat euen then is fulfilled the words of our Sauiour vnto him or euery of them that so receiueth Boner Ah I see well thou canste not vnderstand these woordes I will shewe thee a Parable If I should set a peece of beefe before thee and say eate is it no beefe And then take part of it away send it to my cooke and he shal change the fashion thereof and make it looke like breade What wouldest thou saye that it were no Beefe because it hath not the fashion of beefe Rafe Let me vnderstand a little further my Lorde shall the Cooke adde nothing therunto nor take nothing there from Boner What is that to the matter whether he do or no so long as the shape is changed into an other likenesse Rafe Ah will you so my Lord your Sophistrie will not serue the truth wil haue the victorie neuerthelesse as Esay sayth He that restraineth himselfe from euill must be spoyled And Amos hath suche like woordes also For the wise must be faine to holde their peace so wicked a time it is sayth he Neuertheles he that can speake the truth and will not shall geue a strait accounts for the same A Doctor By my Lords leaue here me thinks thou speakest like a foole Wilt thou be a iudge of the scripture Nay thou must stand to learne and not to teache for the whole congregation hath determined the matter long agoe A priest No by your leaue we haue a Church and not a congâegation You mistake that worde master Doctor Rafe Then sayd I to my fellowe prisoners standing by My brethren doe yee not heare howe these men helpe one an other Let vs doe so also But we neuer came all in together after that time but seuerallye one after an other Then was I caried away for that time The xix daye of May I was brought before the Bishop of Rochester and Chichester with others B Rochest Were you a companion of George Eagles otherwise called Trudgeouer My Lord of London telleth me that you were his fellow companion Rafe I know him very well my Lord. Rochest By my faith I had him once and then hee was as dronke as an Ape for he stonke so of drinke that I coulde not abide him and so sent him away Rafe My Lorde I dare saye you tooke your markes amisse It was either your selfe or some of your own companie for he did neither drinke Wine Ale nor Beere in a quarter of a yeare before that time and therefore it was not he forsooth The rest of mine examinations you shal haue when I am condemned if I can haue any time after my comming into Newgate the which I trust shall touch the matter a great deale more plainly for the pithie matters are yet vnwrytten Thus fare you well good frendes all Yea I say farewel for euer in this present world Greete yee one an other and be ioyfull in the Lord. Salute the good widowes among you with all the rest of the congregation in Barfold Dedham and Colchester This promise of hys being either not perfourmed for that he might not thereto be permitted or els if he did wryte the same not comming to my hands I am faine in the rest of his examinations to follow the only report of the Register who witnesseth that the 15. day of May. An. 1557. in the Byshops palace at London he was examined vppon certaine interrogatories the contents wherof be these FIrst that he was of the parish of Muchbentley and so of the Diocesse of London Secondly that the 10. daye of Ianuarie then last past M. Iohn Morant preaching at Paules the said Rafe Allerton did there openly submit himselfe vnto the Churche of Rome with the rites and Ceremonies thereof Thirdly that he did consent and subscribe aswell vnto the same submission as also to one other bil in the which he graunted that if he should at any time turn againe vnto his former opinions it shoulde be then lawfull for the Bishop immediately to denounce and adiudge hym as an hereticke Fourthly that he had subscribed to a bill wherein hee affirmed that in the sacrament after the woordes of consecration be spokân by the Priest there remaineth still materiall bread and materiall wine and that he beleueth that the bread is the breade of thankesgeuing and the memoriall of Christes death and that when he receiueth it he receiueth the body of Christ spiritually in his soule but materiall bread in substaunce Fiftly that he had openly affirmed and also aduisedly spoken that which is contained in the sayde former fourth article last before specified Sixthly that hee hadde spoken against the Bishop of Rome wyth the Church and Sea of the same and also against the seuen Sacraments and other Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the same Churche vsed then wythin thys Realme Seuenthly that hee had allowed and commended the opinions and faith of M. Cranmer Ridley Latimer and others of late burned within this Realme and beleeued that theyr opinions were good and godly Eightly that he hadde diuers times affirmed that the religion vsed within this realme at the time of his apprehension was neither good nor agreeable to Gods woord and that he coulde not conforme himselfe thereunto Ninthly that he had affirmed that the booke of Common prayer sette foorth in the raigne of king Edward the vj. was in all partes good and godly and that the sayd Rafe and his company prisoners did daily vse amongst themselues in prison some part of the booke Tenthly that hee had affirmed that if hee were out of prison he would not come to Masse Mattins nor Euensong nor beare Taper Candle or Palme nor goe in procession nor would receiue holy water holy breade ashes or paxe or any other ceremonie of the Churche then vsed within this Realme Eleuenthly that he had affirmed that if he were at libertie he would not confesse his sinnes to any Priest nor receiue absolution of him nor yet would receiue the Sacrament of the altar as it was then vsed Twelfly that he had affirmed that praying to saints and prayers for the deade were neither good nor profitable and that a man is not bounde to fast and praye but at his owne wil and pleasure neither that it is lawful to reserue the Sacrament or to woorship it Thirtenthly that the sayd Allerton hath according to these his affirmations abstained refused to come vnto his parishe Churche euer
many promoters and vnneighborly neighbors to help them forwards By which kinde of people it is not vnlike these two godly yokefellowes were accused and taken and being once deliuered into the pitiles haÌdling of Boner their examinations ye may be sure were not long deferred For the 16. day of Iuly 1557. they were brought before him into hys palace at London Wher first he demaÌded of the said Iames Austoo amongst other questions where he had bene confessed in Lent and whether he receiued the sacrament of the altare at Easter or not To whom he answered that in dede he had ben confessed of the curate of Aâhalowes Barking âe to the tower of London but that he had not receiued the sacrament of the altar for he defied it from the bottome of his heart Why quoth the Bishop doest thou not beleeue that in the sacrament of the altare there is the true body bloude of Christ. No sayd Austoo not in the Sacrament of the altar but in the Supper of the Lorde to the faithfull receiuer is the very body and bloud of Christ by faith Boner not well pleased with this talke asked then the wife how she did like the religion then vsed in this courâh of England Shee answered that shee beleeued that the same was not according to Gods word but false and corrupted and that they which did goe thereunto did it more for feare of the law then otherwise Then hee againe asked her if shee woulde goe to the Churche and heare Masse and pray for the prosperous estate of the king being then abroad in his affaires Whereunto she said that she defied the Masse with all her heart and that she would not come into any Churche wherein were Idols After this the Bish. obiected vnto them certaine articles to the number of 18. The tenor whereof because they touch only such common trifling matters as are already mentioned in diuers sondry places before I do here for breuitie sake omit and passe ouer geuing you yet this much to vnderstand that in the maters of faith they were as souÌd and answered as truly God be therfore praised as euer any did especially the woman to whom the Lord had geuen the greater knowledge and more feruentnes of spirit Notwithstanding according to the measure of grace that God gaue them they both stood most firmly vnto the truthe And therefore to conclude the 10. day of Sept. they were with Rafe Allerton of whoÌ ye haue heard brought againe before the bishop within his chappell at Fulham where he speaking vnto them said first on this wise Austoo doest thou knowe where thou art nowe and in what place and before whom and what thou hast to doe Yea quoth Austoo I knowe where I am For I am in an idols temple After which wordes their articles being againe red their constancie in faith perceiued Boner pronounced against either of them seuerally the sentence of coÌdemnation and deliuering them vnto the sheriff there present did rid his hands as he thought of them but the Lorde in the ende will iudge that to whome I referre his cause It so happened vpon a night that as this Margerie Austoo was in the bishops prisone which prison I suppose was his dogge kennel for it was as is reported vnder a paire of staires by the bishops procurement there was sent a stoute champion as appeared about 12. of the clocke at nighte who suddenly opened the doore and with a knife drawen or ready prepared fell vppon her to the intent to haue cut her throte Which she by reason of the clearnes of the Moone perceiuing and calling vnto God for helpe he but who it was she knewe not geuing a grunt and fearing belike to commit so cruel a dede departed his waies without any more hurt doing The next night following they caused a great rumbeling to be made ouer her head which semed to her to haue bene some great thuÌder which they did for to haue feared her out of her wittes but yet thanks be to God they missed of their purpose Richard Roth. IN the godly felowship of the forenamed three Martyrs was also this Rich. Roth as is alreadye specified Who being apprehended and brought vp vnto the bish of London was by him examined the 4. day of Iuly at what time the bish did earnestly trauel to induce him to beleeue that there were 7. sacraments in Christes churche and that in the sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration duely spoken there remained the very substance of Christes body and bloud and none other Wherunto at the present he made only this aunsweare that if the scriptures did so teach him and that he might be by the same so perswaded he would so beleue otherwise not But at another examination which was the 9. day of Sept. he declared plainly that in the said sacrameÌt of the altar as it was then vsed there was not the very body and bloud of Christ but that it was a dead God and that the Masse was detestable and contrary to Gods holy woorde and will from the which faith and opinion he would not goe or decline The next daye being the 10. day of the same moneth of September the Bishop at his house at Fulham by waye of an article laid and obiected against him that he was a comforter and boldener of hereticks and therefore hadde wrytten a letter to that effect vnto certaine that were burned at Colchester the copie whereof ensueth A letter wrytten by Rich. Roth vnto certaine brethren and sisters in Christ condemned at Colchester and ready to be burned for the testimonie of the truth O Deare brethren and sisters how much haue you to reioyce in God that he hath geuen you such faith to ouercome thys bloud thirsty tyrants thus far and no doubt he that hathe begon that good worke in you wil fulfil it vnto the end O deââ ãâ¦ã in Christ what a crowne of glory shall ye receiue with Christe in the kingdom of God Oh that it had bene the good will of God that I had ben ready to haue gon with you For I lie in my ãâã little ease in the day and in the night I lie in the Colehouse froÌ Rafe Allerton or any other and we loke euery day wheÌ we ãâã be condemned For he said that I shoulde be burned wythin ãâã daies before Easter but I lie still at the pooles brinke and euery man goeth in before mee but we abide paciently the lordes lâisure with many bandes in setters and stockes by the whiche we haue receiued great ioy in God And nowe fare you well deare brethren and sisters in this worlde but I trust to see you in the heauens face to face Oh brother Munt with your wife and my deare sister Rose how blessed are you in the Lord that God hath found you worthy to suffer for his sake with all the rest of my deare brethren sisters knowen vnknowen O be ioyful euen
in prison WIfe you desired me that I would sende you some tokens that you might remember me As I did read in the newe Testament I thought it good to write vnto you certayne places of the Scripture for a remembraunce S. Peter sayth Derely beloued be not troubled with this heat that is nowe come among you to try you as though some strange thyng had happened vnto you but reioyce in so much as ye are partakers of Christes suffryngs that wheÌ hys glory appeareth ye may be mery glad If ye be rayled on for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and the spirit of God resteth vpon you It is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doyng then for euill doyng See that none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thiefe or an euill doer or as a busie body in other mens matters but if any man suffer as a Christian man let hym not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe for the tyme is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shal the end of them be that beleue not the gospel of God Wherfore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to hym in well doyng S Paule saieth All that will lyue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution S. Iohn saieth See that ye loue not the worlde neither the thyngs that are in the world If any man loue the worlde the loue of the father is not in him For all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father but is of the world which vanisheth away and the lust therof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer S. Paule saith If ye bee risen againe with Christ seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hande of God Set your affection on things that are aboue and not on things which are on the earth Our Sauiour Christ sayeth Whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones that beleeue in me it were better for hym that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the sea The Prophet Dauid sayth Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all Feare the Lord ye his saintes for they that feare hym lacke nothyng When the righteous crye the Lorde heareth them and deliuereth them out of all theyr troubles But misfortune shall slaye the vngodlye and they that hate the righteous shall perish Heare oh my people I assure thee O Israel if thou wilt harken vnto me there shall no strange God be in thee neyther shalt thou worship any other God Oh that my people would obey me for if Israell would walke in my wayes I should soone put downe their enemies and turne my hande agaynst their aduersaries Our Sauior Christ sayth The Disciple is not aboue hys maister nor yet the seruant aboue his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple to be as his maister is and that the seruant be as his Lord is If they haue called the maister of the house Belzebub howe much more shall they call them of his houshold so feare not theÌ therefore S. Paule sayth Set your selues therefore at large and beare not a strangers yoke with the vnbeleuers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse what company hath light with darkenes either what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell c. Wherfore come out from among them separate your selues now saith the Lord and touch none vnclean thing so will I receiue you and I will be a father vnto you ye shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almighty For neither eye hath seen nor the eare hath heard neither can it enter into the hart of man what good thynges the Lord hath prepared for them that loue hym Ye are not bought neither with siluer nor gold but with the precious bloud of Christ. There is none other name geuen to men wherein wee must be saued So fare ye well wife and children and leaue worldly care and see that ye be diligent to pray Take no thought sayth Christ saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be clothed for after all these thynges seeke the Gentiles for your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue need of all these thyngs but seeke ye first the kingdom of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof And all these things shall be ministred vnto you ¶ The Martyrdome and sufferyng of Cicelie Ormes burnt at Norwich for the testimonie and witnesse of Christes Gospell ABout the 23. day of the sayd moneth of September next after the other aboue mentioned suffered at Norwich Cicelie Ormes wyfe of Edmund Ormes Worstedweauer dwelling in S. Laurence parish in Norwich she beying of the age of xxxij yeares or more was taken at the death of Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper aboue meÌcioned in a place called Lolardes pit without Bishoppes gate at the sayd Norwich for that shee sayde shee would pledge them of the same cup that they dranke on For so saying one Maister Corbet of Sprowson by Norwich tooke her and sent her to the Chauncellor When shee came before him he asked her what she sayd to the Sacrament of Christes body And she sayd she did beleue that it was the Sacramente of the bodye of Christ. Yea saide the Chauncellor but what is that that the priest holdeth ouer his head Shee aunswered him and sayd it is bread and if you make it any better it is worse At which words the Chauncellor sent her to the bishops Prison to the keeper called Fellow with many threatning hoâe words as a man being in a great chaâe The xxiij day of Iuly shee was called before the ChauÌcellor againe who sat in iudgemeÌt with Master Bridges and others The Chauncellor offred her if she would goe to the Church and keepe her tongue shee should be at lybertie and beleue as shee would But she tolde him shee would not consent to his wicked desire therein doe wyth her what he would for if she should she sayde GOD woulde surelye plague her Then the Chauncellour tolde her he had shewed more fauour to her then euer he did to any and that he was loth to condeme her considering that shee was an ignoraunt vnlearned and foolysh woman But she not weying his words tolde him if he did he should not be so desirous of her sinfull flesh as she would by Gods grace be content to geue it in so good a quarell Then rose he and red the bloudy sentence of condemnation against her and so deliuered her to the secular power of the shiriffes of the Citie M. Thomas Sutherton and M. Leonard Sutherton brethren who immediately caried her to
these articles thus ministred and layd to Cutbert Simson with his aunsweres likewise vnto the same the Bishop calling them altogether obiected to them other positions and articles the same whiche before are mentioned in the story of Bartlet Greene. pag. 1736. onely the 8. Article out of the same omitted and excepted which Articles because they are already expressed in the page aboue mentioned we neede not here to make anye newe reporte thereof but onely referre the Reader to the place assigned ¶ The aunsweres generall of Cutbert Simson Hugh Foxe and Iohn Deuinishe to the Articles by the Bishop to them generally proposed TO the first Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely but Iohn Deuenishe added that that Churche is grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christe being the head corner stone and how in that Churche there is the true fayth and religion of Christ. To the second Article they all confessed and beleeued that in Christes Catholicke Churche there are but two Sacramentes that is to witte Baptisme and the supper of the Lord otherwise they do not beleue the contentes of this Article to be true in any part therof To the 3. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely To the 4. Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely ¶ Three godly Martirs burned in Smithfield To the sixt Article they al answered and denied to acknowledge the authoritie of the sea of Rome to be lawfull and good eyther yet his religion To the seuenth Article they all aunswered affirmatiuely that they haue and will doe still while they liue and Iohn Deuinishe adding thereto sayde that the sacrament of the aultar as it is now vsed is no sacrament at all To the 8. Article they all confessed and beleued all thynges aboue by them acknowledged and declared to be true and that they be of the Dioces of London and iurisdiction of the same These three aboue named persons and blessed witnesses of Iesus Christ Cutbert Foxe and Deuenish as they were altogether apprehended at Islington as is aboue declared so the same all three together suffered in Smithfield about the xxviii day of March in whose perfect constancie the same Lorde in whose cause and quarrell they suffered giuer of all grace and gouernour of all thinges be exalted for euer Amen ¶ The suffering and Martyrdome of William Nichole put to death by the wicked hands of the papistes at Herefordwest in Wales WE finde in al ages from the beginning that Sathan hath not ceassed at all times to molest the Churche of Christ with one affliction or other to the tryall of theyr fayth but yet neuer so aparauntly at anye time to all the worlde as when the Lorde hath permitted him power ouer the bodyes of hys saynctes to the shedding of theyr bloud and peruerting of religion for then sleepeth he not I warrant you from murdering of the same vnlesse they will fall downe with Achab and Iesabell to worship him and so kill and poyson their owne soules eternally as in The burning of W. Nicole at Herefordwest in Wales these miserable latter dayes of Queene Mary we haue felt heard and seene practised vppon Gods people Amonge whome wee finde recorded an honest good simple poore man one William Nicole who was apprehended by the Champions of the pope for speaking certayne wordes agaynst the cruell kingdome of Antichriste and the ninth day of Aprill 1558. was butcherly burnt and tormented at Herefordwest in Wales where he ended his life in a most happy and blessed state and gloriously gaue his soule into the handes of the Lorde whose goodnes bee praysed for euer Amen This William Nicoll as we are informed was so simple a good soule that many esteemed him half foolish But what he was we know not but this are we sure he died a good man and in a good cause what soeuer they iudge of hym And the more simplicitie of feeblenes of wit appeared in him the more beastly and wretched dothe it declare their cruell tyrannicall acte therin The Lord geue them repentaunce therefore if it bee his blessed will Amen Amen The Martyrdome of William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson put to death by the persecuting papists at Norwich in the county of Norfolke IMmediately after William Nicoll succeeded in that honourable and glorious vocation of Martyrdome three constaunt godly menne at Norwiche in Northfolk who were cruelly and tyrannically put to death for the true testimony of Iesus Christ the xix of May. an 1558. Whose names be these William Seaman Thomas Carman Thomas Hudson The sayde William Seaman was an Husbandman of the age of xxvi yeares dwelling in Mendlesham in the county of Suffolke who was suÌdry sought for tymes by the commandement of Sir Iohn Tirrell knight at laste he himselfe in the night searched his house and other places for him notwithstanding hee somewhat mist of his purpose God be thanked Then he gaue charge to hys Seruauntes Robert Baulding and Iames Clarke wyth others to seek for him Who hauing no officer went in the euening to hys house where he being at home they took him and caryed him to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tirrell This Baulding being Seamans nighe neighbour and whome the sayde Seaman greatly trusted as a speciall friend notwithstanding to doe hys Mayster a pleasure now became enemy to hys chiefe friend and was one of the busiest in the taking of him Now as they were goyng to cary hym to theyr Mayster Syr Iohn Tyrrell in the night it is credibly reported that there fell a lyghte betweene them out of the element and parted them Thys Baulding being in company with the rest when the light fell and albeit he was then in hys best age yet after the time neuer enioyed good daye but pyned away euen vnto the death Well for all that straunge sight as I sayd they caried him to theyr Mayster Who when he came asked him why he would not goe to Masse and to receaue the sacrament and so to worship it Unto which William Seaman aunswered denying it to bee a sacrament but sayde it was an Idoll and therefore would not receaue it After whiche wordes spoken sir Iohn Tirrel shortly sent hym to Norwiche to Hopton then Bishop and there after conference and examination had with him the bishop read his bloudy sentence of condemnation agaynst him and afterward deliuered him to the secular power who kepte him vnto the day of Martyrdome This sayd William Seaman left behynde him when he dyed a wife and three children very young and wyth the sayd young children hys wife was persecuted oute of the sayde towne also of Mendlesham because that shee would not go to heare Masse and all her corne and goods seased and taken awaye by Mayster Christopher Coles officers he being Lorde of the sayd towne Thomas Carman who as is sayd pledged Richarde Crashfield at hys burning and thereupon was apprehended being prisoner in Norwiche was about
reputation nor preachere wherefore hee would desire him to let them be punished a day or two and so to let them goe at the least Iohn Dale who was no priest and therfore seeyng he had so long sitten in the cage he thought it punishment enough for hys tyme. When the person heard this he was exceeding mad and in a great rage called them pestilent heretikes vnfitte to lyue in the common wealth of Christians Wherefore I beseech you Sir quoth he accordyng to your office defeÌd holy church and helpe to suppresse these sectes of heresies c. which are false to God and thus boldly set themselues to the euill example of other against the Queenes gracious proceedyngs Sir Henry Doyle seeyng he coulde do no good in the matter fearing also his perill if he should too much meddle in this matter made out the Writte and caused the Constables to cary them foorth to Bury Gaole For now were all the Iustices were they neuer so mightye afrayde of euery shauen crowne and stood in as much awe of them as Pilate dyd stande in feare of Annas and Cayphas and of the Pharisaicall broode which cried Crucifie hym Crucifie hym If thou let hym goe thou art not Caesars friend ¶ The burnyng of Richard Yeoman After that Iohn Dale was dead Rich. Yeoman was remooued to Norwich prison where after straite and euill keping he was examined of his faith and religion Then he boldly and constantly confessed himself to be of the faith and confession that was set forth by the late king of blessed memory holy K. Edward the 6. and from that he would in nâ wyse vary Beyng required to submit himself to the holy father the Pope I defie him quoth he all hys detestable abhominations I will in no wise haue to doe with him nor any thing that appertaineth to him The chief articles obiected to him were his mariage the masse sacrifice Wherfore when he continued stedfast in confession of the truth he was condemned disgraded not only burnt but most cruelly tormented in the fire So ended hee hys poore miserable lyfe and entred into the blessed bosom of Abraham enioying with Lazarus the comfortable quietnes that God hath prepared for his elect saintes ¶ The story of Iohn Alcocke THere was also in Hadley a yong man named Ioh. Alcocke which came to Hadley seking worke for he was a Shereman by his occupation This yong man after the Martyrdome of D. Tailor taking of Rich. YeomaÌ vsed first in the church of Hadley to read the seruice in English as partly is aboue touched At length after the comming of person Newal he being in Hadley church vpon a sonday when the Person came by with procession would not once mooue his cap nor shew any signe of reuerence but stood behind the font Person Newal perceiuing this wheÌ he was almost out of the church dore ran back again and caught him and called for the Constable Then came Rob. Rolfe with whom this young man wrought and asked M. Person what hath he done that ye are in such a rage with hym He is an heretike and a traitor quoth the Person and despiseth the Queens procedings Wherfore I command you in the Queenes name haue hym to the stockes see he be forth commyng Wel quoth Rolfe he shal be forth comming proceede you in your busines and be quiet Haue him to the stockes quoth the Person I am Constable quoth Rolfe and may baile him and will baile him he shall not come in the stocks but he shal be forth comming So went the good Person forth wyth his holy procession and so to Masse At after noone Rolfe said to this yong man I am sory for thee for truly the person will seek thy destructioÌ if thou take not good heed what thou answerest him The yong man aunswered Sir I am sory that it is my lucke to be a trouble to you As for my selfe I am not sory but I do commit my selfe into Gods handes and I trust he will geue me mouth and wisedome to answer according to right Well quoth Rolfe yet beware of him For hee is malicious and a bloudsucker beareth an old hatred against me and he wil handle you the more cruelly because of displeasure against me I feare him not quoth the yong man He shall doe no more to me then God wil geue him leaue and happy shal I be if God wil call me to die for his truths sake After this talke they then went to the person who at the first asked hym Fellow what saiest thou to the sacrament of the aulter I say quoth he as ye vse the matter ye make a shame full idoll of it and ye are false idolatrous priests all the sort of you I told you quoth the person he was a stout heretike So after long talk the person committed him to ward and the next day rode he vp to London and caried the yong man with him and so came the yong man no more againe to Hadley but after long imprisonment in Newgate where after many examinations and troubles for that he would not submit himselfe to aske forgeuenes of the Pope and to be reconciled to the Romish religion he was caste into the lower dungeon where with euill keping sickenes of the house he died in prison Thus died he a Martyr of Christes veritie which he hartily loued constantly coÌfessed receiued the garland of a well foughten battaile at the hand of the Lord. His body was cast out buried in a dunghil For the Papists would in all things be like theÌselues Therfore would they not so much as suffer the dead bodies to haue honest and conuenient sepulture ¶ Thomas Benbrige Gentleman and Martyr wrongfully condemned and put to death by the cruell Papists for the defence of the Gospell of Christ Iesu. THoms Benbrige a Gentleman single and vnmaried in the Dioces of Winchester although hee might haue liued a pleasaunt and a Gentlemans lyfe in the wealthy possessions of this world yet to follow Christ had rather enter into the straite gate of persecution to the heauenlye possession of lyfe in the Lordes kingdome then here to enioy pleasures present with vnquietnes of conscieÌce Wherfore manfully standing against the Papists for the defence of the sincere doctrine of Christes Gospell hee spared not hymselfe to confirme the doctrine of the Gospell For the which cause he beyng apprehended for an aduersary of the Romish religion was forthwith had to examination before D. White Bish. of Winchester where he susteined sundry conflictes for the truth agaynst the sayd Bishop hys Colleagues The Articles of the Bishoppe ministred to hym with his aunswers to the same annexed be here followyng ¶ Articles ministred to M. Benbrige with his answers followyng the same FIrst we articulate against you that the Church of God ministreth rightly according to the rite Apostolicall
prouision had not preuented her with death In the number of them which suffred the same month when Queene Mary died were three that were burned at Bury whose names were these Phillip Humfrey Iohn Dauid Henry Dauid his brother Concernyng the burnyng of these three here is to bee noted that sir Clement Higham about a fortnight before the Queen died did sue out a writ for the burning of these three aforesayd godly and blessed Martyrs notwithstandyng that the Queene was then known to be past remedie of her sicknesse The trouble and Martyrdome of a godly poore woman which suffred at Exeter ALthough in such an innumerable company of godlye Martyrs which in sundry quarters of this Realme were put to torments of fire in Q. Maries time it be hard so exactly to recite euery perticular person that suffred but that some escape vs eyther vnknowen or omitted yet I can not passe ouer a certaine poore woman and a sely creature burned vnder the sayd queenes reigne in the City of Exeter whose name I haue not yet learned who dwelling sometime about Cornewall hauing a husbande and childreÌ there much addicted to the superstitious sect of popery was many times rebuked of theÌ driueÌ to go to the church to their Idols and ceremonies to shrift to follow the Crosse in Procession to geue thankes to God for restoryng Antichrist agayne into this Realme c. Which when her spirit could not abide to do she made her prayer vnto God calling for helpe and mercy and so at length lying in her bed about midnight she thought there came to her a certaine motion and feeling of singuler comfort Wherupon in short space she beganne to grow in contempt of her husband and children and so taking nothing from them but euen as she went departed from them seeking her lyuing by labor spinning as well as she could here there for a time In which time notwithstanding she neuer ceased to vtter her minde as well as she durst howbeit she at that time was brought home to her husband agayn Wher at last she was accused by her neighbours and so brought vp to Exeter to be presented to the Bishop and his Clergy The name of the Bishop which had her in examination was Doctour Troubleuile His Chauncellour as I gather was Blackstone The chiefest matter whereupon she was charged and condemned was for the Sacrament which they call of the Aultar and for speaking against Idols as by the declaration of those which were present I vnderstand which report the talk betwene her and the bishop on this wise Bishop Thou foolish woman quoth the Byshop I heare say that thou hast spoken certayne words of the most blessed Sacrament of the Aultar the body of Christ. Fye for shame Thou art an vnlearned person and a woman wilt thou meddle with such highe matters whiche all the Doctours of the worlde can not define Wilt thou talke of so high misteryes Keepe thy worke medle with that thou hast to do It is no womans matters at cardes and towe to be spoken of And if it be as I am infourmed thou art worthy to be burned Woman My Lord sayde she I trust your Lordship will heare me speake Bish. Yea mary quoth he therfore I send for thee Woman I am a poore woman do liue by my hands getting a peny truely of that I get I geue part to the poore Bish. That is well done Art thou not a mans wife And here the Bishop entred into talke of her husband To whom she answered againe declaring that she had a husband and children and had them not So long as she was at liberty she refused not neyther husband nor children But now standing here as I doe sayd she in the cause of Christ his trueth where I must either forsake Christ or my husband I am conteÌted to sticke onely to Christ my heauenly spouse and renounce the other And here she making mention of the words of Christ He that leaueth not father or mother sister or brother husband c. the Byshop inferred that Christ spake that of the holy martyrs which dyed because they would not doe sacrifice to the false Gods Woman Sikerly syr and I will rather dye then I will do any worship to that foule Idoll whiche with your Masse you make a God Bish. Yea you callet will you say that the sacrament of the aultar is a foule Idoll Wom. Yea truly quoth she there was neuer such an Idoll as your sacrameÌt is made of your priestes coÌmauÌded to be worshipped of al meÌ with many foÌd phantasies where Christ did commaund it to be eaten drunken in remembraunce of his most blessed passion our redemption Bish. See this pratling woman Doest thou not heare that Christ did say ouer the bread This is my body ouer the cup This is my bloud Wom. Yes forsooth he sayd so but he meant that it is hys body and bloud not carnally but sacramentally Bish. Loe she hath heard pratling among these new preachers or heard some peeuish book Alas poore womaÌ thou art deceiued Wom. No my Lorde that I haue learned was of Godly preachers of godly books which I haue heard read And if you will geue me leaue I will declare a reason why I will not worship the sacrament Bish. Mary say on I am sure it will be goodly geare Woman Truely such geare as I will loose this poore life of mine for Bish. Then you will be a martyr good wife Woman In deed if the denying to worshippe that bready God be my martyrdome I will suffer it with all my hart Bish. Say thy minde Wom. You must beare with me a poore woman quoth she Bish. So I will quoth he Woman I will demaunde of you whether you can denye your creed which doth say that Christ perpetually doth sit at the right hand of his father both body soule vntill he come againe or whether he be there in heaueÌ our aduocate do make prayer for vs vnto God his father If it be so he is not here in the earth in a piece of bread If he be not here if he do not dwel in temples made with hands but in heauen what shall we seeke him here if he did offer his body once for all why make you a new offering if with once offring he made al perfect why do you with a false offring make al vnperfect if he be to be worshipped in spirite and truth why doe you worship a piece of bread if he be eaten drunkeÌ in faith truth if his flesh be not profitable to be among vs why do you say you make his body and fleshe and say it is profitable for body soule Alas I am a poore woman but rather then I would do as you doe I would liue no longer I haue sayd syr Bish. I promise you you are a iolly protestant I pray you in what schooles haue you
with him that night but committed him to the Clinke tyl Tuesday after * The first examination of Thomas Rose before Winchester at saint Mary Oueryes ON Thursday being brought before the B. of Winchester at S. Mary Oueries the said Tho. Rose spake as followeth Rose It maketh me to maruayle my Lord quoth he that I should be thus troubled for that which by the worde of God hath bene established by the lawes of this Realme allowed by your own writing so notably in your booke De vera obedientia confirmed Bysh. Ah sirha hast thou gotten that Rose Yea my Lord I thanke God and do confesse my self much thereby confirmed For as touching the doctrine of the supremacie agaynst the B. of Romes vsurped authoritie no man hath sayde further And as I remember you confesse in it that when this truth was reuealed vnto you you thought the scales to fall from your eyes Bishop Thou lyest like a varlet there is no such thinge in my booke but I shall handle thee and suche as thou art well enough I haue loÌg looked for thee at length haue caught thee I will knowe who be thy maynteiners or els I will make thee a foote longer Rose My Lord you shall doe as much as pleaseth God no more yet the lawe is in our hand but I haue God for my maynteiner none other At these wordes one of his seruaÌts stepped forth and said my lord I heard this man preach by Norwich in sir Iohn Robsters house in hys praier he desired God to turne Q. Maries hart or elles to take her out of the world and this was in K. Edw. time Rose My Lord I made no such prayer but next after the king I prayed for her after this sort saying Ye shall pray for my Lady Maries grace that God wil vouchsafe to indue her with his spirite that she graciously may perceiue the misteries conteined within his holy lawes and so render vnto him her hart purified with true fayth true loyall obedience to her soueraigne lord and king to the good ensample of the inferiour subiects And this my Lord is already aunswered in mine own hand writing to the counsel Unto this he sayd little but turning his face to certayne that were by him This is he quoth the Bishop that my Lord of Norwich told me had begotten his mayd with chylde Rose This is no heresie my Lord although it be a lye In deed certayn wicked persons raysed this report of me for the hatred they bare to the doctrine whiche I preached but for purgatioÌ of my self herein I had no lesse then 6. of the counsails hands that there might be due dilligent examination for this matter in the country by men of worship appointed for that purpose who can al testifie I thank god that I am most cleare froÌ such wickednes in deede they haue cleared me froÌ it therfore I doubt not but all good meÌ will espye the mischieuous deuise of mine aduersaryes whych when other wayes fayled by such sinister means went about to draw me into discredite hatred but God which is the helper of the innoceÌt searcher of mens harts hath doth defend me hath layd open thinges that wer hid to their shame One of the chief reporters of this that I should so abuse my self was one M. Clarke seruaunt in some estimation with the old Lord Treasurer of England reputed taken for a coniurer who afterwards for his good demerites hanged himself in the Tower Then the bishop commanded that I shoulde be caryed to the tower be kept safely where I did lye til it was the weeke before WhitsoÌtide Before which time I was twise called when as the bish came to the tower about other prisoners Notwythstanding the B. had no great talk with me but spake freÌdly Howbeit one sir Rich. Southwell knight still accused me for my prayer sayde I did put a difference betwixte Lady Mary Lady Elizabeth for that I prayed in king Edwardes fayth prayed that he would confirme Lady Elizabeth in that which was well begoÌ in her Unto this the bish sayde little but in the weeke before Pentecost I was conueyed from the tower to Norwich there to be examined by the bish and his clergy as concerning my faith the maner wherof here followeth ¶ The second examination of Tho. Rose before the bishop of Norwiche Hopkins by name in his owne Palace in the presence of sir William Woodhouse knight M. Stewarde the Chauncellor Doct. Barret with diuers others the Wednesday in Whitson weeke an Domini 1553. AFter I was presented by my keeper the bishop immediately asked me what I was I told him I had bene a Minister Bishop What is this to the purpose were yee a Fryer or a Priest Rose Fryer was I neuer but a Prieste haue I bene and beneficed by the kinges Maiesty Byshop Where were ye made Priest Rose In Exceter in the county where I was borne TheÌ the bishop required of me my letters of orders I told hym I knew not where they were become for they wer things of me not greatly regarded Byshop Well you are sent to me to be examined what say you will you submit your selfe to the order of the Churche of England Rose My Lord I trust I am not out of the order of chrystes Church in England neither do I knowe my selfe an offender there agaynst Bysh. What yeâ ye haue here preached moste damnable deuilish doctrine Rose Not so my lord The doctrine by me here preached was both true sincere holy But in deede the doctrine that is now set forth is most wicked and damnable yea that both agaynst Gods lawes mans But as for the doctrin by me preached it is grounded vpon the word of God set out also by the authoritie of two most mighty kings with the consent of all the Nobilitie and clergy of the same so that I preached nothing but their lawfull proceedinges hauing their lawfull authoritie vnder their broad Seales for confirmation of the same for which my doyng ye cannot iustly charge me For why sithens the lawe ceased I haue kept silence so that the Counsaile which sent me vnto you haue not charged me therwith Wherefore ye doe me open wrong to burden me with that wherein I am free Chanc. What sir ye are very captious answerest thou my Lord after such a sort Rose Syr sayd I I aunswere for my selfe and accordyng to the truth wherwith ye ought not to be offended if ye be of God Chaunc Thou art an euill man Wast thou not abiured before now Rose No ye vntruely report me and are in no wise able to proue that whiche ye haue spoken so that your wordes appeare to proceede altogether of malice whiche I haue not deserued at your handes But in this I well perceiue ye are made an instrument to vtter other mennes malice conceiued of olde Chaunc
most of the Deuill of hell Thus he lay without amendment about 6. daies that his maister and all his houshold was weary of that trouble and noyse Then his maister agreed with the keepers of Bedlem and gaue a peece of money and sent hym thether It seemeth that he was possessed with an euill spirit from the which God defend vs all This is a terrible example to you that be mockers of the word of God therfore repent amend lest the vengeance of God fall vpon you in like maner Witnes heereof William Mauldon of Newington The same William Mauldon chaunced afterwarde to dwel at a Towne 6. miles from London called Waltamstow where his wife taught yong children to read which was about the yeare of our Lorde 1563. and the 4. yeare of Queene Elizabeths raigne Unto this schoole amongest other children came one Benfieldes daughter named Dennis about the age of twelue yeares As these children sate talking together they happened among other talke as the nature of children is to be busy with many things to fall in communication of God and to reason among them selues after their childish discretion what he should be Whereunto some answered one thing some an other Among whom when one of the children had sayd that he was a good olde father the foresayd Denis Benfielde casting out impious woordes of horrible blasphemie what he sayd shee is an olde doting foole What wretched and blasphemous wordes were these yee heare Nowe marke what followed When William Mauldon heard of these abhominable woordes of the girle hee willed his wife to correcte her for the same Which was appoynted the nexte day to be done But wheÌ the next morow came her mother would nedes send her to the market to London the wenche greatly intreating her mother that she might not go being marueilously vnwilling thereunto Howebeit thorough her mothers compulsion shee was forced to goe and went And what happened Her businesse being done at London as she was returning againe homewarde and being a little past Hackney sodenly the yong girle was so stricken that all the one side of her was black and she speachles Wherupon immediately she was caried backe to Hackney and there the same night was buried Witnes of the same storie William Mauldon and his wife also Benfielde her father and her mother which yet be all aliue A terrible example no doubt both to old and young what it is for children to blaspheme the Lord theyr God and what it is for parentes to suffer their young ones to grow vp in such blasphemous blindnes not to nurture them betime in the rudimeÌts of the christian Catechisme to know first their creation and then their redemption in Christ our Sauiour to feare the name of God and to reuerence his Maiestie For els what do they deserue but to be taken away by ââeathe whiche contemptuously despise him of whome they take the benefite of life And therefore let all young maides boyes and yong men take example by this wretched seely wench not only not to blaspheme the sacrede Maiestie of the omnipotent God their creator but also not once to take his name in vaine according as they are taughte in hys commaundementes Secondly let all Fathers Godfathers and Godmothers take this for a warning to see to the instruction and Catechising of their children for whom they haue bounde them selues in promise both to God and to hys Churche Which if the Father and godfather the Mother and godmothers had done to this younge girle verely it maye be thought this destruction had not fallen vpon her Thirdly al blinde Atheists Epicures Mammonists belly Gods of this worlde and sonnes of Beliall hypocrites infidelles and mockers of Religion which saye in their hearts there is no God learne also hereby not only what God is and what he is able to doe but also in thys miserable creature here punished in this world to behold what shall likewise fall on them in the world to come vnlesse they will be warned betime by such examples as the Lord God doth geue them Fourthly and lastly heere may also be a spectacle for all them which be blasphemous and abhominable swearers or rather tearers of God abusing his glorious name in suche contemptuous and despitefull sort as they vse to do Whome if neither the woorde and commaundemente of God nor the calling of the preachers nor remorse of conscience nor rule of reason nor theyr wytheringe age nor hory haires will admonish yet let these terrible examples of Gods districte Iudgement somewhat mooue them to take heede to them selues For if thys young maiden who was not fully 12. yeares old for her vnreuerent speaking of God and that but at one time did not escape the stroke of Gods terrible hande what then haue they to looke for which being men growen in yeares and stricken in age being so often warned preached vnto yet cease not continually with theyr blasphemous othes not only to abuse his name but also most coÌtumeliously and despitefully to teare him as it were and all his partes in peeces About the yeare of our Lorde 1565. at Bryhtwell in the County of Backshyre vppon certaine communication as touching the right reuerende Martyrs in Christ Byshop Cranmer Bishop Ridley and maister Hughe Latimer there came into an house in Abyngdon one whose name is Leuar being a Plowman dwelling in Bryhtwel afore sayd and sayd that he saw that euill fauoured knaue Latimer when he was burned And also in despite sayd that he had teeth like a horse At which time and hour as neare as could be gathered the sonne of the sayde Leauer moste wickedly hanged him selfe at Shepton in the Countie aforesayd within a mile of Abingdon These wordes were spoken in the hearing of me Thomas Ienens of Abyngdon Did not Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterburie geue sentence against the Lord Cobham and died him self before him being so stricken in his toung that neither he could swallow nor speake for a certain space before his death pag. 588. Frier Campbell the accuser of Patricke Hamelton in Scotlande what a terrible ende hee hadde reade before pag. 957. Haruey a Commissarie that condemned a poore man in Calice was shortly after hanged drawen and quartered pag. 1229. William Swallow the cruell tormentor of George Egles was shortly after so plagued of God that al the hair of his heade and nailes of his fingers and toes went off his eyes welneare closed vppe that hee coulde scante see Hys wife also was stricken wyth the falling Sickenesse wyth the whych Maladie shee was neuer infected before pag. 2010. Likewise Richard Potto an other troubler of the sayd George Egles vppon a certaine anger or chafe with hys seruauntes was so sodenlye taken with sicknesse that falling vpon his bed lyke a beast there he died neuer spake woorde pag. 2010. Richard Denton a shrinker from the Gospel while he refused to suffer the fire in
824. Dauid Beaton Archbishop of s. Andrewes in Scotland shortly after the beginning of M. George Wisard how hee by the iust stroke of God was slaine and wretchedly ended his lyfe within his owne Castle in the discourse of his story is euident to see who so listeth further to read of that matter pag. 1272. Ioannes Sleidanus in his 23. booke maketh relatiââ of Cardinall Crescentius the chiefe President and moderator of the Councell of Trident ann 1552. The story of whom is certain the thing that hapned to him was straÌge and notable the exaÌple of him may be profitable to others such as haue grace to be warned by other meÌs euils The narration is this The 25. day of March in the yere aforesaid Crescentius the Popes Legate and Uicegerent in the Councell of Trident was sitting all the day long vntill darke night in writing letters to thâ Pope After his labour when night was come thinking to refresh himselfe he began to rise and at his rising beholde there appeared to hym a mighty blacke dogge of a huge bignes his eyes flamyng with fire and his eares hanging low downe welneere to the ground to enter in and straite to come toward hym so to couch vnder the boord The Cardinall not a little amased at the sight thereof somewhat recouering himselfe ralled to his seruauntes which were in the outward chaÌber next by to bring in a candle and to seeke for the dog But when the dog could not be found neither there nor in no other chamber about the Cardinall thereupon striken with a sodaine conceit of mynd immediately fell into such a sicknes wherof his Phisitions which he had about hym with all their industry and cunnyng coulde not cure hym And so in the towne of Uerona died this popish cardinall the Popes holy Legate and President of this couÌcel wherein his purpose was as Sleidane saith to recouer and heale againe the whole authoritie and doctrine of the Romish see and to set it vp for euer There were in this Councell beside the Popes Legates and Cardinall of Trident lxij Bishops Doctours of Diuinitie xlij And thus was the ende of that Popishe Councell by the prouident hand of the almighty dispatched and brought to naught Ex Sleidano Li. 23. This Councell of Trident being then dissolued by the death of this Cardinal was afterward notwithstanding recollected againe about the yeare of our lord 1562. against the erroneous proceedings of which Councel other writers there be that say enough So much as pertaineth only to story I thought hereunto to adde concernyng two filthy adulterous bishops to the sayd Councel belonging of whome the one haunting to an honest mans wife was slaine by the iust stroke of God with a Borespeare The other Bishop whose haunte was to creepe through a window in the same window was subtilly taken and hanged in a grinne layed for hym of purpose and so conueied that in the mornyng hee was seene openly in the streete hangyng out of the windowe to the wonderment of all that passed by Ex protestatione Concionatorum Germa aduersus conuentum Trident. c. Amongst all the religious order of Papists who was a stouter defender of the Popes side or a more vehement impugner of Martin Luther then Iohn Eckius who if his cause wherein he so trauailed had bene godly had deserued no doubt great fauour and condigne retribution at the hands of the Lord. Now for so much as we cannot better iudge of him then by his ende let vs consider the maner of his departing hence and compare the same with the end of M. Luther In the which M. Luther beyng such an aduersarye as he was to the Pope and hauyng no lesse then al the world vpon him at once first this is to bee noted that after all these trauailes the Lord gaue him to depart both in great age and in his owne natiue countrey where he was born Secondly he blessed him with such a quiet death without any violent hande of any aduersary that it was counted rather a sleepe then a death Thirdly as the death of hys body was myld so his spirit mynde continued no lesse godly vnto the end continually inuocating and calling vpon the name of the Lord and so commending his spirite to hym with feruent prayer he made a blessed and an heauenly ending Fourthly ouer and besides these blessings almighty God did also adde vnto him such an honourable buriall as to many great Princes vnneth happeneth the like And this briefly concernyng the ende of M. Luther as ye may read before more at large pag. 863. Now let vs consider and conferre with this the death of Iohn Eckius and the maner thereof which we find in the English translation of the history of Iohn Carion fol. 250. in these words expressed This yere saith he died at Ingold state Doctor Eckius a faithful seruant and champion of the Pope and a defender of the abhominable Papacie But as his lyfe was full of all vngodlines vncleannes and blasphemy so was his end miserable hard and pitifull in so much that his last wordes as it is noted of many credible personnes were these In case the foure thousand guildens were ready the matter were dispatched c. Dreamyng belike of some Cardinalship that he should haue bought Some say that the Pope had granted him a certaine Deanry which he should haue redeemed from the Courte of Rome with the foresayd summe Now what a heauenly ende this was of M. Eckius I leaue it to the Readers iudgement In the Citie of Andwerpe was as they terme hym there a Shoulted that is to say the next Officer to the Markgraue one named Iohn Uander Warfe a Bastard sonne of a stocke or kinred called Warfe of good estimation amongest the chiefest in Antwarpe Who as he was of nature cruell so was he of iudgement peruerse and corrupt and a sore persecutor of Christes flocke with greedines seekyng and sheddyng innocent bloud and had drouned diuers good men and women in the water for the which he was much commended of the bloudy generation Of some he was called a bloudhound or bloudy dog Of other he was called Shildpad that is to say Sheltode for that hee beyng a short grundy and of little stature did ride commonly with a great broad hat as a churl of the countrey This man after he was weary of his office wherein he had continued aboue xx yeres he gaue it ouer and because he was now growen rich and welthy he entended to passe the residue of his lyfe in pleasure and quietnes During which tyme about the second yeare after hee had left his office he came to Antwarpe to the feast called our Ladies Oumegang to make mery which feast is vsually kept on the Sonday followyng the assumption of our Lady The same day in the after noone about foure of the clock he being wel loden with wine rode homewards
and martyrdome 667.668 Reall presence with the absurdities and inconueniences therof 1443 Reasons why matters of controsy are not to be caried out of the Countries where they fel to the Pope to be decided 10 Reasons prouing that no Christian may resort to the popish masse Mattens and Euensong with a good conscience 1647 Reasons proouing the Religion in Q. Maryes tune to be nought 1727 Rebellion in Cornewall and Deuonshyre with theyr Articles .1303 discomfited 1304·1305 1307 Rebellion in Northfolke Yorkeshyre and diuers other places in the realme agaynst K. Edward 6 1308 Rebellion in Lincolneshyre repressed .1086 in Yorkeshyre .1087 in Deuonshire and Cornwall 1305 Recantation of Cranmer with his repentaunce for the same 1884 Redman Doctor his iudgement in cases of Religion 1360 Reseruation of the Church how it began and when 840 Reseruation of the Sacrament by whom introduced 1404 Regiment of the Popes Churche how far it differeth from the regiment of the primitiue church 19 Register booke in euery Parish 1096 Reimundus the good king of Tholouse disinherited by the Pope .269 excommunicate 271 Religion of the Protestantes elder then the Religion of the sedicious Papistes by 1000. yeares 1821 Religion reformed at Zuricke .867 at Berne Constance Geneua Strausburgh 870 Religion set forth in the daies of K. Edwarde the sixte commended 1902 Religion Christian when it began .50 esteemed by Auncestors and Graundfathers by time place 1993 Religion of the Papistes more hurt full to the state of the Churche then the doctrine of the Lutherans 2110 Religion reformed in king Edward 6. his dayes 1298.1299 Religion going backeward in England and the causes why .1134 hindered by discord 1373 Religion of Christ and of the pope 2. cleane contrary thinges 29 Reliques adored 28 Reliques offering and Sacrifice brought into the masse by whom 129 Remission of sinnes foure thinges therein to be considered necessarily concurring 27 Remission of sinnes sold for mony 860 Remedies agaynst the temptations of the Deuill and the worlde 1830. Replye of the Prelates of Fraunce agaynst the Lord Peter 354 Renold Pecocke his story 709 Remerius Inquisitour agaynst the Waldenses 236 Repington Canon of Leicester after Bishop of Lincolne a cruell persecutour 442 Repington of a zelous Professour become a most cruel and a bloudy persecutor of Christes poore meÌbers 437.444.530.539 Reuet his fearefull and straunge death 1917.1918 Reuenewes goynge yearlye oute of Englande to the Pope muche more then the Crowne it selfe 326 Reynold Eastland Martir his story and Martirdome 2037.2038 2039. Resistance agaynste the Pope no new thing 317 Restitution of Abbey landes by Q. Mary 1559.1560 R I. Richard 1. crowned king of England 235 Richard king of England Phillippe King of Fraunce theyr coÌclusion to go to the holy land 235 Richarde Kyng of Englande hys voyage to the holy land .241.251 his Actes and Exploytes by the way and there achieued .243.244 chargeth the french kyng with falshood 244. taken prisoner âould to the Emperour and is raunsomed 248. Richard the 2. hys commission and letters against the Gospellers 505. his letter to the Pope 506. Rich .2 his letters to Pope Boniface 9.509 his vertues and vices deposed with articles against him .513 hee beheaded his vncle innocently .513 is committed to the Tower and dyed in prison 514. Richard 3. vsurper crowned kyng of England .728 hys death 729. Richard king of Almayne hys death 339. Richard Archbishop of Caunterbury stayed froÌ goyng to Rome by the king 233. Richard Atkins Martyr his cruell death and Martyrdome at Rome for the Gospell and the constaunt profession thereof 2151. Richard Belward hys trouble and persecution 660. Richard Belward hys testimony for the Lord Cobham 577. Richard Bayfield Marty his story .1021 articles obiected against him ibid. hys aunsweres to the same .1022 hys condemnation and degradatian .1023 his constant martyrdome for the trueth of Christes Gospell 1024. Richard Dobbes Alderman of London and knight his commeÌdations 1774. Richard Earle Marshall hys admonition to the king .278 hys death 280. Richard Chauncellour of Lincoln made archbishop of Caunterbury complayneth of his king of Hubert Earle of Kent and others to the Pope and dyeth in comming from Rome 274 Richard Day martyr hys story 2037. Richard Feurus Martyr 914 Richard Grafton printer of the great Bibles 1191. Richard Houeden Martyr 665.666 Richard Lush Martyr hys story and condemnation and martyrdome 2004. Richard Denton burnt in hys own house who before woulde not burne in the Lordes cause 1717 Richarby Martyr his story 2037.2038.2039 Richard Spencer Martyr his story 1202. Richard Spurge his story 1895. Richard Sharpe Martyr his story and martyrdome 2052. Richard Turner a faithfull preacher of Christes veritie in Kent hys trouble for the same 1868.1869 Richard Turming his story and martyrdome 639.640 Richard Monke recanted 642. Richard Gibson Martyr his story and Martyrdome .2025.2026.2027 his Articles propounded to Boner to be aunswered vnto 2034. Richard Nichols Martyr hys story and martyrdome 1909. Richard Lee notary 477. Richard Webbe his trouble for the Gospell 1601 Richard Wich Priest and Martyr taken for a Sainct 701. Richard Wilmot scourged for the Gospell 2058. Richard Wright Richard Colliare and 4. others martyrs at Canterbury 1688. Richard White confessor hys story â054 Richard Woodman Martyr hys tragicall story .1983.1984 hys apprehension 1985. his first examination .1986 his second examination and aunsweres .1989.1990 his 3. examination .1992 his fourth examination .1997.1998 his fift examination .1999.2000 his last examination and aunsweres .2001.2002 his condemnation martyrdome 2003. Ridleyes talke with Bourne 1426. Richard Rothe Martyr his story and Martyrdome 2013.2014.2015.2016.2017 Richard Yeoman Martyr burned at Norwiche for the Gospell and the true profession thereof 2045. Richard Hook Martyred at Chichester for the trueth of the Gospell 1688 Richard Hunne his story .805 articles obiected agaynst him wyth his aunsweres .806 murthered in Prison .806.807 his Corpes burned after his death sentence definitiue agaynste him beinge deade .808 his Defence agaynste Syr Thomas More and Alanus Copus 811 Richard Mekins his story martyrdome 1202 Richarde Pottâ Persecutour hys death 2103 Richard Pacie his story 989 Ringing of Curphew by Thomas Arundell 554 Ringing in the Archbishoppe at S. Albons 555 Rigges UicechauÌcellor of Oxford 502 Rictionarus a cruell Helhounde to the poore Christians he made riuers of theyr bloud 79 Ridley his treatise against the worshipping of Images and setting of them vp in churches and temples 2128.2129.2130.2131 Ridley refused of Queene Mary to preach before her .1396 sent to Oxford to dispute 1428 Ridley his excellent story .1717 his conference with Mayster Latimer in prison .1718.1719 articles ministred agaynst him .1760 hys Examinations and Aunsweres .1761 his supplication to Quene Mary .1768 his death and constant martyrdome for Gods truth 1769.1770 his letters and farewelles to England 1770.1774.1777.1779.1784.1786 Riches and pride of the Cleargy the fountayne of mischiefe 210â Riches of the Popes Clergy how they ought to be employed 2109 Riding of the Pope the
did preuayle A practise of Prelates to conuey their owne proclamations vnder the kinges name and authoritye He meaneth of the Pope which went about to driue K. Henry out of his kingdome and that not without some adherentes nere about the king The cause of insurrections is falsly layed vpon English bookes but rather is to be lyed vpon the Popes pardoÌs Extortioners Bribers theeues be the greatest enemyes to the Gospell to be in Englishe The froward lyfe of the Gospellers is not to be layd to the Gospel Lacke of good Curates is the cause of all mischiefe in the Realme ãâ¦ã to Gods word By Nathan we may learne not ãâ¦ã to call ãâã our wârdes when we ãâã Gods pleasure to ãâ¦ã The Popes ãâã geuen to K. Henry Defender of the âayth no ãâã title for man The âayth of Christ is ãâ¦ã by man ãâ¦ã but ãâã Christ ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã of M. Latimer to the ãâã to be coââidered The heauenly courage of M. Latimer in discharging his conscience The King well pleased with the playnnes of M. Latimer Example for Bishops and alâ good Pastors to follow Warning to Iustices of peace A letter of M. Latimer to a certayne gentleman i. God turne ââ to good I refuse no iudgement Let vs accuse one another that one of vs may amend an other in the name of the Lord. Let iustice proceede in iudgement i. I cannot chuse but much alow such diligence i. And then will I gladly geue place confessing my fault humbly as one conquered with iust reasons As may wel appeaâe by his letter sent to the King before i. To rebuke the world of sinne i. Which thing vndoubtedly is the peculiar office of the holy ghost in the church of God so that it be practised by lawfull Preachers i. vnlesse perhaps to rebuke sinne sharpely be now to lacke all charitye friendship and truth M. Latimer flattereth no man i. Among al meÌ eyther frendes or enemyes according to Paules precept not esteemed of the children of this world hate you sayth he that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good And let vs not at any tyme for the fauour of men call good euill and euill good as the children of this world are commonly wont to doe as it is euery where to be seene Bolstring of falsehood and iniquitie Brother ought not to beare with brother to beare down right and truth especially being a Iustice. i. The Lord himselfe saying in the mouth of two or three c. i. Corrupte tenantes i. But God is yet aliue which seeth all and iudgeth iustly Were not here a good sorâe of Iustices trow you Iustices turned to Iugglers Partaking Iustices i. O good God i. Of a double nature sound corrupte That was full of Iustice This vnlesse it be restored abideth alwayes vniust bringing forth the fruites of wickednes one after an other i. Of which sorte we haue fewer amongest vs then I would i. To vicinity of bloud ãâã ãâ¦ã of ãâ¦ã and ãâã also be ãâã aââording to the ãâ¦ã of their ãâ¦ã wealth which tâouble vs when they ãâã to âelpe vs ãâã this ãâ¦ã Vexation ãâã vnderstanding ãâã good O âord that thou hâmââeâ me 1. After this ãâã bind ãâã Asses with âriâle and sâaâle ãâã they approch not ãâã vnto thee ãâã will not such ãâã cause ââyther wil communicate with other mens ãâ¦ã deteââble pride ãâ¦ã â What is to oppresse to defraud your brother in his ãâã â The sinne is not forgeuen except the thing be restored agayne that iâ taken away i. Of thinges gotteÌ by fraude guile deceite as of thinges gotten by open theft and robbery Godly threates of M. Latimer to saue the soule of his friend M. Latimers Newyeares gift sent to K. Henry B. Ridley and M. Latimer brought forth to examination October 1. M. White B. of Lincolne M. Brokes B. of Glocester the Popes deputies The last examination of M. Ridley and M. Latimer The effect of the Cardinalls Commission sent downe to Oxford D. Ridley and M. Latimer ascited to appeare the last of September B. Ridley putteth on his cap at hearing of the Popes name The wordes of the Bishop of Lincolne to D. Ridley for not putting of his cappe Answere of D Ridley to the B of Lincolne D. Ridley reuerenceth the person of the Cardinall but not his Legacye D. Ridley oâeth no reuerence to the pope D. White Bishop of Lincolne replyeth agayne Putting of caps at the naming of the Pope D. Ridley answereth The vsurped supremacye of Rome defied D. Ridleys cap pluckââ of perforce * Though the ãâã of ãâ¦ã yet the doctrine ãâã Rome is straunge * * The words of D. Ridley falsly repoâted The Bishop of Lincolne perswadeth D. Ridley ãâã tâ the Popes Church Answere ãâã D. âidley to the B. of Lincoââe â Pointes ãâã in the B. of Lincolnes Oration 2 The sea of Rome conââmed by old Doctours 3. D. Ridley once of the same sea The church not builded vpon Peter The church builded vpon faithâ not vpon any person The wordes of Christ to Peterâ Math· 16. expounded Fayth is the foundation of the Church Lineall discent of the Bishop of Rome Why the Bishops of Râme haue bene more esteemed then the Bishops of other cities The prerogatiue that the Doctours geue to the sea of Rome and for what cause The sea of Rome so long as it continued in sound doctrine was worthy to be reuerenced The Bishop of Rome proued to be Antichrist The place of S. Austen aunswered 4. Patriarches in the Church in Austines tyme. Countreys beyond the sea subiect to Rome how and in what respect Rome may be mother of churches and yet no supreme head of Churches D. Ridley falsly charged to preach transubstantiation at Paules Crosse. D. Ridley mistaken in his Sermon Lincolne againe replyeth D. Ridley agaynââââswereth ãâã the wordâ of Austen Lincolne returneth agayne to his oration * And why then do you alligate it to the city of Româ 2. Powers of the keyes and of the sword England how subiect to the King and how to the Pope B. Ridley exhorted to submitte himselfe to the Pope Feare of punishment set before him * But that office you your selues haue assigned vnto them Aââwere to D. Ridley to Lincolne * He meaneth in which no generall errour can be âânally The church ãâã to no ãâã ãâ¦ã doe ãâã the Church to ââcertayne place and that onely ãâã Rome The ãâ¦ã bind the Church to no one ãâ¦ã what Church to ãâ¦ã infected with the Church of ãâã and ãâ¦ã * Articles ioyntly and seuerally ministred to D. Ridley and M. Latymer by the Popes deputies B. Ridley examined vpon the Articles aforesayd The Catholicke promise fayre but they performe nothing The hie Priestes had not power to put Christ to death but they had power to commit him to Pilate neyther would they suffer him to abâsolue Christ. D. WestoÌ shooteth his bolte The protestatioÌ of D. Ridley D. Ridley cannot be suffered to speake The reall
my neighbour c. How so good Mayster N Wherein Or how will you proue it to be true and when So you sayd that he had abused you and geuen you wrong information but the contrary is found true by good testimony of Mayster Chamber whiche heard aswell as you what my neighbour sayd and hath testified the same both to you and agaynst you full like himselfe Maister N. to forge and feine which argueth an ill cause that is one thing but to proue what a man doth say that is an other thyng As though you were priuiledged to outface poore men beare them in hand what you list as may seeme to make some mayntenaunce for your naughty cause Trust me Mayster N. I was but a very litle acquaynted with my neighbor when this matter begaÌ but now I haue found him so conformable to honesty vpright in his dealinges and so true in his talke that I esteme him better then I do some other whom I haue perceiued and founde otherwayes For I will flatter no man nor yet claw his backe in hys folly but esteeme all menne as I finde them allowing what is good and disalowing what is bad In omnibus hominibus siue amicis siue inimicis iuxta praeceptum Paulinum à filijs huius seculi in precio non habitum Sitis odio inquit prosequentes quod malum est adhaerentes autem ei quod bonum est Neque bonum malum nec malum bonum in gratiam hominum affirmemus vnquam id quod filij huius seculi vulgo faciunt vt est videre vbique And nowe what maner of man doe you make me Mayster N. when you note me to bee so muche abused by so ignoraunt a man so simple so playne and so farre without all wrinckles Haue I liued so long in this tottering worlde and haue I bene so many wayes turmoyled and tossed vp and downe and so muche as it were seasoned with the powder of so many experiences to and fro to bee nowe so farre bewitched and alienated from my wyttes as thoughe I coulde not discerne cheese from chalke trueth from falsehoode but that euery sely soule and base witted man might easely abuse me to what enterprise he listed at his pleasure Well I say not nay but I may bee abused But why doe you not tell we howe your brother abused me promising before me and many moe that he woulde stand to your awardship and nowe doth denye it Why do you not tell me how those two false faythlesse wretches abused me promising also to abide your awarde and doth it not Yea why do you not tell me how you your selfe haue abused me promising me to redresse the iniury and wrong that your brother hath done to my neighbour and haue not fulfilled your promise These notable abuses bee nothing with you but onely you muste needes burthen me with my neighbours abusing me whiche is none at all as farreforth as euer I coulde perceiue so GOD helpe mee in my need For if he had abused me as you and other haue done I should be soone at a point with him for any thing further doing for him c. Item Syr you sayde further that I shall neuer bee able to proue that either your brother or the two tenauntes agreed to stand to your award c. No Syr Mayster N. you say belike as you would haue it to be or as your brother with his adherentes haue persuaded you to think it to be so inducing you to do their request to your owne shame and rebuke if you perseuer in the same beside the perill of your soule for consenting at least waâ to the mainteinance by falshood of your brothers iniquity For in that you would your awardship should take none effect you shew your selfe nothing inclinable to the redresse of your brothers vnright dealing with an honest poore man which hath bene readye at your request to doe you pleasure with his thinges or els hee had neuer come into this wrangle for his owne goodes with your brother Ah Mayster N. what maner of man do you shew your selfe to be or what maner of conscience do you shew your selfe to haue For first as touching your brother you know right well that Sir Thomas Cokin with a Letter of his owne hand writing hath witnessed vnto your brothers agreement which letter he sent to me vnsealed and I shewed the same to my neighbour and other mo ere I sealed it and perchaunce haue a copye of the same yet to shewe With what conscience then can you say that I shall neuer be able to prooue it Shall not three men vpon theyr othes make a sufficient proofe trow you vel ipso dicente Domino in ore duorum vel trium c. Yea you thinke it true I dare saye in your conscience if you haue any conscience though I were in my graue and so vnable to proue any thing And as for the two tenauntes they bee as they be and I trust to see them handled according as they be for there be three men yet aliue that dare sweare vpon a booke that they both did agree But what should we looke for at such mens handes when you your selfe play the part you do Verum viuit adhuc Deus qui videt omnia iudicat iustè c. Item Syr you sayd yet further that the Iustices of peace in the countrey thinke you verye vnnaturall in taking part with me before your brother c. Ah Mayster N. what a sentence is this to come out of your mouth For partaking is one thing and ministring of iustice is an other thing and a worthy minister of iustice will bee no Partaker but one indifferent betweene party and partye And did I require you to take my parte I praye you No I required you to minister iustice betweene your brother and mine neighbour without anye partaking with either other But what maner of Iustices bee they I praye you whiche would so fayne haue you to take parte naturally with your Brother when you ought and shoulde reforme and amende your brother as you your selfe know no man better What Iustices no Iuggelers you might more worthely call such as they be then Iustices Be they those Iustices whiche call you vnnaturall for that you will not take your brothers part agaynst all right conscience whom you had picked out appoynted to haue the final hearing and determining of my neighbours cause after your substantiall and fine award making Verely I thinke no lesse Forsooth he is much beholding to you I also for his sake Is that the wholesome couÌsell that you haue to geue your poore neighbours in theyr need In deed you shew your selfe a worthy Iuggler Oh I would haue sayd a Iusticier among other of your iuggling and partaking Iustices Deum bonum what is this worlde Mary Syr my neighbour had sponne a fayre thred if your partaking Iustices through your good counsell had had
his matter in ordering and finishing I pray God saue mee and all my frendes with all Gods flocke from the whole felowship of your so naturall and partaking Iustices Amen Lord God who would haue thought that there had beene so many partaking Iustices that is to say vniust Iustices in Warwickshire if Maister N. himselfe one of the same order but altogether out of order and therefore knoweth it best had not told vs the tale but these call you you saye verye vnnaturall c. And why not rather I pray you to much naturall For we reade de natura duplici integra corrupta Illa erat iusticiae plena haec nisi reparata semper manet iniusta iniusticiae fructus alios post alios paritura so that he that will not helpe his brother hauing a iust cause in his neede may be iustly called vnnaturall as not doing iuxta instinctu naturae siue integre siue reparate i. According to the instinct of nature either as it was at the beginning or as it was restored But hee that will take his brothers parte agaynst right as to ratifie his brothers wrong deceiuing he is too muche naturall tanquam sequens ingenium siue inclinationem naturae corruptae contra voluntatem Dei i. As one folowing the disposition and inclination of corrupt nature agaynst the wil of God and so to be naturall maye seeme to bee cater cosin or cosin germane with to be diabolicall I feare me we haue to many Iustices that be to much naturall to theyr owne perishment both body and soule For worthy Iustices hauing euer the feare and dread of God before their eies quales sunt pauciores apud nos quà m vellem will haue no respect at all in theyr iudgementes and proceedinges ad propinquitatem sanguinis but altogether ad dignitatem aequitatem causae vt quod iustum est semper iudicent intuitu Dei non quod iniustum est intuitu hominum of whiche number I pray God make you one Amen Iustus est sayth Iohn qui facit iusticiam At qui facit peccatum id quod facit quisquis iniuste facit in gratiam fauorem vllius hominis ex diabolo est i. He is iust that doth iustice But he that sinneth as they all do whiche doe vniustly for fauour and pleasure of men is of the deuill saith he which once all our pataking and vnnatural iustices be with all their partialitie and naturalitie Quare dignum iustum est that as many as be such Iustices iuste priuentur munere amplius quoque plectantur pro sui quisque facinoris quantitate vt vel sic tandem abscindantur tanquam nati in incommodum reipub nostrae qui nos conturbant cum adiuuare debeant Amen Quare seponite iustitiam sequimini naturam as your naturals and diabolicales woulde haue you to doe that is euen as iust as Germaines lippes which came not together by nine mile Vt Vulgo dicunt c. Item Sir finally and last of all you added these wordes following Well quod you let maister Latimer take heede howe hee medleth with my brother for he is like to finde as crabbed and as froward a peece of him as euer he found in his life c. Ah sir and is your brother such a one as you speake of in deede mercyfull GOD what a commendation is this for one brother to geue an other Est ne eiusmodi gloriatio tua mi amice And were it not possible trowe you to make hym better It is written Vexatio dat intellectum And againe Bonum mihi Domine quòd humiliasti me At least waye I may pray to God for hym as Dauid did for such like ad hunc modum Chamo freno maxillas eorum constringe qui non approximant at te In the mean season I would I had neuer knowne neither of you both for so shoulde I haue bene without this inward sorrow of my heart to see suche vntowardnes of you both to godlinesse for I can not be but heauy harted to see such men so wickedly minded Well let vs ponder a little better your woordes where you saye I shall finde him as crabbed and as frowarde a peece c. Marke well your owne wordes For by the tenour of the same it plainly appeareth that you confesse your brothers cause wherein he so stiffely standeth to be vniust and verye nought For hee that standeth so stiffly in a good quarrell and a iuste cause as manye good men haue done is called a fast man a constaunt a trustye man But he that is so obstable and vntractable in wickednesse and wronge doing is commonly called a crabbed and froward peece as you name your brother to be Wherefore knowing so well youre brothers cause to bee so naughtie why haue you not endeuoured youre selfe as a worthy Iustice to reforme him accordingly as I required you and you promised me to do now almost twelue monthes agoe if not altogether Summa Summarum Maister N. if you will not come of shortly and apply your selfe thereunto more effectually hereafter then you haue done heretofore be you well assured therof I shall detecte you to all the friendes that I haue in Englande both hye and lowe as well his crabbednes and frowardnes as your colourable supportation of the same that I trust I shal be able therby either to bring you both to some goodnes or at least waye I shall so warne my friendes and all honest heartes to beware of your ilnes that they shall take either no hurte at all or at least waye least harme by you through mine aduertisemente in that knowing you perfectly they may the better auoide and shunne youre companie You shall not staye me maister N. no though you would geue me all the landes and goodes you haue as riche as you are noted to bee Ego nolo tam iustam causam derelinquere ego nolo peccatis alienis in hac parte communicare For whether it be per detestabilem superbiam whether per abominabilem auaritiam or by both two linked to gether it is no small iniquitie to keep any one poore maÌ so long froÌ his right and duetie so stiffe neckedly and obstinately or whether yee will crabbedly and frowardly And what is it then anye manner of wayes to consent to the same You know I trowe Mayster N. furtum quid sit nempe quouismodo auferre vel retinere alienam âem inuito Domino vt quidam definiunt Si fur sit qui sic palam facit quis erit qui facientem probat tutatur propugnat vel quibuscunque ambagibus suffulcit id est What thefte is that is to take or deteyne by any maner of way an other mans good against his will that is the owner as some define it If he be a theef that so doth openly what shall he be that approueth hym whiche is the doer defendeth mayntayneth and supporteth him by any maner of colour Consider with your selfe good maister
lawes which doe threaten a greate ruine vnto Englande O that the Lorde woulde tourne his iust iudgements vppon the authours of the truce breaking betweene God and vs that they myghte be broughte lowe as Nabuchodonosor was that his people might be deliuered and his glorye exalted God graunte that that good lucke which you hope shortly to come vppon the house of God be a true prophecie and not a well wishing onely Ah Lorde take away thy heauie hande from vs and stretch it out vpon thine ennemies these hypocrites as thou hast begon that they may be confounded O let not the weake pearish for want of knowledge through our sinnes Although thou kill vs yet will we put our trust in thee Thus deare heart you teache me to pray with you in wryting God heare our praiers and geue vs the spirite of effectuall prayer to poure out our harts coÌtinually together before God that we may find mercy both for our selues and for our afflicted brethren and sistern I can not but praise God in you for that pitifull heart that taketh other folkes calamities to heart as your owne Blessed be they that mourne for suche shall be comforted God wipe away all teares from your pitifull eies and sorrow froÌ your merciful heart that you may as doutles you shal do shortly reioyce with his elects for euer You haue so armed me to the Lordes battell both inwardly and outwardly that except I be a very coward I can not faint but ouercome by death You haue appointed me to so good and gracious a General of the field to so victorious a Captaine and to so fauorable a Marshall that if I should not goe on lustely there were no spectacle of heauenlye manhode in me I wil present your coate armour before my Captaine and in the same I trust by him to ouercome The Scarffe I desire as an outward signe to shew our enemies who see not our glorious ende neither what God worketh inwardly in vs thorough the blindnesse of their hearts that they persecute Christes crosse in vs whereby he hath sealed vp the truthe of his Gospell by his death vnto vs that we by our death if neede be myghte confirme the same and neuer be ashamed whatsoeuer torment we doe suffer for his names sake and our weake brethren seeing the same mighte be more encouraged to take vp Christes crosse and to followe him God geue vs grace to doe all thinges to his glory Amen c. The world wondreth how we can be mery in such extreeme misery but our God is omnipotent which tourneth misery into felicity Beleue me deare sister there is no such ioy in the worlde as the people of Christ haue vnder the crosse I speake by experience therfore beleue me and feare nothing that the world can do vnto you For when they imprison our bodies they sette our soules at liberty with God When they cast vs downe they lift vs vp yea when they kill vs then doe they bring vs to euerlasting life And what greater glorye can there be then to be at conformitie with Christ which afflictions do worke in vs. God open our eies to see more and more the glorye of God in the crosse of Iesus Christe and make vs woorthy partakers of the same Let vs reioyce in nothing with S. Paul but in the crosse of Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified vnto vs and wo to the worlde The crosse of Christ be our standard to fight vnder for euer Whiles I am thus talking with you of our common coÌsolation I forget howe I trouble you with my rude and vnordinate tediousnesse but you must impute it to loue which can not quickely departe from them whome hee loueth but desireth to poure himselfe into their bosomes Therefore though your flesh woulde be offended as it might iustly be at such rudenesse yet your spirit will say nay which taketh all thing in good part that commeth of loue And now I am departing yet will I take my leaue ere I goe and woulde faine speake somewhat that might declare my sincere loue to you for euer farewell O elect vessell of the Lorde to the comfort of hys afflicted flocke farewell on earth whome in heauen I am sure I shall not forget Farewell vnder the crosse most ioyfully and vntil we meete alwaies remember what Christe sayeth Be of good cheare for I haue ouercome the world c. God poure his spirit abundantly vpon you mine owne deare bowels in Christ vntil you may come to see the God of all Gods with his electes in the euerlasting Syon I send to you the kisse of peace with the which I do most entirely take my leaue of you at this present It is necessary we depart hence or els we could not be glorified Your heart is heauy because I say I must depart from you It is the calling of the mercifull father wherewithal you are conteÌt and so am I. Be of good comfort holde out your buckler of faith for by the strength therof we shal shortly mete in eternal glory to the which Christ bring both vs Amen Amen The 10. of December 1555. Death why should I feare thee since thou canst not hurt me But rid me from miserie vnto eternall glorie Dead to the world and liuing to Christ your owne brother sealed vp in the veritie of the Gospel for euer Iohn Philpot. An other letter of M. Philpot wrytten to the same Lady being a great supporter of hym I Can not but most hartily geue God thaÌks for these hys gifts in you whose brightnes many beholding that are weake are muche encouraged to seeke God likewise to cleaue to him hauing the ensample of so faithful and constant a gentlewoman before their eyes If the Queene of the South shall rise with the men of Christes generation and condemne them for that she came from the end of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon then shal your sincere and godly conuersation thus shining in this dangerous time of the trial of christes people being a womaÌ of a right worshipfull estate and wealthy condition condemne in the latter day a great many of these faint harted gospellers which so soone be gone backe and turned from the truth at the voyce of a handmaiden seeing that neyther the feare of imprisonment neither the possessions of the world wherwtal you are sufficiently indued aboue a great many can separate you from the loue of the truthe which God hath reueled vnto you Wherby it appeareth that the seede of Gods word which was sown in you fel not neitheir in the high way neither amoÌg the thorns neither vpoÌ the stones but vpon a good ground which is blessed of god and bringeth forth fruit with great affliction an 100. fold to the glory of God and the encrease of his church c. In consideration wherof S. Iames biddeth vs highly to reioyce when soeuer we fall into many temptations knowing that it is but the
idolatrye and superstition whiche then was vsed as also that he had by preaching entised oothers to do the like Being then hereupon examined he confessed that hee comming into hys parishe Churche of Bentley and seing the people sitting there either gasing about or els talking together exhorted them that they would fall vnto prayer and meditation of Gods most holy worde and not âit styll idlely Whereunto they willingly consented Then after prayer ended he read vnto them a chapiter of the New testament and so departed In which exercise he continued vntill Candlemas then being enformed that he might not so doe by the lawe for that he was no priest or minister he lefte of and kepte himselfe close in his house vntill Easter then nexte after At what time certayne sworne men for the inquiry of such matters came vnto hys house and attached him for reading in the Parish of Welley But when they vnderstood that he had red but once that it was of obedience whereunto hee earnestly moued the people they let hym for that tyme depart Notwythstanding for feare of their cruelty hee was not longe after constrayned to forsake his owne house and keepe himselfe in woodes barnes and other solitary places vntill the time of his apprehension After this examination the Lord Darcy sent him vp to the Counsell but they not minding to trouble them selues with him sent him vnto Boner Who by threateninges and other subtill meanes so abused the simple and fearfull hart of thys man as yet not throughly stayed vpon the ayd and helpe of God that within shorte tyme hee won him vnto his most wicked will and made him opeÌly at Paules crosse to reuoke and recante his former profession and thereupon set him at libertie of body Whiche yet brought such a bondage and terrour of soule and conscience and so cast him downe that except the Lord whose mercies are immeasurable had supported and lifted hym vp agayne he had perished for euer But the Lord who neuer suffereth his elect Children vtterly to fall castinge his pittifull eyes vppon this loste sheepe with his mercifull and fatherly chastisment dyd with Peter rayse hym vp agayne geuing vnto him not only harty and vnfayned repentaunce but also a moste constant boldnes to professe agayne euen vnto the death hys most holy name and glorious gospel Wherefore at the procurement of one Thomas Tie priest sometime an earnest professor of Christ but now a fierce persecutour of the same as appeareth more at large before in the history of William Munt and his wife page 1979 he was againe apprehended and sent vp againe vnto Boner before whome he was the 8. day of Aprill and sondry other times else examined The report of which examination wrytten by his owne hand with bloud for lacke of other incke heereafter followeth The examination of Rafe Allerton at his seconde apprehension appearing before the Bishop of London at Fulham the 8. day of Aprill An. 1557. wrytten by him selfe wyth his owne bloud BOner Ah syrrha howe chaunceth it that you are come hether againe on this fashion I dare say thou art accused wrongfully Rafe Yea my Lord so I am For if I were guilty of such things as I am accused off then I would be very sorie Boner By sainct Marie that is noâ wel done But let me heare Art thou an honest man for if I can proue no heresie by thee then shall thine accusers doe thee no harme at all Goe too lette me heare thee For I did not beleeue the tale to be true Rafe My Lorde who doeth accuse me I pray you let me know and what is mine accusation that I may answere thereunto Boner Ah wilt thou so Before God if thou hast not dissembled then thou needest not to be afraide nor ashamed to aunswer for thy selfe But tell me in faith hast thou not dissembled Rafe If I cannot haue mine accusers to accuse me before you my conscience doth constrain me to accuse my self before you For I confesse that I haue grieuously offended God in my dissimulatioÌ at my last being before your lordship for the which I am right sorrie as God knoweth Boner Wherein I pray thee diddest thou dissemble when thou wast before me Rafe Forsooth my Lord if your lordsh remeÌber I did set my hand vnto a certain writing the contents wherof as I remember were that I did beleue in all things as the catholike churche teacheth c. In the which I did not disclose my minde but shamefully dissembled because I made no difference betwene the true church and the vntrue church Bon. Nay but I pray thee let me heare more of this gear For I fear me thou wilt smel of an hereticke anone Which is the true church as thou saiest Dost thou not call the heretikes church the true church or the catholike church of Christ Now which of these 2. are the true church saiest thou Go too for in faith I will know of thee ere I leaue thee Rafe As concerning the church of heretikes I vtterly abhorre the same as detestable and abhominable before God with all their enormities and heresies and the church catholicke is it that I onely embrace whose doctrine is sincere pure and true Boner By s. Augustine but that is wel said of thee For by God almighty if thou haddest allowed the church of heretikes I would haue burned thee with fire for thy labour Morton Then said one Morton a Priest My Lorde you know not yet what church it is that he calleth catholicke I warrant you he meaneth naughtely enough Boner Thinke you so Now by our blessed Lady if it be so he might haue deceiued me How say you syrrha which is the catholicke church Rafe Euen that which hath receiued the wholsome sound spoken of Esay Dauid Malachie and Paule with many other moe The which sounde as it is wrytten hath gone throughout all the earthe in euery place vnto the endes of the worlde Boner Yea thou sayest true before God For this is the sound that hath gone throughout all Christendom and he that beleeueth not the sound of the holy church as S. Cyprian saith doth erre For he saieth that whosoeuer is out of the Churche is like vnto them that were out of Noes ship when the flud came vpon al the whole world so that the Arke of Noe is likened vnto the church and therefore thou hast wel said in thy confession For the churche is not alone in Germanie nor was here in England in the time of the late schismes as the heretikes doe affirme For if the church should be there alone then were Christe a lier For he promised that the holy Ghost should come to vs leade vs into all truth yea and remaine with vs vnto the ende of the world So now if we wil take Christ for a true sayer then must we needes affirme that the waye whyche is taught in Fraunce Spaine Italie Flanders Denmark Scotland and all Christendome ouer must