then to seeme to haue forsaken her and disalow her by cleauing to her aduersary whereby it appeareth to others which be weake that we allow the same so contrary to the word do geue a great offence to the church of God and do outwardly sclaunder as much as menne may the truth of Christ. But woe be vnto hym by whom any such offence commeth Better it were for him to haue a milstone tyed about his necke and to bee caste into the bottome of the sea Such be traytors to the truth like vnto Iudas who with a kisse betrayed christ Our god is a gelous God and cannot be content that we should be of any other then of that vnspotted church whereof he is the hed onely and wherin he hath planted vs by baptisme Thys gelousy which God hath towards vs will cry for vengeance in the day of vengeance against al such as now haue so large consciences to do that which is contrary to Gods glory and the sinceritie of hys worde excepte they doe in time repent and cleaue vnseperable to the Gospel of christ how much soeuer at this present both men and women otherwise in theyr owne corrupt iudgement do flatter theÌ„selues God willeth vs to iudge vprightly and to allow follow that which is holy and acceptable in hys sight and to abstayne from all maner of euill and therfore Christ coÌ„maundeth vs in the Gospell to beware of the leauen of the Phariseis which is hipocrisie S. Paule to the Hebrues sayth if any man withdraw hymselfe from the fayth his soule shal haue no pleasure in hym therefore he sayth also That we are none suche as doe withdraw our selues into perdition but wee belong vnto sayth for the attaynment of life S. Iohn in the Apocalips telleth vs playnly that none of those who are written in the book of lyfe doe receaue the marke of the beast which is of the Papisticall Sinagogue eyther in theyr foreheades or els in theyr hands that is aparantly or obediently S. Paule to the Philippians affirmeth that wee may not haue any fellowship with the works of darkenes but in the middest of this wicked and froward generation we ought to shyne lyke lightes vpholding the word of truth Further hee sayth that wee may not touch anye vncleane thing Which signifieth that our outward conuersation in forreigne thinges ought to be pure and vndefiled as well as the inward that with a cleane spirite and rectified body we might serue God iustly in holines and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Finally in the 18. of the Apocalips God biddeth vs playnely to depart from this Babilonicall Synagogue not to be partakers of her trespasse S. Paule to the Thessalonians commaundeth vs in the name of the Lorde Iesus Chryst to withdraw our selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not according to the institution whych he had receaued of hym Ponder ye therfore well good brethren sisters these scriptures whiche be written for your crudition and reformation wherof one iot is not written in vayne which bee vtterlye agaynste all counterfait illusion to bee vsed of vs with the papysts in theyr phantastical religion and be aduersaryes to all them that haue so light coÌ„sciences in so doing and if they do not agree wyth thys aduersary I meane the word of God which is contrary to theyr atteÌ„pts he will as it is signified in the Gospell deliuer them to the Iudge which is Chryst and the Iudge will declare them to the executioner that is the deuill the deuil shal commit theÌ„ to the horrible prison of hell fire where is the portion of al hypocrites with sulphure and brimstone wyth waylyng gnashyng of teech world wythout ende But yet manye wyll say for theyr vayne excuse God is mercifull and hys mercy is ouer al. But the scripture teacheth vs that cursed is he that sinneth vpon hope of forgeuenes Truth it is that the mercy of God is aboue all his workes yet but vpon such as feare him for so is it written in the Psalmes The mercy of God is on theÌ„ that feare him and on such as put theyr trust in him Wher we may learn that they only put theyr trust in God that feare hym to feare God is to turne from euil and to do that is good So that such as do looke to be partakers of Gods mercy may not abide in that which is known to be manifest euil and detestable in the sight of god An other sort of persons doe make them a cloke for the rayne vnder the pretence of obedience to the Magistrates whome we ought to obey although they bee wicked But such must learne of Christ to geue to Caesar that is Cesars and to God that is due to God and with saint Peter to obey the hyher powers in the Lord albeit they bee euill if they commaund nothing contrary to Gods word otherwise we ought not to obey theyr commaundementes although we shoulde suffer death therefore as wee haue the Apostles for our example herein to follow who aunswered the magistrates as we ought to do in this case not obeying their wicked preceptes saying Iudge you whether it be more righteous that we should obey man rather then God Also Daniell chose rather to be cast into the denne of Lions to be deuoured theÌ„ to obey the kings wicked coÌ„mandements If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch There is no excuse for the transgression of Gods worde whether a man do it voluntarily or at commaundement although great damnation is to theÌ„ by whom the offence commeth Some other there be that for an extreme refuge in their euil doings do ruÌ„ to gods predestinatioÌ„ electioÌ„ saying that if I be elected of god to saluation I shal be saued whatsoeuer I do But such be great tempters of GOD and abhominable blasphemers of GODS holy election and cast them selues downe from the pinacle of the temple in presumption that God may preserâ—â— them by his aungels through predestination Suche verily may recken themselues to be none of Gods elect children that will doe euill that good may ensue whose damnation is iust as S. Paule sayth Gods predestination and election ought to be with a simple eye coÌ„sidered to make vs more warely to walke in good godly coÌ„uersation according to Gods word not to set cocke in the hoope and put all on Gods backe to do wickedly at large for the elect childreÌ„ of God must walk in righteousnes holynes after that they be once called to true knowledge For so sayth S. Paule to the EphesiaÌ„s That God hath chosen vs before the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of the world were layd that we should be holy blameles in his sight Therfore S. Peter willeth vs through good workes to make our vocation electioÌ„ certaine to our selues which we know not but by the good workyng of
thy oblation because it is none of thine I left it thee to relieue thy poore neighbors and thou hast not therein done according vnto this my commaundement misericordiam volo non sacrificium I had rather haue mercy done then sacrifice or oblation Wherfore vntil thou doest the one more then the other I will not accept thine oblation Euermore bestow the greatest partes of thy good in workes of mercy the lesse part in voluntary workes Uoluntary workes bee called all maner of offering in the Churche except your foure offring dayes and your tythes setting vp candles gilding and paynting building of Churches geuing of ornamēts going on pilgrimages making of high wayes and such other be called voluntary workes which works be of themselues maruellous good and conuenient to bee done Necessary workes and workes of mercy are called the commaundementes the foure offering dayes your tithe and such other that longeth to the commaundementes and workes of mercy consisteth in relieuing and vysiting thy poore neighbors Now then if men be so foolish of themselues that they will bestow the most part of theyr good in voluntary workes which they be not bounde to keepe but willingly and by theyr deuotion and leaue the necessary workes vndone which they are bounde to doe they and all theyr voluntary workes are like to goe vnto euerlasting damnation And I promise you if you builde a hundred Churches geue as much as you can make to gilding of Sayntes and honouring of the Church and if thou goe as many pilgrimages as thy body can well suffer and offer as great candles as okes if thou leaue the workes of mercye and the commaundementes vndone these workes shall nothing auaile thee No doubt the voluntary workes be good ought to be done but yet they must be so done that by theyr occasion the necessary workes and the workes of mercy be not decayed and forgotten if thou wilt builde a glorious Church vnto God see first your selues to be in charity with your neighbours suffer not them to be offended by your works Thē when you come into your parish Churche you bring with you the holy temple of God as Saynt Paule sayth you your selues be the very holy temples of God and Christ sayth by his Prophet in you I wil rest and intend to make my mansion and abiding place agayne if you list to gild and paynt Christ in your Churches and honour him in vestimentes see that before your eyes the poore people dye not for lacke of meat drinke and clothing Then do you decke the very true temple of God and honour him in rich vestures that will neuer be worne and so forth vse your selues according vnto the commaundementes and then finally set vp your candles they will report what a glorious light remayneth in your hartes for it is not sitting to see a dead man light candles Then I say go your pilgrimages builde your materiall Churches doe all your voluntary workes they will then represent vnto God and testify with you that you haue prouided him a gloryous place in your hartes But beware I say agayne that you doe not runne so farre into your voluntarye workes that ye do quite forget your necessary workes of mercye which you are bound to keepe you must haue euer a good respect vnto the best and worthiest workes toward God to be done first and with more efficacy and the other to be done secondarilye Thus if you doe with the other that I haue spoken of before you may come according to the tenor of your cardes and offer your oblations and prayers to our Lord Iesu Christ who will both heare and accept them to your euerlasting ioy and glory to the whiche he bring vs and all those whom he suffered deathe for Amen ¶ A note of William Gie. ONe William Gie seruant with Mayster Reuet marchant bought a Bible and seruice booke of Richard Waterson who then dwelt with maister Duixle in Pauls Churchyarde and one Spilman bound the booke and when the sayd Gye had enquired for the sayde Richard to haue his booke at Duxele aunswere was made that hee was not within and so the sayde Gie went his way to Spilmans for the booke and because it was not done left it there and immediately searche was made in Spilmans house and the sayd bible and seruice booke was founde caryed to Boner then Bishop of London hee hauing the bookes commaunded Spilman for the binding thereof to Lollardes Tower and as Cluny went for the key therof Spilman conueyed himselfe awaye After that Waterson and Gie being apprehended by Robin Caly Iohn Hil Iohn Auales and being two dayes in the Counter were brought before Boner and other Commissioners Beyng examined D. Story demanded Gye Wherfore he bought the Bible He aunswered to serue God withal Then said Boner our Lady matines would serue a christen man to serue God The Bible sayd Story would breed heresies a bibble babel were more fit thee So they concluded that eyther of them shoulde haue xl stripes lacking one and Boner sayd it was the law And they sayd to Waterson if he would pay xl poūd he should be released of his stripes at length they came to x. li when they saw he would not they made a warrāt to mayster Grafton and sent Waterson and Gie to Bride well to be beaten vpon the Crosse. And because the matter shoulde not be slightly handled Story was sent with thē to see it done Gie being whipped vpon the Crosse intercession was made that he might be forgeuen part of his penaunce ¶ A note of Michaels wyfe MIchaels wife afore mentioned pag. 1893. being prisoner in Ipswiche for religion resorted dayly from the prison to her husbandes house and returned agayn keeping fayth and promise And her husband thereat beyng fearefull she would comfort him saying she came not to trouble him neither shoulde hee susteyne trouble by her Wherfore she would will him to be of good cheare for her comming was of good will to see him and her children not to bring him into trouble but to shew her duety therin while she might haue libertie ¶ A note of Iohn Spycer IN Queene Maryes time there was one Iohn Spicer of whome mention is made pag. 1894. he being at the stake ready to geue his lyfe for the truth a bagge of gonpouder was brought him by his sonne And an other stāding by one named maister Beckinham tooke the gonpowder of his sonne and put it vnder the girdle of the sayd Spicer and exhorted him to be strong in the Lord also diuers of the sheriffes seruaunts comforted him in like maner and desired him not to faynt Unto whome Spicer aunswered Doubt ye not of me sayth he my soule is quiet but be you strong and stand fast in the Lord Iesus and commit your selfe to him in the confession of his holy mame and profession of his truth ¶ A note of Mandrell MAndrell standing at the stake
all them that were in prison with him so nowe also being at the stake hee did no lesse comforte the people there standyng aboute hym willing them to thinke well of his cause and not to doubte but that his bodye dying in that quarrell shoulde rise agayne to life And sayde hee I doubte not but that God wil shew you some token thereof At length he being well nigh halfe burnt and all blacke with fire clustered together as in a lumpe like a blacke cole all men thinking him for dead sodaynely rose vp right before the people lifting vp the stumpes of his armes and clapping the same together declaring a reioysing heart vnto them and so bending downe agayne and hanging ouer the fire slept in the Lord and ended this mortall life ¶ Letters A sententious letter of Robert Smith to Anne Smith hys wyfe SEeke first to loue God deare wife with your whol hart and then shall it be easy to loue your neighbour Be frendly to al creatures and especially to your own soule Be alwayes an enemy to the deuil and the world but especially to your owne flesh In hearyng of good thinges ioyne the eares of youre head and haâ—t together Seeke vnitie and quietnes with all men but especially with your conscience for he wil not easely be entreated Loue all men but especially your enemies Hate the sinnes that are paste but especiallye those to come Be as ready to further your enemy as he is to hinder you that ye may be the childe of God Defile not that which Christ hath cleÌ„sed least his bloud be layd to your charge Remember that God hath hedged in your tongue with the teeth and lips that it might speake vnder correction Be ready at all tymes to looke in youre brothers eye but especially in your owne eye For hee that warneth other of that he himselfe is faultie doth geue hys neighbour the cleare wyne and keepeth the dregges for hymselfe Beware of riches and worldly honor for without vnderstansting prayer and fasting it is a snare and also pouertie all whiche are like to consuming fire of whiche if a man take a little it will warme hym but if hee take too much it will consume him For it is hard for a man to cary fire in his bosome and not be brent Shew mercy vnto the sayntes for Christes sake and Christ shall reward you for the sayntes sake Among all other prisoners visite your owne soule for it is enclosed in a perilous prison If ye will loue God hate euill and ye shall obteyn the reward of well doyng Thus fare you well good Anne Haue me hartily commended to all that loue the Lorde vnfaynedly I beseeche you haue me in your prayer while I am liuing and I am assured the Lord will accept it Bring vp my children and yours in the feare of God and then shall I not fayle but receaue you together in the euerlasting kingdome of God which I goe vnto Your husband Robert Smith If ye will meete with me agayne Fosake not Christ for any payne ¶ An other letter sent to his wife Anne Smyth THe grace of almighty God be alwayes with you and comfort strength and stablishe you in all thinges that what his blessed will is ye may followe faythfully to hys honour my comfort and your owne saluation and the good ensample to our posteritie I haue receiued your letter and I prayse God without any danger neuerthelesse if Gods meruailous goodnes had not brought it to my handes by Peter the keeper there might haue risen a great trouble vpon the same For will ye know that George is a wicked man vtterly without all feare of God and if he had gotten it the Counsaile sure had seene it But Peeter like an honest man neuer opened it Wherefore I desire you from henceforth let your letters be deliuered at Chauncery lanes ende to my sister Tankerfield and she may deliuer them safe into my hand We are very straitely kepte I prayse God of hys mercye Neuerthelesse almighty God is alwayes with vs. I haue sent you that ye wrote for The two Nutmegges that shulde haue gone by Nicholas to our frendes I send nowe and desire them to accept them as a poore prisoners gift vntill God geue more largely Thomas Iuison sendeth you a peny I pray you geue him thankes for the same and Diricke also I haue sent you of that little that I haue two peeces of spanishe mony The Lorde Iesus haue you in his custody send you good speed In any case keepe your selfe close I doubt much of your walkings Haue my harty commendations to your parentes and desire theÌ„ with you to haue me in theyr prayers Be ferueÌ„t in prayer pray pray pray that God would of his mercy put vp his sword and looke on his people Tell my brother with commendations that the next commer shall bryng vp the Epistle exhortation I haue written all this fourtnight for my Lady yea and almost done nothing els I woulde haue seÌ„t him the articles of William Flower and my talk with him if I could haue deliuered it from the prison The holy Ghost keepe you I would ye could make a meanes for your money to send a cheese to Peter for I finde muche kindenesse at his handes Ye shall alwayes heare of me at Tankerfieldes house All the Congregation salute you Fare you most hartily well I haue not yet tell my brother spoken with the person There hathe come so straite a commaundement that no man might come to vs because Tooly cursed the pope at the gallowes They thought it to be our counsell Yours and euer yours Robert Smith ¶ An other letter sent to hys wife GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from the Lord Iesus Christ be with you deare wyfe now euer Amen and preuent your wayes through hys holye spirite that ye may in all your wordes and workes please God and eschew euil to hys honor and your saluation that they which see your conuersation may in all things learne to doe like euen to the vtter shame and confusion of the wicked and vngodly Amen I sent you by M. Alexander a purse with money I haue certayne tokens for you sent by my prison fellowes to you that is from M. Haukes .xii. d. froÌ„ M. Simson .xii. d. from his wife .iiij. d. from M. Wattes fiue new grotes froÌ„ M. Ardeley .xij. d. from M. Bradford xij d. which men be all gone to death except M. Bradford he abideth stil. Ther is also gone to death Nicholas Chamberlayne Tho. Osmund William Bamford There â—s also condemned thys monday Diricke Caruer Thomas Iuison Iohn Launder and William Uassy is repriued Pray to God to haue mercy vpon hys people and bid my brother if he can conueniently come downe on monday next if he can not wel do it let hym abide at home Haue me hartily commended to your parents I haue sent each
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 reckē 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 forgottē 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 lamēt 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 paciētly 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
hys capitayne deposed hym of the thousand pound of possessions that is to say from euerlasting lyfe in glory and all his heires and posteritie for likewyâ—e as he had the spirit of science and knowledge for him and his heires so in like maner wheÌ„ he lost the same his heyres lost it also by him and in him So now this example prooueth that by our father Adam we had once in hym the very enheritance of euerlasting ioy and by him and in him againe we lost the same The heires of the captaine of Calice could not by any maner of claime aske of the King the right â—itle of theyr father in the thousand poundes possessions by reason the kyng myght aunswer and say vnto them that although theyr father deserued not of hymselfe to enioy so great possessions yet he deserued by hymselfe to loose theÌ„ and greater committyng so hygh treason as he dyd agaynst hys Princes commaundementes whereby he had no wrong to loose his title but was vnworthy to haue the same and had therein true iustice let not you thinke which bee hys heyres that if hee had iustice to loose his possessions you haue wrong to loose the same In the same maner it may be aunswered vnto all men and women now beyng that if our father Adam had true Iustice to bee excluded from hys possession of euerlastyng glory in Paradise let not vs thinke the contrary that be his heyres but that wee haue no wrong in loosing also the same yea we haue true Iustice and right Then in what miserable state be we that of the right and iust title of our owne deserts haue lost the euerlasting ioy and clayme of our selues to be the true inheritours of hell For hee that committeth deadly sinne willyngly byndeth hymselfe to be inheritor of euerlasting payne and so dyd our forefather Adam willingly eate of the apple forbidden Wherefore he was cast out of euerlastyng ioy in Paradise into this corrupt world amongst all vilenesse whereby of hymselfe he was not woorthy to do any thyng laudable or pleasaunt to GOD euermore bound to corrupt affections and beastly appetites transfourmed into the most vncleannest and variablest nature that was made vnder heauen of whose seede and disposition all the world is lineally discended in so much that this euill nature is so fused and shedde from one into another that at this day there is no man nor woman liuyng that can of themselues wash away this abhominable vilenesse and so we must needes graunt of our selues to be in lyke displeasure vnto God as our forefather Adam was by reason hereof as I sayd we bee of our selues the very children of the indignation and vengeaunce of God the true enheritours of hell and workyng all towardes hell which is the answer of this question made to euery man and woman by themselues Who art thou And now the world standyng in this damnable state commeth in the occasion of the incarnation of Christ the Father in heauen perceiuyng the frayle nature of man that he by hymselfe and of hymselfe could doe nothyng for hymselfe by hys prudent wisedome sent downe the second person in Trinitie hys sonne Iesu Christ to declare vnto man hys pleasure and commaundement and so at the fathers wyll Christ tooke on hym humaine nature beyng willyng to deliuer man out of this miserable way was content to suffer cruell passion in shedyng hys bloud for all mankynd and so left behynd for our safegard lawes and ordinaunces to keepe vs alwayes in the right path to euerlastyng lyfe as the Euangelistes the Sacramentes the commaundementes and so foorth which if wee doe keepe and obserue accordyng vnto our profession wee shall aunswer better vnto this question Who art thou then we dyd before for before thou diddest enter into the Sacrament of Baptisme thou wert but a naturall man a naturall woman as I myght say A man A woman But after thou takest on thee Christes Religion thou hast a longer name for then thou art a Christian man a Christian woman Now then seeyng thou art a Christian man what shall be thy aunswer of this question Who art thou The aunswer of this question is when I aske it vnto my selfe I must say that I am a Christian man a christian woman the childe of euerlastyng ioy thorough the merites of the bitter passion of Christ. This is a ioyfull aunswer Here we may see how much wee bee bounde and in daunger vnto GOD that hath reuiued vs from death to lyfe and saued vs that were damned which great benefite we cannot well consider vnlesse we doe remember what we were of our selues before wee medled wyth hym or hys lawes and the more we know our feeble nature and set lesse by it the more wee shall concâ—iue and know in our heartes what God hath done for vs and the more that we know what God hath done for vs the lesse wee shall set by our selues the more wee shall loue and please God so that in no condition wee shall eyther know our selues or God except wee doe vtterly confâ—sse our selues to bee meere vilenesse and corruption Well now it is come vnto this poynt that we bee Châ—istian men Christian women I pray you what doth Christ require of a Christian man or of a Christian woman Christ requireth nothyng els of a Christian man or a womaâ— but that they will obserue hys rule For likewyse as hee is a good Augustine Frier that keepeth well Saint Augustines rule so is he a good Christian man that keepeth well Christes rule Now then what is Christes rule Christes rule consisteth in many thyngs as in the commaundements and the workes of mercy and so foorth And for because I can not declare Christs rule vnto you at one tyme as it ought to be done I will applye my selfe accordyng to your custome this tyme of Christenmasse I wyll as I sayde declare vnto you Christes rule but that shall bee in Christes cardes And where you are woont to celebâ—ate Christenmasse in playing at cardes I intend with gods grace to deale vnto you Christes cardes wherein you shall pâ—rceyue Christes rule The Game that we will pâ—ay at shal be called the Triumph which if it bee well played at bee that dealeth shall winne the Players shall lykewyse winne and the standers and lookers vppon shall doe the same in so much that there is no man that is willyng to play at this Triumph with these cardes but they shall be all winners and no loosers Let therefore euery Christian man and woman playe at these cardes that they may haue and obtayne the Triumph you must marke also that the Triumph must apply to fetch home vnto hym all the other cardes what so euer suite they bee of Now then take ye this first carde which must appeare and be shewed vnto you as followeth You haue heard what was spoken to the men of the olde Lawe Thou shalt not kyll whosoeuer shall kyll shall be in daunger of iudgement But
opus est magna patientia ad sustinendas calumnias malignantis Ecclesiae Syr I haue had more busines in my little cure since I spake with you what with sicke folkes and what with matrimonies theÌ„ I haue had since I came to it or then I would haue thought a man should haue in a great cure I wonder how men can go quietly to bed which haue great cures and many and yet peraduenture are in none of them all But I pray you tell none of your frendes that I sayd so foolishly least I make a dissention in a Christian Congregation and deuide a sweete and a restfull vnion or tot quot with haec requies mea in seculum seculi Syr I had made an end of this scribling and was beginning â—o write it agayne more truely and more distinctly and to correcte it but there came a man of my Lorde of Farleys with a Citation to appeare before my Lord of London in haste to be punished for suche excesses as I committed at my last being there so that I coulde not perfourme my purpose I doubt whether ye can read it as it is If ye can well be it if not I pray you sende it me agayne and that you so doe whether you can reade it or not Iesu mercy what Worlde is this that I shall be put to so greate laboure and paynes besides great costes aboue my power for preachinge of a poore simple Sermon But I trow our Sauiour Christ sayd true Oportet pati sic intrare tam periculosum est in Christo pie viuere velle yea in a christian Congregation God make vs all Christian after the right fashion Amen Here foloweth an other letter of M. Latimer writtten to K. Henry the 8. vpon this occasion Ye heard before of two sondry Proclamations set out by the Byshops in the time of K. Henry the one in the yeare 1531. and the other set out an 1546. In the which proclamatioÌ„s bâ—ing authorised by the kinges name were inhibited all english books either conteining or tending to any matter of the scripture Where also wee haue expreâ—ed at large the whole Catalogue of all theyr errors heresies which the sayd Bishops falsely haue excerpted and maliciously imputed to Godlye writers with theyr places and quotations aboue assigned in the page aforesayd Now M. Latimer growing in some fauor with the king and seing the great decay of Christes religion by reason of these Proclamations and touched therfore with the zeale of coÌ„science directeth vnto K. HeÌ„ry this letter hereunder ensuing therby enteÌ„ding by all meanes possible to perswade the kinges mind to set opeÌ„ again the freedome of Gods holy word amongest his subiectes The copy and tenor of his letter here foloweth ¶ The Letter of Mayster Latimer written to King Henry for the restoring agayne the free liberty of reading the holy Scriptures ⧠To the most mighty Prince King of England Henrye the eight Grace mercy and peace from God the Father by our Lord Iesus Christ. THe holy Doctour Saynt Austine in an Epistle whiche he wrote to Casulanus sayth that he whiche for feare of any power hideth the trueth prouoketh the wrath of God to come vpon him for he feareth men more then God And according to the same the holy man Saynt Iohn Chrisostome sayth that he is not alonely a traytour to the truth which opeÌ„ly for truth teacheth a lie but he also which doth not freely pronounce and shewe the trueth that he knoweth These sentences moste redoubted Kyng when I read nowe of late and marked them earnestlye in the inward partes of mine hart they made me sore afrayd troubled and vexed me grieuously in my conscience and at the last droue me to this strayt that either I must shewe forth such thinges as I haue read and learned in Scripture or elles to be of the sort that prouoke the wrath of GOD vpon them and be traitors vnto the trueth the which thing rather then it shoulde happen I had rather suffer extreme punishment For what other thing is it to bee a Traytour vnto the trueth then to be a Traytour and a Iudas vnto Christe which is the very truth and cause of all trueth the whiche sayth that whosoeuer denyeth him here before men he wil deny him before his father in heauen The which denying ought more to be feared and dread then the losse of al temporall goodes honour promotion fame prison sclaunder hurtes banishmentes and all manner of tormentes and crueltyes yea and death it selfe bee it neuer so shamefull and paynefull But alas how litle do meÌ„ regard those sharpe sayinges of these two holy men and how litle doe they feare the terrible iudgemente of almightye God and specially they which boast themselues to be guides and capitaynes vnto other and chalenging vnto themselues the knowledge of holy Scripture yet will neither shewe the trueth themselues as they be bounde neither suffer them that would So that vnto theÌ„ may be sayd that which our sauior Christ said to the Phariseis Math. 23. Wo be vnto you Scribes and Phariseis which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men and neither will you enter in your selues neither suffer them that would to enter in And they will as much as in them lyeth debarre not onely the word of God whyche Dauid calleth a light to direct and shew euery man how to order his affections and lustes according to the Commaundementes of God but also by theyr subtle wylinesse they instruct moue and prouoke in a maner all Kinges in christendome to ayde succour and helpe them in thys theyr mischiefe and especially in this your Realme they haue sore blynded your Liege people and Subiectes wyth their Lawes Customes Ceremonyes and Banbery Glofes and punished them wyth Cursynges Excommunications and other corruptions corrections I woulde say and now at the last when they see that they cannot preuayle agaynst the open trueth which the more is persecuted the more it increaseth by their tiranny they haue made it Treason to your noble Grace to haue the Scripture in English Here I beseech your Grace to pardon me a while and paciently to heare me a worde or two yea and thoughe it be so that as concerning your high Maiesty and regall power whereunto almightye God hath called your Grace there is as great difference betweene you and mee as betwene God and man For you be here to me and to al your subiectes in Gods sted to defend ayde and succour vs in our right and so I should tremble and quake to speake to your grace But agayne as concerning that you be a mortall man in daunger of sinne hauing in you the corrupte nature of Adam in the which al we be both conceiued and borne so haue you no lesse need of the merites of Christes passion for your saluation then I and other of your subiectes haue whiche be all members of the misticall bodye of christ And though you be an
cannot although thou art not ashamed to call him thy maker make thee to escape the reuenging hand of the high and almighty God But be thou assured that the liuing Lord our Sauiour and redemâ—â— which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glorye he seeth all thy wicked wayes and crueltye done to his deare members and he will not forget his holy ones and his handes O thou Whorish Drabbe shalte thou neuer escape In stead of my farewell to thee now I say lye vpon thee lye vpon thee filthy Drabbe and all thy false Prophets Yet then O London I may not leaue thee thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now being ioyned in League with the seate of Sathan thus hath now both handled me and the Sayntes of God yet I doe not doubte but in that great City there be many priuy mourners which do daily mourne for that mischieâ—e the which neuer did nor shal coÌ„sent to that wickednes but do detest and abhorre it as the wayes of Sathan But these priuy mourners here I wyll passe by and bid them farewell with theyr felowes hereafter when the place and occasion shall more conuenientlye require Among the worshipfull of the citty and speacially which were in office the Maioralty yea in other Cittyes also whome to name nowe it shall not be necessary in the time of my ministery which was from the latter part of sir Rowland Dules yere vnto sir George Barnes yeare and a great part thereof I doe acknowledge that I founde no small humanity and gentlenes as me thought but to saye the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christian kindnes which is shewed in Gods cause and done for hys sake Wherfore O Dobbes Dobbes Alderman knight thou in thy yeare diddest winne my hart for euermore for that honorable acre that most blessed worke of God of the erection and setting vp of Christes holy Hospitalles and truely religious houses whiche by thee and through thee were begonne For thou like a man of God when the matter was mooued for the relief of Christes poore seely members to be holpen froÌ„ extreme misery hunger and famine thy hart I say was moued with pity as Christes high honourable officer in that cause thou calledst together thy brethren the Aldermen of the City before whom thou brakest the matter for the poore thou diddest plead theyr cause yea and not onely in thine owne person thou diddest sette fâ—rth Christes cause but to further the matter thou broughtest me into the Councell Chamber of the Citty before the Aldermen alone whome thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I coulde say as an aduocate by office and duety in the poore mennes cause The Lorde wrought with thee and gaue thee the consent of thy Brethren whereby the matter was broughte to the common Counsell and so to the whole body of the City by whome with an vniforme consent it was committed to be drawn ordered and deuised by a certayne nuÌ„ber of the most witty CitizeÌ„s and politique endued also with godlynes with ready hartes to set forward such a noble acte as coulde bee chosen in all the whole City and they like true and faythfull Ministers both to theyr City theyr Mayster Christ so ordered deuised and brought forth the matter that thousands of sely poore meÌ„bers of Christ which els for extreme hunger and miserye shoulde haue famished and perished shal be relieued holpeÌ„ and brought vp and shal haue cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time the coÌ„mon Councell the whole body of the City but specially thee O Dobbes and those chosen men by whome this honorable worke of God was begon and wroughte and that so long throughout all ages as the godly worke shall endure which I pray almighty God may or euer vnto the worldes end Amen And thou O Syr George Barnes the trueth is to be confessed to Gods glory and to the good example of other thou wast in thy yeare not onely a furtherer and conâ—iâ—ner of that which before thee by thy predecessour was well begunne but also diddest labor so to haue perfited the work that it shoulde haue bene an absolute thing and a perfecte spectacle of true charity and Godlinesse vnto all Christendome Thyne endeuoure was to haue set vppe an house of occupations both that all kinde of pouerty being able to worke shoulde not haue lacked whereupon profitably they might haue bene occupied to their owne reliefe to the profite and commoditye of the common wealthe of the City and also to haue retired thither the poore Babes brought vp in the Hospitals when they had come to a certayne age and strength and also all those which in the hospitalles aforesayd had bene cured of theyr diseases And to haue brought this to passe thou obteynedst not withoute great diligence and labor both of thee of thy brethren of that Godly King Edwarde that Christian and pierlesse Princes hand his Princely place of Bridewell and what other thinges to the performaunce of the same and vnder what condition it is not vnknowne That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe the fault is not in thee but in the condition and state of the time which the Lorde of hys infinite mercy vouchsafe to ameÌ„d when it shall be his gracious will and pleasure Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God of what state and condition so euer ye be Undoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached My hartes desire and dayly prayer shal be for you as for whome for my time I know to my Lord God I am countable that yee neuer swarue neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes from Gods holy word and yelde vnto Antichrist wherevpon must needes folow the extreame displeasure of God and the losse both of your bodies and soules into perpetuall damnation for euermore Nowe that I haue gone through the places where I haue dwelt anye space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpon earth remeÌ„bring that for the space of king Edwardes raygne whiche was for the time of mine office in the Seas of London and Rochester I was a member of the higher house of the Parliament therefore seing my God hath geuen me leisure and the remembrance therof I will bid my Lords of the temporalty farewell They shall haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entende to say in ill part As for the spirituall Prelacy that now is I haue nothing to say to them excepte I shoulde repeate agayne a great part of that I haue sayd before now already to the Sea of London To you therefore my Lordes of the temporalty wil I speake and this would I haue you first to vnderstande that when I wrote this I looked daylye when I shoulde bee called to the chaunge of this life and thoughte that this my writinge shoulde not come to your knowledge before the time of the
shrining of reliques from any kinde of wickednes if you will pay well for it cleare absolution a poena culpa with thousandes of yeares yea at euery poore Bishops hand and suffragan ye shall haue halowing of Churches Chappels aulters superaulters chalices and of all the whole housholde stuffe and adornamēt which shal be vsed in the church after the Romish guise for all these thinges must be estemed of such high price that they may not be done but by a consecrate bishop onely O Lorde all these thinges are suche as thy Apostles neuer knew As for coniuring they call it halowing but it is cōiuring in deede of water and salt of christening of belles and such like thinges what neede I to speake for euerye priest that can but read hath power they say not onely to do that but also hath suche power ouer Christes body as to make both God and man once at the least euery daye of a wafer cake After the rehearsall of the said abhominations and remembraunce of a number of many moe which the Lorde knoweth irketh me to thinke vpon and were to longe to describe when I consider on the other side the eternall word of God that abideth for euer and the vndefiled law of the Lord which turneth the soule from all wickednes and geueth wisedome vnto the innocent babes I meane that milk that is without all guile as Peter doth call it that good word of God that word of trueth whiche must be grauen within the hart and then is able to saue mens soules that wholesome seede not mortall but immortall of the eternal and euerliuing God wherby the man is borne a new and made the childe of God that seed of God wherby the man of God so being borne can not sinne as Iohn sayeth hee meaneth so long as that seede doth abide in him that holy scripture which hath not bene deuised by the wit of man but taught from heauen by the inspiratiō of the holy ghost which is profitable to teache to reprooue to correct to instruct and geue order in all righteousnesse that the man of God may be whole sound ready to performe euery good worke when I say I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth vs truely our bounden duety towardes our Lorde God in euerye poynt what his blessed will and pleasure is what his infinite great goodnes and mercy is what he hath done for vs how he hath geuē hys owne onely dearely beloued sonne to death for our saluation and by him hath sent vs the Reuelation of his blessed will and pleasure what his eternall word willeth vs both to beleue and also to doe and hath for the same purpose inspired the holy Apostles with the holy ghost sent them abroad into all the world and also made them other disciples of Christ inspired by the same spirite to write leaue behinde them the same thinges that they taught which as they did proceed of the spirit of trueth so by the confession of all them that euer were endued with the spirite of God were sufficient to the obteining of eternall saluation and likewise when I consider that al that man doth professe in his regeneration when he is receiued into the holy catholicke church of Christ and is now to be accoūted for one of the liuely mēbers of Christes owne body all that is groūded vpon Gods holy word and standeth in the profession of that fayth obedience of those commaundements whiche are all conteined and comprised in Gods holy word furthermore when I consider whom our Sauiour Christ pronoūceth in his gospell to be blessed and to whom Moses geueth his benedictiōs in the law what wayes the law the Prophets the Psalmes and all holy Scriptures both newe and olde doth declare to be the wayes of the Lorde what is good for man to obteine and abide in Gods fauor which is that fayth that iustifieth before God and what is that charity that doth passe and excell all whiche be the properties of heauenly wisedome and whiche is that vndefiled religion that is allowed of GOD which thinges Christ himself called the weighty matters of the law what thing is that which is onely auayleable in Christ what knowledge is that that Paule esteemed so much that he counted himself onely to know what shall be the maner of the extreme iudgement of the latter day who shall iudge by what he shall iudge what shall be required at our handes at that fearefull day howe all thinges must be tried by the fire and that that onely shal stand for euer which Christes wordes shall allow which shal be the iudge of all flesh to geue sentēce vpon all flesh and euery liuing soule either of eternall damnation or of euerlasting saluation from which sentence there shall be no place to appeale no witte shal serue to delude nor no power to withstand or reuoke when I say I consider all these thinges and conferre to the same agayne and agayne all those wayes wherein standeth the substaunce of the romishe religion wherof I spake before it may be euident and easy to perceaue that these two wayes these two religions the one of Christ the other of the Romishe sea in these latter dayes be as farre distaunt the one from the other as light and darckenes good and euill righteousnes and vnrighteousnes Christ and Beliall He that is hard of beliefe let him note and weigh well with himselfe the places of holy Scriptures which be appoynted in the margent wherupon this talk is grounded by Gods grace he may receyue some light And vnto the contemner I haue nothing now to say but to rehearse the saying of the Prophet Esay which Paule spake to the Iewes in the end of the Actes of the Apostles After he hadde expounded vnto them the trueth of Gods word and declared vnto them Chryst out of the Lawe of Moses and the Prophetes from morning to night all the day long he sayd vnto them that would not beleue Well sayd he spake the holy Ghost vnto our fathers saying go vnto this people and tell them ye shall heare with your eares and not vnderstande and seeing you shall behold and not see the thing for the hart of this people is waxed grosse and dulle and wyth their eares they are hard of hearing and they haue shut together their eyes that they shoulde not see nor heare with theyr eares nor vnderstand with their hartes that they might returne and I should heale them sayth the Lord God All as Englande alas that this heauy plague of GOD shoulde fall vpon thee Alas my dearely beloued country what thing is it now that may doe thee good Undoubtedly thy plague is so great that it is vtterly vncurable but by the bottomlesse mercy and infinite power of almightye God Alas my deare country what hast thou done that thus hast prouoked the wrath of God and caused him to poure out his vengeaunce
generatioÌ„ shall sit in the temple To the which Chichester replied not Dures The Church in the scripture is likened to a great fishers net which conteineth in it both good fishes bad fishes I trust you wil be of the better sort and leane to the truth Phil. My Lord it is my whole desire now to follow that which is good whatsoeuer I haue done in times past and to cleaue to gods truth Dures Do you so and then shall you do well It is almost night my L. of London I must needes be gone Lond Nay my L. of Duresme I must desire your Lordship and my L. of Chichester to tary a litle while And before he had so sayd the B. of Bathe went his way without saying any word What my L. of Bath will you be gone I pray you tary My Lordes I haue earnest matter to charge this man withall wherof I would your lordships to be made priuy and I haue them here written in a libel I pray you sit downe againe or els I will First I â—ay to him here that hee hath written in a Bible which I tooke from hym this erroneous saying Quod spiritus est vicarius Christi in terra i. The holy Ghost is Christes Uicare in earth Wilt thou abide by this saying of thine That the spirit is Christes vicar on earth Phil. My L. it is not my saying it is a better learned maÌ„s then myne For I vse not to write myne owne sayings but the notable sayings of other auncient writers as all the others be where ye find the same writen And as I remember it is euen the saying of Saint Bernard a saying that I neede not to be ashamed of neyther you to bee offended as my L. of Duresme and my L. of Chichester by their learnyng can discerne and will not recken it euill sayd Lond. No will Why take away the first syllable and it foundeth Arius Phil. That is farre fetched in deede if your Lordship will scan mens sayings in such wise you may finde out what you list Lond. But to helpe this I finde moreouer written wyth hys owne hand in another booke In me Ioanne Philpotto vbi abundauit peccatum superabundauit gratia that is In me Iohn Philpot where sinne did abound grace hath superabounded I pray you what superabundaÌ„t grace haue you more then other men So said Arius that he had the aboundance of grace aboue all other Phil. My L. you neede not to be offended with that saying more then the other for it is the saying of S. Paule hymself and I did apply it to my self for my comfort knowing that though my sinnes be huge great in the sight of God yet is his mercy grace aboue them all And concernyng Arius his adherents I defie them as it is well known I haue written against them Lond. Also I lay to thy charge that thou killedst thy father and wast accursed of thy mother in her deathbed as I can bring witnes hereof Phil. O Lord what blasphemy is this Hath your Lordship nothing of truth to charge me withall but as I may speake it with your honoures such forged blasphemous lyes If any of these can be prooued I will promise here to recant at Paules Crosse what you wil haue me I am so sure they are as great blasphemies as may bee obiected agaynst any man Ha my Lordes I pray you consider how my L. of London hath hitherto proceded against me for in deed he hath none other but such pretensed slaunderous lyes Chich. They be Parerga that is matters beside the purpose Dures My Lord I must needes bid you farewell Lond. Nay my Lord here is a letter which I shall desire your Lordship to heare ere you goe This man beyng in my kepyng hath taken vpon hym to write letters out of prison to peruert a yong Gentleman called M. Greene in my house call him hither and hath made a false report of his examination as you shall heare not beyng content to be euill himselfe but to make others as bad as himselfe He all to tare the letter when he saw my man went about to search hym but yet I haue pieced it agayne togither caused a copy to be written therof and he red the torne letter biddyng M. Christopherson and Morgan to marke the copy thereof The contents of the letter was the examination of M. Greene before the B. of London in the presence of Maister Feckenham Deane of Paules and of diuers others whose ready answers in the Scriptures and in the Doctors was wondred at of the Deane hymselfe and of many others as M. Fecknam did report and that he was committed to D. Chadsey and to haue his meat from the Bishops owne table How say you my Lords was this wel done of hym beyng my prisoner to write this And yet he hath written a shamefull lye that he was in D. Chadseys keping How say you M. Doc. Chadsey is it not a shamefull lye Chad. Yes my L. he was neuer in my keping London Art thou not ashamed to write suche shamefull lyes Come hether M. Greene did not I shew you this letter Greene. Yea forsooth my L. you shewed it me Lond. How thinke you my Lordes is not this an honest man to belye me Phil. Your Lordship doth mistake all things This letter as your Lordship may perceiue and all other that haue heard the same was not written by me but by a friend of myne certifieng me at my request how M. Greene sped at the B. of Londons hands and there is nothing in the letter that either I or he that wrote it neede to feare but that might be written as my report London Then tell me who wrote it if you dare Phil. No my L. it is not my duty to accuse my friend and specially seyng you will take all thyngs at the worst neither you shall neuer know of me who wrote it Your lordship may see in the end of the letter that my friend did write vnto me vppon the occasion of my appeale which I haue made to the whole Parliament house about such matters as I am wrongfully troubled for London I would see any so hardy to put vppe thine Appeale Phil. My L. I cannot tell what God will worke I haue written it speed as it may Lond My L. I haue vsed him with much gentlenes since he came to me How sayst thou haue I not Phil. If to lie in the vilest prison in this towne being a geÌ„tleman and an Archdeacon and in a colehouse by the space of v. or vj. weekes alredy without fire or candle bee to be counted gentlenes at your handes I must needes say I haue found gentlenes But there were neuer men so cruelly handled as we are at these dayes London Loe what a Uarlet is this Besides this my Lordes euen yesterday hee procured hys man to bryng a bladder of blacke Pouder I can
constant martyr Who the xviii day of December in the middest of the fiery flames yelded his soule into the handes of the almighty God and full like a lambe gaue vp his breath his body being consumed into ashes Thus hast thou gentle reader the lyfe and doyngs of this learned and worthy souldiour of the Lord Iohn Philpot with all his examinations that came to our handes first penned and written with his owne hand beyng meruaylously reserued from the sight and hands of hys enemies who by all maner meanes sought not onely to stop hym from al writing but also to spoyle and depriue him of that which he had written For the which cause he was manye tymes stripped and searched in the prison of his keeper but yet so happily these his writinges were conueyed and hid in places about him or els hys keepers eies so blinded that notwithstanding all this malicious purpose of the Bishops they are yet remayning and come to light A prayer to be sayd at the stake of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake MErcifull God and father to whome oure sauiour Christ approched in his feare and neede by reason of death found comfort Gracious God and most bounteous Christe on whome Stephen called in his extreeme neede and receiued strength Most benigne holy spirite whiche in the middest of all Crosses and death diddest comfort the Apostle S. Paule with more consolations in Christ then he felt sorowes and terrors haue mercy ⧠The martirdome of maister Iohn Philpot Archdeacon with the manner of his kneeling and praying at the stake vpon me miserable vile and wretched sinner which now drawe neare the gates of death deserued both in soule and body eternally by reason of manifold horrible olde and new transgressions which to thyne eyes O Lorde are open and knowne Oh be mercifull vnto me for the bitter death and bloudshedding of thine owne onely sonne Iesus Christ. And though thy iustice do require in respecte of my sinnes that nowe thou shouldest not heare me measuring me with the same measure I haue measured thy Maiesty contemning thy dayly calles yet let thy mercy whiche is aboue all thy works and wherewith the earth is filled let thy mercy I say preuaile towardes me through and for the mediation of Christ our sauiour And for whose sake in that it hathe pleased thee to bring me forth now as one of his witnesses and a record bearer of thy veritye and trueth taught by him to geue my life therefore to which dignitie I do acknowledge dear God that ther was neuer any so vnworthy and so vnmeet no not the theef that hāged with him on the Crosse I most hūbly therfore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly ayde helpe assiste me with thy strength and heauenly grace that with Christe thy sonne I may finde comfort with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power with Paule and all others whiche for thy names sake haue suffered affliction and death I may finde so present with me thy gracious consolations that I may by my deathe glorifie thy holy name propagate and ratifie thy veritie comfort the hartes of the heauy confirme thy Church in thy veritie conuert some that are to be conuerted and so depart foorth of thys miserable world where I do nothing but daily heape sinne vpon sinne and so enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy wherof now geue and encrease in me a liuely truste sense and feelinge wherethrough the terrours of death the tormentes of fire the panges of sinne the dartes of Sathan and the dolours of hel may neuer depresse me but may be driuen away thorough the working of that most gracious spirite which now plenteously endue me withall that through the same spirite I may offer as I nowe desire to do in Christ by him my selfe wholy soule and body to be a liuely sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight Deare Father whose I am and alwayes haue bene euen from my mothers wombe yea euen before the world was made to whome I commend my selfe soule and body family and frendes countrey and all the whole Churche yea euen my very enemies accordynge to thy good pleasure beseeching thee intirely to geue once more to this Realme of England the blessing of thy word agayn with godly peace to the teaching setting forth of the same Oh dear father now geue me grace to come vnto thee Purge and so purifie me by this fire in Christes death and Passion through thy spirite that I may be a burnt offering of sweete smell in thy sight which liuest and raignest with the sonne and the holy God nowe and euermore world without end Amen ¶ Letters of Mayster Philpot. ¶ A letter which he sent to the christian congregation exhorting them to refrayne from the Idolatrous seruice of the papists and to serue God after his word IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England the faithles departing both of men women frō the true knowledge vse of Christes sincere religion which so plētifully they haue bene taught do know their own consciences bearing witnes to the veritie thereof If that earth be cursed of God which eftsoones receiuing moisture pleasant dewes from heauen doth not bring forth fruite accordingly how much more greuous iudgemēt shal such persons receiue which hauing receiued from the father of heauē the perfect knowledge of his word by the ministery therof do not shew forth Gods worship after the same If the Lord wil require in the day of iudgemēt a godly vsury of all maner of talentes which he sendeth vnto men women how muche more wil he require the same of his pure religion reuealed vnto vs which is of al other talents the chiefest most pertayning to our exercise in this life if we hide the same in a napkin and set it not forth to the vsurye of Gods glory and edifying of his church by true confessiō God hath kindled the bright light of his Gospel which in times past was suppressed hid vnder the vile ashes of mās traditiōs and hath caused the brightnes therof to shine in our harts to the end that the same might shine before men to the honor of his name It is not onely geuen vs to beleue but also to confesse declare what we beleue in our outwarde couersation For as S. Paule writeth to the Romaynes The beliefe of the hart iustifieth and toe acknowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe It is al one before God not to beleue at al not to shew forth the liuely works of our belief For Christe sayth Either make the tree good and his fruites good or ells make the tree euill and the fruites euill because a good tree bringeth forth good fruites So that the person which knoweth his maysters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes And not all they
Gods spirite in vs accordyng to the rule of the Gospell he that coÌ„formeth not him selfe to the same in godly conuersation may iustly treÌ„ble 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 dauÌ„gerous 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 coÌ„scieÌ„ce 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 souÌ„deth 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 coÌ„science acseth me not yet in this I am not iustified And he ioineth a good coÌ„science 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 eâ—st 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 remeÌ„ber 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 teÌ„ptation Be ioyful vnder the crosse prayse the Lord coÌ„tinually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the Lord delighteth in CoÌ„meÌ„d 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 coÌ„forted 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 thaÌ„ks 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
Whome after that he hadde praised in the beginning of hys sermon for their perseueraunce in the true woorshipping of God he then deuided his whole sermon into 3. partes according to the solemne custome of the Schooles entending to speake firste of the mercy of God secondly of his Iustice to be shewed and last of all howe the Princes secretes are not to be opened And proceeding a little from the beginning he tooke occasion by and by to tourne his tale to Cranmer and wyth many hote woordes reprooued him that once he being endued with the fauour and feeling of wholesome and Catholicke doctrine fell into the contrary opinion of pernicious error which he had not only defended by wrytings and all hys power but also allured other men to doe the like wyth great liberalitye of giftes as it were appoynting rewardes for errour and after hee had allured them by all meanes did chearish them It were too long to repeat all things that in long order were there pronounced The summe of this tripartâ—â—e declamation was that he saide Gods mercy was so tempered with his iustice that he did not altogether require punishment according to the merites of offenders nor yet sometimes suffered the same altogither to go vnpunished yea though they had repented As in Dauid who wheÌ„ he was bidden chuse of 3. kindes of punishments which hee would and he had chosen pestilence for 3. dayes the Lord forgaue him halfe the tyme but did not release all And that the same thing came to passe in him also to whom although pardon reconciliation was due according to the Canons seeing hee repented from his errours yet there were causes why the Queene and the CouÌ„cel at this time iudged hym to death of which least he should maruell too much he should heare some First that being a traytor he had dissolued the lawfull matrimonie betweene the Kinge her father and mother besides the driuing oute of the Popes authoritye while he was Metropolitane Secondly that he had ben an heretike from whom as from an author and onely fountaine all heretical doctrine schismaticall opinions that so many yeres haue preuailed in Englande did first rise and spring of which hee had not bene a secrete fauorer only but also a most earnest defender euen to the ende of his life sowing them abroad by wrytings and argumeÌ„ts priuately and openly notwithout great ruine and decay of the catholicke church And further it seemed meete according to the lawe of equalitie that as the death of the Duke of Northumb. of late made euen wyth Thomas More Chauncellour that dyed for the Churche so there shoulde be one that shoulde make euen with Fisher of Rochester and because that Ridley Hooper Ferrar were not able to make eueÌ„ wyth that man it seemed meete that Cranmer shoulde be ioyned to them to fill vp this part of equalitie Besides these there were other iust and weighty causes which seemed to the Queene and the Councel whych was not meete at that time to bee opened to the common people After this turning his tale to the hearers he bad al men beware by this maÌ„s example that amoÌ„g men nothing is so high that can promise it selfe safetie on the earth and that Gods vengeance is equally stretched against al men and spareth none therfore they should beware learne to fear their Prince And seeing the Queenes maiestie woulde not spare so notable a man as this much lesse in the like cause she would spare other men that no man should thinke to make thereby anye defence of his errour either in richesse or any kinde of authoritie They had nowe an example to teache them all by whose calamity euery man might consider hys owne fortune who from the toppe of dignitie none being more honorable then he in the whole realme and next the King was faln into so great miserie as they myght nowe see being a man of so high degree sometime one of the chiefest Prelates in the Church and an Archbishop the chiefe of the Counsell the seconde persone in the Realme of long time a man thought in greatest assuraÌ„ce hauing a King on his side notwythstanding all hys authority and defence to be debaced froÌ„ high estate to a lowe degree of a Counsellour to become a caitiffe and to be set in so wretched a state that the poorest wretche woulde not chaunge condition with hym briefly so heaped wyth misery on all sides that neyther was left in hym any hope of better fortune nor place for worse The latter parte of hys Sermone he conuerted to the Archbishoppe whome hee comforted and encouraged to take hys death wel by many places of Scripture as with these and suche like bidding hym not mistruste but hee shoulde incontinently receyue that the theâ—e did to whom Christe sayde Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso That is Thys day thou shalt be wyth mee in Paradise And out of S. Paule hee aâ—â—ued hym against the terrour of the fire by this Dominus fidelis est non sinet vos tentari vltra quà m ferre potestis That is The Lorde is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue youre strengthe by the example of the three children to whome God made the flame to seeme lyke a pleasaunt dewe adding also the reioysing of S. Andrewe in hys crosse the pacience of S. Laurence on the fire assuring hym that God if he called on hym and to such as die in hys faith eyther woulde abate the furie of the flame or geue hym strength to abide it Hee glorifyed God muche in hys conuersion because it appeared to be onely his woorke declaring what trauell and conference had beene with hym to conuert hym and all preuailed not till that it pleased God of hys mercye to reclaime hym and call hym home In discourâ—ynge of whych place he muche commended Cranmer and qualified hys former doynges thus tempering his iudgement and talke of hym that while the time sayde he he slowed in richesse and honour he was vnwoorthy of his life and nowe that he myght not liue he was vnwoorthy of death But least he shoulde carie with him no comfort he would diligently labour he sayde and also he did promise in the name of all the Priests that were present that immediately after hys death there shoulde be Diriges Masses and funerals executed for hym in all the Churches of Oxforde for the succour of hys soule Cranmer in all thys meane tyme wyth what greate griefe of minde hee stoode hearing thys Sermon the outwarde shewes of hys bodye and countenaunce did better expresse then any man can declare one while lifting vppe hys handes and eyes vnto heauen and then agayne for shame letting them downe to the earth A manne myghte haue seene the verye image and shape of perfecte sorrowe liuely in hym expressed More then twentie seuerall times the teares gushed out aboundantly dropped downe marueilously from hys Fatherly face They whych were
Pope haue such power as he claimeth vntill such tyme as the lawes and customes of this Realme beyng contrary to his lawes be taken away blotted out of the law books And although there be many lawes of this Realme contrary to the lawes of Rome yet I named but a fewe as to conuict a Clarke before any temporall Iudge of this Realme for debt fellony murther or for any other crime which Clarkes by the Popes lawes bee so exempt frō the Kyngs lawes that they can be no where sued but before their ordinary Also the Pope by his lawes may geue all bishoprikes and benefices spiritual which by the lawes of this realm can be geuen but onely by the kyng and other patrones of the same except they fall into the lapse By the Popes lawes Ius patronatus shall be sued only before the Ecclesiasticall Iudge but by the lawes of the Realme it shall be sued before the temporall Iudge And to be short the lawes of this realm do agree with the Popes lawes like fire and water And yet the Kings of this realm haue prouided for their lawes by the premunire so that if any man haue let the execution of the lawes of this realme by any authority from the Sea of Rome he falleth into the premunire But to meete with this the Popes haue prouided for their lawes by cursing For whosoeuer letteth the Popes lawes to haue ful course within this realm by the Popes power standeth accursed So that the Popes power treadeth all the lawes and customs of this Realme vnder his feete cursing all that execute them vntil such tyme as they geue place vnto his lawes But it may be sayd that notwithstanding all the Popes decrees yet we do execute still the lawes and customes of this realme Nay not all quietly without interruption of the Pope And where we do execute them yet we do it vniustly if the Popes power be of force and for the same we stand excommunicate and shall do vntill we leaue the execution of our owne lawes and customes Thus we bee wel reconciled to Rome allowyng such authority wherby the Realme standeth accursed before God if the Pope haue any such authority These thynges as I suppose were not fully opened in the Parliament house when the Popes authority was receiued agayne within this realme for if they had I doe not beleeue that either the kyng or Queenes Maiesty or the noblest of this Realme or the Commons of the same would euer haue consented to receiue agayne such a forraine authority so iniurious hurtfull and preiudiciall as well to the crowne as to the lawes and customs and state of this Realme as whereby they must needes acknowledge themselues to be accursed But none coulde open this matter well but the Clergy and such of them as had red the Popes lawes whereby the Pope had made hymselfe as it were a God These seeke to maintaine the Pope whom they desired to haue their chiefe head to the intent they might haue as it were a kyngdome and lawes within themselues distinct from the lawes of the crowne and wherewith the crowne may not meddle and so being exempted from the lawes of the Realme might liue in this Realme lyke lordes and kings without damage or feare of any man so that they please their high and supreme hed at Rome For this consideration I weene some that knew the truth held their peace in the Parliament whereas if they had done their duties to the crowne whole realme they should haue opened their mouths declared the truth and shewed the perils and daungers that might ensue to the crowne and realme And if I should agree to allow such authoritie within this Realme whereby I must needes confesse that your most gracious highnes and also your realme should euer continue accursed vntill ye shall cease from the execution of your own lawes and customs of your realme I could not thinke myselfe true either to your highnesse or to this my naturall countrey knowyng that I do know Ignorance I know may excuse other men but he that knoweth how preiudiciall and iniurious the power and authoritie which he chalengeth euery where is to the crowne lawes and customes of this realme and yet wil allow the same I cannot see in any wyse how he can keepe his due allegeaunce fidelitie and truth to the crowne and state of this realme An other cause I alledged why I could not allow the authoritie of the Pope which is this That by his autoritie he subuerteth not onely the lawes of this realme but also the lawes of God so that whosoeuer be vnder hys authority he suffreth them not to be vnder Christes religion purely as Christ did commaund And for one example I brought foorth that wheras by gods lawes all christian people bee bounden diligently to learne his worde that they may know how to beleeue and liue accordingly for that purpose he ordeined holydayes when they ought leauyng apart al other businesse to geue themselues wholy to know and serue God Therefore Gods will commandement is that when the people be gathered together that Ministers should vse such language as the people may vnderstand and take profite thereby or els hold their peace For as an harpe or lute if it geue no certaine sounde that men may know what is striken who can dance after it for all the sound is in vayne so is it vayne profiteth nothyng sayth almighty God by the mouth of S. Paule if the priest speake to the people in a language which they know not For els he may profite hymselfe but profiteth not the people saith S. Paul But herein I was answered thus that Saint Paule spake onely of preachyng that the preacher should speake in a tong which the people did know or els his preaching auaileth nothing but if the preaching auaileth nothing beyng spoken in a language which the people vnderstand not how should any other seruice auaile them beyng spoken in the same language And yet that S. Paule ment not onely of preachyng it appeareth plainly by his owne words For he speaking by name expressely of praying singyng and thanking of God and of all other thynges which the priestes say in the Churches whereunto the people say Amen whiche they vse not in preaching but in other diuine seruice that whether the Priests reherse the wonderfull workes of God or the great benefites of God vnto mankynd aboue al other cretures or geue thanks vnto God or make open professiō of their fayth or humble confession of their sinnes with earnest request of mercy and forgeuenes or make sute or request vnto God for any thing then all the people vnderstāding what the priests say might geue their mynds and voyces with them and say Amen that is to say allowe what the priests say that the rehearsall of Gods vniuersall workes and benefites the geuyng of thanks the professiō of fayth the confession of sinnes
and forgiuen your sinnes nowe cleaue vnto him and be at defiance with his enemyes the Papistes as they doe beare witnesse with their Father the Deuill by goinge to the Church and shedding of the innocent bloud of all those that will not goe with them euen so do you beare witnes with Christ by not comming there for all those that do go thither shal be partakers of their brethrens bloud that is shed for the testimonye of Christ except they repent amend which grace that they may so doe I beseech the eternall God for his Christes sake if it be his good will to geue them in his good tyme. And the same good God that hath bene so mercifull vnto you to call you to repentance him I beseech to keepe you in his feare loue that you may haue alwayes affiance in him and euermore seeke his honour glory to your euerlasting comfort in Christ Amen Thus fare you well from the kinges bench this 28. of August By me William Tyms ¶ An other letter of W. Tyms to certayne godly women of his parish folowers of the Gospell GRace mercy and peace from GOD the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ be with you both now and euermore Amen Deare sisters I haue me most hartely commended vnto you thanking you for the great kindnes shewed vnto me in this tyme of my imprisonment and not onely vnto me but also vnto my poore wife and children and also for the great kindnesse that you shew vnto all the liuing saints that be dispersed abroad and are fayne to hide their heades for feare of this cruell persecution Deare sisters when I do remember your constancy in christ I call to remembraunce the constancy of diuers godly women as Susanna Iudith Hester and the good wife of Nabal that thorow her godly conditions saued both her husbandes life and all her housholde when Dauid had thoughte to haue slayne him for his churlish aunswere that he sent him Also I do remember Rahab that lodged the Lordes Spyes howe God preserued her and her whole housholde for her faythfulnesse that she bare to Gods people So I doe beleue that when the Lord shall send his Aungell to destroy these Idolatrous Egyptians here in England and shall finde the bloud of the Lambe sprinkled on the dore postes of your harts he wil go by not hurt you but spare your whole housholdes for your sakes Also I do remember Mary Magdalen how faythfull she was for she was the first that preached the resurrection of Christ. Remember the blessed Martir Anne Askew in our time folow her example of constancy And for the loue of God take heede that in no case you doe consent to Idolatrye but stande fast to the Lorde as the good woman did that had her seuen sonnes put to death before her face and she alwayes comforting them yea and last of all suffered death her selfe for the testimony of her God which is the liuing God Thus I beseech God to send you grace and strength to stand fast to the Lorde as shee did and then you shall be sure of the same kingdome that she is sure of to the which kingdome I pray God bring both you and me Amen By me William Tyms prisoner in the Kinges Bench. ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms to his frend in Hockley THe grace of God the Father through the merites of his deare sonne Iesus our Lord and onely Sauiour with the continuall ayde of his holy and mighty spirit to the performance of his wil to our euerlasting comfort be with you my deare brethren both now and euermore Amen My dearely beloued I beseeche God to rewarde the greate goodnesse that you haue shewed vnto me seuen folde into your bosomes and as you haue alwayes had a moste godly loue vnto his word euen so I beseech him to geue you grace to loue your owne soule and then I trust that you will flee from al those thinges that shoulde displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhorre all the companye of those that woulde haue you to worship God any otherwise then is conteined in his holy worde And beware of those maysters of Idolatrye that is these papisticall Priestes My deare brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I haue sayd vnto you and also written the which I am now ready to seale with my bloud I prayse God that euer I liue to see the daye and blessed bee my good and mercifull God that euer he gaue me a body to glorify his name And deare hartes I do now write vnto you for none other cause but to put you in remembraunce that I haue not forgotten you to the end that I woulde not haue you forgette me but to remember well what I haue simply by worde of mouth and writing taught you The which although it were moste simplye done yet truely as your owne conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own conscience doth condemne Therefore come out of Sodome and goe to heauen ward with the seruauntes and martyrs of God least you be pertakers of the vengeance of God that is comming vpō this wicked natiō from the which the Lord our God defend you and send vs a ioyfull meeting in the kingdome of heauen vnto the which God bring you all Amen Thus now I take my leaue of you for euer in this world except I be burned amongst you whiche thing is vncertayne vnto me as yet By me your poorest and most vnworthy brother in Christ W. Tyms in Newgate the 12. day of April condemned to dye for Christes verity ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms geuing thankes to his parishioners for theyr charity shewed to his wife being brought to bed of a childe in his captiuity THe euerlasting peace of our deare Lord and only sauiour Iesus Christ with the sweete comfort of his holy mighty spirite to the encrease of your fayth to the perfourmance of his will and to your eternall cōfort in the euerlasting kingdome of heauen be with you my deare brethren and sisterne both now and euer Amen My most deare brethren sisterne in our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ I haue me most hartely cōmended vnto you with harty thankes for all the great liberality that you haue shewed vnto me specially now in this time of my necessity whē that God hath sēt my poore wife a childe in my captiuity which is no litle care to me so to prouide that I might keepe both the child my wife from the Antichristian church the which thing I thanke my good god through his most gracious prouidence I haue yet done though it be as you know great charge not to me but to the congregation of God it greueth me that I haue bene so chargeable to thē as I haue bene specially you my deare brethrē I being so vnworthy a
he sweare vnto vs as he did vnto the vnfaythfull Iewes that such Infidells shall not enter into his rest In the administration of the Lordes supper whiche we confessed to be the holye Communion and pertakinge with Christ and his holy Congregation we haue learned Gods holy commaundements and at the rehearsall of euery one of them to ask God mercy for our most grieuous transgressions agaynst them and to aske grace of God to keepe them in time to come that the same may not onelye outwardly sound in our eares but also inwardly by the holy ghost be written in our hartes Wee haue learned also the holye prayer made for the Queenes Maiestie wherein wee learne that her power and authoritie is of God therefore wee praye to God for her that shee and all magistrates vnder her may rule according to Gods worde and we her subiectes obey according to the same Truely most honourable Commissioners we caÌ„not thinke these thinges euill but thinke them moste worthye to be retayned in our Churches and we would think our selues not to haue true subiectes hartes if we shuld go about to put away such godly prayers as put vs perpetually in memory of our bounden obedience duety to God and our Rulers For as we thinke at this present the vnquiet multitude had more neede to haue these things more often and earnestly beaten and driuen into them specially geuen in many places to stirre and trouble then to take from them that blessed doctrine whereby onely they may to their saluation be kept in quiet Furthermore we caÌ„not forsake that blessed partaking of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christes institution ministred with such godly prayers exhortatioÌ„s and admonitions teaching vs the knowledge of God the exceeding loue and charity of our louing redeemer Christ breaking hys body vpon the crosse for our sinnes shâ—dding his most precious bloud for our redemption whych we in eating of that blessed breade and drinking of yâ— blessed Cup assuredly beleue that we receiue and be perfectly ioyned with Christ and his holy Catholike Churche into one body and into one vnitie and brotherly loue wherby eche member faithfully embraceth other We must needes confesse thys institution of Christ to be moste holy godly whereof we haue the onely coÌ„fort in conscience against sinne damnation with the assurance of saluation wherof hath ensued reformation of many hainous sinnes much lawinge strife and contention is ended dronkennesse whoredome and other vices in some reformed goodnesse and vertue increased and nourished In the Latine Masse we neuer had no suche edifying but only we saw a great many of ceremonies and strange gestures as tourning of the Prieste crossings blessings breathings washing of handes and spreading abroade of hys armes wyth like ceremonies that we vnderstaÌ„d not And concerninge the Latine tongue wherein the Prieste prayeth we wote not whether hee blesseth or cursseth vs. Wee are not partakers of the Sacrament as Christes institution appoynteth we should be In the ministring of the Sacrament the Priests alter the institution of Christ committing theft and sacriledge robbing vs of the cup of Christes bloud coÌ„trary to Christes commandement saying Drinke yee all of this They rob vs also of Gods woord speaking all thyngs in Latine whych nothing edifieth vs eyther in Faythe or maners Christe commaunded not that his Supper shuld be ministred in an vnknowen tounge but for as much as faith commeth of hearing and hearing commeth of Gods woorde howe can wee beleeue Christes woorde and promise made vnto vs in thys holy Sacrament saying Thys is my bodye broken for you and this is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche is shedde for you for the remission of sinnes if the same promises of Christe either be not at all recited or els so recited in Latine that the Congregation vnderstandeth not or heareth not what is spoken S. Paul saith thus reciting the saying of Esay As truly as I liue sayth the Lorde all knees shall bowe vnto me all tongues shall geue praise vnto God Also he sayeth Al tongues must confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the father The holye Ghost came vppon the Apostles in fiery tongues so that they spake the tongues of all nations vnder heauen S. Paul ministred to the Corinthians and preached to them in theyr owne mother tongue and rebuked the bringyng in of straunge tongues into the congregations Wee can not thincke it to be well that so holy an Apostle rebuked And what soeuer vertue the Latine tongue hath to suche as vnderstand it to vs English men not vnderstandyng it it is altogether without vertue and edifying and therfore vnmeete for our Churches The Priestes complayne that we lay men loue them not nor haue them in honour But it is their owne faulte For how should we loue them that onely seeeke to keep vs in blindnes and ignorance to damne our soules to destroy our bodies to rob and spoyle our goodes and substaunce vnder a colour of pretensed holines We knowe right honourable Commissioners what honour is due to suche Wolues how by the authoritie of Gods word such are to be fledde as pestilences to the Lordes lambes whom they miserably dayly murder But we haue rather chosen by this our meeke supplycation humbly to desire the Queenes maiestie and you her honorable Commissioners to render Gods worde agayn vnto the Churches to permit vs freely to enioye the same For we certainely knowe that the whole Religion lately set out by the holy sainct of God our late most deare king Edward is Christes true religion written in the holy scripture of God and by Christe and his Apostles taught vnto his Church Wherefore we cannot allowe with safe consciences this refusall of it and casting of it out of oure Churches for asmuch as to refuse cast off to reiect is to cast off Christ himselfe and to refuse our part in his blessed body broken for our sinnes and his bloud shed for our redemption Which thing who so doth the same without repentaunce can look for no sacrifice for his sinnes but most fearfully wayte for the iudgement and for that vehement fire that shall destroy Christes aduersaries For if hee that despiseth the law of Moses is without mercye put to death vnder two or three witnesses howe much more greeuous tormentes shall he suffer that treadeth vnder foot the sonne of God and esteemeth the bloud of the Testament wherby he was sanctified as a prophane thing coÌ„tumeliously vseth the spirite of grace Wherefore wee moste humbly praye and beseeche the Queenes gracious Maiestie to haue mercy and pitty vpon vs her poore and faithfull subiectes and not to compel vs to do the thing that is agaynst our consciences and shall so incurably wound vs in hart by bringing into the churche the Latine Masse and seruice that nothing edifieth vs and and casting out of Christes holye Communion and
brought thither by a writ I trowe what he was I cannot tell I thinke M. Marshall can tell you Marshall In good fayth I cannot tell what the matter is but in deed my Lord chiefe Iustice seÌ„t him from the barre Mart. Well Careles I would wishe thou shouldest play the wise mans part Thou art a handsome man And it is pity but thou shouldest doe well and saue that which God hath bought Careles I thanke your good Maystershippe most hartely And I put you out of doubt that I am most sure and certayne of my saluation by Iesus Christ so that my soule is safe already what so euer paynes my body suffer here for a litle time Mart. Yea Mary you say trueth For thou art so predestinate to life that thou canst not perish in whatsoeuer opinion thou doest dye Careles That GOD hath predestinate me to eternall life in Iesus Christ I am most certayne and euen so am I sure that his holy spirite wherewith I am sealed will so preserue me from all heresies euill opinions that I shall dye in none at all Mart. Go to let me heare your fayth in predestination For that shal be written also Careles Your Maystership shall pardon me herein For you sayd your selfe erewhile that you had no Commission to examine my conscience I will trouble my selfe wyth aunswering of no moe matters then I needes must vntil I come before them that shall haue more authority farther to examine me Mart. I tell thee then I haue Commission yea and commaundement from the Counsell to examine thee for they deliuered me thy articles Careles Yea I thinke in deede that your Mastershippe is appointed to examine me of my articles whiche you haue there in writing and I haue told you the truth I do confesse them to be mine owne fact and deede but you do now examâ—ne me of predestination whereof my articles speaketh nothing at all Martin I tell thee yet agayne that I muste also examine thee of such thinges as be in controuersye betweene thee thy fellowes in the Kings Bench whereof predestination is a part as thy fellow N. hath confessed and thy selfe doest not deny it Carel. I do not deny it But he that first told you that matter might haue found himselfe much better occupyed Martyn Why what if he had not told me thinkest thou I would not haue knoweÌ„ it yes or els thou shouldest haue withstand my Commission For I tell thee truthe I may now examine thee of the blessed Sacrament or any other thing that I list but that I would shew thee fauour and not be to hasty with thee at the first Marshall Yea in deede Careles Maister Doctor hath CoÌ„mission to examine you or any other of your fellowes Mart. Yea mary haue I I tell the truth of it Carel. Then let your Scribe set his pen to the paper and you shall haue it roundly euen as the truth is I beleeue that almightye God our moste deare louing father of his great mercy and infinite goodnes did elect in Christ. Mart. Tush what neede all that long circumstance write I beleeue that God elected and make no more adoe Carel. No not so M. Doctour It is an high mistery and ought reuerently to be spoken of And if my wordes may not be written as I do vtter them I wil not speake at all Mart Go to go to write what he will Here is more busines then needeth Careles I beleeue that Almighty GOD our moste deare louing Father of his greate mercy and infinite goodnesse thorough Iesus Christ did elect and appoynt in him before the fouÌ„dation of the earth was layd a Church or congregation which he doth continually guide and gouerne by his grace and holy spirite so that not one of them shall euer finally perishe When this was written M. Doctor tooke it in his hand and read it saying Mart. Why who will deny this Carel. Iâ— your Maistership doe allow it and other learned men when they shall see it I haue my hartes desyer Mart. And do you hold none otherwise theÌ„ is there writteÌ„ Carel. No verily nor neuer did Mart. Write that he sayth otherwise he holdeth not So that was written It was told me also that thou doest affirme that Christ did not dye effectually for all men Carel Whatsoeuer hath bene told you it is not much materiall vnto me Let the tellers of such tales come before my face and I trust to make them aunswere For in deede I do beleeue that Christe did effectually dye for all those that do effectually repent and beleeue and for none other so that was written also Mert. Now Syr what is Trewes fayth of predestinatioÌ„ he beleeueth that all men be predestinate that none shall be damned Doth he not Carel. No forsooth that doth he not Mart How then Carel Truely I thinke he doth beleeue as your Maistershyp and the rest of the Clergy do beleeue of predestinatioÌ„ that we bee elected in respecte of our good workes and so long elected as we do them and no longer Martyn Write that he sayth his fellow Trew beleeueth of predestination as the Papistes do beleeue Carel. Ah Maister Doctour did I so terme you Seing that this my confession shall come before the Counsell I pray you place my termes as reuerently as I spake them Mart Well well write that Trew is of the same fayth as the Catholickes be Carel. I did not so call you neyther I wonder what you meane Marshal You sayd the Clergy did you not Careles Carel. Yes forsooth did I. So then it was written of the Clergy Mart. Now Syr what say you more Carel. Forsooth I haue no farther to say in this matter Mart. Well Careles I pray thee proue thy selfe a wise man and do not cast away thy lyfe wilfully Carel. Now the Lord he knoweth good Maister Doctor I would full gladly liue so that I might do the same with a safe conscience And your Maistershippe shall right well perceiue that I will be no wilfull man but in all thinges that I stand vpon I will haue a sure grounde Martin Now the Lorde knoweth good Careles that I would gladly make some meanes to preserue thy lyfe but thou speakest so much of the Lord the Lord. Wilt thou be content to go with my Lord Fitzwater into Ireland me thinkes thou art a goodly tall fellow to do the Queene seruice there How sayest thou Carel. Uerely Maister Doctour whether I be in Ireland Fraunce or Spayne or any place els I am ready to do her grace the best seruice that I can with body goodes and lyfe so long as it doth last Mart. That is honestly sayde I promise thee euery man will not say so How say you Maister Marshall this man is meete for all manner of seruice In deede thou arte worthye Careles to haue the more fauour Carel. In deede Syr I hope to be meete and ready vnto all things that pertayneth vnto
sithens the 10. day of Ianuarie last or to vse receiue or alow any ceremonies sacramēts or other rites then vsed in the church To all these Articles he answeared affirmatiuely denieng precisely none of them sauing to this clause contained in the 12. article that a man is not bounde to fast and pray but at his owne will pleasure he sayde that he had affirmed no such thing but he confessed that he had not fasted nor prayed so oft as he was bounde to doe And vnto this answer he also subscribed in this sorte Except it be prooued otherwise by the holy Scripture I doe affirme these articles to be true By me Rafe Allerton The next examination was the fourth daye of Iulie The actes whereof because they do appeare more amply in hys other examination had the 10. daye of September I doe heere omit geuing you farther to vnderstande that vppon the seuenth daye of the same moneth of Iulie hee was brought before Doctor Darbishiere in the Byshops Palace who examined him againe vppon the former Articles and after perswaded him to recant threatning hym that otherwise he should be burned To whome he boldly answeared I woulde I mighte be condemned euen to morrowe for I perceiue my Lord meaning Boner doth nothing but seeke mennes bloud Uppon whiche sayinge Darbishire committed him againe to prisone and the 10. day of September the Bishop caused him with the other thre aboue named to be brought vnto Fulham and there in his priuate Chappell wythin his house hee iudiciallye propounded vnto him certaine other newe Articles of the whyche the tenours of the first fifte sixte and seuenth are already mentioned in the seconde thirde and fourthe former obiections as for the rest the contentes thereof here followeth Thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the Information geuen against thee and remaining now in the Actes of this court of thine Ordinarie Edmunde Bishop of London was and is a true information This information was geuen by Tho. Tie Curate of Bentley of whome yee haue already heard and certaine other of the same parishe and affinitie as namelye Iohn Painter William Harris Iohn Barker Iohn Carter Thomas Candeler Ieffrey Bestwoode Iohn Richarde Richard Meere The effect whereof was that one Laurence Edwards of Bentley aforesayde had a child that was vnchristened and being demaunded by the sayde Tye whye hys childe was not Baptised he made aunsweare it should be when he coulde finde one of his religion meaning a true professour of Christes gospell Whereat the Curate sayd Ah ye haue hadde some instructer that hathe schooled yo◠of late Yea quoth the sayd Edwardes that I haue and if youre doctrine be better then his then I will beleeue you and therewithall fondly offered to fetch him Wherupon the Cōstable going with him they brought before the said curate the said Rafe Allerton of whome in this information they make this reporte that he was a seditious person who sithens his comming down from the bish had set vpon the Constables doore certaine seditious Letters moouing and perswading thereby the people to folow his malicious disobedience and that these his perswasions had taken effecte in manye And farther that the saide Rafe Allerton the Curate asking him whether he had instructed thys Laurence Edwardes that it was agaynst Gods commandement to enter into the church casting abroad his hands should say Oh good people now is fulfilled the saying of the godly Priest and Prophet Esdras who sayeth The fire of a multitude is kindled against a fewe they haue taken away their houses spoiled their goods c. Which of you all haue not seen this day who is he here amongest you that seeth not all these things done vpon vs this day The church which they call vs vnto is the church of Antichrist a persecuting church and the church malignant With these and many mo words said they most maliciously and falsly alledged out of the Scriptures he thus perswaded a great multitude there present as muche as in him lay vnto disobedience For the which cause the constables did then apprehend him 3. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letter sent vnto me by my Lorde Darcie beginning wyth these woordes pleaseth it your Lordship c. was thine owne letter and was subscribed by thine owne hand The contents of the letter mentioned in this Article and wrytten by Allerton vnto the Lorde Darcie was a confession of his demeanor before his first apprehension the effect and purport whereof because it appeareth in the beginning of this his Historie I doe heere omit 4. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not deny but that the other letter sent also to me from my said Lord Darcy beginning thus pleaseth it youre Lordship c. and ending with these woordes whensoeuer it be is thine owne very letter and subscribed with thine owne hand This was also an other letter wrytten by hym vnto the Lorde Darcie the contents whereof were that where the said Lorde had commaunded him to declare where he had bene euer sithens Whitsontide last before hys first apprehension this was to certifie his Lordship that he was not able so to do otherwise then as he had already shewed him by his former letters And moreouer where as hee charged him to haue read vnto the people abroade in the woodes he certified him that he did neuer read any thyng abroad sauing once whē he was in the cōpany of George Eagles and others Richarde Roth tooke a wryting out of his bosome and desired the saide Rafe to read it which request heethen accomplished and demaunding of hym whose doing the same was the said Roth told that it was maister Cranmers late Archbishop of Canterburie and farther he could not shew him Neuertheles he was ready and willing to suffer such punishment as his lordship should thinke meete desiring yet that the same myghte be with fauour and mercye although hee feared neither punishment nor death praying the Lord that it might be in his feare when soeuer it should be 8. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letters wrytten with bloud beginning with these words Grace mercy and peace c. and ending thus Farewell in God remaining nowe Registred in the Actes of thys Court were wrytten voluntarily with thine owne hand He wrote this letter in the prison with bloud for lacke of other inke and did meane to send the same vnto Agnes Smith alias Siluerside at that time imprisoned and afterwardes burned at Colchester for the testimonie of the Gospell of Christe as before is mencioned The Copie of which letter heere ensueth A letter wrytten by Rafe Allerton vnto Agnes Smith Widowe GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ with the assistance of Gods holy spirite and the aboundant health both of soule and body I wish vnto you as to mine owne soule as GOD knoweth who is the searcher of all secretes Forasmuch as it hath pleased
great deale better welcome then lyfe But this tooke not effect at that time as she thought it would and therfore as I sayd was she not a little troubled Beyng in this great perplexitie of mynde a friend of hers came to her and required to knowe whether Abrahams obedience was accepted before God for that hee did sacrifice his sonne Isaac or in that he would haue offered hym Unto which she answered thus I know quoth she that Abrahams will before God was allowed for the deede in that he would haue done it if the Aungell of the Lorde had not stayed him but I said she am vnhappy the Lorde thinketh me not worthye of this dignitie and therfore Abrahams case and mine is not alyke Why quoth her friend would ye not willingly haue gone with your company if God should so haue suffered it Yes said she with all my hart and because I did not it is now my chiefe and greatest griefe Then said her friend My deare sister I pray thee consider Abraham and thy self well thou shalt see thou doest nothing differ with him in will at all Alas quoth she there is a farre greater matter in Abraham then in me for Abraham was tried with the offering of his owne childe but so am not I and therefore our cases are not lyke Good sister quoth her friend way the matter but indifferently Abraham I graunt sayd he would haue offered his sonne and haue not you done the lyke in your little suckyng babe But consider further then this my good sister sayd he where Abraham was commanded but to offer his sonne you are heuy and grieued because you offer not your selfe which goeth somewhat more neere you then Abrahams obedience did therefore before God assuredly is no lesse accepted allowed in his holy presence which further the preparing of your shroud also doth argue full well c. After which talke betweene them she began a little to stay her selfe and gaue her whole exercise to readyng and prayer wherein she found no little comfort In the tyme that these foresayd ij good women were prisoners one in the Castle the other in Motehall God by a secret meane called the sayd Margaret Thurston vnto his truth agayne who hauyng her eyes opened by the workyng of his spirit did greatly sorrow and lament her backsliding before and promised faithfully to the Lord in hope of his mercies neuer more while she liued to doe the like agayne but that she would constantly stand to the cōfession of the same against all the aduersaries of the crosse of Christ. After which promise made came in short tyme a writ from London for the burning of them which accordyng to the effect thereof was executed the 17. day of September in the yeare aforesayd * The burning of Margaret Thurston and Agnes Bongeor at Colchester to Laxfield to bee burned and on the next day mornyng was brought to the stake where was ready agaynst hys commyng the foresayd Iustice M. Thurstō one M. Waller then beyng vnder shiriffe and M. Tho. Louell beyng high Constable as is before expressed the which commanded men to make redy all things meete for that sinful purpose Nowe the fire in most places of the streete was put out sauyng a smoke was espied by the said Tho. Louell proceeding out from the top of a chimney to which house the shiriffe and Grannow his man went and brake open the dore and thereby got fire and brought the same to the place of execution When Iohn Noyes came to the place of execution When Iohn Noyes came to the place where he should be burned he kneeled downe and sayde the 50. Psalme with other prayers and then they making haste bound hym to the stake and beyng bounde the sayd Iohn Noyes sayd Feare not them that can kill the body but feare hym that can kill both bodye and soule and cast it into euerlastyng fire When he saw his sister weeping and making mone for him he bade her that she should not weepe for hym but weepe for her sinnes Then one Nich. Cadman beyng Hastler a valiaunt champion in the Popes affaires brought a fagotte and set agaynst him and the said Ioh. Noyes tooke vp the fagot and kissed it and sayd Blessed bee the tyme that euer I was borne to come to this Then he deliuered his Psalter to the vndershirife desiring him to be good to his wyfe and children to deliuer to her that same booke and the shiriffe promised hym that he would notwithstāding he neuer as yet performed his promise Then the sayd Iohn Noyes sayd to the people They say they can make God of a piece of bread beleeue them not Then sayd he good people beare witnes that I do beleeue to be saued by the merites passion of Iesus Christ and not by myne owne deedes and so the fire was kindled and burned about him and thē he sayd Lord haue mercy vpon me Christ haue mercy vppon me Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Noyes Martyr And so he yelded vp his lyfe and when his body was burned they made a pit to bury the coales and ashes and amongst the same they found one of his feet that was vnburned whole vp to the anckle with the hose on and that they buried with the rest Now while he was a burnyng there stoode one Iohn Iaruis by a mans seruant of the same towne a plaine fellow which sayd Good Lorde how the sinewes of hys armes shrinke vp And there stood behynd hym one Gran now and Benet beyng the shiriffes men and they sayd to their maister that Iohn Iaruis said what villeine wretches are these And their maister bade lay hand on hym then they tooke hym and piniond hym and caried hym before the Iustice that same day and the Iustice did examine hym of the words aforesayd but he denied them and aunswered that he sayd nothing but this Good Lorde howe the sinews of his armes shrinke vp But for all this the Iustice did bynd his father and his maister in v. poundes a piece that he should be forth commyng at all tymes And on the Wednesday next hee was broughte agayne before these Iustices M. Thurston and M. Kene they sittyng at Fresingfield in Hoxton hundred and there they did appoint and commaund that the sayd Iohn Iaruis shoulde be set in the stockes the next market day and whipt about the market naked But his Maister one William Iaruis did after craue friendship of the Constables and they dyd not set him in the stockes till Sonday morning and in the after noone they did whip hym about the market wyth a dog whip hauyng three cords and so they let hym go Some doe geue that Iohn Iaruis was whipped for saying that Nich. Cadman was Noyes Hastler that is such one as maketh and hasteth the fire The copy of a certaine letter that he sent to comforte his Wyfe at such tyme as he lay
Officers could not tell what to say nor whom to accuse And thus much concerning the congregation of the faythfull assembling together at London in the time of Queene Mary The said M. Bentham an other time as he passed thorow S. Katherines intending to walke and take the ayre abroad was enforced by two or three men approching vpon him needes to go with them to a place whether they would lead him M. Bētham astonied at the sodeinnes of the matter and maruelling what the thing shoulde be required what theyr purpose was or whether they woulde haue him They aunswered that by the occasion of a man there found drowned the Crowners quest was called and charged to sit vpon him of the whiche quest he must of necessity be one c. He agayne loth to medle in the matter excused himselfe alledging that in such kind of matters he had no skill and lesse experience if it would please them to let him goe they should meete with other more meete for theyr purpose But when with this they would not be satisfied he alledged further that he was a scholer of Oxford and thereby was priuiledged from being of any inquest The Crowner demaunded the sight of his priuiledge He sayd if he woulde geue him leaue he would fetch it Then sayd the Crowner the queene must be serued without all delay so cōstrayned him notwithstanding to be with thē in hearing the matter Beyng brought to the house where the Crowner and the rest of the quest were sitting as the maner is a booke was offered him to sweare vpon M. Bentham opening the booke and seing it was a papisticall Primer refused to sweare thereupon and declared moreouer what superstition in that booke was conteined What sayde the Crowner I thinke we shall haue here an hereticke among vs. And vpon that after much reasoning amongest them he was committed to the custody of an officer till further examination by occasion wherof to all mens reason hard it had bene and ineuitable for M. Bentham to haue escaped had not the Lord helped where man was not able What folowed Incontinent as they were thus contending and debating about matters of heresye sodeynly commeth the Crowner of the Admiralty disanulling and repealing the order calling of that inquest for that it was as he sayde perteining to his office and therefore the other Crowner and his company in that place had nothing to do And so the first Crowner was discharged and displaced by reasō whereof M. Bentham escaped theyr handes hauing no more sayd vnto him * English men preserued at the taking of Calice THe worthy workes of the Lordes mercy toward hys people be manifolde and can not be comprehended so that who is he liuing in the earth almost who hath not experienced the helping hand of the Lord at some time or other vpon him Amōgst many other what a piece of gods tender prouidence was shewed of late vpon our English brethren and country men what time Calice was takē by the Tyrant Guise a cruell enemy both to Gods truth and to our English nation And yet by the gracious prouision of the Lorde few or none at all of so many that fauoured Christ and his Gospell in that terryble spoyle miscaried In the number of whome there was a godly couple one Iohn Thorpe and his wife which feared the Lord and loued his trueth who being sicke the same time and cast out into the wild fieldes harbourles desolate and despayring of all hope of life hauing theyr young infant moreouer taken from them in the sayd fieldes and caried awaye of the souldiors yet the Lord so wrought that the poore woman being almost past recouery of life was fet and caried the space welnigh of a mile by straungers whome they neuer knewe into a village where both shee was recouered for that night also the next day comming toward England they chaunced into the same Inne at the next town where they found theyr young child sitting by the fire side ¶ Edward Benet ONe Edw. Benet about the second yeare of the reigne of Q. Mary then dwelling at Quenehieth with one Grynocke a Baker was desired of one Tyngle prisoner then in Newgate to bring him a new testament He procuring one of M. Couerdals translatiō wrapt it in a handkerchiefe saying to George the keeper whiche asked hym what he had that it was a piece of pondred biefe Let mee see it sayd he Perceiuing what it was he brought him to Syr Roger Cholmley who examined him why he did so saying that booke was not lawfull so committed him to the Counter in woodstreet wher he continued 25. weekes Doctor Story comming to the prison to examine other Prisoners this Benet looking out at the grate spake to him desiring him to be good vnto him and to helpe hym out for he had lien long in prison To whom D. Story thē aunswering What sayd he wast not thou before me in Christes Church Yes forsooth sayd Benet Ah sayd Story thou doest not beleue in the Sacrament of the Aultar Mary I will helpe thee out come sayd he to the keeper turne him out I will helpe him and so tooke Benet wyth him and brought him to Cluney in Pater noster Row and bade him bring him to the Colehouse and there he was in the stockes a weeke Then the Bishoppe sent for him to talke with him and first asked him if he were shriuen No sayd Benet He asked him if he would be shriuen No sayd he Then he asked him if the Priest could take away his sinnes No sayd Benet I do not so beleue Then he and Harpsfielde laughed at him and mocked him asking him if he did not beleue that what so euer the Prieste here bounde in earth should be bound in heauen and what so euer he loosed in earth shoulde be loosed in heauen No quoth Benet But I beleue that the Minister of God preaching Gods word truely and ministring the Sacramentes accordyng to the same whatsoeuer he bindeth in earth shal be bound in heauen and what so euer he looseth c. Then the Bishop putting him aside sayd he should go to Fulham and be whipped Then came to him M. Buswell a Pries◠lying in the Colehouse in the stockes and brought Cranmers recantation saying that he had recanted My fayth sayth the other lyeth in no mans booke but in him which hath redeemed me The next saterday Benet with fiue other was called for to come to masse into the Chappell The Masse being done and they comming out fiue of thē went to prison and were after burned Benet being behind and comming toward the gate the porter opening to a company goyng out asked if there were no prisoners there No sayd they Benet standing in open sight before him with other seruing men whiche were there by reason that Boner made many priestes that day hauing one of his sleues and halfe the fore part of his coat
liues that they should not bewray them and yet herewith they were not satisfied but they meant to root out the whole progenie and nation of English men that none should be lefte to reuenge or crye out on theyr extremities and to bring our Countrye into the Spanyardes dominion It is an horrible crueltie for one brother to kill an other muche more horrible for the children to lay violent murthering handes on theyr parentes but most horrible of all to murther the children in the sight of the parentes or the parentes in the sight of their children as these moste cruell tormenters haue done But what do I stand in these thinges which haue some defence because the Turkes perchaunce vse so to doe and Ethnykes kill one an other to make sacrifice of menne to theyr phantasticall Gods It was not enough for these vnnaturall English tormentours Tyrantes and false Christians to be Lordes of the goodes possessions and bodyes of theyr brethren Country men but being verye Antichristes and enemies of Christes crosse they would be Gods and raygne in the consciences and soules of men Euery man woman and childe must deny Christ in word openly abhorre Chryste in theyr deedes sclaunder his Gospell with word deed worship and honour false gods as they would haue them and themselues did and so geue body and soule to the deuill theyr maister or secretly flee or after inward torments to be burned openly O crueltie cruelty farre exceeding al cruelties committed by those ancient and famous tyrants and cruell murderers Pharao Herode Caligula Nero Domitian Maximine Diocletian Decius whose names for theyr cruell persecution of the people of God and their open tyranny practised on the people haue bene be euer shal be in perpetuall hatred and theyr soules in continuall torment in hell If any man would take vppon hym to set foorth particularly all the actes that haue bene done these full fiue yeares by this vnnaturall womā No no womā but a monster and the deuill of hel couered with the shape of a woman as it is most necessary for the glorye of God and the prophet of his churche and this realme it shoulde be done hee shall finde it a matter sufficient for a perfect great History and not to be cōtayned in an Oration to be vttered at one tyme by the voyce of man But to comprehend the summe of all theyr wickednes in few wordes behold whatsoeuer malice in mischief couetousnes in spoyl crueltie in punishing tiranny in destruction could do that all this poore English nation these full fiue yeares eyther suffered already or should haue suffered had not the great mercy of God preuented it And albeit there haue ben many that haue hazarded lost theyr liues to shake of this moste rough brake wherewith this Uiragin rather then Uirgin as she woulde bee called and taken boasted her selfe to be sent of God to ride and tame the people of Englande albeit there haue bene many that haue gone about to lose theyr brethren out of the yoke of this moste miserable captiuitie albeit some haue proued to breake the bandes of this most cruell tyranny yet coulde they neuer bring to passe that they so earnestly labored and so manfully attempted And it is nothing to be wondered let the papistes boast therof what it pleaseth them For almighty God being a most indifferent gouernour punishing euill rewarding good could not of his iustice suffer his scourge so soone to be taken from this land if he meaneth the salutation of the people as most manifestly it appeareth he did For hauing once geuen to this realme the greatest Iewell that myght be that is the free vse of his liuely worde whiche if they had imbraced and folowed would haue reformed al disorders sinnes Wherefore his wrath is kindled and prouoked the people nothing regarded it but eyther vtterly cōtemned it or abused it and many made it a cloke colour to couer theyr mischief So that if he should sodaynly haue withdrawne this plague as tyrants euill gouernors be the plague of God they would neyther haue passed on his iustice nor yet should they haue felt the sweetenesse of hys mercy For commonly the people regard but thyngs present and neither remember thynges past nor yet passe on thyngs to come vnlesse they be warned by exceedyng extremities Besides this it is most euident that hee had determined to make this noble conquest alone with his own hand and mighty power and would not that it should be done by man least man should impute any part of the glory of this victory to his owne strength or to his owne pollicie or that Fortune should seeme to beare any stroke in so glorious conquest and so be partaker in mens opinions of the triumph so worthy Neither did his almighty power worke this when man would haue it dispatched that is as soone as the enemy began to gather their force for it is not so great a victory to discomfit a few dispersed people as it is to destroy a perfectly vnited army but he suffred them to make their force as great as was possible to worke whatsoeuer mischiefs by spoyle banishment prisonment hangyng headyng burning or otherwise could be imagined Neither would his most prouident wisedome doe it out of season but as the good husbandman doth not crop his tree till it haue rendered his fruit so would hee not root out these pestilent tyrannies til the most profit might be taken thereof When he had geuen sufficient laisure to all kynd of mē to declare themselues who were Crocodiles sometyme lying in water sometyme on land that is both Gospellers and papists Who were Sponges suspected whether they had lyfe or no lyfe whether they were Christians or Epicures who were Cameleons that could turn themselues into all colours with Protestantes Protestantes with Papists Papists with Spaniards Spaniards with Englishmen Englishmen who were Gnatoes that could apply themselues to euery mans appetite that was in authoritie who were Marygolds that followed Maries mad affections who were Weathercockes that did turne with euery wynd who were Mastiues that could byte barke not who were Curres euer barking who were Foxes that would promise much and performe nothyng who could bynd themselues with many othes do cleane contrary who were Caines that sought the innocent Abels death who were the Wolfes that wearied the lambs and finally when he had suffered the spirituall shauelings to spue out their venom and euery man plainly to declare outwardly what he was inwardly then doth hee worke this most victorious conquest And with his workes seemeth plainely to say thus vnto vs Ye see my people what I haue done for you not for your sakes which nothing regarded the benefits that I most plenteously poured on you and haue deserued most greuous punishment for your vnthankfulnes but of myne infinite mercy and for my glories sake which I will haue opened to all the world in these latter dayes
realme of England then the king For as I said before it was ordeined for the conseruation of the libertie of the whole realme and to exclude the vsurped authoritie of the B. of Rome And therfore no K. or Queene alone could renounce such title but it ought if they wold haue it taken away be taken away orderly and formally by acte of Parliament sufficiently called and summoned For the naturall and right way to loose vndoe things is to dissolue them by that meanes they were ordeined And so it most manifestly appeareth that all their doings from the beginning to the end were and be of none effect force nor authoritie but all that they haue done hath ben meere tyrannie O most maruelous prouidence of almighty god that alwayes and in all thinges doth that is best for the welth of his people O most mighty power that so sodenly ouerthroweth the counsails of the wicked and bringeth their deuises to naught O infinite mercy that so gently dealeth with his people that hee saueth them whome hee might most iustly destroy O most ioyfull most mery and neuer to be forgotten Hopwednesday in which it hath pleased thee O God to deliuer thy church this realm and thy people from so horrible tyrannie No tongue can expresse no penne can endite no eloquence can worthely set out much lesse exornate these thy meruailous doings No no hart is able to render vnto thy goodnes sufficiēt thanks for the benefites we haue receyued Who could euer haue hoped this most ioyfull tyme Yea who dyd not looke rather for thy most sharpe visitation and vtter destruction of this Realme as of Sodome Gomorra and Hierusalem But we see and feele good Lord that thy mercy is greter then all mens sinnes and farre aboue all thy workes And albeit there is no Christian and natural Englishmā woman or child eyther present or that shall succeede vs which is not or shall bee pertaker of this most exceedyng mercy and wonderfull benefite of almighty God therefore is bound continually to prayse and thanke hym yet there is not one creature that is more bound so to do then you noble Queene Elizabeth For in this horrible tiranny and most cruell persecution your grace hath bene more hunted for then any other Diuers tymes they haue taken you sometyme haue had you in strong hold secluded from all liberty sometime at libertie but not without most cruell Gaolers custody and many tymes they determined that without iustice ye should be murthered priuily They thought if your grace had bene suppressed they shoulde haue fully preuailed If ye had bene destroyed their doyngs for euer should be stablished If ye had bene taken out of the way there were none left that would or coulde vndoe that they ordeined But he that sitteth on high and laugheth at their madnesse would not suffer that the malicious purposes most cruell deuised iniustice should haue successe He tooke vpon hym the protection of you He only hath bene your Ieoseba that preserued you from this wicked Athalia He onely was the Ioiada that destroyed this cruell Athalia Hee onely hath made you Queene of this Realme in steade of this mischieuous Marana No earthly creature can claime any piece of thanke therefore no mans force no mans counsail no mans ayd hath bene the cause thereof Wherfore the greater his benefites hath bene toward you the more are you bounde to seeke hys glory and to set forth his honour Ye see his power what he is able to do he can alone saue and hee can destroy hee can pull downe and he can set vp If ye feare hym seeke to do his will then will he fauour you and preserue you to the end from all enemies as he did king Dauid If ye now fall from him or iuggle with hym looke for no more fauour then Saule had shewed to hym But I haue a good hope that both his iustice and benefites bee so printed in your hart that ye will neuer forget them but seeke by all meanes to haue the one and to feare to fall into the other I trust also your wisedome will not onely consider the causes of this late most sharpe visitation but also to your vttermost power endeuour to out roote them And forasmuch as besides this infinit mercy poured on your grace it hath pleased his deuine prouidence to constitute your highnesse to be our Debora to be the gouernesse and heade of the bodye of this Realme to haue the charge and cure thereof it is requisite aboue all things as well for his glory and honour as for your discharge quietnesse and safety to labour that the same body now at the first be cleansed made whole and then kept in good order For as if the body of man be corrupted and diseased he is not able to manage his thinges at home much lesse to doe any thing abroad so if the body of a Realme be corrupt out of order it shal neither be able to do any thing abroad if necessitie should require nor yet prosper in it selfe But this may not be done with piecing patching coblyng botching as was vsed in tyme past whilest your most noble father and brother raigned For as if a man cut of one hed of the serpent Hidra and destroy not the whole body many will growe in stead of that one and as in a corrupt body that hath many diseases if the Phisition should labour to heale one part and not the whole it will in short tyme breake out a fresh so vnlesse the body of a Realme or common wealth be cleane purged from corruption all the perticular lawes and statutes that can be deuised shall not profite it We need no forraine examples to prooue it looke vpon this Realme it selfe it will plainely declare it And as it is not enough to cleanse the bodye from his corruption but there must be also preseruatiues ministred to keep it from putrefaction for naturally of it selfe it is disposed to putrifie so after the body of a realme is purged vnles there be godly ordinances for the preseruation thereof ordeined and duely ministred it will returne to the olde state For this body which is the people is vniuersally naturally disposed to euill and without compulsion will hardly do that is his duety This must your grace do if ye mynd the aduancement of Gods glory your owne quietnesse and safetie and the wealth of this your politike body And they be not hard to bring to passe where goodwill will vouchsafe to take to her a little payne The Realm will soone be purged if vice and selfloue be vtterly condemned It will be in good state preserued if these three things Gods word truely taught and preached Youth well brought vp in godly and honest exercises and Iustice rightly ministred may bee perfectly constituted And without this foundation let men imagine what it pleaseth them the spiritual house of God shal neuer be well framed or builded nor
barbarous nations of all countries and sortes of men were they neuer so wylde euermore made their prayes and sacrifices to their Gods in their owne mother tongue Which is a manifest declaratioÌ„ that it is the very light and voyce of nature ¶ Thus much vpon the ground of S. Paule and other reasons out of the Scriptures ioyning therewith the common vsage of all nations as a testimony of the lawe of nature Now for the second part of the assertion which is that the vse of a strange tongue in publike prayer and administration of sacraments is against the custome of the Primitiue church which is a matter so cleare that the deniall of it must needes proceed either of great ignorance or els of wilfull malice For first of all Iustinus Martyr describing the order of the communion in his tyme sayth thus Die solis vrbanorum ac rusticorum coetus fiunt vbi Apostolorum prophetarumque literae quoad fieri potest praeleguntur Deinde cessante lectore praepositus verba facit adhortatoria ad imitationeÌ„ tam honestarum rerum inuitans Posthaec consurgimus omnes preces offerrimus quibus sinitis profertur vt diximus panis vinum aqua tum praepositus quantum potest preces offert gratiarum actiones plebs vero Amen accinit That is to saye Uppon the Sonday assemblies are made both of the citizens and countreymen whereas the writings of the Apostles and of the Prophets are red as much as may be Afterwards when the Reader doth cease the head minister maketh an exhortation exhortyng them to folâ—ow so honest thyngs After this we rise altogether and offer praiers which beyng ended as we haue sayde bread wine water are brought forth Then the hed Minister offreth prayers and thansgeuing as much as he can and the people answereth Amen ☞ These wordes of Iustine who liued about 160. yeares after Christ considered with their circumstaunce declare playnely that not onely the Scriptures were red but also that the prayers and administration of the Lords supper were done in a tongue vnderstanded Both the Liturgies of Basil and Chrysostom declare that in the celebration of the Communion the people wer appointed to answer to the prayer of the Minister sometymes Amen sometymes Lord haue mercy vppon vs sometymes and with thy spirite and we haue our hartes lifted vp vnto the Lord c. Which aunswers they coulde not haue made in due tyme if the prayers had not bene made in a tong vnderstanded And for further proofe let vs heare what Basill writeth in this matter to the Clarkes of Neocaesarea Caeterum ad obiectum in Psalmodijs crimen quo maxime simpliciores terrent calumniatores c. As touching that is layed to our charge in Psalmodies and songs wherwith our slaunderers doe fraie the simple I haue thus to say that our customes and vsages in all Churches be vniforme and agreeable For in the night the people with vs riseth goeth to thâ— house of prayer and in trauaile tribulation and continual teares they confesse themselues to God and at the last rising agayne go to their songs or Psalmody where being deuided into two partes sing by course together both deepely weying and confirmyng the matter of the heauenly sayinges and also stirring vp their attention and deuotion of heart which by other meanes bee alienated and plucked away Then appoynting one to beginne the song the rest followe and so with diuers songes and prayers passing ouer the nyght at the dawnyng of the day altogether euen as it were with one mouthe and one heart they sing vnto the Lord a song of Confession euery man framyng to hymselfe meete wordes of repentaunce If you will flie vs from hencefoorth for these thynges ye must flie also the Egyptians and both the Libianes ye must eschew the Thebanes Palestines Arabians the Phenices the Syrians and those that dwell besides Euphrates And to be short all those with whome watchinges prayers and common singyng of Psalmes are had in honour ⧠Testimonies of S. Ambrose written vpon the 14. to the Corinth the first epistle Super illud qui enim loquitur linguis HOc est quod dicit quia qui loquitur incognita lingua c. This is it that he sayth because he which speaketh in an vnknowen tongue speaketh to God For he knoweth all thyngs but men know not therfore there is no profit of this thyng ¶ The same author afterwardes Super illud si benedixeris spiritu Hoc est si laudem dei lingua loquaris ignota c. Uppon these wordes if thou blesse or geue thanks with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen at the geuyng of thankes seeyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest That is sayth Ambrose if thou speake the prayse of God in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers For the vnlearned hearing that which he vnderstandeth not knoweth not the end of the prayer and he answereth not AmeÌ„ That is as much to say as true that the blessing or thaÌ„ksgeuing may bee confirmed For the confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled by them which do answer Amen That all things spoken might be confirmed in the mindes of the hearers through the testimony of the truth ¶ Afterward in the same place vpon these wordes if any Infidell or vnlearned come in Quum enim intelligit intelligitur c. For when hee vnderstandeth and is vnderstanded hearing God to bee praysed and Christ to bee worshipped he seeth perfectly that the religion is true and to be reuerenced wherein he seeth nothyng to be done colourably nothyng in darkenesse as among the Heathen whose eyes are couered that they seyng not the thyngs which they call holy might perceyue themselues to be deluded with diuers vanities For all falsehood seketh darkenes and sheweth false things for true Therefore with vs nothing is done priuily nothing couertly but one God is simply praysed of whom are all things and one Lord Iesus by whom are all things For if there be none which can vnderstand or of whome hee may be tried he may say there is some deceit and vanitie which is therfore song in tongues not vnderstanded hee meaneth because it is a shame to open it Vpon this place Omnia ad aedificationem fiant Conclusio haec est vt nihil incassum in ecclesia geratur hocque elaborandum magis vt imperiti proficiant ne quid sit corporis per imperitiam tenebrosum Let all thyngs be done to edifie This is the conclusion that nothyng should be done in the Church in vayne and that this thyng ought chiefly to bee laboured for that the vnlearned also myght profite least any part of the body should bee darke thorough ignoraunce Agayne Si non fuerit interpres taceat in Ecclesia Hoc est intra se tacitè oret aut loquatur deo qui audit muta omnia In Ecclesia enim ille debet loqui qui