remayneth in the sacrament of the aultre from thens forth no materyall breade nor materyall wyne which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken How beleue ye this artycle Holye churche hath determyned that euerye Christen manne lyuynge here bodylye vpon earth ought to be shryuen to a prest ordayned by y e churche yf he maye come to him How fâ—le ye this artycle Christ ordayned saynct Peter y e Apostle to be his vycar here in earth Vvhose see is the holye churche of Rome And he grauÌ„ted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter shulde succede to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose specyall power in churches partycular be ordayned Prelates as Archâ—bysshoppes Bysshoppes persones curates other degrees more Vnto whom Christen menne ought to obeye after the lawes of the churche of Rome This is the determynacyon of holye churche How feleye this artycle Holye churche hath determyned that yt is merytoryouse to a Christen manne to go on pylgrymage to holye places And there specyallye to worshyp holye relyques and ymages of saynctes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and all other saynctes besydes approued by the churche of Rome How fele ye this artycle And as the good lorde Cobham had redde ouer this wretched wrytynge he marueled greatlye of theyr madde ignoraunce But that he consydered agayne that God had geuen them ouer for theyr vnbeleues sake into most depe errours and blyndnesse of soule Agayne he perseyued therby that theyr vttermost malyce was purposed agaynst him how so euer he shuld answere And therfore he put his lyfe into the handes of God defyerynge his onlye sprete to assyst him in his next answere Vvhan the seyd xxv daye of Septembre was come which was also the Monedaye afore Myhelmesse in the seyd yeare of oure lorde a M. CCCC and .xiii. Thomas Arundell the Archebysshop of Caunter burye commaunded his iudycyall scate to be remoued from y e chaptre house of Paules to the Domynyck fryers within Ludgate at London And as he was there set with Rycharde y e Bysshop of London Henrye the Bysshop of Vvynchestre and Benet the Byshop of Bangor he called in vnto him his counsell and his offycers with dyuerse other Doctours and fryers Of whom these are the names here folowynge Mastre Henrye Vvare the Offycyall of Caunterburye Phylip Morgan doctor of both lawes Howest kyffyn doctor of the canoÌ„ lawe Iohan kempe doctour of the canoÌ„ lawe Vvistyam Carleton doctour of the canon lawe Iohan Vvytnam of the newe college in Oxforde IohaÌ„ Vvhyght head a doctour of Oxforde also Robert Vvombewell vycar of saynct Laurence in the Iewrye Thomas Palmer the wardene of the Mynors Robert Chamberlayne prior of the Domynyckes Rycharde Dodyngton prior of the Augustynes Thomas Vvalden prior of the Carmelytes all doctours of diuinyte Iohan Steuens also and Iames Cole both notaryes appoynted there purposelye to wryte all that shuld be eyther sayd or done All these with a great sort more of Prestes Monkes ChanoÌ„s fryers parryshe clarkes Bell ryngers and pardoners dysdayned him with innumerable mockes and scornes rekenynge him to be an horryble heretyque and a manne acursed afore God Anon the Archebysshop called for a masseboke and caused all those Prelates and doctours to sweare therevpon that euerye manne shuld faythfullye do his offyce and dewtye that daye And that neyther for fauer nor feare loue nor hate of the one partye nor the other anye thynge shuld there be wytnessed spoken or done but accordynge to the truthe as they wolde answere before God and all the worlde at the daye of Dome Than were the two forseyd notaryes sworne also to wryte and to wytnesse the wordes and processe that there shuld be vttered on both partyes to saye theyr myndes yf they otherwyse knewe yt before they shuld regestre yt And all this dissymulacyon was but to colour theyr myscheues before the ignoraunt multytude Consydre herin gentyll reader what this wycked generacyon is and how farre wyde from the iust feare of God for as they were thaÌ„ so are they yet to this daye After that came forth before them syr Robert Morleye knyght and Lyeftenaunt of the tower he brought with him the good lorde Cobham there leauynge him amonge them as a lambe amonge wolues to his examynacyon and answere The latter examynacyon of the lorde Cobham THan sayd the Archebysshop vnto him lorde Cobham ye be aduysed I am sure of the wordes and processe which we had vnto you vpon saturdaye last past in the chaptre howse of Paules Vvhich processe were now no longe to be rehersed agayne I sayd vnto you than that ye were a cursed for youre contumacye and dysobedyence to holye Churche thynkynge that ye shuld with mekenesse haue desyred youre absolucyon Than spake the lorde Cobham with a most cherefull countenaunce sayd God sayth by his holye Prophete Maledicam benedictionê° vestris which is as moche to saye as I shall curse where as you blesse The Archebysshop made than as though he had contynued forth his tale and not hearde him sayinge Syr at that tyme I gentyllye profered to haue assoyled yow yf ye wolde haue asked yt And yet I do the same yf ye will humblye desyre yt in dewe forme and maner as holye churche hath ordayned Than sayd the lorde Cobham Naye forsoth will I not for I neuer yet trespased agaynst you therfore I will not do yt And with that he kneled downe on the pauement holdynge vp his handes towardes heauen sayd I shryue me here vnto the my eternall lyuynge God that in my frayle youthe I offended the lorde most greuouslye in pryde wrathe and glottonye in couetousnesse and in lechere Manye menne haue I hurt in myne anger and done manye other horryble synnes good Lorde I aske the mercye And therwith wepynglye he stode vp agayne and sayd with a myghtye voyce Lo good people lo. For the breakynge of Gods lawe and his great commaundementes they neuer yet cursed me But for theyr owne lawes and tradycyons most cruellye do they handle both me and other menne And therfore both they and theyr lawes by the promes of God shall vtterlye be destroyed At this the Archebysshop and his coÌ„panye were not a lytle blemyshed Notwithstandynge he toke stomake vnto him agayne after certen wordes had in excuse of theyr tyrannye and examyned the lorde Cobham of his Christen beleue Vvher vnto the lorde Cobham made this godly answere I beleue sayth he fullye and faythfullye the vniuersall lawes of God I beleue that all is true w c is contayned in y e holye sacred scripturs of the Byble fynallye I beleue all that my lorde God wolde I shuld beleue Than demaunded the Archebisshop an answere of the byll which he and the clergye had sent him into the tower the daye afore in maner of a determinacyon of the churche
as hath not bene yet sens the worldes begynnyng And this prophecye is partlye fulfylled in youre dayes and doynges For manye haue ye slayne alredye and more will ye slee here after yf God fulfyll not his promes Christ sayth also yf those dayes of yours were not shortened scarslye shuld anye fleshe be saued Therfore loke for yt iustlye for God will shorten youre dayes Moreouer though Prestes and Deacons for preachynge of Gods worde and for mynystrynge the sacramentes with prouysyon for the poore be grounded in Gods lawe yet haue these other sectes no maner of grounde therof so farre as I haue redde Than a doctour of lawe called mastre Iohan hempe plucked out of his bosome a copye of that byll which they had afore sent him into the tower by y e Archebysshoppes counsell thynkynge therby to make shorter worke with him For they were so amased with his answers not all vnlyke to them which dysputed with Steuen that they knewe not wele how to occupye y e tyme theyr wyttes and sophistrye as God wolde so fayled them that daye My lorde Cobham sayth this doctor we must breuelye knowe youre mynde concernynge these .iiii. poyntes here folowynge The fyrst of them is this And than he redde vpon the byll The fayth and the determynacyon of holye churche towchynge the blessed sacrament of the aultre is this That after the sacramentall wordes be ones spoken by a Prest in his masse the materyall breade that was before breade is turned into Christes verye bodye And y e materyall wyne that was before wyne is turned into Christes verye bloude And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aultre from thens forth no materyall breade nor materyall wyne which were there before the sacramentall wordes were spoken Syr beleue ye not this The lorde Cobham sayd This is not my beleue But my fayth is as I sayd to yow afore that in the worshypfull sacrament of the aultre is verye Christes bodye in fourme of breade Than sayd the Archebysshop Syr Iohan ye must saye otherwyse The lorde Cobham sayd Naye that I shall not yf God be vpon my syde as I trust he is but that there is Christes bodye in fourme of breade as the common beleue is ▪ Than redde the Doctour agayne The seconde poynt is this Holye churche hath determyned that euery Christen manne lyuynge here bodylye vpon earth ought to be shryuen to a Prest ordayned by the churche yf he maye come to him Syr what saye ye to this The lorde Cobham answered sayd A dyseased or sore wounded manne had nede to haue a sure wyse surgeon and a true knowynge both the grounde and the daunger of the same Most necessarye were yt therfore to be fyrst shryuen vnto God which onlye knoweth oure dyseases and can helpe vs. I denye not in this the goynge to a Prest yf he be a manne of good lyfe and lernynge For the lawes of God are to be requyred of the prest which is godlye lerned But yf he be an ydyote or a manne of vicyouse lyuynge that is my curate I ought rather to flee from him than to seke vnto him For sonner myght I catche yll of him that is nought than anye goodnesse towardes my sowle helthe Than redde the doctour agayne The thyrde poynt is this Christ ordayned saynct Peter the Apostle to be his vycar here in earth whose see is y e churche of Rome And he graunted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter shuld succede to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose specyall power in churches partycular be ordayned Prelates as Archebyshoppes Persones Curates and other degrees more Vnto whom Christen menne ought to obeye after the lawes of the churche of Rome This is the determynacyon of holye Churche Syr beleue ye not this To this he answered and sayd He that foloweth Peter most nyghest in pure lyuynge is next vnto him in successyon But youre lordelye ordre estemeth not greatlye the lowlye behauer of poore Peter what so euer ye prate of him Neyther care ye greatlye for the humble maners of them that succeded him ▪ tyll the tyme of Syluestre which for the more part were martyrs as I tolde ye afore ye can lete all theyr good condycyōs go by you and not hurt your selues with them at all All the worlde knoweth this wele ynough by you and yet ye canne make boast of Peter Vvith that one of the other doctours axed him Than what do ye saye of the Pope The lorde Cobham answered As I sayd before He and yow togyther maketh whole the great Antichrist Of whom he is the great head yow Bysshoppes Prestes Prelates and monkes are the bodye and the beggynge fryers are the tayle for they couer the fylthynesse of you both with theyr subtyle sophistrye Neuer will I in consciēce obeye anye of yow all tyll I se yow w t Peter folowe Christ in cōuersacyon Than redde the doctour agayne The forth poynt is this Holye churche hath determyned that yt is merytoryouse to a Christen manne to go on pylgrymage to holye places And there specyallye to worshyp holye relyques and ymages of saynctes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and all other saynctes besydes approued by the churche of Rome Syr what saye ye to this Vvherunto he answered I owe them no seruyce by anye commaundement of God and therfore I mynde not to seke them for youre couetuousnesse It were best ye swept them fayre from copwebbes and dust and so layed them vp for catchynge of scathe Or els to burye them fayre in y e grounde as ye do other aged people which are Gods ymages It is a wonderfull thynge that sayntes now beynge dead shuld become so couetuouse and nedye and thervpon so bytterlye begge which all theyr lyfe tyme hated all couetuousnesse and beggynge But this I saye vnto you and I wolde all the worlde shuld marke yt That w t youre shryues and ydols youre fayned absolucyons and pardons ye drawe vnto yow the substaunce welthe and chefe pleasure of all Christen realmes Vvhye syr sayd one of the clarkes will ye not worshyp good ymages Vvhat worshyp shulde I geue vnto them sayd the lorde Cobham Than sayd fryre Palmer vnto him Syr ye will worshyp y e crosse of Christ that he dyed vpon Vvhere is yt sayd the lorde Cobham The fryre sayd I put ye the case syr that yit were here euen now before you The lorde Cobham answered This is a great wyse manne to put me an ernest questyon of a thyng and yet he his selfe knoweth not were the thynge selfe is yet ones agayne aske I you what worshyp I shuld do vnto yt A clarke sayd vnto him Soche worshyp as Paule speaketh of and that is this God forbydde that I shulde ioye but onlye in the crosse of Iesus Christ. Than sayd the lorde Cobham and spredde
☞ An abiuracyon counterfeted of the Bysshoppes IN Deinomine Amen I Iohan Oldecastell denounced detected and conuicted of and vpon dyuerse artycles sauerynge both heresye and errour before the reuerende father in Christ and my good Lorde Thomas by the permyssyon of God lorde Archebysshop of Caunterburye and my lawfull and ryghtfull iudge in that behalfe expreslye graunt and confesse That as concernyng the estate and power of the most holye father the Pope of Rome of his Archebysshoppes his Bysshoppes and his other Prelates the degrees of the churche and the holye sacrameÌ„tes of the same specyallye of the sacrameÌ„tes of the aultre and of penaunce and other obseruaunces besydes of oure mother holye Churche as pylgrymages and pardons I afferme I saye before the seyd reuerende father Archebysshop and els where that I beynge yll seduced by dyuerse sedycyouse preachers haue greuouslye erred and herety calâ—ye persysted blasphemouslye answered and obstynatlye rebelled And therfore I am by the seyd reuerende father before the reuerende fathers in Christ also the Bysshoppes of London Vvynchestre and Bangor lawfullye condemned for an heretyque Neuer the lesse yet I now rememberynge my selfe and couetynge by this meane to auoyde that temporall peyne which I am worthye to suffre as an heretyque at the assygnacyon of my most excellent Christen prince and lyege lorde kynge Henrye the fyft now by the grace of God most worthye kynge both of Englande and of Fraunce myndynge also to preferre the wholsom determynacyon senteÌ„ce and doctryne of the holye and vnyuersall churche of Rome before the vnwholsom opynyons of myselfe my teachers and my folowers I frelye willynglye delyberatlye and throughlye confesse graunt and afferme the most holye fathers in Christ saynct Peter the Apostle and his successours Bysshoppes of Rome specyallye now at this tyme my most blessed lorde Pope Iohan by the permyssyon of God the .xxiii. Pope of that name which now holdeth Peters seate and yche of them in theyr successyon in full strengthe and power to be Christes vycar in earthe and the head of the churche mylytaunt And that by the strengthe of his offyce what though he be a great synner and afore knowen of God to be damned he hath full auctoryte and power to rewle and gouerne bynde and lose saue and destroye a curse and assoyle all other Christen menne And agreably styll vnto this I confesse graunt and afferme all other Archebysshoppes Bysshoppes and Prelates in theyr prouinces dyoceses and parryshes appoynted by the seyd Pope of Rome to assyst him in his doynges or busynesse by his decreed canons or vertu of his offyce to haue had in tymes past to haue now at this tyme and that they ought to haue in tyme to come auctoryte and power to rewle and to gouerne bynde and lose a curse and assoyle the subiectes or peoples of theyr afore seyd prouinces dyoceses parryshes and that theyr seyd subâ—ectes or peoples ought of ryght in all thynges to obeye them Forthermore I confesse graunt and afferme that the seyd spirituall fathers as oure most holye father the Pope Archebysshoppes Bysshoppes and Prelates haue had haue now ought to haue here after auctoryte and power for the estate ordre and gouernaunce of theyr subiectes or peoples to make lawes decrees statutes and constytucyons yca and to publysshe commaunde and compell theyr seyd subiectes peoples to the obseruacyon of them More ouer I confesse graunt and afferme that all these forseyd lawes decrees statutes and constitucyons made pubyshed and commaunded accordynge to the fourme of spirituall lawe all Christen people and euerye manne in himselfe is strayghtlye bounde to obserue and mekelye to obeye accordynge to the dyuerfyte of the forseyd powers As the lawes statutes canons and coÌ„stytucyons of oure most holye father the Pope incorporated in his Decrees Decretals Clementynes Codes Chartes Rescriptes Sextyles Extrauagantes the worlde ouer all And as the prouincyall statutes of Archebysshoppes in theyr prouinces the synodall actes of Bysshoppes in theyr dyoceses and the commendable rewles and customes of Prelates in theyr colleges curates in theyr parryshes all Christen people are both bounde to obserue and also most mekelye to obeye Ouer and besydes all this I Iohan Oldecastell vtterlye forsakynge and renouncynge all the afore seyd errours and heresyes and all other errours and heresyes lyke vnto them laye my hande here vpon this boke or holye Euangelye of God and sweare that I shall neuer more from hens forth holde these forseyd heresyes nor yet anye other lyke vnto them wetynglye Neyther shall I geue counsell ayde helpe nor faâ—er at anye tyme to them that shall holde teache afferme or maynteyne the same as God shall helpe me and these holye Euangelyes And that I shall from hens forth faythfullye obeye and inuiolablye obserue all the holye lawes Statutes Canons and Constitucyons of all the Popes of Rome Archebisshoppes Bisshoppes and Prelates as are contayned and determyned in theyr holye Decrees Decretals Clementyâ—â—s Codes Charters Rescriptes Sextyles Summes Papall Extrauagantes Statutes prouincyall Actes synodall and other ordynarye râ—wles and customes constytuted by them or that shall chaunce herafter dyrectlye to be determyned or made To these and all soche other will I my selfe with all power possyble applye Besydes all this the penaunce which yt shall please my seyd reuerende Father the lorde Archebysshop of Caunterburye hereafter to enioyne me for my synnes I will mekelye obeye and faythfullye fulfyll Fynallye all my seducers and false teachers and all other besydes whom I shall hereafter knowe suspected of heresye or errours I shall effectually present or cause to bâ— presented vnto my seyd reuerende father lorde Archebysshop or to them which hath his auctoryte so sone as I can conuenyeÌ„tlye do it and se that they be corrected to my vttermost power AMEN ☞ The cruell complaynt of the clergye and tyrannouse acte thervpon made NEuer came this abiuracyon to the handes of the lorde Cobham neyther was yt compyled of them for that purpose but onlye therwith to bleare the eyes of the vnlerned multytude And whan they perfeyued that polycye wolde not helpe but made more more agaynst them than sought they out an otherfalse practyse They went vnto the kynge with a most greuouse complaynt lyke as they ded afore in his fathers tyme that in euerye quarter of y e realme by reason of Vvycleues opinyoÌ„s and the seyd lorde Cobham were wonderfull contencyons rumours tumultes vprours confederacyons dyssencyons diuysyons dyfferences dyscordes harmes slaunders scysmes secâ—es sedycyons perturbacyons parels vnlawfull assemblyes varyauÌ„ces stryfes fyghtynges rebellyouse ruffelynges daylye insurreccyons The churche they saydâ— was hated The dyocesanes were not obeyed The ordynaryes were not regarded The spirituall offycers as Suffraganes Archedeacons chauncellers doctours commyssaryes offycyals deanes lawers serybes and sommeners were euery where despysed The lawes and lybertees of holye churche were
he coÌ„sent to those most deuylyshe practyses of the Prestes As they had infourmed y e Archebysshop of that answere that yt was mete for no manne pryuatelye to cyte him after that without parell of lyfe he decreed by and by to haue him cyted by publyque processe or open commaundement And in all the hast possyble vpon the wedynsdaye before the Natiuite of oure Ladye in Septembre he commaunded letters cytatorye to be set vpon the great gates of the cathedrall churche of Rochestre which was but iii. Englyshe myles from thens chargynge him to apere personallye before him at Ledys in the .xi. daye of the same moneth and yeare all excuses to the coÌ„trarye set a part Those letters were taken downe anon after by soche as bare fauer vnto the lorde Cobham and so conueyed a syde After that caused the Archebyshop newe letters to be set vp on the Natyuyte daye of oure Ladye which also were rent downe and vtterlye consumed Than for so moche as he ded not apere at the daye appoynted at Ledys where as he fate in consystorye as cruell as euer was Cayphas with his court of hypocrytes about him he iudge him denounced him and condempned him of most depe contumacye After that whan he had bene falselye infourmed by his hyred spyes and other glosynge glauerers that the seyde lorde Cobham had law hed him to scorne dysdayned all his doynges maynteyned his olde opynyoÌ„s contemned the churches power the dignyte of a Bysshop the ordre of presthode for of all these was he than accufed in his modye madnesse without iust profe ded he openlye excommunicate him yet was he not with all this ferce tyrannye qualyfyed but commaunded him to be cyted a freshe to apere afore him the Saturdaye before the feast of saynct Matthew the Apostle with these cruell threttenynges added theruÌ„to That yf he ded not obeye at that daye he wolde more extremelye handle him And to make himselfe more stronge towardes the perfourmaunce therof he compelled the laye power by most terryble manacynges of curses and interdiccyons to assyst him agaynst that sedycyouse apostata that scysmatyque that heretyque that troubler of the publyque peace that enemye of the realme and great aduersarye of all holye churche for all these hatefull names ded he geue him This most constaunt seruaunt of the lorde and worthye knyght syr Iohan Oldecastell the lorde Cobham beholdynge the vnpacable furye of Antichrist thus kyndled agaynst him perscyuynge himselfe also compased on euerye syde with deadlye daungers he toke paper and penne in hande so wrote a Christen confessyon or rekenyng of his fayth which foloweth here after and both sygned and sealed it with his owne hande Vvherin he also answereth to the iiii chefest artycles that the Archebysshop layed agaynst him That done he toke the copye with him went therwith to the kynge trustynge to fynde mercye and fauer at his hande Non other was that confessyon of his than the coÌ„mon beleue or somme of the churches fayth called the Apostles crede of all Christen menne than vsed As thus ☞ The Christen beleue of the lorde Cobham I Beleue in God the father almyghtye maker of heauen and earth And in Iesu Christ his onlye sonne oure Lorde which was coÌ„câ—yued of the holye ghost borne of the virgine Marye suffred death vndre Ponce Pylate crucyfyed dead and buryed went downe to helles the thyrde daye rose agayne from death ascended vp to heauens he sytteth on the ryght hande of God the father almyghtye and from thens shall come agayne to iudge the quycke and the dead I beleue in the holye ghost the vnyuersall holye churche the communyon of saynctes the forgeuenesse of sâ—nnes the vprysynge of the fleshe and euerlastynge lyfe Amen And for a more large declaracyon sayth he of this my fayth in the catholyck churche I stedefastlye beleue that there is but one God almyghty in and of whose Godhede are these .iii. persones the father the sonne and the holye ghost and that those .iii. persones are the same selfe God almyghtye I beleue also that the seconde personne of this most blessed Trinite in most coÌ„uenyent tyme appoynted therunto afore toke fleshe and bloude of the most blessed virgyne Marye for the sauegarde and redempcyon of the vnyuersall kynde of manne which was afore lost in Adams offence More ouer I beleue that the same Iesus Christ ouer Lorde thus beynge both God manne is the only head of y e whole Christen churche and that all those that hath bene or shall be saued be members of this most holy churche And this holye churche I thynke to be dyâ—â—ded into .iii. sortes or companyes Vvherof the fyrst sort be now in heauen and they are the saynctes from hens departed These as they were here conuersaunt conformed alwayes ther lynes to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncynge sathan the worlde and the fleshe with all theyr concupyscences and cuyls The seconde sort are in purgatorye yf anye soche he by the scripturs abydynge the mercye of God and a full delyueraunce of payne â— The thyrde sort are here vpon the earthe and be called the churche mylytaunt For daye nyghe they comende agaynst the craftye assaultes of the deuyll the flatterynge prosperytees of this worlde and the rebellyouse fylthynesse of the fleshe This latter congregacyon by the iust ordynaunce of God is also seuered into iii. dyuerse estates that is to saye into presthode knyghthode and the coÌ„mons Amonge whom the will of God is that the one shuld ayde the other but not destroye the other The Prestes fyrst of all secluded from all worldlynesse shulde conforme theyr lyues vtterlye to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shulde they be occupyed in preachynge and teachyng the scripturs purelye and in genynge wholsom counsels of good lyuynge to the other two degrees of menne More modest also more louynge gentyll and lowlye in sprete shuld they be than anye other sortes of people In knyghthode are all they which beare swerde by lawe of offyce These shuld defende Gods lawes and se that the Gospell were purelye taught conformynge theyr lyues to the same and secludynge all false preachers yea these ought rather to hasarde theyr lyues than to suffre soche â—â—ycked decrees as eyther blemysheth the eternall testament of God or yet letteth the fre passage therof wherby her syes and scysmes myght sprynge in the churche For of non other aryse they as I suppose than of soche erronyouse constitucyoÌ„s craftelye fyrst crepynge in vndre hypocrytes lyes for auauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressers tyrauntes and theues and to se the clergye supported so longe as they teache purelye praye ryghtlye and mynystre the sacramentes frelye And yf they se them do other wyse they are bounde by lawe of offyce to compell them to change theyr