twentie yeares he was deposed and being in prison was striken in with a hot Spit After whom succeeded Edward the third in whose raigne Calis was first wonne and after the French King taken Prisoner and brought into England and ransomed for 3000000. Florens At which time happened the great conflict betwixt the Townes-men of Oxford and the Uniuersitie whereof a remembrance remaineth to this day In whose raigne two Friers Minorites were burned in Auignion and in his raigne was Maister Iohn Wiclife Reader of Diuinity in Oxford THE FIFT PART OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL History containing the Actes of Martyrs ALthough the Holy Ghost raised vp many before Wickliffe to vanquish the great errors which daily did preuaile in the world as Berengarius Bruno of Aniow Oklens the second Valden Marsilius of Padoâ— Iohn of Gandauo Okchammus with diuers others of that schoole yet because they were not very famous nor notable we will begin at Wickliffe at whose time the furious fire of persecution seemed to take his originall In those great and troubelous times and horrible darknes of ignorance what time there séemed in a manner to bee no one so little sparke of pure doctrine remaining this foresaid Wickliffe by Gods prouidence sprang vp throgh whom the Lord would first waken and raise vp againe the world which was ouermuch drowned in the déepe streames of humane traditions when hee had long time professed Diuinitie in Oxford and perceiuing the true doctrine of Christs Gospel to bee adulterate with so many filthy inuentions of Bishops sects of Monkes and dark errors first he began to touch the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in which he tooke much paines protesting in open schoole that it was his purpose to call back the Church from her Idolatry in this point but this sore could not bee touched without the great griefe of the whole world first the whole glut of Mâ—nkes and Fryers were mad with him fighting for their altars panches and bellies after them the Priests after them the Bishops took the matter in hand at last when there power seemed not sufficient to withstand the truth which then was breaking out they ran whollâ— to the thunder-bolts of the Bishop of Rome against them all this valiant Wickliffe happely maintained the cause of the Sacrament prouing it by Scriptures and the ancient Doetors hee refused the Doctors since the thousand yeares after Christ saying that after these yeares Satan was loosed and the life of man hath been most subiect to errors and that the simple and plaine truth doth appeare and consist in the Scriptures when all humane traditions must be referred he proued most stoutly in the Sacrament the substance with bread the accident not to be present As long as King Edward the third liued he was well enough defended by him against all there woluish cruelty yet in the last yeare of his raigne hee was taken by the Bishop of Canterbury at the instigation of the Pope and put to silence in presence of the Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Henry Piercy yet after by the fauour of certaine Noble-men he kept not long silence but King Edward being dead Pope Gregory neuer ceased to moue King Richards minde by his Letters Bishops and Bulles to persecute Wickliffe and his adherents by this meanes the examination of Wickliffe being at hand before the Bishops of Canterbury and London a certaine Noble man called Lewis Clifford comming in amongst the Bishops commanded them that they should not proceede with any definâ—tiue sentence against Wickliffe wherewith they were so amazed and their combes so cut that they had not a word in their mouthes to answere and when the Bishops and Wickliffe were come together in the Archbishops Chappell at Lambeth the Citizens and common people of London by force brake in vpon them and disturbing the Session were not afraid to intreat in the cause of Wickliffe by which meanes he escaped after hee had made a short protestation to be a true Christian and to professe and defend the law of Christ as long as hee breathed and if hee should erre hee would aske God forgiuenes and submit himselfe to the correction of our holy Mother the Church and that hee wouâ—d set forth in writing the Articles hee was now accused for the which to death hee would defend which all Christians especially the Pope and all Priests â—ught to defend for vnderstand the conclusions after the sence of the Scriptures and holy Doctors and I am ready to expound them if they seeme contrarie to the faith The first conclusion of IOHN WICKLIFFE exhibited in the Conuocation of certaine Bishops at Lambeth 1 THat none but Christ was ordained and not Peter and all his off-spring politiquely to rule ouer the world for euer for in the 1 Cor. 15. Then shall the end come when he shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God his Father when hee shall haue made voide all princely dominion it seemeth probable that they defraud her of her reward and vniustly defer to take vengeance vpon the body of the diuell which he hath deserued 2 The substance of the second was that by no power any writing was to be canonized contemning the Scripture this was spoke to one that commended mans writing and contemned the Scripture 3 That euery man in grace iustifying hath not onely right to all things but aboue all the good things of God as appeareth by the 24. of Mathew verily hee shall make him ruler ouer all his goods and in the eight to the Romans God spared not his Sonne but gaue him for vs how then did hee not giue vs all things with him this allureth vs to loue God that hath chosen vs to so many great and true riches 4 None can giue any temporall Dominion or gift but as the Minister of God the Apostle saith Iesus Christ was a Minister let not his Uicar then which should be a seruant of seruants be ashamed to vse the ministerie of the Church for his pride of seculer Dominion with his worldly stile seemeth blasphemie and the aduancement of Antichrist especially where they repute the Scriptures as cockle and the determination of all controuersies of Scripture in themselues 5 As sure as God is the Temporall Lords may lawfully and meritoriously take away the riches from the Church when they doe offend yet I say that it is not lawfull to doe it by the authoritie of the Church and for lacke of some spirituall gouernour and in case when the Ecclesiasticall Minister being strayed from the Catholique faith is to be corected and punished 6 The Uicar of Christ is not able by his Buls of himselfe not by the consent of his colledge to make a man the more able or disable a man that ought to procéed of God but he onely in the Name of God to notifie to the Church whom God hath enabled else he is as presumptuous as Lucifer for in the 1. Cor. 3. All our sufficiency commeth of God 7
Dignity he may well bee said twice marâ—ired first for diuers iniuries and mollestations which he suffered most vnworthily of his enemies in King Edwards time after the fall of the Duke of Somerset and of his martydome in Queene Maries time His Aduersaries in King Edwards time were â—ames Constantine his Register to whom he gaue the Office by Patent and a Doctor of the Law and Canon of the Cathedrall Church of S. Dauids and a Chanter of the same They did exhibit to the Kings Councell certain Articles to the insent to blemish the Bishops credit and vtterly as they thought and made their boasts to pull him from his Bishopricke and bring him in a premunire The cheefe effect of their Articles which were fifty sixe was that he did not in his Proceâ— that he made write the King supreame head of the Church and that he tollerated other superstitions and Idolatries After these wrangling Articles were giuen vp then the Bishop was called to answere the hearing whereof was committed vnto Sir Iohn Mason Knight and Doctor Woâ—ton Then they had a Commission into the Country where they examined sixscore and seauen witnesses and during the time of the examination of these witnesses the said Bishop was stayed at London because his aduersaries said if the Bishop should go into his Dioces he would let them of their proues During which trouble King Edward died and in Quéene Maries time another named Henry was made Bishop of S. Dauids who sent for the said Robert Farrar and committed him to prison and afterward declared vnto the saide Robert the great clemency that the King and Quéenes Highnesse pleasure was to bee offered vnto him if he would submit himselfe vnto the Lawes of this Realme and conforme himselfe vnto the vnity of the Catholike Church and séeing the said Robert made him no answere he ministred vnto him these Articles First whether he beleeue the marriage of Priests to be lawfull by the lawe of God and holy Church Secondly whether hee beleeued the very body and blood of Christ is really and substantially in the Sacrament without the substance of bread and wine Bishop Farrar would not answer vntill he saw a lawfull Commission so he was committed againe then he was called againe after and would answer no otherwise then as before whereupon he was pronounced Contuâ—nax and for punishment thereof to be counted Pro confesso and committed him againe The next day of appearance the said Bishop Farrar craued time to answere and at the time did answer Then the foresaid pretensed Bishop gaue him a writing of certaine Articles to subscribe vnto adding to the Articles before that the Masse was a propitiatorie Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and that the generall Councels neuer erred neither 〈◊〉 erre that a man is not iustified by Faith only but by Charity also and that the Catholike Church onely hath authoritie of interpreting of the Scriptures and to compound Controuersies and also to appoint such things as appertaine to publike discipline and that the Church is visible as a citty vpon a hill knowne vnto all men and not obscure and vnknowne as the hereticks of our age doe teach To these Articles he refused to subscribe affirming that they were inuented by man and pertaine nothing to the Catholick Faith Then he assigned him a day to assigne them affirmatiuely or negatiuely which he would not doâ— but appeaâ—ed vnto the Cardinall notwithstanding they gaue sentence against him When they had put the priestly vestures on him to disgrade him hee called them ragges and relicks of Rome When he was brought to exâ—cution in the Ciâ—ie of Carmarden he was burned with Turffes and Soddes which was to him a more greeuous torment but praised be God he suffered it patiently The next moneth a godly man named Rawlins White was burned in Cardiffe in Wales THOMAS TOMKINS THomas Tomkins of Shordich in London Weauer was brought before Boner for all hitherto were condemned by Steuen Gardiner Lord Chancelor but hee being weary put off the rest vnto Boner of whom this Tomkins was the first who when by no meanes hee could bee driuen from the â—ruth Boner caused a burning Candle to be brought to him Then said he come on naughty knane if thou likest the torments of the fire so well I will make thee feele in this flame what it is to be burned then if thou be wise thou wilt change thy minde Then he commanded his right hand to be put into the fire but he indured the burning yet was not Bonet therewith contented but neuer rested vntill he had consumed the whole body to ashes in Smithfield He was condemned vpon these points First that his beleefe â— that the body of Christ is not truely and verily in the Sacrament of the Altar but onely in heauen and so in heauen that it cannot be really in the Sacrament and although the Church aâ— low the Masse a wholesome and profitable sacrifice yet my beliefe is that the Masse is full of Superstition and Idolatry and vnprofitable for my soule and the Sacrament of Baptisme ought to â—ee onely in the vulgar tongue and without such ceremonies as are vsed in the Latine Church and being exhorted to leaue his opinions Hee answered hee was brought vp in ignorance vntill now of late yeares and now I know the truth wherein I will continue vnto death and he said my Lord you would haue me forsake the truth and fall into error and heresie Then hee was condemned and deliuered vnto the Sheriffe who carried him to Newgate where hee remained most ioifull and constant vntill hee was conuayed to Smithfield and there sealed vp his Faith in the flaming fire The constant suffering of Higbed and Causon THese two were descended of worshipfull stocke in Essex which of all Shires was most fruitfull of Martyrs the one called Thomas Higbed of Horneden Hill the other Thomas Causon of Thunderst they were both in flourishing estate in riches and much more flourishing in godlines They were diuers times examined before Bonner and defended the truth valiantly and he and his fellowes did much labour to make them to recant but could not preuaile The substance of all their Arguments appeareth in a Confession that they wrote with their owne hands which was read in the Court of Paules before the Mayor and Sheriffes and all the people not without great sure before it could be licenced to be read First we beleeue and professe in Baptisme to forsake the Diuel all his works and all the vanities of the world and the lusts of the 〈◊〉 2 We beleeue the Articles of our Faith and that wee are bound to walke in Gods Commandements all the daies of our life 3 We beléeue the Lords Prayer containeth all things necessarie for soule and body and that we are thereby taught onely to pray to our heauenly Father and is no Saint nor Angell 4 We beléeue there is a Catholick Church euen the Communion of Saints builded vpon
through his good liuing that he is a member of the Spouse of Christ. 14 No man ought to beleeue that the Pope is head of any Church Answere confesse it for the Church was deceiued by Agnes a Woman Pope as it appâ—areth by Saint Augustine and it so being deceiued Christian Faith should bee depraued 15 The Popes power as Uicar is nothing worth if he liue not according to Christ and follow the manners of Peter Iohn Hus confessed this and said before the Councell I vnderstand the power of such a Pope as doth not represent the manners of Christ is void 16 The Pope is most holy not because he supplieth the place of Peter but because he hath great reuenues my words be mutilated Thus it is written he is not holie because he is Uicar of Peter nor for his great possessions but if he follow Christ in humilitâ— patience labour and perfect loue 17 The Cardinals are not the true Successors of the Apostles if they liue not after the fashion of the Apostles keeping the ordinances of Christ. Answere I confesse it for if they enter not in at the doore which is Christ they be Theeues and Robbers 18 An Hereticke ought not to be committed to the secular power to be put to death it is sufficient that he suffer the Ecclesiasticall censure Answer These are my words that they might be ashamed of their false iudgement for Christ would not condemne such to bodily death The first point appeareth in the 12. of Luke The second by the Woman taken in Adultery and in the 18. Chapter of Mathew If thy Brother haue offended thee c. therefore an Hereticke ought first to be instructed with Christian loue by reasons drawne out of holy Scriptures as Saint Augustine and others haue done disputing against Heretickes but if for all this they will not leaue their errors they ought to suffer corporall punishments The Iudges had read in Iohn Husses Booke where hee greeuously inueyed against them which deliuered an Heretike vnto the Secular power not being conuicted of Heresie and compared them vnto the High-Priests Scribes and Pharises which told Pilate it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death and deliuered Christ vnto him but Christ told Pilate they were greater murderers then he which deliuered him vnto him then the Cardinals and Bishops made a great noyse saying Who are they that thou dost asimule vnto the Pharisies And he said All that deliuer any that is innocent vnto the ciuill sword 19 The Nobles of the World ought to compell the Ministers of the Church to kéepe the Commaundements of Christ. Answere These be my words the Militant Church consisteth of these parts Ministers of the Church which should kéepe purely the Ordinances of Christ and the Nobles of the World which should compell them to keepe his Commaundements and of the common people seruing to both parties 20 The Ecclesiasticall obedience as the Priests and Monkes haue deuised it hath no authority in the Scripture Answer I confesse it there be three obediences the Spirituall Secular and Ecclesiasticall the Spirituall which is onely according to the ordinances of God in which Christ and his Apostles liued and all Christians ought to liue in the Secular obedience is due according to ciuill ordinance the Ecclesiasticall obedience is such as the Priests haue inuented without any expresse authority of Scripture 21 He that is excommunicate of the Pope and apealeth vnto Christ the curses of the Pope cannot annoy him Answere I acknowledge not this but I did make complaint in my Booke that they had done mee and such as fauoured mee great wrong and they would not heare me in the Popes Court and after the death of one Pope I apealed to his successors and it profited not and to apeals to the Councell it were to long therfore at laâ—â— I apealed to the head of the Church Christ Iesus Then said a Cardinall wilt thou presume aboue Saint Paul who apealed to the Emperor and not to Iesus and they mocked him the tenor of his apeale was nothing but an earnest Prayer to Christ to be his refuge and helpe when all kelâ—es fayled and that he did appeale before God for his greefe from the wicked sentence and excommunication determined by the Byâ—â—ops Scribes and Pharisies as Iohn Chrysostome did twice from the Councel of the Bishops And Andrew Bishop of Prage and Robert Bishop of Lincolne apealed vnto Christ who is not defiled with cruelty nor corrupted with gifts nor deceiued by false witnesses 22 A vitious man liueth naughtily and a vertuous man liueth godly Answere My words are these All humane workes are deuided into two parts they be either vertuous or vitâ—aus therefore if a man bee vertuous that he doth he doth vertuously and if a man be naught that which he doth is naught for as vice infecteth all the deeds of the Subiect so vertue quickens all the doings of the vertuous whiâ—h is proued by many places in the Scriptures 23 The Minister of Christ liuing according to his Lawes and hauing knowledge of the Scriptures and an earnest desire to edifie the people ought to preach notwithstanding the excommunication of the Pope and such a Minister ought not to obay any forbidding of him to preach I Answer We ought rather to obay God thâ—n man for a Minister to preach and a rich man to giue Almes are duties commaunded of God and if the Pope or any other commaund a Minister not to preach and a rich man not to giue Almes they ought not to obay him I cal that an vniust excommunication which is giuen contrary to Gods law for such a one a Preacher ought not to leaue preaching nor feare damnation then they obiâ—cted that he had said that such excommunications were blessings euen so say I now againe as the Prophet saith They shall curse but thou O Lord shalt blesse 24 Euery man admitted to the Ministry hath thereby authority to preach and ought so to doâ— notwithstanding the excommunication or forbidding of the Pope or any other Answere I doe confesse this and that no Christian ought to doubt but he that is sufficientlie instructed in learning to instruct the ignorant and to tell the vnruly of their sinnes then for to do any other worke of mercy 25 Ecclesiastical Censures are Antichristian such as the Cleargy hath inuented for their owne preferment to defend their malice and multiply their couetousnesse It is not thus in my Booke but I confesse it in substance 26 There ought to be no interdictment vnto the people Answer For Christ the High Bishop neither for the iniury done vnto Iohn Baptist nor for any other iniurie did make any interdictment I complained that for one mans fault a whole Land shall be interdicted and all the good cease to praise God but Christ notwithstanding Iohn Baptist was imprisoned then whom there was no greater amongst the Children of men did not giue any curse no not when Herod beheaded him neither
the Emperour and the Princes electors appointed a day when they and their armie should inuade the West part of Boheme and the Emperour with an other Host would enter the East part and many Princes and Bishops came to his ayde when the Emperour was entred Boheme Zisca although he was blind set vpon him and he being afraid and many of his Nobles slaine fâ—ed Zisca pursuing the Emperour a dayes iourney got great riches and spoile The Emperour passing by a Bridge ouer a Riuer one Piso which had brought fiftéene thousand horsemen out of Hungary to these warres passing ouer the Ice which brake and deuoâ—red a great number Zisca hauing obtained this victory would not suffer any Idol to be in the Churches nor Priests to Minister in Copes and vestures the Consuls of Prage being agreeued at this called Iohn Premonstrensis nine others which were principals of this faction into the Councell house as though they would confer and slew them but the blood of them seemed to be washed through the sinkes and Channels wherefore the Councell house was ouerthrowne and eleuen of the principall authors thereof slaine and diuers houses spoiled About the same time the Castle Purgell wherein the Emperour had a garison whether many Papists with their wiues and children were fled was through negligence burned When the Emperour perceiued that all things came to passe according to Zisca his minde and that the state of Boheme depended on him he sought meanes to gâ—t Zisca into his fauour promising him the gouernment of the whole Kingdome and great yearely reuenues if he would proclaime him King and cause the Citties to be sworne vnto him wherevpon Zisca going to the Emperour died by the way The Epitaph of IOHN ZISCA IOhn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captaine in warlike policy a seuere punisher of the pride auarice of the Clergy and a defender of my country lie heere That with Appius Claudius in Councell and Marcus Furius Camillus by valiantnes did for the Romans I being blind haue done for the Bohemians Eleuen times in ioined Battell I went victor out of the field I worthily defended the cause of the miserable against the delicate fat and gluttonous Priests and for that cause receiued help of God notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this hollowed place in despite of the Pope Pope Martin perceiuing the Gospell to increase more and more sent a Cardinall into Germany to moue them to warre against the Bohemians wherevnto the Emperor assisted there were three armies in the first were the Dukes of Saxony the second was vnder the conduct of the Marques of Brandenburge the third was led by the Archbishop of Treuers They entred Boheme and set vpon a Towne which the Protestants the night before had woon from the Papists The protestans hearing thereof gathered an army and came towards them they fled leauing behinde them their warlike Engiâ—es with a great prey they followed them and destroyed many Citties and returning back againe they had great summes of money sent them that they should not destroy the Countries of Bamberge and Norenberge whereby the host of the Bohemians was greatly enriched After this Newes the Emperour gathered a new ayde and Pope Martin sent an other Cardinall to Germany to stirre them to make warre against the Bohemians so there was a new expedition decreed Many Bishops allowing a great aydâ— thereto the number of the horsemâ—n was forty thousand but the footmen were not full so many A Cardinall entred into Boheme with this huge army destroying many of the protestant townes killing Men Women and Children sparing none the Protestants hearing thereof gathered their host besieged a Towne and woon it so that there fell such a suddaine feare amongst the Papistes throughout the whole Campe that they ran away the Cardinall marueiling thereat went to the Captaines exhorting them to order the battaâ—lâ—s and couragiously to abide their enemies saying they fought for the religion of Christ and saluation of soules notwithstanding they did all fly and the Cardinall with them the Protestants couragiously pursued them and had a great prey and spoyle of them The Emperour going to Rome to bee â—rowned Emperour wrote Letters to the Nobles of Boheme how he was borne a Bohemian that he was not more affected vnto any Nation then his owne and that he went to Rome for no other cause but to be crowned the which honour should be also to the Bohemians whose renowne hath béene alwaies his care and that through his indeuour the Councell of Basill is begunne exhorting all such as were destrous to be heard touching Religion that they should come thither and that they should not maintaine any quarrell against the holy Mother the Church and that the Councell would louingly and gently heare their reasons and that they should indeuour themselues to agrée with the Synode touching Religion and to reserue a peaceable kingdome for him against his returne neither should the Bohemians thinke to refuse his Empire whose Brother Father and Unckle had raigned ouer them The Councell of Basill also wrote their Letters to the Bohemians to send their Ambassadours to shew a reason of their Faith promising safe conduct to goe and come and free liberty to speaks what they would Whereupon an Ambassage of thrée hundred Horses was sent to Basill the chéefe were William Cosca a valiant Knight and Procopius sir-named Magnus for his manifold victories Iohn Rochezana Preacher of Prage Nicholas Galicus Preacher of the Thaborits and one Peter an English-man of an excellent prompt wit all the stréets were full as they came to see them and maruelling at their strange kind of apparrell stout couragious countenances saying it was not vntrue that was reported of them These Ambassadours were gently receiued the next day Cardinall Iulianus sent for them to the Councell-house and made a gentle long and eloquent Oration vnto them exhorting them to vnity and peace saying the Church was the spouse of Christ the Mother of the faithfull and hath the Keyes of binding and losâ—ng and is white and faire without spot or wrinckle and cannot erre in necessary points of saluation and that he which contemneth her is prophane an Ethâ—icke and Publican and that the Church cannot bee better represented then by the Councell and that they should giue no lesse credit to the Councell then to the Gospell by whose authority the Scriptures themselues are receiued and allowed and that the Bohemians which call themselues the Children of the Church ought to heare their Mother which is neuer vnmindfull of her Children and how that of late they haue liued apart from their Mother but that was no new or strange thing for there haue beene many in times past haue forsaken their Mother and yet seeking saluation haue returned againe All without the Arke in Noahs floud perished the Lords Passeouer is to be eaten in one House there is no saluation out of the Church she is the Garden and famous Fountaine of Water
Augustine and all the Fathers of antiquitie doe affirme but in asmuch as the substance of bread and wine is another manner of thing then the substance of the body and bloud of Christ it is plaine there is no Transubstantiation 4 The bread is no more transubstantiated then the wine CHRIST calleth that the fruit of the Uine saying I will drinke no more of the fruit of the Vine Therefore by Christes wordes it was not Bloud but Wine therefore it followeth there is no Transubstantiation Chrysostom vpon Mathew and Cyprian doe confirme this reason 5 The bread is called as well Christs mysticall body as his naturall body for the same spirit that saith the bread is my body saith also wee being many are one body but it is not the mysticall body by transubstantiation no more is it his naturall body by transubstantiation 6 The words ouer the Cup are not so effectuall as to transubstantiate it intâ— the New Testament Therfore the words spoken ouer the bread are not so mighty to make Transubstantiation 7 The Doctrine of Transubstantiation doth not agree with the Apostolick and mother Churches which receiued there Doctrine of the Apostles who receiued it of Christ and Christ of God as of Gréece of Corinthus of Philippos Collosia Thessalonica Ephesus which neuer taught Transubstantiation yea it agreeth not with the Doctrine of the Church of Rome taught in times past for Gelasius the Pope doth manifestly confute the errour of transubstantiation and reproueth them of sacriledge which diuide the mysterie and keep the Cup from the lay people Therefore the Doctrine of transubstantiation agreeth not with the truth Communication betwixt the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Chichester with BRADFORD in prison York HOw know you the word of God but by the Church Brad. The Church is a meane to bring a man to the more spéedy knowledge of the Scriptures as the woman of Samaria was a meane that the Samaritaâ—s knew Christ but when as they had heard him speake they said now wee know that he is Christ not because of thy words but because we our selues haue heard him so after we come to the hearing and reading of the Scriptures shewed vnto vs by the Church we beleeue them and know them as Christs sheepe not because the Church saith they be the Scriptures but because they be so wee being assured thereof by the spirit which wrote and spake them Yorke In the Apostles time the word was not written Brad. True if you meane it for some bookes of the New Testament but for the Old Testament Peter telleth vs it is a more sure word of Prophesie not that it is so simply but in respect of the Apostles which being aliue and compassed with infirmities by reason whereof men might perchance haue found fault with their preaching they attributed vnto the Prophets more firmenes as wherewith no fault could be â—â—und albeit in verity no lesse obedience and faith ought to be giuen vnto the one then the other both proceeding of one Spirit of truth York Ireneus and others doe magnifie much and alledge the Câ—urch and not the Scriptures against the heretickes Brad. They had to doe with such-hereticks as did deny the Scriptures and yâ—t did magnifie the Apostles so that they were inforced to vse the authoritie of those Churches wherein the Apostles had taught and which did still retaine the same Doctrine then the alledging of the Church cannot be principally vsed against me which am so farre from denying the Scriptures that I appeale vnto them vtterly as to the onely Iudge Yorke A pretty matter that you will take vpon to Iudge the Church where hath your Church been hitherto for the Church of Christ is Catholick and visible hitherto Brad. I doe not Iudge the Church when I discerne it from the congregation which is not the Church and I neuer denied the Church to bâ— Catholick and viâ—â—ble although at some times it is more visible then at other times Chichest Where was your Church forty yeares agone which allowed your Doctrine I said I would tell him if he would tell mee where the Church was in Helias his time when Helias said he was left alone he said that is no answere Brad. If you had the same eyes wherewith a man might haue espied the Church then you would not say it was no answer The fault why the Church is not sâ—â—ne of you is not because the Church is not visible but because your eyes are not cléere â—â—ough to sée it Chich. You are much deceiued in making this collation betwixt the Church then and now Yorke said it was very well spoken for Christ said I will build my Church and not I do or haue built it Brad. Peter teacheth me to make this collation saying As amongst the people there were false Prophets which were most in estimation before Christs comming so shall there be false teachers amongst the people after Christs comming and verie many shall follow them and as for your future tense you wil not conclude Christs Church not to haue béene before but rather that there is no builder in the Church but by Christ onely in that he saith I will build my Church for Paul and Apollo be but waterers York He taketh vpon him to iudge the Church a man shall neuer come to certainty that doth so Brad. I speake simply that which I thinke and desire reasons to answere my Obiections assuredly you did well to depart from the Romish Church but you haue done wickedly to coupple your selues to it againe for you can neuer proue it which you call the mother Church to be Christs Church Chichest You were but a Childe then I was but a young man come from the Uniuersitie and went with the World but it was alwaies against my conscience Brad. I thinke you haue done euill for ye are come and haue brought others to that wicked man which sitteth in the Temple of God which is the Church for it cannot be vnderstood of Mahomer or any out of the Church but of such as beare rule in the Church Yorke Sée how you build your Faith vpon the most obscure places of the Scripture to deceiue your selfe as though you were in the Church which are not Brad. Well my Lord though I might by truth iudge you and others yet will not I vtterly exclude you out of the Church but I am not out of the Communion of the Church for it consisteth in Faith York Loe how you make your Church inuisible for you would haue the Communion of it to consist in Faith Brad. To haue Communion of the Church néedeth not visiblenesie of it for Communion consisteth in Faith and not in exterior Ceremonies as appeareth by Paul which would haue one Faith and by Ireneus to Victor saying disagréeing of fasting should not breake the agréeing of Faith Chichest That place hath often wounded my conscience because we disseuered our selues from the Sea of Rome Brad. God forgiue you for you haue done
the aduersaries therof should be neuer able to resist and by this wee know wee are of the truth because neither by reasoning nor writing your Synagogue of Rome is able to answere one of the learned Ministers of Germany who hath disclosed your counterset Religion which of all you is able to answere Caluins institutions Then Doctor Story came in to whom I said you haue done me great iniury without Law you haue imprisoned me more like a dog then a man and you promised mee I should be iudged the next day after Story I am come now to kéep my promise with you was there euer such a fantasticall man as he is may he is no man but a beast yea these hereticks bee worse then beasts for they will take vpon them to be wiser then all men being very asseheads not able to maintaine that which they stand in Phil. I am content to abide your rayling Iudgement God forgiue you yet I am no heretick neither you nor any other can proue that I hold any iot against the Word of God Story The Word of God whom wilt thou appoint to be a iudge of the word Phil. The word it selfe Story Doe you not sée the Ignorance of this beastly Heretick hee willeth the word to be iudge of the word can the word speake Phil. Christ saith in S. Iohn The word which I haue spoken shall Iudge in the last day therefore much more it ought to iudge our doing now and I am sure I haue my Iudge on my side which shall absolue and iustifie me in another world howsoeuer you iudge me and other vnrighteously sure I am in another World to iudge you Story What you purpose to be a stinking Martyr and to sit in iudgment with Christ at the last day to iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell Phil. Yea I doubt not thereof I haue the promise of Christ if I die for righteousnesse sake which you haue begun to persecute in me Story When the Iudge in Westminster hall giueth sentence doth the word giue sentence or the Iudge tell me Phil. Ciuill men haue authority by the word of God to be Iudges of ciuill matters but the word of God is not subiect to mans iudgement but ought to iudge al the wisedome thoughts and doings of men therefore your comparison disproueth nothing which I haue said nor answereth thereto Story Wilt thou not allow the interpretation of the Church vpon the Scripture Phil. Yes if it be according vnto the word of the true Church Story And not wee in possession of the Church and haue not our fore-fathers this many hundred yeares taken this Church for the Catholike Church and if we had no other proofe this were sufficient for presumption of time maketh a good title in Law Phil. You doe well to alleadge prescription for it is all that you haue to shew for your selues but you must vnderstand that presciption hath no place in matters appertaining vnto GOD as I can shew you by the testimonie of many Doctors Story Well Sirs you are like to go after your Fathers Latimer and Ridley who had nothing to alledge for himselfe but that he had learned his heresie of Cranmer where I came vnto him with a poore Bacheler of Art he trembled as though he had had the Palsie as these hereticks haue alwaies some token of feare whereby a man may know them as you may sée this mans eies to tremble in his head but I dispatched them and I tell thée that there hath yet béen neuer a one burned but I haue spoken with him and béene a cause of his dispatch Phil. You haue the more to answer for you shall féele it in another world howsoeuer you do now triumph thereof Story I will neuer be confessed thereof I cannot tarry to speake with my Lord I pray one of you tell my Lord my comming is to signifie vnto him that hee must put of hand rid this Hereticke out of the way and going he said vnto me I tel thée thou must thank no other man but me for this Phil. I thanke you with all my heart and God forgiue you Story What dost thou thanke me if I had thée in my study halfe an houre I thinke I should make you sing another song Phil. No I stand vpon to sure a ground to be ouerthrowne by you now The ninth examination Harps MY Lord hath sent you S. Augustine to looke vpon I will read you an Epistle where you may heare the celebration of the Masse Phil. Héere is nothing that maketh for the proofe of the Masse Saint Augustine meaneth of the celebration of the Communion and the true vse of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ and not of your priuate Masse which you lately haue erected in the stead thereof for this word Masse hath bin an old terme attributed to the Communion euen from the Primitiue Church I pray you tell me what Missa doth signifie I thinke many that say Masse cannot tell but then Cousins and the Masse-Priests were dumbe Harps You think it commeth of the Hebrew word Massah as though none were séene in the Hebrew but you Phil. I take the communion to be called Missa a mittendo of such things as were sent by the rich to the reléefe of the poore alwaies when the communion was celebrated for this cause was it called Missa as learned men do witnes at the which celebration of the Masse all that were present did communicate vnder both kinds according to Christs institution as they did in S. Augustines time so being you cannot proue the Masse vsed at that time as you now vse it you can neuer proue it a Sacrament by the name of the Masse which name was giuen to the communion Harps What do you deny the Masse to be a Sacrament it is a sacrifice which is more then a Sacrament Phil. You can neuer make it a sacrifice but first you must make it a Sacrament for of the Sacrament you deduce your Sacrifice Harps Doth not Christ say This is my body and doth not the Priest pronounce the same Phil. The pronuntiation of the words is not enough except they be applied vnto the vse that Christ appointed them for though you speake the words of Baptisme ouer the water yet if there be none baptized it is no Baptisme Harps That this is not like for this is my body is an Indicatiue proposition shewing the worke of God in the substance of bread and wine Phil. It is not only an Indicatiue proposition but an Imparatiue or commaunding for he that said This is my body said also take ye eate ye and except it bée taken and eaten the words This is my body can haue no verification Masse Chapl. Will you make the Sacrament to stand in the receiuing and that the receiuing maketh it a Sacrament Phil. I say the common receiuing must néeds be concurrant with the true Sacrament without which it cannot be a Sacrament because Christ hath made this a
auncient Custoâ—es and disciplines of the ancient She prophesâ—eth likewise of Fryers There shall rise a sencelesse proud greedy people without Faith and subtile which shall eate the sâ—â—nes of the people pretending in Order of certaine deuout persons vnder the dissimuled cloake of beggers prâ—ferring themselues before others in fayned deuotion in puffed vp knowledge and pretenâ—ed holinesse walking without 〈◊〉 and the â—eaâ—e of God finding out many new mischiefes strong and sturdy Of wise men and Christes faithfull that Order shall bee accursed they shall cease from labour and studie for quietnesse rather taking on them the Order of flatterers then beggers they shall study altogether how to resist the Preachers of the trueth and kill them with the mightie The Deuill shall roote foure vices in them Flattery Enuiâ— Hypocrisie and Backbiting that by flattery they may haâ—e bouâ—tifull gifts that by Hypocricie they may please men and by Backâ—iting dispraise others and extoll themselues for the praise of men and sâ—ducing of the simple And in example of Martyres hauing no deuotion shall preach instantly They shall speake euill of Princes and withdraw the Sacraments from Pastors rereâ—uing the almes of the poore weake and néedy and conueying themselues into a multitude of people being familier with women teaching them how to deceiue their husbands and friends and conuey away their goods by stealth and giue it them and say that they wâ—uld pray for them so that they couer other mâ—ns faults curiously and forgâ—t their owne vtterly They shall take away things frâ—m Pirates théeues Church-pillers from Usurers Hereticks and Apostates Adulterers lecherous women bâ—udâ— from the mightie pâ—riured Marchants false Iudges Soldiers Tyrants Princee liuing against the Law and they shall follow the Deuill and swéetnesse of sinne deâ—icatenesse of life and 〈◊〉 to their eternall damnation all men shall sée this yet shall they daily become more indurate and wicked But when their iniquities and seducings shall bee tryed men shall cease to giue them then shall they goâ— about hungry and looking downe to the earth like madde dogges and shrinking in their neckes like Turtles that they may bée filled with bread then shall the people say Woâ— vnto you wretches children of sorrow the world seduced you the Deuill snared your moâ—ths your flesh slippery your heart without taste your minds wandring your eyes delighted in vanitie and madnesse your pâ—nches desire sweete dishes your feete swift to mischiefe consider how you were accounted 〈◊〉 and zealous poore rich men and simple stout men but you were deuout slatterers false betrayers peruerse backe â—iâ—ers holy hypocrites peruertâ—rs of the truth too much strickt and precise proud shamelesse and vnstable Doctors delicate Marâ—yres professors for lucre sake meeke slanderers religious couetous lowly proud godly hard men pleasâ—nt lyers peaceable persecuâ—ors oppressors of the simple inuenters of euill Sects vnmercifull louers of the world sellers of pardons spoylers of benefices vnprofitable makers of prayers seditious conspirers dronken whisperers desirous of honour curious in mens faults the extortioners of the world vnsatiable preachers pleasers of men seducers of women so weâ—s of discord Moses well prophesied of them in his Canticle A people without Councell and Wisdome would God they were wise and vnderstood and foresaw the latter ends to come you builded aloft and when you could build no higher you fell downe Like Simon Magus whom the Lord repressed and strooke with a mightie plagne so you likewise haue fallen through your deceiueable wickednesse lies 〈◊〉 the people shall say to them away teachers of peruersitie subuerters of verity brethren of the Shunamite father of Hereticall praâ—iâ—â—e false apostles you séeme to follow the life of the Apostles but follow not their steps one â—ot you children of iniquitie we will none of your trades and waies for presumptuous pride hath deceiued you and insatiable concupiscence subuerted your erronious heart and when you coueted to climbe vp higher and higher then by the iust Iudgement of God you haue fallen downe to euerlasting shame About the same time that the Franciscans and Dominicke Fryers began sprang vp the Croâ—bearers or Croucheâ— Fryers by Pope Innocent the 3. who raised an Army signed with the Crosse on their brest to 〈◊〉 against the Albenses whom the Pope and his sect account Hereticks About the parts of Tholous I finde in some records that the opinion of them was sound enough professing against the wanton wealth pride and tyranny of the Prelates denying the Popes authoritie to haue ground in Scriptures neither could they away with the ceremonies or traditions as Images Pardons Purgatory calling them blasphemous occupyings many of them were slaine at times and burned by the Pope and Symon Ecclesiasticus with other moe After King Iohn as aforesaid had submitted himselfe and his whole Realme vnder tribute to the Pope it is incredible how the insatiable aâ—arice of the Romaines did oppresse the Commons and all estates of the Realme especially the Churchmen who what for the Pope for the Legats for the Holy Land and other subtill deuises to get away their money were brought to such slauery and penury that whereas the King durst not or could not remedy their exclamations they were almost driuen by forâ—e to remedy their owne wrongs that they writ to the Bishops and other Ecâ—lesâ—asticall Gouernours that they had rather die then be thus confounded of the Romans that it was not vnknowne to them how they had deposed men and giuen away the Bâ—nefices after their owne lust and how they haue thundred excommunications against you if you place any in any Spirituall Liuing in any of your Dioces within the Realme vntill fâ—ue Romaines in euery Dioces and in euery Cathedrall such as the Pope shall name be prouided for to the valew of 100. lib. yearely and what other grieuances they doe inflict to the Layty and Nobles Wherefore wâ— considering the rigorous austeritie of the â—omanists which take vpon them to Iudgâ— and condemne vs and lay on vs intollâ—rable burdens therefore vpon a full aduise had amonst vs we haue though good rather to resist then to bee subict to their intollerable oppreâ—sions and greater slauâ—ry to be looked for hereafter Therefore we straitly command you as your friends that you doe not intermeddle or take part with them letâ—ing you vnderstand for trueth that in case you shall bee found culpable herein not onely your â—oods and possessions shall bee in danger of burning but aâ—â—o your bodies shall incurre the same perill as shall the said Romish opprâ—ssors In the raigne of Henry the third who succeeded King Iohn and raigned 57. yeares Cardinall Otho was sent to the King with Letters to him and other places for exactions of Money the Letters were to require for the Pope two Prebends in euery Cathedrall Church a portion of euery Abbot and of euery Couent as much as belonged to one Monke their good being equally deuided because the Church of Rome of greatly slandered that none could proceede there
to know kéep Gods commandements fearing to offend him and louing to please him hoping stedfastly in his mercy continuing in Charity gladly suffering persecutions by the example of Christ and his Apostles all these haue their names written in the Booke of life The gathering together of these that be aliue is the Church fighting against the fiâ—nd the prosperity of the World and the fleshly lusâ—s and I wil submit my selfe only to the rule and gouernance of them whom after my knowledge I may perceiue by the hauing and vsing of the foresaid vertues to be members of the holy Church These Articles and all other that I ought to beléeue by the word of God I verily beléeue in my Soule and I beleeue that the word of God is sufficient to saluation if I haue erred that I submit my selfe to be â—econciled and I beleeue the authorities of Saints and Doctors as farre as they may be approued by the word of God and no further for any earthly power or dignity Sir I pray shall I lay my hand on the Booke to sweare by it yea said he wherefore else Sir I say a Booke is a thing coupled together of diuers Creatures and Gods and Mans Law is against swearing by any Creature but I will sweare vnto you as I ought by Gods Law but for Charity tell me wherein I shall submit my selfe and wherein you will correct mâ— Bishop I will that you swear to forsake all the opinions of the Sect of Lollards which I shall rehearse after you haue sworne and that you will neither priuily nor openly teach none of them nor fauour none of that opinion but withstand them and them that will not yéeld make knowne to the Byshop of the Diocesse and that thou preach no more vntill I do know that thy hart and mouth accord Thorp If I consent vnto you hereâ—n I should be euery Bishops spy Sommoner of al England yea I should deceiue many persons and be y â— cause of their death bodily and ghostly for many of them that stand now in the truth and are in the way of saluation would rather chuse to forsake the way of truth then to be scorned slandered and punished as Byshops and their Ministers now vse to d ee and I finde not in the Scripture that this office you would now enfeoff me with accordeth to any Priest or Christian therefore to do thus were to me a full noyous band for many trust so mickle in me that I would not doe it to saue my life and they might well account me a Traytor to God and man and that I had faâ—sly and cowardly forsaken the truth and slandered shamefully the Word of GOD If I doe thus for feare of bondcheefe and mischeefe in this life I deeme in my conscience I were worthy to bee cursed of GOD and all his Saints from which keepe me and all Christians Almighty God Bishop Thy heart is full hard indurate as the hart of Pharaoh the Diuell hath blinded thy wits that thou hast no grace to know the truth nor the measure of mercy that I haue proâ—â—ered thee but I say to thee lewd Lossell eyther quickly consent to me or by Saint Thomas thou shalt be disgraded and follow thy fellow â—o Smithfield Thorp I thought with my selfe God did me great grace if of his mercy he would bring me to such an end and my heart was not afraid of his menasing but I considered in him that he was not sorrowfull that he had burned William Santry wrongfully and that he thiâ—steth to shed more innocent blood and I was fast mooued to hold him to be no Priest of God and mine inward Man was departed from him to haue no feare of him and I was right heauy that there was no audience of seculer men by and I prayed the Lord to comfort me against them that were against the sothfastnesse and I purposed to speake no more then my neede behooued All the while I prayed God for his grace to speake with a méeke and easie Spirit and that I might haue authorities of Scriptures or open reason for my words and his Clearks said Why muse you do as my Lord commands you Byshop Hast thou not yet bethought thee whether thou wilt doe as I haue said Thorp My Parents spent mickle Mony about my learning to make me a Priest but I had no will to be a Priest wherefore they were right heauy to mee that I thought to leaue theÌ„ at length I desired that I might go to such as were named wise and of vertuous conuersaâ—ion to haue theâ—â— Councell so I communed with such till I perceiued their honest and charitable workes to passe their fame wherefore 〈◊〉 by the example of the Doctrine of them after my cunning and power I haue exercised me to know perfectly Gods Law hauing a desire to liue thereafter and that others exercised themselues faithfully there abouts Then he sheweth the reasons aforesaid and what would follow if he should forsake so suddenly the learning that he had exercised this 30. winters according to the example of some whose name I wil now recite and according to the present doing of Phillip Rampington now Bishop of Lincolne by Gods grace I will learne by them to fly such slander as thâ—y haue defiled themselues with and as much as is in them they haue enuenomed all the Church of God by their flaunderous reuoking at Paules Crosse and how now Phillip Rampington pursueth Christs people which will not be vnpunished of God Bishop These were fooles and heretickes when they were counted wise of thée and sâ—ch loseâ—s but now they are wise though ye deeme them vnwise Thorpe I thinke they are wise concerning this world I did thinke by their former doings that they had earnest of the wisdome of God and deserued â—â—ckie grace of him to haue saued themselues and many others if they had continued faithfull and in their buâ—â—e fâ—â—itfull sowing of Gods word but woe worth false couetousnesse euill councell and tâ—ranny by which they and many be led blindly to an euill end Bishop Which are those holy and wise men of whom thou hast taken thine information Thorpe Sir master Iohn Wicliffe holden of â—ull many the greatest Clarke then liuing â—usâ—ing rulâ— anâ— innocent in his liuing great men communed oft with him they so loued his learning that they wrote it and bâ—sâ—ly inforced themselues to â—ollow it and his learning is yet holden most agréeable to the learning of Christ and his Apostles and master Iohn Ayston taught and wrote accordingly and vsed himselfe right perfectly to his liues end And sometimes Phillip Rampington Nichols Herford Dauid Gotray of Pakâ—ing and Iohn Puruay and many other which were holden right wise and prodent taught and writ busily his foresaid learning with alâ— these men I was right homely and communed with them but of all other I â—hose to â—ollow Wicliffe himselfe as the most wise and godly man that I heard of or know Some of
was aliue and his friends were weary of his stinke yea he might not abide his owne stinke then he said it is rightfull to be subiect to the Lord for mortall man not to hold himselfe equall with God the Story saith hee asked mercy of God and could none haue and vowed to doe more good to the Temple and Iewes then he had done harme and to become a Iew anâ— goe ouer all the land preaching Gods Law yet because it camâ— not out of true repentance springing of Faith but of his odious paine hee obtained not fauour by this men should see what it is to be disobedient to God also sicknes sheweth that the patient is mortall and that hee must die though hee may now scape The second Somner is age hee will not leaue thee vntill hee haue brought thee to death yet many though they see all their members decayed with age take no heed but if he see a little mirth forgetteth the Somner hath him by the sleeue and what a reckoning he must make which if he answere not well he forfeiteth body and soule to damnation a Doctor saith this is the greatest abuse of the world the reason is because these three idle youth vnhonest speech and wicked déed which if they grow with a man from his childhood to his old age they make a three-fold cord to binde the old man in custome of sinne wherefore Esay saith breake the cordes of sinne The third Somner is death his condition is come hee first or last spareth neither poore nor rich Saint Augustine saith wee ought feare death for in what estate it findeth one it bringeth him to Iudgement therefore the Wise man saith to his Sonne thinke on the last day and thou shalt neuer sinne We shall likewise be called with three messengers vnto the last Iudgement the first the sicknes of the world the second his age and feeblenes the third his end as decay of Naturall heate and increase of vnnaturall heate is the sicknes of the body so decay of the loue of God and our neighbour and increase of vnnaturall lusts is the sicknes of the world Christ saith this is a signe of the end of the world that wickednes shall wax plenteous and charitie wax cold know well saith Saint Paul in the last daies shall be perilous times men louers of themselues couetous proud vnobedient to parents without affection c. when thou seest suchmen know the first Somner warneth the world that the day of reckoning draweth neere The second Somner the age of the world the day of the end of the world was hid from the Apostles and from Christs manhood as to shew it vs yet by authorities of Scriptures we may show that that day of wrath draweth neere least any say as that foule belly seruer I will say to my soule eate drinke and be merry thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares If Paul said 1300. yeares past we be those to whom the ends of the world is come much more we may say the same and Chrisostome saith when thou seest the Sunne so low that the vallies be darke thou knowest night is néere much more when it is so low that the hils be darke so if thou seest darknes of sinne haue mastery of seculer men it is a token the end of the world is nigh but when thou seest the darknes of sinne hath gotten the vpper hand of Priests that should be as hilles amongst the communaltie in perfect liuing who doubteth but that the world is at an end and Abbas Ioakim saith from the yeare 1200. all times be to be suspected and Ildiger in her prophesies saith as the seuenth day the world was full made and God rested from his worke so in seuen thousand yeares the number of them that shall be saued shall be fulfilled and then shall the Saints wholly rest in body and soule and now it is from the Creation six thousand and six hundred yeares The Disciples asked Christ three questions the first of the destruction of Ierusalem the second of his comming to Iudgement the third of the end of the world To the first he said when the Romans besiege the Citie soone after it shall bee destroyed to the second and the third he gaue many tokens as that there should bee warres pestilence and earthquakes lastly when wee shall see the abomination of holinesse standing in the sanctuarie then who so readeth let him vnderstand this abomination as Doctors say shall bee in the great Antichrists dayes 1240. dayes and a Doctor saith that a day must be taken for a yeere by authoritie of Scriptures and by reason and it is thought to this Clarke that Antichrist shall more appeare in the yeare of Christ 1400. then any time before and there lacketh but twelue yéeres of the fulfilling thereof In the opening of the seuen seales is declared the state of the Church from Christ to the end of the world the foure first seales from Christ to Antichrist the first Seale the state of the Church in Christs and his Apostles time the voice of the Lyon is Christs voice the white horse his Disciples the whitenesse sheweth their righteousnes by their bow their true preaching pricking repentance into mens hearts they went to Iewry ouercomming them to leaue the trust they had in the old Law and to trust onely in Christ they went out winning the Payenims from Idolatry to Christ The Calfe in the second Seale which is a Beast was vsed to be sacrificed betokeneth the state of the Church in the time of Martyrs and that is tokened by the Red Horse this began at cursed Nero and indured vnto Constantine the great that indowed the Church in this time many shed their bloâ—d for the testimonie of Gods word and of two and twenty Bishops vntill Siluester the first I read but of foure but they were Martyrs and in the time of Dioclesian the Emperour the persecution was so great that in thirty daies were slaine 22000. in diuers countreys for the Gospell The opening of the third Seale telleth the state of the Church in the time of Heretickes by the Black-horse is figured false vnderstanding of the Scripture then cried the third Beast which is a man for it was needfull to preach Christs Incarnation and Passion against Heretickes that tooke those points amisse The fourth Seale tâ—lleth the state of the Church in the time of hypocrites that by outward signes of repentance onely blind the people the pale colour of the Horse signifieth their hypocrisie the rider was death to signifie they slay ghostly that teach any other way but Christ and Hell followeth them for Hell receiueth those that deceiue men in that time it was needfull that the fourth beast the Eagle which flyeth highest of all Birds to make his cry to raise vp the Gospel least mens traditions ouergrow it by the information of these hypocrites The fift Seale sheweth the state of them that shall follow and the desire
six women with the Lord of the place to be condemned for Hereticks because they said since Peter none was true Uicar of Christ but they onely which followed the pouerty of Christ. Hee condemned of heresie George the King of Boheme and depriued him made his whole stocke to be reiected and gaue his Kingdome to Mathias King of Panonia Pope Alexander the sixt succéeded him Hee receiued two thousand Florens for poisoning Gemen the Turkes brother at Rome Hee sent for help of the Turkes against the French King He was vngratefull to the Cardinals that chose him He commanded Marcinellus one of them to haue his hands and tongue cut off for speaking against his vices After sitting with his Cardinals and the rich Seâ—ators of Rome at dinner his man vnawares bringing a wrong Bottle vnto him he with his Cardinals about him were poisoned In his time the Angel which stood on the top of the Popes Church was beaten down with thunder which thing seemed to declare the ruine of the Pope-dome Pius the third succéeded Pope after him Iulius the second passing all other in iniquitie as he was going to warre he cast the keyes of S. Peter into the riuer Tybris saying being the keyes of Peter would not serue him to his purpose he would take himselfe to the sword of Paul By this Iulius partly with warre partly with cursings in seuen yeares 200000. Christians were destroyed he got many Citties out of Princes hands by bloudshed when he was made Pope he tooke an oath to haue a Councel within two yeares but breaking his Oath he was occupied in warres whervpon nine of his Cardinals departed from him and appointed a Councell at Pâ—sa they alledged the cause for that the Pope was forsworne and that they had diuers other crimes to accuse him of purposing to remooue him from his seate which hee had obtained through bribes and ambition Iulius commanded vnder great paine that none obeyed them the next yéere he called a Councell The French King seeing the Pope take part with the Uenetians against him called a Councell at Thurin in which Councell they agréed that the Pope ought not to war against any Prince without cause and that it was lawfull for the King to defend himselfe against him and that vniust excommunications were not to bée feared After the King sent to the Pope the decrées of the Councell who accursed the French King with all his Kingdome and the next yeare after this warlike Pope dyed The lamentable handling of RICHARD HVN who was priuily murdered in Lolards Tower in London HVN had a Child died in his house the Curate claiming the bearing-shéet for a Mortuarâ— Hun answered The Infant had no property therein whereupon he was cited to the Spirituall Court he sued the Curate in a Premunire and then the Priests of mallice accused him of heresie and brought him to Lolards Tower where he was found dead hanging by the necke in a girdle of silke The Bishop of London called Richard Fitziames and Doctor Horsey his Chancelor said â—e hanged himselfe and the Temporalty said he was murdered The Coronor summoned a Iury and viewed the body and many times they were with the Kings Councell and heard their opinions but in the mean season the Bishop burnt the dead carkase in Smithfield to the abhomination of the people but after the matter had beeâ—e heard by the Kings Iudges and after by the Kings Councell the King being present at lasâ— Doctor Horsey the Chancelor and one Charles the Bel-ringer of Pauls anâ— Ioseph the Bishops Somner were indicted of murder and the said Charles being in the Tower of London of his owne frée will said that Maister Chancelor deuised and wrote with his own hand all the heresies that were laid to Huns charge and that when Richard Hunne was slaine Iohn Bell-ringer bare vp a Waxe Candle and I went next to him and Maister Chancelor came vp last and Hunne was lying in his bed and Maister Chancelor said Lay hands on the Theefe and so all we murdered him and I put the girdle about his necke and Iohn Bell-ringer and I did heaue him vp and maister Chancelor pulled the girdle ouer the staple and so Hun was hanged The said Charles told Iulian Little his maid he killed him by putting a Wyer vp into his nose Before that time the Chanceller commaunded to be put vpon Huns necke a great coller of Iron with a great Chaine which is to heauy for any man or beast to weare and long to endure And before Huns death the Chanceller came into the Lolards Tower and kneeled downe before Hunne holding vp his hands and asked him forgiuenesse of all he had done and must doe to him And on the Sonday before the night in which he was destroyed he caused the Penitentiary of Paules to go to Hun and say a Gospell and make for him Holy Water and Holy bread and giue him which was done The Bishop did all he could by word or writing to the King and Cardinals and the Councell to smother the matter affirming that he hanged himselfe and that the Iury was forsworne and that the said Charles spoke that which he had done as before by reason of durance of imprisonment and that if the King and Councel should fauour this matter he should not be able to goe abroad for Heretickes and by the meanes of him and the spiritualty and money the Chancelor caused the Kinges Atturney to confesse on his arraignement him not to be guilty so he escaped to Excester and for shame neuer durst after come to London The Historie of Doctor VVESALIANVS THis Wesalia was complained vpon to Piorherus Archbishop of Mentz by the Thomists which is an Order holding of Thomas de Aquino The Bishop made him answer he should giue vp all his workes and writings which he had made and preached This being done they deuided them amongst themselues that euery man might finde out what errours and heresies they could His Articles and opinions were these That all men be saued fréely and through méere grace by faith in Christ Iesus frée-will to be nothing only that we should beléeue the word of God and not the glosse of any man or fathers that the word of God is to be expounded by the collation of one place with another that Prelats haue no authoritie to make lawes or expound the Scriptures by any peculiar right more then another that mens traditions as Fastings Feasts long prayers Pilgrimations and such like are to be reiected Extream vnction and confirmation to be reproued confession and satisfaction to be reprehended the primacy of the Pope he also affirmed to be nothing Upon which Articles this Wesalia by a generall assembly was condemned and his books to be burned He bring required of the Councell what he thought of the Uicar of Christ in earth He said he beléeued that Christ left no such Uicar in earth for ascending into heauen hee said Behold I am with you c. By
the houses in Wormes The fourth or fift day after he came to Wormes he was enioyned at foure of the clock in the afternoone to appeare before the Emperor Dukes and other estates of the Empire to vnderstand the cause he was sent for And standing before them he was commanded silence vntill he was interrogated Then was asked him whether those books were his which were written in his name a great company of them lying before them and if they were thine whether thou wilt recant and reuoke them and all that is contained in them or rather meanest to stand to that which is written in them Then Luthers Aduocate desired that the titles of the books might be read which was done Luther answered Hée could not but acknowledge those bookes to be his and that he would neuer recant any clause thereof and for the iustifying of them he desired some time to consider because there be questions of faith and the saluation of the soule wherein it were dangerous and a rash thing to pronounce any thing without good aduisement After they had consulted the Officiall said Though thou doest not deserue to haue opportunity giuen thée to determine yet the Emperour of his méere clemencie gâ—anteth thée one day to morrow at this time thou shalt render before him conditionally thou do not exhibit thine opinion in writing but pronounce the same with liuely voyce At which time when he was appointed to answer he answered to this effect All my books are not of one sort there be some in which I haue so simplie and Euangelically intreated of the religion of faith and honest conuersation that my very enemies are compelled to confesse they be profitable and worthy to be read of all Christians and the Popes Bull iudgeth certaine of my books inculpable if I should reuoke these I should condemne that truth which friends and foes confesse There is another sort of my books which containe inuectiues against the Pope and doctrine of the Papists as against those which haue corrupted all Christendom bodily and spiritually with their pestiferous doctrine and pernicious examples for I cannot dissemble this when the vniuersall experience and common complaint of all beare witnesse that the consciences of all faithfull men haue béen most miserably intrapped vexed and most cruelly tormented by the Popes lawes and doctrine of men and further their substance deuoured specially in this famous Countrey of Germanie If then I should reuoke these I can doe none other but augment force to their tyrannie and not only open windowes but wide gates to such an infernall impietie the which will extend more wide and with more libertie then yet she durst and by the testimonie of this my retractation their insolent and malitious Kingdome shall be made most licentious and lesse subiect to punishment If I Luther should do this by the authoritie of your most excellent maiestie The third sort of my books I haue written against priuat persons such as with tooth and nayle labor to protect the Romish tyrannie and deface true religion which I haue taught and professed I confesse against these I haue been more violent then my profession required if I should recant these it would come to passe that tyranny and impietie shall raigne sâ—pported by my meanes â— Neuerthelesse as Christ when he was examined of his doctrine before Annas and hauing receiued a buffet of the Minister said If I haue spoken ill beare witnesse of the euill If Christ which was assured he could not erre refused not to haue testimony giuen against his doctrine how much more I that cannot but erre ought earnestly to intreat if any will beare witnesse against my doctrine and if any can by Scripture conuince me of error I will reuoke any manner of error and be the first that shall consume my books with fire I conceiue no greater delectation in any thing then when I behold dissentions stirred vp for the word of God for such is the course of the Gospell as Christ saith I came not to send peace vpon the earth but a sword I came to set a man at variance against his father And we must thinke our god is terrible in his Councels against his aduersaries lest the condemning of the word of God turne to a huge Sea of euils lest the Empire of this yong and bounteous Prince Charles bee lamentably and miserably begun I could amplifie this with authorities of Scripture and Pharo the King of Babylon and the Kings of Israell who then most obscured the bright Sunne of their glorie and procured their owne ruine when they attempted to pacifie their Realmes in this manner Then the Emperours Ambassador checked Luther saying he had not answered to any purpose and that he ought not to call in question things long time agoe defined by generall Councels therefore they required whether he would reuoke or no. Then he answered If I be not conuicted by testimonies of Scriptures and probable reasons for I beléeue not the Pope nor his generall Councels I will not nor may not reuoke any thing for it is vngodly to doe against my conscience Then the Embassador replied if all such as impugne that which was decréed by the Church and Councels may once get this aduantage to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing established in Christâ—ndom Luther answered the Councells oft gainsaid themselues and that he was able to proue that Councels haue erred and night approaching the Lords arose and after Luther had taken his leaue of the Emperor diuers Spaniards scorned and scoffed at him hollowing and whopping after him a long time After there were bills set vp against Luther and others with him but this was subtilly done of his enemies as it was thought that there might be occasion offered to infringe the safe conduct giuen him the which the Romane Embassador with all diligence indeuoured to bring to passe When he was sent for to the Archbishop of Triers they protested vnto him they sent not for him for disputation but beningly and brotherly to exhort him and they said though the Councels had erred yet their authoritie was not thereby abased neither was it lawfull for euery man to impugne their opinions and that Decrées Traditions of men and Ceremonies were established to represse vices according to the qualities of times and that the Church could not be destitute of them the trée is knowne by his fruits These lawes haue much profited And they alleadged that Luthers books would breed great tumult and incredible troubles and that he abused the common sort with his booke of Christian liberty incouraging them to shake off their yoake and to confirme in them a disobedience and that now the world was at another stay then when the beleeuers were all of one minde And albeit he had written many good things and doubtlesse with a good spirit yet now the Diuell hath attempted by wily meanes that all his works for euermore should be condemned and by these last workes
it is easie to know the tree by the fruit not by the blossomes often repeating in his Oration that this admonition was giuen of singular good will and great clemâ—ncie in the shutting vp of his Oration he added menasings that if he would abide in his purposed intent the Emperour would exterminate him his Empire Luther answered to this effect That the Councell of Constance had erred in condemning this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the communion of the predestinat and that we ought rather to obey God then man There is an offence of faith and an offence of charitie the slander of charity consisteth in manners and life the offence of faith and doctrine consisteth in the word of God and they commit this offence which make not Christ the corner stone And if Christs sheepe were fed with the pure pasture of the Gospell and the faith of Christ sincerely preached and if there were good Eclesiasticall Magistrates who duely executed their office wee should not néede to charge the Church with mens traditions And that hee knew and taught that wee ought to obay the higher powers how peruâ—rsly soeuer they liued so that they inforce vs not to deny the word of God Then they admonished him to submit himselfe to the Emperour and the Empires Iudgment hee answered hee was well content so that this were done with authority of the word of God and that he would not giue place except they taught sound Doctrine by the word of God and that St. Augustine writeth hee had learned to giue honor onely to the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture and touching other Doctors though they excell in holinâ—sse and learning hee would not credit them vnlesse they pronouced truth and St. Paule saith proue all things follow that which is good and againe if an Angell teach otherwise let him bee accursed finally hee meekely besought them not to vrge his conscience captiued in the bands of the word of God to deny that excellent word After the Arch-bishop sent for Luther to his Chamber and tould him for the most part that at all times holy Scriptures haue ingendred errors and went about to ouerthrow this proposition that the Catholike Church is the communion of Saints presuming of cockle to make wheate and of bodily excrements to compact members Martin Luther and one Ierome Schuâ—ffe his companion reproued their follies Hee was oftentimes assayled to reforme the censure of his bookes vnto the Emperour and Empire or to the Generall Councell which he was content to doe so they would iudge them according to the word of God otherwise not aleaging the words of the Prophet trust you not in Princes nor in the children of men wherein is no health also cursed be hee that trusteth in men and when newes came hee should returne home hee sayd euen as it hath pleased God so it is come to passe the name of the Lord be blessed and sayd hee thanked the Emperour and Princes that they had giuen him gracious audience and graunted him safe conduct to come and returne and said hee desired in his heart they were reformed according to the sacred word of God and sayd hee was content to suffer any thing in himselfe for the Emperour but only the word of God he would constantly confesse vnto the latter end About a yeare after this Luther dyed when hee had liued almost thrée score and thrée yeares and had béene Doctor thrée and thirty yeares hee sayd at his death O heauenly eternall and mercifull Father thou hast manifested in mee thy deare Sonne Christ I haue taught and knowne him I loue him as my life health and redemption whom the wicked persecuted maligned and iniured drawe my soule to thée and saâ—d thrise I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redéemed me God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely Sonne that all that beleeue in him should haue eternall life and so he dyed whose death was much lamented In the yeare 1516. the aforesaid French King receaued from Pope Leo a Iubile and pardons to be sould and so in England vnder the pretence of warre against the Turke they perswaded the people that whosoeuer would giue tenne shillings should deliuer his soule from the paine of Purgatory but if it lacked any thing of tenne shillings it would profit them nothing at that time Martin Luther was in Germany who vehemently inueyed against these indulgences agaâ—nst whom Iohn Eckius put forth himselfe they disputed before the people at last eyther of their arguments were sent to Paris to bee iudged by the Sorbonists the iudgment was long protracted In the meane time Pope Leo condemned Luther for Heresie and excommunicated him he appealed to the next Councell Pope Leo commanded Luthers bookes to bee burned openly Luther also burned the Popes decrees and Decretalls in the Uniuersity of Wittenberge In the yeere 1517. the Pope hauing creaâ—ed one and thirty Cardinalls thunder and lightening so strake the Church where the Cardinalls were created that it stroke the little child Iesus out of the lappe of his mother and the keyes out of St. Peters hands being Images in the Church of Rome In the yeare 1519. newes was brought to Pope Leo at supper that the Frenchmen were driuen out of Italy hee reioycing said God hath giuen me thrée things I returned from banishment with glory to Florence I haue deserued to bee called Apostolike and thereby I haue driuen the Frenchmen out of Italy as soone as he had spoken hee was stricken with a suddaine feuer and dyed shortly after What Godly man hath there euer beene for this fiue hundred yeares either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disproued the misordered and corrupt examples of the Sea and Bishop of Rome from time to time vntill the comming of Luther yet none euer could preuaile before the comming of this man the cause to bee supposed is this other men spake but against the pompe pride whoredome and auarice of the Pope Luther went further with him charged him with his Doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote charging him with plaine Heresie as resisting against the blood of Christ for whereas the Gospell leadeth vs to bee iustified onely by the worthinesse of Christ and his bloud the Pope teacheth vs to séeke our saluation by mans merits and deseruings by workes whereupon rose all the Religious sects some professing one thing some another euery man seeking his owne righteousnes but Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darkenesse to behold that glorious benefit of the great liberty frée iustification set vp in Christ Iesus but the more glorious this benefit appeared to the world the greater persecution followed the same and where the Elect tooke most comfort of saluation the aduersaries tooke most vexation according as Christ sayd I came not to send peace but a sword therefore so great persecutions in all the world followed after Luther but in no
commanded by his fellowes To goe with Iohn to Samaria he refused not so to doe and being the Apostles send him they declare that they doe not â—ount him as their superiour and by his obedience he confesseth a fellowship with them but no Emperour ouer them But the Epistle to the Galathians putteth vs sufficiently out of all doubt whereas S. Paul proueth himselfe to bee equall with him and how when Peter did not faithfully execute his office hee was by him rebuked and not obedient to his correction all doth euidently proue that there was equality betwixt Paul Peter and also that he had no morâ— power euer the residue of the Apostles then ouer him the which Paul doth purposely intreat of least any should prefer Peter or Iohn before him wherefore I cannâ—t acknowledge Peter head of the Apostles nor the Pope ouer other Bishops but I acknowledge Christ the onely head of the Church And I say with S. Gregory that whosoeuer calleth himselfe an vniuersall Bishop he is the fore-rider of Antichrist And whereas they alledge the high priesthood of the old law I say the right of that high priesthood is onely transported vnto Christ for this Priest-hood doth not onely consist in learning but in the propitiation and mercy of God which Christ hath fulfilled by his death in the intercession by the which he doth now intreat for vs vnto his father Whereas they alledge out of the 16. Chapter of Mathew Thou art Peter and vpon this rock c. If they do thinke that this was particularly spoken vnto Peter S. Cyprian and S. Augustine shall sufficiently answer them that Christ did it not to preferre one man aboue the residue but that he might set forth the vnity of the Church hee saith if this were spoken onely vnto Peter the Church hath not the Keyes and if the Church haue them then Peter when he receiued the Keyes did figurate the whole Church Touching their Arguments that these words were spoken to none but Peter this will easily be dissolued if we know why Christ gaue this name Peter to him whose name was Simon hauing respect onely to the constant profession which hee made of Christ as God changed the name of Abraham from Abram which tooke the name of the multitude which should come forth of his seede so Peter took his name of the constant confession of Christ which indeede is the true Rocks vpon which the Church is builded and not Peter no otherwise then Abraham was not the multitude himselfe whereof he tooke his name and the Church if it had béene builded vpon Peter should haue béene builded but vpon a weake foundation who was ouercome with the words of a litle wench so constantly to deny Christ so any man may vnderstand how these Romish builders doe wrest the scriptures to their pleasures And when they alledge out of the 20. chapter of S. Iohn feed my sheep it is a childish Argument for to feed shéep is not to beare dominion ouer the whole Church and Peter exhorts all Byshops to feed their flocks therefore there was no authority giuen vnto Peter more then to others or that Peter did equally communicate the authority which he had receiued vnto others and did not reserue it to himselfe to be transported to the Bishops of Rome 2 Touching pardons or indulgences they say that the merits of Chirst and of the Saints Apostles and Martyrs which they impudently affirme to haue merited more at Gods hands then was néedfull for themselues and there did so much superabound that might redound vnto the helpe of others and they affirme that their blood was mixed with the blood of Christ and the treasure of the Church was compounded of them both for the remission of sinnes and that the kéeping of this treasure is wholy committed to the Pope and in his power consisteth the dispensation thereof and that he himselfe may bestow these treasures and giue power to others so to do Hereupon riseth the pleanary indulgences and pardons granted by the Pope for as many yeares as he will by Cardinals for 100. daies they haue such power and bishops but for forty daies and no body but Satan taught this doctrin who would vtterly extinguish the merits of Christ which he knoweth to be the only remedy of saluation Christ in the 17. of Luke saith When you haue done all that you are coÌ„manded count your selues but improfitable seruants And the 46. of Esay All the merits of mans righteousnesse is compared to menstruous cloth by the Scripture the corruption of our nature is so manifest that in our most perfect workes there lacketh not imperfection The Parable of the ten Uirgines in the twentie fiue of Mathew putteth this out of all controuersie where the wise virgins said They had not sufficient oyle for themselues and others This they ground vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Collossians I fulfill the afflictions of Christ which were wanting in my flesh for his body which is the church But Paul referreth to those afflictions wherewith the members are and shall be afflicted so long as they liue in this world euen as Christ was afflicted and wheras S. Iames addeth this word for the Church he doth not meane for the Redemption of it but for the edifying of the same as in the 2. to Timothy he saith He suffereth for the elect sake for by his constancy and stedfastnes in troubles he sheweth he contemneth this life in hope of a better life whereby he doth confirme and establish the faith of the Church for great fruit by the afflictions and martirdome of the faithfull ariseth to the glory of God in that they subscribe and beare witnesse vnto the truth by their blood and being the Popes pardons are nothing else then such as he faineth he is a manifest deceiuer and a Simonist in selling such marchandise as can in no place help Touching the marriage of Priests it is against the word of God against Iustice to forbid Priests to marry in the 13. to the Hebrewes The band of marriage is vndefiled and honorable amongst all men And in the 1. Cor. 7. chap. For auoiding of whoredome let euery men haue his owne wife and in that they say this is meant of others and not of Ministers That is disproued by the 1. Tim. 3. Chapt. Bishops and Deacons ought to be the husbands of one wife And what can be more spoken against them herein then in the fourth Chapter of the said Epistle In the latter daies shall come deceiuers and wicked spirits which shall forbid to marry they excuse themselues that this was fulfilled in the hereticks cald Tatians which did condemne matrimony but we do onely forbid Church-men to marry but this notwithstanding this prophesie of the holy Ghost redoundeth vpon them They interpret S. Pauls saying that a Bishop shall haue but one Wife That a Bishop ought not to bee chosen that hath married the second Wife but this interpretation appeareth to be
should be any publike change in this Realme of Religion except by the consent of you and the whole Parliament wherein you may easily perceiue his profound wisedom great leue towards you Wherfore he desireth you in Christs name that leauing blindnes contentions you would discusse those things amongst you which pertaine to religion and the Church hauing onely respect vnto the Scriptures neither will he any longer suffer the Scriptures to be wrested by any one of you neither to be oppressed with the Popes Decrées or authoritie of the Doctors or Councels neither will he allow any Doctrine grounded onely vpon Antiquitie and Custome hauing no other foundation in Scriptures such as you call vnwritten verities you owe this duety chiefely to Christ and next of necessitie vnto the Church and yet you shall not be vnrewarded at the Kings hands if he perceÃue you do your duty as you ought in establishing concord in the Church The which to bring to passe the onely methode is to discusse all things according to the Canons of Gods word wherevnto the Kings Maiestie doth exhort you and hartily desire you the Bishops gaue thankes vnto the King for his zeale vnto the Church and his exhortation worthy so Christian a Prince Then Bonner Bishop of London the most earnest Champion for the Pope defended the vnwritten verities and maintained the seuen Sacraments of the Church and others resisted him Touching whose Arguments because there is no great matter in them I refer thee to the Booke at large where also thou maist sée the number of Idols in England to which in great deuotion they vse to goe on pilgrimage vnto At length he was apprehended and committed to the Tower and then hee was attainted by Parliament for heresie for supporting Barnes and Clarke hereticks and many others And by his authoritie and Letters rescued them and deliuered them out of prison and for evulgating a great number of Bookes containing heresie and caused Bookes to be translated into English comprising matter against the Sacrament of the Altar for commending the Bookes after and that he should speake words against the King which they would neuer suffer him to answere vnto which were not likely to be true in that the King so shortly after his death wished to haue his Cromwell aliue againe by reason of which Act of Parliament the Noble Lord Cromwell was oppressed with his enemies and condemned in the Tower He was beheaded vpon Tower Hill where he patiently suffered the stroke of the Axe by a Butcherly miser which very vngodlily performed the office The History of Thomas Barnes Thomas Garard and William Hierome Diuines WHen as Cromwell was dead Gardiner Bishop of Winchester being at liberty to exercise his cruelty it is to be wondred what troubles hee raised and least he should loose his occupation by delayes Hee first assaults Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard and William Hierome whom hee caused to be put to execution two daies after Cromwell and first of Barnes Doctor of Diuinitie There was sent downe a Sergeant at Armes to Cambridge who arresâ—â—d Doctor Barnes in the Conuocation house and they determined to make priuy search for Luthers Bookes and all the Germaines workes but they that were suspected had word therof and the Bookes were conuayed away before they came and he was brought to Cardinall Wolsey in Westminster At last he spake with the Cardinall in his Chaire of State knéeling on his knees Then said the Cardinall What Maister Doctor had you not scope sufficient in the Scriptures to teach the people but my golden showes my pollaxes my pillars my golden Cushions my crossee did so much offend you that you made vs Ridiculum caput amongst the people we were iollily that day laughed to scorne Uerily it was a Sermon more fitter to be preached on a Stage then in a Pulpit At last you said I wore a paire of red Gloues I should say bloudy Gloues that I should not bee cold in the middest of my Ceremonies Hee answered hee spake nothing but the truth according to the Scriptures and the old Doctors Then hee deliuered the Cardinall six shéetes of Paper to coroborate his saying He receiuing them said we perceiue you intend to stand to your Articles and shew your learning Yea said Barnes by Gods Grace and your Lordships fauour He answered such as you beare vs and the Catholick Church little fauour whether doe you thinke it more necessary that I should haue this royalty because I represent the Kings person in all High Courts of this Realme to the terror of all rebellions Treasons all the wicked members of this Common-wealth or to be as simple as you would haue vs to sell these things and giuâ— them to the poore which shortly would pisse it against the walles and pull his Maiestie from his dignitie He answered I think it necessarie to be sold and giuen to the poore for it is not comely for your calling and the King is not maintained by your pompe and pollaxes but by God which saith per me Reges regnant Then the Cardinall said to Doctor Gardiner and Maister Fox Loe Maister Doctors heere is the learned and wise man that you told me of Then they knéeled and desired his Grace to be good vnto them for hee would be reformable Then said he for your sakes and the Uniuersitie wee will be good vnto him Maister Doctorâ—dost thou not know that I am legatus de latere and that I am able to dispence with all matter in this Realme as much as the pope may Hee answered I know it Then hee bad him be ruled by him and I will doe all things for thy honesty and the honesty of the vniuersitie hee thanked him and said he would stick to the Scriptures according to his little Talent Then the Cardinall told him he should haue his learning tried and haue the Law and commanded him to the Tower But Gardiner and Fox became his sureties After he was twice brought before the Bishops and the Abbot of Westminster in the Chapter-house at Westminster Then he was put to haue the Councell of Gardiner and Fox and they perswaded him rather to abiure theâ— burne that he might doe more in time to come and with other perswasions mighty in the sight of reason and foolish flesh wherevpon he abiured and bore a faggot the Bishop of Rochester preaching at the abiuration of him and others stood vp and declared vnto the people how many daies of forgiuenes of sinnes they had for beeing at that Sermon yet he continued halfe a yéere after in prison and then he was committed to be frée prisoner in the Augustine Friers in London when these Caterpillers and bloudy beasts had vndermined him they complained on him again to my Lord Cardinall Then he was deliuered to the Friers of Northampton to bee burned Then Maister Horne heard that a writ should come shortly to burne him then hée councelled him to faine himselfe desperate and writ a Letter to the
euill to bring England thither againe Yorke He read a Paper of Common places how many things held Saint Augustine in the Church consent of people and Nations authority confirmed with Miracles nourished with hope increased with Charity established with antiquity the succession of Priests from Peters Seat to this present Bishop lastlie the verie Name of a Catholique doth hold me in Paint me but your Church thus Brad. This maketh as much for me as for you but all this if they had béene so firme as you would make them might haue béene alledged against Christ and his â—postles for there was the Law and the Ceremonies consented on by the whole people confirmed with Miracles Antiquity and continuall succession of Bishops from Aaron Cich You make to much of the State of the Church before Chrsâ—s comming Brad. Therein I do but as Peter teacheth and Paul very often you would gladly haue your Church héere very glorious and as a most pleasant Lady but as Christ saith so may the Church say Blessed are they that are not offended at me Yorke You thinke none is of the Church but such as suffer persecution Brad. Paul saith All that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution sometime Christs Church hath rest heere but commonly it is not so especially towards the end her forme will be more vnséemly York Where is your Church that hath consent of people and Nations as S. Augustine saith Brad. Euen all people and Nations that bee Gods people haue consented with me and them in the Doctrine of Faith Yorke Saint Augustine speaketh of succession from Peters Seat Brad. That seat then was nothing so much corrupt as it is now York Well you alwaies iudge the Church Brad. No my Lord Christs shéepe discerne Christs voyce but they iudge it not so they discerne the Church but not Iudge her yet full well may wee iudge the Romish Church for she obeyeth not Christs voyce and Christs true Church doth He asked me wherein I said in Latine Seruice and robbing the Laity of Christs Cup in the Sacrament and many other things in which it committeth most horrible sacriledge Yorke Latine Seruice was appointed to be sung and had in the Quire where onely were those that vnderstood Latine The people sitting in the body of the Church praying their owne priuate prapers and this may well be yet séene by making of the Chancell and the Quire so that the people could not come in or heare them Brad. In Chrysostomes time and S. Ieromes time all the Church did answere with a loud voyce Amen Whereby we may sée that the prayers were made so that the people both heard and vnderstood them York We léese our labour you seeke to put away all things that are told you for your good your Church no man can know I said yes that you may He said I pray whereby Brad. Chrysostome saith onely by the Scriptures and this he speaketh very oftentimes as you know York That is or Chrysostome In opere imperfecto which may bee doubted of the thing which the Church may be best knowne by is succession of Bishops Brad. Lira well writeth vpon Mathew that Ecclesia non consistit in homiâ—â—bus ratione potestatis secularis aut ecclesiasticae sed in hominibus in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis And Hilarius writeth to Auxentius that the church is rather hid in Caues then eminent in chiefe seats then after they had been there thrée houres they were called away Iohn Leafe burned with Maister Bradford THis Iohn was an Apprentice with a Chandler in Christ-Church in London eighteene yeares old borne in Kirkley Mâ—â—eside in the County of Yorke hee was examined before Bonner he said that after the words of consecration in the Sacrament of the Altar ouer the Bread and Wine there was not the true and naturall body and blood of Christ in substance and as it is now vsed and beleeued in the Realm of England it is abhominable Idolatry And he beleeued that after consecration it remaineth Bread and Wine as it was before and it is receiued in the remembrance of the death and passion of Christ and so spiritually in Faith they receiue Christs body and blood And he affirmeth that Auriculer confession is not necessary to be made vnto a Priest and it is no point of soules health to beléeue that the Priest hath any authority by the Scriptures to remit sins And being asked if he had béene Maister Rogers his Scholler he graunted it so to be and he did beléeue the Doctrine of the said Rogers and the Doctrine of Byshop Hooper Cardmaker and others of their opinion which of late were burned for Christ and that he will die in that Doctrine and the Bishoppe moouing of him to vnitie of the Church He said My Lord you call mine opinion Heresie it is the true light of the Word of GOD and hee would neuer forsake his well grounded opinion whilst breath was in his bodie Whereupon he was condemned When these two came to the stake in Smithfield to be burned Maister Bradford lay prostrate on the one side of the stake and the young man on the other praying a space vntill the Sheriffes man bad Maister Bradford arise then they both rose Maister Bradford desired the Sheriffe that his man might haue his apparell which he granted him When he was vnready he said O England England repent thee of thy sinnes beware of Idolatry beware of false Antichrists that they deceiue thée not Then the Sheriffe bad tye his hands if he would not be quiet He said I am quiet God forgiue you this One of the Officers that made the Fire said If you haue no more learning then that you are but a foole and were best to hold your peace Then Maister Bradford answered no more but asked the world forgiuenesse and forgaue all the world and prayed the people to pray for him and â—id the young man be of good comfort for we shall haue a merry Supper with the Lord this night then he imbraced the Réeds and said Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternall saluation and few there be that finde it In the Booke at large thou maist sée many godly Letters of his This Maister Woodroffe Sheriffe as he would not suffer Maister Bradford to speake but bad his hands to be tyed so or worse he serued Maister Rogers and all that were burned where the other Sheriffe would weepe at their burning he would laugh at it and would restraine and beat the people who were desirous to take them by the hand In fine the foresaid Maister Woodroffe after the burning of Maister Bradford as soone as he came home was taken lame both arme and legge so that after hee could neuer stirre out of his house nor scarse mooue himselfe WILLIAM MINGE THe next day after Bradfords death William Minge Priest died in Maidstone Iayle being in bonds for Religion and had suffered martyrdome
but the body of Christ borne of the Uirgin vnder the forme of Bread and Wine but that is a very lye for Christs body that was borne of the Uirgin is in heauen Auricular confession is not good if I haue offended God I must séeke to him for remission of sinnes by Christ if I haue offended my neighbour I must reconcile my selfe to him againe if I were a notorious sinner after the first and second admâ—nition it ought to be declared to the Congregation and the Minister hath power by the word to excommunicate me and I am to be taken as a heathen not for a day or for fortie dayes but vntill I openly in the Congregation acknowledge my fault and then the Minister hath power by the word to preach to me remission of sinnes by Christ. Touching Baptisme Iohn Baptist vsed nothing but preaching the word and water as appeareth by Christs baptisme and others the Chamberlaine said to Philip Here is water what letteth me to be baptized hee asked not for Creame nor Oyle nor Spittle nor coniured Water nor coniured Waxe nor Crysome nor Salt the like is to be said of the rest of the ceremonies of the Church And he said there were but two sacraments except they would make the Rainbow a Sacrament for there is no sacrament but such as hath the promise annexed vnto it Bonner séeing their vnmoueable constancie after all meanes they could were vsed they were condemned and Denley was burned at Uxbridge he sang a psalm in the fire then cruell Doctor Storie commaunded one to hurle a Faggot at him which made him bléed on the face whereat he left his singing and clapped his hand on his face Doctor Storie said to him that flung the Faggot truly thou hast marred a good old song then Denley put his hands abroad and sung againe Not long after him Patrick Pachingham was burned at Uxbridge and Iohn Newman was burned at Saffron Walden in Essex RICHARD HOOKE HEe neere about the same time and for the same matter that those formerly spoken of died forâ—gaue his life at Chichester William Coker William Hopper Henry Lawrence Richard Colliar Richard Wright William Steerâ— THese being examined before the Bishop of Douer and Harpsfield the Archdeacon of Canterbury and others Henry Lawrence denied auricular confession and would not receiue the sacraments because the order of the Scripture is changed in the order of the Sacrament and when the Suffragan made mention of the Sacrament and put off his cap he said you néed not reuerence the same and he said the Sacrament of the Altar is an Idoll and being required to subscribe his hand he wrote Ye all are of Antichrist and him ye follow William Steere of Ashford being commanded of the Iudge to answere bade him command his dogges and not him and said Dicke of Douer meaning the Bishop had no authoritie to set in iudgement against him alledging that the Bishop of Canteburie that was in prison was his Dioccesan and hee said he found not the Sacrament of the Altar in the Scripture therefore he would not make any answer thereto The Iudge speaking of the Sacrament put off his cap he said he needed not reuerence that so highly saying withall that the Sacrament of the Altar was the most blasphemous Idoll that euer was The other also denied the Sacrament wherefore they were all condemned and burned all in one fiâ—e at Canterburie Elizabeth Warne George Tankerfield Robert Smith Steuen Harwood Thomas Fust William Hall Thomas Leyes George King Iohn Wade Ioane Leyshford THe Prisons of London being replenished with Gods Saints and still moe and moe comming in wherefore these ten were sent for of Bonner to be examined and rid out of the way The chéefe point he examined them of was touching the corporall presence of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament as the profitablest foundation for their Catholike dignity Many other thinges were obiected against them as not comming to Church for speaking against the Masse and for dispising their Ceremonies and Sacraments Elizabeth Warne answered vnto them I deny them all and if Christ was in an error then am I in an errour wherefore she was condemned Doctor Story was of some alliance vnto her who deliuered her once by his earnest sute before hee was Commissioner but after he was Commissioner he caused her Iohn Warne her Husband and her Daughter to be apprehended neuer leauing them vntill hee had brought them all to Ashes George Tankerfield of London Cooke borne in the Cittie of Yorke he vtterly denied aurâ—culer Confession and Transubstantiation and affirmed that the Masse was naught and full of Idolatry and abhomination and affirmed that there were but two Sacraments He told the Bishop he cared not for his Diuinity for you condemne all men and proue nothing against them and he said the church whereof the Pope is supreme head is not Christs Church and pointing to the Bishop he said to the people beware of him and such as he is these be they which deceiue you Wherevpon he was condemned ROBERT SMITH beeing asked by Boner when hee was Confessed Hee answered not since the time he had discretion I am not commaunded of God to shew my sinnes to any of that sinfull number whom yee call Priests He was a Painter and hee told the Bishop hee had vsed his vocation better then hee had vsed his Bishoprick Hee said hee neuer vsed the Sacrament nor neuer would because it hath not Gods ordinance but rather it is directed to mocke GOD I count it a detestable Idoll and not GOD but contrarie to GOD and truth Then the Bishop said hee should be burned He answered hee must not thinke thereby to quench the Spirit of GOD nor make your matter good for your sore is too well seene to bee healed so priuily with bloud euen the Children haue all your deeds in derision so that though you patch vp one place with authoritie yet it shall breake out in fortie to your shame Then the Bishop said by my truth if thou wilt be shrieuen I will tare this paper of thy examination I answered it would be too much to his shame to shew it vnto men of discretion Boner Doe you not confesse there is a Catholick Church on earth Smith Yes verily and it is builded vpon the Prophets aâ—d Apostles Christ Iesus being the head Corner stone which Church maintaineth the word and bringeth the same for her authoritie and without it doth nothing nor ought to doe and I am fully assured I am a member of the same Church Boner If my brother doe offend and will not be reconciled I must bring him before the congregation where may a man finde your Church to bring his brother before the same Smith In the Acts of the Apostles when the tyranny of the Bishops was so great against the Church of Iewry they were faine to congregate in priuy places as they now doe yet they were the Church of God Boner There Church was knowne full
learned men to be made a foole and laughing stocke but I weigh it not a rush For God knoweth that my whole study is to please him and I care not for mans pleasure or displeasure Then we fell againe in long talke of the Church wherin his learning and wit was much more then mine and being diuerse times examined by the Bishop and others standing stiffe in his opinion and neither by flattery nor fear could be wonne from the truth hee was condemned and burned as before Hee beeing in Prison in New-gate hauing perswaded many of the common goale to repentance and faith hee the day before he was executed wrote to diuers Gentlemen of the Innes of Court of his acquaintance in commendation of the true spirituall loue of Gods children how that it is the chiefe fruite of the spirit where it is the onely line that tieth Christs members to him and one to another and that neither prison nor distance of place nor time can breake this loue nor death it selfe For Faith and Hope haue finished their course when we are come to heauen but our loue to Gods children doth remaine there they in heauen loue vs pray for vs and we loue them Now for this loue sake he chargeth ye said Gentlemen his acquaintance by all menes to séek the deliuerance of these prisoners that he had conuerted to helpe them with necessaries Thomas Browne was borne in the Parish of Histon in the Diocesse of Ely and after dwelt in the Parish of S. Brides in Fléetstréet was brought to Bonner by the Constable and was condemned as before Iohn Tudson was borne in Ipswich in the County of Suffolke and after hee was prentice at London in the Parish of S. Buttolph and was sent by Story to Bonner and was condemned as before Iohn Went borne at Langham in Essex a Shere-man he was likewise sent by Story to Bonner and condemned as before Isabell Foster was wife to one Iohn Foster a Cutler of the Parish of S. Brides in Fléetstréet she was sent to Bonner for not comming to Church and condemned as aforesaid Ioane Lashford Alias Warne there is mention before of Elizabeth Warne with Iohn Warne her husband were apprehended at a Communion in Bow-Church-yard and both were burned for the same and now the daughter followed the Parents in the same Martyrdome Doctor Story procured their death and after their deaths he was charged with forty pounds that he owed them she confessed and protested there was no reall presence of Christs body and blood in â— Sacrament of the Altar and that auricular confession and absolution after the popish sort was not necessary nor the Masse good or according to the scriptures and saith that these all other supertiuous Sacraments ceremonies and diuine seruice now vsed in this realme of England was most vile contrary to Christs words and institutions so that they neither were at the beginning nor shall be at the latter end The Bishop exhorting her to returne to the holy mother Church she said boldly to him againe If you will leaue your abhomination so I will returne and otherwise I will not These seuen were all burned together in one fire as aforesaid Iohn Lomas Anne Albright Ioane Catmer Agnes Snoth Ioane Sole IOhn Lomas of the parish of Tenderden in Kent was cited to appeare at Canterbury being examined vpon diuers Articles he answered still that he beléeued as it was contained in Gods Booke and being examined whether hee beléeued the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Altar really vnder y â— formes of bread and wine after consecration hee answered that hee beléeued no realty of Christs body in the Sacrament neither vnder foorme nor trestle wherefore he was condemned the 18 day of Ianuary Agnes Snoth Maid of the parish of Smarden in Kent was likewise examined before the Pharisaical Iudges and for denying auricular confession and for saying none could receiue y â— Sacrament of the Altar as now it is vsed without danger of damnation and for denying penance to be a Sacrament for saying the popish absolution was not coÌ„sonant to Gods word she was likewise condemned Anne Albright alias Champnes being examined denied to bee confessed of a Priest saying you Priests are the children of perdition and can doe no good by your confession and told the Iudge and his assistants that they were subuerters of Christs truth and she said the Sacrament of the Altar was a naughty and aâ—ominable Idoll wherefore she was likewise condemned Ioane Sole of Horton in Kent was condemned of the same Pharises Priests for not allowing Auricular confession and for denying the reall presence in the Sacrament Ioane Cormer of the parish of Hithe in Kent the fifth and last of these heauenly Martyrs shee denyed Auricular confession she said the Sacrament of the altar was now made a very Idoll shee was likewise coudemned these fiue were buâ—ned at two stakes in one fire together at Canterbury the 31. of Ianuary Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Cauterbury HE was borne in Nottingham shire his fathers name was Thomas Cranmer his ancesters were worthy Esquires his mother was a gentle woman named Agnes Hâ—tfield he was of Cambridge in the time when good Authors were neglected and filthy barbarousnesse embraced in all schooles and vniuersities onely the names and number of liberall Arts did remaine the arts themselues were cleane lost Logicke was gone into sophisticall trifles Phylosophy both morrall and naturall was miserably defaced with infinite questions and subtilties the vse of tongues and eloquent learning was either small or none at all and diuinitie was so laden with articles and definitions that it serued rather for the gaine of a few then for the edification of many So hée was constrained to spend a part of his youth vntill he was twentie yeares old in the péeuish questions of Duns and other masters of that sort at length the tongs and other learning began a little to spring and the books of Erasmus began to be much estéemed with a number of good Authours besides on which Cranmer rubbed away his olde rufâ—inesse as vppon a whetstone then Luther rose the happy day of Gods knowledge who wakened mens minds to the cléere light of the truth At thirtie yeares olde he gaue his mind wholly to discusse matters of religion on both parts and hauing performed the same he spent thrée yeares in the study of the Scriptures then he read the old writers despising not the new weighing all mens opinions with secret iudgment he neuâ—r read any writers booke without pen and inkâ— in all controuersies hee gathered euery authors sentence briefly at 35. yeares olde hee procéeded Doctor of Diuinitie he was chosen one of the 12 that should decide y â— matter of kings Henries diuorce and by his arguments learning and meanes it was brought to passe then he was sent to Paris with diuers Noble men and Bishops where he behaued himselfe in that case
that he was commended by the Ambassadors to the king for his singular wisedome grauitie and learning that he wonne such great credit that he was alone sent Ambassador to the Emperour to debate this businesse but the Emperour refused to determine the matter but remitted the whole question to the Popes court after he was sent to Rome Ambassadour to the Pope where he behaued himselfe with â—o lesse diligence that he compelled the Popes chiefe diuines by arguments to grant the mariage to be against the law but yet by the dispensation of the Pope it might be made lawfull Warram Archbishop of Canterbury dying he was sent for by king Henrie and made Archbishop of Canterbury then came in the question of the Popes supremacy and all the weight of the businesse was chiefly laid vpon Cranmers shoulders he therefore alone receiued answered and confuted all the obiections of the Papists he proued that the Popes Lordship was not brought in by any authoritie of Scriptures but by ambitious tyranny and that the chiefest power on earth belonged to the Emperor to kings and Potentates to whom the Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests by Gods commandement were no lesse subiect then other men and therefore it were best by the consent of the king and other estates the ambitious Lordship of the Pope being driuen out of England should keepe it selfe within his owne Italy as a riuer is kept within his bankes which was performed by act of Parliament then by little and little he reformed the Church into a more wholesome discipline of Christ and laboured to banish the Popes errours heresies and corruptions and he obtained of the king that certaine learned men should make a booke of Ecclesiasticall institutions which was called the Bishops Booke then the abolishing of Monasteries began to be talked of the kings desire was that all the Abbey lands should come vnto his coffers the Archbishop and others would haue them imployed to other good vses whereby the king being bent against Cranmer especially by the instigation of Gardiner Bishop of Winchester which sought all occasions to hinder the Gospel he set forth the 6. Articles by full consent of Parliament which contained the summe of Popish religion What slaughter by the space of 8. yeares these Articles made is already declared but after he forgoing his anger with the Archbishop séeing he stood against him in conscience not in stubburnesse he began to fauour him and thought to haue taken away the 6. Articles and reformed other matters if he had liued but Cranmer and the Lord protector brought it to passe in king Edwards dayes his story how he was vsed in Quéene Maries reign is mentioned before and his disputations at Oxeford and how he was condemned there and left in prison vntill this time And because the sentence was voyde in law because it was giuen by persons excommunicated for they were not then absolued by the Pope nor his authoritie receiued in the realme therefore there was a new commission sent from the Pope for the conuiction of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley and the Bishop of Glocester was appointed the Popes delegate and after they had condemned Latimer and Ridley as before is said The said Legate and his company being set in Saint Maries Church apparelled in his Pontificalibus as if the Pope in person had bene there the Bishop of Canterbury was brought before them putting off his cappe he did obeysance to the king and quéenes proctors then looking in the Legats face he put on his bonnet againe making no obedience toward him wherefore the Bishop sayd vnto him that it might beséeme him well waying the authoritie which he did represent to doe his duety to him he answered hee had sworne neuer to admit the Pope into this Realme and therefore he would commit nothing by signe or token which might argue his consent to the reâ—eiuing of him and that he did it not to any contempt of his person Then the Legate made an eloquent oration to put him in remembrance that from a meane gentleman he was raised to bee a Princes Ambassadour and further to be Archbishop and Primate of the Realmealmost 30 yeares and sâ— farre in trust with the king that he made him president of his councel and after left him in speciall trust for the gouernement of the young Prince during his minoritie such blessing God had giuen him whilest he continued in the Catholicke faith He exhorted him on the other side to consider how he was now fallen from his dignities and officices and in high displeasure of the King and Quéene iudged to die for high treason and all these things to haue happened vnto him only because he had seuered himself from the Sea of Rome and was become a father of new deuised religion and although your estate is so miserable that the meanest in this assembly will not change his condition and calling with you yet further he was like to fall by the iust iudgement of God into hell and euerlasting damnation if he did not repent of his errours and schismes whilest he had time of repentance whereunto he exhorted him earnestly repeating many places of Christs mercies to them that repent and shewed that to returne to the Church was the oâ—ely way to saue both body and soule and I doubt not but the King and Quéene will perdon your condemnation of treason if you will returne vnto the Church and forsake your opinions which I desire you to do Then Cranmer desired license to speake which was gently granted him first he made protestation that hee did not answere to him as to a lawfull Iudge because he was deputed for the Pope but to giue a reason of his faith which God hath commanded him to doe to euery one that shall demand a reason thereof Then he said My Lord you haue learnedly put me in remembrance of many things touching my selfe which I will not answere I acknowledge Gods goodnesse vnto me and thanke him as heartily for this estate that now I am in as euer I did for the time of my prosperity shewing that his greatest griefe was to sée the Popes Iurisdiction restored to England againe Alas what hath the Pope to do in England whose lawes are so farre different from the Lawes of this realme that whosoeuer sweareth to both must néedes incurre periury in the one And I am heartily sorry to thinke that her grace the day before her Coronation tooke an oath to obserue the lawes of this realme and also tooke an oath to the Bishop of Rome promising to maintaine that Sea which was impossible but shee must néeds be forsworne in the one And as for the matter of Heresie wherewith you charge mee I call God to witnesse I know none which I maintaine but if it be heresie to deny the Popes authority and the religion which the sea of Rome hath published vnto the world these latter yeares then all the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church the Apostles and Christ himselfe