seame not by his woorke both vertuouâ— and godly â–ª w c if it so be thinke not that he was y â— worsse bycause the deede bodye was burnt to asshes but rather lerne to knowe the greate desyre that hypocryses haue to fynde one craft or other to dâ—â—e â— trueth w t and cause hit to be counted for heresye of the symple and vnlerned people which are so ignoraunt that they cannot spye their sotteltye hit must neades be heresie that towcheth any thing their raâ—â—en byle they will haue hit so who so euer saye naye onely the eternall god must be prayed to night and daye to amende them in whose power it onelye lyeth Who also graunt them ones ernestlye to thriste his true doctrine conteyned in the swete and pure fountaynes of his scriptures aÌ„d in his pathes to direct their wayys Amen ¶ Here endeth the Exposicion of Wyllyam Tyndall And foloweth Ihon Frithes ✚ Ihon Frith THer is nothing in this worlde thaâ— is so ferme stable or Godly but â—hat it maye be vndermynede and fâ—owardlye wrested of men speâ—yally yf they be voyde of cherite As it is euydent by Wyllyam Tracyes Testament and last wyll that he lefte ageynste the which manye men and that of longe Contynewaunce haue blasphemously barked whetther of a godlye zele or of a dasynge brayne let other men iudge But this I dare boldly professe that his godly sayinges are vngodly handled which thinge I cannot so iustlye ascribe vnto ignoraunce as vnto rancor vnto y â— furyes I had amostâ— sayd for yf they had conferred all thinges vnto the ruâ—e of charite which enuyeth not which is not puffed vp which is not sturâ—ed to vengeaunce which thinketh none euyll but sufferith all thinges beleueth all thinges trustith all thinges and bearith all thinges they wolde not so hedelye haue condempned those thinges which myght haue bene full deuoutly expounded how be it tâ—ey haue not only atteptyd that thinge but haue procedyd vnto suche madnes that they haue taken vpon the to stryue w t deade folkes for it is a most comen iest in euery maÌ„nes mouth that after the maker of this Testament was departyd and buryed they toke vp his bodye burnt it whiche thinge declared their furye althoughe he felte no fyer Therfore we humblye requere owâ—e most redowted prince with all his nobleâ— and present assemblie that euen as al other thinges do of righte depende of theyr iudgement that euyn so they wolde by their discrete aduise cure this disease pâ—deringe all thynges with a more equall ballaunce Soo shall this enormous facte be loked vppon with worthye correction and the condicion of the comen welth shalbe more â—â—yet marke yow therfore what thinges they are which they soo cruellye condempne ✚ Master Tracie In the name of God Amen I Willyam Tracie of Todyngton in y e cowntie of gloceter esquier make my Testament and last wyll as here after folowith ¶ First and before al other thinges I commyt me vnto God and to his mercye trustinge with owt any dowte or mystrust that by his grace and the merytes of Iesus Christ and by the vertue of his passion and of his resurrection I haue and shal haue remission of my synnes and resurrection of bodye and soule accordinge as hit is written Iob. xix I beleue that my redeamer lyueth and that â—n the last daye I shall ryse owte of the erth and in my flesh shall se my sauiour this my hope is layde vp in my bosome Frith IT is meruell but here be sumwhat that they improue for their mynde is so intoxicate that there is nothinge but thei will note it with a blacke cole yet all maye be establysshed by the testymonye of scripture for faith is the suer persuasion of our mynde of god and his goodnes towardes vs And wher as is a suer persuasion of the mynde there can be no doutinge or mystruste for he that douteth is lyke the floude of the see which is tossed with wyndes karried with violence and let not that man thinke that he shall obteyne any thinge of God Ia. i. And therfore saynte Austyne sayeth yf I doute I shalbe no holye seede furthermore wher as he loketh thorow the grace and merytes of Christe to optayne remission of his synnes suerly it is a faithfull saynge and worthye to be commendyd for it is euyn y e same that Peter professed Act. xv where he sayth vnto hym do all the prophetes bere witnesse that thorow his name as many as beleue in him shall receyue remission of their synnes morouer in that he trustith thorowe Christ to haue resurrection of body and soule they haue no cause to blame him for thus doyth paule argue yf Christe be rysen then shall we also ryse and yf Christe be not rysen then shall not we ryse but Christe is rysen for his sowle was not lefte in hell therfore shall we also ryse whom Christe shall bringe with him and be immortalle both bodye and sowle i. Cor. xv And therfore he doth both rightwislye and godlye deduce his resurrectioÌ„ by christes by whom the Father hath geuen vs all thinges or els we shulde not be But there are some that gather of his wordes that he shulde recounte the sowle to be mortall which thinge after my iudgement is more suttellye gathered then eyther truely or charitablye for seynge ther was neuer Christen man that euer so thoughte no not the verye pagaynes what godlye zele or brotherlye loue was there whiche caused them so to surmyse for a good man wolde not once dreame suche a thinge but I praye yow why shulde we not saye that the sowle doth verelye ryse which thorowe Christe risinge from y e fylthe of synne doth enter with the bodye into a newe conuersacion of lyfe whiche they shall leade to gether with oute possibilite of synninge we saye also of god by a certayne phrase of scripture that he arisethe wheÌ„ he openythe vnto vs his power and presence And why maye we not saye the same thinge of the sowle which in the meane ceasone semeth to lye secret and then shal expresse vnto vs thorowe Christe her power and presence in takynge agayne her naturall bodye why shulde ye then condempne these thinges Ther is no man that can receyue venome by those wordes excepte he haue suche a spiderowse nature that he can turne an honye combe into perelous poyson Therfore let vs loke on the resydewe Master Tracie And as towching the wealth of my sowle y e faith that I haue taken and rehersed is sufficient as I suppose w t out any other mannis worke or workis Frith Here he onlye cleauith to god and his mercye beynge suerly persuaded that accordinge to the testimonye of Peter who so euer beleuyth in hym thorowe his name shall receyue remission of synnes Act. xv Paule also affirmeth that who so euer trusteth in hiÌ„ shall not be confounded Roma x. And who can denye but this is most true when it is
✚ The Testament of master Wylliam Tracie esquier expounded both by William Tindall and IhoÌ„ Frith Wherin thou shalt perceyue with what charitie y e chaunceler of worcetter Burned whan he toke vp the deed carkas and made asshes of hit after hit was buried M.D.xxxv ✚ To the reader THou shalt vnderstande most deare Reader that after Wylliam Tyndall was soâ— Iudaslie betrayed by an English man a scoleâ— of Louaine whose name is Philippes there were certaine thinges of his doynge founde which he had eâ—tended to haue put forthe to the furtheraunce of goddes woorde amongest which was this Testament of master Tracie expounded by hym sealffe where vnto was annexed the exposicion of the same of Ihoâ— Frithes doynge and awne hand wrytinge which I haue caused to be put in Printe to the intente that al the worlde shulde see howe ernisâ—lye the Cannonistes and spiritual lawyers which be the chefe rulâ—rs vnder bysshopes in euerye dioces in so moche that in euery chatedrall church the deane chaunceler and archdeken ar coÌ„menly doctoures or bachelers of lawe do endeuer them sealues iustlie to iuge and spirituallye to geue sentence accordinge to charitye â—pon all the actes and dedes done of their diocessanes after the ensaumple of the chaunceler of worcetter which after master Tracie was buried of pure zeale and loue hardelye toke vp the deede carkas and burnt hit wherfore he did hit it shall euidentlye apere to y â— reader in this littell treatyse reade hit therfore I beseche the and iuge the spirites of oure spiritualitie and praye that the spirite of him that reased vpp Christe maye ones inhabite them mollyfye their hertes and so illumine them that they maye bothe se and shewe true light and no longer to resiste God ner his trueth Amen The Testament hit sealfe In the name of God Amen I Willyam Tracie of Todyngton in y â— cowntie of gloceter esquier make my Testament and last wyll as here after folowith ¶ First and before all other thinge I commyt me vnto God and to his mercye trustinge with owt any dowte or mystrust that by his grace and the merytes of Iesus Christ and by the vertue of his passion and of his resurrection I haue and shall haue remission of my synnes and resurrection of bodye and soule accordinge as hit is written Iob. xix I beleue that my redeamer lyueth and that in the last daye I shall ryse owte of the erth and in my flesh shall se my sauiour this my hope is layde vp in my bosome And as towching the wealth of my sowle y â— faith that I haue taken and rehersed is sufficient as I suppose w t out any other mannis worke or workis My grounde my belefe is that ther is but one god one mediatour betwene god man which is Iesus christ 〈◊〉 that I do except none in heauen nor in erth to be my mediaâ—oure betwene me and god but onely Iesus Christ al other be but peticioners in receyuiÌ„ge of grace but none able to geue influence of grace And therfore wil I bestowe no part of my goodes for that intent that any man shulde saye or do to healp my soule for therin I trust onely to the promyse of god he that beleueth and is baptyzed shalbe saued and he that beleueth not shalbe damned marcke the last chapter And towchynge the buryynge of my bodye it auayleth me not what be done therto where in sainct Austine de cura agenda pro mortuis saith that they are rather the solace of them that lyue than wealthe or cowmforth of them that are departed and therfore I remit hit onely to the discretion of myne execuâ—ours And towchinge the distribution of my temporall goodes my purpose is by the grace of god to bestowe them to be accepted as frutes of faith So that I do not suppose that my merite be by good bestowiâ—e of them but my merite is the faith of Iesus Christ onely by which faith such workes are good accordinge to the wordes of out lorde Math. xxv I was hongrye and thou gauest me to eate and it folowith that ye haue done to the least of my bretherne ye haue done to me c. and euer we shulde consyder the trwe sentence that a good worke maketh not a good man but a good man maketh a good woorke for faith makethe the man booth good and rightwyse for a rightwyse man lyueth by faith Rom. i â–ª and what so euer springeth not owte of faith is synne Rom. xiiij And all my temporall goodes that I haue not geuyn or delyuered or not geuen by wrytinge of myne awne hande beringe the date of this present wryting I do leaue and geue To Margarete my wife and to Richard my sonne which I make myne executours witnes this myne awne hande the x. daye of October in the .xxij. yere of the raygne of kynge Henry the viij Tyndall Now leat vs examen the partes of this TestameÌ„t sentence by sentence First to commyt oure selues to God aboue all is the first of all preceptis and the first stone in the foundacion of our faith that is that we beleue and put owre trust in one god one all true one almyghty all good and all mercyfull cleauinge faste to his trueth myght mercye and goodnes suerly certyfied and full persuaded that he is oure God ye oures and to vs all true withoute all falsheed and gyle and cannot fayle in his promyses And to vs almyghtye that his will cannot be leaâ— to fulfill all the trueth that he hath promysed vs And to vs all good aÌ„d all mercyfull what so euer we haue done and howe so euer greuously we haue trespassed so that we cum to hym the waye that he hath appointed which waye is Iesus Christ onlye as we shall see folowingly this first clause than is the first commawndement or at at the least the first sentence in the first commawndement and the first article of our crede And that this trust and confidence in the mercy of God is thorow Iesus Christ is the second article of oure crede confirmed and testified thorow out all scripture That Christ bringeth vs in to this grace Paule proueth Rom. v. sayinge Iustified by fayth we ar â—t peace with God thorowe Iesus Christ oure Lorde By whom we haue an entrynge in vnto this grace in which we stand and Ephe. iij. By whome saith Paule we haue a boold entringe in thorowe y e faith that is in him â–ª and in the second of the sayde Epistle By hym we haue an entrynge in vnto the father and a lytle before in the same chapter he is oure peace And Ihon in the fyrst chapter Beholde the Lambe of God whiche takethe awaye the synne of the worlde whiche synne was the busshe that stopped the entrynge in and keapt vs owt and the swerde wherwith was kepte the entrynge vnto the tre of lyâ—â— frome Adam and all his ofsprynge And in the second of the first of Peter whiche
lyuynge how shulde he haue geuen them but to hyre theyr prayers of pure mystrust in Christes bloude yf robbinge of wydowes howses vnder pretenâ—e of longe prayers be damnable Matthe xxiij Then is it damnable also for wydows to suffer them selues to be robbed by the longe patterynge of hypocrites thorow mystrust in Christes bloude ye is it not damnable to mayntene soch abhominacion Now whan this damnation is spred ouer al how caÌ„ we geue them that haue ynoughe alredye or how can â—â—ey thâ—◠〈◊〉 ynowghe alredye to â—e moâ—â—e vnder 〈◊〉 name of prayenge and not harden the people moare in this damnable damnacion And concerning the burienge of his bodye he allegeth sainct Austen nether is there any man thynke I so mad to affirme that the outwarde pompe of the bodye shuld healp the soule More ouer what greatter sygne of infidelytie is there then to care at the tyme of deth with what pompe the carkas shalbe caried to the graue He denyeth not but that a Christen man shuld be honorably buryed namely for the honoure and hope of the resurrection and therfore coÌ„mmytted that care to his deare executours his sonne â— his wyfe whiche he wyst woolde in that parte do sufficient and leue nothinge of the vse of the contre â—ndone but the abuse And that bestowenge of a greate parte of his goddes whyle he yet lyued apon the pore to be thanckfull for the mercye receued without byynge and sellynge with God that is without byndinge those pâ—â—e vnto any other appoynted prayers than god hath bownde vs alredy one to praye for a nother one to help a nother as he hath helped vs but pacientlye â—â—bydinge for the blessynges that God hath appointed vnto all manner good workes trustinge faithfully to his promes thankinge as ye may se by his woordes the bloude of Christ for the rewarde promysed to his woorkis and not the goodnes of the woorkis as thowhh he had done moâ—re then his dutye or all that And assygned by wrytinge vnto whom a nother part shulde be distributed and geuinge the rest to his executours that no stryfe shulde be which executours were by right the heyres of all that was lefte to them Thise thinges I saye are signes euident not onely of a good Christen man but alsoo of a perfect Christen man of suche a one as neded not to be â—gast and desperaet for feare of the paynfull paynes of purgatorye which who so fearith as they fayne hit cannot but vtterlye abhorre deeth seynge that Crist is there no longer thy Lorde after he hath browght the thither but art excluded from his satisfaction aÌ„d must satisfye for thy selfe alone and that with sufferinge payne onely or ellys taryenge the satisfienge of them that shall neuer satisfie ynought for them selues or gapinge for the Popes pardons which haue so greate dowtes and dangers what in the mynde â— entent of the graunter aÌ„d what in the purchesar yet they can be treuly obâ—eyned with all due circumstances and much leâ— certitude that they haue any authoritie at all Paule thristed to be dissolued and to â—e with Christ Steuen desyred Christ to take his spirite the prophetes also desyred god to take their soules from them and all the saynctes went with a lustye courage to deeth nether fearynge or teachinge vs to feare any suche crudelitie Where hath the churche then gotten authoritie to bynde vs from beynge so perfite frome hauynge any suche faith in the goodnes of God oure Father and Lorde Christ and to make suche perâ—ytâ—es and faith of all heresies the greatest â–ª Salomon saith in the .xxx. of his Prouerâ—es iij. 〈◊〉 insatiable and the fourth sâ—â—th neuer It is ynough But there is a fyft called dâ—â—â—e auarice with as greadye a 〈◊〉 as meltynge a mawe as wyde a throte as gapynge a mouth and with as â—â—â—ening teeth as the best which the moare she eateth the hoÌ„gryer she is An vnquiet euyll neuer at rest a blynde monstre and a surmysynge beest fearynge at the fall of euery leafe Quid non mortalia pâ—ciora cogis auri sacra fames What doth not that holy honger compell them that loue this worlde inordinatly to committe myght that deuyls belye be once full trueth shuld haue audience and woordes he construed a right and taken in the same sence as they be ment Thowgh hit seme not impossible haplye that there myght be a place where the soules myght be kept for a space to be taught and instruct yet that ther shuld be such a Iayle as they Iangle and soch facyons as they fayne is playne impossible and repugnaunt to the scripture for when a man is translated vtterly out of the kyngdome of Sathan and so confyrmed in grace that he can not synne so burnynge in loue that his lust cannot be plucked from goddes will and beynge partaker withe vs of all the promyses of God and vnder the commaundementes what coude be deuyed hym in that depe innocencie of his moost kynde father that hath leaft no mercye vnpromysed aâ—inge hit therto in the name of his sonne Iesus the childe of his hertys lust which is oure lorde aÌ„d hath left no mercye vndeserued for vs â–ª namely whan god hath sworne that he wyll put of rightwisnes and be to vs a father and that of all mercye and hath slayne â—hys most deere sonne Iesus to confyrâ—◠〈◊〉 othe Fynally seynge that Christes loue takethe all to the best and nothynge iâ— here that maye not be well vnderstanded the circumstances declaringe in what sence all was ment they ought to haue interpreted hir charitably if ought had bene founde dowtefull or semynge to sounde a mysse Moreouer yf any thinge had bene therin that coude not haue be taken well yet their partye had bene to haue interprete iâ— as spoken of ydelnes of thâ— heede by the reason off syckenesse for as muche as the man was vertuousâ— wise and well lernyd and of good fame and reporte and founde in the faith whyle he was a lyue but yf they saye he was suspect whan he was a lyue then is their doynge so moche the woorsse to be thowght that they feared his doctrine whan he was a a lyue and mystrusted their awne parte theyr consciences testifyenge to themâ— that he held no nother doctryne then that was true seynge they then neither spake nerwrote against him ner brought him to any examinacâ—on Besyde that some mery felowes will thinke that they owght first to haue sent to him to wytt whether he wold haue reuoked yer they had so dispytefully burnt the deed bodye that coude not answere for it sealffe nor interprete â—his woordys how he ment them namely the man beynge of so worshipfull and auncient a bloude But here will I make an ende desyringe the â—eader to loke on this thiÌ„ge w t indifferent eyys and iuge whether I haue expounded y e woordes of this TestameÌ„t as they shuld seame to sygnyfye or not Iuge also whether the maker therof