lorde shall prayse hym their sowles shall neuer perysh Psal. 21. They that eate me sayth the veryte of God shall hungre more and more and they that drincke me shall thirst more desyerouslye for me Eccles. 24. Onlesse ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man sayth Christ and drynke hys bloude ye can haue no lyfe in yow IoaÌ„ 6. These scriptures expounde the doctours spirytuallye yea the papistes all Where as the other iij. Euangelistes Mathew Marke and Luke sheweth nothynge els of the lordes supper but the playne historie S. Iohan writynge last of theÌ„ all manyfesteth there the whole coÌ„plteâ— doctryne full vnderstaÌ„dynge therof after Christes owne 〈…〉 and meanynge 〈◊〉 is it there that the true receyuers therof be taught of God and lerned of the heauenlye father and not of synnefull mennes customes The worke of God or that pleaseth God is not there the puttynge of breade into the mouthe and bellye but to beleue or exactlye to consydre that Christ dyed for vs to clense vs from synne to ioyne vs into one mystycall bodye and to geue vs the lyfe euerlastynge And that there is non other but he that can procure vs that lyfe For that whych entereth the mouâ—he feadeth onlye â—he bodye But that entereth faythe feadeâ—h the sowle I am the lyuynge breade sayth he whych came downe from heauen He onlye that beleueth in me hath the lyfe euerlastynge Ioan. 6. the sprete is it that quyckeneth the fleshelye vnder standynge or onlye mouthe eatynge profyteth nothynge at all Here wyll an obstynaâ—e papyst parauenture saye that we attrybute nothynge to the corporall communyon Yeas we reuerentlye graunt that ryghtlye mynystred after Christes instytucyon it both confirmeth our faythe in the necessarye consyderacyons of hys deathe and also sturreth vp that brotherlye ChristeÌ„ loue whych we ought to haue towardes our neyber besydes that thys faythfull woman hath spoken here of it a force And these are the onlye frutes whych he requireth of vs in that supper or sacramentall metynge Anne Askewe Therfor it is mete that in prayers we call vnto God to grafte in our foreheades the true meanynge of the holye Ghost concernynge thys communyoÌ„ For S. Paule doth saye that the letter slayeth The sprete is it onlye that geueth lyfe 2. Cor. 3. Marke weÌ„le the vj. chaptre of Iohan where all is applyed vnto faythe â—ore also the fort chaptre of S. Paules first epistle to the Corynthes in the ende therof ye shall fynde playnelye that the thynges whych are seane are temporall but they that are not seane are euerlastynge Yea loke in the third chaptre to the Hebrues ye shall fynde that Christ as a sonne and no seruaunt â–ª ruleth ouer hys howse whose howse are we and not the dead teÌ„ple if we holde fast the confydence and reioysynge of that hope to the ende Wherfor as sayth the holye Ghost To daye if yow shall heare hys voyce harden not your hartes c Psalm 94. Iohan Bale By the fore heades vnderstaÌ„de she the hartes or myndes of men for so are they take of S. IohaÌ„ Apoc. 7. aud 22. I can not thynke but herm she had respect vnto the plate of fyne golde whych the lorde commaunded to be sett vpon AaroÌ„s foreheade for the acceptacyon of the people of Israel Exodi 2. For here wolde she all mennys hartes to be endued and lyghtened with the most purâ— sprete of Christ for the vnderstandynge of that most holye and necessarye coÌ„munyon the corrupted dreames and fâ—ntasyes of synnefull men sett a part She knewe by the syngular gyft of the holye Ghost that they are lyenge masters procurers of ydolatrye and most spyghfull enemyes to the sowle of man that applyeth that offyce to the corruptyble lyppâ—â— whych belongeth to an vncorrupted faythe so settynge the creature that is corruptyble breade in place of the creator Christ both God and man Roma 1. lamentynge it with the ryghtouse at the verye hart roâ—e And in thys she shewed her selfe to be a naturall membre of Christes mystycall bodye 1. Cor. 12. relygyouslye carefull for her Christen bretherne systerne least they shuld take harme of the popes masmongers Anne Askewe The summe of my examynacyoÌ„ afore the kynges counsell at Grenewyche Your request as coÌ„cernynge my presoÌ„ fellowes I am not hable to satysfye bycause I hearde not their examynacyoÌ„s But the effect of myne was thys I before the counsell was asked of mastre kyme I answered that my lorde chaÌ„cellour knewe all redye my mynde in that matter They with that answere were not coÌ„tented but sayd it was the kynges pleasure that I shuld open the matter to them I answered theÌ„ playnelye that I wolde not so do But if it were the kynges pleasure to heare me I wolde shewe hym the truthe Then they sayd it was not mete for the kynge with me to be troubled I answered that Salomon was reckened the wysest kynge that euer lyued yet myslyked not he to heare .ij. poore coÌ„mon womeÌ„ moch more hys grace a symple woman and hys faythfull subiect So in coÌ„clusyon I made theÌ„ non other answere in that matter Iohan Bale CoÌ„cernynge mastre Ryme thys shuld seme to be the matter Her father Sir Wyllyam Askewe knyght and hys father olde mastre Ryme were sumtyme of famylyaryte and neybers within the countye of Lyncolne shyre Wherupon the seyd Sir Wyllyam couenaunted wyth hym for lucre to haue hys eldest â—oughter marryed with hys sonne and 〈◊〉 as an vngodlye maner it is in Englande moch vsed amonge neble men And as it was her chaunce to dye afore the tyme of marryage to saue the money he constrayned thys to supplye her rowme So that in the ende she was coÌ„pelled agaynst her wyll or fre consent to marrye with hym Notwithstandynge the marryage ones past she demeaned her selfe lyke a Christen wyfe aud had by hym as I am infourmed ij chyldreÌ„ In processe of tyme by oft readynge of the sacred Bible she fell clerelye from all olde superstycyons of papystrye to a perfyght beleue in Ihesus Christ Wherby she so offeÌ„ded the prestes as is to be seane after that he at their suggestion vyolentlye droue her oute of hys howse WherupoÌ„ she thought her selfe free froÌ„ that vncomelye 〈…〉 marrâ—age by thys doctryne of S. Paule 1 Cor. 7. If a faytfull womaÌ„ haue an vnbeleuynge husbaÌ„de whych wyll not tarrye with her she maye leaue hym For a brother or syster is not in subieccyoÌ„ to soch â–ª specyallye where as the marryage afore is vnlawfull VpoÌ„ thys occasyoÌ„ I heare saye she sâ—ught of the law a dyuorcemeÌ„â— froÌ„ hym namelye and aboue all bycause he so cruellye droue her out of hys howse in despyght of Christes veryte She coulde not thynke hym worthye of her marryage whych so spyghtfullye hated God the chefe autor of marryage Of thys matter was she first examyned I thynke at hys
become a God to be worshypped A myracle were thys aboue all the myracles that euer were wrought and a worke aboue all the workes that euer were done if it were true as it is most false Though our eternall God created heauen and earthe in the first begynnynge and fourmed all other creatures Gene. 1. Yet reade we not of hym that he made of hys creatures anye newe God to be worshypped In that poynt are our oyled Antichristes afore hym And where as he rested whollye in the seuenth daye from that offyce of creacyon Gene. 2. and neuer toke it vpon hym sens that tyme as testyfyeth Iohan Chrisostome Augustyne Hierome Bedas Alcuinus and all ther other doctors Yet wyll they take vpon theÌ„ to create euerye daye a fresh and whan their olde God stynketh in the boxe remoue hym out of the waye and put a newe in hys rowme yea they can make of breade wkych is but mannys corruptyble creature and ordayned onlye to be eate soch a God as shall stande checke mate with the great God of heauen parauenture deface hym also Oh blasphemouse wretches and theues Be ones ashamed of your abhomynable blyndenesse and submytt your selues to a iust reformacyon Anne Askewe But as touchynge the holye and blessyd supper of the lorde I beleue it to be a most necessarye remembraunce of hys gloryouse sufferynges and deathe More ouer I beleue as moch therin as my eternall onlye redemer Iesus Christ wolde I shuld beleue Fynallye I beleue all those scriptures to be true whom he hath confirmed with hys most precyouse bloude Iohan Bale No godlye instytucyon nor ordynaunce of Christ do thys faythfull woman contempne but reuerentlye submytteth herself therunto in the kynde that he ded leaue them She protesteth here to beleue so moch as can be shewed by the scriptures of both testamentes And what is more to be requyred of a Christen beleuer Onlye ded she in conscyence refuse and abhorre the ydell obseruacyons the paganes superstycyons the sorcerers in chauntmentes and the most parellouse ydolatryes whych the Romysh pope and hys clergye haue added to their Masse for couetousnesse In thys I suppose she remembred the wordes of saynt Paule 1. Corinth 2. My talkynge sayd he and my preachynge was not with persuasyble or entysynge wordes of mannys corrupt wysdome but in vtteraunce of the sprete and of power that your faythe shuld not stande in the wysdome of men but in the power of God For that sayth Christ whych semeth hygh and holye afore men is fylthye abhomynacyon before God Luce 16. Anne Askewe Yea and as S. Paule sayth those scriptures are suffycyent for our lernynge and saluacyoÌ„ that Christ hath lefte here with vs. So that I beleue we nede no vnwritten verytees to rule hys churche with Therfore loke what he hath layed vnto me with hys owne mouthe in hys holye Gospell that haue I with Gods grace closed vp in my harte And my full trust is as Dauid saych that it shall be a lanterne to my fote steppes Psalme 118. Iohan Bale Styll are these frutes of inestymable wholsomnesse declarynge thys womaÌ„ a most perfyght and innocent membre of Iesus Christ. In thys whole processe marke it hardelye she â—â—nneth not for socour to the muddye waters or broken pyttes of the Phylistynes Hieremye 2. Whych are the corrupt doctrynes and tradycyons of men But she seketh to the verye welsprynge of helthe fouÌ„tayne of saluacyon IoaÌ„ 4. All vnwritten verytees left she to those wauerynge wanderers whych wyll eternally perysh with them And in the verytees written appoynted she to iournaye amonge the true Christen beleuers towardes the laÌ„de euerlastynge In all her affayres most fyrmelye she cleaueth to the scriptures of God whych geueth both sprete and lyfe Ioan. 6. As the harte in the forest desyreth the plesaunt water brokes so longed her sowle and was desyerouse of the manyfest glorye of her eternall God Psal. 41. If her porcyon be not in the lande of the lyuynge Psal. 141. Yea if she be not allowed a cytezen with the Sayntes Ephe. 1. And her name regestred in the boke of lyfe Apoca. 20. Yt wyll be harde with manye But certayne and sure I am that with Marye Marthaes systre soch a sure part haue she chosen as wyll not be takeÌ„ awaye from her Luce 10. Anne Askewe There be some do saye that I denye the Eucharystye or sacrament of thankes geuynge But those people do vntrulye report of me For I both saye and beleue it that if it were ordered lyke as Christ instytuted it and left it a most syngular confort it were vnto vs all But as concernynge your Masse as it is now vsed in our dayes I do saye beleue it to be the most abhomynable ydoll that is in the worlde For my God wyll not be eaten with tethe neyther yet dyeth he agayne And vpon these wordes that I haue now spoken wyll I suffer deathe Iohan Bale All the workes of God and ordynaunces of Christ she reuerentlye admytted as grounded matters of Christen beleue But the Romysh popes creatures wolde she in no case allowe to stande vp checke mate with them The Masse whych is in all poyntes of that fylthye Antichristes creacyon toke she for the most execrable ydoll vpon earthe And ryghtlye For non other is the chylde to be reckened than was hys father afore hym â–ª be he man or beast The whelpe of a dog â—e is non other than a dogge whan he cometh â—nestâ— hys age Idolles sayth Sauid are lyâ—e them that maâ—e them â—o are they also whych put their trust in them Psalme 113. An ydâ—ll doth Zacharye call that proude slaughterouse shepehearde Zacharye 11. Who then can denye hys prodygyouse ordynaunces to be the same What other is the worke of an ydolatrouse worker than an exccrable ydoll And loke what propyrrces anye ydoll hath had or feates hath wrought yet sens the worldes begynnynge the popes prodygyouse Masse hath had wrought the same with manye conueyaunces more Of popes â—ath it receyued dysgysynges instrumentes blessynges turnynges and legerdemaynes with manye straunge obseruacyons borowed of the Iewes and paganes â—lde sacryfyces be sydes pardons for delyucraunce of sowles Of monkes haue it gotten a purgatorye after manye straunge apparycyoÌ„s with a longe ladder from thens to scale heauen with It hath obtayned also to be a remedye for all dyseases both in man and beast with innumerable supâ—r stycyons els Of vnyuerfytees and their doctours haue it cawte all the subtyltees and craftye lernynges of the prophane phylosophers to be defended by as is to be seane in the workes of their sentencyoners lyke as I haue shewed in the mysterye of iniquyte fo 33. It serueth all wytches in their wytcherye all foreerers charmers inchaunters dreamers sothsayers necromansers coniures crosse dyggers deuyll raysers myracle doers doggeleches and
that God maye spewe vs out of hys mouthe as vnsauerye morsels Apoc. 3. Saynge vnto vs as to the folysh vyrgynes Verelye I knowe yow not Mathei 25. Anne Askewe Then the Byshopp sayd I shuld be breÌ„te I answered that I had serched all the scriptures yet coulde I neuer fynde there that eyther Christ or hys Apostles put anye creature to deathe Well well sayd I God wyl laughe your threttenynges to scorne Psal. 2. Then was I coÌ„maunded to stande a syde Iohan Bale Amonge other sygnes that the holye scripture geueth vs to knowe an Antichrist by it sheweth that he shall be an aduersarye 2. Thes. 2. An vnsacyable dogge Esa. 56. A persuâ—nge enemy â–ª psa 4. An enemye in the sanctuarye Psal 73 A rauenynge wolfe Mat. 7. Luce 10. Ioan 10. Actâ— 20. And a most cruell murtherer Dani. 11. IoaÌ„ 16. Apoc. 13. Vnto soche sayth S. IohaÌ„ is it geueÌ„ to vexe meÌ„ with heate of fyre Apo. 16. The wyckednesse of prestes sayth Hiere shedeth innoceÌ„tes bleudâ— Yea saye they ye must â—e brent ye must dwell amonge the gentyles Trenâ— 4. Or be committed to pryson of the worldlye powers so put vnto deathe by them We maruele not therfor though these partes be played of proude Byshoppes CoÌ„syderynge the holye Ghost must be fouÌ„de true in hys fore iudgemeÌ„tes that some ther must be to do the feates But trulye ded thys woman coÌ„clude with the prophecye of Dauid Psalmer That God whych dwelleth in heauen shall haue their tyrannye in derysyon and bringe all their wycked counsels to naught in the clere openynge of hys worde haue they neuer so manye paynted colours of false ryght wysnesse Anne Askewe Then came mastre Pagett to me with manye gloryouse wordes and desyred me to speake my mynde to hym I myght he sayd denye it agayne if nede wâ—re I sayd that I wolde not denye the truthe He asked me how I coulde auoyde the verye wordes of Christ. Take care Thys is my bodye whych shall be broken for yow I answered that Christes meanynge was there as in these other places of the scripture I am the dore Ioan â–ª 10. I am the vyne Ioan. 15. Beholde the lambe of God Ioan. 1. The rocke stone was Christ. 1 Cor. 10. and soch other lyke Ye maye not here sayd I take Christ for the materyall thynge that he is sygnyfyed by For than ye wyll make hym a verye dore a vyne a lambe and a stone cleane coÌ„trarye to the holye Ghostes meanynge All these in dede do sygnyfye Christ lyke as the breade doth hys bodye in that place And though he ded saye there Take eate thys in remeÌ„braunce of me Yet ded he not byd them hange vp that breade in a boye and make it a God or bowe to it Iohan Bale Moche a do is here made and manye subtyle wayes are sought out to brynge thys woman into their corrupted and false beleue that the corruptyble creature made with handes myght stande in place of the eternall creator or maker God and man for the prestes aduauntage But all is in vayne In no case wolde he so accept it Nothyng lesse mynded Christ than to dwell in the breade or to become a feadynge for the bodye whan he sayd Take eate Thys is my bodye For a contrarye doctryne he taught hys dyscyples the yeare afore hys last supper as we haue in the vi chaptre of Iohan Where as he declareth hys flesh to be a spirytuall meate hys bloude a spirytuall drynke and both theÌ„ to be receyued in faythe the breade and the wyne remaynynge as sygnes of hys euer lastynge couenaunt Reason is it that he rather be iudged the receyuer whych lyueth in that refeccyon than he whych lyueth not therby Whych is the sowle and not the bodye What neaded Christ to haue geuen to those bodyes a newe body lye feadynge whych were suffycyentlye fed afore with the passe ouer lambe If he had not ment therin some other maner of thynge But he suffycyeÌ„tlye ynough declareth hys owne meanynge Luce 22. Where he coÌ„maundeth vs to do it in hys remeÌ„braunce and not to make hym agayne by blowynge vpon the breade Thys sacramentall eatynge and drynkynge in hys remeÌ„braunce S. Paule more largely declareth 1 Cor 11. So oft sayth he as ye shall eate of that breade and drynke of that cuppe ye shall shewe the lordes deathe tyll he come If ye ernestlye marke that lattre clause tyll he come ye shall wele perceyue that hys bodylye preseÌ„ce in the breade is vtterlye denyed there More ouer in the afore sayd xxij chaptre of Luke bycause we shuld not be to scrupulâ—se Christ sheweth what that wyne breade of hys supper were yea as he left theÌ„ there eueÌ„ iÌ„ these wordes I saye vnto yow sayth he that hens forth I shall not drynke of thys frute of the vyne or eate of thys frute of wheate tyll the kyngedome of God be come or tyll I drynke it newe with yow in my fathers kyngedome Math 26. Marci 14. Here calleth it he the iuse of the grape or frute of the vyne and not the bloude yssuynge from hys bodye Yet is that cuppe as S. Paule sayth the partakynge of Christes bloude and the breade that we breake there the partakynge of Christes bodye 1. Corint 10. But that is in faythe and sprete as aforâ—â—â—han Anne Askewe Then he compared it vnto the kynge and sayd that the more hys magestees honour is set forth the more commendable it is Then sayd I that it was an abhomynable shame vnto hym to make no better of the eternall worde of God than of hys slenderlye conceyued fantasye A farre other meanynge requyreth God therin than mannys ydell wytte can deuyse whose doctryne is but lyes without hys heauenlye veryte Then he asked me if I wolde commen with some wyser man That offer I sayd I wolde not refuse Then he tolde the counsell And so weÌ„t I to my laydes agayne Iohan Bale 〈…〉 first Patrone S. Frances as we fynde in the hystorye of hys ydolatrouse feast and also in the boke of conformytees of FraÌ„ces to Christ written by an Italysh fryre called Bartholomeus Pisanus In Frances they saye is expressed the full sygnifycacyon of Christ by reason of hys woundes And Pagett here compareth Christes presence in the sacrament to the kynges presence I wote not where And as great pleasure I thynke he doth the kynge therin as though he threwe dust in hys face or salte in hys eyes but that soch flatterynge Gnatoes must do their feates though they be most blasphemouse Neyther heade norÌ„tayle hath thys wytlesse comparyson of hys to make good hys enterpryse with thys woman And moch doubt it is whether he maketh here Christ a shaddowe to the kynge or the kynge a shaddowe to Christ. But he shulde seme rather to take Christ for the shaddowe O gracelesse papystes whan wyll ye be
21 The lawe is turned to wormewood Amos 6. And there caÌ„no ryght iudgement go forth Esaie 59. Iohan Bale Marke here how gracyouslye the lorde kepeth promyse with thys poor seruaâ—nt of hys He that beleueth on me sayth Christ out of hys bellye shall â—owe ryuers of lyuynge water Ioan. 7. Neyther lasheth thys woman out in her extreme troubles language of dispayre nor yet blasphemouse wordes agaynst God with the vnbeleuynge but vttereth the scriptures in wonderfull habundaunce to hys lawde and prayse She rebuketh here the most pestylent vyce of ydolatrye Not by olde narracyons and fables but by the most pare worde of God as ded Daniel Steuen And in the ende she sheweth the stronge stomacke of a most Christen martyr in that she is neyther desyerouse of the deathe neyther yet standeth in feare of the vyoleÌ„ce or extremyte therof What a constancye was thys of a womaÌ„ frayle teÌ„dre yonge and most delycyouslye brought vp But thâ—â— Christes sprete was myghtye in her who bad her be of good chere For though the tyrauntes of thys worlde haue power to slee the bodye yet haue they nopower ouer the sowle Mathei 20. Neyther haue they power in the ende to demynysh one heare of the heade Luce 21. She faynteth not in the myddes of the battayle 1. Cor. 9. But perseuereth stronge and stedefast to the verye ende Math. 10. Not doubtynge but to haue for her faythfull perseuerauÌ„ce the crowne of eternall lyfe Apoc. 2. So merye am I sayth she good creature in the myddes of Newgate as one that is bowne towardes heauen A voyce was thys of a most worthye and valcaunt witnesse in the paynefull kyngedome of pacyence Apoca. 1. She faythfullye reckened of her lorde God that he is not as men are fyckle Numeri 23. But most sure of worde and promyse Psalme 144. And that he wolde most faythfullye kepe couenaunt with her whan tyme shuld come Apoca. 2. She had it most grounded lye planted in her hart that though heauen and earthe ded passe yet coulde not hys wordes and promes passe by vnfulfylled Luc. 21. Ashamed maye these carnall Helchesytesbe whych haue not onlye denyed the veryte of their lorde God but also most shamefullye blasphemed dishonoured both it and themselues for the pleasure of a yeare or ij to dwell styll in thys fleshe They coÌ„sydre not that he with whome they mocke hath power to sende them to helle for their blasphemye Luce 12. They shall nor fynde it a matter lyght for their inconstancye to be â—ometed out of the mouthe of God as vnsauerye morsels Apoca. 3. Neyther shall they proue it a Christmas game to be denyed of Christ before hys heauenlye father and hys angels for denyenge here hys veryte Math. 10. Anne Askewe Oh forgeue vs all our synnes receyue vs gracyouslye As for the workes of our handes we wyll nomore call vpon theÌ„ For it is thu lorde that arte our God Thu shewest euer mercye vnto the fatherlesse Oh if they wolde do thys sayth the lorde I shuld heale theyr sores yea withall my harte wolde I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do with ydolles anye more Who so is wyse shall vnderstaÌ„de thys And he that is ryghlye enstructed wyll regarde it For the wayes of the lorde are ryghteouse Soch as are godlye wyll walke in them And as for the wycked they wyll stomble at them Osee 14. Iohan Bale All these wordes alleged she out of the last chaptre of Useas the prophete where as he prophecyed the destruccyon of Samaria for the onlye vyce of ydolatrye In the worde of the lorde she declareth her selfe therin to detest and abhorre that vyce aboue all and to repent froÌ„ the hart that she hath at anye tyme worshypped the workes of mennys handes eyther stone wode breade wyne or anye soch lyke for the eternall lyuynge God Consequentlye she confessyth hym to be her onlye God and that she had at that tyme trust in non other els neyther for the remyssyon of her synnes nor yet sowles coÌ„fort at her nede And lyke soch a wone as is vnfaynedlye coÌ„uerted vnto the lorde she axeth of the spirytuall Ephraimytes in hys worde what she hath anye more to do with ydolles or whye they shuld so tyrannouslye enforce her to the worshypynge of them consyderynge that he so ernestlye abhorreth them Fynallye ij sortes of people she reckeneth to be in the worlde and sheweth the dyuerse maner of them The one in the sprete of Christ obeyeth the worde the other in the sprete of errour coÌ„tempneth it And lyke as S Paule doth saye To the one part is it the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe and to the other the sauour of deathe vnto deathe 2. Corinth 2. Anne Askewe Salomon sayth S. Steuen buylded an howse for the God of Iacob Howbeyt the hyest of all dwelleth not in teÌ„ples made with haÌ„des As sayth the prophete Esa. 66. heaueÌ„ is my seate the earthe is my fote stole What howse wyll ye buylde for me sayth the lorde or what place is it that I shall rest in hath not my hande made all these thynges Acto 7. Woman beleue me sayth Christ to the Samarytane the tyme is at hande that ye shall neyther in thys mountayne nor yet at Hierusalem worshypp the father Ye worshypp ye wote not what but we knowe what we worshypp For saluacyon commeth of the Iewes But the houre coÌ„meth and now is wherin the true worshyppers shall worshypp the father in sprete veryte Ioan. 4. Laboure not sayth Christ for the meate that perysheth but for that endureth into the lyfe euerlastynge whych the soÌ„ne of maÌ„ shall geue yow For hymgod the father hath sealed Ioan. 6. Iohan Bale Here bringe she iii. stronge restymdnyes of the newe testament to confirme her owne Christen beleue therwith and also both to confute and condempne the most execrabyle heresye and false fylthye beleue of the papystes The first of them proueth that the eternall God of heaueÌ„ wyll neyther be wrapped vp in a clowâ—e nor yet shutte vp in a boxe The seconde declareth that in no place of the earthe is he to be sought neyther yet to be worshypped â–ª but within vs in sprete and veryte The thirde of them concludeth that Christ is a feadynge for the sowle and not for the bodye More ouer he is soch a meate as neyther corrupteth mouldeth nor perysheth neyther yet consumeth or wasteth awaye in the bellye Lete not the Romysh popes remnaunt in EnglaÌ„de thynke but in condempnynge the faythe of thys godlye womaâ— they also condempne the veryte of the lorde vnlesse they can discharge these iij. textes of the scripture with other iij. more effectuall As I thynke they shall not nisi ad Calendas Grecas If they allege for their part the saynge of Christ Math. 24. Lo here is Christ or there is Christ. They are confounded
came before hym Not I for my part Anne Askewe The effect of my examynacyon and handelynge sens my depature from Newgate On tewesday I was seÌ„t froÌ„ newgate to the sygne of the crowne where as mastre Ryche and the Byshopp of London with all their power and flatterynge wordes weÌ„t aboute to persuade me froÌ„ God But I ded not exteme their glosynge pretenses Then came there to me Nicolas Shaxton and counselled me to recaÌ„t as he had done TheÌ„ I sayd to hym that it had bene good for hym neuer to haue bene borne with manye other lyke wordes Iohan Bale After that Christ had ones ouer commen Sathan in the desart where he had fasted longe tyme Math. 4. We reade not in the scriptures that he was moch assaulted or vexed of the worlde the fleshe and the fyende whych are reckened the common enemyes of man But yet we fynde in the Gospell that these iij. ghostlye enemyes the prelates the prestes and the lawers or the Byshoppes pharysecs and scrybes neuer left hym afterwarde tyll they had throughlye procured hys deathe Marke it I desyre yow if it be here anye otherwyse with hys dere membre What other enemyes tempteth here Aâ—ne Askewe thaÌ„ the Byshopp of London mastre Ryche and doctor Shaxton besydes the great Cayphas of Wynchestre with hys spyghtfull I shuld saye spirytuall rable or who els procureth her deathe Ye wyll thynke parauenture concernynge mastre Ryche that though he be an enemye yet is he no spirytuall enemye bycause he is not anoynted with the popes grese But than are ye moch deceyued For it is the sprete of blasphemye auaryce and malyce and not the oyle that maketh them spirytuall And where as they are anoynted in the hande with oyle he is in the hart anoynted with the sprete of Mammon betraynge with Iudas at the Byshoppes malycyouse callynge on the poor innocent sowles for moneye or at the least for ambycyouse fauer O Shaxton I speake now vnto the I thynke in the voyce of God What deuyll bywytched the to playe thys most blasphemouse part â–ª as to become of a faythfull teacher a temptynge sprete Was it not ynough that thu and soch as thu art had forsaken your lorde God and troden hys veryte most vnreuerentlye vndre your fete but with soch feates as thys is thu must yet procure the a more deper or doubled aÌ„pnacyoÌ„ Ryghtlye sayd thys true seruauÌ„t of God that it had bene better for the and thy fellawes that ye neuer had bene borne Ye were called of God to a most blessyd offyce If ye had bene worthye that vocacyon as ye are but swyne Mathei 7. ye had perseuered faythfull and constaunt to the ende Mathei 10. and so haue worthelye receyued the crowne therof Apoca. 2. But the loue of your beastlye fleshe hath verye farre in yow ouerwayed the loue of the lorde Iesus Christ. Ye now shewe what ye are in dede euen wauerynge reedes with euerye blast moued Luce 7. Yea verye faynt harted cowardes and hypocrytes Apo. 3. Ye abyde not in the shepe folde as true shepeherdes but ye flee lyke hyrelynges Ioan. 10. Had ye bene buylded vpon the harde rocke as ye were on the fycklesande Math. 7. neyther Romysh floodes nor Englysh wyndes had ouer throwne yow But now loke onlye after your deseruynge for thys terryble iudgement of God For them sayth S. Paule whych voluntarylye blaspheme the truthe after they haue receyued the Gospell in faythe and in the holye Ghost remayneth no expyacyon of synne but the fearfull iudgement of hell fyre For a mocke haue they made of the sonne of God Hebreo 6. and 10. Anne Askewe TheÌ„ mastre Riche sent me to the tower where I remaynedtyll thre of the clocke Then came Riche and one of the couÌ„sell chargynge me vpon my obedyeÌ„ce to shewe vnto them if I knewe man or woman of my secte My answere was that I knewe none Then they asked me of my ladye of Sothfolke my ladye of Sussex my ladye of Hertforde my ladye Dennye and my ladye Fizwyllyams I sayd if I shuld pronounce anye thynge agaynst theÌ„ that I were not hable to proue it Iohan Bale Neuer was there soche turmoylynge on the earthe as is now a dayes for that wretched blynde kyngedome of the Romysh pope But trust vpon it trulye ye terryble termagauntes of hell There is no practyse there is no wysdome there is no counsell that can agaynst the lorde preuayle Prouerâ— 21. Ye loke to be obeyed in all deuylyshnesse But ye consydre not that where God is dyshonoured by your obedyence there belongeth non to yow Acto 5. Ye haue moch a do here with sectes as though it were a great heresye ryghtlye to beleue in our lorde Iesus Christ after the Gospell not after your Romysh father But where was euer yet a more pestylent and deuylysh secte than is that Sodomytysh secre whom ye here so ernestlye maynteyne with tyrannye and myschefe How gredylye seke yow the slaughter of Gods true seruauntes ye bloud thurstye wolues as the holye Ghost doth call yow Psal. 25. If the vertuouse ladyes most noble women whose lyues ye cruellye seke in your madde ragynge furye as rauyshynge lyons in the darke Psal. 9. haue throwne of their shulders for Christes easye and gentyll burdene Mathei 11. the popes vneasye and importable yoke Luce 11. Happye are they that euer they were borne For therby haue they procured a great quyetnesse and helthe to their sowles For Christes worde is quycke and bryngeth nothynge els to the sowle but lyfe Hebreo 4. The popes olde tradycyons and customes beynge but the wysdome of the fleshe are verye poyson and deathe Roma 8. Aune Askewe Then sayd they vnto me that the kynge was infourmed that I coulde name if I wolde a great nombre of my secte Then I answered that the kynge was as wele deceyued in that behalfe as dyssembled with in other matters Iohan Bale Great Assuerus kynge of the Perseanes Medes was infourmed also that the seruauÌ„t of God Mardocheus was a traytour whych neuerthelesse had dyscouered ij traytours a lyttle afore and so saued the kynges lyfe Hester 3. But Haman that false counseller whych so infourmed the kynge was in the ende proued a traytour in dede as I doubt it not but some of these wyll be founde after thys and was worthelye hanged for it so fallynge into the snare that hys selfe had prepared for other Psal. 7. Albertus Pyghius Cochleus Eckius soch other pestylent papystes haue fylled all Christendome with raylynge bokes of our kynge for renouncynge the Romysh popes obedyeÌ„ce but therof ye infourme not hys grace No neyther excuse ye nor yet defeÌ„deye hys godlye acte in that behalfe But ye are as apereth verye well coÌ„teÌ„ted that he be yll spoken of for it It is not a yeare a go sens our wynche stre was at