My friend or friends be it known vnto you that this is no errour as ye suppose but it is the truth of Gods will that we should beleeue as S. Iohn sayth That Christ Iesus is the sonne of the liuing God and in so beleeuyng wee should haue euerlasting lyfe Thus with loue I write vnto you praying God night and day to deliuer you froÌ„ euill which is in you and to keepe you from it Wherefore my friend or friendes you are not crucified with Christ you are not dead with him as concerning sinne you are not graffed with him in Baptisme nor you know not god nor his sonne whome he hath sent nor his commaundements which he hath commaunded and yet will ye teach other with most hearty prayer praying to God for you continually Patrike Patingham A note of a certaine letter of Wil. Tymmes GRace mercy and peace from God the father through the mercies of his deare sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour with the comfort of his holy spirite that as you haue full godly begun euen so to continue to the end to the glory of God and your euerlasting comfort which thing to do I pray God to geue you grace who is the geuer of all good and perfect gifts to the glory of hys holy name Amen My dere sisters after most harty commendations vnto you and also most harty thankes geuing vnto you for all the great kyndnesse that you haue always shewed vnto me most vnworthy of the same I certifie you that I am very glad to heare of your good health which I pray God long to continue to his glory And especially I doe much reioyce in your most godly constancie in the Gospell of Christ which is the power of God vnto saluation vnto so many as beleeue it Therefore my deare hartes goe forward as you haue godly begunne for the tyme will come that these cruell tyrants which now so cruelly persecuteth the true members of Christ shall say for very anguish of mynde These are they whom we sometyme had in derision and iested vppon We fooles thought their lyfe to haue bene very madnesse and their ende to haue bene without honour But lo how they are counted among the children of God and their portion is among the Saints therefore we haue erred from the way of truth The light of righteousnes hath not shined vnto vs and the sonne of vnderstandyng rose not vpon vs. We haue weried our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction Tedious wayes haue we gone but as for the way of the Lord we haue not knowen it What good hath our pride done vnto vs or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vs. All these things hath passed away as a shadow or as a Messenger running before As a sheepe that passeth ouer the waues of the water which when it is gone by the trace thereof cannot be found neither the path in the flouds c. For as soone as we were borne we began inordinately to drawe to our ende and haue shewed no token of vertue but are consumed in our owne wickednesse Such wordes shall they that thus haue sinned speake in the hell c. But the righteous shall lyue for euermore their reward is also with the Lord and their remembraunce with the highest therfore shall they receiue a glorious kingdome and a beautifull crowne at the Lordes hand for with his right hande shall he couer them and with his holy arme shall he defend them c. The soules of the righteous are in the haÌ„ds of God and the paynes of death shall not touch them but in the sight of the vnwyse they appeare to die and their end is taken for very destruction but they are in rest And though they suffer payne before men yet is their hope full of immortalitie They are punished but in few thynges neuerthelesse in many things shall they be wel rewarded for God prooueth them and findeth them meete for hymselfe yea as the golde in the fornace doth he try them and receiueth them as a burnt offering and when the tyme commeth they shall be looked vppon the righteous shall shine as the sparkes that runneth through the red bushe they shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shal raigne for euer They that put their trust in hym shall vnderstand the truth and such as be faithfull will agree vnto hym in loue and he shall be a piller in the temple of God and shall no more go out and there shall be written vppon him the name of God And they shall lye vnder the aultar which is Christ crying with a lowd voyce saying How long tariest thou Lord holy and true to iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth and they shall haue long white garmentes geuen vnto them and it shall be sayd vnto them that they should rest yet for a little season til the number of their fellowes and brethren of them that should bee killed as they were were fulfilled For as S. Iohn sayth they are worthy that thus ouercommeth to bee clothed in white aray and their names shall not bee put out of the booke of lyfe but shall be seperated from the Gotes and set on Christes right hand hearing his sweet and comfortable voice wheÌ„ he shall say Come ye blessed of my Father and possâ—sse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginnyng of the world And the very redy way to obtaine the same is as our maister Christ saith to forsake our selues takyng vp our crosse followyng our maister Christ which for the ioy that was set before him abode the crosse and despised the shame and is set downe on the throne of the right hand of God therefore let vs follow his example in sufferyng for his worde seeyng that hee of his mercifull goodnesse suffered so muche for vs when wee were his enemies for it was our sinne that killed Christ and by his death hath made vs on lyue Therefore with ioy seeing all these his merciful benefites purchased for vs onely by his death and bloudsheding Let vs with boldnesse confesse his holy word before this wicked generation euen to death and we be called thereto and so be well assured that our lyues be not in the hands of men but in Gods handes Therefore my deare sisters as you haue godly begun so go forward euen through many tribulations euen into the euerlasting kingdom of heauen To the which God the father of all mercy for his deare sonne Christes sake bring both you and all yours Amen Yours to commaund to my poore power Wil. Tymmes Continue in prayer Aske in fayth And obtaine your desire Praying for you as I know that you do for me ¶ Another Sermon of M. Latimer concerning his playing at Cardes NOw you haue heard what is ment by this first carde and how you ought to play with it I purpose againe to deale vnto you another carde almost of
theyr Pardons which causeth many a man to sinne in trust of them For as for those malefactours which I nowe rehearsed you shall not finde one amongest a hundreth but that he wil cry out both of these bookes and also of them that haue them yea will be glad to spend the good whiche he hath wrongfullye gotten vpon Fagots to burne both the bookes and them that haue them And as touching these men that were latelye punished for these bookes there is no man I heare say that can lay any word or deede agaynst them that shoulde sound to the breaking of any of your graces lawes this onely except if it be yours and not rather theyrs And be it so that there be some that haue these bookes that bee euill vnruely and selfe willed persons not regarding Gods lawes nor maÌ„s yet these bookes be not the cause therof no more then was the bodily presence of Christ and his wordes the cause that Iudas fell but theyr owne froward mind and carnal wit which shoulde be amended by the vertuous example of lyuing of their Curates by the true expositioÌ„ of the scripture If the lay people had suche Curates that would thus doe theyr office these bookes nor the Deuill himselfe coulde not hurte them nor make them to goe out of frame so that the lacke of good Curates is the destruction and cause of al mischiefe Neyther doe I write these thinges because that I will either excuse these menne lately punished or to affirme al to be true writteÌ„ in these books which I haue not all read but to shew that there can not such inconuenience folow of them and specially of the scripture as they would make men beleue should folow And though it bee so that your Grace maye by other bookes and namely by the Scripture it selfe know perceiue the hipocrite Wolues clad in sheepes clothing yet I thinke my selfe bounde in conscience to vtter vnto your grace such thinges as God put in mind to write And this I do God so iudge me not for hate of any person or persons liuing nor for that that I thinke the word of GOD should go forth without persecution if your Grace hadde commaunded that euery man within your Realme should haue it in his mothers tongue For the Gospell must needes haue persecution vnto the time that it bee preached throughout all the world which is the last signe that Christe shewed to his Disciples that should come before the daye of iudgement so that if your grace had once commaunded that the scripture shoulde be put forth the deuill would set forth some wyle or other to persecute the trueth But my purpose is for the loue that I haue to God principally the glory of his name which is only known by his word and for the true allegiaunce that I owe vnto your Grace and not to hide in the grounde of my hart the talent geuen me of God but to chaffer it forth to other that it may encrease to the pleasure of God to exhort your grace to auoid and beware of these mischieuous flatterers and their abhominable wayes and counsels And take heed whose counsels your grace doth take in this matter for there be some that for feare of losing of their worldly worship and honor will not leaue theyr opinion which rashly and that to please menne withall by whome they had great promotion they tooke vpon them to defend by writing so that now they thinke that all theyr felicity which they put in this life should be mard and their wisedome not so greatlye regarded if that whiche they haue so slaunderously oppressed should be now put forth and allowed But alas let these men remember S. Paul how feruent he was agaynst the truth and that of a good zeale before he was called he thought no shame to suffer punishment great persecutions for that which he before despised called heresy And I am sure that theyr liuing is not more perfect then S. Paules was as concerning the outward workes of the law before he was conuerted Also the king and Prophete Dauid was not ashamed to forsake his good intent in building of the Temple after that the Prophet Nathan had shewed him that it was not the pleasure of god that he should build any house for him and notwithstanding that Nathan had before allowed praysed the purpose of Dauid yet he was not ashamed to reuoke and eat his words againe when he knew that they were not according to Gods will and pleasure Wherefore they be sore drowned in worldly wisedome that thinke it agaynst theyr worship to knowledge theyr ignoraunce whom I pray to God that your grace may esâ—ye and take heede of theyr worldly wisedome whiche is foolishnes before God that you may do that that God coÌ„maundeth and not that seemeth good in your owne sighte without the word of God that your grace may be founde acceptable in his sight and one of the meÌ„bers of his church and according to the office that he hath called your Grace vnto you may be found a faythfull minister of his giftes and not a defender of his fayth for hee will not haue it defended by man or mans power but by his wordes onely by the whiche he hath euermore defended it and that by a way farre aboue mans power or reason as all the stories of the Bible maketh mention Wherefore gracious king remember your selfe haue pity vpon your soule and thinke that the daye is euen at hand when you shall geue accountes of your office and of the bloud that hath bene shedde with your sworde In the which day that your grace may stand stedfastly and be not ashamed but to be cleare and readye in your reckoning to haue as they say your Quites est sealed with the bloude of our Sauiour Christ whiche onely serueth at that day is my dayly prayer to him that suffered death for our sinnes which also prayeth to his father for grace for vs continually To whom be all honour and prayse for euer AmeÌ„ The spirit of God preserue your Grace Anno Domini 1530. 1. die Decembris In this Letter of Mayster Latimer to the king aboue prefixed many thinges we haue to consider First his good conscience to God his good will to the king the duety of a right Pastour vnto trueth his tender care to the common wealth and especially to the Church of Christ. Further we haue to consider the abuse of Princes courtes how kinges many times be abused with flatterers and wicked couÌ„sellers aboute them and especially wee maye note the subtle practises of prelates in abusing the name and authority of kinges to set forth theyr owne malignaunt proceedinges We may see moreouer and rather maruell at in the sayde letter the great boldnes and diuine stoutnes in this man who as yet being no Bishop so freely and playnely without all feare of death aduentring his owne life to
constant martyr Who the xviii day of December in the middest of the fiery flames yelded his soule into the handes of the almighty God and full like a lambe gaue vp his breath his body being consumed into ashes Thus hast thou gentle reader the lyfe and doyngs of this learned and worthy souldiour of the Lord Iohn Philpot with all his examinations that came to our handes first penned and written with his owne hand beyng meruaylously reserued from the sight and hands of hys enemies who by all maner meanes sought not onely to stop hym from al writing but also to spoyle and depriue him of that which he had written For the which cause he was manye tymes stripped and searched in the prison of his keeper but yet so happily these his writinges were conueyed and hid in places about him or els hys keepers eies so blinded that notwithstanding all this malicious purpose of the Bishops they are yet remayning and come to light A prayer to be sayd at the stake of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake MErcifull God and father to whome oure sauiour Christ approched in his feare and neede by reason of death found comfort Gracious God and most bounteous Christe on whome Stephen called in his extreeme neede and receiued strength Most benigne holy spirite whiche in the middest of all Crosses and death diddest comfort the Apostle S. Paule with more consolations in Christ then he felt sorowes and terrors haue mercy ⧠The martirdome of maister Iohn Philpot Archdeacon with the manner of his kneeling and praying at the stake vpon me miserable vile and wretched sinner which now drawe neare the gates of death deserued both in soule and body eternally by reason of manifold horrible olde and new transgressions which to thyne eyes O Lorde are open and knowne Oh be mercifull vnto me for the bitter death and bloudshedding of thine owne onely sonne Iesus Christ. And though thy iustice do require in respecte of my sinnes that nowe thou shouldest not heare me measuring me with the same measure I haue measured thy Maiesty contemning thy dayly calles yet let thy mercy whiche is aboue all thy works and wherewith the earth is filled let thy mercy I say preuaile towardes me through and for the mediation of Christ our sauiour And for whose sake in that it hathe pleased thee to bring me forth now as one of his witnesses and a record bearer of thy veritye and trueth taught by him to geue my life therefore to which dignitie I do acknowledge dear God that ther was neuer any so vnworthy and so vnmeet no not the theef that hāged with him on the Crosse I most hūbly therfore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly ayde helpe assiste me with thy strength and heauenly grace that with Christe thy sonne I may finde comfort with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power with Paule and all others whiche for thy names sake haue suffered affliction and death I may finde so present with me thy gracious consolations that I may by my deathe glorifie thy holy name propagate and ratifie thy veritie comfort the hartes of the heauy confirme thy Church in thy veritie conuert some that are to be conuerted and so depart foorth of thys miserable world where I do nothing but daily heape sinne vpon sinne and so enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy wherof now geue and encrease in me a liuely truste sense and feelinge wherethrough the terrours of death the tormentes of fire the panges of sinne the dartes of Sathan and the dolours of hel may neuer depresse me but may be driuen away thorough the working of that most gracious spirite which now plenteously endue me withall that through the same spirite I may offer as I nowe desire to do in Christ by him my selfe wholy soule and body to be a liuely sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight Deare Father whose I am and alwayes haue bene euen from my mothers wombe yea euen before the world was made to whome I commend my selfe soule and body family and frendes countrey and all the whole Churche yea euen my very enemies accordynge to thy good pleasure beseeching thee intirely to geue once more to this Realme of England the blessing of thy word agayn with godly peace to the teaching setting forth of the same Oh dear father now geue me grace to come vnto thee Purge and so purifie me by this fire in Christes death and Passion through thy spirite that I may be a burnt offering of sweete smell in thy sight which liuest and raignest with the sonne and the holy God nowe and euermore world without end Amen ¶ Letters of Mayster Philpot. ¶ A letter which he sent to the christian congregation exhorting them to refrayne from the Idolatrous seruice of the papists and to serue God after his word IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England the faithles departing both of men women frō the true knowledge vse of Christes sincere religion which so plētifully they haue bene taught do know their own consciences bearing witnes to the veritie thereof If that earth be cursed of God which eftsoones receiuing moisture pleasant dewes from heauen doth not bring forth fruite accordingly how much more greuous iudgemēt shal such persons receiue which hauing receiued from the father of heauē the perfect knowledge of his word by the ministery therof do not shew forth Gods worship after the same If the Lord wil require in the day of iudgemēt a godly vsury of all maner of talentes which he sendeth vnto men women how muche more wil he require the same of his pure religion reuealed vnto vs which is of al other talents the chiefest most pertayning to our exercise in this life if we hide the same in a napkin and set it not forth to the vsurye of Gods glory and edifying of his church by true confessiō God hath kindled the bright light of his Gospel which in times past was suppressed hid vnder the vile ashes of mās traditiōs and hath caused the brightnes therof to shine in our harts to the end that the same might shine before men to the honor of his name It is not onely geuen vs to beleue but also to confesse declare what we beleue in our outwarde couersation For as S. Paule writeth to the Romaynes The beliefe of the hart iustifieth and toe acknowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe It is al one before God not to beleue at al not to shew forth the liuely works of our belief For Christe sayth Either make the tree good and his fruites good or ells make the tree euill and the fruites euill because a good tree bringeth forth good fruites So that the person which knoweth his maysters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes And not all they
if I might be in choice and not displease God Chichest The sheriffe tooke paine to come to me of loue he sayd which he bare to you as to himselfe and sayd you were desirous to speake with me Wood. I thought it mete to appeale to my Ordinarie For they goe about to shed my bloud vnrighteously For they haue laid many vniust things to my charge Wherefore I thoughte it meete to appeale to you that if you can finde any fault in me meete to be reformed by Gods woorde I stād to be reformed and likewise if my bloud shal be shed vnrighteously that it mighte be required at your handes because you haue taken vppon you to be the Phisition of our countrey Story Is not this a peruerse felow to lay to your charge that his bloude shal be required at your hands Thinkest thou that thou shalt be put to death vniustly that thy bloude should be required No if he should condemne a hundred such heretickes as thou art I helped to ridde a good sort of you And I promise thee I will helpe to ridde thee too the best that I can Wood. Then I would haue answeared him but the Bishop desired vs both to geue him place Chichest Well neighbour Woodman I call you neyghbour because you be one of my Diocesse and you are sent to me that I should geue you spirituall counsell for I am your spiritual Pastour Therefore heare what I shall say to you Wood. First I desire you to heare me a few woordes You haue said you wil geue me spiritual counsell Be you sure that you haue the spirite of God Chichest No I am not sure of that Wood. No be you not sure of that Chich. So by S. Mary I dare not be so bold to say so I doubt of that Wood. Then you be like the waues of the sea as saith S. Iames that be tossed about with the wind and be vnstable in all your wayes and can looke for no good thyng at the Lordes hand Yea yee are neither hote nor colde and therefore God will spew you out of his mouth as sayeth S. Iohn Then they were in a great furie especially doc Storie saying Storie What a peruerse fellow is this he hath the Deuil within him and is madde Hee is woorse then the Deuill Nowe I perceiue that it is true that is reported by thee and it is the pride of all suche heretickes to boaste themselues Chich. Yea surely hee is sent to mee to learne and taketh vpon him to teache me Wood. I seeing their blindnesse and blasphemie it made my heart melt and mine eies gush oute with teares saying The Iewes saide to Christ he hadde the Deuill and was madde as you haue said heere by me But I knowe the seruant is not aboue his maister And God forbid that I should learne of him that confesseth that he hath not the Spirite of God Chich. Why doe you thinke that you haue the Spirite of God Wood. I beleeue verely that I haue the spirite of God Chich. You boast more then euer Paul did or any of the apostles the which is great presumption Wood. I boast not in my selfe but in the gift of God as Paule did for he sayd he beleued verily that he had the spirit of God makyng thereof no doubts in the 1. to the Cor. the 7. chap. Chich. It is not so you belye the text Wood. If it be not so let me be burned to morow Story Thou shalt not be burned to morow but thou shalt be burned within these 6. dayes I promise thee Chich If it be so it is wrong translated as it is in a thousand places more Wood. Then one looked in a Latine Testament and another in a Greeke Testament and they said it was in them both that Paul supposed that he had the spirit of God but he was not sure Chich. Euen so I hope and suppose that I haue the spirite of God but I am not sure Wood. If that place be wrong trāslated and so many places of the Bible as you say then I may say with Christ it cannot be auoyded but offences must be geuen But woe vnto them by whom they come I may say woe vnto false Translaters For cursed are they that adde or take away But take you heed that you belie not the Translaters I beleeue they had the feare of God more before their eies then you report of them And yet if that place bee wrong translated I can prooue places enough that Paule had the spirit of God as I my selfe and all Gods elect haue Chich. How prooue you that Wood. No man can beleeue that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghost First to the Corrinth the 7. chap. I do beleeue that Iesus Christ is my redeemer and that I shall bee saued from all my sinnes by his death and bloudsheding as Paule and all the Apostles did and as all faithfull people ought to do which no man can doe without the spirite of God And there is no damnation to thē that are in Christ Iesus so is there no saluation to them that are not in Christ Iesu. For he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his but is a cast away as he saith in the same text And againe We haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but we haue receyued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father The same spirit certifieth our spirites that we are the sons of God Here are proofes enough that Paule was sure that he had the spirite of God Also S. Iohn sayth He that beleeueth not that Christ is come in the flesh is an Antichrist denieth both the Father and the sonne which is sinne against the holy Ghost which shall neuer bee forgeuen in this world nor in the world to come Besides all this Hee that beleeueth in God dwelleth in God and God in hym So is it impossible to beleue in God vnlesse God dwell in vs. Oh good God what more iniurie can be done vnto thee then to mistrust that we haue receyued thy holy spirite by thy gift Thus may all men see their blindnes and whose seruants they be as they do declare themselues both by their words and deeds Story Oh my Lord what an heretike is this same Why heare you hym Sende hym to prison to his fellowes in the Marshalsee and they shall bee dispatched within these xij dayes Wood. When I heard hym say so I reioyced greatly in my hart desiring God if it were his will to keepe hym in that mynd For I looked surely to haue gone to the B. of Londons colehouse or to Lollards tower yea I thoght my selfe happy if I might haue gone to Lollardes tower but it pleased God to put in the hartes of them to send me to the Marshalsee amongst our brethren and my olde prison fellowes So mercifully hath God delt with mee in casing of my
all them that were in prison with him so nowe also being at the stake hee did no lesse comforte the people there standyng aboute hym willing them to thinke well of his cause and not to doubte but that his bodye dying in that quarrell shoulde rise agayne to life And sayde hee I doubte not but that God wil shew you some token thereof At length he being well nigh halfe burnt and all blacke with fire clustered together as in a lumpe like a blacke cole all men thinking him for dead sodaynely rose vp right before the people lifting vp the stumpes of his armes and clapping the same together declaring a reioysing heart vnto them and so bending downe agayne and hanging ouer the fire slept in the Lord and ended this mortall life ¶ Letters A sententious letter of Robert Smith to Anne Smith hys wyfe SEeke first to loue God deare wife with your whol hart and then shall it be easy to loue your neighbour Be frendly to al creatures and especially to your own soule Be alwayes an enemy to the deuil and the world but especially to your owne flesh In hearyng of good thinges ioyne the eares of youre head and haâ—t together Seeke vnitie and quietnes with all men but especially with your conscience for he wil not easely be entreated Loue all men but especially your enemies Hate the sinnes that are paste but especiallye those to come Be as ready to further your enemy as he is to hinder you that ye may be the childe of God Defile not that which Christ hath cleÌ„sed least his bloud be layd to your charge Remember that God hath hedged in your tongue with the teeth and lips that it might speake vnder correction Be ready at all tymes to looke in youre brothers eye but especially in your owne eye For hee that warneth other of that he himselfe is faultie doth geue hys neighbour the cleare wyne and keepeth the dregges for hymselfe Beware of riches and worldly honor for without vnderstansting prayer and fasting it is a snare and also pouertie all whiche are like to consuming fire of whiche if a man take a little it will warme hym but if hee take too much it will consume him For it is hard for a man to cary fire in his bosome and not be brent Shew mercy vnto the sayntes for Christes sake and Christ shall reward you for the sayntes sake Among all other prisoners visite your owne soule for it is enclosed in a perilous prison If ye will loue God hate euill and ye shall obteyn the reward of well doyng Thus fare you well good Anne Haue me hartily commended to all that loue the Lorde vnfaynedly I beseeche you haue me in your prayer while I am liuing and I am assured the Lord will accept it Bring vp my children and yours in the feare of God and then shall I not fayle but receaue you together in the euerlasting kingdome of God which I goe vnto Your husband Robert Smith If ye will meete with me agayne Fosake not Christ for any payne ¶ An other letter sent to his wife Anne Smyth THe grace of almighty God be alwayes with you and comfort strength and stablishe you in all thinges that what his blessed will is ye may followe faythfully to hys honour my comfort and your owne saluation and the good ensample to our posteritie I haue receiued your letter and I prayse God without any danger neuerthelesse if Gods meruailous goodnes had not brought it to my handes by Peter the keeper there might haue risen a great trouble vpon the same For will ye know that George is a wicked man vtterly without all feare of God and if he had gotten it the Counsaile sure had seene it But Peeter like an honest man neuer opened it Wherefore I desire you from henceforth let your letters be deliuered at Chauncery lanes ende to my sister Tankerfield and she may deliuer them safe into my hand We are very straitely kepte I prayse God of hys mercye Neuerthelesse almighty God is alwayes with vs. I haue sent you that ye wrote for The two Nutmegges that shulde haue gone by Nicholas to our frendes I send nowe and desire them to accept them as a poore prisoners gift vntill God geue more largely Thomas Iuison sendeth you a peny I pray you geue him thankes for the same and Diricke also I haue sent you of that little that I haue two peeces of spanishe mony The Lorde Iesus haue you in his custody send you good speed In any case keepe your selfe close I doubt much of your walkings Haue my harty commendations to your parentes and desire theÌ„ with you to haue me in theyr prayers Be ferueÌ„t in prayer pray pray pray that God would of his mercy put vp his sword and looke on his people Tell my brother with commendations that the next commer shall bryng vp the Epistle exhortation I haue written all this fourtnight for my Lady yea and almost done nothing els I woulde haue seÌ„t him the articles of William Flower and my talk with him if I could haue deliuered it from the prison The holy Ghost keepe you I would ye could make a meanes for your money to send a cheese to Peter for I finde muche kindenesse at his handes Ye shall alwayes heare of me at Tankerfieldes house All the Congregation salute you Fare you most hartily well I haue not yet tell my brother spoken with the person There hathe come so straite a commaundement that no man might come to vs because Tooly cursed the pope at the gallowes They thought it to be our counsell Yours and euer yours Robert Smith ¶ An other letter sent to hys wife GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from the Lord Iesus Christ be with you deare wyfe now euer Amen and preuent your wayes through hys holye spirite that ye may in all your wordes and workes please God and eschew euil to hys honor and your saluation that they which see your conuersation may in all things learne to doe like euen to the vtter shame and confusion of the wicked and vngodly Amen I sent you by M. Alexander a purse with money I haue certayne tokens for you sent by my prison fellowes to you that is from M. Haukes .xii. d. froÌ„ M. Simson .xii. d. from his wife .iiij. d. from M. Wattes fiue new grotes froÌ„ M. Ardeley .xij. d. from M. Bradford xij d. which men be all gone to death except M. Bradford he abideth stil. Ther is also gone to death Nicholas Chamberlayne Tho. Osmund William Bamford There â—s also condemned thys monday Diricke Caruer Thomas Iuison Iohn Launder and William Uassy is repriued Pray to God to haue mercy vpon hys people and bid my brother if he can conueniently come downe on monday next if he can not wel do it let hym abide at home Haue me hartily commended to your parents I haue sent each
denye to be lye or betraye the innocencye of that heauenlye doctrine or to bee ashamed to confesse and stande to the defence of the same seeing that Christe planted it with hys moste precious bloude and all good menne haue more esteemed the true and infallible woorde of GOD then all thys transitorye worlde or their owne mortall liues And I beleeue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophetes Christe and his Apostles to be sufficient and absolutely perfecte to instructe and teache mee and all the holy Church of our dueties towardes God the Magistrates and our neighbours Firste and principallye I do assuredly beleeue wythout any doubting that there is one Deitie or Diuine essence and infinite substaunce which is both called and is in dede God euerlasting vnbodilye vnpartible vnmeasurable in power wisedome and goodnesse the maker and preseruer of all thinges as well visible as inuisible and yet there be three distincte persones all of one Godheade or Diuine beynge and all of one power coequall consubstantiall coeternell the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste I beleeue in God the Father Almightie c. As touching God the Father of heauen I beleeue as muche as holye Scripture teacheth mee to beleeue The Father is the firste persone in Trinitie first cause of our saluation which hathe blessed vs with all maner of blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christe whych hathe chosen vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde that wee shoulde be holye and wythout blame before hym who hath predestinate vs and ordained vs to bee his childrenne of adoption thorough Christe Iesu. In hym as it is sayde we liue wee mooue and haue oure being he nourisheth feedeth and geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde I beleue that the woorde that is the Sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie did take mannes nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgine Marie So that there be in hym two natures a Diuine nature and an humaine nature in the vnitie of parson inseparable conioyned and knitte in one Christe truely God and truely man the expresse and perfecte Image of the inuisible God wherin the will of God the Father shineth apparantly and wherein man as it were in a glasse may beholde what he ought to doe that he maye please God the Father Borne of the Virgine Marie truelye sufferinge his Passion crucified deade and buryed to the entent to bring vs againe into fauoure wyth God the Father almightie and to be a sacrifice hoste and oblation not onely for originall sinne but also for all actuall sinnes of the whole generation of mankinde For all the woorkes merites deseruings doinges and obedience of man towards God althoughe they be done by the spirite of God in the grace of God yet being thus done be of no validitie worthine nor merite before God except God for his mercy and grace accoumpte them woorthye for the woorthinesse and merytes of Christ Iesus The same Christ went downe to the helles and truely rose againe the thirde day and ascended into the heauēs that he might there stil raigne and haue dominion ouer all creatures and from thence shall come c. I beleue in the holy Ghost coequall with God the Father and the Sonne and proceeding from them bothe by whose vertue strength and operation the true Catholicke Church which is the Communion and societie of Saintes is guided in all truthe veritie kept frō al errors fals doctrine the deuill all power of sinne Which Church is sanctified and halowed with the precious bloude and spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche hathe also her signe and mark that she heareth and foloweth the voice of her only and true pastour Christ and no strangers This church also is the house of God the congregation of the liuing God the piller of truth the liuely body of Christe a Church both in name and in deede I beleue the remission of sinnes by the only meanes and merites of Christes death passion who made vnto vs of God that onely sacrifice and oblation offered once for all and for euer for all them that be sanctified I beleue the resurrection of the body whereby in the last day al men shal rise again from death the soules ioyned againe to the bodies the good to euerlasting life the wicked to euerlasting pain and punishmēt And nothing may more certainly stablish confirme our faith that we shall rise againe immortal both in body soule thē the resurrection of Christ our Sauiour and first fruites of the deade Nowe that Christe our head is risen we beynge hys body and members must follow our head Death hell and sinne cannot sunder nor plucke vs from him For as the Sonne can not be deuided nor sundred from the Father nor the holy Ghost frō them bothe no more maye wee beinge the faithfull members of Christ be separated from Christ. And for a confirmation of our resurrection Christ would be seene after his resurrection in hys most glorious body his woundes being handled and felte speaking and teaching eating and drinking c. Wee looke sayeth S. Paul for Iesus Christ our Sauiour which shall trāsfigure our vile bodies conform them to his glorious body by the same power and vertue wherwith he is able to subdue all things euen like as the graine of wheate sowen in the grounde is first putrified and brought as into a thing of noughte yet after that it springeth vp freshly with a more goodly colour forme and beautie then it had before The body is sowne in corruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour and riseth in honour Thus I verely know and assuredly beleue the resurrection of oure bodies and to haue life eternall by Christ and for Christes sake Verely verely I say vnto you sayth Christ he that heareth my woorde and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped frō death to life It is Christe that died once for oure sinnes and is risen againe neuer more to die it is he that swallowed vp death hath cast it vnder his feete for euer What now can death do vnto vs Verelye nothing els but for a little time separate oure precious soules from oure wretched bodies that diuine substaunce from a masse of sinne that eternall life from a body of death and so send our soules oute of this miserable wretched and sorrowfull lyfe combred with all calamities vnto that moste blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall As concerning the holy and reuerende Sacraments of Christes Churche which be in number two the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord I beleeue them to be as S. Paul calleth them confirmations or seales of Gods promises whiche haue added to them a promise of grace and therfore they are called visible signes of inuisible grace The Sacrament of
commyng to prison did partly declare the same Certayne Sergeaunts and Constables of Couentry beyng appointed to haue the conueying of vs to Lichfield to be deliuered there to one Iephcot the Chancellors man sent from Couētry with vs for the same purpose we were commaunded to horsebacke about xj or xij of the clocke on Friday beyng market day that we might be the more gased and wondered at and to kindle the peoples heartes more agaynst vs they did proclayme a letter cōcernyng a proclamation made for calling in disanullyng of all such bookes as truely expound and interprete the Scriptures We came to Lichfield about 4. of the clocke at night had leaue to repose our selues for our Supper tyme. We inned at the signe of the Swanne where wee were entertayned friendly and gently After supper Iephcot repaired to vs whome we intreated that vpon sureties we myght rest our selues that nyght beyng vnprouided of any thyng to help our selues withall in the prison at that present He was content at the first as he semed but afterwards whether it was by perswasion or rather as it seemed to me he did but of pollicie put of the tyme till he had gathered a multitude to stare and wonder vpō vs and also that we should prouide nothyng to ease our selues withall he reuoked his promise and so by consent we were had to the prison the multitude wonderyng at vs. I willed Iephcot before to execute his office with mercy tellyng him that they should haue iudgemēt without mercy that shewed no mercy And this mercy I found at his hand He put me into a prison the same night where I continued vntill I was condemned a place next to the dungeon narow of rowmes strong of building and very cold with small light and there allowed he me a būdle of straw in stead of my bed wtout chaire forme or any other thyng els to ease my self withal God of his mercy gaue me great patience through praier that night so that if it had ben his pleasure I could haue bene contented to haue ended my lyfe But Iephcot one Persey the bishops man which afterwardes was my continuall keeper for the most part came to me in the morning to whō I said this is a great extremitie God send vs patience and no more Then they were content that I should haue a bed of myne owne procurement But I was allowed no helpe neither night nor day nor company of any man notwithstandyng my great sickenesse nor yet paper pen nor inke or bookes sauyng my new Testament in Latine a praier booke which I priuily stole in Within two days after M. Chancellor and one Temsey a Prebendary there came to me into my prison Maister Chauncellour exhorted me to conforme my self to my Lord and to the Church He wished to my soule no more hurt then to hys owne belyke because I had layd to hys charge at Couentry the seekyng of my bloud vniustly and wrongfully Now thus the second tyme I answered M. Chancellor to his exhortatiō that I refused not to be ruled by that church that was content to bee ordered and gouerned by the word of God Chaun He asked me how I knew the worde of God but by the Church Glouer The church sheweth which is the word of God therefore the Church is aboue the word of God This is no good reason in learnyng sayd I to M. Chauncellour For it is lyke vnto this Iohn shewed the people who was Christ Ergo Iohn was aboue Christ. Or els I haue a man that knoweth not the kyng and I tell hym who is the kyng am I therfore aboue the kyng M. Chauncellour sayd he came not to reason with me and so departed So remayned I without any further cōference of any man by the space of viij dayes and till the Bishops commyng In the which tyme I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the merciful promises of God made vnto all without exception of person that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daily amendment of health of body increase of peace in conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his holy spirit and sometymes as it were a taste and glimmeryng of the lyfe to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christes sake to hym be all praise for euer and euer The enemy ceased not many tymes sundry wayes to assault me oftentymes obiectyng to my conscience myne owne vnworthines through the greatnesse of the benefite to be counted among the number of them that should suffer for Christ for his Gospels sake Against him I replied with the worde of God in this sorte What were all those whom GOD had chosen from the beginnyng to be his witnesses and cary his name before the world were they not men as Paule and Barnabas sayd Similiter obnoxij peccato as well subiect to wickednes sinne imperfectiōs as other men be Euen such were Noe Abraham Dauid and all the rest Quis prior dedit illi as Paul saith Who gaue first vnto him And also speakyng to euery man What hast thou that thou receiuedst not Likewise Iohn All haue receiued of his fulnesse they were no bringers of any goodnes to God but altogether receyuers They choose not GOD first but he choose them They loued not God first but hee loued them first Yea hee both loued and chose them when they were his enemies full of sinne and corruption and voyd of all goodnes Est Dominus omnium diues in omnes super omnes inuocantes eum He is and wil be still the same God as rich in mercy as mighty as able as ready as willyng to forgeue sinnes without respect of person to the worlds end of all them that call vpon hym Propè est Dominus omnibus inuocantibus eum God is nere he is at hand he is with all with all I say and refuseth none excepteth none that faithfully in true repentance call vpon hym in what houre what place or what tyme so euer it bee It is no arrogancy nor presumption in any man to burthen God as it were with hys promise and of duetie to clayme and chalenge hys ayde helpe and assistaunce in all our perils daungers and distresse callyng vpon hym not in the confidence of our owne godlynesse but in the trust of his promises made in Christ in whom and by whome and for whose sake whosoeuer boldly approcheth to the mercy seate of the Father is sure to receiue whatsoeuer is expedient or necessary eyther for bodye or soule in more ample wyse and large manner then hee can well wish or dare desire His worde can not lye Call vppon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee thou shalt prayse me I aunswered the enemy also on this maner I am a sinner and therefore not woorthy to bee a witnesse of this truth What then Must I deny his
which in like cases was wonte to be the onely remedy against stiffe necked and stubborne persons that is you must be hampered by the lawes compelled eyther to obey whether ye will or no or els to suffer that which a rebell to the lawes ought to suffer Doe you not knowe that whosoeuer refuseth to obey the lawes of the realme he bewrayeth himselfe to be an enemye to hys countrey Do you not know that this is the redyest waye to stirre vp sedition and ciuill warre It is better that you should beare your owne sinne then that through the example of your breache of the common lawes the common quyet should be disturbed How can you say you will be the Queenes true subiect when as you do openly professe that you will not keepe her lawes O heauenly father the father of all wisedome vnderstanding and true strength I beseeche thee for thy onelye sonne our sauiour Christes sake looke mercifully vppon me wretched creature and send thine holy spirite into my brest that not onely I may vnderstand according to thy wisedome howe this pestilent and deadly darte is to bee borne of and with what aunswere it is to be beaten back but also when I must ioyne to fight in the field for the glory of thy name that then I being strengthned with the defense of the right hand may manfully stand in the confession of thy fayth and of thy truth and continue in the same vnto the end of my lyfe thorough the same our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen Now to the obiection I graunt it to bee reasonable that he whiche by wordes and gentlenes cannot be made yeld to that is right and good shoulde be brideled by the straite correction of the lawes that is to say he that wyll not be subiecte to Gods word must bee punished by the lawes It is true that is commonly sayd He that wil not obey the Gospell must be tamed and taught by the rigour of the law But these thinges ought to take place agaynst him whiche refuseth to doe that is right and iust according to true godlines not against him which cannot quietly beare superstitions but doth haâ—e and detest from his age such kinde of proceedinges and that for the glorye of the name of God To that whiche ye say a trangressour of the common lawes bewrayeth himselfe to be an enemye of his countrey surely a man ought to looke vnto the nature of the lawes what maner of lawes they be which are broken For a faythful Christian ought not to thinke alike of all maner of lawes But that saying ought onely truely to be vnderstanded of suche lawes as be not contrarye to Gods word Otherwise whosoeuer loue their countrey in truth that is to say in God they will alwayes iudge if at any time the lawes of God and man be then contrarye to the other that a man ought rather to obeye God then man And they that thinke otherwise and pretend a loue to their countrey forasmuche as they make their countrey to fight as it were agaynst God in whome consisteth the onely stay of that country surely I do thinke that such are to be iudged most deadly enemies and traytours to theyr countrey For they that fight agaynst God whiche is the safety of their countrey what doe they els but go about to bryng vpon theyr countrey a present ruine and destruction But they that doe so are worthy to be iudged enemyes to their countrey and betrayours of the Realme Therefore c. But this is the redyest way ye say to stir vp sedition to trouble the quiet of the common wealth therefore are these things to be repressed in tyme by force of lawes Beholde Sathan doth not cease to practise hys olde guiles and accustomed subâ—leties Hee hath euer thys darte in a redines to hurle agaynst hys aduersaryes to accuse them of sedition that he may bryng them if he can in danger of the higher powers For so hath hee by his ministers alwayes charged the Prophetes of God Achab sayde vnto Elias art thou he that troubleth Israell The false Prophetes also complayned to theyr Princes of Hieremy that hys wordes were seditious and not to be suffered did not the scribes and Pharisies falsely accuse Christ as a seditious person and one that spake agaynst Cesar Did they not at the last cry if thou let this man go you are not Cesars frend The Oratour Tertullus how doth he accuse Paule before Felix the high Deputie We haue found this man sayth he a pestilent fellow a stirrer of sedition vnto all the Iewes in the whole world c. But I praye you were these men as they were called seditious persons Christ Paule and the Prophetes God forbid But they were of false men falsely accused And wherefore I praye you but because they reproued before the people their giles superstition and deceites And when the other coulde not beare it and would gladly haue had them taken out of the way they accused him as seditious persons and troublers of the common wealthe that being by this meanes made hatefull to the people and Princes they might the more easely be snatched vpp to be tormented and put to deathe But howe farre they were from all sedition their whole doctrine lyfe and conuersation doth well declare For that which was obiected last of all that he cannot be a faythful subiect to hys prince which professeth openly that he will not obserue the lawes which the Princes hath made here I would wish that I might haue an indifferent Iudge one that feareth God to whose iudgement in this cause I promise I will stand I aunswere therefore a man ought to obey hys Prince but in the Lord and neuer agaynst the Lord. For he that knowingly obeyeth his Prince agaynst God doth not a duety to the Prince but is a deceauer of the Prince and an helper vnto him to worke his owne destruction Hee is also vniust whiche geueth not the prince that is the princes and to GOD that is GODS Here commeth to my remembraunce that notable saying of Ualentinianus the Emperoure for choosing the Bishop of Millayne Set him saith he in the Bishoppes seate to whome if we as man do offend at any tyme wee may submitte our selues Policarpus the most constaunt Martyr when he stoode before the chiefe Ruler and was commaunded to blaspheme Christ and to sweare by the fortune of Cesar. c. he aunswered with milde spirite wee are taught sayth he to geue honour vnto Princes and those powers which be of God but such honour as is not contrary to Gods religion Hither vnto ye see good father how I haue in words onely made as it were a florishe before the fight whiche I shortly looke after and how I haue begonne to prepare certayne kindes of weapons to fight agaynst the aduersary of Christ and to inuse with my selfe how the daâ—â—s of the olde enemy may bee borne of and after what sorte
I may smite him againe with the sword of the spirit I learn also hereby to be in vre with armour and to assaye howe I can go armed In Tindall where I was borne not far from the Scottish borders I haue knowne my countreymen to watch night and day in theyr harnes suche as they had that is in theyr Iackes theyr speares in their hands you call them northern gads specially when they had any priuy warning of the comming of the Scottes And so doing although at euery such bickerings some of them spent their liues yet by such meanes like prettye men they defended their countrey And those that so dyed I thynke that before God they dyed in a good quarrell and theyr ofspring and progeny all the countrey loued them the better for theyr fathers sake And in the quarrell of Christ our sauiour in the defense of his owne diuine ordinaunces by the which he geueth vnto vs lyfe and immortalitie yea in the quarrell of fayth and christian religion wherin resteth our euerlasting saluation shall wee not watche shall wee not go alwayes armed euer looking when our aduersary whiche like a roaring Lyon seeketh whome hee may deuour shall come vpon vs by reason of oure slouthfulnes yea and woe be vnto vs if he can oppresse vs vnawares whiche vndoubtedly hee will doe if he finde vs sleepyng Let vs awake therefore For if the good man of the house knew what houre the theefe would come he would surely watch not suffer his house to be brokeÌ„ vp Let vs awake therfore I say Let vs not suffer our house to be brokeÌ„ vp Resist the deuill sayth S. Iames he will flee froÌ„ you Let vs therefore resist him manfully and taking the crosse vpon our shoulders let vs followe our captayne Christ who by hys owne bloud hath dedicated and hallowed the way whiche leadeath vnto the father that is to the light which no man can attayne the fountayn of the euerlasting ioyes Let vs follow I say whether hee calleth allureth vs that after these afflictions which last but for a moment whereby he tryeth our fayth as gold by the fire we may euerlastingly raygne and triumph with him in the glory of the father and that through the same our Lord and sauior Iesus Christe to whome with the father and the holye Ghost be all honour and glory nowe and for euer Amen Amen Good father forasmuche as I haue determined wyth my selfe to poure forth these my cogitations into your bosome here me thinketh I see you sodainly lifting vp your head towardes heauen after youre maner and then looking vpon me with your propheticall countenaunce and speaking vnto me with these or like woordes Trust not my sonne I beseethe you vouchsafe me the honour of this name for in so doing I shall thinke my selfe both honoured and loued of you Trust not I say my sonne to these worde weapons for the kingdom of God is not in words but in power And remember alwayes the wordes of the Lord do not imagine afore hand what and how you wil speake For it shall be geuen you euen in that same houre what ye shall speake For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you I pray you therfore father pray for me that I may cast my whole care vppon him trust vpon him in all perils For I know and am surely perswaded that whatsoeuer I can imagine or think afore hand it is nothing except he assist me with his spirite when the tyme is I beseeche you therefore Father pray for me that such a complet harnes of the spirite such boldnes of minde may be geuen vnto me that I may out of a true faith say with Dauid I wil not trust in my bow and it is not my sword that shal saue me For he hath no plesure in the strength of an horse c. But the Lordes delight is in them that feare him and put theyr trust in his merâ—y I beseech you pray pray that I may enter this fight only in the name of God and that when all is past I being not ouercome through his gracious ayde may remayne and stand fast in him till that day of the Lord in that which to them that obtayne the victorye shall be geuen the liuely Manna to eate and a triumphant Crowne for euermore Now Father I pray you helpe me to buckle on thys geare a little better For ye know the deepenes of Sathan being an olde souldiar and you haue collored with him or now blessed be God that hath euer ayded you so well I suppose he may well hold you at the baye But truely hee will not be so willing I thinke to ioyne with you as with vs younglinges Syr I beseeche you let your seruaunt reade this my babling vnto you and now and then as it shal seeme vnto you best let your pen runne on my booke spare not to blotte my paper I geue you good leaue Syr I haue caused my man not onely to reade youre armour vnto me but also to write it out For it is not only no bare armure but also well buckled armure I see not how it coulde be better I thanke you euen from the bottome of my hart for it and my prayer shall you not lacke trusting that you doe the like for me For in deede there is the helpe c Many thinges make confusion in memory And if I were as well learned as sainct Paule I woulde not bestow much amongest them further then to gaul theÌ„ and spurgal too when and where as occasion were geuen and matter came to minde for the lawe shal be their shote anchor staye and refuge Therefore there is no remedye namely now wheÌ„ they haue the maister bowle in their hand and rule the roste but pacience Better it is to suffer what cruely they wil put vnto vs then to incurre Gods high indignation Wherefore good my Lord be of good cheare in the Lord with due consideration what hee requireth of you and what he doth promise you Our common enemy shall do no more then God will permit him God is faithfull which wil not suffer vs to be teÌ„pted aboue our streÌ„gth c. Be at a poynt what ye wil stand vnto sticke vnto that and let them both say and do what they list They can but kil the body whiche otherwise is of it selfe mortall Neyther yet shal they do that when they list but when God wil suffer them when the houre appoynted is come To vse many wordes with them it shal be but in vayne nowe that they haue a bloudy and deadly lawe prepared for theÌ„ But it is very requisite that ye geue a reasonable accompt of your fayth if they wil quietly heare you els ye knowe in a wicked place of iudgement a man may keepe silence after the example of Christ. Let them not deceiue you with
in trueth I meane Doctor Taylor not for my earthly countryes sake but for oure heauenlye fathers sake and for Christes sake whome I heard say he did so stoutly in tyme of perill confesse and yet also for our countryes sake and for all our mothers sake but I mean of the kingdome of heauen and of heauenly Hierusalem and because of the spirite whiche bringeth in hym in you and in your company such blessed fruites of boldnes in the Lords cause of pacience and constancie The Lord which hath begun this work in you all performe and perfite this his owne deede vntill his owne day come Amen As yet I perceaue yee haue bene not bayted and the cause therof God knoweth which wil let thē doe no more to his then is his pleased will and pleasure to suffer them to doe for his owne glory and to the profite of them which be truely his For the father whiche doth guide them that be Christes to Christ is more mighty then all they and no man is able to pul thē out of the fathers handes except I saye it please our father it please our mayster Christe to suffer them they shall not stirre one heare of your heades My brother P. the bearer hereof and mayster Hoopers letters woulde that we shoulde saye what we thinke good concerning your minde that is not for to answere except ye might haue somewhat indifferent Iudges We are as yee knowe separated and one of vs cannot in any thing consult with an other and much strayte watching of the Baliffes is about vs that there be no priuye conference amongest vs. And yet as wee heare the scholers beareth vs more heauily then the townesmen A wonderfull thing among so many neuer yet scholler offered to any of vs so farre as I know any maner of fauor eyther for or in Christes cause Nowe as concerning your demaund of our counsell for my part I do not mislike that which I perceiue ye are minded to do For I looke for none other but if ye aunswere afore the same Commissioners that we did ye shall be serued and handled as we were though ye were as wel learned as euer was either Peter or Paule And yet further I thinke that occasion afterward may be geuen you and the consideration of the profite of your auditory may perchaunce moue you to do otherwise Finally determinetely to say what shal be best I am not able but I trust he whose cause ye haue in hand shall put you in minde to do that which shal be most for his glory the profite of his flock and your owne saluation This letter must be common to you and Maister Hooper in whome and in his prison fellowe good father C. I blesse God euen from the bottome of my hart for I doubt not but they both doe to our maister Christ true acceptable and honourable seruice and profitable to his flocke the one with his penne and the other with his fatherly example of pacience and constancie and all manner of true godlinesse But what shall I neede to say to you Let thys be common among your brethrē among whom I dare say it is with you as it is with vs to whome all things heere are common meat mony and whatsoeuer one of vs hath that can or maye doe an other good Althoughe I sayde the Bailiffes and our Hostesse straitly watche vs that we haue no conference or intelligence of anye thinge abroade yet hath God prouided for euery one of vs in steade of our seruauntes faithfull fellowes whyche will be content to heare and see and to doe for vs what soeuer they can It is Gods worke surely blessed be God for his vnspeakable goodnesse The grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christe and the loue of God and the communication of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Amen As farre as London is from Oxforde yet thence wee haue receiued of late both meate money and shyrts not onely from suche as are of our acquaintaunce but of some whome thys bearer can tell with whome I hadde neuer to my knowledge any acquaintance I knowe for whose sake they doe it to him therfore be all honor glory and due thankes And yet I pray you do so much as to shewe them that we haue receiued theyr beneuolence and God be blessed haue plentie of al such things This I desire you to do for I know they be of M. Hoopers your familiar acquaintaunce Maister Latimer was crased but I heare nowe thankes be to God that he amendeth againe Nicholas Ridley An other Letter of Maister Ridley vnto Maister Bradford OH deare brother seeing the time is now come wherin it pleaseth the heauenly father for Christe our sauiour his sake to call vpon you and to bid you to come happie are you that euer you were borne thus to be found awake at the lords calling Euge serue bone fidelis quia super pauca fuisti fidelis super multa te constituet intrabis in gaudium Domini i. Wel good seruaunt and faithful because thou hast ben trusty in small matters he shall set thee ouer great things thou shalt enter into the ioye of thy Lorde O deare brother what meaneth thys that you are sent into your owne natiue countrey The wisedome and policie of the worlde may meane what they will but I trust God will so order the matter finally by his fatherly prouidence that some great occasion of Gods gracious goodnesse shal be plenteously powred abroad amongst his our deare brethren in that country by this your martyrdome where the Martyrs for Christes sake shed their bloud and lost their liues O what wonderous things hathe Christe afterward wrought to his glory and confirmation of their doctrine If it be not the place that sanctifieth the man but the holy man doth by Christe sanctifie the place Brother Bradford then happy and holy shal be that place wherein thou shalt suffer and shalt be with thy ashes in Christes cause sprinkled ouer withall All thy countrey may reioyce of thee that euer it brought foorth such a one which would render his life againe in his cause of whome he had receiued it Brother Bradford so long as I shall vnderstande thou art in thy iourney by Gods grace I shall call vppon our heauenly Father for Christes sake to sette thee safely home and then good brother speake you and praye for the remnant that are to suffer for Christes sake according to that thou then shalt know more clearely We do loke now euery day when we shal be called on blessed be God I weene I am the weakest many wayes of our companie and yet I thanke oure Lorde God and heauenly Father by Christ that since I heard of our deare brother Rogers departing and stout confession of Christe and his truth euen vnto the death my heart blessed be God reioyced of it that since that time I say I neuer fealt any lumpish heauinesse in my
heart as I graunt I haue fealt sometimes before O good brother blessed be God in thee and blessed be the time that euer I knewe thee Farewell farewell Your brother in Christ Nicholas Ridley Brother farewell To the brethren remaining in captiuitie of the flesh and dispearsed abroad in sundry prisones but knit together in vnity of spirit and holy Religion in the bowels of the Lorde Iesu. GRace peace mercye be multiplied among you What worthy thankes can we render vnto the Lorde for you my brethren namely for the great coÌ„solation which through you we haue receiued in the Lorde who notwithstanding the rage of Sathan that goeth about by all maner of subtill meanes to beguile the worlde and also buâ—lâ— laboreth to restore and set vp his kingdome againe that of late began to decay and fall to ruine ye remaine yet stil 〈◊〉 as men surely grounded vpon a strong rocke And nowe albeit that sathan by his souldiors and wicked ministers daily as we heare draweth numbers vnto hym so that it is sayd of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen whiles hee driueth into some men thâ— feare of death and losse of all their goods and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunt baites of the worlde namelye richesse wealth and all kinde of delightes and pleasures faire houses great reuenues â—at benefices and what not and all to the intent they should fall downe worship not the Lorde but the Dragon the olde Serpent whych is the deuil that great beast and his image and should be inâ—iced to commit fornication with the strompet of Babilon together wyth the kings of the earth wyth the lesser beast and with the false Prophetes and so to reioyce and be pleasant wyth her and to be drunken wyth the wine of her fornication yet blessed be God the Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe which hath geuen vnto you a manly courage and hath so strengthened you in the inwarde man by the power of his spirite that you can contemne as well all the terrours as also the vaine flatteringe allurementes of the worlde esteeming them as vanities mere trifles things of nought Who hath also wroughte planted and surely stablished in your hearts so stedfast a fayth and loue of the Lorde Iesus Christe ioyned with such constancie that by no engines of Antichriste be they neuer so terrible or plausible yee will suffer any other Iesus or any other Christ to be forced vpon you besides him whom the Prophetâ— haue spoken of before the Apostles haue preached the holy Martyrs of God haue coÌ„fessed and testified with the effusion of their bloud In thys Faith stand ye fast my brethren and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more For ye know brethren howe that our sauiour warned his beforehand that such shoulde come as would poynt vnto the world an other Christ and woulde set him out wyth so many fals myracles and with such deceiueable and subtill practises that euen the very electe if it were possible should be therby deceiued such strong delusion to come did our Sauiour geue warning of before But continue ye faithful and constant and be of good comfort remember that our graund captaine hath ouercome the world for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world and the Lorde promiseth vnto vs that for the elects sake the daies of wickednes shall be shortned In the meane season abide ye endure with patience as ye haue begun endure I say and reserue your selues vnto better times as one of the heathen Poetes said cease not to shew yourselues valiant Soldiours of the Lorde and helpe to maintaine the trauelling faith of the Gospell Yee haue neede of patience that after ye haue done the wil of God ye may receiue the promises For yet a very litle while and he that shall come will come and wil not tarie and the iust shall liue by faith but if anye withdrawe him selfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him sayth the Lorde But we are not they which doe withdrawe oure selues vnto damnation but beleeue vnto the saluation of the soule Let vs not suffer these woordes of Christ to fall out of our hearts by any manner of terrours or threatnings of the worlde Feare not them which kil the body the rest ye know For I wryte not vnto you as to menne which are ignoraunt of the truth but which know the truthe and to this ende onely that we agreeing together in one faith may take comfort one of an other and be the more confirmed and strengthened thereby We neuer had a better or more iust cause either to contemne our life or shed our bloud we can not take in hande the defence of a more certaine cleare and manifest truthe For it is not any ceremonie for the which we contend but it toucheth the very substance of our whole Religion yea euen Christ him selfe Shall we either can we receiue and acknowledge any other Christe in steade of hym who is alone the euerlasting sonne of the euerlasting Father and is the brightnesse of the glory and liuely image of the substaunce of the Father in whome onely dwelleth corporally the fulnesse of the Godhead who is the onely waye the truth and the life Let such wickednesse my brethren lette such horrible wickednesse be farre from vs. For althoughe there be that are called Gods whether in heauen either in earth as there be many Gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whome are al things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and wee by him but euery man hath not knowledge This is life eternal sayth S. Iohn that they know thee to be the onely true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ. If any therfore would force vpon vs any other GOD besides him whom Paule and the Apostles haue taughte let vs not heare him but let vs flee froÌ„ him and hold him accursed Brethren ye are not ignorant of the deepe and profouÌ„d subtleties of Satan for he will not cease to raunge about you seking by all meanes possible whom he may deuour but play ye the men and be of good comfort in the Lorde And albeit your enemies and the aduersaries of the truth armed with all worldly force and power that may be doe set vppon you yet be not ye faynt harted nor shrinke not therfore but trust vnto your Captayne Christ trust vnto the spirit of truth trust to the truth of your cause which as it may by the malice of satan be darckened so can it neuer be cleane put out For we haue high prayse be geuen to God therfore most playnely euidently and clearely on our side all the Prophets all the Apostles and vndoubtedly all the auncient Ecclesiastical writers which haue writtan vntill
of late yeares past Let vs bee hartye and of good courage therefore and throughlye comforte our selues in the Lorde Bee in no wise afrayd of your aduersaries for that which is to them an occasion of perdition is to you a sure token of saluatiō and that of GOD. For vnto you it is geuen that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on hym but also suffer for hys sake And when ye are rayled vppon for the name of Christe remember that by the voyce of Peter yea and of Christe our Sauiour also ye are counted with the Prophetes with the Apostles and with the holy Martyrs of Christ happy and blessed therefore for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you On their part our Sauiour Christe is euill spoken of but on your part he is gloryfied For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you and working al crueltie villanie agaynst you but make your crownes more glorious yea beautifie multiply the same heape vpon them selues the horrible plagues and heauy wrath of God and therfore good brethrē though they rage neuer so fiercely against vs yet let vs not wish euill vnto thē againe knowing that whiles for Christes cause they vexe and persecute vs they are lyke mad men most outragious and cruell agaynst them selues heaping hot burning coles vpon their owne heades but rather let vs wish well vnto thē knowing that we are thereunto called in Christe Iesu that we should be heyres of the blessing Let vs pray therefore vnto God that he would driue out of their harts this darkenes of errours make the light of his truth to shine vnto thē that they acknowledging their blindnes may with al humble repentance be conuerted vnto the Lord together with vs confesse hym to be the onely true God which is the father of light his onely sonne Iesus Christ worshipping him in spirit and veritie Amen The spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ comfort your hartes in the loue of God and pacience of Christ. Amen Your brother in the Lord whose name this bearer shall signifie vnto you ready alwayes by the grace of God to liue and die with you ¶ To the breathren which constantly cleaue vnto Christ in suffering affliction with him and for his sake GRace and peace from God the father and frō our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied vnto you Amen Although brethren we haue of late heard nothing from you neither haue at this present any newes to send you yet we thought good somthing to write vnto you wherby ye might vnderstand that we haue good remembraunce of you continually as we doubt not but ye haue of vs also When this messenger comming vnto vs from you of late had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancie fortitude and patience in the Lord we were filled with much ioy gladnes geuing thankes to God the father through our Lord Iesus Christe which hath caused his face so to shine vpon you and with the light of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lightened your hartes that now being in captiuitie bandes for Christes cause ye haue not ceased as much as in you lyeth by wordes but much more by deede and by your example to stablysh and confirme that thing which when ye were at libertie in the world ye laboured to publish and set abrode by the word and doctrine that is to say holding fast the worde of life ye shine as lightes in the worlde in the middest of a wicked and crooked nation and that with so much the greater glory of our Lord Iesus Christe and profite of your brethren by how muche Satan more cruelly now rageth and busily laboureth to darken the light of the Gospel And as for the darkenes that Satan nowe bringeth vpon the Church of England who needeth to doubt therof Of late tyme our Sauiour Christe his Apostles Prophetes and Teachers spake in the Temple to the people of England in the Englishe tongue so that they might be vnderstanded playnly and without any hardnesse of the godly and such as sought for heauenly knowledge in matters whiche of necessitie of saluation perteyned to the obteyning of eternall life but now those thinges which once were written of them for the edifiyng of the congregation are read in a strange tongue without interpretatiō manifestly agaynst saint Paules commaundement so that there is no man able to vnderstand them which hath not learned that strange and vnknowen tongue Of late dayes those heauenly mysteries whereby Christe hath ingrafted vs into his body and hath vnited vs one to another whereby also being regenerate borne anew vnto God he hath nourished encreased and strengthened vs whereby moreouer eyther he hath taught and set foorth an order amongest them which are whole or els to the sicke in soule or body hath geuen as it were wholesome medicines and remedies those I say were al plainlye set foorth to the people in their owne language so that what great and exceeding good things euery man had receiued of God what duetie euery one owed to an other by Gods ordinaunce what euery one had professed in his vocation and was bound to obserue where remedy was to be had for the wicked and feeble he to whom God had geuen a desire and willing hart to vnderstand those thinges might soone perceiue and vnderstand But now all these thinges are taught set forth in such sort that the people redeemed with Christes bloud and for whose sakes they were by Christe himselfe ordeined can haue no maner of vnderstanding thereof at all Of late for as much as we knowe not how to pray as we ought our Lorde Iesus Christe in his Prayer wherof he would haue no man ignoraūt and also the holy Ghost in the Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes which are set foorth in the Bible did teache and instructe all the people of Englande in the Englyshe tongue that they might aske such thinges as are according to the will of the Father and might ioyne their hartes and lyppes in prayer together but nowe all these thynges are commaunded to be hid and shutte vp from them in a straunge tongue whereby it must needes followe that the people neyther can tell how to pray nor what to pray for and how can they ioyne their hartes and voyce together whē they vnderstande no more what the voyce signifieth than a bruite beast Finally I heare say that the Catechisme whiche was lately set foorth in the Englyshe tongue is now in euery Pulpite condemned O deuilishe malice and most spitefully iniurious to the saluation of mankinde purchased by Iesus Christe In deede Satan coulde not long suffer that so great light should be spread abrode in the world he sawe well enough that nothing was able to ouerthrow his kingdome so much as if childrē being godly instructed in Religion should learne to knowe Christe whilest they are yet young whereby not onely chyldren but the elder sort also
custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est oiÌ„bus â—xori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quem cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi nonnihil posse intelligere quam graue malum intolerabile iugum sit cum mala muliere in coniugio collâ—cari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia á magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis mandatum idque illi si quando de mea nimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo saepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studiorum statutorum reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae delete omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati Euangelij fauebant vel qui coniugati erant loco motiâ— sunt alij Papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baal factum esse audio Nec mirum nam illud passim factum est in vniuerso regno Angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis Prebendarijs Sacerdotibus Ecclesiarum in toto clâ—â—o and to tell you muche naughty matter in fewe woordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno suo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be mercyfull and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkyndnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the gyftes of his manifolde graces and fauoure alas we did not serue him nor render vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors manye of vs were to colde and bare to much alas with the wicked worlde our Magistrates did abuse to their owne worldly gayne both Gods Gospell and the ministers of the same The people in many places was wayward and vnkynde Thus of euery side and of euery sorte we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrath to fall vppon vs but blessed myght he be that hath not suffered his to continue in those wayes which so wholly haue displeased his secrete Maiestie but hath awaked them by the fatherly correction of his owne sonnes crosse vnto his glorie and our endlesse saluation through Iesus Christe our Lorde My dayly prayer is as God doth know and by gods grace shall be so long as I lyue in this worlde for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your owne Counâ—â—y because you will rather forsake all worldly thynges 〈◊〉 the truth of Gods worde It is euen the same that I 〈◊〉 to make to GOD for all those Churches abroad through the worlde which haue forsaken the kyngdome of Antichrist and professed openly the puritie of the Gospell of Iesus Christ that is that God our eternall father for our Sauiour Christes sake will dayly encrease in you the gracious gifte of his heauenly spirite to the true settyng forth of his glory and of his Gospell and make you to agree brotherly in the truth of the same that there arise no rote of bitternesse among you that may infect that good seede which God hath sowen in your hartes already and finally that your lyfe may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of Gods worde and according to that vocation whereunto we are called by the Gospell of Christ our Sauiour that the honesty and purity of the same may prouoke all that shall see or knowe it to the loue of your doctrine and to loue you for your honesty and vertues sake and so both in brotherly vnity of your true doctrine and also in the Godly vertue of your honest lyfe to glorifie our father which is in heauen Ex nostratibus magni aliquot magistratus Cancellarius Wint. Comes Arundellus Dominus Pachetus iam legatione funguntur vna cum Cardinali Polo in partibus transmarinis ad componendam vt aiunt pacem inter imperatorem regem nostrum Francorum regem Post illorum magistratuum nostrorum reditum partum reginae quem iam quotidie expectamus iam aliquandiu expectauimus quemque Deus pro sui nominis gloria dignetur bene illi fortunare nos tunc statim nihil aliud quam nostrae confessionis de hoste nostro antiquo triúmphales in domino coronas expectamus Omnium vestrûm precibus me humillime ex toto corde commendo In primis tuis o chariss in Christo frater delectiss Grindalle chariss fratrum vnicè mihi in domino delectorum Checi Coxi Turneri Leueri Sampsonis Chamberi omnium fratrum nostrorum conterraneorum qui apud vos degunt deligunt dominum nostrum Iesum Christum in veritate Commendo etiam vobis reuerendiss patres concaptiuos meos in domino Thomam Cranmerum iam veri magni pastoris Archipresulis nomine digniss veteranum illum Christi nostrae gentis Anglicanae verum Apostolum Hugonem Latimerum Condona mihi frater harum prolixitatem non enim post hac credo charissime frater meis literis iam amplius aliquando turbaberis Oxonij N. R. ¶ To Augustine Bernher BRother Augustine I blesse God with all my hart in his maninifolde mercifull gyftes geuen vnto our deare breathren in Christ especially to our brother Rogers whom it pleased to set forth fyrst no doubt but of his gracious goodnes and fatherly fauour towardes hym And likewyse blessed be God in the rest as Hoper Saunders and Taylour whom it hath pleased the Lord likewyse to set in the forefront of the battayle agaynst his aduersaries and hath endued them all so farre as I can heare to stand in the confession of his truth and to be content in his cause and for his Gospels sake to lose their lyfe And euermore and without ende blessed be euen the same our heauenly father for our deare and entirely beloued brother Bradford whom nowe the Lorde I perceiue calleth for for I weene he will no longer vouchsafe him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this worlde I do not doubt but that he for those giftes of grace whiche the Lorde hath bestowed on hym plenteously hath holpen those which are gon before in their iourney that is hath animated and encouraged them to keepe the hygh way sic currere vti tandem acciperent praemium The Lord be his comfort whereof I do not doubt and I thanke God hartely that euer I was acquainted with him and that euer I had such a one in my house And yet agayne I blesse GOD in our deare brother and of this tyme Protomartyr Rogers that he was also one of my calling to be a Prebendary Preacher of London And now because Grindall is gone the Lorde I doubt not hath and knoweth wherein
he will bestow him I trust to God it shall please him of his goodnes to strengthen me to make vp the trinitie out of Paules Churche to suffer for Christe whom God the father hath annoynted the holy spirite doth beare witnes vnto Paule all the Apostles preached Thus fare you well I had no paper I was constrayned thus to write Besydes these letters of Byshop Ridley diuers other tractations also were written by hym partly out of prison partly in prison as namely amongest certaine other there remayneth in my handes certayne notes answearing to the two notable Sermons of D. Watson Bishop of Lincolne c. ¶ Here beginneth the lyfe actes and doynges of maister Hugh Latimer the famous Preacher and worthy Martyr of Christ and his Gospel NOw consequently after the lyfe of B. Ridley with other his letters whiche partly we haue expressed partly we haue differred to our later appendix followeth lykewyse the lyfe and doynges of the worthy champion and olde practised souldiour of Christe M. Hugh Latimer of whose actes and long trauayles euen from his fyrst yeares and tender age to beginne here to entreate fyrst he was the son of one Hugh Latimer of Thirkesson in the Countie of Leicester a housebandman of right good estimation with whom also he was brought vp vntyll he was of the age of fower yeares or thereabout At which tyme his Parentes hauyng hym as then left for their onely sonne with sixe other daughters seeyng his ready prompte and sharpe witte purposed to trayne him vp in erudition and knowledge of good literature wherein he so profited in his youth at the common Scholes of his owne countrey that at the age of xiiij yeares he was sent to the Uniuersitie of Cambridge Where after some continuaunce of exercises in other thynges he gaue hym selfe to the studie of such schole Diuinitie as the ignoraunce of that age did suffer Zelous he was then in the Popyshe Religion and therewith so scrupulous as hym selfe confessed that beyng a Priest and vsyng to say Masse he was so seruile an obseruer of the Romishe Decrees that he had thought he had neuer sufficiently mingled his Massing wine with water and moreouer that he shoulde neuer be damned if he were once a professed Frier with diuers suche superstitious fantasies And in this blinde zeale he was a very enemie to the professours of Christes Gospell as both his Oration made when he proceeded Bachlour of Diuinitie agaynst Philip Melancthon and also his other workes did playnely declare But especially his Popyshe zeale coulde in no case abyde in those dayes good Maister Stafford reader of the Diuinitie Lectures in Cambridge moste spitefully raylyng agaynst hym and willyng the youth of Cambridge in no wyse to beleeue hym Notwithstandyng suche was the goodnesse and mercifull purpose of God that when he saw his good tyme by the whiche waye hee thought to haue vtterly defaced the professours of the Gospell and true Church of Christ he was at lengthe hym selfe by a member of the same pretily caught in the blessed nette of Gods woorde For M. Thomas Bilney whose storye is before described beyng at that tyme a tryer out of Sathans subtilties and a secrete ouerthrower of Antichristes kyngdome seeyng M. Latimer to haue a zeale in his waies although without knowledge was striken with a brotherly pittie towardes hym bethought by what meanes he might best winne this zelous ignoraunt brother to the true knowledge of Christe Wherefore after a shorte tyme he came to M. Latimers study and desired him to here him make his confession Which thing he willingly graunted by hearyng whereof he was through the good spirte of God so touched that hereuppon he forsooke his former studying of the schole Doctors and other suche fopperies and became a earnest student of true Diuinitie as he hym selfe aswell in his conference with M. Ridley as also in his fyrst sermon made vpon the Pater noster doth confesse So that whereas before he was an enemy and almost a persecutor of Christe he was now a zelous seeker after hâ—m chaunging his old maner of cauilling and rayling into a diligent kind of conferring both with M. Bilney and others came also to M. Stafford before he dyed and desired him to forgeue him After this his winning to Christ he was not satisfied with his owne conuersion onely but like a true Disciple of the blessed Samaritane pitied the misery of others and therefore became both a publike Preacher and also a priuate Instructer to the rest of his brethren within the Uniuersitie by the space of 3. yeres spending his tyme partly in the Latin tongue among the learned partly amongst the simple people in his naturall and vulgar language Howbeit as Satan neuer slepeth when he seeth his kingdome to begin to decay so likewyse now seeyng that this worthy member of Christ would be a shreud shaker therof he raued vp his impious impes to molest trouble him Amongest these there was an Augustine Frier who tooke occasion vpon certaine Sermons that M. Latimer made about Christenmas 152â— aswell in the church of S. Edward as also in S. Augustins within the Uniuersitie in Cambridge to inuey against him for that M. Latimer in the sayde Sermons alludyng to the common vsage of the season gaue the people certaine cardes out of the 5.6.7 Chapiters of S. Matthewe whereupon they might not onely then but alwayes els occupy their tyme. For the chiefe triumph in the cardes he limitted the Hart as the principall thing that they shoulde serue God with all wherby he quite ouerthrew all hypocriticall and externall ceremonies not tending to the necessarie furtheraunce of Gods holy word and Sacramentes For the better atteyneng hereof he wished the Scriptures to be in Englysh wherby the common people might the better learne their dueties aswell to God as their neighbours The handling of this matter was so apt for the tyme and so pleasantly applyed of him that not only it declared a singuler towardnesse of witte in the Preacher but also wrought in the hearers much fruite to the ouerthrowe of Popish superstition and setting vp of perfect Religion This was vpon the Sundaye before Christenmas day on which day commyng to the Church and causyng the Bell to be tolled to a Sermon he entered into the Pulpit takyng for his text the wordes of the Gospell aforesayd red in the Church that day Tu quis es c. In deliueryng the whiche cardes as is abouesayd he made the Harte to be triumph exhortyng and inuityng all men thereby to serue the Lord with inwarde hart and true affection and not with outward ceremonies adding moreouer to the prayse of that triumph that though it were neuer so small yet it woulde make vp the best cote carde beside in the bunch yea though it were the kyng of Clubs c. meanyng thereby how the Lorde would be worshipped and serued in simplicitie
of the harte and veritie wherein consisteth true Christian Religion and not in the outward deedes of the letter onely or in the glisteryng shewe of mans traditions or pardons pilgrimages ceremonies vowes deuotions voluntarie workes and workes of supererogation foundations oblations the Popes supremacie c. so that all these either were nedeles where the other is present or els were of small estimation in comparison of the other The tenour and effect of these his Sermons so far as they could come to our handes here foloweth ¶ The tenoure and effecte of certayne Sermons made by mayster Latimer in Cambridge about the yeare of our Lord. 1529. TV quis es which wordes are as much to say in Englyshe Who art thou These be the wordes of the Phariseis which were sent by the Iewes vnto sainct Iohn Baptist in wildernesse to haue knowledge of hym whom he was which woordes they spake vnto hym of an euill intent thinkyng that he would haue taken on hym to be Christe and so they woulde haue had him done with their good willes because they knewe that he was more carnall and geuen to their lawes then Christ in deede should be as they perceyued by their old prophecies and also because they maruayled muche of his great doctryne preachyng and baptising they were in doubt whether he was Christ or not wherefore they sayd vnto him who art thou Then answered sainct Iohn and confessed that he was not Christ. Now here is to be noted the great and prudent answere of saincte Iohn Baptist vnto the Phariseis that when they required of him whom he was he would not directly answere of himselfe what he was him selfe but he sayd he was not Christ by the which saying he thought to put the Iewes and Phariseis out of their false opinion beliefe towardes him in that they would haue had him to exercise the office of Christ and â—o declared farther vnto them of Christ saying he is in the middes of you and amongst you whoÌ„ ye know not whose â—atchet of his shoe I am not worthy to vnlose or vndoe By this you may perceiue that saint Iohn spake much in the lande and prayse of Christ his maister professing himselfe to be in no wise like vnto him So likewise it shal be necessary vnto all men women of this world not to ascribe vnto them selues any goodnes of themselues but all vnto our Lorde God as shall appeare herafter when this question aforesayd Who art thou shall be moued vnto theÌ„ not as the Phariseis did vnto saint Iohn of an euill purpose but of a good and simple minde as may appeare hereafter Now then according to the preachers mynd let euery man and woman of a good simple mind contrary to the Phariseis intent aske this question Who art thou this question must be moued to themselues what they be of themselues on this fashion What art thou of thy only and natural generatioÌ„ betwene father mother wheÌ„ thou camest into this world What substaÌ„ce what vertue what goodnes art thou of by thy selfe which question if thou reherâ—e often times vnto thy selfe thou shalt well perceiue vnderstand how thou shalt make aunswer vnto it which must be made on this wayes I am of my selfe and by my selfe coÌ„ming from my naturall father mother the childe of the ire indignation of God the true inheritour of hel a lumpe of sinne working nothing of my selfe but all towardes hell except I haue better helpe of an other then I haue of my selfe Now we may see in what state we enter in to this world that we be of our selues the true and iust inheritours of hell the children of the ire indignation of Christ working all towardes hell whereby we deserue of our selues perpetuall dampnation by the ryght iudgement of God and the true clayme of our selues which vnthrifty state that we be borne vnto is come vnto vs for our own desertes and proueth well this example followyng Let it be admitted for the probatioÌ„ of this that it might please the kynges grace now being to accept into his fauour a meane man of a simple degre and byrth not borne to any possession whom the kynges grace fauoureth not because this person hath of himselfe deserued any such fauoure but that the kyng casteth this fauoure vnto him of his owne mere motion fantasy and for because the kings grace will more declare his fauoure vnto him he geueth vnto his sayd man a thousand poundes in landes to hym and his heyres on this condition that he shall take vpon him to be the chiefe captayne and defendour of his towne of Calice and to be trew and faythfull vnto hym in the custodie of the same agaynst the Frenche men specially aboue all other enemies This man taketh on hym this charge promysing his fidelitie thereunto It chaunceth in processe of tyme that by the singuler acquaintaunce and frequent familiaritie of this Captaine with the French men these French men geue vnto this sayde Captayne of Calice a great summe of money so that he will be content and agreeable that they may enter into the sayde towne of Calice by force of armes and so thereby to possesse the same vnto the Crowne of Fraunce vpon this agreement the French men doe inuade the sayde Towne of Calice alonely by the neglygence of this Captayne Now the Kynges grace hearyng of this inuasion commeth with a great puissaunce to defende this his sayd Towne and so by good pollicie of warre ouercommeth the sayd French men and entreth againe into his Towne of Calice Then he beyng desyrous to knowe how these enemies of his came thyther he maketh profound searche and enquirie by whom this treason was conspyred by this searche it was knowen and founde his owne Captayne to be the very authoure and beginner of the betraying of it The King seeing the great infidelitie of this person dischargeth this man of his office and taketh from him and his heyres this thousande poundes possessions Thinke you not but the Kyng doth vse iustice vnto him and all his posteritie and heyres Yes truely the sayde Capitayne cannot deny hymselfe but that he hadde true iustice consyderyng howe vnfaythfully he behaued hym to his Prince contrary to his own fidelitie and promyse so likewyse it was of our fyrst Father Adam He had geuen vnto him the spirite of science knowledge to worke all goodnesse therewith this sayd spirite was not geuen alonely vnto him but vnto all his heyres and posteritie He had also deliuered him the Towne of Calice that is to say Paradise in earth the most strong and fayrest Towne in the worlde to be in his custodie He neuerthelesse by the instigation of these Frenche menne that is to say the temptation of the Feende dyd obey vnto their desire and so brake his promise and fidelitie the commaundemeÌ„t of the euerlasting kyng his maister in eatyng of the apple by hym inhibited Now then the kyng seyng this great treason in
haue robbed and spoyled all this heauenly treasure away I may well complayne on these thyngs and cry out vpon them with the Prophet saying Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam c. Psal. 72. O Lord God the Gentiles Heathen nations are come into thy heritage They haue defiled thy holy Temple and made Ierusalem an heape of stones that is They haue broken beaten down to the ground thy holy Citie This Heathenish generatiō these thieues of Samaria these Sabei and Chaldei these robbers haue rushed out of their dennes and haue robbed the Church of England of all the foresayd holy treasure of God they haue caried it away and ouerthrown it and in stead of Gods holy worde the true and right administration of Christes holy Sacramentes as of Baptisme and others they mixte theyr ministerie with mens foolish fantasies and many wicked and vngodly traditions withall In stead of the Lordes holy Table they geue the people with much solemne disguising a thyng which they cal their Masse but in deed and in truth it is a very masking and mockerie of the true Supper of the Lord or rather I may call it a crafty iuglyng whereby these false theeues iuglers haue bewitched the myndes of the simple people that they haue broght them from the true worship of god vnto pernicious idolatry and make them to beleeue that to be Christ our Lord and Sauiour which in deed is neither God nor man nor hath any lyfe in it selfe but in substance is the creature of bread and wyne and in vse of the Lordes Table is the Sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud and for this holy vse for the whiche the Lord hath ordained them in hys table to represent vnto vs his blessed body torne vpon the crosse for vs and his bloude there shed it pleased him to call them his body bloud whiche vnderstanding Christ declareth to be his true meanyng when he sayth Do this in the remembraunce of me And agayne Saint Paule likewyse doth set out the same more plainly speaking of the same Sacrament after the words of the consecration saieng As often as ye shall eat of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall set forth he meaneth with the same the Lordes death vntill his commyng agayne And here agayne these thieues haue robbed also the people of the Lordes cup contrary to the plaine words of Christ written in his Gospell Nowe for the common publike prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue these theeues haue brought in agayne a strange tongue whereof the people vnderstande not one worde Wherein what doe they els but robbe the people of their Diuine seruice wherein they ought to pray together with the minister and to pray in a strange tong what is it but as Saint Paule calleth it barbarousnesse childishnes vnprofitable folly yea and plaine madnesse For the godly Articles of vnitie in religion for the wholesome Homelies what doe these Thieues place in the stead of them but the Popes Lawes and Decrees lying Legends fayned fables and miracles to delude and abuse the simplicitie of the rude people Thus this robbery and theft is not onely committed nay sacriledge and wicked spoyle of heauenly thyngs but also in the stead of the same is brought in and placed the abhominable desolation of the tyrant Antiochus of proud Senacherib of the shamelesse faced kyng and of the Babilonicall beast Unto this robbery this theft and sacrilege for that I cannot cōsent nor God willyng neuer shall so long as the breath is in my body because it is blasphemy agaynst God hygh treason vnto Christ our heauenly kyng Lord Maister our onely Sauiour and redeemer it is playne contrary to Gods word and to Christes Gospell it is the subuersion of all true godlinesse and agaynst the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule and of all my brethren and sisters whom Christ my Sauiour hath so dearely bought wyth no lesse price then with the effusion and shedyng foorth of hys most precious bloud Therfore all ye my true louers in God my kinsfolke and countreymen for this cause I say knowe ye that I am put to death which by Gods grace I shall willingly take with hearty thankes to God therefore in certayne hope without any doubtyng to receyue at Gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace euerlastyng lyfe Although the cause of the true man slayne of the thiefe helpyng hys neighbour to recouer hys goods agayne and the cause wherfore I am to be put to death in a generality is both one as I sayd before yet know ye that there is no small difference These thieues agaynst whom I do stand are much worse then the robbers and thieues of the borders The goodes which they steale are much more precious and their kynds of fight are far diuers These thieues are worse I say for they are more cruell more wycked more false more deceitfull and crafty for those wyll but kill the body but these will not sticke to kill both body and soule Those for the generall theft and robbery be called are in deed theeues and robbers but these for their spirituall kynd of robbery are called Sacrilegi as ye would say Church robbers They are more wicked for those goe about to spoyle men of worldly thynges worldly riches gold and siluer worldly substance these go about in the wayes of the deuill their ghostly father to steale from the vniuersall Church and perticularly from euery man all heauenly treasure true faith true charity hope of saluation in the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ yea to spoil vs of our sauior Iesus Christ of his gospel of his heauēly spirit of the heauenly heritage of the kingdom of heauē so derely purchased vnto vs with the death of our maister and Sauiour Christ. These be the goodes and godly substance whereupon the christian before God must liue and without the which he cannot lyue These goods I saye these theeues these Church robbers go about to spoile vs of The which goods as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldly treasure so to withstand euen vnto the death such theeues as go about to spoyle both vs the whole Church of such goods is most high and honourable seruice done vnto God These church robbers be also much more false crafty and deceitfull then the theeues vpon the borders for these haue not the craft so to commend their theft that they dare auouch it and therefore as acknowledging themselues to be euill they steale commonly vpon the nyght they dare not appeare at iudgements and Sessions where Iustice is executed and when they are taken and brought thether they neuer hang any man but they bee oft tymes hanged for theyr faults But these Church robbers can so cloke colour their spiritual robbery that they can make the people to beleeue falshood to be truth and truth falshood good
to be euill and euill good lyght to be darknesse and darknesse lyght superstition to be true religion and Idolatry to be the true worship of God and that which is in substance the creature of bread and wyne to bee none other substaunce but onelye the substaunce of Christ the liuyng Lord both God and man And with this their falshoode craft they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstanding of the simple that they dare auouch it openly in Courte and in Towne and feare neyther hangyng nor headyng as the poore theeues of the borders doe but stout and strong lyke Nembroth dare condemne to bee burned in flamyng fire quicke and alyue whosoeuer wil go about to bewray their falshood The kynd of fight against these Churchrobbers is also of another sort and kynd then is that which is agaynst the theeues of the borders For there the true men go forth agaynst them with speare and launce with bow and hyll and all such kynd of bodily weapons as the true mē haue but here as the enemies be of another nature so the watch men of Christes flocke the warrioures that fight in the Lordes warre must be armed fight with another kynd of weapons and armour For here the enemies of GOD the souldiours of Antichrist although the battaile is set foorth agaynst the Church by mortall men beyng flesh and bloud and neuerthelesse members of their father the deuill yet for that their graund maister is the power of darknesse their members are spirituall wickednes wicked spirites spirits of errors of heresies of all deceit and vngodlinesse spirits of Idolatry superstition hypocrisy which are called of S. Paule Principates and powers Lordes of the world rulers of the darkenes of this world spirituall subtleties concernyng heauenly thyngs and therfore our weapons must be fitte and meete to fight agaynst such not carnall nor bodily weapons as speare launce but spirituall and heauenly we must fight agaynst suche with the armour of God not entendyng to kill their bodies but their erroures their false craft and heresies their idolatry superstition and hypocrisie and to saue as much as lyeth in vs both their bodies and soules And therfore as s. Paul teacheth vs we fight not against flesh and bloud that is we fight not with bodily weapon to kil the man but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errors vice to saue both body and soule Our weapons therfore are faith hope charitie righteousnes truth patience prayer vnto God our sword wherwith we smite our enemies we beat and batter and beare downe all falshood is the worde of God With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fight euer hauing our eye vpon our graund maister Duke and captaine Christ then we reckon our selues to triumphe to win the crowne of euerlasting blisse when enduryng in this battail without any shrinking or yeldyng to the enemies after the example of our graund capitaine Christ our maister after the example of his holy prophets Apostles Martyrs when I say we are slaine in our mortal bodies of our enemies are most cruelly without all mercy murdered down like a many of sheepe And the more cruell the more painful the more vile spiteful is the kind of the death whereunto we bee put the more glorious in God the more blessed and happy we reckon without all doubts our martyrdome to be And thus much dere louers friends in God my coūtreyman kinsfolke I haue spoken for your comfort lest of my death of whose life you looked peraduenture sometymes to haue had honestie pleasures commodities ye might be abashed or thinke any euill wheras ye haue rather cause to reioyce if ye loue me in deed for that it hath pleased God to cal me to a greater honor and dignitie thē euer I did enioy before eyther in Rochester or in the sea of London or euer should haue had in the Sea of Durham whereunto I was last of all elected named yea I count it greater honour before God in deede to dye in hys cause whereof I nothing doubt then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honor that can be geuen to a man in this world And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Gods to be Christes quarel of his Gospell to be the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God of all the inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen who is he I say that knoweth this assuredly by Gods worde and the testimony of hys owne conscience as I thorough the infinite goodnesse of GOD not of my selfe but by his grace acknowledge my selfe to doe who is hee I saye that knoweth this and both loueth and feareth GOD in deed and in truth loueth and beleeueth his maister Christ and his blessed Gospel loueth his brotherhoode the chosen children of God and also lusteth and longeth for euerlasting lyfe who is he I say agayne that would not or can not finde in his hart in this cause to be content to die The Lord forbidde that any such should bee that should forsake this grace of God I trust in my Lord God the GOD of mercies the Father of all comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord that he which hath put this mynd will affection by his holy spirit in my hart to stand against the face of the enemy in his cause and to chuse rather the losse of al my worldly substance yea and of my lyfe too then to deny his known truth that he will comfort me ayde mee and strengthen me euermore euen vnto the end and to the yeldyng vp of my spirit soule into hys holy hands whereof I most hartily beseech his most holy sacred Maiestie of his infinite goodnes and mercy through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Now that I haue taken my leaue of my countriemen and kinsfolke and the Lord doth lend me lyfe and geueth me laisure I will bid my other good friends in God of other places also farewell And whom first or before other then the Uniuersitie of Cambridge wheras I haue dwelt longer found more faithfull and hartie friendes receyued more benefits the benefits of my naturall parents onely excepted then euer I did euen in myne own natiue countrey wherein I was borne Farewel therfore Cambridge my louyng mother and tender nurse If I should not acknowled thy manifold benefits yea if I should not for thy benefits at the least loue thee agayne truly I were to be counted to vngrate vnkynde What benefites hadst thou euer that thou vsest to geue bestow vppon thy best beloued children that thou thoughtest too good for me Thou didst bestowe on mee all thy schoole degrees of thy common offices the Chaplaynship of the vniuersitie the office of the Proctorship of a common Reader of thy priuate commodities emoluments in colledges what was it that
proued London What say you then to the second scripture howe couple you that by the word to the other Phil. The text it selfe declareth that notwithstanding Chryst did abase himself in our humayne nature yet he is stil one in Deitie with the Father And this S. Paule to the Hebrues doth more at large set foorth And as I haue by the scriptures ioyned these two scriptures together so am I able to do in all other Articles of fayth which we ought to beleue and by the manifest word of God to expound them London How can that be seing saynct Paule sayth that the letter killeth but it is the spirite that geueth life Philpot. S. Paul meaneth not the worde of God written in it selfe killeth which is the word of life and the faythfull testimonie of the Lord but that the worde is vnprofitable and killeth him that is void of the spirite of God although he be the wisest man of the world and therfore S. Paule sayd That the Gospell to some was a sauour of life vnto lyfe and to some other a sauour of death vnto death Also an example hereof we haue in the vi of Iohn of them who hearing the worde of God without the spirite were offended thereby wherefore Christ sayd The flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirite that quickeneth London What do you vnderstand that of S. Paule and of S. Iohn so Philpot. It is not mine owne interpretation it is agreable to the word in other places and I haue learned the same of auncient fathers interpreting it likewise And to the Corinthians as it is written Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei spiritualis dijudicat omnia The natural man perceiueth not the thinges that bee of the spirite of God but the spirituall man whiche is indued with the spirite iudgeth all thinges London You see my Lordes that this man will haue but hys owne minde and will wilfully cast away himselfe I am sory for him Phil. The words that I haue spoken be none of mine but of the Gospell wheron I ought to stand And if you my lord of London can bring better authoritie for the faythe you would draw me vnto then that which I stand vpoÌ„ I wil gladly heare the same by you or by any other in this realm Wherfore I kneeling down besought the Lords to be good vnto me a poore Gentleman that would fayne lyue in the world if I might and to testifie as you haue heard me to say this day that if any man can approue that I ought to be of any other maner of faith then that of which I now am and can proue the same sufficiently I will be neyther wilâ—ull neither desperate as my Lorde of London woulde make you beleue me to be Rich. What countrey man be you are you of the Philpots of Hampshyre Phil. Yea my Lorde I was Sir Peter Philpots sonne of Hampshyre Rich. He is my neare kinsman wherefore I am the more sory for him Phil. I thanke your Lordship that it pleaseth you to chalenge kinred of a poore prisoner Rich. In faith I would go an hundreth miles on my bare feete to do you good Cham. He may do well enough if he liSt S. Iohn M. Philpot you are my countryman I woulde be glad you should do well Rich. You said euen now that you would desire to mayntaine your beliefe before ten of the best in the realme You did not well to compare with the Nobilitie of the Realme But what if you haue tenne of the best in the Realme to heare you will you be tryed by them Phil. My Lord your Lordshippe mistaketh me to thinke that I challenge tenne of the best of the Nobilitie in thys realme It was no part of my minde but I meant of the best learned on the contrary side Rich. Wel I take your meaning What if meanes be made to the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue your request will you be iudged by them Phil. My Lord it is not meete that a man shoulde be iudged by his aduersaries Rich. By whom then would you be iudged Phil. I will make your honours iudges that shal be hearers of vs. Rich. I dare be bolde to procure for you of the Queenes maiestie that you shall haue tenne learned men to reason with you and twenty or forty of the Nobility to heare so you wil promise to abide theyr iudgement How say you will you promise here afore my Lordes so to do Phil. I will be contented to be iudged by them Rich. Yea but wil you promise to agree to theyr iudgemeÌ„t Phil. There be causes why I may not so do vnlesse I wer sure they would iudge according to the word of God Rich. O I perceaue you wil haue no man iudge but your selfe and thinke your selfe wiser then all the learned men of this Realme Phil. My Lorde I seeke not to be myne owne iudge but am conteÌ„t to be iudged by other so that the order of iudgement in matters of religion be kept that was in the primatiue Church which is first that Gods wil by his word was sought and thereunto both the spiritualty and temporaltie was gathered together and gaue theyr consentes iudgement such kind of iudgement I will stand to London My Lordes he would make you beleeue that hee were profoundly seene in auncient writers of the iudgementes of the primatiue Church and there was neuer any such maner of iudgement vsed as he now talketh of Phil. In the Epistles of S. Ciprian I am able to shewe it you London A I tell you there is no such thing fet me Cyprian hether Phil. You shall finde it otherwise when the booke commeth And D. Chedsay his Chaplayne whom he appointed to fet his booke whispered the Bishop in his care and fet not the booke by likelihoode that he should haue susteined the reproche thereof if the booke had bene fet Well my Lord quoth I mayster Doctor knoweth it is so or els he would haue fet the booke ere this Rich. You woulde haue none other iudge I see but the worde Phil. Yes my Lord I will be tryed by the word by such as will iudge according to the word As for an example if there were a controuersy betweene your Lordship and an other vpon the words of a statute must not the words of the statute iudge and determine the controuersie Rich. No mary the Iudges of the law may determine the meaning therof Load He hath brought as good an example agaynst hym selfe as can be And here the B. thought he had good handfast against me and therefore enlarged it with many wordes to the iudgement of the Church The Lordes Hee hath ouerthrowne himselfe by his owne argument Phil. My Lords it seemeth to your honours that you haue great aduauntage of me by the example I brought in to expresse my cause but if it be pondered throughly it maketh wholy
of all comfort and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ send vnto thee my deare brother Carles the inward consolation of hys holy spirite in all the malicious assaultes and troublous temptations of our common aduersarye the deuill Amen That God geueth you so contrite a hart for your sins I cannot but reioyce to beholde the liuely marke of the children of God whole propertie is to think more lowly and vily of themselues then of any other and oftentymes doe set theyr sinnes before them that they might the more hee stirred to bring forth the fruites of repentance learne to mourne in this world that in an other they might the more be stirred to bring forth the fruites of repentance learne to mourne in this worlde that in an other they might bee glad and reioyce Such a broken hart is a pleasaunt sacrifice vnto God O that I had the like contrite hart GOD mollifie my stony hart which lamenteth not in suche wyse my former detestable iniquities Praysed be God that he hath geuen you this sorrowful hart in respect of righteousnesse I pray you let me be partaker of these godly sorrowes for sin which be the testimony of the presence of the holy ghost Did not the sword of sorrow pearce the hart of the electe blessed mother of our Lord Did not Peter weepe bitterly for his sinnes which was so beloued of christ Did not Mary Magdalen wash the feet of our sauiour with her teares receaued therwithall remission of her seuenfold sinnes Be of good comfort therefore myne owne deare hart in this thy sorrow for it is the earnest peny of eternal consolation In thy sorrow laugh for the spirite of God is with thee Blessed be they sayth Chryst that mourne for they shall be comforted They went forth and wept saythe the prophet such shall come agayne hauing theyr gripes full of gladnes And although a sorrowfull hart in consideratioÌ„ of his sinne be an acceptable sacrifice before God whereby wee are styrred vp to more thankfulnes vnto God knowing that much is forgeuen vs that we might loue the more yet the maÌ„ of God must keep a measure in the same least he be swallowed vp by too much sorow S. Paul would not the ThessaloniaÌ„s to be sory as other meÌ„ which haue no hope suche a sorrow is not coÌ„meÌ„dable but worketh daÌ„nation is far froÌ„ the childreÌ„ of God who are coÌ„tinually sorrowfull in god wheÌ„ they look vpoÌ„ their owne vnworthines with hope of forgeuenes For God to this end by his spirite setteth the sinnes of his elect still before them that where they perceiue sinne to abound there they might be assured that grace shall superabound bringeth them down vnto hell that he might lift theÌ„ vp with greater ioy vnto heauen Wherefore myne own bowels in Christ as long as you are not voyd altogether of hope be not dismayd through your pensâ—â—e hart for your sinnes how huge so euer they haue bene for God is able to forgeue more then you are able to sinne yea and he will forgeue hym which with hope is sory for his sins But know brother that as oft as we doe go about by the helpe of Gods spirite to do that is good the euill spirite Sathan layeth hard wayt to turne the good vnto euil goeth about to mixe the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent hart You be not ignoraunt of hys malicious subtletie and howe that continually he assaulteth the good which the grace of God planteth I see the battel betwixt you and hym but the victory is yours yea and that dayly For you haue layde hold vppon the anker of saluation whiche is hope in Christe the which will not suffer you to be made ashamed Be not discomforted that you haue this conflict but be glad that God hath geuen you the same to try your faith that you might appeare dayly worthy of the kingdome of God for the whiche you striue God beholdeth your stryuing faith against Sathan is pleased with your mighty resistance The spirite which is in you is mightyer then al the aduersaries power TeÌ„pt he may lying awayt at youre heelees geue you a fall vnwares but ouercome hee shall not yea he cannot for you are sealed vp already with a liuely fayth to be the childe of God for euer whoÌ„ God hath once sealed for hys owne hym he neuer vtterly forsaketh The iust falleth 7. times but he ryseth agayne It is maÌ„s fraylty to fall but it is the propertie of the deuils child to lye still This strife against sinne is a sufficient testimonye that you are the childe of God for if you were not you shoulde feele no such malice as he now troubleth you withal WheÌ„ this stroÌ„g Goliah hath the hold al things be in peace which he possesseth because he hath you not hee will not suffer you vnassaulted But stand fast hold out the Buckler of fayth with the sword of Gods promises smite hym on the scalpe that he may receiue a deadly wound and neuer be able to stand agaynst you any more S. Iames telleth you that he is but a coward saying Resist the deuill and he will flye away It is the will of God that he should thus long tempt you and not go away as yet or els he had done wyth you long ere this He knoweth already that he shal receiue the foyle at your hands and encrease the crowne of your glory for he that ouercommeth shall be crowned Therefore glory in your temptations since they shall turne to your felicity Be not afraide of your continuall assaults which be occasions of your daily victorie The woorde of God abideth for euer In what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes they be forgeuen Who caÌ„ lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Do you not perceiue the manifest tokens of your election First your vocation to the Gospell and after your vocation the manifest gifts of the spirite of God geuen vnto you aboue many other of your condition with godlinesse which beleueth and yeldeth to the authority of the scriptures and is zealous for the same Seeing you are Gods owne dearling who can hurt you Be not of a deiecte minde for these temptations neyther make your vnfained frends to be more sorrowful for you then neede doth require Since God hath willed you at your baptisme in Christ to be carelesse why doe you make your selfe carefull Cast all your care on him Sette the Lorde before your eyes alwaies for he is on your right side that you shall not be mooued Behold the goodnesse of God toward me I am careles being fast closed in a paire of stockes which pinche me for very straitnes and wil you be careful I wil not haue that vnseemely addition to your name Be as your name pretendeth for doubtles you haue none other cause but so to
be Pray I beseech you that I may be stil careles in my careful estate as you haue cause to be carelesse in your easier condition Be thaÌ„kful and put away all care and then I shall be ioyfull in my straite present care Commend me to all our brethren and desire them to praye for me that I may ouercome my teÌ„ptations for the deuil rageth against me I am putte in the stockes in a place alone because I would not answer to such articles as they would charge me wtall in a corner at the bishops appoyntment and because I did not come to Masse when the bish sent for me I will sic all the dayes of my life in the stockes by Gods grace rather then I wil consent to the wicked generation Praise God be ioyfull that it hath pleased him to make vs worthy to suffer somwhat for his names sake The deuil must rage for 10. daies Commend me to maister F. and thanke him for his lawe bookes but lawe neither equitie wil take any place among these bloud thirsty I would for your sake their vniust dealing were noted vnto the parlament house if it might auaile God shorteÌ„ these euil daies I haue answered the bish meetely plaine already and I said to him if he wil cal me in open iudgement I wil answer him as plainly as he will require otherwise I haue refused because I feare they will condemne me in hugger mugger The peace of God be with you my dear brother I canne wryte no more for lacke of light and that I haue wrytten I can not reade my selfe and God knoweth it is wrytten farre vneasily I pray God you may picke out some vnderstanding of my minde towards you Wrytten in a Colehouse of darkenesse oute of a paire of paynefull stockes by thine owne in Christ. Iohn Philpot. An other letter of M. Philpot to certaine godlye women forsaking their owne countrey for the Gospell full of frutefull precepts and lessons for all good women THe spirite of truthe reuealed vnto you my dearely beloued by the Gospell of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe be continually abiding with you and augmented into a perfect building of you into the liuely temple of God through the mighty operation of hys power Amen I reade in the Euangelistes of certaine Godly women that ministred vnto Christ folowing him in the daies of his Passion and neuer forsoke him but being dead in his graue brought oyl to annoynt him vntill that he had shewed himselfe vnto them after his resurrection and bidden them shewe vnto his Disciples which at his Passion were dispearsed and tell them that he was riâ—en and that they shoulde see him in Galile To whome I may iustly compare you my louinge Sisters in Christe who of late haue seene him suffer in his meÌ„bers and haue ministred to theyr necessity annoynting them with the comfortable oyle of your charitable assistance euen to the death and now since yee haue seene Christ to liue in the ashes of them whome the tyrans haue 〈◊〉 he willeth you to go away vpon iust occasion offred you and to declare to our dispearsed brethren and sisters that he is 〈◊〉 and liueth in his electe members in Englande and by death doth ouercome infidelitye and that they shall see him in Galile which is by forsaking this world and by a faithful desire to passe out of this world by those waies which he with his holy Martyrs hath gone on before God therfore entire sisters directe your way as he did Abraham Tobias vnto a strange land God geue you health both of body and soule that ye may go from vertue to vertue and grow from strength to strength vntil yee may see face to face the God of Syon in his holy hil with the innumerable companye of hys blessed Martyrs and Saintes Let there be continuall ascensions vnto heauen in your hearts Let there be no decrease of any vertue which is already planted in you Be as the light of the iuste such as Salomon saith increaseth to the perfect day of the Lord. Let the strength of God be commended in your weake vessels as it is Be examples of faith and sobrietie to al that ye shal come in company with all Let your godly conuersation speake where your toung may not in the congregation Be swift to heare and slow to speake after the counsell of S. Iames. Be not curious about other mens doings but be occupied in praier and coÌ„tinual meditation with reuerent talking of the word of God wythout contention amongst the Saintes Lette your faith shine in a straunge countrey as it hath done in youre owne that your father which is in heauen may be glorified by you to the ende This farewel I send you not as a thing nedefull which know already what your duety is be desirous to performe the same but as one that would haue you vnderstand that he is mindeful of your godly conuersation wherof he hath had good experieÌ„ce and therfore wryteth this to be as a perpetual memorial betwixt you and him vntil our meeting together before God where we shall ioy that we haue here louingly put one an other in memory of our duetie to performe it Farewell againe mine owne bowels in Christ and take me with you where soeuer you goe and leaue your selues wyth me that in spirite we may be present one with an other Commende me to the whole congregation of Christe willing them not to leaue their countrey without witnesse of the Gospell after that we al be slaine which already be stalled vp and appoynted to the slaughter and in the meane season to praye earnestly for our coÌ„stancie that Christ may be glorified in vs and in them bothe by life and death Farewel in the Lord. Yours for euer Iohn Philpot. An exhortation to his owne sister constantly to sticke to the truth which she had frutefully professed GOd the eternall Father who hath iustified you by the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ and called you to hallow his name through a good conuersation and profession of life he sanctifie you with daily encrease of vertue faith by his holy spirit that you may appeare a vessell of sanctification in the middest of this wicked peruerse generation to the laud and praise of the Gospel Amen I haue occasion mine owne deare sister to praise God in you for 2. causes the one that to your habilitie you are ready to shew your self a naturall louing sister to me your poore afflicted brother as by your geÌ„tle tokens you haue eftsoones testified being absent as also presently visiting me which wel declareth that you be a very naturall sister in dede and to be praised in this behalfe But in the other that you be also a sister to me in faith after Christes Gospell I am occasioned to thanke God so muche the more howe much the one excelleth the other and the spiritual consanguinitie is more perdurable then that which is of flesh bloud
triall of our faith that we might bring foorth that excelleÌ„t vertue pacience by the which we are made like to our redeemer Christ with whome we heere being like in suffering assuredly shall heereafter be pertakers of his eternall glory Therefore s. Paul saith God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the crosse of our lord Iesus Christ. I that am vnder the crosse with you thankes be geuen to God therefore haue felt in the same more true ioye and consolation then euer I did by any benefite that God hath geuen mee in my life before For the more the world doth hate vs the nigher God is vnto vs and there is no perfect ioy but in God Wherefore Christ sayd In me you shall haue ioy but in the worlde affliction Blessed be God which sendeth vs this affliction that we mighte perfectly ioy in hym For this cause in the ripest time of iniquitie and in the moste feruent season of persecution of the true church which Christ in the 21. of Luke prophesied to come he willeth vs to be of good chere and to lift vp our heads for our redemption is at hand O that the Lorde would come and deliuer vs from this worlde which is a vale of miserie vnto his owne kingdome where floweth perpetuall ioy and consolation And verily that is the true and onely ioy which is conceiued not of the creature but of the Creator the which when we doe possesse no body canne take it away from vs. To the which ioy all other ioyes being compared are but mournings all delights sorrow al sweetenes sower all beauty filth and finally al other things that be counted pleasant are tediousnes Your owne selfe is better witnes of thys then I aske your selfe with whom you are best acquainted Doeth not the holy Ghost speake the same in your heart Haue you not perswaded your selfe this to be true before I wrote thereof For howe should you being a woman and a yong Gentlewoman beautifull and at your owne liberty haue ouercome this your fraile kinde and age and despised your excellent beautie and estate vnlesse all those things which be subiect to the senses had bene counted of you vile lâ—tle to be estemed in coÌ„parison of those things which inwardly do comfort you to ouercome the flesh the world and the deuil c. God encrease your ioy in all spirituall things and establish your hope to the day of eternal rest You haue forsaken darkenes and are entred into light God graunt the same may shine stil in you vntil the perfect day come of the Lord in the which is all our consolation Here we must be darkened that there we may appeare as brighte as the sunne in the face of the whole world of all them that now condemne vs for our wel doing whose iudges then we shall be to their horrible griefe though nowe wrongfully they iudge vs. Pray hartily that often that God once again for his Christes sake woulde be mercifull to his afflicted church in England Faithfull prayer is the onely remedy that we haue against the fierie dartes of the Deuil that be kindled against vs. By prayer the Amalechites shall be ouercome and the roarings of the Lion which seeketh still to deuoure vs shal be stopped put to silence The Lorde stoppe Leuiathans mouth that he swalow not vp Gods seely people according to his expectation Praise the Lord for the faithfull testimonie and sacrifice which 2. of our brethren of late haue through fire rendred to the truth of the gospell which nowe triumpheth by the death of godly Martyrs The Lorde is at hande therefore watche and pray The last of May. 1555. Captiue in the kings Bench. Yours with heart in Christ Iohn Philpot. An other letter of maister Philpot to the godly Ladie Vane GOd the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ encrease in your godly heart the faith of the gospell which is your eternall inheritance the holy ghost comfort your spirite with all spirituall consolation to the day of the Lord. Amen I can not but praise God moste highly earnestly my deare faithful lady for the great vnfained loue whych you beare vnto me in Christ declared oftentimes as wel now as of late by manifest and liberal tokens Blessed be God that hath made you so worthy a meÌ„ber in his kingdome For it can not be but such shal reape with abuÌ„dance in time of reward that here do sowe so plenteously in well doing Albeit I am moste vnwoorthy to receiue any suche benefit at your hands as in respect of a piller of Christes church which am scarse a shadow thereof But the zeale of Christes church in you wisheth me to be such a one as the time doth require God fulfill your desire of me that I may be fouÌ„d constant no wandring starre I am not worthy of the name of a prophet or of a minister of Gods woorde for that I haue being letted by the iniquitie of time little or nothing labored therein I am a friend of our common spouse Iesus and do reioyce of the veritie of his woorde for the which praised be hys name hee hath counted mee worthy to suffer and in deede who that geueth a draughte of water in the name of a disciple as Christ hath promised shall not lose his reward Therefore that your gentlenes doth in the name of him which I am not the Lorde recompence vnto you in all hys blessings which he is accustomed to powre on them which loue his flocke vnfainedly Good Lady you haue to ioy that the kingdome of God is thus continually before your eies and that you are not ashamed of the bands of Christ which you with his people in part do suffer They may be assured of the glory euerlasting which heere are not ashamed to take vp the crosse of Christ to folowe him Heere we must weepe and lament whiles the worlde laugheth triumpheth ouer vs but our teares shall shortly be turned into vnspeakeable ioy and we shall eternallye be merrye together when the world shall lament their infidelitie without ende c. I woulde I were able to doe any thing that myght shewe condigne thaÌ„ks for that sincere loue you beare vnto me in Christ. You adiure me as it were by your gentle letters to be bolde on you in all my needes I thanke God whych ceaseth not to prouide for his I lacke nothing at this present but only hability to thank your faithful hart for your goodnesse towards me I loue you and not yours as it is meete christians to loue one an other in God your faith which I beholde in you is more woorth vnto me then al your possessioÌ„s And I thinke I shal not neede long to be chargeable vnto you for that this weeke I looke for commissioners to sit on me my fellow prisoners in prison least the spirit of our breath might blowe further abroade The
he styrred vp his seruauntes the Bishops and Pharises to kill his body wherby notwithstanding the Deuill loste his title and interest whiche hee had to mans soule and man by his precious passion and death was raunsomed from the Deuil death and Hell to immortality life euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in killing of Christ he lost all and so shall he doe in vs if wee abide constaunt◠and strong in the fayth of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto the ende God graunte it for his mercyes sake in Christ. Blessed are all they that put theyr trust in him Amen Wherefore my hartely beloued brethren and sisters be of good comfort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world Therfore draw ye neare to God and he will drawe neare to you Resist the Deuill and he will as Iames sayth flee frō you Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis Touch not pitch least ye be defiled therewith Eate no Swines flesh for it is agaynst the law I meane defile not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with this false and wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitche and Swines fleshe Beware of the beastes marke least ye drinke of the cup of Gods wrath If God haue geuen you knowledge faith dissemble not therewith Denye not the knowne veritye before men least Christ deny you before his Father Come away from Babilon as Iohn biddeth you and touche no vncleane thinge but separate your selues from the company of the vngodly as Paule commaundeth you Whatsoeuer ye haue done amisse heretofore now repent amend for with the Lorde there is mercy and plenteous redemption The thirde thing and note which I gather out of the forsayd wordes of Peter is this that he sayth Reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christes Passion Our sufferinges my welbeloued are Christes sufferinges and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he reckoneth it to be done to himselfe as he sayd to Paule Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Therefore we ought to reioyce in our sufferinges as Paule writeth whiche we suffer with Christ and one with another as Peter sayeth and so to fulfill that whiche is behinde of the Passions of Christ in our flesh whiche Christ hath by his Passion fully redeemed and saued vs in his owne person how be it hys electe must suffer with hym and for him vnto the worldes ende that he may be glorified in them and they thereby corrected and cleansed from sinne in this worlde and bee made more meete Temples for the holy Ghoste and also obteyne a greate rewarde in heauen for theyr suffering for righteousnesse sake according to his promise And therfore I saye my Brethren reioyce in the Lorde alwayes and agayne I say reioyce Let vs reioyce in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to vs and we to it And why shoulde wee so greatly reioyce in the Crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because sayth Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery and glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his wordes aboue written Wherein is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this worlde but at his comming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayne and then shal they that haue sowne in teares reape in ioy as Christ sayth Blessed are they that weepe here for they shall laughe Blessed are ye when men hate you and thrust you out of theyr companye raylinge on you and abhorring your name as an euill thing for the sonne of mans sake reioyce ye in that day and be gladde for your reward is greate in Heauen Wherefore my dearely beloued through the hope of this heauenly ioy and rewarde which he that can not lye hath promised whiche ioye is so greate that no eare hath heard no eye hath sene nor the hart can thinke where we shall dwell for euer in the heauenly City the celestiall Ierusalem in the presence of God the Father Iesus Christ our Mediatour as Paul sayth and in the company of innumerable Angels and with the spirites and soules of all faythfull and iust men reioyce and be glad and seing ye be called to so great glory see that ye make your election and vocation sure by good workes and specially by sufferinge aduersitye for the Gospelles sake for it is geuen vs of GOD sayth Paule not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer and praye for me that I may ende my course with ioy Haue Brotherly loue amongest your selues whiche is a token that ye be Christes Disciples Edify and comfort one an other in the word of the Lord and the God of peace and loue be with you alwayes Amen For your liberality and kindnesse shewed vppon the Prisoners and afflicted people of GOD in thys time of persecution the Lorde wyll reward you when he commeth to reward euery man according to theyr deedes and will not leaue a cuppe of colde water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you riche in all grace that ye alwayes hauyng sufficient maye be riche vnto all manner of good woorkes The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of GOD and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother now in bondes for the Gospell Thomas Whittell * To my louing and faythfull brother Iohn Careles Prisoner in the kinges bench THe same fayth for the which Abraham was accounted iust Mary blessed whereby also all iust men liue the Lord GOD our louing father encrease and stablish in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and sweet Sauior Iesus Christ. Amen I can not worthely and sufficiently prayse GOD my hartely beloued brother for the consolation and ioy that I receiued by reason of your louing letters repenting me much that I being so long so neare you did not enterprise to styrre vppe familiarity and communication betweene vs by writing to mutuall consolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherein to reioyce where all thinges are transitory and vayne yea manne himselfe respecting this life but as Dauid sayeth the Saynctes that dwell vpon the earth and such as excell in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowshippe loue and ioye of faythfull men and children of God being as wee nowe be in double bondage the body within clay walles and the soule within these frail earthly bodies be so greate and comfortable how vnspeakeable will these ioyes be when we shall be deliuered from all corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Where we shal be present together continuallye in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his deare sonne
I confessed the Masse to be blasphemye to Christes death and passion Item I confessed that in the Sacrament of the aultar Christ is not present neither spiritually nor corporally but as they vse it it is an abhominable Idoll Last of all I confessed the bishop of LondoÌ„ to be mine Ordinary After this the Bishop falling to entreating and perswasions earnestly exhorted him to reuoke his heresyes as he termed them and to refourme hymselfe vnto the Church of Rome and not to sticke so much to the literall sense of the Scriptures but to vse the interpretation of the olde Fathers To whiche Tyms aunswered I will not reforme my selfe therunto And I thank God of this day for I trust he will turne your cursinges into blessinges And furthermore asking this question he sayde And what haue you to mainteine the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament but onely the bare letter We haue quoth the bishop the catholicke church No sayd Tyms you haue the popish church of Rome for you for which you he periured and forsworne And the See of Rome is the See of Antichrist and therfore to that church I will not conforme my selfe nor once consent vnto it Then the bishop seing his constant boldnesse to be vnmoueable proceeding to his condeÌ„nation pronounced the sentence definitiue vpon him and gaue him ouer to the secular power * The condemnation of Robert Drakes After calling for Robert Drakes he vsed towardes him the like maner of exhortation that he dyd before To whom Drakes sayd As for your church of Rome I vtterly defy and deny it with all the workes thereof euen as I deny the deuill and all his workes The bishop then vsing his accustomed order of law with his like exhortations at last gaue him the like blessing that Tyms had and so charged the Shiriffe with him The condemnation of Thomas Spurge and of the other three martyrs Thomas Spurge being next demaunded if he would returne to the catholicke Church sayd as foloweth As for your church of Rome I doe vtterly deny it but to the true catholick church I am content to returne and continue in the same whereof I beleue the Church of Rome to be no part or member TheÌ„ in fine calling the rest in theyr courses and vpon the like demaundes receiuing the like aunsweres the sayd bishop gaue vnto ech of them their seueral iudgements so ridding his bloudy handes coÌ„mitted theÌ„ vnto the custody of the Shiriffes of London who sent theÌ„ vnto Newgate whither they went all most ioyfully abiding there the Lordes good time wherin they should seale this theyr fayth with the shedding of theyr bloud which they most stoutly and willingly performed the 14. daye of April as before is mentioned ⧠Letters of William Tyms ¶ To his faythfull sister in the Lord parishioner in the towne of Hockley named Agnes Glascocke THe grace mercy and peace of God our Father thorow Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour with the sweet comfort of hys holy and mighty spirit to the performance of his will to your euerlasting comfort be with you my deare sister Glascocke both now and euermore Amen My most deare and entirely beloued sister yea mother I may right well call you for the motherly care which you haue alwaies had for me I haue me most hartely commended vnto you giuing God most harty thanks for you that he hath geuen you so louing a hart to Christes poore Gospell his poore afflicted flocke for the same and as you haue full godly begonne so I beseech God to geue you power to goe forward in the same and neuer more to looke backe fearing neither fier neyther sworde and then I warrant you you haue not farre to runne And now my deare hart remember well what I haue taught you when I was present with you and also written being absent and no doubte we shall shortly meete agayne with a most ioyfull meeting I go vpon Friday next to the Bishop of Londons Cole-house which is the .20 daye of March where I thinke it will be harde for any of my friendes to speake with me Howbeit I trust I shall not long tary there but shortly after be caryed vp after my deare brethren and sisterne which are gone before me into heauen in a fiery chariot therefore now I take my leaue of you tyll we meete in heauen hye you after I haue tarryed a great while for you and seeing you be so long a making ready I will tarry no longer for you You shall find me merely singing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabboth at my iourneyes ende Therefore nowe my deare hart make good hast and loyter not by the way â—easte nighte take you and so ye be shutte out of the gate with the foolishe virgines And now my sister in witnes that I haue taught you nothing but the truth here I write my name with my bloud for a testimoniall vnto you that I will seale the simple doctrine which I haue taught you with the rest And thus fare you well and God defend you from Antichrist and all his Ministers the false Priestes Amen These words following were written with his owne bloud Continue in prayer Aske in fayth And obteyne your desyer By me William Tyms in the Kynges Bench for the Gospell of Christ. ¶ An other letter of the sayd W. Tyms wherein he doth comforte his sister Glascocke being in greate sorrowe and repentance for going to the Masse God be mercifull vnto you pardon forgeue all your sinnes send you fayth to beleeue the same that you may be partaker of his heauenly Kingdome Amen My deare sister I haue me most hartely commended vnto you as I haue lamented your falling from God by being partaker with that Idolatrous Priest so haue I since I heard of your earnest repentance very much reioysed and also praysed almighty God for his mercy shewed vnto you in that he hath not left you to your selfe but since your denyall he hath shewed his mercy on you by looking backe on you as he did on Peter and so caused you to repent as Peter did bitterly to weepe for your sinnes where as if God had lefte you to your selfe you had runne forward from one euill vnto an other till at the length your harte shoulde eyther haue bene hardened or els you shoulde haue dispayred of the mercy of God And seeing that God hath bene so mercyfull vnto you as he hath bene bee you not vnthankefull vnto him for the same For I certyfie you that your sorrowfull hart that you haue had doth declare vnto me that God hath pardoned and forgeueÌ„ all your sinnes for the bloudshedding of that immaculate lambe Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Therefore as Peter after the tyme that Christe had forgiuen him his sinne did boldly confesse Christ before all his enemies euen so my deare hart in the Lord seing that God hath so mercyfully pardoned
and forgiuen your sinnes nowe cleaue vnto him and be at defiance with his enemyes the Papistes as they doe beare witnesse with their Father the Deuill by goinge to the Church and shedding of the innocent bloud of all those that will not goe with them euen so do you beare witnes with Christ by not comming there for all those that do go thither shal be partakers of their brethrens bloud that is shed for the testimonye of Christ except they repent amend which grace that they may so doe I beseech the eternall God for his Christes sake if it be his good will to geue them in his good tyme. And the same good God that hath bene so mercifull vnto you to call you to repentance him I beseech to keepe you in his feare loue that you may haue alwayes affiance in him and euermore seeke his honour glory to your euerlasting comfort in Christ Amen Thus fare you well from the kinges bench this 28. of August By me William Tyms ¶ An other letter of W. Tyms to certayne godly women of his parish folowers of the Gospell GRace mercy and peace from GOD the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ be with you both now and euermore Amen Deare sisters I haue me most hartely commended vnto you thanking you for the great kindnes shewed vnto me in this tyme of my imprisonment and not onely vnto me but also vnto my poore wife and children and also for the great kindnesse that you shew vnto all the liuing saints that be dispersed abroad and are fayne to hide their heades for feare of this cruell persecution Deare sisters when I do remember your constancy in christ I call to remembraunce the constancy of diuers godly women as Susanna Iudith Hester and the good wife of Nabal that thorow her godly conditions saued both her husbandes life and all her housholde when Dauid had thoughte to haue slayne him for his churlish aunswere that he sent him Also I do remember Rahab that lodged the Lordes Spyes howe God preserued her and her whole housholde for her faythfulnesse that she bare to Gods people So I doe beleue that when the Lord shall send his Aungell to destroy these Idolatrous Egyptians here in England and shall finde the bloud of the Lambe sprinkled on the dore postes of your harts he wil go by not hurt you but spare your whole housholdes for your sakes Also I do remember Mary Magdalen how faythfull she was for she was the first that preached the resurrection of Christ. Remember the blessed Martir Anne Askew in our time folow her example of constancy And for the loue of God take heede that in no case you doe consent to Idolatrye but stande fast to the Lorde as the good woman did that had her seuen sonnes put to death before her face and she alwayes comforting them yea and last of all suffered death her selfe for the testimony of her God which is the liuing God Thus I beseech God to send you grace and strength to stand fast to the Lorde as shee did and then you shall be sure of the same kingdome that she is sure of to the which kingdome I pray God bring both you and me Amen By me William Tyms prisoner in the Kinges Bench. ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms to his frend in Hockley THe grace of God the Father through the merites of his deare sonne Iesus our Lord and onely Sauiour with the continuall ayde of his holy and mighty spirit to the performance of his wil to our euerlasting comfort be with you my deare brethren both now and euermore Amen My dearely beloued I beseeche God to rewarde the greate goodnesse that you haue shewed vnto me seuen folde into your bosomes and as you haue alwayes had a moste godly loue vnto his word euen so I beseech him to geue you grace to loue your owne soule and then I trust that you will flee from al those thinges that shoulde displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhorre all the companye of those that woulde haue you to worship God any otherwise then is conteined in his holy worde And beware of those maysters of Idolatrye that is these papisticall Priestes My deare brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I haue sayd vnto you and also written the which I am now ready to seale with my bloud I prayse God that euer I liue to see the daye and blessed bee my good and mercifull God that euer he gaue me a body to glorify his name And deare hartes I do now write vnto you for none other cause but to put you in remembraunce that I haue not forgotten you to the end that I woulde not haue you forgette me but to remember well what I haue simply by worde of mouth and writing taught you The which although it were moste simplye done yet truely as your owne conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own conscience doth condemne Therefore come out of Sodome and goe to heauen ward with the seruauntes and martyrs of God least you be pertakers of the vengeance of God that is comming vpō this wicked natiō from the which the Lord our God defend you and send vs a ioyfull meeting in the kingdome of heauen vnto the which God bring you all Amen Thus now I take my leaue of you for euer in this world except I be burned amongst you whiche thing is vncertayne vnto me as yet By me your poorest and most vnworthy brother in Christ W. Tyms in Newgate the 12. day of April condemned to dye for Christes verity ¶ An other Letter of William Tyms geuing thankes to his parishioners for theyr charity shewed to his wife being brought to bed of a childe in his captiuity THe euerlasting peace of our deare Lord and only sauiour Iesus Christ with the sweete comfort of his holy mighty spirite to the encrease of your fayth to the perfourmance of his will and to your eternall cōfort in the euerlasting kingdome of heauen be with you my deare brethren and sisterne both now and euer Amen My most deare brethren sisterne in our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ I haue me most hartely cōmended vnto you with harty thankes for all the great liberality that you haue shewed vnto me specially now in this time of my necessity whē that God hath sēt my poore wife a childe in my captiuity which is no litle care to me so to prouide that I might keepe both the child my wife from the Antichristian church the which thing I thanke my good god through his most gracious prouidence I haue yet done though it be as you know great charge not to me but to the congregation of God it greueth me that I haue bene so chargeable to thē as I haue bene specially you my deare brethrē I being so vnworthy a
heretofore with the receiuing of Christes worde and peaceable Gospell we had great benedictions of God especially this Christian concorde and holy peace so that all were at a full and perfect stay in Religion no man offended with an other but as the sonnes of peace eche of vs with Christian charitie embraced other now alas for pitie the deuill ridyng vpon the red horse shewed vnto S. Iohn in the Reuelation is come forth and power is geuen him to take peace from the earth For now a man can goe to no place but malicious busie bodies curiously search out his deedes marke his wordes and if he agree not with them in despisyng Gods worde then will they spitefully hatefully rayle against him and it calling it error heresie and the professors therof heretickes and schismatikes with other odious and despiteful names as traytours and not the Queenes frends not fauourers of the Queenes proceedinges as if to loue Gods word wer heresie and as though to talke of Christ were to bee schismatikes as though none could be true to the Queene that were not false to God as though none were the queenes frendes but suche as despitefully rayle on her graces Father and brother and on Gods word that they set foorth as though none fauoured the Queenes maiestie but suche as hate all godly knowledge And in very deede these thinges that all this turmoile is made for are meere inuentions of popes brought into the church of theyr owne imaginations without cōmandement or ensample either of Christ or of his Apostles and there is not one word in the Bible that being truely alledged mayntayneth them nor any Doctor of Antiquitie before S. Austens dayes as it hath bene diuers times sufficiently proued before all the whole Parliament and Conuocation of this Realme Yet these being mere traditiōs of Bishops are set out for Gods commaundementes and the Queenes authoritie geuen to her of God to mayntayne his word must be abused to put downe Gods word And your right honourable Iustices keepers of lawes and righteousnes are also abused and made the Bishops apparatours to set forth such romishe trash as is to christes dishonour and agaynst the supreme authoritie of the regall estate of this realme And wee poore subiectes for speaking of that whiche is trueth and our bounden allegeance are dayly punished rayled vpon and noted for seditions and not the Queenes frendes But God who is blessed for euer knoweth that they sclaunder vs and pull the thorn out of their owne foot and put it in ours for the searcher of harts knoweth that we beare a faythful and true hart vnto her grace vnto al her proceedinges that are not agaynst God and his holy worde And we dayly pray vnto the heauēly father to lighten her graces royall hart with the glorious light of his Gospell that she may establishe and confirme that Religion that her graces brother our most deare king did set out amongest vs and so gouerning ruling this her realme in the feare and true way of God shee may long liue and wyth prosperitie peace and honor raigne ouer vs. But we cannot thinke that those men do seek eyther Gods honour or her Graces prosperitie or wealth of the realme that take from her Graces faythfull subiectes Gods word which onely is the roote of all loue and faythfull obedience vnder her grace and of all honestie good life and vertuous concord amonge her Commons And this wee feare least the roote being taken away the braunches wil sooone wither and be fruitles And when the Philistines haue stopped vp the welspring the fayre streames that shuld flow shall soone be dryed vp All our watchmen our true preachers haue taught vs that as longe as wee retayned Gods word we should haue God our gracious mercifull father but if we refused and cast of the Lordes yoke of hys doctrine then shall we looke for the Lordes wrath and seuere visitation to plague vs as hee did the Iewes for the like offences And Paule sayth God gaue to them the spirite of vnquietnes and vprore eyes wherwith they should not see eares wherewith they should not heare vntill this day And as Dauid sayd Let theyr table be made a snare to take themselues withall a trap to catche them and a stumbling blocke to fall at Let theyr eyes be blinded that they see not bow thou downe their backes alwayes O mercifull God all this is now come vpon vs and daily more more encreased and we feare at last it will so bow down our backes that we shall vtterly be destroyed the troublesome spirite of vprores vnquietnesr dayly troubleth mēs harts worketh such vnquietnes in al places that no man that loueth quietnes can tell where to place hymselfe Men haue eyes see not how greeuous offence it is to cast of the yoke of Gods doctrine to beare the heauye burden that vnfaythfull hipocrites lay vpon vs. We haue eares and heare not the warning of Gods worde calling vs to true repentance nor his threates agaynst our impietie Our most sweet table of Christes word and most holy Communion is taken away and turned to a moste perillous snare through the brawling disputations of men And as the Idoll of abomination betokeneth finall subuersion vnto the Iewish nation so wee feare this settyng aside of the Gospell and holy Communion of Christe and the placing it of Romish religion betokeneth desolation to be at hand of this noble realme of England For the plagues of hunger pestilence and sworde can not long tary but except we repent and turne agayne to the Lord our backes shall be so bowed that the like horrible plagues were neuer seene And no maruell for the like offence was neuer committed as to reiect and cast of Christ and his word and in playne English to say Wee will not haue him to raigne ouer vs. O Lorde howe terrible is it that followeth in the Gospell Those mine enemies that would not haue me to raygne ouer them bring them hither and slaye them before me God be mercifull vnto vs and moue the Queens maiesties hart and the hartes of her honorable counsayle and youre hartes right honourable Commissioners to weigh these dangers in due time to call Gods word into your Counsayle then you shall see how it agreeth with this Bishoplike commaundement to be as ware to auoyd the contempt of the eternall God and daungers of the same as you are prudent and wise in matters of thys world least if the almighty be contemned hee stretch forth his arme which no man can turne and kindle his wrath that no man can quench We haue humblye opened vnto you oure consciences doubtlesse sore wounded and greeued by this commaundement and wee meekely pray and beseeche the Queenes maiestie for the precious death bloudshedding of Iesus Christ our Sauiour to haue mercy and pitty vpon vs her Graces poore
brought thither by a writ I trowe what he was I cannot tell I thinke M. Marshall can tell you Marshall In good fayth I cannot tell what the matter is but in deed my Lord chiefe Iustice seÌ„t him from the barre Mart. Well Careles I would wishe thou shouldest play the wise mans part Thou art a handsome man And it is pity but thou shouldest doe well and saue that which God hath bought Careles I thanke your good Maystershippe most hartely And I put you out of doubt that I am most sure and certayne of my saluation by Iesus Christ so that my soule is safe already what so euer paynes my body suffer here for a litle time Mart. Yea Mary you say trueth For thou art so predestinate to life that thou canst not perish in whatsoeuer opinion thou doest dye Careles That GOD hath predestinate me to eternall life in Iesus Christ I am most certayne and euen so am I sure that his holy spirite wherewith I am sealed will so preserue me from all heresies euill opinions that I shall dye in none at all Mart. Go to let me heare your fayth in predestination For that shal be written also Careles Your Maystership shall pardon me herein For you sayd your selfe erewhile that you had no Commission to examine my conscience I will trouble my selfe wyth aunswering of no moe matters then I needes must vntil I come before them that shall haue more authority farther to examine me Mart. I tell thee then I haue Commission yea and commaundement from the Counsell to examine thee for they deliuered me thy articles Careles Yea I thinke in deede that your Mastershippe is appointed to examine me of my articles whiche you haue there in writing and I haue told you the truth I do confesse them to be mine owne fact and deede but you do now examâ—ne me of predestination whereof my articles speaketh nothing at all Martin I tell thee yet agayne that I muste also examine thee of such thinges as be in controuersye betweene thee thy fellowes in the Kings Bench whereof predestination is a part as thy fellow N. hath confessed and thy selfe doest not deny it Carel. I do not deny it But he that first told you that matter might haue found himselfe much better occupyed Martyn Why what if he had not told me thinkest thou I would not haue knoweÌ„ it yes or els thou shouldest haue withstand my Commission For I tell thee truthe I may now examine thee of the blessed Sacrament or any other thing that I list but that I would shew thee fauour and not be to hasty with thee at the first Marshall Yea in deede Careles Maister Doctor hath CoÌ„mission to examine you or any other of your fellowes Mart. Yea mary haue I I tell the truth of it Carel. Then let your Scribe set his pen to the paper and you shall haue it roundly euen as the truth is I beleeue that almightye God our moste deare louing father of his great mercy and infinite goodnes did elect in Christ. Mart. Tush what neede all that long circumstance write I beleeue that God elected and make no more adoe Carel. No not so M. Doctour It is an high mistery and ought reuerently to be spoken of And if my wordes may not be written as I do vtter them I wil not speake at all Mart Go to go to write what he will Here is more busines then needeth Careles I beleeue that Almighty GOD our moste deare louing Father of his greate mercy and infinite goodnesse thorough Iesus Christ did elect and appoynt in him before the fouÌ„dation of the earth was layd a Church or congregation which he doth continually guide and gouerne by his grace and holy spirite so that not one of them shall euer finally perishe When this was written M. Doctor tooke it in his hand and read it saying Mart. Why who will deny this Carel. Iâ— your Maistership doe allow it and other learned men when they shall see it I haue my hartes desyer Mart. And do you hold none otherwise theÌ„ is there writteÌ„ Carel. No verily nor neuer did Mart. Write that he sayth otherwise he holdeth not So that was written It was told me also that thou doest affirme that Christ did not dye effectually for all men Carel Whatsoeuer hath bene told you it is not much materiall vnto me Let the tellers of such tales come before my face and I trust to make them aunswere For in deede I do beleeue that Christe did effectually dye for all those that do effectually repent and beleeue and for none other so that was written also Mert. Now Syr what is Trewes fayth of predestinatioÌ„ he beleeueth that all men be predestinate that none shall be damned Doth he not Carel. No forsooth that doth he not Mart How then Carel Truely I thinke he doth beleeue as your Maistershyp and the rest of the Clergy do beleeue of predestinatioÌ„ that we bee elected in respecte of our good workes and so long elected as we do them and no longer Martyn Write that he sayth his fellow Trew beleeueth of predestination as the Papistes do beleeue Carel. Ah Maister Doctour did I so terme you Seing that this my confession shall come before the Counsell I pray you place my termes as reuerently as I spake them Mart Well well write that Trew is of the same fayth as the Catholickes be Carel. I did not so call you neyther I wonder what you meane Marshal You sayd the Clergy did you not Careles Carel. Yes forsooth did I. So then it was written of the Clergy Mart. Now Syr what say you more Carel. Forsooth I haue no farther to say in this matter Mart. Well Careles I pray thee proue thy selfe a wise man and do not cast away thy lyfe wilfully Carel. Now the Lord he knoweth good Maister Doctor I would full gladly liue so that I might do the same with a safe conscience And your Maistershippe shall right well perceiue that I will be no wilfull man but in all thinges that I stand vpon I will haue a sure grounde Martin Now the Lorde knoweth good Careles that I would gladly make some meanes to preserue thy lyfe but thou speakest so much of the Lord the Lord. Wilt thou be content to go with my Lord Fitzwater into Ireland me thinkes thou art a goodly tall fellow to do the Queene seruice there How sayest thou Carel. Uerely Maister Doctour whether I be in Ireland Fraunce or Spayne or any place els I am ready to do her grace the best seruice that I can with body goodes and lyfe so long as it doth last Mart. That is honestly sayde I promise thee euery man will not say so How say you Maister Marshall this man is meete for all manner of seruice In deede thou arte worthye Careles to haue the more fauour Carel. In deede Syr I hope to be meete and ready vnto all things that pertayneth vnto
a true Christian subiect to doe And iâ— her grace or her officers vnder her do require me to any thing contrary to Christes Religion I am ready also to do my seruice in Smithfield for not obseruing it as my bedfellow and other brethren haue done praysed be God for them Mart. By my trouth thou art a pleasaunt fellow as euer I talked with of all the Protestantes excepte it were Tomson I am sory that I must depart with thee so soone but I haue suche busynes now that I canne tarry with thee no longer Well yet thou canst not deny but you are at iarre amongest your selues in the kings Bench and it is so throughout all your congregation for you will not be a Church Careles No Maister Doctour that is not so There is a thousand tymes more varietye in opinions among your Doctours which you call of the Catholick Church yea and that in the Sacrament for yâ— which there is so much bloudshed now a dayes I meane of your latter Doctours and new writers as for the olde they agree wholy with vs. Mart. No Careles this is not so there thou art deceiued Carel. Uerily it is so Maister Doctour I am not deceiued therein any thing at all as it hath beene and is euidently proued by such as GOD hath endued with great learning Then he turned to the Marshall and whispered with him a while Martin Turning vnto me agayne sayd Farewell Careles for I can tarry no longer with thee now my busines is such Carel. God be with you good Maister Doctor The Lord geue your Maistership health of body and soule Mart. God haue mercy good Careles and God keepe thee from all errours and geue thee grace to doe as well as I would wishe my selfe Carel. I thanke your good Maistership I pray GOD I may do alwaies that is acceptable in his sight Whereunto they all sayde Amen And so I departed with a glad hart God onely haue the whole prayse Amen It appeareth by the examination of the foresayd Iohn Careles that he endured prisoner the space of two whole yeares hauing wyfe and children In the which his captiuity first being in Couentry Iayle he was there in such credite with his keeper that vpon his worde he was let out to play in the Pageant about the City with other his companions And that done keeping touch with his keeper he returned agayne into prison at his houre appointed And after that being broughte vp to London he was indued with such patience and constaunt fortitude that he longed for nothing more earnestly then to come to that promotion to dye in the fyer for the proâ—ession of his fayth yet it so pleased the Lorde to preuent him with death that he came not to it but dyed in the prison and after was buryed in the fieldes in a dounghill In the meane time while he was in prisoÌ„ in the kyngs Bench it chaunced he was in great heauines and perturbation of mind and conscience wherupon he wrote to M. Philpot being then in the Colehouse Uppon the occasion hereof Mayster Philpot sent an Epistle consolatory vnto him specified before among master Philpots letters pag. 1762. Unto the which Epistle Iohn Careles maketh aunswere agayne as foloweth ¶ Letters of Iohn Careles * A Letter of Iohn Careles aunswering to the louing Epistle or Letter sent to him before by Mayster Iohn Philpot. A faythfull frend is a strong defence who so findeth suche a one findeth a treasure A faythfull frend hath no peere the weight of gold and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of his fayth A faythfull frend is a medicine of life and they that feare the Lord shall finde him Ecclesiast 6. THe father of mercy and God of all consolation comfort you with his eternall spirite my most deare and faythfull louing frend good Mayster Philpot as you haue comforted me by the mighty operation of the same the euerlasting GOD be praysed therfore for euer Amen Ah my deare hart and most louing brother if I should do nothing els day and night so long as the daies of heauen do endure but kneele on my knees and read Psalmes I can neuer be able to render vnto God condigne thankes for his great mercie fatherly kindnesse and most louing coÌ„passion extended vnto me most vile sinnefull wicked and vnworthy wretch Oh that the Lorde would open my mouth and geue me a thankefull hart that from the bottome of the same might flow his coÌ„tinuall prayse Oh that my sinnefull flesh which is the cause of my sorowe were cleane separated from me that I might sing Psalmes of thankesgeuing vnto the Lordes name for euer that with good Samuels mother I might continually record this noble verse folowing the which by good experience I haue found most true praysed be my good God therfore The Lord sayth that good woman killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to hel and fetcheth vp agayne Praysed be that Lord for euer yea and praysed be his name for that he hath geueÌ„ me true experience and liuely feeling of the same Blessed be the Lord GOD whose mercy endureth for euer whiche hath not dealt with me according to my deepe desertes nor destroyed me in his displeasure when I had iustly deserued it Oh what rewarde shall I geue agayne vnto Lorde for all the great benefites that he hath done for my soule I will gladly receiue the cuppe of saluation at his hand and will worship his name with prayer with prayse Ah my deare hart yea most deare vnto me in the Lord think not this sodeine chaunge in me to be some fickle phantasy of my foolish head as in deede some other woulde surely suspect it to be For doubtlesse it is the maruellous doing of the Lord moste merciful vnto me his vnworthy creature God for his great mercies sake geue me grace to bee more thankefull vnto him then I heretofore haue bene and keepe me that I neuer fall forth of hys fauour agayne And now my deare brother and moste blessed messenger of the Lord whose beautifull feet haue brought much glad tidings vnto my soule what shall I doe or say vnto you in the least part to recompence the fatherlye affection and Godlye care that you continually keepe for me Oh that God would geue me the spirite of feruent prayer that I might yet that way supply some litle part of my duty toward you Ah my true louing frend howe soone did you lay aside all other busines to make a sweete plaster for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a paynefull payre of stockes which place must needes be vneasye to write in But God hath brought you into a straight place that you mighte set my soule at liberty Out of your pinching and paynefull seate you haue plentifully poured vppon me your precious narde the sweete â—auour wherof hath greatly refresteed my tyred soule The Lord likewise refresh you both body soule by
pouring the oile of his gracious spirit into your sweet hart Ah good Ieremy hath Phasure put thee in the stockes why now thou hast the right reward of a prophet Thy glory neuer began to appeare vntill now I doubt not but shortly in sted of Ahikam the sonne of Shaphan Iesus the sonne of the liuing God wil come and deliuer thee foorth of the handes of all thine enemyes and will also make good agaynste them and theyr Antichristian Sinagogue all the wordes that thou hast spoken in his name The Lord hath made thee this day a strong defended Tower an yron piller and a brasen wall agaynst the whole rable of Antichrist though they fight against thee neuer so fiercely yet shall they not ouercome thee for the Lorde himselfe is with thee to helpe and deliuer thee and he will ridde thee out of the handes of the wicked and will deliuer thee out of the handes of the Tyrantes And in that you are not busy in casting pearles before swine nor in geuing the holy thinges vnto dogges you are much to be coÌ„mended in my simple iudgement And sure I am that your circuÌ„spect and modest behauiour hitherto hath bene as much to Gods glory to the shame confusion of your enemies as any mans doinges that are gone before you Wherefore mine aduise and most earnest desire is with all other of your louing frendes that you still keepe that order wyth those bloudthirsty bitesheepes bishops I should say that you haue begonne For though in conclusion they will surely haue your bloud yet shall they come by it with shame enough and to theyr perpetuall infamy whiles the world doth endure They would in deed condemne you in hugger mugger to darken Gods glory if it might be But Sathans thoughtes are not vnknowne to you the depth of his subtlety is by you well foreseene Therefore let them do whatsoeuer God shall suffer them to doe for I know all things shall turne to your best Though you lye in the darck sâ—orried with the Bishops blacke coale dust yet shall you be shortlye restored vnto the heauenly light and made as white as snowe in Salmon and as the winges of a Doue that is couered with siluer winges and her fethers like gold You know the vessell before it be made bright is soyled with oile and other thinges that it may scoure the better Oh happy be you that you be nowe in the scouring house for shortly you shal be set vppon the celestiall shelfe as bright as aungels Therfore my deare hart I will now according to your louing request cast away all care and reioyce with you and prayse God for you and pray for you day and night yea I wil now with Gods grace sing Psalmes of prayse and thankesgeuing with you For now my soule is turned to her old rest agayne and hath takeÌ„ a sweet nap in Christes lap I haue cast my care vpon the Lorde which careth for me and will be Careles according to my name in that respect which you would haue me I wil leaue out my vnseemely addition as long as I liue for it can take no place where true fayth and hope is resident So soone as I had read your most godly and coÌ„fortable letter my sorowes vanished away as smoke in the winde my spirit reuiued and comfort came agayne wherby I am sure the spirit of God was author of it Oh my good M. Philpot which art a principall pot in deede filled with most precious liquor as it appeareth by the pleÌ„teous pouring forth of the same Oh pot most happy of the high Potter ordeined to honour whiche doest conteine suche heauenly treasure in the earthen vessell Oh pot thrise happy in whome Christ hath wrought a greate miracle altering thy nature and turning water into wine and that of the best whereout the mayster of the feast hath filled my cuppe so ful that I am become drunken in the ioy of the spirit through the same When Martyrdome shall break thee O vessell of honour I know the fragrant sauour of thy precious Narde will much reioyce the heauy hartes of Christes true members although the Iudasses will grudge and murmure at the same Yea and burst out into words of sclaunder saying it is but lost and waste Be not offended deare hart at my Metaphoricall speach For I am disposed to be mery and with Dauid to daunce before the Arke of the Lord and though you play vpon a payre of Organes not very comely or easy to the flesh yet the sweet souÌ„d that came from the same causeth me thus to do O that I were with you in body as presently I am in spirit that I might sing all care away in Christ for nowe the time of comforte is come I hope to be wyth you shortly if all thinges happen aright For my olde frendes of Couentry haue put the Counsell in remembraunce of me not 6. dayes agoe saying that I am more worthy to be burned then any that was burned yet Gods blessing on theyr harts for their good report God make me worthy of that dignity and hasten the time that I might set forth his glory Pray for me deare hart I beseech you and will all your company to do the same and I will pray God for you all so long as I liue And nowe farewell in Christe thou blessed of Gods owne mouth I will for a time take my leaue but not my last farewell Blessed be the time that euer I came into the kinges bench to be ioyned in loue and felowship with such deare children of the Lord. My good brother Bradford shal not be dead whiles you be aliue for verely the spirit of him doth rest on you in most ample wise Your letters of comfort vnto me in ech poynt do agree as though the one were a copy of the other He hath planted in me and you do water the Lorde geue good increase My deare Brethren and felow prisoners here haue them humbly and hartelye commended vnto you and your company mourning for your misery but yet reioysing for your plenteous consolation and comfort in Christ. We are all chearefull and merry vnder our crosse and do lacke no necessaryes praysed bee GOD for his prouidence and great mercy towardes vs for euermore Amen ¶ To his wife AS by the greate mercy of God at the tyme of his good will and prouidence appoynted my dearelye beloued wife you and I were ioyned together in the holye and Christian state of godly Matrimony as well to our great ioy and comfor in Christ as also to the encrease of his blessed church and faythfull congregation by hauing lawfull children by in the same with the which God of his mercy hath blessed vs praised be his name therfore eueÌ„ so now by his mercifull will and diuine ordinaunce the time is come so farre as I can perceiue wherein he will for his glory
not awaye all thy true preachers forth of this realme O Lord but leaue vs a seede least England be made like vnto Sodome and Gomorre when thy true Lothes be gone But what goe I aboute to mingle your myrthe wyth my mourning and your iust ioy with my deserued sorow If I loued you in deede as I haue pretended I shoulde surely reioyce with you most hartily praise god on your behalfe from the very bottome of my hart I should prayse God day and night for your excellēt election in through his great mercy and should geue him most humble thākes for your vocation by his Gospell your true knowledge in the same I should earnestly prayse him for your sweete iustification wherof you are most certayne by Gods grace and spirite should instantly pray vnto him for your glorification which shall shortly ensue I should reioyce and be glad to see you so dignifyed by the crowne of Martyrdome and to be appoynted to that honour to testify hys truth and to seale it with your bloud I should highly extoll the Lord who hath geuen you a glorious victory euer al your enemies visible and inuisible and hath geuen you grace and strength to finish the Tower that you haue begunne to build Finally if I loued you I should most hartily reioice and be glad to see you deliuered from this body of sinne and vile prison of the fleshe and brought into that heauenly tabernacle where you shal be safely kept and neuer offend him more This and much more should I do if I had a good hart towardes God or you his deare childe But alas I am an hypocrite do seeke nothing but mine owne commodity I would haue gods euerlasting prouidēce geue place to my peeuish will purpose although it were to the hinderance of his glory and your sweet commodity God forgeue me my horrible ingratitude sinnes offēces agaynst him and good brother do you forgeue me my great negligence and vnthankfulnes towards you and henceforth I promise you I will put my will to Gods wil pray that the same may be fulfilled in you so long as you be on this earth and when you are taken hence I will most hartely prayse the Lord for you so lōg as I haue my being in this world Ah my deare hart nowe I muste take my leaue of you and as I thinke my Vltimum vale in this lyfe but in the life to come I am righte well assured we shall merilye meete together that shortly I trust And in taking of my leue of you my deare hart in the Lord I shall desire you faythfully to remēber all the sweet messages that the Lord our good God most deare louing father hath sent you by me his most vnworthy seruaunt which as they are moste true so shall they be most truly accōplished vpon you eternally and for the more assurance and certificate thereof to your godly cōscience he hath cōmaunded me to repeat the same vnto you agayne in his owne name and word Therfore now geue eare and faithfull credence Harken O ye heauens and thou earth geue eare and beare me witnes at the great day that I do here faythfully and truly the lordes message vnto his dear seruant his singularly beloued and elect childe Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloued of God I pronoūce testify vnto thee in the word name of the Lord Iehoua that all thy sinnes whatsoeuer they be be they neuer so many so grieuous or so great be fully freely pardoned released forgeuen thee by the mercy of God in Iesus Christ thyne onely Lord sweet sauiour in whom thou doest vndoubtedly beleue Christ hath cleansed thee with his bloud and clothed thee with his righteousnes and hath made thee in the sight of God his father without spotte or wrinckle so that when the fire doth his appoynted office thou shalt be receyued as a sweete burnt sacrifice into heauen where thou shalt ioyfully remayn in Gods presence for euer as the true inheritor of his euerlasting kingdome vnto that whiche that wast vndoubtedly predestinate ordeined by the Lords vnfallible purpose and decree before the foundation of the worlde was layde And that this is most true that I haue sayd I call the whole Trinity the almighty and eternall maiesty of God the father the sonne and the holy ghost to my record at this present whom I humbly beseech to confirme and stablish in thee the true and liuelye feeling of the same Amen Selah Now with a mery hart and a ioyfull spirit something mixed with lawful teares I take my farewel of you mine owne deare brother in the Lorde who sende vs shortly a merye meeting in his kingdome that we maye both sing prayses together vnto him with hys holy Aungelles and blessed spirites for euer euer Farewel thou blessed of the Lord farewell in Christ depart vnto thy rest in the Lorde and pray for me for Gods sake As I had made an ende of this simple Letter I hearde some comfort both of good Maister Philpots seruant and yours but alas I doe scarcely beleue them Well I wyll hope in God pray all night that God will send me some comfort to morrowe and if the Lorde geue you sparing to morow let me heare foure words of comfort from you for Gods sake The blessing of God be with you now and for euer Amen Yours for euer in the Lord Iesus Iohn Careles liuing in hope agaynst hope In reading this letter of Iohn Careles to M. Bradford aboue prefixed wherein he maketh so much mētion of a certayne letter of his sent to him and of the great exceeding consolation he receiued of the same thou wilt wishe peraduenture good louing Reader in thy mynd to haue some sight also of the sayd Letter of M. Bradford Wherein to satisfy thy desire or rather to preuent thy petition I haue hereunto annexed the same to the entent thou mayest not onely vnderstand the contentes therof but also receiue fruit therof to thy cōsolation likewise The purport of the letter here foloweth ¶ Mayster Bradford to Careles ALmighty God our deare father through and for the merits of his dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christ be mercifull vnto vs pardon vs our offences vnder the winges of his mercy he protect vs from all euill from henceforth and for euer Amen Deare brother Careles I hartely pray you to pray to GOD for me for the pardon of my manifold sinnes and most grieuous offences whiche neede none other demonstration vnto you then this namely that I haue behaued my selfe so negligently in aunswering your godly triple letters whiche are three witnesses agaynst me God lay not them nor none other thing to my charge to condemnation though to correction not my will but his wil be done Concerning your request of absolution my dearest brother what shall I saye but euen as trueth is that the
Lorde of all mercy and Father of all comfort through the merites and mediation of his deare sonne thy onely Lord and Sauiour hath clearely remitted and pardoned all thy offences whatsoeuer they bee that euer hitherto thou hast committed agaynst his maiesty and therefore he hath geuen to thee as to his childe deare Brother Iohn Careles in token that thy sinnes are pardoned he I say hath geuen vnto thee a penitent and beleuing hart that is a hart which desireth to repent and beleue For suche a one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleuing hart in deed Wherefore my good Brother be mery gladde and of good cheare for the Lorde hath taken away thy sinnes thou shalt not dye Goe thy wayes the Lord hath put away thy sinnes The East is not so farre from the West as the Lord now hath put thy sinnes from thee Looke how the heauēs be in comparison of the earth so far hath his mercy preuayled towardes thee his deare chylde Iohn Careles through Christ the beloued Say therfore with Dauid prayse the Lord oh my soule and all that is within me prayse his holy name for he hath forgeuen thee all thy sinnes as truely he hath And hereof I desire to be a witnesse God make me worthy to heare from you the like true message for my selfe Myne owne dearly beloued you haue great cause to thanke God moste hartily that he hath geuen you such repētance and fayth the lord encrease the same in you and me a most miserable wretch whose hart is harder then the Adamant stone or elles I coulde not thus long haue stayed from writing vnto you If I liue and may I purpose and promise you to make amendes Praye for me my moste deare brother I hartely beseech you and forgeue me my long silence God our father be with vs for euer Amen Yours in the Lord Iohn Bradford ¶ To my most deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to dye for the testimony of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength and comfort of his most pure holy mighty spirite with the increase of fayth liuely feeling of his eternall mercy be with you my most deare faythfull louing brother Tyms with all the rest of my deare hartes in the Lord your faithfull felow souldiers most constant cōpanions in bonds yea of men condēned most cruelly for the sincere testimony of Gods euerlasting truth to the full finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begon in you all that the same may be to his glory the commodity of his poore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most sweet and louing brethrē and dearest hartes in the Lord what shall I say or how shall I write vnto you in the least poynt or part to vtter the great ioy that my poore hart hath cōceiued in God through the most godly example of your christian constancy and sincere confession of Christes verity Truely my tongue can not declare nor my pen expresse the aboūdance of spirituall myrth and gladnes that my minde and inward man hath felte euer since I heard of your harty boldnes and modest behauior before that bloudy butcher in the time of al your crafty examinations especially at your cruell condēnation in theyr cursed Consistory place Blessed be God the Father of all mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciously performed vpon you his deare darlinges his most sweete and comfortable promises in not onely geuing you the cōtinuall aide strength and comfort of his holye and mighty spirite to the faythfull confession of his Christ for whose cause O most happy mē ye are condemned to dye but also in geuing you such a mouth wisedom as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were fayne to cry Peace peace not suffer you to speake As truely as God liueth my deare brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euident probation that God is on our side and a sure certainty of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather gods cursed enemies a plaine demōstration of their iust eternall woe damnatiō which they shal be full sure shortly to feele whē ye shal ful sweetly possesse the place of felicity pleasure prepared for you frō the beginning Therefore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to prayse the Lord with a lusty courage for that of his great mercy and infinite goodnesse he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not onely the losse of goodes wife and childrē long imprisonment cruell oppressiō c. but also the very depriuation of this mortall life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fire The which is the greatest promotion that GOD can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue yet hath the Lord for his dere sonne Christs sake reputed you worthy of the same yea and that before me and many other which haue both long looked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Tyms whose time resteth altogether in the handes of the Lorde in a full happy time camest thou into this troublesome world but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the sweete saying of Salomon or rather of the holye ghost shall be full well verified vpon thee yea and all thy faythfull fellowes Better is the day of death sayth hee then the day of byrth This saying cannot be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and suche as thou art whose death is most precious before God full deare shal your bloud be in his sight Blessed be God for thee my deare brother Tymmes and blessed be God agayn that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came first into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God will once vouch me worthye of that great dignitie whereunto he hath now brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth now nigh vnto God of whom you haue receiued the same ful glad may you be that euer God gaue you a life to leaue for his sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wife Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I beseeche you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my sins of that great dignitie whereunto the Lord hath called you and the rest of your godly brethren whome I beseech you to comfort in the Lorde as you can full well praysed be God for his giftes which you haue hartily applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the commoditie of his
Church and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him So be it Ah my deare hartes and most faithful brethren and sisters in the Lord what high laudes and prayse yea what humble continuall thankes am I bound to geue to God our father for you on your most happy behalfe who so mightely hath magnified him selfe in you thus farre forth in geuing you his holy mighty spirit to the constant confessing of Christes veritie euen to the cruel condēnation I doubt not but he will do the same to the death Oh happye and blessed are you that euer you were borne that the Lord will vouch you worthy of this great dignitie to dye for his sake Doubtles it is the greatest honour that God can geue you in this lyfe Yea if they be so blessed of God that dye in the Lord as the holy ghost saith they be how much more blessed and happy then are you that die not only in the Lord but also for the Lord. Oh that it were the good wyll of God that the good houre were now come that I might goe with you Ah that my sinnes made me not vnworthy of such an excellent dignitie Be thankfull deare harts be thankfull reioyce in the Lord for mighty is his mercy towardes you and great is your reward in heauen the which you like faithful persōs haue plucked to you with a godly violēce of an inuincible faith Oh worthy warriours of the most high captaine Oh cōstant confessors of the euerlasting veritie how glorious a crown of victory shal you shortly receiue which is prepared for all such as do continue to the ende Oh you sweete saintes of the Lorde how precious shal your death be in his sight Oh how deare are your soules to your redeemer in whose hand they shall most ioyfully rest and the paynes of death shall neuer touch you Oh how blessed shall you be when Christ shall appeare at the which time you shall receaue your bodyes againe full of immortalitie Oh howe ioyfull shall you be when Christ according to his promise shall knowledge you before his father and his holy aungels as you haue most constantly confessed him to be your Lord and onely sauiour before men Oh blessed Greene thou meek and louing lamb of the Lord how happy art thou to be appoynted to dye for hys sake A full daintie dish art thou for the Lords own tooth Fresh and Greene shalt thou be in the house of the Lord thy fruites shal neuer wither nor decay Although thou go here forth sowing thy good fruites with teares the time shal come that thou shalt reape with ioy and gladnes the fruites of euerlasting life and that without ceasing Be mery therfore and feare not for it is thy fathers will to geue thee a kingdome wherunto he hath chosen thee before the foundations of the world were layd Oh happy Minister thou mā of God how glad maiest thou be of Gods most gracious fauour which hath preuented thee in the day of thy tryall Oh happy Peter whose part thou hast wel playd therfore thy reward and portion shall be like vnto his Now hast thou good experience of mans infirmitie but much more proofe and tast yea sense feeling of Gods aboundant bottomles mercy Although Satan desired to sift thee yet Christe thy good Captayne prayed that thy fayth should not fayle Gods strengthe is made perfect by thy weakenes his grace is sufficient for thee his deare childe Thine example did so incourage and strength thy poore brethren that God is euery waye glorified by thee and shortly will he glorifie thee with himself with that glory whiche he hath prepared for thee his electe deareling before the world was made Therfore reioyce be glad for thou hast good occasion in finding such fauour in his sight This is most true Oh my other brethren whom I do not know neyther haue I heard muche of you happy are you that euer you were borne and blessed be our God which hath geuen you such victory ouer the bloudy beast shortly shall you be clothed in large white garmentes and fyne raynes of righteousnes and so shall you follow the Lambe on mount Syon with new songes of mirth and melodye for your deliuerie forth of Satans power tiranny God for euermore bee blessed for you and strengthen you to the end as I doubt not but he will for hee neuer fayled them that put their trust in him O my deare and faithfull sister Ioane Warner what shall I say to thee Thy triall hath bene great thy victory in Christ hath bene notable Thou hast ouercome many a sharpe shower and storme Shortly shalt thou ariue at the hauen of quiet rest and receiue a reward due to a constant martyr Thou shalt go home to thy heauenly father and possesse for euer the inheritance which Christ hath purchased for thee where thy earthly parentes be still looking for thee which haue triumphed ouer Antichrist most victoriously Oh blessed parentes of happy Children which haue shewed such an example as the like hath bene seldome seen I salute thee deare sister of like constant mind whose constant example is worthy of continual memory Praysed be god for you mine own sweet sisters which hath made you to play such wise virgins parts He hath plentifully poured the oyle of his spirite into the lampes of your faythe so that the light thereof shall neuer be extinct You shal enter with your bridegrome into euerlasting ioy wherunto you were chosen in him from the beginning Oh my deare brethren and sisters you blessed saynts of the Lord how much how deeply am I bounde to prayse God for you both day night Pray pray for me my deare hartes for the render mercy of God that I may bee made worthy to folow your trace Oh that I had runne the race of my life as farre as you haue done yours and were as nigh my iorneys end as you be vnto yours But alas I lie like the lame man at the pooles side by Salomons porch euery man goeth into the place of health before me But God will appoynt me one one daye to put me in I truste my Lord of Londōs Colehouse is emptie al his officers idle Therefore they must shortly fetch more sheepe to the shambles for he is the common slaughter slaue of all England But happy are you that are passed through the pikes deliuered out of his hands and from al the angels of the darknes of this world which long tempted you in the wildernes of the same but now shall the angels of God come and minister vnto you for they are your seruantes to hold you vp in your handes that you shal not hurt your foot no nor one heare of your head shall pearish They shal cary you vp to heauen in a fiery chariot thoughe you leaue your Mantell behinde you for a time till God restore the
error for the key that openeth the locke to Gods mysteries and to saluation is the key of faith and repentāce And as I haue heard learned men reason S. Austine and Origen with others are of this opinion Then they reuiled him and laide hym in the stockes all the night Wherewith certaine that were better minded being offended with such extremity willed Allin to keepe his cōscience to him selfe and to folow Baruckes counsel in the 6. chap. Wherfore when ye see the multitude of people worshipping thē behinde and before say ye in your harts O Lord it is thou that ought only to be worshipped Wherewith he was perswaded to goe to heare Masse the next day and sodenly before the sacring went out and considered in the Churchyard with him selfe that suche a litle cake betwene the priests fingers could not be Christ nor a materiall body neither to haue soule life sinnewes bones flesh legs head armes nor brest and lamēted that he was seduced by the place of Barucke which his conscience gaue him to be no Scripture or els to haue an other meaning and after this he was brought againe before syr Iohn Baker who asked why he did refuse to worship the blessed Sacrament of the aultar Allin It is an Idol Collins It is Gods body Allin It is not Collins By the Masse it is Allin It is bread Collins How proouest thou that Allin When Christ sate at his last supper and gaue them bread to eate Col. Bread knaue Allin Yea bread which you cal Christes body Sate he stil at the table or was he both in their mouthes at the table If he were both in their mouthes at the table then had he two bodies or els had a fantasticall body which is an absurditie to say it Sir Iohn Baker Christes body was glorified and might be in mo places then one Allin Then had he more bodies thē one by your own placing of him Collins Thou ignorāt Asse the schoole men say that a glorified body may be euery where Allin If his body was not glorified til it rose againe then was it not glorified at his last supper and therefore was not at the table and in their mouthes by your owne reason Collins A glorified body occupieth no place Allin That which occupieth no place is neither God nor any thing els but Christes body say you occupieth no place therefore it is neither God nor any thing els If it be nothing then is your religion nothing If it be God then haue we iiij in one Trinitie which is the persone of the father the person of the sonne the person of the holy ghost the humane nature of Christ. If Christ be nothing which you must needes confesse if he occupie no place then is our study in vaine our faith prostrate and our hope without reward Collins This rebel wil beleue nothing but scripture How knowest thou that it is the scripture but by the church and so sayeth S. Austin Allin I cannot tell what Austine sayth but I am perswaded that it is Scripture by diuers arguments First that the law worketh in me my condemnation The law telleth me that of my selfe I am dāned and this damnatiō M. Collins you must find in your self or els you shal neuer come to repētance For as this grief sorow of cōscience wtout faith is desperation so is a glorious Romish faith wtout the lamentatiōs of a mās sins presūption The second is the gospel which is the power spirit of God This spirite sayth S. Paule certifieth my spirite that I am the sonne of God and that these are the Scriptures The thirde are the wonderfull woorkes of God which cause me to beleue that there is a God though we glorifie him not as God Rom. 1. The sunne the moone the starres and other his workes as Dauid discourseth in the xix Psalme declareth that there is a God and that these are the scriptures because that they teach nothing els but God and his power maiestie and might and because the scripture teacheth nothing dissonant from this prescription of nature And fourthly because that the woord of God gaue authoritye to the church in paradise saying that the seede of the woman should brast down the Serpents head This sede is the gospel this is al the scriptures and by this we are assured of eternall life and these words The seede of the woman shall braste the serpentes heade gaue authoritie to the church and not the church to the worde Baker I hearde say that you spake against priests and bishops Allin I spake for thē for now they haue so much liuing especially bishops archdeacons and deanes that they neyther can nor wil teach Gods woord If they had a 100. pounds a peece then would they apply their studie now they can not for other affaires Col. Who wil then set his children to schoole Allin Where there is now one set to schoole for that end there would be 40. because that one Bishops liuing deuided into 30. or 40. partes would finde so manye as wel learned men as the bishops be now who haue all this liuing neither had Peter or Paul any such reuenew Baker Let vs dispatch him he wil mar all Collins If euery man had a 100. pounds as he saith it wold make mo learned men Baker But our bishops would be angrye if that they knew it Allin It were for a common wealth to haue such bishoppricks deuided for the further increase of learning Baker What sayest thou to the Sacrament Allin As I sayde before Baker Away with him And thus was he caried to prison and afterward burned And thus much touching the particular storie of Edm. Allin and his wife Who with the v. other martyrs aboue named being vij to wit v. women and ij men were altogether burned at Maidstone the yere and moneth afore mentioned and the 18. day of the same moneth An other storie of like crueltie shewed vpon other 7. Martyrs burnt at Cant. 3. men and 4. women AMong suche infinite seas of troubles in these most dāgerous daies who can withhold himselfe from bitter teares to see the madding rage of these presented Catholickes who being neuer satisfied with bloud to maintaine their carnall kingdome presume so highly to violate the precise law of Gods commandements in slaying the simple pore Lambes of the glorious congregation of Iesus Christ and that for the true testimonie of a good cōscience in confessing the immulate gospell of their saluatiō What heart wil not lamēt the murdering mischief of these men who for wāt of worke do so wreke their tine on seely pore women whose weake imbecillitie the more strēgth it lacketh by natural imperfection the more it ought to be helped or at least pitied and not oppressed of men that be stronger and especially of Priests that should be charitable But blessed be the Lord omnipotent who supernaturally hath indued from aboue such
sithens the 10. day of Ianuarie last or to vse receiue or alow any ceremonies sacramēts or other rites then vsed in the church To all these Articles he answeared affirmatiuely denieng precisely none of them sauing to this clause contained in the 12. article that a man is not bounde to fast and pray but at his owne will pleasure he sayde that he had affirmed no such thing but he confessed that he had not fasted nor prayed so oft as he was bounde to doe And vnto this answer he also subscribed in this sorte Except it be prooued otherwise by the holy Scripture I doe affirme these articles to be true By me Rafe Allerton The next examination was the fourth daye of Iulie The actes whereof because they do appeare more amply in hys other examination had the 10. daye of September I doe heere omit geuing you farther to vnderstande that vppon the seuenth daye of the same moneth of Iulie hee was brought before Doctor Darbishiere in the Byshops Palace who examined him againe vppon the former Articles and after perswaded him to recant threatning hym that otherwise he should be burned To whome he boldly answeared I woulde I mighte be condemned euen to morrowe for I perceiue my Lord meaning Boner doth nothing but seeke mennes bloud Uppon whiche sayinge Darbishire committed him againe to prisone and the 10. day of September the Bishop caused him with the other thre aboue named to be brought vnto Fulham and there in his priuate Chappell wythin his house hee iudiciallye propounded vnto him certaine other newe Articles of the whyche the tenours of the first fifte sixte and seuenth are already mentioned in the seconde thirde and fourthe former obiections as for the rest the contentes thereof here followeth Thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the Information geuen against thee and remaining now in the Actes of this court of thine Ordinarie Edmunde Bishop of London was and is a true information This information was geuen by Tho. Tie Curate of Bentley of whome yee haue already heard and certaine other of the same parishe and affinitie as namelye Iohn Painter William Harris Iohn Barker Iohn Carter Thomas Candeler Ieffrey Bestwoode Iohn Richarde Richard Meere The effect whereof was that one Laurence Edwards of Bentley aforesayde had a child that was vnchristened and being demaunded by the sayde Tye whye hys childe was not Baptised he made aunsweare it should be when he coulde finde one of his religion meaning a true professour of Christes gospell Whereat the Curate sayd Ah ye haue hadde some instructer that hathe schooled yo◠of late Yea quoth the sayd Edwardes that I haue and if youre doctrine be better then his then I will beleeue you and therewithall fondly offered to fetch him Wherupon the Cōstable going with him they brought before the said curate the said Rafe Allerton of whome in this information they make this reporte that he was a seditious person who sithens his comming down from the bish had set vpon the Constables doore certaine seditious Letters moouing and perswading thereby the people to folow his malicious disobedience and that these his perswasions had taken effecte in manye And farther that the saide Rafe Allerton the Curate asking him whether he had instructed thys Laurence Edwardes that it was agaynst Gods commandement to enter into the church casting abroad his hands should say Oh good people now is fulfilled the saying of the godly Priest and Prophet Esdras who sayeth The fire of a multitude is kindled against a fewe they haue taken away their houses spoiled their goods c. Which of you all haue not seen this day who is he here amongest you that seeth not all these things done vpon vs this day The church which they call vs vnto is the church of Antichrist a persecuting church and the church malignant With these and many mo words said they most maliciously and falsly alledged out of the Scriptures he thus perswaded a great multitude there present as muche as in him lay vnto disobedience For the which cause the constables did then apprehend him 3. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letter sent vnto me by my Lorde Darcie beginning wyth these woordes pleaseth it your Lordship c. was thine owne letter and was subscribed by thine owne hand The contents of the letter mentioned in this Article and wrytten by Allerton vnto the Lorde Darcie was a confession of his demeanor before his first apprehension the effect and purport whereof because it appeareth in the beginning of this his Historie I doe heere omit 4. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not deny but that the other letter sent also to me from my said Lord Darcy beginning thus pleaseth it youre Lordship c. and ending with these woordes whensoeuer it be is thine owne very letter and subscribed with thine owne hand This was also an other letter wrytten by hym vnto the Lorde Darcie the contents whereof were that where the said Lorde had commaunded him to declare where he had bene euer sithens Whitsontide last before hys first apprehension this was to certifie his Lordship that he was not able so to do otherwise then as he had already shewed him by his former letters And moreouer where as hee charged him to haue read vnto the people abroade in the woodes he certified him that he did neuer read any thyng abroad sauing once whē he was in the cōpany of George Eagles and others Richarde Roth tooke a wryting out of his bosome and desired the saide Rafe to read it which request heethen accomplished and demaunding of hym whose doing the same was the said Roth told that it was maister Cranmers late Archbishop of Canterburie and farther he could not shew him Neuertheles he was ready and willing to suffer such punishment as his lordship should thinke meete desiring yet that the same myghte be with fauour and mercye although hee feared neither punishment nor death praying the Lord that it might be in his feare when soeuer it should be 8. Item thou Rafe Allerton canst not denie but that the letters wrytten with bloud beginning with these words Grace mercy and peace c. and ending thus Farewell in God remaining nowe Registred in the Actes of thys Court were wrytten voluntarily with thine owne hand He wrote this letter in the prison with bloud for lacke of other inke and did meane to send the same vnto Agnes Smith alias Siluerside at that time imprisoned and afterwardes burned at Colchester for the testimonie of the Gospell of Christe as before is mencioned The Copie of which letter heere ensueth A letter wrytten by Rafe Allerton vnto Agnes Smith Widowe GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ with the assistance of Gods holy spirite and the aboundant health both of soule and body I wish vnto you as to mine owne soule as GOD knoweth who is the searcher of all secretes Forasmuch as it hath pleased
vnderstandyng in the contentes of the same article 4. To the fourth he aunswered that hee did well like the Communion vsed in Kyng Edwardes dayes but sayde that he had not ministred or receyued the same here in England since the Queenes reygne neyther yet knewe any that had the bookes thereof But on the other side he knew many that had those bookes and that there also hee hadde receiued the Communion in sundrye places 5. The contentes of the fift he graunted to be true 6. To the sixt he confessed that he had bene familiar with diuers Englishe menne and women being in Friseland and agreed with them in opinion as Maister Scory Thomas Young George Roo and others to the number of one hundreth persons whiche fled thither for Religion vsing there the order set forth in the reigne of king Edward and otherwise he denyeth the contentes of thys Article 7. The contentes of the seuenth hee graunted in euery poynt to be true 8. To the eight he aunswered and confessed that sithens his last comming into England which was aboue the x. day of Nouember he had in sundry places in the suburbes of London prayed and read such prayers and seruice as is appoynted in the booke of the communion and hadde willed others to doe the like both men and women which he did know by sight but not by name Howbeit he didde neyther cause any to withdrawe themselues from the Latine seruice but he sayed that it were better to pray in a tongue that they didde vnderstande then in an vnknowne tongue 9. To the ninth he confessed that the time and place articulate he was present to heare and see a playe and there was apprehended by the Queenes Maiesties Vicechamberleyne with one Cutbert a taylour and one Hugh a hosier and diuers other both men and women whose names he knewe not and by him was brought before the Counsell who sent him vnto Newgate and from thence he was brought to the bishop And othewise he denieth the contentes of this Article Upon these answeres he was dismissed and the nexte day being the xix of December he was agayne brought before the sayd Byshop and others Who when they perceiued his constantnesse determined the nexte day after to bring him openly into the Consistory there to adiudge condemne him as an hereticke Whiche purpose they accomplished For the xx day at afternoone in the presence of the Byshops of London and S. Dauides with Fecknam Abbot of Westminster and others he was there produced Where after muche and many fayre perswasions Boner read vnto him the articles and aunsweres before mentioned in the which they charged him to haue receyued the orders of the church and therefore might not mary and that he had refused to consent vnto the Latine seruice then vsed in the Church Whereunto he then aunswered and sayde that theyr orders were no thing at all and that he being a Prieste might lawfully mary and that hys children whiche he had by his wife were lawfull And as touching the seruice then vsed he vtterly detested it saying that if he should liue as long as did Methusalach yet he would neuer come to the Church to heare the abhominable Masse and other seruice being as it was then Upō which wordes the Bishop proceeded to the actuall degradation of the sayde Rough exempting him from all the benefites and priuiledges of theyr Church and after condemning him as an hereticke committed his body to the secular power who taking him into their charge and custody caried him vnto Newgate Moreouer as touching the sayde M. Rough this is further to be noted that he being in the North country in the dayes of king Edward the sixt was the meane to saue Doctor Watsons life who in queene Maryes tyme was Byshop of Lincolne for a Sermon that hee made there The sayd Watson after that in the sayde dayes of Queene Marye being with Boner at the examination of the sayde M. Rough to requite the good turne in sauing his life de tected him there to be a pernicious hereticke who did more hurt in the North partes then an hundreth besides of hys opinions Unto whom M. Rough sayd agayne Why sir is this the rewarde I haue for sauing your life when you preached erroneous doctrine in the dayes of king Edward the sixt This M. Rough sayd he had liued thirty yeares and yet had neuer bowed his knee to Baall and being before Boner among other talke he affirmed that he hadde bene twise at Rome and there had sene playnely with his eyes whiche he had manye times heard of before namelye that the pope was the very Antichrist for there he saw him caried on mens shoulders and the false named sacrament borne before him Yet was there more reuerence geuen to him then to that which they counted to be theyr GOD. Whē Boner heard this rising vp and making as though he would haue torne his garmentes hast thou sayd hee bene at Rome and sene our holy father the Pope doest thou blaspheme him after this sort and with that flying vpon him he plucked of a piece of his beard and after making speedy haste to his death he burnt him half an houre before sixe of the clocke in the morning because the day belike shoulde not be farre spent before he had done a mischieuous deed Furthermore note that this Mayster Rough being at the burning of Austoo in Smithfield and returning home ward agayne met with one Mayster Farrar a Marchant of Hallifaxe who asked him where hee had beene Unto whō he aunswered I haue bene saith he where I would not for one of mine eyes but I had bene Where haue you bene sayd M. Farrar Forsoothe sayth hee to learne the way And so he tolde hym hee had bene at the burning of Austoo where shortly after he was burned hymselfe ¶ A letter written by Iohn Rough vnto certeine of his godly frendes confirming and strengthning them in the truth which he had before taught THe comfort of the holy Ghost make you able to geue consolation to others in these daungerous dayes when Sathan is let lose but to the triall onely of the chosen when it pleaseth our God to sift his wheat from the Chaffe I haue not leysure tyme to write the great tēptations I haue bene vnder I speak to Gods glory my care was to haue the senses of my soule open to perceiue the voyce of God saying Who so euer denyeth me before men him will I deny before my father and his aungels And to saue the life corporall is to lose the life eternall And he that will not suffer with Christ shall not reigne with him Therefore most tender ones I haue by Gods spirite geuen ouer the flesh with the fight of my soule and the spirite hath the victory The fleshe shall now ere it be long leaue of to sinne the spirite shall reigne eternally I haue chosē the death to confirme the truth by me
theirs God is my father God is my mother God is my Sister my Brother my Kinsman God is my frend moste faythfull ¶ The cruell burning of a woman at Exeter Touching the name of this woman as I haue nowe learned she was the wife of one called Prest dwelling in the Dioces of Exeter not farre from Launceston ¶ The Persecution and Martyrdome of three godly men burnt at Bristow about the latter yeares of Queene Maries reigne IN writing of the blessed Sayntes which suffered in the bloudy dayes of queene Mary I had almost ouerpassed the names and story of three godly Martyrs whiche with theyr bloud gaue testimony likewise to the gospell of Christ being condemned and burnt in the town of Bristow The names of whom were these Richard Sharpe Thomas Benion Thomas Hale First Richarde Sharpe Weauer of Bristowe was brought the 9. day of Marche an 1556. before M. Dalbye Chauncellour of the Towne or City of Bristow and after examination concerning the sacrament of the aultar was perswaded by the sayde Dalbye and others to recant and the 29. of the same moneth was enioyned to make his recantation before the Parishioners in his parish Churche Which whē he had done he felt in his cōscience such a tormenting hell that he was not able quietly to worke in his occupation but decayed and chaunged both in colour and liking of his body Who shortly after vpon a sonday came into his parish Church called Temple after high masse came to the queere doore sayd with a loud voyce Neighbors beare me recorde that yonder Idoll and poynted to the aultar is the greatest and most abhominable that euer was and I am sory that euer I denied my Lord GOD. Then the Constables were commaunded to apprehende him but none stepped forth but suffered him to goe out of the Church After by night he was apprehended and caried to Newgate shortly after he was brought before the sayd Chauncellor denying the sacrament of the aultar to be the body bloud of Christ sayd it was an Idoll and therfore was cōdemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby He was burnt the 7. of May. 1557. and dyed godly paciently and constantly confessing the articles of our fayth ¶ Thomas Hale Martyr THe Thursday in the night before Easter .1557 came one M. Dauid Herris Alderman Iohn Stone to the house of one Thomas Hale a Shoomaker of Bristowe caused him to rise out of his bedde brought hym foorth of his dore To whō the said Tho. Hale said You haue sought my bloud these two yeares now much good do it you with it Who being committed to the watchmen was caried to Newgate the 24. of April the yere aforesaid was brought before M. Dalby the Chancelor committed by him to prison after by him condemned to be burnt for saying the sacrament of the altar to be an Idoll He was burned the 7. of May with the foresayd Rich. Sharpe godly paciently and constantly embracing the fire with his armes Two Godly Martyrs burned at Bristow Richard Sharpe Thomas Hale were burned both together in one fire and bound backe to backe Thomas Benion THomas Benion a Weauer at the commaundement of the Commissioners was brought by a Constable the thirtenth daye of August 1557. before Mayster Dalbye Chauncellour of Bristow who committed him to pryson for saying there was nothing but bread in the Sacrament as they vsed it Wherefore the twenty day of the sayd August he was condemned to be burnt by the sayd Dalby for denying fiue of theyr Sacramentes and affirming two that is the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptisme He was burnt the seuen and twenty of the sayd moneth and yeare and dyed godly Thomas Benion burned at Bristow constantly and patiently with confessing the articles of our christian fayth ¶ The Martyrdome of fiue constant Christians which suffered the last of all other in the time of Queene Mary THe last that suffred in Queene Maries time were fiue at Caunterburye burned about sixe dayes before the death of Queene Mary whose names follow here vnder written Iohn Corneford of Wortham Christopher Browne of Maydstone Iohn Herst of Ashford Alice Snoth Katherine Knight otherwise called Katherine Tynley an aged woman These fiue to close vp the finall rage of queene Maries persecution for the testimony of that word for whiche so many had died before gaue vp theyr liues meekly and paciently suffering the violent malice of the Papistes Which Papists although they then might haue either well spared them or els deferred theyr death knowing of the sicknesse of Queene Mary yet such was the implacable despite of that generation that some there be that say the Archdeacō of Canterbury the same time being at London vnderstanding the daunger of the Queene incontinently made al post hast home to dispatch these whom before he had thē in his cruell custody The matter why they were iudged to the fire was for beleuing the body not to be in the sacrament of the aulter vnlesse it be receiued saying moreouer that we receiue an other thing also beside Christes body which we see and is a temporall thing according to S. Paule The thinges that be sene be temporall c. Item for confessing that an euill man doth not receiue Christes body Because no man hath the sonne except it be geuen him of the father Item that it is Idolatry to creepe to the crosse and S. Iohn forbidding it sayth Beware of Images Itē for confessing that we should not pray to our Lady and other Sayntes because they be not omnipotent For these and such other articles of Christian doctrine were these fiue committed to the fire Agaynst whom whē the sentence shoulde be read and they excommunicate after the maner of the papistes one of them Iohn Cornford by name styrred with a vehemēt spirit of the zeale of god proceeding in a more true excōmunication agaynst the papistes in the name of them all pronounced sentēce against them in these wordes as folow In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of the most mighty God and by the power of his holy spirite the authority of his holy catholick Apostolick church we do geue here into th◠handes of Satan to be destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers hereticks that do mainteine any error agaynst his most holy word or do cōdemne his most holy truth for heresy to the mainteinaunce of any false Churche or fayned Religion so that by this thy iuste iudgement O most mighty God against thy aduersaries thy true religion may be knowne to thy great glory and our comfort and to the edifying of al our natiō Good Lord so be it Amen This sentence of excommunication beyng the same time openly pronounced and registred proceeding so as it seemeth from an inwarde fayth and hartye zeale to Gods trueth and
Religion tooke such effect agaynst the enemye that within sixe dayes after Queene Mary dyed and the tyranny of all Englishe Papistes with her Albeit notwithstanding the sicknes and death of that queene wherof they were not ignorant yet the Archdeacon with other of Caunterbury thought to dispatch the Martyrdome of these men before ¶ The burning of fiue Martyrs at Caunterbury In the which fact the tyranny of this Archdeacon seemeth to exceede the crueltye of Boner who notwithstanding he had certayne the same time vnder his custodye yet he was not so importune in haling them to the fire as appeareth by father Liuing and his wife and diuers other who being the same time vnder the custody and daūger of Boner deliuered by the death of Queene Mary remayne yet some of them aliue These godly martirs in theyr prayers which they made before their martirdome desired God that theyr bloud might be the last that should be shed and so it was This Katherine Tynley was the mother of one Robert Tynley now dwelling in Maydstone which Robert was in trouble all Queene Maryes time To whom hys Mother comming to visite him asked him how he tooke this place of Scripture which she had seene not by reading of the Scripture for she had yet in maner no taste of Religion but had found it by chaunce in a Booke of prayers I will poure out my spirite vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesy your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions And also vpon the seruantes and vpon the maydes in those dayes will I poure my spirite c. Which place after that he had expounded to her she began to take hold on the Gospell growing more and more in zeale and loue thereof and so continued vnto her Martyrdome Among such young women as were burned at Caunterbury it is recorded of a certayne mayd and supposed to be this Alice Snoth here in this story mentioned or els to be Agnes Snoth aboue storied pag. 1751. for they were both burned that when she was brought to bee executed she being at the stake called for her godfather and godmothers The Iustice hearing her sent for thē but they durste not come Notwithstanding the Iustice willed the messēger to go agayne and to shew them that they should incur no daunger therfore Then they hearing that came to knowe the matter of theyr sending for When the maide saw them she asked thē what they had promised for her and so she immediatly rehearsed her fayth and the commaundements of God and required of them if there were any more that they had promised in her behalfe and they sayd no. Then sayd shee I dye a Christian woman beare witnes of me and so cruelly in fire was she consumed gaue ioyfully her life vp for the testimony of Christes Gospell to the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly and also to the stopping of the sclaunderous mouthes of suche as falsly doe quarrell agaynst these faythfull Martyrs for going from that religion wherein by theyr Godfathers Godmothers they were first baptised ¶ The story and condemnation of Iohn Hunt and Richard White ready to be burnt but by the death of Queene Mary escaped the fire BEsides these Martyrs aboue named diuers there were in diuers other places of the Realme imprisoned whereof some were but newly taken and not yet examined some begon to be examined but were not yet condemned certayne both examined and condemned but for lacke of the writ escaped Other there were also both condemned and the writ also was brought downe for theyr burning and yet by the death of the Chaūcellor the bishop and of Queene Mary happening together about one time they most happely maruellously were preserued and liued many yeres after In the number of whom was one Iohn Hunt and Rich. White imprisoned at Salisbury Touching which historie something here is to be shewed First these two good men and faythfull seruauntes of the Lord aboue named to wit Iohn Hunt and Richarde White had remayned long time in prison at Salisburye other places therabout the space of two yeares and more During which time oft times they were called to examination manifold waies were impugned by the Bishop and the Priestes All whose examinations as I thoughte not much needefull here to prosecute or to searche out for the length of the volume so neither agayne did I thinke it good to leaue no memorye at all of the same but some part to expresse namely of the examination of Richarde White before the Bishop of Salisbury the Bishop of Glocester with the Chauncellour and other Priestes not vnworthy perchaunce to be rehearsed * The examination of Richard White before the Byshop of Salisbury in his chamber in Salisbury the 26. day of Aprill an 1557. THe Bishop of Salisbury at that time was Docor Capon The Bishop of Glocester was Doctor Brookes These with Doctour Geffrey the Chauncelour of Salisbury and a great number of Priestes sitting in iudgemēt Richarde White was brought before them With whome first the Bishop of Glocester which had the examination of him beginneth thus Bishop Brookes Is this the prisoner The chauncellour Yea my Lord. Brookes Frend wherefore camest thou hether White My Lord I trust to know the cause for the lawe saith in the mouth of two or three witnesses things must stand Doctour Capon Did not I examine thee of thy fayth whē thou camest hether White No my Lord you did not examine me but cōmaūded me to the Lollardes Tower and that no man should speake with me And now I do require mine accuser Then the Register said the Maior of Marlborow did apprehend you for wordes that you spake there for that I commaunded you to be conueyed hither to prison White You had the examination of me in Marlborow Say you what I haue sayd And I will aunswere you Geffray Thou shalt confesse thy fayth ere thou depart and therfore say thy minde freely and be not ashamed so to do White I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ because it is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleue S. Peter sayth If any man do aske thee a reasō of the hope that is in thee make him a direct aunswere and that with meekenes Who shall haue the examination of me Chaunc My Lord of Glocester shall haue the examinatiō of thee White My Lorde will you take the paynes to wet your coate in my bloud be not guilty thereof I warne you before hand Brookes I will do nothing to the contrary to our law White My Lorde what is it that you doe request at my handes Brookes I will appose thee vpon certayne articles principally vpon the sacramēt of the aultar How doest thou beleue of the blessed Sacrament of the aulter Beleuest thou not the reall carnall and corporall presence of Christ in the same euen
litle other sustenance Which is credible inough if we consider their like practises vpon diuers before mentioned in this history as amongest other vppon Richard Smith who dyed through theyr cruel imprisonmeÌ„t Touching whom when a godly woman came vnto Doct. Story to haue leaue that she might bury him he asked her if he had any straw or bloud in his mouth but what he ment therby I leaue to the iudgement of the godly wise After the foresayd Fetty had thus layn in the prison by the space of xv dayes hanging in the stockes sometyme by the one legge and the one arme sometime by the other and otherwhiles by both it happened that one of his children a boy of the age of eight or nine yeares came vnto the Bishoppes house to see if he could get leaue to speak with his father At his comming thether one of the Bishoppes Chaplaynes met with him and asked him what he lacked and whome he would haue The childe answered that hee came to see his father The Chaplayne asked agayne who was his father The boy then tolde him and poynting towardes Lollardes Tower shewed him that his father was there in prison Why quoth the priest thy father is an hereticke The childe being of a bold and quicke spirit and also godly brought vp and instructed by his father in the knowledge of God answered sayd my father is no heretick but you are an heretick For you haue Balams mark With that the Priest tooke the childe by the hand caried him into the Bishops house whether to the Bishop or not I know not but like enough he did there amoÌ„gest them they did most shamelesly and without all pitty so whip and scourge being naked this tender childe that he was all in a gore bloud and then in a ioly brag of their Catholicke tyranny they caused Cluny hauing his coate vpon his arme to cary the childe in his shyrt vnto his father being in prison the bloud ruÌ„ning downe by his heeles At his comming vnto his father the child fel down vp-his knees and asked him blessing The poore man then beholding his childe seeing him so cruelly arrayed cryed out for sorrow and sayd Alas Wil who hath done this to thee The boy aunswered that as he was seeking how to come to see his father a priest with Baalams mark took him into the Bishops house and there was he so handled Cluny therwith violently plucked the childe away out of his fathers handes and caryed him backe agayne into the Bishops house where they kept him three dayes after And at the three dayes end Boner minding to make the matter whole and somewhat to appease the poore maÌ„ for this their horrible fact determined to release him and therfore caused him early in a morning to be brought out of Lollardes tower into his bedchamber where he fouÌ„d the B. basting of himselfe against a great fire at his fyrst entring into the chamber Fetty said God be here peace God be here and peace quoth Boner that is neither God speede nor good morrow If yee kicke agaynst this peace sayd Fetty then this is not the place that I seek for A Chaplayne of the Bishops standing by turned the poore maÌ„ about thinking to deface him said in mocking wise what haue we here a plaier whilest this Fetty was standing in the bishops chamber he espied hanging about the Bishops bed a great payre of blacke beades wherupon he said my Lord I thinke the hangman is not far off â—oâ— the halter pointing to the beades is here already At which wordes the Bishop was in a marueilous rage Then immediately after he espyed also standing in the sayd Bishops chamber in the windowe a little Crucifixe before which belike Boner vsed to kneele in the tyme of his hipocriticall prayers Then he asked the Bish. what it was and he answered that it was Christ. Was he haÌ„dled so cruelly as he is here pictured quoth Fetty Yea that he was sayd the Bishop And euen so cruelly will you handle suche as come before you For you are vnto Gods people as Cayphas was vnto Christ. The Bishop being in a great fury sayd thou art a vile hereticke and I will burne thee or els I wil spend al that I haue vnto my gowne Nay my Lord sayd Fetty yee were better to geue it to some poore body that he may pray for you But yet Boner bethinking in himselfe of the daunger that the childe was in by theyr whipping and what perill might ensue therupon thought better to discharge him whiche thing was accomplished Wherupon after this and suche talke the Bishop at last discharged him willing him to go home and cary hys childe with him whiche he so did and that with a heauy hart to see hys poore boy in such extreme payne and griefe But within 14 dayes after the childe dyed whether thorough this cruell scourging or any other infirmitie I know not therfore I referre the truth therof vnto the Lord who knoweth al secretes and also to the discreete iudgement of the wise reader But howe soeuer it was the Lorde yet vsed this theyr cruell detestable fact as a meanes of his prouidence for the deliuery of this good poore man and faythfull Christian his name be euer praysed therefore Amen The cruell handling and burning of Nicholas Burton Englishman and Marchaunt in Spayne FOrasmuch as in our former booke of Actes and Monuments mention was made of the Martyrdome of Nicholas Burton I thought here also not to omit the same the story being suche as is not vnworthy to be knowne as wel for the profitable example of his singular constancie as also for the noting of the extreme dealing and cruell reuenging of those Catholicke Inquisitours of Spayne who vnder the pretensed visour of Religion do nothyng but seeke theyr owne priuate gaine and commoditie with crafty defending and spoyling of other mens goodes as by the noting of this story may appeare The fift day of the moneth of Nouember about the yeare of our Lord God .1560 this Nicholas Burton Citizen sometyme of London and Marchaunt dwellyng in the Parishe of little Saint Barthelmew peaceably and quietly followyng his traffike in the trade of Marchaundise and beyng in the Citie of Cadix in the parties of Andolazia in Spayne there came into his lodgyng a Iudas or as they terme them a Familiar of the Fathers of the Inquisition Whom asking for the sayde Nicholas Burton fayned that hee had a Letter to deliuer to his owne handes by which meanes he spake with him immediatly And hauing no Letter to deliuer to him then the said Promoter or Familiar at the motioÌ„ of the Deuill his maister whose messenger he was inuented an other lye and sayde that he would take ladyng for London in such shippes as the said Nicholas Burton had fraited to lade if he would let any which was partly to know where he
of the matters All this was fully agreed vpon with the Archb. of Yorke and so also signified to both parties And immediately hereupon diuers of the Nobilitie and states of the realme vnderstanding that such a meting and conference shoulde bee and that in certaine matters whereupon the Courte of Parliament consequently followyng some lawes might be grounded They made ernest meanes to her Maiestie that the parties of this conference might put and read their assertions in the English tongue and that in the presence of them of the Nobilitie and others of her Parliament house for the better satisfaction and enabling of their owne iudgements to treat and conclude of such lawes as might depend hereupon This also beyng thought very reasonable was signified to both parties and so â—ully agreed vpon and the daye appoynted for the first meetyng to bee the Friday in the forenoone beyng the last of March at Westminster church At which foresayd day and place both for good order for honour of the conference by the Queenes maiesties commandement the Lordes and others of the priuy counsaile were present and a great parte of the nobilitie also And notwithstanding this former order appoynted and consented vnto by both partes yet the Bishop of Winchester his Colleagues alledging they had mistaken that their assertions and reasons should be written and so onely recited out of the booke sayd their booke was not ready theâ—â— written but they were ready to argue and dispute and therefore they would for that tyme repeate in speache that which they had to say to the first probation This variation from the former order and specially from that which themselues had by the sayde Archbishop in writyng before required adding thereto the reason of the Apostle that to contend with wordes is profitable to nothyng but to subuersion of the hearer seemed to the Queenes maiesties counsaile somewhat strange and yet was it permitted without any great reprehension because they excused themselues with mistakyng the order and agreed that they would not faile but put it in writing and accordyng to the former order deliuer it to the other part and so the sayd Bishop of Winchester and hys Colleagues appoynted Doctour Cole Deane of Paules to be the vtterer of their myndes woo partly by speech onely and partly by readyng of authorities written and at certaine tymes beyng enformed of his Colleagues what to say made a declaration of their meanynges and their reasons to their first proposition which being ended they were asked by the priuy Counsaile if any of them had any more to be sayd and they sayd no. So as the other parâ—e was licenced to shewe their myndes which they dyd accordyng to the first order exhibityng all that whiche they ment to be propounded in a booke written which after a prayer and inuocation made most humbly to almightye God for the enduyng of them with his holy spirite and a protestation also to stand to the doctrine of the Catholike Church builded vpon the Scriptures and the doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles was distinctly red by one Robert Horne Bacheler in Diuinitie late Deane of Duresme and after Bishoppe of Winchester The Copye of which their Protestation here followeth accordyng as it was by him penned and exhibited with their preface also before the same as is here expressed FOrasmuch as it is thought good vnto the Queenes most excellent Maiesty vnto whom in the Lord all obedience is due that we should declare our iudgement in writyng vpon certaine propositions we as becommeth vs to doe herein most gladly obey Seeâ—ng that Christ is our onely maister whome the father hath commaunded vs to heare and seyng also hys worde is the truth from the which it is not lawfull for vs to depart not one haire bredth and against the which as the Apostle saith we can do nothing we doe in all thinges submitte our selues vnto this truth and doe protest that we will affirme nothyng agaynst the same And forasmuch as we haue for our mother the true and catholike Church of Christ which is grounded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes and is of Christ the head in all things gouerned we do reuerence her iudgement we obey her authoritie as becommeth children and we do deuoutly professe and in all points follow the faith which is conteined in the three Creedes that is to say of the Apostles of the Councell of Nice and of Athanasius And seyng that we neuer departed neither froÌ„ the doctrine of God which is contained in the holy Canonicall Scriptures nor yet from the fayth of the true and catholike church of Christ but haue preached truely the worde of God and haue sincerely ministred the sacraments accordyng to the institution of Christ vnto the which our doctrine and fayth the most part also of our aduersaries did subscribe not many yeares past although now as vnnaturall they are reuolted from the same wee desire that they render accompt of their backsliding and shewe some cause wherefore they do not only resist that doctrine which they haue before professed but also persecute the same by all meanes they can We do not doubt but through the equitie of the Queenes most excellent maiesty we shall in these disputations be entreated more gently then in yeres late past when we were handled most vniustly scantly after the common maner of men As for the iudgement of the whole controuersie we referre vnto the most holy scriptures and the catholike church of Christ whose iudgement vnto vs ought to be most sacred notwithstanding by the catholike church we vnsterstand not the Romish church whereunto our aduersaries attribute suche reuerence but that which S. Augustine other fathers affirme ought to be sought in the holy scriptures and which is gouerned and led by the spirite of Christ. It is against the worde of God and the custome of the Primitiue Church to vse a tong vnknowen to the people in common praiers administration of the sacraments By these words the word of God we meane only the written word of God or canonicall scriptures And by the custome of the primitiue church we meane the order most generally vsed in the church for the space of 500. yeres after Christ in which times liued the most notable fathers as Iustine Ireneus Tertullian Cyprian Basill Chrysostome Hierome Ambrose Austine c. This assertion aboue written hath two partes Fyrst that the vse of the tongue not vnderstanded of the people in common prayers of the Church or in the administration of the Sacramentes is agaynst Gods worde The second that the same is agaynst the vse of the primatiue Church The first parte is most manifestly prooued by the 14. chapiter of the Epistle to the Corinthians almost thorow out the whole chapter In the whiche chapter Saynt Paule intreateth of this matter ex professo purposely And although some do cauel that Saint Paule speaketh not in that chapter of praying but
these words And setteth it in a secret place for no man durst then commit idolatry openly So that conferring the places it doth euidently appeare that images both for vse of religion and in place of perill for idolatry are forbidden God knowyng the inclination of man to Idolatry sheweth the reason why he made this generall prohibition Ne fortè errore deceptus adores ea colas That is to say Least peraduenture thou beyng deceiued should bow downe to them and worship them This generall lawe is generally to be obserued notwithstanding that peraduenture a great number cannot be hurt by them which may appeare by the example followyng God forbade the people to ioyne their children in mariage with strangers addyng the reason Quia seducit filium tuum â—e sequatur me That is For she will seduce thy sonne that he shall not follow me Deut. 7. Moses was not deceyuâ—d or seduced by Iethroes daughter nor Booz by Ruth beyng a woman of Moab And yet for all that the generall law was to be obserued Thou shalt ioine no mariage with them And so likewise Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. Deut. 4. God geueth a speciall charge to auoyde images Beware saith he that thou forget not the couenaunt of the Lord thy God which he made with thee so make to thy selfe any grauen image of any thing which the lord hath forbidden thee for the Lord thy God is a consumyng fire and a iealous God If thou haue children and nephews and doe dwell in the land and beyng deceiued do make to your selues any grauen image doyng euill before the Lord your God and prouoke him to anger I do this day call heauen and earth to witnesse that you shall quickly perish out of the lande which ye shall possesse ye shall not dwell in it any longer tyme but the Lord will destroy you scatter you amongst all nations c. Note what solemne obtestation God vseth and what grieuous punishments he threateneth to the breakers of the second commaundement In the tabernacle and temple of God no image was by God appointed openly to be set nor by practise afterwards vsed or permitted so long as religion was purely obserued so that the vse and execution of the lawe is a good interpreter of the true meaning of the same If by vertue of the second commaundement Images were not lawfull in the temple of the Iewes then by the same commaundement they are not lawfull in the Churches of the Christians For beyng a morall commaundement and not ceremoniall for by consent of writers only a part of the precept of obseruyng the Saboth is ceremoniall it is a perpetuall commandement and byndeth vs as well as the Iewes The Iewes by no meanes would consent to Herode Pilate or Petronius that Images should bee placed in the temple at Hierusalem but rather offred themselues to the death then to assent vnto it Who besides that they are commended by Iosephus for obseruyng the meanyng of the law would not haue endangered themselues so farre if they had thought images had bene indifferent in the teÌ„ple of God For as S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 6. Quid templo Dei cum simulachris c. Ioseph Antiq. libr. 17. cap. 8 lib. 18. cap. 5. 15. Gods Scripture doth in no place commend the vse of Images but in a great number of places doth disallowe and condemne them They are called in the booke of Wisedome the trap snare of the feete of the ignorant It is sayd the inuention of them was the beginnyng of spirituall fornication And that they were not from the beginnyng neither shall they continue to the end In the xv chap. of the same booke it is sayd Vmbra pictura labor sine fructu c. And againe they are worthy of death both that put their trust in them that make them and that loue them and that worship them The Psalmes and prophets are full of like sentences and how can we then prayse the thing which Gods spirit doth alwayes disprayse Furthermore an Image made by a father as appeareth in the same booke for the memoriall of his sonne departed was the first inuention of images and occasion of Idolatry Sap. 14. How much more then shall an image made in the memory of Christ and set vp in the place of religion occasion the same offence Euseb. Eccles. histor lib. 7. cap. 18. Images haue their beginning froÌ„ the heathen of no good ground therfore they cannot be profitable to Christians Whereunto Athanasius agreeth writing of Images agaynst the Gentils Athanas. con gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say The inuention of Images came of no good but of euill and what so euer hath an euill beginning can neuer in any thing be iudged good seing it is wholly nought S. Iohn sayth my little children beware of Images but so set them in Churches which are places dedicated to the seruice and inuocation of God and that ouer the Lordes table being the highest most honorable place where most daunger of abuse both is and euer hath bene is not to beware of them nor to flee from them but rather to embrace and receiue them Tertullian expounding the same wordes writeth thus Lib. de corona militis Filioli custodite vos ab idolis non iam ab idolatria quasi ab officio sed ab idolis i. ab ipsa effigie eorum That is to say Little Children keepe your selues from the shape it selfe or forme of them Images in the Churche either serue to edify or to destroy if they edifye then is there one kinde of â—â—ification which the scriptures neither teach nor commauÌ„d but alwayes dissalow if they destroy they are not to be vsâ—d for in the church of God all thinges ought to be done to edify 1. Cor. 14. The commaundement of God is thou shalt not laye a stumbling blocke or stone before the blinde and cursed 〈◊〉 he that maketh the blinde wander in his way The simple vnlearned people who haue bene so long vnder blinde guides are blind in matters of religion and inclined to error and idolatry Therfore to set images before them to stumble at Nam laquaei pedibus insipientium sunt that is They bee snares and â—rappes for the 〈◊〉 of the ignoraunt or to lead them out of the true waye is not onely agaynst the commandement of God but deserueth also the malediction and curse of God Sap. 14. The vse of images is to the learned confirmed in knowlege neither necessary nor profitable To the superstitious a confirmation in error To the simple weak an occasioÌ„ of fall and very offensiue and wounding of theyr consciences And therfore very daungerous For S. Paul sayth 1. Cor. 9. offending the brethren and wouÌ„ding their weake consciences they sinne agaynst Christe And Math. 18. Woe be to him by whom offense or occasion of falling coÌ„meth it were better that a milstone were tyed about hys necke
authoritie of Gregory weighing like christian bishops the perill of the Church alwayes in their assemblies allowed Images Not long after the Bishop of Rome practising wyth Tharasins Patriarch of Constantinople obteyned of Irene the Empresse her sonne Constantine being thē yong that a Councell was called at Nice in the which the Popes Legates were Presidents which appeared well by their fruits for in that Councell it was decreed that Images should not onely be permitted in churches but also worshipped which councell was confuted by a booke written by Carolus Magnus the Emperour callyng it a foolish and an arrogant councell Soone after this Councell arose a sharpe contention betwene Irene the Empresse and her sonne Constantine the 6. the Emperour who destroyed Images And in the end as she had before wickedly burned the bones of her father in lawe Constantine the v. so afterward vnnaturally she put out the eyes of her owne sonne Constantine the sixt About which tyme as Eutropius writeth the Sunne was darkened most terribly for the space of 17. days God shewyng by that dreadfull signe how much hee misliked those kynds of proceedyngs To bee short there was neuer thing that made more diuision or brought more mischiefe into the church then the controuersie of Images by reason whereof not onely the East church was deuided from the West and neuer since perfectly reconciled but also the Emperour was cut asunder and deuided and the gate opened to the Saracens and Turkes to enter and ouercome a great piece of Christendome The fault whereof most iustly is to bee ascribed to the patrons of Images who could not be contented with the ensample of the Primitiue Church beyng most simple and sincere and most agreeable to the Scripture For as Tertullian sayth Quod primum verum quod posterius adulterinū That is to say What as is first that is true that that is latter is counterfeit But with all extremitie mainteined the vse of images in churches whereof no profite nor commoditie did euer grow to the church of God For it is euident that infinite millions of soules haue bene cast into eternall damnation by the occasion of Images vsed in place of religion and no history can recorde that euer any one soule was wonne vnto Christ by hauing of Images But least it might appeare that the West church had alwayes generally retained and commended Images It is to be noted that in a Councell holden in Spaine called Concilium Eliberinum the vse of Images in churches was clerely prohibited in these forme of wordes Placuit in ecclesijs picturas esse non debere ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur That is to say Wee decree that pictures ought not to be in churches least that be painted vpon the walles which is worshipped or adored But this notwithstandyng experience hath declared that neither assembling in Councels neither writinges preachings decrees makyng of lawes prescribing of punishments hath holpen against Images to the which Idolatry hath bene committed nor against Idolatry whilest Images stoode For these blynde bookes and dumme schoolemaisters which they call lay mens bookes haue more preuailed by their carued and painted preachyng of Idolatry then all other written bookes and preachynges in teaching the truth and that horror of that vice Hauing thus declared vnto your highnes a few causes of many which do mooue our consciences in this matter we beseech your highnes most humbly not to strayne vs any further but to consider that Gods worde doth threaten a terrible iudgement vnto vs if we being pastors and ministers in his Church should assent vnto the thing which in our learnyng and conscience wee are perswaded doth tend to the confirmation of errour superstition and Idolatry and finally to the ruine of the soules committed to our charge for the which we must geue an account to the prince of pastors at the last day Heb. 13. 1. Pet. 5. Wee pray your maiestie also not to bee offended with this our plainnesse and libertie which all good and christian princes haue euer taken in good parte at the handes of godly Bishops S. Ambrose writing to Theodosius the Emperour vseth these wordes Sed neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare neque sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere Item in causa verò Dei quem audies si sacerdotem non audies cuius maiore peccatur periculo quis tibi verum audebit dicere si sacerdos non audeat Epist. lib. 5. Epist. 29. That is to say But neither is it the part of an Emperour to deny free libertie of speaking nor yet the duety of a priest not to speake what hee thinketh And agayne In gods cause whome wilte thou heare if thou wilt not heare the priest to whose great peril the fault should be committed Who dare say the truth vnto thee if the priest dare not These and such like speaches of S. Ambrose Theodosius and Ualentinianus the Emperours did alwayes take in good part and we doubt not but your grace will do the lyke of whose not onely clemēcie but also beneficense we haue largely tasted We beseech your Maiestie also in these and such lyke controuersies of religion to referre the discussement and deciding of them to a Synode of your bishops and other godly learned men accordyng to the example of Constantinus Maximus and other christian Emperours that the reasons of both parts beyng examined by them the iudgement may be geuen vprightly in all doubtfull matters And to returne to this present matter we most humbly beseech your maiestie to consider that besides waightie causes in pollicie which wee leaue to the wisedome of your honourable counsailors the stablishment of Images by your authoritie shall not onely vtterly disceredite our ministers as builders vp of the thinges which wee haue destroyed but also blemishe the fame of your most godly father and such notable fathers as haue geuen their lyfe for the testimony of Gods truth who by publike lawe remooued all Images The almighty and euerliuyng God plentifully endue your maiestie with his spirite and heauenly wisedom and long preserue your most gracious raigne and prosperous gouernment ouer vs to the aduauncement of his glory to the ouerthrow of superstition and to the benefit comfort all your highnes louyng subiects ¶ A note of M. Ridley MAister D. Ridley sometyme B. of London of whom mention is made pag. 1717. was a man so reuerenced for his learning and knowledge in the scriptures that euen his very enemies hath reported him to haue bene an excellent clarke whose lyfe if it might haue bene redeemed with the summe of 10000. markes yea 10000. pounds the Lorde Dacres of the North beyng his kinsman woulde haue geuen to Queene Mary rather then he should haue burned And yet was she so vnmercifull for all hys gentlenes in king Edwards dayes that it would not be grāted for no suite that could be made Oh that she had remēbred his labour for her to king Edward
electis Salutem Esdr. 4. ¶ Hoc Seculum fecit altissimus propter multos futurum autem propter paucos ¶ The almighty Lorde hath made this worlde for many but the world or life or come but for a few MOst certayne it is dearely beloued that Christes elect be but few in comparisō of that great number which go in the broad way to euerlasting perdition whiche lyfe after the flesh louing this present euill world deny God in word and deed whose eies are blinded and their harts hardened Most certaine it is also that our Sauior Iesus Christ hath and knoweth his owne whose names are written in the booke of life redemed with the most precious bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ. So that the eternall Father knoweth them which be his The almighty and eternall God graunt that we may haue the testimony of our conscience and the spirit of god to beare record with our spirites that we be his elect children walking in the spirite not fulfilling the lustes of the flesh but as Christes members hauing Christ Iesu fixed before our eyes he being to vs the true way the infallible verity the eternall life Christ hath geuē vs example let vs folow him as deare children for Gods delight is to beholde his Saintes which be in the earth Let vs put on the whole armour of God and walke in the light in these euill dayes in the whiche Sathan in his Aungels seeketh whom he may deuour The almighty Lorde deliuer vs from the mouthes of those vnshamefast dogs They truely seeke ours and not vs vnto the Lord. Esdras sayth and writeth truely the world is made for them and they for the world Dearly bought let vs remember Christ which sayth I haue chosen you out of the world you shal be hated of al worldly men Did euer the couetous Idolaters Oppressors or Whoremongers loue vs Nay they loue Masse Mongers which say peace peace when there is no peace Nay either then flatter the eares or els they say no thing as dum dogges not able to barke of whom be you ware of for though they come in sheepes clothing they be rauening Wolues whose damnation sleepeth not from whose captiuitye the holy will of God saue and preserue you Amen Dearely beloued we hauing the record of our conscience that we be very members in Christes body separate from that malignant Antichristes Church Let vs reioyce in conscience and in the Lord hauing heauenly hope in al his promises which be eternall and most sure to vs in Christ our Sauiour who looseth none of all them whom the eternall Father hath geuen him but at his appearing to be our mercifull Iudge shall rayse vs vppe at that last day for the trumpe of God shall blow and be heard of all Adams posterity sounding Venite ad iuditium Come vnto iudgement come and be iudged Let vs therfore be prepared hauing the wedding garment yea the whole armour of God the mariage garment cleare Lampes that is pure hartes and burning heauenly light in the same Let vs prepare our selues richly to restore to our Lord and Mayster our talentes with the increase of heauenly liuing and occupying then without all doubt we shall heare that most blessed wish of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ who shall then say reioyce good seruauntes I will make you Stewardes ouer many thinges Enter into the euerlasting rest and kingdome whiche hath bene prepared for you from the beginning This is the Kingdome of Iesus Christ whiche at this present is in Babilon and banished to the desert the troublesome waters of Sathan in the Antichrist and his shauelings spiewed out of Christs mouth The Lord be our ayde auenger and deliuerer when his holy will is Amen Dearely bought with the most precious bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ that we be not deceiued by the Antichrist let vs ponder wey marke and study the heauenly doctrine of our Sauiour Christ in his last Supper the text is Bene dixit dixit bene gratias egit he spake heauenly and well he gaue thankes he tooke bread brake it gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate this Sacramentall bread and me the breade of life whiche came downe from heauen which geueth life to the worlde take true fayth heauenly hope kindled with christen charitie thankes geuing for my death let these heauēly vertues enter in your soules then enter I. This is my body This is the true eating of my body which is geuen to the death of the crosse for the ransome and sinnes of Gods elect Likewise after supper he tooke the cup hee spake well gaue thankes and gaue it them saying drinke ye all of this drinke I say by this infallible veritie and euerlasting word ioyned and anexed with this cup my bloud which is shed from before the beginning of the world for many in remission of sins he or shee that thus dwelleth in me and I in him eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Sainct Augustine sayth why preparest thou thy tooth and belly beleeue and thou hast eaten Sainct Barnarde saith when fayth hope christian loue and thankes geuing for Christes death enter in a Christian Christ entereth and agayn S. Augustine sayth vpon these wordes of Christ you shal alwayes haue the poore with you but me shall ye not haue alwayes with you The Church had him but a few dayes touching his humanitie nowe they haue him by fayth with these eyes they do not see him O Iesus Christ thou sonne of the liuing God whiche art in the bosome of thy father God with God the very Image of God the father eternall geue vs victory ouer this Antichrist in thy most precious bloud Be faythfull to the ende and oure sauiour shall crown vs in glory let vs sanctify the name of God in thought word and deede I say vnto the Papist and will not flatter our God is in heauen whome they will not see And is no such little prety mattere as their God the Pope faineth him to be Pray for all the preachers of the veritie that God may geue vs grace and constancie They sing and say they haue him in a string tye not the dog so for feare of hanging To all the faythfull whose names in generall in the booke of lyfe by Christ are written all The godly thought and patient minde doth liberty in prison finde Who so to patience can attayne shall finde in prison is no payne Thrall trouble bownd or free as pleaseth God so shall all be Wherefore I neuer will forsake what pleaseth God lay on my backe Iohn Meluine preacher and priprisoner in Newgate ¶ A note concerning the trouble of Iulius Palmer lately come to my handes To his assured friend and brother in Chryst Mayster Perry preacher at Beuerstone geue these MAyster Perry after my harty commendations in the Lord Iesus Christ vnto you and your wife c. wheras you haue written vnto me