he doth communicate to vs hys owne nature Ex exâ—â—â—plari 〈◊〉 Cranmer descriptoâ— and so is Christ made one with vs carnally and corporally because he tooke our nature of the Uirgine Mary And Hillary doth not onely say that Christ is naturally in vs but that we also are naturally in him and in the father that is that we are partakers of their nature which is eternitie or euerlastingnes For as the worde receiuing our nature did ioyne it vnto himselfe in vnitie of person and did coÌ„municate vnto that our nature the nature of his eternitie Naturallâ— expoundâ—â— that is 〈◊〉 bodyes to participatâ— the naturâ— propertâ— of Christ holy iâ—â—mortall bâ—â—dy that like as he being the euerlasting word of the Father had euerlasting life of the Father euen so he gaue the same nature to hys flesh Likewise also did he communicate with vs the same nature of eternitie which he and the father haue and that we should be one with them not onely in wil loue but that we should be also partakers of y e nature of euerlasting life West Hilary where he saith Christ coÌ„municated to vs his nature he meaneth y t not by his natiuity but by y e sacrament Cranmer He hath communicated to vs his flesh by hys natiuitie West We haue communicated to him * Then 〈◊〉 Christ a sinfull flesh our flesh when he was borne Cran. Nay he communicated to vs his flesh wheÌ„ he was borne and that I will shew you out of Cyrill vppon this place Et homo factus est West Ergo Christ being borne gaue vs his flesh Cran. In his natiuity he made vs * That is made vs partakers the propeâ—â—ties life iâ—â—nocencye resurrectioâ— of his bodâ— D Chadâ—â— agayne dâ—â—â—puteth Hillar 8. 〈◊〉 Trinitate partakers of his flesh West Write Sirs Cran. Yea write Ched This place of Hilary is so dark that you were compelled to falsifie it in your booke because you coulde not draw it to confirme your purpose If Christ haue taken verily the flesh of our body and the man that was verely borne of the Virgin Mary is Christ and also wee receaue vnder the true mistery the fleshe of his body by meanes wherof we shal be one for the father is in Christ and Christ in vs how shall that be called the vnitie of will when the naturall propertie brought to passe by the Sacrament is the Sacrament of vnitie we must not speake in the sence of man or of the worlde in matters concerning God neither must wee peruersly wrast anye straunge or wicked sence out of the wholesome meaning of the holy scripture through impudent and vile contentioÌ„ Let vs read those thinges that are written and let vs vnderstand those thinges that wee read and then wee shall performe the duetie of perfect fayth For as touching that naturall and true being of Christ in vs except wee learne of him wee speake foolishly and vngodly that thing that we doe speake For he sayth My flesh is meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him As touching the veritie of his fleshe and bloud there is left no place of doubt for now both by the testimonie of the Lord and also by our fayth it is verily flesh and verily bloud Here you haue falsified Hillary Thus 〈◊〉 was their talke in Englishe Seing M Cranmeâ— had twyâ—â— veré 〈◊〉 once verâ— they had cause to 〈◊〉 greeued 〈◊〉 that they were 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 a knot in rushe for you haue set verò sub mysterio for verè sub mysterio we receiue truly vnder a mystery Hillary thrise reporteth verè sub mysterio and you interprete it twise verè sub mysterio but the third tyme you haue verò for verè Cran. Assuredly I am not guilty of any deceite herein It may be that the copy which I followed had Sub vero mysterio i. vnder a true mysterye although touching y e sense it differeth little God I call to witnesse I haue alway hated falsifieng and if you had laisure and lust to heare false citations I could recite vnto you vj. hundred West Here shall be shewed you two copies of Hilary the one printed at Basill the other at Paris Cran. I suppose that D. Smiths bookes hath vero Weston Here is Doctour Smith let him aunswere for hymselfe M. Smith M. Doctor what say you for your selfe speake if you know it ¶ Here Doctor Smith eyther for the truth in hys booke alledged or els astonied with Doctor Westons hasty calling stayd to answer For he onely put of his cappe and kept silence West But your owne booke printed by Wolfe your owne Printer hath vero Cran. That Booke is taken from me which easily myght haue ended this controuersie I am sure the booke of Decrees hath vero Cole Now you admit the booke of Decrees when it maketh for you Cran. Touching the sence of the matter there is little difference The chaunge of one letter for an other is but a small matter West Noâ—s Pastor as you know signifieth a Byshop and Pistor signifieth a Baker But Pastor shal be Pistor a Bishop shall be a Baker by this your chaunge of one letter If verè and vero doe nothing chaunge the sence Cran. Let it be so that in Pistor and Pastor one letter maketh some difference Yet let Pistor be either a Baker or maker of bread ye see here the change of a letter and yet no great difference to be in the sence Young This disputation is taken in hand that the truth myght appeare I perceiue that I must goe an other waye to worke then I had thought It is a common saying againste hym that denyeth principles we must not dispute Therfore that we may agree of the principles I demaund whether there be any other body of Christ then his instrumentall body Cran. There is no naturall body of Christe but his organicall body Young Againe I demande whether sence reason ought to geue place to faith Cran. They ought Yong. Thirdly whether Christ be true in all his wordes Cran. Yea he is most true and trueth it selfe Yong. Fourthly whether Christ at his supper mineded to doe that which he spake or no Cran. Dicendo dixit non fecit dicendo sed fecit Discipulis Sacramentum That is In saying he spake but in sayinge hee made not but made the sacrament to his disciples Yong. Answer according to the truthe whether did Christ that as God and man 〈◊〉 Yonges â—â—ophisticall 〈◊〉 whych he spake when he sayde This is my body Cran. This is a sophistical cauillation go plainly to work There is some deceite in these questions You seeke subtlenesse leaue your craftie fetches Young I demaunde whether Christe by these woordes wrought any thing or no Cran. He did institute the Sacrament Yong. But answere whether did he worke any thing Cran. He did worke in instituting the
was compelled to abiure All these aboue named in one key of doctrine religion did hold concord together agaynst whō were obiected 5. or 6. especiall matters to witte Consent of doctrine for speaking agaynst worshipping of saynts agaynst pilgrimage agaynst inuocatiō of the blessed virgin agaynst the sacramēt of the Lords body for hauing scripture bookes in English which bookes especially I finde to be named as these the booke of the 4. Euangelistes a booke of the Epistles of Paule and Peter the Epistle of S. Iames a booke of the Apocalips and of Antichrist of the 10. Commaundementes and Wickeliffes wicker with such other like ¶ Iohn Stilman Martyr IT would aske a long tractation tedious to recite in order the greate multitude and number of good men women Anno. 1518. beside these aboue rehearsed which in those dayes recanted and abiured about the beginning of king Henryes raigne and before Iohn Stilman Martyr Wickliffes Wicket among whō yet notwithstanding some there were whom the Lord reduced againe made strong in the profession of his truth and constant vnto death of which number one was Iohn Stilman by name who about the xxiiij day of Sept in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was apprehended and brought before Richard Fitziames then B. of Lond. at his manor of Fulham and by him was there examined and charged that notwithstanding his former recantation oth and abiuration made about xi yeres then past before Edmund Byshop of Salisbury as well for speaking against y e worshipping praying and offering vnto Images as also for denying the carnal and corporal presence in y e sacrament of Christes memoriall yet sithens that time he had fallen into the same opinions againe and so into the daunger of relapse and further he had highly commended and praysed Iohn Wickliffe affirming that he was a saint in heauen and that hys booke called y e Wicket Ex Regist. Fitziames Lond. was good and holy Soone after hys examination he was sent from thence vnto the Lollardes tower at London and the xxij day of October then next ensuing was brought openly into the consistory at Paules and was there iudicially examined by Thom. Hed the byshops vicare generall vpon the contentes of these articles followyng 1. First I obiect vnto you that you haue confessed before my Lord of London and me D. Hed his vicar generall that about xx yeares past one Steuen Moone of the Dioces of Winchest Articles laid agaynst Ioh. Stilman With whom you abode 6. or 7. yeares after did teach you to beleeue that the going on pilgrimage and worshipping of images as the Lady of Walsingham and others were not to be vsed * Yeares of Antiquitie to be noted A godly Martyr Richarde Smart burned at Salisbury ann 1503. Wickliffes Wicket And also that afterwards one Richard Smart who was burned at Salisbury about 14. or 15. yeares past did read vnto you Wickliffes Wicket and likewise instructed you to beleeue that the sacrament of the altar was not the body of Christ all whiche thinges you haue erroneously beleued 2. Item you haue diuers times read the said book called Wickleffes Wicket and one other booke of the x. Commaundementes which the sayd Richard Smart did geue you and at the tyme of your first apprehensiō you did hide thē in an old oke and did not reuele them vnto the bishop of Salisbury before whom you were abiured of heresie about xi yeares since where you promised by oth vpon the Euangelistes euer after to beleue and hold as the Christē fayth taught and preached and neuer to offend agayne in the sayd heresies or any other vpon payne of relapse And further you there promised to performe all such penaunce as the sayd Bishop of Salisbury did enioyne you who thē enioyned you vpon the like payne not to depart his Dioces without hys speciall licence 3. Item it is euident that you be relapsed aswel by your own confession as also by your deedes in that about two yeares after your abiuration you went into the sayd place where you had hidden your books and then taking them away with you you departed the foresayd dioces without the licence of the Bishop and brought them with you to London where nowe being tached and taken with them vpon great suspicion of heresie you are brought vnto the Bishop of London By reason of whiche your demeanor you haue shewed by your impenitent and dissembled conuersation from your errours and also your vnfaithful abiuration and disobedience vnto the authoritie of our mother holy Church in that you performed not the penance in whiche behalfe you be voluntarily periured and also relapsed in that you departed the sayd dioces wythout licence 4. Item you be not onely as afore is sayd impenitent disobedient voluntarily periured relapsed by this your foresayd hereticall demeanor but also sithens your last attachment vpon suspicion of heresie you haue maliciously spoken erroneous and damnable wordes affirming before my Lord of London your Ordinary and me iudicially sitting at Fulham that you were sorye y t euer you did abiure your said opinions and had not suffered then manfully for them for they were and be good and true and therfore you will now abide by them to die for it And furthermore you haue spoken against our holy father the pope and hys authoritie damnably saying that he is Antichrist and not the true successor of Peter or Christes vicar on earth and that his pardons and indulgences which he graunteth in y e sacrament of penaunce are nought and that you will none of thē And likewise y t the colledge of Cardinals be limmes of the sayd Antichrist and that all other inferiour prelates and Priestes are the sinagogue of Sathan Wickliffes Wicket And moreouer you sayd that the doctors of the Churche haue subuerted the truth of holy Scripture expounding it after their own mindes and therfore theyr workes be nought and they in hell but that wickleffe is a Sainct in heauen and that the booke called his Wicket is good for therein he sheweth the truth Also you did wish that there were xx thousand of your opinion against vs Scribes and Pharisies to see what you would doe for the defēce of your fayth Al which heresies you did afterwardes erroneously affirme before y e Archbishop of Caunterbury and then said that you would abide by thē to dye for it notwithstanding his earnest perswasions to the contrary and therefore for these premisses you be euidently relapsed and ought to be committed vnto the secular power ¶ The burning of Iohn Stilman ¶ Thomas Man Martyr NExt to Iohn Stilman aboue mentioned followeth in this blessed order of Martyrs the persecution and cōdemnation of Thomas Man Tho. Man Martyr Who the 29. day of Marche in the yeare of our Lord. 1518. was burned in Smithfield This Tho. Man had likewise bene apprehended for y e profession of Christes Gospell about 6. yeares before the 14. day
or no. seing you haue taken the paynes to aske y e questioÌ„ I desire you also to assoyle it your selfe for I will not doe it because I perceiue you come to tempt me And he said it was agaynst the order of scholes y t he which asked the question should answere it I told him I was but a woman and knew not the course of scholes Fiftly he asked me if I entended to receiue the Sacrament at Easter or no I aunswered that els I were no Christen woman and thereat I did reioyce that the time was so neare at hand M. Britayne seeketh to baile Anne Askew his cosin and then he departed thence wyth many fayre wordes The xxiij day of March my coosin Britaine came into the Counter vnto me and asked me whether I might bee put to bayle or no TheÌ„ went he immediately vnto my L. Mayor desiring of him to be so good vnto me That I might be bayled My Lord aunswered him and sayd that he would be glad to doe the best that in him say How be it he could not bayle me without the consent of a spiritual officer requiring him to go speak with the Chauncellor of London For he sayde like as he could not committe me to prison without the consent of a spirituall Officer no more could he bayle me without the consent of the same So vpon that he went to the ChauÌ„cellor requiring of him as he did before of my Lord Maior He answered him the that matter was so haynous that he durst not of him selfe do it without my Lord of London were made priuy thereunto But he sayd he would speake vnto my Lord in it badde him repayre vnto him the nexte morow and he should wel know my Lords pleasure And vpon the morrow after he came thither and spake both with the ChauÌ„cellor with the Bishop of LondoÌ„ The Bishop declared vnto him that he was very well contented that I should come forth to a communication appoynted me to appere before him the next day after at 3 of the clock at afternoone Moreouer he sayd vnto him that he would there shold be at the examination such learned men as I was affectioned to that they might see also make report that I was haÌ„dled with no rigor He answered him that he knew no man that I had more affection to then to other Then sayd the Byshop yes as I vnderstand she is affectioned to Doct. Crome Syr Guillam Whitehead HuntingtoÌ„ that they might heare the matter for she did know theÌ„ to be learned of a godly iudgemeÌ„t Also he required my coâ—in Britayn that he should earnestly perswade me to vtter eueÌ„ the very bottome of my hart and he sware by his fidelitye that no man should take any aduantage of my words neyther yet would he lay ought to my charge for any thing y t I should there speake but if I sayde any maner of thing amisse he with other more would be glad to reforme me therin with most godly counsell On the morow after the Bishop of LondoÌ„ sent for me at one of the clocke his houre being appoynted at three as I came before him he said he was very sory of my trouble desired to know my opinioÌ„ in such matters as were layd against me He required me also in any wise boldly to vtter the secrets of my hart bidding me not to feare in any poynt for whatsoeuer I did say in his house no maÌ„ should hurt me for it I answered forsomuch as your lordship appoynted three of the clocke my frendes shall not come til that houre I desire you to pardoÌ„ me of geuing answere til they come TheÌ„ sayd he that he thought it meet to send for those 4. men which were afore named appointed TheÌ„ I desired him not to put them to the payne for it should not need because the two gentlemen which were my frendes were able enough to testify that I should say Anone after he went into his gallary with M. Spilman willed him in any wise that he shoulde exhorte me to vtter all that I thought In the meane while he coÌ„maunded his Archdeacon to coÌ„mon with me who sayd vnto me Mistres wherfore are you accused thus troubled here before y e Bishop To whom I answered agayne and sayd Syr aske I pray you my accusers for I know not as yet TheÌ„ tooke he my booke out of my hand and sayd such bookes as this haue brought you to the trouble you are in Beware sayth he beware for he that made this booke and was the author therof was an hereticke I warrant you burnt in smithfield Then I asked him if he were certayne and sure that it was true that he had spoken And he sayd he knew well the booke was of I. Frithes making Then I asked him if he were not ashamed for to iudge of the booke before heâ— saw it within or yet knew the truth therof I said also that such vnaduised and hasty iudgement is a token apparant of a very slender wit Then I opened the booke shewed it him He said he thought it had bene an other for he could finde no fault therein Then I desired him no more to bee so vnaduisedly rash swift in iudgement till he throughly knew the truth and so he departed from me Immediately after came my cosin Britaine in with dyuers other as M. Hall of Grayes Inne such other like Then my Lord of London perswaded my cosine Britaine as he had done oft before which was that I shoulde vtter y e bottom of my hart in any wise My Lord said after y t vnto me that he would I should credite the counsayle of such as were my frendes and wel willers in this behalf which was that I should vtter all thinges that burdened my coÌ„science for he ensured me that I shoulde not neede to stand in doubt to say any thing For like as he promised them he said he promised me would performe it which was that neither he nor any man for him should take me at aduauntage of any word I should speake and therefore he had me say my minde without feare I aunswered him that I had nought to say for my conscience I thanked God was burdened with nothing Then brought he forth this vnsauery similitude that if a man had a wound no wise Surgeon would minister helpe vnto it before he had seene it vncouered In like case saith he can I geue you no good counsaile vnles I know wherwith your conscience is burdened I answered that my conscience was cleare in all things for to lay a plaister vnto the whole skin it might appeare much folly Then you driue me saith he to lay to your charge your own report 〈◊〉 first 〈◊〉 agaâ—nst Anne Askew which is this you did say he that doth receue the Sacrament by the hands of an ill priest or a sinner receiueth the
of the Articles whyche are these 1 First the said booke damneth all holy Canons calling them ceremonies and statutes of sinfull men and vncunning Newe articles coÌ„mensed against Hunne after his death and calleth the Pope Sathanas and Antichrist 2 Item it damneth the Popes Pardons saieng they be but leasings 3 Item the sayd booke of Hunne saith that Kings and Lords called Christen in name and heathen in conditions defoyle the Sanctuarie of God bringing clarkes full of couetise heresie and malice to stop Gods law that it can not be knowne kept and freely preached 4 Item the saide booke saith that Lordes and Prelates pursue full cruelly them that would teach truly and freely the lawe of God and cherish them that preach sinful mens traditions and statutes by the which he meaneth the holy Canons of Christes Church 5 Item that poore men and idiotes haue the truth of the holy Scriptures more then a thousand Prelates and religious men and clarkes of the schole 6 Item that Christen Kings and Lordes set Idols in Gods house and excite the people to Idolatrie 7 Item that Princes Lords and Prelates so doyng be worse then Herode that pursued Christ and worse then Iewes and heathen men that crucified Christ. 8 Item that euery man swearing by our Lady or any other Saint or creature geueth more honour to the saints then to the holy Trinitie and so he sayth they be idolaters 9. Item he sayth that Saintes ought not to be honored 10. Item he damnethe adoratioÌ„ prayer kneelyng offeryng to Images which he calleth stockes and stones 11. Item he sayth that the very body of the Lord is not conteyned in the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar but that men receiuing it shall thereby keepe in mynde that Christes flesh was wounded and crucified for vs. 12. Item he daÌ„neth the Uniuersitie of Oxford with all degrees and faculties in it as Art Ciuile CanoÌ„ and Diuinitie saying that they let the true way to come to the knowledge of the lawes of God and holy Scripture 13. Item he defendeth the translation of the Bible and holy Scripture into the English tongue An holy mother Church which cannot abide the worde of God to be translated which is prohibited by the lawes of our mother holy Church These Articles thus collected as also the others before specified they caused for a more shew of their preteÌ„ded iustice and innocencie to be opeÌ„ly read the next Sonday folowing by the Preacher at Paules Crosse with this Protestation made before ☞ Maisters and frendes for certaine causes and considerations I haue in commaundemeÌ„t to rehearse shew publish here vnto you the Articles of heresie vpoÌ„ which Richard Hunne was detected and examined The Bishops publication at Paules crosse against R. Hunne and also other great Articles and damnable poyntes and opinions of heresie conteined in some of his bookes be coÌ„men to light and knowledge here ready to be shewed And therewith he read the Articles openly vnto the people concludyng with these wordes And maisters if there be any man desirous to see the specialtie of these Articles or doubt whether they be coÌ„teined in this booke or not for satisfying of his minde let him come to my Lord of London and he shall see it with good will Moreouer here I counsaile and admonishe that if there be any persons that of their simplenes haue bene familiar and acquainted with the sayd Richard Hunne in these Articles or haue heard him read vpon this booke or any other souÌ„dyng to heresie or haue any like bookes their selues let them come vnto my Lord of London betwixt this and Candlemasse next and knowledge their fault they shal be charitably intreated and dealt withall so that both their goodes and honestie shal be saued if they will not come of their owne offer but abyde the processe of the law then at their owne perill be it if the rigour of the law be executed agaynst them After which open publication admonition the Byshop at sundry tymes examined diuers of his Priests and other lay persons vpon the contentes of both these Articles Among which examinates there was a man seruauÌ„t and a mayde of the sayd Hunnes who although they had of long dwelt with him were not able to charge him with any great thing worthy repreheÌ„sion no not in such points as the Byshop chiefly obiected agaynst him But yet the Priestes through whose procurement this mischief was first begon spared no whit stoutly and maliciously to accuse him some in the contentes of the first Articles some in the second Wherefore hauyng now as they thought sufficient matter agaynst him they purposed speedely to proceede to his condemnation Ex Registro Fiâ—ziames Lond. And because they would seeme to doe all thynges formally and by prescript order they first drew out certaine short and summary rules by the which the Byshop should be directed in this solemne Session which are these 1. First let the Byshop sit in his tribunall seate in our Ladyes Chappell 2. Secondly let him recite the cause of his comming Marke the manner of this proceeding and take Notaryes to him to enact that shal be there done 3. Thirdly let him declare how vppon Sonday last at Paules Crosse he caused to be published a generall monition or denunciation that all fautours and mainteyners of Richard Hunne should come in as by this day submit themselues and let him signifie withall how certaine haue come in and haue appeared already 4. Fourthly let him protest say that if there remayne any yet behynd which haue not appeared accordyng to the former monition and denunciation yet if they will come and appeare and submit themselues they shal be heard receiued with grace and fauour 5. Fiftly let the Byshop or some other at his appointmeÌ„t recite the Articles obiected agaynst Richard Hunne in the tyme of his life and theÌ„ the other Articles likewise which were out of his great booke of the Bible extracted 6. Sixtly let the aunsweres and confessions of the sayd Richard Hunne summarely be recited with the AttestatioÌ„s made to the same Articles Also let his bookes be exhibited and theÌ„ Thomas Brooke his seruaunt be called for 7. Seuently let it be openly cryed at the Quere doore that if there be any which will defend the articles opinions bookes or the memory of the said Richard Hunne let them come and appeare and they shall be heard as the lawe in that behalfe shall require 8 Eightly let it be openly cryed as in maner before for such as be receiuers fauourers defenders or beleeuers of the sayd Richard Hunne that all such do appear and submit themselues to the Bishop or else he intendeth to proceede to the excommunication of them in generall according to the exigence of the law in that behalfe 9 Ninthly then the Byshop speaking to the standers by and to them which sate with him vpon the bench of the Clergie demaunding of them what their iudgement
in the Chapter house of the Priorie of S. Frideswide in Oxford did enioyne him that he should tary w tin the sayd Priory and not to goe out of the gates thereof without licence of the Prior for the tyme beyng vntill he had other commaundement from the Byshop vpon payn of relapse and further that he should from thenceforth vp on the lyke payne weare a signe of a Fagot vnder his vppermost garment 10. Item y t after hys abiuration and sithens the promises thus done he was yet agayne detected to the B. of Lōdon by open fame and denounced by worshipfull and credible persons y t he had vsed like false errours and heresies had spoken and taught certaine conclusions of heresie against the Christen fayth He ment some Image or picture of the virgine set vp in some blinde place to be worshipped and determinations of holye Church and that he had fallen into the like heresies as before his abiuration both against the sacrament of the altar agaynst pilgrimages and worshipping of Images and had blasphemed our blessed Lady calling her Mably 11. Item that when he wrought with one Iohn Bates in Stratford Langthorne in Rogation weeke then 3. yeares past and beyng bidden by the sayd Bates wife to goe and heare the gospell he aunswered and sayd vnto her I wyll not come there go you if ye list ye shal haue as much meed for it as to put your finger in the fire and to burne it 12. Item that in times past for feare of abiuration he had fled from Colchester to Newbery and after that vnto Hamersham and had there damnably accompanyed with hetiques and had taught heresies among them also since y e tyme of hys abiuration he had sayd that he and hys wyfe had turned sixe or seuen hundreth people vnto those opinions which he was abiured of and others also contrary to Christes fayth and determinations of holy Church Hys aunswere vnto these Articles was that as touching the first nine hee graunted in part to be true confessing to the seconde that hee was a true Christian and did professe the true Christian faith but the contentes of the last thrée he vtterly denied to be true affirming for certaine aunswere vnto the 11. article that at the time mentioned in the same he did not worke in the towne of Stratford Upon which answere the Chauncelour called foorth two witnesses to be sworne and examined against hym False witnes willyng hym that if he had any iust matter against any of them hee should refuse them But to what purpose this his faire offer and trim shewe of vpright iustice serued I can not see For notw tstanding that hee charged the one of the witnesses with theft and adulterie for that hauing a wife of hys owne he did yet runne away wyth an other mannes wife and goodes and also alleged that the other was too young to be a sworne witnesse in case of life and death yet were they both still retained allowed by the Chauncelour and sworn not to depart away or hide themselues False witnes receiued against Thomas Man but to be alwaies ready to iustifye that which they had to say against the sayde Thomas Man and so for that time as well they as also all the rest were commanded to depart and the prisoner sent againe to hys prison And here in the order of the othe ministred vnto these witnesses I finde one note me thinketh worthy present remembrance both for that it is mentioned in this proces and also because it somewhat openeth y e foolish ridiculous and fained figuratiue Ceremonies of the Papists who do attribute a spirituall signification almost vnto all their doinges The ceremoniall maner of the popish ministring of their othe The Register discoursing at large the manner of their othe hath these wordes Ad sancta Dei Euangelia iurari fee lt tribus medris digitis erectis super librum positis in signum Trinitatis fidei Catholicae duobus videl police auriculari suppositis suppressis sub libro positis in signum damnationis corporis animae si non deposuerint veritatem in hac parte That is to say he caused them to sweare vpō the holy Euangelistes with their three middle fingers stretched out right and laide vpon the booke in signe of y e Trinitie and Catholique faith and the other two to wyt the thombe and the litle finger put downewardes vnder the booke in token of damnation of body and soule if they did not depose the truth in the matter This Ceremoniall order and exposition of theirs as it is of their owne fonde inuention without any ground or example of the scriptures of God so minde I to leaue it still vnto thēselues w t other their apish toies ridicles as things worthy to be laught at and will now further proceed with the rest of this processe which I haue in hand The xv day of February D. Hed the Chauncellour againe iudicially sitting in the consistory at Paules Tho. Man againe called by D. Hed Chancelour commaunded Thomas Man to be brought before him and there causing the articles obiected against him by the Byshop of Lincolne with his order of abiuration penaunce and also his owne articles last propounded to be first read he called forth a third witnes to be sworne and examined vpon the same But because he would seeme to do all thinges by order of iustice and nothing against law he therefore appoynted vnto the sayd Thomas Man certain Doctours and aduocates of the Arches as his counsellers to plead in his behalfe Which was euen like as if the lambe should be committed to the defence and protection of the woolfe Agnus Lupo commissus or the hare to the hounde For what good helpe could he looke for at their handes whiche were both most wicked haters and abhorrers of his Christian profession and also stout vpholders and maintainers of that Antichristian law by the which he was for the same cōdemned And that full well appeared by the good aduice and profitable councell which they gaue him against his next examinations For aswell vppon the 20. and also the 23. dayes of the same month of February in theyr seuerall Sessions he seing his owne negations to their obiections to take no place against their sworne witnesses had no other thinge to allege for himselfe but that through his xx weekes of hard imprisonment vnder the byshop of Lincolne he was forced to recant and abiure whiche was a poore shifte of counsell God knoweth And yet D. Raynes beyng one of his chiefe assigned aduocates in steede of aduice coulde by his subtle questioning The subtile practise of the Romish churchmen then make him to confesse that certaine talke whereof one of the witnesses had accused hym was spoken about fiue yeares before past which because it was since his recantatiō was rather an accusation of hym selfe then an excusing and
Chaucer Gower commended for their studious exercise although it seemeth that Gower was a great deale his ancient both notably learned as the barbarous rudenes of that tyme did geue both great friends together and both in like kinde of study together occupyed so endeuoring themselues and employing their tyme that they excelling many other in study and exercise o◠good letters did passe forth their liues here right worshipfully godly to the worthye fame and commendation of theyr name Chaucers workes be all printed in one volume and therfore knowne to all men This I meruaile to see the idle lyfe of the priestes and clergye men of that tyme seeing these lay persons shewed themselues in these kinde of liberall studyes so industrious fruitfully occupyed but muche more I maruell to consider thys Chaucer a right Wickleuian how y t the bishops condemning and abolishing al maner of Englishe bookes and treatises whiche might bring y e people to anye light of knowledge did yet authorise the workes of Chaucer to remaine still to be occupyed Chaucers bokes Who no doubt saw in Religion as much almost as euen we do now vttereth in hys works no lesse and seemeth to be a right Wicleuian or els was neuer any and that all his workes almost if they be throughly aduised will testifie albeit it be done in mirth couertly especially y e latter end of hys thyrd booke of y e Testament of loue for there purely he toucheth the highest matter that is the communion Wherin except a man be altogether blind he may espy him at the full Although in the same book as in all other he vseth to do vnder shadows couertly as vnder a visour he suborneth trueth in suche sort Men brought to truth by reading Chaucers workes as both priuilye she may profite the godly minded and yet not be espyed of the crafty aduersary And therefore the bishops belike taking his woorkes but for iestes and toyes in condemning other bookes yet permitted his bookes to be read So it pleased God to blind then the eyes of them for y e more commoditie of his people to the intent that through the reading of his treatises some fruit might redound therof to his Church as no doubt it dyd to many As also I am partly enformed of certayne whiche knew the parties which to them reported y t by reading of Chaucers works The ploughmans tale in Chaucer they were brought to the true knowledge of religion And not vnlike to be true For to omitte other partes of his volume whereof some are more fabulous then other what tale can be more playnly tolde then the tale of the ploughman or what finger can poynt out more directly the Pope with his prelates to be Antichrist then doth the poore Pellican reasoning agaynst the greedy Griffon Under which Hypotyposis or Poesie who is so blind that seeth not by the Pellican the doctrine of Christ and of the Lollardes to be defended against the Church of Rome Or who is so impudent y t can deny that to be true which the Pellicā there affirmeth in describing the presumptuous pryde of that pretensed Church Agayne what egge can be more lyke or fig vnto an other then the wordes properties and conditiōs of that rauening griphe resembleth the true Image that s the nature and quallities of that which we call y e church of Rome in euery poynt degree and therefore no great meruaile if that narratiō was exempted out of the copies of Chaucers workes whiche notwithstanding now is restored agayne and is extant for euery man to reade that is disposed This Geffrey Chaucer being borne as is thought in Oxfordshyre and dwelling in Woodstocke lyeth buryed in the Church of the minster of S. Peter at Westminster in an I le on the southside of the sayd Church not far from the dore leading to the Cloister and vpon his graue stone first were written these two old verses Galfridus Chaucer vates fama poesis Maternae hac sacra sum tumulatus humo Afterward about the yeare of our Lord. 1556. one M. Brickham bestowing more cost vpon his tombe did adde thereunto these verses following Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Galfridus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora mortis Ecee nota subsunt quae tibi cuncta notent 25. Octob. Anno. 1400. * Here beginneth the reformation of the church of Christ in the tyme of Martine Luther ALthough it can not be sufficiently expressed with toūg or pen of man The corruption of the Church described into what miserable ruine desolation the church of Christ was brought in those latter dayes yet partly by the reading of these storyes aforepast some intelligence may be geuen to them whiche haue iudgement to marke or eyes to see in what blindnes and darckenes the world was drowned during the space of these 400. yeares heretofore and more By the viewing and considering of which times and histories thou mayst vnderstand gentle reader how the religion of Christ which onely consisteth in spirit and veritie was wholy turned into outward obseruations ceremonies and idolatry So many Sainctes we had so many gods so many monasteries so many pilgrimages As many churches as many reliques forged teyned we had Agayne so many reliques so many lyeng miracles wee beleued In stede of the onely liuing Lorde we worshipped dead stocks and stones In place of Christ immortall we adored mortall bread In stead of his bloud we worshipped the bloud of duckes How the people wer led so that the priestes were fed no care was taken In stead of Gods word mans worde was set vp In stead of Christes testament the Popes testament that is the Canon lawe in stead of Paule the mayster of sentence tooke place and almost full possession The law of God was litle read the vse and end therof was lesse knowne And as the ende of the lawe was vnknowne so the difference betweene the Gospell and the lawe was not vnderstanded y e benefite of Christ not considered the effect of faith not expended Through the ignoraunce wherof it cannot be told what infinite erroures sectes and religious crept into the church ouerwhelming the world as with a floud of ignoraunce and seduction And no maruell for where the foundation is not well layd what building can stand and prosper The foundation of all our Christianitie is onely this The promise of God The foundation of Christian religion in the bloud of Christ hys sonne geuing and promising life vnto all that beleeue in him Geuing sayth the Scripture vnto vs and not barganing or indenting with vs And that freely sayth the Scripture for Christes sake Rom 6. and not condicionally for our merites sake Rom. 4. Furthermore freely sayth the scripture by grace that the promise might be firme and sure and not by the workes that we doe Rom. 4. which are alwaies
that they sought hys bloud Among whō was one Doctour Hasardus whiche asked hym if he did not seeme to hymselfe more wicked nowe then euer he was before but he setting the Fryer at light bad him auaunt Fryer saying that he had to talke wyth the Senate and not with him The Senate then began to examine him of certain Articles of Religion To whom as be was about to aunswere boldly and expresly to euery poynte they interrupting him bad hym say in two wordes eyther yea or nay Then sayde he if ye will not suffer me to aunswere for my selfe in matters of such importaunce then send me to my prison agayne among my todes and frogs whiche will not interrupt mee while I talke with my Lord my God The boldnes of whose spirit and courage as it made some to gnash theyr teeth so some it made to wonder and ministred to some great confirmation There was also one Bergiban the same tyme in prison who had bene a foreward man a great doer in the Gospell before the comming downe of Brulius Who being also sought for at the takyng of Brulius and beyng then not found at home eyther by chaunce not knowing or els because hee conueyed himselfe out of the way for feare conceaued thereof such sorrowe in hys minde y e afterward neyther hys wife nor children nor any frend els could staye hym but he woulde needes offer hymselfe to the Iudges saying to the ruler being asked why he came The Magistrates came to seeke mee sayd he and now I am come to know what they would Wherupon the ruler beyng sory of hys comming yet notwithstanding committed hym to prison where he remayned constant a certayne while But after the Commissioners had threatned hym with cruell tormentes and horror of death he began by little and little to wauer shrinke from the truth At the fayre wordes of the false Friers and Priestes to haue hys punishment changed and to be beheaded he was fayne to graunt vnto theyr biddinges and requestes Whereupon the aduersaries taking theyr aduauntage came to Miocius and told hym of Bergibans retractation wylling him to doe the like But he stoutly persisting in the truth endured to the fire where he hauing pouder put to hys brest was so put to death and dispatched The Fryers hearing the cracke of y e pouder vpon hys brest told the people that the deuill came out of him and caried away hys soule Ex Rabo alijs A certayne Prince in Germany about Hungary or the partes of Pannonia A priest of Germany Iohannes Gastius Conuiual Serm. lib. 2. writeth of a certayne Prince The Martyrdome of a good priest but doth not name hym which put out y e eyes of a certayn Priest in Germanye for no other cause but for that he sayd y e masse to be no sacrifice in y t sence as many priestes do take it Neither did the cruell prince immediatly put him to death but first kept hym in prison a long time afflicting him with diuers tormentes Then he was brought forth to be degraded after a barbarous and tyrannous maner First they shaued the crowne of hys head then rubbed it hard with salt that y e bloud came running downe hys shoulders After that they rased and pared the toppes of hys fingers wyth cruell payne that no sauour of the holy oyle myght remayn At last the patient and godly martyr foure dayes after yealded vp hys lyfe and spirite Ex. Ioan. Gastio lib. 2. Alphonsus Diazius a Spanyard Petrus de Maluenda the popes prolocutor at Ratisbone a Spanyard The Emperours confessor a blacke Fryer a Spanyard Marquina Ioannes Diazius a Spanyard martyr killed of his own brother at Neoberg in Germany An. 1546. The cruell murthering of Iohn Diazius Of this Iohn Diazius the full proces and historye is set foorth in Latine wherein the whole circustaunce is debated at large wher of briefe sūme is this Iohn Diazius a Spanyarde borne first being at Paris 13. yeares from thēce remoued to Geneua then to Basill after to Strausburgh from whence he was sent Ambassadour with Bucer and other to the Councell of Ratisbone where he talking with Peter Meluenda hys countreyman the Popes factour so declared his Relygyon vnto hym that Maluenda wrote to the Fryer whiche was the Emperours confessour touching the sayd Iohn Diazius The Emperours confessour at the opening and reading of whiche letters one Marquina an other Spanyarde was present Upon this it followed Alphonsus Diazius come from Rome to kyl hys brother whether by this confessor or by Marquina that Alphonsus Diasius brother to Iohn Diazius which was one of the Popes Lawyers in Rome had knowledge geuen hym of hys brother Iohn When the communication of Ratisbone was dissolued broken vp Iohn Diazius from Ratisbone went to the City of Neoberg within the Dominion of Otto Henry Pallatine about the expedition of Bucers booke there to be printed As Iohn Diazius was there occupyed it was not long but Alphonsus hys brother was come frō Rome to Ratisbōe where Maluenda was bringing with him a pestilent cut-throate a notorious ruffian or homicide belonging to y e City of Rome Maluenda Alphonsus consulting together about y e dispatch of theyr deuilish purpose first laboured to hūt out by y e frends of Diazius wher Diazius was Wherof Alphon. the homicide hauing knowledge by certayne of hys secret friends pretending great matters of importaunce came to Neoberg where Diazius was printing of Bucers booke where after long debating of matters of religion betwene the two brethren Alphonsus seing the hart of his brother Iohn to be so constantly planted on the sure rocke of Gods truth that by no wyse he could eyther be remooued from his opinion or perswaded to ride in his company being otherwise coūsailed by Bucer and hys friendes feyned him selfe frendly to take his leaue of his brother and to depart but shortly after secretly with his ruffenly murderer he returned agayne and by the waye they bought a certein hatchet of a carpenter This done Alphonsus sendeth his man beyng disguised with letters vnto his brother he himselfe following after As Iohn Diazius in the mornyng was risen out of his bed Iohn Diazius slaine by his owne brother to read the letters y e wretched hangman wyth the hatchet cloue his head vnto the braynes leauing the hatchet in his head and so hee with Alphonsus tooke them to theyr horse which stoode without the Cittie gate with as much speede as they might They of Neoberge hearing of the horrible acte sent out certaine horsemen making great iournyes after them Who comming to Augusta and hearing y e murderers to be past before were out of hope to ouertake them and so returned One in the cōpany more zelous then the rest God will haue murther knowen woulde not returne but pursued them still and in the Cittie of Oeniponte caused them to be stayed and put in
might also haue one of the precious cheynes about his necke in honor of his Lord. The which being graūted so were these three blessed martirs committed to the fire where they with meek pacience yelded vp theyr liues to the hands of the lord in testimony of his Gospell Ex Crisp. Pantal. Matth. Dimoner martyr The Lieutenant of Lyons Primacius Officiall Buatherius Officiall Orus Inquisitor Matthaeus Dymonetus marchaunt At Lyons An. 1553. This Marchaunt first liued a vicious detestable life full of muche corruption and fylthynesse He was also a secret enemy and a Searcher out of good men when and where they conuented togeather Who being called notwithstanding by y e grace of God to the knowledge and sauor of his word shortly after was taken by the Lieutenant and Buatherius the Official in his owne house at Lions and so after a litle examination was sent to prison Being examined by the Inquisitor and the Officials he refused to yeelde any aunswere to them knowing no authority they had vpon him but onely to the Lieutenant His aunsweres were that he beleued all that the holy vniuersall Church of Christ did truely beleue all the articles of the Creed To the article of the holy Catholicke Churche being bid to adde also Romanam that is the Church of Rome that he refused Aduocates he knew none but Christ alone Purgatory he knew none but the crosse and passion of the lamb which purgeth the sinnes of all the world The true confession he sayd ought to be made not to the priest once a yeare but euery day to God and to such whō we haue offended The eating of the flesh bloud of Christ he tooke to be spirituall and the Sacrament of the flesh and bloud of Christ to be eaten with the mouth and that sacrament to be bread and wine vnder the name and signification of the body and bloud of Christ the masse not to be instituted of Christ being a thing contrary to his word and will For the head of the Church he knew none but onely Christ. Being in prison he had great conflictes with the infirmity of his owne flesh but especially with the tēptation of his parentes brethren and kinsfolkes and the sorow of his mother neuerthelesse the Lord so assisted him that he endured to the end At his burning he spake much to the people was heard with great attention He suffered the 15. of Iuly an 1553. Ex Cris. Legoux the Deane Ilierensis M. Simon Vigor the Penetentiary of Eureux William Neel an Austen Fryer At Eureaux in Fraunce An. 1553. Hen. Pantal. lib. 9. Crisp. Adrian maketh mention also of one William Neel a Fryer Augustine who suffered in muche like sorte the same yeare was burned at Eureux in Fraunce The occasion of his trouble rose first William Neel martyr for the rebuking of the vitious demeanour of the Priestes there and of the Deane named Legoux for the which the Deane caused hym to be sent to Eureux to the prison of the Byshoppe The storye of thys William Neel with his aunsweres to theyr Articles obiected is to be read more at large in the 9. booke of Pantalion and others The Bailiffe or steward of the Citye Dyion Symon Laloe At Dyion An. 1553. Symon Laloe a spectacle maker comming from Geneua in to Fraunce for certayn busines was laid hand of by the Bayliffe of Dyion Three thinges were demaunded of him 1 Where he dwelt 2. What was his faith 3. What fellowes hee knew of his Religion His dwelling he sayd was at Geneua Hys Religion was such as was then vsed at Geneua As for his fellowes he sayd he knew none but onely them of the same City of Geneua where his dwelling was When they could gette of him no other aunsweare but thys with all theyr racking and tormēts they proceeded to hys sentence and pursued the execution of the same which was the 21. of Nouember an 1553. The executioner who was named Iames Siluester Simon Laloe martyr seeing the great fayth and constancye of that heuenlye Martyr was so compuncted with repentaunce fell in such despayre of himselfe that they had much adoe with all the promises of the Gospell to recouer any cōfort in him The executioner conuerted At last through the mercy of christ he was comforted and conuerted and so he with all his family remoued to the Church of Geneua Ex Ioan Crisp.  Nicholas Nayle Torments At Paris An. 1553. This Nicolas shoomaker commynge to Paris with certayne ferdles of bookes Nicholas Naile martyr was there apprehēded Who stoutly in persisting in confessing the trueth was tried with sundry tormentes to vtter what fellowes he had besides of his profession so cruelly that his body was dissolued almost one ioint from an other but so constant he was in his silence that he would expresse none As they brought him to the stake fyrste they put a gag or peece of wood in his mouth which they boūd with cords to the hinder part of his head so hard y t his mouth on both sides gushed out wyth bloud and disfigured his face monstrously By the way they passed by an Hospitall where they willed him to worship the picture of S. Mary standing at the gate But he turned his back as well as he could and would not For the which the blind people were so grieued that they would haue fallē vpon him After he was brought to the fire they so smered his body with fatte and brimstone that at the first taking of the fire all his skin was parched the inward parts not touched With that the cords brast which were about his mouth wherby his voyce was heard in the middest of the flame praysing the Lord and so y e blessed Martyr departed Ex Ioan Chrisp A woman of Tolouse The Officiall of the Bishop of Tolouse The Inquisitour and Chauncelour of the Bishop of Cozeran Peter Serre About Tolouse An. 1553. Peter Serre martyr Peter Serre fyrst was a Prieste then chaunging his religiō he went to Geneua learned the shomakers craft and so liued Afterward vpon a singuler loue he came to hys brother at Tolouse to the intent to doe hym good His brother had a wife which was not well pleased with hys religiō and comming She in secret Counsell tolde an other woman one of her neighbors of this What doth she but goeth to the Officiall and maketh hym priuy of all The Officiall thinking to fore-slacke no time taking counsell with his fellowes laid hands vppon this Peter and brought him before the Inquisitor To whom he made such declaration of his fayth that he seemed to reduce the Inquisitor to some feling of conscience and began to instruct him in y e principals of true religion Notwithstāding all this helped not but that he was condemned by the said Chauncellor to be degraded cōmitted to the seculer iudge The Iudge inquiringe of what occupation hee was he sayde that
contrary according as Christ doth tell vs of the scribes phariseis admonishing vs to followe theyr doctrine not their liues Mat. 23. but there is great difference Math. 23. whether they y t take the gouernance of the church do sit in Moses chayre which is the seate of truth or els doe sit in the chayre of abhomination spoken of by Daniell also by S. Paule where he sayth 2. Thes. 2. That the man of perdition shal sit in the temple of God vaunting hymselfe insolently aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2. And as touching the keyes of binding loosing geuen to Peter Christ therein assigned to Peter The keyes of binding loosing other apostles the office of preaching the word of the gospell whiche they did also well obserue in preaching nothing els but onely the word in the whiche word is al the power conteyned of binding loosing Neither is it to be granted the Church to haue two heades one in heauen an other in earth The head whereof is but one whiche is Iesus Christ whome the father hath appoynted to be head alone both in heauen and earth Ephes. 1. Colos. 1. as S. Paul in many places of his Epistles doth teach Ephes. 1. Colos. 1 c. The Fryer You haue no vnderstanding how to expound the Scriptures But the olde doctors haue expounded the scriptures holy Councels Auricular confession whose iudgements are to be followed But what say you to auricular confession The Martyr I know no other confession but that which is to be made to God and reconciliation towardes our neighbour which Christ and his Apostles haue commended to vs. The Fryer Haue you not read in the Gospell howe Christ doth bid vs to confesse to the priest where hee commaunded the leper being made whole to shew hym selfe to the priest The Martyr The true church of the Lord Iesus Christ neuer obserued this straunge kinde of confession to carrye our sinnes to the priestes eare And though the churche of Rome haue intruded this maner of confessing it followeth not thereby that is to be receiued And as touching the leper whome the Lorde sent to the priest he was not sent therefore to whisper his sins in the Priestes care but onely for a testimony of hys health receiued according to the law Of the other confession whiche is to be made to God we haue both the examples and testimonyes of the prophet Dauid full in the psalmes 32.51.106 where he sayth Psal. 32.51.106 That he confessed his sinnes vnto the Lord and receiued forgeuenes of the same The Fryer After this the fryer proceeding further to make comparison betweene the churche of Rome The Church of Rome and of Geneua compared and the churche of Geneua would proue that the pope hath power to set lawes in the Church without anye expresse worde of God For so it is written sayd hee That there were many other thinges besides which are not written in this booke Ioan. 21. Also where Christ promiseth to his Disciples to send vnto them the holye ghost which shuld induce them into al truth Moreouer such decres ordinances which are in y e church were decided sayd he and appoynted by the doctors of y e church by al the Councels directed no doubt by the holy Ghost Furthermore he inferred that y e church also of Geneua had theyr ordinaunces and constitutions made without any word of God And for example he brought forth the order of the psalms and seruice publiquely obserued and appoynted vpon wednesday in the churche of Geneua as though that day were holyer then an other The Martyr To this the martyr answered agayne declaring that the ordinaunce of those publicke prayers and psalmes vppon wednesday in the churche of Geneua was not to bynde conscience or for anye superstitious obseruation or for any necessitie whiche eythere should bind conscience or could not be altered at their arbitrement but onely for an order or commoditie for publike resort to heare the word of god according as ancient kings temporall Magistrates haue vsed in old time to doe in congregating the people together not to put any holines in the daye or to bind conscience to any obseruation as the pope maketh his lawes but onely for orders sake seruing vnto commoditie And as touching that any thing should be left for doctors and counsels to be decided without the expresse word of God that is not so for that al things be expressed and prescribed by the word whatsoeuer is necessary eyther for gouernment of the Church or for the saluation of men so that there is no neede for doctours of the Church or Councels to decide anye thing more then is decided already Rom. 15. 2. Iohn Paule sayth that he durst vtter nothing but that the Lord had wrought by him Rom. 15. S. Iohn speaking of the doctrine of Christ Iesu willeth vs to receaue no man vnles he bring with him the same doctrine 2. Ioan. S. Paule warneth the Gallat not to beleeue an angell from heauen The Church ought to be gouerned only by the voyce of the Lords word 1. Pet. 5. bringing an other doctrine thē that which they had already receiued Gal. 2. Christ callyng himselfe the good shepheard noteth them to be his sheep which heare his voyce and not the voyce of others Ioh. 11 And S. Peter admonishing the pastors of y e churche forewarneth them to teache onely the woorde of God without any seeking of Lordship or dominion ouer the flocke From the which moderation how far y e forme of the popes church doth differ the tyranny whiche they vse doth well declare The Fryer In the old churche priestes and ministers of the church were wont to assemble together for deciding of such thinges as pertained to the gouernment and direction of the church whereas in Geneua no such thing is vsed as I can proue by this your owne testament here in my handes that you the better may vnderstand what was then the true vse and manner of the Churche The Martyr Churches may be instituted without the Pope What was the true order and manner that the Apostles did institute the church of Christ I would gladly heare and also would desire you to consider the same and when you haue well considered it yet shall you finde the institution and regiment of the Church of Geneua not to be without the publicke counsell and aduisement of the magistrates elders ministrs of that church with such care and diligence as Paule and Silas took in ordering the church of Thessalonica Birrhea c. wherin nothing was don without the authoritie of Gods word as appeareth Act. 17. As likewise also in stablishing the Church of Antioch when the Apostles were together in counsell for y e same there was no other law nor doctrine folowed but onely the word of God as may appere by the wordes of the Councell Quid tentatis Deum
life with the least denyall of truth and loosse of a good conscience Thus Galeazius mourning for his fall in prison after he heard of his friendes that nothing was yet so farre past but that he might recouer hymselfe agayne and that his infirmitie was not preiudiciall but rather a furtheraunce to Gods glory and admonition to himselfe to stande more strongly hereafter tooke thereby exceeding comfort And when they would haue left with him a booke of the new testament for his comfort he refused it saying y t hee had it in hys hart whatsoeuer Christ there spake to hys Disciples Also what happened both to Christ himselfe and to his Apostles for confessing y e word of trueth Furthermore so comfortable was hee after that that they which talked wyth him continued all the day without meate or drincke and woulde also haue taried all the night following if they might haue ben suffered As Galeazius thus continued in the prison looking for some occasion to recouer himselfe agayn from his fall it followed in short time that the Inquisitors and priestes repayred to him againe in the prison supposing that he would confirme now that whiche before he had graunted to them and required him so to do Galeazius renying all that hee had graunted to them before returned agayne to the defence of hys former doctrine with muche more boldnes of spirite confessing Christ as he did before and detested Images affirming and prouing y e god onely is to be worshipped and that in spirite and veritie Also to be no mo mediators but Christ alone and that hee onely and sufficiently by his suffering Galeazius returneth to his former confession of truth hath taken away the sinnes of the whole worlde that all they which depart hence in this fayth are ascertained of euerlasting life they whiche doe not are vnder euerlasting damnation with suche other lyke matter which was repugnant vtterly to the popes proceedinges With this confession made as hys minde was greatly refreshed so the aduersaries wēt away as much apaulled Galeazius committed to the secular power Who at last perceiuing that he in no case could be reuoked caused hym to be cōmitted to the secular iudge to be burned Thus Galeazius early in the morning beyng brought out of prisō to the market place there was left standing bound to the stake till noone as a gazing stocke for all men to looke vpon In the whiche meane tyme many came about hym exhorting hym to recant not so to cast awaye his life where as w t x. wordes speaking he might saue it And if he passed not for hys lyfe nor for hys country where he should lyue nor for his goodes and possessions whiche shuld be confiscate yet he shuld somewhat respect his wife whom he loued so well and hys young children at least he should consider hys owne soule This counsayle gaue they whiche more esteemed the commodities of this present lyfe thē any true soules health in the life to come But to conclude nothing coulde stir the setlet minde of this valiaunt Martyr The death and decease of Galeazius Wherfore fire was commaunded at last to be put to the drye wood about him wherwith he was shortly extincted w tout any noyse or crying sauing onely these words heard in the middle of the flame Lord Iesu. Thys was an 1551. Nouemb. 24. Touching the story of this blessed Martyr thys by the way is to be geuen for a Memorandum That a litle before this Galeazius should be burned there was a controuersie betweene the Mayor of the citty and the byshops clergy for the expenses of the wood that should goe to his burning He hearing thereof sent word to both the parties to agree for hee hym selfe of his owne goodes woulde see the coste of that matter discharged An other note moreouer here is to be added that while Galeazius was in captiuitie certayne of the Papists perceauing that Galeazius had great goods and possessions practised with his wife vnder color to release her husband y t she should lay out a summe of mony to be sent to the wife of the chiefe Lorde of Millain called Ferrarus Gonzaga to the end y t she should intreat both with her husband and with the Senate for Galeazius life Which money when they had thus iugled into theyr handes so was the seely woman robbed and defeated both of her husband and also of her money Ex Caelio Cornelius professor of Bononie Campeius Cardinall Cardinall de Capo Bonauentura Generall Vi. Cardinals Pope Iulius the thyrd D. Ioannes Mollius a gray Frier A certayn Weauer of Perusium At Rome Ann. 1553. Ioan. Mollius Montilcinus D. Ioan. Mollius martyr beyng but 12. yeares olde with hys brother Augustinus was set of hys parents in the house of y e graye Fryers where hee in shorte tyme hauyng a fresh wit far excelled his fellowes in al tongues and liberall sciences So growing vp to the age of 18. he was ordeyned priest sang hys first Masse After that hee was sent to Ferraria to studye where hee so profited in the space of 6. yeres that hee was assigned by Uigerius General of y e order to be Doctor and then reader in Diuinitie who then w t his sophistry opposed hymself as an vtter enemy against the gospell From thence hee went to Brixia the next yeare following to Millayn where he read or professed openly Againe from hence hee was taken by Franciscus Sfortia and brought to the Uniuersitie of Papia there openly to confesse Philosophy Where hee remayned foure yeares Laurentius Spatha generall of the gray Friers After that he was called to the Uniuersitie of Bononie by Laurentius Spatha Generall of that order whereas he was occupyed in readyng the bookes of Aristotle De Anima In the meane tyme God wrought in hys soule suche lyght of hys word and of true Religion that hee waxing weary of professing Philosophy began secretly to expound the Epistle of S. Paule to the Rom. to a few which beyng knowne hys auditors increased so fast that he was compelled to read openly in the Tēple Whereas the number of his audience dayly augmēted so the eger feruency of theyr mindes so mightely encreased withall that euery man almost came with hys penne and inke to write and great dilligence was bestowed how to come betyme to take vp the first places where they might best heare which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1538. There was y e same tyme at Bononie Cornelius and Cardinal Campeius persecutors one Cornelius an arrogant babler who enueying the doynges of this Ioannes tooke vppon hym at the request of Cardinall Campeius to expound the sayd Epistle of Sainct Paule confuting and disprouing the explanation of y e sayde Iohn and extolling the pope withal his traditions Contrary Iohn extolled and commended onely Christ and hys merites to the people But the purpose of Cornelius came to small effect For the auditors whiche first came to him
Fryer Birde about Bilney Bishop of Chester was he that brought apples to Boner mentioned in the story of Haukes An other was a blacke Fryer called Hodgekins who after being vnder the Archbyshop of Caunterbury maryed Frier Hodgekins a black Fryer against Bilney and afterward in Queene Maryes tyme put away hys wyfe These 4 orders of Fryers were sent as is sayd to bayte Bilney who notwithstandyng as hee had planted hymselfe vppon the fyrme rock of Gods word was at a poynt and so continued vnto the end But here nowe commeth in sir Thomas More trumping in our way with hys paynted carde would needs take vp this Tho. Bilney from vs and make hym a conuert after his secte Thus these coated cardes though they could not by playn scriptures conuince hym beyng aliue yet now after hys death by false play they will make hym theirs whither he will or no. This syr Thom. More in hys rayling preface before hys booke agaynst Tindalll doth challenge Bilney to hys catholicke Church and sayth that not onely at the fyre but many dayes before both in wordes and writing reuoked abhorred 4. Reason of Syr Thomas More and detested hys heresies before holden And how is this proued by 3. or 4. mighty argumentes as big as milpostes fet out of * Vtopia one of Mores phantasies Aunswere to Syr Tho. More Utopia from whence thou must know reader can come no fittons but all fine Poetrie First he sayth that certayne Norwichmen writing to London and denying that Bilney did recant afterward being therupon examined were compelled to graunt that he at his examination redde a bill but what it was they could not tel for they stood not so neare to heare hym And albeit they stood not so neare yet some of them perceaued certayne thinges there spoken whereby they thought that he did reuoke Some agayne added to those things spoken certayne additions of their owne to excuse him from recantation First to aunswere hereunto and to try out this matter somewhat roundly with M. More let vs see with what conueyaunce he proceedeth in this narratioÌ„ At his first examination sayth he he waxed stiffe in hys opinions but yet God was so good Lord vnto hym that he was fully coÌ„uerted to the true Catholicke fayth c. And when might thys goodly conuersion begin Many dayes quoth he before his burning Here is no certayn day assigned but many dayes lefte at large that he might haue y e larger roume to walke inuisible Well then but how many dayes coulde these be I would fayne learne of M. More when hee was not many dayes in theyr hands no longer then they could sende vpp to London for a writte to burne him Belike then shortly after his apprehension at the first comming of the fryers vnto hym by and by he reuolted A straunge matter that he which 2. yeares before had layne in suche a burning hell of dispayre for his first abiuration and could find no other comfort but onely in returning to the same doctrine agayne which before he had denyed vtterly resigning himselfe ouer to death and taking his leaue of his frendes and setting his face with Christ purposely to goe to Hierusalem voluntarily there to fall into the handes of y e Scribes Pharisies for that doctrines sake should now so soone euen at the first brunt geue ouer to the contrarye doctrine agayne It is not like God was so good Lord vnto hym sayth M. More That God was good Lord vnto him very true it is But that God did so turne him in deede to be a member of that Romish Churche that hath not M. More yet sufficiently proued To affirme without proufe or demonstration in matters of storye it is not sufficient But what hath bene done in deede that must be proued by good euidence and speciall demonstration of witnesses that we may certaynly know it so to be It followeth moreouer in M. More And there lacked not some sayth he that were sory for it The first reason of M. More No doubt but if our Bilney had so relented some would haue bene very sorye therfore But what one man in all this summe in all Norwich was sory that M. More must specifie vnto vs before we beleue him so well are we acquaynted with his Poeticall fictioÌ„s But how els should this narratioÌ„ of M. More seeme to runne with probabilitie if it were not watered with such additions He addeth moreouer and sayth And some wrote out of Norwiche to London that he had not reuoked his heresies at all but still did abide in them This soundeth rather to come more neare to a truth Read of Sinon in the 2. booke â—f Virgil who craftely mixeth one thing with false to betray the Citie of Troye And here is a knack of Sinons arte to interlarde a tale of vntrueth with some parcell of truth now and then among that somethings being found true may winne credite to the rest which is vtterly false And why then be not the letters of these Norwich men beleued for the not recanting of Bilney Because sayth he afterwarde they being called to examination it was there prooued playnly to their faces that Bilney reuoked By whoÌ„ was it proued By those sayth he which at his execution stood by and heard him read his reuocation hymselfe c. What men were these or what were their names or what was any one mans name in all the Cittie of Norwich y t heard Bilney recant There M. More will geue vs leaue to seek them out if we can M. More hâ—â—e painteth Antickes for he can name vs none Well why could not the other part heare Bilney read hys reuocation as well as these Because sayth More hee read so softly that they could not heare him Well all this admitted that Bilney read his reuocation so softly that some could heare some could not hear him theÌ„ this would be knowne what was the cause why Bilney read his reuocation so softly which must needes be either for lacke of good will to read or good voyce to vtter If good will were absent in reading that reuocation then it appeareth y t he recanted against his owne minde and conscience If it were by imbecillitie of voyce vtterance theÌ„ how followeth it M. More in this your narration where you say that the sayd persons whiche coulde not heare hym read the bill yet notwithstanding could heare hym rehearse certaine other thinges spoken by him the same time at the fire wherby they could not but perceaue well that he reuoked his errors c. Ah M. More for all your pouder of experience doe ye thinke to cast such a mist before mens eyes that we cannot see how you iuggle with truth and take you tardy in your own narration vnlesse peraduenture you wil excuse your selfe per licentiam Poeticam after the priuiledge of Poets and paynters for as ye know the old liberty of these two Pictoribus atque Poetis
trust not in his holynesse To this he aunswered take ye it as ye will I will take it well enough Item Almes whom and how farre it profiteth now seest thou what almes meaneth and wherfore it serueth He that seeketh with his almes more then to be mercifull to be a neighbour to succour his brothers need to do his duty to his brother to geue his brother that he ought him the same is blind seeth not Christes bloud Here he answereth God to be serued and worshipped onely as he commaundeth otherwise not that he findeth no fault throughout all the booke but all the booke is good and it hath geuen him great comfort and light to his conscience Item that ye do nothing to please God but that he cōmaunded To that he answereth and thinketh it good by his truth Item so God is honored on all sides in that we coūt him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces And to worship him otherwise then so it is Idolatry To that he answered that it pleaseth him well The examination of these Articles being done the Bishop of London did exhort the sayd Iohn Tewkesbery to recant his errors abouesayde and after some other cōmunication had by the Bishop with him the sayd Bishop did exhort him again to recant his errors and appoynted him to determine with himselfe against the next Session what he would do Iohn Tewkesbery submitteth himselfe IN this next Session he submitted himselfe and abiured his opinions and was enioyned penaunce as foloweth which was the 8. of May. In primis that he should keepe well his abiuration vnder payne of relaps Secondly that the next Sonday folowing in Paules Church in the open procession he should cary a Fagot and stand at Paules Crosse with the same That the Wednesday folowing he should cary the same Fagot about Newgate market and Chepeside That on Friday after he should take the same fagot agayne at S. Peters church in Cornehill and cary it about the market of Ledenhall That he should haue 2. signes of Fagots embrothered one on his left sleue the other on his right sleue which he should weare all his life time vnles he were otherwise dispensed withall That on Whitsonday euē he should enter into the Monastery of S. Bartholomew in Smithfield and there to abide and not to come out vnles he were released by the bishop of London That he should not depart out of y e city or dioces of London without the speciall licence of the B. or his successors Which penance he entred into the 8 day of May. an 1229. And thus much concerning his first examinatiō which was in the yeare .1529 at what time he was inforced thorow infirmitye as is before expressed to retract and abiure his doctrine Tewkesbery returned againe to the truth Notwithstāding the same Iohn Tewkesbery afterward cōfirmed by the grace of God and moued by y e example of Bayfild aforesayd that was burned in smithfield did returne and constantly abide in the testimonye of the truth and suffered for the same Who recouering more grace better strength at the hand of the Lord two yeares after being apprehended agayne was brought before Syr Thomas More and the Bishop of Londō where certaine Articles were obiected to him the chiefe wherof we intēd briefly to recite for the matter is prolixe In primis that he confesseth that he was baptised and intendeth to keepe the Catholicke fayth Articles agayne obiected to Tewkesbery Secondly that he affirmeth that the abiuration othe subscription that he made before Cutbert late Byshop of London was done by compulsion Thirdlye that he had the bookes of the obedience of a Christian man and of the wicked Mammon in his custody and hath read them since his abiuration Fourthly that he affirmeth that he suffered the two fagots that were embrothered vpon his sleue to be taken frō him for that he deserued not to weare them Fiftly he sayth that fayth onely iustifieth which lacketh not charity Sixtly he sayth that Christ is a sufficient Mediator for vs therfore no prayer is to be made vnto any Sayntes Wherupon they layd vnto him this verse of the Antheme Salue Regina aduocata nostra c. To the which he aunswered that he knew no other Aduocate but Christ alone Seuenthly he affirmeth that there is no Purgatory after this life Christ is our Purgatorye but that Christ our Sauior is a sufficient purgation for vs. Eightly he affirmeth that the soules of the faythful departing this life rest with Christ. Ninthly he affirmeth y t a priest by receiuing of orders receiueth more grace if his fayth be increased or els not Tenthly and last of all he beleueth that the sacrament of the flesh bloud of Christ is not the very body of Christ in flesh bloud as it was borne of y e virgin Mary Whervpon the Byshops Chauncellor asked the sayd Tewkesbery if he could shew any cause why he should not be takē for an hereticke falling into his heresy agayne and receiue the punishment of an hereticke Wherunto he aunswered that he had wrong before and if he be condemned now he reckoneth that he hath wrong agayne Then the Chaūcellor caused the articles to be read opēly with the aunsweres vnto the same the which the sayde Tewkesbery confessed therupon the Bishop pronounced sentence agaynst him deliuered him vnto the Shyriffes of Londō for y e time being who were Rich. Greshā Edward Altam who burned him in Smithfield vpō S. Thomas euen being the 20. of Decēber in the yeare aforesayd the tenor of whose sentence pronounced agaynst hym by the Bishop doth here ensue word for word IN the name of God Amen The deseruinges and circūstances of a certein cause of hereticall prauity falling again thereunto by thee Iohn Tewkesbery of the Parish of S. Michaels in the Querne of the City of Londō of our iurisdiction appearing before vs sitting in iudgement being heard seene vnderstand fully discussed by vs Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of Londō because we do find by inquisitions manifestly enough that thou didst abiure freely voluntarily before Cutbert late Bishop of Londō thy ordinary diuers sundry heresies errors damnable opinions contrary to y e determination of our mother holy church as well speciall as generall that since and beside thy foresaid abiuration thou art agayne fallen into y e same damnable heresies opiniōs errors which is greatly to be lamēted the same doest hold affirme beleue we therfore Iohn the Bishop aforesayd the name of God first being called vpon the same only God set before our eyes with the coūsell of learned men assisting vs in this behalfe with whō in this cause we haue cōmunicated of our definitiue sentence finall decree in this behalfe to be done do intēd to proceed do proceed in this maner Because as it is aforesayd we do finde thee
Laurence the Byshops Register of Caunterbury Edwarde Thwates Thomas Abell Of the which persons the sayd Elizabeth Berton Henry Gold Richard Master Edwarde Bocking Iohn Dering Hugh Riche Richarde Risby were attaynted of Treason by Acte of Parliament and put to execution The residue as Fisher Byshop of Rochester Thomas Golde Thomas Laurence Edwarde Thwates Iohn Adeson Thomas Abell being conuicte and atteynted of misprison were condemned to prison and forfayted theyr goodes possessions to the King Ex Statut an 25 Reg Hen 8. Edward Hall a writer of our Englishe Stories making mention of this Elizabeth Barton aforesayd adioyneth next in his booke A maruelous iudgement of god against Pauier an open enemye to his worde the narration of one Pauier or Pauie a notorious enemie no doubt to Gods truth Thys Pauier beyng the towne Clerke of the Citie of London was a man sayth he that in no case coulde abyde to heare that the Gospell shoulde be in Englishe In so much that the sayd Hall hymselfe heard hym once say vnto hym and to other by swearing a great othe that if he thought the Kings highnes would set forth the Scripture in English and let it be read of the people by his authoritie rather thē he would so long liue he would cut his owne throate but he brake promise sayth Hall for he dyd not cut his throate with any knife but with an halter did hang himselfe Of what minde and intent he so did God iudge My information farther addeth this touching the sayd Pauier or Pauie that he was a bitter enemie very busie at the burning of Richard Bayneham aboue mentioned Who hearing the sayd Baynham at the stake speakyng against Purgatory and transubstantiation Pauier a bitter eenemy against Rich. Baynham set fire sayd he to this hereticke and burne hym And as the trayne of gunpouder came toward the Martyr he lifted vp his eyes and hands to heauen saieng to Pauier God forgiue thee and shewe thee more mercy then thou doest to me The Lord forgiue Sir Thomas More and pray for me all good people and so continued he praieng till the fire tooke hys bowels and his head c. After whose Martyrdome the next yeare folowing this Pauier the towne Clerke of the Citie went and bought ropes Which done he went vp to an hygh garret in hys house to pray as he was wont to doe to a roode which he had there before whom he bitterly wept And as his own mayde comming vp found him so doyng he bad her take the rustye sworde and go make it cleane and trouble him no more and immediately he tied vp the rope and hoong himselfe The maydes hart still throbbed and so came vp and founde him but newly hanged Then she hauing no power to helpe him ranne crieng to the Church to her mistres to fetch her home His seruants and Clerkes he had sent out before to Finisbery Pauier a persecutor hāged him selfe and to Maister Edney Sergeant to the Lord Maior dwelling ouer Byshops gate to tary for him at Finisebery Court till he came but he had dispatched himselfe before so that they might long looke for him before he could come Which was an 1533. To this story of Pauier may also be added the lyke terrible example of Doctor Foxford Chauncellour to the Byshop of London a cruell persecutor and a common butcher of the good Saincts of God who was the condemner of all those aforenamed The terrible hād of Gods iudgement vpon Foxford the Byshops Chācellour The death of W. Warham Archb· of Cant. Tho. Cranmer Archb. of Cant. which were put to death troubled or abiured vnder Byshop Stokesley through all the dioces of London This Foxford dyed about this present yeare and time of whose terrible end it was then certainely reported and affirmed by suche as were of right good credite vnto certayne persons of whom some be yet aliue that he dyed sodenly sitting in his chayre his belly being brust and his guts falling out before him About the same time died also William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury in whose roume succeeded Thomas Cranmer which was the Kings Chapleyne and a great disputer against the vnlawful mariage of Lady Katherine Princesse Dowager being then so called by Act of Parliament Queene Catherine appealeth to Rome Ye heard before how the Parliament had enacted that no person after a certeine day should appeale to Rome for any cause Notwithstanding which Acte y e Queene now called Princesse Dowager had appealed to the Courte of Rome before that Acte made so y t it was doubted whether that Appeale were good or not This question was well handled in the Parliament house but much better in the Conuocation house and yet in both houses it was alledged yea and by bookes shewed that in the Councels of Calcedone Affrike Toletane and diuers other famous Councels in the primatiue Church yea in the tyme of S. Augustine it was affirmed declared determined that a cause rising in one Prouince Concluded by councells of the primitiue church that nōe should appeale out of their prouince should be determined in the same that neither the Patriarke of Cōstātinople should medle in causes moued in the iurisdictiō of the Patriarke of Antioch nor no Byshop should entermedle within an others Prouince or coūtrey Which thyngs were so clerkly opened so cūningly set forth to all intētes y t euery mā that had witte was determined to folow y e truth not wilfully wedded to his owne mynde might playnly see y t al appeales made to Rome were clearely voyde of none effect Which doctrines coūsailes were shewed to y e Lady Katherine Princesse Dowager but she as womē loue to lose no dignitie euer continued in her old song trusting more to the Popes partialitie then to the determination of Christes veritie Wherupon the Archbyshop of Cāterbury Cranmer aboue named accōpanied with y e Bishops of Lōdon Winchester Bathe Lincolne diuers other great Clerkes 〈◊〉 a great number road to Dunstable which is vi myle frō Ampthyl where the Princesse Dowager lay there by a Doctor called Doctor Lee she was ascited to appeare before the sayd Archbyshop in cause of Matrimony in the sayd towne of Dunstable at the day of appearaunce she would not appeare but made default so was called peremptorily euery day .xv. dayes together and at the last for lacke of appearaunce for contumacie by the assent of all the learned men there beyng present she was diuorced from the kyng Lady Catherine solemnly diuorced frō the king their Mariage declared to be voyde and of none effect which sentence geuen the Archbyshop and all the other returned backe agayne ¶ Where note that although this diuorce folowyng after the new Mariage needed not at all to be made the first Mariage beyng no Mariage at all before God A note yet to satisfie the voyce of the people more then for any necessitie the
for a coÌ„clusion vndoubted do affirme approue pronounce that y e Byshop of Rome hath no more state authoritie and iurisdiction geuen him of God in the scriptures ouer this Realme of EnglaÌ„d The byshop of Rome hath no more state in England then hath any other foreine byshop then any other externe Byshop hath And in testimony and credence of this our aunswere and affirmation we haue caused our common seale to be put to these our foresaid letters accordingly At Cambridge in our Regent house an Domi. 1534. ¶ Steph. Wint. De Vera Obedientia YOu haue heard before of Stephen Gardiner of Lee of Tonstal of Stokesley how of their voluntary mind they made their profession to the king euery one seuerally Steph. Wint. against the mariage of the king with his brothers wife in his booke De vera obedientia taking and accepting a corporall othe vtterly and for euer to renounce and reiect the vsurped superioritie of the Byshop of Rome Now for a further testimonie and declaration of their iudgementes and opinions whiche then they were of following the force both of truth and of time then present ye shall heare ouer and beside their othes what the foresayd Byshops in their owne Bookes Prologues and Sermons do write and publishe abroade in Printe touching the sayd cause of the Popes supremacie And first God willing to begin with Stephen Gardiners booke De vera Obedientia we will briefly note out a few of his owne words wherein with great Scriptures and good deliberation he not onely confuteth the Popes vsurped authority Steph. Wint. De vera obedientia but also proueth the Mariage betwene the King and Queene Katherine his brothers wife not to be good nor lawfull in these words Of the which morall preceptes in the old law to speake of some for to rehearse al it needeth not the Leuiticall precepts touching forbidden incestuous mariages Steph. Wint De vera obedientia as farre as they concerne chast and pure wedlocke wherin the Originall of mans increase coÌ„sisteth are alwaies to be reputed of such sorte that although they were first giuen to the Iewes yet because they apperteine to the law of nature expound the same more plainely vnto vs therfore they belong as well to all maner of people of the whole world for euermore In which doubtles both the voyce of nature Gods Commaundement agreeing in one haue forbidden that which is contrary and diuers from the one and from the other And amongest these sith there is commaundement that a man shall not mary his brothers wife what could the Kings excellent Maiestie do otherwise then he did by the whole consent of the people and iudgemeÌ„t of his Churche that is to be diuorced from vnlawfull mariage Ste. Wint. against the kinges mariage with his brothers wife and vse lawful and permitted copulation and obeieng as meete it was conformably vnto the commandement cast off her whome neither law nor right permitted hym to retayne and take him to chaste and lawfull mariage wherein although the sentence of Gods worde whereunto all things ought to stoupe might haue suffised yet his Maiestie was content to haue the assisting consents of the most notable graue men and the censures of the most famous Uniuersities of the whole world and al to the entent that men shoulde see he did that both that he might doe and ought to do vprightly seeing the best learned and most worthy men haue subscribed vnto it shewing therein such obedience as Gods word requireth of euery good godly man so as it may be said that both he obeyed God and obeyed him truly Of which obedience forasmuch as I am purposed to speake I could not passe this thing ouer with silence whereof occasion so commodiously was offered me to speake ¶ Winchesters reasons against the Popes supremacie Moreouer Ste. Wint. a Lutherane in his booke De vera obedientia the sayde Gardiner in the forenamed booke De vera obedientia what constancy he pretendeth what arguments he inferreth how earnestly and pithely he dsputeth on the Kings side against the vsurped state of the Bishop of Romes authoritie by the wordes of his booke it may appeare whereof a breefe collection heere followeth IN the processe of his foresayd booke he alledging the old distinction of the Papistes The sword of the Church how farre it extendeth wherein they geue to the Prince the regiment of things temporall and to the church of things spiritual comparing the one to the greater light the other to the lesser light he confuteth and derideth the same distinction declaring the sword of the Church to extend no farther then to teaching and excommunication and referreth all preheminence to the sword of the Prince alleadging for this the Psal. 2. And now you Kings be wise Psal. 2. and be learned you that iudge the earth c. Also the example of Salomon who being a King 2. Par. 28. according to his fathers appointment ordeined the offices of the Priests in their ministeries Exoâ— â—2 1. Râ—â— â—â— 1. Mâ—â—h â—â— Math. 16. and Leuites in their order that they mighte geue thankes and minister before the Priests after the order of euery day and porters in their diuisions gate by gate And speaking more of the sayd Salomon he saith For so commaunded the man of God neither did the Priestes nor Leuites omitte any thing of all that he had commaunded c. Beside this he alleageth also the example of King Ezechias 2. Paralip 28. He alledgeth moreouer the example and facte of Iustinian whiche made lawes touching the faith Byshops Clerkes heretickes and such other Aaron saith he obeyed Moses Salomon gaue sentence vpon Abiathar the high Priest Alexander the King in the first of Machabees writeth thus to Ionathas Now haue we made thee this day the high Priest of thy people c. So did Demetrius to Simon Then comming to the wordes of Christ spoken to Peter Math. 16. vpon which words the Pope pretendeth to builde all his authoritie to thys he aunswereth that if Christ by those wordes had limited vnto Peter any suche speciall state or preheminence aboue all princes then were it not true that is written Caepit Iesus docere facere for asmuch as the words of Christ should then be contrary to his owne factes and example who in all his life neuer vsurped either to himself any such domination aboue Princes shewing himselfe rather subiect vnto Princes nor yet did euer permit in his Apostles any such example of ambition to be seene but rather rebuked them for seeking any maner of maioritie amongst them And where he reasoneth of the Kings style and title being called the King of England and of Fraunce defendour of the faith The â—inges stile and title approued by Stâ— Wint. Lord of Ireland supreme head in earth of the Church of Englande immediately vnder Christ c. thus he addeth his mind censure saieng
thus Steph. Winchester takyng his leane biddyng the Pope farewell endeth with a freÌ„dely exhortatioÌ„ Steph. Wint. taketh his vale of the Pope but not his ultimum vale willyng him to be wise circumspect not to striue stubburnely agaynst the truth The light of the Gospell sayth he so spreadeth his beames in all mens eyes y t the works of the Gospell be knowne the mysteries of Christes doctrine are opened both learned and vnlearned men women beyng Englishmen borne do see perceiue that they haue nothyng to doe with Rome nor with the Byshop of Rome but that euery Prince in his owne dominion is to be taken and accepted as a Uicare of God Uicegerent of Christ in his owne bouÌ„des And therfore seyng this order is taken of God The office of teaching The office of of Ruling that one in the Church should beare the office of teachyng an other should beare y e office of rulyng which office is onely limited to princes he exhorteth him to consider the truth and to folow the same wherein consisteth our true and speciall obedience c. To this booke of Stephen Winchester De obedientia we will adioyne for good felowshyp y e Preface also of Edmund Boner ArchdeacoÌ„ then of Leycester prefixed before the same to the enteÌ„t that the reader seyng the iudgemeÌ„tes of these men as they were then agayne the sodeine mutation afterward of the sayd parties to the coÌ„trary opinioÌ„ may learne thereby what vayne glory and pompe of this world caÌ„ worke in the frayle nature of man where Gods grace lacketh to susteine The Preface of Boner before the sayd booke of Winchester De obedientia proceedeth thus in effect as foloweth ¶ The Preface of Edmund Boner Archdeacon of Leycester prefixed before Stephen Gardiners booke De obedientia FOr asmuch as some there be no doubt as the iudgements of men be alwaies variable which thinke the controuersie which is betweene the Kings roiall Maiestie Boners preface beâ—ore Winchesters booke of obedience and the Bishop of Rome consisteth in this point for that his Maiestie hath taken the most excellent and most vertuous Lady Anne to wife which in very deede is farre otherwise and nothing so to the intente therefore that all true harty fauourers of the Gospell of Christ Queene Anne which hate not but loue the truth may the more fully vnderstand the chiefe point of the controuersie and because they shall not be ignoraunt what is the whole voice and resolute determination of the best and greatest learned Bishops with all the nobles and commons of England not only in that cause of Matrimony but also in defending the doctrine of the Gospell The doctrine of the Gospell heere shall be published the Oration of the Bishop of Winchester a man excellently learned in all kinde of learning entituled DE VERA OBEDIENTIA that is See how these clawbackes can clung togeather in truth and in false hood and al to fashioÌ„ theÌ„selues to the world and the time present concerning true obedience But as touching this Bishops worthy praises there shall be nothing spoken of me at this time not only because they are infinite but because they are farre better knowne to all Christendome then becommeth me heere to make rehearsall And as for the Oration it selfe which as it is most learned so it is most elegant to what purpose should I make any words of it seeing it praiseth it selfe inough and seeing good wine needeth no tauerne bushe to vtter it But yet in this Oration whosoeuer thou art most gentle Reader thou shalt beside other matters see it notably and learnedly handled of what importaunce and how inuincible the power and excellencie of Gods truth is which as it may now and then be pressed of the enemies so it can not possibly be oppressed and darkened after such sorte but it sheweth it selfe againe at length Mens traditons The contents of Winchesters booke De vera obedientia The kinges mariage with Queene Anne more glorious and more welcome Thou shalt see also touching obedience that it is subiect to truth and what is to be iudged true obedience Besides this of mens traditions which for the most parte be most repugnaunt against the truth of Gods law And there by the way he speaketh of the Kings said highnes mariage which by the ripe iudgemente authoritie and priuiledge of the most and principall Vniuersities of the world and then with the consent of the whole Church of England Supreme head he contracted with the most excellent and most noble Lady Queene Anne After that touching the Kings Maiesties title as perteining to the supreme head of the Church of England Lastly of all The Bishop of Roomes pretensed supremacy of the false pretenced supremacie of the Bishop of Rome in the Realme of England most iustly abrogated and how all other Byshops being felowlike to him in their function yea and in some points aboue him within their owne prouinces were before time bound to the King by their othe But be thou most surely perswaded of this good Reader that the Bishop of Rome if there were no cause else but onely this mariage Boâ—ner knewe well what morsell would best please his father of Rome that mony bribes would soone stoppe his mouthe would easely content himselfe specially hauing some good morsell or other geuen him to chaw vpon But when he seeth so mighty a King being a right vertuous and a great learned Prince so sincerely and so hartely fauour the Gospell of Christ and perceiueth the yearely and great pray ye so large a pray that it came to as much almost as all the Kings reuenues snapped out of hys hands and that he can no longer exercise his tyranny in the Kings Maiesâ—ies Realme * Seeing thou knewest the Pope to be such a cruell tirant why then wouldest thou against thy knowledge become his slaughter man alas heeretofore too cruell and bitter nor make lawes as he hath done many to the contumelie and reproch of the Maiestie of God which is euident that he hath done in time past vnder the title of the Catholicke Church and the authoritie of Peter and Paule when notwithstanding he was a very rauening Wolfe dressed in sheepes clothing calling himselfe the seruaunt of seruaunts to the great damage of the Christen common wealth heere heere began all the mischiefe thereof rose these discords these deadly malices and so great and terrible bustling For if it were not thus could any man beleeue that this Iuppiter of Olympus which falsely hath arrogated vnto himselfe an absolute power without controlment woulde haue wrought so diligently by all meanes possible to stirre vp all other Kings and Princes so traiterously against this so good and godly and so true a Gospellike Prince as he hath done Neyther let it moue thee gentle Reader that Winchester did not before now apply to this opinion for he himselfe in this Oration sheweth
commaunding Leo then Bishop of Rome to come vnto the same And albeit Leo neither liked the tyme which he would for a season shoulde haue bene deferred nor yet the place for he wold haue had it in Italy wheras the Emperour by hys owne commaundement had called it to Calchis in Asia yet he answered the Emperor that he would gladly obey his commaundement and sent thither his agentes to appeare there for him as doth appeare in the Epistles of Leo to Martiane then Emperoure xli.xlvii.xvliij and in the xlix Epistle to Pulcheria the Empres. And likewise desireth Theodosius the Emperour to commaund a Councell of Bishops to be called in Italy for taking away such contentions and troubles as at that tyme troubled the quietnes of the Churches And in many moe Epistles of the same Leo it doth manifestly appeare that the Emperoures alwayes assembled generall Councels by theyr commaundementes And in the sixt generall Councel it appeareth very playnly that at that time the Byshoppes of Rome made no clayme nor vsed anye title to call themselues heades vniuersall ouer all the Catholicke Churche as there doth appeare in the superscription or salutation of the foresayd Synodicall preamble which is this word for word To the most godly Lordes and most noble victors and conquerours the welbeloued Children of God and our Lord Iesu Christ Constantine the great Emperour and to Heraclius and Tiberius Cesars Byshop Agatho the seruaunt of the seruaunts of God with all the cōuocations subiecte to the Councell of the See apostolicke sendeth greeting And he expresseth what Countryes he reckoned and comprehended in that superscription or salutation For it followeth that those were vnder hys assembly whiche were in the North and East partes so that at that time the byshop of Rome made no such pretence to be ouer and aboue all as he nowe doth by vsurpation vendicating to hymselfe the spirituall kingdom of Christ by which he raigneth in the heartes of all faythfull people and then chaungeth it to a temporall kingdome ouer and aboue all kinges to depose them for hys pleasure preaching thereby the flesh for the spirite and an earthly kingdome for an heauenly to hys owne damnation if he repent not Pet. 2. Where hee ought to obey hys prince by the doctrine of S. Peter in his first Epistle saying Be ye subiect to euery ordinaunce of man Rom. 14. for the Lordes sake whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or vnto gouernours as sent of hym to the punishment of the euill doers and to the prayse of the good Agayne S. Paule Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers With other thinges before alledged So that this his pretensed vsurpation to be aboue all kings is directly agaynst the scriptures geuen to the Churche by the Apostles whose doctrine whosoeuer ouerturneth can be neyther the head nor yet the least member of the Church Wherfore albeit ye haue hetherto sticked to the sayd wrongfully vsurped power moued thereto as ye write by your conscience yet sithence now ye see further if ye lust to regarde the meere truth and such auncient authours as haue bene written to you of in tymes past we would exhorte you for the wealth of your soule to surrender into the Byshoppe of Romes handes your redde hatte by whiche he seduced you trustyng so to make you beyng come of a noble bloud an instrument to aduaunce his vayne glory whereof by the sayd hat hee made you participant to allure you thereby the more to his purpose In whiche doyng yee shall returne to the truth from whiche yee haue erred doe your duetye to your soueraigne Lord from whom ye haue declined and please thereby almightie God whose lawes ye haue transgressed and in not so doyng ye shall remayne in errour offendyng both almightie God and your naturall soueraigne Lord whome chiefly yee ought to seeke to please Which thyng for the good mynde that we heretofore haue borne you we pray almightie God of his infinite mercy that you do not Amen When all other kynges subiectes Anno 1535. and the learned of the Realme had taken and accepted the othe of the kynges supremacie onely Fisher the Byshop of Rochester Syr Thomas More refused as is aforesaid to be sworne who therfore fallyng into the daūger of the law were committed into the Tower and executed for the same an 1535. This Iohn Fisher aforesayd had written before agaynst Oecolampadius whose booke is yet extant and afterward agaynst Luther Iohn Fysher Bishop of Rochester enemye to Christes Gospell Also amongest other his actes he had bene a great enemy and persecuter of Iohn Frith the godly learned Martyr of Iesus Christ whom hee and Syr Thomas Moore caused to be burned a yeare and a halfe before and shortly after the said fisher to his confusion was charged with Elizabeth Barton called the holy maid of Kent and founde guilty by act of Parleament as is aboue recorded For his learning and other vertues of life this Bishop was well reputed and reported of many and also much lamented of some But whatsoeuer his learning was pitie it was that he being indued with that knowledge should be so farre drowned in such superstition more pitie that he was so obstinate in his ignoraunce but most pitie of all that he so abused the learning he had to such crueltie as hee dyd But thus commonly we see come to passe as the Lorde saith That who so striketh with the sworde shall perishe with the sworde 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 and they that staine their handes with blood seldome do bring their bodies drie to the graue as cōmonly appeareth by the end of bloudy tyrantes and especially such as be persecuters of Christes poore members Byshop Fysher and Sir Tho. More persecutors In the number of whom was this Bishop and sir Thom. More by whom good Iohn Frith Teukesbery Thomas Hytten Bayfild with diuers other good saintes of God were brought to their death It was sayde that the Pope to recompence Byshop Fisher for his faithfull seruice had elected him Cardinal and sent him a Cardinals hat as far as Calice but the head it should stand vpon was as hie as London bridge ere euer y e Popes hat could come to him Thus Bishop Fisher and Syr Thomas More which a litle before had put Iohn Frith to death for heresy against the Pope Byshop Fysher Syr Tho. More beheaded were themselues executed and beheaded for treason against the king the one the xxij of Iune the other the vi of Iuly ann 1535. Of sir Tho. More some thing hath bene touched before who was also recounted a man both wittie learned but whatsoeuer he was beside a bitter persecuter he was of good men The lying bookes of Syr Tho. More and a wretched enemie against the truth of the Gospel as by his bookes leaft behind him maye appeare wherein most slanderously and contumeliously he writeth against Luther Zwinglius Tindal Frith Barnes
also conferring with Iohn Frith The causeâ— mouing Tindall to translate the Scripture into the Englishe tongue thought wyth him selfe no way more to conduce therunto then if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar speach that the poore people might also reade and see the simple plaine woord of God For first hee wisely casting in hys minde perceiued by experience how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any truth except the Scripture were so plainly layde before theyr eyes in theyr mother tongue that they myght see the processe order and meaning of the text For els what so euer truth shuld be taught them these enemies of the truth would quenche it againe either wyth apparant reasons of Sophistrie and traditions of their own making founded without all ground of Scripture either els iuggling with the text expouÌ„ding it in such a sense as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order meaning thereof were seene Againe right wel he perceiued and considered this only or most chiefly to be y e cause of all mischief in the church Hiding of Scripture the cause of mischiefe that the Scriptures of God were hidden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doings and idolatries maintained by the Pharisaicall Clergie could not be espied and therefore al theyr labour was wyth might maine to keepe it downe so that eyther it should not be red at all or if it were they would darken the right sense with y e misâ— of theyr Sophistrie and so entangle them whych rebuked or despised theyr abhominations wyth arguments of philosophie and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedom and with wresting the scripturâ— vnto their owne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meanyng of the texte woulde so delude them in descanting vppon it with Allegories and amaze them expounding it in many senses layed before the vnlearned lay people that though thou felt in thy hart were sure that all were false that they said yet couldest not thou solue their subtle ridles For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubt styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue The newe testament and the 5. bookes of Moyses translated with Tindalls prologues for the publicke vtility and profit of the simple vulgar people of the country first setting in hand with the newe Testament whiche he first translated about the yeare of our Lord 1527. After that he tooke in hand to translate the olde Testament finishing the fiue bookes of Moyses with sondry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before euery one most worthy to be read and read againe of all good Christians as the lyke also he did vpon the new Testament Hee wrote also diuers other woorkes vnder sundry titles among the which is that most worthy monument of his intituled The obedience of a Christian man wherin with singulare dexteritie he instructeth all men in the office and duetie of Christian obedience wyth diuers other treatises as The wicked Mammon The practise of Prelates wyth expositions vppon certaine partes of the Scripture and other Bookes also aunswearing to Syr Thom. More and other aduersaries of the truthe no lesse delectable then also most fruitfull to be read which partly before beyng vnknowen vnto many partly also being almost abolished and worne out by time the Printer heereof good Reader for conseruing and restoring such singulare treasures hath collected and set foorth in Print the same in one generall volume all and whole together as also the woorkes of Iohn Frith Barnes and other as are to be seene most special and profitable for thy reading These bookes of W. Tyndal being compiled published sent ouer into England it cannot be spoken what a dore of light they opened to the eies of the whole English nation which before were many yeres shut vp in darkenesse At his first departing out of y e realme he toke his iorny into y e further parts of Germany as into Saxony Tindal weâ—â— into Saxony where he had conference w t Luther and other learned meÌ„ in those quarters Where after y t he had continued a certen season he came down from thence into the netherlands Tindal came to Antwerpe had his most abiding in the town of Antwerp vntil y e time of hys appreheÌ„sioÌ„ wherof more shal be said god willing hereafter Amongst his other bokes which he compiled one work he made also for the declaration of the sacrament as it was then called of the alter the which he kept by him considering how the people were not as yet fully persuaded in other matters tending to superstitious ceremonies grose idolatry Wherefore he thought as yet time was not come to put forth that work but rather that it should hinder the people from other instructions supposing that it woulde seeme to them odious to heare any such thing spoken or set foorth at that time sounding againste their great Goddesse Diana that is againste their Masse being had euery where in great estimation as was the Goddesse Diana amongest the Ephesians whom they thought to come from heauen Wherfore M. Tindall being a man both prudent in his doings and no lesse zealous in the setting foorth of Gods holy truth Tindal bearing with â—yme after such sort as it might take most effect wyth the people did forbeare the putting forth of that work not doubting but by Gods mercifull grace a time shuld come to haue that abhomination openly declared as it is at this present day the Lorde almighty be alwaies praised therefore Amen These godly bookes of Tindall and specially the newe Testament of his translation after that they begaÌ„ to come into mens handes and to spread abroad as they wroughte great and singuler profite to the godly Darckenes hateth light so the vngodly enuying and disdaining that the people should be any thing wiser then they againe fearing least by the shining beames of truth their false hypocrisie workes of darkenesse should be discerned began to stirre with no small ado like as at the birth of Christ Herode al Ierusalem was troubled with him Sathan an enemye to all good purposes especially to the Gospell But especially Sathan the prince of darkenes maligning y e happy course and successe of the Gospel set to his might also how to empeache and hinder y e blessed trauailes of that man as by this and also by sondry other wayes may appeare For at what time Tindall had translated the fift booke of Moises called Deuteronomium minding to Printe the same at Hamborough hee sailed thereward where by the way vpon the coast of Holland he suffred shipwracke by the which he loste all his bookes wrytings and copies and so was compelled to begin al againe a new to his hinderaÌ„ce and doubling of his labors Thus hauing lost by that ship both money his copies and time he
suspect of me amisse and euill report of me Seing moreouer it is sayd in the Gospell Vae vobis cum laudauerint vos omnes homines c. Woe be to you when all men speak well of you Luke 6. Prayse of the worlde not to be regarded for so did theyr fathers to the false prophets If therfore at any season such infamy was put vpon me I am glad that I haue so litle regarded the same that now I haue forgotteÌ„ it And though I did remember any such yet were I more then twise a foole to shew you thereof for it is written in your owne law Nemo tenetur prodere seipsum No man bound to bewray himselfe No man is bound to bewray himselfe But this I ensure you I was neuer so charged with suspition or infamy of this crime that I was therefore at any tyme conuented and reproued afore any iudge afore that I was troubled for these causes for which I was at the first put into your handes and of them seing you could not prooue me faulty I wonder why you would neuer yet pronouÌ„ce me quite and innocent according as I haue euen lowely desired of you and required full instantly the same But letting those passe you haue imagined new matters to charge me with wherein I thinke certaynely that you coulde no more haue proued me culpable theÌ„ you did in the first that is to wytt no whit culpable in neither had it not bene that by long imprisonment you enforced me to tell what I thought in them which I haue and will freely do and that indifferently considered I suppose shall not deserue anye sore punishment vnlesse you will beare the truth wherevnto I hope it shall not disagree ¶ To your second demaund Answere to the second Article where you do inquire whether euer I had any of Luthers bookes and namely sith they wer coÌ„demned and how long I kept them and whether euer I haue spent any study in theÌ„ I say that in deade I haue had of them and that both before they were condeÌ„ned also sith but I neither will ne can tell you how long I kept them The profite of Luthen bookes but truth it is that I haue studied vpon thâ— and I thanke God that euer I so did For by them hath god shewed vnto mee and also to an huge multitude of other such light as the deceiueable darcknes of them I beseech God amend it that name themselues but amisse to be the holy Church cannot abide And that appeareth euidently for they dare not stand to any triall He coueteth aboue all things as all his aduersaryes do well know y t all his writings the writinges of all his aduersaries myght be translated into al languages to the intent that al people might see know what is saide of euery part wherby meÌ„ should the better iudge what the trueth is And in this me thinketh he requireth nothing but equity for y e law would haue no body condemned me yet iustified vntill his cause were both heard and knowne But the contrary part I meane our ouer riche prelacy which is so drowned in voluptuous liuing that they can not attend to studye Gods Scripture ne preach the same Ouer â—iche prelacie which should be the principall part of theyr office Popishe doctrine will abide no tryall abhorre this fashion albeit it is right indiffereÌ„t and full of equity no lesse theÌ„ they do abhor death And no maruell for doubt lesse if it so could be obteined that the writinges of all parties might be openly seene and confered we shoulde soone see theyr sleightly dealing and facing doctrine The facing doctrine of the Papistes Tryall and reading of bookes fâ—â—e in Germany with all other cloked abusion lightly ouerthrowne As appeareth well in Almayne for there be y e bookes of euery party sene openly and translated in the vulgar language that al people may see and read vpon them and so vpon the sight of the books they lightly folow the true light of Gods word refusing the horror of darcknes and false doctrine whereby before they haue beene seduced from the right teaching and way shewed in the Bible And this is done not of an hundreth ne of a thousand but generally of whole Cities countreies both high and low few or none except But our Prelates seeing thys and that there dealinge should if this light were set vp Why Luthers bookes be restrained of Popishe Prelates soone be detecte and discouered haue sent out commauÌ„dements that if any persons shall aduenture to keepe any such bookes they shal be in so doing excommunicate from God and al his Saintes and cursed as blacke as pitch whether the bookes be in Latin English French Dutch or any other tongue as in deede men seing the fruite conteined in them haue set them foorth in all languages But this ought not ChristeÌ„ men to think any newelty for so did theyr forefathers the Prelates in Christes time and after to the Apostles yea and if it were well tried I thinke it should be soone founde out that they haue so dealt euer since vnto this daye The tyme of Popish Prelates and of the Pharises resembled â— compared together For when Christ went about preaching the Scribes and Pharise is whiche were Bishops then Prelates gaue a generall coÌ„mauÌ„dement that whosoeuer confessed him to be Christ should be cursed and put out of the Synagogue y t we call the church and so they were Looke in the Actes of the Apostles and you shall finde howe they were in like maner serued yea looke in the olde Testament and you shall finde as I remember how they procured of one that was a temporall ruler at that season to haue the prophecy of Ieremy for he of all other is most vehement agaynst the dissimulation of priestes to be burned why then should we eschew them or theyr workes vnles we knew a better cause why The Papists render no reason of their doing The proâ—â— proceedings of the Papistes 〈◊〉 vpon will â— commaundemeÌ„t without all 〈◊〉 whom our prelates reiect and cast away seing they render no reasonable cause of theyr enterprise but presuming of theyr power without any due authority that I can finde grauÌ„ted vnto them so to do will because they so commaund so haue all done according to the tyrannicall saying as I trow of Sardanapalus Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas That is to say So will I so doe I commaund and that my will for reason stand But I would to God y t such knew what spirit they haue in theÌ„ The spiâ—ite of Christ the spirite of the Papistes 〈◊〉 vnlyke For if they had in deed the spirit which they claime pretend to haue I meane y e spirit of Christ I dare say it should soone alter them from such hautie language doting and cause them to turne a new leafe for that spirite is
after the counsell of the wicked and hath not stande in the way of sinners ne sit in the chayre of pestilence Psal. 1. but hath hys will in the law of God and shall muse or be occupyed in it both day and night See howe the Prophete whiche I doubt not but hee knew as perfectly that will and pleasure of God as euer did any pope or generall couÌ„sell or whatsoeuer they were beside that ordeined long seruice to be sayd of Priestes testifieth them to be blessed that study and are exercised in the law of God both day and night that is to wit alwayes What is true godlynes oâ— pietye A great promise put of God to such blessed exercise which we may call right deuotion or true godlines For Paule defining godlynes sayth thus Pietas ad omnia vtilis est vt quae promissiones habeat praesentis vitae futurae 1. Tim. 4. That is to wit Godlynes is profitable vnto all things No promise of God for saying Mattens for that hath annexed thereto promises of this life present of the life to come But no such promise is made of God I am certayne to them that say dayly mattins Neither are we certayne by the word of God that we shal therfore be blessed of him no more then we are certayne The 15. Ooâ—s that for saying ouer the xv Oos euery day once through an whole yeare we shall apertly see our Lady to ayd vs afore our death as it is testified in the Scripture of the Primer Our Ladyes Psalter but not by Scripture of the Bible or that we shall haue a like benefite for saying of her Psalter vpon the ten beades that commeth from the crossed friers or vpon the fiue beades halowed at y e Charter house or fasting our Ladyes fast as men call it ne for fasting on the wednesday Fasting ouâ— Ladyes Faâ—â— as is shewed by a booke that is allowed to be printed and read of all men that lusteth for it is neither the new Testament ne the olde They are condemned you wote wel I perhaps shal haue a litle lesse fauor because I tell y e trueth freely for such thinges are called offensiue But would God that all persons so thinking Math. 15. would remember what aunswere Christ made vnto his disciples in the 15. of Math. wheÌ„ they came vnto him and warned him to beware saying You knowe that the Phariseis are offended hearing such wordes spoken I will leaue out Christes aunswere least I should be thought ouer free and plain in tarying or vttering of abusions and speake no further A like demaund with aunswere thereto annexed Luke 11. shall you finde in the 11. of Luke where Christ woulde not refrayne to speake any deale more easily Therefore I beseech them that deeme me God wotteth whether righteously or no sclaunderously to reuise the sayde places and theÌ„ councel me to do that shal be most expedient to folow if their charitie will so require Yet would I that all people should knowe that I do not reproue that saying of the xv Oos which so farre â—orth as my remembrance doth serue is a very good praier Fasting commeâ—ded or such like prayers ne would I that any person shuld think me to disalow any discret fastings for such not only present with you but euen from hence absent haue I commended in earnest speaking and so enteÌ„d to do by the assistaunce of Gods grace Neuertheles such vain promises I do abhorre as be with theÌ„ annexed with the vpholders of the same For such doe cause vaine confidence in the people withdrawing and seducing them from the right beleife of the Gospel which Christen men ought onely to build their faith vpon vnto new inuentions of vanitie S. Paul calleth such old womens tales where he writeth vnto Timothe bidding him to beware of them to throw them away The Prophete Dauid likewise doth accord therunto saying Beatus vir cuius est nomeÌ„ Domini spes eius non respexit in vanitates insanias falsas Psal. 40. Blessed quoth he is the mâ—n that hath in the name of God his affiaunce or hope and hath not looked backe to vanities and false dotages or madnesse And this I say againe that the Mattens saying hath no more promise of God made to the sayers Mattens saying instytuted by faÌ„tasie then hath the other aboue named for they were institute by the fantasie or mind of men and not by y e rule of scripture Neither do I thinke the priestes which wil truly follow the rule of God written in the Bible ought so to be charged or encombred with saying of them that they thereby should be hindered from y e study of that which to know belongeth principally both to their owne soules saluation and also to the discharge of their dutie and which God most highly of Priestes doeth require I meane the study of his Gospel whereby they them selues should be spiritually nourished and therafter should fede Christes flock the congregation of his people according to the saying of our Sauiour in Iohn I quoth he am the doore Ioh. 10. whosoeuer shall come in by me shal both come in and goe out and finde good pasture or feeding That is to saye who soeuer shall enter to be a pastour or Minister in Christes church or congregation by Christ shal both enter into contemplation of Gods glory declared aboundantly in scripture and after go forth and shew that same abroade to other for their wealth and edifying To this accordeth that is written in Luke whereas our Sauiour speaketh to all his Churche signified in the person of Saint Peter Peter quoth he I haue prayed that thy faith should not fayle and thou being conuerted goe then about to confirme thy brethren So that he would haue Peter stablished first in faith of his sure doctrine Luke 22. and then to go forth as he did to teache other to be grounded in the same likewise And thus ought all priests to be called Presbyteri which will be ministers in the Church for so biddeth S. Peter in his first Epistle in the last chapter saying thus I beseech the Priestes quoth he that are among you I my selfe being a priest and a witnes bearer of Christes afflictions and also a partaker of the glory which shal be reuealed see that you with all diligence doe feede the flock of Christ taking care of the same 1. Pet. 5. not as enforced thereto but willingly not desiring filthy lucre but with a louing minde neither as men exercising dominion ouer the children or inheritours of God but so that you be paternes or ensample giuers to the flocke See how he requireth of priestes that they should spend all their diligence to feede Christes flocke and to shew good ensample of liuing making no mention of long Mattens saying which then were not mentioned nor spoken of According to this it is written in your Decrees after
shal giue respite vntil a certaine day appointed So that in the meane while the suters may take deliberation thereof what is best to be done If after this they wil not thus rest at the day appointed shal they come forth into a common place and the great Bel of the Citie caused to be roÌ„g whereby the people shal be warned what they are about to do and the people assembled the Iudges shal in full chargeable lamentable wise charge the parties vnder vertue of their othe to make true relation of y e shal be demaunded So y t by reason of soberly fatherly exhortations made of the Iudges or Peeres of the Towne and perswasion of neighbours and for auoyding of Gods displeasure Iury and swearing well excluded out of Germanye and shame of men there is litle sute in courts if at any time any be made they be lightly stopped So that Iurie and swearing is well excluded and neede not much to be required This haue I shewed because it pitieth me to heare and see the contrary vsed in some of our nation The rash lenity in spirituall men causing men strayght wayes for euery light matter to sweare such also as name themselues spiritual men and should be head Ministers of the Church who incoÌ„tinent as any man commeth before them anone they cal for a book and do mone him to sweare without any longer respite yea they wil charge him by vertue of the contentes in the Euangely to make true relation of all that they shall demaunde him he not knowing what they will demaunde neither whether it be lawfull to shew them the truth of their demaundes or no For such things there be that are not lawful to be shewed As if I were accused of fornication none could be found in me or if they shold require me to sweare to bewray any other that I haue known to offend in that vice A man is not bound 〈◊〉 detect an other mans 〈◊〉 before â—â—dge in 〈◊〉 I suppose it were expedient to holde me stil not to folow their wil for it should be contrary to charitie if I should so assent to bewray them that I neede not and to whom perhappes though I haue known them to offend yet trusting of their amendment I haue promised afore to keepe their fault secret without any disclosing of the same Yea moreouer if suche Iudges somtime not knowing by anye due proofe that such as haue to do afore them â—â—we compâ—â—leth no man to bewray himselfe are culpable wil enforce them by an othe to detecte themselues in opening before them their harts in this so doing I can not see that men neede to condescende in their requestes For it is in the law but I wotte not certainly the place thus â—â—w punisheth no maÌ„ for thought Nemo tenetur prodere semetipsum that is to say No man is bound to bewray himselfe Also in another place of y e law it is written Cogitationis poenam nemo patiatur No man should suffer punishment of men for his thought To this agreeth the common Prouerbe that is thus Cogitationes liberae sunt à vectigalibus Tâ—oughtes 〈◊〉 free and 〈◊〉 to pay â—â—tole That is to say thoughtes be free and neede to pay no tole So that to conclude I thinke it lawfull at the commandement of a Iudge to make an othe to say the truth specially if a Iudge requireth an othe duely and in lawful wise or to make an oth in any other case conuenieÌ„t and that also for purgation of infamie No man is 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 himselfe by the lawe To the 42. article when any infamie is lawfully layd against a man ¶ In the xlij where you aske whether a Christen person despising the receite of the Sacramentes of confirmation extreame vnction or solemnising of Matrimony do sinne deadly I say like of the recite of them as I haue sayd before of the selfe thinges and none otherwise ¶ In the xliij where you aske whether I beleeue that S. Peter was Christes Uicare hauing power vpon earth to binde lose I say that I do not perceiue clearely what you meane by this terme Uicare To the 43. article For Christ neuer called Peter ne none other so in Scripture If you meane thereby that after the departing hence of Christ when he was risen from death in his immortall body and so styed into heauen whereas he remayneth sitting vpon y e right hand of his Father â—ear of â—â—rist that he so being away from hence S. Peter occupied his roume then I say it is not vntrue but Peter in a manner which I shal shew here vnder was his Uicar and like as Peter was his Uicar euen so was Paule and the other Apostles and the one no lesse then the other if it be true â—â—ter no â—â—re vicar of Christ â—â—n Paule 〈◊〉 other Apostles Math. 16. that S. Cyprian doth write whiche is also consenting to Scripture he sayth thus That Christe spake vnto Peter saying I say quoth our Sauiour that thou art Peter and vppon this rocke of stone shall I builde my congregation and the gates of hel shal not ouercome it To thee will I giue the keies of heauen what thinges thou shalt binde vpon earth the same shal be bounde also in heauen and what so euer thou shalt lose vpon earth shal be losed also in heauen And to him after his resurrection doth Christ say feed my sheepe And albeit that hee gaue equall power vnto all his Apostles after his resurrection and saith Cypria de simplicitate Prelatorum like as my Father sent me do I also send you Take you the holy ghost If you shal retayne to any man his sinnes they shal be retayned If you shal remitte to any man his sinne to him they shal be remitteâ— Neuerthelesse because he woulde declare vnitie Iohn 20. he ordayned by his authoritie the originall of the same vnitie beginning of one The other Apostles truely were the same that Peter was induced with equall partaking both of honor and authoritie or power Vnitye but the beginning commeth of one that the congregation shoulde be shewed to be one These are the wordes of Cyprian in a treatise that is called De simplicitate Praelatorum wherein you may see that Christ made all the Apostles of equal honour and like authoritie Notwithstanding because he would testifie the vnitie of his Church or Congregation he spake The only person of Peter declareth the vnity of the Church as it were alonely vnto Peter when he sayd feede my sheepe And I shall geue thee Peter the keyes of heauen but in so saying though the wordes seeme spoken to Peter onely yet they were spoken vnto him Peter heareth the person of the whole Church in that hee sustayned the generall person of all the Church being as it were a common speaker for the same So that in speaking to him Christ
and requested me earnestly to tel him wher master Garret was and if I would so do he promised me straightwaies to deliuer me out of prison But I told hym I could not tell where he was no more in deede I coulde Then hee departed to dinner asking mee if I woulde eate any meate and I tolde him yea right gladly He sayde hee would sende me some When he was gone hys seruaunts asked me diuers questions which I doe not now remember and some of them spake me faire and some threatened me calling me hereticke and so departed locking the doore last vpon me Thus farre Anthonye Dalaber hathe prosecuted thys storye who before the finishing departed the yeare 1562. in the Dioces of Salisbury the residue thereof as we coulde gather it of auncient and credible persones so haue we added heere vnto the same After this Garret was apprehended or taken by maister Cole the Proctor or hys men going Westwarde at a place called Hinksey a little beyond Oxforde Tho. Garret appreheÌ„ded and brought to Oxford and so being brought back againe was committed to ward that done he was conuented before the Commissary Doctour London and Doctour Higdon Deane of Friswides now called Christes Colledge into S. Maries Churche where they sitting in iudgement D. LondoÌ„ D. Higdon prosecuters of Garret Garret and Dalaber 〈◊〉 faggots is Oxford conuicted him according to their law as an hereticke as they said and afterward compelled him to cary a fagot in open procession from Saint Maries Churche to Friswides and Dalaber likewise wyth hym Garret hauing his red hoode on hys shoulders like a maister of Arte. After that they were sent to Osney there to be kept in prison till farther order was taken There were suspected beside a great number to be infected with heresie as they called it for hauing such bookes of Gods truth as Garret solde vnto them as M. Clarke which died in his chamber and could not be suffered to receyue the Communion being in prisone and saying these woordes Crede manducasti Maister Somner Maister Bettes Tauerner the Musition Radley wyth other of Friswides Colledge The names of Godly brethren at Oxford of Corpus Christi Colledge as Udall and Diet wyth other of Magdalene Colledge one Eeden w t other of Glocester Colledge and two blacke Monkes one of S. Austines of Canterburye named Langporte the other of S. Edmondes Burie monke named Ioh. Salisbury two white monkes of Barnard Colledge two Canons of S. Maries Colledge one of them named Robert Ferrar afterwarde Bishop of S. Dauies Rob. Ferrar Byshop of S. Dauids and burned in Queene Maries time These two Canons because they had no place in the Uniuersitie with the other they wente on the contrarye side of the procession bare headed and a Bedel before them to be knowen from the other Diuers other there were whose names I cannot remeÌ„ber whych were forced and coÌ„strained to forsake theyr Colledges and sought their frendes Againste the Procession time there was a great fire made vpon the toppe of Carfaxe whereinto all such as were in the sayd Procession either conuicte or suspect of heresie were commaunded in token of repentaunce and renouncing of their errours euery man to cast a booke into the fire as they passed by After this M. Garret flying from place to place escaped theyr tyrannie vntill thys present time that he was againe apprehended and burned w t D. Barnes With whome also W. Hierome sometime vicare of Stepney W. Hierome burned in Smithfielde was likewyse drawne into Smithfielde and there together wyth them constantly endured martyrdome in the fire Now let vs adde also to these the storie of Hierome The life and storie of W. Hierome Vicare of Stepney and Martyr of Christ. THe third companion which suffered wyth Barnes and Garret was W. Hierome Uicare of Stepney Thys Hierome being a diligent preacher of Gods worde The story of William Hierome for the comfort and edification of the people had preached diuers and sondry sermons wherein to the entent to plante in the consciences of men the sincere truth of christen religion he laboured as much as time then serued to extirpe weede out the rootes of mens traditions doctrines dreames and fantasies In so doing it coulde not otherwise be but hee must needes prouoke much hatred against hym amongest the aduersaries of Christes gospell It so happened that the sayde Hierome preaching at Paules in the 4. Sonday of Lent last past made there a sermon The sermon 〈◊〉 W. Hierome preaâ—â—ed at 〈…〉 the 4. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 wherin he recited and meÌ„tioned of Agar and Sara declaring what these ij signified In processe wherof he shewed further howe that Sara her childe Isaac and all they that were Isaacs and borne of the free woman Sara were freely iustified Contrary they that were borne of Agar the bondwoman were bouÌ„d and vnder the law and cannot be freely iustified In these words what was heere spoken but that S. Paule himselfe vttereth and expouÌ„deth in his Epistle to the Galat. 4. Or what coulde heere be gathered of any reasonable or indiffereÌ„t hearer Gal. 4. but coÌ„sonant to sound doctrine and veine of the Gospel Now see what rancor and malice armed with crafty and subtile sophistry can do This sermon finished it was not long but he was charged and conuented before the kinge at Westminster there accused for erroneous doctrine Percase thou wilt muse gentle reader what erroneous doctrine here coulde be picked out Note therefore for thy learning he that listeth to study how to play the Sicophant let him here take exaÌ„ple Quarrel picked agaynst Hieromes Sermons The knot found in thys rush was this for that he preached erroneously at Paules crosse teaching the people that all that were borne of Sara were freely iustified speaking there absolutely without any condition eyther of Baptisme or of penaunce c. Who doubteth here but if s. Paule hymselfe had bene at Paules crosse and had preached the same wordes to the Englishe men which he wrote to the Gal. in this behalfe Ipso facto he had bene apprehended for an hereticke for preachyng agaynst the sacrament of Baptisme and repentaunce Furthermore it was obiected agaynst him touchyng matter agaynst magistrates and lawes by them made Wherunto he answered agayn and affirmed as he had before preached that no Magistrate of himselfe coulde make any law or lawes priuate or otherwise W. Hierome accused for preaching agaynst Magistrates to binde the inferior people vnles it were by the power authority and commandement of his or their Princes to him or them geuen but onely the Prince And moreouer to confirme the same he added saying that if the Prince make lawes consenting to Gods lawes we are bouÌ„d to obey them And if he make lawes repugnant to the lawes of God and be an euill and wicked prince yet are we bound humbly to suffer him and not violently to resist or grudge against him Also
and yet will he vtter none of them Alas my Lord quoth she my husband was neuer beyond the seas nor no great trauailer in the Realme to be so acquainted therfore good my Lord let me goe see him But all her earnest sute from day to day would not help but still he put her of harping always vpon this string thy husband wil vtter nothing At the last she finding him in the court at s. Iames going toward his chamber was so bold to take him by y e ratchet and say O my Lord these 18. dayes I haue troubled your Lordship now for the loue of God and as euer ye came of a woman put me of no longer but let me go to my husband Winchesâ—â—â— argument He hath read much Scripture Ergo he 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 Henry Câ—â—â—ricke playeth the 〈◊〉 of a good neighbâ—â—â— And as she was standing with the Bishop his men in a blynd corner goyng to his chamber one of the kings seruantes called Henry Carrike and her nexte neighbor chanced to be by hearing the talke betweene the B. and her desired his Lordship to be good Lord vnto the poore woman which had her owne mother lying bedred vpon her hands beside 5. or 6. children I promise you quoth the B. her husband is a great heretike hath reade more scripture then any man in the Realme hath done I cannot tel my Lord quoth Carrike what he is inwardly but outwardly he is as honest a quiet neighbour as euer I dwelt by He will tell nothing quoth the B. He knoweth a great sort of false harlots and will not vtter theÌ„ Yes my Lord quoth Carrike he will tell I dare say for hee is an honest man Well quoth the B. speaking to the wyfe thou seemest to be an honest woman and if thou loue thy husband well go to him and geue him good counsayle to vtter such naughty felowes as he knoweth and I promise thee he shall haue what I can doe for him for I doe fansie him well for his Art wherin he had pleased me as well as any man and so stepping into his chamber said she shold haue his letter to the keper Marbecâ—â—â— wife permitted at last to go 〈◊〉 her husband But his mynd being changed he sent out his ring by a Gentleman which Gentleman deliuered the ring to his man charging him with the Bishops message And so his man went with the woman to the water side tooke boat who neuer rested rayling on her husband all the way till they came to y e prison which was no small crosse vnto the poore woman And when they were come to the Marshalsey the messenger shewed the B. ring to the Porter saying Maister Stokes my Lord willeth you by this token that ye suffer this woman to haue recourse to her husband but he straitly chargeth you that ye search her both comming going least she bring or cary any letters to or fro that she bryng no body vnto him nor no word from no maÌ„ Gods bloud quoth the Porter who was a foule swearer what wil my Lord haue me to do Like 〈◊〉 man Can I let her to bring word from any man Either let her go to her husband or let her not go for I see nothyng by him but an honest man The poore woman fearing to be repulsed spake the Porter faire saying Good maister be content for I haue found my Lorde very good Lord vnto me This yong man is but the Gentlemans seruant which brought the ring from my Lord I thinke doth his message a great deale more straiter then my Lord commanded the Gentleman or that the Gentleman his maister commanded him But neuerthelesse good M. quoth she I shal be content to strip my selfe before you both commyng and goyng The part 〈◊〉 good 〈…〉 so farre as any honest woman may do with honesty For I entend no such thyng but only to comfort and helpe my husband Then the Messenger sayd no more but went his way leauing the womaÌ„ there who from that tyme forth was suffered to come and go at her pleasure The fourth examination of Marbecke before the Commissioners in the Bishop of Londons house ABout a three weekes before Whitsonday was Marbecke sent for to the B. of Londons house where sat in Commission Doctor Capon Bishop of Salisbury Doctor Skyp Bishop of Harford Doct. Goodricke Bishop of Ely Doct. Okyng Doct. May and the Bishop of Londons Scribe hauyng before them all Marbeckes bookes Then sayd the Byshop of Salisbury Marbecke we are here in commission sent froÌ„ the kings maiesty to examine thee of certaine things wherof thou must be sworne to answer vs faithfully truly I am content my lord quoth he to tell you the truth so far as I can and so tooke hys othe Then the Bishop of Salisbury layd forth before hym hys 3. bookes of notes demaunding whose hand they were He answered they were his owne hand notes which he had gathered out of other mens works 6. yeres ago For what cause quoth the Byshop of Salisbury diddest thou gather them For none other cause my Lorde quoth he but to come by knowledge For I being vnlerned desirous to vnderstaÌ„d some part of scripture thought by readyng of lerned mens works to come the sooner therby where as I found any place of Scripture opened and expounded by theÌ„ that I noted as ye see with a letter of his name in the margent that had set out the worke So me thinke quoth the Byshop of Ely who had one of the bookes of notes in his hand al y e time of their sitting thou hast read of al sorts of bookes both good and bad as seemeth by the notes So I haue my Lorde quoth he And to what purpose quoth the Byshop of Salis. by my trouth quoth he for no other purpose but to see euery mans minde Then the B. of Salis drew out a quire of the Concordance and layd it before the B. of Harford who looking vppon it a while lifted vp hys eyes to D. Oking standing next him and sayd Thys man hath ben better occupied then a great sort of our priestes To the which he made no answer Then sayd the Byshop of Salisbury whose helpe hadst thou in setting foorth this booke Truely my Lorde quoth he no helpe at al. How couldest thou quoth the bishop inuent such a booke or know what a Concordance meant w tout an instructer I wil tell your Lordship quoth he what instructer I had to begin it The occasioÌ„ why Marbecke began the Concordance in Englishe When Thomas Mathewes bible came first out in print I was much desirous to haue one of them and being a poore man not able to buye one of them determined wyth my selfe to borrow one among my frends to wryte it foorth And when I had wrytten oute the 5. bookes of Moises in faire greate paper was entred into the booke of Iosua M. Richard
good aunswere sayd the Byshop of Bathe Then Butler made lowe curtesie and said the shirt is aunswered Then Chichester said thou mockest vs. But he sayde no. And thus muche concerning that time ¶ The story of William Smyth THen after Butler was Sir William Smith Curate of our Lady Parish in Calice The trouble examination of Syr W. Smith Curatâ—â— called before them and charged in a manner with the same haynous errours and pernitious opinions that were obiected against the sayde Rafe Hare and therto was added that he had spoken and preached against our blessed Lady against prayeng to Saincts against doing of good workes and many other like things and therewithall one Richard Long a man of armes of Calice prooued against the said Sir Smyth and y e foresaid Brook by an othe taken vpon a booke that the sayd Smith and Brooke did eate flesh together in Lent in the sayd Brookes house For a Millers boy sayd hee came into Brookes kitchen and sawe halfe a Lambe lye a roasting at the fire Where as the truth is that the sayde Sir William Smith during all the Lent came neuer once within the sayd Brookes house And it is as true also that the sayd Richard Long vpon a displeasure taken with his wife went shortly after out of his owne house to the Iuâ—rie end of the hauen at Calice where desperately he drowned himselfe False accusation periury punished of God not one boy but many men women girles and boyes seeing him miserably taken vp againe starke dead all which lamented his pitifull ruine A terrible example vnto all such as are ready to forsweare themselues on a booke vpon malice or whatsoeuer other cause it be a thing in these dayes ouer rise euery where and almost no where regarded as it ought to be ¶ The trouble of Iohn Butler THere was also called before them sir Iohn Butler then Commissary of Calice The trouble of Iohn Butler Commissarye whom they would haue burdened with the maintenance or at y e leastwise sufferaunce of the foresayd Adam Damlip which preached so loÌ„g time there and was not by him punished Who for his defence aunswered that the Lord Deputie and the whole Counsell there so highly entertained and so frendly vsed the said Damlyp and with their owne presence high commendations outwardly so allowed and coÌ„meÌ„ded his doctrine that it lay not in him to do otherwise theÌ„ he did therfore humbly besought their Lordships and other the Commissioners to be good vnto him At whose handes after long attendance geuen he was discharged so returned home againe being also dismissed of his Commissaryship The recantation of certayne Calyce men NOw to declare what order was taken with these foresayd Calycemen it was appointed that sir W. Smith Rafe Hare Iames Cocke and Iames Barber The recantation and pennance of Syr W· Smith Rafe Hare Iames Cocke Iames Barber at Calice should be sent to Calice there to abiure and to do penaunce Where sir W. Smith was enioined to make the Sermon Rafe Hare Iames Cocke and Iames Barber standyng wyth fagots vpoÌ„ their shoulders The Sermon was made in y e market of Calice Which being done they went with their fagottes about the market place the Drumme and Fife going before them and then returning to the Commissioners with testimoniall of the same they departed Albeit in this recaÌ„tation the said W. Smith Curate of our Ladyes Church handled his Sermon after that sort as in effect he denied nothing at all that he had before preached or taught but yet it satisfied somewhat hys aduersaries malicious harts in that it bare the name of a recantation according to the Commissioners order appointing him thus openly to preach and so to depart the towne and marches As touching Iames Barber aforesayde for so much as his dwelling was not at Calice Iames Barber but foure miles off from the towne it was therfore enioyned him to beare his Fagot not at Calice but on the Saterday next following to stand in the market there where he dwelled with his Fagot vpon his shoulder and the sayd Syr William Smyth likewise there preached as before And thus much concerning the firste Commission sente ouer to Calice to enquire vpon the heretickes there Another Commission sent ouer to Calice AFter all these thynges done and past the grudgyng mindes of the aduersaries yet were not satisfied but still suggested new coÌ„plaints to the Kings eares against the towne of Calice making the king beleue A new commission sent downe to Calice that through new opinions the towne was so diuided that it was in great daunger of the aduersary to be ouercome Whereupon shortly after the weeke before Easter next folowing other newe Commissioners were sent ouer by the King to Calice to witte the Earle of Sussex Lorde great Chamberlaine the Lord S. Iohn False accusation agaynst the towne of Calice Sir Iohn Gage Knight Sir Iohn Barker Knight M. Layton Clerke of the closet and Doctor Currin with speciall instructioÌ„s besides signed by the Kings Maiesties owne hand for his highnes had bene incensed once againe from the Counsell at Calice that the towne was in perill through dissension The Commissioners appointed and diuersitie of opinions Upon their arriuall M. Doct. Currin preached a notable Sermon exhorting all men to charitie hauing nothing in his mouth but charitie charitie But as it seemed afterwarde such a burning charitie was in him and the rest of the Commissioners that had not God pitied the innocencie of mens causes there had a hundred bene burnt or hanged shortly after But it happened farre otherwise For of the number of those accusers four were by those Commissioners sent ouer into England to witte Clement Philpot seruaunt to the Lorde Lisle sir Edmund Curate of our Ladyes Church W. Touchet a Postmaister Peter Bequet of the which four Example of Gods punishment vpon false accusers Touchet and Bequet were sente to theyr places againe the other two were drawne hanged and quartered at London But contrary of all them that were accused there was not one that lost one heare of his head After the Sermon was done on the morowe to witte on Sherethurseday all the Commissioners solemnely receiued the Sacramente And at after noone the Counsell were with the Commissioners and after their consultation tipped staues warned aboue the number of foure score so peruerse persons as the like were not in y e towne or marches to appeare on the morrow at viij of the clocke before the Counsell at the Staple Inne who at their appearance were commaunded vpon their allegiance to present all such heretickes schismatickes and seditious persons as they did know and in no wise to doubt or dread so to do for they shoulde haue great aduauntage thereby yea they should haue eyther their linings An other inquisition at Calice agaynst heretickes or their goodes and besides that they shoulde haue greate thankes at the Kings Maiesties hand
Damlip brought to Calice to suffer setting out of London conueyed the sayde Adam Damlyp vnto Calice vpon the Ascension euen and there committed him to the Maiors prison Upon whiche daye Iohn Butler the Commissary aforesayd and Syr Daniell his Curate of S. Peters were also committed to the same prison and commandement geuen no man to speake with Butler Upon Saterday next was the day of execution for Damlyp The cause whiche firste they layd to his charge was for heresie But because by an acte of Parliamente all suche offences done before a certayne daye were pardoned through which Acte he could not be burdened with anye thing that he had preached or taught before yet for the receiuing of the foresayd French crowne of Cardinall Pole as you heard before he was condemned of treason and in Calice cruelly put to death being drawne hanged and quartered The death and Martyrdome of Damlyp The daye before his execution came vnto hym one M. Mote The constant courage of Adam Damlip not caring for his death then person of our Lady Church of Calice saying your foure quarters shall be hanged at four partes of the towne And where shall my head be sayd Damlip Upon the Lanterne gate said Mote Then Damlip answeared Then shall I not neede to prouide for my buriall At hys death Sir Rafe Ellerker Knight then knight Marshall there would not suffer the innocent godly maÌ„ to declare either his faith or the cause he died for but sayd to the executioner dispatch the knaue haue done For sir Wil. Mote appointed there to preache declared to the people how he had bene a sower of seditious doctrine and albeit he was for y e pardoned by the generall pardon yet he was coÌ„demned for being a traytor against the king To the which wheÌ„ Adam Damlip would haue replied purged himselfe the foresaid Sir Rafe Ellerker would not suffer him to speake a word but commanded him to be had away And so most meckely Damlip falsly accused of treason innocently put to death patiently and ioyfully the blessed and innocent Martyr tooke his death sir Rafe Elerker saying that he would not away before he saw the traytors hart out But shortly after the sayd Sir Rafe Ellerker in a skirmishe or roade betweene the Frenchmen and vs at Bullayne was among other slayne An example of Gods iust reuengment Whose onely death sufficed not his enemies but after they had stripped him starke naked they cut off his priuie members and cut the hart out of his bodye and so leaft him a terrible example to all bloudy and mercilesse men For no cause was knowne why they shewed such indignation against the saide sir Rafe Ellerker more then against the rest but that it is written Faciens iustitias Dominus iudicia omnibus iniuria pressis As touching Ioh. Butler and sir Daniel his Curate imprisoned as ye heard the same day with Damlip vpon Sonday next following An other trouble of Iohn Buâ—leâ— and Syr Daniell his Curate they were coÌ„mitted to Io. Massy aforesayd keeper of the Marshalsey and his company and brought to the Marshalsey where he continued and his Curate nine moneths and more At last being sore laid vnto by Sir George Gage Sir Iohn Baker and Sir Thomas Arundell knightes but especially by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for y e reteining of Adam Damlip yet by friendes soliciting the Kings highnes for him namely sir Leonard Musgraue and his brother Baunster Ex scripto testimoniâ— Caletienâ—â—â—â— who were bounde for his appearance in a thousande pound he at length by great labour and long time was discharged and at last by licence permitted to returne to Calice againe Ex scripto testimonio Caletiensium Furthermore as touching William Steuens aboue mentioned who remained all this while prisoner in the Tower W. Steuens an earnest Protest are falsly condemned for Poperye the same was also condemned with Adam Damlip of treason which was for note and crime of Popery in lodging Adam Damlip which came from Cardinal Poole the traytor in his house at the Lord Deputies commaundement Notwithstanding the King afterwarde vnderstanding more of the said William Steuens how innocent he was from that crime W. Steuens with the rest pardoned by the king being knowne to all men to be an earnest and zelous Protestant gaue him his pardon and sent him home againe to Calice and so likewise all the other thirteene aboue mentioned The story of a poore labouring man in Calyce BY the credible information writing of the said Calyce men which were then in trouble A poore 〈◊〉 burned at Calice for the right faith of the Sacrament it is reported of a certaine poore laboring maÌ„ of Calice who after the preaching of Adam Damlyp being in certaine company said that he would neuer beleeue that a priest coulde make the Lordes body at his pleasure Wherupon he was then accused and also condemned by one Haruey Commissary there Which Haruey in time of his iudgement inueying against hym with opprobrious words sayd that he was an heretike should die a vile death The poore man whose name yet I haue not certainly learned answering for himselfe againe saide that hee was no hereticke but was in the fayth of Christ. A notable example of Gods iudgâ—â—ment vpon bloudy perâ—secuter And where as thou sayest said he that I shall dye a vile death thou thy selfe shalt dye a viler death and that shortly and so it came to passe for within halfe a yeare after the said Haruey was hanged drawne and quartered for treason in the sayd towne of Calice An other history of one Dodde a Scottish man burned in Calice AFter the burning of this poore man there was also an other certaine scholer counted to be a Scottish man One Dodâ—â— burned in Calice named Dodde who coÌ„ming out of Germany was there taken with certaine Germane bookes about him and being examined thereupon and standing constantly to the truth that hee had learned was therefore condemned to death and there burned in the sayd towne of Calice within the space of a yeare or thereabout after the other godly Martyr aboue mentioned And for so much as I am presently in hand wyth matters of Calice The story 〈◊〉 W. Crosbowmaker bearing a billet in Calice I can not passe from thence without memorie of an other certayne honest man of the same township named William Button aliâs Crosbowmaker although the time of this story is a litle more ancieÌ„t in yeares which story is this William Crosbowmaker a souldier of Calice and the kings seruant being a man as some natures be W. Crosbowmaker questions somwhat pleasantly disposed vsed when he met with Priests to demaund of them certayne merry questions of pastyme as these Whether if a man were sodenly taken and wanted an other thing he might not without offence occupy one of the Popes pardons in steede of a broken paper Another question was whether
ere this time But to let this matter of syr George Blage passe wee will now reduce our storie againe to Anne Askew and her fellowe Martyrs who the same weeke were burned and could finde no pardon Anno 1546. Then the Catholicke fathers when they had broughte this christian woman wyth the residue as aboue hath ben declared vnto theyr rest they being now in their ruffe and triumph like as the Phariseis when they hadde broughte Christ to his graue deuised w t themselues howe to keepe him down stil to ouertreade truth for euer Whereupon consulting with certaine of the Counsell they made oute a straight and harde proclamation authorised by the kinges name for the abolishing of the scripture al such English bookes which might geue any light to the setting foorth of Gods true word and grace of the Gospel the copie and tenour of which Proclamation is this as followeth A Proclamation for the abolishing of English bookes after the death of Anne Askew set forth by the king An. 1546. the 8. day of Iuly THe kings most excellent Maiestie vnderstanding howe vnder pretence of expounding and declaring the truthe of Goddes Scripture A proclamation for the abolishing of Englishe bookes diuers leud and euil disposed persons haue taken occasion to vtter and sow abroade by bookes imprinted in the English tongue sondry pernitious and detestable errours heresies not onely contrary to the lawes of this realme but also repugnant to the true sence of Gods law and his word Nay rather for the ignorance and lack of Gods Scripture many haue taken occasion of error heresies â—ntollerable by reason whereof certaine men of late to the destruction of their owne bodies soules and to the euill example of others haue attempted arrogaÌ„tly and malitiously to impugne the truth and therewith trouble the sober quiet and godly Religion vnited and established vnder the kings Maiestie in this his realme his highnesse minding to foresee the daungers that myght ensue of the sayd bookes is enforced to vse hys generall prohibition commaundement and proclamation as followeth First that from henceforth no man woman or person of what estate The new â—estament of Tindals of Couerdals translation in Englishe forbidden condition or degree so euer he or they be shal after the last day of August next ensuing receiue haue take or keepe in his or their possession the text of the newe Testament of Tyndalles or Couerdales translation in English nor any other then is permitted by the Acte of Parliament made in the Session of the Parliament holden at Westminster in the 34. or 35. yere of his maiesties most noble raigne nor after the sayd day shall receiue haue take or keepe in his or their possession any maner of bookes prynted or wrytten in the English tongue which be or shal be set forth in the names of Frith Tindal Wickliffe Ioy Roy Basil Bale Barnes Couerdale Englishe bookes in Scripture reâ—â—rayned Turner Tracy or by any of them or any other booke or bookes containing matter contrary to the sayde Acte made An 34 or 35. but shall before the last day of August next coÌ„ming deliuer the same English booke or bookes to his maister in that housholde if hee be a seruaunt or dwell vnder any other and the maister or ruler of the house suche other as dwell at large shall deliuer all such bookes of the sortes aforesaid as they haue or shal come to their haÌ„ds deliuered as afore or otherwise to the Maior Bailiffe or chiefe Constable of the towne where they dwell to be by them deliuered ouer openly within 40. daies next folowing after the said deliuerie to the Shiriffe of the shire or to the Byshops Chancellour Commissary of the same diocesse to the entent the said Bishop Chauncellour Commissary and Shiriffe and euery of them shall cause them incontinently to be openly burned which thing the kinges Maiesties pleasure is that euery of them shall see executed in most effectuall sort â—urning of â—cripture â—ookes and of their doings thereof make certificate to the kings Maiesties most honourable Councell before the 1. of October next comming And to the intent that no man shall mistrust any daunger of such penall statutes as be passed in this behalfe for the keeping of the sayd bookes the kings Maiestie is most graciously contented by this proclamation A baitâ— to bâ—ing in bookes to pardon that offence to the sayd time appoynted by this proclamation for the deliuery of the said bokes and commaundeth that no Bishoppe Chauncellor Commissarie Maior Bailiffe Shiriffe or Constable shall be curious to marke who bringeth foorth such bookes but only order burne them openly as is in this proclamation ordered And if any man after the last day of August next comming shall haue any of the sayde bookes in his keeping or be proued and conuinced by sufficient witnesse before 4. of the kings most honourable counsail to haue hidden theÌ„ or vsed theÌ„ or any copy of any of them or any parte of theÌ„ wherby it shuld appeare that he willingly hath offeÌ„ded the true meaning of this proclamation the same shall not onely suffer imprisonment and punishment of his body at the kings maiesties will and pleasure The penaltye limited but also shall make suche fine and raunsome to his highnesse for the same as by his Maiestie or 4. of hys graces said counsaile shal be determined c. Finally his Maiestie straightly chargeth and commandeth that no person or persons of what estate degree or condition so euer he or they be from the day of this proclamation presume to bring any maner of English booke concerning any maner of Christian religion printed in the parties beyonde the seas into this realme to sell geue or disâ—â—ibute any English booke printed in outwarde parties or the copie of any such booke or any part thereof to any persone dwelling within this his graces realme or any other hys maiesties dominions vnlesse the same shal be specially licenced so to doe by his highnesse expresse graunâ— to be obtained in writing for the same vppon the paines before limited and therewithall to incurre his maiesties extreeme indignation For so much as it is hath alwayes bene the common guise and practise of the popes church to extinct condemne and abolish all good bookes and holesome treatises of learned men vnder a false pretence of errors heresies The vntrue dealing of the Papistes in gathering heresies where none is wherof examples aboundantly maye appeare in this historie aboue Now for the better triall hereof to see and trie the impudent shamelesse vanitie of these Catholicke ClergimeÌ„ in mistaking falsifying deprauing blaspheming and slandering where they haue no cause against al right honest dealing yea against their own knowledge conscience and manifest verity of Gods worde I shall therfore desire the attentiue Reader before we passe any further to consider expend here 2. things by the way First what opinioÌ„s
by thys theyr wycked contradiction it commeth to passe â—he pope â—â—tereth hys â—â—ne wicâ—â—dnes that the cogitations of theyr owne heartes be reuealed and that they them selues chiefely do vtter and disclose their owne wickednes which they couet most to conceale that all men may see how ready they are to condemne all veritie euen at once For when they affirme suche Articles to be hereticall whych neyther they can nor knowe nor yet dare shewe or name to be hereticall what haue we thereby to vnderstand but that they are the aduersaries of Christe from the bottome of theyr hearts and ready to impugne all trueth and yet notwithstanding wyth their dampnable hypocrisie they pretende themselues to be condemners of heresies Learne learne yee beetell headed Asses wyth your blustering buls Luke 2. learne I say what it is Christe to be a signe of contradiction and a stone of offence Howe soone and easily is al your inward impietie and your ignominie disclosed wyth the same couert of woordes â— Pet. 2. wherewith in vaine yee went aboute to cloke the same Thus then haue we heere prooued by thys first and manifest argument that the foresayde Bull proceedeth from none other then very Antichrist hymselfe the chiefest aduersarye of God and of all godlinesse And nowe let either Eckius or the Pope acknowledge if he dare and then consider what opinion wee ought to haue of hym or what name to geue him in whome all cursed names as in one heape doe concurre together and agree as impietie blasphemie ignorance foolishnes hypocrisie lying briefly Sathan himselfe with his Antichrist Neither doeth thys impietie any thing lesse appeare in that also which I will nowe say For this worshipful Bul decreeth in plaine and moste impudent woordes â—he popes 〈…〉 Luthers 〈◊〉 haue 〈◊〉 that those Bookes also of mine ought to be burned in the whyche are no errors contained to the end that the memory of me may be vtterly rooted out Canst thou O Christian Reader now doubte that the great Dragon of hell hymselfe speaketh in this Bull It is an olde Prouerbe that the Asse singeth therefore euill fauoredly because hee taketh hys note to hye So thys Bull in like manner should haue piped more tunably if he had not sette by hys blasphemous throte so open againste heauen so impudently and deuelishly condemning also the manyfest and euident trueth For hitherto Sathan when so euer hee oppressed the trueth did it vnder the colour of trueth but this man of sinne the Aduersarie whyche is extolled aboue God wythout all colour not priuily but apeartly and that in the open Churche of God wythoute all shame taketh vppon hym to condemne and commaundeth to be burned the sincere veritye of Christe The papiste pretend to know and mayntayne the verity of Christ and yet cannot abyde it knowne and allowed both of hym and of all others What could be more done amongest the Turkes What place is thys woorthy off I praye thee but the deepe dungeon of Hell And are yee not afrayde yee Antichristes wyth your brutishe Bulles leaste stones and trees shoulde sweare wyth bloude at the moste horrible sighte of thys your execrable impietie and blasphemie Where art thou now good Emperour Charles Where are yee Christen Kings and Princes Ye haue geuen your name to Christe in Baptisme and can ye nowe abide these infernall voyces of suche an Antichriste Where be yee Bishoppes Where be yee Doctours Where be all yee that confesse Christe Can yee holde your peace at these horrible and prodigious monsters of the Papistes O miserable Churche of God whyche arte made nowe so greate a scorne and a very mocking stocke of Sathan O miserable are all they which liue in these times The wrathe of God is finally come vppon the Papistes ennemies to the crosse of Christe and veritie of God resistinge all menne and forbidding the trueth of Christe to be taught and preached as S. Paule sayd of the Iewes Admitte I praye you that I were suche a one in deede The pope condemneth as wel the good bookes of M. Luther as the other without all respect of trueth or of the cause as that curssed and malicious Bull doeth make me to be an hereticke erroneous schismaticall offensiue scandalous in certaine of my bookes yet whye shoulde the other bookes of mine be condemned which are Catholike Christian true edifying and peaceable Where haue these wretched Papistes learned thys religion that for the persones cause being euil they should damne and burne the holy and sounde verity of God Can ye not destroy menne but you must also destroy the truth Will yee plucke vppe the good wheate also with the cockle Will yee scatter also the corne awaye together wyth the chaffe And whye then receyue yee Origen in hys Catholike bookes and doe not vtterly reiecte hym all together Yea whye suffer yee wicked Aristotle in whome is nothyng taughte but errours and doe not at leaste in some parte condemne hym Why burne yee not and set on fire the wycked barbarous vnlearned and hereticall Decretalles of the Pope Why doe ye not all this I say but only for that ye are set in this holy place for none other cause but onely to be that abhomination spoken of in Daniell whiche shoulde put downe trueth and set vp lyes Dan. 9. and the operation of errour For this thinge and none other becommeth the seate of Antichrist Wherefore this I say to thee Pope Leo the tenth and to you Lord Cardinals and all other whosoeuer is in anye parte or doing in that Courte of Rome and thys I speake boldly vnto your faces if this Bull hath come out in your name and by your knowledge and if ye will so acknowledge it for your owne then wil I likewise vse my power by the which I am made in my Baptisme y e sonne of God and coheyre with Christ being founded vppon a sure rocke which neither feareth the gates of hell nor heauen nor earth and say monish and exhort you in the Lord that you will reforme your selues and take a better waye M. Luthers warning to the Pope and refrayne heeeafter from those diabolicall blasphemies and to much exceeding presumptuous impeties and thys I alledge That vnlesse ye so do know it for certayne that I with all them that worship Christ doe recount youre seate possessed and oppressed of Sathan himselfe to be the damned seate of Antichrist whiche we not onely do not obey and will not be subiect nor concorporate vnto but also do detest and abhorre the same as the principall chiefest enemy of Christ being ready in this our sentence and profession not onely to suffer gladly your fond foolish censures but also do pray you hartily that you will neuer assoyle vs agayne nor euer number vs in your fellowship and moreouer to fulfill your bloudy tiranny do willingly offer our selues to die for y e same M. Luther curseth the pope And according y e to power
it not be dispensed with all by the keyes If these Bull founders doe charg me with any other thing besides in this article they do nothing els but as they are wont to do For what matter or marueile is it if Antichrist do lye The 6. article Contrition whiche is gotten by examining The answere of M. Luther to the 6. article remembryng and detesting our sinnes whereby a man calleth to mynde hys yeares past in the bitternes of his soule in pondring the greatnes the multitude and filthines of his sinnes the loosing of eternall blisse and purchasing of eternall damnation this contrition maketh an hypocrite yea rather a manne to be more a sinner The Answere O the incredible blindnes and brutishnes of these Romish bulles This Article is truely mine very christian which I will not suffer to be wreasted from mee for all the Popes and papists in the world The answere of mayster Luther to the 6. aâ—ticle For thys I meant by that doctrine that repentaunce is of no force vnlesse it be done in faithe and charitie whiche thinge they also teache them selues but that they do not knowe nor teach neither what faith nor charitie is And therefore in condemning my doctrine they condemne also their owne foolishly repugnyng against themselues in their owne coÌ„tradiction I say therfore that he which teacheth repentaunce in such wise maner that he hath not a greater regard to the promised mercye of God and faith in the same then to this afflicting and vexing of the minde he teacheth the repentaunce of Iudas Iscarioth he is pestilent a deuil to mens soules and a tormentor of consciences Read the bookes of those sophisters where they wryte of repentaunce and thou shalt see there no meÌ„tion made eyther of promise or faith For these liuely parts of repeÌ„tance they cleane omitte onely do vexe meÌ„ with these dead contritions But heereof we haue and wil hereafter entreat more at large But what should I here stand vpon euery Article seeing my bookes be abroade wherein I haue geuen a reason of all sufficiently and more woulde haue done if mine aduersaries also had brought to light theirs The purpose of Luther in setting forth hys articles For what folishnesse is this that they thinke to answere me with thys one saying that they count all my sayings as damned wheras I did wryte to this ende onely that they shoulde acknowledge their errours wherewith they haue so long bewitched the people of God Neither did I looke that I should be condemned which vnderstanding knowing the same right wel haue iustified those things which they haue condemned before with sufficient authoritie bothe of scripture and reason Neither looked I that they should tel me what they thought for I knew all that well enough but that I sought of them was to knowe whether they thought right therin or not Here looked I to be taught and behold none of them all durst once put foorth his head Wherefore I see these asses nothing to vnderstand either the things that I say or yet themselues But they be suche blinde bussardes that they perceiue not what it is that I seeke in my bookes For they dreame that I haue suche an opinion of them as though they had the truthe of their side when there is nothing that I lesse thinke to be true For I foreseeing that they had condemned al these things before came foorth and shewed my selfe as one not to be condemned but as already condemned of them to accuse their condemnation to be wicked hereticall and blasphemous and so openly to denounce them as heretikes and erroneous vnles they shewed some better reason and ground of their doings doctrine where as they on the other side like foolish minstrels harping all on one string haue nothing else in theyr mouthes â— Pet. 3. but we condemne that we haue condemned proouing after a newe kinde of Logike the same thing by it selfe O most idiote huddypeaks and blockish condemners where is the saying of Peter Be alwayes ready to reÌ„der a count of that faith and hope which is in you Wherefore seeing these ignorant Papists being thus confounded doe so flie away from the face of the manifest veritie that they dare not once open their mouthes in defence of themselues or of their cause and haue blasted oute with much ado this timerous Bul of theirs I being comforted with the flight of these mine aduersaries do account this theyr dastardly damnation in sted of full allowing and iustifying of my cause and so rebounde againe theyr owne damnation vppon their owne heads for howe coulde they more condemne themselues then whiles they fearing to be founde themselues culpable of heresie if they shoulde be driuen to geue account of their doctrine do flie to this miserable and desperate refuge willingly to shutte their eyes and stop their eares and to say I will not I damne thee I heare thee not I allow thee not If I should haue plaid any such mad part how would they I pray you haue triumphed against me This dastardly feare declareth what cowardes they are Wherefore not to burden the reader with any tedious prolixitie of matter in prosecutinge euery Article I heere protest in these presents that I * * Note here good reader that amongest these articles certayne there be which because they seemed somewhat to beare wyth the Pope and his pardons Luther comming after to more knowledge that the pope was Antichrist confesseth himselfe in his 〈◊〉 that he vtterly calleth 〈◊〉 the same not 〈◊〉 king them as the 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 had him but rather aggrauaâ—â—â— them agaynst the Pope confesse all these thinges here condemned by this miserable Bull for pure clear and Catholike doctrine whereof I haue sufficiently geuen accompt in my bookes which be extant abroade Furthermore I wil also that the sayd my bokes being extant abroad shal be taken as a publike accusation against these wicked Sophisters seducers of the people of God so that vnlesse they shall geue a count of their doctrine and shall conuicte me with good grounde of Scripture I doe here as muche as in me lieth denounce theÌ„ as guiltie of errour heresie and sacriledge admonishing desiring and in the Lorde exhorting all them which truely confesse Christ that they will beware and take heede of their pestiferous doctrine and not to dout but that the true Antichrist raigneth by them in the world amongst vs. And if any shal contemne thys my brotherly admonition lette him knowe that I am pure and cleane from hys bloud excused froÌ„ the laste iudgement of Christe For I haue left nothing vndone whiche Christian charitie dyd binde me to doe Finally if there be no other way whereby I may resist these babling and trifeling condemners the vttermost and last which I haue I will geue and bestow in the quarrell that is this life and bloude of mine For better it were for me a thousande times to be slaine then
to the Byshop at Westminster for abolishing of Images Hyberniae Regem fidei defensorem in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hybernicae supremum caput sufficienter legitimae autorisatus Reuerendo in Christo confratri nostro domino Thomae eadem permissione Westm. Episcopo salutem fraternam in Domino charitatem Literas reuerendissimi in Christo patris domini D. Thomae permissione diuina Cantuar. Archiepiscopi totius Angliae primatis Metropolitani tenorem literarum missâ—â—uÌ„ clarissimorum prudentissimorum dominorum de priuatis consilijs dicti illustrissimi domini Regis in se continen nuper cum ea qua decuit reuerentia humiliter recepimus exequend in haec verba Thomas permissione diuina Cant. c. And then makyng a full recitall as well of the Archbishops precept as also of the Counsels letters aboue specified he concluded with these wordes Quocirca nos Edmund Episc. antedictus Literis praedictis pro nostro officio obtemperare vti decet summopere cupientes vestrae fraternitati tam ex parte dicti excellentissimi Domini nostri Regis ac praefatoâ—um clarissimorum dominoruÌ„ de priuatis suis consilijs quà m praedicti Reuer patris domini Cant. Archiepiscopi tenore praesentium committimus mandamus quatenus attentis per vos diligenter consideratis Literarum huiusmodi tenoribus eos in omnibus per omnia iuxta vim formam effectum earundem cum omni qua poteris celeritate accommoda per totam Dioces vestram West debite effectualiter exequi faciatis procuretis Datum in aedibus nostris London vicesimo die Febr. An. Dom. 1548. Et regni dicti illustrissimi domini nostri Regis Anno secundo Now by the tyme that these things were thus determined the learned men which the kyng had appointed as ye haue heard before to assemble together for the true and right maner of administring the Sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ An vniforme order of the Communion accordyng to the rule of the Scriptures of God and first vsage of the Primatiue Churche after theyr long learned wyse and deliberate aduises dyd finally conclude and agree vppon one godly and vniforme order of receiuing the same not much differyng from the maner at this present vsed authorised within this realm and church of England commonly called the Communion Which agreement beyng by them exhibited vnto the kyng and of hym most gladly accepted was thereupon publikely imprinted and by his maiesties Councell perticularly deuided and sent vnto euery bishop of the realme requiring and commaundyng them by their letters on the kings Maiesties behalfe that both they in their own persons should forthwith haue diligent and carefull respect to the due execution thereof and also should with all diligeÌ„ce cause the bookes which they then sent them to be deliuered vnto euery Parson Uicar and Curate within their Dioces that they likewise might well and sufficiently aduise themselues for the better distribution of the sayd communion according to the tenour of the sayd booke agaynst the feast of Easter then next ensuyng as more fully appeareth by these their letters here followyng ¶ Letters Missiue from the Counsaile to the Bishops of the Realme concernyng the Communion to be ministred in both kyndes Anno 1548. AFter our most harty commendatioÌ„s to your Lordship where in the Parliament late holden at Westminster The Communion in both kindes to be ministred it was amongest other things most godly established that according to the first institution and vse of the primatiue church the most holy sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ shuld be distributed to the people vnder the kyndes of bread wyne according to the effect whereof the kinges maiestie mynding with the aduice and consent of the Lord Protectors grace the rest of the Counsaile to haue the sayd Statute well executed in such sort or lyke as it is agreeable with the word of God so the same may be also faithfully and reuerently receiued of his most louing subiects to their comforts and wealth hath caused sundry of his maiesties most graue and well learned Prelates and other learned men in the Scriptures to assemble themselues for this matter who after long conference together haue with deliberate aduise finally agreed vpon such an order to be vsed in all places of the kings maiesties dominions in the distribution of the sayd most holy sacrament as may apeare to you by the booke thereof which we send herewith vnto you Albeit knowing your Lordships knowledge in the Scriptures and earnest good will zeale to the settyng foorth of all things accordyng to the truth thereof we be well assured you will of your owne good will and vpon respect to your duetie diligently set forth this most godly order here agreed vpon and commaunded to be vsed by the authoritie of the kyngs maiestie yet remembryng the crafty pratise of the deuill who ceaseth not by his members to worke by al wayes and meanes the hinderance of all godlines And consideryng furthermore that a great number of the Curates of the Realme eyther for lacke of knowledge can not or for want of good mynd will not be so redy to set forth the same as we would wish and as the importance of the matter and their owne bounden duties requireth we haue thought good to pray and require your Lordship and neuerthelesse in the kings maiesties our most dread Lordes name to commaund you to haue an earnest diligence and carefull respect both in your owne person and by all your officers and Ministers also to cause these bookes to be deliuered to euery Person Vicar and Curate within your Diocesse with such diligence as they may haue sufficient tyme well to instruct and aduise themselues for the distribution of the most holy Communion accordyng to the order of this booke before this Easter tyme and that they may by your good meanes be well directed to vse such good gentle and charitable instruction of their simple and vnlearned parishioners as may be to all their good satisfactions as much as may be praying you to consider that this order is set forth to the intent there should be in all partes of the Realme and among all men one vniforme manner quietly vsed The execution whereof lyke as it shall stand very much in the diligence of you and others of your vocation so doe we eftsoones require you to haue a diligent respect thereunto as ye tender the kings Maiesties pleasure and will aunswer for the contrary And thus we bidde your Lordship right hartily farewell From Westminster the 13. of March 1548. Your Lordships louyng friends Tho. Canterbury R. Rich. W. Saint Iohn Iohn Russell Hen. Arundel Anth. Wingfield W. Peter Edward North. Ed. Wootton By meanes as well of this letter and the godly order of the learned as also of the statute and acte of parliament before mentioned made for the stablishyng thereof all priuate blasphemous Masses
from study of the law I haue perhaps forgotten what the law will do precisely in this point but admit the law were so as you say yet your selfe knoweth my Lord that thys is our certayne rule in law Quòd consuetudo est iuris interpres optimus and I am sure you will not nor can not deny but that the custome is commonly in this realme in all iudgements and Commissions vsed to the contrary and in very deede altogether at the Court hauing the Comâ—â—â—â—ion presented vnto vs take it vpon vs and therfore for you to sticke in such trifling matters you shall rather in my iudgement hurt your selfe and your matter then otherwise Truely Maister Secretary sayd the Byshop I haue also of long while bene disused in the study of the law but hauing occasion partly by reason of this matter to turne my bookes I finde the law to be as I say and yet as I sayd I tell you heereof by the way The answer of Boner to Secretarye Peter not minding to sticke much with you in that poynt At which wordes Maister Secretary Smyth sayd also vnto the Byshop well my Lord of London as cunning as you make your selfe in the law there be here that knoweth the law as well as you and for my part I haue studied the law to and I promise you these be but quiddites and quirkes inuented to delay matters but our Commission is to proceede summarily The wordes of Secretary Smyth to Boner The answer of Boner to Secretary Smyth The words of Secretary Peter de plano and to cut off such friuolous allegations Well sayd the Bishop againe looke well on your commission and you shall finde therein these wordes to proceede according to the law and Iustice and I aske both lawe and Iustice at your handes Then Maister Secretary Peter willed hym to stand no more thereupon but to proceede vnto his aunswere Wherupon he tooke foorth a writing wherin was conteined his aunswere to the denunciation exhibited the day before by Latimer and Hooper and deliuering it vnto the Archbishop sayde that it was of his owne hand writyng and for lacke of sufficient time written so hastily coursely that it could scarsly be read of any other and therfore he desired to read it himselfe and so taking it agayne read it openly the copy whereof here followeth * The aunswere of the sayd Bishop made to the denuntiation aforesayd I Edmond bishop of London concerning William Latimer Iohn Hooper the pretenced denunciators of thys matter here nowe before you and for aunswere vnto the vnlawfull vntrue and vncharitable pretenced denunciation of them lately in deede contrarye to iustice and good reason exhibited here and read before you vnder protestation heretofore made by me and red vnto you remayning in the actes of this court to which I referre me and haue the same here agayne for repeated and reheaâ—sed to all purposes agreeable to the law do for my necessary defence and helpe alleage and say as followeth First I do alledge and say that the sayd William Latimer and Iohn Hooper Allegations oâ— rather cauillations of Boner agaynst his denunciators or either of theÌ„ were not nor now are to be admitted in any wise by vertue of this or anye other commission as denunciators against me their Byshop specially for that they and either of them haue aswell before the time of this pretensed denunciation and also theÌ„ and since bene and be vile and infamed notorious criminous persons and also open and manifest notable heretickes especially concerning the sacramentes of the catholicke Churche and namely concerning the blessed Sacrament of the aulter How fayne would thiâ— man finde a fault if he could tell how by reason of whiche their heresies they were and be by the order of the sayde Catholicke Churche here in this realme of England iustly and duely excommunicated and accursed and haue deuided theÌ„selues therby from the vntie and integritie of Christes Catholick church and for such persons they haue bene and are named reputed and taken openly notoriously and commoÌ„ly amongst the catholicke people of this Realme of Englande and especially of this Citty of London familiarly haunting and conuersaunt with sacramentaries and openly knowne condemned heretickes and fauorers and Abbettors of the same and theyr detestable pestilent doctrine heresie 2. Item that the sayde Iohn Hooper amonges other hys poysoned and venemous doctrine and amonges other his erroneous detestable and abhominable errors and heresies taught and spread abroad here within this realme infecting and poysoning the kinges subiectes therewyth hath before the tyme of the sayde pretensed denunciation damnably and detestablie made diuers erroneous and hereticall bookes especially one intituled a declaration of Christ and of his offcie printed as hee falsly surmiseth in Zurick by Augustine Friers where hee in many places heretically and damnably denyeth the true presence of Christes body in the blessed sacrament of the aultar and also in effect denyeth the verity of Christes blessed bodye vpon the crosse calling it Mathematticall and excludyng thereby the true and very substaunce thereof 3. This terme Mathematicall is referred of Hooper not to the substance of the body vpon the crosse but to Papisticall accidence without substance vpon the aultar Item that the sayd Iohn Hooper doth perseuer and continueth still in his sayd poysoned and wicked venemous doctrine in al poyntes mayntayning and defending the same and euery part therof all the wayes he can especially agaynst y e presence of Christes blessed body in the sacrament of the altar and his sayde bookes especially the sayde declaration of Christ and of his office he doth yet allowe and mayntayn as good and Catholicke where in deede it is hereticall wicked and damnable the contentes of whiche doctrine and bookes so intituled the sayde Latimer especially touching the heresie agaynst the verity of Christes bodye and his true presence in the sacrament of the aultar hath heard taught read preached beleeued holden mayntayned and kept and so at this preseÌ„t doth yet beleue hold If al truth were away he had spoken morâ— truely maintayne and keepe contrary to the fayth of Christes Catholicke church and the vnitie of the same obserued amongest all true christen people incurring thereby heresie excommunication and Scisme to the losse both of their soules and of their beleuers 4. Item that the sayde Latimer and Hooper and eyther of them being of these vile and detestable quallities and consequently by the ordinaunce of the catholick Church of Christ aswell of this Realme as also throughout all Christendome being so excommunicate cast out thereby from the sayd Church are not to this pretensed denuntiation agaynst me theyr Bishop nor to any iudiciall act to be admitted ne yet to be accompanyed with all or aunswered vnto but are by scripture and the order of Christes Catholicke Church here in this Realme vtterly and clearely to be excluded auoyded detested eschewed and abhorred in all maner of wise
did declare vnto you for better admonition amendment of you that ye should haue from the kinges Maiesty by his aduise and the rest of the priuy Counsell certayne Articles and Iniunctions to obserue and folow geuen you in writing 4. Item that there and then the sayd Lord Protectour commaunded Sir Thomas Smith Knight Secretary to the Kinges Maiesty to read a certayne proper booke of Iniunctions and Articles vnto you the sayd Secretarye standing at the Counsell tables end and you standing by and hearing the same 5. Item that the sayde Lord Protectour there and then willed to be reformed certayne thinges in the sayd booke of IniuÌ„ctions as where ye wer appoynted to preach sooner at your request it was appoynted vnto you to preache the Sonday three weekes after the date of the sayd writing 6. Item that in the sayd Articles the Lord Protectours Grace found fault because an Article or commaundement vnto you set forth and declared of the Kynges Maiestyes authority now in his yong age of his lawes and statutes in the same tyme was omitted and therefore either immediatly before you came into the Counsell Chamber or you being present and standing by commaunded the sayde Secretary Smith to put it in writing and annexe it to the rest of the Articles 7. Item that the sayd Secretary Smith then and there did immediately vpon commaundement write into the sayd booke or paper wherein the rest of the Articles were written the sayd article videlicet you shall also set forth in your sermon that the authority of our royall power is as truth it is of no lesse authority and force in this our yong age then was of any of our Predecessors though the same were much elder as may appeare by example of Iosias other young kinges in the scripture and therefore all our subiectes to be no lesse bounde to the obedience of our preceptes lawes and statutes then if we were of 30. or 4â— yeares of age 8. Item that the Lord Protectour did so deliuer you the booke or paper willing first the sayd Secretary Smyth to amend all thinges as he had appoynted 9. Item that ye then and there did promise to the Lorde Protectors grace that ye would obserue fulâ—ill all in the sayd Iniunctions and articles conteined 10. Item that all thinges in the sayde booke put in and mentioned by the sayd Secretary Smith and the same so read vnto you by him you first agreing that all that was by him so written was by the L. Protectors appoyntmeÌ„t the sayd book was so deliuered vnto you then and there by the sayd Secretary Smith in the Councell Chamber 11. Item that you haue the sayd booke in your possession or els know where it is the true copy whereof in effect is annexed to these articles 12. Item that ye were commauÌ„ded in the sayd Iniunctions to preach the Sonday three weekes after the deliuery therof at Paules there to entreat vpon certayn articles as is specified in the sayd booke of Iniunctions and specially the sayd article beginning Ye shall also set forth ending 30. or 40. yeares of age 13. Item that for the accomplishment of part of the sayde Iniunctions commaundement you did preach the fyrst day of September last past at Paules Crosse. 14. Item that at the sayd sermon contrary to your Iniunctions ye omitted left out y e sayde article beginning Ye shall also set forth in your sermon c. and ending 30. or 40. yeares of age 15. Ye shall also aunswere whether ye thinke and beleue that the kinges Maiesties subiectes be bound to obey as well the lawes statutes proclamations and other ordinaunces made now in this young age of the kinges maiesty as the lawes statutes proclamations ordinaunces made by his highnes Progenitors These Articles being thus ministred to the sayd Byshop of London the next day being Thursday and the 19. of September the afore named Commissioners sat in the Archbishops chamber of presence at Lambeth attendyng the coÌ„ming of the B. of London Before whoÌ„ there appeared Rob. Iohnson the Bishops Register and there did declare vnto the Commissioners that the bishop his maister could not at that time personally appeare before theÌ„ without great daunger of his bodily health because that he feared to fall into a feuer by reasoÌ„ of a cold that he had takeÌ„ by to much ouerwatching himselfe the last night before wherby he was compelled to keepe his bed neuerthelesse if hee could without daunger of his bodely health Boner 〈◊〉 feare of 〈◊〉 feuer 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 or durst 〈◊〉 appeare he would appeare before them the same day at after noone This excuse the Iudges were coÌ„teÌ„t to take it in good part Yet said M. Secretary Smyth that if he were sicke in deede the excuse was reasonable and to be allowed but quoth he I promise you my Lord hath so dallied with vs vsed hitherto such delayes that we may mistrust that this is but a fayned excuse howbeit vpon your faythfull declaratioÌ„ we are content to tary vntil one of the clocke at afternoone and so they did willing M. Iohnson to signify then vnto them whether the Bishop could appeare or not At whiche houre Robert Iohnson and Richard Rogers gentleman of the Bishops chamber appeared agayn before the Commissioners Boner pâ—â—â—tendetâ—â—â—gayne 〈◊〉 feuer declaring that for the causes afore alledged their maister could not appeare at that tyme nether Wherupon M. Secretary Smith sayd vnto them my Lord of LondoÌ„ your maister hath vsed vs very homely and sought delayes hitherto and now perhaps perceiuing these last Articles to touch the quicke and therefore loth to come to his answere he fayneth himselfe sicke Boners â—â—â—cuse of 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 taken 〈…〉 But because he shall not so deceiue vs any more we wyll send the Knight Marshall vnto him willing him if he be sycke in deed to let him alone for that is a reasonable excuse but if he be not sicke then to bring him forth with vnto vs for I promise you he shall not vse vs as he hath done we will not take it at his handes and therefore M. Iohnson sayd he you do the part of a trusty seruant as becommeth you but it is also your part to shewe my Lord of his stubborne hart and disobedience which doth him more harme theÌ„ be is aware of What thinketh he to stand with a king in his own Realmes Is this the part of a subiect nay A goo◠〈◊〉 sent to 〈◊〉 by Sâ—â—cretary Smyth I wene we shall haue a new Tho. Becket Let him take heede for if he play these parts he may fortune to be made shorter by the head He may appeale if he thinke good but whyther to the Byshop of Rome So he may helpe hymselfe forwards I say he can not appeale but to the same king who hath made vs his Iudges and to the Bench of his counsaile and how they will take this matter when they heare of it
was had in estimation For the destruction of Images contayneth an enterprise to subuert religion and the state of the worlde with it and especially the nobilitie who by images set forth spread abroad to be read of al people their linage parentage with remembraunce of their state and actes and the Pursiuaunt carieth not on his brest the kinges names written in such letters as a few can spell but such as all can read be they neuer so rude being great knowne letters in Images of three Lyons and three floures deluce and other beastes holding those armes And he that caÌ„not read the Scripture written about the kings great Seale Winchesters reason The pursiuant caryeth about Saint George on horsebacke and the kinges picture Ergo Images must stand in Churches yet he can read S. George on horsebacke on the one side and the king sitting in his maiestie on the other side and readeth so much written in those images as if he be an honest man he will put of his cap and although if the Seale were broken by chaunce he woulde and might make a candell of it yet he woulde not be noted to haue broken the seale for that purpose or to call it a piece of waxe onely whilest it continueth whole And if by reuiling of stockes and stones in whiche matter Images be grauen the setting of the trueth to be read in them of all men shall be contemned how shall suche wryting continue in honour as is comprised in cloutes and pitch whereof and whereupon our bookes be made Bookes serue onely to be read and not to be kneeled vnto worshipped for so are they no bookes but are made Idols and are to be brokeÌ„ such as few can skill of and not the hundreth parte of the realme And if we a few that can read because we read in one sort of letters so priuiledged as they haue many reliefes shal pull away the books of the rest and would haue our letters onely in estimation and blinde all theÌ„ shall not they haue iust cause to mistrust what is ment And if the crosse be a trueth and if it be true that Christ suffered why may we not haue a writing thereof suche as all can read that is to say an Image If this opinion shoulde proceede when the kings maiestie hereafter should shew his person his liuely image the honour due by Gods law among such might continue but as for the kinges Standardes his banners his armes shoulde hardly continue in their due reuerence for feare of Lollardes Idolatry whiche they gather vpon scripture beastly not onely vntruely The scripture reprooueth false Images made of stockes and stones and so it doth false men made of flesh and bones When the Emperours mony was shewed to Christ wherin was the image of the Emperour Christ contemned not that Image calling it an Idoll nor noted not that mony to be against gods law because it had an image in it as thogh it were against the precept of God Thou shalt haue no grauen image but taught theÌ„ good ciuilitie in calling it the Emperors image bad theÌ„ vse the mony as it was ordered to be vsed in his right vse There is no scripture that reprooueth trueth and all Scripture reproueth falshoode False writinges false bookes false Images and false men all be nought to be contemned and despised as for paper inke parchment stones wood bones A.B. of the Chauncery hand and a. b. of the Secretary hand a letter of Germany fashion or of any other forme be all of one estimation and may be of man enclining to the Deuill vsed for falsehoode or applying to Gods gratious calling vsed to set foorth truth It is a terrible matter to thinke If euery Image representing a thing of truth may stand in place of worship then let Winchesters face stand in the Church also that this false opinion coâ—ceaued against Images should trouble any mans head and suche as I haue knowne vexed with that deuill as I haue knowne some be neuerthelesse wondrously obstinate in it and if they can finde one that can spell Latin to helpe foorth their madnes they be more obdurate then euer were the Iewes and slaunder whatsoeuer is sayd to them for their reliefe Of this sort I know them to be and therefore if I wist there were many of that sort with you I would not irritate them by preaching without fruite but labour for reformation to my Lorde Protectour But if you thought there might be other wayes vsed first to a good effect I would followe your aduise and proceeding with you and the Mayor wyth both your helpes to do that may lye in me to the redresse of the matter which I take to be such an enterprise against Christes Religion as there can not be a greater by man excogitate wyth the deuils instigation and at this time much hurtfull to the common estate as ye can of your wisedome consider Whome I hartily desire and pray to send me aunswere by thys bearer to these my letters to the intent I may vse my selfe in sending of a preacher thither or writing to my Lorde Protectour as the case shall require accordingly And thus fare you hartely well From my house at Woluesay the third of May. 1547. Steph. Wint. ¶ A Letter of the Lord Protector aunswering to the letter aboue AFter harty commendations receauing of late two letters from your Lordship the one inclosed in a letter of Maister Uaughans to vs and directed to him the other directed straight vnto vs very wittely learnedly writteÌ„ whereby we do perceiue how earnest you are that no innouations should be had The whiche minde of yours as we do highly esteeme and allow proceeding from one that would quietnes so we woulde likewise wishe that you should take good heede that too much feare of innouation or disturbance do not cause both to be Many times in an hoste he that crieth enemies enemies when there be none causeth not only disturbance but sometimes a mutinie or rebellion to be made and hee that for feare of sickenes to come taketh vnaduisedly a purgation sometime maketh himselfe sicke in deede We perceaue by the sayde your letters that haynouser factes and words haue bene brought to your eares then there was cause why and those â—actes which were punishable be already by him redrest For the matter of Images an order was taken in y e late king of famous memory our soueraigne lords daies WheÌ„ the abused Images yet lurking in some places by negligence of them who should ere this time haue looked vnto y e same be now abolished For Images let not that be a matter of y e abolishing of all Images Though felons adulterers be punished all men be not slayne Though the Images which did adulterate gods glory be takeÌ„ away Distinction of Images we may not think by by all maner of Images to be destroyed Yet after our aduise better it were for a time to
no lesse then the learned mayster his yong scholer Now here euery man would haue his saying which I passe ouer not much materiall for to tell But sir quoth I me thinkes it is not charitably done to beare the people in hand that any man doth so lightly esteme the sacrament as to make of it a figure For that but maketh it a bare figure without any more profit which that book doth often deny as appeareth to the reader most playnely Yes quoth he that they do Sir no quoth I of a truth and as for me I ensure you I make no lesse of the sacrament then thus I say whosoeuer receiueth the sacrament he receiueth therewith eyther life or death No quoth M. Secretary scripture sayth not so Sir quoth I although not in the same souÌ„d of words yet it doth in the same sense and S. Augustine sayth in the sound of words also for Paule sayth The bread which we breake is it not the partaking or felowship of the bodye of Christ And S. Augustine Manduca vitam Bibe vitam i. eate life drinke life Then sayd mayster Pope what can ye make of it wheÌ„ ye say there is not the reall body of Christ Whiche I doe beleue c. I pray God I may neuer beleue other How can it bring as ye say either life or death The 〈◊〉 bring 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 when Christes body is not there Syr quoth I when you heare Gods word truely preached if ye do beleue it and abide in it ye shal and do receiue life withal and if ye do not beleue it it doth bring vnto you death and yet Christes body is still in heauen and not carnall in euery preachers mouth I pray you tell me quoth he how can you aunswere to this Quod pro vobis tradetur which shall be geuen for you was the figure of Christes body geuen for vs No sir quoth I but the very body it selfe wherof the sacrament is a sacramentall figure How say ye then quoth he to Quod pro vobis tradetur which shall be geuen for you Forsoothe quoth I Tertullians exposition maketh it playne for he sayth Corpus est figura Corporis i. The body is a figure of the body Nowe put to Quod pro vobis tradetur Whiche shall bee geuen for you and it agreeth exceedyng well In fayth quoth he I would geue xl pouÌ„d that ye were of a good opinion For I ensure you I haue heard you and had an affection to you I thanke you mayster Pope for your hart and minde and ye knowe quoth I I were a very foole if I woulde in this matter dissent froÌ„ you if that in my conscience y e truth did not enforce me so to do For iwise as ye do perceiue I trowe it is somewhat out of my way if I would esteeme worldly gayne â—â—prian What say ye quoth he to Cyprian Doth he not saye playnly Panis quem dedit Dominus non effigie sed natura mutatus omnipotentia verbi factus est caro i. The Bread whiche the Lorde did deliuer being changed not according to the forme but according to the nature thereof by the omnipotent word is made flesh True Syr so he doth say and I answere euen the same which once by chaunce I preached at Paules Crosse in a Sermon 〈◊〉 Ridley â—â—lsely deâ—arted for 〈◊〉 Sermâ—n 〈…〉 Paules for the which I haue bene as vniustly as vntruely reported as any pore man hath bene For there I speaking of the sacrament and inueying against them that estemed it no better then a piece of bread told eueÌ„ the same thing of Poenitentes Audientes Catecumeni Energumeni that I spake of before and I bad them depart as vnworthy to heare the misterye and then I sayd to those that be Sancti Cyprian the Martyr shall tel you how it is that Christ calleth it saying Panis est corpus cibus potus caro c. i. Breade is the body The place of Saint Cyprian â—xpounded meat drinke flesh because that vnto this materiall substance is geuen the property of the thing whereof it beareth the name and this place then tooke I to vtter as the time would then suffer that the materiall substaunce of bread doth remaine M. Fecknam which as is reported to me did belie me openly in y e same matter at Paules crosse heard all this my talke as red as skarlet in his face and herein aunswered me neuer one word You do know wel quoth M. Secretary that Origenes and Tertullian were not Catholicke but erred 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 Doctors 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 pointes Syr quoth I there is none of all the Doctors that are holden in all points but are thought to haue erred in some thinges But yet I neuer heard that it was eyther layd to OrigeÌ„s charge or to Tertullian y t euer they were thought to haue erred in this matter of the sacrament What quoth M. Chomley late chiefe Iustice doth not christ say plainly that it is his very flesh his very bloud and we must needes eate him or we can haue no life Syr quoth I if you wil heare how S. Augustin expouÌ„deth that place you shal perceiue that you are in a wrong boxe And when I began to tell S. Augustines minde in his book de Doctrina Christiana Yea yea quoth M. Secretary that is true S. Augustine doth take it figuratiuely in deed Forty yeares agoe quoth M. Fecknam all were of one opinion in this matter Forty yeares ago quoth I all held that the Bishop of Rome was supreme head of the vniuersall Church What then was master Fecknam beginning to say c. but M. Secretary tooke the tale and sayde that was but a positiue law A positiue law quoth I No Syr he would not haue it so for it is in his decrees that he challeÌ„ged it by Christes owne word For his decree sayth Nullis Synodicis constitutis neque Consilijs sed viua voce Domini praelata est Ecclesia Romana omnibus Ecclesijs in toto Mundo dicente Domino Petro tu es Petrus c. The Church of Rome was aduaunced aboue all other Churches in the world not by any Sinodicall constitutioÌ„s nor yet any counsell but by the liuely voyce of the Lord according as the Lord sayd to Peter Thou art Peter c. And in an other place he entreateth Tu es Cephas id est caput i. Thou art Cephas that is to say the head Tush it was not counted an article quoth M. Secretary of our fayth Yes sayd I if ye call that an article of our fayth which is to be beleued vnder payne of damnation For he sayeth Omninò definimus declaramus pronunciamus omnem creaturam subesse Romano pontifici de necessitate salutis i. We do absolutely determine declare and pronouÌ„ce that euery creature is subiect to the obedience of the Byshop of Rome vpon necessity of saluation And here wheÌ„ we spake of lawes and decrees M Roger Chomley
of the Conuocation neuer heard one worde of this Catechisme Cran. I was ignorant of the setting too of that title and as soone as I had knowledge therof I did not like it Therefore when I complained therof to the Councel it was answered me by them that the boke was so entituled because it was set foorth in the time of the Conuocation West Moreouer you haue in Duns translated in Romana Ecclesia pro Ecclesia Catholica i. In the Churche of Rome for the Catholicke Church Cran. Yea but he meant the Romish Church West Moreouer you haue depraued S. Thomas namely where he hath these wordes D. Cranmer charged with mistranslating Tho. Aquinas In quantum vero est sacrificium habet vim satisfactiuam Sed in satisfactione attenditur magis affectio offerentis quà m quantitas oblationis Vnde Dominus dicit apud Lucamde vidua quae obtulit duo aera quòd plus omnibus misit Quamuis ergo haec oblatio ex sui quantitate sufficiet ad satisfaciendum pro omni poena tamen fit satisfactoria illis pro quibus offertur vel etiam offerentibus secundum quantitatem suae deuotionis non pro tota poena That is In as muche as it is a sacrifice it hath the power of satisfaction But in satisfaction the affection of the offerer is more to be waied then the quantity of the oblation Wherfore the lord sayde in Lukes Gospell of the widowe which offered two mites that she cast in more thē they al. Therfore although this oblation of the quantitie of it selfe wil suffice to satisfie for all paine yet it is made satisfactorie to them for whom it is offered or to the offerers according to the quantitie of their deuotion and not for all the paine You haue thus turned it Quod sacrificium Sacerdotis habet vim satisfactiuam c. That is That the Sacrifice of the priest hath power of satisfaction c. And therefore in thys place you haue chopped in this word Sacerdotis of y e priest wheras in the translation of all the newe Testament you haue not set it but where Christ was put to death And again where s. Thomas hath pro omni poena for all paine your booke omitteth many things there Thus you see brethren the truth stedfast and inuincible you see also the craft and deceit of hereticks Weston triumpheth before the victory the truth may be pressed but it cannot be oppressed therefore crye altogether Vincit veritas i. The truth ouercommeth This disordered disputation sometime in latine sometime in English continued almost till 2. of the clock Which being finished and the arguments wrytten and deliuered to the handes of M. Say the prisonner was had away by the Mayor and the Doctors dined together at the vniuersitie Colledge Disputation at Oxford betweene D. Smith with his other Colleagues and Doctors and Bishop Ridley Aprill 17. Aprill 17. THe next day folowing which was the 17. of April was brought forth D. Ridley to dispute against whom was set D. Smith to be principall opponent Touching whych D. Smith D. Smith sent to dispute agaynst B. Ridley for so much as mention heere happeneth of hys name first the reader is to be aduertised what is to be attributed to his iudgement in religion which so oftentimes before hath turned and returned to and froe grounded as it seemeth vpon no firme conscience of doctrine as both by hys articles by him recanted may appeare and also by hys owne letter sent a little before in king Edwardes dayes to the Archbishop of Caunterbury from Scotlande Which letter I thought heere to exhibite as a certaine Preface before his own arguments or rather as a testimonie against him selfe whereby y e reader may vnderstand how deuoutly he magnified them and their doctrine a little before agaynst whome he nowe disputeth so busely Reade I beseeche thee his Epistle and iudge The true copie of a certaine Epistle of Doctor Rich. Smith declaring his affection to the setting forth of Gods sincere woorde MOst honorable I commend me vnto your Lordship doing the same to vnderstand A letter of D. Smith to Doct. Cranner Archbishop of Cant. that I wrote letters to your grace in Ianuarye last and the 10. day of Februarie declaring the causes of my sodaine vnaduised departyng from your grace ouer the sea and desiring your good lordship of your charitye towarde them that repent of theyr ill Acts to forgeue me your selfe all that wrōg I did towards your grace and to obtaine in wryting the kings maiesties pardon for me in all poyntes concerning his lawes D. Smith purposing to write for the mariage of Priestes vpon the receit wherof I would returne againe home wythin halfe a yeare at the vttermost afterwarde wryte de Sacerdotum connubijs c. a Latine booke that should be a iust satisfaction for any thing that I haue wrytten agaynste the same Reliqua què omnia dogmata vestra tum demum libenter amplexurum vbi Deus mentem meam vt ea citra cōscientiae laesionem agnoscam doceamquè I wrote not this that I want any good liuing heere but because mine absence oute of the realme is dishonour to the Kings highnes and Realme and because I must needes if I tarie heere a quarter of a yeare longer wryte an aunsweare to your Graces booke of the Sacramente and also a Booke of common places against all the doctrine sette foorth by the kinges Maiestie which I cannot do wyth good conscience Wherefore I beseeche your Grace helpe me home assoone as yee may conueniently for Gods sake and ye shal neuer I trust in God repent that facte Ex vrbe diui Andreae 14. Feb. Richardus Smithaeus And thus much touching the forenamed Doctor Rich. Smith being set heere as is sayde to dispute against Byshop Ridly Disputer◠against D. Ridley who was brought now y e next day after to the Archb. to aunswer in the diuinitie schoole Against whome also besides D. Smith disputed D. Weston D. Tresham D. Oglethorpe D. Glin D. Seton D. Cole M. Warde M. Harpsfielde D. Watson M. Pye M. Hardinge M. Curtop M. Fecknam To all them hee aunsweared very learnedly Hee made a preface to these questions but they woulde not let him goe forth in it but caused him to make an end of the same and sayde it was blasphemie and some saide he droue of the time in ambiguous things nothing to the purpose so they wold not suffer him to say his mind D. Smith coulde get nothing at his hand in so muche that other did take his argumēts and prosecuted them He shewed himselfe to be learned a great clearke They coulde bring nothing but he knew it as well as they The disputation beginneth West Prolocutor Good Christen people and brethren we haue begon this day our schoole by Gods good speede I trust and are entring into a controuersie whereof no question ought to be mooued concerning the veritie of the
I trust I haue obteined of M. Prolocutor that no maÌ„ shall exact that thyng of me which is not in me M. Latimer modestly maketh himselfe vnable to dispute And I am sory that this worshipfull audience should be deceyued of their expectation for my sake I haue geuen vp my mynde in writing to M. Prolocutor Smith Whatsoeuer ye haue geuen vp it shall be registred among the Acts. Latimer Disputation requireth a good memory Ast abolita est mihi memoria My memorie is gone cleane and maruellouslye weakened and neuer the better I wis for the pryson West How long haue ye bene in prison Lat. These three quarters of this yere West And I was in prison sixe yeres Lat. The more pitie Sir West How long haue you bene of this opinion Lat. It is not long sir that I haue bene of this opinion Weston The tyme hath bene when you sayd Masse full deuoutly Lat. Yea I cry God mercy hartily for it West Where learned you this new fanglenes Then they hist and clapt their handes at him M. Latimer confirmed by Doct. CraÌ„mers booke Lat. I haue long sought for the truth in this matter of the Sacrament and haue not bene of this mynde past seuen yeres and my L. of Canterbury his booke hath especially confirmed my iudgement herein If I could remember all therein conteined I would not feare to answer any man in this matter Tres. There are in that booke sixe hundred errors West You were once a Lutheran Latâ— No I was a Papist For I neuer could perceiue how Luther could defend his opinion without transubstantiation The zeale of M. Latymer sometymes in Popery agaynst the Tygurines In that booke the deuill doth not dissuade him so much from saying Masse as to bring him to desperation for saying Masse such temptatioÌ„s many times happen to good men The Tigurines once did write a booke agaynst Luther and I oft desired God that he might liue so long to make them answer Weston Luther in hys booke De priuata Missa sayd that the deuill reasoned with hym and perswaded hym that the Masse was not good Fol. 14. Contigit me c Wherof it may appeare that Luther said Masse and the deuill disswaded hym from it Lat. I do not take in hand here to defend Luthers sayings or doyngs If he were here he would defend himself well enough I trow I told you before that I am not meete for disputations I pray you read myne aunswer wherein I haue declared my fayth West Do you beleue this as you haue written Lat. Yea Sir West Then haue you no faith Lat. Then would I be sory Sir Tres. It is written Iohn 6. Except ye shall eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall haue no lyfe in you Here Tresham bâ—gan to dispute in Latin Which when the Capernaites and many of Christes disciples heard they said This is a hard saieng c. Now that the truth may the better appeare here I aske of you whether Christ speaking these wordes did meane of his fleshe to be eaten with the mouth or of the spirituall eatyng of the same Lat. I aunswer as Augustine vnderstandeth that Christ meant of the spirituall eating of his flesh Tres. Of what flesh ment Christ his true flesh or no Lat. Of his true flesh spiritually to be eaten in the supper by faith and not corporally Tres. Of what flesh ment the Capernaites Latimer Of hys true fleshe also but to bee eaten wyth the mouth Tresh They as ye confesse did meane his true flesh to be taken with the mouth D. Treshams argument without forme or mode concluding affirmatiuely in the 2. figure And Christ also as I shall prooue did speake of the receiuyng of his flesh with the mouth Ergo they both did vnderstand it of the eating of one thing which is done by the mouth of the body Lat. I say Christ vnderstoode it not of the bodily mouth but of the mouth of the spirit mynd and hart Tres. I prooue the contrary that Christ vnderstandeth it of the eatyng with the bodily mouth For where as custome is a right good maistresse and interpreter of things D Tresham flyeth to Custome and where as the actes put in practise by Christ doe certainly declare those things which he first spake Christes deeds in his supper where he gaue his body to bee taken with the mouth together with the custom which hath ben euer since that tyme of that eating which is done with the mouth doth euidently inferre that Christ did vnderstand his words here cited of me out of the vj. of Iohn of the eatyng with the mouth Lat. He gaue not his body to be receyued with the mouth but he gaue the sacrament of hys body to be receyued with the mouth The Sacrament geuen to the mouth the body to sayth he gaue the sacrament to the mouth his body to the mynd Tresham But my reason doth conclude that Christ spake concernyng hys fleshe to bee receyued wyth the corporall mouth for otherwyse which God forbid he had bene a deceyuer and had bene offensiue to the Capernaites and his Disciples if hee had not meant in this point as they thought he ment for if he had thought as you do fayne it had bene an easie matter for him to haue sayd * And what doth Christ els meane by these words where he sayth My words be spirite lyfe the flesh proâ—â—teth nothing You shall not eate my flesh with your mouth but the Sacrament of my flesh that is to say ye shall receyue with your mouth not the thyng it selfe but the figure of the thyng and thus he might haue satisfied them but so he sayd not but continued in the truth of his words as he was woont Therfore Christ meant the selfe same thyng that the Capernaits dyd I meane concerning the thyng it selfe to bee receyued with the mouth videlicet that his true flesh is truly to be eaten with the mouth Moreouer for as much as you doe expound for corpus Christi the body of Christ Sacramentum corporis Christi the sacrament of the body of Christ hereby do suppose that we obteine but a spirituall vnion or vnion of the mynd betweene vs and Christ playne it is that you are deceyued in this thyng and do erre from the mynd of the Fathers for they affirme by playne and expresse wordes that we are corporally and carnally ioyned together And these be the wordes of Hyllarie Si verè igitur carnem corporis nostri Christus assumpsit verè homo ille qui ex Maria natus fuit nos quoque verè sub mysterio carneÌ„ corporis sui sumimus per haec vnum erimus quia pater in eo est ille in nobis Quomodo voluntatis vnitas asseritur cum naturalis per sacramentum proprietas perfectè Sacramentum sit vnitatis That is Therefore if Christ dyd truely take the flesh of our body vpon
like yours which thing doth manifestly appeare in his writings which are agaynst it in euery place And Augustine is a reasonable man he requireth to be beleued no further then he bringeth scripture for his proofe and agreeth with Gods word West In the same place he proueth a propiciatorie sacrifice and that vpon an aulter and no Oyster boord The blasphemous mouth of D. Weston calling the Lordes table an Oyster bord Lat. It is the Lords table and no Oyster boord It may be called an aultar and so the doctors call it in many places but there is no propiciatorie sacrifice but only Christ. The doctors might be deceiued in some points though not in all things * I beleeue them when they say well Cole Is it not a shame for an old man to lye You say Doctores legenâ—i sunt cum venia you are of the old fathers fayth where they say well and yet ye are not Lat. I am of their faith when they say well I referre my selfe to my L. of Caunterburies booke wholy herein Smyth Then are you not of Chrysostomes faith nor of S. Augustines fayth Lat. I haue said when they said well and bring scripture for them I am of their faith and further Augustine requireth not to be beleeued West Origen Hom. 13. vpon Leuiticus Latimer I haue but one worde to say Panis Sacramentalis the Sacramentall bread is called a Propitiation because it is a Sacrament of the Propitiation What is your vocation West My vocation is at this tyme to dispute otherwise I am a Priest and my vocation is to offer Lat. Where haue you that authorttie geuen you to offer West Hoc facite Do this for facite in that place is taken for offerte that is offer you Lat. Facere for sacrificare with D. Weston Is Facere nothing but sacrificare to sacrifice Why then no man must receiue the sacrament but priestes onely for there may none offer but priests Ergo there may none receiue but priests West Your argument is to be denied Lat. If Christ offered himselfe at the Supper and the next day vpon the Crosse then was Christ twise offered Did Christ then offer himselfe at his supper Pye Yea he offred himselfe for the whole world Latimer Then if this worde Facite Do ye signifie Sacrificate Sacrifice ye it followeth as I sayd that none but Priestes onely ought to receiue the Sacrament to whom it is onely lawfull to sacrifice and where find you that I pray you West Fourty yeare agone whether could you haue gone to haue found your doctrine Lat. The more cause we haue to thanke God that hath now sent the light into the world West WestoÌ„s rayling The light Nay lite and lewd Preachers for you could not tell what you might haue Ye altered changed so often your communions and altars and all for this one end to spoile and rob the Church Latimer These things pertayne nothyng to mee I must not aunswere for other mens deedes but onely for myne owne West Well M. Latimer this is our entent to wyll you well and to exhort you to come to your selfe and remember that without Noes Arke there is no health Remember what they haue bene that were the beginners of your doctrine none but a few flying Apostataes runnyng out of Germany for feare of the fagot Remember what they haue bene which haue set forth the same in this Realme A sort of flyngbraines and light heads which were neuer constant in any one thyng as it was to be seene in the turnyng of the Table where lyke a sort of Apes they coulde not tell which way to turne their tailes D. Westons Apes haue tayles looking one day West and another day East one that way and an other this way They will be lyke they say to the Apostles they wyll haue no Churches A houell is good enough for them They come to the Communion with no reuerence They get them a Tankard and one sayth I drinke and I am thankfull Blasphemous lyes of D. WestoÌ„ sitting in Cathedra pestilentiae the more ioy of thee sayth another And in them was it true that Hyllary sayth Annuas meÌ„struas de deo fides facimus id est We make euery yere and euery month a fayth A runnagate Scot did take away the adoration or worshipping of Christ in the Sacrament by whose procurement that heresie was put into the last CoÌ„munion booke Who be these or where be they M. Oblocutor that will be lyke the Apoâ—tles that will haue no Churches that be runnagates out of Germany that get them tancardes that make monthly faythes that worship not Christ in all his Sacramentes Speake truth maÌ„ and shame the deuill so much preuayled that one mans authoritie at that tyme. You neuer agreed with the Tygurines or Germaines or with the Churche or with your selfe Your stubbornnesse commeth of a vayne glory which is to no purpose for it will do you no good when a fagot is in your beard And we see all by your owne confession how little cause you haue to be stubborn for your learning is in scoffers hold The Queenes grace is mercifull if ye will turne Lat. You shall haue no hope in me to turne I pray for the Queene daily euen from the bottome of my hart that she may turne from this religion West Here you all see the weakenes of heresie against the truth he denieth all truth and all the old fathers HEre all good Readers maye see how this glorious Prolocutor triumpheth but whether he hath the victorye or no that I suppose they haue not yet neyther heard nor seene And geue that he had the victory yet what great meruayle was it disputyng as hee dyd Non sine suo Theseo that is not without his tipplyng cuppe standing at his elbow all the time of his disputation notwithout a priuy notyng and smilyng of them that beheld the matter but specially at that tyme when Doctour Ridley disputyng with one of the Opponentes the sayd Prolocutor tooke the cuppe and holding it in hys hand sayd to the Opponent Vrge hoc vrge hoc Nam hoc facit pro nobis In which wordes as he mooued no little matter of laughter to the beholders thereof Vrge hoc quoth Weston with his berepot so I thought here also not to leaue the same vnmentioned somwhat also to delight the Reader withal after his tedious wearines in reading the story therof ¶ To the Reader And thus hast thou louyng Reader the whole action and stage of this Doctourly disputation shewed foorth vnto thee against these three woorthy Confessours and Martyrs of the Lorde wherein thou mayest behold the disordered vsage of the Uniuersitie men the vnmannerly manner of the Schoole the rude tumult of the multitude the fiercenes and interruption of the Doctors the full pith and ground of all their argumeÌ„ts the censures of the Iudges the railyng language of the Oblocutor with his blast of
is where iudgements be partiall and parties be addicted there all thinges turne to victorie though it be neuer so meane and simple as in this disputation might well appeare For first of the Opponents part neither was there almost any argument in true moode figure rightly framed neither could the answearers be permitted to say for them selues and if they answeared any thing it was condemned before they began to speake Againe such disturbaunce and confusion more like a conspiration then anye disputation without al forme and order was in the schooles during the time of their answering that neither could the answearers haue place to vtter their minds neither would the Opponents be satisfied with any reasons CoÌ„cerning the which disturbaunce of that misruled disputation you shall heare what M. Ridley himselfe reporteth by his owne description in maner as foloweth The reporte and narration of M. Ridley concerning the misordered disputation had against him and his felow prisoners at Oxford B. Ridleyes report of the misorder of this disputation I Neuer yet sithence I was borne saw or heard any thing done or handled more vainely or tumultuously then the disputation which was with mee in the Schooles at Oxforde Yea verely I coulde neuer haue thought that it had ben possible to haue founde amongest men recounted to be of knowledge and learning in thys Realme any so brasen faced and shamelesse so disorderly and vainely to behaue themselues more like to Stageplayers in Enterludes to set forth a Pageant then to be graue Diuines in Schooles to dispute The Sorbonical clamours which at Paris I haue seene in time past when Popery most raigned might be worthely thought in coÌ„parison of this thrasonical ofteÌ„tation to haue had muche modestie And no greate maruaile seeing they which should haue beene Moderatours and Ouerseers of others and whych shoulde haue geuen good ensample in woordes and grauitie they themselues aboue all other gaue worste ensample and did as it were blow the trompe to the rest to raile rore rage and cry out By reason wherof good christen reader manifestly it may appeare that they neuer sought for any truth or verity but onely for the glory of the worlde and their owne bragging victorie No veritie but glory sought for in this disputation But least by the innumerable railings reprochful tauÌ„ts wherwith I was baited on euery side our cause yea rather Gods cause his churches should be euill spoken off and slandered to the world through false reportes and vntrue ensamples geuen out of oure disputation and so the veritie might sustaine some damage I thought it no les then my duety to wryte mine answeres to the intent y t who so euer is desirous to know the truth thereof may by this perceiue as well those things which were chiefly obiected as summarily that which was answered of me vnto euery of them How be it good Reader I confesse this to be most true that it is vnpossible to set foorth either all that was God knoweth tumultuously and confusedly obiected of their partes being so many speaking many times all together so thicke that one coulde not well heare an other either all that was answeared on my behalfe to theÌ„ so sondry and diuers Opponents Moreouer a great parte of the time appoynted for the disputations was vainly coÌ„sumed in opprobrious checks and reuiling tauntes with hissing and clapping of hands and that in the English tongue to procure the peoples fauour wythall All which things when I with great grief of heart did beholde protesting openly that suche excessiue and outragious disorder was vnseemely for those schooles and men of learning and grauitie and that they which wer the doers and stirrers of suche things did nothing else but bewray the slendernesse of theyr cause and theyr owne vanities I was so farre off by thys my humble complaynt from doing any good at all that I was enforced to heare suche rebukes checkes and tauntes for my labour as no persone of any honestie wythout blushing coulde abide to heare the like spoken of a moste vile varlet against a moste wretched Russian At the firste beginning of the Disputation when I should haue confirmed mine answeare to the firste proposition in fewe wordes D. Ridley could not be suffered to read for hindered protection and that after the maner and lawe of Schooles afore I coulde make an ende of my firste probation which was not very long euen the Doctors themselues cried oute hee speaketh plasphemies hee speaketh blasphemies And when I on my knees besoughte them and that heartily that they woulde vouchsafe to heare me to the ende whereat the Prolocutour being mooued cryed out on hie Let him reade it let him reade it yet when I began to reade it agayne there followed immediately such showting such a noyse and tumult and confusion of voyces crying blasphemies blasphemies as I to my remembraunce neuer hearde or read the like excepte it be that one whych was in the Actes of the Apostles stirred vp of Demetrius the siluer Smith and other of hys occupatioÌ„ crying out against Paule Greate is Diana of the Ephesians great is Diana of the Ephesians and except it be a certaine disputation whych the Arrians had against the Orthodoxes and suche as were of godlye iudgemente in Aphryca where it is sayde that suche as the President and rulers of the Disputation were suche was the ende of the disputations All were in a hurly burly and so great were the sclanders which the Arrians cast out that nothing could quietly be heard This wryteth Uictor in the second booke of his Hystorie The which cries and tumultes of them agaynst mee so preuailed that wild I nild I They 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Aprill 14 I was enforced to leaue of y e reading of my probations although they were short If any man doubt of the truth hereof let the same aske any one that was there and not vtterly peruerted in Poperie and I am assured hee will say I speake the least But to complaine of these things further I will cease And further speaking of thys disputation hee concludeth with these wordes And thus was ended thys moste glorious disputation of the most holy Fathers sacrificers Doctours and Maisters which fought most manfully as yee may see for theyr god and goodes for theyr faith and felicitie for theyr countrey and kitchin for theyr beautye and belly with triumphant applauses and fauour of the whole Uniuersitie After the disputation of maister Latimer ended whych was the 18. day of April the Friday following whych was the 20. day of the sayde moneth the Commissioners sate in saint Maries Church as they did the Saterday before and Doctor Weston vsed particularly disswasions wyth euery of them and woulde not suffer them to answeare in anye wise but directly and peremptorily as his woordes wâ—re to say whether they woulde subscribe or no. And firste to the Bishop of Canterbury he said he was ouercome in disputations whome the Byshop aunsweared
holy fathers Church sauyng that one of these ix was not asked the question other wyse then thus whether hee would be an honest man as his father was before hym and aunswering yea he was so discharged by the friendship of my Lord William Haward as I haue vnderstanded He bade me tell hym what I would doe whether I would enter into one Church with the whole Realme as it is now or not No sayd I I will first see it prooued by the Scriptures Let me haue pen inke and bookes c. And I shall take vpon me plainly to set out the matter so that the contrary shall be prooued to be true let any man that wil conferre with me by writyng Steph Gardiner refused to haue the truth to be tryed by learning L. Chan. Nay that shall not be permitted thee Thou shalt neuer haue so much profered thee as thou hast now if thou refuse it and wilt not now condescend and agree to the catholike church Here are ij things Mercy and Iustice If thou refuse the Queenes mercy now then shalt thou haue Iustice ministred vnto thee Rog. I neuer offended nor was disobedieÌ„t vnto her grace The Bâ—â—shop◠〈…〉 stand bâ— theyr 〈…〉 yet wiâ—â— suffer 〈◊〉 men so doe and yet I will not refuse her mercy But if this shal be denied me to conferre by writing and to try out the truth then it is not wel but to far out of the way Ye your selues all the Bishops of the Realme brought me to the knowledge of the pretensed primacie of the Bishop of Rome when I was a yong man twenty yeares past and wil ye now without collation haue me to say and do the contrary I cannot be so perswaded L. Chan. If thou wilt not receiue the Bishop of Rome to be supreme head of the Catholike Church A fayrâ—â— tense to â—â—cuse yoâ—â— ignoraâ—â—â— then thou shalt neuer haue her mercy thou maist be sure And as touching conferring and triall I am forbidden by the Scriptures to vse any conferring and triall with thee For S. Paule teacheth me that I shall shun and eschew an heretike after one or two monitions knowing that such an one is ouerthrowen and is faulty in as much as he is condemned by his owne iudgement Rog. My L. I deny that I am an heretike prooue ye that first and then alledge the foresayd text But still the Lord Chancellor played on one string saying L. Chan. If thou wilt enter into one Church with vs c. tell vs that Gardineâ— wil 〈◊〉 to that 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 caÌ„not 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 or els thou shalt neuer haue so much proferred thee agayne as thou hast now Rog. I will fynd it first in the Scripture and see it tryed therby before I receiue hym to be supreme head Wor. Why do ye not know what is in your Creed Credo ecclesiam sanctam catholicam I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Rog. I fynde not the bishop of Rome there For Catholike signifieth not the Romish Church It signifieth the consent of all true teaching Churches of all tymes The Popâ— church pâ—â—â—ued not to be Catholicke and all ages But how should the Bishop of Romes Church bee one of them which teacheth so many doctrines y t are plainly and directly against the word of God Can that bishop be the true head of the Catholike Church that doth so that is not possible L. Chancellor Shew me one of them one one let me heare one Rog. I remembred my selfe that amongst so many I were best to shew one and sayd I will shew you one L. Chan. Let me heare that let me heare that Rog. The B. of Rome and hys Church say read and sing all that they do in their congregations in Latin Latin Seâ—â—uice which is directly and plainly against the first to the Corrinthians the 14. chapter L. Chan. I deny that I deny that that is against the word of God Let me see you prooue that how prooue ye that Rog. Thus I began to say the text from the beginning of the chap. Qui loquitur lingua Speaking a straungâ— tongue â—â—gaynst S. Paule c. to speake with tonge sayd I is to speake with a strange tong as Latine or Greeke c. and so to speake is not to speake vnto meÌ„ but to God But ye speak in Latin which is a strange tong wherfore ye speake not vnto men but vnto God * Imperfâ—â—â—tion meanyng God only at the most This he graunted that they speake not vnto men but vnto God L. Chan. Well then it is in vayne vnto men Rog. No not in vaine For one man speaketh in one tong and another in another tong and all well L. Chan. Nay I wil prooue then that he speaketh neyther to God nor to man but vnto the wynde Rog. I was willing to haue declared how and after what sort these two textes do agree for they must agree 1. Cor. 1â— To speak◠〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 To speakâ— both to 〈◊〉 and man To speakâ— neyther 〈◊〉 God not 〈◊〉 maÌ„ but 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 they be both the sayings of the holy Ghost spoken by the Apostle Paule as to witte to speake not to men but vnto God and to speake into the wynd and so to haue gone forward with the proofe of my matter begon but here arose a noyse and a confusion Then sayd the L. Chancellor L. Chan. To speake vnto God and not vnto God were vnpossible Rog. I will prooue them possible L. Haward No sayd my Lorde William Haward to my L. Chauncellour nowe will I beare you witnesse that hee is out of the way For he graunted first that they whiche speake in a straunge speach speake vnto God and now he sayth the contrary that they speake neither to God nor to man Rog. I haue not graunted or sayde turning me to my L. Haward as ye report I haue alledged the one text and now I am come to the other They must agree and I can make them to agree But as for you you vnderstand not the matter L. Haward I vnderstand so much that that is not possible This is a poynte of Sophistrie Secretary Bourne A 〈◊〉 Suaueâ— quoth Secretarye Bourne L. Chan. Then the Lord Chauncellor began to tell the L. Hawarde Anno 1555. â—ebruaâ—â— that when hee was in high Dutchlande they at Hale which had before prayed and vsed their seruice all in dutch began theÌ„ to turne part into latin part into dutch Worcest Yea and at Wittembergh to Rog. Yea but I could not be heard for the noise in an Uniuersitie were men for the most part vnderstande the Latine and yet not all in Latine And I would haue tolde the order haue gone forward both to haue answered my lord and to haue proued the thing that I had taken in hand but perceiuing their talking and noyse to be too noysome I was faine to thinke this in my heart suffering them in the meane while
day Then the B. of Winchester would haue made that text to haue serued nothing for his purpose he said he might be in heauen and in the sacrament also M. Hooper would haue sayd more to haue opened the text but all men that stood next about the Bishop allowed so his saying with clamours and cryes that M. Hooper was not permitted to say any more agaynst the Byshop Whereuppon they bade the Notaries write that hee was married and sayd that he would not goe from hys wyfe Articles taken agaynst M. Hooper and that he beleeued not the corporall presence in the Sacrament wherfore he was worthy to be depriued from his bishoprike This is the truth of the matter as far as I can truely remember of the confuse and troublesome talke that was betweene them and except it were hasty and vncharitable words this is the whole matter of their talk at that time Atque haec ille hactenus ¶ The true report of M. Hoopers entertainment in the Fleete written with his owne hand the seuenth of Ianuary 1554. THe first of September 1553. M. Hoopers report of his imprisonment in the fleete I was committed vnto the Fleete from Richmount to haue the liberty of the prison and within sixe dayes after I payd for my liberty v. pounds sterling to the Warden for fees who immediately vpon the payment therof complayned vnto Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester This good gentlewoman is thought to be Mistres Wilkinson and so was I committed to close prison one quarter of a yeare in the Tower chamber of the Fleete vsed very extremely Then by the meanes of a good Gentlewoman I had liberty to come downe to dinner and supper not suffered to speake wyth any of my friends but as soone as dinner supper was done to repaire to my chamber agayne NotwithstaÌ„dyng whilest I came downe thus to dinner and supper the Warden and his wyfe picked quarels with me and complayned vntruely of me to their great friend the bishop of Winchester After one quarter of a yeare and somewhat more Babington Warden of the fleet a wicked Tyrant to Gods people Babington the Warden and his wife fell out with me for the wicked Masse and thereupon the Warden resorted to the B. of Wint. obteyned to put me into the wardes where I haue continued a long tyme hauing nothing appointed to me for my bed but a little pad of straw and a rotten couering with a tike and a few fethers therein the chamber being vile and stinking vntill by gods meanes good people sent me bedding to lye in Of the one side of which prison is the sinke and filth of the house and on the other side the towne ditch so that the stinch of the house hath infected me with sundry diseases During which tyme I haue bene sicke the doores The barbarous cruelty of the Warden of the Fleete barres haspes and chaines being all closed and made fast vpon me I haue mourned called and cried for helpe But the Warden when he hath knowen me many tymes redy to dye and when the poore men of the wardes haue called to helpe me hath commanded the dores to be kept fast and charged that none of his men should come at me saying let him alone it were a good riddance of hym And among many other tymes he did thus the 18. of October 1553. as many can witnes I payed alwayes like a Baron to the sayd Warden as well in fees as for my boord which was xx s. a weeke besides my mans table vntill I was wrongfully depryued of my bishoprike and since that tyme I haue payed hym as the best gentleman doth in his house yet hath he vsed me worse and more vilely then the veriest slaue that euer came to the hall Commons The said Warden hath also imprisoned my man William Downton W. DowntoÌ„ M. Hoopers man stripped him out of his cloths to search for letters could find none but only a little remembrance of good peoples names that gaue me their almes to relieue me in prison and to vndoe them also the Warden deliuered the same bill vnto the said St. Gardiner Gods enemy and myne I haue suffered imprisonment almost eighteene monethes my goods liuyng friends M. Hooper 18. monethes in prâ—son Queene Maâ—y indâ—bted to M. Hooper and comfort taken from me the Queene owing me by iust account 80. poundes or more She hath put me in prison and geueth nothyng to finde me neither is there suffred any to come at me wherby I might haue reliefe I am with a wicked man and woman so that I see no remedy sauing gods helpe but I shall be cast away in prison before I come to iudgement But I commit my iust cause to God whose will be done whether it be by life or death Thus much wrote he hymselfe of this matter ¶ Another examination of M. Hooper THe xxij of Ianuary followyng 1555. Babington the Warden of the Fleete was commaunded to bryng M. Hooper before the Bishop of Winchester M Hooper againe conuented before the bishop of Winchester with other Bishops and Commissioners at the sayd Winchesters house at S. Mary Oueries where as in effect thus much was done The Bishop of Winchester in the name of hymselfe and the rest mooued Maister Hooper earnestly to forsake the euill and corrupt doctrine as he termed it preached in the dayes of K. Edward the sixt Gardiner exhorteth M. Hooper to returne to the Popes church and to returne to the vnitie of the Catholique Church and to acknowledge the Popes holynesse to bee head of the same Churche accordyng to the determination of the whole Parliament promising that as he hymselfe with other his brethren had receyued the Popes blessyng and the Queenes mercye euen so mercy was ready to be shewed to him and others if he would arise with them and condescend to the Popes holynesse M. Hooper aunswered that for as much as the Pope taught doctrine altogether contrarye to the doctrine of Christ The Pope not worthy to be a member of Christs church he was not worthy to be accounted as a member of Christes Church much lesse to be head thereof wherefore he would in no wyse condescend to any such vsurped iurisdiction neither esteemed he the Church whereof they call hym head to be the Catholicke Church of Christ for the Church onely heareth the voyce of her spouse Christ flieth the straungers Howbeit saith he if in any point to me vnknowen I haue offended the Queenes maiestie I shall most humbly submit my selfe to her mercy if mercye may be had with safetie of conscience and without the displeasure of God Aunswer was made that the Queene would shew no mercy to the Popes enemies Queene Mary will shew no mercy but to the Popes friendes Whereuppon Babington was commanded to bring him to the Fleete againe who did so and shifted him from his former chamber into another nere vnto
our selues and say our soules serue him whatsoeuer our bodoyes doe the contrary for ciuill order and pollicy But alas I know by my selfe what troubleth you that is the great daunger of the worlde that will reuenge ye thinke your seruice to God with sword and fire with losse of goodes and landes But deare brethren way of the other side that your enemies and Gods enemies shal not do so much as they would but as much as God shall suffer them who can trap them in their own counsels Gods enemies can do no more then he geâ—eth them leaue Math. 20. and destroy them in the midst of their furies Remember ye be the workemen of the Lord and called into his Uineyard there to labour till euening tide that ye may receaue your peny which is more worth then al the kinges of the earth But he that calleth vs into hys vineyard hath not told vs how sore and how feruently the sunne shall trouble vs in our labour But hath bid vs labour and committe the bitternes thereof vnto him who can and will so moderate al afflictions that no man shall haue more layd vppon him then in Christ hee shall be able to beare Unto whose mercifull tuition and defence I commend both your soules and bodyes 2. September 1554. Yours with my poore prayer Iohn Hooper To a Marchant of London by whose meanes he had receaued much comfort in his great necessitie in the Fleete GRace mercy and peace in Christ Iesus our Lorde I thanke God and you for the great helpe and consolation I haue receaued in the time of aduersity by your charitable meanes but most reioice that you be not altered from trueth An other letter of M. Hooper to a helper of his although falshoode cruelly seeketh to distayne her Iudge not my brother truth by outward appearaunee for truth now worse appeareth and more vilely is reiected then falshoode Leaue the outwarde shewe and see by the worde of God what truth is Truth is not to be esteemed by outward appearaunce and accept truth and dislike her not though man call her falshoode As it is now so hath it bene heretofore the truth reiected and falshode receaued Such as haue professed truth for truth haue smarted and the frendes of falshode laughed them to scorne The tryall of both hath bene by contrary successe the one hauing the coÌ„mendation of truth by man but the condemnation of falshode by God flourishing for a tyme with endles destruction the other afflicted a little season but ending with immortall ioyes Wherfore deare brother aske and demaund of your book the Testament of Iesus Christ in these woefull and wretched dayes what you should thinke and what you should stay vpon for a certayne truth and whatsoeuer you heare taught try it by your booke whether it be true or false The dayes be dangerous and full of perill not only for the world and worldly things but for heauen and heauenly things It is a trouble to lose the treasures of this life but yet a very payne if they be kept with the offence of God Cry call pray and in Christ dayly require helpe succour mercy wisedome grace and defence that the wickednes of thys world preuayle not against vs. We began well God preserue vs vntill the end I would write more often vnto you but I do perceaue you be at so much charges with me that I feare you would thinke when I write I craue Send me nothing till I send to you for it and so tell the good men your partners and when I neede I will be bold of you 3. December 1554. Yours with my prayer Iohn Hooper ¶ To Maistres Wilkinson a woman harty in Gods cause and comfortable to his afflicted members THe grace of God and the comforte of his holy spirit be with you Amen This Misteries WilkinsoÌ„ afterward â—yed in Exile at Franckford I am very glad to heare of your health and do thanke you for your louing tokens But I am a great deale more glad to heare how Christianly you auoyd Idolatry prepare your selfe to suffer y e extremity of the world rather theÌ„ to endaunger your selfe to God You doe as you ought to do in this behalfe and in suffering of traÌ„sitory paynes you shall auoyd permanent tormeÌ„ts in the world to come Use your life Gaynes with Gods displeasure is beggary and keepe it with as much quietnes as you can so that you offende not God The ease that commeth wyth his displeasure turneth at length to vnspeakeable paynes and the gaynes of the world with the losse of his fauour is beggery and wretchednes Reason is to be amended in this cause of Religion For it will choose and follow an errour with the multitude if it may be allowed rather then turne to faith and folow the truth with the people of God Moyses found the same fault in himselfe and did amende it choosing rather to be afflicted with the people of God then to vse the libertie of the kings daughter that accounted him as her sonne Heb. 11. Math. 5. Pray for contentation and peace of the spirit and reioyce in such troubles as shall happen vnto you for the truthes sake for in that part Christ saith you be happy Pray also for me I pray you that I may do in all things the will of our heauenly father to whose tuition and defence I commend you * To my deere frendes in God Mayster Iohn Hall and his wyfe THe grace of God be with you Amen I thanke you for your louing and gentle frendship at all times An other letter exhorting to stand fast in the truth praying God to shew vnto you such fauour that whatsoeuer trouble and aduersitie happen yâ— go not backe from him These dayes be daungerous and full of perill but yet let vs comfort our selues in calling to remembrance the dayes of our forefathers vpon whom the Lord sent such troubles that many hundrethes yea many thousandes dyed for the testimonie of Iesus Christ both men and women suffering with patience and constancie as much cruelty as Tyrants could deuise and so departed out of this miserable world to the blisse euerlasting where as now they remaine for euer lookyng alwayes for the end of this sinfull world when they shall receiue their bodies againe in immortalitie and see the number of the elects associated with them in full and consummate ioyes Heb. 11. And as vertuous men suffering Martyrdome and tarying a little whyle in this world with paynes by and by rested in ioyes euerlastyng and as their paynes ended their sorowes and began ease Consolation taken by the example of the ancient martyrs so dyd their constancie and stedfastnes animate and confirme all good people in the truth and gaue them encouragement and lust to suffer the like rather then to fall with the world to consent vnto wickednes and Idolatry Wherefore my deare frends seeing God of his part hath illuminated you with the
question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then sayd I My Lord I thinke many things be farre wide from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my Lord sayd Thou art a very varlet Math. 5. To that I aunswered that is as ill as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt beetill brow To that I aunswered D. Taylour learned in diuinitie and also in the ciuill lawe Gardiners booke de vera obedientia I haue read ouer and ouer agayne the holy Scriptures and S. Augustines workes through S. Cyprian Eusebius Origine Gregory Nazianzen with diuers other bookes through once therefore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignoraunt Besydes these my Lorde I professed the Ciuill lawes as your Lordship did and I haue read ouer the Canon law also Then my Lord sayd with a corrupt iudgement thou readest all things Touching my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lord ye did write one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscience that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord sayd tut tut tut I wrote agaynst Bucer in Priestes Mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maryed many yeares To that I aunswered I am maryed in deed and I haue hadde nine children in holy Matrimonye I thanke God and this I am sure of that your proceedinges now at this present in this Realme agaynst Priestes Mariages is the maintenance of the doctrine of deuils agaynst naturall lawe Ciuill lawe Canon law generall Counsels Canons of the Apostles auncient Doctours and Gods lawes Then spake my Lord of Duresme saying You haue professed the Ciuill law as you say Then you know that Iustinian writeth that Priestes shoulde at theyr taking of orders sweare that they were neuer maryed and he bringeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I did not remember any such lawe of Iustinian But I am sure that Iustinian Writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in Cod. that if one would bequeath to his wife in his TestameÌ„t a legacy vnder a conditioÌ„ that she shuld neuer mary agayne and take an othe of her accomplishing of the same yet she may mary agayne if he die notwithstanding the aforesayd coÌ„dition and othe taken and made agaynst Mariage and an othe is an other maner of obligation made to God then is a Papisticall vow made to man Moreouer in the Pandects it is conteined that if a man doth manumit his handmayde vnder a condition that shee shall neuer mary yet she may mary and her Patrone shall loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnaturall and vnlawfull condition agaynst Matrimony Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd thou sayst that Priestes may be maryed by Gods law How prouest thou that Scripture â—pprâ—ueth 〈◊〉 maâ—sages but â—he Pâ—pe 〈◊〉 be heard beâ—ore the Scripture Chrysost. â—alleth it an â—eresie to â—ay that a Priest may â—ot be maâ—yed I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paul both to Timothy to Titus where he speaketh most euidentlye of the mariage of Priestes Deacons and Byshoppes And Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy sayth It is an heresye to say that a Bishop may not be maryed Then sayd my Lord Chauncellor thou lyest of Chrysostome But thou doest as all thy companions doe belye euer without shame both the Scriptures and the Doctors Diddest thou not also say that by the Canon lawe Priestes may be maried whiche is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I aunswered We read in the Decrees that the foure generall Councels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedone haue the same authority that the foure Euangelistes haue And we read in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon law that the Councell of Nicene by the meanes of one Paphnutius Canon law â—â—proueth Priests maâ—iages did allow Priestes bishops mariages Therfore by the best part of the Canon law Priestes may be maried Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd thou falsifiest the generall Councell For there is expresse mention in the sayde Decree that Priestes shoulde be diuorced from their wiues Winchester â—â—lyeth the â—ouncell whiche bee maried Then said I if those words be there as you say then am I content to lose this great head of mine Let the booke be fetched 〈◊〉 â—elpeth Winâ—â—ester 〈…〉 Then spake my Lord of Duresme Though they be not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which booke the Decree was taken To that sayd I it is not like that the Pope woulde leaue out any such sentence hauing such authority making so much for his purpose Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Gratian was but a patcher thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I answered my Lord I can not but maruell that you do call one of the chiefe Papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my Lord Chauncellor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilt thou not returne agayne with vs to the Catholicke Church and with that he rose And I sayd By Gods grace I will neuer departe from Christes Church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison and my Lord Chauncellour sayde thou shalt haue iudgement within this weeke and so was I deliuered agayne vnto my keeper D. Taylour 〈◊〉 agayne 〈…〉 My Lord of Duresme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we ought to preferre Gods word before all men And thus muh was conteined in the foresayd letter of Doctor Taylour for that matter Besides this letter moreouer he directed an other writing in like maner to an other frend of his concerning the causes wherfore he was condemned whiche we thought likewise here to expresse as foloweth ¶ The copy of an other Letter to his frend touching his assertions of the Mariage of Priestes and other causes for the which he was condemned IT is heresy to defend any doctrine agaynst the holy scripture Therfore the Lord Chauncellour and Bishops coÌ„senting to his sentence agaynst me be heretickes For they haue geuen sentence agaynst the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paul to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly The B. of Wint. and his felloweâ— proued to be oâ—pen heretickes by Scripture 〈◊〉 by the true â—â—â—nition of hereâ—â— that Bishops Priestes Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of y e deuils to inhibite Matrimony And S. Paule willeth euery faythfull Minister to teach the people so least they be deceiued by the marked Marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These Byshops are not ignoraunt that it is onely S. Paules counsell
Lancaster the sayde George Marshe reporteth himselfe as followeth * How the Bishop came to Lancaster and of his doynges there D. Cotes bishop of Chester THe bishop being at Lancaster there set vp and confirmed all blasphemous Idolatry as holy water casting procession gadding Mattins mumbling children confirming The Bishops comming to Lancaster and setting vp Idolatry Masse hearyng Idols vp setting with such hetheâ—ishe rites forbidden by God but no Gospell preachyng which Christ Gods sonne so earnestly coÌ„manded He was informed of mee and willed to send for me examine me Which thinge he refused to doe saying he woulde haue nothing to do w t heretickes so hastely So hasty in iudgement and calling men heretickes are our bishops in their Lordly dignities The B. iudgeth Marsh to be an hereticke before he heareth him afore y e heare or see what is to be amended or condeÌ„ned contrary to the expresse commandemeÌ„t of gods word which sayth Condemne no man before thou hast tryed out the truth of the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteouslye Hasty iudgemeÌ„t of Byshops reproued by Gods word The vnmercifull straitenes of the Byshop toward G. Marsh in prison Geue no sentence before thou hast heard the cause but first let men tell out their tale and hee that geueth sentence in a matter before he heare it is a foole worthy to be confounded And in stead of his liberalitie towardes me poore prisoner he seÌ„t for the Iaylor and rebuked him because he suffered mee to fare so well willing to haue me more straitly kept and dieted but if his Lordship were tabled but one weeke with me I do thinke he would iudge our fare but slender enough The schoolemaster of Lancaster rebuked for comming to George Marsh in prison Popish Byshops declare themselues by their fruites to be very enemies to Gods worde Also he and his Chapleines and Chancellour did finde fault with the Scholemaister and others for speaking to one as to a most heinous hereticke and also with y e Iaylor for suffering them Such is the mercy that these religious fathers shewe to the friendles and comfortles in their aduersities If we may knowe the tree by the fruites as Christ saith no man can iudge such for any other but for very enemies to Christ and his true religion God laye it neuer to their charges but forgeue them and turne their hard hartes if it be his will But it is no new thing for the bishops to persecute the truth and the Prophetes of the Lorde for their constancie in preaching of the true fayth No new thing for Byshops to be persecutors Examples of persecuting Bishops in the old tyme. for so did their Pharisaicall forefathers if ye marke well the histories of the holye Bible Phasher was the head Bishop of the Temple the ringleader of false Prophetes the chiefe hereticke taker that is as much to saye the outthruster of true godlinesse After that the dignitie of Priesthood was geuen vnto hym he abused it For he taught not neither reprooued by the word but feared the godly with crueltie Hee not onely strocke but also imprisoned the holye Prophet Ieremye though he withstoode him not but presently looked for the helpe of God Byshop Iasan steadfastly preaching the truth of God What mischiefe the vngracious bishop IasoÌ„ wrought among the Iewes B. Annas and Cayphas destroying all godlines and setting vp abhominable Idolatrous lawes ye may reade in the iiij chapter of the 2. of Machabees How the execrable blind Byshops Annas and Caiphas which neuer spake y e truth of God themselues vnlesse it were agaynst their willes vnwittingly to their vtter destruction howe I say they pressed the truth in Christe and his Apostles is so well knowne that I neede not to rehearse it And thus much hitherto concerning the prisonment of George Marsh his examinatioÌ„s before the Erle of Darby his deputies aboue named Now proceeding further in the troublesome persecution of this blessed man let vs likewise consider the latter part of his troubles and examinations which followed vnder the bishop of that same Dioces which was Doctor Cotes the effect whereof being drawne out of his own writing here brieflye is to be seene as followeth ¶ The troubles and examination of G. Marshe vnder Doct. Cotes Bishop of Chester G. Marsh appeareth before the Bishop YE heard before how G. Marsh being first imprysoned at Lathum and afterward translated vnto Lancaster was troubled by the Earle Agayne within few dayes after the said Marsh was remoued from Lancaster comming to Chester was sent for Doct. Cotes then B. to appeare before him in his Hal no body being preseÌ„t but they twayne and then he asked hym certayn questions concerning y e sacrament who made such aunsweres as the Bish. seemed therwith to be content sauing y t he vtterly denyed transubstantiation and allowed not the abuse of y e Masse nor that the lay people shuld receiue vnder one kind onely contrary to Christes institution in which poynt the bysh went about to perswade him howbeit God be thanked all in vayne Much other talke he had with hym to moue him to submit himselfe to the vniuersall church of Rome and when he saw he could not preuayle he sent him to prison again and after being there came to him diuers times one Massy a fatherly old man one Wrench the Schoolemaister one Hensham the Byshops Chaplayne Great labour to make G. Marsh to recant and the Archdeacon with many moe who with all probabilitie of words and Philosophy or worldly wisedom and deceitfull vanity after the tradition of men and the beggarly ordinaunces and lawes of the world but not after Christ as it were all singing one song went about to perswade him to submit himselfe to the church of Rome and to acknowledge the pope to be head thereof and to interprete y e scriptures none otherwise then that churche did with manye such like argumentes perswasions of fleshly wisedome To whom the sayd George Marsh answered that he did acknowledge and beleue though much euill be withall annexed one holy catholicke and apostolicke Churche The church Apostolick without which there is no saluation and that this church is but one because it euer hath doth and shall confesse and beleeue one onely god and him onely worship and one onely Messiah and in him onely trust for saluation which church also is ruled and led by one spirite one worde The church how it is one and one fayth and that this church is vniuersal and catholicke because it euer hath bene since y e worlds beginning is and shall endure to the worldes end The nature condition and notes of the true Church and comprehending with in it all natioÌ„s kinreds and languages degrees states conditions of men and that this church is builded onelye vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head
limitted and appoynted vppon paine that euerye offender contrary to this Proclamation shal incurre the daunger and penalties contained in the sayde Statute and as they will auoide theyr Maiesties high indignation and displeasure and further answere at their vttermost pearils The powâ—â— of this world 〈…〉 Christ. And their Maiesties by this Proclamation geue full power and authoritie to all Byshops and Ordinaries and all Iustices of peace Maiors Sheriffes Bailiffes of Cities and Townes corporate and other head Officers wythin this Realme and the dominions thereof and expresly commaundeth and willeth the same and euery of them that they and euerye of them within their seuerall limites and iurisdictions shall in the default negligence of the sayde Subiectes after the sayde fifteene dayes expired enquire and searche out the sayde bookes wrytings and woorkes and for this purpose enter into the house or houses closets and secreate places of euery persone of what so euer degree beynge negligent in thys behalfe and suspected to keepe any such boke wryting or woorkes contrary to this Proclamation And that the sayde Iustices Maiors Sheriffes Bailiffes and other heade Officers aboue specified and euery of them wythin theyr sayde limites and iurisdictions fineding any of the sayde subiectes negligent and faultie in this behalfe shall commit euery such offender to Warde there to remaine without baile or mainprise till the same offender or offenders haue receiued such punishment as the sayde Statute doeth limite and appoynte in this behalfe Geuen vnder our Signes Manuel at oure Honour of Hampton Courte the thirteene day of Iune the first and second yeares of our raignes Imprinted by Iohn Cawood Anno. 1555. Articles to be enquired vppon by the wardones of euery companie touching seditious bookes especially touching the booke called A Warning for England 1 WHether they haue seene any of the forsaid bookes This 〈◊〉 called a warning England looke 〈◊〉 hereafter when 〈◊〉 come 〈◊〉 willing 〈◊〉 Inquiâ—â—tiâ—â— the 〈…〉 Articles be 〈◊〉 vpon 2 Whether they haue hearde of anye of the sayde bookes 3 Where they were and in what place they haue seene them 4 Whome they know to haue lately come from beyonde the sea especially from Zurik Strausbrough Frankford Wezel Emden and Disburge 5 Whome they knowe or vehemently suspect to be common cariers of letters or money thether from hence 6 That they bring to my Lord Maior all suche seditious bookes as they haue or shall haue found hereafter In this proclamation thou hast hearde Christian reader the profounde and learned Censure of the Catholike Churche of Englande what bookes they mislike and reiect as heretical schismatical and pernicious Against the which Catholicke censure of these learned fathers I haue not at this time to inferre neither doeth my laisure serue now to wryte Apologies in defence of these Authors here condemned Onely so much leaue it may please the reader to grauÌ„t me to set before him here a pair of balance where in to waigh the bookes on the one side condemned wyth y e bookes on the other side allowed to the end that we waying the one with the other may discern the better betwene them â—he bookes 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Papists which part wayeth best with Gods holy trueth and true catholicke church against manifest idolatrie and palpable abomination And nowe therefore as they haue in this present proclamation geuen their condemnation vpon these bookes aboue recited so I desire thee to geue thy censure vpon their bookes by them allowed and vpon the matter in them contained and marke wel what good stuff it is The Primer 〈◊〉 forth in â— Maryes 〈…〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 And first to begin with the Primer in English for children after the vse of Salisburye Imprinted wyth Priueledge according vnto the Kinge and Queenes Maiesties letters paâ—entes in the raigne of Queene Mary Lette vs repeate and suruey some part of the said Primer for to expresse all it were too long beginning wyth the firste lesson of our Ladye in these wordes Holye Marye mother most pure of virgines all mother and daughter of the king celestiall So comfort vs in our desolation That by thy prayer and special meditation we enioy the reward of the heauenly raigne c. Conferre this with the Scriptures good reader and iudge vprightly whether this doctrine â—e tollerable in the Church or not It followeth more in the second Lesson Holy Mary of all godly the godliest Pray for vs of all holy the holiest That he our praiers accept may in good wise which of thee was borne and raigneth aboue the skies c. In the third lesson Thy sonne beseeche with humble intercession To purge vs cleane of our transgression That so being redeemed we may the place ascende Where thou dwellest with him world without ende The Uersicle Pray for the people entreat for the Clergie make enter cession for the deuout womankinde 〈◊〉 meditour beâ—wene God and men the man 〈◊〉 Christ. â—alse merite let al feele thy helpe that worthely solemnise thy memoriall c. An other Uersicle Holy Mother of God make thy petition that wee maye deserue Christes promission c. And in the Antheme after Benedictus thus it followeth We beseech thee of thy pitie to haue vs in remembraunce to make meanes for vs vnto Christ that we being supported by thy helpe may deserue to attaine the kingdome of heauen Furthermore in the Collect after it followeth Wrong mediation And graunte that through the gracious intercession of the virgine thy mother wee may be deliuered from this present heauinesse and haue the fruition of eternall gladnesse It followeth moreouer in the sayde Primer thus concerning the materiall Crosse. Idolatrye to the material Crosse. O God which haste ascended thy most holy Crosse and hast geuen light to the darkenesse of the world vouchsafe by the vertue of thy Crosse to illumine visite and comfort both our hearts and bodies c. Moreouer in the name of S. Iohn Baptiste thus it prayeth Let no man 〈◊〉 in any 〈…〉 c. 1. Cor. 3. O Lord defend vs alway through the continuall succours of S. Iohn Baptist. For the more fraile we be the more nede we haue to be relieued with necessary prayers c. In which wordes note good reader not only the absurditie of doctrine but also the stolidity of the reason For where their doctrine pretendeth that saint Iohn Baptiste should pray for vs 〈◊〉 is â—aule â—â—at is â—pollo but 〈◊〉 seruants 〈…〉 â—hom you â—â—leeue â—â— Cor. 3. here we pray to God for s. Iohn Baptist that he wil heare his praier praying for vs. It followeth furthermore in the name of Peter and Paul Heare vs mercifully and graunt that through the merites of them both we may obtaine the glory euerlasting c. And of S. Andrew So lette hym O Lorde be a continuall petitioner for vs to thee c. Of S. Laurence thus S. Laurence the Deacon did worke a good worke For by the