Antichrist the other not Idols were worshipped of both nations y e profauatyng of the Supper and Baptisme was lyke vnto them both wicked superstition raigned on both partes and true worship was deformed and defaced with detestable hipocrisie Truely it is most false that they do affirme and say that I had subscribed vnto such kynde of heresies as though they had bene conformable vnto the law of God when as nothyng is more aduerse or repugnaunt therevnto for euen now of late God of hys goodnesse and mercy had opened my daâ—elyng eyes and hath drawen me out of the filthy slow of Idolatry and superstition in the which amongest others I haue so long tyme wallowed and tumbled Neither is it any lesse absurde that they affirme me to haue allured many to embrace the same except peraduenture they do vnderstand that I haue oftentymes wished that the yoke of Antichrist should be shaken and cast off from the neckes of the Scottes as it is from the Englishe men whiche thyng with a sincere and vpright heart and with an earnest mynd I do now also wish and desire The 5. Article That the Scottish nation and their Clergy be altogether blynded 5. Article whome he did also say and affirme that they had not the true Catholike fayth And this he dyd openly teach and preached also that hys fayth was much better more excellent then the faith of all the clergy in the realme of Scotland Borthwike No man will deny that people to be blynded which neyther heareth Christ nor his Apostles Such is the people of Scotland I speake of those vnto whom the veritie and truth of Christ hath not yet opened or manifested it selfe There is no cause therefore why they should accuse me of heresy Furthermore how farre of the nation and people of Scotland be from the hearyng of Christ albeit the premisses do sufficiently declare in that they do chalenge vnto the Romishe Antichrist the autoritie which Christ and hys Apostles do declare Antithesis oâ— comparison betweene the religioÌ„ of Scotâ—â—â—h men and the religion of Christ. Christ himselfe to be endued with all and that contrary to the worde of GOD they forbid priests to marry I will adde some thing more unto it where by the matter may be more euident Christ calleth himselfe the dore whereby all men ought to enter in at Iohn the x. chapter Contrariwise the Scottes doe say and affirme that we must enter in by the virgine Mary and Saint Peter Christ in the fourth of Iohn sayth The tyme shall come when as the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and truth the Scottes builde themselues hye temples and chappels for Idols in the which euen as Israell in tymes past they commit fornication Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrews and x. chapter sayth That Christ by one onely oblation hath made perfect all those for euermore which are sanctified which saying confirmeth also the wordes of Christ hangyng vppon the Crosse saying it is finished signifieng that by hys death there was a finall ende set vnto all sacrifices which are offered vp for sinnes But the Scottish church men as they are blasphemers in deede so do they bragge and boast that they daily offer vp Christ for the sinnes both of the quicke and of the dead God commaundeth vs that we shall not worship any grauen Image The Scottes do not onely fall downe flatte before Images but also offer vp incense vnto them Saint Paule teacheth vs that Christ is made our wisedome righteousnesse satisfaction and redemption The Scottes beyng wyse men in theyr owne conceites preferre and embrace traditions fayned inuented out by mans head before the lawe of God they stablish righteousnesse in their owne workes sanctification in holy water and other externall things redemption in pieces of lead which they doe buy of their great Antichrist who then will quarell with me that I doe lye that the people of Scotland are blind and that my faith which doth onely behold the word of God to be much more better and excellent then theirs The 6. Article Agreeably to the ancient errors of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus Archheretikes condempned in the Councell of Constance 6. Article he hath affirmed and preached that the clergy ought not to possesse or haue any temporall possessions neyther to haue any iurisdiction or authoritie in temporalties euen ouer theyr owne subiectes but that all these things ought to be taken from them as it is at this present in England Borthwike The Lord in the xviij chapter of the booke of Numbers sayd thus vnto Aaron The Leuiticall law is no necessary rule now binding But he meaneth here of excessiue landes possessions of Abbeyes and religious he uses addict to them but the princes may diminish or conuert theÌ„ otherwise vpon considerations thou shalt possesse nothyng in theyr land neyther shalt thou haue any portion amongest them I am thy portion and inheritage amongst the children of Israell for vnto the sonnes of Leuy I haue geuen all the tithes of Israel that they should possesse them for their ministery which they do execute in the tent of ordinaries Albeit I do not doubt but that the order of the Leuites and of our clergy is farre different and variable For the administration of theyr sacred and holy thyngs after theyr death passed vnto their posterity as it were by right of inheritaunce which happeneth not vnto the posteritie of our clergy in these dayes Furthermore if any heritage be prouided or gotten for them I doe not gaynesay but that they shall possesse it But still I doe affirme that all temporall iurisdiction should bee taken from them for when as twise there rose a contention amongst the Disciples which of them should be thought the greatest Christ aunswered The kyngs of nations haue dominion ouer them and such which haue power ouer them are called beneficiall you shall not do so For he which is greatest amongst you shall be made equall vnto the yongest or lest and he which is the prince or ruler amongst you shall be made equall vnto hym which both minister mynding thereby and willyng vtterly to debarre the ministers of hys word from all terrene and ciuill dominion and Empire For by these poyntes he doth not onely declare that the office of a pastor is distinct and deuided from the office of a prince and ruler Ciuill dominion â—â—fering from Ecclesiasticall but that they are in effect so muche different and seperate that they cannot agree or ioyne together in one man Neither is it to be thought that Christ did set or ordaine an harder law then he himself before did take vpon hym Forsomuch as in the 12. of Luke certayne of the company sayd vnto hym Maister commaund my brother that he deuide his inheritaunce with me He aunswered Man who made me a Iudge or deuider amongest you We see therefore that Christ euen simply did reiect and refuse the office of a Iudge
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
brought openly to the Cathedrall Church and so to the place of punishment where malefactours are executed and there should make open confession of their wickednes But euen at the same tyme chaunced a persecution against the Lutheranes which was the cause that this sentence albeit it was too gentle for so great offence was not put in execution For because the name of the Lutheranes was most odious they feared least the punishment of these men should not haue bene so much thought to be due for their offence The Fryers â—â—caped and 〈◊〉 Lutheâ—â—â—es puniâ—â—â—d as done in reproch of the order and many thought that whatsoeuer should be done to them it would be to the Lutheranes a pleasant spectacle and cause them much to reioice This order of the Franciscanes was esteemed of the common people very holy so that what tyme they were carried out of Paris certayne women mooued wyth pitie followed them vnto the gate of the Uniuersitie wyth many teares and sighes After they came to Orleance and were bestowed in seuerall prisons they began to boast agayne of their liberties and priuiledges and at length after long imprisonment they were discharged and set at libertie without anye further punishmente Had not these persecutions before mentioned letted the matter the King had determined as it was certaynely reported to plucke downe their house and make it euen with the ground Ex Io. Sleid. lib. 9. But to leaue the memorye of thys Idolatrous generation not worthy any further to be named let vs occupy the tyme with some better matter 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 M. 〈◊〉 tyme. in remembring the story of a good and constant Martir of the Lorde before ouerpast whiche suffered in Kent for the worde of God before Luthers time about the second yeare of this kings raigne as heere in story followeth Iohn Browne a blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus burned at Ashford by Archbishop Warrham and Doct. Fisher Bish. of Rochester about the 2. yeare of king Henry the 8. An. 1511. Persecuters Martir The cause W. Warrh Archb. of Cant. Fisher byshop of Rochester A chauÌ„try priest Walter More Gentleman William More hys brother Children of Wye Baily arraÌ„t Beare of Wilborough Two seruauntes of Wil. Warham I. Browne of Ashford At Asheford Ann. 1511. The first occasion of the trouble of this I. Brown the blessed seruaunt of God The story of Iohn Browne Martyr was by a certayne Prieste who passing downe to Graues end in the coÌ„mon Barge where the sayd Ioh. Brown was amongest diuers other passingers moe and disdayning y t hee so saucely shoulde sit so neare vnto him in the Barge who belyke seemed not muche to passe vppon the Priest began to swell in stomacke agaynst him At length bursting forth in his priestly voyce and disdaynefull countenaunce hee asked hym in this maner Doest y u know sayd he who I am thou sittest to neare me and fittest on my clothes No sir sayde the other I know not what you are I tell thee quoth hee I am a priest What sir are you a parson or vicar Talke betweeâ— Iohn Browne a proud Priest 〈◊〉 in Graues end 〈◊〉 Barge or some ladies chapleine No quoth he agayne I am a soule Priest I sing for a soule Doe you so sir quoth the other that is well done I pray you sir sayd he where find you the soule when you go to Masse I cannot tel thee sayd the Priest I pray you where doe you leaue it sir when the Masse is done I cannot tell thee sayde the priest Neither can you tell where to find it when you goe to Masse nor where you leaue it when the Masse is done howe can you then saue the soule sayd he Go thy wayes said the priest I perceiue thou art an hereticke and I will be euen with thee So at the landing Walter More William More Chilten and Beare persecuters the priest taking with him Walter More and W. More two Gentlemen and brethren rode straightwayes to the archbishop who theÌ„ was Wil. Warham Wherupon the sayd Iohn Browne within 3. dayes after was seÌ„t for by the archbishop His bringers vp were Chilten of Wye baily arraunt and one Beare of Wilseborough with two of the bishops seruantes Who with certayn other being appoynted for the same came sodenly into his house vppon him Iohn Browne sodeinly taken and caryed away the same day when his wife was churched as hee was bringing in a messe of pottage to the bourd seruing his gestes and so laying hands vpon hym set him vpon his owne horse and binding his feete vnder the horses belly caryed him away to Canterbury neither he nor his wife nor any of his friendes knowing whether he went nor whether he should and there continuing the space of 40. dayes froÌ„ LowsoÌ„day till Friday before Whitsonday through the cruell handling of the sayd Archb. and y e B. of Rochest D. Fisher hee was so piteously intreated His bare 〈◊〉 set vpon the hote coales to make him deny the truth that his bare feete were set vpon the hote burning coales to make him deny his fayth whiche notwithstanding hee would not doe but paciently abiding y e payne continued in the Lordes quarrell vnremoueable At length after al this crueltie susteined his wife yet not knowing where he was become on Friday before Whitsonday he was sent to Ashford where he dwelt the next day there to be burned In the meane time Brown brought to Ashford to be burned as he was brought to the town ouer night there to be set in the stockes it happened as God would that a young mayde of his house comming by and seeing her mayster ran home and told her mistres Then she comming to him and finding him in y e stocks appoynted to be burned the next morow Browne set in the stockes at Ashford sat by him all the night long To whome then he declared the whole story or rather tragedy how he was haÌ„dled and how his feet were burned to the bones that he could not set them vppon the ground by the two Bishops aforesayde he thanked God therfore and all to make me sayd hee to deny my Lorde which I will neuer doe for if I should deny him sayde he in this world he would deny me hereafter And therfore I pray thee sayd he good Elizabeth continue as y u hast begon bring vp thy childreÌ„ vertuously in the feare of God And so the next day which was on Whitson euen thys godly martyr was burned where he standing at the stake sayd this prayer holding vp his handes as followeth The prayer of Browne at his death O Lord I yeeld me to thy grace Graunt me mercy for my trespace Let neuer the fiend my soule chace The prayer of Iohn Browne at his death Lord I will bow and thou shalt beate Let neuer my soule come in hell heate Into thy handes I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord of truth And so
By this he would proue that Christe was then in heauen and in earth also naturally and bodily Shet This place and other must needes be vnderstand for the vnitie of persons in that Christe was God man and yet the matter must be referred to the Godhead or els ye must fall into great errour Commis That is not so for it was spoken of the manhoode of Christ for as much as he sayth the sonne of man whiche is in heauen Shet If yee will needes vnderstande it to be spoken of Christes manhoode The Coâ—â—missary brought 〈◊〉 an other 〈◊〉 conueniâ—â—â— then must ye fall into the error of the Anabaptistes which deny that Christ took fleshe of y e virgin Mary for if there be no bodye ascended vpp but that whiche came downe where is then his incarnation for then he brought his body downe with him Commis Loe how ye seeke an errour in me and yet see not how ye erre your selfe For it cannot be spoken of the Godhead except ye graunt that God is passible for God cannot come downe because he is not passible Shet If that were a good argumente that God could not come down because he is not passible then it might be said by the like argument that God coulde not sit and then heauen is not his seate and then say as some do that God hath no right hand for Christ to sit at Commis Then the Commissary affirmed playnly that it was true God hath no right hand in deede Shet Oh what a spoyle of Christes Religion will thys be that because we cannot tell howe God came downe therfore we shall say that he came not down at all and because we cannot tell what maner of hand he hathe to saye that he hath no hand at all and then he cannot reache the vtmost part of the sea O miserie at length it will come to passe that God cannot sit and then howe can heauen bee his seate and if heauen be not his seate then there is no heauen and then at length I doubt ye wil say there is no God or els no other God but such as the heathens Gods are which cannot goe nor feele Commis Why doth not the scripture saye that God is a spirite and what hand can a spirite haue Shet Truth it is God is a spirit and therfore is worshipped in spirit and truth and as he is a spirite so hath hee a spirituall power so hathe hee a spirituall seate a spirituall hand 〈◊〉 hand â—pirituall and a spirituall sword which we shall feele if we go this way to worke as we beginne Because wee knowe not what hand God hath therfore if we say he hath none then it may as well be sayd there is no Christ. Then the Commissary sayd hee woulde talke no more w t me so departed and also the Commissarye was compelled to graunt that Christes testament was broken and his institution was chaunged from that hee left it but hee sayd they had power so to doe * My first aunswearing after their law was stablished BEcause I know ye will desire to heare from mee some certaintie oâ— my estate â—â—luation the first â—â—â—minatiâ—â— of Sheâ—â—den â—fter law was 〈…〉 see the â—ommissioÌ„ I was called before the SuffragaÌ„ and seuen or eight of the chiefe priestes examined of certayne Articles and then I required to see theyr CoÌ„mission They shewed it to me and sayde There it is and the Kinge and Queenes letters also Then I desired to haue it read and so in readyng I perceaued that on some notable suspition hee might examine vppon two articles whether Chrystes reall presence were in the Sacrament and whether the churche of England be of Christes Catholicke Churche To that I aunsweared that I had bene a prisoner 3. quarters of a yeare and as I thought wrongfully reason would therefore that I should aunsweare to those thinges wherefore I was prisoner Suff. The Suffragan sayd his Commission was I must aunswere directly yea or nay Shet This Commission sayde I was not generall to examine whome he will but on iust suspicion Suff He sayd I was suspected and presented to hym Shet Then I required that the accusation might be shewed Suff. He sayd he was not bound to shew it but he commaunded me in the king and Queenes name to aunswer directly Shet And I as a subiect do require of you iustice for that I haue done I aske no fauour Suff. He sayde I was suspected Shet I bad him proue that suspicion or what cause he had to suspect Suff. Thou was cast into prison for that cause Shet That was a pretty suspicion because I had suffered imprisonment contrary to Gods law and the realme that therefore I must now for a mendes be examined of suspition without cause to hyde all the wrong done to me before For when I was cast into prison there was no law but I might speake as I did therefore in that poynte I could be no more suspect then you which preached y e same yourself not long before Suff. That was no matter to thee what I preached Shet Well yet in the king and Queenes name I must aunswere directly and therefore I require as a subiecte y t ye do not extend beyond your Commission but proue me suspect more then you your selfe Milles. Then sayd M. Milles I had written to my mother and he did see the letter wherin I perswaded my mother to my opinions Shet In that I did but my duetye to certifie her I was not prison for any euill And that was before the lawe also and therefore no more suspicion was in mee then was in them which taught the like Mill. Well yee are required here to aunswere directlye yea or no. Shet First then I require of you to proue this suspicion and thus we tossed to and fro At last the byshop sayde hee himselfe did suspect me I asked wherby Suff. Wâ—ll sayd he I my selfe did suspect thee and it is no matter wherby Shet But your Commission doth not serue you so to doe without iust suspicion Suff. Well yet did I suspect you Shet It is not meete for you to bee my accuser and my Iudge also for that was too much for one man And thus manye woordes were multiplied and they were muche greeued Milles. If you were a Christian man you would not be ashamed of your fayth being required Shet I am not ashamed in deede I thanke God Vpon this it appeareth the letters were written to the B. of Winchester by whom he was sente for after and examined if any man do come to me either to teache or to learne I would declare it but for asmuch as I perceaue you come neither to to teache nor to learne I holde it beste to aunswere you Milles. If you will not then will we certifie the kinges Councell Sheter I am therwith content that you shoulde certifie y t I had suffered thrâ—e quarters prison
the person and credite of Syr Thomas Moore The reasons of Syr Thomas More refuted Now as touching his reasons whereas he comming in with a flimme flamme of a horse mylne or a mylne horse in his owne termes I speake thinketh it probation good enough because he coulde not see him taken by the sleeue which murdered Hunne agaynst these reasons vnreasonable of his I alledge all the euidences and demonstratioÌ„s of the history aboue prefixed to be coÌ„sidered and of al indifferent men to be peased First how he was founde hanging with his countenance fayre with his bearde and head fayre kemmed hys bonet right set on his head with his eyne and mouth fayre closed without any driueling or spurging His body being taken downe The circumstaÌ„ces of Hunnes hanging considered was found loose whiche by hanging coulde not be his necke broken and the skinne thereof beneath the throate where the gyrdle went frette and faced away his gyrdle notwithstanding being of silke and so double cast about the staple that the space of the gyrdle betweene the staple and his necke with the residue also which went about his neck was not sufficieÌ„t for his head to come out His handes moreouer wroung in the wristes his face lyppes chinne doublet and shyrt coller vnstayned with any bloud when as notwithstaÌ„ding in a maner somewhat beyond the place where he did hang a great quantitye of bloud was found Also whereas the staple wheron he hanged was so that he could not climbe thereto without some meane there was a stoole set vp vpon the bolster of a bed so tickle that with the least touch in the world it was ready to fal And how was it possible that Hunne might hang himselfe vpon that staple the stoole so standing Besides the confession moreouer of Charles Iosephs owne mouth to Iulian Littell of Robert Iohnson Iohn Spalding the Belringer Peter Turner and others All whiche testimonyes and declarations being so cleare and vndeniable may suffice I trust any indifferent man to see where the truth of this case doth stand vnlesse maister Moore being a geÌ„tleman of Utopia Vtopia Morl. peradueÌ„ture after some strauÌ„ge guise of that country vseth to cary his eyes not in his head but in his affection not seing but where he liketh nor beleuing but what him listeth Finally where Sir Thomas Moore speaking of himselfe so concludeth that he hearing the matter what well might be sayde yet could not finde contrary but Hunne to be guilty of his owne death so in as many wordes to answere him agayne I perusing and searching in the storye of Richard Hunne what may wel be searched cannot but maruell with my selfe either with what darcknes the eyes of maister Moore be dared not to see that is so playne or els with what conscience he would dissemble that shame can not deny And thus by the way to the Dialogues of Syr Thomas Moore Thirdly touching the Dialogues of Alen Cope which had rather the Bishops Chauncellor and officers to be recounted among theues and murderers Aunswere to Alanus Copus for Richarde Hunne then Hunne to be numbred among the martyrs I haue herein not much to say because himselfe sayth but litle and if he had sayd lesse vnlesse his grouÌ„d were better it had made as little matter But forasmuch as he saying not much sendeth vs to seeke more in Moore so with like breuity agayne I maye sende him to William Tindall to shape him an aunswere Yet notwithstanding least Cope in saying something shoulde thinke Hunnes innocent cause to lack some frends which will not or dare not aduenture in defence of truth somewhat I will answere in this behalfe And first touching this murder of Hunne not to be his owne wilfull acte but the deede of others HuÌ„ne murdered not by himselâ—e but by others besides the demonstrations aboue premised to sir Thomas Moore now to M. Cope if I had no other euidences but onely these two I would require no more That is his cap founde so streight standing vpon his head and the stoole so tottering vnder his feet For how is it I will not say like but how is it possible for a man to hang himselfe in a silcken gyrdle double cast about a staple in suche shortnesse Not possible that Hunne so hangyng shoulde hang himselfe that neyther the space of the knot coulde well compasse his head about and yet hauing his cap so streight set vpon his head as his was Again how is it possible or can it be imagined for him to hang himselfe climing vp by a stoole which had no stay for him to stand vpon but stood so tickle that if he had touched the same neuer so litle it must needes haue fallen But Cope being something more prouideÌ„t in this matter seemeth to exceede not altogether so farre as doth M. Moore For he vnderstanding the case to be ambiguous doubtfull so leaueth it in suspeÌ„se neither determining that Hunne did hange himselfe and yet not admitting that hee died a martyr Cope denyeth Richard Hunne to dye a Martyr no more then they which are quelled by theues murderers in high way sides Well be it so as Cope doth argue that they which dye by the handes of feloÌ„s and murderers in theeuish waies be no martyrs yet notwithstanding this his owne similitude coÌ„paring the Bishops Chauncellour officers to theeues and murderers doth graunt at least that Hunne dyed a true man although no Martyr Now if the cause be it and not the paine that maketh a Marâ—yr in pondering the cause why Hunne was slayne we shall finde it not altogether like to the cause of them whiche perishe by Theeues and Robbers The cause not the paiâ— maketh a Martyr For such commonly because of theyr goodes and for some worldlye gayne to be sought by theyr death are made away beyng true men may peraduenture haue y e reward although not the name of Martyrs Whereas this mannes death being wrought neyther for money nor any such temporall lucre to redounde to his oppressors as it hath an other cause so may it haue an other name and deserue to be called by the name of Martyrdome Like as Abel being slayne by wicked Cain albeit he had no opinion of religion articulate agaynst him The cause of Abels death of HuÌ„nes compared but of spite onely and of malice was made away yet notwithstanding is iustly numbred among the Martyres so what let to the contrary but that Hunne also with him may be reckoned in the same societye seeing the cause wherefore they both did suffer proceedeth together out of one fountayne And what moreouer if a man should cal Naboth who for holding his right inheritance was slayne a Martyr what great iniury should he do eyther to the name or cause of the persoÌ„ worthy to be carped Agaynst Thomas Becket yet know M. Cope no speciall article of fayth was layd wherefore he dyed And why theÌ„ do you bestow vpon him
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
Wicket the Gospell of Sainct Iohn the Epistles of Sainct Paule Iames and Peter in English an exposition of the Apocalips a booke of our Ladies mattens in english a booke of Salomon in english a booke called the pricke of conscience  Iohn Edmundes of Burford Taylor The crime againste Iohn Edmundes for hauing a certain english book of y e cōmandemēts The foresayd Robert Colyns being sworne vpon the Euangelists did detecte these persons Iohn Harrys The crime againste Iohn Harrys For communing with hym of the first Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospel For speaking against Idolatry In the beginning was the word and the word was wyth God and God c. Also for communing of a Chapter in Mathew of the viij beatitudes  Thomas Hall Item for counsaylyng hym not to go on pilgrimage to Saincts because they were Idols  Rob. Lyuord William Lyuord Bruges Ioanne his wife Harrys his wife Rich. Colyns All these were detected for that they beeing together in Bruges house at Burford were reading together in the booke of the exposition of the Apocalyps and communed concerning the matter of opening the booke with seauen claspes c.  Iohn Ledisdall or Edon of Hungerford Iohn Colyns of Burford Iohn Colyns and his wife of Asthall Iohn Clerke of Claufield The wife of Richard Colyns of Ginge  Thom. Colyns and his wife of Gynge This Thomas was charged for hauyng a booke of Paul Iames in English  William Colyns Robert Pope of Henred Hakker of Colmanstreete in London  Stacy brickmaker of Colmōstreete For hauing the booke of the Apocalypse  Tho Phillip Laurence Wharfar of London For readyng the Epistle of Sainct Peter in English in the house of Roberte Colyns at Asthall  Ioanne Colyns his owne sister of Asthall Thomas Colyns hys cousen of Asthall Maistres Bristow of London Iohn Colyns sonne of Richard Colyns of Gynge Ioanne Colyns daughter of Richard Colyns of Gynge Henry Stacy sonne of Stacy of Colmanstreete Thomas Steuenton of Charney in Barkeshyre Iohn Brabant in Stanlake Iohn Baker weauer of Wytney  Richard Colyns The wordes of Richarde Colyns were these That the Sacramente was not the true bodye of Christ in flesh and bloud but yet it ought to be reuerenced albeit not so as the true body of christ  Thom. Colins of Gynge hys owne naturall Father The crime agaynste Thomas Colins For that eight yeares past this Thomas Colins his Father had taught this Iohn his sonne in the presence of hys Mother the x. Commaundementes and namely that he should haue but one GOD and shoulde worshyp nothing but GOD alone The sonne accuseth the father and that to worship Sayntes and to go on pilgrimage was Idolatry Also that he should not worshippe the Sacrament of the aulter as God for that it was but a token of the Lordes bodye Which thing so muche discontented this Iohn Colyns that he sayd he would disclose his Fathers errours and make him to be burned but his Mother entreated him not so to doe  Rob. Colins of Asthall The crime against Rob. Colyns That this Robert readde to him in a certaine thick booke of Scripture in English Iohn Colins of Burford appeached to the Byshop these persons her named Iohn Edmundes and his wife The crime layd to Ioh. Edmundes For that hee readde to this Iohn the x. Commaūdementes tolde him that Iohn Baptiste sayd that one shoulde come after him whose buckle of his shoo he was not worthye to vndoe  Alice wife of Gunne of Wytney  Iohn Hakker and his sonne of London This Iohn Hakker of London comming to Burford brought a book speaking of the x. plagues of Pharao Also after that an other booke entreatyng of the seauen Sacramentes  Laurence Taylor of Shordich Thomas Philip of London Philip seruaunt of Richard Colins Waunsell fishmonger of the Vise Ioane Robert Burges wife Iohn Boyes and his brother a Monke of Burford Thomas Baker Father to Gunnes wife of Whatley Agnes daughter of Iohn Edmundes The Mother of Iohn Boyes of Sedbery Edward Red Scholemayster of Burford Robert Hichman of Lechelade  Elynor Hegges of Burford This Elynor was charged that she shold burne the Sacrament in an Ouen  Iohn Through of the Priory of Burford The Mother of Robert Burges wife Roger Dods of Burford by his othe was cōpelled to vtter these persons here named Syr Iohn Drury Vicare of Windrish in Worcetershyre The crime against this Syr Iohn Drury was for that when Roger Doddes came first to him to bee hys seruaunte hee sware him vppon a booke to keepe his counsels in all thinges and after that he shewed hym a certayne woman in his house whome hee sayde to bee hys wife counselling moreouer the sayd Roger Dods vpon an embring day to suppe with bread cheese sayinge that whiche goeth into a mannes body defileth not a mans soule but that whiche goeth out of the body defileth both body and soule Also that the sayde Uicare taught him the A.B. C. to the intent he shoulde haue vnderstanding in the Apocalips wherein he sayde that he shoulde perceiue all the falsehood of the world and all the trueth He said farthermore vnto him when he had bene at the Ladye of Worcester at the bloud of hayles which had cost him xviij pence that he had done as an ill husbande that had ploughed his lande and sowen it but nothing to the purpose For he hadde worshipped mans handye worke and cast away his money which had bene better geuen to the poore for he should worship but one God and no handye worke of man Item when the people would offer candles where hee was Uicare to Mary Magdalene he would take thē away say they were fooles y t brought them thether  Elizabeth More of Easthenred Robert Pope of Westhenred  Henry Miller or Tucke by Ware This Henrye dyd shew to Roger Dods a certain story of a woman in the Apocalips riding vpō a red beast The sayd Henry was twise abiured  Iohn Fyppe of Hychenden For reading vnto the said Roger Dods a certayne Gospell in English  W. Fyppe of Hychenden and Henry his sonne This William had exhorted Roger Dods that he should worship no Images nor commit no Idolatrye but worship one God and tolde the same Roger that it was good for a man to be mery wise meaning that he shold keepe close that was tolde him for els strait punishement woulde folow  Roger Parker of Hichenhen This Parker sayd to Iohn Fyppe for burning of his bookes that he was fowle to blame for they were worth a hūdreth markes To whom Iohn aunsweared that hee had rather burne his bookes then that hys bookes shoulde burne hym  The wife of Thomas Wydemore daughter of Roger House of Hychenden Olde Wydmores wife sister to Iohn Phip of Hychenden  Iohn Ledisdall of Hungerford For reading the Bible in Englishe For reading of the bible in Robert Burges ouse at
were Picus and Franciscus Mirandula Laur. Valla Franc. Perarcha Doct. Wesalianus Reuelinus Grocinus Coletus Rhenamus Erasmus c. And here began the first pushe and assault to be geuen against the ignoraunt barbarous faction of the popes pretensed Churche Who after that by their learned writinges and laborious trauaile they had opened a window of light vnto the worlde and had made as it were a way more ready for other to come after Immediately according to Gods gracious appointment folowed Martine Luther with other after him by whose ministery it pleased the Lorde to worke a more full reformation of his churche as by their actes and proceedinges hereafter shall followe Christ willing more amply to be declared And now comming to the tyme and storye of Martine Luther whom the Lord did ordayne and appoint to be the principall organe and minister vnder him to reforme religion and to subuert the sea of the pope first before we enter into the tractation hereof it shall not be impertinent to y e purpose to inferre such prophecies and forewarninges as were sent before of God by diuers and sundry good men long before the time of Luther which foretold and prophecied of this reformation of the Church to come * Prophecies going before Martine Luther The prophesie of Iohn Hus touching the reformation of the church And first to begin with the prophecie of Iohn Husse and Hierom it is both notable and also before mentioned what the sayd Iohn Husse at the time of his burning prophecied vnto his enemies saying that after an hundreth yeares come and gone they should geue accounte to God and to to him ¶ Where is to be noted that counting from the yeare 1415. in the which yeare Iohn Hus was burned or from the yeare 2416. when Hierome did suffer vnto the yeare 1516 when Martine Luther began first to write we shal finde the number of an hundereth yeares expyred Likewise to this may be adioyned the propheticall vision or dreame An other prophesie of I. Hus touching the reformation of the church Vid. supra 630. which chaunced to the sayd Iohn Hus lying in the dungeon of the friers in Constance a litle before he was burned His dreame as he himselfe reporteth it in his Epistles writing to M. Iohn Chlum and as I haue also before recorded the same pag. 630. so will I nowe repeate the same agayne in like effect of wordes as he wrote it himselfe in Latine the effect of which latine is this I pray you expounde to me the dreame whiche I had this night I sawe y t in my church at Betheleme whereof I was person they desired and laboured to abolish all the images of Christ and did abolish them I the next day following rose vp saw many other paynters which painted both the same and manye more images and more fayrer which I was glad to behold wherupon the painters with the great multitude of people said Now let the Byshops and priestes come and put vs out these images if they cā Which thing done much people reioyced in Bethlem and I with them rising vp I felt my selfe to laugh This dreame maister I. of Chlume first expounded Ex Epist. 45. I. Hus. Then he in the next Epistle after expounded it himselfe to this effect Stante mandato Dei c. That is the Commaundemēt of God standing that we must obserue no dreames yet notwithstanding I trust that the life of Christ was painted in Bethlehem by me through his word in y e harts of men the which preaching they went about in Bethlehē to destroy first in commaunding that no preaching should be neyther in the church of Bethlehem nor in the chappels therby Secondly that the Church of Bethlehem shoulde be throwne downe to the ground The same life of Christ shall be paynted vp agayne by mo preachers muche better then I and after muche more better sorte so that a greate number of people shall reioyce thereat all such as loue the life of Christ and also I shall reioyce my selfe at what tyme I shall awake that is when I shal ryse agayn from the dead Also in hys 48. Epistle An other prophesie by Ioh. Hus. he seemeth to haue a like propheticall meaning where he sayth That he trusted that those thinges which he spake then within the house should afterward be preached aboue the house top c. And because we are here in hand w t the prophecies of I. Hus it is not to be omitted what he writeth in a certayne treatise Vid. supra pag. 630. An other prophesie by Iohn Hus. De sacerdotum monachorum carnalium abominatione thus prophesying of the reformation of the church The Church he sayth cannot be reduced to hys former dignitie and reformed before all thinges first be made new the trueth wherof appeareth by the temple of Salomon as well the clergye and Priestes as also the people and laitye Or els except all suche as now be addicted to auarice from the least to the most be first cōuerted and renued as well the people as the clerkes and priestes thynges cannot be reformed Albeit Ioh. Hus De Sacerd. monachorum carnalium abominatione ca. 73 as my mynde nowe geueth me I beleue rather the first that is that then shal ryse a newe people formed after the new man whiche is created after God Of the whiche people new clerkes and priestes shall come forth and be taken which al shal hate couetousnes and glory of thys lyfe labouring to an heauēly conuersation Notwithstanding al these thynges shal be done and wrought in continuance and order of tyme dispensed of God for the same purpose And thys God doth and wil doe of hys owne goodnes and mercy and for the riches of hys pacience and sufferaunce geuing tyme and space of repentaunce to them that haue long layne in their sinnes to amend flye from the face of the Lordes fury vntill at length all shall suffer together and vntill both the carnall people and priestes and Clerkes in processe and order of tyme shall fall away and be consumed as is cloth consumed and eaten of the moth c. A prophesie of reformation by Hierom. Pragensis Vide supra pag. 636. With this prophesie of Iohn Hus aboue mentioned speaking of the hundreth yeares accordeth also the testimony of Hierome his fellow Martyr in these words And I recite you all sayd he to answere before the most high and iust iudge after an hundreth yeares Iohn Hus. Centum reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis Hieronymus Post centum annos vos omnes cito An other prophesie of reformation by Ioh. Hilton Monke of Thuringe This Hierome was burnt an 1416. and Luther began to write an 1516. which was the iust hundreth yeare after according to the right accompt of Hieromes Prophecy Phillip Melancthon in his Apologie cap. De votis Monast testifieth of one Iohn Hilton a Monke in Thuring who for speaking against certayne
thou wilt The martyrdom of Hen. Sutphē Then another treading vpon his brest bounde his necke hard to a step of the ladder that the bloud gushed out of his mouth and nose This was done to strangle him withall for they saw that for all his sore woundes he would not die After he was bound to the ladder he was set vpright Then one running vnto him set his halbard for the ladder to leane against for those countreymen vse no commō hangman but euery mā exerciseth the office without difference but the ladder slipping awaye from the point of the halbard caused that the halbard strake him through the body Then they cast this good man with ladder and all vpon the wood which tumbling downe light vpon the one side Then Iohn Holmeus ranne vnto him strake him with a mace vpon the brest till he was dead and stirred no more Afterward they rosted him vpon the coles for the wood as aftē as it was set on fire would not burne out And thus this godly preacher finished his martyrdome Ex Epist. Mart. Lut. which was ann 1524. Ex Epist. Mart. Luth. About the same time many other godly persons such as feared God for the testimonie of the Gospell were throwne into the riuer of Rhene and into other riuers where their bodies afterward were found Diuers Martyrs secretly drowned in riuers Iohn of Diethmar Martir and taken vp Also in the saide Towne of Diethmar another faithfull Saint of God named Iohn suffered the like martirdome Thus these two blessed and constant Martyrs as two shining lights set vp of God in testimonie of his truth offered vp the sacrifice of their confession sealed with their bloud in a sweete odor vnto God At the Towne of Hala likewise another preacher named M. George for ministring in both kindes M. George of Hala preacher in Saxony Martyr was martired and slaine of a like sort of cutchrotes set vp by monks and friers to murther him neere to the towne called Haschemburge Ex Crisp. Pantal. At Prage also in Bohemia another for changing hys Monkerie into Matrimonie did suffer in like maner Ex Lud. Rab. Furthermore in the same yeare of our Lord aboue mentioned 1524. and 22. of Octob. the Towne of Miltenberge in Germany was taken and ransackt The towne of Miltenberge and diuers of the inhabitants there slaine and many imprisoned for mainteining and keeping with them Carolostadius to be theyr preacher Ex Raba Pantal. In the same catalogue of holy Martirs likewise is to be placed Gaspar Tamber Also another called Georgius Gasper Tābar George a Scriuener of Vienna Martirs a Scriuener which both wer burned at Uienna in Austria ¶ The lamentable martyrdome of Iohn Clerke of Melden in Fraunce MElden is a citie in Fraunce x. miles distant from Paris where Iohn Clerke first was apprehēded takē Ioh. Clerke of Melden Martir ann 1523. for setting vp vpon the Church dore a certayne Bill against the Popes pardons lately sent thyther from Rome in which Bill he named the Pope to be Antichrist For the which his punishment was this Ioh. Clerke scourged for calling the Pope Antichrist that three seueral days he should be whipped afterward haue a marke imprinted in his forehed as a note of infamy His mother being a christiā womā although her husband was an aduersary when she beheld her sonne thus pitiously scourged and ignominiously deformed in the face Ioh. Clerke marked in the forehead cōstantly boldly did encourage her sonne crieng with a loude voice Blessed be Christ and welcome be his printes and markes After this execution and punishment susteined the sayd Iohn departed that towne and went to Roisie in Bry from thence remoued to Metz in Lotharing where he remained a certaine space applyeng his vocation beyng a Wollecarder by his occupation Wheras he the day before that the people of that city should go out to the suburbs to worship certaine blind idols neere by after an old vse and custome amongst them receiued being inflamed with the zeale of God went out of the Citie to the place where the Images were and brast them all downe in peeces The next morow after when y e Canons Priestes Monkes keping their old custome had brought with them the people out of the Citie to the place of Idolatry to worship as they were wont they found all their blocks and stocks almighty lye broken vpon the ground At the sight whereof they being mightely offended in theyr mindes set all the Citie on a gog to search out the author thereof Who was not hard to be found for so much as this foresayde Clerke besides that he was noted of them to be a man much addicted that way he was also seene somewhat late in the euening before to come from the same place into the Citie Wherfore he being suspected and examined vpō the same at first confessed the fact rendring also the cause Ioh. Clerke taken for casting downe Images which moued him so to do The people hearing this and being not yet acquainted with that kinde of doctrine were moued marueilously against him crieng out vpon him in a great rage Thus his cause being infourmed to the Iudges wherin he defended the pure doctrine of the sonne of God he was condemned and led to the place of executiō where he susteined extreme tormēts The greeuous tormentes of Ioh. Clerke For first his hand was cut off from his right arme then his nose with sharp pinsons was violently pluckt from his face after that both his armes and his pappes were lykewise pluckt and drawne with the same instrument To all them that stoode looking vpon it was an horrour to behold the greeuous and dolefull sight of his paines againe to behold his pacience or rather the grace of God geuing him the gift so to suffer The Constancye of this blessed Martyr it was a wonder Thus quietly and constantly he endured in his torments pronouncing or in a manner singing the verses of the 115. Psal. Simulacra eorum sunt argentum aurum c. Their Images be syluer and golde the woorke only of mans hand c. The residue of his life that remayned in his rent body was committed to the fire and therewith consumed which was about the yeare of our Lord 1524. Ex Plant. Crisp. Iohn Castellane THe yeare next ensuing Iohn Castellane Doctour Martyr which was 1525. mayster Iohn Castellane borne at Tourney a Doctour of Diuinitie after that he was called vnto y e knowledge of God and became a true preacher of his word and had preached in Fraunce in a place called Barleduc also at Uittery in Partoise at Chalon in Champaine and in the towne of Uike which is the Chamber and Episcopall Seate of the Bishop of Metz in Loraine after he had laide some foundation of the doctrine of the Gospell in the towne of Metz in returning from thence he
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
martyrdome where no kinde of crueltie was sacking which the innocent Martyrs of Christ Iesus were wont to be put vnto Ex Henr. Pantal. hist Gallic The names of his persecutours in the story be not expressed Stephen Polliot Martyr Stephen Polliot At Paris An. 1546. Stephen Polliot comming out of Normandy where he was borne vnto Meaux taryed not there long but was compelled to flye went to a town called Fera where hee was appreheÌ„ded and brought to Paris and there cast into a foule and darcke prison In whiche prison he was kept in bands and fetters a loÌ„g space where he saw almost nolight At length being called for before the Senate and his sentence geuen to haue his tongue cut out and to be burned aliue his satchell of bookes hangyng about his necke O Lord sayd he is the world in blindnes and darckenes still For he thought being in prison so long that the world had ben altered from his olde darckenes to better knowledge At laste the worthye Martyr of Iesus Christ hauyng his bookes about his necke was put into the fire where he with much pacience ended this transitory lyfe Ex Henr. Pantal. The high Senate of Paris Iohn Englishe An. 1547. He was executed burned at Sens in Burgundy Ioh. Englishe martyr being condemned by the hygh Courte of Paris for confessing y e true word of God Ex Crisp. Adrian  Michaell Michelote a Taylour An. 1547. This Taylour beyng apprehended for y e gospels sake Michaell Michelot martyr was iudged first if hee woulde turne to be beheaded and if hee woulde not turne then to be burned aliue Who beyng asked whether of these two he woulde chuse aunswered that hee trusted that hee which hath geuen him grace not to denye the truth woulde also geue him pacience to abide the fire He was burned at Werden by Turney Two false brethren Leonardus de Prato An. 1547. This Leonard goyng from Dyion to Bar Leonardus de Prato martyr a towne in Burgundy with two false brethren and talkyng with them about religion was bewrayed of theÌ„ and afterward burned  Iohn Taffingnon Vij Martyrs Ioan his wife Symon Mareschall Ioan his wife W. Michant Iames Boulerau Iames Bretany An. 1547. Al these 7. beyng of the Cittie of Langres for the word and truth of Christ Iesus were committed to the fire wherein they dyed w t much strength comfort But especially Ioanne which was Simons wife being reserued to the last place because she was y e yongest confirmed her husband and al the other with words of singular consolation declaring to her husband that they shoulde the same daye be maryed to the Lorde Iesus to liue with him for euer Ex. Pantal. Crisp. alijs The Senate of paris Mischaell Maâ—eschall Ioh. Cam. Great Iohn Camus Iohn Serarphin An. 1547. These also the same yeare and about the same tyme for the lyke confession of Christes Gospell wer condemned by the Senate of Paris in the same Cittye also with the like cruelty were burned Ex Pantal. Crisp. The host of Octouien at Lyons Gabriell of Saconnex Presenteur Octonien Blondell a Marchaunt of precious stones At paris An. 1548. This Octouien as he was a great occupyer in al fayres countryes of Fraunce Octouien martyr and well knowne both in Court els where so was he a singular honest man of great integritie and also a fauourer of Gods word Who beyng at his hostes house in Lyons rebuked the filthy talk and superstitious behauiour whiche there he heard saw Wherfore the host bearing to him a grudge chanced to haue certayne talke with Gabriell of Sacconex Presenteur concerning the riches and a sumptuous coller set with riche iewels of this Octouien Thus these two coÌ„sulting together dyd suborne a certayn person to borowe of hym a certayne summe of crownes Which because Octouien refused to lend the other caused hym to be apprehended for heresie thinking thereby to make atachment of hys goodes But such order as was taken by Blondels friendes that they were frustrate of their purpose Then Blondell being examined of hys fayth gaue a playne and ful confession of that doctrine which he had learned for the whiche he was committed to prison where he dyd much good to the prisoners there For some y t were in debt he payd theyr creditors and loosed them out To some he gaue meate to other rayment Faith ioyned with good workes At length thorough the importune perswasions of his parents and frendes he gaue ouer and chaunged hys confession Notwithstanding the Presenteur not leauyng so appealed hym vp to y e high court of Paris There Otouien beyng asked agayne touching hys fayth which of hys two confessions he woulde stick to he being before admonished of his fal and of the offence geuen thereby to the faithfull said he would liue dye in his first confession which he defeÌ„ded to be consonaÌ„t to the verity of Gods word Which done he was coÌ„demned to be burned and so hast was made to his execution least his frendes in the court might come betweene and saue his life Ex Ioan. Crisp. Lib. 6.  Hubert Cheriet Martyre Hubert Cheriet alias Burre a yong man a Taylour At Dyion An. 1549. Hubert beyng a young man of the age of xix yeares was burned for the Gospell at DyioÌ„ who neyther by any terroures of death nor allurementes of hys parentes coulde be otherwyse perswaded but constantly to remayne in the truth vnto death Ibid. peter Lisetus president of the Counsaile of paris and other Sorbonistes M. Florent Venote Florent Venote martyr priest At paris An. 1549. This Florent remayned in prison in Paris 4. yeares and 9 hours During which tyme there was no torment which he did not abide and ouercome Among al other kindes of torments he was put in a narrowe prisoÌ„ or brake so strait that he coulde neyther stand nor lye whiche they call the hoase or boote ad Nectar Hippocratis because it is strait beneath and wyder aboue like to the instrument where with Apocatheries are wont to make their hipocras In this he remayneth 7. weekes where the tormentors affirme that no thiefe nor murderer coulde euer endure xv dayes but was in daunger of lyfe or madnes At last when there was a great shew in Paris at the kings comming into the Citty and diuers other Martyrs in sondry places of the Cittye were put to death he hauing hys tongue cut off was brought to see the execution of them all and last of all in y e place of Maulbert was put in the fire and burned the ix of Iuly at after noone Ex Ioan Crisp.  Anne Audebert an Apothecaryes wife and wydow At Orleance An. 1549. She going to Geneua was taken brought to Paris Anne Audebert martyr and by the Counsayle there iudged to bee burned at Orleance WheÌ„ y e rope was put about her shee called it her wedding girdle wherwith she
pretermittyng nothing that may defeÌ„d the law of his realme The which if your most renowmed king of Scotland will follow he shal purchase to himself eternal glory Further as touchyng the condigne coÌ„mendation due for your part most reuereÌ„d Byshop in this behalfe it shall not be the least part of your prayse that these heresies haue bene extinct sometimes in ScotlaÌ„d you being Primate of ScotlaÌ„d and principal authour therof Albeit that they also which haue assisted you are not to be defrauded of their deserued prayse as the reuereÌ„d Byshop of Glasgow of whose erudition we haue here geueÌ„ vs partly to vnderstand and also the Reuerend Byshop of Aberden a stoute defender of the fayth together with the rest of the Prelates Abbottes Priours and professors of holy Scripture Let your Reuerend Fatherhood take this little testificate of our duety toward you in good part whom we wishe long and happely well to fare in Christ. From Louane An. 1528. Aprill 21. By the Maisters and professours of Theologie in the Vniuersitie of Louane yours to commaunde ¶ In this Epistle of the Louanian Doctours I shall not neede geÌ„tle Reader to note vnto thee what a pernitious thyng in a coÌ„mon wealth is blynd ignoraunce wheÌ„ it â—alleth into cruell hartes Which may well be compared to a sword put in the handes of one that is both blynd and mad For as the blynd man hauyng no sense to see iudge knoweth not whom he striketh so the madde man beyng cruell furious hath no coÌ„passion in sparyng any Wherupon it happeneth many tymes with these men as it dyd with the blynd furious Phariseis that as they hauing the sword of authoritie in their haÌ„des in stede of malefactours and false Prophetes slue the true Prophetes of God and at last crucified the kyng of glory so these Catholicke Louanians and folowers of their Messias of Rome take in their handes the sworde of iurisdiction who neither seyng what to spare nor caring whom they smite vnder the stile and pretense of heretickes murther and blaspheme without mercy the true Preachers of the Gospell and the holy annoynted of the Lord. But to returne to the matter agayne of M. HameltoÌ„ here is moreouer to be obserued as a note worthy of memory that in the yeare of the Lord. 1564. in y t which yeare this present history was collected in Scotland there were certaine faythfull men of credite theÌ„ aliue who beyng present the same tyme when M. Patrike Hamelton was in the fire A maruelous exaÌ„ple of Gods iust punishment vpon the accuser persecuter of M. Hamelton heard him to cite appeale the blacke Frier called CaÌ„pbel that accused him to appeare before the high God as general iudge of all meÌ„ to aunswere to the innoceÌ„cy of his death and whether his accusation was iust or not betwene that a certaine day of the next moneth which he there named Moreouer by the same witnes it is testified that y e sayd Frier died immediately before y e sayd day came without remorse of conscience that he had persecuted the InnoceÌ„t By the example wherof diuers of the people the same tyme much mused and firmely beleued the doctrine of the foresayd M. Hamelton to be good and iust Hereunto I thought good to adioyne a certaine godly and profitable treatise of the sayd M. Patrike Hamelton A treatise of M. Patricke Hamelton called Patricks places written first by him in Latine and afterward traÌ„slated by Iohn Frith into English which he names Patriks Places not vnprofitable in my mynde to be sene and read of all men for the pure and comfortable doctrine conteyned in the same as not onely by the Treatise it selfe may appeare but also by the Preface of the sayd Iohn Frith prefixed before which also I thought not inconuenient to insert with the same as here foloweth ¶ A brief treatise of M. Patrike Hamelton called Patrikes Places translated into Englishe by Iohn Frith with the Epistle of the sayd Frith prefixed before the same as followeth * Iohn Frith vnto the Christian Reader BLessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ whiche in these last dayes and perillous tymes hath stirred vp in all couÌ„treys witnesses vnto his sonne to testifye the truth vnto the vnfaythfull The preface of I. Fâ—ith before Patricks places to saue at the least some from the snares of Antichrist which leade to perdition as ye may heere perceaue by that excellent and well learned yong man Patrike Hamelton borne in Scotland of a noble progeny who to testifie the truth sought all meanes and tooke vpon him Priesthode euen as Paule circumcised Timothy to winne the weake Iewes that he might be admitted to preache the pure worde of God Notwithstanding as soone as the Chamberleyne and other Byshops of Scotlande had perceaued that the light began to shine whiche disclosed theyr falsehood that they conueyed in darkenes they layd handes on him and because he would not deny his Sauiour Christ at theyr instance they burnt him to ashes Neuerthelesse God of his bounteous mercy to publish to the whole worlde what a man these monsters haue murthered hath reserued a little treatise made by this Patrike Patricks places which if ye list ye may call Patrickes Places For it treateth exactly of certayne common places which knowen yee haue the pith of all Diuinitie This treatise haue I turned into the English tong to the profit of my nation to whome I beseech God to geue light that they may espye the deceitfull pathes of perdition and returne to the right way which leadeth to life euerlasting Amen ¶ The doctrine of the Lawe What the Lawe is THE Lawe is a doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth euill as the Commaundements do specifie heere following The ten Commaundements of God A diuisioÌ„ of the CoÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts Exod. 20. 1. Thou shalt worship but one God 2. Thou shalt make thee no Image to worship it 3. Thou shalt not sweare by his name in vayne 4. Hold the Sabboth day holy 5. Honour thy father and thy mother 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit aduoutry 8. Thou shalt not steale 9. Thou shalt not beare false witnes 10. Thou shalt not desire ought that belongeth to thy neighbour All these Commaundements are briefly comprised in these two heere vnder ensuing Loue thy Lord God with all thine hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynde The loue of God The loue of our neighbour Math. 22. This is the first and great commaundement The second is like vnto this that is loue thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two commaundements hangeth all the Lawe and the Prophetes Certayne generall propositions prooued by the Scripture ¶ The first proposition The first proposition Probation 1. Iohn 4. ¶ He that loueth God loueth his neighbour This proposition is proued 1. Iohn 4. If a man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a lyer He that loueth not hys
or al saynts of Barking An other apperaunce where as he ministred these interrogatories vnto him First y t since y e feast of Easter last past he sayd affirmed and beleued that the sacrament of the altar was but a misticall body of Christ and afterwarde he sayd it was but a memoriall y t which article Bainham denied The the vicar general declared vnto him that our holy mother y e catholick church determineth teacheth in this maner that in the sacramēt of the altar after the words of consecration there remaineth no bread The officiall asked Bainhā whether he did so beleue or not Wherunto Bainham answered saying that S. Paul calleth it bread S Paul calleth the sacrament bread rehearsing these words Quotiescunque comederitis panem hunc de poculo biberitis mortem Domini annunciabitis and in that poynt he sayth as S. Paul sayth and beleueth as y e church beleueth And being demaunded twise afterward what he thought therin he would geue no other answere Item that since the feast of Easter aforesaid he had affirmed beleued that euery man that would take vpō him to preach the Gospel of Christ clearly True preachers haue as much power of the keyes as the Pope had as much power as the Pope To the which article he aunswered thus He that preacheth the word of God whatsoeuer he be and liueth thereafter he hath the key that bindeth and looseth both in heauen and earth The which key is the same scripture that is preached and the Pope hath no other power to binde and to loose but by the key of the Scripture Item that he affirmed that S. Thomas of Canterbury was a thiefe and a murderer in hel Articles falslye depraued Wherunto he answered as before Item that he sayde he had as leue pray to Ioane hys wife as to our Lady the which he denyed as before Item that he affirmed beleued that Christ himselfe was but a man the which article he also denyed The premisses thus passed the vicar generall receiued Frances Realms Iohn Edwards Raphe Hilton Iohn Ridly Frances Dryland and Raphe Noble as witnesses to be sworne vpon the articles aforesayd Witnes agaynst M. Baynham and to speake the truth before the face of the sayd Iames Bainhā in the presence of M. Iohn Nayler Uicar of Barking M. Iohn Rode Bacheler of diuinity Williā Smith Richard Griuel Tho. Wimple and Richard Gill. The 26. day of Aprill in the yeare aforesayd before M. Ioh. Foxford vicar general of the bish of Londō The last appearance of Iames Baynham in y e presence of Mathew Greftō Register and Nicolas Wilson Will Philley professors of diuinity Iohn Oliuer Williā Midleton Hugh Apprise doctors of the law M. Richard Gresham Sheriffe of London a great cōpanye of others Iames Bainham was brought forth by the Lieutenaunt of the Tower in whose presence the vicar general rehearsed the merites of the cause of inquisition of heresye agaynst him proceded to y e reading of the abiuratiō And whē the Iudge read this article folowing conteined in the abiuration Itē Soules departed that I haue said that I wil not determine whether any soules departed be yet in heauen or no but I beleue that they be there as it pleaseth God to haue them that is to say in the fayth of Abraham I wote not whether the soules of the apostles or any other be in heauen or no. To this Iames aunswered that I did abiure and if that had not bene I would not haue abiured at all After all the articles were read conteined in the abiuration certeine talke had as touching the sacrament of baptisme the sayd Iames Bainham spake these words If a Turke a Iew The sacrament of Baptisme or Sarasen do trust in God keepe hys law he is a good Christian manne Then the Officiall shewed vnto him the letters which he sent vnto his Brother written with his owne hand and asked him what he thought as touching this clause folowing Yet could they not see and know him for God when in deed he was both God man yea he was three persons in one the father y e sonne and the holy ghost Wherunto Bainham said that it was nought that he did it by ignorance did not ouersee his letters Thē M. Nicholas Wilson amongest other talke as touching the sacrament of the alter The sacrament of the aultar declared vnto him that the church did beleue the very body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the alter Bainham aunswered The bread is not Iesus Christ for Christes body is not chewed with teeth therefore it is but bread Being further demaunded whether in the sacrament of the altar is the very body of Christ God and man in flesh and bloud after diuers doubtfull aunsweres Bainham aunswered thus He is there very God and man in forme of bread This done the Officiall declared vnto him the depositions of the witnesses which were come in agaynst him obiected vnto him that a litle before Easter he had abiured all heresies as well particularly as generally Then the sayd vicar generall after he had takē deliberation aduise with the learned his assistantes did proceed to the reading of the definitiue sentence agaynst him also published the same in writing wherby amongest other thinges besides his abiuration Sentence read against Baynhā he pronounced condemned him as a relapsed hereticke damnably fallen into sundry heresies so to be left vnto the secular power that is to say to one of y e Sherifs being there presēt After the pronoūcing of which sentence M. Nicolas Wilson counselled admonished tha said Iames y t he would conforme himself vnto the church To whō he aunswered that he trusted that he is the very childe of God which ye blinde Asses sayd he doe not perceiue And last of al departing frō his iudgement he spake these wordes The wordes of Iames Baynham to M. Wilson M. Wilson nor you my Lord Chauncellor shall not proue by scripture that there is any Purgatorye Then the sentence of condemnation was geuen agaynste him the which here to repeat word for word is not necessary for so much as the tenour thereof is all one with that which passed before in the story of Bayfeld aliâs Somersam Here also should ensue the letter of the Bishop of Lōdon directed vnto the Maior and Sheriffes of the same city for the receiuing of him into their power that putting of him to death the tenor wherof is also of like effect to that before written in the story of Bayfeld After this sentence geuen Iames Bainham was deliuered into the handes of Syr Richarde Gresham Sheriffe then being present who caused him by his Officers to be caryed vnto Newegate the said Iames Baynham was burned in Smithfielde the last day of Aprill in the yeare aforesayd at three a clocke at afternoone This M. Bainham
in such sort that how much better the man is so much y e lesse he should liue vnto himselfe but vnto other seruing for the common vtilitie that we should think a greate parte of our byrth to be due vnto our parentes a greater part vnto our country the greatest part of all to be bestowed vpon the Churche if we will be counted good men First of all he begaÌ„ hys study at Cambridge Iohn Fryth first studient in CaÌ„bridge In whoÌ„ nature had planted being but a child maruelous instructions loue vnto learning whereunto he was addict He had also a wonderful promptnes of wit a ready capacitie to receaue and vnderstand any thing in so much that he seemed not to be sent vnto learning but also borne for the same purpose neyther was there any diligence wanting in him equall vnto that towardnes or worthy of his disposition Commendation of Frytheâ— learning Whereby it came to passe that he was not onely a louer of learning but also became an exquisite learned man In the which exercise wheÌ„ he had diligently laboured certayn yeres not without great profite both of Latine and Greeke at the last he fell into knowledge and acquayntaunce with William Tindall through whose instructions he first receaued into his hart the seede of the Gospell and sincere godlines At that time Tho. Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke prepared to build a Colledge in Oxford The College in Oxford of Frydeswide now called Christes Colledge maruelous sumptuous which had the name title of Frideswide but now named Christes Church not so much as it is thought for y e loue zeale that he bare vnto learning as for an ambitious desire of glory renoume to leaue a perpetual name vnto the posteritie But that building he being cut of by y e stroke of death for he was sent for vnto y e king accused vpon certaine crimes and in the waye by immoderate purgations killed him self least partly begun partly halfe ended vnperfect and nothing els saue only the kitchin was fully finished Wherupon Rodulphus Gualterus a learned maÌ„ being then in Oxford beholding the Colledge sayd these wordes in Latine The saying of Rodolphus Cualterus touching the Cardinals Colledg Egregium opus Cardinalis iste instituit collegium et absoluit popinam Howe large ample those buildings should haue ben what sumptuous cost should haue bene bestowed vpon the same may easily be perceiued by y t that which is already buylded as the kitchin the hall and certain chambers where as there is such curious grauing and workemanship of stone cutters that all things on euery side did glitter for the excellency of the workmaÌ„ship for the finesse of y t matter with the gilt antikes embossings in so muche that if all the rest had bene finyshed to that determinate end as it was begun it might well haue excelled not onelye all Colledges of studentes but also palaces of Princes This ambitious Cardinal gathered together into that Colledge what soeuer excellent thing there was in the whole realme eyther vestments vessels or other ornaments beside prouision of all kind of precious things Besides that he also appointed vnto that coÌ„pany all such men as were found to excell in anye kinde of learning knowledge Whose names to recite all in order would be to loÌ„g The chiefe of them whiche were called from Cambridge were these M Clarke Maister of art of xxxiiij yeares of age M. Fryer afterward Doctour of Phisicke after that a strong papist M. Sumner maister of Art M. Harman maister of Art and after felow of Eaton Colledge after that a papist M. Bettes maister of Art a good man and zelous and so remayned M. Coxe maister of Art who conueyed him selfe away toward the North and aftrr was Schoolemaister of Eaton and then Chaplayne to Doctor Goodrich Bishop of Ely and by him preferred to king Henry and late Byshop of Ely Iohn Frith Bacheler of Art Bayly Bacheler of Art Goodman who being sicke in the prison with the other was had out and dyed in the towne Drumme who afterwardes fell away and forsooke the truth Thomas Lawney Chapleine of the house prisoner with Iohn Frith To these ioyne also Tauerner of Boston the good Musitian This Tauerner repented him very muche that he had made songes to Popishe dâ—tties in the tyme of hys blindenes besides manye other called also out of other places moste pyked young men of graue iudgement and sharpe wittes who conferring together vpon the abuses of relygion being at y t time crept into y e Church were therfore accused of heresie vnto the Cardinall and cast into a prison within a deepe caue vnder the grouÌ„d of the same Colledge where their salt fyshe was layde so that through the fylthie stinche thereof they were all infected and certaine of them taking their death in the same prison shortly vpon y e same being taken out of the prison into their chambers there deceased The troublers and examiners of these good men were these Persecuters Doct. London Doctor Higdon Deane of the same Colledge and Doct. Cottesford Commissary M Clarke M. Sumner Syr Baily killed through imprisonment Maister Clarke maister Sumner and Syr Bayly eating nothing but saltfishe from Februarie to the middest of August dyed all three together within the compasse of one weeke Maister Bettes a wittie man hauyng no bookes fouÌ„d in hys chamber through entreatie and suertie gote out of prison and so remayning a space in y e Colledge at last slipt away to Cambridge and after was Chapleine to Queene Anne and in great fauour with her Tauerner although he was accused and suspected for hidinge of Clarkes bookes vnder the bordes in his schoole yet the Cardinal for his musicke excused him saying that he was but a Musitian and so he escaped After the death of these men Iohn Frith with other by the Cardinalles letter which sent word that he would not haue them so straightly handled were dismissed out of prison vpon condition Of this Dalaber reade more in the story of Tho. Garret not to passe aboue ten myles out of Oxford Which Frith after hearing of the examination of Dalaber and Garret which bare then fagottes went ouer the sea and after two yeares he came ouer for exhibition of the Prior of Reading as is thought and had y â— Prior â—uer with him Bâ—yng at Reading Iohn 〈◊〉 set in the stockes a Reading it happened that he was there taken for a vacabond brought to examination where the simple man whiche coulde not craftily enough colour him selfe was set in the stockes Where after he had sitten a loÌ„g time and was almost pined with hunger and woulde not for all that declare what he was Leonard Coxe Schoolemaister of Reading at the last hee desired that the Scholemaister of the towne might be brought to hym which at that time was one Leonard Coxe a maÌ„ very wel learned As
the Priest of whom speaketh your demaund offendeth but mans law if he do that For in the Decrees it is written I weene it be in a glose and certainely I wote not whether it be in the text or no A priest fornicating is more to be punished then a priest maryyng by the Popes of â—â—e lawes To the 33. article I can lightly turn to it hauing a booke The sentence is thus Presbyter fornicans est plus puniend us quà m vxorem ducens That is to say a priest doing fornicatioÌ„ ought to be punished more theÌ„ one which hath married a wife Finally I thinke such a priest as before is named in your demaunde sinneth not deadly ¶ In the xxxiij where you aske whether a Latin Priest after he hath taken the order of Priesthode being sore and oft troubled and stirred with prickings of lust or lechery therfore marying a wife for a remedy of the same do sinne deadly I say that a Latin Priest and a Greeke Priest is al one before God if they folow both one rule of Christ left to vs in holy Scripture neither doth Christ put any such difference but the one hath by that rule the same libertye y t an other and no more nor lesse for there is the same God iâ— Greece Mariage of Priestes as well Latin aâ— Greeke permitted a 〈◊〉 in the Scripture that is here hath left one way for vs to liue after both here and there And therfore I can not see by his law but that a Latin Priest may mary as wel as they do And if the Greeks should not folow Christes law in beleuing the same and liuing thereafter you would call them heretickes But that will not the Pope haue done Wherfore seeing they do let Priests mary affirming it may so be done by the law of God and yet are not reputed heretiks why should other meÌ„ that say the same be called heretiks or be therfore burned Therfore folowing the law of God I make the same answere of a Latin Priest that I made before of all Priestes that a Priest not hauing the gift of chastitity is bound to mary for auoyding fornication ¶ In the xxxiiij where you do aske whether euer I praied for Iohn wickleffe The Greeke Churches 〈◊〉 priests to marry Iohn Hus. and for Hierome of Prage condemned of heresie in the Councell of Constance or for any one of them sith they died and whether I haue openly or secretly done any deedes of charitie for them affirming them to be in blisse and saued I say that I neuer prayed for any of them so farre foorth as I can remember And though I had it foloweth not that in so doing I shoulde be an hereticke To the 34. article For you note well that there is a mightie great countrie called Boheme which yet do follow as meÌ„ say that same doctrine which Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage taught their Auncetors whom as I trowe neyther the Pope nor you do recount heretikes and infidels ¶ In the 35. where you aske whether I haue recounted and sayd them or any of them to be Saintes and worshipped them as Saintes I say that in such secreâ—e and hidde thinges To the 35. article which I doe not perfectly knowe I followe the Councel of Paul which biddeth that we should not iudge ouer soone but to abide vnlesse the thinges whiche we should passe vpon be the more euident vntill the coÌ„ming of the Lord which shall illumine and shewe foorth clearely thinges that now lye hid in darcknes Therefore hetherto haue I neither iudged with them ne agaynst them but haue resigned suche sentence to the knowledge and determination of God whose iudgement I wotte is infallible And where as you say they were condemned of heresie in the Councel of Constance if so the counsell did right God shall allow it I doubt not and that shall suffice to haue commendation of him So that it is not neede to aske of me whether the acts of the same are coÌ„mendable or no Neither caÌ„ I geue any direct answere therto for I do not verily know theÌ„ And though I did yet am not I verily perswaded that I because the Councell hath condemned them must therefore beleue them to be damned for a CouÌ„cell as I weene may sometime slip beside the right truth but what that Councell did in condemning them Councels may sometyme slippe awrye I can not precisely say God worteth Yea and that one singular person may iudge more rightly then a great multitude assembled in a Counsel appeareth both by Gods law and by the law of man Experience hereof may you see by the Councell that is spoken of in the 11. of Iohn where is shewed that after our sauiour had restored Lazarus to life the bishops and Phariseis then were gathered in a CouÌ„cell saying what shall we doe Truth it is that this man Iesus doth many miracles and if wee suffer him thus all the world will beleue him whereupon the Romaines will come and put vs out of IerusaleÌ„ our dwelling place Iohn 11. and destroy our nation At which time Cayphas did arise shewing forth his sentence which the whole Councell did admitte In likewise is shewed Actes v. where in a Councell of the Bishops and Priestes assembled to know what punishment should be done vnto Christes Apostles Actes 5. for because they preached in the name of Christ contrary to the precept of them for they before had commauÌ„ded the Apostles no more to speake in Christes name there among a shrewde multitude of them gathered together did arise a certaine wise man called Gamaliel a pitifull thyng verely to see but one good man in such a great Conuocation or CouÌ„cell of Priests y t shuld be y e lightes of vertue to all the people which Gamaliel was a Doctour of the law had in good reputation among y e people Gamaliell and Doct. Collet compared togeather much like he was as seemed to me to Doct. Collet sometyme Deane of Paules in London while hee lyued I may come no neare for to name some other of our tyme least I should bee thought offensiue This Gamaliell did byd the Apostles go aside for a while out of the Councell or conuocation house so he spake vnto the other Priestes or Bishops in the Councell thus You men quoth he of Israell take heede to your selues what you shall do vpon these men the Apostles The councell of Gamaliel to the Phariseis For afore this tyme haue risen one called Teudas and after him an other named Iudas of Galilee which haue turned the people after them and in conclusion they perished and all they that followed after them vanished away And now quoth he I say vnto you refrayne from hurtyng these men the Apostles and let them alone or suffer theÌ„ For if this enterprise and worke that they haue made be of men vndoubtedly it shall perishe be fordone but if quoth
non dubites tanquam Deum in eodem templo Dei esse tanquam inhabitantem Deum in loco aliquo coeli propter veri corporis modum Thou shalt not doubt Christ our Lorde the onely sonne of God equall with his father and the same being the sonne of man whereby the father is greater is presente euery where as God and is in one and the â—ame Temple of God as God and also in some place of heauen as concerning the true shape of hys body Thus finde we clearely that for the measure of his very bodye he must be in one place and that in heauen as concerning hys manhode and yet euery where present in that he is the eternall sonne of God equall to his father Like testimonie doeth he geue in the 30. Treatise that he maketh vpon the Euangelie of Iohn These be his woordes there written Donec saeculum finiatur sursum est Dominus sed etiam hic est veritas Domini c. Vntill the worlde be at an ende the Lord is aboue but heere is the truth of the Lorde also for the body of our Lorde in which hee rose must be in one place August in Ioan. tract 30. but hys trueth is abroad in euery place The first parcell that is vntill the worldes ende is so put that it may ioyne to the sentence going before or else to these woordes following The Lorde is aboue c. And so shoulde it well accorde to my sentence before shewed whyche is the Lorde is so bodely ascended that in hys naturall body he cannot againe retourne from heauen vntill the generall dome But howsoeuer the sayde clause or parcel be applied it shall not greatly skill for my sentence notwythstaÌ„ding remaineth full stedfast In somuch as the scripture doth meÌ„tion but of two Aduents or commings of Christe of which the first is performed in his blessed incarnation The reall presence against the article of our Creede and the second is y e comming at the general dome And furthermore in this Article of our Creede From thence shall hee come to iudge the quicke and the dead is not onely shewed wherfore hee shall come againe but also when he shall come agayne so that in the meane while as y e other Article of our Crede witnesseth He sitteth at the right hande of God his father that is not els to say theÌ„ he remaineth in glory with the father Furthermore euen as I haue before rehearsed the foresaid authority of Augustine so haue I read it in his Quinquagenes vpon a Psalme of whiche I can not now precisely note or name the number And the same words doth he also write in the Epistle to S. Hierome So y t we may know he had good liking in it that he so commonly doth vse it as his vsuall prouerbe or by word The body of Christ caÌ„ be but in one place at once In the same is also testified that his blessed body can be but in one place so that it being now according to the scripture and article of our beliefe or Creede in heauen it caÌ„ not be in earth and much les can it be in so vnnumerable places of the earth as we may perceiue that the Sacrament is Thus although the body of our Sauior must be in one place as he writeth agreably to y e saying of Peter Whome the heauens muste receiue vntill the time of the restitution of all thing Yet as the wordes following make mention Veritas autem eius vbique diffusa est But his veritie is scattered euerie where This verity of Christ or of his body The veritie of Christ. The vertu of the sacrament I do take to be that he in other places doth call Virtus Sacramenti The vertue of the Sacrament As in the 25. treatise vpon Iohn we finde thus written Aliud est Sacramentum aliud virtus Sacramenti The Sacrament is one thing the vertue of the Sacrament is an other thing And againe Si quis manducauerit ex ipso non moritur sed qui pertinet ad virtuteÌ„ sacrameÌ„ti noÌ„ qui pertinet ad visibile sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ c. If any maÌ„ eat of him he dieth not but he meaneth of him which doth apertain to the vertue of the sacrameÌ„t not of him which perteineth to the visible sacrameÌ„t And to declare what is the vertue of the sacrameÌ„t y t I couÌ„t to be y e truth of the lord or of his body he saith Qui maÌ„ducat intê° noÌ„ foris qui manducat in corde non qui premit dente He which eateth inwardly in spirit not outwardly he that eateth in hart and not he which chaweth with teeth So that finally this truth of the Lord or his body which is dispersed euery where abroade The veritye of the Lord or of his body expounded is the spirituall profite fruite and comforte that is opened to bee receiued euery where of all men by faith in the veritie of the Lord that is to witte in the very and true promise or Testament made to vs in the Lordes body that was crucified and suffered death for vs and arose againe ascending immortall into heauen where he sitteth that is abideth on the right hand of his father from thence not to returne vntill the generall dome or iudgement This bodily absence of our Sauiour is likewise clearely shewed in the 50. treatise that hee maketh vpon Iohn where he doth expound this text Ye haue the poore alwayes with you August in Ioâ— tract 50. but you shall not alwayes haue mee with you to my purpose that thereby I count and holde mine opinion to be rather Catholicke then theirs that hold the contrary Finally the same doth he confirme in his Sermons of the seconde and thirde Feries of Gaster and in so many places besides forth as here can not be recited the number of them is so passing great With him consenteth full plainely Fulgentius in hys second booke Fulgentius ad TrasimuÌ„dum· lib. 2. to Trasimundus writing in this wise Vnus idemque homo localis ex homine qui est Deus immensus ex patre Vnus idemque secundum humanam substantiam absens coelo cum esset in terra c. One and the same man being locall in that he is man which is God almighty of the Father One and the same according to humane substance being absent from heauen when he was in the earth and leauing the earth when he ascended vp into heauen But according to his diuine and almighty substance neyther departing from heauen when hee descended from heauen neyther leauing the earth when hee ascended into heauen The which may well be knowne by the vndoubtfull sayeng of our Lord hymselfe which that he might the better shewe his humanitie occupyeng a place sayd vnto hys Disciples I ascend vp vnto my father and your father vnto my God and your God Also when he had sayde of Lazarus Lazarus is dead he adioyned sayeng And I am glad
7. We that haue wiues according to the Apostles minde so haue them as though we had them not Which gift of continency for as much as you can not geue vs pray therfore with vs and for vs that he wil geue it vnto vs who only is the giuer therof without whom no man is able to liue continently For otherwise we can not haue it vules we pray vnto him froÌ„ the bottom of our hartes who is knowne to be the author and geuer therof And this same sayth Salomon is wisedome Sap. 8. to know whose gift it is neither is there any gift aboue this These two Epistles written to Pope Nicolas vnder the title of Uolusianus geueth vs to vnderstande by the contentes thereof first that he himselfe was then a marryed Bishop Secondly that the liberty of Priestes marriage ought not to be restrayned by any generall Law of compulsion but to be left to euery mans free choyse and voluntary deuotion Thirdly the sayd Epistles being written to Pope Nicolas if the title be true declare that this law prohibiting the lawfull matrimony of Churchmen began first in thys Popes times generally to be enacted And although it be not here expressed which Pope Nicolas this was yet by the circumstaunce of time and especially by the wordes of Pope Alexander 1. Distinct. 32. Praeter Dist. 32. Praeter Flac. Illyric Cent. 9. cap. 10. Ioan. Balâ—us De scriptoribus Centur. 2. A doubt discussed whether this Nicolas was 1. or 2. to whom Volusianus wrote Dist. 32. Nullus it may probably be esteemed to be Nicolas 2. and not Nicolas the first as some do suppose amongst whom is Illyricus in Centur. 9. cap. 10. and also Iohn Bale De Scriptoribus Cent. 2. with certayne other from whose iudgementes although I am loth to dissent yet notwithstanding modestly and freely to vtter herein my opinion thys I suppose that if the trueth of this matter were throughly tryed it might peraduenture be found that they be herein deceiued and al by mistaking a certayne place of Gracian For the better explanation wherof here is to be vnderstaÌ„ded that amongest the distinctions of Gracian there is a constitution Dist. 32. Nullus the tenour whereof is thiâ—â— Nullus Missam audiat Praesbiteri quem scit Concubinam iudâ—bitanter habere aut subintroductam mulierem c. That is That no man shall heare masse of any Priest whome he knoweth vndoubtedly to haue a Concubine or a woman priuily resorting to him c. This Decree for as muche as Gracian doeth alledge vnder the name and title of Pope Nicolas not namynge what Nicolas he was therefore Iohn Bale and Illyricus one folowing the other and they both folowing Uolaterane Lib. 22. doth vouch this constitution vpon Nicolas the first The wordes of Uolateran be these writing of Nicolas the first Multa hic vtilia constituit inter quae nequis Concubinam habenti praesbitero aut sacrificanti interesset vt testatur Gracianus c. In like effect folow also the wordes of Illyricus afore sayd Decretum fecit ne quis à Sacerdote Sacramentum suâ—cipiat quem sciret habere Concubinam seu vxorem and alledgeth as Uolaterane doth the sayd Distinction of Gratiam Distinct. 32. Nullus In alleadging whereof both they seme to be deceiued mistaking belike one Nicolas for an other as may be proued made good by three or foure reasons First by the wordes of Pope Alexander the second in the next Chapiter folowing who being the successour of Leo and Nicolas the second vseth the same wordes in his Sinode of Mantua which Gracian referreth vnto Nicolas and prosecuteth the same more amply and fully alledging moreouer the former constitution of both his predecessours Pope Leo and Nicolas whiche by all storyes are knowne to be Leo the nynth and Nicolas the second which both were next before him The wordes of Alexander 2. be these Praeter hoc autem praecipiendo mandamus vt nullus Missam audiat praesbiteri quem scit Concubinam habere indubitanter vel subintroductam mulierem vnde etiam sancta Synodus hoc capitulum sub excommunicatione statuit dicens Quicunque Sacerdotum diaconorum Subdiaconorum post coÌ„stitutum beatae memoriae praedecessoris nostri sancti Leonis Papae Nicolai de castitate Clericorum Concubinam palam duâ—erit vel ductam non reliquerit c. By the which words speaking of Nicolas his predecessor it is euident to vnderstand this to be Pope Nicolas the second which was his next predecessor and not Pope Nicolas the first who was about 200. yeares before him The second reason I take out of the next Chapter of Gracian going before where he allegeth agayne the same Nicolas writing to Otho Archbishop Which Otho was then in the time of this Nicolas the second Archbishop of Colen and was afterward in the Counsell of Mantua vnder Pope Alexander 2. teste Ioan. Quintio Iure consulto Wherby it must needes be graunted that this was Nicolas the second and not the first The third coniecture or reason is this for that Pope Nicolas the first neuer made any such Act or Decree the Priestes that were entangled with a Concubine shoulde neither sing Masse nor that any should resort to heare the Masse of such c. but rather the contrary For so we reade in the history of Antoninus and in the Decrees 15. q. 8. Sciscitantibus Sciscitantibus vobis si à sacerdote quifuerit compreheÌ„sus in adulterio siue de hoc sola fama resperserit debeatis CoÌ„munionem suscipere nec ne respondemus Non potest aliquis quantumcunque pollutus sit sacramenta diuina polluere quae Purgatoria cunctarum contagionum existunt c. And yet more playnely also afterward he sayth Consulendum decernitis vtrum praesbiterum habentem vxorem debeatis sustentare honorare an à vobis preijcere In quo respondemus quoniam licet ipsi valdè sint reprehensibiles vos tamen conuenit Deum imitari qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos malos deijcere enim à vobis eos non debetis Distinct. 18. Consulendum c. That is Where ye demaund concerning the Priest that hath a wife whether ye ought to susteine him and honour him or reiecte him from you we aunswere That albeit they be very much blame worthy yet ye ought to be folowers of God which maketh his sunne to rise both vpon the good and vpon the badde And therefore ye ought not to reiect such away from you c. And this Nicolas Antoninus confesseth playnely to be Nicolas y e first Wherby it is not onely not vnlike but also most certayne that Nicolas the first was not the father of this constitution either to exterminate marryed priestes from theyr churches or to excommunicate the people from receiuing their Communion much lesse then froÌ„ hearing theyr seruice Fourthly for as muche then as it is vndoubted that Nicolas 2.
without the gate for passage into Englande and being there perceiued by certayne Calyce menne namely William Steuens and Thomas Lancaster through conference of talke to bee a learned man and also well affected and moreouer howe that he being of late a zelous Papist was now returned to a more perfecte knowledge of true Religion was by them hartely entreated to stay at Calice a certayne space and to read there a day or two to the intent he might do some good there after his payneful trauell vnto the people To this request Adam gladly consented so as he might be licenced by such as were in authority so to do Whereupon the sayde Steuens at the opening of the gates brought him vnto the Lord Lisle the kinges Deputie of the towne and marches of Calice Adâ—m broâ—ght to the â—ord Dâ—â—â—ty of 〈◊〉 vnto whome hee declared throughly what conference and talke had bene betweene Adam Damlip and him Which knowne the sayd Lord Deputie instauntly desired the sayd Damlip to stay there and to preach three or foure dayes or more at his pleasure saying that he should haue both his licence the CoÌ„missaries also which then was sir Iohn Butler so to doe Where after he had preached three or fourt times hee was so well lyked both for his learning his vtteraunce and the truth of his doctrine that not onely the souldiours commoners but also the Lord Deputy and a great part of the Counsell gaue him maruelous great prayse and thankes for it and the sayd Lord Deputy offered vnto him a chamber in his owne house and to dyne and sup euery meale at his owne messe to haue a man or two of his to wayte vpon him to haue what soeuer it were that he lacked if it were to be had for mony yea what he would in his purse to buy bookes or otherwise so as he woulde tary there among them preach onely so long as it should seeme good to himselfe Who refusing his Lordships great offer most hartily thanked him for the same and besought him to be onely so good vnto him as to appoynt him some quiet honest place in the towne where he might not be disturbed nor molested but haue oportunitie to geue himselfe to hys booke and would dayly once in the forenoone and agayn by one a clocke at after noone by the grace of God preach among them according vnto the talent that God had lent him At which aunswere the Lorde Deputy greatly reioysed and therupon sent for the foresayd W. Steuens whom he earnestly required to receiue and lodge the sayde Damlip in his house promising what soeuer hee shoulde commaund to see it payd with the most and moreouer would send euery meale froÌ„ his owne messe a dish of the best vnto them and in deede so did albeit the sayde Damlip refused that offer shewing his Lordship that thinne dyet was most conuenient for Studentes Yet coulde not that restrayne him but that euery meale he sent it This godly man by the space of xx dayes or more once euery day at vij of the clocke preached very godly learnedly playnly the truth of the blessed sacrament of Christes body and bloud mightely enueying agaynst all Papistrye and coÌ„futing the same but especially those two most pernitious errours or heresies trifling Transubstantiation and the pestilent propitiatorye Sacrifice of the Romishe Masse by true conference of the Scriptures and applying of the auncient Doctours earnestly therewith oftentimes exhorting the people to returne from theyr Popery declaring how Popish he himselfe had bene and how by the detestable wickednes that he did see vniuersally in Rome he was returned so farre homeward and now became an enemy through Gods grace to all papistry shewing therewith that if gayne or ambition could haue mooued him to the contrary he might haue bene enterteyned of Cardinall Poole as you haue heard before but for very conscience sake ioyned with true knowledge grounded on Gods most holy word he now vtterly abhorred all Papistry and willed them most earnestly to do the same And thus he continued a while reading in the Chapter house of the White Friers but the place beeyng not bigge enough he was desired to reade in the Pulpit and so proceeding in his Lectures wherein hee declared howe the world was deceaued by the Romaine Bishops which had set forth the damnable doctrine of Transubstantiation and the reall presence in the Sacrament The Idolatrous pageaÌ„t of the resurrection most â—â—mptuously 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 Calice as is aforesayde he came at length to speake against the Pageaunt or Picture set foorth of the Resurrection whiche was in Saint Nicholas Church declaring the same to be but meere Idolatrie and illusion of the Frenchmen before Calice was English Upon which Sermon or Lecture there came a Commission from the King to the Lord Deputie M. Grendfield CommyssioÌ„ 〈◊〉 from the king to sâ—â—â—ch our the false â—â—gling of this Idolatry at Calice sir Iohn Butler Commissary the Kinges Mason and Smith with others that they should searche whether there were as was put in writing and vnder Bull and Pardon three hostes lyeng vpon a Marble stone besprinkled with bloud and if they found it not so that immediatly it should be plucked downe and so it was For in searching therof as they brake vp a stone in a corner of the Tumbe they in stead of the three hostes founde souldered in the Crosse of Marble lyeng vnder the Sepulcher The false iuglinges of the Papistes espyed three playne white counters which they had paynted lyke vnto hostes and a bone that is in the typ of a sheepes tayle All which trumpery Damlip shewed vnto the people the next day folowing which was Sonday out of the Pulpit and after that they were sent by the Lord Deputie to the King 3. paynted counters instead of 3. hostes Notwithstanding the Deuill stirred vp a Doue hee might well be called a Cormorant the Priour of the white Friers Who with Syr Gregory Buttoll Chapleyne to the Lord Lisle began to barke agaynst him Yet after the sayde Adam had in three or foure Sermons confuted the sayd Friers erroneous doctrine of transubstantiation and of the propitiatorie Sacrifice of the Masse Iohn Doue Fryer peacher of Damlip the sayd Frier outwardly seemed to geue place ceasing openly to inuey and secretly practised to peach him by letters sent vnto the Clergie here in England so y t within viij or x. dayes after the said Damlip was sent for to appeare before the Bishop of Canterbury Damlip sent for to appeare before the Councell in England with whome was assistant Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester D. Sampson Byshop of Chichester and diuers other before whome he most constantly affirmed and defended the doctrine which hee had taught in such sort aunswering confuting soluting the obiections as his aduersaries yea euen among other the learned godly and blessed Martyr Cranmer then yet but a Lutheran
life 36 Thou shalt not vexe or greue by iustice or otherwise the pore that oweth vnto thee for thou mayest not doe it withou sinne 36. Article fol 97. The place is this Thou shalt not vexe or greue by iustice c. as Christ sayth resist not euill Mat. 5. but whosoeuer striketh thee on the right cheeke turn to him the other also c. S Paul sayth Render not euil for euil Rom. 12. Heb. 10. and if it be possible as much as is in you liue in peace with all men not reueÌ„ging your selues my welbeloued but geue place to wrath forâ—â— is written to me the vengeance and I will render it sayth the Lord God â—â— Article 37. Some textes of Canon law suffereth warre but the teaching of Christ forbiddeâ—h all warres Neuerthelesse when a City is besieged or a country inuaded the Lord of the country is bounde to put his life in ieopardy for his subiectes fol. 119. 38. Article 38 So a Lord may vse horrible warre charitably and Christianly fol. 119. How Christians may warre lawfully As touching warre to be moued or styrred first of our parts agaynst any people or country vpon any rash cause as ambiâ—ion malice or reueÌ„ge the gospell of Christ geueth vs no such sword to fight withall Notwithstanding for defence of couÌ„try and subiectes the magistrate being inuaded or prouoked by other may lawfully and is bound to do his best as the city of Marâ—urgh did well in defending it selfe agaynst the Emperour c. 39. Article 39. The gospell maketh all true Christen men seruauntes to all the world fol. 79. Crafty cogging in this article He that compiled this article craftely to make y e matter to appeare more haynous leaueth out y e latter part which should expound the other that is by the rule of charity for that the author addeth withall By which rule of charitye and not of office and duety euery christen man is bouÌ„d one to help another as Christ himselfe being Lord of all yet of charity was a seruaunt to euery man to do him good read the place of the summe of the scripture in the page as in the article it is assigned 40. Article 40. The Gospell is written for all persons estates Prince Duke Pope Emperour fol. 112. They which noted this article for an heresy I suppose could litle tell either what GOD or what the Scripture meaneth 41. Article 41. When iudges haue hope that an euill doer will amend they must be alwayes mercifull as Christ was to the woman taken in aduouâ—ry The temporall law must obey the Gospell and theÌ„ that we may atteÌ„d by warning we shall not correct by iustice fol. 113. The purpose of the book whence this article is wrasted being well vnderstood intendeth not to binde teÌ„poral iudges and magistrates from due executioÌ„ of good lawes but putteth both them and especiall spiritual iudges in remeÌ„braunce by the example of Christ to discerne who be penitent offeÌ„ders and who be otherwise and where they see euident hope of earnest repentance and amendment if they be ecclesiasticall iudges to spare them if they be ciuill magistrates yet to temper the rigour of the law as much as they conueniently may with merciful moderation which the Greekes do call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus much hitherto of these heresies and Articles collected by the byshops inserted in theyr own registers one of the bookes abâ—â—e specified The names of y e bishops and collectors were these Syr Tho. More L. ChauÌ„cellor Wil. Warham Archb. of Cant. Tunstall bish of London Ste. Gardiner G. of Wint. Rich. Sampson Deane of the chappel Rich. Wolman M. of Requestes Iohn Bell D. Wilson with a great number moe as in the registers doth appeare Ex Regist. Cant Londinensi Truth maliciâ—â—â—ly slaundered anâ—â—â—preâ—â—ed of the Papistes I shall not need I trust gentle reader further here to tary thee with reciting mo places wheÌ„ these already rehersed may suffice for a taste a triall for thee sufficient to note and consider how falsely most slaunderously these catholickes haue depraued and misreported the books and writinges of good men who might almost gather heresies as well of S. Iohns gospell S. Paules epistles as out of these places Thus may we see what cannot malice do being set on mischiefe or what cannot the spirite of spite and cauâ—lling finde out being inflamed with hatred blowne with the bellowes of ambition and iniquity The Popes crowne the â—onkes bellyes two perillous thinges to be touched And as they haue done with these the like partes they haue and do practise stil against al other whosoeuer in defeÌ„ce of truth dare touch neuer so litle either the Popes crowne or the bellies of his clergy for these ij sores in no case they can abide to be touched And hereof onely coÌ„meth all this crying out heresy heresy blasphemy error schisme Although the doctrine be neuer so sound and perfect after the scripture yet if the writer be not such in all pointes especially in these two aboue touched as wil sing after theyr tune and daunce after theyr pipe he is by by an hereticke The Popes Church vpholden with lying and cauilling by vertue of theyr Inquisition So did they with the Articles of the learned Erle Ioannes Picus Mirandula So did they with Ioh. Rencline or Capâ—â—ion So did they also with good Iohn Colet here in England Also with the like spirite of lying cauilling the catholicke faculties of Louane Spain and Paris condemned the works and writings of Erasmus many mo So full they are of censures articles suspitious offences inquisitions so captions they be in taking so rash in iudging so slaunderous of reporte so practised in deprauing misconstruing and wrasting true meaninges into wrong purposes briefely so pregnant they be in finding heresies where none are that either a man must say nothing or serue theyr deuotioÌ„ or els he shall procure theyr displeasure that is shall be demed for an hereticke Yea though no iust cause of any heresy be ministred yet wher they once take disliking they will not sticke sometimes with false accusations to presse him w t matter which he neuer spake nor thought If Luther had not styrred against the Popes pardons and authority he had remayned still a white soÌ„ne of the mother Catholick church and all had bene wel done whatsoeuer he did But because he aduentured to touche once y e triple crowne what flouds of heresies blasphemies and articles were cast out against him enough to drown a whole world what lyes and forged crimes were inuented agaynst him Here now coÌ„meth Staphylus and furious Surius Impudent lyes 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 M. Bucer most 〈…〉 w t theyr fraternity and say that he learned his Diuinity of the deuill The foloweth an other certain Chronographer who in his lying story reporteth most falsely that Luther dyed of dronkennes With like malice the
be all these fantasies for if you perseuer in these erroneous opinions ye wil repent it when you may not mende it Thomas saide I trust my cause be iust in the presence of God Thomas Forret Fryer Iohn Kelow fryer Benerage Dunkane Simpson Priest Rob. Foster gentleman with 3. or 4. other of Striueling Martyrs and therefore I passe not muche what doe followe thereupon and so my Lorde and he departed at that tyme. And soone after a Summons was directed from the Cardinall of S. Andrewes and the sayde Bishop of Dunkelden vpon the saide Deane Thomas Forret vpon 2. blacke Friers called frier Iohn Kelowe and an other called Benarage and vpon one priest of Striueling called Duncane Sympson and one Gentleman called Robert Foster in Striuelyng with other three or foure wyth them of the towne of Striuelyng who at the day of their appearaunce after their summoning were coÌ„demned to the death without any place of recantation because as was alleged they were heresiarkes or chiefe heretikes and teachers of heresies and especially because manye of them were at the bridall and marriage of a Priest who was vicar of Twybodye beside Striuelynge and did eate fleshe in Lent at the said bridal and so they were altogether burnt vpon the castle hill of Edenbrough where they that were first bounde to the stake godly and marueilously did comfort them that came behinde Heere foloweth the manner of persecution vsed by the Cardinall of Scotland against certaine persons in Perth Persecuters Martyrs Theyr Causes Dauid Beton Byshop and Cardinall of S. Andrewes Robert Lambe William Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Raueleson Iames FouÌ„leson Hellen Stirke hys wife FIrst there was a certaine Acte of Parlamente made in the gouernement of the Lorde Hamleton Earle of Arran Anno. 154â— and Gouernour of Scotlande geuinge priuiledge to all men of the Realme of Scotlande to reade the Scriptures in their mother tongue and language secluding neuerthelesse all reasoning conference conuocation of people to heare the Scriptures reade or expounded Proclamation in Scotland permitting the priuâ—te â—eading of Scripture Which liberty of priuate reading being granted by publike proclamation lacked not hys owne â—ruite so that in sondrie partes of Scotland therby were opened the eies of the elect of God to see the truthe and abhorre the Papistical abhominations Amongest the which were certaine persones in S. Iohnston as after is declared At thys time there was a Sermone made by Fryer Spense Blasphemous doctriâ—e of a Papist Robert Lambe Martyr in saint Iohnston aliâs called Perth affirmynge prayer made â—o saintes to be so necessarye that wythoute it there coulde be no hope of saluation to man Whyche blasphemous doctrine a Burges of the sayd towne called Robert Lambe could not abide but accused hym in open audience of erroneous doctrine and adiured hym in Gods name to vtter the trueth The which the Frier being striken with feare promised to doe but the trouble tumulte and sturre of the people encreased so that the Frier coulde haue no audience and yet the sayde Roberte wyth greate daunger of his life escaped the handes of the multitude Robert Lambe in great daunger namely of the women who contrary to nature addressed them to extreme cruelty against him At this time in the yeare of our Lorde 1543. the ennemies of the truth procured Iohn Chartuous who fauoured the truthe and was Prouost of the saide citie towne of Perth to be deposed from his office by the sayde Gouernours authoritie A papist set in office and a Papist called Maister Alexander Marbecke to be chosen in his roume y t they myght bring the more easily their wicked enterprise to an ende Robert Lambe Will. Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Raueleson Hellen Styrke his wyfe cast in prison After the deposing of the former Prouost and election of the other in the moneth of Ianuary the yere aforesayde on saint Paules day came to sainte Iohnston the Gouernour the Cardinall the Earle of Argile Iustice sir Iohn Campbell of Lunde knighte and Iustice Deâ—orte the Lorde Borthwyke the Bishop of Dumblane and Orkeney with certaine other of the Nobilitie And althoughe there were manye accused for the crime of heresie as they terme it yet these persones were onely apprehended vppon the sayde sainte Paules day Robert Lambe William Anderson Iames Hunter Iames Raueleson Iames Founleson and Hellen Stirke his wife and cast that night in the Spay tower of the sayde Citie the morowe to abide iudgement Uppon the morrowe when they appeared and were brought foorth to iudgement in the towne was said in generall to all their charge the violating of the Acte of Parliament before expressed and their conference and assemblies in hearing and expoundinge of scripture againste the tenour of the sayde Acte Robert Lambe was accused in speciall for interrupting of the Frier in the pulpit whyche he not onely confessed but also affirmed constantly that it was the duetie of no manne whych vnderstood and knewe the trueth to heare the same impugned wythoute contradiction and therefore sundry which there were presente in iudgement who hidde the knowledge of the truth shoulde beare their burden in Gods presence for consenting to the same The sayde Robert also wyth William Anderson and Iames Raueleson were accused for hanging vp the image of S. Fraunces in a corde Lambe Anderson Raueleson for hanging S. Fraunces in a corde Iames Hunter for vsing suspect company nailing of Rammes hornes to his head and a Cowes rumpe to hys taile and for eatinge of a goose on Alhalow euen Iames Hunter being a simple man and wythout learning and a Fletcher by occupation so that hee coulde be charged wyth no greate knowledge in Doctrine yet because he often vsed the suspect companye of the rest he was accused The woman Hellen Stirke was accused for that in her childbed she was not accustomed to cal vpon the name of the virgine Mary Hellen Styrke for calling vpon Iesus and not our Lady in childebed being exhorted thereto by her neyghbours but onely vpon God for Iesus Christes sake and because she said in like maner that if she her selfe had beene in the time of the virgin Mary God might haue looked to her humilitie and base estate as hee did to the virgines in making her the mother of Christe thereby meaninge that there was no merites in the virgine whyche procured her that honour to be made the mother of Christe and to bee preferred before other women but Gods only free mercy exalted her to that estate Whiche woordes were counted moste execrable in the face of the Clergie and whole multitude Iames Raueleson aforesayde building a house set vppon the round of his fourth staire the 3. crowned diademe of Peter carued of tree which the cardinal tooke as done in mockage of his Cardinals hat and this procured no fauor to the sayd Iames at theyr handes These forenamed persones vppon the morrowe aftâ—â— sainte Paules day were condemned and iudged
be troubled nor disquieted for the matter neither am I to be counted heretike erroneous or offensiue so long as I shall not be prooued and plainly coÌ„uicted with simple and manifest wordes in what Article I am so iudged Neither do I here charge my Papists these blockheds that I will put them to their proofes but onely that they will shew me at least my errour that is that they wil shew me if they know what it is that they themselues do prattle of or haue any feelyng of their owne doyngs For so long as they assigne me no hereticall Article I am at free liberty to deny what Article so euer they lay vnto me to be heretical and say it is Catholike Agayne what a rudenes is it in this wicked doltishe Antichrist worthy to be laughed at where as these drummedaries do distinct hereticall Articles from those that be erroneous and the erroneous from offensiue The 〈◊〉 distinctioÌ„ 〈◊〉 the Papiâ—â— between◠〈◊〉 articles hâ—â—reticall eâ—â—roneous sclauÌ„deroâ—â— offeÌ„siuâ— Luke 9. and those agayne from slaunderous By the which subtle distinction of those grosseheaded dolts this we do gather that that article which is erroneous is not heretical and if it be not heretical what doth it then appertaine to these Ecclesiastical condemners which ought to condemne those things only which be hereticall For that which is not hereticall is catholike as Christ himselfe saith He that is not against vs is with vs. Yea I would wish that these iolly Sophisters would shew me in all the Church an Article that is erroneous and not heretical for if it be erroneous it differeth nothyng from hereticall but onely in stiffenesse of defendyng For all things be equally either true or false Hereticaâ— althogh affection in some one thing which is true or false may be greater or lesser Ye see therfore agayne how these men for all theyr braggyng Buls are not able to produce me one Article which is erroneous and not heretical Erroneouâ— and yet lyke wise brainsike men they will needs babble they know not themselues what condemning that which they finde erroneous and not hereticall which cannot stand eyther in matter or in words so that such as are the Articles such is the condemnation The lyke wisedome also they shew in affirmyng that to be Scandalous Scandaloâ—â— which is neither hereticall nor erroneous That Article I would fayne see eyther in my bookes or in the words and workes of any writer els from the beginnyng of the world to the latter end What made my papists then to excogitate these so prodigious monsters but onely their monstrous fury and madnesse Unlesse peraduenture they meane those Articles so to be Scandalous as commonly all true and Catholike Articles are wont to be For what is more scandalous then Ueritie Yea onely truth and veritie is scandalous to all proud and senselesse persons and is sayd of Christ 1. Cor. 1. We preach saith S. Paule Christe crucified a stumblynge stone to the Iewes and to the Gentiles foolishnesse And in Luke 2. 1. Cor. 1 Luke 2. He is set to be the fall and rising vp of many in Israell Wherefore where as my Papistes do distinguish scandalous Articles from hereticall and erroneous and forasmuch as that which is not hereticall or erroneous must needes be Catholicke and true it followeth thereof that these scandalous Articles be vnderstanded and condeÌ„ned of them for such as be very Catholike and sound O worthy commendation meâ—te for the Papists Marke here good Reader Offensiâ—â— the impietie of these blynde Bussards whether they roll themselues how they deride and mocke themselues how easily they are taken in theyr owne words how fond and foolish they are in their studies not only in not proouyng any error or slander in these Articles but also in goyng about only to expresse them how they cast out things impossible and most foolishly repugnant to themselues Where is then thou most presumptuous and shameles Bull thy doltish respectiue nowe become whether respectedst thou Uerily into the bottomles pit of impiety and thine owne brutish stoliditie The like also is to be sayd touching the Articles offensiue which must be neyther slaunderous neyther erroneous nor hereticall seyng they are distincted by such great Rabbines Who wyll not now maruell at the depe profound wisedome of these Papistes which could finde out that to be offensiue in the Church which is neyther false neyther hereticall nor slaunderous but true sound Catholike and edifieng and yet must that also be condemned And who would not now desire couet to be condemned also of such harebrained Idiotes who by their owne condemning do vtter themselues to approoue things damnable and to condemne things iustifiable that is whyche openly shew themselues to their owne great ignominy and shame to be more senseles then stockes rockes or blocks Goe ye nowe therefore O ye impious and brainelesse Papistes and if yee wil needes wryte shew your selues more sober for this Bull it appeareth was spued out in youre night feasts amongs other drabs and harlots or els hudled vp in the Caniculare dayes or mad midsomer Moone For neuer were there any dissardes that would shew them selues so madde Lette vs now retourne this dirt of Antichrist and cast it in hys owne teethe and of hys owne words let vs iudge hym and condemne him The popes 〈…〉 owne 〈◊〉 that heereafter hee maye learne to take better heede and be better aduised in his lyinge For as the Prouerbe sayth a lyer had neede to haue a good memorye If some Articles be offensiue and other hereticall and thou condemnest him whych is no hereticke and consequently a true Catholicke although hee be sixe hundreth times offensiue Doth not thy shamelesse mouth then condemne thy selfe not onely of heresie but of extreeme impietie blasphemye and treason against Gods holy trueth shewing thy selfe to be the manne in dede whych is the aduersarye and is extolled aboue all that which is called God or is worshipped Art not thou then the manne of sinne and the sonne of perdition â— Thes. 2. which denieth God hys redeamer and taketh away the loue of trueth to stablishe the settinge foorth of his errour for men to beleeue iniquitie as Paule foretolde For if the Article be not hereticall it can not be offensiue or slaunderous but onely to suche heretickes as Antichrist is and Sathanistes of all pietie See theeefore howe his shamelesse and moste foolish Bull whiles it condemneth in me one thinge to be hereticall and an other offensiue doeth manifestly declare the authours thereof to be true heretickes and the enemies of God in deede Prouerb 12 So that nowe it maye appeare that there is no knowledge nor counsell against the Lorde seeing blinde impietie is thus caughte in the woordes of hys owne mouth so truely it is sayd that he whiche casteth vpp a stone on highe it falleth downe againe vpon his owne pate And whych is chiefest of all
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
heard that worthy learned man speak and confesse at the houre of his death as touching the controuersies of religion wherwith the spouse of Christ is in these our dayes most miserably troubled and tormented This Doct. Redman being continually by the space of xx yeares or somewhat more exercised in the reading of the holy scripture wiâ—h such industry â—abor modesty magnanimitiâ— and prayers to almighâ—y God tryed and wayed y e controuersies of religioÌ„ that in al his doings as he would not seeme to approue that was either false or superstitious so he would neuer improue that he thought to stand wyth the true worship of God Commendation of D. Redman And albeit in certayne poyntes and articles of his fayth he seemed to diuers whiche were altogether ignoraunt of that his singular grauitie eyther for soâ—tnes â—eare or lacke of stomacke to chaunge his mind and beliefe yet they to whom his former life and conuersation by familiar acquayntaunce with him was throughlye knowne with them also which were present at his departure may easely perceaue and vnderstand how in graue weighty matters not rashly and vnaduisedly but wyth constant iudgement and vnfayned conscience he descended into that maner of beliefe which at that time of his goyng out of this world he openly professed I geue your wisedome to vnderstand that when death drew neare he casting away all hope of recouery minded talked of no other thing as we which were preseÌ„t heard but of heaueÌ„ and heauenly matters of the latter day of our Sauiour Iesus Christ with whom most feruently he desired to be whose incredible loue towardes vs miserable sinners Exhortation of Doct. Redman to them that were about him most worthely and not without teares hee often times vsed to extol and speake of and vs which wer there present he earnestly moued and exhorted to prepare oure selues to Christ to loue one an other and to beware of this most wretched corrupt world And besides that he promised calling God to witnes thereunto to whom he trusted shortly to come if any woulde demaund any question that he would answere him what he thought in his iudgement to be the truth M. Alexander Nowell now Deane of Paules At what time there were present M. Alexander Nowell a man earnestly bent to the true worshipping of God and one that had alway singularly well loued y e said M. Redman to whome he spake on this wise Your excellent learning and purity of life I haue euer both highly fauoured and had in admiration and for no other cause God be my iudge I do aske these things of you which I shall propound but that I might learne knowe of you what is your opinion and beliefe touchynge those troblous controuersies which are in these our dayes and I shall receaue and approue your wordes as oracles sent from heauen To whom when doct Redman had geuen leaue to demaund what he would and had promised that he woulde faythfully and sincerely aunswere all affection set aside what he thought to be the truth M. Nowel said I would quoth he right gladly but that I feare by my talke and communication I shal be vnto you so feeble and nowe almost spent a trouble and griefe Then sayd Doct. RedmaÌ„ replying what shall I spare my carcas quoth he whiche hath so short a time here to remaine Go to go to sayd he propound what you will TheÌ„ M. Nowell put forth certayne questions in order which I will here declare wherunto the sayd doct Redman seuerally answered as hereafter followeth The first question that he asked of him was what hee thought of the bishop of Rome Unto whoÌ„ Doct. RedmaÌ„ answered that the Sea of Rome in these our latter dayes had much swarued from the true religioÌ„ and worshipping of God is with horrible vices stayned polluted The Sea of Rome a sincke of all sinne which I therfore quoth he pronounce to be the sincke of all euill and shortly wil come to vtter ruine by scourge of God except it do fall the sooner to repentance wherewith he briefly complayned of the filthy abuse of our Englishe Church Beeing then asked what his opinion was concerning purgatory Purgatory and what the Scholemen iudged therof he answered that the subtill reasons of the Scholemen concerning purgatory seemed to him to be no lesse vayne and friuolous then disagreeing from the truth adding thereunto that when we be rapt vp to the cloudes to meete Christ comming to iudgemeÌ„t with a great number of Angels in all glory and maiesty then euery one shall be purged with fire as it is written The fire shall go before hym and shall flame round about his enemies and the fire shall burne in his sight Psal. 97. 50. and round about him shall be a great tempest saying that diuers of the old writers approued this his sentence concerning purgatory When he was asked whether wicked and vngodly people in the holy communion did eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud he aunswered that such kind of men dyd not eate Christes most blessed flesh but only tooke the SacrameÌ„t to their own damnation The wicked eat not the fleshe of Christ. saying that Christ would not gyue his most pure and holy flesh to be eaten of suche naughty and impure persons but would withdraw hymselfe from them And that quoth hee that is obiected by S. Augustine that Iudas receiued the selfesame thing whych Peter receiued that I thinke to be vnderstanded of the externall Sacrament And the like kynde of phrase of speaking sayde hee we may vse concerning the baptisme of Magus that Simon Magus receaued that which the Apostles did receaue In deede as concerning the Sacrament of the externall baptisme Simon Magus receaued that whiche the Apostles did but that internall grace wherewith the Apostles were endued and that holy spirit wherewith by baptisme they were enspired he lacked And so quoth he the wicked and forsaken people which rashly presume to come to the holy table of the Lorde do receiue the Sacrament and the selfesame which good and godly men receiue but the body of Christ they do not receiue for Christ doth not vouchsafe to deliuer it them And thus he sayd was his opinion and beliefe although he knewe others to be of a contrary iudgement Being then after this demaunded whether he thought Christes presence to be in the Sacrament or no he answered that Christ dyd geue offer to faythfull and Christian men How Christ is present in the Sacramedt his very reall body and bloud verely really vnder sacrameÌ„ts of bread wine in somuch that they which deuoutly come to bee partakers of that holy foode are by the benefite thereof vnited and made one with Christe in hys fleshe and body And therefore he sayde that Christ dyd distribute his body spiritually that he gaue it truly The Capernaites grosse errour of Christes bodyly presence in the SacrameÌ„t not so yet
How Scripture may be abâ—sed to any purpose as commoÌ„ly the Papistes vse it by such meanes a man may easely auoyde all the misteries of our christeÌ„ fayth As where it is sayde thus of God the father this is my beloued sonne c. A man may also wring that to be vnderstood thus this is y e image of my welbeloued sonne or this is the vertue of my well beloued sonne yea muche more iustly then your good Lordship doth y e other because S. Paule to the Hebrues doth call the sonne the Image of the father and in an other place he calleth him the power or vertue of God and Gods wisedom Now though he be so called in scripture God forbid that we shoulde call hym onely Gods Image or Gods vertue and not God himselfe Rochester Oh gentle M. Langdale A figuratiue speach somewhere hurtfull somewhere not you ought not to reason after such a sort as you do now because that a trope or figuratiue speache is noâ—iue somewhere but not euery where nor in this matter Langdale Yet by your license honorable father it doth appeare to me no trope at al in these words of christ A fond reason wherefore this is my body should seeme no figuratiue speach this is my body which is geuen for you and that for this reason Chryst did exhibite or geue againe the very same things at his last supper by the which thinges he was ioyned to vs but he was ioyned or knit vnto vs by his owne naturall flesh bloud ergo he did exhibite to vs at his last supper no lesse agayne My former proposition I proue by the testimony of S. Chrisost. whose wordes in Christes person are these I would be your brother I tooke vpon me common flesh bloud for your sakes and euen by the same things that I am ioyned to you the very same I haue exhibited to you agayne c. ¶ Here the Proctors commaunded Langdale to geue place to an other Rochest We are not ioyned by natural flesh but do receiue his flesh spiritually from aboue c. ¶ Here M. Segewicke replied RIght worshipful M Doctor I do also aske of you first of all Whether the article of the newter gender this be referâ—ed to the bread oâ— to the body whether the greeke article this of the neuter geÌ„der be referred to the word bread or to the word body if it be referred to the worde bread then Christ woulde not haue sayd this in the neuter gender but rather this in the masculine gender Rochester Forsooth that article is referred to neyther of both but may signify vnto vs any other kinde of thing Segewicke No forsoothe but it doth note vnto vs some excelleÌ„t great thing determinately not so coÌ„fusedly as you say For such a great heap of articles in the greek doth notify vnto vs a great and weighty thing to be in the sacrament determinately if wee may credite the auncient Fathers Bread taken diuersly in the Scripture Moreouer this word bread is not alwayes in the scriptures taken after one sorte wherefore I desire you to shew me how it is taken in this place of S. Paule we are many one bread c. Madew Forsooth of the very wheaten bread Segewicke Then after your minde we are all very wheaten bread Rochest Forsooth we are bread not for the nature of bread but for the felowship and vnity that is noted by the coagulation of many graynes into one bread or loafe How we are bread and how not Segewicke Well let that passe then thus It is the body ergo no figure for because there is a perpetuall contrarietye betweene the law of Moyses the law of grace Therein were figures shadowes and herein is the verity indeed Rochester I do graunt it to be Christes true body flesh by a propriety of the nature assumpted to the godhead How the bread is Christs body yea and we do really eat and drinke his flesh and bloud after a certeine reall property Segewicke It is not the figurate paschall lambe it is not the figuratiue Manna nor yet y e figuratiue shewbread c. ergo it is no figure Madew I do deny your argument Segewicke I maynteyne my argument thus all the shadowes are wholy past ergo also so be the figures for euery figure is a shadow if then it be but a figure all y e figures are not past as yet but that is false ergo so is the other Rochest It is nothing but a figure or token of the true body of Christ as it is sayd of Iohn the baptiste The bread but a figure and â—ow he is Elias not that he was so in deede or person but in property and vertue he represented Elias Segewicke So but most learned father when Christ sayde I am the way the truth and the life may it be vnderstanded as you do the other place thus I am y e vertue of the way verity and the life But now to the matter it selfe It is verily meat ergo it is not figuratiuely Madew This verbe or word is in this place is taken for that that signifieth Here he was commaunded to reply in the second matter Segewicke NOw as touching our second conclusion thys I say Wheresoeuer Christ is there is a sacrifice propiciatory but in the Lordes supper is Christ ergo in the Lordes supper is a sacrifice propiciatory Christ not offered but receaued in spirite Madew Christ is not offered in the Lordes supper but is receiued spiritually Segewicke The priesthood and the sacrifice be corespondeÌ„t together Christes sacrifice offered once for all is onely sufficient without any other but Christes priesthood after the orde of Melchizedech is perpetuall ergo also so is his sacrifice Rochest Christ is a Priest for euer that is to say his sacrifice and priesthood offered once for all is auaylable for euer so that no other shall succeed him Legewicke Where there is no oblatioÌ„ there is no sacrifice ergo if Christ be not perpetually offered Christes sacrifice an end of all sacrifices there is no perpetuall sacrifice Item the same bloudy sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse was the very fine and end of all the bloudye sacrifices figured in y e law after the order of Aarons priesthoode Wherefore you must needes graunt that he offered himselfe also at his last supper after the order of Melchizedech vnder the formes of breade and wine or els you must shewe the scripture where he did so which I cannot perceiue to be done but at his last supper onely after an vnbloudy maner Item he is offered for the remission of sins daylye ergo he is a sacrifice propitiatorye still in the newe law as Saynt Augustine sayth expounding these wordes of the Psalme Thou hast not willed to haue sacrifice and oblation but. c. Rochester S. Cyprian speaketh much like y e sorte where he sayth thus It is the Lordes Passion whiche we doe offer
Berengarius Zuinglius Oecolampadius and many others who are certaynely knowen to be of no lesse variaunce amongest themselues then vncertayn of theyr fayth what to beleeue Zuinglius wryteth thus of hymselfe Although this thyng which I meane to intreate of doth lyke me very well yet notwithstandyng I dare define nothyng but only shew my poore iudgement abroad to others that if it please the Lord others may be therby instructed by the spirit of God which teacheth all good thynges In vayne doe I spende many wordes You see playnely he dare not define anye thyng certainely but doubteth whether it please GOD or not Oecolampadius writyng to a certayne brother of hys sayth thus Peace be with thee As farre as I can coniecture out of the learned Fathers these wordes Iohn 6. This is my body be figuratiue locutions c. You see hereby how vncertaine they be of their opinions They leane not to the Scriptures to Doctors nor yet to the trueth but to supposals and coniectures who therefore hereafter wyll cleane vnto them But nowe I come to your Oration whose beginnyng pleased me very well and whose progresse therein offended me not But in the end you concluded in such sort that you left the whole matter to me as it were confirmyng my partes by the same And herein you framed a Syllogisme after this maner What Christ tooke that he blessed what he blessed that he brake what he brake that he gaue Ergo what he receyued he gaue c. Whereto I aunswer wyth a lyke Syllogisme out of Genesis God tooke a ribbe out of Adams side what hee tooke he built what he built that he brought what he brought that hee gaue to Adam to be hys wyfe but he tooke a ribbe Ergo he gaue a ribbe to Adam to wyfe c. Also in your sayd Oration you shute much at those wordes of Paule where he calleth it bread so often c. But the Scripture in another place calleth it water when in deede it was wyne a rodde when it was a playne serpent Rochest You haue pretended great zeale words inough but what pith or substance your reasons will affourd we shall see hereafter Vauisor Christ gaue the same flesh to vs that he receyued of the virgine but he tooke true and naturall flesh of her Ergo he gaue vs true and naturall fleshe My Maior I prooue by August vpon the 98. Psalme Rochest M. Uauisor you are in a wrong boxe for y e place maketh altogether for maintenāce of adoration if it make for any thyng Vauisor I know it very well and therefore I alledge it as the ground of my reason These bee Augustines woordes Christ of the earth receyued earth and of the flesh of Mary he receyued flesh acknowledge his substance therefore Rochest I acknowledge it Vauisor And in the very same flesh he walked here vppon the earth acknowledgge his substaunce Anno. 1549. Rochest I acknowledge it Vauisor And the very same fleshe he gaue vs to eate acknowledge hys substaunce Rochest I acknowlege not hys reall substance to be there but the propertie of hys substance Vauisor Then Uauisor recited the place to the ende hee myght prooue that hys reall substaunce ought to bee acknowledged as well in the last place as in the first and second affirmyng it out of Saint Augustine who sayeth thus The Disciples of Christ approchyng the Lordes table by fayth dranke the same bloud which the tormenters most cruelly spilt c. but the tormenters spilt no figure of bloud Ergo c. this place will not permit the other so to be illuded Rochest It is no illusion good M. Uauisor but surely you would moue a Saint with your impertinent reasons Vauisor I beseech your fatherhood to pardon my rudenes for surely I cannot otherwyse speake without breache of conscience Perne That place of Augustine is to bee vnderstoode of a spirituall kynd of eatyng Vauisor I demand whether the faythfull may receyue spiritually so as they neede not to receiue sacramentally Perne They may Vauisor Then thus to you To the spirituall eatyng there is no need to come to the Lordes table for so it is the meat of the soule not of the teeth but the faythfull come to the Lordes table Ergo that place is to be vnderstood of a sacramentall eatyng And agayne Augustine sayth that he caried hymselfe in hys hands Rochest Augustine sheweth a little after what he meaneth thereby where he sayeth he caried hymselfe in his owne hands after a certayne sort or maner Vauisor True it is that after one maner he sate at the table and after another maner was in the sacrament ¶ M. Yong here disputeth agaynst Perne as followeth Yong. I Understand the meanyng o◠this worde Proprietas proprietie well enough for in Hillarie and Eusebius it signifieth not the vertue or power of any substance or beyng but rather a naturall beyng or substance Rochest I commend your great diligence in searchyng of authors but in diuinitie the matter standeth not so for the proprietie of essence in the deitie is the very essence and whatsoeuer is in God is God Yong. True it is most reuerend father that this worde Proprietas proprietie in Hillary in hys 8. booke de Trinitate intreatyng there of the diuinitie of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost is so meant and taken but the same Hillary almost in the same place speaketh of our communion and vnitie wyth Christ c. Tertullian also writyng of the resurrection of the flesh affirmeth that the fleshe of our sauiour is that whereof our soule is allied to God that is it which causeth that our soules are ioyned to hym but our flesh is made cleane that the soule may be purged our flesh is annoynted that the soule may be made holy the flesh is sealed that the soule may be comforted the fleshe is shadowed with the imposition of the handes that our soule may be lightened with the glory of the spirite Our flesh is clothed with a body and bloud that the soule may be fed and nourished of God Rochest The fleshe in deede is fed with the body and the bloud of the Lord When our bodyes be fed with the bodye and bloud of Christ when our bodies by mortification are made lyke to his body And our body is nourished when the vertue and power of the body of Christ doth feede vs. The same Tertullian is not afrayd to cal it flesh and bloud but he meaneth a figure of the same Yong. Then by your leaue it should follow by good consequence that where anye mortification is there must needes be a sacramentall communion which cannot be Ergo c. ¶ Here endeth the third and last Disputation holden at Cambridge 1549. This disputation continued three dayes In the first dyd aunswer Doctour Madew Agaynst whome disputed Doctour Glinne M. Langdale M. Segewike M. Young In the second disputation did answer Doctor Glinne Agaynst whome disputed M. Grindall
places of the holy Scripture 7. Inconueniences come of the reall peesence Secondly it varieth from the articles of the faith Thirdly it destroyeth and taketh awaye the institution of the Lordes supper Fourthly it maketh precious thinges common to prophane and vngodly persones for it casteth that whyche is holy vnto dogs and pearles vnto swine Fiftly it forceth men to maintaine many moÌ„struous miracles without necessitie and authoritie of Gods worde Sixtly it geueth occasion to the heretickes which erred concerning the two natures in Christe to defend their heresies thereby Seuenthly it falsifieth the sayings of the godly fathers it falsifieth also the Catholike Faith of the Church whyche the Apostles taught the martyrs confirmed and the faithfull as one of the Fathers sayeth doe retaine and keepe vntill this day Wherefore the second parte of mine argument is true The probation of the antecedent or former part of this argument by the partes thereof THis carnall presence is contrary to the worde of God as appeareth The 7. inconueniences declared by partes Iohn 16. I tell you the trueth It is profitable to you that I goe away for if I goe not away the comfortour shall not come vnto you Actes 3. Whome the heauens must receaue vntill the time of restoring of all thinges which God hath-spoken The first inconuenience Math. 9. The children of the Bridegrom cannot mourne so long as the Bridegrome is with them But nowe is the time of mourning Iohn 16. But I will see you againe and your heartes shall reioyce The reall presence against the scripture Iohn 14. I will come againe and take you to my selfe Math. 24. If they shall say vnto you behold here is Christ or there is Christe beleeue them not for wheresoeuer the deade carcase is thither the Eagles will resort 2. The real presence agaynst the Articles of the fayth It varyeth from the articles of the faith He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the Father From whence and not from any other place sayeth S. Augustine he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the deade 3. It destroyeth the institution of the Lordes supper It destroyeth and taketh awaye the institution of the Lordes supper which was commaunded onely to be vsed and continued vntill the Lorde himselfe shoulde come If therefore he be nowe really present in the body of his flesh then must the supper cease For a remembraunce is not of a thing present but of a thing past and absent And there is a difference betwene remembraunce and presence and as one of the Fathers sayeth A figure is in vaine where the thing figured is present It maketh precious things common to prophane and vngodly persons constraineth men to confesse many absurdities 4. It prophaneth thinges holy and precious gendreth absurdities For it affirmeth that whoremongers and murtherers yea and as some of them hold opinion the wicked and faithles mise rattes dogs also may receiue the verye real and corporal body of the Lord wherin the fulnes of the spirite of light and grace dwelleth contrary to the manifest wordes of Christ in sixe places sentences of the sixt chap. of S. Iohn It confirmeth also and maintaineth that beastly kinde of crueltie of the Anthropophagi that is the deuourers of mans flesh for it is a more cruel thing to deuoure a quicke man Anthropophagi are a kinde of brutishe people that feed on mans flesh then to slay him Pie He requireth time to speake blasphemies Leaue your blasphemies Rid. I had little thought to haue hadde such reprochefull woordes at your handes West All is quiet Goe to the arguments M. Doctor Rid. I haue not many moe things to say West You vtter blasphemies with a most impudent face leaue off I say and get you to the argument Rid. It forceth men to maintaine many monstrous myracles wythout all necessitie and authoritie of Gods worde 5. It maintayneth monstrous myracles without â—â—â—cessitiâ— For at the comming of thys presence of the body and flesh of Christ they thrust away the substaunce of breade and affirme that the accidents remayne without any subiect and in the stead thereof they place Christes body wythout hys qualities and the true maner of a bodye And if the Sacrament be reserued so long vntill it mould wormes breede some say that the substance of bread miraculously returneth againe and some deny it All the 〈◊〉 that foloâ—â—eth 〈◊〉 read because the prolocutâ—â— made post hast to the argument By this deâ—uise of 〈◊〉 comitance the Papistâ— imagine 〈◊〉 much to receaued vnder 〈◊〉 kinde as both 6. It geueâ— occasion to heretickes 7. It falsifiâ—eth the saâ—â—inges of 〈◊〉 old doctor Other some affirme y t the real body of Christ goeth downe into y e stomacke of the receiuers doth there abide so long only as they shall continue to be good but another sort hold that the body of Christ is caried into heaueÌ„ so soone as the formes of bread be brused wyth the teeth O works of miracles Truely most truly I see that fulfilled in these men whereof S. Paule prophecied 2. Thess. 2. Because they haue not receiued the loue of the trueth that they might be saued God shall sende them strong delusions that they shoulde beleeue lies and be all damned which haue not beleeued the truth This grosse presence hath brought foorth that fonde phantasie of concomitaunce whereby is broken at this day and abrogated the commandement of the Lord for the distributing of the Lordes cuppe to the laitie It geueth occasion to heretickes to maintaine and defend their errours as to Martion which sayd that Christ had but a phantasticall bodye and to Eutiches which wickedly confounded the two natures in Christ. Finally it falsifieth the sayings of the godly fathers and the Catholicke faith of the church which Vigilius a Martyr and graue wryter sayeth was taught of the Apostles confirmed wyth the bloude of Martyrs and was continually maintained by the faithful vntil his tyme. By the sayings of the fathers I meane of Iustine Irenee Tertullian Origene Eusebius Emisene Athanasius Cyrill Epyphanius Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Vigilius Fulgentius Bertram and others most auncient fathers All those places as I am sure I haue read making for my purpose so am I well assumed that I coulde shewe the same if I myght haue the vse of mine owne bookes whiche I will take on me to doe euen vpon the pearill of my life and the losse of all that I maye lose in thys world But now my brethren thinke not because I disalow that presence which this first proposition maintaineth as a presence which I take to be forged phantasticall and besides the authoritie of Gods worde pernitiously broughte into the Church by the Romanistes that I therefore go about to take away the true presence of Christes body in his Supper rightly and duely ministred The true presence of Christes bâ—â—dy in the Supper
triumph in the latter ende being both the actor the moderator and also Iudge himselfe And what maruell then if the courage of this victorious Conquerour hauyng the lawe in his owne handes to doe and say what him liâ—ted would say for himself Vicit veritas although he sayd neuer a true word nor made neuer a true conclusion almost in al that disputation It followed furthermore after disputation of these three dayes being ended that M. Harpsfield the next day after Aprill 19 which was the xix of Aprill should dispute for his forme to be made Doctor To the which disputation the Archb. of Cant. was brought forth and permitted among the rest to vtter an argument or two in defence of his cause As in sequele hereof may appeare * Disputation of Maister Harpesfield Bacheler of Diuinitie aunswering for his forme to be made Doctour Harpesfield I Am not ignoraunt what a weighty matter it is to entreat of the whole order and trade of the scriptures Aprill 1. The iudgement of M. Harpsfielâ— for the beâ—â— way to vâ—â—derstaÌ„d 〈◊〉 Scripture If Master Harpsfielâ— had wille vs to 〈◊〉 our sences to the holâ— ghost he had sayd much better and most hard it is to in the great contention of Religion to shew the ready way whereby the scriptures may be best vnderstanded For the ofteÌ„ reading of them doth not bring the true vnderstanding of them What other thing is there then Uerily this is the redy way not to folow our owne heads and senses but to geue ouer our iudgement vnto the holy catholike Church who hath had of olde yeres the truth and alwayes deliuered the same to their posteritie but if the often readyng of scriptures and neuer so paynefull comparing of places should bring the true vnderstandyng then diuers heretikes might preuaile euen agaynst whole generall Councels The * No but those Iewes sticking so much to thâ— old custoâ—â— and face of theyr Church not seeking for knowledge by ignorance the Scriptures werâ— deceiued 〈◊〉 so be you Iewes did greatly brag of the knowledge of the law and of the Sauiour that they waited for But what auailed it them Notwithstanding I know right well that diuers places of the scripture doe much warne vs of the often reading of the same and what fruit doth therby follow as Scrutamini c. Search the scriptures for they do beare witnesse of me c. Lex Domini c. The law of the Lord is pure able to turne soules And that saying of S. Paule Omnis Scriptura c. All Scripture inspired from aboue doth make that a man may bee instructed to all good workes Howbeit doth the lawe of the Iewes conuert their soules are they by reading instructed to euery good worke The letter of the old Testament is the same that we haue The heretikes also haue euer had the same scriptures which we haue that be Catholikes But they are serued as Tantalus that the Poetes do speake of who in the plentye of thynges to eate and drinke is sayd to bee oppressed with hunger and thirst The swifter that men do seeke the Scriptures without the Catholike church the deeper they fall and fynde hell for their labour Saint Cyprian neuer swaruing from the Catholike Church saith He that doth not acknowledge the Church to bee his mother shall not haue God to be his father Therefore it is true Diuinitie * Vnder thâ— formes thâ—â— is vnder thâ— properties of bread 〈◊〉 wine so all this is true In the maâ—teriall 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 body there is no varieâ—tye for to eate mans flesh eythâ—â— vnder acciâ—dences or not accideÌ„â—ces both is agaynst thâ— Scripture 〈◊〉 agaynst naâ—ture to bee wise with the Church where Christ sayeth Nisi manducaueritis c. Vnlesse ye eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud ye haue no lyfe in you If he had meant of onely eating bread and drinkyng wyne nothyng had bene more pleasaunt to the Capernaites neither would they haue forsaken hym The fleshe profiteth nothing to them that doe so take it For the Capernaites did imagine Christ to be geuen in such sorte as he lyued But Christ spake high thinges not that they should haue hym as fleshe in the market but to consider his presence with the spirite * vnder the formes whereby it is geuen As there is an alteration of bodies by courses and tymes of ages so there is no lesse * varietie in eatyng of bodies These things which I haue recited briefly M. Harpsfield did with many more wordes set out and hereupon D. Weston disputed against hym West Christes real body is not in the sacrament Ergo you are deceyued Harps I deny the antecedent West Iohn the 6. Dico veritatem vobis c. I speake the truth vnto you It behooueth me that I go away from you For vnlesse I do depart that comforter cannot come c. Upon this I will make this argument Christ is so gone away as he did send the holy Ghost But the holy Ghost did verily come into the world Ergo Christ is verily gone Harps He is verily gone and yet remaineth here West S. Augustine sayth that these wordes Ego ero c. I wyll be with you euen to the end of the world are accomplished secundum maiestatem According to his maiestie But secundum praesentiam carnis non est hic By the presence of hys flesh he is not here The Church hath hym not in flesh but by beliefe Harps We must diligently weigh that there are two natures in Christ the diuine nature humane nature The diuine nature is of such sort that it cannot chuse but bee in all places The humane nature is not such that of force it must be in all places althogh it be in diuers after a diuers maner So where that the doctors do entreat of hys presence by maiestie they do commend the maiestie of the Diuine nature not to hinder vs of the * natural presence here in the sacrament West He sayth further Me autem non semper habebitis Ye shall not haue me alwayes with you is to be vnderstanded in the fleshe Harpsfield The presence of the flesh is to bee considered that he is not here as he was woont to lyue in conuersation with them to be seene talked withall or in such sort as a man may geue hym * any thyng after that sort he is not present West But what say you to this of S. Augustine NoÌ„ est hic He is not here Harpesfield I do answer out of S. Augustine vpon Iohn Tractatu 25. vpon these woordes Non videbitis me Vado ad patrem c. I goe to the Father ye shall not see me That is Such as I now am Therefore I doe deny the maner of hys presence West I wil ouerthrow S. Augustine with S. Augustine who saith this also Quomodo quis possit tenere Christum fidem mitte tenuisti that is How may a man hold Christ send thy fayth and thou
Saincts whilest a most pleasant refreshing did issue from euery part and member of the body vnto the seate place of the hart and from thence did ebbe and flow to and fro vnto all the partes againe This Saunders continued in prison a whole yeare and 3. moneths In all which space he sent diuers letters to diuers men as one to Cranmer Ridley and Latimer and other to his wife and also to others M. Saunders in prison a yeare and 3. monthes certifying them both of the publike calamitie of the time and also of his priuate afflictions and of sondry his conflictes with his aduersaries As in writing to his friend he speaketh of Weston conferring with him in prison whereof you shall heare anone by the leaue of the Lorde as followeth in the story In the meane time the Chauncellor after this little talke with M. Saunders as is aforesaid sent him to the prison of the Marshalsey c. For the Caiphas Winchester I meane did nothing but bayte him with some of his currish eloquence and so committed him to the prison of the Marshalsey where he was kept prisoner one whole yeare and a quarter But of his cause and estate thou shalt nowe see what Laurence Saunders himselfe did write ¶ A parcell of a Letter of Laurence Saunders sent to the Byshop of Winchester as an aunswere to certayne thyngs wherewith he had before charged hym TOuching the cause of my imprisonment A fragmeâ—â— of M. Sauâ—â—ders letter I doubt whether I haue broken any law or proclamation In my doctrine I did not forasmuch as at that time it was permitted by the proclamation to vse according to our consciences such seruice as was then established He meane the proclaâ—mation of which meâ—â—tion is 〈◊〉 before Satis peceâ—â—uit qui reâ—â—stere non potâ—it My doctrine was then agreeable vnto my conscience and the seruice then vsed The Act which I did he meaneth publike teaching of Gods word in his owne parish called Alhallowes in Breadstreete in the Citie of London was such as being indifferently weyed sounded to no breaking of the proclamation or at the least no wilfull breaking of it forasmuch as I caused no bell to be roong neyther occupyed I any place in the Pulpit after the order of Sermons or Lectures But be it that I did breake the Proclamation this long time of continuance in prison may be thought to be more then a sufficient punishment for such a fault Touching the charging of me with my Religion I say wyth S. Paule This I confesse Act. 24. that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my forefathers beleeuing all thyngs which are written in the lawe and the Prophets and haue hope towards God c. And herein study I â—o haue alway a cleare conscience towardes God and towards men A good tâ—â—stimony oâ— good conscience so that God I call to witnesse I haue a conscience And this my conscience is not grounded vpon vayne fantasie but vpon the infallible veritie of Gods word with the witnessing of his chosen Church agreeable vnto the same It is an easie thing for them which take Christ for theyr true Pastor and be the very sheepe of his pasture to discerne the voice of their true shepheard from the voyce of wolues hyrelings and straungers for as much as Christ sayeth Iohn 10 My sheepe heare my voice yea and thereby they shall haue the gift to know the right voice of the true shepeheard and so to follow him and to auoyde the contrary as he also sayeth The sheepe follow the shepheard for they knowe his voyce A straunger will they not follow but will flie from him for they knowe not the voice of a stranger Such inward inspiration doth the holy Ghost put into the children of God being in deede taught of God but otherwise vnable to vnderstand the true way of their saluation Math. 7. And albeit that the Wolfe as Christ saith commeth in sheepes clothing yet he sayth by their fruites yee shall knowe them How the Wolfe is known 〈◊〉 the true shephearâ— For there be certayne fruites whereby the Wolfe is bewrayed notwithstanding that otherwise in sondry sortes of deuoute holines in outwarde shew he seemeth neuer so simple a sheepe That the Romish religion is rauening woluish it is apparant in 3. principall points First it robbeth God of his due and only honour Secondly it taketh away the true comfort of coÌ„science The incoâ—â—uenience the Româ—â— religion 〈◊〉 3. poyntes in obscuring or rather burying of Christ and his office of saluation Thirdly it spoyleth God of his true worship and seruice in spirit and truth appointed in his prescript commaundementes and driueth men vnto that inconuenience against the which Christ with the Prophet Esay doth speake sharply This people honoureth me with their lips but their hart is far from me Esay 26. Math. 25. They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrine and precepts of men And in another place ye cast aside the commaundemente of God to mayntayne your owne traditions Wherefore I in conscience weying the Romish Religion and by indifferent discussing thereof finding the foundation vnstedfast and the building thereupon but vayne and on the other side hauing my conscience framed after a right and vncorrupt religion ratified and fully established by the word of God and the consent of his true Church I neyther may nor do entend by Gods gracious assistance to be pulled one iot from the same no though an Angell out of heauen should preach another Gospell then that which I haue receyued of the Lord. And although that for lacke either of such deepe knowledge and profound iudgement or of so expedite vttering of that I do know and iudge as is required in an excellent clarke I shall not be able sufficiently to aunswere for the conuincing of the gaine-sayer yet neuerthelesse this my protestation shall be of me premised that for the respect of the grounds and causes before considered albeit I cannot * Explicitâ—â—ides is 〈◊〉 a man haâ— to aunsweâ— to euery poynt of 〈◊〉 â—ayth by sufficient 〈◊〉 ground anâ— learning explicita fide as they call it conceiue all that is to be conceiued neither can discusse all that is to be discussed nor can effectually expresse all that is to be expressed in the discourse of the doctrine of this most true religion whereunto to I am professed Yet do I bind my selfe as by my humble simplicity so by my fidem * implicitam that is by faith in generalty as they call it to wrap my beliefe in the credit of the same that no authority of that romish religion repugnant thereunto shall by any meanes remoue me from the same though it may hap that our aduersaries will labour to beguile vs with entising wordes and seeke to spoyle vs through Philosophy and deceitfull vanity after the traditions of men and after the ordinances of the world and
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
I most hartely thanke you for that ye haue so tender a care ouer me And although I knowe that there is neither iustice nor truth to be looked for at my aduersaries handes but rather imprisonment and cruell death yet know I my cause to be so good and righteous and the truth so strong vpon my side that I will by Gods grace go and appeare before them and to their beardes resist their false doings Then sayd his frendes M. Doctour we thinke it not best so to do You haue sufficieÌ„tly done your duety and testified the truth both by your godly Sermons and also in resisting the Parson of Aldam with other that came hytherto bring in againe the popish Masse And for as much as our Sauiour Christ willeth and biddeth vs that when they persecute vs in one City we should flie into another Math. 10. we thinke in flying at this time ye should do best keeping your selfe against another time wheÌ„ the Church shall haue great neede of such diligent teachers and godly Pastors Oh quoth Doct. Taylour what will ye haue me to do I am now olde and haue already liued too long to see these terrible and most wicked dayes Flye you and do as your conscience leadeth you D. Taylour reâ—â—â—eth to â—ye I am fully determined with Gods grace to go to the Bishop to his beard to tell him that he doth nought God shall well hereafter raise vp teachers of his people whiche shall with much more diligence and fruite teach them then I haue done For God will not forsake his Church though now for a time he trieth and correcteth vs and not without a iust cause As for me I beleeue before God I shall neuer be able to do God so good seruice as I may do now nor I shall neuer haue so glorious a calling as I now haue nor so great mercy of God profered me as is now at this present For what Christian man woulde not gladly dye against the Pope and his adherents I know that the Papacie is the kingdome of Antichrist altogether full of lyes altogether full of falsehode so that all their doctrine euen from Christes Crosse be my speede and S. Nicholas The Papacy a â—ingdome 〈◊〉 lyes vnto the end of their Apocalyps is nothing but Idolatry superstition errours hypocrisie and lyes Wherefore I beseech you and all other my frendes to pray for me I doubt not but God will geue me streÌ„gth and his holy spirit y t all mine aduersaries shal haue shame of their doings When his frends saw him so constaunt and fully determined to go they with weeping eyes commended him vnto God and he within a day or two prepared himselfe to his iourney leauing his cure with a godly olde Priest named Syr Richard Yeoman who afterward for Gods truth was burnt at Norwich Syr Rich. Yeoman D. Taylours Curate and Martir of Christ Iohn Alcocke of Hadley trobled for Gods truth and dyed in prison D. Taylours iourney There was also in Hadley one Alcocke a very godly man well learned in the holy Scriptures who after Sir Richard Yeoman was driuen away vsed dayly to reade a chapter and to say the English Letany in Hadley Church But him they fet vp to London and cast him in prison in Newgate where after a yeare imprisonment he died But let vs returne to Doctour Taylour agayne who being accompanied with a seruaunt of his owne named Iohn Hull tooke his iourney towardes London By the way this Iohn Hull laboured to counsell and perswade him very earnestly to flie and not to come to the Byshop and profered himselfe to go with him to serue him and in all perils to venter his liâ—e for him and with him Iohn Hull a faythfull seruaunt to D. Taylour But in no wise would Doctour Taylour consent or agree thereunto but sayd Oh Iohn shall I geue place to this thy counsell worldly perswasion and leaue my flock in this daunger Remember the good shepeheard Christ whiche not alonely fed his flocke but also died for hys flocke Him must I follow and with Gods grace will do Therefore good Iohn pray for me and if thou seest me weake at any time D. Taylour agayne adâ—â—ed to flye but he refused so to do The first meeting betweene Winchest and D. Tailour A great abuse in Englande and 3. mischiefes comming thereof The first mischiefe The second mischiefe comfort me and discourage me not in this my godly enterprise and purpose Thus they came vp to London and shortly after Doctour Taylour presented himselfe to the Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner then Lord Chauncellour of England For this hath bene one great abuse in Englande these many yeares that such offices as haue ben of most importance and waight haue commonly bene committed to Bishops and other spirituall men whereby three diuelish mischiefes and inconueniences haue happened in this Realme to the great dishonour of God and vtter neglecting of the flocke of Christ the which three be these First they haue had small leysure to attende to theyr pastorall cures which thereby haue bene vtterly neglected and left vndone Secondly it hath also puft vp many Byshops and other spirituall persons into such hautines and pryde that they haue thought no noble man in the Realme worthy to be their equall and fellow Thirdly where they by this meanes knew the very secretes of Princes The third mischiefe they being in such high offices haue caused the same to be knowne in Rome afore the kings could accomplish and bring their ententes to passe in England By this meanes hath the Papacy bene so maintained and things ordered after their wils and pleasures that much mischiefe hath happened in this Realme and others sometime to the destruction of Princes and sometime to the vtter vndoing of many common wealthes Now when Gardiner saw Doctour Taylour he according to his common custome all â—o reuiled him calling him knaue Traytor hereticke with many other villanous reproches which all Doctour Taylour heard patiently and at the last sayd vnto him D. Taylours patience and â—agnaniâ—itie My Lord quoth he I am neither Traytour nor hereticke but a true subiect and a faithfull Christian man and am come according to your coÌ„mandement to know what is the cause that your Lordship hath sent for me Then sayde the Bishop art thou come thou villaine How darest thou looke me in the face for shame Knowest thou not who I am Yes quoth Doctor Taylor I knowe who yee are Steuen Gardiners Lordly lookes Ye are Doctor Steuen Gardinar Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chauncellour yet but a mortall man I trow But if I shoulde be afrayde of your Lordly lookes why feare you not God the Lord of vs all Howe dare yee for shame looke any Christian man in the face The notable answere of Doctor Taylour to the Bishop of Winchester seeing ye haue forsaken the trueth denyed our sauioure Christ and hys word done
time to time vppon his Aduersaryes In the number of whom commeth here to be remembred the notable workyng of Goddes hand vppon a certayne Priest in Kent named Nightingall Parson of Crondall besides Caunterbury who vpon Shrouesonday whych was about the third day of the sayde Moneth of Marche and yeare of our Lord aforesayd reioycing belike not a little at this alteration of Religion beganne to make a Sermon to his Parishioners taking his Theame out of the wordes of S. Iohn He that sayth he hath no sinne is a lyer A terrible example of Gods seuere punishment vpon Nightingall Parson of CroÌ„dall in Kent and the trueth is not in hym c. And so vpon the same verye impertinently declared to them all suche Articles as were set forth by the Popes authority and by the commaundement of the Byshoppes of this Realme saying moreouer vnto the people in this wise Now Maysters and neighbors reioyce and be mery for the prodigall sonne is come home For I knowe that the most part of you be as I am for I know your hartes well enough And I shall tell you what hath happened in this weeke past I was before my Lord Cardinall Pooles grace he hath made me as clean from sinne as I was at the fontstone on Thursday last being before him he hath appointed me to notify I thank him for it the same vnto you Blasphemy to Christs Gospell punished And I wyll tell you what it is And so reading the Popes Bull of pardon that was sent into Englande he sayde he thanked God that euer he had liued to see that day adding moreouer that he beleeued that by the vertue of that Bull he was as cleane from sinne as that night that he was borne and immediately * The Description of a Popish Priest who when he had taken away the glory and office of Christ fell downe sodenly and dyed The sodayne death of one Nightingall Parson of Crondall in Kent who was made by the Cardinalls authoritye chiefe Penitentiary of that Deanry vpon the same fel sodenly down out of the Pulpit and neuer stirred hand nor foote and so lay he Testified by Rob. Austen of Cartham which both heard and saw the same is witnessed also by the whole country round about ¶ Iohn Awcocke Aprill 2. Iohn Awcocke Martyr IN the Moneth of Aprill and the second day of the same Moneth dyed in prison Iohn Awcocke who after was buried in the fieldes as the maner of the Papistes was to deny theyr christian buriall to such as dyed out of their popish Antichristian Church Now forasmuch as hauing passed the month of March we are entred into the mouth of Aprill so set downe in order out of publicke Recordes what happened in the sayde Moneth here followeth to be noted That the 1. day of Aprill Ann. 1555. A Letter was sent to the Shiriffe of kent to apprehend Thomas Wodgat and William Maynard for preaching secretly and to send them vp to the Counsel The 7. day of the sayde Moneth an other Letter to the sayd Shiriffe for the apprehension of one Harwiche who went about with a boy with him preaching from place to place The 15. of Aprill a letter was directed to Syr Nicholas Hare and Syr Thomas Cornewallis willing them to examine M. Flower alias Braunche what he meant to weare about his neck written Deum time Idolum fuge and whoÌ„ els he knew to weare the like praying also to speake to Boner Byshop of London speedely to proceed agaynst him for his Religion according to the lawes and that the Iustices of Peace of Middlesex should likewise proceed agaynst him for shedding of bloud in the Church according to the statute so as if he continue his opinion he might be executed at the farthest by the latter end of this weeke and that his right hand be the day before his execution or the same day striken off The 22. of Aprill there was a like letter sent to the Iustices of peace of Middlesex with a writ for the executioÌ„ of the sayd Flower commaunding them to see his hand striken of before his burning The 29. of Aprill M. Robert Hornebey seruant then to the Lady Elizabeth was conuented before the Counsell for his religion and standing constantly to the trueth notwithstanding theyr threates and other perswasions was therfore commited to the Marshalsea ¶ A declaration of the life examination and burning of George Marsh who suffered most constant Martyrdome for the profession of the Gospell of Christ at Winchester the 24. day of Aprill Ann. 1555. THe sayd George Marshe was borne in the Parishe of Deane Aprill 24. George Marsh Martyr in the Countye of Lancaster and was well brought vp in learning and honest trade of liuing by hys Parentes who afterwardes about the xxv yeare of hys age tooke to wife an honest mayden of the countrey wyth whom he continued earning theyr liuing vpon a Farme hauing children betweene them lawefully begotten G. Marsh first a farmer and then God takinge his wyfe out of thys Worlde he beyng most desirous of godly studyes leauing his houshold and children in good order went vnto the vniuersity of Cambridge where he studyed and much encreased in learning and godly vertues was a minister of Gods holy worde and Sacramentes George Marsh made Minâ—â—ster and for a while was Curate to Laurence Saunders as he himselfe reporteth In whiche condition of life he continued for a space earnestly setting forth Gods true Religion to the defacing of Antechristes false doctrine by his Godly Readinges and Sermons as well there and in the Parishe of Deane or els where in Lanckeshyre Whereupon at length by detection of certayne aduersaries he was appreheÌ„ded kept in close prison by George Cotes then Byshoppe of Chester D. Cotes Bishop of Chester a persecutâ—r George Marsh detected .. in strayght Prison in Chester within the precincte of the Byshoppes house about the space of foure Monethes being not permitted to haue reliefe and comfort of his frendes but charge beynge geuen vnto the Porter to marke who they were that asked for him and to signify theyr names vnto the Byshop as by the particular descriptioÌ„ of his story testified and recorded with his own pen more euidently may appeare in the processe hereunder folowing ¶ The handling entreating and examination of George Marsh being sent first by the Earle of Derby to Doctor Cotes Byshop of Chester ON the monday before Palme Sonday which was the xij day of March The examâ—â—nation of George Marsh written with his owne hanâ— M. Baâ—ton GentlemaÌ„ and perseâ—cutour George Marsh adâ—uertised bâ— his frendâ—â— to flye it was told me at my mothers house that Rog. Wrinstone with other of M. BartoÌ„s seruants did make diligent search for me in Bolton and when they perceiued that I was not there they gaue strait charge to Roger Ward and Rob. Marsh to finde bring me to M. Barton the day next folowing with
haue known it to turne froÌ„ the holy commaundement geuen vnto vs. Pro. 26. For it is then happened vnto vs according to the true prouerbe the dogge is turned to his vomit agayn and the sowe that was washed to wallowing in the myre And thus to continue perseuer in infidelitie to kick against the manifest and knowne truth and so to dye without repentaunce and with a dispayre of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ Math. 13. is to sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which shall not be forgeueÌ„ neither in this world neither the world to come Heb. 6. For it is not possible sayth s. Paule that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heaueÌ„ly gift and hast tasted of the good word of God and of the power of y e world to come if they fall away should be renued agayne by repentaunce for as muche as they haue as concerning themselues crucified the some of God agayne making a mocking of him The place of the Heb 6. expounded S Paules meaning in this place is that they that beleue truely and vnfaynedly gods word do coÌ„tinue and abide steadfast in the knowne trueth If any therfore fall away from Christ and his word it is a playne token that they were but disseÌ„bling hipocrites for all theyr fayre faces outwardly Math. 26. Falling from Christ. neuer beleued truely as Iudas Symon Magus Demas Hymeneus Philetus and others were which all fell away from the knoweÌ„ veritie and made a mocke of Christ which S. Paule doth call here to crucifie Christ a newe because that they turning to their olde vomit agayne To crucifie Christ a new what it is did most blasphemouslye tread y e benefits of Christs death passioÌ„ vnder their feet They that are suche can in no wise be renued by repentaunce for their repentaunce is fleshly as the repentance of Cain Saul Iudas was which being without godly comfort breadeth desperation vnto death These are not of y e number of the elect as S. Iohn doth say They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they woulde haue remayned with vs vnto the end Iohn 2. Also the Apostle saith in an other place If we sinne willingly after wee haue receaued the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearfull looking for iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries They sinne willingly whiche of a set malice purpose do withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes lying Rom. 1. kicking agaynst the manifest opeÌ„ known truth which although they do perfectly know that in all the world there is none other sacrifice for sinne Wilfull kicking agaynst the opeÌ„ knowen truth but onely that omnisufficient sacrifice of Christes death yet notwithstanding they will not commit themselues wholly vnto it but rather despise it allowing other sacrifices for sinne inuented by the immagination of man as we see by dayly experience vnto whoÌ„ if they abide still in their wickednes Sinne vnto death sinne remayneth a most horrible dreadful iudgement This is y e sinne vnto death for which s. Iohn would not that a man shuld pray 1. Iohn 5. Wherfore my dearly beloued in Christ let vs on whoÌ„ the endes of the world are come taking dilligent heed vnto ourselues 1. Cor. 10. y t now in these last and perilous times in y e which the deuill is come downe and hath great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short Apoca. â—2 Math. 24. wherof the Prophetes Christ the Apostles haue so much spoken geueÌ„ vs so earnest forewarning we withold not y e truth in vnrighteousnes Rom. 1. beleuing doyng or speaking anye thing agaynst our knowledge conscience or without fayth For if we do so Iohn 8. Phil. 2. for what soeuer cause it be it is a wilfull obstinate infidelitie a sinne vnto death And as our Sauiour Christ sayth if ye beleue not ye shall dye in your own sins For vnles we hold fast the word of life Math. 3. both beleuing it also bringing forth fruite worthy of repentaunce we shal with the vnprofitable figge tree The fruiteles figtree Luke 13. Math. 1â— which did but cumber the ground be cut downe and our talent taken from vs and geuen vnto an other that shall put it to a better vse wee through our owne vnthankfulnes put from the mercy of God shall euer be able to pay our debts that is to say we shall altogether de lost vndone Heb. 6. For the earth that drinketh in rayne that commeth oâ—t vppon it bringeth forth herbes meete for them y t dresse it receiueth blessing of god But that ground that beareth thornes brears is reprooued and is nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Neuertheles deare frends The gooâ— ground we trust to see better of you and thinges whiche accompany saluation and that ye being y t good ground watred with the moystnes of Gods word plenteously preached amongst you will with a good hart heare the word of God keep it Luke 8. bringing forth fruite with pacience And be none of those forgetful and hipocritish hearers Iames. 1. which although they heare the worde yet the Deuill commeth Math. 13 and catcheth away that which was soweÌ„ in the hart either hauing no roote in themselues endure but a season and as soone as tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by they are offended eyther with the cares of this world deceitfulnes of riches choke the word and so are vnfruitful The moâ—â— part of thâ— hearers oâ— Gods word are but hipocrites Read the parable of the sower among other thinges note and marke that y e most part of the hearers of Gods word are but hipocrites and heare the word without any fruit or profite yea onely to theyr greater condemnation for onely the fourth part of y e seede doth bring forth fruite Therfore let not vs that be Ministers or professours followers of Gods worde be discouraged though that very few do geue credite follow the doctrine of the Gospell and be saued Who soeuer therfore hath eares to heare let him heare To him 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 geuen 〈◊〉 howâ— for whosoeuer hath to him shal be geuen and he shal haue aboundance but who soeuer hath not froÌ„ him shal be taken away euen that he hath that is to say they that haue a desire of righteousnes and of the truth shall be more more illuminated of God on the contrary part they that do not couet after righteousnes and truth are more hardend and blynded though they seeme vnto them selues most wise For God doth here follow an example of a louing father Example Gods deâ—â—ling with stubburâ— children which when he seeth that fatherly loue and correction doth not
ye deny that which all the whole worlde and your father hath bene contented withall Haukes What my father all the whole world hath done I haue nothing to do withall but what God hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded me to do to that stand I. Boner The Catholicke Church hath taught it The Catâ—â—â—lick churâ—â—â— Haukes What is the Catholicke Church Boner It is the faythfull congregation where so euer it be dispersed throughout the whole world Haukes Who is the head therof Boner Christ is the head therof Haukes Are we taught in Christ or in the Church now Boner Haue ye not reade in the eyght of Iohn where hee sayd he would send his comforter which should teach you all thinges Haukes I graunt you it is so that he woulde sende hys comforter but to what ende forsooth to this ende that hee should lead you into all truth and verity and that is not to teach a new doctrine Boner A Syr ye are a right scripture man For ye wyll haue nothing but the scripture There is a great number of your countrey men of your opinion Doe ye not knowe one Knight and Pigot Haukes Knight I know but Pigot I do not know Boner I thought ye were acquaynted with him it semeth so by your iudgement What Preachers doe ye knowe in Essex Haukes I know none Boner Do ye not know one Baget there Haukes Yes forsooth I know him Boner What maner a man is he Haukes An honest man so farre as I know Boner Do you know him if you see him Haukes Yea that I do Then sayd he to one of his seruantes go call me Baget hither And then he sayde to me ye seme to be a very proud man a stubburn He that broght me vp stood all this while by Haukes What should moue your Lordship so to say Boner Because I see in a man that came with you muche humility and lowlinesse Boner 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 Haukes It semeth your Lordship speaketh that to me because I make no more curtesy to you and with that came Baget Then the Bishop sayd to Baget How say ye Syr know ye this man Baget Yea forsooth my Lord with that Baget and I shook handes Then sayd the Bishop to Baget Syr this man hath a child Baget â—rought to 〈◊〉 sight of Thomas â—aukes which hath lien 3. weekes vnchristened as I haue letters to shew who refuseth to haue it baptised as it is now vsed in the church how say you thereto Baget Forsooth my Lord I say nothing thereto with low curtesy to the hard ground Boner Say ye nothing thereto I will make you tell me whether it be laudable and to be frequeÌ„ted and vsed in the Church or not Baget I beseeche your Lordship to pardon me he is olde enough let him aunswere for himselfe Boner Ah sir knaue are ye at that poynt with me Go call me the Porter Boner chaseth at Bagets aunswere sayd he to one of his men Thou shalt sit in the stockes haue nothing but bread water I perceyue I haue kept you to well Haue I made thus much of you and haue I you at this poynt Then came the Byshoppes man and sayd The Porter is gone to London Then said the Bishop to Baget Boner taketh Baget with him 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 him Come with me and he went awaye with him and commaunded me away and bade one of his GentlemeÌ„ to talke with me who was one of his own teaching who desired amongest all other things to know of me with whom I was acquaynted in Essex and what meÌ„ they were that were my teachers Haukes When I see your coÌ„mission I will make you answere And then immediatly came the Bishop agayne but ere he came his man and I had much talke Then the byshop sate down vnder a vine in his orchyard called Baget to him whom he caried away brought againe called me also and sayd to Baget How say you now sir vnto Baptisme Say whether it be to be frequented and vsed in the Church as it is now or no Baget Forsooth my Lord I say it is good Boner Baget â—aught to 〈◊〉 after Boner I befoole your hart could ye not haue said so before Ye haue wounded this mans conscience Then the bishop turned to me and sayd How say ye now sir this man is turned and conuerted Haukes Thomas Haukes builded his 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 man I builde my fayth neither vpon this man neither vpon you but onely vpon Christ Iesus who as Paule sayth is the founder and author of all mens fayth Boner I perceiue ye are a stubburn felow I must be glad to worke an other way with you to win you Haukes Whatsoeuer ye doe I am ready to suffer it for I am in your handes to abide it Boner Well ye are so come on your wayes ye shall go in and I will vse you Christianlike You shall haue meate and drinke Thomas Haukes forbidden to 〈◊〉 in the Byshops 〈◊〉 suche as I haue in my house but in any wyse talke not Haukes I purpose to talke nothing but the worde of God and truth Boner I will haue no heresy talked on in my house Haukes Why is the trueth become heresy God hath commaunded that wee shoulde haue none other talke in our houses in our beddes at our meat and by the way but all trueth Boner If ye will haue my fauor be ruled by my counsell Haukes Then I trust you will graunt me my request Boner What is that Haukes That your Doctours and Seruauntes geue me none occasion for if they doe I wyll surely vtter my conscience Then commaunded he his men to take in Baget and let not Haukes and him talke together And so thus we departed Thomas Haukes and Baget sepeâ—â—ted 〈◊〉 and went to dinner and I dined at the Stewardes table After dynner hys Chaplaynes and his men began to talke with me But amongst all other there was one Darbyshyre principall of Brodgates in Oxford Talke betweene Darbyshire and Tho. Haukes the Bishops kinsmaÌ„ who sayd to me that I was to curious for ye wil haue sayd he nothing but your litle prety Gods booke Haukes And is it not sufficient for my saluation Yes sayd he it is sufficient for our saluation but not for our instruction Haukes God send me the saluation Saluation Instruction and you the instruction And as we thus reasoned came the Byshop who sayd vnto me I gaue you a commaundement that you shoulde not talke Haukes And I desired you that your Doctours and Seruauntes should geue me none occasioÌ„ Talke betweene M. Haukes and Boner Baptisme after King Edwardes booke Then went we into his Orchyard agayne he and his Doctors and I. Boner Would not ye be contented to haue that your childe shoulde bee Christened after the booke that was set out by king Edward Haukes Yes with a good will it is the thing that I desire Boner· I thought so ye would haue the same
their beliefe afore by them confessed they are not to bee reputed taken or iudged for wilfull and obstinate heretikes nor to be punished therefore as is declared in that article The other aunswered nothyng ¶ Scholies vpon the foresayd articles THese articles in the same forme maner of words are commonly obiected to all other that follow after Notes or Scholies vpon the Articles vsed to be ministred to the poore Christians by the Popes Church with the same aunsweres also thereto annexed In which articles thou mayest note Reader the crafty and subtile handlyng of these Lawyers and Registers who so deceitfully frame theyr articles and positions that vnlesse a man doe aduisedly consider them it is hard for a simple man to aunswer to them but he shall be snared and intangled So they paynt their Churche with such a visage of vniuersall whole holy catholike as who should saye Hee that denieth Rome denieth the holye Churche of Christ here in earth Likewyse in examinyng them and specially the simple sorte in the matter of the Sacrament to the materiall breade in the Sacrament they put this worde onely very captiously and fraudulently to take them at the worst auauntage makyng the people beleeue that they take the holy Sacrament to bee no better then onely common bread The crafty and captious dealing of the Papisteâ— in propounding their articles when they doe not so but make a difference betweene the same both in the vse honour name thereof Agayne when the Examinates hold but only agaynst the erroneous poyntes of Romish Religion these bishops in theyr Interrogatories geue out the matter so generally as thogh the said Examinates in generally spake against all the articles of fayth taught in Rome Spayne England Fraunce Scotland c. Moreouer concernyng Latin seruice in such crafty forme of words they propound their article that it might appeare to the people these men do deny any seruice to be lawfull in any place countrey or language but onely in English And as these articles are crafty captiously and deceitfully in forme of words deuised by the bishops and their Notaries so the aunswers agayne to the same be no lesse subtilly framed after the most odious manner put downe in the name of the Examinates which beyng read vnto them thus without further aduise they were constrayned vpon a sodaine to subscribe the same with their hands Wherby if any word escaped their hand peraduenture not considerately subscribed there the Papists take their aduantage agaynst them to defame them and to bryng them into hatred with the people These Articles thus propounded and aunswered they were vntil the after none dismissed At what tyme they did agayne appeare and there were examined and trauayled with by fayre and flattering speaches as well of the Bish. as of others his assistance to recant and reuoke their opinions who notwithstandyng remayned constant firme and therefore after the common vsage of their Ecclesiasticall lawes Sentence against Osmund Chamberlayne Bamford Iune 14. Iune 15. were sent away agayne vntill the next day beyng Saterday and the xviij day of May. Then in the fore noone the Bishop vsing his accustomed maner of proceedyng which he hath vsed before as well with them as w t others did likewyse dismisse them and at last in the after noone condemned them as heretikes and so deliuered theÌ„ to the Shirifes in whose custodye they remayned vntiâ—l they were deliuered to the shiriffe of Essex by hym were executed Chamberlayne at Colchester the 14. of Iune Thomas Osmund at Maningtree the 15. of Iune William Bamford aliâs Butler at Harwich the same 15. day in the month of Iune ¶ The history of the worthy Martyr and seruaunt of God M. Iohn Bradford with his lyfe and actes and sundry conflicts with his aduersaries and Martyrdome at length most constantly suffered for the testimony of Christ and hys truth AS touching first the country and education of Iohn Bradford Iuly 1. The history of M Iohn Bradford Martyr he was borne at Manchester in Lancastershire His parents did bring hym vp in learnyng from his infancie vntil he attained such knowledge in the Latin tong and skill in writing that he was able to gaine his own liuyng in some honest condition Syr Iohn Harrington Knight Then he became seruaunt to sir Iohn Harington knight who in the great affaires of K. Henry the 8. and K. Edward the 6. which he had in hand when he was Treasurer of the kings campes buildyng at diuers times in Bullonois had such experieÌ„ce of Bradfords actiuity in writyng of expertnes in the arte of Auditors and also of his faythfull trustines The trusty seruicâ— of Iohn Bradâ—ford vnder M. Harringâ—ton that not onely in those affaires but in many other of his priuate busines he trusted Bradford in such sort that aboue all other he vsed his faythfull seruice Thus continued Bradford certayne yeares in a right honest and good trade of life after the course of this world lyke to come forward as they say if his mynde could so haue liked or had ben giueÌ„ to the world as many other be But the Lord which had elected him vnto a better function and preordeined him to preach the gospell of Christ in that houre of grace which in his secret counsell he had appointed called this his chosen chyld to the vnderstandyng and pertakyng of the same Gospell of lyfe In which call he was so truely taught that forthwith his effectuall call was perceyued by the fruites For then Bradford did forsake his worldly affaires forwardnes in worldly welth Bradford callâ—d to the Gospell and after the iust accompt geuen to his Maister of all hys doyngs he departed from hym and with meruailous fauour to further the kyngdome of God by the ministery of his holy word Bradford geueth him selfe to the study of Scripture he gaue himselfe wholy to the studye of the holy scriptures The which his purpose to accomplish the better he departed from the Temple at London where the temporall law is studied and went to the vniuersitie of Cambridge to learne by Gods law how to further the building of the Lordes Temple In Cambridge his diligence in study his profiting in knowledge and godly conuersation so pleased all men that within one whole yeare after that he had bene there the Uniuersitie did geue hym the degree of a M. of Arte. Immediately after the Maister and fellowes of Penbroke hal did geue him a felowship in their Colledge with them yea that man of God Martin Bucer so lyked him Bradford M. of art 〈◊〉 fellow in Pembrooâ—â— Hall that he had him not onely most deare vnto him but also often tymes exhorted him to bestow his talent in preaching Unto which Bradford aunswered alwayes that he was vnable to serue in that office through want of learnyng To the whiche Bucer was wont to reply saying If thou haue not fine manchet bread yet geue
vnto thy promise and for this mortalitie to receaue immortalitie and for this corruptible to put on incorruptible Accept thys burnt offering and sacrifice O Lorde not for the sacrifice it selfe but for thy deare sonnes sake my Sauiour for whose testimony I offer this free wil offering with all my hart and with al my soule O heauenly father forgeue me my sinnes as I forgeue the whole world O sweete Sauiour spread thy winges ouer me O God graunt me thy holy Ghost through whose mercifull inspiration I am come hither Conducte me vnto euerlasting lyfe Lord into thy handes I commend my spirite Lord Iesus receaue my soule So be it ¶ The history of Iohn Frankesh Humfrey Middleton Nicholas Sheterden Iuly 12. Iohn Frankesh Humfrey Middleton Nicholas Sheterden Martyrs HAuyng now passed ouer the examinations of Maister Bland let vs further proceed to the rest of his felowes concaptiues being ioyned the same time with him both in the like cause and like affliction The names of whome were Iohn Frankesh Nicholas Sheterden Humfrey Middleton Thacker and Cocker of whome Thacker onely gaue back The rest constaÌ„tly standing to the truth were altogether condemned by the Suffragan of Caunterburye the 25. daye of Iune the yeare aboue expressed Touching whose examinations I shall not need long to stand for somuche as the articles ministred agaynst them were all one so in their aunsweres they little or nothyng disagreed as hereafter by the Lords help you shal heare In the meane time because Nicholas Sheterden in his examinations had a little more large talke with the Archdeacon and the Commissary I will first beginne with the same ¶ The first examination or reasoning of Nicholas Sheterden with M. Harpsfield Archdeacon and M. Collins the Commissary for the which they sent him to prison The talke of Nicholas Sheterden with the Archdeacon Commissary about the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ. The Romish catholickes cannot deny a figurative speach in the cup yet will not graunt the same in the bread FIrst the Archdeacon and Commissary affirmed that the very wordes of Christ when he sayd This is my bodye did chaunge the substaunce without any other interpretation or spirituall meaning of the wordes Shet Then belike when Christ sayd This cup is my bloud the substaunce of his Cup was chaunged into hys bloud without any other meaning and so the cup was changed and not the wine Arch. Not so for when Christ sayde This cup is my bloud be meant not the cup but the wine in the cup. Shet If Christ spake one thing and meant an other then the bare wordes did not chaunge the substaunce but there must be a meaning sought as well of the bread as of the cup. Arch. There must be a meaning sought of the cup otherwise then the words stand But of the bread it must be vnderstand onely as it standeth without any other meaning Shet Then do ye make one halfe of Christes institution a figure or borowed speache and the other halfe a playne speach and so ye deuide Christes supper Arch. Christ meant the wyne and not the cup though he sayd This cup is my bloud Shet Then shew me whether the words which the priestes doe speake ouer the cup do chaunge the substaunce or whether the minde of the priest doth it Arch. The minde of the priest doth it and not the words Shet If the minde of the prieste doth it and not y e words if the Priest then doe minde hys harlot or any other vaine thing that thing so minded was there made and so the people doe worship the priestes harlot in stead of Christes bloud and agayne none of the people can tell when it is Christes bloud or when it is not seeing the matter standeth in the minde of the Priest For no man can tell what the priest meaneth but himselfe and so are they euer in daunger of committing idolatry Then was the Archdeacon somewhat moued sate hym downe and sayde to the Commissarye I pray you maister Commissary speake you to him an other while If the 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 wordes oâ— the Prieâ—â— doth it 〈◊〉 then is it that Duns and his fellowes say that the 〈◊〉 wordes be the forme 〈◊〉 formall cause onely that maketh the Sacrament Collins 〈◊〉 Commissâ—â—ry taketh the mattâ—â— in hand for they are vnreasonable and peruerse aunsweres as euer I heard of Then stode vp the Commissary and sayd Commis Your argumentes is much agaynst your selfe for ye graunt that the bread is a figure of Christes body but the Cup can be no figure of his bloude nor yet his verye bloud and therefore Christ did not meane the cup but the wine in the cup. Shet My argument is not agaynst me at all for I do not speake it to proue that the cup is his bloud nor the figure of his bloud but to proue that the bare wordes being spoken of the priest do not chaunge the substaunce no more of the bread then they do chaunge the cup into bloud Commis It coulde not be spoken of the Cup when hee sayde This Cup is my bloud but he meant the wyne in the cup. Shet Then it remaineth for you to answere my question to the Archdeacon that is whether the minde of the priest when he speaketh ouer the cup doth chaunge it into bloud or the bare wordes Commis Both together doth it the wordes and y e mind of the priest together yea the intent and the wordes together doth it Shet If the wordes and intentes together doe chaunge the substaunce yet must the cup be his bloud The Commissary brought to an absurdâ—â—tye and not the wyne for as much as the wordes are This cup is my bloud and the intent ye say was the wyne or els the words take none effect but the intent onely After the Commissary in his chamber sayd it was the intent of the priest before he went to masse wythout the wordes for the Priest did intend to doe as holy Churche had ordayned then the intent made the sacrament to take effect Shet If the Sacramentes take effect of the intent of the Priest and not of Gods word then manye Parishes hauing a Priest that intendeth not wel are vtterly deceiued The intenâ— of the 〈◊〉 maketh 〈◊〉 the Sacrament both in Baptising and also worshipping that thing to be God whiche is but bread because for lacke of the priestes intente the wordes doe take none effecte in it so that by this it is euer doubtfull whether they worship Christe or bread because it is doubtfull what the Priestes doe intende Commis Then the Commissary would proue to me that Chrystes Manhood was in two places at one tyme Christes body whether it may be in two places at once by these woordes of Christ in Ioh. the thyrd Chapiter where he sayth No man ascendeth vpp to heauen but hee that came downe from heauen that is to say the sonne of man whiche is in heauen
more whiche are not rightlye vsed at this presente time in Englande and therefore be vnprofitable 10. Item he beleueth that all the ceremonies Agaynst ceremonyes nowe vsed in this Church of England are vaine superfluous superstitious and nought The Martyrdome of Thomas Iueson Iohn Aleworth IN the latter ende of thys moneth of Iulye Iohn Aleworth dyed in prison Iohn Aleworth dyed in prison at the Towne of Reading beyng there in bondes for the cause and testimonie of the truthe of the Lordes Gospel Whom although the Catholicke Prelates according to their vsuall solemnitie did exclude out of their Catholicke buriall yet we see no cause why to exclude him out of the number of Christes holy martyrs and heires of his holy kingdome Iames Abbes a Martyr of blessed memorie suffering for the true cause of Christes Gospel August 2. AMong many that trauailed in these troublesome daies to keepe a good conscience there was one Iames Abbes a young man whych throughe compulsion of the tyrannie then vsed Iames Abbes Martyr was enforced to haue his part wyth hys brethren in wandring and going from place to place to auoide the pearill of apprehendinge But when time came that the Lorde had an other woorke to doe for hym he was caught by the handes of wicked men and broughte before the B. of Norwiche D. Hopton Who examining him of his Religion and charging him therewyth very sore both with threates and faire speache Iames Abbes relented at the laste the sayde poore Iames did yelde and relented to their naughty perswasions although hys conscience consented not thereto Nowe when he was dismissed and shoulde goe from the Bishop Money geuen to Iames Abbes by the Bishop the Bishop calling hym againe gaue hym a peece of money either fourty pence or twentie pence whether I knowe not which when the sayd Iames had receiued and was gone from the Bishop his conscience began to rob A notable example of sting of conscience and inwardly to accuse hys facte howe hee had displeased the Lorde by consenting to their beastly illusions In which combate wyth himselfe being pitiously vexed he went immediately to the Bishop againe there threw hym his sayd money which he had receiued at hys hande Iames Abbes throweth to the Bishop his money agayne and sayd it repented him that euer he gaue hys consent to their wicked perswasions and that he gaue his consent in taking of hys money Now this being done the bishop wyth his chaplains did labour a fresh to winne him againe Iames Abbes made strong by his infirmity but in vayne for the sayd Iames Abbes would not yeelde for none of them all although he had plaid Peter before through infirmitie but stoode manfully in hys masters quarel to the ende and abode the force of the fire to the consuming of his body into ashes which tyrannie of burning was done in Berie the 2. day of August An. 1555. A discourse of the apprehension examination and condemnation of Iohn Denly Gentleman Iohn Newman and Patrike Pachingham Martyred for the testimonie of Christes Gospell IN the middest of this tempestuous rage of malignaunt aduersaries Iohn 〈◊〉 gentlemâ—â— Iohn Nâ—â—â—man Pâ—â—tricke Pâ—â—chinghaâ— Martyrâ—â— Edmunâ— Tyrrel â—â—â—quire motor persecuting and destroying the poore â—â—ocke of Christe many there were which thoughe they were no spirituall meÌ„ yet thought to help forward for their parts as one would say to heape vp mo coales to this furious flame of persecution whether of a blind zeale or of a parasiticall flattery I knowe not Amongest whiche one was Edmonde Tyrell Esquier and at that time a Iustice of peace wythin the Countie of Essex an assister as it seemeth to the cruell murtherers of Gods Saintes Who as he came from the burning death of certaine godly Martyrs met with M. Iohn Denly gentleman and one Iohn Newman both of Maidstone in Kent trauailing vppon the way and goyng to visite suche their godly frendes as then they had in the sayde Countie of Essex And vpon the sight of them as he yet braggeth first vppon suspition apprehended and searched them and at last finding the confessions of their faith in wryting about theÌ„ sent theÌ„ vp vnto the Queenes Commissioners directinge also vnto one of the same Commissioners these hys fauourable Letters in theyr behalfe The copie whereof heere may appeare as followeth A copie of Edmund Tyrels leter to one of the Queenes Commissioners SIr with moste harty commendations vnto you these shal be to aduertise you A letter of detection written 〈◊〉 M. Edmâ—â—â— Tyrrell 〈◊〉 Commâ—â—â—â—â—oner 〈…〉 Syr 〈…〉 that I haue receiued a letter from Sir Nicholas Hare and you and other of the King Queenes Maiesties commissioners by a seruaunt of the King and Queenes called Iohn Failes for certaine businesse about S. Osythes the which I could not immediately goe about for that I had receiued a letter from the Counsell to assist the Sheriffe for the execution of the heretickes the one at Raileigh and the other at Rocheford the which was done vpon Tuesday last And as I came homeward I met wyth two menne Euen as I sawe them I suspected them and then I did examine them and search them and I did finde about them certaine letters M. 〈◊〉 and Iohâ— Newâ—â—â— the way mette and appreheâ—â—ded by M. Edmund Tyrrell whych I haue sent you and also a certaine wrytinge in paper what their faith was And they confessed to mee that they had forsaken and fled out of their country for Religions sake and sithen they haue bene in many countreis by their confession whiche I haue sente you for the which I thoughte it good for that they came from London and that there might be more hadde of them then I yet haue vnderstand to sende them to you whereby you and others of the King and Queenes Commissioners there might trie them so that their lewdnesse might be throughly knowen for I thinke these haue caused many to trouble their consciences So thys hath bene some let to me wherefore I coulde not go about these matters expressed in your letters but to morrow no one I entende by Gods grace to accomplish your letters with as muche diligence as I may And this the holy Trinitie haue you euer in his keeping I beseeche you to be so good maister to discharge these pore men that bring these prisonners vp assone as may be And thus moste hartly farewel from Raimesdon parke the 12. day of Iune 1555. By your assured to commaund Edmund Tyrel For so much as in this letter meÌ„tion is made of a certaine wryting in paper founde about them of their Faith what this wrytinge was and what were the contentes of it the copie thereof heere ensueth ¶ Certayne notes collected and gathered oute of the Scriptures by Iohn Denley Gentleman with a confession of his faith touching the Sacrament of Christes body bloud found about him ready wrytten at his apprehension Christe is
by some meane be brought to passe that as the Serpent deceiued Eue thorow wilines so your mindes may be corrupt from the simple veritie that is in Christ. And also in his Commentaries vpon the epistle to the Coloss vpon this text In Christ Iesus is all treasure of wisedome and in other diuers places of the same worke 2. Tim 3. Chrysost. in Epist. Paulâ— in opere imperfecto The preacher must not sweâ—â—e neither on the right hand or left from the expresse word of God S. Chrysostome also in his Commentaries vppon Paul declaring this saying Omnis scriptura diuinitus inspirata c. The whole Scripture giuen by inspiration of GOD. c. And in his Booke called Opus imperfectum I wote not precisely vpon what text but there you shal finde that he would haue a true preacher of gods law not swaruing therefro neither vpon the right hand neither vpon y e left but keeping thereafter according to the teaching of SalomoÌ„ for he that should thervnto adde or withdraw should enterprise as sayeth Chrysostome to be wiser then God These or els such like wordes doth he say I will be deemed by the booke brought forth because my remembraunce cannot retayne perfectly all such thinges S. Cyprian mainteineth well the same in an Epistle that â—e writeth ad Cecilium fratrem Cyprianus ad Ceciliâ—â— fratrem Which I woulde to God were in English that al men might learn the deuout goodnes in it conteined In the same he teacheth clearely how we ought to heare Christ onely and his learning not regarding ne attending to the traditions of men lyke as he doth also in many other places And this agreeth well with Scripture which is called the word of Saluation Scripture how many names it hath the administration of righteousnes the word of truth yea and the truth it selfe the rod of direction our spirituall food the spirituall sword that we ought to fight with against all temptations and assaultes of our ghostly enemies the seede of God the kingdome of heauen keyes of the same the power of God the light of the worlde which who so followeth shal not be ouercome with darknes the law of God his wisedome and Testament Of which wordes and such like The word sufficient 〈◊〉 all our direction euery one will giue matâ—er of substantial argument that we following the same doctrine onely shall haue sufficient safe conduict to come vnto the inheritaunce promised albeit none other wayes or meanes were annexed with the same And certaine I am that in this blessed doctrine of Christ is taught Scripture sufficient to saluation without any other addition Psal. 25. howe we ought to do truth and mercy which is all that we neede to do as testifieth the Psalme in these wordes Vniuersae viae domini misericordia veritas c. All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and truth And againe the Prophet willing vs to do as he did sayth in this maner Adhaesi testimonijs tuis domine noli me confundere I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord confound me not In lyke maner the sayd whole Psalme warneth vs. Psal. 118. Yea all the Scripture biddeth vs sticke fast to the steady and true worde of God saying that he is verax viae eius veritas omnis autem homo vanitas mendax For he is true and all his wayes are trueth but all men are vaine and lyers For that is the sure foundation which cannot fayle them that grounde therevppon as reporteth Christ Euery one sayth he that heareth my words doth them is like to a wise man that buildeth vppon a sure foundation And there ought to be none other foundation to christen men but only the vndoubted truth of Iesus to build our faith vpon and direct our liuing thereafter as sheweth s. Paul saying FundamentuÌ„ aliud nemo c. Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. And likewise in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians 1. Cor. 3. where he sayth I am non estis hospites aduenae sed conciues sanctorum domestici dei c. Nowe ye are no more strangers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 〈◊〉 1. And in the same epistle S. Paul dilating of Christes benificence sheweth how that he ordained in the Churche diuers officers to the edifying of Christen people that he calleth Christes body vntill all we may come vnto the vnitie of faith which coÌ„meth by following of one doctrine whiche is Christes wherby wee may growe to bee perfect men and that we should not be here like to children caried about with euery winde of doctrine by deceipte and wilines of men that study to deceiue vs. Heb. 13. In like forme doeth he warne vs in the Epistle to the Hebrues that we should not be caried about as the wind with diuers and straunge doctrines but continue in that which euer continueth like and all one agreeable for all men in all partes The inconstancy and variablenes of mens coÌ„stitutions The popes lawes were neuer wholy receiued of all men and that at all times not being chaungeable as mens constitutions be whereof looke what one doth counsaile or ordaine to be of effecte another annulleth the same according as mens mindes doe alway alter and are full vnstedy Neither doe such pertaine vnto all men for the Greekes with other whome the Pope ne none of his people wil yet deny to be of Christes Church will in no condition admitte such neither for men to liue after them nor to beleeue them as pertaining to theyr faith But they allowe well the doctrine that perseuereth euer one Heb. 13. and is immutable as sheweth Saint Paule saying Iesus Christ yesterday and to day is all one and so euer shal be He is white breade without any sower leuen of Pharisaical traditions veritie without guile light without any darkenes the very straight way that hath neither hooke ne croke From this ought we not to turne neither vpon one hand ne other vnlesse we will go from him that is our felicitie and anker of safetie But what should I more entreate of this excepte I would recite all scripture which in euery parte is full of admonitions exhorting and warning vs to cleaue fast vnto this way which is the doctrine of the Gospel which God I beseech him graunt vs all both to knowe and loue taking heede that in no wise wee be seduced therefro by lawes doctrines of men Looke also in the ij chap. to the Colossians and in the epistle of Timothe and Titus So that I conclude in holy scripture to be conteined sufficiently enough of doctrine The chiefe article obiected againsâ— Iohn Lambert for the regiment and saluation of our soules And this because learned men do call the head Article laid against me I would that all men should well note it and record my saying
therin hereafter whatsoeuer shall be tide of me for the truth is so in deed that hereupon hangeth the summe of all Therfore I shall recite it once againe Doctrine in the holy scripture sufficient to saluation of Christen mens soules Vnwritten verities I say that in holy Scripture the doctrine there only contained is sufficient for the saluation of christen mens soules God giue vs grace we may know it to builde our faith stedfastly vpon the same in working thereafter As touching the latter parte of your question I saye that there are many thinges both to be obserued and to be beleeued that are not expressed in scripture as the Ciuill lawes of princes and comminalties ordeined for ciuill regiment of the body and all other so that they be not hurtefull to faith or charity but helpful to the same I recken that we ought to kepe them not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake although such ordinances be not expresly and particularly in scripture expressed for they are generally therin conteined and spoken of Moreouer if you meane by this word expressed that which in scripture is clearely shewed out appeareth euidently to euery reader or hearer y t hath but a mean vnderstanding so do I affirme y t there are some thinges which a man ought to beleeue although they be not of him erpressely vnderstand As I haue euer beleeued that the virgine Mary was and is a perpetuall virgine and that the same might be gathered by the scripture But if by this word expressed you meane comprehended or centeined as me thinke the minde of him that wrote the demaunde should be so that he meaneth by this question thus whether any thing ought to be obserued and beleeued whiche is not contained in Scripture and that vppon necessity of saluation then I say that there is nothing neither to bee obserued ne to be beleued vpoÌ„ necessitie of saluation which is not conteined in Scripture and mentioned in the same either generally or specially Yet do I not deny but other thinges are to be beleeued as I beleeued that Doct. Warham was Byshop of Caunterbury ere euer I saw * your Lordship and I beleue that I knew verily who was my father mother albeit I had none intelligence when they begot me and such like and yet in such pointes although man haue not a stedy beleefe he may be saued ¶ To the xiij where ye do aske whether I beleeue y t purgatory is Aunswere to the 13 article A Purgatorie in this world and whether that soules departed be there in tormented purged I say that there is a Purgatory in this world that doth the scripture and also the holy doctors call the fire of tribulatioÌ„ through which al Christians shal passe as testifieth Saint Paul in the second chapter of the ij Epistle to Timoth. Whose testimony is full notable and true albeit that fewe do know it and fewer peraduenture will beleeue it Marke you the wordes good people and know that they be his and not mine They be thus 2. Tim. 2. The Purgatory of Christians All that will godly liue in Iesu Christe shall suffer persecution In this Purgatory doe I nowe reckon my selfe to stande God send me well to perseuer vnto his honour Of this speaketh also S. Peter in these wordes which perteine to the instruction of all Christen people 1. Pet. 1. Virtute Dei custodimini per fidem ad salutem quae in hoc parata est vt patefiat in tempore supremo in quo exultaris nunc ad breue tempus afflicti in varijs experimentis si opus sit quo exploratio fidei vestrae multo preciosior auro quod perit tamen per ignem probatur reperiatur in gloriam honorem Ye quoth he are preserued thorowe the power of God by faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be reuealed in the last time wherein yee nowe râ—ioyce though for a season if neede require ye are sundry waies afflicted and tormented that the triall of your faith being much more precious then gold that pearisheth though it be tried with fire might be founde vnto laude glorie and honour at the appearing of Iesu Christe c. Other Purgatory knowe I none that you can prooue by Scripture vnlesse it be by one place of the same whyche well examined I trowe shall make but liâ—tâ—e against me for the maintenaunce of any other then I haue shewed But whatsoeuer be brought against me I truste that holye Doctours shall by their interpretation sustayne the parte the which I do take vpon me making aunswere for me sufficient so that you shal say it is no new thing which I haue or shall speake Yet that you shoulde see euen nowe somewhat wrytten of auncient Doctours concerning the same I shall shewe you what I haue read in S. Augustine first in a sermon that he maketh De Ebrietate in this wise saying Nemo se decipiat fratres duo enim loca sunt tertius non est visus Qui cum Christo regnare non meruit No third place by S. Augustine cum Diabolo absque vlla dubitatione peribit That is to say Brethren let no man deceiue himselfe for there be two places and the third is not knowne * What our deseruing is S. AuguÌ„stine declareth before in the 5. Article He that with Christ hath not deserued to reigne shall without doubt perishe wyth the deuill In an other also that he maketh De vanitate huius seculi it is sayd thus Scitote vos quòd cum anima à corpore auellitur statim in paradiso pro meritis bonis collocatur aut certè pro peccatis ininferni tartara praecipitatur Eligite modo quod vultis aut perpetualiter gaudere cum Sanctis Fol. 1074. aut sine fine cruciari cum impijs Whiche is thus to say Knowe you that when the soule is departed from the body No Purgatory it is incontinent for his good deedes put in paradise or els thrown hedlong into the dungeoÌ„ of hell for his sinnes Choose you nowe what ye list and purpose while you be here in this life either to ioy perpetually with Saints or els to be tormented without end among wicked sinners Thus sayeth holy Augustine To make an end I hope surely y t by the ayde of our sauiour I shall come to heauen and reigne with Christ ere that I shall feele any purgatory beside that I haue shall susteine in this life And he that beleueth not stedfastly any other to be shall yet be saued as well and God woteth whether better or no but I thinke no whit lesse as suche as teache the people or suffer them to be taught that in going from this statioÌ„ to that from one altar to an other they shall cause soules to be deliuered The third part of sinnes forgeuen them thâ—t be buryed in a gray Fryers weede August in Enchiâ—idion yea and as
Thomas Cardine other of the priuy chamber how al the matter stode Wherupon Ockam was layde for and had by the backe as soone as he came to Oking and kepte from the byshop On the next morrowe very early Bennets wyfe sent her man to the Courte after Ockam to see howe he spedde with her husbandes letter And when hee came there hee founde sir Thomas Cardine walking wyth Ockam vppe and downe the greene before the Courte gate whereat he marueled to see Ockam with him so early mistrusting the matter whereuppon he kept himselfe out of sight till they had broken off theyr communication And assoone as he saw M. Cardine gone leauing Ockam behinde he went to Ockam and asked hym if hee had deliuered hys maisters letter to the Bishop No sayd Ockam the king remooueth thys day to Gilforde and I must goe thether and will deliuer it there Mary quoth hee and I will goe with you to see what aunswere you shall haue and to carie woord to my mistres and so they rode to Gilford together Where Bennets man being better acquainted in the towne then Ockam was gat a lodging for them both in a kinsmans house of hys That done he asked Ockam if he would goe and deliuer his mistres letter to the Byshop Bennets maÌ„ goeth with hys mistres letter to the Byshop of Winchester Nay sayde Ockam you shall go and deliuer it your selfe and tooke him the letter And as they were goynge in the streate togethers and comming by the Earle of Bedfordes lodging then Lorde priuie seale Ockam was pulled in by the sleeue no more seene of Bennets man till he sawe him in the Marshalsey Then went Bennets man to the bishops lodging and deliuered hys letter And when the Byshop had red the contentes thereof he called for the man that brought it Come Syrha quoth he you can tell me more by mouth then the letter specifieth had hym into a litle garden Now quoth the Bishop what say you to me Forsoth my Lorde quoth he I haue nothing to say vnto your Lordshippe for I did not bryng the letter to the Towne No quoth the Byshop where is he that brought it Forsoth my Lorde quoth he I left him busie at his lodging Then he wil come quoth the Byshop Bid him be wyth me betimes in the mornyng I wil quoth he Bennets maÌ„ 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Oking Bennet discharged out of prison by good men of the priuy-chamber Certayne of the priuy chamber indited Syr Tho. Cardine and his wife Syr Phillip Hobby and his wife M. Edmund Hâ—â—â—an do your lordships commandement and so he departed home to hys lodging And when hys kinsfolkes saw him come in alas cosin quoth they we are all vndon Why so quoth he what is the matter Oh sayde they heere hath bene since you went M. Padget the kings secretary with sir Tho. Cardine of the priuie chamber and searched all our house for one that should come to the towne w t Ockam therfore make shift for your selfe assoone as you caÌ„ Is that all the matter quoth hee then content your selfe for I wil neuer flee one foote happe what hap will And as they were thus reasoning together in came y e foresaid searchers againe when M. Cardine saw Bennets man he knewe him very well sayde was it thou that came to the towne w t Ockam Yea sir quoth he Now who the deuill quoth M. Cardine brought thee in company w t that false knaue Then he tolde them hys busines and the cause of his comming whych being knowen they were satisfied and so departed The nexte day had Bennets man a discharge for hys master procured by certaine of the priuie chamber and so went home Nowe was Ockam all this while at my Lorde priuie Seales where he was kept secret til certaine of the Counsaile had perused all his wrytings amonge the which they found certaine of the priuie Chamber indited w t other the kings Officers with their wiues that is to say Sir Tho. Cardine sir Phillip Hobby wyth both theyr Ladies M. Edmund Harman M. Thomas Weldone wyth Snow-ball and hys wife M. Thomas Weldone Snowbale and hys wife All thâ—se were indited for the 6. articles with a great number moe The king gaue his pardon to his gentlemen of his priuy chamber The king certified of the pityfull death of these Godly Martyrâ— at windsore The kinges testimony of the Martyrs of Windsore All these they had indited by the force of the 6. Articles as aiders helpers and maintainers of Anthony Person And beside them they had indited of heresie some for one thing and some for an other a great nomber moe of the Kings true and faithfull subiects Whereof the kings Maiestie beynge certified hys grace of hys speciall goodnes without the sute of any man gaue to the foresayd Gentlemen of his priuie Chamber and other his seruants with theyr wiues hys gracious pardoÌ„ And as God wold haue the matter further knowen vnto hys maiestie as hee roade one day a huntinge in Gilforde Parke and sawe the Sheriffe wyth syr Humfrey Foster sitting on theyr horse backes together he called them vnto him asked of them how hys lawes was executed at Windsore Then they beseching hys grace of pardon tolde hym plainely that in all theyr liues they neuer sate on matter vnder his graces authoritie that went somuch against theyr consciences as the death of these men did and vp and told hys grace so pitiful a tale of the casting away of these poore men that the King turning hys horsehead to departe from them sayde Alasse poore Innocents After thys The Bishop of wynchester out of the kinges fauour D. London W. Simons and R. Ockam apprehended condemned of periury the king withdrew hys fauour from the B. of Winchester being more and more enformed of the conspiracie of doctor London and Symons he commaunded certaine of his counsaile to search out the ground thereof Whereupon Doctour London and Symons were apprehended and brought before the Counsail and examined vpon their othe of allegeaunce And for denying their mischeuous and traiterous purpose whiche was manifestlye proued to theyr faces they were both periured and in fine adiudged as periured persons to weare papers in Wyndsore and Ockam to stand vpon theÌ„ pillerie in the towne of Newbery where he was borne The iudgemeÌ„t of all these 3. was to ride about Windsore Reading and Newbery with papers on their heads The punishmeÌ„t of D. London W. Symons and of R. Ockam for false accusation and periury Ex testimonio Ioan. Marbeckâ— and theyr faces turned to the horse tales so to stand vpon the Pillerye in euery of these Townes for false accusation of the forenamed Martyrs and for periurie And thus much touching the persecution of these good Saintes of Windsore according to the copie of their owne acts receiued and wrytten by Iohn Marbecke who is yet aliue both a present witnes and also was then a
partye of the sayd doings and can testifie the truth thereof Aunswere to the cauilling aduersaries touching Iohn Marbecke WHerefore against these crooked cauillers which make so much ado against my former boke because in a certaine place I chaunced to saye that Bennette and Filmer had their pardon when in dede it was Bennet and Marbecke be it therfore known protested denounced The story doth purge it selfe if it had pleased these meÌ„ to take one place with an other and notified to al singular such carpers wranglers exclamers deprauers with the whole broode of all such whisperers railers quarelpickers corner creepers fault finders spidercatchers or by what name els so euer they are to be titled that here I openly say affirm professe hold maintain write the same as I sayde wrote before in the latter castigations of my booke that is that Iohn Marbecke was with the other condemned but not burned cast by the law but by pardone saued appoynted with the rest to die Harke you wranglers and be saâ—isfied yet not deade but liueth God be praised yet to thys present day singeth merely and playeth on the Organes not as a dead man amoÌ„gst Foxes martyrs as it hath pleased some in y e court to encounter against me but as one witnessed testified truely in the booke of Foxes Martyrs to be a liue And therfore such maner of persons if y e disposition of their nature be such that they must needes finde faultes then let them finde them where they are and wher those faults by their finding may be corrected But wheras they be corrected already found to their hands also amended before let then these legend liers looke on their own legends and there cry out of lies where they may find inough and cease their bitinge there where they haue no iust cause to barke And admitte that I had not foresene and corrected thys escape before touching the matter of Iohn Marbecke but that the place stil had remained in the boke as it was that is that the sayd Iohn Marbecke whyche as yet aliue had then died suffred w t the other 3. the same time at Wyndesore yet what geÌ„tle or courteous reader could haue therin any iust matter to triumph insult against me seing the iudiciall acts the records registers yea the bishops certificate also the write of execution remaining yet in Recorde sent to the king did lead me so to say and thinke For what man wryting histories who can not be in all places to se al things but folowing his records registers wher in he seeth the said Marbecke to be iudged and condemned with the rest would otherwise write or thinke but that also he was executed and burned in the same company But nowe I correct and reforme the same agayne and first of all other I finde the fault and yet am I found fault withall I correct my selfe and yet am I corrected of other I warne the Reader of the truth The death of Iohn Marbecke in the former booke amended and yet am I a lier The booke it selfe sheweth the escape and biddeth in steade of 4. to read 3. burned and yet is the booke made a legeÌ„d of lies Briefly where I preuent all occasion of cauilling to the vttermost of my diligence yet can not I haue that law which all other bookes haue that is to recognise reforme mine owne errata Wherefore to conclude these men whosoeuer they are if they will be satisfied I haue sayd inough if they wil not whatsoeuer I caÌ„ say it wil not serue and so I leaue them I woulde I could better satisfie them God hymself amend them The persecution in Calyce with the Martyrdome of George Bucker otherwise called Adam Damlyp and others AT what time Iohn Marbecke was in the Marshalsey which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1544. there was in the sayd prison with him one George Bucker Anno 1544. named otherwise Adam Damlyp who hauing continued in the sayd prison 3. or 4. yeres at last by the commandement of Winchester was had to Calice by Ihon Massie the keeper of the Marshalsey George Bucker alias Adam Damlip Martyr and there hanged drawen quartered for treason pretensed whiche was a little before the condemnation of the Windsore men aforesayd as is by the letters of the sayd Iohn Marbecke to me signified Touching which story of Adam Damlyp for somuche it includeth matter of much trouble and persecutioÌ„ that hapned in Calice Ex litteris Ioan. Marbecki to digest therefore and comprise the whole narration therefore in order firste I will enter the Lorde willing the storie of Damlip and so proceede in order to such as by the sayde occasion were afflicted and persecuted in the towne of Calice Persecution in the towne of Calice Persecutors Persecuted The Causes Iohn Doue Prior of the gray Fryers in Calice Syr Gregorie Buttol Priest Steuen Gardiner Bysh. of Winchester D. Sampson Byshop of Chichester D. Clarke Byshop of Bathe D. Repse B. Norwich Haruey commissarie in Calice Ladie Honor wife to the I. Lisle deputie of Calice Syr Thomas Palmer Knight Iohn Roochwoode Esquier Adam Damlip requested by Cardinal Poole to tary at Rome Rich. Long souldiour of Calice Fraunces Hastings souldiour Hugh CouÌ„sel seruant· Syr Rafe Ellerker Knight Syr Iohn Gage George Bucker or els called Adam Damlyp A poore labouring maÌ„ W. Steuens Thom. Lancaster Iohn Butler commissary W. Smith Priest Raffe Haire Iacob a Surgion A Fleming Clement Philpot seruaunt Ieffrey Loueday Dodde Sir Edmond Priest W. Touched Post-maister Pet. Bequet Anthony Pickeryng gentleman Henry Tourney gentleman George Darby Priest Iohn Shepard W. Pellam W. Keuerdall Iohn Whitwood Ioh. Boote Ro. Cloddet Copen de Hane alias Iames Cocke Math. Hounde W. Crosbowmaker IN the yeare of oure Lorde 1539. the Lorde Cromwell being yet aliue there came to Calice one Georg Bucker alias Adam Damlyppe who had beene in tyme past a great Papist and Chaplaine to Fisher bishop of Rochester and after the death of the bishop hys maister hadde trauailed through FraÌ„ce Dutchland and Italie and as he went conferred with learned menne concerninge matters of controuersie in Religion and so proceedinge in hys iourny to Rome whereas he thoughte to haue founde all godlynesse and sincere Religigion in the end he fouÌ„d there as hee confessed such blasphemy of God contempte of Chrystes true religion loosenes of life and aboundance of all abhominations and filthinesse that it abhorred his heart and conscience any longer there to remayne althoughe he was greatlye requested by Cardinal Pole there to continue and to read 3. Lectures in the weeke in his house for y t which he offered hym great entertainment Whyche he refused so returninge homewarde hauynge a piece of money geuen him of the Cardinall at his departure to the value of a Frenche crowne towarde his charges came to Calyce as is aforesayd Who as he was there wayting
Christian schooles Churches Prisons turned into churches churches into dens of theeues so that there was no greater comfort for Christian harts then to come to the prisons to beholde their vertuous conuersation and to heare their prayers preachings most godly exhortations and consolations Now were placed in Churches blinde and ignoraunt Massemongers with their Latine bablings and apishe ceremonies who lyke cruell Wolues spared not to murther all such as any thing at all but once whispered against their Popery As for the godly preachers which were in King Edwardes tyme they were either fled the Realme or else The lamantable distresse of gods true worshippers in those dayes as the Prophets did in Kinge Achabs dayes they were priuely kept in corners As for as many as the Papistes could lay hold on they were sent into prison there as Lambes waiting when the Butchers would call them to the slaughter When Doctour Taylour was come into y e prison called the Kings Bench hee founde therein the vertuous and vigilant preacher of Gods word M. Bradford which maÌ„ for his innocent and godly liuing Iohn Bradford and D. Taylour prison fellowes in the kinges Bench. his deuout vertuous preaching was worthyly counted a miracle of our time as euen his aduersaries must needes coÌ„fesse Finding this man in prison he began to exhort him to faith strength patience and to perseuere constant vnto the end M. Bradford hearing this thanked God that he had prouided hym such a coÌ„fortable prison felow so they both together lauded God and coÌ„tinued in prayer reading exhorting one the other In so much that D. Taylour told his friends y t came to visite him that God had most graciously prouided for him to send him to that prison where he founde such an angell of God to be in his company to comfort him ¶ Doctour Taylour brought foorth to be depriued ¶ After that Doct. Taylour had lyen in prison a whyle he was cited to appeare in the Arches at Bow Church to aunswere vnto such matter as there should be obiected against him At the day appoynted he was led thether hys keeper wayting vpon him Where wheÌ„ he came he stoutly and strongly defended his Mariage affirming by the Scriptures of God by the Doctours of the primitiue Church D. Taylour defenneth maryage of Priestes by both Lawes Ciuill and Canon that it is lawfull for Priests to marry and y t such as haue not the gift of continencie are bounde in paine of damnation to marry This did he so plainely proue that the Iudge could geue no sentence of diuorce against him but gaue sentence hee should be depriued of his benefice because he was maried D. Taylour depriued hâ—s Benefice because of his mariage You do me wrong then quoth Doctour Taylour and alledged many lawes and constitutions for himselfe but al preuailed not For he was againe caried into prison his liuings taken away and geuen to other As for Hadley benefice it was geuen or sold I wote not whether Seldome commeth a better to one Maister Newealle whose great vertues were altogether vnlike to Doctour Taylour his predecessour as the poore Parishioners full well haue proued * Doctour Taylour brought agayne before Winchester and other Byshops AFter a yeare and three quarters or thereabout in the which time the Papistes got certaine olde tyrannous lawes which were put downe by King Henry the eight The papiste rule and raigne and by king Edward to be againe reuiued by Parlament so that now they might Ex officio cite whome they would vpon their owne suspicion and charge hym wyth what Articles they lusted and except they in all things agreed to their purpose burne them when these lawes were once stablished they sent for Doctour Taylour with certaine other prisoners which were agayne conuented before the Chauncellour and other Commissioners about the 22. of Ianuary The purpose and effect of which talke betwene them because it is sufficiently described by himselfe in hys owne letter written to a frend of his I haue annexed the sayd letter heere vnder as foloweth ¶ A Letter of Doctour Taylour contayning and reporting the talke had betweene him and the Lord Chauncellour and other Commissioners the 22. of Ianuary WHereas you would haue me to write the talke betweene the King and Queenes most honourable Counsell and me on Tuesday the xxij of Ianuary so farre as I remember First my Lord Chauncellour sayd You among other are at this present time sent for The pardon is profered to enioy the Kings and Queenes Maiestis fauour and mercy if you will now rise againe with vs from the fall whiche wee generally haue receaued in this Realme from the which God be praised we are now clearely deliuered miraculously If you will not rise with vs now and receaue mercy now offered you shall haue iudgement according to your demerites To this I aunswered that so to rise should be the greatest fall that euer I could receiue for I should so fall from my deare Sauiour Christ to Antichrist Note thys aunswere The religion set forth in king Edwardes dayes Secretary Bourne cauilleth aagaynst the religion set forth in K. Edwardes dayes A testimony of the book of seruice set out in K. Edwardes dayes For I do beleeue that the Religion set foorth in King Edwards dayes was according to the veyne of the holy Scripture which conteineth fully all the rules of our Christian Religion from the which I do not intend to decline so long as I liue by Gods grace Then Mayster Secretary Bourne sayde whyche of the Religions meane ye of in King Edwards dayes For ye knowe there were diuers bookes of Religion set foorth in his dayes There was a Religion set foorth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caunterbury Do you meane that you will sticke to that I aunswered My Lorde of Caunterbury made a Cathechisme to be translated into English which booke was not of his owne making yet he set it foorth in his owne name and truely that booke for the time did much good But there was after that set foorth by the most innocent King Edward for whome God bee praysed euerlastingly the whole Churchseruice with great deliberation and the aduise of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole Realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited according to the rules of our Christian Religion in euery behalfe that no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein contayned I meane of that booke reformed Then my Lord Chauncellour sayd Diddest thou neuer reade the booke that I set foorth of the Sacrament I aunswered that I had read it Then he sayd How likest thou that booke With that His right name might be Syr Iohn Clawback one of the Counsell whose name I know not sayd My Lord that is a good
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