prouision had not preuented her with death In the number of them which suffred the same month when Queene Mary died were three that were burned at Bury whose names were these Phillip Humfrey Iohn Dauid Henry Dauid his brother Concernyng the burnyng of these three here is to bee noted that sir Clement Higham about a fortnight before the Queen died did sue out a writ for the burning of these three aforesayd godly and blessed Martyrs notwithstandyng that the Queene was then known to be past remedie of her sicknesse The trouble and Martyrdome of a godly poore woman which suffred at Exeter ALthough in such an innumerable company of godlye Martyrs which in sundry quarters of this Realme were put to torments of fire in Q. Maries time it be hard so exactly to recite euery perticular person that suffred but that some escape vs eyther vnknowen or omitted yet I can not passe ouer a certaine poore woman and a sely creature burned vnder the sayd queenes reigne in the City of Exeter whose name I haue not yet learned who dwelling sometime about Cornewall hauing a husbande and childrē there much addicted to the superstitious sect of popery was many times rebuked of thē driuē to go to the church to their Idols and ceremonies to shrift to follow the Crosse in Procession to geue thankes to God for restoryng Antichrist agayne into this Realme c. Which when her spirit could not abide to do she made her prayer vnto God calling for helpe and mercy and so at length lying in her bed about midnight she thought there came to her a certaine motion and feeling of singuler comfort Wherupon in short space she beganne to grow in contempt of her husband and children and so taking nothing from them but euen as she went departed from them seeking her lyuing by labor spinning as well as she could here there for a time In which time notwithstanding she neuer ceased to vtter her minde as well as she durst howbeit she at that time was brought home to her husband agayn Wher at last she was accused by her neighbours and so brought vp to Exeter to be presented to the Bishop and his Clergy The name of the Bishop which had her in examination was Doctour Troubleuile His Chauncellour as I gather was Blackstone The chiefest matter whereupon she was charged and condemned was for the Sacrament which they call of the Aultar and for speaking against Idols as by the declaration of those which were present I vnderstand which report the talk betwene her and the bishop on this wise Bishop Thou foolish woman quoth the Byshop I heare say that thou hast spoken certayne words of the most blessed Sacrament of the Aultar the body of Christ. Fye for shame Thou art an vnlearned person and a woman wilt thou meddle with such highe matters whiche all the Doctours of the worlde can not define Wilt thou talke of so high misteryes Keepe thy worke medle with that thou hast to do It is no womans matters at cardes and towe to be spoken of And if it be as I am infourmed thou art worthy to be burned Woman My Lord sayde she I trust your Lordship will heare me speake Bish. Yea mary quoth he therfore I send for thee Woman I am a poore woman do liue by my hands getting a peny truely of that I get I geue part to the poore Bish. That is well done Art thou not a mans wife And here the Bishop entred into talke of her husband To whom she answered againe declaring that she had a husband and children and had them not So long as she was at liberty she refused not neyther husband nor children But now standing here as I doe sayd she in the cause of Christ his trueth where I must either forsake Christ or my husband I am contēted to sticke onely to Christ my heauenly spouse and renounce the other And here she making mention of the words of Christ He that leaueth not father or mother sister or brother husband c. the Byshop inferred that Christ spake that of the holy martyrs which dyed because they would not doe sacrifice to the false Gods Woman Sikerly syr and I will rather dye then I will do any worship to that foule Idoll whiche with your Masse you make a God Bish. Yea you callet will you say that the sacrament of the aultar is a foule Idoll Wom. Yea truly quoth she there was neuer such an Idoll as your sacramēt is made of your priestes cōmaūded to be worshipped of al mē with many fōd phantasies where Christ did commaund it to be eaten drunken in remembraunce of his most blessed passion our redemption Bish. See this pratling woman Doest thou not heare that Christ did say ouer the bread This is my body ouer the cup This is my bloud Wom. Yes forsooth he sayd so but he meant that it is hys body and bloud not carnally but sacramentally Bish. Loe she hath heard pratling among these new preachers or heard some peeuish book Alas poore womā thou art deceiued Wom. No my Lorde that I haue learned was of Godly preachers of godly books which I haue heard read And if you will geue me leaue I will declare a reason why I will not worship the sacrament Bish. Mary say on I am sure it will be goodly geare Woman Truely such geare as I will loose this poore life of mine for Bish. Then you will be a martyr good wife Woman In deed if the denying to worshippe that bready God be my martyrdome I will suffer it with all my hart Bish. Say thy minde Wom. You must beare with me a poore woman quoth she Bish. So I will quoth he Woman I will demaunde of you whether you can denye your creed which doth say that Christ perpetually doth sit at the right hand of his father both body soule vntill he come againe or whether he be there in heauē our aduocate do make prayer for vs vnto God his father If it be so he is not here in the earth in a piece of bread If he be not here if he do not dwel in temples made with hands but in heauen what shall we seeke him here if he did offer his body once for all why make you a new offering if with once offring he made al perfect why do you with a false offring make al vnperfect if he be to be worshipped in spirite and truth why doe you worship a piece of bread if he be eaten drunkē in faith truth if his flesh be not profitable to be among vs why do you say you make his body and fleshe and say it is profitable for body soule Alas I am a poore woman but rather then I would do as you doe I would liue no longer I haue sayd syr Bish. I promise you you are a iolly protestant I pray you in what schooles haue you
of late yeares past Let vs bee hartye and of good courage therefore and throughlye comforte our selues in the Lorde Bee in no wise afrayd of your aduersaries for that which is to them an occasion of perdition is to you a sure token of saluatiō and that of GOD. For vnto you it is geuen that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on hym but also suffer for hys sake And when ye are rayled vppon for the name of Christe remember that by the voyce of Peter yea and of Christe our Sauiour also ye are counted with the Prophetes with the Apostles and with the holy Martyrs of Christ happy and blessed therefore for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you On their part our Sauiour Christe is euill spoken of but on your part he is gloryfied For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you and working al crueltie villanie agaynst you but make your crownes more glorious yea beautifie multiply the same heape vpon them selues the horrible plagues and heauy wrath of God and therfore good brethrē though they rage neuer so fiercely against vs yet let vs not wish euill vnto thē againe knowing that whiles for Christes cause they vexe and persecute vs they are lyke mad men most outragious and cruell agaynst them selues heaping hot burning coles vpon their owne heades but rather let vs wish well vnto thē knowing that we are thereunto called in Christe Iesu that we should be heyres of the blessing Let vs pray therefore vnto God that he would driue out of their harts this darkenes of errours make the light of his truth to shine vnto thē that they acknowledging their blindnes may with al humble repentance be conuerted vnto the Lord together with vs confesse hym to be the onely true God which is the father of light his onely sonne Iesus Christ worshipping him in spirit and veritie Amen The spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ comfort your hartes in the loue of God and pacience of Christ. Amen Your brother in the Lord whose name this bearer shall signifie vnto you ready alwayes by the grace of God to liue and die with you ¶ To the breathren which constantly cleaue vnto Christ in suffering affliction with him and for his sake GRace and peace from God the father and frō our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied vnto you Amen Although brethren we haue of late heard nothing from you neither haue at this present any newes to send you yet we thought good somthing to write vnto you wherby ye might vnderstand that we haue good remembraunce of you continually as we doubt not but ye haue of vs also When this messenger comming vnto vs from you of late had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancie fortitude and patience in the Lord we were filled with much ioy gladnes geuing thankes to God the father through our Lord Iesus Christe which hath caused his face so to shine vpon you and with the light of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lightened your hartes that now being in captiuitie bandes for Christes cause ye haue not ceased as much as in you lyeth by wordes but much more by deede and by your example to stablysh and confirme that thing which when ye were at libertie in the world ye laboured to publish and set abrode by the word and doctrine that is to say holding fast the worde of life ye shine as lightes in the worlde in the middest of a wicked and crooked nation and that with so much the greater glory of our Lord Iesus Christe and profite of your brethren by how muche Satan more cruelly now rageth and busily laboureth to darken the light of the Gospel And as for the darkenes that Satan nowe bringeth vpon the Church of England who needeth to doubt therof Of late tyme our Sauiour Christe his Apostles Prophetes and Teachers spake in the Temple to the people of England in the Englishe tongue so that they might be vnderstanded playnly and without any hardnesse of the godly and such as sought for heauenly knowledge in matters whiche of necessitie of saluation perteyned to the obteyning of eternall life but now those thinges which once were written of them for the edifiyng of the congregation are read in a strange tongue without interpretatiō manifestly agaynst saint Paules commaundement so that there is no man able to vnderstand them which hath not learned that strange and vnknowen tongue Of late dayes those heauenly mysteries whereby Christe hath ingrafted vs into his body and hath vnited vs one to another whereby also being regenerate borne anew vnto God he hath nourished encreased and strengthened vs whereby moreouer eyther he hath taught and set foorth an order amongest them which are whole or els to the sicke in soule or body hath geuen as it were wholesome medicines and remedies those I say were al plainlye set foorth to the people in their owne language so that what great and exceeding good things euery man had receiued of God what duetie euery one owed to an other by Gods ordinaunce what euery one had professed in his vocation and was bound to obserue where remedy was to be had for the wicked and feeble he to whom God had geuen a desire and willing hart to vnderstand those thinges might soone perceiue and vnderstand But now all these thinges are taught set forth in such sort that the people redeemed with Christes bloud and for whose sakes they were by Christe himselfe ordeined can haue no maner of vnderstanding thereof at all Of late for as much as we knowe not how to pray as we ought our Lorde Iesus Christe in his Prayer wherof he would haue no man ignoraūt and also the holy Ghost in the Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songes which are set foorth in the Bible did teache and instructe all the people of Englande in the Englyshe tongue that they might aske such thinges as are according to the will of the Father and might ioyne their hartes and lyppes in prayer together but nowe all these thynges are commaunded to be hid and shutte vp from them in a straunge tongue whereby it must needes followe that the people neyther can tell how to pray nor what to pray for and how can they ioyne their hartes and voyce together whē they vnderstande no more what the voyce signifieth than a bruite beast Finally I heare say that the Catechisme whiche was lately set foorth in the Englyshe tongue is now in euery Pulpite condemned O deuilishe malice and most spitefully iniurious to the saluation of mankinde purchased by Iesus Christe In deede Satan coulde not long suffer that so great light should be spread abrode in the world he sawe well enough that nothing was able to ouerthrow his kingdome so much as if childrē being godly instructed in Religion should learne to knowe Christe whilest they are yet young whereby not onely chyldren but the elder sort also
all this audience yea the Heathen speake shame of your fact For a City saith our sauiour that is builded on a hill can not be hid if they therefore haue the truth let it come to light For al that wel do come to the light and they that do euill hate the light Then my Lorde Maior hanginge downe his head sayd nothing but the Byshop tolde me I shoulde preache at a Stake and so the Shiriffe cryed with the Byshop away with me Thus came I in before theÌ„ foure times desiring Iustice but could haue none and at length my frendes requiring with one voyce the same coulde not haue it we had sentence and then â—eing caried out were brought in agayne and had it euery man seuerally geuen But before the Bishop gaue me sentence he told me in derision of my Brother Takerfielde a tale betweene a Gentleman and his Cooke To whiche I aunsweared My Lorde yee fill the peoples eares with fantasies and foolish tales and make a laughing matter at bloud but if ye were a true byshop ye should leaue these railing sentences and speak the wordes of God Boner Well I haue offred to that noughty felow mayster Speaker your companion the Cooke that my Chancellor should here instruct him but he hath here with great disdaâ—ne forsaken it How sayest thou wilt thou haue him instruct thee and lead thee in the right way Smith My Lorde if your Chauncellour shall doe me any good and take any paynes as ye say let him take mine articles in his handes that ye haue obiected agaynst me and either proue one of them heresy or any thing that you doe to be good and if he be able so to doe I stand here wyth all my hart to heare him if not I haue no neede I prayse God of his sermon for I come to answere for my life and not heare a sermon Then beganne the sentence In Dei nomine To whiche I answered that he beganne in a wrong name requiring of him where hee learned in Scriptures to geue sentence of death agaynste any man for his conscience sake To the which he made no aunsweare but went forwarde to the end and immediately cryed Away with me Then I turned me to the Maior and sayde Is it not enough for you my Lord Maior and ye that are the shiriffes that ye haue left the strayt way of the Lord but that ye must condemne Christ causeles Boner Well Mayster Controller nowe ye can not say but I haue offered you fayre to haue instruction And now I pray thee call me bloudy Bishop and say I seeke thy bloud Smith Wel my Lord although neither I nor any of this congregation do report the truth of your fact yet shal these stones cry it out rather then it shall be hidden Boner Away with him away with him Woodrofe Away with him take him away Smith Well good frendes yee haue seene and hearde the great wrong that we haue receiued this day ye are al recordes that we haue desired the probation of our cause by Gods booke and it hath not bene graunted but we are coÌ„demned and our cause not heard Neuerthelesse my Lord Maior for as much as here ye haue exercised Gods sword causelesse and will not heare the righte of the poore I committe my cause to almighty God that shall iudge all men according vnto right before whoÌ„ we shall both stand without authority and there will I stand in the right and haue true iudgement to your great confusion except ye repent which the Lord grauÌ„t you to do if it be his will And then was I with the rest of my brethren caryed awaye to Newgate Thus gentle Reader as neare as I can I haue set out the truth of my examination and the verity of mine vniust condemnation for the truth requiring god that it may not be layd to the charge of thee O England requiring your harty prayers vnto God for his grace spirit of boldnes with hope euen shortlye to set to my seale at Uxbridge the 8. of August by Gods grace pray that it may be to his honor my saluation and your consolation I pray you Da gloriam Deo Robert Smith Thus hast thou good Reader not onely to note but also to folow in this man a singular example of Christian fortitude which so manâ—ully and valâ—auntly did stande in the defence of his maysters cause And as thou seest hym here boldly stand in examination before the Bishoppe and Doctours so was he no lesse comfortable also in the pryson among his felowes Whiche also is to be obserued no lesse in his other prison felowes who being there together cast in an outward house within Newgate had godly coÌ„ference with themselues with dayly praying and publick reading whiche they to theyr greate comforte vsed in that house together amongst whom this foresayd Smith was a chiefe doer Whose industry was alwayes solicitous not onely for them of his owne company but also his diligeÌ„ce was carefull for other prisoners whom he ceased not to dehort and diswade from theyr olde accustomed iniquity and many he conuerted vnto his Religion Diuers letters he wrote there in the prison to suÌ„dry his frendes partly in metre partly in prose And first in metre as followeth ⧠A Picture describing the maner and place of them which were in bondes for the testimony of the truth conferring together among themselues ¶ O ye that loue the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is euill THe God that geueth life and light And leadeth into rest That breaketh bondes and bringeth out The poore that are opprest And keepeth mercy for the meeke His treasure and his store Increase the life in perfect loue Both now and euermore That as thou hast begun to ground In fayth and feruent loue Thou mayest be made a mighty mount That neuer may remoue That thine ensample may be shewed Among all thine encrease That they may liue and learne the like And passe theyr time in peace Thy salutations that were sent I hartely retayne And send thee seuenty times as much To thee and thine agayne And for because I know the gole That thou doest most desire I send thee here a paper full Is fined in the fire In hope thou wilt accept it well Although it be but small Because I haue none other good To make amendes with all For all thy free and frendly factes Which thy good will hath wrought I send the surely for a shift The thing that cost me nought Absteyne from all vngodlines In dread direct your dayes Possesse not sinne in any wise Beware of wicked wayes Hold fast your fayth vnfaynedly Build as ye haue begon And arme your selfe in perfect fayth To do as ye haue done Least that the wicked make a mocke That ye haue take in hand In leauing of the perfect rocke To build vpon the sand Beware these filthy Pharisies Their building is in bloud Eate not with
heart as I graunt I haue fealt sometimes before O good brother blessed be God in thee and blessed be the time that euer I knewe thee Farewell farewell Your brother in Christ Nicholas Ridley Brother farewell To the brethren remaining in captiuitie of the flesh and dispearsed abroad in sundry prisones but knit together in vnity of spirit and holy Religion in the bowels of the Lorde Iesu. GRace peace mercye be multiplied among you What worthy thankes can we render vnto the Lorde for you my brethren namely for the great coÌ„solation which through you we haue receiued in the Lorde who notwithstanding the rage of Sathan that goeth about by all maner of subtill meanes to beguile the worlde and also buâ—lâ— laboreth to restore and set vp his kingdome againe that of late began to decay and fall to ruine ye remaine yet stil 〈◊〉 as men surely grounded vpon a strong rocke And nowe albeit that sathan by his souldiors and wicked ministers daily as we heare draweth numbers vnto hym so that it is sayd of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen whiles hee driueth into some men thâ— feare of death and losse of all their goods and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunt baites of the worlde namelye richesse wealth and all kinde of delightes and pleasures faire houses great reuenues â—at benefices and what not and all to the intent they should fall downe worship not the Lorde but the Dragon the olde Serpent whych is the deuil that great beast and his image and should be inâ—iced to commit fornication with the strompet of Babilon together wyth the kings of the earth wyth the lesser beast and with the false Prophetes and so to reioyce and be pleasant wyth her and to be drunken wyth the wine of her fornication yet blessed be God the Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe which hath geuen vnto you a manly courage and hath so strengthened you in the inwarde man by the power of his spirite that you can contemne as well all the terrours as also the vaine flatteringe allurementes of the worlde esteeming them as vanities mere trifles things of nought Who hath also wroughte planted and surely stablished in your hearts so stedfast a fayth and loue of the Lorde Iesus Christe ioyned with such constancie that by no engines of Antichriste be they neuer so terrible or plausible yee will suffer any other Iesus or any other Christ to be forced vpon you besides him whom the Prophetâ— haue spoken of before the Apostles haue preached the holy Martyrs of God haue coÌ„fessed and testified with the effusion of their bloud In thys Faith stand ye fast my brethren and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more For ye know brethren howe that our sauiour warned his beforehand that such shoulde come as would poynt vnto the world an other Christ and woulde set him out wyth so many fals myracles and with such deceiueable and subtill practises that euen the very electe if it were possible should be therby deceiued such strong delusion to come did our Sauiour geue warning of before But continue ye faithful and constant and be of good comfort remember that our graund captaine hath ouercome the world for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world and the Lorde promiseth vnto vs that for the elects sake the daies of wickednes shall be shortned In the meane season abide ye endure with patience as ye haue begun endure I say and reserue your selues vnto better times as one of the heathen Poetes said cease not to shew yourselues valiant Soldiours of the Lorde and helpe to maintaine the trauelling faith of the Gospell Yee haue neede of patience that after ye haue done the wil of God ye may receiue the promises For yet a very litle while and he that shall come will come and wil not tarie and the iust shall liue by faith but if anye withdrawe him selfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him sayth the Lorde But we are not they which doe withdrawe oure selues vnto damnation but beleeue vnto the saluation of the soule Let vs not suffer these woordes of Christ to fall out of our hearts by any manner of terrours or threatnings of the worlde Feare not them which kil the body the rest ye know For I wryte not vnto you as to menne which are ignoraunt of the truth but which know the truthe and to this ende onely that we agreeing together in one faith may take comfort one of an other and be the more confirmed and strengthened thereby We neuer had a better or more iust cause either to contemne our life or shed our bloud we can not take in hande the defence of a more certaine cleare and manifest truthe For it is not any ceremonie for the which we contend but it toucheth the very substance of our whole Religion yea euen Christ him selfe Shall we either can we receiue and acknowledge any other Christe in steade of hym who is alone the euerlasting sonne of the euerlasting Father and is the brightnesse of the glory and liuely image of the substaunce of the Father in whome onely dwelleth corporally the fulnesse of the Godhead who is the onely waye the truth and the life Let such wickednesse my brethren lette such horrible wickednesse be farre from vs. For althoughe there be that are called Gods whether in heauen either in earth as there be many Gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whome are al things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and wee by him but euery man hath not knowledge This is life eternal sayth S. Iohn that they know thee to be the onely true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ. If any therfore would force vpon vs any other GOD besides him whom Paule and the Apostles haue taughte let vs not heare him but let vs flee froÌ„ him and hold him accursed Brethren ye are not ignorant of the deepe and profouÌ„d subtleties of Satan for he will not cease to raunge about you seking by all meanes possible whom he may deuour but play ye the men and be of good comfort in the Lorde And albeit your enemies and the aduersaries of the truth armed with all worldly force and power that may be doe set vppon you yet be not ye faynt harted nor shrinke not therfore but trust vnto your Captayne Christ trust vnto the spirit of truth trust to the truth of your cause which as it may by the malice of satan be darckened so can it neuer be cleane put out For we haue high prayse be geuen to God therfore most playnely euidently and clearely on our side all the Prophets all the Apostles and vndoubtedly all the auncient Ecclesiastical writers which haue writtan vntill
discharge his coÌ„science durst so boldly to so mighty a Prince in such a daungerous case agaynst the kinges law and procâ—amation set out in such a terrible time take vpon him to write and to admonish that which no couÌ„seller durst once speak vnto him in defence of Christes Gospell Whose example if the Bishops and Prelates of this Realme for theyr partes likewise in like cases of necessity would followe as in deed they should so many thinges peraduenture woulde not be so out of frame as they be and all for lacke that the officers of Gods word do not theyr duty Finally this moreouer in the sayd letter is to be noted how blessedly almighty God wroughte with his faythfull seruaunt whose bolde aduenture and wholesome counsel though it did not preuayl through the iniquity of the time yet notwithstanding GOD so wrought with his seruaÌ„t in doynge his duetye that no daunger nor yet displeasure rose to him thereby but rather thankes and good will of the Prince for not long after the same he was aduaunced by the king to the Bishopricke of Worcester as is aboue declared Seing M. Latimer was so bolde and playne with the king as is afore specified no greate maruell if he did vse like freedome and playnes toward other meaner persons in admonishing them of theyr misorder especially if anye such occasion were geuen where trueth and equity requyred his defence agaynst iniurye and oppression For example whereof we haue an other Letter of his written to a certayne Iustice of peace in Warwickshyre who as he is long since departed so he shall be here vnnamed The letter although it may seme somewhat long and tedious yet I thought here not to ouerpasse the same for diuers sondry respectes first that the vertue and faythfull conscience of this good Pastor may appeare more at large also for that all other Bishops and pastors by this example may learn with like zeale and stomacke to discharge theyr duety and conscience in reforming thinges amisse and in pouderyng with the salt of Gods word the sores of the people Whiche thing if euery Bishop for his part within his Dioces had done in king Edwardes dayes in redressing such corruption of that time with like diligence as this man did verely I suppose that the persecution of queene Mary had not so plagued the Realme as it did but where as neuer man almost liueth in due order and yet neuer a Bishoppe will styrre to seeke redresse what can become of the Realme Item an other respecte is because of the Iustices and all other placed in roome and office which may take heed hereby not to abuse theyr authority to tread downe trueth and beare downe poore men with open wrong through extortion or partiality and finally that all iniurious oppressors whatsoeuer by the sayd letter may take some fruit of wholsome admonition What the argument and occasion was of this letter I shewed before The tenour and purporte thereof as it was written to the Gentleman is this as foloweth ¶ A fruitfull letter of M. Latimer written to a certayne Gentleman RIght worshipfull salutem in Domino And now Syr I vnderstand that you be in greate admirations at me and take very greeuouslye my maner of writing to you adding thereunto that you will not beare it at my hande no not and I were the best Byshop in England c. Ah Syr I see well I may say as the common saying is Well haue I fished and caught a Frog brought litle to passe with much ado You will not beare it with me you say Why syr what wil ye do with me You will not fight with me I trow It may seeme vnseemely for a Iustice of peace to be a breaker of peace I am glad the dotyng tyme of my foolishe youth is gone and paste What will you then doe with me in that you say you will not beare it at my hand What hath my hand offended you Perchaunce you will conuent mee before some Iudge and call mee into some court Deus bene vertat Equidem non recuso iudicium vllum Accusemus inuicem vt emendemus alius alium in nomine Domini Fiat iustitia in iudicio And then and there doe best haue best for club halfe peny Or peraduenture ye will set penne to paper and all to rattle me in a letter wherein confuting mee you will defend your selfe and your brother agaynst mee Nowe that woulde I see quoth long Roben vt dicitur vulgariter Non potero sane non vehementer probare eiusmodi industriam For so should both your integrityes and innocencyes best appeare if you be able to defend both your owne procedinges your brothers doinges in this matter to be vpright Et ego tum iustis rationibus victus libenter cedam culpam humiliter confessurus But I thinke it will not be But now first of all let me know what it is that ye will not beare at my hande What haue I done wyth my hande What hath my hand trespassed you Forsoothe that canne I tell no man better For I haue charitably monished you in a secret letter of your slipper dealing and such like misbehauiour O quam graue piaculum i. What a sore matter is this And will ye not beare so much with me Will ye not take suche a shew of my good will towardes you and towarde the sauing of your soule at my hand Oh Lord God who would haue thought that Mayster N. had bene so impudent that he would not beare a godly monition for the wealth of his soule I haue in vse to commit suche trespasses manye times in a yeare with your betters by two ot three degrees both Lordes and Ladyes of the best in the Realme and yet hitherto I haue not heard that any of them haue sayd in theyr displeasure that they will not beare it at my hand Are you yet to be taught what is the office liberty priuiledge of a Preacher What is it els but euen arguere mundum de peccato without respect of persons quod quidem ipsum est ipsius spiritus sancti peculiare in ecclesia munus officium sed non nisi per Praedicatores legitimos exequendum You could but ill beare belike to heare your fault openlye reproued in the Pulpit which can not beare the same in a secret sealed vppe letter written both frendly charitably and truely nisi forte acriter reprehendere peccata sit iam omni charitate amicitia veritate carere But Mayster N. if you will geue me leaue to be playne with you I feare me you be so plunged in worldly purchasinges and so drowned in the manifolde dregges of this deceiueable worlde that I weene you haue forgotten your Catechisme Reade therefore agayne the opening of the firste commaundement and then tell me whether you of me or I of you haue iust cause to complayne c. Item Syr you sayd further that I am wonderfully abused by
Gods spirite in vs accordyng to the rule of the Gospell he that coÌ„formeth not him selfe to the same in godly conuersation may iustly treÌ„ble doubt that he is none of the elect children of God but of the viperous generation and a child of darkenesse For the children of light will walke in the workes of light and not of darkenes though they fall they do not lye still Let all vayne excusations be set a part and whiles ye haue light as Christ commaundeth beleue the light and abide in the same lest eternall darkenesse ouertake you vnwares The light is come into the world but alas men loue darkenesse more theÌ„ the light God geue vs his pure eyesalue to heale our blindnes in this behalfe O that men and women would be healed and not seeke to be wilfully blinded The Lord open their eyes that they may see how dauÌ„gerous a thyng it is to decline from the knowledge of truth contrary to their conscience But what sayd I conscience many affirme their conscience will beare them well enough to do all that they do and to go to the Idolatrous Church to seruice whose coÌ„scieÌ„ce is very large to satisfie man more then God And although their conscience can beare them so to do yet I am sure that a good conscience will not permit them so to doe which caÌ„ not be good vnlesse it be directed after the knowledge of Gods word and therfore in Latin this feelyng of mynde is called Conscientia which souÌ„deth by interpretation as much as with knowledge And therfore if our conscience be led of her selfe not after true knowledge yet we are not so to be excused as S. Paul beareth witnes saying Although my coÌ„science acseth me not yet in this I am not iustified And he ioineth a good coÌ„science with these 3. sisters charitie a pure heart vnfayned fayth Charitie keepeth Gods commaundements a pure hart loueth and feareth God aboue all vnfayned fayth is neuer ashamed of the profession of the Gospell whatsoeuer damage he shal suffer in body therby the lord which hath reuealed hys holy will vnto vs by hys word graunt vs neuer to be ashamed of it and geue vs grace so earnestly to cleaue to hys holy word and true church that for no maner of worldly respecte we become partakers of the workes of hipocrisie which God doth abhorre so that we may be found faythfull in the Lords Testament to the end both in hart word and deede to the glory of God and our euerlasting saluation Amen Ioh. Philpot prisoner in the Kinges Benche for the testimony of the truth 1555. * To hys deare frend in the Lord Iohn Careles prisoner in the kinges Benche MY dearely beloued brother Careles I haue receaued youre louing letters full of loue and compassion in somuch that they made my hard hart to weepe to see you so carefull for one that hath bene so vnprofitable a member as I haue bene and am in Christes church God make me worthy of that I am called vnto and I pray you cease not to pray for me but cease to weep for him who hath not deserued such gentle teares and prayse God with me for that I now approch to the company of them whose want you may worthily lament God geue your pittiful hart his inward consolation In deede my deare Careles I am in thys world in hell and in the shadow of death but he that hath brought me for my desertes downe vnto hell shall shortly lift me vpp to heauen where I shall looke continually for your commyng others my faythfull brethren in the kinges Benche And though I tell you that I am in hell in the iudgement of this world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen I prayse God and thys lothsome and horrible prison is as pleasaunt to me as the walke in the garden of the kinges Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauen out of this life is very narrow and wee must striue to enter in at a narrowe gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of myne imprisonment what will he do in the rage of the fire whereunto I am appoynted And this hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of comfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethren with you in these cruell dayes in the which the deuill so rageth at the faythfull flock of Chryst but in vayne I trust against any of vs who be perswaded that neither lyfe neither death is able to seperate vs from the loue of Christs Gospell which is Gods high treasure committed to your brittle vessels to glorifie vs by the same God of hys mercye make vs faythfull stewardes to the end and geue vs grace to feare nothing what soeuer in hys good pleasure we shal suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you eâ—st the cause is our strayt keepyng and the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writteÌ„ since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinations and I am fayne to scribble it out in hast Commend me to al our faythfull brethren and bid theÌ„ with a good courage looke for theyr redemption frame themselues to be harty souldiours in Christ. They haue taken his prest money a great while and now let them shew themselues readye to serue hym faythfully and not to fly out of the Lordes campe into the world as many do Let them remeÌ„ber that in the Apocalips the fearfull be excluded the kingdome Let vs be of good cheare for our Lord ouercame the world that wee shoulde doe the like Blessed is the seruaunt whome when the Lord commeth he findeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into teÌ„ptation Be ioyful vnder the crosse prayse the Lord coÌ„tinually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the Lord delighteth in CoÌ„meÌ„d me to my father Hunt and desire him to loue and continue in the vnitie of Christs true Church which he hath begon and then shal he make me more more to ioy vnder my crosse with him Tel my brother Clements that he hath coÌ„forted me much by his louing token in significatioÌ„ of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encrease my ioy vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you al. Salute al my louyng frends M. Mering M. Crooche with the rest and specially M. Marshal his wife with great thaÌ„ks for his kindnes shewed vnto me Farewel my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuil a while but now I am ouer the shoes God sende me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter to Iohn Careles profitable to be read of all them which mourne in repentaunce for theyr sinnes THe God
triall of our faith that we might bring foorth that excelleÌ„t vertue pacience by the which we are made like to our redeemer Christ with whome we heere being like in suffering assuredly shall heereafter be pertakers of his eternall glory Therefore s. Paul saith God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the crosse of our lord Iesus Christ. I that am vnder the crosse with you thankes be geuen to God therefore haue felt in the same more true ioye and consolation then euer I did by any benefite that God hath geuen mee in my life before For the more the world doth hate vs the nigher God is vnto vs and there is no perfect ioy but in God Wherefore Christ sayd In me you shall haue ioy but in the worlde affliction Blessed be God which sendeth vs this affliction that we mighte perfectly ioy in hym For this cause in the ripest time of iniquitie and in the moste feruent season of persecution of the true church which Christ in the 21. of Luke prophesied to come he willeth vs to be of good chere and to lift vp our heads for our redemption is at hand O that the Lorde would come and deliuer vs from this worlde which is a vale of miserie vnto his owne kingdome where floweth perpetuall ioy and consolation And verily that is the true and onely ioy which is conceiued not of the creature but of the Creator the which when we doe possesse no body canne take it away from vs. To the which ioy all other ioyes being compared are but mournings all delights sorrow al sweetenes sower all beauty filth and finally al other things that be counted pleasant are tediousnes Your owne selfe is better witnes of thys then I aske your selfe with whom you are best acquainted Doeth not the holy Ghost speake the same in your heart Haue you not perswaded your selfe this to be true before I wrote thereof For howe should you being a woman and a yong Gentlewoman beautifull and at your owne liberty haue ouercome this your fraile kinde and age and despised your excellent beautie and estate vnlesse all those things which be subiect to the senses had bene counted of you vile lâ—tle to be estemed in coÌ„parison of those things which inwardly do comfort you to ouercome the flesh the world and the deuil c. God encrease your ioy in all spirituall things and establish your hope to the day of eternal rest You haue forsaken darkenes and are entred into light God graunt the same may shine stil in you vntil the perfect day come of the Lord in the which is all our consolation Here we must be darkened that there we may appeare as brighte as the sunne in the face of the whole world of all them that now condemne vs for our wel doing whose iudges then we shall be to their horrible griefe though nowe wrongfully they iudge vs. Pray hartily that often that God once again for his Christes sake woulde be mercifull to his afflicted church in England Faithfull prayer is the onely remedy that we haue against the fierie dartes of the Deuil that be kindled against vs. By prayer the Amalechites shall be ouercome and the roarings of the Lion which seeketh still to deuoure vs shal be stopped put to silence The Lorde stoppe Leuiathans mouth that he swalow not vp Gods seely people according to his expectation Praise the Lord for the faithfull testimonie and sacrifice which 2. of our brethren of late haue through fire rendred to the truth of the gospell which nowe triumpheth by the death of godly Martyrs The Lorde is at hande therefore watche and pray The last of May. 1555. Captiue in the kings Bench. Yours with heart in Christ Iohn Philpot. An other letter of maister Philpot to the godly Ladie Vane GOd the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ encrease in your godly heart the faith of the gospell which is your eternall inheritance the holy ghost comfort your spirite with all spirituall consolation to the day of the Lord. Amen I can not but praise God moste highly earnestly my deare faithful lady for the great vnfained loue whych you beare vnto me in Christ declared oftentimes as wel now as of late by manifest and liberal tokens Blessed be God that hath made you so worthy a meÌ„ber in his kingdome For it can not be but such shal reape with abuÌ„dance in time of reward that here do sowe so plenteously in well doing Albeit I am moste vnwoorthy to receiue any suche benefit at your hands as in respect of a piller of Christes church which am scarse a shadow thereof But the zeale of Christes church in you wisheth me to be such a one as the time doth require God fulfill your desire of me that I may be fouÌ„d constant no wandring starre I am not worthy of the name of a prophet or of a minister of Gods woorde for that I haue being letted by the iniquitie of time little or nothing labored therein I am a friend of our common spouse Iesus and do reioyce of the veritie of his woorde for the which praised be hys name hee hath counted mee worthy to suffer and in deede who that geueth a draughte of water in the name of a disciple as Christ hath promised shall not lose his reward Therefore that your gentlenes doth in the name of him which I am not the Lorde recompence vnto you in all hys blessings which he is accustomed to powre on them which loue his flocke vnfainedly Good Lady you haue to ioy that the kingdome of God is thus continually before your eies and that you are not ashamed of the bands of Christ which you with his people in part do suffer They may be assured of the glory euerlasting which heere are not ashamed to take vp the crosse of Christ to folowe him Heere we must weepe and lament whiles the worlde laugheth triumpheth ouer vs but our teares shall shortly be turned into vnspeakeable ioy and we shall eternallye be merrye together when the world shall lament their infidelitie without ende c. I woulde I were able to doe any thing that myght shewe condigne thaÌ„ks for that sincere loue you beare vnto me in Christ. You adiure me as it were by your gentle letters to be bolde on you in all my needes I thanke God whych ceaseth not to prouide for his I lacke nothing at this present but only hability to thank your faithful hart for your goodnesse towards me I loue you and not yours as it is meete christians to loue one an other in God your faith which I beholde in you is more woorth vnto me then al your possessioÌ„s And I thinke I shal not neede long to be chargeable vnto you for that this weeke I looke for commissioners to sit on me my fellow prisoners in prison least the spirit of our breath might blowe further abroade The
the Ordinarye neyther whether I were before him acquitted or condemned shoulde it take awaye the former fault Then my Lord affirming that I was not brought before him but for heresie and the other Gentleman saying that doubtles I was discharged of my former matter my desire was that I might bee charged according to the order of the lawe to heare my accusers Then Doctour Chadsey was sent for who reported that in the presence of Mayster Mosley the Lieuetenant of the Tower I spake agaynst the reall presence and the sacrifice of the Masse and that I affirmed that theyr Church was the Churche of Antichrist Is not this true quoth my Lord I sayde yea Will you continue therein quoth he Yea sayde I. Wilt thou then mayntayne it by learning sayd he Therein quoth I I should shewe my selfe to haue little witte knowing myne owne youth and ignoraunce if I would take on me to mayntayne any controuersie agaynste so many graue and learned men But my conscience was satisfied in the truth which was sufficient to my saluation Roper Conscience quoth M. Roper so shall euerye Iewe and Turke be saued We had hereafter much talke to no purpose and especiallye on my part who felt in my selfe through colde and open ayre muche dullnesse of witte and memorye At the length I was asked what conscience was and I sayde the certifying of the trueth M. Welch With that M Welch rose vp desiring leaue to talke with me alone So he taking me aside into an other chamber said that he was sory for my trouble and woulde gladly see me at libertie he maruayled that I being a young man would stande agaynst all the learned men of the realme yea and contrary to the whole determination of the Catholicke Churche from Chrystes time in a matter wherin I could haue no great learning I ought not to thinke mine owne wit better then all mennes but shoulde beleue them that were learned I promise you quoth hee I haue read all Peter Martyrs booke and Cranmers and all the rest of them and haue conferred them with the contrary as Roffensis and the Byshop of Winchester c. and could not perceiue but that there was one continuall truth whiche from the begynning had bene mayntayned and those that at anye time seuered from this vnitie were aunswered and aunswered agayn This was the summe of hys tale whiche lacked neyther witte nor eloquence M. Greene. Then spake I. For asmuche as it pleaseth youre Maystership to vse me so familiarly for hee so behaued hymselfe towardes me as though I had bene hys equall I shall open my mind freely vnto you desiring you for to take it in good worth I consider my youth lack of wit and learning which would god it were but a little vnder the opinion that some men haue of me But God is not bounde to time witte or knowledge but rather choseth infirma mundi vt confunderet fortia Neyther can men appoynt bondes to Gods mercy For I will haue compassion sayth he on whome I will shew mercy There is no respecte of persons with God whether it be olde or young riche or poore wise or foolish Fisher or Basket maker God geueth knowledge of hys truth through hys free grace to whome he liste Iames. i. Neither doe I thinke my selfe onely to haue the trueth but steadfastly beleue that Christ hath hys spouse the Catholicke and vniuersall Church dispersed in many realmes where it pleaseth him spiritus vbi vult spirat no more is hee addicted to any one place then to the person and qualitie of one man Of this Church I nothing doubt my selfe to be a member trusting to be saued by the fayth that is taught in the same But how this Church is knowne is in a maner the end of all controuersie And the true markes of Christes Church is the true preaching of his worde and ministering of his sacramentes These markes were sealed by the Apostles and confirmed by the auncient fathers till at the length they were through the wickednes of men and the deuill sore worne and almost vtterly taken away But God bee praysed that he hath renewed the print that hys truth may be knowne in many places For my selfe I call God to witnesse I haue no hope in mine owne wit and learning whiche is very small but I was perswaded thereto by hym as by an instrument that is excellent in al good learning and liuing And God is my record that chiefly I sought it of hym by continuall prayer with teares Furthermore what I haue done herein it is not needefull for me to speake but one thing I say I wish of God with all my hart that all men which are of contrary iudgement woulde seeke the truth in like maner Now I am â—rought hether before a great many of Byshops and learned men to be made a foole and laughing stocke but I waygh it not a rushe For God knoweth that my whole study is to please hym Besides that care I not for mannes pleasure or displeasure M. Welch No M. Greene quoth he thinke not so vncharitably of any man but iudge rather that men labour for your soules health as for theyr owne And alas how will you condemne all our forefathers Or how can you thinke your selfe to bee of the catholicke Church without anye continuaunce and contrary to the iudgement of all learned men Greene. Then sayde I Syr I haue no authoritie to iudge anye manne neuerthelesse I doubte not but that I am of the true catholicke Church howe soeuer our learned men here iudge of me Welche Why then sayd he do you suppose your own wyt and learning better then all theirs if you doe not geue credite onely to them other learned men shall resort vnto you that shal perswade you by the Scriptures and Doctours Greene. Sir ê™ I God knoweth that I refuse not to learn of any childe but I would embrace the trueth from the mouth of a naturall foole in any thing wherein I am ignorauÌ„t and that in all thinges sauing my faith But concerning the truth wherein I am throughly perswaded I cannot submit my selfe to learne vnlesse it be as youre maistership sayd that I perused the bookes on both sides For so might I make my selfe an indifferent iudge otherwise I may be seduced And here we fell out agayne in a long talke of the Churche wherein his learning and wit was much aboue myne but in the ende I told hym I was perswaded and that hee did but lose his labour Welch Why then ê™ he what shall I report to my Lord Greene. Euen as pleaseth you ê™ I or els you may say that I would be glad to learne if I had bookes on both sides So he going in the Bishoppes euen then risen and ready to depart asked how he liked me He aunswered in fayth my Lord he will be glad to learne whiche wordes when they were taken least they
great quietnesse if hee coulde haue dissembled and bothe done and spoken against his conscience as many stirring Papistes then did And likewise he mighte haue escaped burning in Queene Maries time if he woulde either haue spoke◠or kept silence against his conscience as manye weake Gospellers did But Palmer could in no wise dissemble Now within short space God so wrought in his hart that he became very inquisitiue and carefull to heare and vnderstand howe the Martyrs were apprehended what articles they died for how they were vsed and after what sort they tooke theyr death In so much that he spared not at his owne charges to sende ouer one of his schollers in the companye of a Bacheler of that house to Glocester to see vnderstand the whole order of B. Hoopers deth and to bring him true report therof Which thing some thinke he the rather did because he was woont in king Edwards time to say that none of them all would stand to death for their religion Thus he learned with what extreme horrible cruelty the martyrs of God were tried and how valiauntly they ouercame all kinde of torments to the ende Wherof he himself also did see more experience afterward at the examination and death of those holy confessors and martyrs which were burned at Oxford before his eyes in so muche that the first hope which the godly conceyued of him was at the retourne from the burning of B. Ridley and B. Latimer At what time in the hearing of diuers of his frendes he brast out into these woordes and suche like O raging crueltie O tyrannie tragicall and more than barbarous From that day forward he studiously sought to vnderstand the truth and therefore with all speede he borrowed Peter Martyrs Commentaries vpon the first to the Corinthes of one of Magdalenes yet aliue and other good bookes of other men And so through harty praier and diligent search and conference of the scriptures at length he beleeued and imbraced the truth with great ioy and so profited in the same that daily more and more hee declared it both in word and dede In such sort as he neuer hated the truth more stubbornly before then afterward he willingly embraced the same whē it pleased God to open his eies and to reueale vnto him the light of his woord And nowe againe when he should come to Church in those dayes of Poperie there to be occupied among the rest in singing of Respondes reading of Legendes and suche like stuffe allotted vnto him he had as much pleasure he sayd to be at them as a Beare to be baited and wearied wyth dogs When he came it was as it appeared more to auoid displeasure and daunger then for any good will and readye affection At length through Gods grace he grew vp to suche maturitie and ripenes in the truth that he spared not to declare certaine sparkes thereof in his outward behauior and doyngs For when he should keepe his bowing measures at Confiteor as the custome there was in turning hymselfe to and fro sometyme Eastward somtyme Westward and afterward knocke his brest at the eleuatiō time agaynst which Idolatrous adoration hys hart did so vehemently rise that sometyme hee would absent hymselfe from them and sometyme beyng there he would euen at the sucring tyme as they termed it gette hym out of the church to auoyd those vngodly gestures and Idolatrous adoration To be shorte perceiuing after a while that hee was greatly suspected and abhorred of the President then being which was M. Cole and of diuers other whiche before were his friendes and therewithall feeling great conflict and torment of conscience daily to grow with his conuersation with idolaters seeing also that his newe life and old liuing might not wel nor quietly stande together he addressed himselfe to depart the house For he thoughte it not best to abide the dāger of expulsion as he did at the first seeing the weather was now waxed warmer And being demanded at that time of a special frend who wold gladly haue perswaded him to stay there longer whether he would go or how he would liue he made this answer Domini est terra plenitudo eius i. The earth is the Lordes and the fulnesse thereof Let the Lord woorke I will commit my selfe to God and the wide worlde Here I thinke it expedient before I wryte of the painfull surges that he suffered after he came abroade into the perillous gulphes and deepe Sea of this wretched wyde world first to reherse one or two exāples of his outward behauioure at suche tymes as he hadde recourse to the Colledge after his last departure whereby the Reader may yet better vnderstand of his simplicitie playnenesse and how farre wide he was from all cloked dissimulation in Gods cause which certayne godlesse personnes haue sought maliciously to charge hym with all Beyng at Oxford on a certayne tyme in Magdalene Colledge and hauyng knowledge that the Spanish Frier Iohn who succeeded D. Peter Martyr in the office of the Diuinitie Lecture would preach there that present Sonday he would not at the first graunt to be present at it At length a friend of his a fellow of that house persuaded so much with him that he was content to accompany his sayde friend to the church But sodainly as the Frier vehemently inueyed against Gods truth in defendyng certayne popish heresies Palmer hauyng many eyes bente and directed towardes hym departed from amongst the middest of the auditorie and was found in hys friends chamber weepyng bitterly Afterward beyng demaunded why he slipt away vpon such a sodayne Oh sayd he if I had not openly departed I should haue openly stopped myne eares For the Friers blasphemous talke in disproouyng or rather deprauyng the veritie made myne eares not to glowe but my hart worse to smart then if myne eares had bene cut from myne head It chanced another tyme that the same friend of hys called M. Shipper beyng then Bursar of the house bade hym to dinner in hys chamber Palmer not knowyng what ghestes were also thither inuited and bidden hapned there contrary to his expectation to meete with the foresayd Frier with whom were present D. Smith Doc. Tresham and diuers other papists whose company Palmer coulde not well beare and therefore whisperyng a friend in the eare he sayd he would be gone for that was no place for hym I will sayth he to the Bursars Table in the great hall The Bursar vnderstandyng his mynde desired hym of all friendshippe not so to depart alledgyng that it were the next way to be wray hymselfe as it were of purpose to cast hymselfe into the Briers with many other perswasions as the shortnes of tyme would permit In the end he condescēded to his request and taried Now as he came to the fire side the Frier saluted hym cherefully in Latine for he could not speake Englishe Palmer with an amiable countenaunce resaluted him
gently But when the Frier offered hym hys hand he castyng his eye aside as though he had not seene it found matter of talke to another standyng by and so auoyded it which thyng was well marked of some not without great grudge of stomacke After they were set and had well eaten the Frier with a pleasaunt looke offeryng hym the cup sayd Propino tibi inuenis erudite i. I drinke to you learned yong man Palmer at that word blushyng as red as scarlet aunswered Non agnosco nomen domine i. I knowledge no such name O sir. And therewith takyng the cup at his hand he set it downe by hym as though he would haue pledged him anone after but in the end it was also well marked that he did it not When diner was done beyng sharply rebuked of the sayd Bursar hys friend for hys so vnwise vnciuile and vnseemely behauiour as he termed it he made aunswer for hymselfe and sayd Oleum eorum non demulcet sed frangit caput meum i. The oyle of these men doth not supply but breaketh my hed Another tyme which was also the last tyme of his beyng at Oxforde not long before hys death one Barwike an old acquaintaunce of hys beyng sometyme Clarke of Magdalenes and then fellow of Trinitie colledge a rank papist began to reason with hym in his friendes chamber aforesayd and perceiuyng hym to be zealous and earnest in the defence of the veritie he sayd vnto hym in the hearing of M. Thomas Parry and others there present Wel Palmer well now thou art stoute and hardie in thine opinion but if thou were once brought to the stake I beleeue thou wouldest tell me another tale I aduise thee beware of the fire it is a shrewd matter to burne Truely sayth Palmer I haue bene in daunger of burning once or twise and hitherto I thanke GOD I haue escaped it But I iudge verily it will be my end at the last welcome be it by the grace of God In deed it is a hard matter for them to burne that haue the mynd and soule linked to the body as a thiefes foote is tied in a payre of fetters but if a man be once able through the helpe of Gods spirite to seperate and deuide the soule from the body for him it is no more masterie to burne then for me to eate this piece of bread Thus much by the way concerning his plainnes with out dissimulation and how he feared not openly to shewe hymselfe more grieued in hart to heare the worde of God blasphemed then to suffer any worldly paynes Now let vs proceed in our story and faithfully declare both the occasion and maner of his death Within short space after hee had yelded vp his fellowship in Oxford he was through Gods prouidence who neuer fayleth them that first seeke his glory placed scholemaister by Patent in the Grammer schoole of Readyng where he was well accepted of all those that feared God and fauoured his word as well for his good learning and knowledge as also for his earnest zeale and profession of the truth But Sathan the enemie of all godly attemptes enuying his good proceedyngs and prosperous successe in the same would not suffer hym there long to be in quiet Wherfore he stirred vp against hym certayne double faced hypocrites which by dissimulation crafty insinuatiō had crept in to vnderstand hys secrets vnder the pretence of a zeale to the gospell Which men he suspecting no deceit right ioyfully imbraced making them priuy of al his doyngs For as he hymselfe was then feruently enflamed with the loue of heauenly doctrine so had hee an incredible desire by all means possible to allure and encourage others to the profession of the same These faithful and trustie brethren so soone as they had found good oportunitie spared not in his absence to rifle his study of certayne godly bookes and writyngs amongest the which was his replication to Morwines verses touching Winchesters epitaph and other arguments both in Latin and English written by him against the popish procedings and specially against their vnnaturall brutish tyranny executed toward the Martyrs of God When they had thus done they were not ashamed to threaten hym that they would exhibite the same to the Counsayle vnles he would without delay depart out of their coastes and geue ouer the schole to a friend of theirs The truth of this story appeareth in part by a letter written with hys owne hand out of pryson eight dayes before he was burned which because it is of certaine credite and came to our handes therefore we are the bolder to auouche it for a truth Thus then was this sillie yong man for the sauegard of his lyfe forced to depart vppon the sodayne from Readyng leauyng behynd hym in the handes of his enemies his stuffe and one quarters stipende and so he tooke hys iourney toward Esham where hys mother then dwelt hopyng to obtaine at her hands certaine Legacies due to hym by his fathers last will which he should haue receyued certaine yeares before and taking his iourney by Oxford he requested certain of his friends to accompany him thither His mother vnderstandyng his state and errande by M. Shipper and his brother whom he had sent before to entreat for him as soone as she beheld him on his knees askyng her blessing as he had bene accustomed to do thou shalt sayd she haue Christes curse and myne wheresoeuer thou go He pausing a little as one amased at so heauy a greetyng at length sayde O mother your owne curse you may geue me which God knoweth I neuer deserued but Gods curse you cannot geue me for hee hath already blessed me Nay sayth she thou wentest from Gods blessing into the warme sunne when thou wast banished for an heretike out of that worshipfull house in Oxforde and now for the lyke knauery art driuen out of Readyng too Alas mother sayth he you haue bene misse informed I was not expelled nor driuen away but freely resigned of myne accorde And hereticke I am none for I stande not stubbornly agaynst any true doctrine but defend it to my power And you may be sure they vse not to expel nor banish but to burne heretikes as they terme them Well quoth she I am sure thou doest not beleeue as thy father and I and all our forefathers haue done But as we were taught by the new lawe in K. Edwards dayes which is damnable heresie In deed I confesse sayd he that I beleeue that doctrine which was taught in K. Edwards tyme which is not heresie but truth neither is it newe but as olde as Christ and his Apostles If thou be at that poynte sayth she I require thee to departe from my house and out of my sight and neuer take me for thy mother hereafter As for money and goodes I haue none of thyne thy father bequeathed nought for heretickes Fagots I haue to burne thee
bene brought vp Wom. I haue vpon the sondayes visited the sermons and there haue I learned suche thinges as are so fixed in my brest that death shall not separate them Bish. O foolish woman who wil wast his breath vpoÌ„ thee or such as thou art But how chaunceth it that thou wentest away from thy husbande if thou were an honest woman thou wouldest not haue left thyne husband and children and runne about the country like a fugitiue Wom. Syr I laboured for my liuing And as my mayster Christ counselleth me when I was persecuted in one city I fled vnto another Bish. Who persecuted thee Wom. My husband and my children For when I woulde haue him to leaue Idolatry and to worship God in heauen he would not heare me but he with his children rebuked me and troubled me I fled not for whoredom nor for theft but because I would be no partaker with him his of that foule Idoll the Masse And whersoeuer I was as oft as I could vpon sondayes and holy dayes I made excuses not to go to the popish church Bish. Belike theÌ„ you are a good houswife to flee from your husband and also from the church Wom. My houswifry is but small but God geue me grace to go to the true church Bish. The true church what doest thou meane Woman Not your Popish Church full of Idolles and abominations but where three or foure are gathered together in the name of God to that Church wil I go as long as I liue Bish. Belike then you haue a Church of your owne Well let this mad woman be put down to prison vntil we send for her husband Wom. No I haue but one husband which is here already in this city and in prison with me from whom I will neuer depart and so theyr communication for that day brake of Blackstone and others perswaded the Bishop that she was a mazed creature and not in her perfect wit which is no new thing for the wisedome of God to appere foolishnes to carnall men of this world therfore they consulted together that she should haue liberty and go at large So the keper of the bishops prison had her home to his house where shee fell to spinning and carding and did all other worke as a seruant in the said kepers house went about the city when and whither she would and diuers had delight to talke with her And euer shee continued talking of the sacrament of the aultar Which of all thing they coulde least abide Then was her husband sent for but she refused to go home with him with the blemish of the cause and religion in defence wherof she there stood before the Bishop and the priestes Then diuers of the Priestes had her in handling perswading her to leaue her wicked opinion about the sacrament of the aultar the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ. But she made them aunsweare that it was nothing but very bread and wine and that they might be ashamed to say that a piece of bread should be turned by a man into the naturall body of Christ which bread doth vinow and Mice oftentimes do eate it and it doth â—ould is burned And sayde she Gods owne body wyll not be so handled nor kept in prison or boxes or aumbries Let it be your God it shall not be mine for my Sauiour sitteth on the right hand of God doth pray for me And to make that sacrameÌ„tal or significatiue bread instituted for a remeÌ„brance the very bodye of Christ and to worship it it is very foolishnes and deuillish deceit Now truly sayd they the deuill hath deceiued thee No sayd she I trust the liuing God hath opened mine eyes and caused me to vnderstand the right vse of the blessed sacrament which the true church doth vse but the false church doth abuse Then stept forth an old Frier and asked what she said of the holy Pope I sayd she say that he is Antichrist and the deuill Then they all laughed Nay sayde she you had more neede to weepe then to laugh to be sory that euer you were borne to be the chapleines of that whore of Babilon I defie him and all hys falshood and get you away froÌ„ me you do but trouble my conscience You would haue me folow your doinges I will first loose my life I pray you depart Why thou foolish woman sayd they we come to thee for thy profite and soules health O Lord God sayd she what profite riseth by you that teach nothing but lyes for trueth how saue you Soules when you preach nothing but damnable lyes and destroy soules How prouest thou that sayd they Do you not damne soules sayd she when you teache the people to worship Idolles Stockes and Stones the worke of mens handes and to worship a false GOD of your owne making of a piece of breade and teach that the Pope is Gods Uicar and hath power to forgeue sinnes and that there is a Purgatory when Gods sonne hath by his Passion purged all and say you make God and sacrifice him when Christes bodye was a Sacrifice once for all Doe you not teach the people to number theyr sinnes in your eares and say they be damned if they confesse not all when Gods word sayth Who can number hys sinnes Do you not promise them Trentals and Diriges masses for soules and sell your prayers for money and make them buy pardons and trust to such foolish inuentions of your owne imaginations Do you not altogether against God Doe you not teache vs to pray vpon Beades and to pray vnto Sayntes and say they can pray for vs Do you not make holy water and holy bread to fray Deuils Doe you not a thousand more abhominatioÌ„s And yet you say you come for my profite and to saue my soule No no one hath saued me Farewell you with your saluation Muche other talke there was betwene her and them which here were too tedious to be expressed In the meane time during this her monethes libertye graunted to her by the Byshop which we spake of before it happened that she entring in saynt Peters Church beheld there a cunning Dutchman how he made new noses to certayne fine Images whiche were disfigured in Kyng Edwardes time What a madde man art thou sayde she to make them new noses which within a few dayes shall all lose theyr heades The Dutchman accused her layde it hard to her charge And she sayd vnto him Thou art accursed and so are thy Images He called her Whoore. Nay sayd she thy Images are Whoores and thou art a Whore hunter for doth not GOD say You go a whoryng after straunge Gods figures of your owne making and thou art one of them Then was she sent for and clapped fast and from that time she had no more liberty Duringe the time of her imprisonment diuers resorted to her to visit her some sent of the byshop some of their
not to alleadge for themselues any reason they assay to make odious to your maiesty the Lutherans as they call vs and say if their sayinges take place ye shall be faine to remaine a priuate person that there is neuer change of religion but there is also chaunge of princedome A thyng as false as when they accuse vs to be Sacramentaries and that we deny the authoritie of Magistrates vnder the shadow of certaine furious Anabaptists which Satan hath raysed in our tyme to darken the light of the Gospell For the histories of the Emperours which haue begun to receiue the Christian religion and that which is come to passe in our tyme shew the contrary Was there euer Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine in receiuing the Christian Religion was hee therefore put from the Empire No he was thereby the more confirmed established in the same and also his posterity which ruled themselues by his prouidence But such as haue fallen away and folowed mens traditions God hath destroyed and theyr race is no more knowne in earth So much doth God detest them that forsake him And in our time the late kinges of England and Germanye were they coÌ„strayned in reprouing superstitions which the wickednes of the time had brought in to forsake their kingdomes princedomes Al men see the contrary and what honor fidelity and obedience the people in our time that haue receiued the reformation of the Gospell do vnder theyr princes and superiors Yea I may say that the princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed at that time when the rude and ignoraunt people receiued so readily the dispeÌ„sations of the Pope to dâ—iue out their owne kinges and naturall Lordes The true and onely remedy sir is that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Counsell where ye shouâ—d be chiefe and not the Pope his who ought but onely to defende their causes by the holy scriptures that in the meane while ye may seeke out meÌ„ not corrupted suspected nor partial whoÌ„ ye may charge to geue report faythfully vnto you of the true sence of the holy scriptures And this done after the example of the good kinges Iosaphath Ezechias Iosias ye shall take out of the Churche all Idolatry superstition abuse which is found directly contrary to the holy scriptures of the old and new testament by that meanes ye shall guid youâ— people in the true pure seruiâ—e of God not regarding in the meane time the cauilling pretenses of the papists which say that such questioÌ„s haue bene already answered at generall Counsels for it is knowne well enougâ— thaâ— no Counsell hath bene lawfull since the Popes haue 〈◊〉 the principality tyranny vpon mens soules but they haue made them serue to their couetousnes ambition and cruelâ—y 〈◊〉 the contrariety which is amoÌ„g those couÌ„sels maketh enough for their disproofe beside a hundred thousand other absurdities agâ—inâ—â— the word of God which be in them The true proofe for such matters is in the true holy Scriptures to the which no time nor age hath any prescription to be alledged agaynst theÌ„ foâ— by them we receiue the Counsels founded vpon the worde of God and also by the same we reiect that doctrine which is repugnant And if ye do thus Syr God will blesse your enterprise he will encrease confirme your raigne and Empyre and your posterity If otherwise destruction is at your gate and vnhappy are the people which shall dwell vnder your obedieÌ„ce There is no doubt but God will hardeÌ„ your hart as he did Phaâ—aos and take of the crowne from your head as he did to Ieroboam Nâ—dab Baza Achab and to many other kinges which haue folowed mâ—ns traditions agaynst the commaundemeÌ„t of God and geue it to your enemies to triumph ouer you and your children And if the Emperour Antonine the meek although he were a Pagan Idolater seing himselfe bewrapt with so many wars ceased the persecutioÌ„s which were in his time agaynst the christians and determined in the ende to heare their causes and reasons how muche more ought you that beare the name of moste Christian king to be carefull and diligent to cease 〈◊〉 persecutions agaynst the poore Christians seing they hâ—ue not tâ—oubled nor doe trouble in any wise the state of your kingdome your affayres considering also that the Iewes be suffeâ—ed through all Christendome although they be mortall enemies oâ— our Lorde Iesus Christ which we holde by common accorde and consent for our God Redeemer and Sauiour and that vntill you haue heard lawfully debated and vnderstand our reasons takeÌ„ of the holy Scriptures and that your Maiestye haue iudged if we bee worthy of such punishmentes For if we be not ouercome by the worde of God the fires the sworde nor the câ—â—â—â—lest tormentes shall make vs afrayd These be the exercises that God hath promised to his of the which he foretolde shoulde come in the laste times that they should not be troubled when such persecutions shall come vpon them Translated out of the French booke intituled Commentaries of the state of the Church and publicke weale c. pag. 7. ¶ The story and end of the french king WHosoeuer was the authour or authours of this letter aboue prefixed herein thou seest good Reader good counsell geuen to the king if he had the grace to receiue it and had folowed the same no doubt but Gods blessing working with him he had not onely set that Realme in a blessed staye from much disturbaunce but also had continued himselfe in all florishing felicity of princely honour and dignity For so doth the lord commonly blesse and aduaunce such kinges Princes as seeke hys honor and submit their wils to his obedience But coÌ„monly the fault of kinges and Potentates of this world is that being set about with Parasites either they seldom heare the truth told theÌ„ or if they do yet will they not lightly be put from theyr owne willes disdayning to be admonished by their inferiors be theyr counsell neuer so holsom godly Which thing many times turneth them to great plages calamitie as by plentiful exaÌ„ples of kings destroyed wouÌ„ded imprisoned deposed drowned poysoned c. may wel to theÌ„ that read histories appeare but especially in this preseÌ„t example of Henry French king the seconde of that name is in this our age notoriously to be considered Who bâ—ing well warned before as may seeme would not yet surcease his cruell persecution agaynst the Lordes people but rather was the more hardened in hart and inflamed against them in so muche that he sayd to Anne du Bourg one of the high Court of Parliament in Paris threatning hym that he would see him burne with his own eyes Further how his purpose was to extende his power and force likewise agaynst other places moe in persecutyng the Gospell of Christe and professours thereof to the vttermost of his abilitie I
barbarous nations of all countries and sortes of men were they neuer so wylde euermore made their prayes and sacrifices to their Gods in their owne mother tongue Which is a manifest declaratioÌ„ that it is the very light and voyce of nature ¶ Thus much vpon the ground of S. Paule and other reasons out of the Scriptures ioyning therewith the common vsage of all nations as a testimony of the lawe of nature Now for the second part of the assertion which is that the vse of a strange tongue in publike prayer and administration of sacraments is against the custome of the Primitiue church which is a matter so cleare that the deniall of it must needes proceed either of great ignorance or els of wilfull malice For first of all Iustinus Martyr describing the order of the communion in his tyme sayth thus Die solis vrbanorum ac rusticorum coetus fiunt vbi Apostolorum prophetarumque literae quoad fieri potest praeleguntur Deinde cessante lectore praepositus verba facit adhortatoria ad imitationeÌ„ tam honestarum rerum inuitans Posthaec consurgimus omnes preces offerrimus quibus sinitis profertur vt diximus panis vinum aqua tum praepositus quantum potest preces offert gratiarum actiones plebs vero Amen accinit That is to saye Uppon the Sonday assemblies are made both of the citizens and countreymen whereas the writings of the Apostles and of the Prophets are red as much as may be Afterwards when the Reader doth cease the head minister maketh an exhortation exhortyng them to folâ—ow so honest thyngs After this we rise altogether and offer praiers which beyng ended as we haue sayde bread wine water are brought forth Then the hed Minister offreth prayers and thansgeuing as much as he can and the people answereth Amen ☞ These wordes of Iustine who liued about 160. yeares after Christ considered with their circumstaunce declare playnely that not onely the Scriptures were red but also that the prayers and administration of the Lords supper were done in a tongue vnderstanded Both the Liturgies of Basil and Chrysostom declare that in the celebration of the Communion the people wer appointed to answer to the prayer of the Minister sometymes Amen sometymes Lord haue mercy vppon vs sometymes and with thy spirite and we haue our hartes lifted vp vnto the Lord c. Which aunswers they coulde not haue made in due tyme if the prayers had not bene made in a tong vnderstanded And for further proofe let vs heare what Basill writeth in this matter to the Clarkes of Neocaesarea Caeterum ad obiectum in Psalmodijs crimen quo maxime simpliciores terrent calumniatores c. As touching that is layed to our charge in Psalmodies and songs wherwith our slaunderers doe fraie the simple I haue thus to say that our customes and vsages in all Churches be vniforme and agreeable For in the night the people with vs riseth goeth to thâ— house of prayer and in trauaile tribulation and continual teares they confesse themselues to God and at the last rising agayne go to their songs or Psalmody where being deuided into two partes sing by course together both deepely weying and confirmyng the matter of the heauenly sayinges and also stirring vp their attention and deuotion of heart which by other meanes bee alienated and plucked away Then appoynting one to beginne the song the rest followe and so with diuers songes and prayers passing ouer the nyght at the dawnyng of the day altogether euen as it were with one mouthe and one heart they sing vnto the Lord a song of Confession euery man framyng to hymselfe meete wordes of repentaunce If you will flie vs from hencefoorth for these thynges ye must flie also the Egyptians and both the Libianes ye must eschew the Thebanes Palestines Arabians the Phenices the Syrians and those that dwell besides Euphrates And to be short all those with whome watchinges prayers and common singyng of Psalmes are had in honour ⧠Testimonies of S. Ambrose written vpon the 14. to the Corinth the first epistle Super illud qui enim loquitur linguis HOc est quod dicit quia qui loquitur incognita lingua c. This is it that he sayth because he which speaketh in an vnknowen tongue speaketh to God For he knoweth all thyngs but men know not therfore there is no profit of this thyng ¶ The same author afterwardes Super illud si benedixeris spiritu Hoc est si laudem dei lingua loquaris ignota c. Uppon these wordes if thou blesse or geue thanks with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen at the geuyng of thankes seeyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest That is sayth Ambrose if thou speake the prayse of God in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers For the vnlearned hearing that which he vnderstandeth not knoweth not the end of the prayer and he answereth not AmeÌ„ That is as much to say as true that the blessing or thaÌ„ksgeuing may bee confirmed For the confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled by them which do answer Amen That all things spoken might be confirmed in the mindes of the hearers through the testimony of the truth ¶ Afterward in the same place vpon these wordes if any Infidell or vnlearned come in Quum enim intelligit intelligitur c. For when hee vnderstandeth and is vnderstanded hearing God to bee praysed and Christ to bee worshipped he seeth perfectly that the religion is true and to be reuerenced wherein he seeth nothyng to be done colourably nothyng in darkenesse as among the Heathen whose eyes are couered that they seyng not the thyngs which they call holy might perceyue themselues to be deluded with diuers vanities For all falsehood seketh darkenes and sheweth false things for true Therefore with vs nothing is done priuily nothing couertly but one God is simply praysed of whom are all things and one Lord Iesus by whom are all things For if there be none which can vnderstand or of whome hee may be tried he may say there is some deceit and vanitie which is therfore song in tongues not vnderstanded hee meaneth because it is a shame to open it Vpon this place Omnia ad aedificationem fiant Conclusio haec est vt nihil incassum in ecclesia geratur hocque elaborandum magis vt imperiti proficiant ne quid sit corporis per imperitiam tenebrosum Let all thyngs be done to edifie This is the conclusion that nothyng should be done in the Church in vayne and that this thyng ought chiefly to bee laboured for that the vnlearned also myght profite least any part of the body should bee darke thorough ignoraunce Agayne Si non fuerit interpres taceat in Ecclesia Hoc est intra se tacitè oret aut loquatur deo qui audit muta omnia In Ecclesia enim ille debet loqui qui
please your honours I iudge that my Lordes here stay most on this poynt that they feare when they shall begin first and the other aunswere thereupon there shall be no time geuen to them to speake whiche my Lord misliketh L. Keeper Howe can it otherwise be in a talke appoynted in such assembly and audience thinke you that there can be continuall aunswering one another when shouldeâ—â— after that sort haue an end Lich. Couen It must bee so in a disputation to seeke out the trueth L. Keper But how say you my Lord Abbot are you of the mynde it shal be read Abbot Yea forsooth my lord I am very wel pleased with all Harpesfield being inquired his mind thought as the other did L. Keper My Lordes sith that ye are not willing but refuse to read your writing after the order taken wee wyll breake vp and departe and for that ye willl not that wee should heare you you may perhaps shortly heare of vs. THus haue we declared the order and maner of this coÌ„munication or conference at Westminster betweene these two parties wherin if any law or order were brokeÌ„ iudge good reader wher the fault was and consider with al what these Papistes be from whoÌ„ if ye take away their sword and authority from them you see all their cunning how soone it lyeth in the dust or els why would they not abide the triall of writing why would they or durst they not stande to the order agreed vpon Whether shoulde we say ignoraunce or stubbernes to be in them more or both together Who first being gently as is sayd and fauorably required to keep the order appointed they would not Then being secondly as appeared by the Lord Keepers words pressed more earnestly they neither regarding the authority c. of that place nor their owne reputation nor the credite of the cause vtterly refused that to doe And finally being agayne particularly euery of them aparte distinctly by name required to vnderstande theyr opinions therin they al sauing one which was the Abbot of Westminster hauing some more consideratioÌ„ of order and hys duety of obedience then the other vtterly and playnly denyed to haue theyr booke read some of them as more earnestly then other some so also some other more vndiscretly and vnreuerently then others Wherupon geuing such example of disorder stubbernes and selfe will as hath not bene seene and suffered in such an honorable assembly being of the two estates of this Realme the nobility and the commons beside the presence of the Queenes Maiestyes most honorable priuy counsell the same assembly was dis missed and the Godly and most Christian purpose of the Queenes Maiesty made frustrate And afterward for the contempt so notoriously made the Byshop of Wincester Lincolne hauing most obstinatly both disobeyed commoÌ„ authority and varyed manifestly from theyr owne order and specially Lincoln who shewed more folly then the other were condignely committed to the Tower of London and the rest sauing the Abbot of Westminster stoode bound to make dayly theyr personall appearaunce before the counsell and not to depart the Cittye of London and Westminster vntill further order were taken with theÌ„ for their disobedience and contempt Besides the former protestation or libell written and exhibited by the Protestantes concerning the first question there was also an other like writing of the fayde Protestantes made of the second question but not published which if it come to our hand we wil likewise impart vnto thee As these Byshops aboue named were committed to the Tower so Boner Bishop of London about the same time was commaunded to the Marshalsea whereas hee both in his blinde bloudy heresy and also in his deserued captiuity long remayned abiding the Queenes pleasure gods pleasure I beseech him so be wrought on that person that the Church of Christes flocke if they can take or looke for no goodnesse of that man to come yet they maye take of him and of other no more harme herafter theÌ„ they haue done alredy We al beseech thee this O Lord eternal per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Aboute this time at the beginning of the flourishing reigne of Queene Elizabeth was a Parliament summoned and holden at Westminster wherin was much debating about matters touching religion and great study on both parties employed the one to reteine still the other to impugne the doctrine and faction which before in queene Maries time had bene established But especially here is to be noted that though ther lacked no industry on the papistes side to holde fast that which they most cruelly from time to time had studied by al meanes practised to come by Yet notwithstanding such was the prouidence of God at that time that for lacke of the other bishops whome the Lorde had taken away by death a little before the residue that there were left could doe the lesse and in very deede God be praysed therefore did nothing at all in effect Although yet notwithstanding there lacked in them neyther will nor labour to do what they could if their cruell abilitie there might haue serued But namely amongest all other not onely the industrious courage of Doctor Story but also his wordes in this Parliament are worthy to be knowne of posteritie who like a stout and furious champion of the popes side to declare himselfe howe lustie hee was what he had and would do in his maisters quarrell shamed not openly in the saide Parliament house to brast out into such impudent sort of words as was wonder to all good eares to heare and no lesse worthy of history The summe of which his shameles talke was vttered to this effect First beginning with himselfe hee declared that where as he was noted commonly abroad and much complayned of to haue bene a great doer and a â—eâ—ter forth of such religion orders and proceedinges as of hys late soueraigne that dead is Queene Mary were set forth in this Realme hee denied nothing the same protestyng moreouer that he therein had done nothing but that both his conscience did lead him thereunto and also his commission did as wel then commaund him as now also doth discharge hym for the same being no lesse ready now also to doe the like and more in case hee by this Queene were authorised likewise and commaunded thereunto Wherefore as I see sayth he nothing to be ashamed of so lesse I see to be sory for but rather sayd that he was sory for thys because he had done no more theÌ„ he did and that in executing those lawes they had not bene more vehement and seuere Wherein he sayd there was no default in him but in them whom he both ofte and earnestly had exhorted to the same being therefore not a little greeued with them for that they laboured onely about the young and little sprigges and twigges whyle they should haue stroken at the roote and cleane haue rooted it out c. And concerning his persecuting
Pope 307 306 Frederike Duke of Austrich proclaymed traytor 593 Frederike the Emperour drowned in a Riuer at the siege of Achon 243 Fredericus Emperor 720 Frederike byshop of Utrike killed by the French Queene 137 Frederike 2. hys tragicall history .297 hys godly end 315 Frederike the Emperor procedeth agaynst the Pope and setteth his owne name before the popes .203 his letter to all Prelates agaynst the Pope 204 Freese Martyr his story 1027 Friendship none but amongst godly â—ersons ibid. Friend trusty what a treasure hee is 1930 French kyng supporteth Becket agaynst the kyng of England 212 French kyng and king Iohn at variance 255 Freewill with the errours therein of the papists 28 Frith hys trouble for the Gospell prophesieth of the restoryng of the truth in England and refuseth to be set at libertie 2127. Frith hys testimoniall of M. Tindall .1079 his excelleÌ„t story .1079 condemned and martyred 1035.1036.1037 Friers their commyng in 1181 Frier Forest executed for rebellion 1100 Friers originall 259 Friers dead men and quicke beggers 261 Friers Obseruants their originall 259 Friers confuted in a disputation at Paris 408 Friers what harme they doe to all the world their theft at Oxford 411 Frier Champbell accuser of Patrike Hamelton his end 2103 Frier of Munster striken with lightnyng 2106 Frier a godly poore man with a woman sister to George Eagles Martyrs 2012 Friers compared to Iudas very aptly for their trecheries 264 Friers that write agaynst Armachanus 414. Franciscan Friers of sundry sects 259 Franciscane Friers 800 Friers are the pillers and proppes of the Popes church 259 Friers 4. burned 402.798 Friers two Martyrs 731 Friers cause of great trouble in the church .409 accused of horrible crimes 506 Friers confuted and altogether reiected of the students of Paris 408.409 Friers of Fraunce against the prelates .392 their priuiledges confuted in a disputation at Paris 393 Frier Iohn a Spaniard succeeded doctor Peter Martyr in the Diuinitie lecture at Oxford .1936 a blasphemous papist ibid. reiected of Iulius Palmer who was a most godly and constant Martyr for the Gospell of Christ. 1936 Fronton his trouble in Spayne 2057.2058 Fructuosus bishop of Tarracona with his two Deacons martyrs 74. Funerall superstition altogether forbidden in any respect to bee vsed of Christians 7 Fust Martyr his story and martyrdome 1689.1690.1702 G A. GAius Byshoppe of Rome and martyr 75. Gallowes set vp in London in sondry streetes 1469. Gallus and Uolusianus Emperours 66. Galienus a good Emperour gaue peace to the Church 74. Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchester his story .1339 a great hinderer of the Gospell .1245.283 committed to the marshalsey .1296 hys letters in defence of images 1340.1348 sondry letters to the L. protector .1342.1345 articles obiected agaynst him with hys answers to the same .1350.1351 sequestration against him .1358 sentence of depriuation agaynst him .1359.1360 not worthye the name of a learned man .1785 his mutabilitie ibi his inconstancie and treason agaynst the king 1786. his sermons preached before kinge Edwarde .6.1788.1789.1790 hee repugneth the popes supremacie images ceremonies monkeries chauntries .1791 his disagreement both froÌ„ others and with himselfe also .1792 his 12 new found articles 1793. hys fearfull death 1785. Gardiner his stincking death 2099 2101. Garret Tryest knight persecutor his sodayne death 2108. Garnesey story defended from the slaunderous penne of M. Harding archpapist 1946.1947.1948 Garret his story and martyrdome 1194.1197.1199.1200 Gardiner martyr hys tragicall story 1364. his cruell and patient Martyrdome 1366. Garmentes precious forbidde to priestes 137. Garret a preacher sent to Calice to preache 1224. Gaueston a wicked doer about K. Edward 2. 367. Geoffry Chawcer agaynst fryers 261. George Ambrose Martyr his story and death 1895.1896.1867.1898 George Blage knight his trouble 1245 George Brodbridge martyr 1708 George Catmer Martyr 1708. George Carpenter Martyr 884 885 George Eagles Martyr his story persecution examination martyrdome 2009.2010 George Constantine a Persecutor 1019 George King Martyr .1689 buried in the fieldes 1702 George Agnes Martyr 1914.1915 George King of Bohemia coÌ„demned of heresy 711 George Marsh Martyr his story trouble and persecution .1561.1562 his examinations and answeares .1563.1564.1566 hys martyrdome for the Gospel 1567 his letters 1567.1568.1569.1570.1573 George Pogiebracius a wise and godly man his death 722.723 George Roper Martyr 1794 Georgius a young man of Cappadocea Martyred 92 Georgius Scanderbeius .740 his valiaunt Actes and memorable deedes ibid. George Steuens Martyr his story and martirdome 1983.1984 George Scarles Martyr 1914.1915 George Stafford reader in Cambridge 997 George Tankerfielde Martyr hys story and martyrdome 1689.1690.1691 George Wischart Gentleman hys story and trouble .1267 his exaaminations and answeres .1268 his prayer and Martyrdome 1271 General Councels aboue the Pope 596. neuer toke him for supreame head 1804 Geneua reformeth Religion 870 Germaynes commended for theyr few othes and appeasing of controuersies and debates 1118 Germaynes complaynt agaynst the Court of Rome 159 Germaines the decay of their Empyre with the causes therof 374 Germany spoyled through ciuil dissention by the Pope 314 Germaynes theyr departure from the vniuersity of Prage why 601.608 Germaynes complaint of the popes intollerable exactions .724 theyr second complaynt 732 Germayne Martyr 1279. Germanus Patriach of Constantinople his letters to pope Grery .9 282. Germanicus a godly and constant martyr 42. Gertrude Crockhey his story and deliuery 2082. Gertrude Crockhey a godly woman in daunger of trouble for refusing of the foolishe popishe Sainct Nicholas She promiseth for a child baptised is sought for flyeth ouer seas is there accuâ—sed of heresie and imprisoned by meanes of one Iohn Iohnson a Dutchman of Antwerpe her deliueraunce her comming into Englande her great trouble here her detestation of papistry her constancie in the trueth to the ende her godlye death .2145 her body not suffered to be buryed in the churchyarde but in a garden 2146. Gemes the Turkes brother poysoned by the Pope 734. Geffray Plantagenet 199 Gerhardus Ridder a writer against the Pope 391. G I. Gildas preached to the olde Brytaynes 32. Giles Brakelman boroughmaister of Gaunt persecutor plagued 2108. Gilbertus Necromancer made an Archbishop 159. Gibellius Guelphes froÌ„ whence they came 308. Giles Cardinall defendeth Robert Grosthead to the Pope 324. Gie whipped in Bridewell for buiyng a bible to serue God withall 2144. Gilford Dudly beheaded 1423. Gilbertines order began 201. G O. Godfathers and Godmothers in Baptisme 53. Godwine a wicked Earle of England hys death 165. Godfathers not to be followed in al thinges but as they follow God 3. Godfathers and godmothers theyr fayth saueth not the infante 1995. Gordian Emperour 59. Gore Martyr hys trouble for the gospell dyed in prison 1795. Gower Martyr hys story 839. Good and badde in the Churche of God 609. Good workes iustifie not but follow the iustified 23. Goe to Masse can no Christian wtout breach of conscience 1647 Gordius his worthye storye hys Constancie answeres and moste glorious martyrdome 90. Goldsmithes Caruers and
1742. fell out of the pulpit and brake his legge 1743 Hudson Martyr his story and persecution 1970. Hudson Martyr his story 2035. Hugh Foxe Martyr his story and martyrdome 2033.2034 Hugo Bishop of Lincolâ—e redeemeth hys Byshoppricke for a 1000. markes 258. Hugo de sancto victore 201. Hugh Lauerocke martyr 1910 Hugh Pye Priest 660. Hugh Spencer hys sonne there exceeding and far surmounting pride .371 executed as they well deserued 373. Hugh Latimer martyr his actes doinges 1730. first a Papist conuerted by M. Bilney ibid. his exellente sermon in Cambridge of the Cardes .1731.1732.1734 his story in sauing a poore woman .1735 his reply to a certayne barking frier in Cambridge .1734 1735. cited 1736. his letter to the archbishop of Canterbury 1736.1737 Articles deuised by the bishop for him to subscribe vnto 1737. made Bishop of Worcester 1738. preacheth before K. Edw. 6. 1739. cast into the Tower .1740 his letter to M. Morice .1741 writ agaynst by Sherwoode .1743 hys aunswere .1744 his other godly letters to sondry persons .1746.1748.1750 1752.1755 his appearaunce before the Commissioners .1762 hys examination and answeres .1763.1766 hys martyrdome death in Oxford 1769.1770 Huggard meeter to eate a puddyng rather then to dispute of Scripture 1591. Hulderiche byshop of Ashborough his exile in defence of Priestes mariage 137. Hull seruaunt to Doctor Taylour 1520. Hullier his story and martyrdome .1907.1908.1909 a note of hym further 2004. Hullier martyr hys story 1906.1907 Humfrey Duke Lord protectour agaynst the Cardinall of Winchester 703. hys articles exhibited agaynst the sayde Cardinall 704. his story and death 704.705.706 Humfrey Middleton Martyr hys story and persecution .1673 hys martyrdome 1676 Humfrey Mummouth hys story 997. Humanitie of Christe cannot be in many places at once 1687.1951 Humilitie the porâ—er of Chrystes schoole 1788. Hunne martyr hys story 805. articles obiected agaynst him with hys aunsweres .806 murthered in prison .806.807 burned after hys death .808 hys defence agaynst Syr Thomas More and Ala. Copus 811. Hunter hys letter to hys mother 2150. Huniades gouernour of Hungary 720. Huniades hys victoryes agaynst the Turkes 740. Hunt confessor his story 2054. Hunter martyr hys excellent story 1536.1577 Hurst deliuered by Gods prouidence 2075.2076.2077 Hurst Martyr 1914.1915 Hurly burly betweene Popes 200 Hus his publique defence of Wickliffe 451.452.453 Hus hys excellent story cited by the pope and excommunicate .588 banished Prage .590 hys obiections agaynst the Doctours degrees .599.590 his safe conduct with hys letters certificatory of hys goyng vpp to the Councell .596 hys personall appearaunce before the Pope and Cardinals 599. falleth sicke in prison hathe articles obiected agaynst hym with his aunsweres 600. hys books writteÌ„ in prison .601 his protestation .604 hys false accusations .606 hys appeale from the Councell .611 his degradation .623 hys sentence definitiue of condemnation .622.624 hys deathe and martyrdome for the gospell of Iesus Christ .624 his letters 626.627.628 Hutt martyr her story and martyrdome 1910.1911 I A. IAcobus Latomus enemy to the gospel brought to madnes and desperation 2106 Iacobus Misnensis an olde auncient writer agaynst the Pope 420 Iacobus priest Martyr 98 Iackson his story 1950.1949 Iackson Martyr his story martyrdome 1914.1915 Iacke Cade 711 Iacke Straw his rebellion in england 434 Iacke Upland 261.264 Iames Abbes Martyr hys story 1683 Iames Ashley Martyr hys storye and martyrdome 2047 Iames Austoo Martyr his story and martyrdome 2013.2014.2016.2017.2018.2019 Iames Bainham Martyr .1027 articles ministred agaynst hym he submitteth hymselfe .1028 his abiuration and penance .1030 he returneth to the truth again and is condemned .1029 hys godly death and martyrdome 1030 Iames Brewster Martyr 818. Iames George his death in prison and buried in the fields 1482 Iames Gore his trouble for the gospell died in prison 1795 Iames Harris scourged 2062 Iames Morden martyr his story and martyrdome 774 Iames Morton martyr 1207 Iames Morris Martyr his story and martyrdome 1983.1984 Iames the apostle elected bishop of Ierusalem .32.33 cast downe from the pynacle of the Church and Martyred for the trueth of Iesus Christ. ibid. his accuser conuerted martyred with him ibid. Iames the apostle how it chanceth that he is thought of some to bee the setter vp of the masse 1401 Iames Pilkington his sermon at the restoring of Mar. Bucer Paulus Phagius again 1966.1967 Iames Tuttie Martyr 1708 Iames Tyrrell a bloudy murtherer 728 Iames Treuisam buried in the fieldes and summoned after hys death 1665 Iane daughter to Henrye Lorde Gray Duke of Suffolk proclaimed Queene .1406 beheaded immediatly after .1422 her Epitaph 1423. her godly letters 1420 Iane Lady her lamentable storye trouble and death 1419.1420.1422 Iane Lady wife to the Lord Gilford brought into displeasure with the Lady Mary for her Godlye zeale by Lady Anne Wharton 2128 Iane Queene maried to K. Henry the 8. 1083. her death in child-bed 1087 Ianizarie amongest the Turkes what they be 741.730 I D. Idle and vayne swearing pestiferous 538 Idolatry offensiue to Infidels 1001 Idoll and Image their difference 1588 I E. Iewes destroyed .235 one baptised and after reuolted agayne ibid. they slayne theyr houses burnt in London ibid. they crucifye a childe at Lincolne .327 at Norwich another 201 banished out of England and Fraunce 327 Iew through his owne superstitioÌ„ drowned in a Priuy 327 Theyr fayth 22 Iewes burnt at Northhampton 327 Iew martyred in Turky kept still his colour sauor lying 3. dayes in the streetes 972 Iewes destroyed by Titus Uaspasion .31 their second destruction .41 euer enemies to Christians 43 Ieffrey Hurst deliuered by Gods prouidence 2075.2076.2077 I G. Ignatius his martyrdome deuoured with wilde beastes His godly life and Christian zeale 40.41 Ignoraunce of the trueth will not excuse any man 1775 I L. I le of Wight last conuerted to the fayth of Christ. 124 Ile of Ely assaulted by Prince Edward 335 I M. Imber fast first ordeyned by whoÌ„ and where 58.197 Images in England abolished 1095.1096 Image of the Trinity an abhominable thing 508.534 Images with theyr false lying miracles reproued 534. Images not to be worshipped 470 563.564.1110 Images subuerted by Emperours and maynteined by the Pope 129 Images of God what be 1111 Images suppressed by kinge Edward the 6. 1300 Image maker burned in Spayne for the trueth of Christes Gosspell 930 Images are not to be worshipped adored ne to be placed in Churches or oratories 2128.2129.2130.2131.2132 Images good to roste a shoulder of mutton by but good for nothing els 2144 Images destroyed at Zuricke 869 Images of the Gentiles and of the Christians 868 Image of the Crucifix at ConstaÌ„tinople 742 Image worship who first decreed 130 Images in England abolished 1095.1096 Image of the Trinity an abhominable thing 508.534 Images defended to be laye mens bookes by Pope Adrian 130 Imprisonment perteyneth not to the Clergy 354 Images reproued by Thorpe 534 Image of Antichrist exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God 784 Immunity of the Clergy 860 Images
requâ—red B. Ridley â— great mortyfier of himselfe The order of his study and dyeâ— His order after supper The carefull dilliâ—â—nce of Bishop Ridley in instructing his familye The behauiour of Bishop Ridley to Doctor Boners mother The 〈◊〉 of Ridley and the currishnes of Boner described compared together B. Ridley 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to Boners mother Boner vnâ—ade and reuilish to B. Ridleys â—â—â—ter and 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 â— Ridley firâ—t conuerted by 〈…〉 B. Ridley 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 in troubâ—â—e aâ—ter the death of K. Edward B. Ridley in the Tower Bishop 〈…〉 to the prison oâ— Bâ—cardo in Oxford N. Ridlei Anton obiect i. N. Ridleis answere Luke 9. Gala. 2. Math. 18. Marke 9. H. Latimer Iohn 15. Anton obiect â— N. Ridleis answer He meaneth his owne confession openly in Preaching 1. Tim. 1. Math. 26. H. Latimer Iohn 19. 1. Cor. 19. 1. Tim. 3. Iohn 15. Col. 1. Anton. obiect â— N. Ryd Answer 1. Corin. 11. H. Latimer Hillarius contra Aâ—â—ent Rom. 15. Anton. obiect 4. Cypri l. â— ep 2. An. ep 152. N. Ryd Answer H. Latimer Anton. obiect 5. Aug. li. 4. de Sim. 10. In ep post col contra Donat. N. Ridleis answer 1. Tim. 3. Apocal. 21. Ephes. 1. Gala. 6. Phil. 2. Apoc. 21. Iohn 3. Gala. 4. In. op lin homi 49. in Math. 1. Cor. 10. H. Latimer 2. Cor. 6. 1. Tim. 6. 2. Cor. 1. Anton. obiect 6. N Ridleâ— Answer Anton. obiect 7. N. Ridleis Answer Apocall 2. 1 Cor. 2. H. Latimer Mel. 〈…〉 A question Answere Anton obiect 8. N. Ridleis answere 2. Cor. 6. Ioan. 4. A prouerb H. Latimer The inconstancye of the English Parlaments conuocations Death is the best phisition to the faythful Anton. obiect 6. N. Rid. answer Ephes. 5. Luke 12. Esay 8. Rom. 10. Luke 11. Esay â— Iohn â— Hieron 23. Math. Rom. â—7 Ephes. 4. H. Latimer 2. Tim. 3. Gala. 3. 1. Cor. 3. Rom 3. Psalm 119. Anton. obiect 10. N. Ridleis Answer Socâ— ecclesi hist. lib. 2. Socr ecclesi H. l. 1 c. 24.32 â—heo l. 5. c. 34. Obiection Aunswere L. 2. de bapti cont Don. c. 3. The Bishops booke 1. Tim â— The B. of Râ—mes authoritye England abiured the Popeâ— supremacye Conci Carthag 3. Can. 22. Anton obiect 11. Ephes 48. Anno 1555. Iuly N. Ridleis Answer Aug l. 3. contr liteâ—â—â— parm cap. 23. Ephes. 119. 3. Reg 13. 4. Reg. 23. Fâ—erâ— 2◠〈◊〉 11. â— Cor. 6. Leuit. 26. Esay 52. Iuâ—ith 12. H. Latimer Psalm â— Anton. obiect 1â— N. Ridleâ— Answer H. Latimer Anton. obieâ—â— 14. Anno. 1555. October N. Rid. answer Act. 4. Satan and his minisâ—ers do alwayes charge the Godly with sedition Reg. 18. Hiere 26. Luke 23. Iohn 18. Actâ—s 24. Theodore eccl hist. l. 4. cap. 5. Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 4. Niceph. l. 3. cap. 35. Ephe. 6. 1. Peter 5. Math. 24· Iacob 4. 1. Tim. 6 1. Cor. 4. Math. 10. Marke 11. Ephes. 6. Psalme 44. Psalm 14â— Apoc. â— Anno 1555. October Apoc. â— â— Latimer 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 3. Apoc. 6. A letter of Byshop Ridley to Maister Bradford and others False reporteâ— spread by the policye of the Papistes This letter seemeth to be written a little before about the tyme of the burning of M. Rogers Whatsoeuer fault is done the cause is layd vpoÌ„ the poore Christians M. Ridley and his fellow prisoners in Bocardo restrayned of their libertye The ingratitude of the scholars in not visiting the Bishops in Bocardo * Bocardo a Colledge of Quondams Anno. 1555. October The goodnes of Mistres Wilkinson and Anne Warcup to helpe the Bishops in Bocardo An other letter of Bishop Ridley to his Cosin M. Ridley lameÌ„teth the state of them which for feare of trouble doe wynde with the world and goe contrary to their conscience An other worthy letter of B. Ridley to M. Bradford Two mayne pillers holding vp the Sinagogue of SathaÌ„ 1. False doctrine of the Sacrament 2. The Popes primacye Apoc. 8. Sathans poyson paynted ouer with fayre pretâ—nces of Religion Apoc. 2. B. Ridleyâ— purpose to liue and dyâ— vpon the enemyes of Christ and of the Gospell An other letter of B. Ridley answering to M. Bradford * This was a treatise of The Lordes Supper with other thinges which M. Bradford sent to him to peruse to iudge thereof Commendation of D. Taylor This matter was concerning the deliberation of the prisoners in LoÌ„don what to doe if they were called to open disputation Thâ—s letter 〈…〉 written to 〈…〉 when iâ— was 〈…〉 to LaÌ„â—â—â—hire Math. 25. The reioysâ—â—g of B. 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 constanâ—â—â— of M. Rogers A letter of B Râ—â—ley to 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 English Apoc. 1â— Apoc 17. Gal. 5. Math. 24. He exhorteth the brethren to stand fast 1. Iohn 4. Virgill Aeneâ—d 1. Phil. 1. Heb. 10. Patience necessary for al Christians 1. Iohn 10 The quarell of the Martyrs 〈◊〉 iust and true Heb. 1. Colosâ— 1. Martyrs put to death 〈…〉 they will acknowledge no more 〈…〉 1. Cor. 8. Iohn â—â— The profundities of Sathan Apoc 2. 1. Peter 5. The Martyrs haue all the Prophets Apostles and auncient ecclesiastical writers on their side Phil. 1. 1. Peter 4. He exhorteth vs not to wishe euill to our persecutors 1. Pet. 3. An other letter of B. Ridley wherein he coÌ„firmeth the brethren in captiuitye translated out of the Latin Communion vnitye of Saints Phil. 2. Reasons prouing the reliâ—ion in Q. Maryes tyme not to be of God ComparisoÌ„ betwene the religion in K Edwards time the religion set out in Q. Maryes tyme. Scriptures in K. Edwards tyme knowen in Queene Maryes tyme vnknowen In king Edwards tyme the people knew what they prayed in Q. Maries time they neitheâ— knew what nor to whoÌ„ they praied The Catechisme set forth in K. Edwardes tyme for children in Q. Maryes tyme forbidden Math. 23. The Catholicke Pharisies neyther enter themselues noâ— will suffer other to enter Gods kingdome Apoc 9. The pit of the Locusts opened Apoc. â— 1. Iohn 5. ExhortatioÌ„ to stand constant iâ— Christ and his truth An other letter of B. Ridley 〈…〉 1 Iohn 2. Math. 10. What it is 〈…〉 himselfe Luke 12. Feare of Gâ—d Bishop Ridley 〈◊〉 to haue sâ—te made for him Confession to the minister in the way of 〈◊〉 counsâ—â—le not 〈◊〉 B Ridley 〈◊〉 a reuerend handâ—â— of the Sacrament The part of a tâ—ue Bishop only to seeke the glory of Christ his Maister B. Ridley repenteth that he was not more earnest in stablishing the consciences of his famely and cure Doctor Haruey charged Good monitioÌ„s of B. Ridley to his olde Chapleynes Psal. 2. Iohn 2. What is truth Iohn 17. Eccle. 27. Heb. 13. Common prayer in the common tongue What it is to coÌ„fesse Christ. He that denyeth an open truth agaynst Gods word for worldly daunger will be as ready to deny God himselfe Death common to good and bad Damnable â—greement * Apostata was he who fled from his captayne to the
church This article of the K. Quâ—â—e is no 〈…〉 his Catholicke Creede And yet he sayd before that he went not aboute to seeke his bloud Iudgement without truth Mathew Plaise confesseth his minde of the Sacrament Capernaicall doctrine Christ called it his body Ergo he made it his body It followeth not For a thing may be called yet no nature chaunged Anno 1556. Iune False alleaging the Scriptures They sayd that Christ called it his body but they sayd not that it was his body Comparison betweene turning Moyses rod and the bread into Christes body not lyke The opinion of the Papistes much lyke to the Capernaits Iune 22. 10. Godly Martyrs The lyfe story of Richard Woodman Anno â—557 〈◊〉 Râ—â—hard â—oâ—dman 〈…〉 of his 〈◊〉 trouble Râ—chard Woodman agâ—yne apprehended 〈…〉 of Richard Woodman The first appreâ—ension 〈◊〉 Richard Woodman Woodmen purgeth himselfe of false sclander False surmises agaynst Richard Woodman Woodman complayned of to Syr Iohn Gâ—ge Lord Chamberlayne Warrantes sent out to attach Woodman L. Chamberlayne sendeth to take Woodman at his plough Woodman arested Feare comming vpon WoodmaÌ„ at his first taking Woodman comforted in his spirite after his feare Woodman asketh for their Warrant How God worketh for his seruauntes The vnorderly doinges of the Papiâ—tes in attaching men without any warrant Woodman refusâ—th to goe with them vnlesse they shewe their warrant Gods great worke how the persecutors which came to take Woodman went away without him Woodman escapeth the handes of his takers Woodmans house agayne searched for him Woodman lodged sixe weeâ—es in a woode All the countâ—y and Sea coastes lâ—yd for woodman Woodman deliuered by his owne brother into his enenemyes handes Auri sacra fames quid non Mortalia cogis pectora Virgil. Brother bewrayeth the brother Woodmans house agayne beset and searched Woodman put to his shiftes The part of a trusty wife to her husband This belyke was his brother Woodman at length after long seeking found out George 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 Woodman A Pewterer of 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 coate â—oodman 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 â—ounde 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 Woodman 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 of his â—â—fe and 〈◊〉 The name of this place 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 Firle Richard Woodman brought before the B. of Chichester D. Story and D. Cooke Richard Woodman preferreth the kingdome of Christ before lyfe or wyfe all worldly respectes Woodman appealed to his Ordynary D. Story a great spiller of bloud by his owne confession The Papistes in doubte whether they haue the spirite of God D. Story in a fury He is no true Christian that hath not the spirite of God Anno 1556. Iune 1. Cor. 7. Whether Paule was sure to receâ—ue the spirite of Christ. 1. Cor. 7. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. Gâ—l â— 2. Tim. 8. The Papistes bewray their owne blyndnes Richard Woodman glad to goe to the Marshalsâ—â— The liuing God is a pâ—â—ne of heresie among the Catholickes Story scorneth at the holy Bible Barne 6. D. Story set to schoole in the Scriptures Psal. â—4 If the liuing God in heauen doe make an heretick 〈◊〉 maketh 〈◊〉 the dead God on the Aultar Storyes rule to know an hereticke that is a true Christian When D. Story cannot confute them by learning he confuteth them by imprisonment No but if he should say the Sacrament of the aultar worshipped might he be then he were a perfect Catholicke The Lord hereticall our Lord Catholicke with the Papistes Fallacia equiuoci He that erreth from the church which church erreth not in in the right fayth his fayth cannot be good in deede Woodman charged with his owne writinges Richard Woodman 5. tymes before the Commissioners Anno 1557. 〈◊〉 â—oodman 〈…〉 church A man may 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 preaâ—â—â— â—eading 〈◊〉 Scripture letteth 〈◊〉 man to 〈…〉 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—under Woodman 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Church The Bishop 〈…〉 The Bishop biddeth Woodman to dinner Talke betweene Richard Woodman and the Bishop about Priestes mariage Paule if he were not maryed yet he had power to marry as well as the other had 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 7 Priestes ought to haue wyues rather then to burne by Sainct Paules doctrine Gene 2. 1. Tim. 3. Bishops and Deacons were maryed in the Apostles tyme. Papistes â—olde that Byshops Deacons hauing wiâ—es before might keepe them still but not hauing before might not afterward mary Paul confesseth himselfe after his Apostleship to haue power to maâ—y The Bishops fayâ—e wordes to Richard Woodman Richard Woodman complayned of by vnlearned Priestes which could not certyfie him in matters of religion A Byshoplyke diâ—ner without any talke of Scriptures D. story a man without reason 7. Sacramentes denyed Two onely Sacramentes Richard Woodman caryed to the Marshalsey Luke 22. The deuills members persecutors of the Christians Iob. Psal. 1â— Rom 14. Richard Wooâ—mâ—â— to the faythfull brethren Psal. 103. Those that feare God hang not or man The inseparable knot of loue betweene Christ and his members Christians ought to geue there liues for defence of the Gospell if they be thereto called The second examination of Rich. Woodman before D Christopherson Bishop of Chichester Doct. Story c. Prouing of 7. Sacramentes Christopherson not yet consecrated 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the examination 〈…〉 â—â—ether â—â—trimony 〈◊〉 Sacrament Ephe. 5. S. Paules words be these â—his misteâ—y is greatâ— c. In the Greeke text S. Paule calleth it misterium What is a mistery and what difference there is betweene a mistery and a Sacrament Argument A thing signified a thing signifying can not bee at one tyme in respecte of it selfe in one subiecte Matrimony is a holy thing it selfe signified Ergo Matrimony cannot be a Sacrament signifying a holy thing The hose in a hosiers stalle may be a signâ— signifying moe hose to be within but it is noe signifying signe of it selfe Neyther againe is euery signe of an other thing to be called a Sacrament Chichester proueth Matrimony to be a SacrameÌ„t by a payre of hose Letters written in the booke speaking properly be one thing the testament worde of God is an other thing And yet by vse of speach the booke of the testament is called the testament as bread and wine be called the body bloud of the Lord. Heb. 13. The Bishop of Chichesteâ— rightly aunswered of his man according to his queston Aiâ— Aio Sacrament of the Aultar The aultar how it is to be taken and where it is Math. 18. Math. 5. Christ the true and onely Aultar The place of Math. â— expoundâ— Heb. 13. The Catholickes will not haue the worde to iudge Woodman referreth himselfe to the true Church Doctrine preiudiciall to Christes passion to say that the Sacrament of the Aultar doth pacyfie the wrath of God The Catholickes make themselues Priestes not after the order of Aaron but of Melchisedech The Catholickes 〈◊〉 the Sacrament doth a â—â—gne signiâ—â—â—â—g and the thing it 〈◊〉 signiâ—ied Another 〈◊〉 wordes 〈◊〉 make 〈◊〉 Sacrament of Baptisme 〈…〉 childe 〈◊〉 to be â—â—ptised The word water and
the doore beyng shut to them forsooth When this euidence was geuen vp the Maior dismissed them went to dinner commaunding Palmer to the cage to make him an open spectacle of ignominy to the eyes of the world And Thackham the better to couer hys owne shame caused it to bee bruited that he was so punished for his euill lyfe and wickednesse alredy prooued against hym In the after noone Palmer came to his aunswer and did so mightily and clearely deface their euidence and defend his owne innocencie proouyng also that the sayd letters were by themselues forged that the Mayor himselfe was so much ashamed that he had geuen such credite vnto them and so much borne with them so that hee sought meanes how they might conuey him out of the countrey priuily But here among other thyngs this is not with silence to be passed ouer that one Iohn Galant a zealous professor of the Gospell a little after this came to the prison and found hym somewhat better intreated then before When he beheld hym O Palmer sayeth he thou hast deceiued diuers mens expectation for we heare that you suffer not for righteousnes sake but for your owne demerites O brother Galant sayth he these be the old practises of that Sathanicall brood But be you well assured God be praysed for it I haue so purged my selfe and detected theâ—r falshood that from henceforth I shal be no more molested therewith And there hauyng pen and inke he dyd write somwhat wherby part of his story here rehersed is well confirmed But now to these bloudy aduersaries Aâ—ter this when they sawe the matter frame so ill fauouredly fearing that if he should escape secretly their doyngs would tend no lesse to their shame and danger then to the Maiors dishonesty they deuised a newe pollicie to bring to passe their song hiddeÌ„ and festered malice against hym which was by their extreme refuge For where as before they were partly ashamed to accuse hym of heresie seyng they had bene counted earnest brethren themselues and partly afrayd because they had broken vp hys study and committed theft yet now least their iniquitie should haue bene reuealed to the world they put both feare and shame aside and began to refricate and rip vp the old sore the scarre whereof had bene but superficially cured as you haue heard and so to colour their former practises wyth the pretence of hys reformation in religion they charged hym with the writynges that they had stollen out of his studie Thus Palmer was once agayne called out of the pryson to appeare before the Maior and Bird the Officiall two other Iustices to render an accompt of his fayth before them to aunswer to such Articles and informations as were layd agaynst hym And when they had gathered of his own mouth sufficient matter to entrappe hym they deuised a certificate or bill of Instructions against hym to be directed to Doctor Ieffrey who had determined to holde hys Uisitation the nexte Tewsday at Newbery which was the xvj of Iuly And thus were the false witnesses and bloudy accusers winked at and the Innocent deliuered to the Lyon to be deuoured When it was therfore concluded that Palmer should be sent ouer to Newbery the sayd letters testimoniall were conueyed ouer together with hym the contents wherof shal partly appere hereafter In the meane tyme I thinke it good here to rehearse one example among other both of charitable affection toward hym and of his modestie correspondent to the same M. Rider of Reding a faythfull witnes of gods truth hearyng how cruelly Palmer had bene delt withall in the prison and pined away for lacke of necessaries and how euidently he had prooued hymselfe innocent before the Officers of such crimes as were obiected agaynst hym hee sent to him his seruant secretly the night before his departure to Newbery with a bowed grote in tokeÌ„ of his good hart toward hym requiring hym to let hym vnderstand if he lacked necessaries and he would prouide for him Palmer answered the Lord reward your M. for his beneuolence toward me a miserable abiect in this world and tell hym that God be praised I lacke nothyng In the mornyng before they tooke their iourney Tho. Askme aliâs Roberts beyng fellow prisoner with hym in Christes cause sittyng at breakefast and beholdyng Palmer very sad leaning to a window in the corner of the house asked why he came not to breakfast Because I lacke money saith Palmer to discharge the shot Come on man quoth he GOD be praised for it I haue enough for vs both Which thing when M. Rider heard of it cannot be expressed how much it grieued him that Palmer had deceiued hym with so modest an answer Thus to Newbery they came on Monday night and forthwith they were committed to the comfortable hostrie of the blynd house where they found Iohn Gwin their faythfull brother in the Lord. Now how they came before the Consistorie of Doctor Ieffrey and how Palmer was examined it doth in part appeare by this examinatioÌ„ here vnto annexed which although it be not perfectly and orderly penned as the report goeth it was spoken nor perchaunce altogether in such forme of wordes yet as exactly as we were able to compact and dispose it beyng gathered out of seuerall notes of Richard Shipper Ioh. Hunt Iohn Kirry of Newbery Richard White of Marleborough which were oculati testes and present at the hearyng thereof ¶ The second examination and accusation of Iulins Palmer at Newbery in the hearyng of moe then three hundreth persons IN the yere 1556. the xv of Iuly foure or fiue seats were prepared in the Quire of the Parish Churche of Newbery for the Uisitours whose names here ensue Doctor Ieffrey for the Bishop of Sarum Sir Richard Abridges Knight and then high Shiriffe of the Shiere Sir William Rainsford Knight Maister Iohn Winchcombe Esquier and the Person of Inglefield After the Prisoners were presented the Commission read and other thynges done in order accordingly Doctor Ieffrey called to Palmer and sayd Art thou that iolly writer of three halfepeny bookes that we heare of Palmer I know not what you meane Ieffrey Haue you taught Latin so long that now you vnderstand not English To this he answered nothing Then D. Ieffrey standyng vp said We haue receiued certaine writings and articles against you from the right worshipfull the Maior of Reading and other Iustices whereby we vnderstand that beyng conuented afore theÌ„ you were conuict of certaine heresies First that you deny the Popes holines supremacie Next that there are but two Sacraments Thirdly that the Priest sheweth vp an Idoll at masse and therfore you went to no masse since your first coÌ„ming to Redyng Fourthly that there is no Purgatorie Last of all that you be a sower of sedition and haue sought to deuide the vnitie of the Queenes subiects The Shiriffe You were best see
first what he will say to his owne handy worke Ieffrey Ye say truth Tell me Palmer art thou he that wrote this faire volume Looke vpon it Palmer I wrote it in deede and gathered it out of the scripture Ieffrey Is this doggish rime yours also Looke Palmer I wrote this I deny not Ieffrey And what say you to these Latine verses entituled Epicidion c. Are they yours too Palmer Yea sir. Ieffrey Art thou not ashamed to affirme it It came of no good spirit that thou didst both raile at the dead slander a learned and Catholike man yet alyue Palmer If it be a slander he hath slandered hymselfe For I do but report hys owne writyng open the folly therin declared And I recken it no railyng to inuey agaynst Annas and Caiphas beyng dead Ieffrey Sayest thou so I will make thee recant it and wryng Peccaui out of your lying lyppes ere I haue done with thee Palmer But I know that although of my selfe I bee able to do nothyng yet if you and all myne enemies both bodily and ghostly should do your worst you shall not be able to bryng that to passe neither shall ye preuaile agaynst Gods mighty spirit by whom we vnderstand the truth and speake it boldly Ieffrey Ah are you ful of the spirit Are you inspired with the holy ghost Palmer Sir no man can beleeue but by the inspiration of the holy ghost Therfore If I were not a spirituall man and inspired with Gods holy spirite I were not a true christian Qui spiritum Christi non habet hic non est eius i. He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Ieffrey I perceyue you lacke no words Palmer Christ hath promised not onely to geue vs store of words necessary but with them such force of matter as the gates of hell shall not be able to confound or preuayle agaynst it Ieffrey Christ made such a promise to his Apostles I trow you will not compare with them Palmer With the holy Apostles I may not compare neyther haue I any affiaunce in myne owne wit or learnyng which I know is but small yet this promise I am certain pertaineth to all such as are appoynted to defende Gods truth against hys enemies in the tyme of their persecution for the same Ieffrey Then it pertaineth not to thee Palmer Yes I am right well assured that thorough hys grace it pertaineth at this present to me as it shal I dout not appeare if you geue me leaue to dispute wyth you before this audience in the defence of all that I haue there written Ieffrey Thou art but a beardlesse boy starte vp yesterday out of the schooles and darest thou presume to offer disputation or to encounter with a Doctor Palmer Remember M. Doctour Spiritus vbi vult spirat And agayne Ex ore infantium c. And in another place Abscondisti haec a sapientibus c. i. The spirit breatheth whē it pleaseth hym c. Out of the mouth of Infants c. And thou hast hidden these thyngs from the wyse c. God is not tyed to tyme wit learnyng place nor person And although your wit and learnyng be greater then myne yet your beliefe in the truth and zeale to defend the same is not greater then myne Register Sir if you suffer hym thus impudently to trifle with you he will neuer haue done Ieffrey Wel ye shal vnderstand that I haue it not in commission at this present to dispute with you neither were it meete that we should call againe into question such Articles as are already discussed and perfectly defined by our mother the holy Church whom we ought to beleue without why or wherefore as the Creede telleth vs. But the cause why ye be now called hither is that ye might be examined vpon such articles as are ministred against you such matter as is here conteined in your hand writyng that it may be seene whether you will stand to it or nay How say you to this Palmer By your holy church you meane the Sinagogue of Rome which is not vniuersall but a perticular Church of shauelyngs The catholike church I beleeue yet not for her owne sake but because she is holy that is to say a Church that groundeth her beliefe vpon the word of her spouse Christ. Ieffrey Leaue railing answer me directly to my questiō Will ye stand to your writing or will ye not Palmer If ye prooue any sentence therein comprised not to stand with Gods word I will presently recant it Ieffrey Thou impudent fellow haue I not told thee that I came not to dispute with thee but to examine thee Here the parson of Inglefield pointing to the pixe said What seest thou yonder Palmer A canapie of silke brodered with gold Person Yea but what is within it Palmer A piece of bread in a clout I trow Person Thou art as froward an heretike as euer I talked with all Here was much spoken of Confiteor and other partes of the Masse Person Do you not beleeue that they which receiue the holy Sacrament of the aultar do truly eate Christes natural body Palmer If the Sacrament of the Lordes supper bee ministred as Christ did ordaine it the faithfull receiuers do in deed spiritually and truely eate and drinke in it Christes very naturall body and bloud Person The faithfull receiuers ye cannot bleare our eies with such Sophistry Doe not all maner receiuers good bad faithfull and vnfaithfull receiue the very natural body in forme of bread Palmer No sir. Person How prooue you that Palmer By this place Qui manducat me viuet propter me i. He that eateth me shall lyue for me Person See that fond fellow whiles he taketh himselfe to be a Doctor of the law you shall see me prooue him a stark foolish dawe Do you not read likewise Quicunque inuocauerit nomen domini saluus erit id est Whosoeuer inuocateth the name of the Lord shall be saued Ergo Doe none but the godly call vppon hym therefore you must marke how S. Paul answereth you He sayth that the wicked do eate the true body to their condemnation As Palmer was bent to aunswere him at the full the Person interrupted hym crying still what sayest thou to S. Paule Palmer I say that S. Paule hath no such wordes Person See the impudent fellow denieth the playne text Qui edit bibit corpus Domini indignè reus erit Iudicij i. He that eateth and drinketh the body of the Lord vnworthily is guiltie of iudgement Palmer I beseech you lend me your booke Person Not so The Shiriffe I pray you lend hym your booke So the booke was geuen ouer to hym Palmer Your owne booke hath Qui manducat hunc panem c. i. He that eateth this bread Person But S. Hieromes translation hath Corpus Palmer Not so M. Parson and God bee praysed that I haue in the meane season shut